In a stunning yet well-earned recognition of excellence, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has been ranked as the best coach in college football for 2025, according to 247Sports. This latest accolade places Smart at the pinnacle of the sport, above other elite names such as Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Oregon’s Dan Lanning, and Texas’ Steve Sarkisian—each of whom has made a strong case for top coaching honors in recent seasons. However, it is Smart’s unmatched consistency, leadership, and recent dominance that have now made him the standard by which other college coaches are judged.
Since taking the helm of the Georgia football program in 2016, Smart has elevated the Bulldogs into a perennial powerhouse. He has not only brought national championships to Athens—breaking a decades-long drought in the process—but has also turned Georgia into a defensive juggernaut and a consistent threat in the College Football Playoff. His recruiting acumen, ability to develop players for both college and the NFL, and in-game strategic prowess make him arguably the most complete coach in the sport today.
The 247Sports ranking isn’t just based on reputation or past accomplishments. It’s built on recent performance, coaching adaptability, player development, and the ability to win in the ever-evolving landscape of modern college football. And in each of these areas, Kirby Smart stands tall. After winning national titles in 2021 and 2022, and coming close again in 2023 and 2024, his program has continued to evolve and adapt to changes in NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) regulations, transfer portal dynamics, and playoff expansion plans.
What sets Smart apart, however, is not just his impressive win-loss record—it’s the way he wins. Georgia plays a physically dominant brand of football that reflects Smart’s defensive background and Alabama-influenced pedigree, but it also embraces innovation on offense. The Bulldogs under Smart have blended traditional power football with modern spread concepts, demonstrating an ability to score quickly or grind out games depending on the situation. This kind of tactical versatility is rare and invaluable.
When comparing Smart to other top-tier coaches, it becomes clear why 247Sports placed him at the top. Ryan Day of Ohio State has had a stellar run, consistently fielding one of the nation’s best offenses and appearing in multiple playoffs. Yet, his teams have struggled in critical postseason moments, and he has been unable to capture a national title during his tenure. While Day is certainly among the elite, the absence of that championship hardware has left a gap in his résumé that Smart has filled—and then some.
Dan Lanning, another former Georgia defensive coordinator under Smart, has been nothing short of impressive since taking over at Oregon. His energy, recruiting firepower, and defensive mindset have reinvigorated the Ducks and made them a legitimate title contender. Yet, Lanning is still building his legacy and has not yet matched Smart’s sustained success or national titles. It’s a similar story with Steve Sarkisian, whose offensive creativity has been on full display at Texas. Sarkisian led Texas back to national relevance and had a strong 2024 season, but the Longhorns are still a few steps away from claiming the sport’s ultimate prize.
Beyond titles and playoff appearances, Smart’s program has become a machine. Georgia sends more players to the NFL than almost any other school, and the Bulldogs’ recruiting classes consistently rank in the top three nationally. This is not by accident. Smart has built an infrastructure at Georgia that rivals even Alabama’s legendary system under Nick Saban. From elite facilities and a deep coaching staff to innovative analytics and relentless recruiting efforts, Smart’s Georgia is built to last.
Perhaps most importantly, Smart has shown that he can maintain excellence amid change. College football has undergone seismic shifts in recent years—with the explosion of the transfer portal, the influence of NIL deals, and the upcoming expansion of the College Football Playoff. Many coaches have struggled to adapt, but Smart has embraced these changes with confidence and clarity. Rather than resist the new era, he has leaned into it, positioning Georgia as a premier destination for top-tier talent both from high schools and from other college programs.
His leadership style is another reason for his elevated status. Players consistently speak about Smart’s intensity, preparation, and personal investment in their development. He is known to be a demanding coach, but one who commands respect and delivers results. Whether it’s through fiery pregame speeches, attention to detail in practice, or mentoring players off the field, Smart’s impact is felt at every level of the program.
Even rival coaches and analysts have acknowledged Smart’s rise to the top. While Nick Saban’s retirement left a void in the SEC’s coaching hierarchy, Smart has filled it—and perhaps even redefined it. He is no longer viewed as the next great coach; he is the great coach of this era. The 247Sports ranking merely confirms what many in college football already believed: Kirby Smart is the gold standard in 2025.
Of course, with great success comes even greater expectations. The bar at Georgia is now national championship or bust, and fans in Athens expect Smart to deliver year after year. Fortunately for them, Smart has not shown any signs of slowing down. His 2025 roster is again stacked with talent, boasting elite prospects at every position and returning several key starters from a deep playoff run in 2024. If the early buzz from spring practices and scrimmages is any indication, Georgia is again primed to contend for a national title.
Another aspect of Smart’s greatness is his coaching tree. Several former assistants have gone on to lead major programs themselves—Dan Lanning at Oregon being the most prominent example. This speaks not only to Smart’s eye for coaching talent but also to his ability to mentor and empower future leaders of the sport. His impact is being felt not just at Georgia but across the entire landscape of college football.
It’s also worth noting that Smart’s rise hasn’t come without adversity. He’s faced heartbreaking losses, intense media scrutiny, and the pressure of following in the footsteps of legends. But at every turn, he has responded with resilience and poise. He’s learned from defeats, evolved with the game, and come back stronger. That ability to adapt and grow is a hallmark of elite coaching and a key reason why he continues to outperform his peers.
As 247Sports noted in its evaluation, Smart’s combination of recruiting dominance, tactical acumen, leadership skills, and consistent results made him the clear No. 1 choice in 2025. While other coaches are undoubtedly impressive and deserving of recognition, Smart has separated himself by building not just a winning team, but a winning culture. It’s the kind of culture that sustains success over the long haul and continues to raise the bar for the rest of the sport.
In many ways, the current era of college football belongs to Kirby Smart. While coaches like Ryan Day, Dan Lanning, and Steve Sarkisian continue to push their programs forward, Smart has already achieved what they are still chasing. And given his age, energy, and proven formula for success, it’s likely that Smart will remain at the top of these rankings for years to come.
As the 2025 season approaches, all eyes will once again be on Athens. Expectations are sky-high, and the target on Georgia’s back is as big as ever. But if the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that Kirby Smart thrives under pressure. He doesn’t just meet expectations—he redefines them. And now, with the title of best coach in college football officially bestowed upon him by one of the sport’s most respected outlets, Smart will be looking to prove once again why he is the undisputed king of the college football coaching world.
