The ACC has 17 full-time football programs and we’re going to deep dive into the coaching seat temperature check of all 17 head coaches.
We’re through six weeks of the 2024 college football season and the ACC has one clear leader, the Miami Hurricanes. Along with the ‘Canes there are a handful of competitive teams to potentially compete in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, NC in December.
Pitt has bounced back, Clemson is starting to show signs of life, Louisville will be an issue for Miami because of their offensive game planning ability up against Lance Guidry and SMU is a field goal away from being undefeated.
We’re going to take a look at the former Coastal and Atlantic divisions, plus the new western programs and their coaches’ seat temperatures.
The Former Coastal
The Former Coastal teams are of course led by the Miami Hurricanes. Miami is the clear front runner but Pitt is a force right now and Duke is looking pesky under Manny Diaz.
YOUR Miami Hurricanes- Mario Cristobal’s seat has cooled considerably with this 6-0 start and QB Cam Ward looking like the “Mario QB curse” has been lifted. A drastic improvement from a 12-13 start and losses to teams like MTSU, Rutgers, and Georgia Tech. The Miami Miracles rolled into Berkeley and if you stayed woke you saw a thriller!
Visiting The Barnacle Historic State Park in late July “HOT”
North Carolina- Mack Brown followed an embarrassing blowout loss to JMU with a choke while ahead loss to rival Duke. UNC has been all sizzle (Sam Howell, Drake Maye) and no steak under Brown. Now they’ve gone and lost to Pat Narduzzi’s Pitt Panthers who move on to 5-0 for the first time since 1991?!
Fun hire: Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, who has coached at NC State, Elon and Davidson as well as nearby JMU would be a great hire for the Tar Heels. But would he leave the Big Ten for the ACC in the current financial climate of conference realignment?
“WARM,” as a December day in Little Havana
Virginia- Tony Elliott is currently 10-17 as the head guy at Virginia. Elliott has guided the program through a tragedy and started the 2024 season 4-1. UVA is on the upswing and that’s cooled his seat off from hellfire and brimstone to just a sweaty Calle Ocho afternoon.
Fun hire: Bob Chesney. The JMU head coach just smoked UNC and has a history of success from his time at both Assumption and Holy Cross.
Virginia Tech– Brent Pry has started off his tenure at Va. Tech with a 13-17 record and what was that stat about close losses… 1-10? That means the Hokies are close but his late game clock management makes Cristobal blush. I don’t think Pry is out after three years but VT needs a return to a bowl game this season to avoid being on the chopping block for ‘25.
Fun hire: Jamey Chadwell could work out at a Virginia Tech and bring his brand of offense to the DMV in a more P4 role. He’s been successful at Coastal Carolina and now Liberty. Liberty pays well and has great facilities- but the competition level is clearly going to hold him out of the G5 seat. He’d be a fun hire for VT but I can’t see his schtick at UVA or UNC.
26” inseam cargo shorts in the blue lot levels of “COOL”
Pitt- Pat Narduzzi has totally redeemed himself. Pitt is an offensive juggernaut and the Panthers are putting together a solid season in a bounce back effort. After a 3-9 season a year ago, Narduzzi is 5-0 to start the ‘24 season.
Georgia Tech- Another alumni hire, Brent Key started off 11-10 at Ga. Tech after Geoff Collins sputtered to 10-28 in three and change seasons in Atlanta. In ‘24, Key is now 4-2 and has managed to beat FSU and Miami while head coach.
Mark Light Shake “COLD”
Duke– Former Temple Owls and Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz started off 5-1 and beat their rival, the UNC Tar Heels. The defense is clicking and the offense needs time but Manny figured that out in year two at Miami, too. It’s also his first year in Durham and Duke is in no position to coach hunt so quickly no matter the outcome of year one under Diaz.
The Former Atlantic
After a decade of the Clemson Tigers being on top of the ACC, Florida State returned to the top in 2023. The only issue- it was a short stay at the peak and the former Atlantic teams are ruled once again by the Tigers.
Colder than Dabo saying your name with disdain on his radio show
Clemson– “WE BACK” like a croqueta in your throat after shots of fireball at the tailgate. Dabo Swinney watched his Tigers get smoked by UGA to open the season and finally took the cuff off of QB Cade Klubnik. The full backy-back will be proven if CU makes the ACC Championship Game in December.
Louisville- Jeff Brohm might choke away a game or two per season but compared to Bobby Petrino part 2 and Scott Satterfield he’s The Gipper. The Louisville Cardinals are in games with Notre Dame and beat Miami in ‘23 on their way to the ACC Championship Game where they lost to a back-up quarterbacked FSU squad.
Boston College- Bill O’Brien has opened his tenure at BC with a win over FSU and a barnburner loss to no. 6 Missouri. Thomas Castellanos looks improved and they managed to even win without their star QB.
Cool, like a CIS member bringing up he met Butch Davis once in 1996
Syracuse- Fran Brown has brought attitude and a semblance of hype to upstate New York. That’s saying a lot since ‘Cuse last season worth noting was before Manny Diaz took over the Miami job. Syracuse is 4-1 and knocked off Ga. Tech but dropped a close game to a trick Stanford club.
NC State- Dave Doeren has gone from Mr. Consistency to failing at hiring an OC and finding a transfer QB. Two consecutive failed portal QB’s in a row could put Dave on the hot seat unless he does what he does and manages an 8-9 win season with a backup QB, again. NCSU is now 3-3 and has lost to their three P4 opponents.
Warm, like a shot of cafecito dribbling down Aaron Feld’s upper ‘stache curl
Wake Forest– Dave Clawson has been a head football coach for 24 of the last 25 seasons. Only a one year stint as the Tennessee OC has kept Clawson from being the top guy. But in the free transfer and NIL era of CFB, the success Clawson found through maintaining his program has become more difficult. Seven consecutive bowl appearances for the Demon Deacons has moved well into the past.
Fun Hire- I’m not sure who else could find success in Winston-Salem or would want the job- but I’d give Chesney a look as well as Chadwell. Maybe it’s time for the Clawfense to take a break and re-tool his methods.
I have no crappy pun, metaphor, analogy or idea what is going on here…
Florida State- Mike Norvell went from haggling deals with Alabama to being blown out by SMU. The all portal roster worked when it worked and has failed now in ‘24. It’s hard to find team chemistry in a sea of one-off ‘get mine’ players out of the portal. Norvell isn’t leaving Tallahassee unless it’s by choice. But man FSU fans are down on ol’ Mike.
The Wild West
The teams that are far from the Atlantic Ocean and in the wrong time zone are having pretty typical ACC starts. Outside of the 3,000 miles, time zones, and lack of fandom- the two Pac 12 teams were a great fit! SMU was a smart fit for a number of reasons- rich boosters included.
Far from the best
California- Justin Wilcox is under .500 at Cal now in two different conferences. Cal is currently 3-2 but can only manage half teams with the Golden Bears. It’s likely not going to change there either. Berkeley isn’t a football mecca and the program is stuck in the ACC. Cal should be happy to have him after the fight they gave Miami and FSU.
SMU- Former ‘Canes OC Rhett Lashlee started off his SMU tenure in the American with an 18-9 record. SMU has started the ‘24 season 5-1 and the Mustangs are only a field goal loss to BYU away from 6-0. Not a bad start for a first-time head coach. Rhett could look to move to Baylor, Arkansas (although the UT win could save Sam Pittman) or even Auburn (maybe?)
Fun Hire- GJ Kinne, currently of Texas State and formerly of Incarnate Word. Moving from Sonny Dykes, to Lashlee to Kinnie would keep offense on the forefront at SMU.
Stanford- Troy Taylor left Sacramento State after an extremely successful 30-8 run and struggled in year one at Stanford with a 3-9 record. The Cardinal are 2-3 but did upset Syracuse in the Dome. Taylor will need time to get this right and is too new to even think about moving on from.
The Wrap
So far this season I’ve been impressed with Mario Cristobal pulling out two close games, Rhett Lashlee for having the guts and brains to change QB’s, Pat Narduzzi for changing offensive schemes, and even Dabo Swinney for getting out of Garrett Riley’s way and letting Cade Klubnik take deep shots downfield.
I can see Lashlee getting a bigger job this off-season if the right programs open up. Analysis would have to be done on what really is a bigger job than SMU- clearly the Big 12 and ACC are sinking ships but the best fits for him are SMU, Baylor and SEC teams Arkansas and Auburn.
Enjoy the off week and let’s come back strong against Louisville with the film forecast on October 17th.