Feature | ODU Unfiltered
If there's one massive takeaway from the last ten years, it's that James Madison and Appalachian State have the coaching evaluation process down to a science. Three of the top four coaches on our list have paced the sidelines in Harrisonburg, while App State boasts three entries of their own.
Here are the top 10 Sun Belt coaching hires of the last decade:
1. Billy Napier — Louisiana (2018-2021)
Napier holds the #1 spot purely for what he built at Louisiana. He took over the Ragin' Cajuns and turned them into a powerhouse, posting a 40-12 record, securing four straight Sun Belt West titles, and winning the 2021 Sun Belt Championship. He set the gold standard for rebuilding a program in The Belt. Now, in a twist of fate, and poor program management, Napier has returned to the Sun Belt to take the reins at JMU for the 2026 season. Does he still have it?
2. Curt Cignetti — James Madison (2019-2023)
For this list, we are judging Cignetti strictly on his time at the FBS level—and it was incredible. Leading a team through an FCS-to-FBS transition is supposed to take years of painful rebuilding. Instead, Cignetti went 19-4 in his first two FBS seasons, tying for first in the SBC East immediately and winning the 2023 Sun Belt Coach of the Year before Indiana Googled him and then backed up the Brinks truck.
3. Jon Sumrall — Troy (2022-2023)
Sumrall's tenure was brief, but it was incredibly destructive to the rest of the conference. He took over at Troy and immediately won back-to-back Sun Belt Championships, putting together a ridiculous 23-4 record across two seasons. He delivered instant hardware before he “waved” goodbye and headed to Tulane.
4. Bob Chesney — James Madison (2024-2025)
If we were ranking purely on coaching ability, Chesney might be higher. But because this list evaluates the hire itself, we have to dock him slightly for his short tenure. Still, stepping in after Cignetti, handling massive roster turnover, and securing a CFP bid in year two is legendary. He is the third JMU coach (or incoming coach) in our top four, proving Harrisonburg is an absolute coaching factory right now. Can Napier’s rehab assignment keep the streamers flying?
5. Scott Satterfield — Appalachian State (2013-2018)
Satterfield was the architect of App State's flawless transition to FBS. He went 51-24 overall, but his final four years were pure dominance (41-11). He captured three consecutive Sun Belt titles from 2016 to 2018, ensuring the Mountaineers were feared from day one and laying the foundation for a juggernaut in Boone.
6. Jamey Chadwell — Coastal Carolina (2019-2022)
Chadwell built the "Mully" era at Coastal Carolina. He led the Chanticleers to a 39-22 record, capturing the program's first SBC title in 2020 and peaking at No. 9 in the AP Poll. His innovative offense made Coastal must-watch television and cemented the "Fun Belt" identity nationally.
7. Eli Drinkwitz — Appalachian State (2019)
Similar to Chesney, Drinkwitz takes a hit in the rankings because he was essentially a one-year rental before bolting for Missouri. However, when your one year results in a 12-1 record and a Sun Belt championship, it’s an undeniable smash hit that had Yosef grinning from ear to ear.
8. Neal Brown — Troy (2015-2018)
Before Sumrall, there was Neal Brown. He proved the Sun Belt could march into SEC territory and snatch a bag, highlighted by his massive upset over LSU in Baton Rouge. Brown tallied a 35-16 record with three straight 10-win seasons and the 2017 Sun Belt title.
9. Shawn Clark — Appalachian State (2020-2024)
Our third App State entry, Clark took the baton from Drinkwitz and maintained the high standard in Boone. He posted a 40-24 record over his five seasons, including a 10-win campaign in 2021, keeping the Mountaineers highly competitive in an increasingly brutal conference.
10. Ricky Rahne — Old Dominion (2020-Present)
We might be slightly biased, but the context here is critical. Rahne inherited an absolute teardown job from a team that went 1-11, lost his first season to the pandemic (yep, ODU’s admin shut it down), and then had to navigate the leap into the Sun Belt East. Through the chaos, he has rebuilt the culture, engineered some massive upsets, and consistently shown progression from year to year. 2026 will decide if Rahne truly deserves his spot on this list.
ODU Unfiltered covers Old Dominion University athletics and institutional affairs with the honesty the official channels won't provide.