Most Overrated College Football Coaches of All Time

College football coaches promise a lot, but they don't always deliver.

College football coaches like to promise things. They do this because it gets fans excited and makes them think they’re going to be the savior to their beloved teams. But coaches don’t always deliver on those promises.

When enough promises prove empty, those coaches usually aren’t coaches for much longer. Until they sell the next school on their grand plans for turning things around.

These are the most overrated coaches in college football history — the guys who couldn’t deliver the goods but talked a big game.

50. Paul Dietzel

Paul Dietzel, far right, led LSU to a national title in 1958. AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 20 (1955-74)

Schools: LSU (1955-61), Army (1962-65), South Carolina (1966-74)

Record: 109-95-5

Winning percentage: .533

National championships: 1 (1958)

*All coaching records are through the 2020 college football season.

Bottom Line: Paul Dietzel

Paul Dietzel is carried off the field after his final game at LSU. Harold Valentine / AP Photo

One of the few coaches to win a national championship and make this list, Paul Dietzel did not start out with a bang and ended with a whimper.

His first three seasons at LSU were unremarkable — two losing seasons and a .500 record in 1957 — before he struck gold in 1958 when the Tigers went 11-0 and won a national title.

But Dietzel left LSU after the 1961 season for Army and his career spiraled into mediocrity at West Point and then at South Carolina. He never even won another bowl game and posted losing records in seven of his final 10 seasons.

In Their Own Words: Paul Dietzel

Paul Dietzel won 109 games in 20 seasons. Mary Ann Chastain / AP Photo

“I have been criticized by some sportswriters for my moves from Louisiana State to Army and, more recently, from Army to South Carolina. I have been called a carpetbagger and a contract jumper and have been accused of showing bad faith. I feel obligated now to say something in my defense, since these writers never bothered to learn the true facts. I have never threatened to break, nor have I ever broken, a contract in my life.” —Paul Dietzel, Sports Illustrated

49. John Cooper

Ohio State’s John Cooper went 2-10-1 against Michigan. Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 24 (1977-2000)

Schools: Tulsa (1977-84), Arizona State (1985-87), Ohio State (1988-2000)

Record: 192-84-6

Winning percentage: .691

National championships: None

Bottom Line: John Cooper

John Cooper, right, never won a national title. Mike Elicson / AP Photo

John Cooper was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and spent the last 16 seasons of his career leading Power Five schools, but his career became defined by his failure against Michigan while coaching at Ohio State.

Cooper went 2-10-1 against the Wolverines, and three of those losses (in 1993, 1995 and 1996) cost Ohio State a shot at the national title and the Rose Bowl.

Also of note were Cooper’s Big Ten titles — he won three, but none outright.

In Their Own Words: John Cooper

John Cooper had a .691 winning percentage. Frank Wiese / AP Photo

“A lot of people are never going to like me.” —John Cooper, ESPN

48. Charlie Strong

Charlie Strong had his best years at Louisville. Garry Jones / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 10 (2010-19)

Schools: Louisville (2010-13), Texas (2014-16), South Florida (2017-19)

Record: 74-53

Winning percentage: .583

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Charlie Strong

Charlie Strong was fired by Texas after three seasons. Eric Gay / AP Photo

Charlie Strong was the only coach retained after Ron Zook was fired at Florida in 2004 and Urban Meyer took over. The defensive coordinator parlayed that success into a head coaching job at Louisville.

Strong was dynamite at Louisville, where he went 23-3 over his last two seasons before taking over at Texas, where he guided the Longhorns to three consecutive losing seasons before he was fired.

Strong added another losing season to his resume in 2019 at South Florida when the Bulls went 4-8 and he ended up on the unemployment line again.

In Their Own Words: Charlie Strong

Will Charlie Strong get another shot to lead a college program? Michael Dwyer / AP Photo

“I do understand that it comes down to wins and losses, and we have not done our job in that area yet. I accept full responsibility for that. … I don’t regret coming to Texas.” —Charlie Strong, SB Nation

47. Tommy Tuberville

Tommy Tuberville led Auburn to an unbeaten season in 2004. Todd Van Emst / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 21 (1995-2008, 2010-16)

Schools: Ole Miss (1995-98), Auburn (1999-2008), Texas Tech (2010-12), Cincinnati (2013-16)

Record: 159-99

Winning percentage: .616

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Tommy Tuberville

Tommy Tuberville finished his career at Cincinnati. John Minchillo / AP Photo

No coach in the history of college football did less with more than Tommy Tuberville.

He has managed to coach 21 seasons at big-time programs and won exactly one conference title, going 13-0 at Auburn in 2004 as the Tigers were shut out of the BCS Championship Game.

Tuberville was beloved among Auburn fans for one reason alone — he won six straight games against rival Alabama at one point. Tuberville turned his success at Auburn into big paydays at both Texas Tech and Cincinnati, where his tenures can best be described as lackluster.

In Their Own Words: Tommy Tuberville

Tommy Tuberville never won a national championship. John Minchillo / AP Photo

“The last 10 years have been a great time in my life, both professionally and personally. It’s been a great place to coach and live, and we’ve had a lot of success along the way. I’m going to remain in Auburn and help the Auburn family however I can. I’m very appreciative of the coaches, players, staff and Auburn fans over the last decade.” —Tommy Tuberville, ESPN

46. R.C. Slocum

R.C. Slocum coached at Texas A&M for 14 seasons. AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 14 (1989-2002)

Schools: Texas A&M

Record: 123-47-2

Winning percentage: .721

National championships: None

Bottom Line: R.C. Slocum

Texas A&M was R.C. Slocum’s only head coaching job. Eric Gay / AP Photo

The only head coaching job of R.C. Slocum’s career was at Texas A&M, where he lasted 14 seasons and never had a single losing season.

But for all the good Slocum did as coach of the Aggies, you can’t ignore the bad. The biggest example of this is Slocum’s 3-8 record in bowl games.

His biggest failures came in the Cotton Bowl, where Texas A&M lost three straight times from 1991 to 1993, then again in 1997.

In Their Own Words: R.C. Slocum

R.C. Slocum from 1989 to 2002. John Amis / AP Photo

“We had a season where we lost several close games that could have gone either way, and no one was more disappointed than me with our record. However, we have some really outstanding young players and I felt our future was bright.” —R.C. Slocum, MyPlainview.com

45. Mark Richt

Mark Richt coached at Georgia for 15 seasons. Dave Martin / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 18 (2001-18)

Schools: Georgia (2001-15), Miami (2016-18)

Record: 171-64

Winning percentage: .728

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Mark Richt

Mark Richt finished his career at Miami. John Amis / AP Photo

Some people might consider Mark Richt a great coach. He won at least 10 games in 10 different seasons, five SEC titles and one ACC title.

However, there’s something huge missing from his resume that we can’t overlook, and that’s a national title. Heck, we’d even give Richt more credit if he had just played for a national title during his tenure at Georgia or at Miami.

But Richt never did and constantly seemed to break under the weight of great expectations.

In Their Own Words: Mark Richt

Mark Richt has won a lot of games, but not the big one. Lynne Sladky / AP Photo

“My true desire is for our football program to return to greatness, and while terribly difficult, I feel that stepping down is in the best interests of the program.” —Mark Richt, USA Today

44. James Franklin

James Franklin has never led Penn State to the College Football Playoff. Ron Jenkins / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 12 (2011-present)

Schools: Vanderbilt (2011-13), Penn State (2014-present)

Record: 102-51

Winning percentage: .666

National championships: None

Bottom Line: James Franklin

James Franklin became Penn State’s coach in 2014. Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

When a coach is making close to $6 million per year — what Penn State pays James Franklin — at some point you’re going to have to start sniffing around at a national title.

Franklin’s success with the Nittany Lions has been weirdly placed. It’s great to win bowl games but we shouldn’t pretend playing one or two spots out of the College Football Playoff on a regular basis means success.

Even in the one year Penn State won the Big Ten Championship Game under Franklin, in 2016, the Nittany Lions lost the Rose Bowl to USC, and Franklin still has never guided a team to the CFP. If Franklin can make it to the expanded playoff in 2024 he will have backdoored his way into the playoffs.

In Their Own Words: James Franklin

Believe the hype? Keith Srakocic / AP Photo

“The older I get and the longer I’ve been in the profession, the wins are awesome and I love them, but the losses just are really painful. It’s the responsibility, the reaction and how quickly it changes. In this profession and this game, it can change quick.” —James Franklin, The Philadelphia Inquirer

43. Joe Tiller

Joe Tiller led Purdue to a Big Ten title in 2000. AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 18 (1991-2008)

Schools: Wyoming (1991-96), Purdue (1997-2008)

Record: 126-92-1

Winning percentage: .578

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Joe Tiller

Joe Tiller, left, coached at Purdue from 1997 to 2008. Eric Gay / AP Photo

If you’re surprised to see Joe Tiller on this list, we kind of were as well.

But a closer look at his tenure at Purdue shows that Tiller wasn’t as good a coach as we all probably thought. He never won 10 games in a season and finished fourth or worse in the Big Ten nine times.

Tiller, who died in 2017, played in just one major bowl game in his career, the same year he won his lone Big Ten title in 2000, and lost in the Rose Bowl.

In Their Own Words: Joe Tiller

Joe Tiller won 126 games at Wyoming and Purdue combined. Darron Cummings / AP Photo

“I’m 65, and there’s a lot of rainbow trout waiting, and they’re not going to wait much longer.” —Joe Tiller, ESPN

42. Mark Stoops

Mark Stoops started with a .500 record in his first seven seasons at Kentucky. Nell Redmond / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 11 (2013-present)

Schools: Kentucky

Record: 66-59

Winning percentage: .528

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Mark Stoops

Mark Stoops became Kentucky’s coach in 2013. James Crisp / AP Photo

As long as big-time college football programs retain a somewhat-fresh memory of how great a coach Bob Stoops was at Oklahoma, his brothers will continue to be gifted with jobs at those same big-time college football programs.

That Mark Stoops coaches at Kentucky, the one school in the SEC where football takes a backseat, means he’ll continue to get a pass for making sure the Wildcats stay somewhat respectable (around .500) and sprinkle in a 10-win season once a decade.

Hey, now that we think about it, he could be the SEC’s version of Kirk Ferentz.

In Their Own Words: Mark Stoops

Mark Stoops has a 3-2 record in bowl games. Bryan Woolston / AP Photo

“It hurts a great deal to our team, and to our fan base, to our administration, to everybody. I accept that, fully. I didn’t know if ever in my career I would want to apologize for a game, but that’s a tough pill to swallow right there. And I do (apologize). I didn’t think I’d ever do that. That’s a tough loss and our fans deserve better.” —Mark Stoops, Kentucky Sports Radio

41. Glen Mason

Glen Mason coached at Kent State, Kansas and Minnesota. Ed Zurga / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 21 (1986-2006)

Schools: Kent State (1986-87), Kansas (1988-96), Minnesota (1997-2006)

Record: 123-121-1

Winning percentage: .504

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Glen Mason

Glen Mason closed out his career at Minnesota. Ann Heisenfelt / AP Photo

In 21 seasons as a head coach at Kent State, Kansas and Minnesota, Glen Mason managed to never win a conference title and never even play in a major bowl game.

Mason famously took the job at the University of Georgia, then reversed course several days later in 1995, but he still left Kansas one year later to take the job at Minnesota.

That’s where Mason’s mediocrity really hit its stride. He coached the Gophers for 10 years and never finished above fourth place in the Big Ten.

In Their Own Words: Glen Mason

Glen Mason coached 21 seasons. Ann Heisenfelt / AP Photo

“Most people are (shocked when they get fired). I was. You go to five straight bowl games and seven in 10 years. We played a good team and we lost. … Needless to say, I am extremely disappointed.” —Glen Mason, ESPN

40. Murray Warmath

Murray Warmath led Minnesota to a national title in 1960. AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 20 (1952-71)

Schools: Mississippi State (1952-53), Minnesota (1954-71)

Record: 97-84-10

Winning percentage: .534

National championships: 1 (1960)

Bottom Line: Murray Warmath

Murray Warmath is carried off the field by his Minnesota players. AP Photo

Murray Warmath led Minnesota to its lone national title in football in 1960, and when he died in 2011, the Minnesota governor declared March 21 Murray Warmath Day. Which is awesome.

It doesn’t change the fact that half of Warmath’s 18 seasons coaching the Gophers ended with losing records, and in two other seasons, they were just one game above .500.

Oh, and that national title? That was when the national championship was voted on before bowl games. And Minnesota lost the Rose Bowl that season.

In Their Own Words: Murray Warmath

Murray Warmath started his college head coaching career at Mississippi State. Gene Herrick / AP Photo

“If lessons are learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education.” —Murray Warmath

39. Kirk Ferentz

Kirk Ferentz has been Iowa’s football coach since 1999. Orlando Ramirez / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 25 (1999-present)

Schools: Iowa

Record: 186-115

Winning percentage: .617

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Kirk Ferentz

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz has never won a national title. LM Otero / AP Photo

University of Iowa football fans must be some of the most patient people in the world. Kirk Ferentz went 4-19 in his first two seasons before reeling off five consecutive winning seasons.

A closer look at Ferentz’s coaching career reveals that, more often than not, the Hawkeyes have been pretty average under Ferentz.

They’ve had four or more losses in 15 of his 22 seasons and own only one win in a major bowl game, the 2009 Orange Bowl.

In Their Own Words: Kirk Ferentz

Kirk Ferentz has nine bowl wins in 17 games. Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo

“As the review explains, many of our Black players felt like they were not treated the same way as their white teammates. I was saddened and disappointed to learn those feelings. Before June 4, I would have said we have a healthy program. The stories I’ve heard in the days and weeks that have followed, have changed that. While we’ve always prided ourselves on running a program based in discipline and accountability, based on my former player conversations and this review, it’s shown many of our Black players felt like our program did more than that.

“I want to apologize to those players for any pain and frustration that they felt at a time when I was trusted to help develop them as a better player, better person. The majority of our players that we’ve heard from are players that were part of our program four years ago or longer. I’m thankful they shared their experiences with me and (we) spoke to many of them about changes we have made in the past year. While we have made some strides, we still have a long road ahead of us.” -Kirk Ferentz, 247Sports.com

38. Houston Nutt

Houston Nutt coached at Arkansas, then at Ole Miss. Beth Hall / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 15 (1997-2011)

Schools: Boise State (1997), Arkansas (1998-2007), Ole Miss (2008-11)

Record: 103-81

Winning percentage: .560

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Houston Nutt

Houston Nutt coached at Ole Miss until 2011. Austin McAfee / AP Photo

Houston Nutt is a great example of why you don’t want to promise too much in your opening news conference.

When Nutt took over at Arkansas, he mentioned a national championship, and despite having a lot of success at the school, he never even came close to delivering on that promise. And they turned on him.

He got another shot at Ole Miss but went winless in his final two seasons after the school was forced to vacate six wins over the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

In Their Own Words: Houston Nutt

Houston Nutt had a 103-81 coaching record. Rogelio V. Solis / AP Photo

“My intention was not to bring Hugh Freeze down.” —Houston Nutt, The Clarion Ledger

37. Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh is winless against Ohio State through 2020. Tony Ding / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 13 (2007-10, 2015-present)

Schools: Stanford (2007-10), Michigan (2015-present)

Record: 103-46

Winning percentage: .691

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh played quarterback at Michigan and then became its head coach. Tony Ding / AP Photo

Jim Harbaugh, on paper, isn’t overrated at all. If you take into account his success as an NFL head coach as well, he’s pretty incredible.

But coaching careers don’t just exist on paper, and when you take into account the expectations at Michigan, where Harbaugh was once a star quarterback, and him constantly popping off about this and that, you start to get worn out.

Harbaugh finally delivered on two big milestones he needed to hit as Michigan’s coach — beating Ohio State and making it to the College Football Playoff.

In Their Own Words: Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh had his most success at Stanford. J Pat Carter / AP Photo

“Yeah, we gotta beat Ohio State. Nothing makes us angrier than that, or me. That’s what we’re working toward every day. We’ve beaten everybody else, but we haven’t beaten them.” —Jim Harbaugh, NBC Sports

36. Pat Fitzgerald

Pat Fitzgerald has been Northwestern’s coach since 2006. Jim Young / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 18 (2006-present)

Schools: Northwestern (2006-present)

Record: 110-101

Winning percentage: .567

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Pat Fitzgerald

Pat Fitzgerald was a two-time All-American linebacker at Northwestern in the mid-1990s. Jim Young / AP Photo

Expectations are a little different at Northwestern, where academics rule the day over athletics.

But former Northwestern All-American linebacker Pat Fitzgerald, the Wildcats’ coach since 2006, is getting paid almost as much as anyone in the Big Ten and has the facilities bestowed upon other big-time programs — including a $280 million football facility — so his career should get the same kind of scrutiny.

To that end, Northwestern went 3-9 in 2019, and teams have posted a losing record in Big Ten play seven times under Fitzgerald, although he did bounce back with a 7-2 record in 2020 … only to go 4-30 over the next two seasons, including a 1-11 record in 2022.

In Their Own Words: Pat Fitzgerald

Pat Fitzgerald is 5-5 in bowl games. Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo

“That was an embarrassment to anyone who’s ever put on the purple and white.” —Pat Fitzgerald, InsideNU.com

35. Spike Dykes

Spike Dykes, right, coached at Texas Tech for 14 seasons. Texas Tech Athletics

Number of seasons coaching: 14 (1986-99)

Schools: Texas Tech

Record: 82-67-1

Winning percentage: .550

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Spike Dykes

Spike Dykes beat Texas a record six times in his tenure at Texas Tech. AP Photo

How did Spike Dykes coach Texas Tech for as long as he did?

One way to look at it is Dykes was able to survive because he did the opposite of what many coaches on this list did — his teams played well in rivalry games. Specifically, Dykes won six games against the University of Texas, which is still a record for Texas Tech.

Dykes also became the first Texas Tech coach to lead the team to seven bowl games, even though he went 2-5 in those bowl games.

In Their Own Words: Spike Dykes

Spike Dykes had a .550 winning percentage. LM Otero / AP Photo

“We’ve had great weather and just enough of a sandstorm to keep a lot of people from moving here and keeping the population down like we like it. If every day was like last Friday, there’d be a million people living (in Lubbock). We don’t want that.” —Spike Dykes, The Daily Toreador

34. Bobby Ross

Bobby Ross finished his career at Army. Rusty Kennedy / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 20 (1982-99, 2004-06)

Schools: Maryland (1982-86), Georgia Tech (1987-99), Army (2004-06)

Record: 103-101-2

Winning percentage: .505

National championships: 1 (1990)

Bottom Line: Bobby Ross

Bobby Ross coached at Maryland before coaching at Georgia Tech. Bill Smith / AP Photo

Bobby Ross’ coaching career is a testament to another era.

He was given multiple years of losing records to turn around big-time programs at Georgia Tech and Army, and his crowning achievement, a national title at Georgia Tech in 1990, came via the coaches’ poll and not via a win in any bowl game.

Ross was actually hired by Georgia Tech after winning three ACC titles at Maryland, but in his last season with the Terrapins, he went 5-5-1. And in 20 seasons as a head coach, Ross won 10 games just once, in 1990.

In Their Own Words: Bobby Ross

Bobby Ross won a national championship in 1990. Joe Raymond / AP Photo

“A lot of special things happened that season. We are about to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that team in October, and I am going to enjoy that. It was a great accomplishment by a lot of people. We started all the way at the bottom three years before that and went all the way to the top.” —Bobby Ross, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution

33. June Jones

June Jones left Hawaii to coach at SMU. Bill Haber / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 16 (1999-2014)

Schools: Hawaii (1999-2007), SMU (2008-14)

Record: 112-84

Winning percentage: .571

National championships: None

Bottom Line: June Jones

June Jones turned down $1.7 million per year to stay at Hawaii. Ronen Zilberman / AP Photo

June Jones is a great example of an NFL head coach who used that cache to secure a plum job in the college ranks.

After Jones was fired by two NFL teams in succession, the Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers, he took over at the University of Hawaii. The amount of success Jones had at Hawaii was unprecedented in nine seasons, capped by a 13-1 season in 2007 and a berth in the Sugar Bowl.

Then, he bolted for SMU and tanked, going 36-43 before he was fired early in his seventh season.

In Their Own Words: June Jones

June Jones knows football. LM Otero / AP Photo

“It was a very difficult decision for me to make, as you can imagine. I have devoted my life for the last 50 years to playing and coaching this game, and it has been a great journey. This job has a lot of demands, as you know, and along with that journey comes a price that is paid.” —June Jones, ESPN

32. Dennis Franchione

Dennis Franchione had a reputation for leaving teams in unceremonious fashion. David J. Phillip / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 21 (1992-2007, 2011-15)

Schools: New Mexico (1992-97), TCU (1998-2000), Alabama (2001-02), Texas A&M (2003-07), Texas State (2011-15)

Record: 127-111

Winning percentage: .534

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Dennis Franchione

Dennis Franchione left Alabama to coach at Texas A&M. David J. Phillip / AP Photo

Dennis Franchione had as good of an eye for talent as possibly any coach in his era.

He brought in an unknown recruit at New Mexico named Brian Urlacher, and when he became the coach at TCU, he had the good sense to turn the offense over to junior running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

But Franchione earned a reputation for doing teams dirty on the way out the door (he liked to tell players via teleconference) and was 4-16 against ranked teams during his time at Texas A&M.

In Their Own Words: Dennis Franchione

Dennis Franchione coached 21 seasons. Gareth Patterson / AP Photo

“I never publicly said some things when I left and they are better off left alone at this point in time. Maybe some day I will tell my story.” —Dennis Franchione, AL.com

31. Bobby Collins

Bobby Collins helped oversee one of the worst scandals in college football history at SMU. David Breslauer / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 12 (1975-86)

Schools: Southern Miss (1975-81), SMU (1982-86)

Record: 89-46-3

Winning percentage: .656

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Bobby Collins

Bobby Collins never coached again after a scandal at SMU. AP Photo

Bobby Collins’ record looks pretty decent on paper, doesn’t it? Don’t believe what you see. We’re putting him on the overrated list because of how much he cheated when he was the head coach at SMU from 1982 to 1986.

Collins was one of the big reasons SMU received the only “death penalty” punishment handed out in NCAA history because of a massive pay-for-play scandal.

Collins was a finalist for the Mississippi State job in 1990 but never coached football again after leaving SMU.

In Their Own Words: Bobby Collins

Bobby Collins won 89 games in his career. si_vault / Twitter

”My plans are to continue coaching. Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.” —Bobby Collins, The New York Times

30. Tom Herman

Tom Herman was one of the most coveted coaching hires in college football. Eric Gay / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 7 (2015-20, 2023-present)

Schools: Houston (2015-16), Texas (2017-20), Florida Atlantic (2023-present)

Record: 54-22

Winning percentage: .711

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Tom Herman

Tom Herman left Houston to coach at Texas. John Raoux / AP Photo

Firing Charlie Strong and hiring Tom Herman away from the University of Houston seemed like a no-brainer for Texas.

In the first three seasons since then, everyone that was part of the hire and every right-thinking Texas fan saw why that was flat-out wrong. Despite playing in the state with the greatest collection of high school football talent and for a school with almost unlimited resources, Herman can’t figure out how to win the Big 12.

The 2019 season was a colossal head-scratcher. The Longhorns regressed to 8-5 after going 10-4 in 2018 and winning the Sugar Bowl before Herman was fired after the 2020 season. In 2023, he’ll return to the head coaching ranks at Florida Atlantic.

In Their Own Words: Tom Herman

Tom Herman is still looking for his first national title. Eric Gay / AP Photo

“I do want to apologize for something that ended up on live TV this morning. We were joking, quite frankly, about my first experience riding into the Cotton Bowl (Stadium) on the bus and the warm welcome you receive in the Red River game. … I wasn’t aware that the camera in the room was on live TV. Certainly had nothing to do with LHN, signing day, anything like that. But again, regardless, it was poor judgment on my part, and I do apologize for that.” —Tom Herman, CBS Sports

29. Rick Neuheisel

Rick Neuheisel played quarterback at UCLA, then became the head coach. Jeff Lewis / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 12 (1995-200, 2008-11)

Schools: Colorado (1995-98), Washington (1999-2002), UCLA (2008-11)

Record: 87-58

Winning percentage: .600

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Rick Neuheisel

Scandals outweighed good seasons during Rick Neuheisel’s time at Washington. John Froschaner / AP Photo

Here’s what Rick Neuheisel’s career boiled down to before he was hired by UCLA before the 2008 season. He had two good seasons at the University of Colorado with Bill McCartney’s old recruits and one good season at the University of Washington when he cheated his brains off.

Once put in charge of his alma mater, UCLA, where he was once a star quarterback, Neuheisel had a losing record in three out of four seasons before he was fired.

In Their Own Words: Rick Neuheisel

Rick Neuheisel went 21-29 at UCLA. Don Ryan / AP Photo

“I know this — I believe I can recruit and I enjoy it, and so I believe I would have kept Washington at the top of the heap. That’s just me talking about it. But I’m going to defend myself because all I have is my track record to go on. We’d had four winning seasons, and I believe we would have kept it going.” —Rick Neuheisel, The Seattle Times

28. George Perles

George Perles had his record changed to 0-11 in 1994 after an academic scandal at Michigan State. Beth A. Keiser / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 12 (1983-94)

Schools: Michigan State

Record: 68-67-5

Winning percentage: .489

National championships: None

Bottom Line: George Perles

George Perles coached in the NFL with the Steelers before becoming the head coach at Michigan State. AP Photo

George Perles’ career record took a big hit in his final season, which officially went into the books as 0-11 after an academic scandal.

Even without the scandal, which led to Perles’ firing, his job was probably in peril with a 5-6 record, Michigan State’s fourth consecutive season of .500 or worse.

Perles’ teams only finished in the Top 25 three times and his best year was in 1987, which was capped by a Big Ten title, Rose Bowl win and No. 8 spot in the final polls.

In Their Own Words: George Perles

George Perles won Super Bowls as a coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers but ended his college coaching career with a losing record. AP Photo

“I could not leave Michigan State. I had the opportunity, but I wanted to stay at Michigan State. Just like I said, this is the job for me, and I’m staying here. I wasn’t influenced by any one person.” —George Perles, UPI

27. Hal Mumme

Hal Mumme put the Air Raid offense into Kentucky. Ed Reinke / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 8 (1997-2000, 2005-08)

Schools: Kentucky (1997-2000), New Mexico State (2005-08)

Record: 31-64

Winning percentage: .326

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Hal Mumme

New Mexico State was Hal Mumme’s final FCS job. Dave Martin / AP Photo

Can you imagine what would happen if an SEC football program hired its head coach straight from NCAA Division II? Well, it happened in 1997 when Kentucky plucked Hal Mumme out of Valdosta State.

Mumme’s approach to football was pretty single-minded. He wanted to throw the ball as much as he could, regardless of personnel.

Mumme was bad in four seasons at Kentucky, but somehow worse in four seasons at New Mexico State.

In Their Own Words: Hal Mumme

Hal Mumme had a career .326 winning percentage. Rogelio V. Solis / AP Photo

“Craig James is an (expletive), and everybody in Texas knows it. His son’s an (expletive), and you can quote me. I was at New Mexico State, and we turned (Adam) down. Nobody would give that guy a scholarship except Mike Leach.” —Hal Mumme, The Seattle Times

26. Charles McClendon

Charles McClendon won one SEC title in 18 seasons at LSU. AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 18 (1962-79)

Schools: LSU

Record: 135-61-7

Winning percentage: .682

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Charles McClendon

Charles McClendon is carried off the field by his LSU players. AP Photo

Another coaching relic from a different era, Charles McClendon somehow lasted 18 seasons at LSU without coming close to a national title and winning just one SEC title, in 1970, the same season the Tigers lost in the Orange Bowl.

What’s even more incredible about McClendon keeping his job for that long was his record against two of LSU’s most hated rivals. He went 4-7-1 against Ole Miss and 2-14 against Bear Bryant and Alabama.

McClendon still holds the LSU career record for wins (135), losses (61) and bowl losses, with six.

In Their Own Words: Charles McClendon

Charles McClendon coached 18 seasons. AP Photo

“We wouldn’t have a Southeastern Conference if they kicked out everybody who didn’t beat Alabama.” —Charles McClendon, The Washington Post

25. Ron Prince

Ron Prince only coached Kansas State for three seasons. Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 3 (2006-08)

Schools: Kansas State (2006-08)

Record: 17-20

Winning percentage: .459

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Ron Prince

Kansas State had to pay Ron Prince almost $3 million after he was fired. Orlin Wagner / AP Photo

Ron Prince was really the worst. He almost single-handedly ran Kansas State’s program into the ground in three short seasons (after it took two decades to build it up) and managed to alienate and bully people along the way.

How Kansas State ever came to the decision to hire him in the first place is beyond the bounds of human reasoning, but signing him to a secret $3 million contract that paid out after he was fired and was unknown to most of the school’s administration was even more of a head-scratcher.

A truly terrible coach who was overrated the moment he was hired.

In Their Own Words: Ron Prince

Ron Prince won only 18 games as a head coach at K-State. Julio Cortez / AP Photo

“All coaches and competitors are the same … they just want a chance to compete. That’s what we attempted to do. We just ran out of time.” —Ron Prince, ESPN

24. Pat Hill

Fresno State’s Pat Hill only won one conference title in his career. Christopher Onstott / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 15 (1997-2011)

Schools: Fresno State

Record: 112-80

Winning percentage: .583

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Pat Hill

Pat Hill coached at Fresno State for 15 seasons. Rick Bowmer / AP Photo

Pat Hill did more with one successful season than perhaps any coach in college football history.

Hill’s penchant for showmanship was never more on display than when he went 11-3 in 2001 and convinced the country Fresno State was a powerhouse team with future No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick David Carr at quarterback.

On top of that, Fresno State won only one WAC title during Hill’s tenure, in 1999.

In Their Own Words:: Pat Hill

Pat Hill won 112 games at Fresno State. Eugene Tanner / AP Photo

“The players that wore that red helmet, next to my family, meant more to me than anything. The guys that wore that red helmet wore it with great pride, played against enormous odds, and for the most part represented themselves at a very high level no matter who we played, where we played, when we played or how we got there. We always showed up for the fight.” —Pat Hill, Big Valley News

23. Mike Stoops

Mike Stoops had a rocky tenure as Arizona’s head coach. Reed Saxon / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 8 (2004-11)

Schools: Arizona

Record: 41-50

Winning percentage: .451

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Mike Stoops

Mike Stoops was fired by Arizona after a 1-5 start in 2011. Reed Saxon / AP Photo

Just to make it totally clear — being a good coach is not a transitive property. The University of Arizona was hoping it was when the school hired Mike Stoops, younger brother of legendary Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

In Mike Stoops’ first five seasons in Arizona, he had three losing seasons, and the program’s 8-5 record and second-place finish in the Pac-10 in 2009 was the highlight of his time in Tucson.

Mike Stoops was fired after a 1-5 start in 2011.

In Their Own Words: Mike Stoops

Mike Stoops had a .451 winning percentage. Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

“I’m extremely disappointed in my inability to get this team to play at a higher level. It takes everybody pulling the same way, and certainly I take a lot of that responsibility.” —Mike Stoops, The Tulsa World

22. Mike Locksley

Mike Locksley went 2-22 in two seasons at the University of New Mexico. Denis Poroy / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 9 (2009-11 2015, 2019-present)

Schools: New Mexico (2009-11), Maryland (2015, 2019-present)

Record: 21-28

Winning percentage: .428

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Mike Locksley

Mike Locksley had a .157 winning percentage after six seasons. Rick Bowmer / AP Photo

If you find yourself wondering how in the world Mike Locksley is getting another chance as a head coach, that’s fair.

Locksley posted back-to-back 1-11 seasons at the University of New Mexico in his first two seasons and brought a boatload of drama along with him. He was fired after an 0-4 start in ,2011 then went 1-5 as an interim head coach at Maryland.

That convinced the Terrapins to hire him, and he went a career-best 3-9 with the Terrapins in 2019 to improve his career winning percentage to .130.

In Their Own Words: Mike Locksley

Mike Locksley hasn’t had many wins. Julio Cortez / AP Photo

“I walked up to him and grabbed him around the collar for about a second and a half to three seconds. The next thing I know, Cheston Blackshear jumped over the table, grabbed me and separated us. A lot of pushing and shoving ensued as coaches got in to intervene, and it was defused, like I said, in a matter of seconds.” —Mike Locksley, ESPN

21. Mike Price

Mike Price coached at Washington State from 1989 to 2002. Nick Ut / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 24 (1989-2002, 2004-12, 2017)

Schools: Washington State (1989-2002), UTEP (2004-12, 2017)

Record: 131-146

Winning percentage: .473

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Mike Price

Mike Price led teams to a staggering 16 losing seasons. Pat Sullivan / AP Photo

Even though Mike Price won a lot of games at Washington State, including two Pac-10 titles in 14 seasons, he didn’t win on as consistent a basis as you might think.

Price actually had eight losing seasons in his time at Washington State and kept that momentum going at UTEP, where he closed out his career with eight consecutive losing seasons.

That means that out of 24 seasons as an FBS head coach, Price’s teams posted a losing record an astonishing 16 times.

In Their Own Words: Mike Price

Mike Price won 131 games and lost 146. J.R. Hernandez / AP Photo

“I definitely would have made a different decision that one night, no question. That was a bad night.” —Mike Price, Associated Press

20. Lovie Smith

Lovie Smith went 17-39 in five seasons at Illinois. Tony Avelar / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 5 (2016-20)

Schools: Illinois

Record: 17-39

Winning percentage: .304

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Lovie Smith

Lovie Smith led Illinois to an 0-9 record in Big Ten play in 2017. Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo

It’s not hard for a failed NFL coach to cash in on a lucrative college coaching job after his career has fallen flat in the pros. Colleges look at these hires as a recruiting and publicity bonanza. But it doesn’t always work out very well.

Lovie Smith is a prime example of this. After going 8-24 in two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Smith was hired at the University of Illinois.

The Illini had a losing record in each of Smith’s first four seasons, including a 2-10 record and 0-9 mark in Big Ten play in 2017.

In Their Own Words: Lovie Smith

Lovie Smith went back to the NFL after coaching at Illinois. Tony Avelar / AP Photo

“Are you freaking kidding me? Have I been too lax with our football team? So I’m freaking going out there every day just letting them do what they want to do? Absolutely not. I’m not going to give that question an answer. Lax with a football team? Are you freaking lax with your job? I’m not either.” —Lovie Smith, NBC Sports

19. Bo Pelini

Bo Pelini won a lot of games at Nebraska. Just not the really important ones. Nati Harnik / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 7 (2008-14)

Schools: Nebraska

Record: 67-27

Winning percentage: .713

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Bo Pelini

Bo Pelini wasn’t exactly a people person during his time at Nebraska. Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo

Bo Pelini is one of several Nebraska coaches to make this list, which is as much a result of his own behavior as well as the unrealistic expectations of Nebraska fans.

Pelini’s time with the Huskers was especially egregious because he had such a terrible way of interacting with, well, everyone, and seemed to have a penchant for getting caught on tape trashing fans and administration.

Pelini actually won four Big 12 titles at Nebraska before he was fired. Then, he had three losing seasons in five years at Youngstown State before being named defensive coordinator at LSU in 2020.

In Their Own Words: Bo Pelini

Bo Pelini has never won a national championship. Ray Thompson / AP Photo

“We’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.” -Bo Pelini, ESPN

18. Scott Frost

Scott Frost struggled during his first three seasons at Nebraska. Nati Harnik / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 7 (2016-22)

Schools: UCF (2016-17), Nebraska (2018-22)

Record: 35-38

Winning percentage: .479

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Scott Frost

Scott Frost didn’t think Joe Burrow was good enough to start at Nebraska in 2018. Nati Harnik / AP Photo

What’s the proper sample size to tell if a coach can cut it at a Power 5 school? Scott Frost has had two seasons to come up with an answer at Nebraska and shown he’s not up to the task by going 9-15 in that stretch despite being paid $5 million per year.

Frost’s tenure at Nebraska, so far, is defined by a player he didn’t want. Frost turned away Heisman Trophy winner, national champion and 2019 No. 1 overall draft pick Joe Burrow before the 2018 season, when he wanted to come play for the Huskers.

Frost didn’t think Burrow could beat out incoming freshman Adrian Martinez. That’s the definition of an overrated coach — one who can’t spot talent. Nebraska decided it had enough of Frost’s lack of talent as a coach and fired him less than a month into the 2022 season.

In Their Own Words: Scott Frost

Can Scott Frost win at Nebraska? Nati Harnik / AP Photo

“For one, I don’t call the defense.” —Scott Frost, SaturdayTradition.com

17. Randy Edsall

Randy Edsall had his best seasons at Connecticut. Michael Switzer / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 22 (1999-2015, 2017-21)

Schools: Connecticut (1999-2010, 2017-21), Maryland (2011-15)

Record: 107-122

Winning percentage: .467

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Randy Edsall

Randy Edsall was fired after five seasons at Maryland. Patrick Semansky / AP Photo

There is an alternate universe where Randy Edsall is considered a good football coach. Wait, that’s actually the one we live in.

Edsall is a terrific example of pushing coaches forward to reward mediocrity. In 21 seasons, he’s never won 10 games and was scooped up by Maryland after winning a Big East title despite going 8-5 in 2010.

And that’s where the bottom fell out. Edsall went 22-34 in five seasons with the Terrapins, then was hired back by UConn, where he resigned in a bizarre manner after an 0-2 start in 2021.

In Their Own Words: Randy Edsall

Randy Edsall is 3-4 in bowl games. Jessica Hill / AP Photo

“We take away a lot of great memories during our stay here at College Park and wish everyone the best in the coming months and years.” —Randy Edsall, ESPN

16. Brady Hoke

Michigan hired Brady Hoke after a third-place finish in the Mountain West Conference. Jay LaPrete / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 17 (2003-14, 2017, 2020-present)

Schools: Ball State (2003-08), San Diego State (2009-10), Michigan (2011-14), Tennessee (2017), San Diego State (2020-present)

Record: 101-84

Winning percentage: .545

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Brady Hoke

Brady Hoke was hired back by San Diego State after the 2019 season. Denis. Poroy / AP Photo

Brady Hoke’s hire by Michigan in 2010 was hard to understand. Why were the powers that be at one of the country’s most prestigious, powerful programs so impressed with a coach who’d just finished tied for third in the Mountain West?

The Wolverines got worse in each of Hoke’s four seasons before cratering at 5-7 in 2014. Hoke was hired back by San Diego State after the 2019 season, where he won a Mountain West title in 2021.

In Their Own Words: Brady Hoke

Brady Hoke played college football at Ball State. George Frey / AP Photo

“I feel very fortunate to have been an assistant and head coach at the University of Michigan. I will always support the university and this football program.” —Brady Hoke, Sports Illustrated

15. Bill Callahan

Nebraska hired Bill Callahan after several lackluster NFL seasons coaching the Oakland Raiders. Nati Harnik / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 4 (2004-07)

Schools: Nebraska (2004-07)

Record: 27-22

Winning percentage: .551

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Bill Callahan

Bill Callahan went 1-10 against Top 25 teams at Nebraska. Steve Pope / AP Photo

Nebraska fell into the trap of hiring an NFL coach with questionable credentials when they hired Bill Callahan. The Huskers paid for it dearly.

In four seasons, Callahan did his best to run the program into the ground (much like he’d done with the Oakland Raiders) and was fired after he went 5-7 in 2007, his second losing season with Nebraska. Under Callahan’s watch, the Huskers broke a 35-year bowl streak and went 1-10 against teams ranked in the Top 25.

If the Huskers trailed at halftime under Callahan, that was a wrap as well. They went 0-17 when they trailed at the break.

In Their Own Words: Bill Callahan

Bill Callahan went 27-22 at Nebraska. Mark Tenally / AP Photo

“No, I’m committed. I said I want to be (at Nebraska). I want to be here. I signed an extension to be here … no, (resigning is) not an option.” —Bill Callahan, The Lincoln Journal Star

14. Will Muschamp

South Carolina was Will Muschamp’s second stop as an SEC head coach. John Raoux / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 9 (2011-14, 2016-20)

Schools: Florida (2011-14), South Carolina (2016-20)

Record: 56-51

Winning percentage: .523

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Will Muschamp

Will Muschamp followed Urban Meyer as Florida’s head coach. John Raoux / AP Photo

Florida’s 11-2 record in 2012 came in Will Muschamp’s second season as head coach, and despite a loss in the Sugar Bowl, the future seemed bright. It was a mirage.

Muschamp came back to earth with a 4-8 record in 2013, then was fired after going 6-5 in 2014. He hasn’t been any better with South Carolina and was firmly entrenched on the hot seat after a dismal 4-8 season in 2019.

Muschamp’s 25 losses in his first four seasons also are a South Carolina record.

In Their Own Words: Will Muschamp

Will Muschamp went 28-30 at South Carolina. Bruce Newman / AP Photo

“You can question a lot about our football team, but don’t ever question our heart. And don’t ever question our mental toughness. These guys fought … and I appreciate all the fans that stayed.” —Will Muschamp, SEC Network

13. Paul Hackett

Paul Hackett struggled during his tenure at USC. Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 7 (1989-92, 1998-2000)

Schools: Pittsburgh (1989-92), USC (1998-2000)

Record: 32-38-1

Winning percentage: .458

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Paul Hackett

USC finished last in the Pac-10 in Paul Hackett’s final season. Bill Kostroun / AP Photo

There’s always going to be an excuse, and Paul Hackett had plenty of them. What he couldn’t get around was that two different major college football programs got demonstrably worse with him leading the way.

At Pittsburgh, he went 13-20-1 and bottomed out with a 3-8 record in his fourth season.

At USC, he finished last in the Pac-10 in his final season and watched from afar as Pete Carroll took a group of mostly players he recruited and turned them into a national power.

In Their Own Words: Paul Hackett

Paul Hackett had a short run at USC. Nick Ut / AP Photo

“Are you out of your mind? Of course I (deserve to return as coach).” —Paul Hackett, ABC News

12. Bret Bielema

Bret Bielema was fired just minutes after taking this picture. Michael Woods / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 15 (2006-17, 2021-present)

Schools: Wisconsin (2006-12), Arkansas (2013-17), Illinois (2021-present)

Record: 110-70

Winning percentage: .611

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Bret Bielema

Bret Bielema coached at Wisconsin before he bolted for Arkansas. Darron Cummings / AP Photo

Bret Bielema had a tremendous amount of success at Wisconsin and led the Badgers to three consecutive Rose Bowls but lost the first two and quit to become the coach at Arkansas before the third.

Bielema openly stated his desire to coach in the SEC, and in a “be careful what you wish for” scenario, he got routinely thumped in five seasons leading the Razorbacks.

Bielema had a losing record in SEC play four out of his five seasons with Arkansas and was famously fired while walking off the field following a 48-45 loss to Missouri in the 2017 regular-season finale. He got back in the coaching game in 2021 at Illinois, where he went 13-12 over his first two seasons.

In Their Own Words: Bret Bielema

Bret Bielema has a 4-5 record in bowl games. Michael Woods / AP Photo

“I was informed coming off the field I would no longer be the coach at Arkansas.” —Bret Bielema, SB Nation

11. Rich Rodriguez

Rich Rodriguez brought major amounts of drama to Michigan. Stephen Morton / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 16 (2001-10, 2012-17)

Schools: West Virginia (2001-07), Michigan (2008-10), Arizona (2012-17)

Record: 118-83

Winning percentage: .587

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Rich Rodriguez

Rich Rodriguez left Arizona in a cloud of scandal. Rich Sauteri / AP Photo

Rich Rodriguez was flying high when he left West Virginia to become the coach at Michigan before the 2008 season, but his career cratered from that point on, including coaching the worst Michigan season in school history in his first year.

The culture Rodriguez created at Michigan was even more harmful — toxic to the point where you can make an argument they still haven’t recovered from it to this day.

At Arizona, he was just as bad on and off the field and was fired after myriad accusations of sexual harassment and extramarital affairs.

In Their Own Words: Rich Rodriguez

Rich Rodriguez started his head coaching career at West Virginia. Jeff Gentner / AP Photo

“I am not a perfect man, but the claims by my former assistant are simply not true, and her demands for a financial settlement are outrageous. I am saddened that these accusations and investigation have caused my family additional stress.” —Rich Rodriguez, Phoenix Business Journal

10. Kliff Kingsbury

Kliff Kingsbury was fired by Texas Tech, then almost immediately hired by the Arizona Cardinals. Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 6 (2013-18)

Schools: Texas Tech

Record: 35-40

Winning percentage: .467

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Kliff Kingsbury

Kliff Kingsbury went 35-40 in six seasons at Texas Tech. Brody Schmidt / AP Photo

Let’s give Kliff Kingsbury some credit right off the bat. He recruited and developed Patrick Mahomes and deserves props for him becoming the quarterback he is today.

But that’s about where we draw the line, because Kingsbury seemed to get more chances at Texas Tech than any modern coach should have, with four losing seasons in six years.

And when he was finally fired, he got a promotion and became an NFL head coach for the Arizona Cardinals, where he went 5-10-1 in his first season and was fired after three seasons — go figure.

In Their Own Words: Kliff Kingsbury

Kliff Kingsbury got a five-year, $10.5 million deal from the Arizona Cardinals. Jeff Haynes / AP Photo

“It has been the honor of my life to be the head coach at Texas Tech.” —Kliff Kingsbury

9. Tyrone Willingham

Tyrone Willingham went 0-12 in his final season at Washington. Ty Russell / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 14 (1995-2008)

Schools: Stanford (1995-2001), Notre Dame (2002-04), Washington (2005-08)

Record: 76-88-1

Winning percentage: .464

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Tyrone Willingham

Tyrone Willingham was hired by Notre Dame after going 9-3 at Stanford in 2001. Joe Raymond / AP Photo

Sometimes, colleges will take a chance on a coach after one good season. This is almost certainly a mistake.

Ty Willingham was Stanford’s coach for seven seasons and was pretty average for the first six, including three losing records. But he went 9-3 in 2001 before Notre Dame decided to take a chance on him. Willingham’s stiff personality didn’t win over any fans, and he was out after three seasons of steady decline.

Washington was the next to roll the dice on Willingham, where he posted four straight losing seasons and finished with an 0-12 mark in 2008.

In Their Own Words: Tyrone Willingham

Tyrone Willingham went 76-88 in 14 seasons. Ben Margot / AP Photo

“I understand that I did not meet the expectations and standards I set for myself and this program. When you don’t meet your own expectations, you make yourself vulnerable to the will of others. So today I am no longer the head football coach at Notre Dame.” —Tyrone Willingham, The Kitsap Sun

8. Ron Zook

Ron Zook went 34-51 at Illinois. Brian Ray / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 10 (2002-11)

Schools: Florida (2002-04), Illinois (2005-11)

Record: 57-65

Winning percentage: .467

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Ron Zook

Ron Zook was an unpopular hire at Florida from the start. Phi Coale / AP Photo

Ron Zook had the unadmirable task of following Steve Spurrier as Florida’s head coach and of becoming Florida’s coach as the internet was starting to explode.

What’s that got to do with it? The same day Zook was hired, someone started a website called FireRonZook.com — not that big of a deal today, but it grabbed plenty of headlines in 2002.

Zook made a career of being average to bad. In 10 seasons as a head coach, he never won 10 games and had a losing record in four out of seven seasons with Illinois.

In Their Own Words: Ron Zook

Ron Zook has had some rough seasons. Tom Olmscheid / AP Photo

“I think our program is very close. I really do. We just didn’t finish a few games here and there.” —Ron Zook, ESPN

7. Willie Taggart

Willie Taggart was fired after two seasons at Florida State. Phil Sears / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 13 (2010-22)

Schools: Western Kentucky (2010-12), South Florida (2013-16), Oregon (2017), Florida State (2018-19), Florida Atlantic (2020-22)

Record: 71-80

Winning percentage: .470

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Willie Taggart

Willie Taggart left Oregon after one season. Chris Pietsch / AP Photo

At least you can say Willie Taggart is consistent. In his first 10 seasons as a head coach, he went 7-5 or 8-5 four times, 2-10 twice and recorded five losing seasons.

The lone outlier in that stretch was a 10-2 season at South Florida in 2016 that he parlayed into the head coaching job at Oregon, where he spent one season before bolting to Florida State.

Taggart seemed truly clueless leading the Seminoles and was fired after two seasons. Florida Atlantic took a chance on him but fired him after three seasons.

In Their Own Words: Willie Taggart

Willie Taggart has been a head coach at five schools. Michael Reaves / AP Photo

“We’ve got to stay locked in to our vision and our goals and where we want to go with our program, and we can’t allow those other things to interfere with that. … You come here to win and win championships, and we’re never going to go away from that.” —Willie Taggart, ESPN

6. Steve Sarkisian

Steve Sarkisian left USC amid controversy. Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 10 (2009-15, 2021-present)

Schools: Washington (2009-13), USC (2014-15), Texas (2021-present)

Record: 59-47

Winning percentage: .556

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Steve Sarkisian

Steve Sarkisian earned the nickname “Seven Win Steve” at Washington. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

We’re still trying to figure out how Steve Sarkisian got the opportunities he did, because in no way, shape or form should he have been gifted with the plum jobs he’s received, and got another opportunity at the end of 2020 with the University of Texas.

Sarkisian parlayed his one year as offensive coordinator at USC into the head coaching job at the University of Washington, where he earned the nickname “Seven Win Steve” by winning seven games three years in a row.

He parlayed that into the head coaching job at USC, where he was fired early in his second season. Sarkisian reportedly showed up to several practices drunk and, according to his assistant coaches, even coached a game against Arizona State under the influence.

In Their Own Words: Steve Sarkisian

Steve Sarkisian gets another chance with Texas as the Longhorns’ 31st head coach. Michael Thomas / AP Photo

“I’ve put in a lot of hard work. I’m proud of the work I’ve put in. I know I’m a better man today than I was a little over five years ago. That’s not just as a football coach, but as a man, as a father, as a husband.” —Steve Sarkisian, USA Today/Longhorns Wire

5. Charlie Weis

Charlie Weis signed a 10-year contract extension shortly before he was fired at Notre Dame. Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 7 (2005-09, 2012-14)

Schools: Notre Dame (2005-09), Kansas (2012-14)

Record: 41-49

Winning percentage: .456

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Charlie Weis

Kansas hired Charlie Weis after he was fired by Notre Dame. Ed Zurga / AP Photo

Charlie Weis turned his success as the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, where he won three Super Bowls in five seasons, into one of the best jobs in all of college football at Notre Dame, which was also where he went to college.

Weis was good enough in his first two seasons with the Fighting Irish that he received a 10-year contract extension. When he was fired by Notre Dame after the 2009 season, it ensured he would be paid for almost another decade.

Now, that’s money for nothing.

In Their Own Words: Charlie Weis

Charlie Weis went 41-49 in seven seasons. Justin Hayworth / AP Photo

“I’m going to be one of the most surprising and upbeat people. I’ve got nothing bad to say about anyone. … I’d be willing to bet a million dollars that I’m happier than you think I am.” —Charlie Weis, ABC News

4. Gene Chizik

Gene Chizik and Cam Newton won a national title at Auburn in 2010. Butch Dill / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 6 (2007-12)

Schools: Iowa State (2007-08), Auburn (2009-12)

Record: 38-38

Winning percentage: .500

National championships: 1 (2010)

Bottom Line: Gene Chizik

Gene Chizik went 2-10 in his final season at Iowa State. Steve Pope / AP Photo

Auburn fans were beside themselves when Gene Chizik was hired as head coach in 2009 following a 2-10 record at Iowa State in 2008.

Chizik’s masterstroke of genius at Auburn (and for his career) was the recruitment of quarterback Cam Newton, the most sought-after junior college player in the country. Newton’s one season at Auburn in 2010 etched itself in football lore as the Tigers went 14-0, he won the Heisman, and Auburn won the national title.

Chizik went 8-5 in 2011, then 3-9 and 0-8 in SEC play in 2012 before he was fired.

In Their Own Words: Gene Chizik

Gene Chizik was the defensive coordinator at North Carolina from 2015 to 2016. Gerry Broome / AP Photo

“I’m extremely disappointed with the way this season turned out, and I apologize to the Auburn family and our team for what they have had to endure. In my 27 years of coaching, I have gained an understanding of the high expectations in this profession. When expectations are not met, I understand changes must be made.” —Gene Chizik, ESPN

3. John Mackovic

John Mackovic was gifted with a series of high-profile jobs for some reason. Jack Plunkett / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 16 (1978-80, 1988-97, 2001-03)

Schools: Wake Forest (1978-80), Illinois (1988-91), Texas (1992-97), Arizona (2001-03)

Record: 95-82-3

Winning percentage: .536

National championships: None

Bottom Line: John Mackovic

John Mackovic ended his career at Arizona. Wily Low / AP Photo

John Mackovic’s career is really a testament to groupthink among college football athletic directors.

Mackovic was 5-6 in his final college season at Wake Forest in 1980 and went 30-34 as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs before Illinois hired him in 1988. Texas hired Mackovic in 1992 after he went 6-5 in his final season at Illinois. He went 4-7 in his final season at Texas before Arizona hired him, and he posted three straight losing seasons in Tucson to end his career.

Mediocrity never looked so good.

In Their Own Words: John Mackovic

John Mackovic coached six seasons at Texas. David J. Phillip / AP Photo

“When they fire you, they always say it’s not personal. But it always is.” —John Mackovic, ESPN

2. Mike Riley

Mike Riley had two separate stints at Oregon State. Jim Bryant / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 18 (1997-99, 2003-17)

Schools: Oregon State (1997-99, 2003-14), Nebraska (2015-17)

Record: 112-99

Winning percentage: .531

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Mike Riley

Mike Riley spent the last three seasons of his career at Nebraska. Nati Harnik / AP Photo

Sometimes numbers tell the story best. Mike Riley went 8-14 in two seasons at Oregon State, then was named head coach of the San Diego Chargers, where he went 14-34 in three seasons, including going 1-15 in 2000.

Oregon State welcomed him back in 2003. He went 93-80 in 12 seasons. And after going 5-7 in 2014, he was named head coach at Nebraska, where he went 19-19 in three seasons. In 17 seasons as a college head coach, Riley never won a conference title.

While Riley is overrated, he’s one of the good guys. Which we can’t say for most of the dudes on this list.

In Their Own Words: Mike Riley

Mike Riley has a 112-99 career record in college. Nati Harnik / AP Photo

“The opportunity to be (at Nebraska), it’s like that old song: I could have missed the pain, but I would have had to miss the dance. I loved it. I loved the opportunity to coach here.” —Mike Riley, ESPN

1. Lane Kiffin

Lane Kiffin spent just one season at Tennessee. Danny Moloshok / AP Photo

Number of seasons coaching: 12 (2009-13, 2017-present)

Schools: Tennessee (2009), USC (2010-13), Florida Atlantic (2017-19), Ole Miss (2020-present)

Record: 84-46

Winning percentage: .646

National championships: None

Bottom Line: Lane Kiffin

Lane Kiffin is the most overrated coach in college football history — and maybe all of football in general. Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Lane Kiffin is the king of overrated college football coaches and continues to fail forward in his career. He landed on his feet once again when he was hired by Ole Miss after the 2019 season.

The son of longtime NFL defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin got his first college head coaching job at Tennessee in 2009, where he went 7-6 in one season before bouncing to USC for four years. Kiffin was famously fired by USC athletic director Pat Haden on the tarmac at LAX following a loss to Arizona State and rebooted his career as an offensive coordinator at Alabama.

Then, he had three successful seasons at Florida Atlantic before Ole Miss came calling.

Ain’t America great?

In Their Own Words: Lane Kiffin

Teams still keep hiring him. Chris O’Meara / AP Photo

“The thing that bothered me the most is that I wasn’t graded on a fair scale (at USC). We weren’t 1-10. We had 30 less scholarships, and when sanctions hit, all your juniors and seniors can leave. Then you have to sign a No. 1 recruiting class in the country with kids knowing they can’t play in a bowl game for two years. Everyone said I couldn’t coach … but everyone forgot about that.” —Lane Kiffin, The Sporting News