CFB Hindsight | Our Pre-Season List of Top Ten Coaches
It’s always fun to look back…
The end of August means a lot of things, not least of which is a longer commute because the kids are back in school. But the end of this month also signals the glorious return of realfootball. As we prepare for the start of college football season, I thought it appropriate to outline the crown jewels of coaching in the sport. Odds are, all four the playoff participants will perennially be coached by one the men on this top ten list. We'll break this post down into three installments, beginning with slots 10-8, followed by an in-depth review of our picks from August, and an updated list on where things stand heading into spring ball.
10. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State:Known as the little sister to the team in Ann Arbor, Michigan State has been one of the top teams not only in the Big Ten but in the country since Dantonio became head coach in 2007. Dantonio’s teams are known for their tough defense and power running game as one of the more traditional powerhouses in the Big Ten year in and year out. Dantonio, similar to a lot of other coaches in our top ten list, simply does more with less and he does it battling recruiting juggernauts Ohio State and Michigan. He’s compiled a record of 100-45 (60-30 in the Big Ten) during his 12 years at the helm with three conference titles and three New Year’s Six Bowl Appearances. In a Big Ten conference where you have plenty of big named coaches, Dantonio is the third best coach in the conference, which means there are two more in my top 10.
9. Kirby Smart, Georgia:The only way you don’t like Kirby Smart is if you’re a fan of anyone other than Georgia in the SEC – or that other college team that plays in Atlanta. Bottom line is, the guy can flat out coach. Some will say it’s too early for him to be in the Top 10 after only two seasons as a head coach, but his years as a coordinator also factor in to his ranking. Kirby spent nine years under one of the greatest coaches and greatest dynasties of all time in Nick Saban and Alabama, spending eight of those as defensive coordinator. Kirby inherited a Georgia team that he claims had an unwarranted entitlement during the Richt years and in only his second season, had his team in the National Title game. UGA was a Nick Saban bold move away from winning its first National title since 1980. I would put my money on Smart and company dominating the SEC East, winning multiple SEC championships and being in contention for the National Championship for years to come.
8. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M:I promise my saltiness against the way Jimbo and company gave up on the 2017 season at Florida State did not factor into me having Fisher land at number eight, but I’ll get to that in a second. Aside from the 2017 season, every Seminole fan, including myself, was very proud of the job he and the staff did. During his tenure, Jimbo won the ACC three times (consecutive years), had six, 10-win seasons, six New Year’s Six bowl game appearances, and was 5-2 in bowl games (winning the 2013 National Championship). Even with his accomplishments as head coach at Florida State, a question remains – was he a product of the talent pool recruited or is he actually a great coach? When his starting QB got injured last season, the next best guy was a true freshman QB who didn’t enroll early. Circumstances contributed to that being the next best option, but does one guy being out for the season equate to a 5-6 record? I say no, and that’s on the guy in charge. Time will tell if he can succeed in College Station to the tune of another national title.
Check back over the next couple of days to see who lands the top seven spots on our top ten. Disagree with our list? Stake your case in the comments section below. Sports debate are always welcome at RELENTLESS.