Ryan Switzer is the newest, and youngest, (interim) head coach in college football. He is only 30 years old and less than three full years removed from the NFL.
Real ball-knowers are familiar with Switzer’s well-decorated career at North Carolina. Casuals are just now being introduced to his unprecedented swagger through a pair of viral edits on TikTok.
As a three-star recruit out of George Washington High School in West Virginia, Switzer chose to play for the Tar Heels over 11 other scholarship offers from schools like Penn State, Florida State, Arizona and Ohio. He made an immediate impact in Chapel Hill and ended his freshman year as the NCAA’s punt return leader. His role as a pass-catcher saw a major increase throughout the next three seasons.
Switzer finished his four-year career with 243 catches for 2,903 yards and 19 touchdowns. Mitchell Trubisky threw his way at every opportunity in 2016 so he finished his senior season with more than 1,000 yards receiving on 96 receptions. They were unstoppable together.
All of this goes to say that Ryan Switzer was/is a freak athlete. However, the 5-foot-8 receiver became a college football folk hero in large part because of his demeanor. Very few players in the country had more aura. Especially those of Caucasian classification. He even picked up the nickname ‘White Tavon Austin.’
Ryan Switzer is a stud!
Kids born after the year 2008(ish) are not familiar with Switzer as a player. They are learning of his greatness through TikTok.
One particular edit has gone extremely viral over the last few days. You know it’s a good one when it makes it to X and Instagram.
Switzer was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He spent time with the Cowboys, Raiders, Steelers and Browns. Tulsa hired him as its wide receivers coach and run game coordinator in 2023.
It took less than two years for Switzer to be elevated to the head coach. Kevin Wilson was fired with one game left in the 2024 college football regular season. The Golden Hurricane named the former UNC standout as the interim.
Ryan Switzer, at only 30 years old, will be the head coach of Tulsa against FAU on Saturday!