Crain & Cone rank the five new head coaches in college football
The 2026 college football season will feature top teams with new head coaches, and Crain & Cone have ranked the five best new hires heading into the new year. In the episode, Jake Crain, David Cone, Blain Crain, and guest Cole Cubelic discussed which new head coaches will have the best first season in terms of wins.
One of the biggest hires during the offseason (or late in the 2025 season) was LSU hiring Lane Kiffin. But is Kiffin No. 1 on Crain & Cone’s list? Here’s a look at the five best new head coaches in college football.
1. Lane Kiffin – LSU
There’s no doubt that all eyes will be on Lane Kiffin this season, as the pressure will be on him to win as soon as possible. LSU is looking to get back to being a national title contender after Brian Kelly failed to do so in his four seasons with the team.
Kiffin joins the Tigers after spending six seasons at Ole Miss. During his time with the Rebels, Kiffin led the team to four 10-win seasons and five consecutive bowl appearances.
2. Kyle Whittingham – Michigan
After spending over 30 years at Utah, Kyle Whittingham will lead the Michigan Wolverines this fall. He replaces Sherone Moore, who was fired in December.
Whittingham joined the Utah coaching staff in 1994 and became the head coach in 2005. In his 21 seasons as the Utah head coach, Whittingham won three conference titles and was a two-time winner of the Pac-12 Coach of the Year award.
3. Pete Golding – Ole Miss
After spending 20 years as an assistant coach and coordinator, Pete Golding will get his chance to be the head coach. He takes over for Lane Kiffin, who is now with LSU.
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Golding officially made his head coaching debut during the playoffs last season when he was the interim head coach for Ole Miss. He led the team to victories over Tulane and Georgia before falling to Miami in the College Football Playoff Semifinals.
4. Matt Campbell – Penn State
Matt Campbell is ready to be the head coach of Penn State after having a lot of success at Iowa State. He takes over for James Franklin, who is now the head coach at Virginia Tech.
Campbell was Iowa State’s head coach from 2016 to 2015. In his 10 seasons with the Cyclones, Campbell won 72 games and led the team to a No. 9 final ranking in 2020.
5. Jon Sumrall – Florida
After successful stops at Troy and Tulane, Jon Sumrall is the new head coach at Florida. He takes over for Billy Napier, who is now the head coach at James Madison.
Sumrall was at Tulane for two seasons and won 20 games. Last year, Tulane finished 11-3 and clinched a spot in the College Football Playoff.