Let's all get political! ESPN's top coaches of the last 50 years. Kirby Smart on the list but Lincoln not. Mack Brown ahead of Stoops Discuss!
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Some highlights:
Record: 190-48
National title: 2000
Conference title: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006-08, 2010, 2012 and 2015-16 Big 12
OU was at its lowest-ever ebb when Stoops took over in 1999 ... and he won a national title in his second year. He couldn't replicate that feat, but he turned the Sooners back into both an offensive innovator and the Big 12's premier program.
Record: 259-132-1
National title: 2005
Conference titles: 2005 and 2009 Big 12
One of the most charismatic and renowned recruiters in history, Brown turned programs around at Tulane and UNC, then led Texas to seven top-10 finishes in nine years. Then he returned from retirement and brought life back to the UNC program once more.
Record: 157-29-4
National titles: 1974-75, 1985
Conference titles: 1973-80 and 1984-87 Big 8
Switzer rode the Wishbone and otherworldly recruiting to spectacular success in the 1970s, and after a brief identity crisis in the early 1980s, he returned to the Bone and went 33-3 from 1985 to '87. Over half his seasons ended with the Sooners in the AP top three.
Record: 215-117-1
Conference titles: 2003, 2012
By far the best coach to never win a national title, Snyder took on a K-State job almost literally no one wanted, built it into one of the most elite programs of the late 1990s, retired, then returned and won the Big 12 for a second time. The ultimate program builder.
Record: 140-33
National titles: 2016, 2018
Conference titles: 2011 and 2015-20 ACC
The best coach to have briefly retired to sell real estate, Swinney surprised many by landing the Clemson job, then surprised even more by building a Tiger warship. In the past six seasons, Clemson has gone 79-7 and won its second and third national titles. And he's only 51.
Teams: Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995-99), LSU (2000-04), Alabama (2007-present)
Record: 256-65-1
National titles: 2003, 2009, 2011-12, 2015, 2017 and 2020
Conference titles: 1990 MAC, 2001, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2014-16, 2018 and 2020 SEC
Was there any doubt? Saban had already done enough to earn a spot on this list when he left for the NFL in 2005. Since coming to Tuscaloosa in 2007, he has put together simply the greatest-ever run of dominance: six national titles (with two more title game appearances), seven SEC titles and 13 straight top-10 finishes. He hasn't quite matched Bowden's 14 straight top-fives, but the rings more than make up for that. And if last year is any indication, this run is far from over.
Ranking the top 100 college football head coaches of the past 50 years
From top-10 finishes to national championships, we find out the best 100 coaches of the past 50 seasons.
Some highlights:
26. Bob Stoops
Team: Oklahoma (1999-2016)Record: 190-48
National title: 2000
Conference title: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006-08, 2010, 2012 and 2015-16 Big 12
OU was at its lowest-ever ebb when Stoops took over in 1999 ... and he won a national title in his second year. He couldn't replicate that feat, but he turned the Sooners back into both an offensive innovator and the Big 12's premier program.
21. Mack Brown
Teams: Appalachian State (1983), Tulane (1985-87), North Carolina (1988-97), Texas (1998-2013), North Carolina again (2019-present)Record: 259-132-1
National title: 2005
Conference titles: 2005 and 2009 Big 12
One of the most charismatic and renowned recruiters in history, Brown turned programs around at Tulane and UNC, then led Texas to seven top-10 finishes in nine years. Then he returned from retirement and brought life back to the UNC program once more.
9. Barry Switzer
Team: Oklahoma (1973-88)Record: 157-29-4
National titles: 1974-75, 1985
Conference titles: 1973-80 and 1984-87 Big 8
Switzer rode the Wishbone and otherworldly recruiting to spectacular success in the 1970s, and after a brief identity crisis in the early 1980s, he returned to the Bone and went 33-3 from 1985 to '87. Over half his seasons ended with the Sooners in the AP top three.
8. Bill Snyder
Team: Kansas State (1989-2005, 2009-18)Record: 215-117-1
Conference titles: 2003, 2012
By far the best coach to never win a national title, Snyder took on a K-State job almost literally no one wanted, built it into one of the most elite programs of the late 1990s, retired, then returned and won the Big 12 for a second time. The ultimate program builder.
7. Dabo Swinney
Team: Clemson (2009-present)Record: 140-33
National titles: 2016, 2018
Conference titles: 2011 and 2015-20 ACC
The best coach to have briefly retired to sell real estate, Swinney surprised many by landing the Clemson job, then surprised even more by building a Tiger warship. In the past six seasons, Clemson has gone 79-7 and won its second and third national titles. And he's only 51.
1. Nick Saban
Teams: Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995-99), LSU (2000-04), Alabama (2007-present)Record: 256-65-1
National titles: 2003, 2009, 2011-12, 2015, 2017 and 2020
Conference titles: 1990 MAC, 2001, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2014-16, 2018 and 2020 SEC
Was there any doubt? Saban had already done enough to earn a spot on this list when he left for the NFL in 2005. Since coming to Tuscaloosa in 2007, he has put together simply the greatest-ever run of dominance: six national titles (with two more title game appearances), seven SEC titles and 13 straight top-10 finishes. He hasn't quite matched Bowden's 14 straight top-fives, but the rings more than make up for that. And if last year is any indication, this run is far from over.
