Rating the Prime CFB Head Coaches within the West for 2025

1. Kyle Whittingham, Utah (1)

Okyle Whittingham has recorded seven 10+ win seasons, two Pac-12 titles, and 7 finishes contained in the AP Prime 25.

Final season was a down yr for the veteran head coach, with the Utes ending 5-7, marking simply his third shedding season (all of them 5-7) of his 20-year profession.

He’s the second-longest tenured coach within the FBS and has received persistently with the Utes since 2005.

Search for a bounce-back season in Salt Lake Metropolis this fall.

2. Dan Lanning, Oregon (2)

Dan Lanning has finished nothing however win video games. With a 35-6 profession mark, he’s proper on tempo to match Ryan Day’s file in just a few years.

The younger Oregon coach is proving to be an elite recruiter, and this season figures to indicate simply how good the Geese have been on that entrance with a slew of stars to switch.

Lanning by no means shies away from rolling the cube with the sport on the road, and you need to suppose his gamers love him for that, whether or not it at all times pays off or not.

The Geese took residence the regular-season convention crown in 12 months One within the Huge Ten. We are going to see what the encore appears like and the way vivid the brand new stars can shine.

3. Lincoln Riley, USC (7)

Lincoln Riley is a grasp recruiter.

And if you find yourself bringing in elite expertise each season, you may’t afford too many 7-6 seasons, particularly at a spot like USC.

During the last two seasons, the Trojans are 13-11 total and 9-9 in convention play. These numbers want to enhance.

Nonetheless, it’s laborious to low cost the physique of labor, going 81-24 in his eight seasons as a head coach at Oklahoma and USC.

4. Kalani Sitake, BYU (16)

Okalani Sitake has constructed the Cougars again into an influence.

He has received 10+ video games in three of the final 5 seasons and has led BYU to a bowl sport in seven of his 9 seasons on the helm in Provo.

In these bowl video games, he has gone 5-2.

Coming off a Prime 15 end final season, his teaching prowess might be put to the take a look at this season, because the Cougs might want to break in a brand new QB for the 2025 marketing campaign.

5. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State (13)

Okenny Dillingham turned the Solar Devils round very quickly, taking simply two seasons to go from a program in shambles to profitable the Huge XII and making the playoffs.

ASU went 4-1 final season in opposition to ranked opponents with the lone loss to Texas within the playoffs.

Dillingham is properly on his option to elite standing, however at simply 14-12 total as a head coach, he wants to take care of that stage of success a bit longer to climb this checklist—and I feel he’ll.

However till then, he slots in at No. 5.

6. Spencer Danielson, Boise State (10)

Mark Danielson righted issues in 2023 for the Broncos and led them to a 3-1 end to the season. Final yr he led Boise State to the school soccer playoffs.

The Broncos knocked off SMU earlier than bowing out to Penn State within the Fiesta Bowl. It’s straightforward to say he’s carrying on the success at Boise, however it’s laborious to argue with a 15-3 mark in your first 18 video games as a head coach.

Danielson has proved he can get essentially the most out of his gamers they usually appear to like suiting up for him.

7. Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State (12)

Oken Niumatalolo was implausible in his stint with Navy, and was profitable in his first season with San Jose State.

A very good coach will alter to his personnel, and he actually has confirmed to be able to that. The offensive weapons are extra proficient with the Spartans than he had at Navy, and the offense is rather more vast open.

This rating may be loftier than some might imagine is worthy, however the man can coach, and the group needs to be actually good in 2025. This season, they’ve the instruments to take the following step, and the schedule units up properly.

With Niumatalolo on the helm, there isn’t any motive to suppose there is not going to be extra success in 12 months Two.

8. Troy Calhoun, Air Power (6)

Troy Calhoun is about to start his nineteenth season as the top coach of the Air Power Academy.

A mannequin of consistency, he has led the Falcons to a bowl in 13 of his 18 prior campaigns. He has received at the very least 9 video games in seven seasons and has received 58% of his convention video games.

Calhoun is precisely the type of coach a service academy wants.

He performed for the Falcons and continues to discover a mountain of success in Colorado Springs.

9. Jedd Fisch, Washington (4)

Jedd Fisch labored wonders turning across the Arizona program.

It actually appears quite a bit totally different with out him.

The Huskies misplaced plenty of expertise from his predecessor’s squad that performed for the nationwide title, however they nonetheless ended up within the Sin Bowl.

The turnaround in Tucson didn’t occur in a single day and issues in Washington ought to proceed to pattern upward.

10. Dan Mullen, UNLV (NR)

Dan Mullen has substantial big-time expertise.

He discovered success with Mississippi State, taking the Bulldogs to a bowl in eight of his 9 seasons.

At Florida, regardless of the ultimate yr being a battle, he nonetheless received two-thirds of his video games and took the Gators to a few New Years Six Bowl video games in 4 years.

The man has championship pedigree as a coordinator as properly.

This was an enormous rent for the Rebels. Don’t count on any fall-off in Vegas after the teaching change.

11. Bronco Mendenhall, Utah State (11)

Bronco Mendenhall had plenty of success at BYU earlier than heading to Virginia, the place, regardless of some success, he discovered himself burnt out.

After a few years away, he appeared to re-find his enthusiasm with New Mexico final season, almost main the Lobos to a bowl delivery.

He made the soar contained in the convention this season.

Utah State needs to be in good condition within the teaching division for fairly a while.

12. Matt Entz, Fresno State (NR)

In 5 seasons with North Dakota State, Matt Entz received a pair of nationwide championships.

He got here simply brief in his pursuit a 3rd title, ending his profession as an FCS head coach with a 60-11 mark.

He makes the soar in divisions this season after a yr with USC working the linebackers.

The Bulldogs have had plenty of success with their teaching hires, and this might find yourself being one other residence run choice.

13. Jay Norvell, Colorado State (19) — Does Norvell lastly have the Rams in place to take the following step? It looks like CSU must make that soar this season.

14. Deion Sanders, Colorado (20) — Sanders proved his mettle final season. Now, how will he fare changing a Heisman Trophy-winner, his sons, and several other different proficient gamers?

15. Trent Bray, Oregon State (NR) — Bray solely posted a 5-7 mark in 12 months One, however he did get the higher of recent convention rival Washington State.

16. Justin Wilcox, Cal (18) — Wilcox took the Bears to a bowl sport final season and was oh-so-close to some large wins. Cal wants to complete a few of these wins this season.

17. DeShaun Foster, UCLA (NR) — Foster has a QB this season to run the present; how a lot better will the Bruins look in 12 months Two?

18. Frank Reich, Stanford (NR) — Short-term or not, Reich comes with plenty of expertise and will supply a superb reset for the Cardinal program.

19. Jimmy Rogers, Washington State (NR) — Rogers has received 27 of 30 video games as a head coach, which is difficult to argue with. We’ll see what occurs in Pullman.

20. Sean Lewis, San Diego State (14) — I feel lots of people anticipated much more in Lewis’s first yr with the Aztecs, particularly out of the offense. However in time they need to come round.

21. Timmy Chang, Hawai’i (22) — Chang and the Rainbow Warriors completed robust in 2024 however they should win extra in 2025, or Aloha will imply goodbye.

22. Jeff Choate, Nevada (17) — 12 months One was a battle, however this system was in full reset mode.

23. Jason Eck, New Mexico (NR) — Eck had success with Idaho, can he flip across the Lobos?

24. Brent Brennan, Arizona (9) — It took time to show round SJSU, however the Wildcats had been on the rise when Brennan got here in. Final season was an awesome step again.

25. Jay Sawvel, Wyoming (NR) — Sawvel nonetheless has quite a bit to show with the Cowboys. His opening season was not spectacular.

26. Tony Sanchez, New Mexico State (NR) — Six seasons as a head coach and no profitable seasons. That’s one lower than even Scott Frost can declare.