Five College Football Coaches I Owe An Apology To

By: Brock Vierra

I am an outlandish sports commentator. I made wild takes and I believe every one I make. Bill Carroll (@ElevenBravo138) had dubbed me the “Babyface Assassin” on The College Football Forecast due to my youthful looks and propensity to fire coaches. Sometimes I’m right and sometimes I’m wrong. These are five coaches I had out the door after 2023 but recent results have either secured their future at their respective programs or bought them enough time to make a difference. Let’s begin.

Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri. I thought Drinkwitz was out the door but recent results might give AD Desiree Reed-Francois the justification to give him an extension. Now I would like to start by saying that I like Drinkwitz and he is a good coach but I thought the Missouri job had too many hurdles for him to be successful. It takes a special coach to do what Gary Pinkel did and I felt his one very successful season at Appalachian State wasn’t enough experience for such a task. After a 17-19 record to start his tenure with two bowl game losses, I thought that his seat was heating up and perhaps Drinkwitz felt it too because his Tigers have come out firing on all cylinders. In his fourth year, Drinkwitz and Missouri are 5-0 and are ranked 21st in the nation. His team defeated #15 Kansas State, the defending Big 12 champions, and knocked off 4-1 Memphis. They play #23 LSU this week, a team he defeated in 2020, and should Missouri win against LSU and if Kentucky loses to Georgia, Drinkwitz’s Tigers would be tied for first in the SEC East standings. They have a tough schedule ahead but if he can win three games out of the remaining seven, Drinkwitz’s spot in Columbia would be secured.
Jake Dickert, Washington State. I thought Jake Dickert was gonna burn out. Turns out he just needed Ben Arbuckle. Dickert and the Cougars are off to a hot start. They’re 4-0 and ranked 13th in the nation. They average 46 points per game and they already have two wins over ranked opponents. Their victories over #23 Wisconsin and #14 Oregon State have placed Washington State firmly in the college football playoff conversation while star QB Cam Ward has been receiving some first-round love. With UCLA and Arizona being their next two games, there are no reasons why Washington State shouldn’t enter Eugene with a 6-0 record. Their matchup with Oregon could be both a CFP and Pac-12 Championship eliminator.
Steve Sarkisian, Texas. I have been Sark’s biggest critic for as long as I can remember. In fact, it was after his first Red River Rivalry that I began my anti-Sark tirade but here we are two years later and Texas is rolling. His team averages 36 points per game while his defense only surrenders around 13 points per game. These successes have given the Longhorns two ranked wins including an upset of #3 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Texas, currently number three in the country, is well on its way to their first-ever college football playoff appearance and Sark’s use of the transfer portal has paid dividends for his team. His biggest test is ahead of him as the nation will be watching the 119th edition of the Red River Rivalry as his undefeated Longhorns play the undefeated #12 ranked Oklahoma Sooners. A win and you might as well pencil them in for the Big 12 Championship Game.
Mario Cristobal, Miami. I’m not gonna lie, I thought Cristobal was a horrible hire for the U and part of me still does. I can not ignore the fact that Cristobal’s Hurricanes are 4-0 and the #17th-ranked team in the country. One win away from matching his wins total from 2022, Miami is an offensive juggernaut. The former Hurricane offensive lineman hasn’t forgotten his roots as his team possesses one of the best offensive lines in the country and Tyler Van Dyke has had a resurgent year. However Miami hasn’t faced anyone of note and yes, Texas A&M isn’t a team of note so until they make their trip to Chapel Hill in two weeks, I’m gonna hold my praise of Cristobal. However, he and his staff are making massive noise in recruiting so Miami will be a team to keep an eye on.
Mike Norvell, Florida State. The Seminoles finally look competitive again. They’re ranked at four, they’re 4-0, they’ve defeated their biggest tests of the season against LSU and Clemson and how could you not love their wide receivers. Keon Coleman was such a huge pickup and QB Jordan Travis is a legit Heisman candidate. Yes, they play Miami and Florida but FSU is clearly the superior team. Now I always wanted Deion Sanders for the job so let’s say I wasn’t a big fan of Norvell but his record is undeniable. Remember he won 12 games and an AAC championship with Memphis in his fourth year there so if you want to buy stock in Florida State, now is the time to do it.