Bud Wilkinson. 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. 56 nationally in pass defense in 2019 (222.2 yards per game) to No. Has been the lead recruiter on six on the 18 players that FSU has committed in its 2022 recruiting class, including four four-star recruits. Turned down a Power 5 offensive coordinator job this past coaching cycle to continue to learn under Seminoles coach Mike Norvell. The program ranks sixth in the same metric in the five years since he became head coach. The Bulldogs were the only SEC team with multiple 50-plus-yard kick returns. Drew Mehringer, Texas -- $350,000 10. Their rushing efficiency stands out for a program like this theyre 14th in the Power Five in EPA per rush over the last three seasons, a mightily impressive figure. Scheelhaase was promoted to run game coordinator after last season. Kentucky welcomed Stoops in 2013 but won just 12 games in three seasons. Coached one of the more productive tight ends in the SEC last season (Kenny Yeboah) after mentoring 2019 Freshman All-American Jalen Wydermyer at Texas A&M and Mackey Award finalist Albert Okwuegbunam at Missouri in 2018. -- Junior Adams was Washington's original wide receivers coach on Kalen DeBoer's new staff, at $500,000 per year. Imagine a world in which Kirby Smart is a two-time national champion, one where his team did not blow a 10-point lead to Alabama in the fourth quarter of the 2018 championship game and then a 14-point third-quarter lead in the SEC Championship the following year. Within a four-day period in July, he landed two of the top-ranked recruits in SMU program history five-star wide receiver Jordan Hudson and four-star safety Chace Biddle. 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. After recording just four carries in 2019, Williams has developed into one of the best running backs in the country under Taylors watch. 2023 On3 Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Josh McDaniels Coaching Rsum. 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. Volatility was profitable for college football's elite wide receivers coaches in 2021. (Running backs being the other.) Holtz won 76% of his games in South Bend. 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. Also has worked and learned under Billy Napier at Louisiana, one of the nations top up-and-coming head coaches. They ranked 108th in the FBS in EPA per play over 2014 and 2015. Has been contacted about at least a couple of coordinator opportunities the past few years. He had 191 catches for 3,379 yards and 31 touchdowns in his four-year career. And this is precisely why Dabo could be seen as more successful than Saban the Clemson program is not an important program in college footballs history, unlike the Crimson Tide. Anyone who saw him play at N.C. State knew the Rams and the Greatest Show on Turf got something special. Has been interviewed for multiple FBS head-coach openings, including South Alabama this past cycle. He landed one of the. Brown has since come back with a vengeance. Aided by Gonzales and his group, TCU has finished No. As a player, Simpson was a starting cornerback at South Alabama in 2010 and 11, when current UAB coach Bill Clark was the Jaguars defensive coordinator. Under West, Alex Highsmith ranked in the top five nationally in sacks and tackles for loss in 2019. 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. 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. 5. During his oneyear as the Tornadoes coach, Harris led the team to a 14-0 record, a state title, a No. Since 2006, theyve had five. Williams coached Chris Steele to second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2020. Has coached so well since arriving at West Point in 2014, he has passed 2 other . The opportunity to win games was the biggest factor here. This list is booty cheeks. Has a twin brother, Kelsey, whos also an up-and-coming coach. At Alabama, he worked with players such as 2018 first-round NFL draft pick Daron Payne and 2019 first-round selection Quinnen Williams. Samples, a former Oklahoma State and Houston wide receiver, currently is ranked among the top-15 recruiters in the country for the 2022 class. 51 nationally in pass defense the year before his arrival (212.4 yards per game) to No. As the Mustangs running backs coach, Samples has aided in the progression of players such as Ulysses Bentley and Tyler Lavine. Brocks special teams unit at Bowling Green in 2017 ranked in the top 20 nationally in kick-return defense (No. Had two all-conference defensive backs last year first-teamer Elijah Molden (who was picked by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of this years NFL draft) and second-team selection Trent McDuffie. He was Auburns recruiting coordinator in 2019 in addition to being the Tigers secondary coach. Under Williams, USC allowed just 216.3 passing yards per game last season, its lowest number since 2013. Cortez Hankton, Georgia -- $550,000+ 6. Initially was hired by Healy at Chattanooga in 2009 and has worked for him every year since other than the one season at Minnesota. 14) and interceptions (No. After a decent 7-7 start in 2018, the team is 21-4 over the last two seasons. Here are the 25 best college football coaches in America heading into the 2022 season. Also coached an all-conference tight end during that 2018 season (Dylan Stapleton). Kasey Dunn, Oklahoma State -- $800,000* 3. Posted 130 catches in six NFL seasons, including 47 catches for 754 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. His last team, the 1958 squad, went 8-0-1 and represented the end of the great Army football program of yesteryear. That 2019 Austin Peay defense ranked in the top 16 of the FCS in total defense (No. 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. Has helped Oregon cornerback Mykael Wright develop into a first-team All-Pac 12 selection and a projected early-round 2022 NFL Draft pick. Hartline was the only non-coordinator among the 15 semifinalists for the 2020 Broyles Award, which is presented annually to the nations top assistant. Volatility is a hazard of the coaching business. 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. 1 in the FCS. Of course, he was wildly successful in the years before his Buffalo tenure. In addition to his work with the Colts and St. Thomas High, he has been a Nike Elite 11 quarterbacks coach. Allen led the team to a 32nd-place finish in his one year as defensive coordinator in 2016 and sits at 28th over the last two seasons. 12), pass efficiency defense (No. The way hes been able to develop linemen at the FCS level and now at the Power 5 level speaks for itself.. Was a high school head coach at Friendship College Academy in Washington, D.C., for 10 seasons (2004-13). Freakin superstar was the feedback from one LSU staffer. 22. The former Oklahoma quarterback and GA -- who turns 47 in April -- has been a Sooner for all but four years of his adult life. He is repeatedly hitting home runs on the recruiting front and is breeding high-upside players into elite-level route-runners. Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave were first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, but there's zero concern about the receiving corps in Columbus. In 2019, Pro Football Focus two highest-graded safeties were from Gonzales group Moehrig and ArDarius Washington. 7 in 2020 and No. From 2016 to the present day, this is the No. In their history, Minnesota has only won more games in a season twice in 1903 and 1904. His 2020 Ole Miss special teams unit ranked 17th nationally in kick-return defense and 23rd in kick-return average. Previously worked under Grinch at Washington State. Is assisting with Ohio States quarterbacks after previously working with Brian Hartline and the Buckeyes wide receivers unit. Darrin Chiaverini, Colorado -- $400,000 7. A former record-setting wide receiver at Tulsa, where he set FBS records for single-season yards per catch (31.9) and career yards per catch (28.7). Marion is an expert in the "Go-Go . -- Ron Dugans signed a new deal in January; the $450,000 salary was his 2021 figure. Braden Layer is set to return to the Gators after spending 2022 at Dayton. Based on that feedback, here are 50 coaches (including a few support staffers) you need to know entering the 2021 season. As always, salaries based on publicly-available information, primarily theUSA Todaycoaching salary database. Charlie Fisher, Arizona State -- $400,000 9. Jacob Peeler, Ole Miss -- $425,000 6. In addition to the opportunity at Pitt, which is less than an hour from where Marion grew up in Greensburg, Pa., he also garnered interest for a Group of 5 coordinator opening this past cycle. Running backs coaches coach six to eight players on the roster and, on a down-to-down basis, they're responsible for just one. Jeff Monken, Army. Just look at his top two wide receivers heading into the 2021 season. 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. Holmon Wiggins, Alabama -- $575,000+11. Also is a respected special teams coordinator. The Blazers won Conference USA in. Has been one of the lead recruiters on 10 four-star players that the Gators have landed the past three years. 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. The Stoops era of Kentucky football is a case study in not giving up too soon on a coach when you are not a national power. Chadwell arrived at Coastal Carolina from Charleston Southern, where he won two of the school's three conference championships and clinched the program's only two playoff berths. That's right, Day has . 2. The Elite Quarterback Training Program. In fact, it is a historically bad football program. A 2004 second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. (McClendon was set to follow Mario Cristobal to Miami before returning to Athens.). Alabama head coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian against Arkansas at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday October 26, 2019. Returned to coaching in 2019 after two years working in the private sector. Brian Hartline, Ohio State -- $600,000+7. A Texas graduate, he is married with three children and lives outside Fort Worth, Texas. Indianapolis is making MAJOR moves, set to hire FootballScoop's reigning top special teams coordinator. 16). 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. In 2019, Bowman helped Austin Peay win its first Ohio Valley Conference title since 1977. Thomas Stidham and Jim . Syndication Montgomery By Seth Galina Jul 7, 2021 "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. Flecks first team went 1-11, a three-loss decrease from the previous year, but he ultimately turned the boat around and went 8-5 the next two seasons before the incredible 13-1 season of 2016, where the team only lost in the Cotton Bowl to Wisconsin. Kelly has led the Bruins to 17 total wins over the past two seasons. Has been a catalyst in Ohio State building whats regarded as the nations best wide receiver unit entering the 2021 season. 1 or No. And Penn States 4-5 season in 2020 is the only reason why hes as low on this rankings list, as he went an astounding 42-11 from 2016 to 2019. Bryan McClendon, Georgia -- $700,000+ 4. Played three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. 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. On Monday he will be coaching in the College Football Playoffs national championship game,. Holt was a great receiver for the Wolfpack. Was hired to be Heupels running backs coach at UCF before then following Heupel to Tennessee as a senior analyst. Ole Miss, LSU and SMU competed for his services after the season before he ultimately decided to join Lane Kiffins staff at Ole Miss. From 1892 to 2006, the team played in six bowl games. How did they climb so high, so quickly? At East Carolina, end Nate Harvey was the AAC Defensive Player of the Year under Wright. Was hired as the replacement for Jon DeCoster, who now works for the Cleveland Browns. Due to the specialized nature of quarterback coaching, we've broken this list into two parts. George McDonald, Illinois -- $550,000+11. That includes Xavier Hutchinson, who emerged as a first-team all-conference player as a freshman under Scheelhaase in 2020. The Blazers also have been in the top 10 nationally in pass defense each of the past two seasons No. 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. 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. Former Texas A&M starting quarterback; he beat out current Tennessee Titans starter Ryan Tannehill for the Aggies starting QB job. Taylor coached current NFL star Christian McCaffrey at Stanford and now has 2020 All-ACC running back Kyren Williams at Notre Dame. -- Nate Scheelhasse coaches Iowa State's running backs and wide receivers. 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. We just rank coaches from 1-65 using any criteria we choose to follow, and then we see the results. Led a special teams unit that ranked second in the SEC in kick-return average (28.0). 1. Monken has not only surpassed those seven wins four times in seven years but hes also added two double-digit winning seasons. But, as we'll explain below, there are reasons for that. You can safely assume it'll be above $105,000, though. Among them were sacks per game (2.2) and tackles for loss per game (8.0). 9), punt-return average (No. Cortez Hankton, LSU -- $850,000+ 2. From Yale's Walter Camp to Alabama's Nick Saban, here are eight whose innovations or achievements have significantly impacted the sport over the past 15 decades. 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). The Greatest Entertainers Of All Time. Has mentored a first- or second-team All-Big 12 selection each of his first three season with the Cyclones. Bob Sutton won 10 games in 1996. Under Halzle, UCF QB Dillon Gabriel led the nation in passing yards per game (357.0) last season. 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. Kelsey is in his first season an offensive analyst at Tennessee after a year as the wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator at Gardner-Webb. His rsum includes a successful run as an FCS coach, time as an FBS offensive coordinator and now SEC experience with a coach known for putting up big offensive numbers. Continues to be regarded as one of the nations top recruiters. Has been Georgias pass game coordinator since 2019. Contributed to Southern Utah winning the Big Sky championship in 2017 with a defense that forced 29 turnovers and ranked third in the conference in scoring defense. Abdul-Rahim was contacted about a Power 5 defensive coordinator job and at least one SEC secondary coach opening this past cycle. Currently ranked among the nation's top 15 recruiters for the 2022 recruiting class. FSU has gone 14-20 in that period. 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. 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 this were 2013, when Mack Brown was hobbling to the end of his very successful stint as the head coach of Texas, theres no way he would be this high. Every starter returns from last seasons secondary. 20). 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. Mickey Joseph, Nebraska -- $600,000+9. Helped BCs defense improve by an average of 71 yards per game against conference opponents in 2020 (from 494 yards per game under the previous staff in 2019 to 422.8 yards per game last season). -- 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). Under Gideon, Houston ranked No. 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. For what it's worth, Gattis made $525,000 while coaching the Crimson Tide's wide receivers in 2018. Hicks, who committed to the Buckeyes in May. Cale Gundy, Oklahoma -- $580,000+ 6. LSU had just three winning seasons in the entire decade coming into the 2000s, and then Saban won them a National Championship within three seasons. Has received interest for both college and NFL jobs in recent years, including from Notre Dame in 2019. #625 of 880. At Sam Houston State, one of Wrights linemen (P.J. Another Trojans cornerback, Olaijah Griffin, finished with the third-highest Pro Football Focus grade for 2020 among Pac-12 corners. 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. Yes, Alabama was already the college football program before Sabans arrival, but they were in a down period when they signed him. He likely got more than that to leave for Miami. What Campbell has done is nothing short of remarkable. Of those six, three were ranked 50th or lower last year. 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. Turned down a Mountain West defensive coordinator job last year. The Best Athletes Of All Time. From high school to college, Bowden remained loyal to football. An ex-NFL defensive back who spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005 and 06. Mario Cristobal continues to replenish the Hurricanes' staff. To help develop Drake Maye and the Heels' quarterbacks, Mack Brown is bringing in one of the NFL's most accomplished quarterbacks coaches. George Pickens, who suffered a torn ACL during the spring, is viewed in the NFL scouting world as a potential Day 2 pick. It's also, at the highest levels, quite profitable. 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. Has been one of the lead recruiters on six of the Scarlet Knights 14 commitments, including the primary recruiter on three four-star pledges. Had a second-team All-Sun Belt cornerback last season in his first year at Georgia State (Quavian White). And thats what makes Allens tenure so impressive. 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. With free agency around the corner, players rated how teams treated them off the field: for better or for worse. Does FSU or any ACC power actually have options. Also has been contacted in recent years about NFL and SEC offensive line jobs. Ranked as the top recruiter in the Pac-12 in 2020 and 21, and is ranked No. Has played a large role in setting up Texas A&M to have one of the best defenses in the country this season. Robinsons 2020 defensive line helped the Aggies finish No. Contributed to A&M improving from 29th nationally in total defense in 2019 to ninth in 2020. There were also multiple Power Five programs (one in the Big 12 and one in the Pac-12) that inquired with Johnson about quarterbacks coach jobs this past cycle. Was a four-year starter at safety for Texas (2008-11) and a two-time captain. 1 thus far for the 2022 class. 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. Led Mercers 2018 special teams operation to four top-12 rankings in the FCS net punting (No. Flying above or below program expectations was the most important point when putting this list together. Was a linebacker at Georgia (2009-12) and made 17 career starts for the Bulldogs. Woodson has been the lead recruiter on three highly ranked FSU 2022 commits. Was under consideration for the Marshall coaching job before the hire of Charles Huff. 6-keys: media/spln/collegefootball/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. At Oregon in 2018, Williams cornerbacks group contributed to the Ducks posting 20 interceptions, which ranked second nationally. PFF's 2021 College Football Preview Magazine. The move to UCF reconnected him with Gus Malzahn, who was his quarterback coach at Tulsa in 2008. Was a reserve QB at Texas (2012-16) and played in 23 games as a snapper for field goals and extra points. Was looked at by Kentucky for its secondary coach opening this offseason. After serving as a little-used backup in 2019, Bentley broke out in his first season under Samples and led the AAC with 913 rushing yards in 2020. Not a single Indiana coach won more than 50% of his games since Bo McMillins run between 1934 and 1947. The highest-paid quarterbacks coach in college football will make $8.05 million this year. Also received interest for multiple NFL secondary coach openings. 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. In the past three years, four A&M defensive linemen have been selected in the first four rounds of the NFL draft. Just as importantly if not more Army had lost a record 12 straight to eternal rival Navy before Monken arrived. And thats what Clemson was: a good program left stranded in the shadow of some of their conference mates, far away from ever being a national power. Jacob Peeler, Ole Miss -- $425,000 6. Quarterback Elite (QBE) is one of the premier QB & WR development programs in the nation headquartered in Utah. Walter Camp, Yale (1888-92 . A rise this rapid from the FCS ranks is almost unheard of. Texas A&M ranked No. Taylor, who was promoted to run game coordinator for Notre Dame last year, was looked at during the South Alabama and Buffalo coaching searches. Steve Spurrier, Jr., Mississippi State -- $390,000+, -- Notable names missing: Ike Hilliard (Auburn), Keary Colbert (Florida), Jacob Peeler (Missouri), Fontel Mines (Virginia Tech), Brennan Marion (Texas), Taylor Stubblefield (Penn State), Adam Henry (Indiana), Garrick McGee (Purdue), Joel Filani (Washington State). Worked under current Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule at Baylor and Temple. 4 in 2020 (398.5). There were only two new entries in our top 25 at this point 12 months ago. Dameyune Craig, Texas A&M -- $675,000 5. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data.