Kirk Herbstreit reveals top-performing coaches from Week 8
An exciting Week 8 produced several narrow victories and a couple of big upsets college football fans did not see coming. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit gave a special shoutout to these seven coaches for their masterful performances on Saturday:
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema: Just a few days removed from controversial comments regarding his team’s abilities and the weapons, or lack thereof, Bielema believes he has at his disposal, Illinois pulled off a huge upset in Happy Valley. The 9OT 20-18 thriller definitely was not always pretty, but the Illini found a way to get their second-straight top-10 victory. They have won two of their last three games after losing four consecutive contests.
Miami head coach Manny Diaz: Miami has had one of the more disappointing seasons of the year in an ever-chaotic ACC. A team that many thought would give up after starting the season 2-4 and losing their starting quarterback to a season-ending shoulder injury showed up and toppled No. 18 NC State. Redshirt freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke had 325 yards and four touchdown passes against the Wolfpack. Their playoff hopes are no longer realistic, but the Hurricanes can at least play spoiler. They head to No. 17 Pittsburgh this weekend with a chance to effectively eliminate the Panthers from playoff contention.
Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal: Nearly every week Oregon’s playoff hopes seem about to slip away. But nearly every week Mario Cristobal and Co. find a way to win. Oregon has played in five one-possession games this season, and they’re 6-1 with one of the best wins in the country this season over Ohio State. Last weekend they added a 34-31 quality win at the Rose Bowl over a talented UCLA team that is trending in the right direction.
Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard: While the Wisconsin offense is nothing to write home about, the defense is quietly having one of the best seasons in the nation. On Saturday, Wisconsin held a Purdue team fresh off a win over then-No. 2 Iowa to just 13 points and 206 total yards. Standout wide receiver David Bell, who posted 240 yards against Iowa, was held to just 33 on Saturday. Wisconsin boasts the best run defense in the nation, and their skill was on display against the Boilermakers. Purdue totaled -13 rushing yards.
5. San Diego State head coach Brady Hoke: The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach summed up the Brady Hoke situation in a clever way with the following tweet:
Hoke, the former Michigan head coach from 2011-2014, and the No. 21 Aztecs are coming off an upset win over Air Force. The Falcons were a 3-point favorite at home, and San Diego State topped them 20-14. Entering Saturday’s game, the Falcons were averaging 336 rushing yards per game. Hoke is a defensive coach, and his defense held Air Force to 192 yards on the ground. The Aztecs sit atop the West division in the MWC, and they have a date with 6-2 Fresno State on Saturday night.
6. Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck: After an opening loss to Ohio State and an inexplicable defeat at the hands of Bowling Green, Minnesota has rattled off a series of impressive victories including a 34-16 win over Maryland last weekend. After a sloppy first couple of drives, the Gophers scored four touchdowns on their next five drives to take a 31-10 lead midway through the third quarter. They dominated time of possession by nearly 15 minutes and nearly doubled Maryland’s total yardage. With just one conference loss and a game against Iowa still on the schedule, the Gophers could make a run for the Big Ten West title.
7. Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees: The Notre Dame offense has been pretty disappointing to date with a dismal offensive lineman that is 126th in sacks allowed in the nation, a run game that just could not get off the ground, and a game of quarterback roulette with three different players. Which offense would take the field for the Irish in the first half of the season was always a toss up. On Saturday, while it was not perfect, Notre Dame’s offense looked like its old self en route to a 31-16 victory over rival USC. Running back Kyren Williams had 31 touches and 180 yards from scrimmage. The offensive line allowed just one sack. The quarterback carousel seems to be working as it should. Notre Dame’s offense is starting to click.