To put this list together, we gathered feedback from a combination of head coaches, coordinators, team officials, etc., around college football after asking them about position coaches whom they expect to be in line for bigger jobs this next coaching cycle or at some point in the near future. Sonny Dykes promoted Samples to associate head coach earlier this year. Theyre listed alphabetically. After moving from the Mountain West to the Pac-12 and starting 18-19 over the first three years, the Utes now have won at least nine games in five of the last six seasons, not including the shortened 2020 season. 2023 On3 Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Napier has even bettered Hudspeths mark. Has coached 11 All-American offensive linemen throughout his career. Two of Simpsons cornerbacks were named second-team All-Conference USA last season (Brontae Harris and TD Marshall). In 2019, Pro Football Focus two highest-graded safeties were from Gonzales group Moehrig and ArDarius Washington. Was promoted earlier this year to associate head coach. -- Junior Adams was Washington's original wide receivers coach on Kalen DeBoer's new staff, at $500,000 per year. 1 nationally in blocked kicks (six) and blocked punts (five) in 2019. Rejoined Will Healy in 2019 after one season at Minnesota. Hartline was the only non-coordinator among the 15 semifinalists for the 2020 Broyles Award, which is presented annually to the nations top assistant. Between Craig Cirbus, Jim Hofher, Turner Gill and Jeff Quinn, the team won 3.25 games per season on average. Strange circumstances brought Martin and Malzahn together, but now the pair are united for a second time. Also coached an all-conference tight end during that 2018 season (Dylan Stapleton). 1. Interviewed for the Boston College coaching job two years ago and turned down the Tennessee coordinator job this past cycle. JaMarcus Shepard, Washington -- $650,000+ 6. From 2016 to the present day, this is the No. From 1892 to 2006, the team played in six bowl games. Drew Mehringer, Texas -- $350,000 10. Sure, there might be an inclination to not have them at No. In 2019, Bowman helped Austin Peay win its first Ohio Valley Conference title since 1977. His 2020 Ole Miss special teams unit ranked 17th nationally in kick-return defense and 23rd in kick-return average. Tyler Grisham, Clemson -- $450,000+15. Until Tom Allen, that is,who sits at 52%. Brian Early has been a part of the Houston staff since 2019 and was at Arkansas State previously. But those were the high points until Monken turned the program around. Prior to his first recruiting class in 2016, Oklahoma had not ranked in the top 10 in recruiting since 2010. Alabama head coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian against Arkansas at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday October 26, 2019. Kasey Dunn, Oklahoma State -- $800,000* 3. When Buffalo came back to Division I-A football in 1999, they embarked on a journey of countless losses. A protege of Texas A&M coordinator Mike Elko, Santucci was a grad assistant at Wake Forest under Elko (2014-15), an analyst under Elko at Notre Dame (2017) and Texas A&M (2018) and now is in his second season back with Elko as the Aggies linebackers coach. Ranking 10 best wide receivers in college football this season Three of the coaches in last season's the top 25 lost their jobs following the 2021 season, including a top-10 coach in Dan Mullen and another who won a national title in 2019, Ed Orgeron. Has been one of the lead recruiters on eight top-50 overall recruits that Ohio State has landed in its past three classes, including two quarterbacks and three five-star wide receivers. Another Trojans cornerback, Olaijah Griffin, finished with the third-highest Pro Football Focus grade for 2020 among Pac-12 corners. Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. He rushed for 1,125 yards during the Fighting Irishs run to the College Football Playoff last season. When Bud Wilkinson took over in Norman in 1947, the University of Oklahoma was still a stepping-stone destination for head coaches in college football. Another stint in the NFL led to the Alabama job, where he has won six National Championships. His 64 catches led the Big 12. Ranked as the sixth-best recruiter in the Pac-12 for the 2021 recruiting cycle. The Florida State dynasty of the late 1980s and 1990s produced 14 straight years where the team finished in the top five of the AP Poll under Bobby Bowden. Dabo has lifted whatever Clemsoning curse was put on the Tigers and has won 81% of his games so far. The Best College Football Wide Receivers of All Time - Ranker Regarded as one of the best kickoff-return and special teams coaches in the country. 56 nationally in pass defense in 2019 (222.2 yards per game) to No. 1 in the Big 12 in opponents completion percentage each of the past four seasons. On3 is a registered trademark of On3 Media, Inc. nine non-Power 5 coordinators you need to know. On Monday he will be coaching in the College Football Playoffs national championship game,. Interviewed for the Alabama running backs coach opening this past coaching cycle. Is a highly respected and connected figure in south Florida. Holt was a great receiver for the Wolfpack. Had a second-team All-Sun Belt cornerback last season in his first year at Georgia State (Quavian White). Was a three-year starting QB at Tulsa and was the 2010 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year with Chad Morris as his coordinator. A former West Virginia and Florida A&M quarterback, he won the Doug Williams National Offensive Player of the Year award as a senior at Florida A&M in 1999. The wide receiver position at Miami has been a loaded spot for the 'Canes since Eddie Brown signed with The U out of Miami Senior High School . "In life I would never advise anyone to be where they are not wanted," he sent in a text to his players on his way to Coral Gables. Quarterback Elite (QBE) is one of the premier QB & WR development programs in the nation headquartered in Utah. Led Mercers 2018 special teams operation to four top-12 rankings in the FCS net punting (No. Jordan Addison has become a bona fide star under Marion at Pitt. Here's how the full list breaks down: 1. Liberty also was 15th in the country in average time of possession (32:58). 3 nationally in rush defense. Before Oregon, Chance was part of Minnesota improving from No. It feels like a long time ago, but Notre Dame had fallen on hard times after the dominant Lou Holtz era that spanned the late 80s and early 90s. 2 nationally in total offense each of the past two seasons. A 3-4 season in the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign put a slight damper on Fleck's progress, so 2021 is a big year for him. Brian Hartline, Ohio State -- $600,000+7. That's when Fleck headed to Minnesota to rebuild the Gophers. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. The former Oklahoma quarterback and GA -- who turns 47 in April -- has been a Sooner for all but four years of his adult life. Assuming 2020 was just a blip and not the beginning of a downward trend, Franklin has proven himself to be one of the top coaches in college football. LSU Football: Cortez Hankton listed as the top WR coach candidate JaMarcus Shepard, Washington -- $650,000+6. Turned down a Power 5 offensive coordinator job this past coaching cycle to continue to learn under Seminoles coach Mike Norvell. Recent jobs: Rutgers (2020-present), Temple co-coordinator/cornerbacks coach (2019), Baylor assistant head coach/cornerbacks coach (2017-18), Temple associate head coach/secondary coach (2016) Was Greg Schiano's first hire for his Rutgers staff. Because of his achievements with the Seminoles team of Florida State University, Bobby Bowden is one of the most famous and greatest college coaches of all time. Ryan Day has since named him the Buckeyes' full-time wideouts coach, but his salary is not yet public. Went 42-17 in five seasons as coach at Kansas Wesleyan, an NAIA school located about two hours from the University of Kansas. But instead of kicking him to the curb, the program stayed with him and has gone 23-14 in the last three years, the team's best three-year stint since the mid-1970s. Holmon Wiggins, Alabama -- $575,000+11. Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline has established himself as one of the best assistants in all of college football over the past few years. Even with Fisher serving as offensive coordinator, the team stumbled to three seven-win finishes in the last four years of the Bowden era. Interviewed for the job as the Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach before the Eagles hired Florida offensive coordinator Brian Johnson. 16). Woodson has been the lead recruiter on three highly ranked FSU 2022 commits. Was promoted to run game coordinator for the Nittany Lions in 2020. Syndication Montgomery. Coaches consistently have mentioned him the past couple years as someone they expect to be a head coach and a good one at some point in the not-too-distant future. From 2014 to 2017, the Gators offense ranked 120th in EPA per play that is not just bad, it is horrendous. Red Blaik won 77% of his games as the head coach of Army during an 18-year stint that coincided with Army pulling in the best football players in the country because of war efforts. And thats what makes Allens tenure so impressive. Was one of the lead recruiters on nine BC signees, including four-star cornerback Clinton Burton. Kasey Dunn, Oklahoma State -- $800,000*3. Big 12 Baylor: Antwan Goodley and Levi Norwood. Ranked as the No. The Heupel-led staff felt like they uncovered a diamond in the rough when they initially hired Merritt at UCF. 22. To help develop Drake Maye and the Heels' quarterbacks, Mack Brown is bringing in one of the NFL's most accomplished quarterbacks coaches. (Running backs being the other.) In his second season as the offensive coordinator at St. Ambrose (an NAIA school in Davenport, Iowa), Drinkalls offense ranked No. Emmett Jones, Texas Tech -- $450,000+18. Has worked with coaches such as Syracuse coach Dino Babers, Orange offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and Kent State coach Sean Lewis. In addition, Powledge coached Baylors only first-team All-Big 12 selection on either offense or defense in 2020 safety Jalen Pitre. Syndication Montgomery By Seth Galina Jul 7, 2021 1 or No. Played and learned under coaches such as Will Muschamp and Ted Roof and got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant under Roof at Penn State (2012) and Georgia Tech (2013-14). Has played a large role in setting up Texas A&M to have one of the best defenses in the country this season. His last team, the 1958 squad, went 8-0-1 and represented the end of the great Army football program of yesteryear. Josh McDaniels Coaching Rsum. Brennan Marion is one of the bright young minds in college football. That kind of turnover played a role in the shakeups all over our list of 65 coaches, and this year we have six coaches cracking the top 25 for the first time. Threw for 3,579 yards and 30 touchdowns as a junior at A&M in 2009. Florida coach Dan Mullen fought hard to keep him. Has been contacted about at least a couple of coordinator opportunities the past few years. Theyve won 21 games in 11 years. The Bulldogs were the only SEC team with multiple 50-plus-yard kick returns. Age: 60. In July, he secured a commitment from four-star 2022 running back Nicholas Singleton, while also teaming with offensive line coach Phil Trautwein to land five-star 2023 offensive lineman Alex Birchmeier. And we have a history of Saban turning around other programs. Simmons is one of two coaches to coach two Biletnikoff winners Michael Crabtree and Dede Westbrook and the Sooners' passing game has been one of the nation's best during his tenure. In the past three years, four A&M defensive linemen have been selected in the first four rounds of the NFL draft. 11:31 am ET. Of those six, three were ranked 50th or lower last year. 2 out of ranking fatigue, but this is their rightful spot. -- Coordinators (or co-coordinators) not included in this list (because they're coordinators or co-coordinators): Clemson's Jeff Scott ($1 million), Michigan's Josh Gattis ($900,000), Nebraska's Troy Walters ($700,000), South Carolina's Bryan McClendon ($675,000), Mississippi State's Luke Getsy ($600,000), Florida's Billy Gonzales ($577,000) and NC State's George McDonald ($368,000). Some value accomplishments on the field above all else, while others may give greater weight to recruiting prowess or the possibility of future success. We are now in Position 8 of 9 in our series examining the highest-paid position coaches in college football, and for just the second time we've found a position where the low end does not hit the $400,000 mark. Is back at Ohio State after starring for the Buckeyes as a wide receiver (2005-08). Its a future that Dawg fans can only dream of because Smart is still only a one-time SEC champion and zero-time national champion. That came after Brocks group ranked either first or second in the Pac-12 in net punting, kick-return average and kick-return defense in 2018. A former college baseball player at UC Davis, Gonzalez got his first opportunity as a football coach in 2007 and has been at TCU since 2012, working and learning under one of the top defensive minds in the country in Gary Patterson. For the final part of On3s three-part project on up-and-coming coaches, we take a look at rising-star position coaches as well as some highly regarded support staffers. The group also includes talented young players such as sophomore Jermaine Burton and promising freshman Adonai Mitchell, whom Hankton landed after he was initially committed to Ole Miss. Has received NFL interest each of the past two years. Also received interest for multiple NFL secondary coach openings. As a player, Wright was an All-American defensive lineman at Texas and was one of the leaders of the Longhorns 2005 national championship team. Cortez Hankton, Georgia -- $375,000 10. Has been interviewed for multiple FBS head-coach openings, including South Alabama this past cycle. As coordinator at Division II Albany (Ga.) State in 2017, his unit held opponents to an average of 287 yards per game. Turned down a job offer from Michigan this offseason. 4) and punt-return defense (No. Despite having to use different offensive line configurations in six of FSUs nine games last season, Atkins group paved the way for the Seminoles to post their highest rushing average since 2016 (199.9 yards per game). Monken has not only surpassed those seven wins four times in seven years but hes also added two double-digit winning seasons. Is assisting with Ohio States quarterbacks after previously working with Brian Hartline and the Buckeyes wide receivers unit. (McClendon was set to follow Mario Cristobal to Miami before returning to Athens.). Coached Kareem Hunt, who ran for 1,475 yards at Toledo in 2016 before being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Tyler Grisham is a top 5, maybe top 3, WR coach in the entire country. Was set to be FIUs offensive coordinator this season but decided to join Gus Malzahns staff at UCF. Made a big-time impression with people at LSU during his one season on the Tigers staff. College football recruiting: Ranking the top 10 recruiters that hauled Under West, Alex Highsmith ranked in the top five nationally in sacks and tackles for loss in 2019. 1 in Conference USA in sacks and tackles for loss last season. Was a leader in the recruitment of recent LSU tight end commit Mason Taylor, the son of former NFL star Jason Taylor. -- Nate Scheelhasse coaches Iowa State's running backs and wide receivers. GIF ALT Is the eldest son of Louisiana Tech coach Skip Holtz, who also has been a head coach at UConn (1994-98), East Carolina (2005-09) and USF (2010-12). He is repeatedly hitting home runs on the recruiting front and is breeding high-upside players into elite-level route-runners. Whittingham has won 67% of his games in his 17 years as head coach for a program that was invisible for most of its history. 9), punt-return average (No. 1. Is a former Sooners player (2000-01) and the younger brother of Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom. Before Monken took over in 2014, the team had put forward just one seven-win season since 2000. Darrin Chiaverini, Colorado -- $400,000 7. In fact, it is a historically bad football program. The highest-paid quarterbacks coaches in college football: 2022 edition Serves as Oklahomas associate head coach of offense in addition to being the Sooners tight ends and H-backs coach. One could assume that Riley is just continuing the tradition of excellence left by Bob Stoops, but the Sooners experienced a big dip in offensive output in the mid-2010s. Thomas Stidham and Jim . 7 in 2020 and No. Was the lead recruiter for the Trojans on five-star 2022 cornerback Domani Jackson, who committed to USC in January. From high school to college, Bowden remained loyal to football. That netted him a $185,000 raise from what he earned at Oregon. 12) and punt-return defense (No. Alabama interviewed Powledge this past cycle. Nate Scheelhassee, Iowa State -- $500,000+14. Georgias defense had fallen to 13th in expected points added (EPA) allowed per play in the two years before Kirbys arrival, but hes since straightened that out. Currently ranked among the nations top 15 recruiters for the 2022 recruiting class. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports. Had two All-Conference USA honorable mention selections in his first season at Louisiana Tech (Smoke Harris and Cee Jay Powell). Cortez Hankton, Georgia -- $550,000+ 6. After a slow 4-8 start in his first year, Fickell is now 31-6 in the last three seasons, rivaling Brian Kellys 33-6 three-year stretch. That's largely due to the return of Jaxon Smith-Njigba,. Helped Rutgers tie for second in the Big Ten with 19 takeaways last season,almost double what the Scarlet Knights tallied in 2019 (10) despite playing four fewer games. They have played in 10 under Fitzgerald. The highest-paid quarterbacks coach in college football will make $8.05 million this year. Left after the season to take an analyst position at Oregon, then returned to the Ducks two years later to be the Ducks cornerbacks coach. Is one of the latest coaching stars to emerge from the tree of former. The Top 25 Head Coaches in College Football History We also shouldnt forget his sterling 60% win rate as head coach of Mississippi State, where he took over a program that had only gone 21-38 in the five previous years under Sylvester Croom. Jerry Rice. The venerated Frank J. Howard he of famous rock only led Clemson to six top-25 finishes in his 30 years, pairing that with a 58% win rate. Healy has said before of West: I dont think theres a better defensive line coach in the country. Has a twin brother, Kelsey, whos also an up-and-coming coach. Was his fathers offensive coordinator at Miami Booker T. Washington from 2009-13 and then served as the teams coach in 2014 before being hired at FIU. That includes a 40-8 mark from 2015-18, the best four-year run in program history. Has been one of the lead recruiters on 10 four-star players that the Gators have landed the past three years. You could almost pick anybody on the Bears ' fall camp roster at the receiver position to team up with Goodley (5-foot-10, 220 pounds) and Baylor. Limited Ads. It feels so long ago now, but Clemsoning was a real thing, and the program could never get over the hump. The belief is that it wont be long before Bailey gets a big-time assistant job, whether its at Ohio State or elsewhere. Previously assisted in the development of Molden, McDuffie and others as the Huskies assistant defensive backs coach. In 2017, The Chanticleers ranked 71st in the FBS in EPA per play. Fickells record would surely have him higher on this list if it weren't for the fact that the Bearcats program has been wildly successful over the last couple of decades. Brian Hartline, Ohio State -- $600,000+ 7. Ja'Juan Seider, Penn State, Co-OC, running backs coach The South Florida native has been a candidate for a few Group of 5 jobs thanks to his reputation as a top position coach and one of the. -- Another notable name missing is Miami's Josh Gattis. Bob Davie and Tyrone Willingham then went on to win only 58% of their games combined before Charlie Weis five years produced a 56% win rate. Has helped Oklahoma go from last in the Big 12 in total defense in 2018 to second in 2019 and third in 2020. Has worked or played under several other prominent coaches, including Ohio State coach Ryan Day, ex-Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson, Florida State coach Mike Norvell and UCLA coach Chip Kelly. On this list for a second time, Duggan coached two of the ACC's best linebackers during his debut season with Boston College. At James Madison in 2019, Smith helped lead a defense that ranked No. Ranking college football's 10 best head coaches in 2022 The highest-paid running backs coaches in college football: 2021 Now hes revamped the Texas A&M program, going 26-10 in three seasons and coming off a 9-1 season with huge aspirations for a national title hunt in 2021. Let's rank the top 100 . When we ranked Power Five college football coaches last year, there wasn't much change in the top 25. Also was Indianas associate head coach last year. Cale Gundy, Oklahoma -- $535,000 3. Was a fourth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in the 2009 NFL Draft and played seven seasons in the NFL. Yes, Alabama claimed 12 championships before Saban's arrival, but it was a program going through turmoil and probation before he took the reins. Cains 2019 James Madison special teams unit ranked No. Derrick Nix, Ole Miss -- $500,000+11. Breaking news. Staggs had been set to join the Western Kentucky staff as an assistant coach. We look back fondly on the Air Raid team of Hal Mumme in the late 1990s, but they only went 20-26. There isnt a lot more to say about these two. While Williams salary numbers arent public, a source told On3 that Williams is the highest-paid non-coordinator in the nation. Fisher quickly got the program back on track, though, winning 78% of his games and bringing home a National Championship. Landed two four-star defensive backs in that 2021 class. Kasey Dunn, Oklahoma State -- $410,000 7. Roman Sapolu, Fresno State, O-line Coach/Run Game Coordinator (28): One of the best young offensive line coaches in college football, Sapolu earned a dual promotion this offseason to. Was a high school head coach at Friendship College Academy in Washington, D.C., for 10 seasons (2004-13). David Johnson, Tennessee -- $505,000 4. 2. Since 2006, theyve had five. Was a reserve QB at Texas (2012-16) and played in 23 games as a snapper for field goals and extra points. Jan 18, 2022. Worked at West Georgia with three other current Flames coaches (defensive coordinator Scott Symons, defensive line coach Josh Aldridge and cornerbacks coach Rickey Hunley). Played a big role behind the scenes last season at Ole Miss, contributing to a Rebels offense that ranked third nationally in total offense (555.5 yards per game) and seventh in passing offense (344.9 ypg). With free agency around the corner, players rated how teams treated them off the field: for better or for worse. Has been Georgias pass game coordinator since 2019. The feel in the coaching world is that Odom likely would be a top contender for the Oklahoma coordinator job if Alex Grinch leaves for a head-coaching opportunity. Justin Stepp, South Carolina -- $475,00015. Riley was hired as the Sooners' offensive coordinator in 2015, and East Carolina fell to 65th in EPA per play while Oklahoma rose to ninth. Such is the all-encompassing importance of the quarterback position. 1 Brian Hartline Wide Receivers Coach 6 Commits 96.41 82.05 2 Todd Bates Co-Defensive Coordinator 6 Commits 95.55 79.52 3 Karl Scott Defensive Backs Coach 10 Commits 93.94 79.14 4 Rodney. His current wide receiver corps includes two players who have developed into 2022 NFL Draft prospects. Chip Kelly contract: UCLA's sixth-year coach extended after leading Bryan McClendon, Georgia -- $700,000+ 4. 1. This upcoming weekend Alabama football is set to host multiple top recruits in the 2024 class on campus as head coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide gear up for another calendar year of. David Johnson, Tennessee -- $505,000 4. We must start with Franklin's time at Vanderbilt, where his 18-8 record in 2012 and 2013 is the best two-year mark since the 1920s. Kasey Dunn, Oklahoma State -- $410,000 7. The opportunity to win games was the biggest factor here. But, as we'll explain below, there are reasons for that. Also has worked and learned under Billy Napier at Louisiana, one of the nations top up-and-coming head coaches. College football rankings: 10 best wide receivers this season 10. But Saban is still No. PFF's 2021 College Football Preview Magazine. College football's rising stars: The 30Under30 for 2021 - 247Sports Ranking the 20 best head coaches in college football - PFF Ranking the top 25 Power Five college football coaches entering the Has received interest for both college and NFL jobs in recent years, including from Notre Dame in 2019. Aided by Gonzales and his group, TCU has finished No. 2020 Football Recruiter Rankings - 247Sports Posted 130 catches in six NFL seasons, including 47 catches for 754 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. His move to rival Oregon was profitable for him and for his replacement, JaMarcus Shepard. As the Mustangs running backs coach, Samples has aided in the progression of players such as Ulysses Bentley and Tyler Lavine. -- Ron Dugans signed a new deal in January; the $450,000 salary was his 2021 figure. (Obviously, Gattis is also an offensive coordinator.) 2017 New England Patriots (QB Coach/O-Cord) 13-3 Lost Super Bowl 52 to PHI. Was a four-year starter at safety for Auburn and a captain on the Tigers 2010 national championship team. 12). Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Was a linebacker at Georgia (2009-12) and made 17 career starts for the Bulldogs. Turned down NFL job opportunities this past coaching cycle. Saban is now at 88%. The former Buffalo Bulls head coach is set to take over a program that has been a shambles since the end of the Mark Mangino era. The Guy Morriss era was short and painful. Ron Dugans, Florida State -- $450,00015. Previously worked under Grinch at Washington State. -- Gundy serves as Lincoln Riley's co-offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator in addition to coaching Oklahoma's inside receivers. The Chanticleers head coach goes into this season looking for a shot at back-to-back Sun Belt titles. Assisted with Ohio States running backs and tight ends for three seasons in his role as a Buckeyes graduate assistant from 2017-19. Worked under current Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule at Baylor and Temple. All Rights Reserved. 14) and interceptions (No. Bob Sutton won 10 games in 1996. 50 rising-star position coaches you need to know - On3 Kelly has led the Bruins to 17 total wins over the past two seasons. Viewed as a rising star inside the Ohio State building and outside of it as well. 11 in 2019 (467.5) to No. Ranking the Top 25 coaches in college football in 2022 Under Harris, FIU running back DVonte Price developed into one of the nations most productive running backs last season (116.2 yards per game) and a potential early-round 2022 NFL Draft pick. If the QBs they coach perform at an elite level, though, all three will be on the fast track to coordinator gigs and rocket up future editions of this list.