The Best Coaching Hires of the Past Five Years

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Mike Farrell | Last updated 1/16/24

With all the new hires and the domino effect we’re seeing from Nick Saban and (soon to be) Jim Harbaugh, the question begs to be asked. Who are the best recent hires? How about these dudes since 2019…

1. Mike Norvell, Florida State

— He took over FSU in COVID, and they were an absolute mess after Jimbo Fisher left the cupboard bare and Willie Taggart was over his head. And he should have taken them to the playoff this season. He’s better than his 31-17 record.

2. Lance Leipold, Kansas

— How in the heck do you win nine games at Kansas? I guess we ask Mark Mangino who won 10 what seems like 100 years ago. Leipold took over a dead program and has been to back-to-back bowls with a 9-4 season this year. Amazing.

3. Steve Sarkisian, Texas

— Texas had won 10 games once since their 2009 title game loss. Sark took a floundering program and has them on an upward trajectory as they head to the SEC. He’s been a great hire, and his 25-14 record could get better and better.

4. Kalen DeBoer, Washington

— He’s third on this list because he’s only been there two years, but the job he did was amazing. He has big shoes to fill in Alabama, but he seems to be a solid hire. 25-3 is pretty amazing.

5. Dan Lanning, Oregon

— He's just behind DeBoer because of the losses, but he has the Ducks set to be a real problem in the Big Ten. Lanning is 22-5 in two years.

6. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss

— He’s 34-15 in four seasons with two double-digit win seasons and has Ole Miss on the cusp of something special. He hasn’t won the big games, but maybe that’s next.

7. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri

— 28-21 isn’t great, but he’s broken through it appears, and the 11-2 season this year was improbable but exciting. Expectations are high now, especially with his success on the recruiting trail, so can he keep up?

8. Josh Heupel, Tennessee

— 27-12, and you could make a case that he’s a better hire than Drinkwitz. But isn’t Missouri a harder job than Tennessee? Heupel has been amazing for the Vols, no matter how you shake it.

9. Jedd Fisch, Arizona

— he’s 16-21 but went from 1-11 to 5-7 to 10-3, and now he’s off to Washington. He’s been a great coach and was an amazing hire for Arizona, but will he remain that way, replacing DeBoer?