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Ranking the top 20 college football coaches for 2021

By Cody Williams

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney and Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban smile on the field before the 2019 College Football Playoff Championship game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney and Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban smile on the field before the 2019 College Football Playoff Championship game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

13. Kyle Whittingham, Utah

The longest-tenured head coach on this list to this point, Kyle Whittingham spent 10 years as a defensive coordinator and position coach at Utah before earning the promotion to head coach in 2005. And whether it was in the Mountain West previously or in the Pac-12 currently, Whittingham has done nothing but deliver positive results for the Utes throughout his tenure.

His first shining moment came in 2008 when he led the Utes to a 13-0 season, highlighted by a Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama, that led to finishing No. 2 in the final AP Poll. They joined the Pac-12 in 2011 and, since then, the success has continued to roll as Whittingham has led the team to three Pac-12 South titles in the last six years and has only two losing seasons overall with Utah.

Make no mistake, Whittingham is starting behind the 8-ball a bit more than some of his Pac-12 contemporaries at storied programs like USC and Oregon, among others. They don’t have the same recruiting ability simply because of Utah’s stature and location. Yet, the head coach has proven to be a master of player development, roster construction and simply making the most of what he has.

After a disheartening 3-2 season on the heels of back-to-back division titles, Whittingham will be looking for a bounce-back year in 2021 but he’s given fans every reason to believe that’s coming.