What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear ACC football? Ferocious rivalries, highlight-reel plays, and—let’s face it—some hot-headed coaching personalities. Behind each great team is a coach whose age usually says it all: young, clean-faced upstarts with plenty of stamina or scraggly old vets with years of history behind them.
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a fascinating blend of youthful ambition and experienced grit, and today we’re breaking down every ACC head coach by age, from the youngest rising stars to the seasoned legends. Ready for some fun facts and a few surprises? Let’s roll!
Ranking Every ACC Coach by Age
Rhett Lashlee—41, SMU
Just 41 years young, Rhett Lashlee is one of the youngest ACC head coaches, and he started SMU’s initial conference season with a bang. With his explosive offense game plans, Lashlee is also referred to as a mastermind of creative views, particularly during the period when he was the offensive coordinator for Gus Malzahn at Auburn.
🏈Rhett Lashlee is one of top coaches in football when it comes to tempo. He loves to keep things simple and let guys just go play.
🔗https://t.co/YbCgVoyenH pic.twitter.com/XnhI2jKeUc— Coach Vint (@coachvint) May 19, 2025
His offenses are about piling up points—they’re an amusement park ride of trick plays and high-speed calls that keep defenses on their toes. For SMU fans, Lashlee’s offense is pure adrenaline, and it’s just the start for this new-off-the-bus coach.
Jake Dickert—41, Wake Forest
Jake Dickert brings his same youthful energy to Wake Forest, becoming the head coach in 2024 after impressing as the defensive coordinator. Dickert’s teams are all about discipline and defense—two qualities that Wake Forest has desperately needed in recent years.
Despite his age, Dickert coaches with a poise that’s rare for a newbie, blending smart game-planning with the enthusiasm of a guy who’s hungry to prove himself. If you’re watching the Demon Deacons, keep an eye on their defensive improvements—that’s Dickert’s signature.
Mike Norvell—43, Florida State
Mike Norvell is rapidly becoming the ACC’s most intriguing coach after becoming the head coach at Florida State in 2020. He’s only 43, but he already has a resume full of accomplishments, having returned the Seminoles to national relevance.
Norvell’s team is speed-driven, physical, and flashy, and he has a recruiting blue-chip instinct that no one else shares. His 2023 ACC Championship victory cemented that FSU isn’t just back—they’re the team to beat.
Fran Brown—43, Syracuse
Fran Brown is new to the ACC coaching ranks, having been hired as Syracuse’s 2024 head coach. Brown is a defensive backs coach by background, and he knows how to construct a hard-nosed secondary, which Syracuse so desperately needs after some tough years.
He’s a culture coach who focuses on work ethic and building players as individuals. Orange Brownies are ecstatic over the fresh vibrancy Brown brings with him—he is young, hungry, and poised to turn things around.
Tony Elliott—44, Virginia
Tony Elliott is a name that Clemson Tiger fans know well, having previously served there as an offensive coordinator before becoming the head coach at Virginia in 2022. Elliott’s creativity on the offensive side of the ball and recruiting under-the-radar gems have made him a young and promising coach in the ACC.
Virginia’s rebuilding cycle is in its infancy stage, but Elliott’s optimistic attitude and player-first philosophy make Cavalier loyalists believe that brighter days are coming.
Brent Key—46, Georgia Tech
Brent Key is Georgia Tech’s hometown hero, a Yellow Jackets alumnus who transitioned from playing on the field to becoming a head coach. Under Key, since he became head coach in 2022, discipline and team culture have been stressed and were established in a program that went astray.
His school loyalty and desire to work from the ground up are aspects the fans do believe in—watch the Jackets continue their ascent with him at the helm.
Manny Diaz—50, Duke
Manny Diaz brought ACC coaching back to Duke in 2024 with his stout defense and no-games attitude in Durham. Diaz is all about hard, physical football and accountability from his players, the type of stuff Duke so badly needs to be any sort of competitive entity in the ACC.
Scott Satterfield—52, Cincinnati
Scott Satterfield, in his first year at Cincinnati since 2023, is a steadying influence and one who has a history of putting teams together into hard-nosed, disciplined teams. With his even-keel approach, with offense and defense being given equal emphasis, the Bearcats are a difficult out for the ACC.
Satterfield’s low-key, players-first demeanor does not generate headlines on a weekly basis, but his achievements are a testament.
Brent Pry—53, Virginia Tech
Brent Pry has been the defensive genius of Virginia Tech with an iron-tight, no-quit attitude and attacking game schemes since 2022.
His teams are founded on generating turnovers and grinding down the opposition, and Pry’s plan is to return Hokies football to national relevance. His blue-collar method is a great match for Virginia Tech’s hard-nosed football heritage.
Dave Doeren – 53, NC State
Dave Doeren has been the steady heartbeat for NC State for over a decade, turning the Wolfpack into a yearly bowl team. His teams are hard, smart, and competitive annually. Doeren’s longevity in a tough league says a great deal about his ability to recruit and the manner in which he’s kept the Wolfpack competitive.
Mario Cristobal—54, Miami
Mario Cristobal’s 2022 return to Miami unleashed a whirlwind of energy and passion. With a name for incendiary speeches and a bulldog-like attitude, Cristobal is hell-bent on restoring the Hurricanes to their halcyon days. His teams play hard, recruit hard, and don’t back down—look for Miami to battle ACC dominance in his hands.
KEEP READING: 2025 ACC Football Schedule: Which Squad Has the Easiest Route?
Dabo Swinney—55, Clemson
If any name is more linked with ACC domination, it’s Dabo Swinney. Since his 2008 arrival at Clemson, Swinney has turned the program into a national power, winning many ACC championships and two national titles.
His effervescent energy, recruiting wizardry, and knack for bringing out players make him a legend among coaches. Even at 55 years old, Dabo’s passion level never wavers, and Clemson is still a force to be reckoned with.
Bill O’Brien—55, Boston College
Bill O’Brien brings some NFL pedigree to Boston College, where he takes over in 2024. More accustomed to his disciplined, pro-style methods, O’Brien looks to impose structure and strength on the Eagles. BC fans are anxiously observing how his NFL background will translate to college success in the ACC’s physical environment.
Troy Taylor—56, Stanford
Troy Taylor joined Stanford in 2023 as an offense guy, more precisely, a quarterback-maker. His ability and eagerness to innovate are rattling the Cardinal program, which has recently underperformed. Taylor’s young but mature state of mind is making Stanford a program to watch.
Pat Narduzzi—58, Pittsburgh
Pat Narduzzi has been Pittsburgh’s defensive backbone since 2015, leading the Panthers to an ACC Championship in 2021. His teams are gritty, tough, and blue-collar—just like the city they represent. Narduzzi’s steady presence has made Pittsburgh a respected ACC contender.
Bill Belichick—73, North Carolina
And Bill Belichick—yes, that Bill Belichick, the NFL legend who caught the sports world off guard by departing the New England Patriots to coach at North Carolina in 2024. And at age 73, Belichick’s arrival in the ACC is a seismic event.
KEEP READING: 2025 Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25 Power Rankings
Renowned for his unparalleled strategic mind and attention to detail, he’s already elevating expectations to upper-echelon levels for the Tar Heels. If his NFL success comes with him, the ACC has just become a whole lot more interesting.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
