5 Offensive Coordinators on the Verge of Becoming Head Coaches

Five guys who could be leading programs in the very near future

Author:
Mike Huesmann
Publish date:
Dec 11, 2022

si.com

Five guys who could be leading programs in the very near future

Bill O’Brien, Alabama

The former Penn State and Houston Texans head coach O’Brien may not be the most popular name in some corners, but the view that he’s a poor coach is just distorted and wrong. He took over a Penn St. team in the aftermath of the worst college football scandal ever and got them respectable very quickly (15-9 over two years). With the Texans they won the division more often than not (four out of seven seasons), his GM skills were to blame for the failure there, not his coaching. He’s coached a Heisman winner with the Tide and his chance to lead again will come soon enough.

Sep 10, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bill O'Brien before the game against the Texas Longhorns during the first half at at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
© Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

Garrett Riley, TCU

Riley is only in year one as OC at TCU, but what a year it has been so far. He coached Max Duggan to a Heisman runner-up finish and a spot in the playoff. The former SMU OC had prior stops at Appalachian State and Kansas before teaming up with Dykes. Riley was awarded the Broyles Award this season as the nation's top assistant coach. It won’t be long before he joins his brother Lincoln in being head coach of an FBS team. The 33-year old Riley has no head coaching experience.

TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley
Forth Worth Star-Telegram

Todd Monken, Georgia

Monken has led the offense of one of the most dominant programs in CFB over the last few years. In his three years as the Southern Miss boss, he led the Golden Eagles steadily upwards from 1 win to 3 wins to 9 before leaving for the NFL. His style of play isn’t flashy or up tempo, but he utilizes backs and tight ends as well as anyone. Monken has nurtured multiple players who’ve gone on to the NFL in addition to recruiting extremely well. His resume has put him on the list of many schools and one of these days he’ll be a head coach again.

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Jeff Lebby, Oklahoma

Another man with no head coaching experience, Lebby has boasted excellence in every stop as an offensive assistant coach and coordinator. Lebby has worked with some of the best offensive minds in the game along the way starting with Art Briles, his father-in-law, at Baylor, Josh Heupel at UCF, and Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss before going to the Sooners this year. Lebby’s offenses have been able to run the ball consistently and have been nightmares for defensive coordinators to prepare for.

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby before a Bedlam college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.
© BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ryan Grubb, Washington

Grubb may be the most unheard of name on the list but that won’t last long. The longtime Kalen DeBoer lieutenant has helped him lead a resurgence at Washington and Fresno St. before that. The two men have been together since their NAIA days in Sioux Falls. If Michael Penix has the kind of season he’s capable of and the Huskies are Pac 12 contenders next year expect Grubb to be mentioned for head coaching jobs.