Major College Football Programs That Have Had The Most And Least Head Coaches In Their Histories

College football coaching turnover is higher than it’s ever been. The new age of transfer portal and NIL payments have made quick success a must for team leaders.

No longer are coaches allowed time to build a program through high school recruiting. Talent is there for the taking each and every year. Those that fail to secure it fall behind.

As a result, midseason firings have become the new norm. With recruiting and transfer implications, schools waste little time pulling the plug on a failed marriage.

Some have done so more than others.

College football teams with the most and least number of head coaches.

Here, we’ll look at the schools that have the most and least number of head coaches in their histories. For every destination that seems to be a revolving door for head coaches, there is another that never seems to experience a changing of the guard.

This list will look at the major college football programs that make up the Power conferences. We’ll start with the teams that have made the most changes before finishing up with the models of consistency.

College football teams that have had the most coaches

Purdue

Purdue has played football for 134 seasons dating back to 1892. In that time, they’ve had 37 different head coaches. That includes having three different leaders between 2022-2025.

The number is skewed a bit as the Boilermakers had 13 coaches in their first 20 years of existence. Still, it remains the highest total in college football.

Kansas

Kansas has had 36 different head coaches roam the sidelines across 125 seasons of football. That number is the second-highest total in the sport.

The Jayhawks have never had a coach spend a decade with the program. They’ve largely been unable to find continuity as one of college football’s losingest teams.

Virginia

Virginia is the first ACC squad on the list, coming in at No. 3 with 35 head coaches in its history. That included 15 different coaches across the first 15 seasons.

The Cavaliers have been playing football since 1902, and while there have been stints of notable success, they’ve cycled through leaders at a high rate. UVA has seen just one coach last longer than a decade at the helm.

Mississippi State

Mississippi State has been playing football for 121 seasons. In that time, 34 head coaches have led the Bulldogs.

A number of coaches have spent notable time in Starkville, headlined by Dan Mullen and Jackie Sherrill, but there have been far more to be ousted after a handful of years.

North Carolina

North Carolina is on head coach No. 31 following its latest hiring of Bill Belichick. The Tar Heels have rotated leaders frequently across 122 seasons of college football.

The program had nine different coaches across a decade-long period from 1903-1913. There’s been a bit more stability since.

Between 1959-1997, there were only four head coaches in Chapel Hill. They nearly doubled that total from 1998 to the present, though.

Pitt

Pittsburgh is one of the more accomplished programs in college football. That hasn’t stopped the Panthers from experiencing head coaching turnover.

Over 121 seasons, the team has been led by 31 different coaches. That mark ties for the fifth-most head coaches in the sport’s history.

Jock Sutherland is the program’s longest tenured coach at 15 seasons though current leader Pat Narduzzi is closing in on that mark.

College football teams that have had the least coaches

UCF*

UCF *technically* has the least amount of head coaches for any college football program. You’ll notice an asterisk beside their name, though.

The Knights are relatively new with the football program only having 30 years under its belt. In that time, they’ve had seven coaches led by George O’Leary’s 12-year stint.

Florida State

We’ll defer to Florida State as being the true leader in the clubhouse. Through 72 seasons, they’ve had just 10 head coaches.

That’s largely thanks to Bobby Bowden, who accounted for nearly half of those seasons by spending 34 years on the sidelines. The Seminoles typically aren’t quick to pull the trigger on coaching changes.

Rutgers

While they technically rank third in terms of fewest coaches, Rutgers’ total might be the most impressive. The Scarlet Knights are considered one of the oldest programs in college football history, playing in the first ever game in 1869.

They’ve had just 13 head coaches all-time. They’ve never gotten rid of a coach before their fourth season. They are a model of consistency, though it hasn’t always resulted in on-field success.

BYU

BYU has played just over a century of football dating back to 1922. The Cougars have been loyal to their leaders since the start.

The school has seen three different coaching stints last 10+ years, led by LaVell Edwards’ 29 seasons. Three others have reached the seven-season mark. In all, the program has had just 14 head coaches.

Louisville

Louisville has a bit less history than the previously mentioned Cougars with 64 seasons under their belt. They’ve hired only 15 head coaches over that time.

Howard Schnellenberger is the longest tenured Cardinals coach at 10 years. Bobby Petrino spent nine seasons with the program though it came across two different stints.

Ohio State

Ohio State, too, has just 15 head coaches in its storied history. Those men have led the Buckeyes over 114 seasons.

The program has seen sustained success no matter the head coach, which has given it the luxury of patience. Woody Hayes is the school’s longest tenured coach at 28 years. John Wilce follows with 16 years of service.