Ask Farrell: Which new ACC assistants will make biggest impact?
Florida State has a new coaching staff. Virginia Tech’s long-time defensive coordinator has been replaced. Miami is looking for a jumpstart on offense.
There are tremendously important coaching changes across the ACC and at many programs that are trying to return to national prominence and compete with Clemson for conference supremacy.
At Florida State, new offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham is a bright, young mind who could work well with first-year coach Mike Norvell, while getting running backs coach David Johnson away from Tennessee was a big coup that could help tremendously in recruiting. There are a lot of new faces in Tallahassee that could return the Seminoles to a national contender.
At Virginia Tech, Justin Hamilton has big shoes to fill. He replaces Bud Foster, who was on the Hokies’ coaching staff since 1987, as defensive coordinator for a team that went 8-5 last season but has still been struggling under coach Justin Fuente.
MORE ASK FARRELL: Which new Big Ten assistants will make biggest impact?
Miami’s offense was miserable last season and coach Manny Diaz might already be feeling the heat with the Hurricanes so bringing in new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Rhett Lashlee could be big. Lashlee did well at SMU in his previous job and having transfer quarterback D’Eriq King could be an immediate boost.
New Boston College coach Jeff Hafley has compiled an impressive staff that includes offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti and defensive backs coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, who’s known for his excellent recruiting skills.
Syracuse coach Dino Babers also brought in new offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, who was a rising star in coaching circles just a few years ago, and new defensive coordinator Tony White, an excellent recruiter who cut his teeth in the West region.
We ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell to name a few new assistant coaches in the ACC he thinks will have the biggest impact on the recruiting trail and why he thinks they can be successful?
FARRELL'S TAKE
"We start with Florida State and David Johnson who is a major addition especially in recruiting. He’s well-known and well-liked in many circles and he will help lure some elite talent to FSU as the recruiting coordinator.
"Bud Foster will be hard to replace at Virginia Tech but I like Hamilton as a young recruiter and at BC I really like the addition of Rahim who will help the Eagles recruit Maryland and DC much better.
"Lashlee could be another big hire in the ACC if he can get D’Eriq King started quickly and John Lilly at UNC is another solid hire as he’s a guy who has been around a long time and recruited at a high level."