CFB Coach Rankings

How many points is a head coach worth?

The SABAN rating is the points per game a coach adds over an average coach, net of roster talent, opponent, and program resources, from every drive of 2015–2025. Total is offense + defense + recruiting. How it works

184 coaches with 3+ head-coaching seasons, at least one in the last five. Trend is the last three seasons against career average.
1 Dan Lanning
27.7
+18.6 +7.2 +25.8 +1.9 4 +1.6
2 Ryan Day
26.3
+17.5 +7.8 +25.3 +1.0 8 +2.9
3 Nick Saban
22.7
+11.2 +10.4 +21.6 +1.0 9 -3.4
4 Marcus Freeman
20.1
+7.2 +12.6 +19.7 +0.4 5 +3.5
5 Kirby Smart
17.4
+7.8 +7.9 +15.7 +1.7 10 -1.4
6 Curt Cignetti
17.4
+7.7 +11.5 +19.2 -1.8 4 +2.5
7 Lincoln Riley
16.0
+16.5 -1.0 +15.4 +0.6 9 -3.8
8 Dabo Swinney
15.7
+5.4 +9.5 +14.9 +0.8 11 -6.0
9 Rhett Lashlee
14.6
+5.9 +7.6 +13.5 +1.1 4 +5.0
10 Josh Heupel
13.9
+10.5 +3.1 +13.6 +0.3 8 -1.9
11 Kalen DeBoer
13.2
+8.3 +4.5 +12.8 +0.4 6 +5.4
12 Kyle Whittingham
12.6
+3.5 +8.9 +12.5 +0.2 11 +0.1
13 Spencer Danielson
12.4
+6.1 +5.0 +11.1 +1.3 3 +0.0
14 Mario Cristobal
12.3
+7.8 +4.0 +11.8 +0.5 8 +6.1
15 Jim Harbaugh
12.3
+4.9 +6.7 +11.6 +0.6 9 +9.6
16 Steve Sarkisian
12.2
+5.3 +6.6 +11.9 +0.3 5 +2.3
17 Lane Kiffin
11.9
+8.7 +2.5 +11.2 +0.7 9 +7.6
18 Chris Klieman
11.7
+5.8 +5.0 +10.8 +0.9 7 +2.9
19 Jon Sumrall
11.5
+4.2 +7.1 +11.3 +0.2 4 +2.9
20 Brian Kelly
10.8
+7.4 +2.9 +10.3 +0.5 11 -1.4
21 Bobby Petrino
10.7
+8.4 +3.6 +12.1 -1.4 4 +2.3
22 Mike Elko
10.4
+5.7 +4.0 +9.6 +0.8 4 -0.7
23 Paul Chryst
10.4
+1.9 +10.2 +12.1 -1.7 8 -2.3
24 Mike Leach
10.3
+5.7 +5.5 +11.2 -0.9 8 -0.8
25 James Franklin
10.2
+2.6 +6.9 +9.4 +0.8 11 +4.4
26 Jeff Brohm
9.7
+5.7 +3.5 +9.3 +0.5 11 +5.0
27 Bob Stoops
9.7
+8.2 +2.1 +10.3 -0.6 3 +0.0
28 Ed Orgeron
9.6
+5.9 +3.3 +9.2 +0.4 6 -3.1
29 Jake Dickert
9.4
+2.3 +5.6 +7.9 +1.5 5 -2.3
30 Brent Venables
9.3
+1.1 +5.8 +6.9 +2.4 4 +1.9
31 Joey McGuire
9.3
+1.8 +6.0 +7.8 +1.4 4 +1.1
32 Bryan Harsin
9.2
+4.7 +5.0 +9.6 -0.5 8 -4.1
33 Mack Brown
8.3
+9.1 -1.4 +7.7 +0.6 6 -1.7
34 Gus Malzahn
8.3
+4.4 +3.5 +8.0 +0.3 10 +0.5
35 Sam Pittman
8.2
+5.8 +1.2 +7.0 +1.2 6 -1.5
36 Pat Fitzgerald
8.1
-0.8 +9.4 +8.6 -0.5 8 -3.7
37 G.J. Kinne
8.0
+8.6 -0.7 +7.9 +0.1 3 +0.0
38 Eli Drinkwitz
7.9
+4.6 +2.6 +7.2 +0.8 7 +5.5
39 Scott Satterfield
7.4
+5.3 +1.9 +7.2 +0.2 11 -3.9
40 Kane Wommack
7.3
+4.3 +3.1 +7.5 -0.2 3 +0.0
41 Matt Campbell
7.2
+3.6 +3.5 +7.1 +0.1 11 +2.9
42 Sonny Dykes
7.0
+7.6 -0.7 +7.0 +0.0 10 +1.7
43 Jimbo Fisher
6.9
+2.9 +3.6 +6.5 +0.3 9 +1.2
44 Kirk Ferentz
6.7
-2.2 +8.6 +6.3 +0.4 11 -1.3
45 Gary Patterson
6.6
+1.9 +5.9 +7.8 -1.2 7 +0.1
46 David Braun
6.5
+0.9 +4.8 +5.7 +0.9 3 +0.0
47 Hugh Freeze
6.5
+3.8 +3.5 +7.3 -0.7 9 -2.3
48 Dave Aranda
6.3
+3.5 +1.3 +4.8 +1.5 6 -4.1
49 Herm Edwards
6.2
+5.3 +1.0 +6.3 -0.1 5 +0.8
50 Brent Key
6.1
+5.0 +0.6 +5.6 +0.5 4 +1.8
51 Brian Newberry
6.1
+4.8 +3.4 +8.2 -2.1 3 +0.0
52 Dan Mullen
6.0
+5.9 +0.8 +6.6 -0.6 8 -0.9
53 Mike Gundy
5.9
+3.9 +1.9 +5.8 +0.1 11 -15.1
54 Shawn Clark
5.8
+4.5 +0.2 +4.7 +1.1 5 -3.8
55 Andy Avalos
5.7
+2.5 +2.3 +4.9 +0.9 3 +0.0
56 P.J. Fleck
5.6
+4.6 +1.2 +5.8 -0.2 11 -5.1
57 Deion Sanders
5.0
+1.8 +1.4 +3.1 +1.8 3 +0.0
58 Manny Diaz
4.8
+1.6 +2.2 +3.8 +1.0 5 -1.5
59 Ricky Rahne
4.8
+0.4 +4.7 +5.1 -0.3 5 +5.5
60 Jason Candle
4.7
+1.8 +2.4 +4.2 +0.5 11 -0.9
61 Pat Narduzzi
4.7
-0.0 +4.1 +4.1 +0.6 11 -2.0
62 Luke Fickell
4.7
+0.3 +4.4 +4.7 -0.1 9 -9.7
63 Jedd Fisch
4.6
+4.9 -0.7 +4.2 +0.5 6 +10.2
64 Dana Holgorsen
4.6
+3.8 +1.9 +5.7 -1.1 9 -0.0
65 Dave Doeren
4.6
+2.3 +1.8 +4.1 +0.4 11 -1.0
66 Kalani Sitake
4.4
+3.2 +1.8 +5.1 -0.6 10 +1.8
67 Major Applewhite
4.3
+4.2 +0.1 +4.3 +0.1 5 +0.1
68 Tyson Helton
4.3
+2.1 +1.8 +3.8 +0.5 7 -3.7
69 Jamey Chadwell
4.2
+5.4 -1.4 +4.0 +0.2 8 -3.0
70 Jeff Tedford
4.0
+1.8 +2.3 +4.1 -0.2 5 -6.6
71 Kenny Dillingham
3.9
-0.0 +2.8 +2.8 +1.2 3 +0.0
72 Mike Norvell
3.9
+4.4 -0.7 +3.7 +0.2 10 -1.1
73 Mike Locksley
3.8
+1.9 +1.4 +3.2 +0.6 7 +2.6
74 Charles Huff
3.8
-2.1 +5.3 +3.2 +0.6 5 -3.1
75 Clay Helton
3.7
+4.6 -1.0 +3.6 +0.1 11 -7.7
76 Jeff Traylor
3.7
+2.5 +0.7 +3.2 +0.5 6 -0.1
77 Tom Herman
3.6
+0.6 +3.4 +4.0 -0.3 8 -4.2
78 Matt Wells
3.6
+2.3 +2.5 +4.8 -1.2 7 -7.6
79 Eric Morris
3.5
+6.6 -3.1 +3.5 -0.0 3 +0.0
80 Bret Bielema
3.5
+3.9 -1.1 +2.8 +0.7 8 -0.5
81 Dave Clawson
3.5
+2.1 +1.5 +3.6 -0.2 10 -3.8
82 Jonathan Smith
3.4
+4.5 -2.0 +2.5 +0.9 8 +0.4
83 Scott Frost
3.2
+1.9 +1.8 +3.6 -0.4 8 -2.5
84 Billy Napier
3.1
+4.8 -1.8 +3.0 +0.1 8 +0.2
85 Shane Beamer
3.1
-1.5 +3.6 +2.1 +1.0 5 +1.8
86 Troy Calhoun
2.8
+5.3 -1.4 +3.8 -1.1 11 -5.0
87 Dino Babers
2.8
+1.9 +0.5 +2.3 +0.4 9 +3.1
88 Lance Leipold
2.7
+4.3 -2.9 +1.5 +1.3 11 +4.3
89 Jeff Monken
2.7
+4.1 -1.0 +3.1 -0.4 11 +2.6
90 Neal Brown
2.6
+1.1 +2.0 +3.1 -0.5 9 -2.0
91 Bill Clark
2.6
-1.0 +5.2 +4.3 -1.7 5 +0.1
92 Matt Rhule
2.5
-0.7 +2.3 +1.6 +0.9 8 -2.9
93 Skip Holtz
2.2
+2.8 -0.3 +2.5 -0.3 7 -4.4
94 Justin Fuente
2.1
+1.5 +0.6 +2.2 -0.1 7 -4.2
95 Chip Kelly
2.0
+3.2 -1.9 +1.3 +0.8 6 +6.3
96 Willie Fritz
2.0
-1.3 +3.7 +2.4 -0.4 11 -0.2
97 Tim Beck
1.9
-0.1 +1.7 +1.6 +0.3 3 +0.0
98 Barry Odom
1.9
+2.1 -0.5 +1.6 +0.3 7 -3.5
99 Ryan Silverfield
1.8
+3.1 -2.3 +0.7 +1.0 6 +3.5
100 Chip Lindsey
1.7
+0.8 +0.2 +1.0 +0.7 3 +0.0
101 Brent Pry
1.1
-2.4 +1.7 -0.7 +1.8 4 -1.2
102 Mark Stoops
1.0
-1.4 +1.8 +0.4 +0.7 11 -1.1
103 Ken Niumatalolo
1.0
+3.4 -2.8 +0.5 +0.5 10 -3.6
104 Jeff Hafley
0.8
+0.5 -0.7 -0.2 +0.9 4 -1.7
105 Justin Wilcox
0.4
-2.5 +1.9 -0.7 +1.0 9 +10.2
106 David Shaw
0.3
+3.6 -2.7 +0.9 -0.6 8 -8.2
107 Tim Albin
0.2
+0.9 -0.5 +0.4 -0.2 5 +1.6
108 Blake Anderson
0.2
-0.2 +1.4 +1.3 -1.1 10 -4.1
109 Steve Addazio
0.2
-3.6 +4.6 +1.0 -0.9 7 -2.2
110 K.C. Keeler
0.0
-1.1 +1.9 +0.9 -0.9 3 +0.0
111 Willie Taggart
-0.1
-0.4 +0.8 +0.3 -0.4 8 -2.0
112 Greg Schiano
-0.2
-1.3 -0.6 -1.9 +1.6 6 +3.4
113 Philip Montgomery
-0.3
+0.8 -0.1 +0.8 -1.1 9 -1.6
114 Tom Allen
-0.4
-1.4 +1.6 +0.2 -0.6 8 -9.0
115 Nick Rolovich
-0.5
+2.8 -3.7 -1.0 +0.5 7 -4.1
116 Rick Stockstill
-0.6
-1.8 +1.0 -0.9 +0.2 9 +0.3
117 Rich Rodriguez
-1.1
-0.2 -0.3 -0.5 -0.5 6 +1.7
118 Alex Golesh
-1.2
-2.0 +0.1 -1.9 +0.8 3 +0.0
119 Todd Graham
-1.2
+0.7 -1.8 -1.0 -0.1 5 +2.9
120 Tony Elliott
-1.2
-2.7 +0.8 -1.9 +0.7 4 +0.7
121 Clark Lea
-1.2
+2.3 -4.4 -2.2 +0.9 5 +5.4
122 Bryant Vincent
-1.3
-0.1 +0.2 +0.1 -1.4 3 +0.0
123 Tim Lester
-1.3
+2.4 -3.3 -0.9 -0.4 6 -1.6
124 Rod Carey
-1.4
-4.7 +3.3 -1.4 +0.0 7 -9.4
125 Craig Bohl
-1.5
-3.3 +2.2 -1.1 -0.4 9 -1.4
126 Jim Mora
-1.5
-1.1 -0.2 -1.3 -0.2 7 -1.2
127 Chad Lunsford
-1.6
-1.5 -0.3 -1.8 +0.2 6 -2.0
128 Michael Desormeaux
-1.6
+0.3 -2.2 -1.9 +0.2 5 +2.0
129 Mel Tucker
-1.8
+0.4 -2.4 -2.0 +0.2 5 +1.5
130 Chuck Martin
-1.9
-3.4 +1.5 -1.9 +0.1 11 +5.6
131 Bronco Mendenhall
-1.9
+1.0 -3.1 -2.2 +0.3 9 -0.1
132 Jim McElwain
-2.1
-3.3 +1.5 -1.7 -0.3 9 -9.9
133 Seth Littrell
-2.1
+0.1 -1.9 -1.9 -0.2 7 -1.1
134 Sean Lewis
-2.8
+1.9 -4.8 -2.9 +0.2 7 -1.2
135 Brent Brennan
-2.9
-2.1 -1.5 -3.6 +0.7 9 -0.4
136 Timmy Chang
-3.2
-1.8 -2.2 -4.0 +0.7 4 +3.3
137 Jerry Kill
-3.2
+0.5 -3.6 -3.2 -0.1 4 +1.1
138 Jay Norvell
-3.3
-1.8 -1.3 -3.1 -0.2 9 -2.8
139 Shawn Elliott
-3.3
-0.5 -3.0 -3.5 +0.2 8 +7.0
140 Brady Hoke
-3.5
-5.4 +2.0 -3.4 -0.0 5 +3.3
141 Gerad Parker
-3.5
-2.2 -1.4 -3.6 +0.1 3 +0.0
142 Paul Petrino
-3.6
-3.4 +0.7 -2.7 -0.9 10 -1.4
143 David Cutcliffe
-3.8
-3.9 +0.4 -3.4 -0.4 7 -6.1
144 D.J. Durkin
-3.8
-2.1 -1.8 -3.9 +0.1 3 +0.0
145 Lance Taylor
-4.0
-2.1 -2.5 -4.6 +0.6 3 +0.0
146 Biff Poggi
-4.2
-5.6 +0.5 -5.1 +0.9 3 +0.0
147 Joe Moorhead
-4.5
-4.8 +0.8 -4.1 -0.4 6 -9.2
148 Kevin Wilson
-4.7
-0.6 -2.8 -3.4 -1.3 4 -1.5
149 Mike MacIntyre
-4.7
-3.2 -0.6 -3.8 -0.9 7 -8.0
150 Mike Sanford Jr.
-4.8
-3.2 -1.6 -4.8 -0.0 3 +0.0
151 Thomas Hammock
-4.9
-2.0 -3.3 -5.2 +0.3 7 +3.0
152 Trent Dilfer
-5.2
+1.6 -6.9 -5.3 +0.1 3 +0.0
153 Butch Davis
-5.4
+1.1 -6.0 -4.9 -0.5 5 -4.1
154 Mike Neu
-5.7
-2.0 -3.6 -5.6 -0.1 9 -3.4
155 Scot Loeffler
-5.8
-4.8 -0.7 -5.4 -0.4 6 +13.8
156 Geoff Collins
-6.1
-5.1 -1.8 -6.9 +0.8 6 +0.5
157 Maurice Linguist
-6.2
-4.7 -1.7 -6.4 +0.2 3 +0.0
158 Karl Dorrell
-6.4
-4.9 -2.3 -7.3 +0.8 3 +0.0
159 Mike Houston
-6.5
-3.9 -2.6 -6.4 -0.0 6 +0.7
160 Terry Bowden
-6.5
-5.9 +0.8 -5.2 -1.3 7 -2.4
161 Frank Wilson
-6.6
-6.6 +0.1 -6.5 -0.1 5 -4.9
162 Sonny Cumbie
-7.1
-5.6 -1.7 -7.3 +0.2 5 +1.7
163 Derek Mason
-7.2
-3.6 -2.7 -6.4 -0.8 8 -9.0
164 Butch Jones
-7.5
-2.5 -5.7 -8.2 +0.6 8 -1.1
165 Will Healy
-7.6
+2.7 -9.9 -7.2 -0.4 4 -3.6
166 Chris Creighton
-8.0
-2.5 -5.2 -7.6 -0.4 11 +1.5
167 Pete Lembo
-8.4
-6.1 -3.0 -9.1 +0.7 3 +0.0
168 Don Brown
-8.5
-4.8 -4.6 -9.4 +0.9 3 +0.0
169 Tyson Summers
-8.8
-6.5 -1.9 -8.5 -0.3 3 +0.0
170 Will Hall
-8.8
-7.9 -0.4 -8.3 -0.6 4 +0.0
171 Jake Spavital
-10.3
-5.1 -4.7 -9.8 -0.5 4 +2.5
172 Doug Martin
-10.4
-3.9 -6.3 -10.1 -0.3 6 -3.8
173 Mike Bloomgren
-11.4
-4.9 -6.1 -11.0 -0.4 7 +5.3
174 Jeff Scott
-11.5
-3.6 -7.7 -11.3 -0.2 3 +0.0
175 Stan Drayton
-11.8
-7.6 -4.7 -12.3 +0.4 3 +0.0
176 Marcus Arroyo
-12.0
-3.9 -8.7 -12.7 +0.7 3 +0.0
177 Danny Gonzales
-12.7
-8.4 -4.8 -13.2 +0.4 4 -0.8
178 Dana Dimel
-13.0
-6.2 -5.3 -11.5 -1.5 6 +8.0
179 Tony Sanchez
-14.1
-5.7 -7.1 -12.7 -1.4 7 -1.5
180 Scotty Walden
-14.6
-14.3 -1.8 -16.1 +1.5 3 +0.0
181 Everett Withers
-14.7
-10.6 -4.3 -14.9 +0.2 4 +3.3
182 Randy Edsall
-17.8
-7.1 -10.7 -17.8 -0.0 5 -7.6
183 Tom Arth
-19.0
-9.1 -9.1 -18.1 -0.8 3 +0.0
184 Walt Bell
-22.9
-10.0 -12.4 -22.4 -0.5 3 +0.0