Sunday Superlatives: The best, worst and then some in coaching on a wild and wacky Week 5
The leaves are starting to change and Halloween is right around the corner.
Somehow, we’re already a quarter of the way through the college football season, and Week 5 offered plenty of wild and wacky results.
Several programs (looking at you Minnesota, Florida State and Washington) off to hot starts were humbled back to earth a bit, while the top-ranked team in the country had to engineer a fourth-quarter rally to stay undefeated.
Auburn continues to Auburn, but at least the Big 12 is a whole lot of fun with lots of quality coaches.
So let’s dive into the Week 5 Sunday Superlatives looking at the best, worst and everything else in coaching.
SMARTEST CALL OF THE WEEK
I still don’t know if DJ Uiagalelei is consistent enough to beat Ohio State, Alabama or Georgia, but it’s clear as the calendar turns, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was right to stick with the veteran quarterback over handing the reins to the shiny 5-star freshman.
While Tigers fans (and others) pinned for Cade Klubnik, Swinney was steadfast in his belief that Uiagalelei gave Clemson the best chance to win.
So far, he’s right.
A week after torching Wake Forest’s iffy secondary, Uiagalelei smoothly guided the Tigers against a solid NC State unit. He rushed for a career-high 73 yards and two touchdowns, adding 201 passing yards with no turnovers to lead Clemson to a 30-20 win.
With improved playmakers around him, Uiagalelei is doing a much better job spreading the ball around. He’s improved his accuracy (64% completion), and he’s avoided the costly interceptions (just one through five games), too.
“He has total command of what we’re doing,” Swinney said.
Clemson’s defense, when healthy, will continue to lead the way, but if Uiagalelei continues to play like he has the last two weeks against likely their toughest opponents, then Swinney may be looking at another 12-0 regular season and ACC title.
Honorable Mention: No. 11 Ole Miss was downright fortunate to beat No. 7 Kentucky on Saturday, as the Wildcats did their best Yosemite Sam impersonation with the amount of foot-shooting (multiple missed PATs, multiple red zone turnovers, missed FG) happening in Oxford. Still, Lane Kiffin made a big bet this offseason that a roster full of transfers could coalesce by October and win a key SEC game. Like Swinney, he was at least right Saturday.
The Rebels’ roster full of reinforcements did just, as the team’s three leading receivers (Mississippi State’s Malik Heath, Louisville’s Jordan Watkins and USC’s Michael Trigg) were all transfers, former TCU tailback Zach Evans ran for a touchdown, while ex-USC quarterback Jaxon Dart led the way with 250 total yards.
Defensively, former Central Michigan linebacker Troy Brown topped the team in tackles and TFLs, while ex-Georgia Tech pass rusher Jared Ivey came up with the game-saving strip-sack in the red zone — with his new coaches going bananas in the box after the play.
The Portal King declared himself an offseason winner, and now through five weeks, Ole Miss looks like a contender between the lines, too. The Rebels play Vandy and Auburn upcoming, so there’s a strong chance Kiffin will take his bandit of transfers to LSU in three weeks 7-0 and a Top 10 team in the country.
COACHING CALAMITY OF THE WEEK
There were plenty of contenders this weekend, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t start with Jimbo Fisher’s latest Texas two-step straight into the mud.
The Aggies’ head coach was awful chesty about his team and program this offseason, but on the heels of his in-season showdown with Nick Saban and Alabama next Saturday, Texas A&M once again no-showed offensively this weekend, getting destroyed 42-24 at Mississippi State.
Mike Leach’s Bulldogs are a solid squad, but the Aggies weren’t even competent Saturday, committing four turnovers, a huge special teams gaffe and endless negative plays allowed. (four sacks, six TFLs).
Texas A&M is in a really precarious position right now, especially with a stubborn coach still owed around $86 million guaranteed.
Although 2023 was billed as the season the Aggies would ascend to true national title contender status, this is Year 5 for Fisher. They weren’t supposed to be looking at another 8-4ish season. We’re long past a “bridge year.”
“We’ll keep sawing wood and do the things we’ve got to do and get there,” Fisher said postgame.
“We’re not where we want to be, no doubt. Got to get better.”
Texas A&M still has Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss and Florida on the schedule. Hell, Auburn, which I’m giving a much-needed pass in this space this week even though Bryan Harsin’s team coughed up a 17-0 lead in a loss to LSU, can hang with this A&M offense.
Fisher is likely too proud to give-up play-calling, but the Aggies desperately need some fresh eyes — and ideas — in that building. They rank last in the last in total offense, last in scoring offense and 12th in yards per play.
Oh, and all those 5-star recruits they “didn’t buy.” Well, they’re free to go play wherever they want at season’s end.
Meanwhile, what’s happening at Wisconsin is even too much for honorable mention status. Paul Chryst has earned full calamity honors.
The Badgers were embarrassed at home by former coach Bret Bielema, as Bert’s Illini ran all over Wisconsin en route to a 34-10 blowout win.
Known for their blue-collar OL and pounding rushing attack, Wisconsin finished the day with a whopping two yards on the ground.
Two.
Something’s wrong within the walls right now in Madison.
This is not the same Chryst program that won 10+ games four times in five years from 2015-19.
Since the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, the Badgers are just 15-10.
Graham Mertz hasn’t developed at quarterback, while Jim Leonard’s defense has really regressed (No. 10 in the Big Ten in yards per play allowed at 5.24) after consecutive seasons fielding the No. 1 unit in the conference.
It’s too soon to know if Chryst is on any sort of imminent hot seat, but the situation bears monitoring. Like now.
He’s owed close to $17 million if fired, but Wisconsin is about to get a huge check thanks to that new Big Ten media rights deal, so they can afford it.
The Badgers should getting back on track next weekend against Northwestern, but how they finish out the rest of their conference slate could determine if Barry Alvarez decides a move needs to be made at season’s end.
********** WISCONSIN COACHING UPDATE **********
Paul Chryst was fired Sunday night, with Jim Leonard taking over as the interim head coach. I clearly thought something was amiss in Madison, but Barry Alvarez moved even quicker than I thought. More to come on the Wisconsin opening tomorrow.
But as I mentioned later in this column, hello Lance Leipold?!?!?!
THE MORAL VICTORY MEDAL OF THE WEEK
A week after a crumbling overtime loss at Auburn, Missouri rebounded with a spirited effort against No. 1 Georgia.
Eli Drinkwitz rallied his Tigers team off the mat, and they nearly stunned the top-ranked Bulldogs on Saturday night.
For three quarters, Mizzou outplayed UGA — both physically and schematically. Drinkwitz took the air out of the football in the first half, smartly shrinking the game with an out-maned team.
Mizzou’s head coach and play-caller dialed up a few downfield shots, and then in the red zone, used some funky window dressing to confuse the Bulldogs’ defense for an early touchdown. Tigers kicker Henry Mevis also bounced back from his short shank on the Plains, drilling five field goals — including three over 49 yards.
But Missouri’s inability to convert third downs (just 3 of 14) and being forced to settle for 3 so many times allowed Georgia to hang around and stage a fourth-quarter comeback. They committed too many penalties in the second half, as well, and their defense ran out of gas at the end (over 100 yards rushing allowed in the fourth quarter).
“We were self-inflicted wounds away from winning that game,” Drinkwitz said.
With little to lose against the No. 1 team in the country, Drinkwitz arguably should’ve gone for it on 4th-down with a little more than 3:30 left in the game. The Tigers faced a 4th-and-10 from their own 25 — with all three timeouts remaining. Drinkwitz opted to punt and Missouri never saw the football again.
The Tigers are now 2-3, but after going toe-to-toe with Georgia, there are clearly winnable games (at Florida, vs. Vandy, at South Carolina) on the upcoming schedule.
That was Drinkwitz’s message to his team afterward, saying the goal is to, “Press on. There’s a lot of football left.”
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONESTY HONOR
At home against Purdue, No. 21 Minnesota laid a complete egg in a 20-10 loss.
Thanks to a cupcake schedule, the Gophers had destroyed their first four opponents, outscoring teams 183-24, but without star tailback Mohamed Ibrahim, they couldn’t generate much of anything offensively.
“Everything’s still in front of us,” said head coach P.J. Fleck.
“We have to get better. Listen, nobody’s perfect. Even if you have a perfect record, you’re still not perfect.”
No one loves a classic, cringy cliche like P.J. Fleck.
At least he’s right about everything being in front of Minnesota. With no Michigan or Ohio State on the schedule, the Gophers are still the favorites to win the Big Ten West.
THE TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS CUP
Ohio State was down 7-0 to Rutgers before the Buckeyes ripped off four touchdown drives, as tailback Miyan Williams finished the afternoon with five scores and 189 yards. After a choppy Week 1, Ryan Day has Ohio State’s offense humming just in time for a couple big games upcoming (vs. Iowa, at Penn State) later this month.
Meanwhile, Alabama raced out to a 28-0 lead in Arkansas, but Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young left the game with a shoulder injury which allowed the Hogs to rally to make it 28-23 to start the fourth quarter.
It would get no closer. As if Nick Saban hit the “FIX IT!” button, the Tide cranked up their rushing attack, with speedy backup quarterback Jalen Milroe, Georgia tech transfer Jahmyr Gibbs and the rest of the group combining for nearly 250 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in the fourth quarter.
Alabama handled its business Saturday, but it needs Young back stat with an upcoming stretch that includes at Tennessee and Mississippi State.
THE NEW BLOOD BUMP AWARD
Can a midseason coaching change actually cause teams to play better?
Sometimes!
There was no new blood bump for Nebraska or Arizona State, but the Rambling Wreck might’ve ruined another team’s season Saturday night.
Last week, Georgia Tech fired Geoff Collins after four putrid seasons in Atlanta, installing former Bees lineman and current offensive line assistant Brent Key as their interim head coach.
The Yellow Jackets were 28-point underdogs at No. 24 Pittsburgh on Saturday, but they stunned the Panthers for a 26-21 win — ending a nine-game losing streak against FBS competition.
Coming into the game, Georgia’s Tech advanced metrics said it wasn’t the worst team in the ACC in 2022, but their early season W/L results still suggested as much.
But with Collins out and Key leading his alma mater, the Bees played with more confidence and focus, finishing the fourth quarter with three scoring drives to take over the game.
“This means everything to me,” Key said in an emotional postgame interview.
“Knowing these guys had it in them all along. We just had to get these kids on the same page. … I’m just so happy for these kids.”
Good for Key. Good for Georgia Tech. Win a few more like that (Duke and Virginia upcoming) and the former Yellow Jackets’ lineman could find himself in the mix for the full-time job.
THE NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN BADGE
This ain’t your granddaddy’s Big 12, y’all.
With Oklahoma getting torched on defense for the second-straight week, some Cowboys, Horned Frogs, Jayhawks and Wildcats have all thrown their hat in the ring to be the new kings of the conference in 2022.
First-year TCU head coach Sonny Dykes has totally transformed that program in a hurry, with the Horned Frogs racing out to a 4-0 start after mashing OU for more than 660 yards on Saturday. Dykes, as well as offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, has turned senior quarterback Max Duggan into one of the most prolific dual-threat weapons in the country (13 total touchdowns, zero turnovers). TCU leads the nation in yards per play and is averaging close to 50 points per game.
Not to be outdone, Mike Gundy has Oklahoma State rolling again, as the No. 9 Cowboys got some revenge on No. 16 Baylor this weekend. After losing to the Bears twice — including in the conference title game — in 2021, the Cowboys went to Waco and took it to ‘em Saturday. They could be the class of the Big 12 this fall, with four double-digit wins in the books already.
Or will they be?
Two schools from the Jayhawk State certainly will have something to say about that, too. Lance Leipold only continues to strengthen his resume to become Nebraska (or Wisconsin perhaps?) next head coach after Kansas moved to 5-0 with a small upset win over Iowa State. The Jayhawks host TCU next weekend with ESPN’s College GameDay going to Lawrence for the first-time ever. Good stuff.
Across the state, Chris Klieman’s Wildcats continue to gash teams on the ground. As Kansas State’s clever social media team tweeted Saturday, they put Texas Tech “in a holster” after rushing for 343 yards.
All four teams are undefeated in Big 12 play, and the battle for supremacy in 2022 is as fun as any conference chase in the country.