Upgrade? Examining the notable offensive and defensive coordinator moves across the ACC, Big 12 & Pac-12
Did your team’s staff get better this offseason?
For most fans, the answer is an automatic yes. Every new coach is viewed as an upgrade compared to their predecessor.
Is that really true, though?
Earlier this week, I looked at the slew of coordinator changes across the SEC this offseason. Then Todd Monken left Georgia for the Baltimore Ravens the next day.
But the notable coordinator movement didn’t just happen in the league where it means more. There were a bunch of major changes — some by firings, others via domino movement elsewhere — in the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12.
Clemson offensive coordinator — Brandon Streeter to Garrett Riley
Upgrade? Yes
The Tigers’ offense has been stuck in an endless loop of ingenuity for several years now, but Dabo Swinney finally made a move to break the cycle this offseason, going outside the Clemson family tree and hiring Garrett Riley from TCU.
While Streeter had previous success developing the likes of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence, he was unable to get the most out of 5-star recruits DJ Uiagalelei or Cade Klubnik last season. The Tigers averaged just 26.4 points per game in 2021, and only marginally improved last fall against a weaker schedule (33.1).
Conversely, Riley turned Max Duggan from a backup quarterback to a Heisman Trophy finalist. With a system that should create more explosive plays, Riley’s addition on staff instantly makes Clemson a playoff contender in 2023.
Miami defensive coordinator — Kevin Steele to Lance Guidry
Upgrade? Yes
The Hurricanes were mostly meh-to-bad defensively in their lone year with Kevin Steele as coordinator (13th in the ACC in yards per play allowed, 10th in scoring), but Mario Cristobal got a mulligan when Steele left to take the same job at Alabama.
Cristobal opted not to promote Charlie Strong, who left the program because of the perceived snub, and instead plucked Lance Guidry away from Tulane.
While not a household name, Guidry is considered a strong recruiter, something that Steele used to be, and a quality coordinator.
At Marshall last season, the Thundering Herd had the best third down defense in the nation. They forced 29 takeaways — No. 5 in the country. They were No. 3 in yards per play allowed.
Guidry will have more talent to work with than Steele did in 2022, and on paper, he looks like a better fit in South Florida, too.
TCU offensive coordinator — Garrett Riley to Kendal Briles
Upgrade? No
Kendal Briles has been a solid offensive coordinator at multiple stops (Arkansas, Florida State, Houston) and is a quality replacement for Riley, but he has the unenviable task of following the reigning Broyles Award winner.
TCU was among the most explosive offenses in the country in 2022, ranking No. 4 nationally in plays over 20 yards (91). Not only did Riley tutor Max Duggan, but he turned Quentin Johnson and Kendre Miller from intriguing talents to college stars — and now both players are off to the NFL.
Briles built Arkansas into a smash-mouth offense (No. 2 in the SEC in rushing in 2022), but the Razorbacks were too one-dimensional at times, finishing with a passing success rate the last two seasons that hovered around 60th in the country.
Oregon offensive coordinator — Kenny Dillingham to Will Stein
Upgrade? No***
Kenny Dillingham did wonders in his lone season as the Ducks’ OC, reviving Bo Nix’s career and parlaying a strong showing into the Arizona State head coaching job.
But Oregon head coach Dan Lanning might’ve hired the next Kenny Dillingham in Will Stein — another 33-year-old, fast-riser who looks like a future head coach, so this one comes with an asterisk.
At UTSA in 2022, Stein was in charge of an offense that ranked in No. 12 nationally in points per game. Quarterback Frank Harris had his best season working under Stein, scoring 41 total touchdowns in 2022.
Stein has big shoes to fill — Oregon finished in the Top 10 nationally in scoring and yards per play — but Nix is back and the upside is there.
Miami offensive coordinator — Josh Gattis to Shannon Dawson
Upgrade? Yes
Josh Gattis had a disastrous one-year pit-stop in South Florida, as the 2021 Broyles Award winner was in charge of an offense that averaged just 17.9 points per game in ACC play.
The Hurricanes struggled to run or throw the football, as quarterback Tyler Van Dyke went from a preseason All-ACC selection to a young player battling multiple benchings and confidence issues.
Much like last offseason, it took Mario Cristobal a while to land his offensive coordinator, but on paper, he looks to have made a strong hire in Houston’s Shannon Dawson.
The longtime lieutenant to Dana Holgerson at Houston and West Virginia will bring the Air Raid down to Miami. Van Dyke should be thrilled, as Dawson developed Clayton Tune (45 total touchdowns, 4,600 total yards).
Cristobal did well going outside his tree and embracing a more modern offensive system. Now he needs to let Dawson cook.
North Carolina offensive coordinator — Phil Longo to Chip Lindsey
Upgrade? No
In four seasons as UNC’s offensive coordinator, Phil Longo, now at Wisconsin, presided over units that ranked No. 2, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 3 in the ACC in scoring. He developed Sam Howell into the program’s all-time leading passer (yards and touchdowns) and a future (reportedly) NFL starting quarterback.
In 2022, Longo worked with Drake Maye, who immediately became the top QB in the ACC as a redshirt freshman. North Carolina struggled to run the football last fall, but in Longo’s first three years in Chapel Hill, the Heels were one of the better rushing attacks in the ACC, too.
Longo wasn’t without his faults — his propensity for tempo did North Carolina’s defense little favors, the team was consistently bad in short-yardage situations, and outside of an outlier 2020 season, UNC was never great at converting red zone chances into touchdowns — but it’s hard to view Chip Lindsey as any sort of upgrade.
The former Troy head coach did have success at UCF last season, helping guide the nation’s 31s-scoring. He has a long history of working with all various types of quarterbacks.
But Lindsey didn’t even call plays at UCF last season, and his longtime ties to Gus Malzahn’s system aren’t overly inspiring.
NC State offensive coordinator — Tim Beck to Robert Anae
Upgrade? Yes
NC State’s offensive doldrums have held back the program the last few years, so Wolfpack fans should be celebrating the hire of Robert Anae. The former Syracuse and Virginia play caller is an immediate upgrade at offensive coordinator after Tim Beck took the head coaching job at Coastal Carolina.
In 2021, Anae turned Brennan Armstrong, now an NC State transfer, into UVA’s single-season record holder in touchdowns (40), passing (4,449 yards) and total offense (4,700). Last fall, Garrett Shrader (26 total touchdowns) had a career year working with Anae at Syracuse.
Anae runs a progressive spread scheme that does a great job accentuating his quarterbacks’ individual talents.
In three seasons with Beck as OC, NC State never averaged more than 33 points per game. Quarterback Devin Leary was awesome in 2021 (35-5 touchdown-to-INT ratio) under Beck, but NC State’s offense was still far too one-dimensional (99th nationally in rushing).
In 2022, the Wolfpack’s offense could barely function without Leary, who was hurt for half the season, finishing the year 94th in scoring (24.3) and 115th in yards per play (4.84).