Athlon Sports: Ranking All 130 College Football Head Coaches for 2018

[iowajerms]

No. Ferentz shouldn't be higher than Snyder. That is ridiculous

Fisher should be lower coming off a sub .500 season

Kirby should be lower if anything. Mostly just on track record. He is only In years 2 and people weren't happy after year 1. He is more potential than proven commodity right now

2017
Iowa - 8-5 (5 P5 opponents with 10+wins, went 1-4, Iowa beat Ohio State 55-24. Iowa > Iowa State > Kansas State)
Kansas State - 8-5 (3 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, went 1-2. Kansas State beat Oklahoma State 45-40.)

.Ferentz

2016
Iowa - 8-5 (3 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, 1-2 w/ win over Michigan, Iowa also lost to FCS opponent NDSU.)
Kansas State - 9-4 (4 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, 0-4, Stanford, Oklahoma State, WVU, Oklahoma)

Snyder

2015
Iowa - 12-2 (4 P5 Opponents with 10+ wins, 2-2. Beat Wisconsin and Northwestern, lost to MSU and Stanford)
Kansas State - 6-7 (4 P5 Opponents with 10+ wins, 0-4)

Ferentz

2014
Iowa - 7-6 (1 P5 opponent with 10+ wins, 0-1 vs Wisconsin)
Kansas State - 9-4 (3 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, 0-3 vs TCU, Baylor, and UCLA)

Snyder

2013
Iowa - 8-5 (2 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, 0-2 vs Ohio State and Michigan State, Also lost to 12-2 Northern Illinois)
Kansas State - 8-5 (3 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, 0-3 vs Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State. Also lost to FCS opponent NDSU)

Toss up. I'll give to Snyder because they dominated ISU and Iowa won by 7.

--------------

In the same hears both of them were head coaches at the same time (1999-2005, 2009-2017)

Ferentz
Overall - 122-80 (.6039)
B1G - 71-59 (.5462)
13-27 (.3250) vs 10+ win P5 opponents
1-2 in BCS/NY6 Bowls
5 Top 10 finishes in AP, 6 ranked years

Snyder
Overall - 133-71 (.6520)
Big 12 - 80-55 (.5926)
9-33 (.2143) vs 10+ win P5 opponents
3 Top 10 finishes in AP
7 ranked years
0-2 in BCS/NY6 Bowls

 

[iowajerms]

2003 was the last time Washington State got more that 6 wins before Leach became HC, and 5 of those season WSU had less than 5 wins. Leach has 3 years with 8+ wins. Yeah, I am giving him credit for taking a FBS bottom feeder to a 9-win program.

 

[WizardHawk]

I mean at best Leach is 5th in the Pac12, more or less should he be anywhere near the top 15-20 of the country. That's crazy talk.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

If you coach a team to its first Playoff, here’s the raise you get

 

[WizardHawk]

2003 was the last time Washington State got more that 6 wins before Leach became HC, and 5 of those season WSU had less than 5 wins. Leach has 3 years with 8+ wins. Yeah, I am giving him credit for taking a FBS bottom feeder to a 9-win program.

2003 isn't 50 years or something. Mike Price had them in the top 10 and conference titles. It can be done.

Somehow you believe winning 8-9 games at a second tier P5 is harder than reaching the top 15 at an upper tier. I'd say they are both different, but there is a fuck ton more pressure on upper tier coaches with those expectations and more booster input. There are a lot of people trying to be that next big coach all fighting over the same top level talent. Leach is out drawing a different kind of player from the next tier with a unique system that has draw of its own.

Leach is a good coach for his system and belongs at a small out of the limelight school. It's a good fit for him. But he's at best 5th in the Pac. Maybe 6th. He's not a nationally top 10 caliber coach.

 

[7Samurai13]

2003 isn't 50 years or something. Mike Price had them in the top 10 and conference titles. It can be done.

Somehow you believe winning 8-9 games at a second tier P5 is harder than reaching the top 15 at an upper tier. I'd say they are both different, but there is a fuck ton more pressure on upper tier coaches with those expectations and more booster input. There are a lot of people trying to be that next big coach all fighting over the same top level talent. Leach is out drawing a different kind of player from the next tier with a unique system that has draw of its own.

Leach is a good coach for his system and belongs at a small out of the limelight school. It's a good fit for him. But he's at best 5th in the Pac. Maybe 6th. He's not a nationally top 10 caliber coach.

In what order would you rank the coaches in the PAC?

 

[AlaskaGuy]

In what order would you rank the coaches in the PAC?

 

[jwolt92]

He didn't ask for Athlon's rankings

 

[AlaskaGuy]

He didn't ask for Athlon's rankings

Put me on ignore please.

 

[iowajerms]

2003 isn't 50 years or something. Mike Price had them in the top 10 and conference titles. It can be done.

Somehow you believe winning 8-9 games at a second tier P5 is harder than reaching the top 15 at an upper tier. I'd say they are both different, but there is a fuck ton more pressure on upper tier coaches with those expectations and more booster input. There are a lot of people trying to be that next big coach all fighting over the same top level talent. Leach is out drawing a different kind of player from the next tier with a unique system that has draw of its own.

Leach is a good coach for his system and belongs at a small out of the limelight school. It's a good fit for him. But he's at best 5th in the Pac. Maybe 6th. He's not a nationally top 10 caliber coach.

2003 is 15 years. Players then could likely have kids being recruited by these colleges. It is pretty much an actual generation difference. How much of an impact do you think Ohio State's win over Miami in 2003 Fiesta Bowl has on recruiting these days? It might not be 50 years ago, but it isn't 5 years either.

And Leach also did good at Texas Tech as coach. For a team like Washington or Iowa, 8-9 wins is not good. For a team like Iowa State or Washington State, 8-9 wins really boosts their recruiting. Leach has done it 3x now.

Saban and Meyer in their own class

I think Peterson is a better HC overall, but Clemson's recent success puts him above Peterson. Those 2 are close.

I am alright with Patterson here.

Like I said, Jimbo is too high as he is coaching a new team. If he still was FSU's coach, I wouldn't have a problem with it so much.

I think Franklin should be above Dantonio. Both should be above Jimbo right now, but barely.

This is where I would put Leach. The talent that Harbaugh gets, he should have 10+ win seasons. I expect Michigan to consistently have more wins. Personally, I think he is underachieving as he is hyped to be.

Kirby took Georgia to NCG. There was no controversy with them in the NCG either.

 

[jwolt92]

Put me on ignore please.

I've considered it a few times, I feel like my IQ is dropping every time I read something from you. However, I have not done it

 

[AlaskaGuy]

I've considered it a few times, I feel like my IQ is dropping every time I read something from you. However, I have not done it

Do us both a favor and just do it.

 

[4down20]

Put me on ignore please.

Like the women you pay for?

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Like the women you pay for?

Poor 4down ... take that dick out of your mouth already.

 

[Wamu]

Like the women you pay for?

 

[WizardHawk]

In what order would you rank the coaches in the PAC?

The swing in whether or not Leach is 5th or 6th is where I'd put Helton and there's a good argument either way on him. Not really enough track record to feel solid about it. The other 4 though, for sure well above Leach IMO.

Petersen, Shaw, Kelly, and Wittingham, not necessarily in that order. All are what I would put as well ahead of Leach.

The general point was, if I can find it easy to put Leach no better than 5th in just the Pac, surely there are more than 5 other head coaches nationally to make it so his saying Leach should be in the top 10 is entirely misplaced IMO.

 

[Codaxx]

2017
Iowa - 8-5 (5 P5 opponents with 10+wins, went 1-4, Iowa beat Ohio State 55-24. Iowa > Iowa State > Kansas State)
Kansas State - 8-5 (3 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, went 1-2. Kansas State beat Oklahoma State 45-40.)

.Ferentz

2016
Iowa - 8-5 (3 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, 1-2 w/ win over Michigan, Iowa also lost to FCS opponent NDSU.)
Kansas State - 9-4 (4 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, 0-4, Stanford, Oklahoma State, WVU, Oklahoma)

Snyder

2015
Iowa - 12-2 (4 P5 Opponents with 10+ wins, 2-2. Beat Wisconsin and Northwestern, lost to MSU and Stanford)
Kansas State - 6-7 (4 P5 Opponents with 10+ wins, 0-4)

Ferentz

2014
Iowa - 7-6 (1 P5 opponent with 10+ wins, 0-1 vs Wisconsin)
Kansas State - 9-4 (3 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, 0-3 vs TCU, Baylor, and UCLA)

Snyder

2013
Iowa - 8-5 (2 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, 0-2 vs Ohio State and Michigan State, Also lost to 12-2 Northern Illinois)
Kansas State - 8-5 (3 P5 opponents with 10+ wins, 0-3 vs Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State. Also lost to FCS opponent NDSU)

Toss up. I'll give to Snyder because they dominated ISU and Iowa won by 7.

--------------

In the same hears both of them were head coaches at the same time (1999-2005, 2009-2017)

Ferentz
Overall - 122-80 (.6039)
B1G - 71-59 (.5462)
13-27 (.3250) vs 10+ win P5 opponents
1-2 in BCS/NY6 Bowls
5 Top 10 finishes in AP, 6 ranked years

Snyder
Overall - 133-71 (.6520)
Big 12 - 80-55 (.5926)
9-33 (.2143) vs 10+ win P5 opponents
3 Top 10 finishes in AP
7 ranked years
0-2 in BCS/NY6 Bowls

Like I said Synder took over arguably the worst program in the country and won at 65% clip. Ferentz took over for a coach that one over a 60% clip and couldn't match it

 

[WizardHawk]

2003 is 15 years. Players then could likely have kids being recruited by these colleges. It is pretty much an actual generation difference. How much of an impact do you think Ohio State's win over Miami in 2003 Fiesta Bowl has on recruiting these days? It might not be 50 years ago, but it isn't 5 years either.

And Leach also did good at Texas Tech as coach. For a team like Washington or Iowa, 8-9 wins is not good. For a team like Iowa State or Washington State, 8-9 wins really boosts their recruiting. Leach has done it 3x now.

Saban and Meyer in their own class

I think Peterson is a better HC overall, but Clemson's recent success puts him above Peterson. Those 2 are close.

I am alright with Patterson here.

Like I said, Jimbo is too high as he is coaching a new team. If he still was FSU's coach, I wouldn't have a problem with it so much.

I think Franklin should be above Dantonio. Both should be above Jimbo right now, but barely.

This is where I would put Leach. The talent that Harbaugh gets, he should have 10+ win seasons. I expect Michigan to consistently have more wins. Personally, I think he is underachieving as he is hyped to be.

Kirby took Georgia to NCG. There was no controversy with them in the NCG either.

There's a huge swath of space between top 10 talent and sucks. He's for sure somewhere in that space and closer to the top 10 guys than the coaches that suck.

Leach is a solid coach for what his niche is, but it's a niche. He's for sure a system guy and can leverage that to get kids in over a few other second tier teams. That offense puts up massive numbers even on off years. It's attractive for WR's and QB's that want snaps. It's an edge. And he uses it well.

He's a good coach, but he's not even close to top 10 IMO.

 

[Codaxx]

There's a huge swath of space between top 10 talent and sucks. He's for sure somewhere in that space and closer to the top 10 guys than the coaches that suck.

Leach is a solid coach for what his niche is, but it's a niche. He's for sure a system guy and can leverage that to get kids in over a few other second tier teams. That offense puts up massive numbers even on off years. It's attractive for WR's and QB's that want snaps. It's an edge. And he uses it well.

He's a good coach, but he's not even close to top 10 IMO.

I accidentally deleted my post, but I agree with this. Leach said he developed the system bases on the players he had available. Shorter WRs that had more short area quickness, than long speed . Big OL lacking great feet. It's was ingenious. He isn't too concerns about defense, so hard to consider him top 10. He will only maximize 1 area of a team.

 

[Boise4Life]

Their top 5 is exactly how I would rank my top 5.