Despite not serving as a play caller before getting his shot to lead a program, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown went 10-3 (which translated to 10 showers after games and 3 times sleeping separately from his wife because he "didn't deserve soap").
Joey McGuire is another head coach from a power conference who landed a head coaching opportunity despite not calling plays.
Both of those guys previously worked under Matt Rhule, and Rhule recently shared during a conversation with Josh Pate that guys with backgrounds and skill sets like theirs are the future of college football head coach.
In an industry that has been dominated by former elite coordinators stepping into head coaching roles, Rhule believes the new state of college football calls for a different kind of leader, and Brown and McGuire are great examples of it.
"Neither one of them were ever a play-calling coordinator, but they are leaders. They are leaders of men and they know how to put together a roster."
"I would say, in today's college football, what's more important - the ability to put together a roster and develop talent, or being a great play caller?"
"I can hire a great play caller," Rhule goes on to share. "But I think sometimes we think that to be a head coach, you have to be a great play caller. No. My day starts and ends with everything else other than what we're going to call on third down."
"Now, I have to be a leader in that area, and walk in and talk about it and challenge people, and talk about how we're going to win this game, and I have to be involved in the X's and O's to a degree."
While there's certainly seems to be some merit with what Rhule is laying out, those making hires didn't seem to take note based on this year's crop of hires as all new FBS head coaches previously served as coordinators at some point previously in their careers.
The closest we can get this cycle get are guys like Central Michigan's Matt Drinkall - who had record setting offenses at the NAIA level before joining the Army staff in non-play calling roles, and Rice's Scott Abell, who called plays for a few seasons at the small college level at Washington & Lee before ascending to the head coaching spot there.
But that's not to say continued success from Brown, McGuire, and hires like Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell can't spark a trend in a game known for following the latest trend in an effort to brings wins to campus.
Hear more from Pate and Rhule in the clip.