ESPN Insider - Ranking CFB coaching jobs

[Texas Jefe]

I find it very hard to believe that any person could have been to Clemson, SC and Ann Arbor, MI and conclude that Clemson would be the more pleasant place to live.

I've never been to Ann Arbor, I'm sure it's nice. But it's cold. I mean, Harbaugh is holding spring training in Florida, baseball teams hold spring training in Florida and Arizona.

My real point was that Clemson fans really are fanatical. I know Michigan fans are too, but it has a real winter.
The kind where you need multiple layers of clothing, and mud rooms. Just thinking, a prospective coach may choose warm over cold?

 

[Texas Jefe]

I find it very hard to believe that any person could have been to Clemson, SC and Ann Arbor, MI and conclude that Clemson would be the more pleasant place to live.

good move though, because it slapped me in the head and allowed it to face my prejudice:

I just don't like cold weather, and I should not project that on others. I know there are people that like it, and I'm sure there are coaches that like it. So my argument does not really hold water except for me.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

thing about Clemson is, the fans are seriously devoted. May not be as many as Michigan, but they really really love their school.

Also, it's a beautiful part of the country, and it doesn't become a dreary frozen tundra for half the year.

But I get your point, Michigan is a CFB historic place, and has a great following, as proved by their very high sales numbers of Univ. of Michigan stuff.

I think there's a great argument for Clemson in the top 15, but with so many historic CFB teams I just can't see them in the top 10 and I personally find it silly to leave ND and Michigan out of the top 10. Both schools have the financial might and influence nationally to pull high profile coaches in. People want to be on of the greats at a school like ND and get a statue next to other greats, not necessarily Clemson.

If LSU and Michigan are fighting over the same coach that has no ties to either school, do you think LSU easily pulls that off? How about Florida or Georgia? I'm just not sure that's the case.

 

[TheDayMan]

Stanford @ 20?

This list seems like it's blurring actual desirability for coaches and recent success of coaches...

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

good move though, because it slapped me in the head and allowed it to face my prejudice:

I just don't like cold weather, and I should not project that on others. I know there are people that like it, and I'm sure there are coaches that like it. So my argument does not really hold water except for me.

The cold is very "meh". The other part of that is there's nothing quite like Fall up in the midwest here. And if you're a multi millionaire head coach, you're not going to be doing much sitting around during winter anyway. You're either prepping for a bowl game, finishing up recruiting and flying all over the country and then ending with spring practice. And by the time that's all done with, it's spring again. Go check the weather for Ann Arbor this week. It's all in the 50's and 60's. We're pretty much out of winter. Sure, we might get another cold snap here or there but we're on our way to decent weather. And given the Harbaugh stories, I doubt he's spent a whole week here since our bowl game in Florida. He has use of a private plane for god's sake -- in his contract with us. Do you think Dabo has that?

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Stanford @ 20?

This list seems like it's blurring actual desirability for coaches and recent success of coaches...

Yup. If that job opened up again they'd have a hard time getting huge names in there because what's not factored in is not only how hard it is to recruit, but recruit kids that qualify at Stanford.

 

[JohnShadows]

Tennessee doesn't have enough in-state talent to maintain an elite program. On the upside, the administration has a high tolerance for criminality.

 

[Deep Creek]

He has use of a private plane for god's sake -- in his contract with us. Do you think Dabo has that?

Nah, but Sumlin's got a "Swagcopter".

 

[Texas Jefe]

The cold is very "meh". The other part of that is there's nothing quite like Fall up in the midwest here. And if you're a multi millionaire head coach, you're not going to be doing much sitting around during winter anyway. You're either prepping for a bowl game, finishing up recruiting and flying all over the country and then ending with spring practice. And by the time that's all done with, it's spring again. Go check the weather for Ann Arbor this week. It's all in the 50's and 60's. We're pretty much out of winter. Sure, we might get another cold snap here or there but we're on our way to decent weather. And given the Harbaugh stories, I doubt he's spent a whole week here since our bowl game in Florida. He has use of a private plane for god's sake -- in his contract with us. Do you think Dabo has that?

you make a good point about fall- I've always thought of football season as a memory of watching a Michigan game on a fall Saturday, with the angle of the Sun getting lower...

 

[Texas Jefe]

I just got blinded by the aspect of 'choosing a place to live', and the fact that the winters(not the fall) would just be death to ME, not thinking of other people.

I just cant go without Sunshine on a regular basis. Spent a lot of time, in fact living there for short periods, in Minneapolis area. In the depth of winter, when it's gray and really cold for long periods, just depresses me. Then when the Sun comes out, as it does, it's like zero degrees outside.

But that's just because I'm from a warm part of the country, and many people don't have that problem. It's just in my DNA I guess. I know the coach can travel, and in fact still owns a house in northern California, so he can get around those things. Plus, he grew up there, so he's used to it and it's no big deal.

So I just imprinted my feelings on the poll, which is neither here nor there.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Because Michigan's 1 title in the past 70 years is somehow better than Clemson?

Half title, but point remains the same I guess.

 

[WestEndVol]

Tennessee doesn't have enough in-state talent to maintain an elite program

According to Rivals, there are 12 4-star recruits in the state of Tennessee for the 2017 class. That's about the same as Alabama (minus a big instate rival to compete with), and is more instate talent than teams like Notre Dame, Michigan and Oklahoma have to work with. The talent in the state is increasing every year and really isn't a huge issue.

 

[iowajerms]

I think Iowa should be Top 15-25.

Iowa has a great new football facility
Not a stepping stone program. Only 2 coaches in last 30-something years. Very loyal to the coaches
Might not have the greatest football program, but 9-win season doesn't get the coach fired.
Safe, peaceful place for a coach's family to live.
Even though they lack NC's, they do produce good teams and especially NFL talent.

 

[4down20]

The joke is hilarious. Bielema left because his wife was constantly criticized as a whore and gold digger. If you think that is a legitimate reason to rank Arkansas as a better job than Wisconsin, go ahead. You would still be wrong, but we sort of expect that from you.

Wisconsin is a niche program that needs a certain type of coach. But if you fit that mold, you will win a lot of games. I don't know how anyone could argue that Wisconsin isn't a top 25 job when we have finished in the top 25 for thirteen of the last eighteen years.

I don't think it's a legitimate reason to rank 1 job higher than another, I just think it's bullshit and not even remotely the reason, but rather something you tell yourself as means of glossing things over.

As if people in Arkansas don't think she's a gold digger.

 

[Across The Field]

Wisconsin above Arkansas?

I think the Bert change pretty much debunks that. That's about like putting a team ranked higher than another team the week after the play with an otherwise even record etc. It's basically a head to head matchup scenario.

Yeah from what I understand, the budget at Wisconsin (or at least what they allocate for assistants) leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[Across The Field]

Sure, I agree. We don't have any recent national titles. But outside of the last decade or so, we still are one of the winningest programs in terms of just wins -- certainly top 10.

 

[cwerph]

Yeah from what I understand, the budget at Wisconsin (or at least what they allocate for assistants) leaves a lot to be desired.

Wisconsin's biggest problem, IMO, is Barry Alvarez. Great coach, but has too much of a hand on the program as AD. Coaches are afraid to change the offense because BA would go spaz on them.

 

[Mistaken4193]

That's a stretch even for you.

Texas is what, third all time in wins and #1 all time in bowl wins, as well as 4 NCs......that's blue blood status without question. To say otherwise is just pure haterade and trollish.

The reason Texas is always at the top of lists like this is pretty simple......leadership at the university aside, resources matter, as well as recruiting. PLUS the city of Austin. That alone will always make that job attractive, people will generally overlook the school president unless he's a complete fuckup.

Um, Bama is #1 in Bowl wins and Bowl appearances .

 

[Gohogs14]

That's not true at all. Bret left for two big reasons: his wife's awful relationship with Madison and the fact that no matter what he did, Barry got all the credit. Neither one of them is directly tied to the job strength.

Wisconsin has a top 10 fan base and this year's game against Rutgers (with 74,500+ people) was the first game in a decade with under 75,000 at Camp Randall. Arkansas is a much smaller fan base, isolated in the NW corner of the state, that could only get 67,000 to their opener last year when they were ranked #18, their highest in several years.

Wisconsin has almost twice the population as Arkansas. We're expanding the stadium to 80,000 soon and we routinely finish top 25 in attendance in football, top 20 in basketball and top 5 in baseball. I would put our twitter fan base up against anyone. We helped get Peyton Hillis a madden cover lmao.

I hear great things about Madison (obviously never been) but the NW Arkansas area is growing and becoming a really cool place too. It was recently ranked the #3 best place to live in America Best Places to Live | U.S. News Real Estate

 

[Codaxx]

According to Rivals, there are 12 4-star recruits in the state of Tennessee for the 2017 class. That's about the same as Alabama (minus a big instate rival to compete with), and is more instate talent than teams like Notre Dame, Michigan and Oklahoma have to work with. The talent in the state is increasing every year and really isn't a huge issue.

Tenn has the highest recruiting budget in the country. Reason being they do a lot of flying. Don't compare the state of Bama to Tenn. That doesn't tell the story. Bama is surrounded by a lot of talent. Do a 300 mile radius around campuses and you will find Bama's recruiting area is so bad