By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports activities
What makes a coach nice?
Is it the success of a single season? Or is it consistency over a few years?
And the way do you evaluate a second or third-year head coach in opposition to somebody who has been doing it for 15 years or extra?
These are all inquiries to grapple with when rating the highest coaches within the Massive 12.
Certain, Kenny Dillingham may very well be thought-about one of many prime three coaches within the league in the event you solely take a look at final 12 months.
However leaders similar to Mike Gundy, Kyle Whittingham, and Wealthy Rodriguez have been doing it since George W. Bush was President.
I refuse to disregard success over the many years in favor of the restricted outcomes of a single season. With that in thoughts, right here’s how I rank the 16 Coaches within the Massive 12 heading into 2025.
1. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
It can be simple to take a look at final season’s outcomes and scoff at Mike Gundy. However the 3-9 document in 2024 was up to now off the norm that it may well rapidly be ignored.
The very fact is, Gundy has compiled a profession document of 169-88, with eight seasons of 10 or extra wins. Previous to final 12 months’s debacle, he had led Okay State to 18-straight bowl video games.
Like him or hate him, there’s no denying Gundy’s historic run.
2. Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Another nice one, Kyle Whittingham is a legend. Taking on the Utah program in 2005, Whittingham has put collectively a profession document of 167-86 with seven seasons of 10 wins or extra.
In 2008, he led Utah to a 13-0 12 months that was capped off with a Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama.
He has reworked the Utes into what they’re as we speak and deserves to have the stadium named after him as soon as he retires.
3. Wealthy Rodriguez, West Virginia
One of probably the most revolutionary coaches within the historical past of school soccer, Wealthy Rodriguez wins wherever he goes.
Between 2005 and 2007, he went 32-5 at West Virginia. And in 2014, he led Arizona to its third-ever 10-win season. Over his 18-year profession, his groups have 14 profitable seasons. The man is aware of how you can win and instills an elite tradition inside his program.
You’ll be able to’t be delicate and play for Wealthy Rod.
4. Matt Campbell, Iowa State
Matt Campbell is on a historic path. At simply 45 years previous, he has already garnered a profession document of 99-66, together with an Iowa State record-setting 11-win season final 12 months.
Campbell resurrected the ISU program from the dumps and has transformed the Cyclones right into a Massive 12 energy.
Aside from the 4-8 abnormality in 2022, he has led Iowa State to profitable seasons in seven of the final eight years.
5. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
In simply his second 12 months as a head coach, Kenny Dillingham led Arizona State to the Playoff and completed the 12 months with 11 wins.
The historic season has set the groundwork for what may very well be a powerhouse within the Massive 12.
Dillingham has a transparent imaginative and prescient for what ASU may be and has efficiently applied it up to now. Now, the query turns into: can he do it once more?
6. Kalani Sitake, BYU
Okayalani Sitake has BYU on an elite run. In his 9 years in Provo, Sitake has put collectively three seasons of 10 wins or extra, together with final 12 months’s 11-2 mark.
His groups are 5-2 in bowl video games and BYU has profitable seasons in seven of his 9 years.
This system has been elevated below his management and will proceed to rise within the Convention.
7. Sonny Dykes, TCU
The run to the Nationwide Championship sport in 2022 gained’t ever be forgotten. Sonny Dykes was in his first 12 months at TCU and arguably put collectively this system’s best-ever season.
However with a document of 98-76 over his profession, Dykes is a bit hit-or-miss. His groups have profitable seasons in simply eight of his 15 years.
Nonetheless, he’s 52-23 for the reason that begin of the 2019 season, together with an look within the Nationwide Championship. Not many can say that.
8. Chris Klieman, Kansas State
Mr. Constant, Chris Klieman took over Kansas State in 2019 and led the Wildcats to profitable seasons in 5 of his six years. Hovering across the eight or nine-win mark nearly each season, Klieman has but to get KSU to bust via.
However there are numerous packages across the nation that will fortunately settle for a median of eight wins per 12 months over the past six seasons.
And with a Sugar Bowl look in 2022, it could be unwise for the fanbase to try to run him off.
9. Deion Sanders, Colorado
Deion Sanders is 13-12 as an FBS head coach. An elite recruiter and CEO-style chief, Sanders has rapidly rebuilt Colorado’s program.
This upcoming season is crucial for the trajectory of his teaching profession. One other nine-win or higher 12 months would solidify his picture, whereas a regression would include scrutiny.
Regardless, Sanders has established a stable basis in Boulder with a excessive ceiling.
10. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech
Joey McGuire is one 10-win season away from turning into a widely known identify.
He has solely been a head coach for 3 years and has led Texas Tech to a profitable document in all three seasons. However with no marquee bowl win and having by no means gained greater than eight video games in a 12 months, McGuire remains to be an unknown.
Nonetheless, there’s no denying his ability as a head coach, and Texas Tech is positioned for a Playoff run this 12 months.
11. Willie Fritz, Houston
In 2021, Willie Fritz was the top coach of a Tulane crew that went 2-10.
The subsequent 12 months, the Inexperienced Wave went 12-2 and gained the Cotton Bowl. The next season, Fritz led Tulane to an 11-2 mark and left on the finish of the 12 months to take the Houston job.
Now at 75-62 over his profession, Fritz is at his most high-profile gig so far. Don’t be stunned if the Cougars are higher than anticipated in 2025.
12. Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati
Entering his third 12 months at Cincinnati, Scott Satterfield has one thing brewing.
The Bearcats gained simply three video games in his first 12 months however managed to win 5 final season. Now, a bowl look is arguably the expectation for 2025.
After going 47-16 at Appalachian State between 2014 and 2018, Satterfield has put collectively simply two profitable seasons since. The clock is ticking.
13. Dave Aranda, Baylor
Baylor has been inconsistent below Dave Aranda. That they had two wins in his first 12 months, 12 victories in Yr 2, six in his third 12 months, three in Yr 4, and eight final season.
Sitting at 31-30 over his five-year profession with simply two profitable seasons, it’s anybody’s guess how good Baylor can be in 2025.
Nonetheless, the Bears have made a bowl sport in three of the least 4 seasons and look like again on monitor.
14. Lance Leipold, Kansas
Okayansas fell in need of expectations final 12 months and it places Lance Leipold below the microscope.
Coming off a nine-win season in 2023, the expectations have been excessive. However his 5-7 mark in 2024 introduced Leipold’s profession document to beneath .500. At 59-61 total, the picture of a program builder has taken a success.
The 9 wins in 2023 now seem like an anomaly, with Kansas posting dropping seasons in three of Leipold’s 4 years.
15. Scott Frost, UCF
You by no means need to be referred to as a flash within the pan. However Scott Frost’s identify and movie seems within the dictionary subsequent to the phrase.
He led UCF to a 13-0 document in 2017 with a win within the Peach Bowl. In each different 12 months of his teaching profession, he’s a mixed 22-38. Ouch.
Frost doesn’t have a profitable season outdoors of that magical run in 2018 and his final full season as a coach noticed him go 3-9 at Nebraska.
16. Brent Brennan, Arizona
Bhire Brennan did an amazing job at San Jose State. However this isn’t the Mountain West. And this isn’t SJSU.
Brennan squandered generational expertise via poor hiring choices. Dino Babers was washed and turned out to be the worst offensive coordinator rent within the historical past of Arizona soccer.
There’s no recovering from that alternative. Solely profitable will make individuals overlook.
Miller covers Faculty Basketball and Faculty Soccer in addition to Components 1 racing as a Senior Author and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports activities.
