**“Top of the Game: Kirby Smart Crowned Best Coach in College Football for 2025, Edges Out Ryan Day, Dan Lanning, and Steve Sarkisian per 247Sports”** coach in college football for 2025. This honor isn’t just about wins or national championships, although Smart has plenty of those under his belt. It’s about complete program dominance, recruiting consistency, player development, and an unrelenting competitive culture that has transformed Georgia into the new gold standard of the sport. While names like Ryan Day of Ohio State, Dan Lanning of Oregon, and Steve Sarkisian of Texas have built their own powerful programs, none have matched Smart’s consistent excellence, relentless drive, or proven track record of rising to the top when the stakes are highest.
Kirby Smart’s rise from Nick Saban’s trusted lieutenant to the most dominant figure in college football has been methodical, relentless, and elite at every level. What separates Smart in 2025 isn’t just his trophy case—it’s his ability to adapt, to build depth that survives the ever-churning transfer portal, and to recruit with precision and power year in and year out. When you look at Georgia’s depth chart, it’s not just a list of highly rated players—it’s a stable of NFL-ready talent, molded under a culture that balances discipline and aggression, physicality and intelligence, pride and humility.
247Sports evaluated coaches on a variety of criteria—wins, titles, recruiting, staff development, program health, and future trajectory. Kirby Smart didn’t just check those boxes; he blew them out of the water. Georgia has lost just a handful of games over the last several years, remained in the Playoff conversation every season, and has been a pipeline to the NFL. Under Smart, the Bulldogs have dominated in ways that even Nick Saban’s Alabama dynasty may not have—posting win streaks of historic proportions, winning back-to-back national titles, and continuing to reload in an era where roster volatility is the new norm.
What’s most remarkable about Smart’s top ranking in 2025 is that it doesn’t feel premature or based on hype—it feels earned in the most traditional, hard-nosed, and indisputable ways possible. His team plays smashmouth football with SEC grit and NFL speed. His players come into the program raw and leave refined. His assistants, often poached by other programs, leave having learned the rigors of a system built for excellence. His defensive acumen, perhaps the best in modern college football, has translated into suffocating units that routinely shut down even the most explosive offenses. And as offenses across the country have innovated and evolved, Smart hasn’t lagged behind—he’s adapted, bringing in offensive minds who can win track meets when necessary, but never at the expense of physical domination at the line of scrimmage.
Ryan Day, who ranked just behind Smart, continues to produce elite offenses at Ohio State and has stacked talent in Columbus, but his inability to win the Big Ten consistently or beat Michigan in recent years has held him back. Day’s Playoff appearances and NFL pipeline keep him in the elite tier, but until he grabs a national title or reasserts Buckeye dominance over the Wolverines, he remains in Kirby’s rearview. That doesn’t take away from what Day has built—it just puts into perspective how difficult it is to actually reach the summit, not just linger near it.
Dan Lanning is an intriguing challenger to Smart’s throne. A former Georgia assistant under Smart, Lanning has transformed Oregon into a powerhouse again, boasting top-tier recruiting classes, defensive discipline, and a level of swagger that reminds many of the Chip Kelly era, only with a more rugged edge. But Lanning’s ranking behind Smart reflects what 247Sports and the sport’s inner circles already understand—Oregon may be coming, but Georgia is already there. Lanning’s Ducks have yet to win a national title under his watch, and while they may be Playoff contenders annually, they haven’t finished the job yet. Lanning’s upside is undeniable, but his résumé doesn’t yet touch Smart’s.
Steve Sarkisian, rounding out the top tier, is perhaps the most explosive offensive mind in college football. His Texas team reached new heights in 2024, showcasing a mature, dynamic attack and the kind of talent that makes the Longhorns feel like a sleeping giant finally waking up. Sark’s recruiting prowess, quarterback development, and bold play-calling make him a formidable force, especially now that Texas is in the SEC. But unlike Smart, Sarkisian has had to rebuild his reputation and prove himself after previous stumbles at USC and Washington. The talent is there, the vision is clear, and the culture is evolving—but the consistency still lags behind Georgia’s.
What makes Kirby Smart’s perch at No. 1 so remarkable is that he earned it not by chasing headlines or leaning on flash—but by building an unshakable foundation. He’s done it with trench warfare and depth, with five-stars who buy in and walk-ons who fight like they belong. In an era where player movement and NIL deals dominate conversations, Smart has kept his focus on what wins football games—development, discipline, and defense. His recruiting classes are elite not just in rankings but in fit. He knows what kind of player thrives in his system and doesn’t waste time on hype if the mindset isn’t right.
Georgia’s culture under Smart is perhaps the most talked-about advantage in the country. Former players praise the structure, toughness, and no-nonsense mentality that permeates every practice. Incoming recruits are told up front—this is not a place for coddling. It’s a place for growth. A place for winning. And above all, a place where team comes before individual. That clarity, especially in today’s volatile college football landscape, is priceless.
In many ways, Smart is building a legacy that echoes that of his former mentor, Nick Saban—but with a distinctly Kirby twist. He’s more emotionally available to his players, more willing to adapt to the current generation, and more comfortable in the limelight. He’s embraced the pressure that comes with expectations. He doesn’t shy away from tough decisions. Whether it’s making a change at coordinator, sitting a star player, or revamping a scheme that isn’t working, Smart moves with conviction. And in doing so, he’s cultivated a program that rarely blinks, even when the lights are brightest.
When 247Sports released their rankings, there wasn’t much debate—just widespread affirmation of what has become obvious to fans, analysts, and opponents alike. Kirby Smart is the best coach in college football. Not just in the SEC. Not just based on a couple of good seasons. But overall, pound for pound, game for game, year after year. He wins in the regular season, in conference title games, and in the Playoff. He wins in recruiting battles. He wins in NFL Draft production. He wins in culture. He wins in player buy-in. He wins in staff cohesion. And, most importantly, he wins when it matters most—on the scoreboard.
As 2025 unfolds, Georgia again enters the season as a national title favorite. The roster is stacked. The culture is thriving. And the head coach at the helm is more focused than ever. While challengers will rise—Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Alabama, Michigan, and perhaps a few surprises—none enter the season with the same iron-clad identity and institutional momentum as Georgia under Smart. Every year is a new journey in college football, but with Kirby Smart leading the way, the Bulldogs start each one with a step ahead of the rest.
247Sports’ decision to name Smart the No. 1 coach in the country is not just recognition—it’s confirmation. Confirmation that the best coach in college football resides in Athens, Georgia. Confirmation that sustained excellence in a chaotic sport is still possible. And confirmation that Kirby Smart is no longer just following in the footsteps of greatness—he’s blazing a trail of his own.
