Penn State's shocking run to a Big Ten title can be directly traced to a wise, under-the-radar hire of former Fordham head coach Joe Moorhead as offensive coordinator in December 2015.
Miami went 9-4 in Mark Richt's first season as coach, thanks in large part to coordinator Manny Diaz's work with a young, thin defense. Pitt took down two elite teams, including national champion Clemson, because of its offense, under the direction of first-year coordinator Matt Canada.
Coordinators matter. Nothing impacts a program's trajectory like a head-coaching hire, but coordinator moves also often have an immediate effect on results.