I know I have posted this multiple times since I joined the forum almost 10 years ago, but here is a list of what was considered to be the future of college football back then. Chip Kelly, Urban Meyer, and Mike Leach were considered to be the most innovative coaches just a decade ago. They were the ones credited with bringing different flavors of the spread and spread-option to college football and changing the game as we know it today. Take a look at the coaches who fall under their coaching trees. Those are the coaches that keep showing up in our coaching searches, other than Nick Saban's, Dumbo Fisher's, and Dabo Swinney's coaching trees.
What you will notice is that looking forward 2-5 years, few, if any of these coaches are going to be viable head coach candidates.
We are in the tail end of a coaching renaissance.
What you will notice is that looking forward 2-5 years, few, if any of these coaches are going to be viable head coach candidates.
We are in the tail end of a coaching renaissance.
- Chip Kelly
- Mark Helfrich: Oregon (2013–2016)
- Scott Frost: UCF (2016–2017), Nebraska (2018–present)
- Pat Shurmur: New York Giants (2018–present)
- Urban Meyer
- Steve Addazio: Temple (2011–2012), Boston College (2013–present)
- Gary Andersen: Utah State (2009–2012), Wisconsin (2013–2014), Oregon State (2015–2017)
- Chris Ash: Rutgers (2016–present)
Tim Beckman: Toledo (2009–2011), Illinois (2012–2014)
- Gregg Brandon: Bowling Green (2003–2008)
- D. J. Durkin: Maryland (2016–2018)
- Luke Fickell: Ohio State (2011), Cincinnati (2017–present)
- Tom Herman: Houston (2015–2016), Texas (2017–present)
- Doc Holliday: Marshall (2010–present)
- Brian Knorr: Ohio (2001–2004)
- Dan McCarney: North Texas (2011–2015)
- Dan Mullen: Mississippi State (2009–2017), Florida (2017–present)
- Mike Sanford: UNLV (2005–2009), Indiana State (2013–2016)
- Greg Schiano: Rutgers (2001–2011), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012–2013)
- Charlie Strong: Louisville (2010–2013), Texas (2014–2016), South Florida (2017–present)
- Mike Vrabel: Tennessee Titans (2018-present)
- Kevin Wilson: Indiana (2011–2016)
- Everett Withers: James Madison (2014–2015), Texas State (2016–present)
- Kyle Whittingham: Utah (2005–present)
- Ryan Day: Ohio State (2018*)
- Mike Leach
- Art Briles: Houston Cougars (2003–2007), Baylor Bears (2008–2015)
- Jeff Choate: Montana State Bobcats (2016–present)
- Sonny Dykes: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (2010–2012), California Golden Bears (2013–2016), SMU Mustangs (2018–present)
- Seth Littrell: North Texas Mean Green (2016–present)
- Greg McMackin: Hawaii Warriors (2008–2011)
- Ruffin McNeill: East Carolina Pirates (2010–2015)
- Dana Holgorsen: West Virginia Mountaineers (2011–present)
- Lincoln Riley: Oklahoma Sooners (2017–present)
- Kliff Kingsbury: Texas Tech (2013–present)
- Neal Brown: Troy Trojans (2015–present)
- Josh Heupel: UCF (2018–present)
- Eric Morris: Incarnate Word (2018–present)
- Art Briles: Houston Cougars (2003–2007), Baylor Bears (2008–2015)