Ranking all college football head coaches as players
30. Luke Fickell, Wisconsin Badgers: The conversation about Fickell's athletic career has to start with wrestling, since he won three consecutive state titles in Ohio and posted a record of 106-0. He then played nose guard for Ohio State, starting all four seasons for the Buckeyes and setting a team record with 50 consecutive starts in the mid-1990s. Fickell finished with 206 career tackles, including 26 for loss and six sacks, while adding two interceptions.
29. Ryan Beard, Missouri State Bears: Beard was a star high school defensive back before going to Western Kentucky. He twice earned All-Sun Belt honors with the Hilltoppers, and made the Sun Belt's all-freshman team in 2008, when he started 10 games and led the team with three interceptions. Beard had a career-high 71 tackles as a junior and 51 during his senior season.
28. Eric Morris, North Texas Mean Green: A standout high school receiver, Morris played for coach Mike Leach at Texas Tech in the Air Raid offense. He became a key contributor in his final two seasons and finished with 184 receptions for 1,965 yards and 19 touchdowns. Morris also earned second-team All-Big 12 honors as a punt returner, averaging more than 10 yards per runback.
27. Justin Wilcox, California Golden Bears: The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Dave Wilcox, Justin followed the family path and played at Oregon after quarterbacking his high school to a state title. He switched to defense with the Ducks and played safety, corner and nickel, and was on three bowl teams. Wilcox earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors as a senior in 1999.
26. Jay Norvell, Colorado State Rams: Yet another coach with Iowa/Hayden Fry roots, Norvell played safety for the Hawkeyes, much like the Stoops brothers. He became an All-Big Ten player and led the league with seven interceptions in 1985, as the team won the Big Ten and went to the Rose Bowl. Norvell went undrafted in the NFL but became a "Spare Bear" during the 1987 labor strike and appeared in six games that season.
25. Brent Key, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Anyone who has followed Key's coaching career knows he's an unapologetic ex-offensive lineman who loves to RUN THE BAWL. He started at guard from 1997 to 2000 under coach George O'Leary, and earned All-ACC honors as a senior, when he also captained the team. Georgia Tech finished ranked in the AP Top 25 in all four of Key's seasons there.
24. Barry Odom, Purdue Boilermakers: A high school star in Oklahoma who played running back and linebacker, Odom left the state for Missouri and became a productive linebacker for the Tigers. He appeared in 10 games in each of his four seasons with Missouri, and recorded 362 career tackles, which ranks seventh on the team's all-time list. Odom earned third-team All-Big 12 honors in 1998 and honorable mention honors in 1997 and 1999.
23. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Crimson Tide: DeBoer was the Bo Jackson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, shattering University of Sioux Falls team records in both football and baseball. He hit .520 in 1998 and finished as a .492 hitter with records for average, home runs, hits and RBIs. DeBoer was an All-America wide receiver in 1996, helping Sioux Falls to its first NAIA Division II national title. As a senior, he set a team record with 99 receptions for 1,372 yards. DeBoer briefly played professionally in an indoor football league.
22. Thomas Hammock, Northern Illinois Huskies: Hammock played a key role in NIU's rise under coach Joe Novak, as he had consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2000 and 2001. He earned first-team All-MAC honors in both seasons, playing ahead of future NFL back Michael Turner. A heart condition forced him to retire from football in 2002, but he finished with 2,432 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns.
21. Sam Pittman, Arkansas Razorbacks: One of several NAIA All-America selections on this list, Pittman was a standout defensive lineman at Pittsburg State in Kansas. He earned first-team All-America honors at end and made the all-conference team three times while putting up record-setting numbers at end. Pittman had 46 career sacks, including a team-record 22 in 1982. The Oklahoma native was a high school state champion in the shot put.
20. Mario Cristobal, Miami Hurricanes: He was a first-team All-Big East offensive lineman who helped Miami to national titles in 1989 and 1991. Cristobal earned four letters at The U and then spent a season as a Denver Broncos free agent and two in NFL Europe with Amsterdam.
19. Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame Fighting Irish: A Parade high school All-American from the Dayton, Ohio, area, Freeman played college ball at Ohio State, where he started 37 games at linebacker, often alongside James Laurinaitis. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in each of his final two seasons, and finished with 268 career tackles, including 23 for loss and six sacks, as well as two interceptions and two forced fumbles. A fifth-round NFL draft pick, Freeman spent time with three teams before retiring because of a heart condition.
18. Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs: A standout athlete from West Texas, Cumbie passed up scholarship offers to walk on at Texas Tech. He played behind Kliff Kingsbury and B.J. Symons until 2004, when he became the starter and led the nation with 4,742 passing yards, while recording 32 touchdown passes and completing more than 65% of his attempts. He earned Holiday Bowl MVP honors after passing for 520 yards against Cal. Cumbie was named 2006 Rookie of the Year in the Arena Football League with the Los Angeles Avengers, and led the team to the playoffs the following year.
17. Trent Bray, Oregon State Beavers: Bray grew up around football as his father, Craig, was a longtime college coach in the Northwest. He then followed his dad to Oregon State, where Trent started 34 consecutive games at linebacker. He earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors in 2005 and second-team honors in 2004. He ranks sixth in team history with 337 career tackles.
16. Jeff Brohm, Louisville Cardinals: Brohm is on the Mount Rushmore of football in his hometown of Louisville. A quarterback for Trinity High, Brohm was named Kentucky high school player of the decade for the 1980s, and won Kentucky Mr. Football in 1988. He then started three seasons at Louisville, twice earning team MVP honors and passing for 5,451 and 38 touchdowns. Brohm still ranks among the school's top 10 in most major passing categories. He then played eight NFL seasons but saw the field rarely, before earning first-team All-XFL honors with the Orlando Rage in 2001.
15. Kirby Smart, Georgia Bulldogs: Smart was a star high school safety for his father, Sonny, a longtime Georgia high school coach, before coming to Athens to play for the Bulldogs. Kirby lettered in all four seasons as a ball-hawking defensive back, and had at least one interception per year. He earned first-team All-SEC recognition as a senior in 1998. He had six interceptions in 1997 and five -- tops in the SEC -- during his senior season. Smart's 13 career interceptions ranks sixth in team history. He went undrafted and went to a tryout with the Indianapolis Colts before entering coaching.
14. Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns: Desormeaux had a memorable playing career in southern Louisiana, first as an all-state quarterback from New Iberia, and then at the University of Louisiana, then Louisiana-Lafayette. He became an all-purpose star and dual-threat quarterback, earning All-Sun Belt honors three times, setting the team single-season passing efficiency record and being named Sun Belt Player of the Year in 2008. He became only the eighth FBS quarterback to record consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons and finished with 3,893 passing yards and 23 touchdowns, and 2,843 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Desormeaux played briefly on NFL and CFL practice squads after his college career.
13. G.J. Kinne, Texas State Bobcats: A decorated high school quarterback from Texas, Kinne began his college career at the University of Texas before transferring to Tulsa. He became a three-year starter for the Golden Hurricane, earning Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2010. Kinne was a second-team all-league selection in 2011 and finished his Tulsa career with 9,472 passing yards and 81 touchdowns, eclipsing 2,700 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in all three years he played there. He spent 2012 to 2016 bouncing around the NFL, CFL and Arena League but rarely seeing the field.
12. Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes: A coach synonymous with Utah football initially had more connections to archrival BYU. Whittingham grew up in Provo and starred for Provo High School and then BYU, where he racked up 240 tackles in his final two seasons. In 1981, he was named WAC Defensive Player of the Year after recording 7 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions and 9 quarterback hurries. Whittingham played in the first four Holiday Bowls, earning Defensive MVP honors in 1981. He spent time with two USFL teams and was a replacement player for the Los Angeles Rams in the 1987 NFL labor strike.
11. Timmy Chang, Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors: College football fans of a certain age undoubtedly remember staying up late to watch Chang dissect defenses at old Aloha Stadium. A prolific quarterback in coach June Jones' run-and-shoot offense, Chang set Division I records for passing yardage (17,072), total offense (16,901), completions (1,388) and attempts (2,436). Chang earned All-WAC honors four times, twice earned Hawai'i Bowl co-MVP honors and was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. He bounced around the NFL, NFL Europe and CFL after college.
10. Major Applewhite, South Alabama Jaguars: After an impressive high school career as a quarterback in Louisiana, Applewhite came to Texas, where he made an immediate impact for the Longhorns. He earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors in 1998, when he set Texas freshman records for passing yards (2,453) and passing touchdowns (18). Applewhite was named Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 1999 and went 22-8 as Texas' starter, despite playing behind Chris Simms for much of the 2001 season. He left with Texas records for career passing yards (8,353), single-season passing yards (3,357 in 1999) and career touchdown passes (60), and still ranks in the top five in many categories. Applewhite signed a free agent contract with the New England Patriots but soon quit to pursue coaching.
9. Scott Frost, UCF Knights: A Parade All-America selection at Nebraska's Wood River High School, Frost piled up yards as a dual-threat quarterback and also shined in basketball and track. But he started college at Stanford, where he played quarterback and safety before transferring back home. Frost became Nebraska's QB1 in 1996 and had 22 touchdowns (13 pass, 9 rush), winning Big 12 newcomer of the year. In 1997, he became Nebraska's first QB to eclipse 1,000 yards in both passing and rushing yards as he helped the team to a national title. A third-round NFL draft pick, Frost played safety for four teams in six years.
8. Trent Dilfer, UAB Blazers: Part of the impressive Fresno State quarterback tradition, Dilfer started for two and a half seasons with the Bulldogs, helping the team to three outright or shared WAC titles. He shined in bowl games against USC and Colorado and won WAC Offensive Player of the Year honors in 1993, when he passed for 3,799 yards and 30 touchdowns. Dilfer also earned the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top quarterback. He skipped his season to enter the NFL, where he was drafted No. 6 and had 20,518 passing yards and 113 touchdowns during a 14-year career. Dilfer made the Pro Bowl in 1997 and helped the Baltimore Ravens to a victory in Super Bowl XXXV.
7. Jonathan Smith, Michigan State Spartans: Smith is one of the great underdog stories among current college coaches. He came to Oregon State as a walk-on quarterback from Glendora, California, but took over as the Beavers' starter on Halloween 1998. Smith would start the final 38 games of his career, and set Oregon State records for passing yards (9,680), touchdown passes (55) and single-season passing yards (3,053 yards in 1999). He twice earned All-Pac-10 honors, twice served as captain and led Oregon State to an 11-win season and a No. 4 final AP ranking in 2000, when he earned Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP honors in a win against Notre Dame.
6. DeShaun Foster, UCLA Bruins: A workhorse running back for UCLA, Foster left with the team record for career carries (722) and ranked in the top five for career touchdowns (44), rushing yards (3,194) and scoring (266 points). As a senior he led the Pac-10 in rushing (138.6 YPG), scoring (9.75 PPG) and all-purpose yards (154.75 YPG). Foster twice earned first-team all-league honors and was a second-team All-America selection in 2001. A second-round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers, Foster played six NFL seasons and had a 33-yard touchdown against New England in Super Bowl XXXVIII. He was inducted into the UCLA hall of fame in 2022.
5. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State Cowboys: Gundy led his high school to a state championship, earning Oklahoma Player of the Year honors, and also excelling in baseball. He then came to Oklahoma State, where he started all four seasons and began his career with 138 pass attempts without an interception, then an NCAA record. In Gundy's final two seasons, playing alongside running backs Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State went 20-4 and won two bowl games. He finished as the Big Eight's career leader in pass yards (8,473) and total offense (8,272 yards).
4. Steve Sarkisian, Texas Longhorns: As an undersized high school quarterback, Sarkisian wasn't recruited heavily and started his college career as a USC baseball player. He then went to El Camino College, where he resumed football. Sarkisian became a junior college All-American in 1994 and set a juco record for completion percentage (74.2), while also playing baseball. His next stop was BYU, where he had great success as a two-year starter, earning All-WAC honors as a junior and being named WAC Offensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-American as a senior. That fall, he won the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top quarterback, led the nation in passer rating and finished with 4,027 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. Sarkisian helped BYU (14-1) to a No. 5 finish. He then played three seasons in the CFL, starting in 1999 for Saskatchewan.
3. Josh Heupel, Tennessee Volunteers: Heupel grew up in South Dakota and was the state's player of the year in high school. But without a clear path to start for a major college program, he first went to Weber State, where he went through an ACL injury and appeared in only four games before transferring within the state to Snow College. Heupel earned junior college All-America honors there before transferring to Oklahoma. He immediately made his presence known in 1999 with 3,850 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. Heupel then led the Sooners to a national title in 2000, recording 3,606 passing yards and 20 touchdowns. He was named AP Player of the Year, won the Walter Camp Award and consensus All-America honors, and was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. A sixth-round NFL draft pick in 2001, Heupel didn't see time in the pros.
2. Eddie George, Bowling Green Falcons: The debate between George and Deion Sanders for the top spot gave these rankings a fun new flavor. Sanders' overall athletic exploits gave him the edge, but he doesn't have a Heisman Trophy. George captured the 1995 Heisman after a monster season with Ohio State: 328 carries for a team-record 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns, while adding 47 receptions for 417 yards. A massive player recruited by some colleges to play linebacker, George had 12 consecutive 100-yard rushing performances in 1995 and swept the Heisman, Maxwell, Walter Camp and Doak Walker awards. He had 1,442 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior, and was a College Football Hall of Fame inductee. A first-round NFL draft pick in 1996, George won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and made four Pro Bowls. He joined Jim Brown as the only running back to eclipse 10,000 rushing yards while never missing a start.
1. Deion Sanders, Colorado Buffaloes: One of the greatest American athletes of the past 50 years, Sanders did it all and did it well at Florida State. He earned first-team All-America honors in his final two years after being named a third-team All-American in 1986. He captured the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back and had 14 career interceptions, four pick-sixes, led the nation in punt returns in 1988 and had 1,429 career punt return yards with three touchdowns. Sanders also starred in baseball and track for Florida State. He played in the NFL from 1989 to 2005, earning All-Pro honors six times and being named defensive player of the year in 1994. The Pro and College Football Hall of Famer also played portions of nine seasons in Major League Baseball.
