By Luke Brumm
We have seen more head coaching changes this past year than I can ever remember, and the significance and reasonings have been unique as well.
Nick Saban, Jim Harbaugh, and Jimbo Fisher are all no longer head coaches in college football. Head coach Chip Kelly left UCLA to be the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley left to be a position coach in the NFL. Mell Tucker and Pat Fitzgerald were fired with cause, and names like Dana Holgorsen and Brady Hoke are no longer in the game either. With all these departures, the list of best coaches in the country will certainly look different, so let’s take a look and see.
Best of the Rest
Dan Lanning (Oregon), Dabo Swinney (Clemson), Lincoln Riley (USC), Mike Norvell (Florida State), Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Lance Leipold (Kansas), James Franklin (Penn State), and Kyle Whittingham (Utah)
If I’m being honest, I had a really hard time coming up with this list and I do believe that after Kirby, you could make a case for second for any of these coaches in this article. These eight coaches are very good and just barely missed out on the top five. Lanning and Oregon look strong and depending on what happens next season, Lanning could stand alone at two. The same goes for Dabo, Lincoln, Norvell, or Lane. Dabo’s last three years have moved him down my list. His unwillingness to adapt has cost Clemson. Lance Leipold makes it due to where he is. Kansas never won more than three games in a season throughout the whole 2010s. They now have two straight bowl appearances and they did it without their star QB both times. Lance just got a new contract to which sees him earning over 7 million annually. Franklin and Whittingham have some work to get into the top five, but that being said, I do really like them as coaches.
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5. Steve Sarkisian – Texas
I really like Sark and the momentum he is building in Texas and I’m very intrigued to see if they can keep it up now that they are members of the SEC. I think they can and will with the talent they have accumulated. Sarkisian lead the Longhorns to their first Playoff appearance last season after winning the Big 12 for their last time.
4. Kalen DeBoer – Alabama
DeBoer has made every team that he’s been at good and Washington was no different. He turned that program around in three seasons and led them to a National Championship appearance and a Pac 12 championship last season. He now resides in Tuscaloosa and will face his toughest job yet.
3. Ryan Day – Ohio State
A lot of people hate on Ryan Day because he hasn’t won a Natty or beaten Michigan in three years, but if you take those two things away, he’s been pretty dang good. Ohio State is a consistent winner and always in Playoff conversations. That right there would be good enough for a statue at 90% of schools. I think people overlook him because he is at Ohio State and became head coach right after Urban.
2. Brian Kelly – LSU
Brian Kelly has always won with less and now won’t have to do that anymore. While LSU did have a disappointing 2023, their 2022 was great. They made the SEC Championship and beat Nick Saban and Alabama in his first season in the SEC. He will just continue to recruit and use his limitless LSU resources. Don’t be surprised if LSU becomes the next big dog out of the old SEC West schools.
1. Kirby Smart – Georgia
This one is obvious. Saban might have been the only thing stopping Georgia and Kirby from taking over college football. I think the new NIL and transfer portal will even things out a little, but Georgia is still the top dawg in the country and Kirby is the King of coaches. countess top three recruiting classes and ten-win seasons. Back-to-back National Championships with one coming vs Nick Saban. He is on top and might be until he decides to hang it up.
