Grading every college football coaching hire in 2021 carousel: Texas, Tennessee get high marks
Boise State Broncos: Andy Avalos
Something that will be a bit of a refrain as we delve into more of the hires is the lack of head coaching experience for many of the new faces. Andy Avalos fits into that bucket as taking over at Boise State will be his first taste of being a head coach. That being said, the 39-year-old has the boxes checked to this point.
A former player and longtime assistant at Boise State, Avalos is more than familiar with the program and what’s necessary to succeed with the Broncos. Moreover, his two-year stint as Oregon’s defensive coordinator allowed him to show his chops as the Ducks improved greatly on that side of the ball. – Grade: A-
Illinois Fighting Illini: Bret Bielema
Bret Bielema being a head coach in college football once again makes the world feel right. But even more than that, he’s actually a terrific hire for Illinois. The Fighting Illini have been struggling for consistent relevancy and Bielema is the type of coach who can come in and spark that type of change for the program.
Over seven seasons at Wisconsin, Bielema proved he could win in the Big Ten as he captured three-straight conference titles before leaving for Arkansas. And though his overall record with the Razorbacks was less than stellar, you could argue he didn’t get the fairest of shakes there. Put simply, he’s a proven defensive mind with a strong presence that could allow Illinois to build up to making viable noise. – Grade: A-
Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks: Terry Bowden
The résume and name-brand of Terry Bowden are more attractive than what he actually brings to the table for Louisiana-Monroe. Bowden has seen plenty of previous stops as the head coach of Auburn, North Alabama and Akron. However, his stint with the Zips from 2012-18 was his most recent head gig and it’s cause for concern for the Warhawks.
Bowden went a meager 35-52 over his seven seasons with Akron and only had two seasons with six or more wins over that span as well. Considering how strong the Sun Belt has been top-to-bottom in recent years, the 64-year-old is going to have to look much different than he did with the Zips for ULM to find the success they’re looking for. – Grade: D