Kirk Herbstreit picks the most impressive coaches, teams, and players after each week of college football action. With Week 9 now behind us, the analyst has picked 8 coaches who impressed him the most last weekend.
On Herbstreit’s list, there are 3 coaches from the SEC, 1 from the Big 12, 2 from the B1G, 1 from the ACC, and 1 Independent.
Here are my top performing coaches of WEEK 9:
Mike Elko/Collin Klein @AggieFootball
Deion Sanders @CUBuffsFootball
Tosh Lupoi DC @oregonfootball
Al Golden DC @NDFootball
Randy Bates DC @Pitt_FB
Kane Wommack DC @AlabamaFTBL
Tom Allen DC @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/EQrN73eIzD— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) October 28, 2024
In the No. 1 spot, Herbstreit gave the honors to both Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko and offensive coordinator Collin Klein. The Aggies picked up a 38-23 win over LSU to improve to 7-1 on the season.
The Aggies struggled to begin the game, but Elko and Klein decided to bench Conner Weigman for backup quarterback Marcel Reed. Reed came in and sparked the Aggies’ offense, rushing for 3 touchdowns in the victory.
At Nos. 2 and 3, Herbstreit went out west. Deion Sanders got the No. 2 spot after his Buffaloes picked up a big win over conference-rival Cincinnati. At No. 3, Herbstreit went with Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi after his defense held Illinois to 9 points.
Notre Dame DC Al Golden got the No. 4 spot after his defense held Navy to 14 points. This was the first time in 2024 the Midshipmen scored less than 30 points. At No. 5, Pittsburgh DC Randy Bates got the nod after his team forced Syracuse to turn the ball over 5 times.
Alabama DC Kane Wommack came in at No. 6 after the Crimson Tide blanked Missouri. The Alabama defense allowed just 239 total yards and forced 3 turnovers.
Finally, Penn State DC Tom Allen got the final spot. The Nittany Lions held Wisconsin to 13 points and under 300 total yards.
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Down South. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.
