CFB Coach Rankings

Powered by advanced analytics and our SABAN rating system

Coach Rankings

This table breaks down the individual offensive and defensive metrics contributing to our SABAN rating. While stronger offensive performance shows up as higher numbers, effective defensive performance works in the opposite direction—lower values indicate greater defensive strength. As a result, we measure a coach’s net effect by taking their Offensive Rating and subtracting their Defensive Rating. This approach keeps the final scoring intuitive: a higher net rating means a coach is raising the team’s overall level of play more significantly.

For more details on these calculations, including how we use EPA-over-expectation and other advanced analytics, see our Methodology section.

Our analysis includes data for the past 10 years and includes all coaches who have overseen at least 500 plays. Consequently, this gives us the ability to compare individuals who are no longer head coaches.

# Coach Name SABAN Rating (Total) Offensive Coaching Defensive Coaching Net Coaching Offensive Recruiting Defensive Recruiting Net Recruiting
1 Ryan Day 0.37 0.208 -0.139 0.347 0.021 -0.002 0.023
2 Dan Lanning 0.336 0.183 -0.092 0.275 0.022 -0.039 0.061
3 Kirby Smart 0.325 0.099 -0.117 0.216 0.046 -0.063 0.109
4 Nick Saban 0.321 0.158 -0.126 0.284 0.027 -0.01 0.037
5 Jim Harbaugh 0.272 0.11 -0.135 0.244 0.016 -0.012 0.028
6 Marcus Freeman 0.255 0.079 -0.112 0.191 0.035 -0.03 0.064
7 Curt Cignetti 0.237 0.122 -0.139 0.261 -0.016 0.008 -0.024
8 Lincoln Riley 0.237 0.214 0.001 0.213 0.022 -0.003 0.024
9 Paul Chryst 0.218 0.084 -0.159 0.243 -0.012 0.013 -0.025
10 Josh Heupel 0.216 0.145 -0.043 0.189 0.0 -0.026 0.027
11 Steve Sarkisian 0.213 0.082 -0.085 0.166 0.008 -0.039 0.047
12 James Franklin 0.213 0.059 -0.121 0.179 0.021 -0.012 0.034
13 Brent Venables 0.207 0.023 -0.083 0.107 0.032 -0.068 0.1
14 Dabo Swinney 0.198 0.05 -0.125 0.175 0.013 -0.009 0.023
15 Kyle Whittingham 0.198 0.05 -0.153 0.203 0.002 0.008 -0.006
16 Kalen DeBoer 0.191 0.132 -0.056 0.188 0.006 0.003 0.003
17 Rhett Lashlee 0.163 0.087 -0.083 0.169 0.011 0.018 -0.006
18 Jon Sumrall 0.161 0.063 -0.099 0.163 0.003 0.005 -0.001
19 Mario Cristobal 0.158 0.09 -0.058 0.148 0.007 -0.002 0.009
20 Jeff Brohm 0.15 0.075 -0.043 0.118 0.005 -0.027 0.032
21 Luke Fickell 0.15 0.046 -0.11 0.156 -0.01 -0.004 -0.006
22 Ed Orgeron 0.146 0.063 -0.043 0.106 0.017 -0.023 0.04
23 Joey McGuire 0.143 0.05 -0.076 0.127 0.013 -0.003 0.016
24 Chris Petersen 0.142 0.06 -0.11 0.17 -0.024 0.004 -0.028
25 Chris Klieman 0.138 0.069 -0.065 0.134 0.009 0.005 0.005
26 Brian Kelly 0.136 0.071 -0.039 0.11 0.013 -0.012 0.026
27 Sam Pittman 0.132 0.08 -0.045 0.125 0.01 0.002 0.007
28 Bob Chesney 0.132 -0.002 -0.128 0.125 -0.004 -0.011 0.007
29 Lane Kiffin 0.132 0.109 -0.037 0.146 -0.002 0.012 -0.014
30 Bret Bielema 0.125 0.029 -0.078 0.107 0.008 -0.01 0.018
31 Mike Elko 0.122 0.085 -0.043 0.128 0.007 0.014 -0.006
32 Kirk Ferentz 0.122 -0.028 -0.155 0.126 -0.007 -0.003 -0.005
33 Dan Mullen 0.119 0.113 -0.032 0.146 -0.012 0.014 -0.026
34 Mack Brown 0.117 0.104 0.033 0.072 0.013 -0.033 0.046
35 Pat Narduzzi 0.116 0.005 -0.091 0.095 -0.001 -0.021 0.02
36 Jimbo Fisher 0.115 0.029 -0.077 0.106 0.001 -0.007 0.008
37 Sherrone Moore 0.109 0.025 -0.087 0.112 -0.003 -0.0 -0.003
38 Kenny Dillingham 0.108 0.044 -0.02 0.064 0.006 -0.038 0.043
39 Matt Campbell 0.108 0.058 -0.077 0.134 -0.018 0.009 -0.027
40 Scott Satterfield 0.104 0.106 0.008 0.098 -0.004 -0.011 0.006
41 Scott Frost 0.103 0.064 -0.032 0.097 -0.005 -0.011 0.006
42 Matt Rhule 0.102 0.022 -0.036 0.058 0.017 -0.028 0.045
43 Hugh Freeze 0.101 0.067 -0.038 0.105 -0.01 -0.006 -0.004
44 Spencer Danielson 0.097 0.07 0.006 0.064 0.007 -0.025 0.032
45 Mike Leach 0.095 0.075 -0.036 0.111 -0.001 0.015 -0.016
46 Kalani Sitake 0.095 0.077 -0.04 0.117 -0.008 0.013 -0.022
47 Gus Malzahn 0.094 0.055 -0.052 0.107 -0.001 0.012 -0.013
48 Major Applewhite 0.091 0.089 0.019 0.07 0.001 -0.021 0.022
49 Mike Norvell 0.088 0.073 -0.02 0.092 -0.0 0.004 -0.004
50 Bryan Harsin 0.086 0.08 -0.05 0.13 -0.015 0.028 -0.044
51 Eli Drinkwitz 0.084 0.059 -0.034 0.093 0.011 0.02 -0.009
52 Dave Aranda 0.083 0.051 -0.04 0.091 -0.009 -0.001 -0.008
53 Frank Maile 0.082 0.038 -0.043 0.081 -0.002 -0.003 0.001
54 Deshaun Foster 0.079 0.026 -0.053 0.079 -0.003 -0.003 -0.0
55 Mark Stoops 0.078 0.0 -0.067 0.067 0.001 -0.01 0.011
56 Bill Clark 0.078 0.001 -0.091 0.091 -0.013 0.001 -0.013
57 Jedd Fisch 0.076 0.065 0.003 0.062 0.001 -0.014 0.015
58 Billy Napier 0.074 0.091 -0.002 0.092 -0.004 0.013 -0.018
59 P.J. Fleck 0.074 0.052 -0.04 0.092 -0.018 -0.0 -0.018
60 Andy Avalos 0.074 -0.007 -0.085 0.078 0.008 0.012 -0.005
61 Manny Diaz 0.072 0.015 -0.054 0.069 0.011 0.007 0.004
62 Deion Sanders 0.071 0.051 -0.026 0.077 0.003 0.009 -0.006
63 Brent Key 0.069 0.041 -0.037 0.079 -0.002 0.008 -0.01
64 Jake Dickert 0.068 0.023 -0.028 0.051 0.019 0.002 0.017
65 Troy Calhoun 0.065 0.086 0.008 0.078 -0.006 0.008 -0.014
66 Barry Odom 0.062 0.027 -0.035 0.062 -0.003 -0.002 -0.001
67 Jamey Chadwell 0.061 0.055 0.011 0.043 0.026 0.008 0.018
68 Herm Edwards 0.061 0.071 -0.02 0.09 -0.012 0.017 -0.029
69 Bill O'Brien 0.061 0.021 -0.029 0.05 -0.004 -0.015 0.011
70 Jonathan Smith 0.061 0.06 0.013 0.047 0.01 -0.004 0.014
71 Shane Beamer 0.059 0.015 -0.041 0.057 0.014 0.012 0.002
72 Charles Huff 0.055 -0.036 -0.066 0.029 0.011 -0.014 0.025
73 G.J. Kinne 0.053 0.071 0.015 0.056 0.005 0.008 -0.003
74 Jeff Lebby 0.053 0.054 0.024 0.03 0.004 -0.019 0.023
75 Mike Locksley 0.052 0.02 -0.05 0.071 0.003 0.021 -0.018
76 Justin Wilcox 0.052 -0.015 -0.069 0.054 -0.017 -0.015 -0.002
77 Brent Pry 0.051 0.005 0.007 -0.002 0.02 -0.032 0.053
78 Ryan Silverfield 0.049 0.045 0.001 0.044 -0.0 -0.006 0.006
79 Kane Wommack 0.047 -0.002 -0.035 0.032 0.015 -0.0 0.015
80 Sonny Dykes 0.046 0.079 0.024 0.054 -0.015 -0.006 -0.008
81 Mark Dantonio 0.045 -0.079 -0.143 0.063 0.006 0.025 -0.018
82 Willie Fritz 0.043 -0.001 -0.037 0.036 0.004 -0.004 0.007
83 Jeff Monken 0.041 0.046 0.012 0.034 0.002 -0.004 0.007
84 Dana Holgorsen 0.041 0.058 0.003 0.055 0.0 0.014 -0.014
85 Lance Leipold 0.04 0.083 0.04 0.043 -0.002 0.001 -0.003
86 Jeff Traylor 0.037 0.018 0.008 0.01 0.008 -0.019 0.027
87 Brian Newberry 0.036 0.048 -0.034 0.082 -0.029 0.017 -0.046
88 Mel Tucker 0.033 0.044 -0.021 0.065 -0.005 0.027 -0.032
89 Rich Rodriguez 0.032 -0.017 -0.063 0.046 0.003 0.018 -0.015
90 Chip Kelly 0.031 0.035 0.011 0.024 0.006 -0.001 0.007
91 Gerad Parker 0.03 0.025 -0.024 0.049 -0.003 0.016 -0.019
92 Dave Doeren 0.03 -0.004 -0.039 0.035 0.002 0.008 -0.006
93 Greg Knox 0.027 0.017 -0.021 0.038 -0.004 0.007 -0.011
94 Jeff Tedford 0.025 0.016 -0.01 0.026 -0.01 -0.009 -0.001
95 Shawn Clark 0.018 0.024 -0.01 0.034 0.001 0.017 -0.016
96 Karl Dorrell 0.017 0.0 -0.02 0.02 -0.0 0.003 -0.003
97 Bryant Vincent 0.017 0.018 -0.015 0.034 -0.012 0.005 -0.017
98 Neal Brown 0.014 0.009 -0.013 0.022 -0.0 0.008 -0.008
99 Alex Golesh 0.012 0.0 -0.009 0.009 0.001 -0.001 0.003
100 Philip Montgomery 0.008 -0.024 -0.037 0.013 0.001 0.006 -0.005
101 Dino Babers 0.005 -0.024 -0.033 0.009 0.009 0.012 -0.004
102 Jason Candle 0.005 0.006 -0.001 0.007 -0.0 0.002 -0.002
103 Matt Luke 0.004 0.057 0.016 0.041 -0.018 0.019 -0.037
104 Clay Helton 0.004 0.031 0.053 -0.022 -0.004 -0.03 0.026
105 Tom Allen 0.003 -0.015 -0.024 0.009 -0.002 0.004 -0.006
106 Chip Lindsey 0.001 0.012 0.006 0.006 -0.007 -0.001 -0.006
107 Steve Addazio -0.001 0.002 -0.007 0.009 -0.006 0.004 -0.011
108 Tom Herman -0.001 0.016 0.026 -0.009 -0.002 -0.01 0.008
109 Jeremy Pruitt -0.002 -0.032 -0.036 0.005 0.011 0.017 -0.006
110 Fran Brown -0.002 0.073 0.069 0.004 -0.004 0.002 -0.006
111 Greg Schiano -0.002 -0.009 -0.028 0.019 -0.015 0.005 -0.021
112 Will Muschamp -0.003 -0.032 -0.007 -0.025 0.006 -0.015 0.021
113 Frank Solich -0.005 0.08 0.076 0.004 -0.003 0.007 -0.009
114 Todd Graham -0.006 0.021 0.021 0.001 -0.006 0.001 -0.007
115 Ken Niumatalolo -0.006 0.014 0.013 0.001 0.013 0.02 -0.008
116 Mike Gundy -0.008 -0.007 -0.016 0.009 0.003 0.021 -0.018
117 Nick Rolovich -0.01 0.068 0.072 -0.004 0.007 0.012 -0.005
118 Tyson Helton -0.01 0.017 -0.009 0.027 -0.006 0.031 -0.037
119 Michael Desormeaux -0.011 0.021 0.026 -0.005 0.006 0.012 -0.006
120 David Braun -0.011 -0.061 -0.038 -0.023 -0.001 -0.013 0.012
121 Eric Morris -0.012 0.056 0.08 -0.024 -0.0 -0.012 0.012
122 Kevin Sumlin -0.012 0.018 0.023 -0.005 -0.002 0.005 -0.007
123 Jeff Hafley -0.012 0.005 0.029 -0.024 -0.005 -0.017 0.012
124 Doc Holliday -0.013 -0.043 -0.05 0.007 -0.012 0.008 -0.02
125 Gary Patterson -0.013 -0.062 -0.076 0.014 -0.013 0.015 -0.027
126 Bronco Mendenhall -0.014 0.048 0.054 -0.006 0.001 0.009 -0.008
127 Tony Elliott -0.017 -0.025 -0.0 -0.024 0.005 -0.003 0.008
128 Ricky Rahne -0.02 -0.028 -0.011 -0.017 0.002 0.005 -0.003
129 Blake Anderson -0.021 0.007 0.014 -0.007 -0.01 0.004 -0.014
130 Jerry Kill -0.024 0.067 0.077 -0.01 -0.004 0.011 -0.014
131 Brady Hoke -0.024 -0.079 -0.058 -0.021 -0.0 0.003 -0.003
132 Jay Hopson -0.028 -0.075 -0.061 -0.014 -0.007 0.007 -0.014
133 Craig Bohl -0.029 -0.064 -0.038 -0.026 0.003 0.007 -0.004
134 Justin Fuente -0.029 0.01 0.049 -0.039 0.006 -0.004 0.01
135 Lovie Smith -0.035 -0.02 0.029 -0.049 0.008 -0.006 0.014
136 Chad Lunsford -0.036 -0.033 -0.008 -0.025 -0.01 0.0 -0.01
137 Brent Brennan -0.037 -0.033 0.041 -0.074 0.005 -0.032 0.037
138 Pat Fitzgerald -0.038 -0.062 -0.053 -0.009 -0.02 0.01 -0.029
139 Rick Stockstill -0.039 -0.039 0.006 -0.045 0.0 -0.005 0.005
140 Joe Moorhead -0.041 -0.042 -0.002 -0.04 -0.006 -0.006 -0.0
141 Tim Beck -0.044 -0.024 0.009 -0.033 -0.01 0.001 -0.011
142 Dave Clawson -0.044 -0.0 0.052 -0.052 0.005 -0.004 0.009
143 Trent Dilfer -0.045 0.051 0.1 -0.049 0.012 0.009 0.004
144 Willie Taggart -0.046 -0.036 -0.011 -0.025 -0.006 0.015 -0.021
145 Tim Lester -0.047 0.023 0.064 -0.041 -0.006 0.0 -0.006
146 David Shaw -0.049 -0.016 0.061 -0.077 0.009 -0.019 0.028
147 Chuck Martin -0.049 -0.047 -0.001 -0.047 -0.011 -0.009 -0.003
148 Rod Carey -0.053 -0.098 -0.032 -0.066 0.005 -0.009 0.013
149 Charlie Strong -0.06 -0.033 0.023 -0.056 0.0 0.003 -0.003
150 Nunzio Campanile -0.06 -0.086 0.004 -0.091 0.013 -0.018 0.031
151 K.C. Keeler -0.061 -0.051 -0.007 -0.044 -0.008 0.009 -0.017
152 Rocky Long -0.061 -0.122 -0.072 -0.051 -0.006 0.005 -0.011
153 Tim Albin -0.062 -0.013 0.018 -0.031 -0.011 0.02 -0.031
154 Jim Mora -0.067 -0.047 0.011 -0.058 -0.004 0.005 -0.009
155 Matt Wells -0.07 -0.025 0.014 -0.039 -0.019 0.013 -0.031
156 Sean Lewis -0.071 0.001 0.057 -0.056 -0.006 0.008 -0.014
157 Shawn Elliott -0.071 -0.027 0.077 -0.105 0.021 -0.013 0.034
158 Trent Bray -0.071 -0.017 0.065 -0.082 0.002 -0.009 0.011
159 Jay Norvell -0.071 -0.058 0.03 -0.089 0.01 -0.007 0.017
160 Ryan Walters -0.072 -0.023 0.063 -0.086 0.007 -0.006 0.014
161 Mike Houston -0.073 -0.05 0.048 -0.098 0.0 -0.025 0.026
162 Clark Lea -0.074 0.005 0.082 -0.077 0.006 0.002 0.004
163 Seth Littrell -0.075 -0.007 0.064 -0.071 -0.008 -0.004 -0.004
164 Skip Holtz -0.076 -0.032 0.017 -0.049 -0.016 0.011 -0.027
165 Sonny Cumbie -0.078 -0.062 0.001 -0.063 0.001 0.015 -0.014
166 Geoff Collins -0.079 -0.056 0.049 -0.105 0.015 -0.012 0.026
167 Jim McElwain -0.085 -0.04 0.05 -0.09 0.008 0.003 0.005
168 Lance Taylor -0.087 -0.029 0.047 -0.075 -0.007 0.004 -0.012
169 Thomas Hammock -0.088 -0.041 0.067 -0.108 0.019 -0.001 0.02
170 Mike Neu -0.097 -0.054 0.061 -0.116 0.007 -0.012 0.019
171 Pete Lembo -0.098 -0.078 0.03 -0.108 0.016 0.006 0.01
172 Biff Poggi -0.101 -0.114 0.009 -0.123 0.004 -0.017 0.021
173 Mike Bobo -0.102 -0.005 0.085 -0.089 -0.012 0.0 -0.012
174 Jeff Choate -0.109 -0.056 0.041 -0.098 0.008 0.019 -0.012
175 Jay Sawvel -0.113 -0.113 0.013 -0.126 0.008 -0.005 0.014
176 Will Healy -0.113 0.01 0.128 -0.117 0.011 0.007 0.004
177 Scotty Walden -0.117 -0.118 -0.011 -0.107 -0.0 0.01 -0.01
178 David Blackwell -0.119 -0.109 0.0 -0.109 -0.013 -0.003 -0.01
179 Troy Taylor -0.121 -0.075 0.067 -0.141 0.008 -0.012 0.02
180 Timmy Chang -0.124 -0.056 0.096 -0.152 -0.006 -0.034 0.028
181 Maurice Linguist -0.133 -0.062 0.043 -0.105 -0.01 0.018 -0.028
182 Derek Mason -0.136 -0.04 0.066 -0.106 -0.018 0.012 -0.03
183 Dell McGee -0.139 -0.041 0.095 -0.136 0.002 0.005 -0.003
184 Mike Bloomgren -0.141 -0.074 0.082 -0.156 -0.003 -0.018 0.015
185 Scot Loeffler -0.141 -0.108 0.043 -0.151 -0.009 -0.018 0.01
186 David Cutcliffe -0.142 -0.087 0.04 -0.127 -0.005 0.01 -0.015
187 Chris Creighton -0.142 -0.055 0.079 -0.134 -0.003 0.005 -0.008
188 Jeff Scott -0.143 -0.051 0.098 -0.149 0.009 0.003 0.006
189 Matt Viator -0.143 -0.049 0.102 -0.151 0.007 -0.001 0.008
190 Les Miles -0.146 -0.076 0.066 -0.141 -0.003 0.002 -0.005
191 Marcus Arroyo -0.148 -0.046 0.091 -0.138 0.0 0.011 -0.01
192 Butch Davis -0.15 -0.029 0.093 -0.122 -0.014 0.014 -0.028
193 Paul Petrino -0.156 -0.043 0.087 -0.13 -0.016 0.01 -0.026
194 Butch Jones -0.157 -0.072 0.102 -0.174 0.023 0.006 0.017
195 Dana Dimel -0.159 -0.077 0.061 -0.138 -0.003 0.018 -0.021
196 Stan Drayton -0.166 -0.084 0.075 -0.159 0.0 0.008 -0.007
197 Jake Spavital -0.168 -0.088 0.071 -0.159 -0.006 0.003 -0.009
198 Steve Campbell -0.17 -0.128 0.057 -0.185 0.005 -0.01 0.015
199 Tony Sanchez -0.171 -0.082 0.075 -0.157 -0.003 0.011 -0.014
200 Will Hall -0.171 -0.129 0.018 -0.147 0.004 0.028 -0.024
201 Terry Bowden -0.178 -0.113 0.016 -0.129 -0.019 0.03 -0.049
202 Doug Martin -0.18 -0.078 0.113 -0.191 -0.004 -0.014 0.011
203 Bob Davie -0.18 -0.077 0.097 -0.174 -0.007 -0.0 -0.007
204 Danny Gonzales -0.182 -0.123 0.056 -0.179 0.002 0.005 -0.003
205 Mike MacIntyre -0.183 -0.097 0.054 -0.151 -0.011 0.02 -0.032
206 Kevin Wilson -0.186 -0.054 0.125 -0.178 -0.004 0.004 -0.008
207 Bobby Wilder -0.192 -0.155 0.066 -0.221 0.017 -0.012 0.029
208 Frank Wilson -0.197 -0.14 0.069 -0.209 0.001 -0.011 0.012
209 Don Brown -0.204 -0.108 0.097 -0.205 0.012 0.01 0.001
210 Ken Wilson -0.207 -0.154 0.076 -0.23 0.013 -0.009 0.022
211 Randy Edsall -0.314 -0.086 0.253 -0.339 0.008 -0.017 0.025
212 Kenni Burns -0.324 -0.17 0.165 -0.335 0.005 -0.006 0.011
213 Tom Arth -0.338 -0.244 0.081 -0.325 -0.008 0.005 -0.013
214 nan -0.342 -0.126 0.118 -0.245 -0.049 0.048 -0.097
215 Walt Bell -0.458 -0.216 0.239 -0.455 -0.004 -0.002 -0.002