The 2024 college football season was straight-up chaos. Penn State fumbled the Orange Bowl, Notre Dame made a national championship appearance after losing to Northern Illinois in Week 2, and the Buckeyes finally ended their 10-year drought by hoisting the natty. Alabama? Kalen DeBoer couldn’t even get them into the playoffs. Oregon went undefeated in the regular season, only to get punched in the mouth by Ohio State in the postseason. And let’s not forget the biggest game-changer—the introduction of the 12-team playoff, which put coaches under the microscope like never before. Some rose to the occasion (Ryan Day, take a bow), while others, well… let’s just say they fumbled the bag. And now, with spring ball around the corner, Greg McElroy just dropped his top 10 coaches list for 2025, and the man really left out an SEC coach who made the playoffs? Oh, and he made sure to show some love to an ACC coach who’s been flying under the radar. Let’s get into it.

The Tennessee Volunteers finally cracked the College Football Playoff for the first time in 2024. Big deal, right? Josh Heupel had been stacking solid seasons—11-2 in 2022, 9-4 in 2023, and finally breaking through with a 10-3 record in 2024. And yet, Greg McElroy looked at all that and said, ‘Nah, I’m good.’ Meanwhile, James Franklin, whose Penn State team got smacked around by Ohio State, Oregon, and Notre Dame when it mattered most, somehow made the cut.

Greg McElroy knew folks would come for him. He even admitted, “I would imagine number 10 might be a little bit controversial for some of you. James Franklin is in at number 10.” Yeah, no kidding, Greg. He went on to justify it by pointing out Franklin’s recruiting chops and the fact that he’s had six 10-win seasons. But here’s the kicker: Franklin’s record against top-tier teams is straight-up ugly. The man is 1-15 against top-5 opponents and 4-20 against the top 10. That isn’t elite. That’s an SEC bottom-feeder’s resume.

And here’s where it gets even wilder. While Heupel couldn’t make the list, McElroy gave a whole lotta love to an ACC coach that folks don’t talk about enough—Louisville’s HC Jeff Brohm. Coming in at No. 8, Brohm got the nod as “the most underrated coach in college football.” And honestly? McElroy might have a point. Jeff Brohm took over Louisville in 2023 and wasted no time making his mark. The Cardinals finished 9-4 in 2024, capping off the season with a wild 35-34 Sun Bowl win over Washington. More impressively, they had one of the best offenses in the country, averaging 36.5 points per game (9th nationally). His quarterback, Tyler Shough, bounced back from past injuries to lead the team, and Louisville’s recruiting has been on fire—ranking 8th nationally for 2026.

McElroy cut right to the chase, highlighting Jeff Brohm’s 85-52 career record and then drilling down on his Louisville tenure: “But if you look at the 19 wins that he has so far in his time there coaching the Cardinals, those 19 wins are the best since Bobby Petrino won 20 against Conference USA competition in 2003 and 2004.” And turning to Brohm’s time at Purdue, McElroy didn’t hold back his admiration. “Few people in the sport do more with less. When he was at Purdue, they quite literally, at times, could not run the football, and yet they still found ways to score points.” He’s not wrong. Brohm’s Purdue teams were famous for pulling off wild upsets—like when they stomped No. 2 Ohio State 49-20 in 2018. His Louisville squad is already looking dangerous, and the man is clearly building something.

But let’s talk about what really makes Brohm special—his offensive genius. Few coaches do more with less. At Purdue, he crafted top-tier offenses despite having a run game that was basically non-existent. When the Boilermakers couldn’t block elite Big Ten pass rushers, Brohm adjusted, scheming up quick throws, misdirections, and screens to neutralize defenses. That same creativity is now powering Louisville’s rise. So, let’s talk about the real question here: Did McElroy get it right, or was this just another case of SEC bias at play?

The SEC snub: Why Josh Heupel’s absence makes no sense

Look, there’s no world where Heupel shouldn’t be in the top 10. The man took Tennessee from being a meme to a legitimate contender in just three years. And we’re talking about a program that was drowning in mediocrity before he showed up. He built an elite offense, developed NFL talent, and, oh yeah, made it to the College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, Franklin’s biggest flex is winning a bunch of games against bottom-feeders and crumbling whenever he faces real competition. Tennessee fans have every right to feel disrespected.

Now, as much as Vols fans are fuming, McElroy did hit on something important—Jeff Brohm is that HC.

The man’s offensive schemes are straight-up wizardry, and he’s proven he can win without 5-star talent. Jeff Brohm would’ve made it to the playoffs if he coached Lamar Jackson. Four of Louisville’s best got the NFL call—Isaac Guerendo (49ers), Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (Titans), Jamari Thrash (Browns), and Jawhar Jordan (Texans)—while five more hustled their way onto rosters as undrafted free agents.

Tight end Jamari Johnson dipped out to Oregon, and punter Brady Hodges sat out the Sun Bowl over some NIL money drama, putting a spotlight on the messy side of college football. Controversies aside, Louisville balled out in 2024, proving that Jeff Brohm’s squad is only getting stronger. But does he deserve to be ranked ahead of Heupel? That’s debatable. Does he deserve to be ranked above James Franklin? Obviously.

Greg McElroy’s list might be stirring controversy now, but the 2025 season is where the real answers will come. The only reason Josh Heupel didn’t make Greg McElroy’s top 10 was their first-round playoff loss to Ryan Day and Ohio State. Tennessee fans will be keeping receipts. If Heupel gets the Vols back to the playoffs in 2025, expect this snub to age like spoiled milk. James Franklin’s got another shot to choke in big games, and Jeff Brohm? Well, if he keeps this up, we might be talking about him cracking the top five soon. Jeff Brohm is finally getting the respect he deserves.