Tony Elliott, Virginia
Virginia Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis
Before This … Clemson offensive coordinator from 2015 to 2021.
Top Line of the Resumé: Helped coach and guide Clemson and quarterback stars Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence to national championships.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: Keep the Virginia passing game going on the way to the first winning season in three years.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Five bowl appearances, at least one trip to the ACC Championship, and … always beat Virginia Tech.
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame
Notre Dame Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule
Before This … Notre Dame defensive coordinator last season – coming from the University of Cincinnati where he was the DC for four years.
Top Line of the Resumé: Before leaving for Notre Dame, he built up the Cincinnati defense under Luke Fickell, helping to put the parts in place for the 2021 run to the College Football Playoff.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: At least ten wins with the College Football Playoff a possibility in late November.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: At least four double-digit win seasons, one national championship appearance and at least one other trip to the College Football Playoff.
Clay Helton, Georgia Southern
Ga Southern Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule
Before This … USC head coach for seven seasons.
Top Line of the Resumé: Won the 2017 Pac-12 Championship after winning the Rose Bowl the season before.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: Turn a 3-9 Georgia Southern team into a winner with a bowl appearance.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Four bowl appearances and at least one trip to the Sun Belt Championship.
Brian Kelly, LSU
LSU Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis
Before This … Head coach at Notre Dame for 12 seasons.
Top Line of the Resumé: All-time winningest head coach at Notre Dame with two national championship appearances. Two Division II national titles at Grand Valley State.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: At least nine wins, a massive victory over a powerhouse – like Alabama – and a big bowl game to set the tone for 2023.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: It’s LSU, so at least two SEC championships, at least two College Football Playoff appearances, and at least one national championship.
Jerry Kill, New Mexico State
NMSU Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule
Before This … The former head coach at Northern Illinois and Minnesota was a key assistant at TCU before taking over in an interim role last season.
Top Line of the Resumé: Three-time Gateway Conference champion and five straight Division I-AA playoff appearances at Southern Illinois from 2003 to 2007.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: At least four wins with the groundwork set for a strong running game.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Two winning seasons and bowl appearances.
Dan Lanning, Oregon
Oregon Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis
Before This … Defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs for three seasons, including last year’s national championship team.
Top Line of the Resumé: Oversaw the legendary 2021 Georgia defense that sent eight players to the 2022 NFL Draft.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: Win the Pac-12 Championship and at least come really, really close to the College Football Playoff.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Three Pac-12 titles, and at least one College Football Playoff appearance.
Rhett Lashlee, SMU
SMU Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule
Before This … Miami Hurricane offensive coordinator and quarterback coach who helped Tyler Van Dyke become one of the hot prospects going into this season.
Top Line of the Resumé: Offensive coordinator at Auburn under Gus Malzahn, including the run to the BCS Championship appearance at the end of the 2013 season.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: At least eight wins for the team that went 8-4 last year with the program’s first bowl win since 2012.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: An even more explosive offense that leads the way to five winning seasons, five bowl games, and an American Athletic Conference championship.