The college football season is in full swing, and we’ve already seen some of the biggest games of the season. Oregon’s win over Penn State directly contributed to a coaching change in Happy Valley, and teams like Indiana and Texas A&M are emerging as surprise contenders in their conferences.
It takes a lot to be an elite college football coach, and it’s clear that the job isn’t the best fit for everyone. Some of the greatest NFL coaches of all time were below-average college coaches, and the same could be said for some who have taken the opposite route.
College football coaches must manage all that comes with coaching a professional roster, with the added pressures of recruiting and navigating the college football conference and playoff system. Coaches are evaluated on many attributes, but a new study on the most “handsome” coaches produced unexpected results.
Which Coach Took the Top Spot?
247’s Brad Crawford reported that an AI facial recognition software produced a list of the most handsome coaches in the sport. The results were surprising, with the recently fired Billy Napier at the top of the list.
Napier was fired on Sunday after Florida’s win over Mississippi State. The team is 3-4 on the season and was 22-23 in total under Napier. After the former coach of the Gators, his most recent counterpart took the second spot.
Mississippi State’s Joe Moorhead was No. 2 on the list of the most handsome coaches, followed by Maryland’s Mike Locksley. Middle Tennessee State’s Derek Mason came in at No. 4, while another SEC coach rounded out the top five in LSU’s Brian Kelly.
Nebraska and former Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule followed at No. 6, while Kent State’s Mark Carney and Kansas’ Lance Leipold were seventh and eighth, respectively.
Temple’s K.C. Keeler came in at No. 9, and the top ten ended with Sam Houston coach Phil Longo.
How Were the Rankings Determined?
The AI facial recognition software used the “Golden Ratio” to determine each coach’s objective attractiveness based on their facial symmetry. With an “attractiveness score” of 7.98 out of 10, Napier took the top spot.
Just like the weekly AP Poll, the SEC was well represented in the study. In addition to Napier, Moorhead and Kelly, Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer and Tennessee’s Josh Heupel were also included at Nos. 14 and 18.
Colorado’s Deion Sanders ranked No. 78, North Carolina’s Bill Belichick came in at No. 91 and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney was ranked No. 134. Napier may not have had the best record on the field, but he will leave the Florida Gators with the title of the “best-looking” coach in all of college football.
