National Signing Day: Billy Napier, Mike Norvell and Mario Cristobal are among the coaches with the most at stake

The 2024 Early Signing Period runs Wednesday-Friday, where programs across the country will ink the bulk of their classes this cycle. 

I dropped a 2024 National Signing Day Preview for Dummies earlier in the week, so be sure to check that out. 

Georgia is locked into the No. 1 spot in the On3 Team Rankings, but there could be plenty of shuffling inside the Top 10 depending on how crazy Flip-Mas Szn gets this week. Some half a dozen 5-stars are still on major #FLIPWATCH. 

Every staff is under immense pressure right now dealing with both the transfer portal and locking down their 2024 recruiting classes, but some coaches are under brighter spotlights — good and bad — than others. 

Here are five coaches with the most at stake on National Signing Day:

Billy Napier, Florida 

No head coach in America faces more scrutiny and pressure this week than Florida’s Billy Napier. It’s been a brutal last two months for UF’s program, from a five-game losing streak to end the season, to assistant coaching changes and major transfer portal departures. The Gators enter the Early Signing Period just desperately looking to get their 2024 class — once ranked as high as No. 3 nationally and now No. 8 in the country — across the finish line.  

Over half of Napier’s inaugural signing class has entered the transfer portal, and now a super strong group from the 2024 class is hemorrhaging decommitments and flips. 

The Gators already lost top prospects to Georgia, Auburn, Texas and Miami, and fringe 5-star safety Xavier Filsamime flipped to the Longhorns on Monday. Auburn is hot after 5-star defensive lineman LJ McCray and 4-star defensive line Amaris Williams, while Miami is chasing 4-star edge Adarius Hayes. 

UF can’t afford any more departures in the class — much-less losing multiple blue-chip prospects. If 5-star quarterback DJ Lagway ends up making a last-minute switch to say Texas A&M or USC, then Napier (fair or not) will be viewed nationally as a dead man walking for the 2024 season.

Hugh Freeze, Auburn

The Tigers hired Hugh Freeze to recruit heads-up against Nick Saban and Kirby Smart, and that’s exactly what he’s done in his first full recruiting cycle on the Plains. Earlier in the cycle, he flipped 5-star outside linebacker Demarcus Riddick from Georgia and 5-star receiver Perry Thompson from Alabama, and he later poached 5-star wideout Cam Coleman from Texas A&M. 

Now he’s pushing for a final #FreezeWarning to close the 2024 Early Signing Period.

Auburn is seemingly in on almost every blue-chip prospect who is considered a flip candidate on National Signing Day. The Tigers are the rumored favorites to land Williams from UF, as well as being the frontrunners for McCray, should he end up somewhere other than UF. 

The nation’s best safety prospect 5-star KJ Bolden (Florida State commit) has flirted aggressively with the Tigers throughout the process, and Auburn continues to be in the ear of 5-star Alabama wideout commit Ryan Williams, who was again on campus over the weekend but is not expected to sign until February. 

If Freeze does indeed flip multiple prospects, the Tigers could sign a Top 5-7 class and Auburn would already be out-recruiting SEC rivals LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M. 

Mike Norvell, Florida State vs. Mario Cristobal, Miami

Welcome to college football’s John Travolta vs. Nicolas Cage. The two Sunshine State coaches are linked here because they’ve been in a very public Face/Off for months. 

They both have Top 10 classes, battling for many of the same prospects throughout the cycle. 

The Seminoles haven’t inked a Top 10 class in six years, but Mike Norvell has capitalized on FSU’s on-field success. Meanwhile, Cristobal continues to showcase why he’s regarded as one of the best closers, as Hurricanes have charged hard late with multiple blue-chip flips. 

They added 4-star Ohio State tailback commit Jordan Lyle on Monday, and Miami is trending to get 5-star defensive lineman Armondo Blount, an FSU pledge who was originally committed to the Hurricanes, back in its class. FSU hopes to hang onto Blount, as well as keep Bolden in the fold.

While a longshot for either program, both FSU and Miami are chasing the nation’s No. 1 prospect Ohio State wideout commit Jeremiah Smith. The two in-state rivals are also in a heated battle for top transfer quarterback Cam Ward.

With their current classes, both head coaches look like early winners of the 2024 cycle, but one may feel better than the other depending on how the next few days unfold.

Lincoln Riley, USC

Similarly to Florida, it’s been a whirlwind of late for the Trojans. 

Lincoln Riley finally fired Alex Grinch and made several strong defensive staff hires in UCLA DC D’Anton Lynn, North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz (linebackers) and Houston defensive coordinator Doug Belk (secondary), but USC’s roster has been raided by portal defections. 

Former 5-star quarterback Malachi Nelson and 5-star cornerback Domani Jackson have both left the program this week. Same for starting offensive linemen Andrew Milek and Michael Tarquin, as well as wideouts Michael Jackson III, Mario Williams and Raleek Brown. Tailback Darwin Barlow also entered the transfer portal. 

The Trojans also lost former No. 1 recruit edge rusher Korey Foreman, as well as former 4-star linebacker Tackett Curtis.

The sheer volume of departures is alarming, especially considering Riley isn’t about to supplement the roster with a top recruiting class. 

The Trojans’ 2024 class currently ranks 18th, down nine spots from last season. They don’t have a 2023 or 2024 quarterback on the roster now that Nelson has departed the program, which is why Riley has suddenly gone into overdrive at the 11th hour trying to flip Lagway from Florida. 

USC did land 4-star defensive lineman Carlon Jones on Monday, but barring some surprises tomorrow, the Trojans look slated for a ho-hum finish — meaning Riley will have to hit the portal hard once again to fill the program’s needs on defense.