It only seemed like the coaching carousel was spinning out of control these few weeks.

Actually, the 17 coaching changes going into 2017 are the fewest since 2006 (11). But the number of high-profile jobs that came open kept our attention.

Texas cut ties with Charlie Strong. Baylor tried to capture past glory with a native of ... State College, Pennsylvania.

The six Power Five openings don't include Lane Kiffin getting back in the chair or Houston changing coaches for the fifth time since 2003.

Left out in this cycle were Western Michigan's P.J. Fleck, Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano and Les Miles. It was Crazy Les' Sept. 26 firing that got this season's carousel spinning.

Here are the final grades on those 17 hires for 2017 ... at least for now.

Texas: A

Hired -- Tom Herman | Fired -- Charlie Strong: Texas absolutely had to land a 41-year-old coach who has run a program for all of two years with losses to UConn and SMU on resume. Sounds complicated, doesn't it? With all things Texas, it usually is. Herman also beat Oklahoma, Florida State, Louisville at Houston to establish his rep as the nation's next budding rock star coach.

Texas couldn't afford not to get Herman, who despite those troubling losses seems to have an unlimited ceiling. The administration was manipulated into getting off its collective butt and pursuing Herman when LSU made a play. But they got their man. With or without Strong, the Horns were inevitably going to return to prominence. Herman's hiring speeds up the process.

Oregon: A

Hired -- Willie Taggart | Fired -- Mark Helfrich: Chip Kelly's Camelot is all but gone, perhaps never to return. For four years under Kelly, Oregon chased championships, produced pros and was innovative on and off the field. These days everyone runs the spread and dabbles in uniform combinations. The difference in Taggart is he has the energy to try to get all that back. First challenge? Getting talent to come to Eugene while recruiting against Washington, Washington State and Stanford in its own division.

Taggart has been a head coach for seven years and turned around two programs. If he can get a Quinton Flowers-like talent to come to Oregon that begins to solve what has become a chronic quarterback issue. After Matt Rhule turned down the job, Taggart was -- at best -- a second choice, but he was one Oregon was lucky to get. Win The Day has turned into Get On The Bus.

Florida Atlantic: A-

Hired -- Lane Kiffin | Fired -- Charlie Partridge: There's little downside for Florida Atlantic. Its last two coaches departed for conduct issues (Carl Pelini) and losing (Partridge). This match was made because Kiffin needed a job and FAU needed relevancy. Both sides should go into this relationship with their eyes wide open. Kiffin will provide celebrity, pithy quotes, recruiting and -- most likely -- success. Probably in that order. FAU will provide the canvas for all that Kiffin is on and off the field. No one's wearing any promise rings here. The Lane Kiffin Rehab Tour begins in Boca Raton. It's going to be entertaining as hell.

South Florida: A-

Hired -- Charlie Strong | Departed -- Willie Taggart: It was a bad fit for both sides at Texas. Strong never was fully welcome in Austin. After three seasons, the administration that eventually hired Herman was uncertain what to do with Strong going into his final game. Back in the state of his greatest successes, Strong inherits a loaded USF program. State of Florida recruiting just became a whole lot more interesting.

Houston: B+

Hired/Promoted -- Major Applewhite | Departed -- Tom Herman: Houston's former offensive coordinator hopefully continues a grand tradition of first-time head coaches succeeding at Houston. The last four have to some degree or another -- Art Briles, Kevin Sumlin, Tony Levine and Herman. I've seen Applewhite interact with the team behind closed doors. He was clearly Herman's second in command. Players responded to him. There's a lot at stake with the school going all-in trying to position itself as a Power Five program. Athletic director Hunter Yurachek always knew he had his coordinators in his back pocket. He interviewed Kiffin and Les Miles. Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando had a standing offer at Texas. There should be a smooth transition to Applewhite.

Western Kentucky: B+

Hired -- Mike Sanford | Departed -- Jeff Brohm: There's all kinds of buzz in the coaching community about Notre Dame's former offensive coordinator. He probably got out of ND at a good time. DeShone Kizer is gone to the pros. Meanwhile, Sanford begins his starter job at a solid Group of Five program. Fun fact: AD Todd Stewart made $2.1 million in buyouts from Bobby Petrino and Jeff Brohm that he will use to pay Sanford. That's good accounting.

Baylor: B

Hired -- Matt Rhule: This is one of the more fascinating hires of the silly season. Rhule essentially looked Phil Knight in the eye and turned down an offer from Oregon. We have to take the former Temple coach at his word when he says Baylor was a "calling." Rhule doesn't have Texas ties, but he quickly moved to rectify that hiring the head of Texas state high school coaches association. While it's yet to be determined if Rhule will run the spread in the offensive-minded Big 12, I'm beginning to think Baylor football's image will improve.

Purdue: B

Hired -- Jeff Brohm | Fired -- Darrell Hazell: AD Mike Bobinski ran a search on the down low. Apparently he wasn't interested in Miles or Fleck. The hiring of Brohm suggests a throwback to the days of Joe Tiller revolutionizing the Big Ten with spread offense and some guy named Drew Brees. Brohm has similar upside having developed Brandon Doughty and Mike White at Western Kentucky.

Temple: B-

Hired -- Geoff Collins | Departed -- Matt Rhule: Collins is one of the nation's best defensive coordinators. Unfortunately, most ADs are interested in flashy offensive-minded hires. Good for Owls AD Pat Kraft, who inherited Rhule. The future of a burgeoning program now is on him and Collins.

Cincinnati: C+

Hired -- Luke Fickell | Fired -- Tommy Tuberville: The Bearcats had run out of gas under Tuberville. At age 43, Fickell comes highly recommended as an Ohio native, former Ohio State player and Ohio State coach. Fickell got a brutal introduction to head coaching as interim in 2011 in the wake of the Tatoogate scandal. Urban Meyer thought enough of Fickell to keep him on the staff. Cincinnati will play defense.

LSU: C

Hired/Promoted -- Ed Orgeron | Fired -- Les Miles: It's not Coach O's fault that he was a third choice after LSU's flirtations with Jimbo Fisher and Herman fell through. AD Joe Alleva had no other choice than to elevate Orgeron from his interim role after failing to land his top choice for the second straight November. Orgeron can recruit and motivate, but can he run a program after going 11-4 in two separate stints as an interim? We're about to find out in the mixmaster that is the SEC West. To this point, Orgeron is 13-24 in conference play as a head coach and interim at three different stops.

San Jose State: C

Hired -- Brent Brennan | Fired -- Ron Caragher: Brennan has deep ties with San Jose State. His dad played for the Spartans. His mom was a cheerleader. Brent coached for six years there for Dick Tomey and Mike MacIntyre. The Spartans seem to be in good hands again with Oregon State's receivers coach.

Indiana: C-

Hired/Promoted -- Tom Allen | Fired -- Kevin Wilson: Indiana's defensive coordinator seems to have made a quick impression on Hoosier administration and players. Indiana's defense rose from 121st to 40th under Allen, but he takes over a program that seemed to be close to turning the corner when scandal hit. Wilson was accused of mistreating players. There is every reason to believe Allen will be a breath of fresh air. But the loss of Wilson has the possibility of interrupting an upward trajectory of the program.

Fresno State: C-

Hired -- Jeff Tedford | Fired -- Tim DeRuyter: Fresno continues to search for the magic that Pat Hill brought to the program for 15 years. Tedford was Aaron Rodgers' coach at Cal, but his last years in Berkeley were mired in losing and APR disasters. Tedford hasn't been a head coach in five years. In a deep Mountain West, let's hope the 55-year-old Tedford has some magic left himself.

Nevada: D

Hired -- Jay Norvell | Fired -- Brian Polian: In the last three seasons, Norvell has been fired at Oklahoma and served as a position coach at both Texas and Arizona State. This career assistant gets his first head coaching shot at age 53. The Wolf Pack have been 7-6 four of the last five years.

FIU: D

Hired -- Butch Davis | Fired -- Ron Turner: The Mario Cristobal days look better each year. I don't know if anyone can win consistently at FIU, but good for Butch. He had suffered too long in purgatory after his days at North Carolina. FIU doesn't offer that much in terms of facilities or a future, but at age 65, Davis is just glad to be coaching again thanks to buddy/AD Pete Garcia.

Georgia State: D

Hired -- Shawn Elliott | Fired -- Trent Miles: Perhaps the best thing to be said about Georgia State is that it is moving into the Braves' old home at Turner Field. At a Sun Belt program that is 9-38 over the past four years, there is plenty to do for the former offensive line coach at South Carolina for Steve Spurrier and Will Muschamp.