Besides using Auburn as an example - not completely fair due to the the type of recruits on that team - thats an easy turn around with SEC Quality recruits standing on the sidelines.
Lets use the guy who lied on his resume, hasnt won a Broyles Award but knows how to coach, lead and win, had previous HC experience, even at a HS level before joining a college staff - George O'Leary.
1968–1974 Central Islip HS (AHC)
1975–1976 Central Islip HS (HC)
1977–1979 Liverpool HS (HC)
1980–1986 Syracuse (DL)
1987–1991 Georgia Tech (DC)
1992–1993 San Diego Chargers (DL)
1994–2001 Georgia Tech
2002 Minnesota Vikings (DL)
2003 Minnesota Vikings (DC)
2004–present UCF (HC)
Head coaching record
Overall 133–92 (.591)
Bowls 5–5 (.500)
Statistics
Championships
1 National (1990)
1 ACC (1998)
2 C-USA (2007, 2010)
4 C-USA East Division (2005, 2007, 2010, 2012)
2 American Athletic (2013, 2014)
Awards
ACC Coach of the Year (1998, 2000)
AFCA Region I Coach of the Year (1998)
Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award (2000)
C-USA Coach of the Year (2005, 2007, 2010)
American Athletic Coach of the Year (2013)
UCF Knights (Mid-American Conference) (2004)
2004 UCF 0–11 0–8 7th (East)
UCF Knights (Conference USA) (2005–2012)
2005 UCF 8–5 7–1 1st (East) L Hawaii
2006 UCF 4–8 3–5 4th (East)
2007 UCF 10–4 7–1 1st (East) L Liberty
2008 UCF 4–8 3–5 5th (East)
2009 UCF 8–5 6–2 2nd (East) L St. Petersburg
2010 UCF 11–3 7–1 1st (East) W Liberty 20 21
2011 UCF 5–7 3–5 5th (East)
2012 UCF 10–4 7–1 1st (East) W Beef 'O' Brady's
UCF Knights (American Athletic Conference) (2013–present)
2013 UCF 12–1 8–0 1st W Fiesta† 12 10
2014 UCF 9–3 7–1 T–1st St. Petersburg
UCF: 81–59 58–30
Previous Coaches Records at UCF
FBS Independent
1996 Gene McDowell 5–6
1997 Gene McDowell 5–6
1998 Mike Kruczek 9–2
1999 Mike Kruczek 4–7
2000 Mike Kruczek 7–4
2001 Mike Kruczek 6–5
Mid-American Conference (2002–2004)
2002 Mike Kruczek 7–5 6–2 2nd (East)
2003 Kruczek\Alan Gooch 3–9 2–6 5th (East)
2004 George O'Leary 0–11 0–8 7th (East)
MAC Record: 10–25 8–16
So looking at these numbers O'Leary took over a MAC School that had very similar W/L records as PP did at UConn - and in his first year at UCF he went 0-11!! He obviously cleaned house and implemented his ways which he learned from being a HC at previous locations and not because he won a Broyle Award at a University that recruits in the top 20 of all CFB Teams. After his 0-11 year in the MAC, and his second year at the school in a new conference (CUSA) he went 8-5, won the East Conference at 7-1. That is a HELL of a turn around - at UCF, not Auburn. Granted for the next 6 years he alternates between over .500 FB and under .500 FB records and in the last 3 has won 10 , 12 and 9 games.
He went 0-11 his first year to 8-5 (7-1) in his second year!! If he can do that at UCF coming out of the MAC into CUSA without winning a Broyles Award I dont see why Diaco can't do the same with his pedigree.
I think we would all be over the moon if we could put 8 wins up next year - but if the guy who lied on his resume, honed his HC skills at Long Island HS before getting opportunities in CFB as a HC, took an 0-11 MAC team to a new conference (CUSA) with more talent than the MAC and won 8 games the next year - than a Broyles Award Winner should have no issue with the cupboard bare and the mess to cleanup -
GO HUSKIES - the excuses stop now!