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How did new coaches rate in Week 1?

by Randy Hill

Veteran columnist Randy Hill is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com.

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Updated: September 4, 2008, 2:44 PM EDT
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Unless you're dealing with Frank Caliendo, first impressions can be unreliable.

When reviewing brand-new college football coaching employees, initial-judgment traps are easy to identify. For example, a Week 1 triumph that suggests a coaching upgrade has transpired may be little more than the result of uninspired scheduling.

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A Week 1 defeat that suggests a questionable hire could be credited to a deficiency in talent or attitude (or both) attached to the past regime. There's a reason why college football's 16 new top-level coaches were hired; with an exception or two, things weren't exactly ducky at that location last season.

So, with potential disclaimers barging in from all corners of the pigskin universe, let's attempt to use this tiny sample size and rate our first glimpses at the Sweating 16. We'll be dividing these new employees into three categories: So Far, So Good; Not So Hot; and More Evidence Required.

SO FAR, SO GOOD

  • Rick Neuheisel, UCLA: The obvious first pick in this division knocked off 18th-ranked Tennessee at the Rose Bowl because he's a vigorous recruiter. The biggest name on his opening salvo is offensive coordinator Norm Chow, but the huge "get" was defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, who stayed on in Westwood after losing to Neuheisel in the derby to replace Karl Dorrell.

    It was Walker's swift and aggressive defensive unit that kept the Bruins alive against Tennessee while junior-college transfer Kevin Craft was lobbing four picks in the opening half.

    After suffering like someone waiting on a download with a dial-up modem, Neuheisel — in coercion with Chow — made some QB-soothing adjustments at intermission and the mighty Vols sabotaged a small portion of Southeastern Conference ego by losing in overtime.

    We'll see how much smart money is on Neuheisel when the Bruins play at BYU on Sept. 13.

  • Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech: The former Navy coach's first Tech defense limited former high school superstar QB Ryan Perrilloux to just 136 passing yards. Fortunately for Johnson, Perrilloux no longer plays for LSU, having transferred to Jacksonville State after getting bounced by the national champs. Paul's new team took advantage of this fine scheduling and began with a 41-14 victory.

    Johnson's expertly schemed ground attack produced four ball-carriers with 50 or more yards. His next test will occur this weekend at Boston College.

  • Ken Niumatalolo, Navy: Johnson's successor didn't change tactics, presiding over a rushing game that produced (we're not kidding) 558 yards in a 41-13 drubbing of Towson. Shun White had 348 of those, including an 87-yard gallop among his three touchdowns.

    Next up is MAC West power Ball State.

  • Kevin Sumlin, Houston: Sumlin, a former co-offensive coordinator at Oklahoma, directed a passing attack that generated almost 500 yards in a 55-3 rout of Southern.

    Sophomore Case Keenum accounted for 392 yards while pitching five touchdowns. Sumlin's status as a hot coaching commodity will be put to the test Saturday at Oklahoma State.

  • Jerry Kill, Northern Illinois: Yeah, the newcomer from Southern Illinois lost his debut with the Huskies, but losing by four to BCS-league member Minnesota is a pretty fair start. (It should be noted that predecessor Joe Novak had some great moments against bigger-league teams while building the program in DeKalb.)

    The school that produced Michael Turner and Garrett Wolfe is taking a new approach, having racked up 298 passing yards against the Gophers.

    NOT SO HOT

    Rich Rodriguez's debut at Michigan was less-than-impressive. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

  • Rich Rodriguez, Michigan: Sure, we're aware that Rodriguez doesn't have ideal spread-attack personnel at Michigan, but most of us expected him to come up with a way to accumulate more than 203 yards against a non-BCS team.

    With no disrespect intended toward a really good Utah squad, Rich — coaching in what was supposed to have been a jazzed-up opener at the Big House — should have prevailed with superior talent.

  • Bobby Petrino, Arkansas: The guy who ditched the Atlanta Falcons (a lousy move that somehow doesn't seem that bad when you say it out loud) won his first game with the Razorbacks.

    But a four-point victory over Western Illinois makes him a deserving member of this division.

  • Greg McMackin, Hawaii: His 46-point loss at Florida demonstrates that — much like predecessor June Jones — Greg has what it takes to be crushed by a really good SEC team.

  • June Jones, SMU: June's sophisticated approach to offensive football produced 27 points in the opener with Rice. Unfortunately, his approach to defense allowed the Owls to put 56 on the Mustangs.

  • Mike Sherman, Texas A&M: An 18-14 loss to Arkansas State in his first game at College Station didn't exactly make Mike seem as tough as he seemed during that nationally televised shouting match with Warren Sapp.

  • Paul Wulff, Washington State: A 39-19 home loss to Oklahoma State did little for Pac-10 bragging rights, but at least Paul lost to a team coached by a man who's 41 years old.

  • Art Briles, Baylor: Briles, who was good enough at Houston to move on and provide a gig for Sumlin, absorbed a 41-13 beat-down from a pretty fair Wake Forest team.

    While Briles attempts to upgrade the talent level in Waco, Bears fans really can look forward to the basketball recruiting season (can John Wall play QB?)

  • Steve Fairchild, Colorado State: After playing for CSU and coaching under Fort Collins legend Sonny Lubick, Fairchild opened with a 19-point loss to rival Colorado.

    MORE EVIDENCE REQUIRED

  • Bo Pelini, Nebraska: In his first date as a head coach, the defensive-minded Pelini unleashed QB Joe Ganz, who responded with 345 passing yards and four touchdowns.

    But the Huskers were beating up (47-24) on Western Michigan, a 5-7 team expected to finish no higher than third in the MAC West. Nebraska's next foes are San Jose State and New Mexico State, so Bo may have to stay in this division until the Huskers take on Virginia Tech.

  • Houston Nutt, Mississippi: Nutt's Rebels scorched Memphis for 41 points, but Texas transfer quarterback Jevan Sneed must do better than 10 for 22 when Nutt lines up Ole Miss against his SEC cronies.

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