Big 12 Coaching Rankings Before Spring Practice

The Colorado Buffaloes are entering a new season with a revamped roster and fresh coaching challenges, setting the stage for a make-or-break year in the Big 12.

Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez talks with Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders after the game at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes’ offseason is finally coming to a close after revamping more than half the roster through the transfer portal. Coach Deion Sanders and his staff had to navigate the loss of multiple key starters while trying to keep momentum building in Boulder.

But Colorado wasn’t alone.

Across the Big 12 Conference, change became the theme of the offseason. The movement extended beyond roster turnover and into the coaching carousel, where four programs will enter next season with new leadership on the sidelines.

Oct 4, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders hug following a game at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Those programs include Iowa State Cyclones, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Utah Utes and Kansas State Wildcats.

For some, it was a move to bring stability following an underwhelming year. Others saw it as a deliberate swing to capitalize on a conference that appears as wide open as it has in years.

Now, with new staffs in place and the transfer portal settling, the spotlight turns to fit and immediate impact. 

Which of these new coaching hires is poised to succeed right away and which may require a little more time? Let’s grade the new coaching staffs in the Big 12 based on roster fit, scheme fit, and next season’s potential.

Big 12 Coaching Rankings

1. Texas Tech Red Raiders – Joey McGuire
2. BYU Cougars – Kalani Sitake
3. Arizona State Sun Devils – Kenny Dillingham
4. TCU Horned Frogs – Sonny Dykes
5. Houston Cougars – Willie Fritz
6. Oklahoma State Cowboys – Eric Morris
7. Arizona Wildcats – Brent Brennan
8. West Virginia Mountaineers – Rich Rodriguez
9. Kansas Jayhawks – Lance Leipold
10. Cincinnati Bearcats – Scott Satterfield
11. Baylor Bears – Dave Aranda
12. Utah Utes – Marcus Scalley
13. Colorado Buffaloes – Deion Sanders
14. UCF Knights – Scott Frost
15.  Iowa State Cyclones – Jimmy Rogers
16.  Kansas State Wildcats – Colin Klein

MORE: Colorado Buffaloes Biggest Defensive Transfer Portal Addition

MORE: What Colorado Men's Basketball Proved in Near-Upset of BYU

MORE: Brett Favre Makes Feelings About Deion Sanders' NFL Career Clear

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What’s Holding Deion Sanders Back in Big 12 Rankings

Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the first quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After improving from 9-4 in 2024 to only 3-9 this year without quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter, the talent on the roster was revealed. This is the biggest reason why Sanders is ranked in the middle of these rankings.

With only three wins this year, he will have to have a big bounce-back year next year to prove that the program can hold its own without its former players. It won’t just be about winning games, but it will also be about proving that the program can maintain success in the Big 12.

It also doesn’t help that Sanders has struggled to retain top talent. 

Losing five-star offensive tackle Jordan Seaton and wide receiver Omarion Miller to the transfer portal this offseason was a major setback. Those were two foundation pieces the Buffaloes desperately needed heading into next season.

A refreshed roster and another offseason to build depth should give him the tools he didn’t have last year. But if the same issues resurface, questions about his long-term potential in the conference will stick.

Next year gives Sanders a chance to reset the narrative and remind everyone why he was considered one of the league’s rising stars. If he gets it right, this ranking could end up looking far too low.

Eric Morris Is Set to Make a Huge Impact in Stillwater

Oct 10, 2025; Denton, Texas, USA; North Texas Mean Green head coach Eric Morris stands on the sidelines against the South Florida Bulls during the second half of a game at DATCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Big 12 is about to get thrown for a loop by the impact Morris is set to have with the Cowboys. 

He didn’t just arrive in Stillwater with firepower, but he brought quarterback Drew Mestemaker and running back Caleb Hawkins along from North Texas. Those two alone were among the top passers and rushers in the entire transfer portal cycle.

Morris has found success everywhere he’s coached, and Oklahoma State looks no different. 

The Big 12 is known for strong defenses, but his air raid offense was nearly unstoppable last season and took the sport by storm. With the Mean Green, Morris came within striking distance of the College Football Playoff.

Now, he has resources and NIL backing that he never had at North Texas, giving him a platform to maximize his system.

With top-tier talent and full program support, Morris has all the tools to turn the Cowboys into a legitimate Big 12 contender. If he executes as he has everywhere else, Oklahoma State could quickly become one of the conference’s most dangerous teams.