College Football First-Year Head Coach Grades After Week 1: Lane Kiffin Sets the Standard

After a big beatdown of Clemson in Week 1, Lane Kiffin is at the head of the class of new coaches.

In his first game at his new school, Lane Kiffin aced his first coaching test. (Stephen Lew-Imagn Images) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are no second chances an a first impression. After an offseason of turmoil and headlines, Lane Kiffin aced his first test by thumping Clemson 51-10. But what of the rest of the class of first year coaches? With 33 new coaches, it was a crowded field. Still, here are the top (and bottom) dwellers in the class of new coaches after Week 1.

Head of the Class

Kiffin

He owned the week. Now if he can outflank the SEC and NCAA, he'll probably keep winning.

Charles Huff

After a one-and-done tenure at Marshall, Huff is makng a name as a coach who just digs out of chaos and fields competitive teams. A win over UNLV and now another over Arkansas State suggests that his Memphis squad could be a competitor for the G5 College Football Playoff spot.

Bob Chesney

UCLA has battled irrelevancy in recent seasons, but Chesney had the Bruins looking sharp in a 45-24 win over Cal. If his running attack works as well in the Big Ten as it did against the Golden Bears, Chesney will be the toast of college football.

Will Stein

The 45-13 win was solid. But Stein was smooth and controlled and showed signs that Kentucky could be a factor in the SEC sooner than was previously expected. Of course, it'll be a bit different in Week 2 against Alabama than against Youngstown State, but Stein and his team were ready for Week 1.

Matt Campbell

Sure, Penn State didn't get much of a test from Marshall. But Campbell seemed to take a solid first step in the 45-0 victory to returning the prestide of the Nittnay Lion program to its rightful spot. The Big Ten will tell the tale, but Campbell made a nice start.

Headed for Detention

Kyle Whittingham

Kyle Whittingham did not have a great Week 1, although a flukish bit of officiating kept it from being even worse. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A massive fluke of officiating allowed Whittingham and Michigan to avoid a Week 1 loss to Western Michigan. But the Wolverines looked headed for a 5-7 season and Bryce Underwood for the transfer portal. It's a long way to competence.

Eric Morris

Morris's Week 1 performance reminded us all of how far Oklahoma State has fallen. Losing 24-10 to Tulsa wasn't just uninspiring, it was probably an indication to punt on the 2026 season.

Will Hall

Tulane was likely to slide a bit without Jon Sumrall. But a 17-3 loss to Duke where the Green Wave had just 10 first downs seems to suggest that the Green Wave are quickly regressing to their pre-Sumrall situation.

Pete Golding

The good news is that Ole Miss got the win. But the K9iffin hangover looked real. Trinidad Chamlbiss had to put up play after play just to outlast a Louisville team that'll likely finish a few spots deep in a mediocre ACC. If the defense doesn't improve in a hurry, Golding is in for a long season.

Ryan Silverfield

Nobody's going to judge Silverfield too harshley, but a 31-14 win over North Alabama wasn't a good sign for a team that will be at a talent deficie for almost all the rest of the season. The Razorbacks will have some work ahead to escape the SEC cellar.