College coaching is getting younger. In 2024, many of the NCAA football's most dominant teams were headed by coaches in their thirties. Many of them went on to claim incredible records.

It's nice to know that the game is in good hands. But that leaves the question -- whose hands is it in, exactly? Let's find out.

Eliah Drinkwitz

Eliah Drinkwitz has been a game-changing presence for the Missouri Tigers football team. At 42-years-old, he's not exactly young blood, but he has some of the vigor of youth with the wisdom of experience on his side.

He is relatively new to his Missouri position, where he's been the head coach since 2020. His record speaks for itself. In 2023, the Missouri Tigers were 11-2. In 2024, they were 10-3.

His overall record of 38-24 only tells part of the story. The last few years, Mizzou has really found its stride, and it's largely thanks to Drinkwitz. If you're scanning the best Missouri sportsbook apps in search of a good betting line for the Tigers, you could do worse than to wager on Eliah and his squad.

Dan Lanning

Dan Lanning, only 39-years-old, is one of the younger coaches to head a major collegiate team. He serves currently as the head coach at the University of Oregon. Prior to that, he worked on the defensive end at the University of Georgia, where he was a coordinator from 2019 until 2021.

His playing career consisted of time spent as a linebacker at William Jewell College. At Oregon, he's started off strong with a 35-6 total record. In 2024, the Ducks lost only one game in the Big Ten.

Marcus Freeman

Marcus Freeman has been with the Fighting Irish since 2021. He began as a defensive coordinator and assumed the head coaching position in 2021. Since his time on the job, he's steered the Fighting Irish in a strong direction.

His record stands at 33-10. In 2024, he lost only 2 games.

Sean Lewis

Sean Lewis is 39 years old and currently leads the San Diego State Aztecs football team. Previous to this, he worked as a coordinator in Colorado. He was also a college player in Wisconsin.

He was actually a bit of a late bloomer in the world of coaching. He spent his twenties working what he himself describes as odd jobs, including a stint as a personal trainer. From there, he went on to coach high school and eventually smaller universities.

Notably, he worked with Jimmy Garoppolo at Eastern Illinois University. His record with San Diego is a bit shaky at 5-40, but give him time.

Scottie Walden

Scottie Walden is the youngest coach on our list at the age of 35. He works currently at the University of Texas at El Paso, where he's the head coach for the football program. Previous to this, he has worked at several other smaller universities.

He actually began coaching while still an undergraduate, working with the offensive end. He was hired directly out of college and brought to East Texas Baptist University, where he worked for four years. He was actually promoted in January of 2016 as a head coach at only 26-years-old.

There's not a clear record documenting coaches' ages, but it is believed that this might have made him the youngest head coach ever in NCAA history. At UTEP, where he has worked for only one season, he has a record of 3-9.

Certainly, there's much to be desired. But Walden is a man who has more than proved his stuff. Given a few years with the franchise, he should be able to help them turn things around.

Conclusion

Didn't Nathaniel Hawthorne say something to the effect that coaches are always rising and falling in this country? That might be a misquote. It's true, though, that the NCAA fluctuates, certainly in the context of players, but also coaches.

Most recently, Nick Saban of Alabama retired after 17 years at Alabama. He's noted as one of the greatest college football coaches of all-time, and he has an impressive resume that stretches from Toledo to Michigan and LSU. His process-oriented approach to coaching helped lead Alabama to 6 national championships, along with 11 SEC conference titles.

Obviously, he's not the only major coach to retire in recent years. With each season that ends, more people leave, and new people come in. That's the way of the game. It can be hard for longtime fans to watch their favorite coaches settle into retirement, but it's part of the process.

One thing we can say for certain: there's certainly a new crop of worthwhile talent rising up to replace the vets.