2021 2nd Year College Football Head Coach Expectations: Mild Expectations … But Go Bowling
These coaches took over less-than-ideal situations and were able to start to turn things around a little bit. There’s no massive pressure for right now, but they need to at least get to a bowl game or Year Three could be make-or-break.
Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri
2020: The 5-5 season wasn’t awful, but the defense was a disaster over the final three games and the offense was spotty throughout. The blowout losses to Tennessee and Mississippi State weren’t okay.
Realistic Expectations In Year Two: The schedule – considering Mizzou is in the SEC – isn’t all that bad. A bowl game should be a no-brainer and a winning season is a must. More than that, the team has to be more competitive against the big boys on the slate – this year, that’s Florida, Georgia, and Texas A&M.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Go bowling every year and beat Florida and Georgia at least twice each. An SEC East title would be nice, but at least come close once.
– 2021 Missouri Preview
Todd Graham, Hawaii
2020: 5-4 with a bowl win was a nice first run. It was a wildly inconsistent year, but it was a decent winning season in the coaching and philosophical transition.
Realistic Expectations In Year Two: Do it all over again. Year Two might turn out to be tougher than Year One – the Rainbow Warriors have to deal with a makeshift new home field and the schedule is a whole lot tougher without two home games in a row. Just get to a bowl game and come up with a winning season.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Win a Mountain West title. Hawaii is always going to have to fight through its various barriers, but getting to a bowl every year is a must.
– 2021 Hawaii Preview
Nick Rolovich, Washington State
2020: Just like it was for most of the Pac-12, Washington State had a hard time getting the shortened season going. The Cougars went 1-3, the defense was non-existent, and it was mainly a warm-up year for everything going forward.
Realistic Expectations In Year Two: Make a push for a bowl game. Anything less than five wins will be a disaster, and there needs to be an upset or two to come up with a winning season.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Go to a bowl game in each season and expect Rolovich to make the offense more consistent. The coach has an attitude, and it needs to translate into a Wazzu program that has to become more of a factor in the Pac-12 North.
– 2021 Washington State Preview
Greg Schiano, Rutgers
2020: 3-6 was a whole lot better than 3-6. After so many years of pain and suffering, Rutgers started to be more entertaining and far more competitive, losing to Michigan in overtime and with three of the losses by a touchdown or less.
Realistic Expectations In Year Two: Knock on the door of bowl eligibility. Schiano did a wonderful job in his first season, and he’s got a decent enough starting 22 to be competitive. With its schedule five wins is a must, and there needs to be an upset to get to six.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Realistically, Rutgers isn’t going to make any sort of a push for the Big Ten title, but if Schiano can get the program to three bowl games and generate a few big upsets over the big names, he’ll be doing his job.
– 2021 Rutgers Preview
– The rebuild continues
– Go bowling, and maybe do more
– 2020 is over … WIN NOW