Big 12 coaches rankings

The Big 12 came into the year with as many teams with a shot at the conference title as any other conference. It has lived up to the hype with the only undefeated teams being Iowa State and BYU, but multiple other teams still have a shot.

That begs the question, which teams have the best head coaches? The conference is deep with really good head coaches, which is why the conference is as competitive as it is. This list takes into account this year, but also their resume as a whole, with recent years being important.

10. Deion Sanders- Colorado

No one has garnered as much attention as quickly as Coach Prime. He made a splash with more roster turnover than anybody in the past two years. That included bringing Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter with him from Jackson State.

After problems on the line of scrimmage plagued Colorado last year and a slow start to this year, Colorado has turned around and is 6-2 with a chance to make the Big 12 Championship, making them also playoff contenders.

9. Sonny Dykes- TCU

Dykes got the TCU job after a successful run at SMU, including going 10-3 in 2019. Then in year one, he took TCU to the national championship after a 51-45 win over Michigan in the semifinal.

They lost a lot of production including superstar quarterback Max Duggan and wide receiver Quentin Johnston and went 5-7 last year. The pieces are coming back together now in Fort Worth, and Dykes can put this program on a path to return to the playoff, especially with it now expanded.

8. Gus Malzahn- UCF

It’s easy to forget how successful Malzahn has been over his career. His first two years in the Big 12 have been rough, but he did win nine games each of his first two years at UCF.

Don’t forget though that he won 10 games twice at Auburn and took them to the SEC Championship Game both years, winning one of them. That secured Auburn a spot in the national championship game. He is also one of two coaches to beat Nick Saban three times.

7. Willie Fritz- Houston

Fritz is off to a rough start in year one at Houston and in the Big 12. The program went downhill fast after a 12-2 year in 2021. Fritz was a great pick to take over the program though.

Before he took over Tulane, they had lost nine or more games in three out of the previous four years. He took them to three bowl games before a 2-10 season in 2021. In just one year, he took them to 12 wins and a Cotton Bowl victory over USC. He followed that up going 11-2 before departing for Houston.

6. Lance Leipold- Kansas

Leipold has struggled to adjust to not having Andy Kotelnicki as his offensive coordinator this year, going 2-6 and being heavy on turnovers. He may have to make another change at that spot again this offseason.

That shouldn’t take away what he has accomplished there so far. He took over arguably the worst power conference program and one of the worst programs in the country. He also got the job late in spring camp, months after most hires were made. He got them to a bowl game in year two and won nine games last year including a top 10 win over Oklahoma. It’s time for him to make adjustments, but he has the potential to be one of the best coaches in the country.

5. Kalani Sitake- BYU

After a rough start, Sitake has produced two 10+ win seasons at BYU in his first head coaching job. He’s on track to do it again this season with an 8-0 start.

Sitake’s name will likely come up in future coaching searches at larger programs. If he decides to stay, he has BYU on the path to being a perennial contender in the Big 12.

4. Mike Gundy- Oklahoma State

Gundy has been one of the mainstays in college football, having been at Oklahoma State now for 20 years. His resume includes two New Year’s Six victories with a Big 12 title and a No. 3 overall finish in 2011.

His offenses consistently have great quarterback play including guys like Brandon Weeden and Mason Rudolph, and he often produces NFL skill players such as Jaylen Warren, Chuba Hubbard and Tylan Wallace.

3. Matt Campbell- Iowa State

Much like Leipold, when Campbell took over the Cyclones, they were one of the worst programs not only in the power conferences but in the whole country. In just his second season, he had two wins over top-five teams.

He took them to the conference championship in 2020 and has a shot to return this year. He’s one of the best at doing more with less, in terms of talent and resources.

2. Chris Klieman- Kansas State

Klieman has built Kansas State into a perennial Big 12 contender which included a conference championship in 2021. He followed it up with a 9-4 season last year with the four losses coming by a combined 21 points.

This year, he’s got the Wildcats contending again, and Avery Johnson is the quarterback of their future. The duo could make Kansas State the top program in the conference and set Kansas State on a trajectory that has them competing in the college football playoff year in and year out.

1. Kyle Whittingham- Utah

The last two years have been a struggle due to issues at quarterback, but Whittingham had Utah as one of the best programs in the PAC-12 with fewer resources than their opponents before this year.

His teams have been physically and mentally tough leading them to two straight PAC-12 Championships this decade. Add an undefeated season and Sugar Bowl victory, and Whittingham has had a great run at Utah.

Jacob Rudy is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jar7371@psu.edu.