For the last 17 years, one Goliath has stood over the landscape of college football. Nick Saban and Alabama put together one of the most dominant dynasties in the history of sports, winning six national championships during Saban’s tenure. Now that Saban has retired, a void has been opened in the college football coaching sphere. Who will step up to fill it? That’s what I set out to determine.
In this article, I’ll rank the ten coaches that I believe have the best chance to establish themselves as giants of the college football world over the next decade. With a couple of exceptions, these coaches have not yet reached the top. I considered a number of factors including resume, program, conference landscape, and recruiting ability. To be clear, these are not the coaches that I believe to be the best in the nation. They are those whom I believe to have the best chance to excel in modern college football. Of course, the sport as we know it is changing rapidly due to conference realignment and NIL. So, who can adapt and become the next great college football coach?
10. Jedd Fisch
Jedd Fisch took Arizona from terrible to competitive in just three seasons, culminating in a top fifteen finish and Alamo Bowl victory in 2023. Now, he’s off to Washington to take the reins from Alabama-bound Kalen DeBoer after the Huskies made an appearance in the national championship game. Washington lost a lot of talent this offseason, but this is still a much better situation for Fisch than Arizona was when he arrived. As Washington enters the highly competitive Big Ten, it is crucial for Fisch to maximize the talent on this roster and solidify the Huskies as a perennial contender.
9. Willie Fritz
Willie Fritz accepted the head coaching job at Houston this offseason after leading Tulane to back-to-back seasons with at least 11 wins and a New Years Six bowl victory in 2022. Fritz is an effective recruiter, and should be able to take advantage of the abundant talent in the Houston area in a way that the Cougars rarely have in recent years. To be clear, I don’t believe Fritz can be one of the most prominent coaches in college football while staying in Houston. If Fritz is able to lead Houston to success similar to what he accomplished at Tulane, bigger programs will come calling. Don’t be surprised to see his name come up for prominent coaching jobs for years to come.
8. Deion Sanders
Before you click off the article, let me explain. I know Colorado won four games last season. I know Deion hasn’t yet shown that he can coach a winning team at the highest level. However, Deion has shown the ability to recruit at a high level, especially in the transfer portal. He’s also shown the ability to bring attention (and therefore, money) to a program that had been left off of college football headlines for decades. The Big 12 is the Wild Wild West right now in the wake of Texas and Oklahoma leaving for the SEC. Deion and the Buffs may have what it takes to cement themselves as perennial contenders in the conference. We’ll just have to wait and see.
7. Mike Norvell
Mike Norvell started off slow at Florida State, but he has taken off in the last two seasons. Last season, he was able to win 13 games with the Seminoles and likely would have brought his team to the College Football Playoff if not for an untimely injury to his starting quarterback. Florida State spent five seasons as a sleeping giant in the ACC. It appears the giant is now awake. With the resources and talent that a program like Florida State can provide, Norvell has an opportunity to build a powerhouse that could dominate the ACC for years to come.
6. Kyle Whittingham
Kyle Whittingham may be the least known name on this list. However, you don’t maintain a head coaching role at a major program for almost 20 years without being a pretty good coach. Whittingham has posted an impressive 162-79 record at Utah, winning 11 bowl games and five total conference championships during that time. The Utes are moving into a conference that, as I previously mentioned, is without obvious leaders. Utah stands as a favorite to become one of those leaders. Whatever your thoughts on the strength of the Big 12 are, winning the conference still leads to CFP appearances, and CFP appearances generate the exposure and revenue needed to build a powerhouse.
5. Steve Sarkisian
Without a doubt, the Texas Longhorns are one of the most prominent programs in college football. For nearly a decade, they left their fans disappointed, finishing lower than they started in the AP Poll almost every season. Then, in his third season as the Longhorns’ head coach, Steve Sarkisian lead his team to their first ever College Football Playoff appearance. The Longhorns were a few plays away from making their first national championship appearance since 2009. Joining the SEC, it’ll be sink or swim for Texas. If they’re able to stay afloat and earn a few more CFP bids, Sark will be solidified as one of the top coaches in the country.
4. Dan Lanning
The next ten years for both Texas and Oregon, among others, will be a great experiment for what conference realignment does for major programs. Will they fade into middling contention behind the established leaders of their new conferences, or will they take advantage of increased exposure and dethrone those leaders? Dan Lanning’s short resume at Oregon would lead you to believe that his program will thrive. His Ducks have won a combined 22 games over the two year period, including two bowl wins. After bringing in a top three recruiting class in 2024, Lanning and Oregon are poised to continue their recent success.
3. Kalen DeBoer
Kalen DeBoer has inherited a fortune at Alabama. He’s benefited more than anybody from Nick Saban’s retirement, but not without merit. DeBoer led Washington to back-to-back top 10 AP Poll finishes in his two years as the Huskies head coach. Of course, he capped it off with a trip to the national championship game, defeating opponents with superior talent along the way. A lack of talent will no longer be an issue for DeBoer. He’s taking over a program that has brought in top 5 recruiting classes every year for over a decade, according to 247Sports. Even with all that talent, surviving the SEC is no easy task. If Kalen DeBoer can continue to help his players reach their full potential, he’ll be able to carry on the dynasty Saban left for him.
2. Ryan Day
In his five seasons as the Buckeyes’ head coach, Ryan Day has lead his squad to three playoff appearances and one championship appearance. He has consistently produced top 5 recruiting classes, and has worked to take advantage of the transfer portal. Ohio State has long been one of the elite programs in college football. Day ensured that it stayed that way in the post-Urban Meyer football world. He hasn’t yet shown the ability to put it all together and win a national championship, but it seems to be only a matter of time before he does.
1. Kirby Smart
Okay, maybe Kirby Smart doesn’t completely fit this list. He isn’t next; he’s now. Smart lead the Georgia Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships, and has maximized the recruiting game. In a “down year” for the Bulldogs, they finished fifth in the CFP rankings. In fact, Georgia has finished top 10 in the CFP rankings in seven of Smart’s eight seasons as head coach. They look to be a mainstay in the playoff for years to come, especially with an expanded format. Now that Nick Saban, Smart’s biggest coaching rival, is out of the way, Smart looks as poised as any coach to dominate the next decade of college football.
