Kalen DeBoer — Alabama, January 2024

DeBoer arrived in Tuscaloosa from a 14-1 Washington season and inherited the most institutionalized roster in college football. Year one (9-4, no SEC title game, outside the CFP) was Alabama's first November-loss season since 2007 — the data point that placed him third on this list rather than first or second is the outcome relative to the inheritance. The bet was obvious at the moment of hire: a coach with a national-title-game appearance, a portal-savvy operation, and a personality compatible with the Tuscaloosa register. The 2025 evidence will recalibrate the rank — the delta column reads ``→`` provisionally.