Mike MacIntyre, FIU
FIU Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule
Before This … Memphis defensive coordinator for the last two seasons.
Top Line of the Resumé: Head coach at Colorado for six seasons with a 10-4 run in 2016 – earning national Coach of the Year honors – and appearance in the Pac-12 Championship.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: Get three wins for a program that went 1-16 over the last two seasons.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Give FIU football an identity around a tough defense, leading the way to three winning seasons and bowl appearances.
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech
Texas Tech Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis
Before This … Baylor assistant head coach over the last three seasons.
Top Line of the Resumé: Oversaw a defense that made two Big 12 Championship appearances in the last three seasons, winning it last year.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: A winning record – with at least one big win over a brand name team like Texas or Oklahoma – on the way to a bowl game.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Give Texas Tech a nasty defense to go along with what’s about to be an even more dangerous offense. Five winning seasons, five bowl appearances, and at least one trip to the Big 12 Championship.
Joe Moorhead, Akron
Akron Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule
Before This … Oregon offensive coordinator for the last two seasons after a stint as the Mississippi State head coach for two years.
Top Line of the Resumé: Turned around Fordham – his alma mater – from a disastrous situation to four straight winning seasons, a Patriot League championship, and three FCS playoff appearances in four years.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: At least three wins for the first time since 2018.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Bring an offensive identity to the program – do for Akron what he did for Fordham – with three winning seasons and bowl appearances. For a program that played in the 2017 MAC Championship, make at least one trip to the conference title game.
Jim L. Mora, UConn
UConn Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule
Before This … Worked in the media as an announcer for four years after coaching at UCLA for six seasons.
Top Line of the Resumé: Led the 2004 Atlanta Falcons to an NFC South title with a run to the NFC Championship game.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: Get to four wins for the first time since 2015.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Build up the talent level and give the program a football identity. Come up with at least two winning seasons and bowl appearances.
Billy Napier, Florida
Florida Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis
Before This … Head coach at Louisiana for four seasons.
Top Line of the Resumé: Two-time Sun Belt coach of the year with two conference championships and four division titles in four years going 40-12.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: Finish second in the SEC East and make a push for a big bowl game.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Five winning seasons, five bowl games, and at least two SEC Championship appearances with one run to the College Football Playoff.
Jay Norvell, Colorado State
Colorado State Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule
Before This … Head coach at Nevada for five seasons.
Top Line of the Resumé: Turned around Nevada going 33-26 with four straight winning campaigns and bowl games.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: Get Colorado State its first winning season since 2017.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Bowl trips and winning seasons every year, and at least one Mountain West Championship with one other appearance.
Brent Pry, Virginia Tech
Va Tech Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis
Before This … Defensive coordinator – co-DC for the first two years – at Penn State for eight seasons.
Top Line of the Resumé: Coached three Penn State defenses that finished in the top ten, helped head coach James Franklin take Vanderbilt to three straight bowl games, and was the coordinator at Georgia Southern in 2010 when it finished in the top ten defensively.
Realistic Expectations In Year One: Come up with a winning season for the first time in four years.
Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Reboot the Virginia Tech defense to make it one of the nastiest in the ACC, come up with winning seasons and bowl appearances every year, get to at least one conference championship, and … beat Virginia.