When the Big 12 announces its football coach of the year award this week, there is likely to be no suspense. It'll be Texas Tech's fourth-year coach, Joey McGuire. But should it be Brent Brennan instead?
McGuire benefitted from what has been estimated at $30 million in NIL money to build a roster from the transfer portal. Until that infusion of cash, mostly from Tech mega-donor Cody Campbell, McGuire was a solid coach. He had gone 8-5, 7-6 and 8-5 before opening this season 10-1. His highest finish in the Big 12 had been fourth place in 2022.
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan against BYU in the first half, Oct. 11, 2025, in Tucson.
Brennan's chances to have a winning season were predicted to be .500, at best, although a 5-7 finish seemed most likely. He did more with less than McGuire, wrapping up the regular season at 9-3, including a Territorial Cup win over ASU on Friday.
If any college football town appreciates the idea of having a coach of the year, it's Tucson. In the previous 49 years, the UA has only won that honor twice: Dick Tomey, 1992, for a 6-5-1 rebuild season, and Rich Rodriguez, 2014, for a 10-4 season in which he won the Pac-12 South championship. Opposing coaches in the Big 12 will decide who gets the 2025 award. Let's hope they spend some time researching how difficult it was for Brennan just to break .500.
5 takeaways from Arizona football’s 23-7 Territorial Cup victory over ASU | Michael Lev
