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ACC Head Coach Mid-Season Power Rankings

By Caleb Hall

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 14: Head coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches his team play against the Miami Hurricanes during their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 41-31. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 14: Head coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches his team play against the Miami Hurricanes during their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 41-31. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Oct 7, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell looks on during the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 7, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell looks on during the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 2: Mike Elko, # 20 Duke Blue Devils

Mike Elko has made Duke into something it hasn’t been in a long time:

A good football team.

Elko led Duke to a 9-4 record last season, and a 5-2 record so far this season. Duke nearly beat Notre Dame earlier this season and even led #4 Florida State going into the 4th quarter. Elko could probably have any head coaching job in the country right now after what he has done at Duke. For now, he is at Duke and is taking the Blue Devils higher than they have been in a long, long, time

Elko has completely turned around a program that had 10 people in the stands and hadn’t had college gameday there since the 1980s. Elko is clearly doing something right, and Duke is a good football team because of how good of a coach and recruiter Elko is.

No. 1: Mike Norvell, #4 Florida State Seminoles

Mike Norvell had a rough first 2 years at Florida State, but the last 2 seasons have been great, and FSU finally found the guy to bring them back to the promised land. Norvel has FSU running balanced schemes, recruiting high talent, landing big-time transfers, and winning big games. He is without a doubt the best coach in the conference, but that doesn’t mean he is perfect.

He doesn’t always have FSU ready to play, and although the Seminoles are undefeated, that doesn’t mean they’re always dominating. FSU only beat  Boston College by 2 and was in a close game with Virginia Tech at the half. Norvel needs to do a better job getting his players up for worse teams, and if he isn’t careful FSU could slip up against an inferior opponent.

Next. Ranking College Football's top 10 quarterbacks after Week 8. dark

While Mack Brown, Jeff Brohm, and Mike Elko are high-end coaches for now. Norvel looks to be the best coach the ACC has to offer.

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