Dennis Dodd: Grades for every hire in the 2021 College Football coaching carousel

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Remember when COVID-19 was supposed to be a mulligan year for embattled coaches? Not exactly. While the pandemic probably lessened the volume of departures -- only 15 this offseason -- it didn't keep some big time programs from swallowing some big-time cash. Texas, South Carolina and Auburn paid a combined $42 million to buy out departed coaches.

The total buyout figure for the nine coaches fired on the list below is more than $53 million. (Vanderbilt's Derek Mason was a 10th fired coach, but buyout figures are not available because it is a private institution.) That's an average of $5.89 million. That's one consideration in making a change. The 15 changes now make it 86 schools that have switched coaches at least once in the last four seasons (66%). Patience is not a virtue among athletic directors.

Here's how we grade the hires as we enter the 2021 college football season.

Bryan Harsin [A-]

It's OK to refer to Harsin as Auburn's fourth (or fifth) choice. If he was the first pick, he would have been on the first flight out of Boise State when Malzahn was fired. Instead, the school went through Auburn's version of, ahem, "The Process". Harsin arrives unfamiliar with SEC culture but plenty of experience to back him up. The Tigers must get better offensively -- right now. There will be an SEC recruiting learning curve for any Boise newcomers on the staff.

Clark Lea [B]

What James Franklin accomplished at Vandy becomes more amazing each day. In three short seasons, he became the first Commodores' coach since Bill Edwards (1949-52) to leave with a winning record. Franklin skipped for Penn State after winning back-to-back nine-win seasons. Lea, Notre Dame's former defensive coordinator, needs to hire a difference-making offensive coordinator to keep up with the SEC superpowers. If you've spent any time around him, you get the sense he can do it. The former Vandy fullback is smart enough to realize the program's woeful lack of resources. He also may be able to coach through it.

Josh Heupel [C]

When Heupel was announced, it was largely a shoulder shrug. Not terrible, not great. Other, more accomplished candidates, were no doubt scared away by the NCAA investigation. Sure, he's the offensive-friendly guy that AD Danny White wanted, but in the end, this seemed like a fall back when the likes of Tony Elliott decided to stay put. Heupel's record at UCF declined each season. There were rumblings about how recruiting suffered. An offensive wizard who has a golden touch with quarterbacks will have to learn in a hurry how to recruit elite defensive tackles for Tennessee to contend once again in the SEC. For starters.

Shane Beamer [C-]

Frank Beamer's son is one of the most talented and likeable guys on his way up the ladder. But Shane has never even been a coordinator. There were defections galore upon his hiring. Two defenders transferred to Florida State. Leading tackler Ernest Jones declared for the draft. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo (who was retained) and offensive line coach Will Friend (who was hired from Tennessee) left for Auburn. The top two quarterbacks departed. For a program that is losing traction in the SEC -- 6-16 in the last two seasons -- Beamer can't afford any more slippage.

Other Notables

Gus Malzahn [A+]
Steve Sarkisian [A]
Bret Bielema [A-]
Butch Jones [B]
Terry Bowden [B]
Charles Huff [B-]

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