College football's 20 best coaches not named Nick Saban

College football’s 20 best coaches not named Nick Saban

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney talks into his AT&T headset during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 02: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners during Big 12 Championship game against the TCU Horned Frogs at AT&T Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Another one of those coaches who hasn’t had much of a sample size but who has gone from highly sought-after offensive coordinator to head man is Lincoln Riley.

The former Texas Tech quarterback had an interesting road to becoming head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. He was offensive coordinator behind Bob Stoops who looked to be holding one of the most prestigious jobs in America and the hot seat wasn’t even on his radar. However, Stoops retired suddenly before the 2017 season, leaving the job to Riley.

Stoops felt good about leaving the program to Riley, and it paid off immediately. Sure, he had one of the best players in college football in Baker Mayfield, who won the Heisman Trophy, but he helped develop some elite receivers, tight end Mark Andrews broke out, Rodney Anderson took over in the backfield and the defense improved slightly.

Oklahoma made the College Football Playoff in 2017 with one of the most electric offenses in the nation but fell just a couple plays short of making the national title game with a win over Georgia — the Sooners lost in overtime.

Riley has a chance to really prove himself as one of the top 15 coaches in the country with another Big 12 title in 2018 and push toward a New Year’s Six or CFP berth.