Top 12 coaches in college football essentially 50/50 Defensive/Offensive background

[Zcuse]

With the board freaking out about any potential Defensive Coordinator being chosen as the potential coach, I thought it would be useful to put together a list of the top college coaches of the last decade (at least who I consider to be the top ones).
These are coaches who would be A-listers for most any head coaching role in the nation based on their results from 2005 forward (also included their top Coordinator background before achieving Head Coach title):
Offensive Backgrounds
Urban Meyer (QB/WR Coach)
Jimbo Fisher (OC)
Dabo Swinney (WR Coach/Asst HC)- he squeaked onto the list, tremendous recruiter, needs to win one "Big one"
Art Briles (High school HC, college RB coach)- Also needs big win
Jim Harbaugh (QB Coach)
Chip Kelly (OC)

Defensive Backgrounds
Mark Dantonio (DC)
Nick Saban (DC)
Brian Kelly (DC)
Bob Stoops (DC)
Charley Strong (DC)-squeaked onto the list as well, but nearly any school would seriously consider him, reputation getting beat up by Texas rebuild
Pete Carroll (DC)

That makes 12 top names who have built winning programs recently. Many of them rescued tarnished brands to build powerhouses. Six of them from defensive side of the ball, six from offensive side.

I personally understand the sentiment of folks who want to see an offensive "guru," as even the losses are fun to watch. But, I am not ready to say that is a requirement to winning. We definitely would not want to get happy with "fun to watch" losses. What is most important is getting a candidate who puts us in the best position to win.

Coyle must hire the guy that he believes can connect to recruits, and has connections to hire the best staff, and build winning culture. All of the names mentioned (including Ash) seem to have strong pedigrees of coaching under guys on this list above. I'm putting my trust in Coyle to choose the best man for the role. History shows that you can equally get the results you want from a candidate with an offensive or defensive background.

 

[Millhouse]

Factories can go defense first.

 

[Crusty]

With the board freaking out about any potential Defensive Coordinator being chosen as the potential coach, I thought it would be useful to put together a list of the top college coaches of the last decade (at least who I consider to be the top ones).
These are coaches who would be A-listers for most any head coaching role in the nation based on their results from 2005 forward (also included their top Coordinator background before achieving Head Coach title):
Offensive Backgrounds
Urban Meyer (QB/WR Coach)
Jimbo Fisher (OC)
Dabo Swinney (WR Coach/Asst HC)- he squeaked onto the list, tremendous recruiter, needs to win one "Big one"
Art Briles (High school HC, college RB coach)- Also needs big win
Jim Harbaugh (QB Coach)
Chip Kelly (OC)

Defensive Backgrounds
Mark Dantonio (DC)
Nick Saban (DC)
Brian Kelly (DC)
Bob Stoops (DC)
Charley Strong (DC)-squeaked onto the list as well, but nearly any school would seriously consider him, reputation getting beat up by Texas rebuild
Pete Carroll (DC)

That makes 12 top names who have built winning programs recently. Many of them rescued tarnished brands to build powerhouses. Six of them from defensive side of the ball, six from offensive side.

I personally understand the sentiment of folks who want to see an offensive "guru," as even the losses are fun to watch. But, I am not ready to say that is a requirement to winning. We definitely would not want to get happy with "fun to watch" losses. What is most important is getting a candidate who puts us in the best position to win.

Coyle must hire the guy that he believes can connect to recruits, and has connections to hire the best staff, and build winning culture. All of the names mentioned (including Ash) seem to have strong pedigrees of coaching under guys on this list above. I'm putting my trust in Coyle to choose the best man for the role. History shows that you can equally get the results you want from a candidate with an offensive or defensive background.

If you had your choice of any of them save Saban, to coach in a dome?

 

[HOFCeluck]

Again, we should be trying to play to our strengths. Which should be the offensive side off the ball.

 

[Zcuse]

If you had your choice of any of them save Saban, to coach in a dome?

I would take any of them. Seriously. But gun to head Urb would be choice 1. But he does not run the latest and most wide open offense these days...

 

[orangepassion]

Pretty sure Kelly was an Offensive guy and if you're playing which one of these is not like the other,I believe everyone would pick Strong. Also, believe all those DC guys had HC experience (except for maybe Stoops) before being hired. Would feel better about a DC-type who has had HC success.

 

[orangenirvana]

With the board freaking out about any potential Defensive Coordinator being chosen as the potential coach, I thought it would be useful to put together a list of the top college coaches of the last decade (at least who I consider to be the top ones).
These are coaches who would be A-listers for most any head coaching role in the nation based on their results from 2005 forward (also included their top Coordinator background before achieving Head Coach title):
Offensive Backgrounds
Urban Meyer (QB/WR Coach)
Jimbo Fisher (OC)
Dabo Swinney (WR Coach/Asst HC)- he squeaked onto the list, tremendous recruiter, needs to win one "Big one"
Art Briles (High school HC, college RB coach)- Also needs big win
Jim Harbaugh (QB Coach)
Chip Kelly (OC)

Defensive Backgrounds
Mark Dantonio (DC)
Nick Saban (DC)
Brian Kelly (DC)
Bob Stoops (DC)
Charley Strong (DC)-squeaked onto the list as well, but nearly any school would seriously consider him, reputation getting beat up by Texas rebuild
Pete Carroll (DC)

That makes 12 top names who have built winning programs recently. Many of them rescued tarnished brands to build powerhouses. Six of them from defensive side of the ball, six from offensive side.

I personally understand the sentiment of folks who want to see an offensive "guru," as even the losses are fun to watch. But, I am not ready to say that is a requirement to winning. We definitely would not want to get happy with "fun to watch" losses. What is most important is getting a candidate who puts us in the best position to win.

Coyle must hire the guy that he believes can connect to recruits, and has connections to hire the best staff, and build winning culture. All of the names mentioned (including Ash) seem to have strong pedigrees of coaching under guys on this list above. I'm putting my trust in Coyle to choose the best man for the role. History shows that you can equally get the results you want from a candidate with an offensive or defensive background.

Syracuse doesn't compare to those powerhouse programs. We have different strengths (Dome) and weaknesses (mostly weaknesses). We have to approach things differently.

 

[upperdeck]

where is the list of all the schools that have to recruit outside their time zones to get any decent skill talent? even 50% of the talent?

if the dome is such a draw why has it never been a draw?

 

[OrangeJohn]

Gary Patterson (DC). TCU is a tiny private school and was the furthest thing from a powerhouse until they hired him as DC. His success continued after his promotion to HC when Fran left.

 

[Millhouse]

where is the list of all the schools that have to recruit outside their time zones to get any decent skill talent? even 50% of the talent?

if the dome is such a draw why has it never been a draw?

Insulin

 

[upperdeck]

Gary Patterson (DC). TCU is a tiny private school and was the furthest thing from a powerhouse until they hired him as DC. His success continued after his promotion to HC when Fran left.

tcu gets 95% of the kids from texas. if we could get 95% of our kids from NY we would be fine too.

 

[orangenirvana]

if the dome is such a draw why has it never been a draw?

Because if the school and coaches ignore the fact that we play in a Dome why would recruits care about it?

 

[upperdeck]

chicken or egg.. do we run bad offenses because we have no talent or do we have no talent so we run bad offenses? the coaches have seemed to want to do more for 15 years and cant get anyone here to do it? is that all scheme? would frost suddenly recruit talent?

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

Factories can go defense first.

Saban, Kelly, Dantonio and Strong all made their bones at non-factories. Paterson, Riley and Fitzgerald are all really good, at non-factories, and built good programs despite their defensive backgrounds. Looks like Narduzzi is going to be pretty good also.

Hire a good OC, that's all. Same simple principles you apply to hiring a HC should apply to hiring an OC. In fact, it should be easier because you dont have to have complete nut jobs like Leach as the face of your program.

 

[orangenirvana]

chicken or egg.. do we run bad offenses because we have no talent or do we have no talent so we run bad offenses? the coaches have seemed to want to do more for 15 years and cant get anyone here to do it? is that all scheme? would frost suddenly recruit talent?

Wait - you really think teams can only run an Air Raid or any current college offense if they have a lot of talent?

 

[upperdeck]

dont need a lot but you need some.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

dont need a lot but you need some.

We have some.

 

[upperdeck]

we have 1 WR who can catch one hybrid guy who cant and one slot who doesnt run his routes.. i guess that is some. we ended the year with a QB who bounced 1/3 of his throws. we have decent enough RB if we had an avg oline.

there is a reason our best plays came when teams went for the run fakes.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

we have 1 WR who can catch one hybrid guy who cant and one slot who doesnt run his routes.. i guess that is some. we ended the year with a QB who bounced 1/3 of his throws. we have decent enough RB if we had an avg oline.

there is a reason our best plays came when teams went for the run fakes.

Then let's give up.

 

[Czar]

dont need a lot but you need some.

Go look at the Wazzu roster and get back to me on that.

Gary Patterson (DC). TCU is a tiny private school and was the furthest thing from a powerhouse until they hired him as DC. His success continued after his promotion to HC when Fran left.

Gary Patterson also went into the tank for a few years until 2014 when, hey, he finally hired someone who runs the spread. Bob Stoops also had been in the tank for a decent amount of time until this season, when, hey, he hired Lincoln Riley!

 

[Millhouse]

we have 1 WR who can catch one hybrid guy who cant and one slot who doesnt run his routes.. i guess that is some. we ended the year with a QB who bounced 1/3 of his throws. we have decent enough RB if we had an avg oline.

there is a reason our best plays came when teams went for the run fakes.

they'll run routes and catch when they practice the same thing a zillion times at a fast pace with passes coming at them every time they repeat their routes in practice. air raid isn't just about play calling on saturday

 

[HOFCeluck]

The OC hire will be made by the HC. Maybe I'm wrong but I feel like whoever the HC is is going to want a guy who conforms to his philosophy. And if the HC is a defensive guy, the OC in all likelihood will be about ball control, establish the run, etc.