Who's the Best Head Coach in the Pac-12?

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning and Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham talk before an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Andy Nelson)

By STEVEN VAUGHAN, 750 THE GAME

In all sports, coaching matters.

In college football, coaching really matters, and the Pac-12 Conference has a lot of good coaches.

Ask any fan to rank them 1-12 and you may get different answers each time.

John Canzano gave his rankings on Friday’s radio show on 750 The Game and said you have to start with the head coach who has won consecutive conference championships.

“Kyle Whittingham on my list is number one when you talk about Pac 12 coaches,” Canzano said. “To me, he’s got the best proof of performance, the best culture. Utah doesn’t have the best players.”

Canzano has USC coach Lincoln Riley, as his second-ranked coach.

“I got Lincoln Riley second based on what he did and his ability to recruit. The marriage of Lincoln Riley and USC has been a huge home run.”

When it comes to Oregon and Oregon State, Canzano says they are close. But he has Jonathan Smith ahead of Dan Lanning for now.

“I put Lanning behind Smith. I mean, how do you argue last year at Reser Stadium? I think Oregon had more talent. Oregon State won the game. That was a head-to-head contest. I can’t put Lanning in front of Smith at this point.

“I think they’re neck and neck. But I think (Smith) nosed in front of him last season.”

The conference is loaded with good coaches and that includes some unknowns with Coach Prime, Troy Taylor at Stanford and Kenny Dillingham at Arizona State. As far as coaching is concerned, the Pac-12 is in a good spot even when USC and UCLA leave after the season.

Listen to Canzano’s rankings at 1:04:00 on the podcast below. Catch the Bald Faced Truth with John Canzano weekdays 3-6 p.m. in Portland exclusively on 750 The Game.