The pressure to perform in college football has never been higher with a greater emphasis than ever before on winning now. There are 128 FBS head coaches and only 31 of them will begin the 2016 season with at least five seasons worth of experience with their current programs. The ACC will welcome a new class of head coaches this season and as is the case with every other team the pressure will on them to produce immediate results. Here is a look at the projected records for every new coach in the ACC for 2016.
Mark Richt
Miami Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have never made a trip to the ACC championship over 12 years in the conference and yet there is an aura of optimism surrounding “the U” following the arrival of Richt as head coach. The Florida native arrives at Miami in a year where they will have 16 returning starters led by junior quarterback Brad Kaaya and a 1000-yard rusher in Joseph Yearby on offense. The defense should improve under the guidance of new coordinator Manny Diaz after that group ranked No. 12 in the ACC in scoring defense last season. The schedule has some highs and lows but Miami has the potential to be a contender in the ACC this season. They might not be ready to challenge Clemson and Florida State for a conference championship but the Hurricanes should be able to register at least eight wins in Richt’s first season at the helm. If they do any better, Richt will be deemed a hero.
Projected Record: 8-4
Dino Babers
Syracuse Orange
Syracuse finally decided to shake things up following three years under Scott Shafer and they appear to have found a head coach that can help them become respectable in the ACC once again. Babers runs a fast-paced scheme that should help inject some life in to the Orange offense but the key will be quarterback Eric Dungey’s ability to stay healthy. Syracuse will also need to improve on the defensive side of the football after they gave up an average of 31.0 points per game last season and the consensus is they can only get better on that side of the football. However, the ACC Atlantic division is absolutely stacked with Clemson, Florida State and Louisville all looking to contend for a conference title and it will take at least one year for Babers to establish a different culture with the Orange. Look for Syracuse to improve on paper but struggle to improve in the standings in 2016.
Projected Record: 4-8
Bronco Mendenhall
Virginia Cavaliers
Stealing Mendenhall away from the BYU Cougars was a major coup for the Cavaliers. Mendenhall has a proven track record at Virginia and while there will be growing pains in 2016, he should be able to get the program turned in the right direction. They were toiling under Mike London. The Cavaliers need to figure out who their starting quarterback will be but they have enough weapons on both sides of the football to be a more competitive team this season. It might now show in terms of the standings right away but Mendenhall should get his team on track to contend for a return to the postseason in 2017 while changing the culture at Virginia in 2016.
Projected Record: 4-8
Justin Fuente
Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech lost their long-time head coach Frank Beamer but found a capable replacement in one of the biggest names on the head coaching market in Fuente. The former Memphis head coach completely turned things around with the Tigers and now he will have a similar challenge replacing one of the legendary NCAA football coaches of all-time. The schedule this season is more manageable since the Hokies won’t have to face Clemson or Florida State in the ACC and they certainly have enough talent to contend for a Coastal division title. There will definitely be an adjustment period for Fuente at Virginia Tech but the Hokies have the talent to contend for a division title and their hopes in the Coastal could ultimately come down to their showdown with North Carolina as Fuente guides them to a winning record in 2016.
Projected Record: 8-4
