With the way the college football world is constantly changing, a second year in a program can be instrumental to a head coach. A second year not long ago was still part of the rebuilding process for most teams. But with things like NIL and the transfer portal, teams can now become College Football Playoff contenders in that amount of time. Just like Washington did with Kalen DeBoer in his second year with the Huskies in 2023.
There's no such thing as patience in college football now. What used to be a three to four-year build just to become competitive is now viewed as an eternity, and one not worth waiting for. Jim Harbaugh, who just won his first national championship at Michigan this season, won it in Year 9. It's doubtful that would be tolerated in the current era of college football.
The 2023 season had quite a few second-year head coaches like DeBoer that had more positive outcomes than negative. Some, again, like DeBoer, even earned themselves a new job by taking over for Nick Saban at Alabama.
Looking at the Power Five specifically, it's time to grade how each head coach did in their second year at his respective program.
Kalen DeBoer, Washington Huskies (14-1)
Did anyone in their second year have as good of a season as Kalen DeBoer did? Outside of not winning the national championship against Michigan, there aren't too many Year 2's that can compare to what DeBoer did with the Huskies in 2023. Remember, this was a team that won just seven games total in the two seasons before his arrival. Going 25-3 in his two seasons in Seattle earned DeBoer the opportunity to take over one of the best programs in America in Alabama football, even if it is following in Saban's footsteps.
Grade: A+
Mario Cristobal, Miami Hurricanes (7-6)
Mario Cristobal's first year in Miami would like to be quickly forgotten by all. His second year doesn't have quite the same sentiment, given that Miami won more than five games in 2023 and didn't lose to Middle Tennessee State. However, it still wasn't without some major blunders, like forgetting to kneel the ball to end regulation which would have given them a victory over Georgia Tech and, at the very least, an eight-win season.
However, Cristobal and Miami had a two-game improvement from last season, winning seven games. But there could have been more if not for the ineptitude of the offense that did more than sputter thanks to terrible quarterback play, making critical turnovers. Entering his third year at Miami, Cristobal needs to continue to improve the program, proving he is indeed the man to lead them back to national prominence.
Grade: D-
Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans (8-5)
After winning 11 games and making a Heisman winner out of Caleb Williams in Year 1, Year 2 didn't come close to producing the same results. The Trojans were a preseason top-10 team and yet didn't even finish ranked. A lot of that was because of a putrid Trojans defense that couldn't stop anyone and gave up 40 points or more in five games in 2023.
However, at least Riley and the Trojans ended on a high note, beating a ranked Louisville team that had Williams' backup Miller Moss throw a Holiday Bowl-record six touchdowns. But still, as high as the expectations were this season, Riley and USC football never got close to them, which is a bit concerning, even in Year 2. They ended their regular season with three straight losses, starting with Kalen DeBoer's Washington team.
Grade: D+
Dan Lanning, Oregon Ducks (12-2)
Dan Lanning's second year at Oregon ended two games better than his first with a New Year's Six bowl game victory over Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl. The Ducks only lost to one opponent all season, which was the Kalen DeBoer's Pac-12 Champion Washington Huskies that followed up making the CFP national championship.
What's truly impressive about Lanning, though, is how good of a coach he is with such little experience at the position at an elite program like Oregon football. The Ducks coach is just 37 years old with his only two years of head coaching experience in Eugene, going 22-5 overall. The Ducks were one of the best teams in the country in 2023. He comes in just behind DeBoer for best grades on this list.
Grade: A-
Brent Venables, Oklahoma Sooners (10-3)
Brent Venables' first season in Norman didn't exactly go as everyone had hoped. His second season ended much better, outside of their bowl loss to Arizona. The Sooners improved from 6-7 to 10-3 in 2023, with a notable win over arch-rival Texas in the annual Red River Rivalry game. It was exactly the type of season that Venables and Oklahoma needed before they head off to the SEC.
Grade: B
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-3)
Like Lanning, this is Marcus Freeman's first head coaching job, and he is just 38 years old. The Fighting Irish improved by one game from last year, gaining double-digits. Freeman also continues to recruit well, including his use of the transfer portal, bringing in yet another ACC quarterback in Duke's Riley Leonard similar to this past season when he brought in Wake Forest's Sam Hartman.
Notre Dame's 2023 season will probably be remembered most for their close loss at home to Ohio State, losing in the final seconds.
Grade: B-
Brian Kelly, LSU Tigers (10-3)
When Brian Kelly came over from Notre Dame, everyone questioned if he was meant for the SEC or not. Then he went and beat Alabama and made it to the SEC title game in Year 1. His second season didn't quite go the same, but it was still a 10-win season that ended with a bowl victory and provided a Heisman trophy winner for the program. The next step for Kelly and the Tigers is to make the playoff. That is starting with a complete overhaul of the defensive staff, and for good reason, as it was by far the weakest unit of the 2023 squad. With divisions no longer a thing in the SEC, plus Kalen DeBoer taking over at Alabama, the side opposite of Georgia is wide open.
Grade: B-
Mike Elko, Duke Blue Devils (8-5)
Mike Elko's Blue Devils made quick noise in 2023 when they manhandled Clemson in Week 1. Even if it was a year of regression by two games, winning at a basketball school like Duke isn't easy. But Elko's Duke teams made everyone respect them, particularly with their stout defenses that not only kept them in games but won them at times. Elko did such a good job that, like Kalen DeBoer, a much better SEC school in Texas A&M snatched him away from Durham and brought him into College Station to replace Jimbo Fisher next season.
Grade: B+
Billy Napier, Florida Gators (5-7)
The leash is perhaps getting shorter for Billy Napier as he once again suffered another losing season in his second season with the Gators. What's worse is that Florida finished worse in 2023 than they did in 2022, going 5-7, not making a bowl game for the first time since 2017.
It's getting awful ugly in Gainesville, where it doesn't look to be getting any better for Napier. Recruiting has fizzled, hope has drained, and when the 2024 season arrives, the Gators will welcome one of the toughest schedules in the country.
Grade: F
Sonny Dykes, TCU Horned Frogs (5-7)
It's been a bit of a downward spiral for TCU and Sonny Dykes that started with the 2022 national title game against Georgia, where the Horned Frogs were blasted by the Bulldogs 65-7. Then again, no one even thought that TCU would have been in that situation to begin with, so it was more or less a victory of sorts.
As good as Dykes' first season was in Fort Worth, his second season couldn't have been more the opposite. TCU went from 13-2 in 2022 to 5-7 in 2023. It was a huge drop-off, although Dykes' team had a mass exodus of upperclassmen that were out of eligibility or decided to go to the NFL, making for an all-new team more or less. With that said, it can't be considered a failure of a season, as it was more of a transition season. Regardless, it could have gone much better.
Grade: D-
Brent Pry, Virginia Tech Hokies (7-6)
When is the last time Virginia Tech was relevant? Probably not since the days of Frank Beamer. Well, they're still not quite there yet, but it seems like Brent Pry in Year 2 could have them going in the right direction. After going 3-7 in 2022, the Hokies went four games better in 2023 that was capped off with a Military Bowl win over Tulane.
Pry could be quietly putting something good together in Blacksburg that no one is paying attention to. Watch out for them in the ACC next year.
Grade: B+
Tony Elliott, Virginia Cavaliers (3-9)
Perhaps the most difficult job out of any second-year coach on this list had to be Tony Elliott's at Virginia. After the tragedy that took place at the end of 2022 that took the lives of three Cavalier football players, it was near impossible to have that much of a positive outlook on the 2023 season, which in a sense probably makes this unfair to grade. Here's hoping 2024 sees a jump in improvement for the Cavaliers.
Grade: C
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-6)
The Red Raiders entered the 2023 season with some high expectations put on them after they finished 8-5 the year prior. But McGuire's team failed to live up to those expectations and fell one game behind this season. To be fair, Lubbock isn't always the easy place to win in the previous version of the Big 12. Next season, however, McGuire and Texas Tech could make a significant jump with Texas and Oklahoma out of the conference.
Grade: C-
Jake Dickert, Washington State Cougars (5-7)
Jake Dickert started his time at Washington State going 7-5, yet in 2023, couldn't make a bowl game, going 5-7. That was with highly talented quarterback Cam Ward behind center. Of course, in its last year of existence, the Pac-12 was the most competitive that it's ever been, where the Cougars had to take their lumps. What's worse for Dickert and the Cougars is they were one of the two Pac-12 teams left without a conference home for next season. Not exactly what would be considered a successful season.
Grade: D
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