Grading each Power Five hire in the 2022-23 coaching carousel

This year’s coaching carousel hasn’t seen the movement of last year with Lincoln Riley leaving Oklahoma or Brian Kelly jumping from Notre Dame to LSU, but it has been exciting nonetheless.

The Wisconsin Badgers and Nebraska Cornhuskers jumped into the mix early on in the season with the dismissals of Paul Chryst and Scott Frost. The Auburn Tigers joined the carousel for the third time in four years after firing Brian Harsin just 21 games into his tenure on the Plains.

The Cincinnati Bearcats, who join the Big 12 in 2023, have to replace their head coach who returned to the Big Ten. Arizona State and Georgia Tech hired first-time head coaches and Colorado made the biggest splash of the offseason with Coach Prime. The Louisville Cardinals have yet to make a hire after Scott Satterfield jumped ship to Cincinnati, the team they are playing in their bowl matchup.

With seven Power Five jobs being filled, I graded each hire so far.

Arizona State Sun Devils

Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Grade: C+

Kenny Dillingham gets his first chance to run a program at his alma mater. The young offensive mind will have his work cut out for him with the NCAA investigation and rebuilding the program. His work with Bo Nix was certainly a sign that he can develop.

Auburn Tigers

Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Grade: A-

During his time at Ole Miss, Hugh Freeze defeated Nick Saban twice. That’s enough to make him a legend on the Plains. He compiled an overall record of 70-40 when you factor in vacated wins during his time at Ole Miss and Liberty. He is certainly more qualified than the previous coach but he has plenty of work to do as Freeze looks to get Auburn back on track.

For more on Freeze check out Auburn Wire

Cincinnati Bearcats

Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Grade: C-

This is a hire that made me scratch my head a bit. Satterfield went into the 2022 season as a head coach on the hot seat. The recruiting certainly was on the uptick but the Louisville Cardinals didn’t exactly blow it out of the water. Satterfield went 25-24 during his time in Louisville but he was fantastic at Appalachian State. Now he will lead the Bearcats to the Power Five as they join the Big 12 in 2023.

Colorado Buffaloes

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: A

If you wanted a splash hire then you got one in Boulder, Colorado. The Buffaloes lured Deion Sanders out of Jackson State after finishing 27-5 in three seasons. He has the name power to recruit and recruit at a high level. Will it translate to the Pac-12? Time will tell but there is a lot of excitement in the Centennial State.

For more on Coach Prime check out Colorado Buffaloes Wire

Georgia Tech Yellowjackets

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: B

It is a tough place to win and recruit, deep in the heart of SEC country. However, you have to appreciate the job that Key did after Geoff Collins was relieved of his duties. Key finished 4-4 and now gets to run the program his way. Key is another alum taking over the program he once played for.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: A+

It didn’t take long for Matt Rhule to find a new gig after being fired from the Carolina Panthers. At the collegiate level, he is known as a program builder. If Rhule can win double-digit games at Temple and at Baylor following the Art Briles disaster, then he is the man for the job in Lincoln. With some time the Husker fans will see progress each season.

For more on Rhule check out Cornhuskers Wire

Wisconsin Badgers

Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Grade: A+

This can certainly be qualified as a home run hire for the Wisconsin Badgers. Luke Fickell knows the midwest and he knows the Big Ten landscape. Not to mention he led Cincinnati to the College Football Playoffs and another trip to the New Years Six against Georgia. Fickell finished in the AP top 25 in each of the last four seasons. The Badgers could be on their way to reclaiming the Big Ten West crown.

Story originally appeared on Badgers Wire