How many games would you win in 2026? Their schedule is below.

Twist: How many games would you win if all of their 2026 HS recruits still come and no one flees to the portal--except a small handful of relatively unimportant players leaving for playing time or similar reasons.

[Edit: In the twist where players generally stay, 2025 assistant coaches also stay, to the extent you want them to stay. For other coaches and players not currently on the team/in the 2026 recruiting class, they'll join or transfer in if you can convince them to do so.]

Sept. 5, 2026 – Western Michigan (home)

Sept. 12, 2026 – Oklahoma (home)

Sept. 19, 2026 – UTEP (home)

Indiana (home)

Iowa (home)

Michigan State (home)

Penn State (home)

UCLA (home)

at Minnesota

at Ohio State

at Oregon

at Rutgers

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49516469)

I'll edit the twist version to say that, along with current players staying, current assistant coaches and staff will stay too, if you want them.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49516491)

You can have the OC and DC do the game plans and call the plays.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49516525)

4 legitimate top 10 teams and national title contenders: Indiana, OSU, Oklahoma, Oregon

2 other teams that will probably be good to very good: Penn State, Iowa

Even a legitimate coach would (and very likely will) struggle with that schedule.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49516484)

I think Michigan is waiting on DeBoer, though he will likely either beat Oklahmoa (so the timing won't work) or he'll lose and still say he's staying at Alabama.

After that, they'll go to Dillingham. I'm very skeptical of him. He had a single good year.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49516632)

If they can bring in a very good head coach--e.g., poach DeBoer from Alabama if Oklahoma beats them this weekend--he can probably make his way to 10 wins there.

How would you do?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49516509)

If I have basically the same roster and I’m just doing play calling then I could coach them to 11 wins

But if I’m the one motivating them to practice hard and play hard and physical and through pain and to bleed for me as their head coach then 0-12

A head coach doesn’t need to be a schematic genius (you hire coordinators for that). They mainly need to be a leader of men and someone the team believes in enough to follow them into battle.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49516487)

Also, 0-12 seems harsh. Even if the head coach just meekly said "Go get 'em, I guess," the team still probably handles teams like Western Michigan and UTEP, if not also Rutgers, UCLA, and MSU, by virtue of being bigger, faster, and more talented.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49516519)

but i have decades of professional experience under my belt and leading and inspiring a team of 18-22 year old alphas is not my forte

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49516686)

Interesting question: How often do D1 coaches call the offense and the defense? It's gotta be very rare.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49516975)

I’m a game day coach, not a practice coach

I’d run the triple option

We’d score a lot on punt return and go for nearly every 4th and under 3, anywhere on the field

Use a lot of full back. Convert a TE if we don’t have a FB

I’d probably have a white squad and a black squad. Good for morale

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5811333&forum_id=2)#49517550)