Coaching is as much about developing talent as it is identifying the talent that fits a team’s culture. Here are five coaches that have been killing it on the trail but haven’t had the results to match in the win/loss column.
Mario Cristobal
Cristobal’s recruiting prowess is well known. As an assistant at Alabama, he was named National Recruiter of the Year by 247 in 2015. During his time at Oregon, he landed four consecutive Top 10 recruiting classes that included notable recruits like Penei & Noah Sewell, Kayvon Thibadeaux, Justin Flowe, and Dontae Manning.
Cristobal built a lot of equity with his 2019 Pac-12 and Rose Bowl-winning squad and an upset of Ohio State in 2021. He took that equity he built up and turned it into the head job at his alma mater, Miami, with promises of restoring the ‘Canes to their previous glory.
However, while the 2020 Oregon team won the Pac-12, it almost feels like a “won by default” year with various COVID-19 restrictions. Cristobal’s in-game decision-making leaves a lot to be desired in big games. Since taking over for Willie Taggart at Oregon and including his first season at Miami, Cristobal is 5-10 against ranked opponents. Those kinds of results will not cut it in Coral Gables.
James Franklin
Franklin has morphed Penn State’s recruiting efforts from the latter days of Joe Paterno and what Bill O’Brien was doing. He’s made inroads in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and other recruiting hotspots where the Nittany Lions have not traditionally challenged for recruits.
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On the flip side, Franklin leaves a lot to be desired in big games. He tends to be overly aggressive at times when simply playing for another down or series comes out. That was on full display during the Michigan game this past season.
Against the Wolverines, the Nittany Lions were down 24-17 and faced a fourth down on the Michigan 39 yards. Franklin should have quick-kicked and tried to pin Michigan deep. Instead, Franklin elects to go for the conversion and Clifford’s pass to Parker Washington falls incomplete.
The momentum shifts to Michigan and the Wolverines score on the ensuing play and 17 unanswered to win 41-17.
Franklin’s record against ranked opponents at Penn State is 11-22 and leaves a lot to be desired considering the recruiting successes he has had.
Steve Sarkisian
Sarkisian has always been an ace recruiter.
Since his days at Washington, Sarkisian has had eight Top 25 classes, including four Top 10 recruiting classes. But the results on the field led the Husky faithful to give him the moniker “Seven Win Steve.”
Sarkisian has made some major quarterbacking coups in recent years, landing signings in mega five-star prospects Quinn Ewers (via the portal) and Arch Manning.
Texas has all the resources to make Sarkisian successful – much like those he had at Southern California. When at the helm of the Trojans, substance abuse issues derailed him. He seems to be fully recovered, but the recovery Sarkisian needs to make now is winning big football games and not allowing games – like last season’s contest against Alabama – escape from him.
Jimbo Fisher
Before his epic collapse at Florida State in 2017, Fisher had been recruiting as well as anyone in the country. In the previous five recruiting classes before that season, (2012 to 2016), four of them finished in the Top 5 and the 2013 recruiting class finished 11th.
For a program recruiting at such a high level, that 2017 season was a true shock. A confluence of busts and an inability to realize the potential of those blue-chip recruits led to the sudden downfall of the Seminoles’ program.
Since seeking greener pastures in College Station, Fisher has maintained his stellar recruiting representation, but the results on the field leave a lot to be desired.
Against ranked opponents since Fisher’s arrival, Texas A&M is 10-12. For the money he commanded, the return on investment hasn’t been there for the Aggies.
Lane Kiffin
Kiffin’s presence on social media and ability to make personal connections makes him an excellent recruiter. As the transfer portal became prevalent, Kiffin embraced it even creating the “Portal King” crown that he later abdicated to Lincoln Riley.
Kiffin consistently brings in Top 25 classes to Ole Miss, and during his time at Southern Cal and Tennessee, they were near the top in the country as well.
What Kiffin hasn’t been able to do is get that signature win to turn the corner at Ole Miss.
He got his first Top 10 win at Ole Miss last season when they beat Kentucky when the Wildcats were ranked No. 7. But the Alabama game that got away left a lasting hangover for the rest of the season. Overall, Kiffin is 4-6 against ranked opponents at Ole Miss.
Kiffin allowed the Auburn rumors to run amok and even sparred with local Mississippi media on Twitter. The distraction cost Kiffin the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State.
If Kiffin could find that balance of recruiting, social media presence, and his chess game as a head coach, that is what is preventing him from realizing his coaching potential – one that got him jobs at Southern California, Tennessee, and the Oakland Raiders.
