Top 15 college football head coaches

[smokymountainrain]

No.

Did Dan run the program into the ground before he left? The broncos seemed to be doing well under Hawkins before he left and obviously after.

Since Hawkins left BSU, BSU has been better than what they were under Hawkins. Since Hawkins left Peterson, he has a dysmal 13-24 record.

[Commando]

No.

Did Dan run the program into the ground before he left? The broncos seemed to be doing well under Hawkins before he left and obviously after.

Boise State's success hasn't been about their coaches. Like having system quarterbacks, Boise State seems to have "system" coaches. How many have gone on to other success? Maybe Houston Nutt... But he certainly hasn't done miracles at Arkansas or Old Miss.

If it's about the system, then how is Peterson riding Dan Hawkins' coattails? Maybe if he went to a big 10 school and sucked donkey could he be truly viewed as emulating Hawkins.

[smokymountainrain]

One could quibble with the order here and there, but overall this is a pretty accurate list.

I wonder if Hermie should be there? Although he is at the beginning stages of rebuilding at UCLA, over his entire career, has he really been LESS successful than Chris Peterson or Kyle Whittingham?

Um, yes. Peterson is 35-4 in his three years at Boise. Neuheisel has never had a three year stretch even close to that in his career. He left UW in shambles and was 15-10 in his last two years there. He's had his best years at both CU and UW with mostly players he didn't recruit. Last two years at CU he was 13-10.

[Babs]

But Brown's sustained excellence at Texas > what Miles has done at LSU and did at OSU. Miles was finally coaching the majority of players he recruited to LSU and had an 8-5 record to show for it last year.

Miles at OSU was about the same as what Mike Gundy has done at OSU and I consider Gundy a fairly average coach. Gundy also had his worst season playing with Miles group in his first year.

It's true that Miles is still establishing his reputation. My dad is of your opinion, that Les is a strong three-year coach, but won't be able to sustain success. I'm not sure.

But at the same time, it's a little hard to be overwhelmed with Mack's "excellence" at Texas, when he's got a top three recruiting class every year and can only win his conference once a decade.

It's a matter of opinion, of course, and I'm simply voicing mine.

[RC Vikings]

Other then Beamer the top ten are all at big time football programs where I would expect nothing but a good team. How about guys that are doing a good job where their are a few hurdles along the way. A couple that come to mind for me are Mike Gundy at OK State and Mike Riley at Or State.

[beefytee]

If it's about the system, then how is Peterson riding Dan Hawkins' coattails? Maybe if he went to a big 10 school and sucked donkey could he be truly viewed as emulating Hawkins.

Alright I admit it was bad wording. I wasn't trying to state that Dan Hawkins was all that. It was that things were in place for Peterson's success.

I'm not saying that Peterson is a bad coach. I am just much more impressed with what June Jones did at Hawaii considering he inherited a team that was on an 18 game losing streak and wouldn't consider him a flash in the pan. Even with is lackluster first year at SMU.

[Hot Lunch]

No.

Did Dan run the program into the ground before he left? The broncos seemed to be doing well under Hawkins before he left and obviously after.

Boise State's success hasn't been about their coaches. Like having system quarterbacks, Boise State seems to have "system" coaches. How many have gone on to other success? Maybe Houston Nutt... But he certainly hasn't done miracles at Arkansas or Old Miss.

The Broncos were doing well before Hawkins. Didn't Dirk Koetter get it all started in Boise with what he did.

[smokymountainrain]

It's true that Miles is still establishing his reputation. My dad is of your opinion, that Les is a strong three-year coach, but won't be able to sustain success. I'm not sure.

But at the same time, it's a little hard to be overwhelmed with Mack's "excellence" at Texas, when he's got a top three recruiting class every year and can only win his conference once a decade.

It's a matter of opinion, of course, and I'm simply voicing mine.

I guess I'm mostly remembering Texas for what they had been since Royal left town and then what they have been since Brown has been there. If you don't remember, they were very average for about a 10-11 year period from the late 80s to the late 90s prior to Brown. Heck, Brown has even surpassed what Royal was able to do.

[Babs]

Heck, Brown has even surpassed what Royal was able to do.

I don't remember Royal much. I think he was before I was born. But didn't he win their other three titles? I remember Mackovic. Longhorns weren't much to speak of then, that's for sure.

[beefytee]

The Broncos were doing well before Hawkins. Didn't Dirk Koetter get it all started in Boise with what he did.

They had plenty of success in the lower divisions, but yeah, Dirk was the guy when they really started having success in Div 1-A.

[smokymountainrain]

I don't remember Royal much. I think he was before I was born. But didn't he win their other three titles? I remember Mackovic. Longhorns weren't much to speak of then, that's for sure.

I don't remember Royal at all either - I just remember what they've been since he left. But I think you may be right about the three titles. Thanks for the reminder. Because of those three titles, I may have spoken too soon about Brown surpassing Royal's accomplishments. I'm pretty sure Brown has a better record than Royal, but championships matter and Brown "only" has one.

[TripletDaddy]

Um, yes. Peterson is 35-4 in his three years at Boise. Neuheisel has never had a three year stretch even close to that in his career. He left UW in shambles and was 15-10 in his last two years there. He's had his best years at both CU and UW with mostly players he didn't recruit. Last two years at CU he was 13-10.

Doesn't Peterson have a losing record in bowl games? Rick won the Pac 10 and the Rose Bowl, finished ranked in the top 3 and a very respectable overall winning percentage playing in much tougher conferences than the WAC and also playing almost twice the amount of games.

I didn't say he was a lock I was just throwing him out there for conversation.

The recruiting violations aren't concerning to me. Lots of good coaches had recruiting violations. That might make them dumb, not bad coaches on the field.

[smokymountainrain]

Doesn't Peterson have a losing record in bowl games? Rick won the Pac 10 and the Rose Bowl, finished ranked in the top 3 and a very respectable overall winning percentage playing in much tougher conferences than the WAC and also playing almost twice the amount of games.

Peterson is 1-2 in bowl games. Also, anytime you talk about playing in tougher conferences, don't you have to mention the recruiting advantages of playing in those conferences as well? I guess I'm just calling it like I see it with Neuheisel - he's had three good seasons (all in his first two years with the team) and six mediocre seasons.

Perhaps Peterson needs more coaching experience before he deserves to be put on the pedestal I've put him on.

[beefytee]

No mention of Bobby Bowden? I guess the last few years have tarnished him.

Bobby Bowden's only losing season at FSU was his first in 1976. And he only had 1 losing season at West Virginia.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

My list:

1. Urban Meyer
2. Pete Carroll
3. Bob Stoops
4. Nick Saban
5. Mack Brown
6. Jim Tressel
7. Frank Beamer
8. Les Miles
9. Mark Richt
10. Rich Rodriguez
11. Joe Paterno
12. Kyle Whittingham
13. Gary Patterson
14. Chris Peterson
15. Gary Pinkel

I think if you're going to have guys like Gary Pinkel on the list and before you have Whittingham or Patterson there, you have to look at the guy from Wisconsin. Also, Butch Davis at UNC will be on this list within the next couple years.