Josh Pate: ‘I think Jon Gruden is gonna be a college football head coach’

Is a return to coaching in the cards for Jon Gruden? Gruden hopes it does. And on Josh Pate’s College Football Show, Pate expressed a firm belief that Gruden will lead a college program in the near future.

Pate cited different traits that he thinks are needed to be a successful college coach. Specifically, he noted the ability to hire a good staff, acquire talented players (via recruiting and the transfer portal), develop those players and be adaptable. After all of that, he noted the importance of igniting the fanbase. Pate said that while he’s unsure about how well Bill Belichick will work at North Carolina, he’s gotten the fans there excited.

Believing that Gruden checks all of those boxes, Pate feels that Gruden’s return to coaching is not a matter of if, but when and where?

Jon Gruden will be a College Football head coach pic.twitter.com/VdJnjOvdIX

— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) August 11, 2025

“I guarantee you I know about 90% of the fan bases in the country would be very open to Jon Gruden becoming their coach,” Pate said. “And the 10% who wouldn’t be open to it have great head coaches already. So they don’t need him. Which jobs would he take? Is the question. To me, Jon Gruden is gonna get a head coaching job. OK. I’m putting that out there. I think Jon Gruden is gonna be a college football head coach. It’s not about which programs would offer him the job. There are a bunch of ’em out there who will offer him the job, I believe. The question is, which programs would Jon Gruden be open to taking the job at? Which jobs appeal to him?”

One potential opening that Pate cited is at the University of Arkansas. Sam Pittman is entering his sixth season coaching the Razorbacks. In those six seasons, Arkansas has gone 30-31 overall and has a 14-28 record in SEC play. Given that Gruden has also explicitly expressed a desire to coach in the SEC, it would seem to be a job that he’d want.

Pate feels like hiring Gruden would get the Arkansas fan base going.

“Do you understand the dynamics if you’re sitting there in Fayetteville, Arkansas and Jon Gruden is announced as your new head coach?” he asked. “You think Cal [John Calipari] did something for basketball juice in Northwest Arkansas? Imagine what hiring Jon Gruden does. I’m asking you, I’m really asking you. What is it that it takes to win in college football that he doesn’t bring to the table?”