The Many Roles of a College Football Head Coach
One of the key things to understand for new UK fans of college football is just how central, and stretched, the head coach is. As well as calling plays or giving big locker room speeches, the modern head coach is equal parts tactician, recruiter, CEO, and public figurehead. In the structure of college football, the head coach is the single most important person at a programme. They are more prominent than the athletic director or university president.
What exactly does a college football head coach do? And why is this position so central to success? Here are some of the important factors.
Program Leadership: The Boss
A college football programme includes 100+ players, dozens of staff, analysts, medical professionals, recruiters and, increasingly, NIL coordinators and front office personnel. At the top, sits the head coach, setting the tone and the culture.
A good example is the now retired Nick Saban. I could have honestly picked Coach Saban for every one of these categories! He turned around LSU and created a dynasty of success at Alabama which will be tough to replicate. Saban’s legacy is such that he has recently been asked by the President to Co-head a commission on college football.
Game Planning & Strategy: The Tactician
While offensive and defensive coordinators handle a lot of the week-to-week planning, the head coach sets the overall tactical philosophy. They decide if the team is going to be aggressive or risk-averse etc. The team is moulded in their image.
For pure tactical mastery, Chip Kelly stands out. Whilst his recent roles have been as an Offensive Coordinator, he had good Head Coaching spells at Oregon and UCLA and has spent time in the NFL. His innovative no-huddle, tempo-based offence helped redefine the modern game. Last season he helped Ohio State win the National Championship as their OC and this offseason he has moved back to the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders. There he will once again oversee play-calling and game strategy at the highest level.
Recruiting: The Builder
In college football, whilst the transfer portal is playing a larger role, high school recruiting is still the primary way of sourcing players. That means visiting high schools, winning over families, crafting a pitch, and often leveraging your school’s facilities, academics, and NIL potential. The role requires identifying players from high school, but more importantly in todays game, building a squad to complete using the portal.
Dan Lanning is a coach gaining some attention for his recruiting prowess. He has taken a very hands-on approach to recruiting since gaining the top job at Oregon in 2021. During that time the Ducks have routinely secured commitments from top tier recruits (albeit they have had some setbacks this year). He has seen success not only in high school recruiting but in the transfer portal too which has helped shape Oregon into a top tier force.
Staff Management: The Leader of Coaches
A top college football staff room can consist of 20–30 people. Coordinators, assistants, compliance staff—it’s a small army. Managing this group requires not just delegation but real trust and vision to keep everyone on the same page.
Dabo Swinney at Clemson is a good coach to look to here. He is proactive in hiring new staff and not afraid to change things when they don’t go to plan. He has shown an ability to modernise his approach, leaning on analysts and experienced coaches. Moves of this nature require confidence and clarity of purpose. His approach has helped him become the winningest coach in Clemson football history.
Player Development: The Setter of Standards
College football is unique in that the head coach also plays a role in shaping young men during their most formative years. This includes athletic training, academic performance, and life skills.
Enter Kirby Smart at Georgia. Coach Smart is someone who has a long history of success, but success built around the solid development of players. Coach Smart has spoken about the importance of developing leadership qualities amongst his players. There is a strong focus on his teams on mastering fundamentals and always seeking out improvement.
Public Relations & Media: The Face of the Programme
College football head coaches are often the most visible face of their university. They have weekly media appearances, speak at alumni events, and are expected to be charismatic leaders for the fanbase.
I cannot think of a better example of this than Deion Sanders at Colorado. He’s turned Colorado into a media machine and a national talking point, boosting not just his football team’s profile but also the university’s general appeal. Fans will have a split opinion on him but love him or hate him, he knows how to own the narrative. For this category, when I think of Coach Prime I draw the parallel to a 2004 version of Jose Mourinho, fiercely defensive of his players.
Compliance & Administration: The Shaper of Rules
As dull as it sounds, compliance is essential. Coaches need to know NCAA rules inside out, from recruiting timelines to transfer rules to player eligibility.
A now-retired coach comes to mind here. Former Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl always had a reputation for running programmes with strong administrative discipline. So much so that when Coach Bohl retired from Wyoming he took on the role of Executive Director of the American Football Coaches Association, helping to navigate NCAA rule changes.
An evolving Role
The role of a head coach in college football is unlike any other position in sport. It combines tactical expertise, long-term planning, and public leadership—all within the context of a fiercely competitive, ever-evolving landscape.
In a UK context, think of it as being a hybrid of an old-school football manager (Sir Alex), a very public-facing coach (Gareth Southgate for England) and a head of youth development, all rolled into one job.
As college football continues to evolve, so will the head coach role. The move towards professionalising will likely lead to a bigger front office operation for football programmes. This could relieve some of the administrative burden on the head coach, leaving them to focus on football matters.
Such an evolution will not reduce the focus on the main man however, nor the pressure on them when things are not going well. However, their role is so vital that if they can find a formula for success, legendary status can be achieved.
Who Stands out today?
I have given some examples of coaches who have shined in the various attributes, but the list is not exclusive and there are many great coaches out there. Every coach mentioned could likely have been used as an example for each category, such is their stature in the game. Who tops the list is as subjective as who the best team is. Who is on your list?
