Turning a college football program around is no small task. It takes recruiting, culture-building, some scheming magic, and probably a little bit of luck. But these 10 head coaches took struggling programs and made them competitive—some even national contenders.
Let’s count down the best program rebuilds in college football today.
10. Mike Elko – Texas A&M
Texas A&M was stuck in a cycle of mediocrity and Jimbo Fisher buyout math before Elko came in. The Aggies have all the resources to be an SEC powerhouse, and Elko’s defensive mind (plus actually developing talent) might be what finally gets them over the hump.
9. Kalen DeBoer – Washington (Now at Alabama)
Before DeBoer arrived, Washington had become an afterthought in the Pac-12. Then he showed up, turned the Huskies into a national title contender, and got them to the CFP Championship game. Now, he’s taken over at Alabama, where the expectations are even slightly higher.
8. Jeff Traylor – UTSA
A few years ago, UTSA wasn’t even on the national radar. Then Traylor came in, brought his Texas recruiting magic, and suddenly the Roadrunners were winning back-to-back Conference USA titles and consistently ranked. Not bad for a team that barely existed 15 years ago.
7. Dan Lanning – Oregon
When Mario Cristobal bolted for Miami, it wasn’t clear if Oregon would stay at the top of the Pac-12. Enter Lanning, who turned the Ducks into a tougher, more physical team while keeping that high-powered offense humming. He’s made Oregon a national title threat, and they haven’t even played a Big Ten game yet.
6. Jedd Fisch – Washington (Previously at Arizona)
Arizona was left for dead before Jedd Fisch arrived. Now, after taking them from Pac-12 bottom-feeder to a 10-win team, he got a well-earned promotion as the new Washington head coach. Safe to say, he knows how to build a program.
5. Josh Heupel – Tennessee
Tennessee was in football purgatory before Heupel showed up. Then he brought in an explosive offense, recruited a future No. 2 pick in Hendon Hooker, and delivered an Orange Bowl win while beating Alabama in 2022. Vols fans finally have real optimism again.
4. Mike Norvell – Florida State
FSU fans were ready to riot after Norvell’s first couple of seasons, but patience paid off. He brought the Seminoles back to ACC dominance, landed major recruits and transfers, and led them to a 13-0 season in 2023 (even if the CFP committee had other ideas).
3. Lance Leipold – Kansas
Kansas football was a walking punchline for over a decade—until Leipold showed up. He’s turned them into a winning program in one of the toughest conferences in the country, and for once, Kansas fans have something other than basketball to be excited about.
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2. Deion Sanders – Colorado
Love him or hate him, Coach Prime made Colorado matter again. The Buffs went from irrelevant to must-watch TV overnight, flipped their entire roster, and started pulling in top recruits. The rebuild isn’t complete yet, but Colorado is no longer a joke.
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1. Willie Fritz – Houston (Previously at Tulane)
Tulane was a doormat for years, and then Fritz built them into AAC champions with a Cotton Bowl win over USC. That turnaround was one of the best in recent college football history, and now he’s taking his talents to Houston to try it again.
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