Cover 3 College Football – "Grading Last Year’s New Hires After Year 1"

Original Air Date: February 18, 2026
Hosts: Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, Danny Kanell, Bud Elliott

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Cover 3 crew provides an in-depth analysis and grading of major college football head coach hires from the 2024-2025 cycle, focusing on their year-one performance. Discussion spans from high-profile power conference hires like Bill Belichick, Rich Rodriguez, and Scott Frost, to notable moves in the Group of Five and lower-profile programs. The hosts bring their signature blend of sharp analysis, humor, and candid takes as they break down what worked, what didn’t, and what might come next for these programs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Coaching Carousel: Opening Thoughts

• The show begins with the breaking news of Thomas Hammock leaving Northern Illinois for the NFL and broader reflections on the continually shifting coaching carousel.
• Discussion touches on the challenges programs face with conference realignment, changing financial realities, NIL/transfer portal impacts, and the overall unpredictability of college football’s coaching landscape.
• Timestamps:
  • [01:51] – Thomas Hammock’s move from NIU to Seattle Seahawks and its implications.
  • [04:48] – The financial and logistical pressures driving MAC and G5 coaches’ decisions.

Notable Quote

“He has been somebody that's been pretty consistent who doesn’t love the way the game has gone...he sees an opportunity...he’s getting a raise to go to the NFL because he was not making a ton of money as the head coach at Northern Illinois.”
— Danny Kanell [03:32]

Maryland’s New OC & QB Situation

• Quick reaction to Maryland hiring Clint Trickett as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
• Discussion around coaching fit, previous offensive struggles, and Trickett’s potential.
• Timestamps:
  • [08:57] – Assessment of Trickett’s background, offensive philosophy, and situation at Maryland.
  • [10:45] – Collaborative expectations between Trickett and Mike Locksley.

Notable Quote

“If I’m a Maryland fan, I’m not...taking last year as the source of truth on what you’re gonna run. I don't think you have Malik Washington and some promising young receivers...and then run a total spread option system.”
— Tom Fornelli [10:23]

Power Conference Year-One Coach Grades

Bill Belichick at UNC

• Universally seen as a disappointment, attributed to high pre-season expectations, off-field distractions, and underwhelming on-field performance.
• Discussion covers issues of luck, coaching decisiveness in close games, and opportunity cost (not hiring someone else).
• Consensus grade: D
• Timestamps:
  • [15:00] – Initial grades and rationale.
  • [16:14] – Missed coaching alternatives & roster turnover impact.

Notable Quotes

“It’s a D or F. I don’t know how you make a case for anything better.”
— Danny Kanell [15:00]
“For every time we’ve seen a program make a move and be successful in their first year in a new conference, there’s probably three examples where it doesn’t happen.”
— Chip Patterson [06:49]

Jake Dickert at Wake Forest

• Surprise success story: vastly exceeded expectations given resource limits and roster turnover.
• Consensus grade: A / A+
• Timestamps:
  • [21:40] – Breakdown of Wake’s over-achievement and coaching impact.

Notable Quotes

“I gave him an A. They were...like, one of the luckiest teams in the entire country to get to 8 and 4 regular season. But...that’s still really, really impressive.”
— Tom Fornelli [21:40]
“That was one of the best coaching jobs this year, like flying under the radar.”
— Danny Kanell [22:36]

Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia (Rich Rod 2.0)

• Mixed bag: notable win (Backyard Brawl), but marred by injuries and inconsistent results.
• Consensus grade: C / Pass
• Timestamps:
  • [25:30] – Analysis of context and future outlook.

Notable Quote

“He pretty much imported a lot of Jacksonville State with him...But I would give him a C for last year.”
— Danny Kanell [25:58]

Scott Frost at UCF (Reboot)

• Mixed, inconsistent season. Team looked “very Big 12” but failed to meet offensive expectations associated with Frost.
• Consensus grade: C / C+
• Timestamps:
  • [28:46] – Specific games that defined the season and offensive struggles.

Notable Quote

“I did not think they were dynamic, impressive or overly productive...did not at all meet my expectations of Scott Frost at UCF.”
— Chip Patterson [30:23]

Barry Odom at Purdue

• Statistically poor season (2-10), but consensus is that the team was more competitive than before—a rebuilding year under a very tough schedule.
• Grades ranged from C+ to C-, with recognition that Odom has long-term potential.
• Timestamps:
  • [36:33] – Grading Purdue’s season in context.
  • [38:43] – Discussion of future expectations relative to previous coaches.

Notable Quotes

“If you watched Purdue this year compared to Purdue last year, completely different football team. At least they were competitive.”
— Danny Kanell [36:33]
“Season didn’t go well. It was not a failure. I think it’s much more on the C/C- side of things than I’m ready to go for B.”
— Chip Patterson [37:47]

Group of Five & "Off-the-Radar" Coaches – Surprise High Performers

Dan Mullen (UNLV)

• Praised for maximizing a transfer-heavy roster and winning 10 games.
• Grade: A
• Timestamps:
  • [44:37] – Mullen’s adaptability and roster management.

Jason Eck (New Mexico)

• Massive overachievement: 9-win season with a roster expected to win only 3-4 games.
• Grade: A
• Timestamps:
  • [45:57] – Eck’s turnaround and coaching creativity.

Jerry Mack (Kennesaw State) / Willie Simmons (FIU)

• Both highlighted for impressive first-year turnarounds and exceeding historical program standards.
• Grades: A
• Timestamps:
  • [47:08] – Simmons at FIU.
  • [47:16] – Mack at Kennesaw State.

Notable Quotes

“I’m gonna go Jason Eck...they went 9 and 4 at New Mexico on a 3.5 season win total. That’s crazy.”
— Tom Fornelli [45:57]
“Willie Simmons at FIU...that’s a program that had won 13 games in five seasons before last year...It’s a pretty good start.”
— Danny Kanell [47:08]

Matt Ince (Fresno State)

• Quiet but solid first year, another 9-win turnaround.
• Timestamps:
  • [44:43] – Brief praise for steady performance.

Other Noteworthy Segments

• [48:43] – Blake Carroll (ECU) credited with exceeding historical standards in a tough American conference.
• Mixed results for other first-year coaches across the G5. For example, Phil Longo at Sam Houston State: “not as great,” and Brian Smith at Ohio: “F.”
• Coaches like Charles Huff (Southern Miss) and Jimmy Rogers (Washington State) already on to new jobs after brief stints.

Memorable Moments & Fun Quotes

• The crew’s recurring tongue-in-cheek grading scale:

  “It is protocol that every single hire gets a C+ or seems like a great hire. We’ll see if it works out.”
  — Chip Patterson [13:11]

• Lively, unscripted moments about coaching styles:

  “Mick Cronin is a tiny man who has a lot of tiny man energy. All the way back to the days at Cincinnati, he’s been barking at 6-foot, 10-foot power forwards and emasculating them in front of 22,000 people. This guy was born to do this.”
  — Chip Patterson [33:56]

• Philosophical on college football’s rapid changes:

  “For every time we’ve seen a program make a move and be successful in their first year in a new conference, there’s probably three examples where it doesn’t happen.”
  — Chip Patterson [06:49]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:51 – Thomas Hammock’s exit, coaching landscape volatility
• 08:57 – Maryland hires Clint Trickett as OC
• 15:00 – Power conference grading begins: Belichick at UNC
• 21:40 – Dickert’s “A” at Wake Forest
• 25:30 – RichRod’s “C” at West Virginia
• 28:46 – Frost’s “C” at UCF
• 36:33 – Odom’s rebuild at Purdue
• 44:37 – G5 first-year overachievers: Mullen (UNLV), Eck (New Mexico), Mack, Simmons
• 47:08 – Conference USA standouts
• 52:35 – NFL free agency interlude + wrap-up

Language and Tone

• Analytical but relaxed and conversational – plenty of friendly jabs, sports bar banter, and “real talk” about the college game’s realities.
• Willingness to be blunt about underperformers and to heap praise on well-done turnaround jobs.
• Balanced mix of stats-based and “eye test” evaluations.
• Trade-mark wit and well-timed humor, e.g., the sunglasses-wearing, money-mentioning references on coaches’ motivations.

Summary Takeaway

This episode delivers a comprehensive, candid appraisal of last year’s marquee (and not-so-marquee) college football hires. The panel doesn’t hold back in its criticisms for big names that flopped (Bill Belichick, Rich Rodriguez, Scott Frost), but also shines a spotlight on relative unknowns who overdelivered (Jake Dickert, Jason Eck, Jerry Mack, Willie Simmons). The overall theme highlights how—regardless of school size or coach pedigree—the intersection of roster turnover, new league challenges, and institutional support creates enormous volatility. "Year one" is rarely definitive, but it's always revealing.