Spring football games are being staged in stadiums around the country. With that in mind, here are some of the coaches under the microscope this spring.
ART BRILES–BAYLOR—The Bears will be West Virginia’s first Big 12 game in Morgantown on Sept. 29th. Is there life for Baylor football after RG3? Will they be able to stop teams in 2012? Briles and his staff have done one of the more underrated coaching jobs in the country the last four years, but now they have to re-group again.
RANDY EDSALL–MARYLAND–When the Terps show up in Morgantown, will they have any players left? Players are leaving College Park in droves, including quarterback Danny O"Brien. The former U Conn coach better not take too long to win
SKIP HOLTZ–SOUTH FLORIDA–One of the questions with Holtz is whether or not he will be in Tampa-St. Pete long term? His name is one of several being mentioned with the opening at Arkansas? Razorback fans still remember his dad’s 31-6 win over Oklahoma in the 1978 Orange Bowl as one of the biggest wins in school history.
DANA HOLGORSEN—WEST VIRGINIA–The Mountaineers head into a new league and they made an incredible statement in January with a 70-33 win in the Orange Bowl. Holgerson lit up the Big 12 as an offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State. We can be sure that his return to the league is causing sleepless nights for many of the defensive coordinators in the Big 12.
URBAN MEYER–OHIO STATE–In a year of NCAA sanctions, Buckeye fans are still excited about Meyer taking over Ohio State football. Meyer hasn’t made a lot of friends in his early days in the Big 10, but I doubt the the former Florida coach cares about that. He seemed to suffer some coaching burn-out in the SEC after Tim Tebow left and Alabama coach Nick Saban began to take control of the league. Time will tell if his battery is re-charged.
BILL O’BRIEN–PENN STATE—-Think about this. Saturday’s Blue-White football game at Penn State is the first Penn State football event that didn’t involved Joe Paterno since 1950! 1950! What will the 2012 Nittany Lions look like? Fans will see a new pro-style offense and a more aggressive defense. Change is inevitable, even in Happy Valley.