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ACC Football: 3 most overrated head coaches ahead of 2022 season

By Connor Muldowney

Sep 25, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren (left) chats with Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney prior to a game at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren (left) chats with Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney prior to a game at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 30, 2021; Atlanta, GA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi on the field prior to the game against the Michigan State Spartans during the 2021 Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2021; Atlanta, GA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi on the field prior to the game against the Michigan State Spartans during the 2021 Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Pat Narduzzi, Pitt Panthers

Back when Pat Narduzzi was the defensive coordinator under Mark Dantonio at Michigan State, he was considered one of the brightest up-and-coming stars in the sport. He was a prime candidate to take over as head coach of a Power Five program and after leading the Spartans to a Rose Bowl in 2013, he won the Broyles Award which is given to the nation’s top assistant.

Two years later, he found himself leading the Panthers.

Pitt had been a mediocre ACC program for what seemed like forever and it hired Narduzzi to turn things around and through the first two years, it looked like he was well on his way. He led the Panthers to back-to-back 8-5 seasons but he had a couple of bowl losses. In his third year, he won just five games and fell short of a bowl.

The Panthers went 21-17 over the following three seasons which is about as average as it gets and that left fans a little restless. Finally, in 2021, the Panthers broke through and finally won the ACC title thanks to a down year from Clemson and they went to the Peach Bowl, losing to his former school, Michigan State.

Some consider Narduzzi to be one of the top 3-4 coaches in the conference and are praising him after his ACC title in 2021, but he had been extremely average before this past season.

Also, his recruiting has been incredibly mediocre. How did he capitalize on an ACC title season? Oh, just by landing the No. 14 class in the ACC (yes, dead-last) and 73rd in the nation. That’s horrible.

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