Head coaching at the college football level has never been a job known for longevity or stability. The coaching carousel continues to spin on an annual basis so it was no surprise when 28 FBS head coaching positions changed hands at the end of the 2015 season. Nick Saban is referred to as the gold standard among college football head coaches and while his job is more than safe at Alabama even he hasn’t been around long enough to rank among the longest tenured at his position. Here is a look at the top four longest tenured head coaches in college football right now.
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma football program was an absolute mess in the 1990’s, but that changed quickly after Stoops left his position as defensive coordinator at Florida to take their head coaching position. The Sooners won the BCS National Championship Game just two years later and they have had a steady presence on the national scene ever since. Stoops has posted a 179-46 record in 17 seasons at Oklahoma, including 13 seasons with 10 wins or more. The Sooners have never had a losing record with Stoops as their head coach and there is plenty of reason for optimism moving forward following last year’s College Football Playoff appearance. There have been murmurs that the Sooners might like to move on from Stoops just because “Big Game Bob” has had some issues in the BCS. However, they’d be foolish to do so as the Sooners are a perennial contender – even if they aren’t always bringing home the bacon.
Frank Beamer’s retirement from Virginia Tech left Stoops as the longest tenured head coach at a single school in the FBS. Given the team’s success last season, there is no reason to think he will give up that title anytime soon.
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa Hawkeyes
The Hawkeyes actually interviewed Stoops for their vacant head coaching position back in December of 1999 only to watch him sign with Oklahoma after they failed to lock him up when they had a chance. As a result, Iowa turned to a relative unknown on the college football scene and hired an offensive line coach from the Baltimore Ravens as their head coach. The Hawkeyes have since posted a 127-87 record under Ferentz, including a 12-1 mark this year that included winning a Big Ten West title. Ferentz is right there behind Stoops as the longest tenured head coaches in college football and the fans in Iowa have to be happy with the alternative choice that turned out to be an excellent one for them over the past couple of decades.
Gary Patterson, TCU Horned Frogs
It was a no-brainer for TCU officials when they elevated Patterson from defensive coordinator to head coach after Dennis Franchione left for Alabama back in December of 2000. That decision has paid off ever since. Patterson has posted a 143-47 record in 15 seasons as the Horned Frogs’ head coach, including 10 seasons with 10 wins or more. TCU has transitioned from the Conference USA to the Mountain West, and then to the Big 12 under Patterson’s watch with success at every stop. The Horned Frogs feel they are on the cusp of taking that next step towards becoming a legitimate national championship contender and that has everything to do with the job that Patterson has done.
Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes
LSU’s Les Miles and Ohio’s Frank Solich are among the other head coaches that deserve mention on this list for their tenures at FBS programs, but neither has been with their program longer than Kyle Whittingham’s 22 seasons at Utah. Whittingham spent his first 11 seasons as a defensive assistant and coordinator for the Utes before spending the next 11 seasons as head coach after taking over for Urban Meyer in December of 2004. Utah has registered 10 wins or more four times including last season when they went 10-3 and right now there isn’t any reason to think Whittingham will be on the move anytime soon.
