Ranking the Big 12 Head Coaches Worst to First

Where does Neal Brown rank among other coaches in the league?

Nov 25, 2023; Waco, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown and Baylor Bears head coach Dave Aranda talk at midfield following the game at McLane Stadium. / Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

With Oklahoma and Texas departing the Big 12, in addition to the arrival of several new schools entering the league, it's time to update the conference's head coaching rankings.

Note: Records from FCS, DII, or DIII are not included.

16. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State

Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; ASU Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham yells out from the sidelines as his team plays against the Colorado Buffaloes at Mountain America Stadium. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY

Record at current school: 3-9 (.250)
Career record: 3-9 (.250)

Dillingham is in charge of a tough rebuild at Arizona State. I don't know if he'll turn the program around anytime soon, but if they give the young, bright offensive mind time it could work out.

15. Brent Brennan, Arizona

Oct 1, 2022; Laramie, Wyoming, USA; San Jose State Spartans head coach Brent Brennan before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. / Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 34-48 (.415)
Career record: 34-48 (.415)

I was really surprised Brennan ended up being the guy for Arizona. He didn't have all that much success at San Jose State, posting just three winning seasons in seven years. We'll see.

14. Deion Sanders, Colorado

Mar 30, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Colorado Buffaloes football head coach Deion Sanders before the game between the Arlington Renegades and the Birmingham Stallions at Choctaw Stadium. / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 4-8 (.333)
Career record: 4-8 (.333)

What Deion did at Jackson State was nothing short of amazing. Being a Power Four head coach, though, is a different beast. The Buffs have to establish depth on both sides of the ball before they can be taken seriously in the Big 12. They can win the portal every year, but they can't live in it.

13. Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati

Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield blows his whistle during spring football practice, Monday, March 4, 2024, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

Record at current school: 3-9 (.250)
Career record: 75-49 (.605)

I've never been that big on Satterfield, even dating back to when he first landed the Louisville job. I fear he's the coach they needed to help Cincinnati transition to the Big 12 and nothing more.

12. Dave Aranda, Baylor

Nov 11, 2023; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Baylor Bears head coach Dave Aranda looks on during the fourth quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. / Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 23-25 (.479)
Career record: 23-25 (.479)

Just a couple of years ago, Aranda became a hot name for some bigger fish around college football after going 12-2 and winning the Sugar Bowl in year two at Baylor. It's all went downhill since and enters the 2024 season on the hot seat.

11. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech

Texas Tech's head football coach Joey McGuire pauses during a drill at a spring football practice, Thursday, March 21, 2024, at Sports Performance Center. / Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY

Record at current school: 15-11 (.577)
Career record: 15-11 (.577)

Injuries at QB have held the Red Raiders back in McGuire's first two years on the job. That being said, they've still been able to win 15 games in that span and win a pair of bowl games. His strong ties to Texas high schools could be what eventually turns Tech from slightly above average to a serious contender in the Big 12 on a more regular basis.

10. Willie Fritz, Houston

Dec 6, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars football head coach Willie Fritz is interviewed during the game against the Rice Owls at Fertitta Center. / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 0-0
Career record: 72-54 (.571)

I don't believe Fritz will turn Houston around right away, but I don't think it will take all that long. He has a strong recruiting hot bed to work with and the guy can flat out coach.

9. Neal Brown, West Virginia

Oct 12, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown looks on during the second half against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 31-29 (.517)
Career record: 66-45 (.595)

Neal Brown coached his way off the hot seat and into a contract extension. Are the Mountaineers actually climbing or was 2023 an anomaly? I don't believe it's the latter. He's established a strong culture and identity that they can win with in Morgantown.

8. Matt Campbell, Iowa State

Iowa State Cyclones football head coach Matt Campbell reacts during the Spring Football at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA

Record at current school: 53-48 (.525)
Career record: 88-63 (.583)

The only reason I have Campbell higher than Neal Brown is because ISU was in a much worse situation when he took over. The Cyclones had six consecutive losing seasons at the time and had nine losing seasons in ten years. While they have certainly underwhelmed at times, Campbell has at least put them in a position to be competitive - something they were far from for over a decade.

7. Kalani Sitake, BYU

Sep 16, 2023; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; BYU Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. BYU won 38-31. / Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 61-41 (.598)
Career record: 61-41 (.598)

Sitake did a respectable job with BYU as an independent, but life in the Big 12 might not be as peachy. They'll always have a tough, physical brand of football that only a few others can match in the conference, but depth and athleticism could be a sore spot for them compared to others.

6. Sonny Dykes, TCU

Nov 11, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes argues with an official after a penalty flag on a play during the game against theTexas Longhorns at Amon G. Carter Stadium. / Aaron E. Martinez-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 18-9 (.667)
Career record: 89-72 (.553)

It's hard to win at Cal and Dykes was able to experience that firsthand. He bounced back at SMU and then took the Horned Frogs to the national championship in his first year. It was a major step back in 2023, but he'll get them back on track. He's too good of an offensive mind not to.

5. Gus Malzahn, UCF

Dec 22, 2023; Tampa, FL, USA; UCF Knights head coach Gus Malzahn reacts during the second half of the Gasparilla Bowl against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Raymond James Stadium. / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 24-16 (.600)
Career record: 101-54 (.652)

Sure, Malzahn didn't get back to a big-time bowl game after Cam Newton, but he still won a respectable amount of games including a 10-win campaign in 2017. He's had more success at the Power Four level than most in the Big 12 and he's now in charge of a sleeping giant in UCF.

4. Chris Klieman, Kansas State

Kansas State's head coach Chris Klieman walks along the sidelines before the game against Texas Tech, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at Jones AT&T Stadium. / Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY

Record at current school: 39-24 (.619)
Career record: 39-24 (.619)

Klieman went 69-6 and won four national titles with North Dakota State. Just insane. Since taking over at K-State he's been able to keep them in the conversation nearly every year. The Wildcats have ranked in the top 20 of the final top 25 poll over the last two years and on paper, appears to have his best team in 2024.

3. Lance Leipold, Kansas

Oct 28, 2023; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold walks on the field after the win over the Oklahoma Sooners at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 17-21 (.447)
Career record: 54-54 (.500)

The record still doesn't look great, but when you inherit the mess of a program Leipold did, it looks nice and shiny. What's worse news for the Big 12 is that Kansas is only beginning to scratch the surface. As long a Leipold is the head coach, the Jayhawks are going to be a problem in some way, shape or form.

2. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State

Dec 27, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy on the sideline before the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at NRG Stadium. / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 166-79 (.678)
Career record: 166-79 (.678)

The Big 12's longest-tenured coach is the most consistent. Mike Gundy always finds a way to punch above everyone's expectations, putting his team in contention for the conference title on a yearly basis.

1. Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Nov 25, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham on the sideline against the Colorado Buffaloes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. / Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports

Record at current school: 162-79 (.672)
Career record: 162-79 (.672)

Two losing seasons in twenty years. TWO. Many, including myself figured that Whittingham and the Utes would not see the same success in the PAC 12, but boy were we all wrong. It took a couple of years to adjust and then all he did was win. The Utes produces four 10-win seasons in the PAC 12 and won two conference titles. They'll continue that success in the Big 12.