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As the regular season winds down and the bowl season and College Football Playoff begin to take shape how did the coaches in the Atlantic Coast Conference do in the 2024 season? In this era of the Transfer Portal and NIL, coaching matters more than ever as great coaches elevate the players to new heights and put their players in the best position to succeed. Which ACC coaches excelled during the 2024 season?
Coach of the Year
Mario Cristobal , No. 6 Miami Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1)
After the disappointment of the 2023 season for the Hurricanes and Cristobal, revamping the roster became the priority in the offseason. The arrival of quarterback Cam Ward and running back Damien Martinez on offense has been nothing more than a home run for the Hurricanes program. Ward is second in the country in passing yards and the Hurricanes' offense is averaging 542 yards per game which is the best in the FBS. On defense, the addition of defensive linemen Tyler Barron and Simeon Barrow has made the defense formidable. Currently, they lead the conference in yards allowed with 305.
Rookie of the Year
Rhett Lashlee, No. 9 SMU Mustangs (10-1, 7-0)
Lashlee isn't a rookie head coach, but he is in his first season in the conference. After finishing 11-3 and 8-0 in the American Athletic Conference last season, Lashlee and the Mustangs have run wild going undefeated in their first season in the ACC.
Quarterback Kevin Jennings and running back Brashard Smith have Mustangs fans drawing similarities with the famed "Pony Express." The offense is averaging 444 yards and 39 points per game paired with a defense allowing 333 yards per game. Already having secured a spot in the ACC Championship, Lashlee and the Mustangs finish their season against the Cal Bears (6-5, 2-5) before a clash with either the Hurricanes or the Clemson Tigers (9-3, 7-1). The future is bright for the Mustangs and coach Lashlee.
Biggest Turnaround
Pat Narduzzi, Pitt Panthers (7-4, 3-4)
A season after finishing 3-9 overall with only 2 wins in the conference, Narduzzi has got the Panthers bowl-bound for the first time since 2022. Defensively they have improved allowing fewer points than in 2023, and offensively, they are both healthy and averaging almost 100 yards more and scoring 12 more points per game. Quarterback Eli Holstein has done a phenomenal job as a freshman in this offense throwing for 2,225 yards and counting and accounting for 20 total touchdowns. The dynamic duo of running back Desmond Reid (1,361 offensive yards) and receiver Konata Mumpfield who leads the team with 669 yards have been electric to watch.
Biggest Surprise
Tony Elliott, Virginia Cavaliers (5-6, 3-4)
While not an earth-shattering turnaround, the Cavaliers are knocking on the door of bowl eligibility. After back-to-back 3-win seasons, the team has rallied and is on track for its best finish since they were 6-6 in 2021. With the possibility of the team's first bowl game and winning record since 2019 within reach for the Cavaliers could they be turning a corner? Their defense has improved by allowing almost 6 points less per game. Safety Jonas Sanker has led the way by attacking the line of scrimmage. He leads the team with 89 tackles, two sacks and two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown).
Biggest Disappointment
Mike Norvell, Florida State Seminoles (2-9, 1-7)
In one of the biggest shocks, the proverbial wheels fell off for the Seminoles after winning the conference last season despite a late-season injury to quarterback Jordan Travis. While expected the in-season move to part ways with both offensive and defensive coordinators as well as the wide receivers coach during the season allowed them to turn a page. Freshman quarterback Luke Kromenhoek has emerged as the leader for the offense after DJ Uiagalelei suffered a season-ending injury. While rumors of potential targets for the coordinator positions abound, seeing who they hire will go a long way for the program to rebound.
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