Of those six, three were ranked 50th or lower last year. The Heupel-led staff felt like they uncovered a diamond in the rough when they initially hired Merritt at UCF. Saban landed at LSU in 2000 and awoke the sleeping Cajun giant, compiling a 48-15 record and a National Championship in five years. The Western Michigan program was trending way down when Fleck took over the program in 2013. 9 nationally in rushing offense (252.2 yards per game). Ron Dugans, Florida State -- $450,00015. Its unfair, but its hard to hold two fluke comebacks against him not that hes totally off the hook for those two Bama losses but he has surpassed Mark Richts 74% win rate with his 79% win rate in six years. As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest. 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. Even with Fisher serving as offensive coordinator, the team stumbled to three seven-win finishes in the last four years of the Bowden era. 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. 2 out of ranking fatigue, but this is their rightful spot. 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. Turned down NFL job opportunities this past coaching cycle. Part of that was Miami having to throw the football while being down, but it's still lower than what it probably should have been. 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. 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. His current wide receiver corps includes two players who have developed into 2022 NFL Draft prospects. Under Powledge, Baylor tied for first nationally last season with five kick returns of at least 40 yards. 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. That netted him a $185,000 raise from what he earned at Oregon. Produced a first-team All-AAC selection in his first season at Memphis (OBryan Goodson). Jan 18, 2022. You could make the case that Swinney is No. Assisted with Ohio States running backs and tight ends for three seasons in his role as a Buckeyes graduate assistant from 2017-19. Is assisting with Ohio States quarterbacks after previously working with Brian Hartline and the Buckeyes wide receivers unit. Was the lead recruiter on five-star 2022 linebacker C.J. From 2014 to 2017, the Gators offense ranked 120th in EPA per play that is not just bad, it is horrendous. Jerry Rice. But those were the high points until Monken turned the program around. The Elite Quarterback Training Program. Turned down a Power 5 offensive coordinator job this past coaching cycle to continue to learn under Seminoles coach Mike Norvell. Was the lead recruiter for the Trojans on five-star 2022 cornerback Domani Jackson, who committed to USC in January. 12), pass efficiency defense (No. 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 . In 2019, Pro Football Focus two highest-graded safeties were from Gonzales group Moehrig and ArDarius Washington. Helped Iowa State compile a top-10 ranking in 2020 along with a Fiesta Bowl win over Oregon. 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. 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. Braden Layer is set to return to the Gators after spending 2022 at Dayton. Brennan Marion is one of the bright young minds in college football. Woodson, an ex-Ole Miss defensive back, also has the defensive pass game coordinator title at Florida State. He was Auburns recruiting coordinator in 2019 in addition to being the Tigers secondary coach. College football rankings: 10 best wide receivers this season 10. Also was Indianas associate head coach last year. Healy has said before of West: I dont think theres a better defensive line coach in the country. 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. From 1953 (when they joined the Big Ten) to 2006, they had two finishes in the AP Top 25. Has mentored a first- or second-team All-Big 12 selection each of his first three season with the Cyclones. And we have a history of Saban turning around other programs. Here's how the full list breaks down: 1. 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). That came after East Carolina broke multiple records in 2018 with Wright, including the AAC record for tackles for loss in a game (15) and the conference record for tackles for loss in a season (105). The Guy Morriss era was short and painful. 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. Produced 48 all-conference players during his seven seasons as an offensive coordinator at West Georgia and West Alabama, including two All-American offensive linemen at West Georgia (Harley Vaughan and Austin Kastl). Anyone who saw him play at N.C. State knew the Rams and the Greatest Show on Turf got something special. It feels so long ago now, but Clemsoning was a real thing, and the program could never get over the hump. 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. The highest-paid quarterbacks coach in college football will make $8.05 million this year. They ranked 108th in the FBS in EPA per play over 2014 and 2015. 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). Made a big-time impression with people at LSU during his one season on the Tigers staff. 1 in the Big 12 in opponents completion percentage each of the past four seasons. Walter Camp, Yale (1888-92 . 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. Meanwhile, Joseph -- part of the fired staff at LSU -- got a 2-year deal at Nebraska, making him the second-highest paid member of Scott Frost's staff at $600,000 per year. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports. At East Carolina, end Nate Harvey was the AAC Defensive Player of the Year under Wright. That's right, Day has . 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. Northwestern is not a historically good football program. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Here are the 25 best college football coaches in America heading into the 2022 season. Has played a large role in setting up Texas A&M to have one of the best defenses in the country this season. 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. 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. 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. 1 because the turnaround he pulled with this Clemson program is almost unheard of. FSU has gone 14-20 in that period. Will be coaching star QB Dillon Gabriel, who has thrown for 7,223 yards and 61 touchdowns in his first two seasons with the Knights. 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. At Oregon in 2018, Williams cornerbacks group contributed to the Ducks posting 20 interceptions, which ranked second nationally. Drew Mehringer, Texas -- $350,000 10. They improved that ranking to 40th in 2018, 41st in 2019 and 14th last season. Regarded as one of the best kickoff-return and special teams coaches in the country. Also has been contacted in recent years about NFL and SEC offensive line jobs. Has coached 11 All-American offensive linemen throughout his career. Is the grandson of Lou Holtz. A veteran Power 5 head coach mentioned Hankton as someone he sees as a potential Group of 5 head-coach candidate. Woodson has been the lead recruiter on three highly ranked FSU 2022 commits. Under Merritt, James Madison running back Percy Agyei-Obese was a first-team all-conference selection each of the past two seasons. JaMarcus Shepard, Washington -- $650,000+6. After a 9-4 2008 season, Bill Cubits Broncos fell to 22-27 over the next four years. In 2021, he returns a team talented enough to win ISUs first conference title. Brian Early has been a part of the Houston staff since 2019 and was at Arkansas State previously. 1 nationally (both FBS and FCS) with nine blocked kicks and set a Colonial Athletic Association record with 27 made field goals by Ethan Ratke. Was promoted to associate head coach after last season. Rushing was contacted about several jobs this past cycle, including Alabama and Georgia, but decided to remain with A&M. Big 12 Baylor: Antwan Goodley and Levi Norwood. Sure, there might be an inclination to not have them at 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.). Jacob Peeler, Ole Miss -- $425,000 6. Ranked as a top-10 recruiter nationally for the 2019 class and currently is ranked as one of the top recruiters in the Big Ten for the 2022 class. In his second season as the offensive coordinator at St. Ambrose (an NAIA school in Davenport, Iowa), Drinkalls offense ranked No. Due to the specialized nature of quarterback coaching, we've broken this list into two parts. His dad is legendary Florida high school coach Tim Ice Harris. 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). Has been one of the lead recruiters on six of the Scarlet Knights 14 commitments, including the primary recruiter on three four-star pledges. Helped Houston go from No. 1 or No. As coordinator at Division II Albany (Ga.) State in 2017, his unit held opponents to an average of 287 yards per game. A former NFL receiver who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003-06. 1 recruiter in the country in 2020 and is 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. Before Ohio State, Bailey spent two years as a recruiting analyst at Notre Dame. Hes helped an offense that ranked 108th in the FBS in EPA per play over the last two Fedora years to a ninth-place finish over the past two seasons. 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. 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. 2019 New England Patriots (O-Cord & QB Coach) 2018 New England Patriots (O-Cord & QB Coach) 8-3. Interviewed for the Boston College coaching job two years ago and turned down the Tennessee coordinator job this past cycle. Special teams coordinators, in theory, coach nearly every player on the roster, and they're responsible for all 11 players on the field at a given time. Franklin has performed just as well with the Nittany Lions. 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. The Blazers also have been in the top 10 nationally in pass defense each of the past two seasons No. Holt was a great receiver for the Wolfpack. 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. Already has worked in a few Power 5 conferences and has coordinator experience at the FCS level (Southern Utah). Kasey Dunn, Oklahoma State -- $800,000* 3. On Monday he will be coaching in the College Football Playoffs national championship game,. Has been interviewed for multiple FBS head-coach openings, including South Alabama this past cycle. Kelly has led the Bruins to 17 total wins over the past two seasons. Darrin Chiaverini, Colorado -- $400,000 7. Age: 60. 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. 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. Kentucky welcomed Stoops in 2013 but won just 12 games in three seasons. 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. 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. Kasey Dunn, Oklahoma State -- $800,000* 3. 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. Matt Simon, Minnesota -- $395,00023. 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. Wide receiver from Crawford, Mississippi, USA. Darrin Chiaverini, Colorado -- $400,000 7. In addition, Powledge coached Baylors only first-team All-Big 12 selection on either offense or defense in 2020 safety Jalen Pitre. Wright, who was promoted to co-coordinator this offseason, previously led the way as the Roadrunners broke multiple school records during his first season at UTSA in 2019. Regarded as one of the best recruiters in the country. Justin Stepp, Arkansas -- $350,000, PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS:Offensive line | Running backs | Tight ends |Defensive line | Linebackers |Defensive backs | Special teams. 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. The Rich Brooks era was longer yet still just as painful. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Also has worked and learned under Billy Napier at Louisiana, one of the nations top up-and-coming head coaches. Dameyune Craig, Texas A&M -- $600,000 2. And thats what makes Allens tenure so impressive. 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. 11 in 2019 (467.5) to No. Currently ranked among the nations top 15 recruiters for the 2022 recruiting class. Prior to his first recruiting class in 2016, Oklahoma had not ranked in the top 10 in recruiting since 2010. Among them were sacks per game (2.2) and tackles for loss per game (8.0). #625 of 880. David Johnson, Tennessee -- $505,000 4. The Best Athletes Of All Time. Florida coach Dan Mullen fought hard to keep him. Landed two four-star defensive backs in that 2021 class. Joined Charles Huffs first Marshall staff after initially planning to return to UT-Martin as the programs co-coordinator and secondary coach. 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. Tyler Grisham, Clemson -- $450,000+15. From high school to college, Bowden remained loyal to football. Lonnie Galloway, North Carolina -- $440,000+19. Under West, Alex Highsmith ranked in the top five nationally in sacks and tackles for loss in 2019. Finished his career with 344 catches, two 1,000-yard seasons and 14 career touchdowns. Toledo had gone 6-5 in 1989 before Saban took over for one year and led them to 9-2. 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. Strange circumstances brought Martin and Malzahn together, but now the pair are united for a second time. Monken has not only surpassed those seven wins four times in seven years but hes also added two double-digit winning seasons. A 2004 second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers. Was a two-time Doak Walker Award finalist as a running back at Michigan and finished his Wolverines career (2004-07) as the programs leading career rusher (5,040 yards). We just rank coaches from 1-65 using any criteria we choose to follow, and then we see the results. Interviewed for the Alabama running backs coach opening this past coaching cycle. How did they climb so high, so quickly? Flying above or below program expectations was the most important point when putting this list together. Hankton netted a $300,000 raise to become the highest-paid wide receivers coach in the industry. 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. Here's what coaches look for in a great wideout. Former USC star wide receiver (2000-03) who left as the Trojans career leader in receptions. 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. 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. Was promoted to run game coordinator for the Nittany Lions in 2020. An ex-Stanford and NFL defensive back who won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006. Limited Ads. He had 191 catches for 3,379 yards and 31 touchdowns in his four-year career. Its hard to truly describe the offensive mess that Florida found itself in before Dan Mullen arrived in Gainesville. Brian Hartline, Ohio State -- $600,000+7. When Buffalo came back to Division I-A football in 1999, they embarked on a journey of countless losses. 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. A Texas graduate, he is married with three children and lives outside Fort Worth, Texas. Between Craig Cirbus, Jim Hofher, Turner Gill and Jeff Quinn, the team won 3.25 games per season on average. If you haven't yet checked out our ranking of Power Five coaches outside the top 25, you can catch up here. Has helped Oklahoma go from last in the Big 12 in total defense in 2018 to second in 2019 and third in 2020. Is a former Ohio State grad assistant (2013-15) who assisted with players such as current Dallas Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott. Brown has since come back with a vengeance. Currently ranked among the nation's top 15 recruiters for the 2022 recruiting class. Dameyune Craig, Texas A&M -- $700,000 4. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: collegefootball | pageType: stories | 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. Theyre listed alphabetically. But that is not the program Jimbo Fisher inherited in 2010. Cale Gundy, Oklahoma -- $535,000 3. Before Monken took over in 2014, the team had put forward just one seven-win season since 2000. Alabama interviewed Powledge this past cycle. He interviewed for the South Alabama head coach job this past cycle and has interviewed for NFL wide receivers coach openings with the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers. Brennan Marion, Pitt WR coach. That includes 2020 Jim Thorpe Award winner Trevon Moehrig, who was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the second round of this years NFL draft. Brantley came to play for the Hurricanes after being a 3-star recruit by 247 Sports out of Miami (Fla.) Northwestern. Does FSU or any ACC power actually have options. 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. Abdul-Rahim was contacted about a Power 5 defensive coordinator job and at least one SEC secondary coach opening this past cycle. Cortez Hankton, LSU -- $850,000+ 2. 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. Powledges 2019 Louisiana special teams crew also ranked first in the Sun Belt in kickoff-return defense and net punting. 14) and interceptions (No. He is repeatedly hitting home runs on the recruiting front and is breeding high-upside players into elite-level route-runners. After all, coaches who win a seemingly endless number of games arent necessarily good, and those who lose games arent necessarily bad. Running backs coaches coach six to eight players on the roster and, on a down-to-down basis, they're responsible for just one. He went on to be selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact, McMillan and Allen are the only two coaches in the program's history who can boast such win totals. Arrived at Army as a quality control coach, then was promoted last year to tight ends coach. Rejoined Will Healy in 2019 after one season at Minnesota. Was UCFs quarterbacks coach last season after working as an analyst in 2019. Two of Simpsons cornerbacks were named second-team All-Conference USA last season (Brontae Harris and TD Marshall). Ole Miss, LSU and SMU competed for his services after the season before he ultimately decided to join Lane Kiffins staff at Ole Miss.