11 NFL Coaches Who Would Excel in College Football

The coaches on this list are pretty successful guys.

I mean, we would all agree that every NFL head coach has worked hard to get to where he is and has had to enjoy some measure of success to earn a shot at his present position.

That said, these coaches might have another career path ahead of them if they so desire.

The 11 men on this list would be the best options to head to the college ranks and enjoy tremendous success. Many of them have extensive college assistant coaching experience, some where even head coaches and a few are on here for reasons explained later.

Whatever the reason, each man on this list has the potential to make a great coach of a college program.

11. Jason Garrett, Dallas

I know Garrett has never had any experience at the collegiate level.

He also has not been all that overwhelming as the head coach in Dallas.

That said, the man has potential to do some big things.

He currently holds the Ivy League record for completion percentage with a 66.5 percent mark for his career.

Any man that is smart enough to play football and earn a degree from an Ivy League school, and then move on to deal with Jerry Jones, has got to be a prime candidate for a job somewhere in the college football universe.

10. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati

Lewis has the Bengals poised on the cusp of actually breaking through and becoming a consistently good unit. He's been with the franchise since 2003 and has led the Bengals to the playoffs three times during his tenure. It's pretty clear to see he could step into a difficult situation and make a difference, if given time. 

Besides all that, the man had 10 years of coaching experience at the college level from 1981-1991.

If he's good enough to get the Bengals headed the right way, surely he could turn around New Mexico.

9. Sean Payton, New Orleans

A head coach leading a program mired in controversy and bitter accusations?

Sounds like a perfect fit for any SEC team.

8. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay

Part of being a college coach is dealing with your athletic director and the influence exerted on you from different directions.

On top of that, you have the occasional controversy/scandal and must be able to handle this all with grace and panache.

McCarthy could do it.

He has had to deal with a great franchise that was down when he got there, a quarterback controversy involving the greatest quarterback in franchise history and plenty of success, including a Super Bowl title.

The man also has some experience as a college coach, coaching in various places from 1987-1992 before heading to the NFL.

7. Lovie Smith, Chicago

Smith and Ron Rivera get the nod on this list for similar reasons.

Lovie, however, has one slight advantage.

While both of them have plenty of experience coaching at the collegiate level, as well as in the NFL, Lovie has the advantage of being an experienced, tenured successful head coach.

He has been with the Bears in that capacity since 2004 and, in that time, has led them to three division titles and one conference title.

Granted, that does not guarantee success, but it sure would make me feel better about hiring him.

6. Rex Ryan, New York Jets

You cannot deny Ryan has had some incredible success throughout his career, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Even though he has a propensity for inserting his foot in his mouth at extremely awkward moments, the man can coach.

A move from the bright lights of New York to a college campus might be just what the doctor ordered.

That is, if he can stop saying things he immediately regrets.

5. Pete Carroll, Seattle

Carroll may have acted like a scumbag when he left USC holding the bag for his various recruiting indiscretions, but that does not change the fact that he was an excellent coach.

Just check out this litany of accomplishments: During his tenure from 2000-2009 at USC, he coached the team to seven consecutive AP top-four finishes, two BCS title games and six BCS victories.

He also saw a ridiculous amount of players drafted into the NFL.

Given a shot at another program, there is no doubt the man could find some success.

4. John Harbaugh, Baltimore

It runs in the family.

John's dad, Jack, coached football at the high school or college level from 1964-2006, and then again in 2009. His brother, Jim, coached at the college level from 1994-2010 before heading to the NFL.

While this kind of thing is not necessarily genetic, it appears to be in the family's blood.

And if that isn't reason enough to believe this Harbaugh would succeed in the college ranks, he's got plenty of experience. For 13 years he coached college programs in varying capacities, just never as a head coach.

3. Ron Rivera, Carolina

Success at the pro level doesn't mean automatically everything will be cupcakes and rainbows at the college level.

However, Rivera brings an emphasis on defense to the table that wins titles at the collegiate level.

Every recent title winner has had a solid, if not dominant defense, especially during the SEC's run of consecutive titles.

His tenure with the Panthers has been somewhat short, and resources are limited, but if he will do anything with them, it will almost certainly be to turn them into a solid defensive team.

As an athletic director, I'd take a shot at luring him away from the glitz of the professional realm, especially if my defense sucked. (Here's looking at you, every team in the Big 12.)

2. Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis

Pagano has his work cut out for him taking over an Indianapolis team looking to start over after the departure of Peyton Manning.

if that doesn't work out, this defensive mastermind may want to take a look at the opportunities available to him on college campuses.

He has built his career on a reputation as a defensive mastermind and would do well taking over a college program and emphasizing the oft-neglected defensive side of the ball.

Before he arrived in the NFL back in 2000, he spent 16 seasons coaching at various college programs, so he knows his way around.

1. Jim Harbaugh, San Fransisco

Harbaugh may have just arrived in the NFL last season, but he has already left his mark, leading a resurgent San Francisco 49ers team.

We know, however, that he would be a great college football coach, because he has already accomplished a tremendous level of success during his time at Stanford from 2007-2010.

He may have a somewhat abrasive style that does not sit well with certain fans, but the man knows how to coach.

Ever heard of a guy called Andrew Luck?

Yeah, Harbaugh was a huge part of his development.