Ed MOTHEREFFING G
Chances make champions
SI
Nick Saban, Urban Meyer top list of best college football coaches - College Football - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
1. Nick Saban, Alabama. He's won four BCS championships (2003, '09, '11, '12) over his last eight seasons in the college ranks and turned Alabama, and LSU before it, into a recruiting machine. Saban's teams' dominance in the past two title games against previously undefeated foes LSU and Notre Dame is a testament to his preparation skills, and his program's infrastructure -- relying on an enormous support staff to maximize efficiency -- has become a model for the rest of the sport.
2. Urban Meyer,
Ohio State. While the brash and often outspoken 48-year-old certainly has his share of critics, it's hard to argue with his résumé. Meyer has gone 116-23 (.828) at four different schools, posting undefeated seasons at both Utah (2004) and Ohio State (2012) to go with a pair of BCS titles at Florida (2006 and '08). While initially viewed as a spread-offense guru, he is now renowned for his unique ability to charm and connect with both recruits and players, something that's produced consistent success. That, and being an absolute, total, and complete scumbag.
3. Chris Petersen, Boise State.
Now entering his eighth season in charge of the Broncos, Petersen has gone 84-8 to rack up an insane .913 winning percentage. Last year's team -- the first in the post-Kellen Moore era -- was one of the biggest rebuilding projects he's had, and it still finished 11-2. Petersen has no equal when it comes to player development. Boise never sniffs the top of the recruiting rankings and yet has produced seven first- or second-round NFL draft picks under his watch.
4. Gary Patterson, TCU.
Here's what I wrote about Patterson in 2007: "Does anyone get less credit for running a consistently successful program than this guy?" And that was before two BCS bids, an undefeated 2010 campaign and an impressive transition to the Big 12. While the Horned Frogs still have plenty to prove following a 7-6 debut in their new league, Patterson has long since demonstrated that he's one of the top defensive minds the sport has seen over the past decade.
5. Bill Snyder, Kansas State.
I know I said this list isn't based on career achievement, but it's hard not to bring up Snyder's '90s miracle work in Manhattan -- particularly now that he has engineered a second surprising turnaround. The Wildcats, 39-45 from 2004-10 (three of those seasons under Ron Prince), went a combined 21-5 in Snyder's third and fourth years back at the helm, including capturing last year's Big 12 title. There's no magic formula or trademark strategy at Kansas State. Snyder simply wins.
6. Les Miles, LSU. While the Mad Hatter's diction and game management can be bewildering at times, his eight-year tenure in Baton Rouge has been nothing short of extraordinary. The Tigers have won at least 10 games in all but two seasons, going 47-17 in SEC play, and reached two BCS championship games, winning one (2007). Miles' program is a fixture near the top of the annual recruiting rankings and churns out a virtual assembly line of prized NFL prospects.
7. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M. I have a feeling he'll be even higher on this list in a couple of years. Sumlin is the consummate CEO coach, imparting his vision (an up-tempo offense, attacking defense) to his staff and hiring excellent coordinators to execute it. Like Meyer, his charisma and confidence rub off on players. After leading both Houston (in 2011) and A&M (last year) to their best seasons in decades, Sumlin is now recruiting at a previously unattainable level in Aggieland.
8. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma. This ranking may seem a bit low for a guy who has won eight Big 12 titles and compiled an .801 winning percentage, but the Sooners have shown some cracks since reaching the 2008 BCS championship game -- especially over the past two seasons (though they still won 10 games in both 2011 and '12). Stoops came up as a defensive coach, but his program has long ranked among the nation's most powerful and innovative on offense.
9. Bobby Petrino, Western Kentucky.
He's back after a year spent in exile, and while Petrino isn't likely to rank among anyone's top coaches in the charm or ethics departments, his offensive game-planning and play-calling aptitude is hard to dispute. In eight seasons as a college head coach, he has produced four top-12 teams and done so at two schools -- Louisville and Arkansas -- that were hardly fixtures in elite territory before his tenure. Best of luck, future Sun Belt and Conference USA opponents. 
10. Art Briles, Baylor. Briles doesn't get nearly the national recognition he deserves, particularly considering just how astonishing Baylor's rise would have seemed just four years ago. The Bears failed to post a winning record in their first 14 seasons in the Big 12; they've gone 25-14 in the three seasons since, twice knocking off top-five teams, producing a Heisman winner and maintaining one of the nation's most explosive offenses even after RGIII's departure.
Just missed: Notre Dame's Brian Kelly, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, Louisville's Charlie Strong, Georgia's Mark Richt, Arkansas' Bret Bielema
Five coaches who could be on this list in three years: Michigan's Brady Hoke, Stanford's David Shaw, Clemson's Dabo Swinney, Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald, Miami's Al Golden
Read More: Nick Saban, Urban Meyer top list of best college football coaches - College Football - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
Nick Saban, Urban Meyer top list of best college football coaches - College Football - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
1. Nick Saban, Alabama. He's won four BCS championships (2003, '09, '11, '12) over his last eight seasons in the college ranks and turned Alabama, and LSU before it, into a recruiting machine. Saban's teams' dominance in the past two title games against previously undefeated foes LSU and Notre Dame is a testament to his preparation skills, and his program's infrastructure -- relying on an enormous support staff to maximize efficiency -- has become a model for the rest of the sport.
2. Urban Meyer,
Ohio State. While the brash and often outspoken 48-year-old certainly has his share of critics, it's hard to argue with his résumé. Meyer has gone 116-23 (.828) at four different schools, posting undefeated seasons at both Utah (2004) and Ohio State (2012) to go with a pair of BCS titles at Florida (2006 and '08). While initially viewed as a spread-offense guru, he is now renowned for his unique ability to charm and connect with both recruits and players, something that's produced consistent success. That, and being an absolute, total, and complete scumbag. 3. Chris Petersen, Boise State.
Now entering his eighth season in charge of the Broncos, Petersen has gone 84-8 to rack up an insane .913 winning percentage. Last year's team -- the first in the post-Kellen Moore era -- was one of the biggest rebuilding projects he's had, and it still finished 11-2. Petersen has no equal when it comes to player development. Boise never sniffs the top of the recruiting rankings and yet has produced seven first- or second-round NFL draft picks under his watch. 4. Gary Patterson, TCU.
Here's what I wrote about Patterson in 2007: "Does anyone get less credit for running a consistently successful program than this guy?" And that was before two BCS bids, an undefeated 2010 campaign and an impressive transition to the Big 12. While the Horned Frogs still have plenty to prove following a 7-6 debut in their new league, Patterson has long since demonstrated that he's one of the top defensive minds the sport has seen over the past decade. 5. Bill Snyder, Kansas State.
I know I said this list isn't based on career achievement, but it's hard not to bring up Snyder's '90s miracle work in Manhattan -- particularly now that he has engineered a second surprising turnaround. The Wildcats, 39-45 from 2004-10 (three of those seasons under Ron Prince), went a combined 21-5 in Snyder's third and fourth years back at the helm, including capturing last year's Big 12 title. There's no magic formula or trademark strategy at Kansas State. Snyder simply wins. 6. Les Miles, LSU. While the Mad Hatter's diction and game management can be bewildering at times, his eight-year tenure in Baton Rouge has been nothing short of extraordinary. The Tigers have won at least 10 games in all but two seasons, going 47-17 in SEC play, and reached two BCS championship games, winning one (2007). Miles' program is a fixture near the top of the annual recruiting rankings and churns out a virtual assembly line of prized NFL prospects.
7. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M. I have a feeling he'll be even higher on this list in a couple of years. Sumlin is the consummate CEO coach, imparting his vision (an up-tempo offense, attacking defense) to his staff and hiring excellent coordinators to execute it. Like Meyer, his charisma and confidence rub off on players. After leading both Houston (in 2011) and A&M (last year) to their best seasons in decades, Sumlin is now recruiting at a previously unattainable level in Aggieland.
8. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma. This ranking may seem a bit low for a guy who has won eight Big 12 titles and compiled an .801 winning percentage, but the Sooners have shown some cracks since reaching the 2008 BCS championship game -- especially over the past two seasons (though they still won 10 games in both 2011 and '12). Stoops came up as a defensive coach, but his program has long ranked among the nation's most powerful and innovative on offense.
9. Bobby Petrino, Western Kentucky.
He's back after a year spent in exile, and while Petrino isn't likely to rank among anyone's top coaches in the charm or ethics departments, his offensive game-planning and play-calling aptitude is hard to dispute. In eight seasons as a college head coach, he has produced four top-12 teams and done so at two schools -- Louisville and Arkansas -- that were hardly fixtures in elite territory before his tenure. Best of luck, future Sun Belt and Conference USA opponents. 10. Art Briles, Baylor. Briles doesn't get nearly the national recognition he deserves, particularly considering just how astonishing Baylor's rise would have seemed just four years ago. The Bears failed to post a winning record in their first 14 seasons in the Big 12; they've gone 25-14 in the three seasons since, twice knocking off top-five teams, producing a Heisman winner and maintaining one of the nation's most explosive offenses even after RGIII's departure.
Just missed: Notre Dame's Brian Kelly, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, Louisville's Charlie Strong, Georgia's Mark Richt, Arkansas' Bret Bielema
Five coaches who could be on this list in three years: Michigan's Brady Hoke, Stanford's David Shaw, Clemson's Dabo Swinney, Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald, Miami's Al Golden
Read More: Nick Saban, Urban Meyer top list of best college football coaches - College Football - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
Patience is a virtue in Ypsilanti, Mich., where the Eagles have gone 10-38 (7-25 in the MAC 
) in four seasons under the former Michigan and Louisville defensive coordinator. 
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