How many Black head coaches are there in college football? All you need to know

In the vibrant tapestry of college football, Black head coaches have been rare throughout its history. The stark absence of diversity in a sport where over half of the players identify as Black remains a topic of great concern among college sports fans.

There are currently 5 Black head coaches among the 133 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, accounting for approximately 10.5% of all coaches. This represents the same number of Black head coaches at the beginning of 2022, despite four new additions this season.

Former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders joined Colorado from Jackson State. Purdue hired former Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, Western Michigan brought in Lance Taylor and Kent State opted for Kenni Burns after Sean Lewis left the program to team up with Sanders as Colorado's offensive coordinator.

The continuous discrimination in college football

The history of Black head coaches in college football is a story of perseverance, resilience and triumph over adversity. This began with the early pioneers who broke through racial barriers and continues with the modern-day leaders who continue to make their mark on the sport.

Research conducted by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports in 2018 shows that approximately 54.3% of student-athletes are Black. It's worth noting that there has been a presence of more Blacks within the FBS for the past three decades, yet Black coaches often do not receive the same opportunities or consideration.

The lack of diversity within the FBS coaching ranks prompted Mike Locksley to establish the National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches three years ago. This is aimed at ensuring more Black coaches are hired in the next few years through equal chances and opportunities.

Distribution of Black head coaches in the Power Five

The Big Ten stands out as the most diverse among the Power Five conferences, boasting four Black coaches within its 14 member schools. These coaches include Ryan Walters, Mel Tucker of Michigan State, James Franklin of Penn State and Mike Locksley of Maryland.

There are two Black head coaches Atlantic Coast Conference, with Dino Babers at Syracuse and Tony Elliott at Virginia. Among Pac-12 schools, the only other Black coach is Deion Sanders. Notably, Marcus Freeman is at independent Notre Dame.

Both the Southeastern Conference and the Big 12 do not have any Black coaches currently despite having more Black players. It's worth noting that the first and only Black head coach in the SEC was hired 20 years ago when Sylvester Croom joined Mississippi State in 2003.