Top 25 College Coaches for 2026 - Who would you rank ahead of Sark? Not many IMO.........

[Kevin C]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7101958/2026/03/12/college-football-coach-rankings-stewart-mandel-2026/

Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman each came out with their Top 25 Coaches List for 2026.  I'm a sucker for these Top25 lists, love the debate and seeing what others think.  Stewart Mandel has Sark at #6.  Probably about right; although, I'd take Sark over a few others in the Top 5.  Thought it funny to see Bruce Feldman drop Sark down to #13, laughable to see names like Dabo Swinney, Kyle Whittingham, Mike Elko, Matt Campbell, Jeff Brohm all ranked ahead of Sark on Feldman's list, wtf?  Two semi-final playoff appearances in past 3 years.  3 year aggregate record of 35-8 and finished the last 3 seasons ranked #3, #3 and #13.  Pretty solid when our off year finishes at 10-3 and #13.   

Will be funny to see how much Sark 'rebounds' in the theoretical coach rankings after this season.  What matters more than anything is that we've got a rockstar coach with a brilliant offensive mind, strong culture, great front-office, huge upgrade in defensive leadership and overall top to bottom coaching staff with high stability and consistency that is extremely rare.  Love and appreciate what Sark has brought to the 40 acres, going into year 6.  Much to be grateful for as we prepare for our run to the playoffs and potential national championship this season.  Love the team Sark has put together and his upgrades on the coaching staff.  

FWIW, my Top 10 Best Coaches Currently would be..... Curious how others would rank their Top 10.

1. Kirby Smart

2. Curt Cignetti

3. Ryan Day

4. Steve Sarkisian

5. Dan Lanning

6. Marcus Freeman

7. Kalen DeBoer

8. Lane Kiffin

9. Matt Campbell

10. Mario Cristobal

 

Hook em!!! 🤘🏽🧡🐂

Edited 13 hours ago by Kevin C

[Califashorn75]

After we win the Chip this year, he will be in the top 3! 

[Kevin C]

41 minutes ago, Califashorn75 said:

After we win the Chip this year, he will be in the top 3! 

Agree.    Coach rankings should be based on more than most recent year but recency bias is real. 

[Kevin C]

With Muschamp now leading the defense and Sark going into 6th season, I predict this will be Sark’s best coaching year yet at Texas.   He has the talent now to unload his full arsenal of creative play calling.    Will it match his last year at Bama as OC?   Will be fun to watch!! 

[Gerry Hamilton]

For me going into this season ...

1. Kirby

2 Day (I joke about Day being born on 3rd base like anyone else, but has been to five CFP's, 7 straight top 10 finishes and has kept Ohio State amongst the top 2-3 college programs since being hired - which is all very impressive). Would go Day, for now. 

3. Cignetti

4. Kalen DeBoer - taken two teams to CFP, and played for an NC

5. Marcus Freeman -played for an NC, and took over top historical brand in CFB at age 37. Many have failed in similar scenarios before him at various blue bloods. 

6-8 ... Flip coins on Sark, Lanning and Cristobal ... depends on your criteria

Sark and Lanning the convo ... Lanning bad playoff losses, also went out and won the Big 10 first year in the league (meaningful)

Cristobal is the one of the three that has played for all the marbles. 

 

BTW, Dabo has really taken a tumble on these lists due to portal approach IMO. It's cost him. But what he's done at Clemson is still CFB Hall of Fame stuff. 

 

[TTaylor2135]

8 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

For me going into this season ...

1. Kirby

2 Day (I joke about Day being born on 3rd base like anyone else, but has been to five CFP's, 7 straight top 10 finishes and has kept Ohio State amongst the top 2-3 college programs since being hired - which is all very impressive). Would go Day, for now. 

3. Cignetti

4. Kalen DeBoer - taken two teams to CFP, and played for an NC

5. Marcus Freeman -played for an NC, and took over top historical brand in CFB at age 37. Many have failed in similar scenarios before him at various blue bloods. 

6-8 ... Flip coins on Sark, Lanning and Cristobal ... depends on your criteria

Sark and Lanning the convo ... Lanning bad playoff losses, also went out and won the Big 10 first year in the league (meaningful)

Cristobal is the one of the three that has played for all the marbles. 

 

BTW, Dabo has really taken a tumble on these lists due to portal approach IMO. It's cost him. But what he's done at Clemson is still CFB Hall of Fame stuff. 

 

Pretty spot on. Where would you have Lane? I feel like you are pretty high on him so surprised you don’t have him in the sark/lanning/mario section. I guess you if did just offensive minds he’d be up there no doubt but just curious.. I personally wouldn’t

[TTaylor2135]

Good list - very interested to see how Campbell does over there at Penn State. Don’t like the guy for some of his BS but solid coach so very interested to see how that plays out.

[Paul Jespersen]

I'd like to see more from Cignetti before he is anointed.... amazing year, but he is going to lose a lot of players, can he maintain? build? all the credit in the world, but sometimes you get magic in a bottle w/ a team... I'm wait and see a little more still.

🤘

[Jeff Howe]

40 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

For me going into this season ...

1. Kirby

2 Day (I joke about Day being born on 3rd base like anyone else, but has been to five CFP's, 7 straight top 10 finishes and has kept Ohio State amongst the top 2-3 college programs since being hired - which is all very impressive). Would go Day, for now. 

3. Cignetti

4. Kalen DeBoer - taken two teams to CFP, and played for an NC

5. Marcus Freeman -played for an NC, and took over top historical brand in CFB at age 37. Many have failed in similar scenarios before him at various blue bloods. 

6-8 ... Flip coins on Sark, Lanning and Cristobal ... depends on your criteria

Sark and Lanning the convo ... Lanning bad playoff losses, also went out and won the Big 10 first year in the league (meaningful)

Cristobal is the one of the three that has played for all the marbles. 

 

BTW, Dabo has really taken a tumble on these lists due to portal approach IMO. It's cost him. But what he's done at Clemson is still CFB Hall of Fame stuff. 

 

I’d drop Day behind Cignetti and DeBoer.

I’d also put Matt Campbell in the coin flip group. I don’t think he can get ever enough credit for making Iowa State a respectable football program.

[Joe Zura]

7. Kalen DeBoer

should be ranked higher than Sark Freeman and Lanning dude played in a National championship idk why he gets overlooked he wins everywhere he goes