Best Ever College Fooball Coaches

#1
tvolsfan

tvolsfan

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#1
Another thread inspired by a debate with my friends. Just wondering how do you guys rank them. Keep it D-1A/Bowl Subdivision because it gets hard to compare others.

Feel free to rank as many as you want. I was thinking top 10, but it may be easier to just think of 5.
 
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#3
#3
ALL college coaches?

1. Bear Bryant
2. Amos Alonzo Stagg
3. Eddie Robinson
4. Pop Warner
5. John Gagliardi
 
#11
#11
I can justify each one of them though...

1. Bear Bryant - I shouldn't even have to explain this one.
2. A.A. Stagg - A few national titles and several Big Ten titles while at Chicago, easily among the most influential figures on not only football but American Sports
3. Eddie Robinson - Didn't coach at the top division, I know, but you don't have a greatest coaches ever discussion without mentioning him. Ever.
4. Pop Warner - Numerous national titles, winning records at many schools, and created things like the screen pass and the wing formation.
5. John Gagliardi - Probably more accomplished in his own division and conference than any other coach in CFB history, but if you're looking for top division stuff, it was a toss-up for me between he, Knute Rockne and Red Blaik.
 
#12
#12
duckman398686 said:
strongly disagree
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I admitted he did great things for FSU, but that doesn't make hime a top 10 coach. FSU was an independent until '92 (I think) and then joined the ACC, so the competition they faced on an ongoing basis was average at best. Typically two tough games all year... Miami and Florida. I'll give Bowden credit for a decent record against Spurrier (those were good games and probably his best) but other than that his W-L record doesn't hold up.

Bobby Bowden vs. Miami coaches
Carl Selmer (1976)0-1.
Lou Saban (1977-78)1-1.
H. Schnellenberger (1979-83)2-3
Jimmy Johnson (1984-88)1-4
Dennis Erickson (1989-94)2-4
Butch Davis (1995-2000)5-1
Larry Coker (2001-06)2-4
Randy Shannon (2007-)1-2
Overall: 14-20


Bobby Bowden vs. Florida coaches
Doug Dickey (1976-78)3-1
Charley Pell (1979-83)1-3
Galen Hall (1984-88)2-3
Gary Darnell (1989)1-0
Steve Spurrier (1990-2001)8-5-1
Ron Zook (2002-2004)2-1
Urban Meyer (2005-)0-5
Overall: 17-18-1
 
#13
#13
For me.....

1a. Knute Rockne
1b. Bear Bryant
3. Amos Alonzo Stagg
4. Pop Warner
5. General Neyland
 
#14
#14
milohimself said:
I can justify each one of them though...

1. Bear Bryant - I shouldn't even have to explain this one.
2. A.A. Stagg - A few national titles and several Big Ten titles while at Chicago, easily among the most influential figures on not only football but American Sports
3. Eddie Robinson - Didn't coach at the top division, I know, but you don't have a greatest coaches ever discussion without mentioning him. Ever.
4. Pop Warner - Numerous national titles, winning records at many schools, and created things like the screen pass and the wing formation.
5. John Gagliardi - Probably more accomplished in his own division and conference than any other coach in CFB history, but if you're looking for top division stuff, it was a toss-up for me between he, Knute Rockne and Red Blaik.
Click to expand...
Why not? I admit I don't know much about him, but I'm not sure why he's so special.
 
#15
#15
tvolsfan said:
Why not? I admit I don't know much about him, but I'm not sure why he's so special.
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He coached from 1941 to 1997. He won 408 games, only lost 165, and tied 15 during his years. He made Grambling a household college football name during the 1960's and 1970's. Over 200 of Robinson's players went on to the NFL. He coached such players as Willie Davis, Charlie Joiner, John Stallworth, and many, many others. He won 17 SWAC titles, and 9 black college national championships.
 
#16
#16
IBlvNTmWrk said:
I admitted he did great things for FSU, but that doesn't make hime a top 10 coach. FSU was an independent until '92 (I think) and then joined the ACC, so the competition they faced on an ongoing basis was average at best. Typically two tough games all year... Miami and Florida. I'll give Bowden credit for a decent record against Spurrier (those were good games and probably his best) but other than that his W-L record doesn't hold up.

Bobby Bowden vs. Miami coaches
Carl Selmer (1976)0-1.
Lou Saban (1977-78)1-1.
H. Schnellenberger (1979-83)2-3
Jimmy Johnson (1984-88)1-4
Dennis Erickson (1989-94)2-4
Butch Davis (1995-2000)5-1
Larry Coker (2001-06)2-4
Randy Shannon (2007-)1-2
Overall: 14-20


Bobby Bowden vs. Florida coaches
Doug Dickey (1976-78)3-1
Charley Pell (1979-83)1-3
Galen Hall (1984-88)2-3
Gary Darnell (1989)1-0
Steve Spurrier (1990-2001)8-5-1
Ron Zook (2002-2004)2-1
Urban Meyer (2005-)0-5
Overall: 17-18-1
Click to expand...

That is Fulmeresque
 
#18
#18
IBlvNTmWrk said:
I admitted he did great things for FSU, but that doesn't make hime a top 10 coach. FSU was an independent until '92 (I think) and then joined the ACC, so the competition they faced on an ongoing basis was average at best. Typically two tough games all year... Miami and Florida. I'll give Bowden credit for a decent record against Spurrier (those were good games and probably his best) but other than that his W-L record doesn't hold up.

Bobby Bowden vs. Miami coaches
Carl Selmer (1976)0-1.
Lou Saban (1977-78)1-1.
H. Schnellenberger (1979-83)2-3
Jimmy Johnson (1984-88)1-4
Dennis Erickson (1989-94)2-4
Butch Davis (1995-2000)5-1
Larry Coker (2001-06)2-4
Randy Shannon (2007-)1-2
Overall: 14-20


Bobby Bowden vs. Florida coaches
Doug Dickey (1976-78)3-1
Charley Pell (1979-83)1-3
Galen Hall (1984-88)2-3
Gary Darnell (1989)1-0
Steve Spurrier (1990-2001)8-5-1
Ron Zook (2002-2004)2-1
Urban Meyer (2005-)0-5
Overall: 17-18-1
Click to expand...


shannon>bowden :rock: haha
 
#19
#19
I guess I'm in the minority about Robinson. For me, his winning percentage was too low at too low a level of competition for me to include him.
 
#20
#20
tvolsfan said:
I guess I'm in the minority about Robinson. For me, his winning percentage was too low at too low a level of competition for me to include him.
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Don't kid yourself. Prior to integration, the top half of the SWAC would have destroyed anyone in the SEC.
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#21
#21
IBlvNTmWrk said:
What Bowden did for FSU and their football program is amazing, but still he doesn't belong anywhere in the top 10.
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All-time you may have a point...I don't profess to know everything there is to know about coaches like Stagg, Rockne, Warner and Neyland.

But in my 40+ years of existence, Bobby Bowden is easily in the Top 5.
 
#22
#22
hatvol96 said:
Don't kid yourself. Prior to integration, the top half of the SWAC would have destroyed anyone in the SEC.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...
When exactly did the SEC teams begin integration?

And in any case, how many of his championships were prior to integration beginning?
 
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#23
#23
tvolsfan said:
When exactly did the SEC teams begin integration?

And in any case, how many of his championships were prior to integration beginning?
Click to expand...

Depends on who you ask. Most people acknowledge the USC-Alabama game in '70 as the one that started to integrate college football. However, I think Arkansas had an African-American walk-on in '65. I know it wasn't in the SEC, but that's when the South started to integrate football.

Prior to integration? 2 BCMNC's of Robinson's were won in the segregated south. 6 of his SWAC titles came before integration.
 
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