In the NIL and transfer portal era, rosters churn every year. The one constant is the head coach. They are the reason programs sustain success by recruiting, developing, and building identity. Here is how the ACC head coaches stack up in 2025 and why they are positioned where they are.
1. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Swinney has made it clear he dislikes the transfer portal, but there is no denying his ability to develop talent. Clemson has been a powerhouse under his leadership, with only one down year in 2023 when the program finished with fewer than 10 wins for the first time since 2011. He is the only coach in the ACC to win a College Football Playoff game, and he has two national championships. Clemson has reached a bowl game every year of his tenure, going 12–9 in those appearances. The Tigers are coming off another playoff appearance and were ranked in the preseason top ten before falling to 12 after a loss to LSU and a comeback win over Troy. His résumé makes him the clear top choice on this list.
2. Mario Cristobal, Miami
Cristobal is known as a strong motivator and developer, but defensive shortcomings continue to hold his teams back. Miami opened this season with a statement win over Notre Dame, powered by dominance in the trenches. That start looks familiar, though. Last season, the Hurricanes began 8–0 before dropping three of their final four when the defense could not get stops. Cristobal owns a 3–5 record in bowl games and has not won one since the 2019 Rose Bowl. Until he proves he can scheme a dependable defense and win big games in November, he remains behind Swinney.
3. Mike Norvell, Florida State
Norvell took over in 2020 and endured two difficult seasons with only eight total wins. By 2022, the Seminoles had improved, and in 2023, they had a playoff argument before being left out in favor of Alabama. Norvell led FSU to a Cheez-It Bowl victory in 2022, his lone bowl win so far, but his most recent postseason outing was a 63–3 loss to Georgia in the Orange Bowl. Despite that setback, Norvell has built consistency and stability, qualities that separate him from much of the league. After a tough 2024, he and FSU are looking to bounce back, and he remains the right leader to do it.
4. Rhett Lashlee, SMU
Lashlee was hired in 2022 and went 6–7 in his first season, but his program has climbed steadily. In both 2023 and 2024, the Mustangs won 11 games, and in 2024, they made the College Football Playoff before losing to Penn State in the first round. Lashlee is 0–3 in bowl games with SMU, yet his ability to elevate the program into the playoffs puts him firmly near the top of the conference rankings.
5. Jeff Brohm, Louisville
Brohm is 21–8 in his early tenure at Louisville and finished the 2023 season ranked in the final AP Poll. His Cardinals are 1–1 in bowl games, while his overall career bowl record stands at 6–2. He has taken five straight teams to bowl appearances, winning four of them, including three at Western Kentucky and one at Purdue. That consistency gives him the edge over the more decorated name just below him.
6. Bill Belichick, North Carolina
Belichick may be the greatest NFL coach of all time, but he is new to the college game. His first outing with UNC was disastrous, a 34–point home loss that raised immediate questions about whether his NFL pedigree will translate. He has six Super Bowl rings, yet even his Patriots struggled after Tom Brady left, which raises the familiar question of how much of his success came from the quarterback. His résumé makes him intriguing, but he will need wins in college before climbing higher on this list.
7. Dave Doeren, NC State
Doeren is NC State’s all-time wins leader at 89–65, but he has never delivered a 10–win season in Raleigh. His last double-digit win season came in 2012 when Northern Illinois finished 12–1. The Wolfpack went 6–7 in 2024 but have started 2–0 this season. Under Doeren, NC State has been consistent and competitive, reaching three straight bowl games from 2022 to 2024, though they have not won one since 2017. He is steady but needs a signature bowl win to move up.
8. Bill O’Brien, Boston College
O’Brien is entering his fourth season as a college head coach and has never had a losing record. Boston College finished 7–6 last year with a Pinstripe Bowl loss, his worst season to date. He is 23–16 overall in college and previously led Penn State to 15 wins during a time when the program was under a four-year bowl ban. He has proven capable of stabilizing programs and remains a solid presence for Boston College.
9. Manny Diaz, Duke
Diaz is in his second season at Duke after three years leading Miami. His teams have reached three bowl games, though he has yet to win one. His lone ranked finish came in 2020 when Miami placed 22nd in the AP Poll. He holds a 31–20 overall record and led Duke to nine wins in 2024, his highest single-season total. The Blue Devils sit 1–1 this year and face a schedule that avoids most of the league’s heavyweights until Clemson in Week 10.
10. Brent Key, Georgia Tech
Key is 20–16 in three seasons plus two games this year. He has improved Georgia Tech’s competitiveness but has not yet produced breakout results. His teams have reached two bowl games, splitting them, and both of those seasons ended 7–6. Key has stabilized the program, though he still has work to do to elevate the Yellow Jackets beyond the middle of the pack.
11. Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh
Narduzzi enters his 11th season with Pitt and has produced only two years with nine or more wins. Aside from a poor 2023, the Panthers have usually been competitive under him but rarely elite. He owns a 74–56 regular-season record and is 2–5 in bowl games. He is the second-longest tenured ACC coach after Swinney, yet his track record is defined more by stability than high-level achievement.
12. Fran Brown, Syracuse
Brown impressed in his first season by going 10–3, winning the Holiday Bowl, and finishing ranked 20th. The 2025 season opened with a blowout loss to Tennessee, but the Orange rebounded with an overtime win against UConn. Brown nearly matched Narduzzi’s best year in just his debut, which is why he sits just below him. He is promising but still new to the job.
13. Brent Pry, Virginia Tech
Pry has shown he can develop and motivate, but his game management has been a problem. He is 1–12 in one-score games, and through three seasons, there has been little progress. Virginia Tech started 0–2 this year and faces a tough schedule ahead. Pry is 1–1 in bowl games, with his best year in 2023 when the Hokies finished 7–6 and won the Military Bowl. This season is likely his last chance to prove he can reverse the trend.
14. Justin Wilcox, California
Wilcox took over in 2017 and has one winning season, an 8–5 year that ended with a Redbox Bowl victory. He is 1–3 in bowl games and has overseen five straight losing seasons. The Bears are 2–0 this year with a favorable schedule that avoids Clemson, Florida State, and Miami, which gives him a chance to improve his standing.
15. Frank Reich, Stanford
Reich brings an NFL background, with five seasons as Colts head coach and one with the Panthers. His first year at Stanford has started poorly with losses to Hawaii and BYU. Reich’s NFL record was 41–43, and this will be his first test in the college ranks.
16. Jake Dickert, Wake Forest
Dickert is in his first season with Wake Forest after a solid run at Washington State, where he went 8–4 in 2024. The Demon Deacons are 2–0, but his ACC résumé is just two games old. For now, that places him at the bottom half of the list. With Florida State the only ranked opponent on the schedule, he has a chance to build momentum.
17. Tony Elliott, Virginia
Elliott has struggled since being hired in 2022, going 12–24 with a best season of five wins. Virginia is 1–1 this year and avoids both Clemson and Miami, but under Elliott, the Cavaliers have rarely been competitive. Until results change, he remains at the bottom of the rankings.
Parting Shot
The ACC coaching landscape is filled with uncertainty. Three programs have new leadership, and only a handful of coaches have consistently produced wins at a high level. Swinney remains the standard, while Cristobal, Norvell, and Lashlee have shown they can push their programs into the national conversation. After that, the league is crowded with question marks, veterans who have yet to break through, and newcomers still finding their footing. The 2025 season will go a long way toward determining who belongs in the ACC’s next tier and who might soon find themselves on the hot seat.
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