FSU Football: Where Willie Taggart ranks among first year coaches
By Nate Collins
No. 12 – Kevin Sumlin, Arizona (5-7)
Sumlin got some good news with QB Khalil Tate announced he would return for his senior season. Tate will hand off to RB JJ Taylor, who ran for 1434 and 6 TDs in 2018. However, the Wildcats lose their top two wide receivers. With the 61st and 47th ranked recruiting classes the last two years, Sumlin adds some talent, but expect the Wildcats to end up with four or five wins in 2019.
No. 11 – Chad Morris, Arkansas (2-10)
Morris took over a team loaded with upperclassmen, especially on the offensive and defensive lines, but he still couldn’t find any success. The offense ranked 110th in the country and the defense was 123rd.
Add the fact that QB Cole Kelley is transferring after losing the job to Ty Storey, and things don’t look great for the Razorbacks. They brought in the 48th best recruiting class last year but the 20th this year, which includes six 4-star prospects. The future is looking brighter, but 2019 will be rough, like three or four wins rough.
No. 10 – Chip Kelly, UCLA (3-9)
Probably the most high-profile coaching hire of 2018, Kelly arrived at UCLA with a ton of fanfare. He pulled in the 19th best recruiting class in 2018 after being named the coach, but things fell apart quickly. QB transfer Wilton Speight from Michigan was given the starting job, but was unimpressive.
The defense ranked 100th in the nation and Kelly’s famed offense was 91st. As a result, he only pulled in the 48th ranked recruiting class this year. Some good news for the Bruins: former four-star QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start and he looks to be a stud, and OLB Jaelan Phillips, the nation’s top rated defensive player in 2017, rejoins the team after missing most of the season with a concussion. The Bruins will likely win five games in 2019.