College
Why Defensive Coaches Face a Longer Road to College Football's Top Job
Why do offensive coaches land more head coaching jobs? Baylor's Dave Aranda and Texas A&M's Mike Elko explain why defensive coaches face a longer, tougher climb to college football's top chair.
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The path to becoming a head coach in college football is easier for those with offensive backgrounds.
Nine of the 13 FBS coaches in Texas were assistants on the offensive side of the ball. Only two of the 13 – Baylor’s Dave Aranda and Texas A&M’s Mike Elko – are former defensive coordinators at the college level. Houston’s Willie Fritz was a defensive assistant in college at Sam Houston State before becoming a head coach. And Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire has a defensive background as an assistant in both college and high school.
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