Top 10 Coaches Most Likely to Win Their First Title

[Thiefery]

Before Saban, they hadn't won an outright conference title since 1986. He took them to five straight bowl games (2000-2005). They had only been to three bowl games over the previous 12 years.

They won 54 games combined over the decade before Saban got there. In five years under Saban, they won 48.

So, I'd say it's pretty ignorant to think he didn't get them back on the map. He ushered in their most dominant era in program history by leaps and bounds.

Yep 2 double digit win seasons in 5 years definitely sounds like he made a blueblood program.

Just because the talent is there, it doesn't mean it's easy to turn around a completely dysfunctional program. There is a ton of talent in the DC/VA area, yet Maryland and Virginia are nowhere near being national powers. It takes an elite coach to build an elite program.

Man you cannot compare the two.. most of the talent in VA is held in the northern DMV area and in Hampton rds. There are two P5 schools in VaTech and UVA. There is no state pride with these kids from VA the way it is at LSU..who by the way ARE THE ONLY P5 team in it's state. Not to mention Houston is just a stone's throw away.

 

[ericd7633]

So Saban turned them into a blueblood by winning double digit games twice in 4 seasons and winning one NC?

I'd say it's a pretty good assumption to think he would have won 3/4 more had he stayed at LSU this whole time, and hell that might be underselling it a little.

 

[Thiefery]

Saban is the greatest CFB ever in my book, but he was smart enough to know the limits at Michigan St and made the correct move south.

 

[Rolltide94]

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We know the answer to this question. How did he do w/o the recruiting machine and the cards in his favor at MSU?

Saban without Alabama:

Toledo - 9-2 first MAC Championship in a decade
MSU - 34-24-1. his 5 season were 11 wins better than Perles' last 5. His last season was their first 10 win season since 1965.
LSU - In 4 seasons, Nick Saban won 2 Conference titles and a National Championship and had two 10+ wins twice and never had less than 8 wins. He was 15 wins better than his predecessor who also coached 5 seasons and had a 10 and 9 win season. In the previous 60 years of LSU football. they had 4 conference championships, 1 national championship, 4 10+ win seasons and had more seasons with less than 8 wins than they did seasons with more.

Since he left LSU, they have never had less than 8 wins in a season.

There is not a doubt in my mind that if Nick Saban had not left LSU for Miami, they would be in the middle of the greatest dynasty in the history of college football, and that he is responsible all by his lonesome for the dominance of the SEC West, by resurrecting two programs that are dominating college football.

I will be forever grateful to the Dolphins organization.

 

[Thiefery]

I'd say it's a pretty good assumption to think he would have won 3/4 more had he stayed at LSU this whole time, and hell that might be underselling it a little.

He probably would have but Les won a title there and played for another. Coach O just won a title there too. LSU would have figured out/lucked/dominated or whatever you want to call it, a MNC. Because they are just a solid coach away with the resources it has in winning one.

 

[Thiefery]

So would have Saban made a dynasty at Michigan St had he stayed?

 

[Thiefery]

.


Saban without Alabama:

Toledo - 9-2 first MAC Championship in a decade
MSU - 34-24-1. his 5 season were 11 wins better than Perles' last 5. His last season was their first 10 win season since 1965.
LSU - In 4 seasons, Nick Saban won 2 Conference titles and a National Championship and had two 10+ wins twice and never had less than 8 wins. He was 15 wins better than his predecessor who also coached 5 seasons and had a 10 and 9 win season. In the previous 60 years of LSU football. they had 4 conference championships, 1 national championship, 4 10+ win seasons and had more seasons with less than 8 wins than they did seasons with more.

Since he left LSU, they have never had less than 8 wins in a season.

There is not a doubt in my mind that if Nick Saban had not left LSU for Miami, they would be in the middle of the greatest dynasty in the history of college football, and that he is responsible all by his lonesome for the dominance of the SEC West, by resurrecting two programs that are dominating college football.

I will be forever grateful to the Dolphins organization.

And I will always hate Mack for being petty on the way out of Austin and costing us Saban

 

[ericd7633]

He probably would have but Les won a title there and played for another. Coach O just won a title there too. LSU would have figured out/lucked/dominated or whatever you want to call it, a MNC. Because they are just a solid coach away with the resources it has in winning one.

Yeah they have good resources, but they've always had that and they didn't really do shit in the 90's. Saban turned them into a top 5 program and they've probably been that since.

 

[Thiefery]

Yeah they have good resources, but they've always had that and they didn't really do shit in the 90's. Saban turned them into a top 5 program and they've probably been that since.

Hmmm wonder why Michigan state hasn't been

 

[ericd7633]

So would have Saban made a dynasty at Michigan St had he stayed?

Considering Purdue and Illinois won the Big 10 the next two years after he left suggests he could have won the conference in those years. I don't think he would have started a dynasty or anything, but it wouldn't have surprised me to see him win a title at MSU.

 

[ericd7633]

Hmmm wonder why Michigan state hasn't been

Because Saban left and they hired Bobby Williams and then John L Smith?

 

[Thiefery]

Because Saban left and they hired Bobby Williams and then John L Smith?

yet lsu hired Les miles then Coach O and here we are..

Saban is the greatest, yet he didn't do what he did at LSU or Bama at Michigan St. Back to the original stuff.. Would he have done that in Stillwater or in Ft Worth? who knows.

 

[ericd7633]

yet lsu hired Les miles then Coach O and here we are..

Saban is the greatest, yet he didn't do what he did at LSU or Bama at Michigan St. Back to the original stuff.. Would he have done that in Stillwater or in Ft Worth? who knows.

He took over a program on probation and while he was there was placed on scholarship reductions from the previous regime, and 5 years later turned it into a top 10 team. It was going to take some time. Obviously we'll both never know what could have happened, but I do know he wouldn't have gone 15-17 the next 3 years.

 

[Thiefery]

He took over a program on probation and while he was there was placed on scholarship reductions from the previous regime, and 5 years later turned it into a top 10 team. It was going to take some time. Obviously we'll both never know what could have happened, but I do know he wouldn't have gone 15-17 the next 3 years.

If he could have done it at msu he would have stayed longer, but he didn't.

 

[Codaxx]

Considering Purdue and Illinois won the Big 10 the next two years after he left suggests he could have won the conference in those years. I don't think he would have started a dynasty or anything, but it wouldn't have surprised me to see him win a title at MSU.

correct. He is a good coach. Nobody would dispute that, it just seems that people prefer to ignore the environment coaches are placed in have a big affect on their win totals

 

[Codaxx]

He took over a program on probation and while he was there was placed on scholarship reductions from the previous regime, and 5 years later turned it into a top 10 team. It was going to take some time. Obviously we'll both never know what could have happened, but I do know he wouldn't have gone 15-17 the next 3 years.

his record would probably look similar to Dantonio’s. Everyone would still have a lot of respect for him as a coach, but nobody would call him one of the greats. I would also say DAntonio’s record probably isn’t as good without Michigan driving the program into a ditch

 

[ericd7633]

If he could have done it at msu he would have stayed longer, but he didn't.

Because LSU offered significant more money. He wasn't even making as much as Izzo was when he was at MSU.

 

[ericd7633]

correct. He is a good coach. Nobody would dispute that, it just seems that people prefer to ignore the environment coaches are placed in have a big affect on their win totals

That environment was created by Saban. If Saban would have sucked at MSU he wouldn't have been offered the LSU job. My guess is LSU wasn't happy with not even being a top 50 program in the decade of the 90's.

 

[Codaxx]

That environment was created by Saban. If Saban would have sucked at MSU he wouldn't have been offered the LSU job. My guess is LSU wasn't happy with not even being a top 50 program in the decade of the 90's.

it is the result of skill and opportunity meeting. Rabid fan base looking for better results while the regional power is cycling through Dubose, Franchione, and Shula coaching disasters.

and who knows where LSU would have been if Arnsparger didn’t walk away, because of AD scandals (mostly in Basketball). He had the same winning percentage as Saban.

 

[Rolltide94]

I take that as a compliment considering the source. I would love to know where you rank him amongst the ten.

Somwhere in the Matt Campbell/Tom Herman range... 4, 5, 6. Ahead of the folks that haven't done fuck all yet.

If I were a Texas fan, and last season I needed a last second field goal to win at home 50-48, I don't know if I would be sleeping on Les Miles and the Jayhawks this year.