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10 most overrated head coaches in college football ahead of 2022 season

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 20, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks off the field following the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Rutgers 28-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks off the field following the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Rutgers 28-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Let me start this by saying that I think Mario Cristobal might actually be a good fit in Miami for one reason: he’s an excellent recruiter. But sometimes recruiting isn’t enough. You can get all the talent in the world but if you don’t coach it up, you’re going to always fall short.

A prime example that comes to mind is Brady Hoke at Michigan. Great recruiter, but a mediocre Power Five head coach and that led to disastrous seasons in Ann Arbor.

Cristobal took advantage of a really weak Pac-12 over the past few years, winning two conference titles (one was because Washington had to opt out of the championship game due to COVID), and three division titles. He parlayed this success in a weak conference into a head coaching job with his alma mater, Miami.

The Hurricanes looked at his overall record and two Pac-12 titles along with his recruiting prowess and seemed to fall in love with the former Miami offensive tackle. However, he choked in big games late in the year in 2021, getting blown out twice by Utah along the way. He was 35-13 at Oregon but before that, he was a head coach at FIU from 2007-2012 and was only 27-47.

Did he win at Oregon simply because he had the most talented team in the Pac-12 or did he actually coach up the roster? I’m leaning toward the former.

Expect Miami to always get the talent because top recruits love him, but when it comes down to the Xs and Os, he seems to fall short.

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