Who are the top young coaches and staffers in college football?
It's a question 247Sports attempts to answer annually with its 30Under30 list, which is now on its eighth iteration. The initial list in 2017 included multiple future FBS head coaches (Kenny DillinghamofArizona StateandScotty WaldenofUTEP) and several who have risen the ranks to be highly-paid, highly-coveted coordinators likeCollin Klein(OC, Texas A&M),Glenn Schumann(DC,Georgia) andNick Sheridan(OC,Alabama).
Those are the type of future stars 247Sports aims to identify annually. Of course, the list has had some changes over the years. One of its originators,Barton Simmons, is now the General Manager at Vanderbilt. But the process remains the same: Surveying dozens of contacts across the industry to find the best sub-age-30 coaches and staffers in college football.
Given that the sport is trending younger every year – there will be nearly 100 on-field under 30 coaches in 2024 – the list is harder than ever to narrow before. So, like last year, 247Sports is identifying 30 new names for the list while every returning 30Under30 class member who remains under 30 will also be included at the end.
Additionally, given the volume of high-quality coaches and staffers across the country, 247Sports is also highlighting some sub-30 analysts, GAs and personnel staffers who have garnered strong feedback and bear watching moving forward.
(Note: Names are listed in alphabetical order)
Antreal Allen, CBs,Georgia State(29)
Allen is already entering Year 4 as an on-field coach. After playing for Georgia State through 2017, he immediately joined the Panthers staff as a QC and a GA. Allen then spent two years at Division II Shorter as defensive backs and special teams coach before rejoining Georgia State's staff in 2022 as assistant secondary coach. Allen, who worked with the safeties that season, earned a promotion to cornerbacks coach last offseason and then was retained byDell McGeewhen he took over Georgia State earlier this year. Sources have spoken very highly of Allen saying: "Hard working. Loves to recruit. Sharp."
Tyler Allen, QBs,West Virginia(28)
Neal Brownwasted no time promoting Allen from analyst to quarterback's coach this offseason whenSean Reagantook the offensive coordinator job at Troy. Allen has worked withBrownon three separate occasions – twice with WVU and once withTroy– and has garnered a lot of respect around the Mountaineers program. This is Allen's second on-field stint after serving as Jacksonville State's QB coach from 2020 to 2022. While with the Jaguars he helped quarterbackZion Webbto first-team all-conference honors.
Jesse Bobbit, DC,South Dakota State(29)
One year as a defensive coordinator and one FCS national championship for Bobbit. You can't do much better than that as South Dakota State has emerged as the preeminent FCS program of the 2020s. The Jackrabbits posted a top 25 defense in 2022 and bettered that last year by finishing 1st nationally in scoring defense and yards allowed per game along with 4th in yards allowed per play. Bobbit is a former South Dakota State letterman who began his coaching career as a GA with the program. He spent two years as a QC atWashington Statebefore returning to the Jackrabbits as safeties coach. "He's sharp," one contact said of Bobbit. "He does a really good job of solving problems. He knows how to make things tough on defense."
Keelon Brookins, CBs,Louisiana Tech(29)
Brookins is no stranger to being on the field despite his age. He's entering his sixth season as an on-field coach with stints atNorthern Iowa(2023, 2019-21) andKent State(2022). Brookins had great success with the Panthers last year, tutoring first-team all-conference DB Woo Governor. In his one season with Kent State, Brooks coached all-MAC DBNico Bolden. Brookins, who played forWisconsinand Northern Iowa in his career, coached nine all-conference defensive backs from 2018-23 while with the Panthers.
Sean Brophy, QBs,North Texas(27)
Brophy's coaching career basically began when now-UNT head coachEric Morrispicked a freshman quarterback over Brophy during his 2019 senior season atIncarnate Word. That gave Brophy a chance to be a pseudo-student assistant for the season, and Morris loved what he saw. So when Brophy called Morris looking for a job in 2020, Morris was happy to make him a GA. Morris has taken Brophy with him everywhere since, including to UNT where Brophy made his on-field debut last season. Brophy helped develop Chandler Rogers, who took a huge leap after transferring in from ULM to finish as the nation's 15th leading passer in yards per game.
"You could just see he had a way with people and knew how to regurgitate information in a hurry, and it was the right information," Morris said of Brophy as a senior in 2019. "That was the first sign like, 'Hey, not only is he super smart but he can process the information in a hurry."
AJ Cooper, ILBs,Oregon State(28)
A multi-time NAIA national champion as a player at Southern Oregon, Cooper found similar success in his early coaching career. He made his debut as an on-field assistant last year atSacramento State, where he helped develop first-team all-conference LBArmon Bailey. This is a return to Corvallis for Cooper, who worked as a GA under current Beavers head coachTrent Brayin 2021 and 2022. Cooper has found early recruiting success, too, helping the Beavers land their top-ranked recruit in the 2025 cycle (Trey Glasper) alongside Beavers secondary coachRod Chance.
