There is nothing linear about climbing the college football coaching totem pole.
From holding different positions within the same program to moving across the country for new gigs, the opportunity to take the next step in your career is invaluable.
The 12 coaches in the 2025 College Football Playoff are a case in point, each one spending a year or more over a decade at several schools before arriving at their current destination. All of them have had seven or more coaching stints, with a maximum of 14.
Although their paths are different, many of them have shared similar routes, whether it was the same starting point or being a coach for one of the college football teams.
Here’s a look at the common traits that led the 12 teams to the CBA.
8 — Coached at their university
Mario Cristobal, Kalen DeBoer, Ryan Day, Mike Elko, Pete Golding, Kirby Smart, John Sumrall, Brent Venables
For some, going back to school is something special. Eight of the 12 CFP coaches heard the announcement, so they all returned to their old offense early in their coaching careers.
Some of them started there. Mario Cristobal (Miami, 1998–2000), John Sumrall (Kentucky, 2005–2006), Brent Venables (Kansas State, 1993–1995) and Pete Golding (DII Delta State, 2006) all began working as graduate assistants after their playing days. Kirby Smart In 1999, he worked as an administrative assistant at Georgia State.
Before Sioux Falls moved to NCAA DII Calen DeBoer Coached at his alma mater in 1997 and 2000-2009. A three-time tenure, he led the Cougars to three NAIA state championships as head coach in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
Ryan’s day In 2002, he joined New Hampshire as a tight end coach for one season Mike ElkoWas the defensive backs coach for the Quakers in 2000 while playing at UPenn.
CFP BRACKET: Check the 2025 CFP schedule, scores and brackets
7 — The school will change in 2022
Calen DeBoer, Mario Cristobal, Mike Elko, Dan Lanning, Joey McGuire, John Sumrall, Brent Venables
The 2022 college football coaching carousel was one of the wildest in recent memory, featuring major Power 5s across the country. It was a mess to say the least.
Seven coaches involved in the chaos made it to this year’s CFP, some with teams they joined three years ago and others who didn’t.
Mario Cristobal, Dan Lanning, Joey McGuire and Brent Venables We are going to celebrate our 4th anniversary. Cristobal returns to Miami after four seasons at Oregon State, while Lanning takes over for the Ducks and his former staff after three years as Georgia’s defensive coordinator.
McGuire stayed in-state and went from assistant head coach and outside linebackers coach at Baylor to Texas Tech. Like Cristobal, Brent Venables Left Clemson to return to Oklahoma, where he coached from 1999-2011.
For the other three, Kalen DeBoer Went to Washington before Alabama. Mike Elko Went to Duke and then Texas A&M and John Sumall Went to Troy before the battle.
6 — National Coach of the Year (Head or Assistant) Award
Bob Chesney, Kurt Cignetti, Mario Cristobal, Kalen DeBoer, Kirby Smart, Brent Venables
The conference’s Coach of the Year award is no stranger to most CFP coaches, with eight of them winning the award since 2019. But only six have won national coaching awards at their respective positions.
Kalen DeBoer and Curt Signetti Considered the best in sports in the last three years. DeBoer was named AP Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading Washington to the CFP National Championship. By securing that in 2024 and 2025, Cignetti led Indiana to its best regular-season record in school history.
Bob ChesneyHis name is etched in Holy Cross history in 2022 following an 11-0 season that helped earn him AFCA FCS Region 1 Coach of the Year honors. Mario Cristobal Earned 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year award while at Alabama in 2015.
Kirby Smart and Brent Venables They received the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach, during their respective teams’ national championship game. Smart won with Venables in 2009 at Alabama and 2016 at Clemson.
TIME TO GO BOWLING: Check out the college football season schedule, scores and more.
5 — Coached at Alabama under Nick Saban
Kurt Cignetti, Mario Cristobal, Pete Golding, Dan Lanning and Kirby Smart
The college football community has raved about the legendary Nick Saban’s coaching tree for years. It seems like every few years, there’s a star connected to Saban either through a playing time in Tuscaloosa, a relative, or a coach who coached under him.
Just transitional property madness.
So it’s no surprise that five of the 12 CFP head coaches are part of the Saban tree. Kirby Smart, Mario Cristobal and Dan Lanning All were on the 2015 national championship coaching staff. Smart served as Saban’s longest-serving assistant, serving as defensive coordinator at LSU in 2004, the Miami Dolphins in 2006 and Alabama from 2007-2015.
Cristobal served as the Crimson Tide’s assistant head coach, offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator from 2013-2016, while Lanning served as a graduate assistant in 2015.
Curt SignettiLike Smart, he was a member of Saban’s first coaching staff at Alabama, serving as the recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2007-2011, which included the legendary Julio Jones. Pete Golding Worked as Saban’s defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach from 2018-2022.
Here’s hoping the many branches of Saban’s coaching tree continue to grow in the years to come.
5 – How many have played in the FBS
Kurt Signetti, Mario Cristobal, Kirby Smart, John Sumrall, Brent Venables
Five coaches turned their college careers into coaching gigs at the FBS level.
Kirby Smart and Mario Cristobal Both are the most popular head coaches at their respective universities.
Smart played defensive end at UGA from 1995-1998 and was a 1st-team All-SEC selection in 1998. Cristobal was an offensive tackle for the Hurricanes from 1989-1992, winning two national championships and making the All-Big East team in his 192 season.
John Sumrall Led Kentucky at quarterback in 2004 and played for the Wildcats from 2002-2004. Curt Signetti He was a quarterback at West Virginia from 1979-1982 Brent Venables In 1991-1992, he was a quarterback at Kansas State.
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5 — Coached at the DII/DIII level
Bob Chesney, Kurt Cignetti, Kalen DeBoer, Mike Elko, Kirby Smart
Prior to the DI level, five coaching tours included stops at DII and DIII programs.
Bob ChesneyWorked as a DII and DIII coach for 17 years from 2000 to 2017. Attending six different schools, he helped earn more than 100 all-conference selections.
After leaving Alabama Curt Signetti Became head coach at Indiana DII University of Pennsylvania. Over six seasons, he led the Crimson Hawks to two NCAA DII playoff appearances. Before Sioux Falls joined the NCAA DII Kalen DeBoer Coached 11 seasons at an NAIA school.
Mike Elko and Kirby Smart They made quick stops at the DII/DIII level as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for their respective teams. Elko worked for DIII Merchant Marine in 2001 and for Smart in Valdosta County in 2000 and 2001.
3 — Coached at the high school level
Kalen DeBoer, Dan Lanning and Joey McGuire
Several coaches’ first few “baby” coaching came at the high school level.
Both coached at their high school Joey McGuire and Dan Lanning. McGuire served as the defensive line coach at Crowley High School in Texas in 1995 and 1996, and then spent the next two decades at Cedar Hill High School from 1997 to 2016 as the defensive backs coach for three years and then as the head coach. There, he led the Longhorns to four state championships.
Lanning returned to Park Hill South High School in Kansas City, Missouri from 2008-2010 as wide receivers, defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator. Kalen DeBoer In 1998 and 1999, he was an assistant coach at Washington High School in South Dakota.
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