Why College Football’s ‘Rockstar’ Coaches Aren’t The Answer

Jason Witten is about to make Oklahoma fans very happy. That was my take after the Sooners made the decision to fire offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle after less than two seasons and tab Witten as the team’s interim OC. This thought was met with a myriad of replies ranging from “Doubt it” to “Pump the brakes. (John) Mateer is still playing QB.” to “Say more.” That last one is actionable, especially for me, as I genuinely believe Witten will make Sooner fans happy, taking over playcalling duties for a team that ranks next to last in the SEC in yards per game and touchdowns scored. Put another way, he will give Oklahoma something to feel good about by being … anybody other than Ben Arbuckle. But it goes deeper than that. Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables could’ve easily handed the offensive controls to a proven playcaller in former Sooner OC Kevin Wilson. He’s on staff, and there is no statute of limitations on one’s ability to call offensive plays. Retreads happen at the position all the time. But no one at OU wants to live through the same experience Clemson is having after Dabo Swinney rehired Chad Morris to a position he was great at a decade ago and is awful at today. Prior to last week, Clemson’s defensive and special teams had combined to outscore its offense. In choosing Witten, Venables gives a frustrated Sooner fan base a recognizable name to rally around after eight games of poor offensive performance. Venables also gets to hand a high-profile job to a high-profile name and a Pro Football Hall of Famer-in-waiting. Witten played 17 years in the NFL, most notably with the Dallas Cowboys, and ranks second all-time among tight ends in receiving yards. He also has SEC pedigree, having starred at Tennessee. But he’s new to coaching. Witten began coaching in 2021 at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas — and he started as a head coach. Just 10 months ago, he became a full-time assistant at Oklahoma, coaching tight ends, the position he made his name playing. Now, he’s being thrust into the role of SEC offensive coordinator, a job he’s never held, let alone at this level. There are no assurances — or even a track record — that suggest he’ll succeed. But he has celebrity, and celebrity goes a long way in the modern era of college football. Over the past nine years, we’ve watched former NFL stars and television personalities — many with impressive playing résumés but little coaching experience — land some of the most powerful jobs in college football. They’ve been chosen by the people with the money, power and influence to lead their programs. But none have emerged as long-term answers. Former Arizona State coach, NFL coach and ESPN personality Herm Edwards came and went in Tempe, leaving a trail of NCAA infractions and an underdeveloped Heisman winner in Jayden Daniels in his wake. Former UAB coach and Super Bowl champion Trent Dilfer was fired after three consecutive losing seasons and a 9-21 record. Former Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Eddie George appeared to be off to a strong start at his first stop, Tennessee State, going 9-4 in 2024 and earning a berth in the FCS playoffs. But his move to Bowling Green has begun poorly. The Falcons went 4-8 in 2025 and are 2-7 through nine games in 2026. Norfolk State coach and NFL great Michael Vick is in the midst of a turnaround, as is Delaware State coach and NFL great DeSean Jackson. But success at the lower levels has yet to translate into a reliable blueprint for celebrity coaches making the jump to Power Four programs. George’s struggles at Bowling Green are one example. And perhaps the most prominent example is Deion Sanders, one of the five greatest living athletes on the planet, whose move to Colorado has also raised questions about the staying power of celebrity-driven coaching hires. Sanders enjoyed a brilliant start to his head-coaching career at Jackson State, as I chronicled multiple times here. But his move to Colorado in 2024 has produced just one winning season. And yes, that season came with a first-round NFL Draft pick and Heisman Trophy winner in Travis Hunter, nine wins and a four-way tie for first place in the Big 12. But without a difference-maker at quarterback like his son, Shedeur Sanders, or a two-way game-wrecker like the uniquely talented Hunter, Deion Sanders has struggled to field a team capable of winning at the level he has set as his goal: the College Football Playoff. Spoiler: Coach Prime is closer to getting fired than reaching the CFP. Still, when it worked for Colorado, it worked. When the team was winning, tickets were selling. Applications to the University of Colorado increased. Sanders proved to be the university’s best chief marketing officer in his role as head football coach. That’s one reason North Carolina State athletic director Boo Corrigan interviewed former NC State quarterback and Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson for the vacant head coaching job, despite Wilson having absolutely no coaching experience. It’s also why NC State brass traveled to Fairhope, Alabama, to interview former NFL great and high school coach Philip Rivers. Rivers, who was ACC Player of the Year at NC State in 2003, also has a son, Gunner, who is committed to play quarterback at NC State. You can see how Corrigan might view this as an opportunity to hire not only a beloved son of the university, but also to create a budding, high-profile coach-son-quarterback relationship like the one Colorado enjoyed with Deion and Shedeur Sanders. But will it work over time? We haven’t seen it yet. The rockstar coach makes fans happy in the short term, not the long term.