4 in 2020 (398.5). 14) and interceptions (No. (Part one in the series was on Group of 5 and FCS head coaches; part two was on nine non-Power 5 coordinators you need to know.). From 1892 to 2006, the team played in six bowl games. Texas A&M ranked No. Drew Mehringer, Texas -- $350,000 10. Also has been contacted in recent years about NFL and SEC offensive line jobs. Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 53.6 percent of their passes vs. TCU during that span. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. Here are the 25 best college football coaches in America heading into the 2022 season. It's unlikely we'll ever learn what he's making at The U, a private school, but we do know he was set to become college football's first $1 million wide receivers coach had he remained in Ann Arbor. Has coached 11 All-American offensive linemen throughout his career. 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. As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest. Zach has been FootballScoop's national columnist since 2012. Charlie Fisher, Arizona State -- $400,000 9. Has helped Oregon cornerback Mykael Wright develop into a first-team All-Pac 12 selection and a projected early-round 2022 NFL Draft pick. Was part of helping Liberty go 10-1 in 2020. One of the best WR in college football history is Torry Holt. Tyler Grisham, Clemson -- $450,000+15. Cortez Hankton, LSU -- $850,000+2. Whether it was nobody crashing and burning or soaring higher than ever -- or none of our voters wanting to take anything that happened during a pandemic season too seriously -- things remained largely the same. Brian Hartline, Ohio State wide receivers coach: A young coach with NFL pedigree that's just getting going in the college game, Hartline looks like a rising star. Taylor, who was promoted to run game coordinator for Notre Dame last year, was looked at during the South Alabama and Buffalo coaching searches. The former offensive coordinator has produced the second-highest EPA per play figure in the Group of Five over the last two seasons, behind only UCF. By Anthony Treash. 56 nationally in pass defense in 2019 (222.2 yards per game) to No. Some value accomplishments on the field above all else, while others may give greater weight to recruiting prowess or the possibility of future success. 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. Continues to be regarded as one of the nations top recruiters. Cortez Hankton, Georgia -- $550,000+ 6. Worked under current Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule at Baylor and Temple. Was a four-year starter at safety for Auburn and a captain on the Tigers 2010 national championship team. 6-keys: media/spln/collegefootball/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. He rushed for 1,125 yards during the Fighting Irishs run to the College Football Playoff last season. A note: We limited the list to coaches under 45 and did not include anyone who is already an offensive or defensive co-coordinator at the Power 5 level, which is why you wont see guys such as Glenn Schumann (Georgia), Jon Sumrall (Kentucky) or Brian Williams (Maryland) despite their names coming up several times during the information-gathering process. Saban landed at LSU in 2000 and awoke the sleeping Cajun giant, compiling a 48-15 record and a National Championship in five years. Under Williams, USC allowed just 216.3 passing yards per game last season, its lowest number since 2013. Ryan Day (42), Ohio State 23-2 (.920) in two-plus seasons: You know, 23-2 isn't a bad way to start a head coaching career, especially when the two losses are in the CFP. Went 42-17 in five seasons as coach at Kansas Wesleyan, an NAIA school located about two hours from the University of Kansas. Coastal Carolina has only graced the FBS for four years, but it has improved every season, culminating in a ludicrous 11-1 record last fall thanks to a full-scale offensive transformation. 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. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports. 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. Under Woodson at Auburn, Noah Igbinoghene developed into a first-round pick at cornerback after. We might forget that Urban Meyer served as Utah's head coach for only two seasons, and while he may have started the Utes down this track, Whittingham has sustained a level of success the school has never even come close to enjoying before. Fitzgerald has done a remarkable job in his 16 years at Northwestern, winning 57% of his games over that span. Returner Trestan Ebnar was the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year and became the first player in modern school history with two kick-return touchdowns in one game. With free agency around the corner, players rated how teams treated them off the field: for better or for worse. He lost the first two rival games in 2014 and 2015 to make it 14 straight but has since won four of the last five. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Courtney Hawkins, Michigan State -- $425,00020. Hall) was a three-time finalist for FCS Defensive Player of the Year. 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. George McDonald, Illinois -- $550,000+11. Kelly, who is widely known as one of the top innovators in the rise of the spread offense in college football, helped the Bruins rack up 503.6 yards per game and 7.01 yards per play, both of which . Pasadena, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs in the second quarter against the Utah Utes during the 2022 Rose Bowl college football game at the Rose Bowl. Bryan McClendon, Georgia -- $700,000+4. The Cougars also were first in the AAC in kick-return defense and net punting. Was a leader in the recruitment of recent LSU tight end commit Mason Taylor, the son of former NFL star Jason Taylor. Helped Houston go from No. Aided by Merritt, James Madison ranked sixth in the FCS in rushing offense last season (232.6 yards per game) and 10th in 2019 (242.9 yards per game). A former All-Big 12 tight end at OU who played five seasons in the NFL. Brown has since come back with a vengeance. Promoted to defensive pass game coordinator earlier this year. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. In-depth analysis. His dad is legendary Florida high school coach Tim Ice Harris. Turned down NFL job opportunities this past coaching cycle. Threw for 3,579 yards and 30 touchdowns as a junior at A&M in 2009. Under Cains watch, Oklahoma outside linebacker Nik Bonitto broke out as a second-team All-American in 2020 and enters this season as one of the nations top defensive players. Has secured commitments from five four-star recruits in the past two recruiting classes, including top-100 2022 prospect Derrick Moore. Ron Dugans, Florida State -- $450,00015. In fact, McMillan and Allen are the only two coaches in the program's history who can boast such win totals. As always, salaries based on publicly-available information, primarily theUSA Todaycoaching salary database. Does FSU or any ACC power actually have options. Then, after coming back from the NFL, Saban took over a Michigan State program that had gone 19-26 in the four years before his arrival and shepherded them to a 34-24-1 record during his tenure. Yes, Alabama claimed 12 championships before Saban's arrival, but it was a program going through turmoil and probation before he took the reins. Received inquiries about at least a few Power 5 defensive line coach openings this offseason and turned down a job offer from a Big 12 program. Brantley came to play for the Hurricanes after being a 3-star recruit by 247 Sports out of Miami (Fla.) Northwestern. Woodson, an ex-Ole Miss defensive back, also has the defensive pass game coordinator title at Florida State. Has recruited and coached players like DeMarvin Leal, a former five-star recruit who could be a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Other college support staffers or NFL staffers who received votes: Stephen Adegoke (Michigan); Max Bullough (Alabama); Jamar Chaney (Mississippi State); Steve Cooper (Nebraska); Zachary Crabtree (Oklahoma State); Ty Darlington (Oklahoma); Jon DeCoster (Cleveland Browns); Ross Douglas (New England Patriots); Declan Doyle (New Orleans Saints); Will Johnson (Oklahoma); Conner McQueen (Oklahoma); Nick Perry (Atlanta Falcons); Ryan Osborn (Michigan); Effrem Reed (Michigan State); Ronnie Regula (Miami); Zac Robinson (Los Angeles Rams); Spencer Whipple (Arizona Cardinals); Nick Williams (Texas A&M). Considering those advancements were mostly made with other coaches' recruiting classes, those numbers are as impressive as it gets. Was Greg Schianos first hire for his Rutgers staff. The Cyclones' last four defenses rank eighth, 11th, 14th and 17th in EPA allowed per play among the 40 team seasons in the Big 12 since 2017. 2. Abdul-Rahim was contacted about a Power 5 defensive coordinator job and at least one SEC secondary coach opening this past cycle. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Kodi Burns, Auburn -- $350,000 10. Mullen had them up to 29th in Year 1 and 30th in Year 2, and then they exploded with an 11th-place finish in 2020. Was a fourth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in the 2009 NFL Draft and played seven seasons in the NFL. Ranking the 20 best head coaches in college football Alabama head coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian against Arkansas at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday October 26, 2019. 1. He has gone 14-7 over the last two seasons, a mark that would have been much better if Indiana could have feasted on some non-conference opponents last year. In the end, nearly everybody is angry. Holmon Wiggins, Alabama -- $575,000+11. And we have a history of Saban turning around other programs. (McClendon was set to follow Mario Cristobal to Miami before returning to Athens.). Northwestern is not a historically good football program. Under West, Alex Highsmith ranked in the top five nationally in sacks and tackles for loss in 2019. He's led the program to four national championship games and two national Championship wins, a feat very few would have imagined all those years ago. Is the grandson of Lou Holtz. Turned down a job offer from Michigan this offseason. Jay Johnson, Michigan State -- $1.35 million 2. Thomas Stidham and Jim . Founded in 2009 by Dustin Smith and Ty Detmer. 1. Was an FCS All-American linebacker at Stony Brook as a player (2006-10) and was named to the Big South Conference All-Decade Team. At Oregon in 2018, Williams cornerbacks group contributed to the Ducks posting 20 interceptions, which ranked second nationally. From 1953 (when they joined the Big Ten) to 2006, they had two finishes in the AP Top 25. Monken has not only surpassed those seven wins four times in seven years but hes also added two double-digit winning seasons. The former Oklahoma quarterback and GA -- who turns 47 in April -- has been a Sooner for all but four years of his adult life. Breaking news. Wide receiver from Crawford, Mississippi, USA. The best record over that timeframe stands at a meager 3-9. Kelly has led the Bruins to 17 total wins over the past two seasons. Darrin Chiaverini, Colorado -- $400,000 7. -- Another notable name missing is Miami's Josh Gattis. 9 nationally in rushing offense (252.2 yards per game). The Bulldogs were the only SEC team with multiple 50-plus-yard kick returns. Has coached four top-10 kickoff-return units in his career. Napier has even bettered Hudspeths mark. 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. Finished his career with 344 catches, two 1,000-yard seasons and 14 career touchdowns. Dabo has lifted whatever Clemsoning curse was put on the Tigers and has won 81% of his games so far. Kentucky welcomed Stoops in 2013 but won just 12 games in three seasons. Here's what coaches look for in a great wideout. Mark Hudspeth improved the Rajin' Cajuns' win total from three to nine in his first year in charge, which started a four-year run of 9-4 finishes and a New Orleans Bowl victory each season. 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. When we ranked Power Five college football coaches last year, there wasn't much change in the top 25. The Rockets lurched back to 5-5-1 the year after under Gary Pinkel. Turned down a Mountain West defensive coordinator job last year. As long as we're asking humans to complete this fundamentally thankless task, there's room at the table for people who really know ball. Dennis Simmons, Oklahoma -- $460,000 5. Scored a big early recruiting win at Auburn, playing a role in getting standout cornerback Roger McCreary to return for his senior season instead of leaving for the NFL. Was UCFs quarterbacks coach last season after working as an analyst in 2019. Brennan Marion, Pitt WR coach. Cortez Hankton, Georgia -- $375,000 10. Cale Gundy, Oklahoma -- $580,000+ 6. In the 10 years leading up to the longtime head coach, the team had only won 55% of their games. 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. 2 nationally in total offense each of the past two seasons. Two of Simpsons cornerbacks were named second-team All-Conference USA last season (Brontae Harris and TD Marshall). 1 recruiter in the country in 2020 and is No. 11 in the AAC in total defense in 2018 (496.8 yards per game) and No. They have played in 10 under Fitzgerald. It is unheard of to have back-to-back nine-win seasons at Vanderbilt, and the program quickly fell off when Franklin left for Penn State. Previously assisted in the development of Molden, McDuffie and others as the Huskies assistant defensive backs coach. -- Ron Dugans signed a new deal in January; the $450,000 salary was his 2021 figure. Was hired to be Heupels running backs coach at UCF before then following Heupel to Tennessee as a senior analyst. 2 in the SEC in pass defense in its first season under Rushing and should be even better this fall. Cincinnati handed the reins to Mark Dantonio, Brian Kelly, Butch Jones, Tommy Tuberville and now Luke Fickell in consecutive seasons. The move to UCF reconnected him with Gus Malzahn, who was his quarterback coach at Tulsa in 2008. That includes a 40-8 mark from 2015-18, the best four-year run in program history. On Monday he will be coaching in the College Football Playoffs national championship game,. Was a reserve QB at Texas (2012-16) and played in 23 games as a snapper for field goals and extra points. (Obviously, Gattis is also an offensive coordinator.) He likely got more than that to leave for Miami. The future looks bright, as well, as they currently sit 24th on PFF's preseason ELO rankings. 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). Again, there was a win decrease in his first season, as the Gophers went from nine wins to five in 2017, but a two-game improvement in 2018 foreshadowed an 11-2 season in 2019. After a 9-4 2008 season, Bill Cubits Broncos fell to 22-27 over the next four years. Under Hart, Stevie Scott was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2019 and 20. A veteran Power 5 head coach mentioned Hankton as someone he sees as a potential Group of 5 head-coach candidate. -- Equally worth of mentioning: Alabama does not have a wide receivers coach as of this moment. Is a highly respected and connected figure in south Florida. Before Ohio State, Bailey spent two years as a recruiting analyst at Notre Dame. Since 2016, the Utes have been the best defense in the conference, posting a cumulative -0.149 EPA allowed per play in those five seasons. 12). Mario Cristobal continues to replenish the Hurricanes' staff. Contributed to A&M improving from 29th nationally in total defense in 2019 to ninth in 2020. Joined Charles Huffs first Marshall staff after initially planning to return to UT-Martin as the programs co-coordinator and secondary coach.