By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports
What makes a coach great?
Is it the success of a single season? Or is it consistency over many years?
And how do you compare a second or third-year head coach against someone who has been doing it for 15 years or more?
Those are all questions to grapple with when ranking the top coaches in the Big 12.
Sure, Kenny Dillingham could be considered one of the top three coaches in the league if you only look at last year.
But leaders such as Mike Gundy, Kyle Whittingham, and Rich Rodriguez have been doing it since George W. Bush was President.
I refuse to ignore success over the decades in favor of the limited results of a single season. With that in mind, here’s how I rank the 16 Coaches in the Big 12 heading into 2025.
1. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
It would be easy to look at last season’s results and scoff at Mike Gundy. But the 3-9 record in 2024 was so far off the norm that it can quickly be ignored.
The fact is, Gundy has compiled a career record of 169-88, with eight seasons of 10 or more wins. Prior to last year’s debacle, he had led Ok State to 18-straight bowl games.
eLike him or hate him, there’s no denying Gundy’s historic run.
2. Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Another great one, Kyle Whittingham is a legend. Taking over the Utah program in 2005, Whittingham has put together a career record of 167-86 with seven seasons of 10 wins or more.
In 2008, he led Utah to a 13-0 year that was capped off with a Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama.
He has transformed the Utes into what they are today and deserves to have the stadium named after him once he retires.
3. Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia
One of the most innovative coaches in the history of college football, Rich Rodriguez wins wherever he goes.
Between 2005 and 2007, he went 32-5 at West Virginia. And in 2014, he led Arizona to its third-ever 10-win season. Over his 18-year career, his teams have 14 winning seasons. The guy knows how to win and instills an elite culture within his program.
You can’t be soft and play for Rich Rod.
4. Matt Campbell, Iowa State
Matt Campbell is on a historic path. At just 45 years old, he has already garnered a career record of 99-66, including an Iowa State record-setting 11-win season last year.
Campbell resurrected the ISU program from the dumps and has converted the Cyclones into a Big 12 power.
Other than the 4-8 abnormality in 2022, he has led Iowa State to winning seasons in seven of the last eight years.
5. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
In just his second year as a head coach, Kenny Dillingham led Arizona State to the Playoff and finished the year with 11 wins.
The historic season has set the groundwork for what could be a powerhouse in the Big 12.
Dillingham has a clear vision for what ASU can be and has successfully implemented it so far. Now, the question becomes: can he do it again?
6. Kalani Sitake, BYU
Kalani Sitake has BYU on an elite run. In his nine years in Provo, Sitake has put together three seasons of 10 wins or more, including last year’s 11-2 mark.
His teams are 5-2 in bowl games and BYU has winning seasons in seven of his nine years.
The program has been elevated under his leadership and should continue to rise in the Conference.
7. Sonny Dykes, TCU
The run to the National Championship game in 2022 won’t ever be forgotten. Sonny Dykes was in his first year at TCU and arguably put together the program’s best-ever season.
But with a record of 98-76 over his career, Dykes is a bit hit-or-miss. His teams have winning seasons in just eight of his 15 years.
Still, he is 52-23 since the start of the 2019 season, including an appearance in the National Championship. Not many can say that.
8. Chris Klieman, Kansas State
Mr. Consistent, Chris Klieman took over Kansas State in 2019 and led the Wildcats to winning seasons in five of his six years. Hovering around the eight or nine-win mark almost every season, Klieman has yet to get KSU to bust through.
But there are many programs around the country that would happily accept an average of eight wins per year over the last six seasons.
And with a Sugar Bowl appearance in 2022, it would be unwise for the fanbase to try and run him off.
9. Deion Sanders, Colorado
Deion Sanders is 13-12 as an FBS head coach. An elite recruiter and CEO-style leader, Sanders has quickly rebuilt Colorado’s program.
This upcoming season is critical for the trajectory of his coaching career. Another nine-win or better year would solidify his image, while a regression would come with scrutiny.
Regardless, Sanders has established a solid foundation in Boulder with a high ceiling.
10. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech
Joey McGuire is one 10-win season away from becoming a well-known name.
He has only been a head coach for three years and has led Texas Tech to a winning record in all three seasons. But without a marquee bowl win and having never won more than eight games in a year, McGuire is still an unknown.
Still, there’s no denying his skill as a head coach, and Texas Tech is positioned for a Playoff run this year.
11. Willie Fritz, Houston
In 2021, Willie Fritz was the head coach of a Tulane team that went 2-10.
The next year, the Green Wave went 12-2 and won the Cotton Bowl. The following season, Fritz led Tulane to an 11-2 mark and left at the end of the year to take the Houston job.
Now at 75-62 over his career, Fritz is at his most high-profile gig to date. Don’t be surprised if the Cougars are better than expected in 2025.
12. Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati
Entering his third year at Cincinnati, Scott Satterfield has something brewing.
The Bearcats won just three games in his first year but managed to win five last season. Now, a bowl appearance is arguably the expectation for 2025.
After going 47-16 at Appalachian State between 2014 and 2018, Satterfield has put together just two winning seasons since. The clock is ticking.
13. Dave Aranda, Baylor
Baylor has been inconsistent under Dave Aranda. They had two wins in his first year, 12 victories in Year 2, six in his third year, three in Year 4, and eight last season.
Sitting at 31-30 over his five-year career with just two winning seasons, it’s anyone’s guess how good Baylor will be in 2025.
Still, the Bears have made a bowl game in three of the least four seasons and appear to be back on track.
14. Lance Leipold, Kansas
Kansas fell short of expectations last year and it puts Lance Leipold under the microscope.
Coming off a nine-win season in 2023, the expectations were high. But his 5-7 mark in 2024 brought Leipold’s career record to below .500. At 59-61 overall, the image of a program builder has taken a hit.
The nine wins in 2023 now look like an anomaly, with Kansas posting losing seasons in three of Leipold’s four years.
15. Scott Frost, UCF
You never want to be known as a flash in the pan. But Scott Frost’s name and picture appears in the dictionary next to the phrase.
He led UCF to a 13-0 record in 2017 with a win in the Peach Bowl. In every other year of his coaching career, he is a combined 18-38. Ouch.
Frost does not have a winning season outside of that magical run in 2018 and his last full season as a coach saw him go 3-9 at Nebraska.
16. Brent Brennan, Arizona
Brent Brennan did a great job at San Jose State. But this isn’t the Mountain West. And this isn’t SJSU.
Brennan squandered generational talent through poor hiring decisions. Dino Babers was washed and turned out to be the worst offensive coordinator hire in the history of Arizona football.
There’s no recovering from that choice. Only winning will make people forget.
Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.