ESPN's Ranking of Best College Coaches (last 25 years & Current rank of active coaches)

Is it the coach or the program? Ranking CFB coaches while factoring in expectations

2005-2024:
Best head coaches of the last 20 years (min. 9 years)
COACH, YRS. IN SAMPLE, AVG. VS BASELINE, AVG. SP+ RATING, COACH RATING
1. Nick Saban 17 10.7 30.9 18.8
2. Chris Petersen 14 12.8 17.3 14.6
3. Kirby Smart 9 6.0 27.0 14.4
4. Gary Pinkel 11 12.5 16.3 14.0
5. Urban Meyer 13 4.8 26.4 13.4
6. Jim Harbaugh 13 8.5 19.1 12.7
7. Bob Stoops 12 5.3 22.5 12.2
8. James Franklin 14 7.3 18.1 11.6
9. Les Miles 14 6.6 18.6 11.4
10. Dabo Swinney 16 6.0 19.0 11.2
11. Art Briles 11 12.8 8.1 10.9
12. Bobby Petrino 12 9.5 13.0 10.9
13. Steve Spurrier 11 8.2 14.4 10.7
14. Dan Mullen 13 7.2 15.9 10.7
15. Gary Patterson 17 8.6 13.6 10.6
16. Mark Richt 14 4.4 19.7 10.5
17. Lane Kiffin 13 7.2 13.0 9.5
18. Brian Kelly 20 6.0 14.4 9.3
19. Jimbo Fisher 14 2.4 19.3 9.2
20. Mack Brown 15 4.5 15.4 8.9
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Best Active Coaches:
Best active FBS head coaches (min. 4 years)
COACH (CURRENT SCHOOL), YRS. IN SAMPLE, AVG. VS BASELINE AVG. SP+ RATING, COACH RATING
1. Ryan Day, Ohio St. 6 6.1 30.4 15.8
2. Josh Heupel, Tennessee 7 13.1 18.1 15.1
3. Kirby Smart, Georgia 9 6.0 27.0 14.4
4. James Franklin, Penn St. 14 7.3 18.1 11.6
5. Dabo Swinney, Clemson 16 6.0 19.0 11.2
6. Dan Mullen, UNLV 13 7.2 15.9 10.7
7. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss 13 7.2 13.0 9.5
8. Brian Kelly, LSU 20 6.0 14.4 9.3
9. Jeff Traylor, UTSA 5 13.5 1.5 8.7
10. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma St. 20 4.7 13.8 8.3
11. Barry Odom, Purdue 6 7.1 8.8 7.8
12. Billy Napier, Florida 7 8.2 6.8 7.6
13. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama 5 4.7 11.7 7.5
14. Kyle Whittingham, Utah 20 4.5 11.9 7.4
15. Jeff Brohm, Louisville 11 7.7 6.8 7.3
16. Ryan Silverfield, Memphis 5 8.8 4.5 7.1
17. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa 20 2.8 13.1 7.0
18. Bret Bielema, Illinois 16 4.1 11.2 6.9
19. Hugh Freeze, Auburn 12 7.0 6.7 6.9
20. Matt Campbell, Iowa St. 13 6.7 6.1 6.4
21. Greg Schiano, Rutgers 12 7.8 4.1 6.3
22. Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Caro. 7 10.3 -0.3 6.1
23. Mark Stoops, Kentucky 12 4.7 8.1 6.0
24. Bronco Mendenhall, Utah St. 18 4.9 7.0 5.7
25. Willie Fritz, Houston 11 10.4 -1.3 5.7
26. Lincoln Riley, USC 8 -2.7 18.2 5.6
27. Chris Klieman, Kansas St. 6 -0.2 12.2 4.8
28. Dave Doeren, NC State 14 3.7 6.3 4.7
29. Steve Sarkisian, Texas 11 -0.4 12.4 4.7
30. Matt Rhule, Nebraska 9 6.2 2.4 4.7

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And finally,

Best active FBS head coaches (1-3 years)
COACH YRS. IN SAMPLE AVG. VS BASELINE AVG. SP+ RATING COACH RATING
1. Rhett Lashlee, SMU 3 21.0 10.5 16.8
2. Curt Cignetti, Indiana 3 16.2 13.3 15.0
3. GJ Kinne, Texas St. 2 20.9 1.9 13.3
4. Jon Sumrall, Tulane 3 16.7 6.9 12.8
5. Dan Lanning, Oregon 3 6.3 22.3 12.7
6. Marcus Freeman, ND 3 5.8 19.0 11.1
7. Mike Elko, Texas A&M 3 9.6 11.5 10.3
8. Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana 3 12.5 1.9 8.2
9. Fran Brown, Syracuse 1 9.1 5.5 7.7
10. Major Applewhite, S. Alabama 3 9.7 3.7 7.3
11. Eric Morris, North Texas 2 11.1 -5.6 4.4
12. Deion Sanders, Colorado 2 5.7 1.6 4.1
13. Jake Dickert, Wake Forest 3 3.4 4.3 3.8
14. Spencer Danielson, Boise St. 1 -0.8 10.1 3.6
15. Bob Chesney, James Madison 1 -2.4 7.5 1.6

 

Many times a program can elevate the Coach and vice-versa.