Below is a chart of offense, defense and total production of the Florida International University football program since 2008 along with who would be the lowest ranked team during this time period (in purple) and the average team (sky blue). As you may notice, FIU has been below average for most of this time period. All rankings in this blog come from my Complex Invasion College Football Production Model. More details about the program are after the chart below.
Ron Turner (2013 - 2016*)
2013
On January 4, Florida International University hired head football coach Ron Turner. The Panthers finished their first season under the helm of head coach Turner at 1-11, playing against an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS, meaning that Florida International was plus or minus within one standard deviation of the leagues average SOS. Their best game was their victory over #121 ranked Southern Mississippi and their worst loss was to FCS Bethune-Cookman. Overall, FIU had the #123 ranked team with the #125 ranked offense (the worst in the league) and the #99 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
2014
FIU finished the regular season at 4-8 and were bowl ineligible. The Panthers again played against an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. This season the Panthers best game was a victory over #73 ranked UAB their worst loss was again to FCS Bethune-Cookman. Overall, the Panthers had the #82 ranked team with the #111 ranked offense and the #27 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
2015
The Panthers finished overall at 5-7 while playing against a "easier" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS and again were bowl ineligible. The Panthers best game was a victory was over #93 ranked Old Dominion and their worst loss was to #101 ranked Florida Atlantic. FIU had the #95 ranked team in total production with the #101 ranked offense and the #74 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
2016
At the time of head football coaches Turner's departure, the Panthers were 0-4 playing against a "tougher" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS, meaning that FIU's current SOS is more than one standard deviation below the mean of the leagues average SOS. To date, the Panthers worst loss was to #108 ranked Massachusetts. FIU at the time of Turner's departure had the #123 ranked team in total production with the #121 ranked offense and the #115 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
Mario Cristobal
From 2007 to the end of the 2012 season, Mario Cristobal was the head coach of the Panthers. During his tenure the team went 27-47 overall. The only season the team finished above average was in 2011, where the team was 8-5 and finished as the #37 most productive team in total production. Each of the other four seasons since 2008, the team finished below average in total production.
2016 NCAA Head Football Head Coaching Changes
LSU and Les Miles
Baylor and Art Briles