College Football's Best and Worst-Dressed Coaches

In an occupation where the primary players all wear the same outfit to work every day, the coach’s wardrobe naturally draws attention.

Yes, like it or not, we notice what head football coaches are wearing when they prowl the sidelines on game day.

The natural diversity associated with personal clothing preference is compounded in an atmosphere such as college football, where 120 teams are led by 120 individuals with their own unique backgrounds and approaches to style.

The following slideshow hails 10 college football coaches who are savvy fashionistas, and then bemoans 10 institutional gridiron leaders who might need a citation from the couture constable.

The selections are no doubt subjective, and the topic is certainly up for discussion, but regardless of whom each of us would grade a lofty "A" or a lowly "F" in wardrobe selection, one thing remains true: Some college football coaches dress better than others.

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." –Mark Twain

 

Best: Derek Dooley, Tennessee

Regardless of how things ultimately shake out for Derek Dooley at Tennessee, he can say that he was on the cutting edge of coach couture while in Knoxville.

Perhaps inspired by Rickie Fowler of the PGA, Dooley simply isn't afraid to use Volunteer orange to its fullest potential. Though back-to-back seven-loss seasons aren't worth celebrating, Dooley's pants certainly are due certain stylistic salutations.

Best: Mark Dantonio, Michigan State

Mark Dantonio's fashion approach is decidedly conservative.

Yes, you've got the tucked-in shirt, the belt, the hair, the seemingly dry-cleaned outerwear and the overall sense of neatness.

But this is still a guy who will go for a fake field goal vs. Notre Dame in overtime.

Delicious.

Best: Bob Stoops, Oklahoma

Love him or hate him, Bob Stoops dresses the part of a winning coach of a major college football program.

Though a lot of guys dawn the neatly pressed golf shirt and a pair of khakis, Bobby tops off the look with the iconic visor, and then dominates opponents all while not revealing a worrisome fabric wrinkle.

Perhaps Coach Stoops isn't as flashy as some other guys on our esteemed list, but he dresses sharply on a consistent basis.

Best: Al Golden, Miami (Fla.)

With the retirement of snappy dresser Howard Schnellenberger, Al Golden may well be the best-dressed coach in major college football.

But Golden's dress shirt and tie weren't always part of his stylistic approach as a head coach.

Indeed, when Golden got his first shot at Temple in 2006, he often donned a sweatshirt on game days, until his Mother mentioned that perhaps he should rethink his wardrobe.

"Wear some nice pants and shirt," Mother Golden carefully advised.

And so, with a brilliant brush stroke from back home, Golden's attire began its noble quest to hark back to the long-gone era of Tom Landry, Vince Dooley and Bear Bryant.  

Well done.

Best: Charlie Strong, Louisville

Another guy who dresses the part of a rising star in college football coaching, Louisville's Charlie Strong simply knows how to effectively coordinate coordinates.

There is a time and place for black slacks and a red top buttoned to the neck—and the time is now.

Best: Dave Christensen, Wyoming

Dave Christensen's bold attempt to combine a sweater vest with Wyoming's traditional brown and gold color scheme could be rightly judged to have gone either way.

Yes, you can grade it an "A+" or a "D-" in appeal, but you can't deny the fact that this is a guy who made a daring foray into the world of coaching fashion design.

And for this, we heartily salute him.

Best: Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

Brian Kelly's wardrobe at Notre Dame brings up an interesting sidebar in coaching wardrobe design.

Kelly reminds us of the important concept of "dance with who brung you," meaning that these guys don't select the institutional color schemes, nor do they have much say in what Adidas, Under Armour or Nike pumps out on their behalf.

Basically, these coaches are working from a limited, highly controlled wardrobe that ultimately they are held responsible for, but have no control over.

Kelly makes the list because he continues to look professional and polished regardless of what Adidas and Notre Dame throw at him. (And that includes looking sharp in the "green clovers and blue diamonds" get-up from last season's clash with Michigan.)

Best: Terry Bowden, Akron

The modern version of Terry Bowden may not look exactly like the guy who once stalked the sidelines at Auburn, but his move to Akron ought to raise the bar in the world of MAC fashion.

Add to the equation the fact that Bowden will be sharing a campus address with Tressel the Vest, and anything could happen from a design standpoint.

Best: Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Kyle Whittingham uses Utah's crimson and white color scheme to its absolute fullest advantage.

Whether or not he accents the traditional hues with a big splash of black (and regardless of the climatic conditions), Whittingham cuts a fine figure and achieves panache without sacrificing conservatism.

Best: Mario Cristobal, FIU

Though Al Golden is the most notable and consistent advocate of the necktie in college football coaching, FIU's Mario Cristobal shouldn't be overlooked when talking ties.

The bit of irony that links the two well-dressed coaches is the fact that Cristobal grew up Miami and  played tackle for the Hurricanes, while Golden now leads the "U" as a second-year head man.

Worst: Ken Niumatalolo, Navy

Switching gears to the fashion offenders as opposed to the couture defenders, we kick off the worst-dressed list with Navy's Ken Niumatalolo.

This specific case is not about the traditional neck wear, but about the puffy, anchor emblazoned jacket with letter jacket sleeves.

With all the great tradition at Navy, why not wear wool?

Worst: Bronco Mendenhall, BYU

Being comfortable on the job, any job, has to be paramount to success.

But with that said, at what point does a relaxed dress code lead to a lackadaisical feel? 

Bronco Mendenhall is a very good football coach, but does his t-shirt approach to game day emit a decidedly laissez-faire tone?

Worst: Lane Kiffin, USC

Realistically, it's difficult to argue that Lane Kiffin looks poorly dressed on the sidelines.

Despite the fact that he looks well-groomed 99 percent of the time, Kiffin should be called out for his "ice-capade" get-up from the 2011 game vs. Oregon.

First, I hope he didn't attempt to eat a chili dog, and secondly, I wonder if he owns any roller skates...

Worst: Brady Hoke, Michigan

Overall, Brady Hoke—a fine football coach—is simply not a snappy dresser.

Hoke has often been ticketed for dawning blue slacks that don't quite match the officially licensed Michigan blue, and then there is the issue of overall smartness.

But Hoke's "shorts on parade" presentation at the 2011 spring game crossed a bunch of lines that many fashion-minded folks didn't even think needed drawing.

Worst: Bo Pelini, Nebraska

Bo Pelini's approach to style can be rated fairly simply: There is nothing wrong with wearing sweatshirts to work—unless you lose to Northwestern.

Worst: Nick Saban, Alabama

When Nick Saban is actually on the field at game time, he looks as well put together as any guy in the nation.

It's what happens before and after the whistle that is a little disturbing from a fashion standpoint.

This is precisely when the dapper coach from 2012 can alarmingly morph into Nick Saban, man of the 80s.

First, you've got the Bill Cosby-esque color block sweatshirts (see the 2012 BCS postgame trophy photo shoot), the floppy deep sea fishing hats at practice and then you've got photographic evidence such as what is pictured here.

Saban's oddly raised collar and provocative low zip (with no undershirt) have seemingly visually disturbed Alabama QB A.J. McCarron, who may be trying to determine if a couple of strands of gold chain exist just under the surface.

Worst: Mike Leach, Washington State

It was at least mildly amusing to see Mike Leach officially announced as Washington State's new head coach, and this simply because he was wearing a color-coordinated coat and tie.

While at Texas Tech, Leach often dressed in normal coach-wear, and his general stylistic methodology could be aptly defined as, "disheveled, though intriguing."

Worst: Gene Chizik, Auburn

From his carefully groomed hair all the way down to his well-cared-for shoes, Auburn's Gene Chizik is a neatly put-together package.

But what is mildly upsetting about Chizik's routine wear is the fact that he tucks his traditional wind shirt into his pants.

To tuck, or not to tuck? The answer to this age-old controversy may not be as simple as we have been led to believe.

Worst: George O'Leary, UCF

UCF's George O'Leary falls on the other side of the line we discussed with Notre Dame's Brian Kelly.

O'Leary picked from the few items the school and the license-holder provided him, and rather than making it work, it all went very poorly.

Yes. friends, it's the dreaded case of the Adidas triple-stripe high-zip gone wrong.

Worst: Rich Rodriguez, Arizona

According to a recent article entitled, "7 New Ways to Wear a Belt" on the style-forward site Refinery 29, one of the hottest trends in belting involves wearing a belt on the outside of one's outfit. This way the belt (which was featured outwardly in five of the seven "ways") becomes an integral part of the design, ultimately trumping utility for style.

Though Rich Rodriguez's custom at Michigan of wearing some sort of belt device on the outside of his outerwear may have actually been utilitarian in purpose, its link with trendy ladies fashion is too close for comfort.

Thank goodness the weather in Arizona will not require many belted jackets, but keep an eye on Rich Rod in mid-November when the Wildcats will travel to chilly Utah to clash with the Utes.