Dickert and Eck Earn A+ in Year 2 Coaching Grades — SkimNews
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- Jake Dickert earned an A+ at Wake Forest, guiding the Demon Deacons to a 15-5 start and a No. 14 AP Top 25 ranking; the only loss was a tight one to Miami, the last three wins came by an average of 37.3 points, and a road trip to No. 19 SMU on Nov. 14 could decide an ACC title game berth.
- Jason Eck took an A+ at New Mexico with a 15-5 mark over two seasons and one of college football's best defenses — the source goes as far as asking whether he has run the best coaching job in America over that stretch.
- Bill Belichick received a B at North Carolina, where an underestimated first portal window left a lackluster roster and a 4-8 season, but the Tar Heels are now 4-3 with their two ACC losses totaling nine points despite defensive coordinator Steve Belichick and general manager Michael Lombardi being sidelined by off-field issues.
- Phil Longo became the first coach from the post-2024 cycle to be fired, after going 3-17 in less than two seasons; Tim Albin's Charlotte tenure earned the other F at 2-17.
- Scott Frost got a B at UCF after the Knights' upset of No. 2 BYU, which Frost said showed UCF was better "everywhere" in 2026; five straight games against unranked teams remain, and the source floats a push toward eight wins.
- Rich Rodriguez earned a B at West Virginia, whose offense leads the Power Four at more than 261 rushing yards per game and 26 rushing touchdowns, though a win over Kansas is needed for a bowl and the defense remains the next fix.
- Charles Kelly joined the A grades at Jacksonville State, sitting 10-1 in Conference USA play; Jerry Mack took an A after leading Kennesaw State to a conference title despite losing the core of the title team to the transfer portal, and Mark Carney earned an A at Kent State, where maintaining his .500 MAC mark would put him alongside Sean Lewis as the only coach to do so in consecutive seasons in 15 years.
Why it matters: The 2024 class has split sharply: Dickert at Wake Forest and Eck at New Mexico each earned A+ grades while sitting 15-5, but Phil Longo is already the cycle's first firing after 3-17. With only five Power Four jobs changing hands, the top grade landed at a Wake Forest program the source calls among the Power Four's least resourced.
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