One of the secrets of a great football team is having amazing assistant coaches. These skilled men handle core sectors such as defensive coordinators, offensive coordinators, Cornerbacks Coaches, and wide receivers, among many others.
Some assistant coaches stand out even more than the rest. That is why we have listed the 15 Best Assistant Coaches in College Football in 2024.
Kindly read through this post as it promises to be very informative and helpful.
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What Does a College Football Coach Do?
As a college football coach, you oversee your school’s football team. This entails finding athletes, making sure your squad has the proper gear, juggling practice and games with school assignments, and inspiring players to perform at their highest level during the football season.
The NCAA sports division your institution belongs to will affect a lot of facets of your employment. While Division III institutions are less competitive and place more emphasis on academic achievement than athletic success,
Division I colleges are the most intensely focused on football success. In addition, coaches are in charge of managing all other staff members, including recruiters, assistant coaches, and anybody else working with the team.
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How to Become a College Football Coach
The primary requirements for coaching college football vary depending on the institution. Many coaches begin at public schools and work their way up because most institutions like yours already have experience coaching at a competitive level for a high school or college team.
A master’s degree in a related discipline is preferred by most schools, while most require a bachelor’s degree as well. Before becoming the head coach of a college football team, coaches generally begin as assistants to get experience in the position.
Leadership, communication, and memorization of all football regulations are necessary for college football coaches to carry out their tasks and duties.
How Much Money Does a Football Assistant Coach Make?
In the United States, assistant football coaches make an average salary of $45,329 per year or $21.79 per hour. On the lower end of the spectrum, the poorest 10% of assistant football coaches make about $29,000 a year, while the top 10% make $69,000.
Location determines how much an assistant football coach may expect to make. The states with the highest wages for assistant football coaches are New York, Hawaii, New Jersey, Delaware, and Massachusetts.
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15 Best Assistant Coaches In College Football
1. Jim Knowles, Defensive Coordinator, Ohio State
The one thing Ohio State lacked in 2024 was a reliable defense, as the Barnes entry alluded to. With a stronger defensive effort, the Buckeyes might be in the national championship game. It’s a good thing Knowles is coming. After leading Oklahoma State’s defense in a breakthrough season, he was recognized as a Broyles Award finalist in 2024.
He is one of the best assistant coaches in college football. With just 297.5 yards allowed per game, the Cowboys’ total defense ranked seventh in the FBS. Only 18.07 points were given up each game, which was eighth nationally. These two figures were the best in the Big 12. By relocating to Columbus, Knowles’ talent unquestionably improves. With Knowles in charge, that defense’s potential has no bounds.
2. Corey Raymond, Cornerbacks Coach, Florida.
There are no better defensive backs coaches than Raymond. He is simply one of the best assistant coaches in college football. Do you want to know how LSU got the nickname “Defensive Back University”? The reason is Raymond.
In the defensive backfield, he spent the previous ten years in Baton Rouge producing NFL prospect after NFL prospect. Tyrann Mathieu, Jamal Adams, Tre’Davious White, Greedy Williams, Donte Jackson, and potential first-round pick Derek Stingley Jr. are just a few of the past players on his roster that look like they belong on a Pro Bowl team. The most influential non-coordinator assistant in the entire nation is Raymond.
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3. Nick Eason, Defensive Line, Clemson
The Clemson staff of Dabo Swinney experienced a high rate of staff turnover for the first time in a very long time. That includes the two coordinators and Todd Bates, the defensive line coach who departed for Oklahoma.
Swinney went after Eason, a seasoned NFL coach who had only this season transitioned to coaching college football. Eason played for Auburn for just one season, and the Tigers’ defensive line was outstanding during his tenure there. It is simple to be enthused about a former NFL coach who had a discernible effect during his one season working with a team.
Eason’s only flaw is that it’s difficult to gauge him as a recruiter, but he is one of the best assistant coaches in college football. Not enough data to support any assertions, but he did lead the charge in signing defensive lineman Jeffrey M’ba, the No. 1 JUCO prospect in the 2024 247Sports composite rankings.
4. Jeff Lebby, Offensive Coordinator, Oklahoma
The main worry with Oklahoma signing Brent Venables is a decline in the offense when Riley left for USC. Riley has a sharp offensive mentality and can effectively develop every position. Any concerns are allayed by Lebby, a former student assistant for the Sooners from 2002 to 2006 and one of the best assistant coaches in college football.
Josh Heupel and Lane Kiffin, two offensive wizards, taught him recently, and he will bring their trademark fast-paced offense to Norman.
Additionally, he will be reunited with former UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who will lead all FBS schools in passing in 2020. Just take a look at what Lebby and Matt Corral accomplished at Ole Miss during the 2024 season to see why supporters should be ecstatic about Lebby and Gabriel’s potential.
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5. Shaun Nua, Defensive Line Coach, USC
The fact that Lincoln Riley and the USC could lure Nua away from Michigan for the same role with the Trojans is commendable. Some people had expected Nua to take the next step and become a defensive coordinator somewhere.
The cultural fit is important because he graduated from BYU and spent most of his early coaching career on the West Coast. Starting with a pair of defensive ends in Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, it is easy to see why Nua’s name is near the top of this list. A stronger defensive line pairing in recent college football history is difficult to find.
Hutchinson, who recorded 14 sacks in 2024, is a strong candidate to be selected first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Ojabo and his 11 sacks are not too far behind as a prospect.
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6. Alex Grinch, Defensive Coordinator, USC
Alex Grinch is not concerned about getting the next promotion, much like another former defensive coordinator from Oklahoma who is currently at Clemson making him one of the best assistant coaches in college football.
According to Vic Reynolds of the OU Daily, Grinch stated in 2019 that “[becoming a head coach is] something I’ve always thought about and I think a lot other coaches have.” “Right now, I think I’m simply overjoyed to be in Oklahoma, to be in charge of defense, to be in charge of a room. It doesn’t particularly interest me to have a title next to my name or to sit at the head of the table.”
Grinch made an impression during his tenure as the DC at Washington State from 2015 to 2017 and at Ohio State in 2018. Afterward, he transformed Oklahoma’s terrible defense into a passably efficient team last season and is currently the DC at USC. The improvement in yards allowed per play from 102nd to 63rd is no small feat.
There should be plenty of interest if the Grinch decides to change his mind about taking the reins as head coach.
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7. Zach Kittley, Offensive Coordinator, Texas Tech
The air raid is returning to Lubbock thanks to Kittley. The youthful OC, a follower of Mike Leach, has destroyed it at each of his past two destinations. Under Kittley’s coaching, Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe set NCAA records for throwing yards and touchdowns in 2024.
The Hilltoppers improved their scoring position from 115th in 2020 to second in FBS this year. The resume speaks for itself, even though it is impossible to predict if he will achieve the same degree of success at the Power 5 level.
8. Jim Leonhard, Defensive Coordinator, Wisconsin
James Andrew Leonhard is a former player and current coach in American football. He is the Wisconsin Badgers football team’s defensive coordinator. Leonhard played safety professionally for 10 seasons in the National Football League while attending Wisconsin for his college football career.
Jim Leonhard is aware that he doesn’t have to scramble up the coaching ladder quickly making him one of the best assistant coaches in college football.
The security of his position is also helpful. Leonhard, an All-American safety who spent ten years in the NFL after being a walk-on, is a perfect example of the curriculum. When coordinator Justin Wilcox left for Cal in 2017, he took his place as the defensive backs coach after returning to Madison in 2016.
With Leonhard, Wisconsin has prospered, most recently finishing second in sacks and first in third-down defense in the FBS.
Although Leonhard is a secure employee at Wisconsin, he ought to frequently be brought up in future coaching jobs.
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9. Brennan Marion, Wide Receivers, Texas
Compared to some of the other names on this list, Marion’s career has not risen as quickly. Since 2011, he has been involved in coaching in some capacity, spending the majority of his formative years at the high school level.
In 2015, he became a quality control assistant at Arizona State. But the last few years have been a whirlwind for Marion as he rose to become one of the most well-known and best assistant coaches in college football.
The wide receivers coach has spent one season in each Hawaii, Pittsburgh, and Texas between 2020 and the present, and each of those seasons has been a significant step forward for him.
Jordan Addison, a wide receiver for the Panthers, won the Biletnikoff Award in 2024, the only year he worked for Marion. That is an enormous testament to Marion’s talent and a terrific selling point when he goes on the recruiting circuit.
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10. Tosh Lupoi, Defensive Coordinator, Oregon
Every requirement you have for an assistant is met by Lupoi. Before assuming full responsibility for calling defensive plays in 2018, he served as Alabama’s linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator from 2016 to 2017.
In his first two seasons with the program, the defense of the Tide was ranked second in the country. Jonathan Allen, Reuben Foster, Daron Payne, and Rashaan Evans were among the potential first-round draft prospects he worked with as a coach. He worked as a defensive line coach for several NFL teams between 2019 and 21; most recently, he was with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He has coaching skills. He also happens to be among the sport’s top pure recruiters. Seven five-star players that committed to Alabama were recruited by him as their primary source.
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11. Sean Gleeson, Offensive Coordinator Rutgers
Coach and former player of American football, Sean Gleeson is currently Rutgers University’s offensive coordinator. He has performed this function at four different universities, including Rutgers.
This offseason, Sean Gleeson, made it known that he is a Jersey boy. he is one of the best assistant coaches in college football.
Despite having a fruitful year as Oklahoma State’s offensive coordinator, he took the same position at Rutgers when he returned to the Northeast. Before taking a one-year break to work in Stillwater, Gleeson oversaw Princeton and Fairleigh Dickinson’s offensive operations.
But don’t confuse small schools with low standards. Gleeson oversaw a Princeton Ivy League attack that broke records, and his ingenuity earned him a chance at OK State. The Pokes had one of the most explosive offenses last season, leading the FBS in gains of 60+ yards and finishing 20th nationally in yards per play.
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12. Chris Marve, Defensive Coordinator, Virginia Tech
From graduate assistant with Vanderbilt in 2015 to defensive coordinator with the Hokies just about five years later, Marve has quickly ascended the coaching ranks. That is a short path to a significant coaching position.
Marve will be serving in this capacity for the first time. He worked with linebackers at Florida State (from 2019), Mississippi State (from 2016 to 18), and Vanderbilt (2020-21).
Linebacker play for the Seminoles, which was a problem in previous seasons, improved noticeably this year thanks to Kalen DeLoach and DJ Lundy, who both displayed clear growth. Marve is a talented recruiter who excelled when working with the Commodores on the trail.
13. Frank Wilson, Associate Head Coach, LSU
Wilson is the most significant hire that Brian Kelly will ever make. That might be taken as an exaggeration, but Wilson, a native of New Orleans, is Louisiana’s coach. He worked as LSU’s recruiting coordinator from 2010 to 2015 under then-coach Les Miles, and as a result, he has strong links to every region of the state.
Due in significant part to his efforts to secure in-state recruiting, he was named national recruiter of the year twice during that time. A strong roster might be created just from Louisiana football talent. Wilson is the first to be addressed by Kelly if she hopes to retain local talent. He is one of the best assistant coaches in college football.
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14. Manny Diaz, Defensive Coordinator, Penn State
Miami’s tenure under Diaz as a head coach came to an abrupt end. With a 21-15 record over his first three years, he only had one losing season. Do not let anything take your attention away from the fact that Diaz is one of the best defensive coaches in the country.
Before being elevated to head coach, he had a tremendous influence as a defensive coordinator at schools like Texas, Mississippi State, and Miami, albeit his time there may have dulled the luster.
He takes over a group full of skills that already included one of the greatest teams this season. Under Diaz, it should get even better.
15. Morgan Scalley, Defensive Coordinator, Utah
American football coach Morgan Scalley is the University of Utah’s current defensive coordinator. In addition, he played collegiate football in Utah and high school football at Highland High School in Salt Lake City, where he has spent his entire coaching career.
He was an All-American safety in the early 2000s, but he worked as a low-level assistant during the 2006–07 seasons. Before taking over the defense in 2016, Scalley worked as the recruiting coordinator for seven years before becoming the safeties coach in 2008.
In terms of yards allowed per play over the past three seasons, Utah has placed 28th, 10th, and sixth nationally. Look elsewhere if success is worthy of head coaching.
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What Does An Assistant Football Coach Do?
Under the leadership of the head football coach, assistant football coaches help the players advance their technical abilities. Together with the head coach, they design plans and help the players hone their technical abilities.
Football assistant coaches primarily assist the head or primary coach and carry out administrative tasks. They coordinate and manage practice sessions, aid with student recruiting, and keep an eye on and assess team performance. They must perform any additional tasks that are given to them since they follow the head coach’s instructions at all times.
Many assistant football coaches need to possess particular talents to carry out their duties. We could focus on the most typical competencies for someone in this position by looking through resumes. We found that interpersonal qualities, commitment, and communication abilities were stated on many resumes.
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How To Become an Assistant Football Coach
One of the first things to think about if you want to work as an assistant football coach is your educational background. We found that 75.0% of football assistant coaches had a bachelor’s degree.
We discovered that 10.9% of assistant football coaches have master’s degrees, which is higher education. Even though the majority of assistant football coaches hold a college degree, you can still become one with just a high school diploma or GED.
When looking into how to become an assistant football coach, picking the right degree is always crucial. When we looked at the most typical majors for assistant football coaches, we discovered that bachelor’s or master’s degrees were the most typical.
Associate degrees and high school diplomas are two other degrees that we frequently find on the resumes of assistant football coaches.
You can discover that previous employment will help you advance to the position of an assistant football coach. A lot of assistant football coaching positions demand prior experience in a position like an internship.
Many assistant football coaches, meanwhile, have a prior work history in positions like a head football coach or sales representative.
FAQs
Kirk Ferentz. All FBS institutions are participants in one of these conferences, except seven (Army, BYU, UConn, Liberty, UMass, New Mexico State, and Notre Dame). The head coach with the longest continuous tenure in Division I FBS is Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, who achieved this in 2019.
Nick Saban of Alabama has renewed his contract ahead of the 2024 season, making him the highest-paid college coach working for a public university once more. The Crimson Tide coach will receive $10.695 million this season, up from the $9.9 million he was expected to make, according to Nick Kelly of The Tuscaloosa News.
Larry Kehres is at the top of the list, having led the Mount Union Purple Raiders to a. 929 winning percentage from 1986 to 2012.
In Division 1, coaches make an average of $2.7 million annually. In college football, the D1 level frequently features the most desirable colleges. This is because of prestigious universities like UCLA or Penn State, as well as leagues with five-star college football programs like the Big Ten or Pac-12.
The national championship belongs to Yale. They’ve triumphed 18 times. With two of the first three Heisman winners, 100 All-Americans, 28 Hall of Fame inductees, and the most ever (18 national championships), Yale football boasts one of the most outstanding credentials in the sport.
Associate coaches are positioned in the coaching hierarchy one level up from a regular assistant coach and one step down from the head coach. This gives them a lot of authority, making them the real second in command in the locker room if the team names an associate coach.
Conclusion
Most people believe that the role of an assistant coach is more important than the head coach. Some argue that every head coach owes his success to his assistant coaches. This is true because these assistant coaches handle the most pivotal aspects of handling a team.
We hope our post on the 15 Best Assistant Coaches in College Football was as helpful as promised.
Kindly let us know what you think.
Reference
- bleacherreport.com – The Best 10 CFB Assistants with Head Coach Potential
- 247sports.com – College football coaching carousel: Top 15 assistant coaching hires so far
- ziprecruiter.com – College Football Coaches Jobs – What Are They and How to Get One
- zippia.com – HOW TO BECOME AN ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH
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