There were coaches we said on this blog were good hires – Justin Fuente at Virginia Tech, Dino Babers at Syracuse, and Bronco Mendenhall at Virginia. Virginia Tech is leading the Coastal Division race. Syracuse looks resurgent, and is threatening to make a bowl. Mendhehall is showing glimpses that he could eventually right the ship at Virginia. They nearly knocked off Louisville today.
There were coaches we said we bad hires and they were. Kirby Smart took a Georgia team that consistently recruits in the top 10 and already has lost 4 times, including a humiliating home loss to Vanderbilt. Will Muschamp has South Carolina at 3-4 with an offense that is among the worst in the country.
Mark Richt at Miami was considered a good hire at Miami or so we thought. Richt had a respected a pedigree at Georgia even though he had struggled to beat ranked teams in recent years. 8 games in to the season, Miami looks like a trainwreck. QB Brad Kaaya went from projected 1st round pick, to the 7th or 8th best QB in the ACC. We thought Richt could change Miami’s recent losing culture, but following the loss to Florida State it appears he’s just channeling his inner Al Golden.
Like Golden’s Miami teams, the Canes have taken a close loss to FSU and let it turn into 5 or 6 more. The loss Saturday to Notre Dame was embarrassing. I know it seems strange to say, but this was Notre Dame team that lost at home to winless in the ACC Duke, and reeling NC State. That was a bad Irish team, but the Canes were worse. Richt has failed to show any early signs that he can turn Miami around.
That doesn’t mean Miami has to give up on Richt. It’s way too soon for that. Coaches aren’t going to get 5+ years turn a program anymore, but by year 3 we should start seeing something. Richt is only in year 1, but the start is not a good one.
I would describe Mark Richt’s first 8 games the same way SEC Writer Barrett Sallee described Kirby Smart’s start at Georgia as they have exactly the same number of losses at 4.
The honeymoon isn’t over for Kirby Smart at UGA.
But the groom got sloppy drunk and embarrassed the bride for the fourth time.
— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) October 29, 2016
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