The NCAA college football season starts at the beginning of August, but it isn’t until fall that things really kick off. Now that teams have a few games under their belts and a few months of training together, fans can see how it’s all coming together.
This is the time of year when betting on football is starting to pick up. Fans are watching the teams more closely than ever. Betting on college sports isn’t universally legal, however, so keep an eye on the rules for your region before placing your bets.
WSN is one of the primary destinations for sports news, stats and predictions. They also have a guide to all of the available bonuses for betting on the NFL, if college football isn’t enough to keep you fully entertained or isn’t allowed where you’re betting.
Whether you’re betting on the NFL or college football, or just enjoying watching the sport, one of the most exciting parts of the game at college level is how fast everything changes. Players can have a massive impact but they’re only on a college team for three or four years at most.
Coaches and other lead staff can have a much longer-lasting role at a school. They have the ability to shape both the team as a whole and the individual players who end up starring in the NFL. This year, there were 30 big coaching changes. This includes more than a dozen in the Power Four conferences.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the new hires who are shaping the 2024 season in college football. It will be exciting to see how these new faces impact the game and which ones change the game in a major way going forward.
Mike Elko, Texas A&M
Mike Elko is the perfect choice for the Texas A&M head coach position. Most of the time when schools need a new head coach, they end up with someone who has no personal experience with the school and the team. Elko, on the other hand, has previous experience at Texas A&M as a defensive coordinator. He left to prove himself as head coach at Duke.
As big of a challenge as working with the players can be, working with the personalities and powers off the field can be just as difficult. A head coach already familiar with how things work behind the scenes can focus his entire attention on the plays and players. This is hopefully what Elko will be able to do at Texas A&M.
Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
Kalen DeBoer is in for a challenge at Alabama – Nick Saban left some very big shoes to fill. If anyone can shoulder that responsibility and keep Alabama strong, DeBoer is the man for the job. DeBoer has proved himself capable of rebuilding a team from the ground up in only a season or two. This will be quite a challenge for the man from Milbank.
DeBoer is a young coach, like the Gophers’ own P. J. Fleck. He has the energy and creativity that comes with being a decade or two younger than many of his rivals. He’ll need that at a program like Alabama, where football is taken more seriously than anything else.
Bronco Mendenhall, New Mexico
Bronco Mendenhall wins the award for the best name in the NCAA – but that isn’t why New Mexico hired him. Like Elko, Mendenhall has previous experience at New Mexico – he was a defensive coordinator there from 1998-2001 and assistant head coach in 2002. Unlike Elko, Mendenhall’s career hasn’t entirely been smooth sailing.
He has had some very impressive successes during his time at BYU and Virginia, and has an impressive record overall. However, his last years at Virginia were disappointing. We have high hopes that his years away from the field have given him the chance to come up with some new strategies.
Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State
Ken Niumatalolo is a great choice for San Jose State. He has an extensive career that demonstrates an ability to take a program with unique needs and turn it into something formidable. Unlike some coaches who bounce from team to team, Niumatalolo spent 25 years at Navy. The last 15 of those years, he was the head coach. Under Niumatalolo, they had some of their best seasons in the team’s history. After so long at one school, his flexibility might be challenged here, but we still expect him to bring the magic to California.