College Football Predictions: Power Ranking the Top 25 Coaches of 2011
So what if the college football season is still seven months away? It is never too early to look ahead and start thinking about what's to come in the 2011 season.
Last season, there were a number of teams that shocked the world and rose to the top of college football's rankings. Teams like Auburn, Oklahoma State and Michigan State were not picked to finish in the top-20 in any preseason polls. But in then end, all three of those programs had outstanding seasons, and in return, all three of their coaches, Gene Chizik, Mike Gundy and Mark Dantonio, were all nominated as Coach of the Year finalists.
With college football experts already back to work making their preseason picks for the 2011 season, let's take a look at the potential top-25 coaches in college football next season.
25. Gary Pinkel, Missouri
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The Tigers had an outstanding year in 2010, finishing the season with a 10-3 record, including a season-changing upset over No. 1 ranked Oklahoma.
Gary Pinkel has been with Missouri for 10 years now and has complied a 77-49 record and has finished .500 or above in Big-12 play for seven of those 10 years. He has been a big-name coach for a big-name team that is projected to be in the top-20 of most 2011 college football polls.
The numbers back it up, the team's play backs it up. Missouri will be one of the nation's better teams in 2011, and Pinkel will be a big reason why.
24. Mike Sherman, Texas A&M
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Since he arrived at Texas A&M, Mike Sherman has improved his team from a four-win program in 2008 to a nine-win program in 2010.
Sherman is an offensive minded coach who has brought an explosive offensive system along with him to Texas A&M. Playing in the Big 12 is never an easy task, but when you beat the likes of Nebraska, Oklahoma and in-state-rival Texas all in the same season, you obviously know what you are doing.
The Aggies will have to find a way to replace Von Miller, but they do return a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, and Sherman should be in line for another big season this year. He has improved every year since he's been there; what makes anyone believe that he is going to slow down now?
23. Tom O'Brien, NC State
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Tom O'Brien was a National Coach of the Year finalist this past year, and there is no reason why he can't repeat that honor in 2011.
O'Brien helped coach the Wolfpack to a 9-4 season, including a 23-7 blowout win over West Virgina in the Champs Sports Bowl. What makes this stat pop out so much is that the Wolfpack only won five games total in 2009.
Look for the team to remain strong next season and build on that bowl win over West Virginia.
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22. Will Muschamp, Florida
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Florida was one of the most underachieving programs in the country in 2010. Add the fact that one of the top coaches in the country, Urban Meyer, decided he will be leaving after this season, and you've got a mess in the making.
But Florida wasted no time hiring the man who they think would best be able to clean up that mess, former Texas defensive coordinator WIll Muschamp.
Muschamp has been an assistant coach in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins in addition to spending the rest of his time coaching some of the top defensive units in the country at schools like Auburn and Texas. Now, with the head coaching title attached to his name, Muschamp will have a lot of pressure to deal with. But in reality, he has the talent on this Florida team to be able to overcome that pressure.
21. Rocky Long, San Diego State
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When Brady Hoke took his dream job at Michigan, San Diego State made the choice to go with Long, who is the second winningest coach in the Mountain West Conference.
Long has been coaching for 37 years, so his experience will be crucial in seeing that the Aztecs build on their 2010 season. Long spent 11 years as the head coach at New Mexico from 1998-2008 and has been coaching San Diego State's defense and has helped the unit improve drastically over the past two seasons.
With a young, talented group coming back this year, look for Long to step up to the plate and fill in right where Brady Hoke left off.
20. Don Treadwell, Miami of Ohio
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Treadwell became a hot commodity on the coaching market when he took over the head coaching duties at Michigan State for part of this season when MSU coach Mark Dantonio was out of action due to an unexpected heart attack.
Treadwell won every game that he filled in for Dantonio, including Michigan State's 34-24 victory over Wisconsin, which was the biggest win of the year for the Spartans.
With that said, it was Miami of Ohio that scooped up Treadwell and made him their new head coach after Mike Haywood left for Pittsburgh, which didn't work out too well to say the least. Treadwell will take over a Miami team that finished the year with a 10-4 record, including an emotional win over Middle Tennessee in the GODADDY.COM bowl.
Treadwell has shown that he is worthy of a head coaching job, and all signs point to him being successful on the next level.
19. Joe Paterno, Penn State
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What good would a list of top college football coaches be without Joe Paterno?
In his 45th season and 535th game as head coach of the Nittany Lions, Paterno earned his 400th career victory in a 35-21 win over Northwestern on Nov. 6, 2010. With the win, he became the first head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision coach to reach that milestone.
With Paterno's legacy that he has built, he has gotten his program to the point where they seem to be good every year they take the field. And all signs point to 2011 being no exception.
18. Jimbo Fisher, Florida State
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Jimbo Fisher had a good year in his first season as Florida State's head coach. Now, he should have a great year in his second year leading the team.
The Seminoles return a ton of talent on the offensive end, and being that offense is Fisher's specialty, this should be perfect for this 2011 team.
Fisher's team ended 2010 with a big bowl victory over South Carolina, and they should be able to start 2011 right where they left off. With how down the ACC has been as of late, it very well could be a matter of no time before Fisher becomes the hottest coaching name in that entire conference.
17. Gary Patterson, TCU
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It is anyone's guess as to how TCU is going to replace four-year starting quarterback Andy Dalton?
Luckily for the Horned Frogs, they have an exceptional coach in Gary Patterson who knows how develop talent with the best of them.
Patterson's 97 wins are the second most in school history, and he is only 12 wins behind Dutch Meyer, who he could potentially past with a perfect 2011 season. The Frogs have won six conference titles with Patterson on staff in addition to posting eight of the school's 12 10-win seasons.
Dalton may be gone, but the Horned Frogs have shown that they will remain a threat in college football for years to come. Especially if Patterson stays head coach.
16. Bret Bielema, Wisconsin
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In five years as Wisconsin's head football coach, Bielema has posted a 49-16 record and has led the Badgers to a bowl game in every year.
He has helped maintain Wisconsin as a college football powerhouse program, and there is no reason that anyone should think that won't remain the case. He led Wisconsin to a victory over No. 1 ranked Ohio State this past year, which was the school's first victory over a top-ranked team since 1981.
Bielema was a finalist for the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award this past year, and it wouldn't surprise anyone if he is right back on that list in 2011.
15. David Shaw, Stanford
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David Shaw took over the Stanford head coaching job earlier this month when Jim Harbaugh made the decision to go to the NFL.
While Shaw might find it a challenge to gain as much respect as Harbaugh did while at Stanford, he certainly has the pieces in place to do so. The Cardinal return a ton of talent back in 2011, including Heisman runner-up Andrew Luck.
The job Shaw inherits is a much more desirable job than when Harbaugh took over a 1-11 team just five years ago. Now Stanford is on the verge of being a college football powerhouse, and Shaw should help them maintain that level.
14. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
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Pat Fitzgerald has simply been phenomenal since taking over the Northwestern head coaching position in 2006. He has helped lead the Wildcats to three straight winning seasons and three straight bowl appearances.
Fitzgerald's name was actually a hot name in the offseason to potentially take a bigger job, but he made it clear that he wants to stay with Northwestern and continue to help build this program.
Next year has the potential to be an even bigger year for Fitzgerald and the Wildcats, especially with the return of quarterback Dan Persa. Look for the Wildcats to have another winning season next year and possibly be in the upper half of the Big Ten standings when it is all said and done.
13. Gene Chizik, Auburn
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Even with the loss of the likes of Cam Newton and Nick Fairley, the Tigers should still be good in 2011.
After being doubted by many when he was hired by Auburn in 2009, Chizik proved all those doubters wrong with one of the most memorable seasons in college football history this past year. He helped lead the Tigers to a perfect 13-0 record and a National Championship. He was on every possible Coach of the Year list known to man.
The Tigers might not repeat as champs in 2011, but when you experience all the height that Chizik did this past year at Auburn, that is only going to help him get better as a coach in the future.
12. Chris Petersen, Boise State
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Success has been the mainstay for Chris Petersen since he took over the Boise State head coaching position in 2006. He has led the Broncos to a 61-5 record, including two undefeated seasons in 2006 and 2009.
With quarterback Kellen Moore back next year, Boise State has every chance to be successful and finish with an undefeated season again in 2011. They have shown that they can play with the big boys, beating the likes of Oregon ('09) and Virginia Tech in early season games. Both of those teams made it to BCS bowls this past season.
Petersen has established himself as one of the best coaches in the country, and his legacy will only grow in 2011.
11. Mark Richt, Georgia
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Mark Richt was on the coaches hot seat at one point this season. At the end of 2011, people may wonder why that was ever a question.
Richt inherits a great returning class next season and should have the Bulldogs back in the top-25 at the seasons end. He has a 96-34 career record at Georgia and should easily reach his 100th win next season under the helm.
Georgia could be a surprise team next season, and Richt could be a dark horse preseason Coach of the Year candidate.
10. Dennis Erickson, Arizona State
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Erickson has coached for over 40 years, and this could be one of the most talented college football teams that he has ever coached.
The Sun Devils return nearly everyone from a team that went 6-6 this year, including an end of the season victory over in-state rival Arizona. Erickson went 10-3 in his first season when he took over at Arizona State, and it wouldn't surpise many if he matched that record in 2011.
Erickson is that guy who not many think about as a Coach of the Year candidate, but when people realize how good this team will be next season, they will think twice about that.
9. Chip Kelly, Oregon
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Chip Kelly and the Oregon Ducks had a memorable season in 2010, and in return, Kelly was honored as the AP College Football Coach of the Year.
With the likes of Darron Thomas and LaMichael James returning next season, it should be another special one for Kelly and the Ducks. They will likely enter the season ranked in the top-5 in the polls, and there really isn't any reason they shouldn't be that high up.
Kelly obviously knew what he was doing when the made one of the hardest decisions of his coaching career when he dismissed Jeremiah Masoli last season. He has done an outstanding job with this group thus far and should continue to do so in 2011.
8. Nick Saban, Alabama
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When you talk about the best coaches in college football today, Nick Saban will always be in the conversation.
With the loss of players like Mark Ingram, Julio Jones and Greg McElory, this could be Saban's most challenging job yet. He will have to tutor a new quarterback and some new receivers as well.
If Saban can get the Tide back on top of college football's rankings next season with the losses that this team has, he could very well be a Coach of the Year candidate in 2011.
7. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
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Some people might say that this year's Coach of the Year award should have gone to Mark Dantonio.
Michigan State's head coach suffered a heart attack midway through the season and came back to lead the Spartans their first Big Ten Championship in 20 years. He coached the Spartans to victories over the likes of Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Penn State this past season, all of which were good games that the Spartans pulled out late.
Michigan State returns a ton this year and should be a contender for the Big Ten title once again. With the struggles that Michigan State's basketball team has been going through as of late, maybe Dantonio will become the biggest name in East Lansing if he can lead the Spartans to another Big Ten title...no probably not, but he will be a popular one.
6. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State
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The Mississippi State Bulldogs capped off the 2010 year with a 52-14 blowout victory over Michigan in the Gator Bowl.
With a 9-4 record overall and a .500 mark in the SEC, Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen was becoming a popular name on every team's radar, especially those who were in need of a new head coach for 2011.
But Mullen made the decision to stay with the Bulldogs and continue to build his program back to the top. The Bulldogs return a ton of talent next season, and Mullen's program is finally getting to the point of where he envisioned it when he took the head coaching position in 2009.
5. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina
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One of those most well known coaches in college football could be looking at one of his best seasons just ahead.
When Steve Spurrier came to South Carolina in 2005, he knew that it would take some time to get the Gamecocks where he wanted the program to be. Now, with several prized recruiting classes making an impact, the Gamecocks are ready to have their best season yet in 2011.
Spurrier knew that the college game is where his heart is, which is why he left the pros to come back. Now, he has a chance to add another piece to his already successful coaching legacy.
4. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
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How about these numbers for a successful program?
Since taking over the head coaching position 11 years ago, Stoops has a combined record of 117–28. He has only lost two games in Norman and currently holds the nation's longest home winning streak at 33 consecutive games. He also has the most wins of the decade of any BCS school with 109.
The Sooners are selected by many to be the top team in the nation heading into the 2011 season, and Stoops has his troops looking ahead to a National Championship. If he can lead the Sooners to the record they expect to have in 2011, National Coach of the Year honors could be sure to follow.
3. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
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Gundy was a finalist for the 2010 Coach of the Year, and now with the talent he returns this year, he could find himself right back on that list in 2011.
The Cowboys are ranked in the top 10 in the majority of the preseason polls, and the talent is there to be a National Championship contender.
Gundy is well past his days for his epic YouTube blowup. Maybe his next video on YouTube will be of him accepting the National Championship trophy.
2. Les Miles, LSU
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Les Miles made the choice to return to LSU and turn down a job at Michigan. Now the question is, was that the right choice?
With the team that LSU should have in 2011, it was the only choice.
LSU is a legitimate National Championship type team. They have the talent, the desire, and the perfect coach to lead them to a title.
If LSU wins, it will be a huge boost for this program, and maybe, just maybe, Miles will start getting the respect that he deserves.
1. Jim Tressel, Ohio State
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No coach in the entire country has more of a difficult situation to deal with this season than Ohio State's Jim Tressel.
With five of his top players suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season, it will be extremely difficult for the team to keep an undefeated record during that time. But if that can happen, this Ohio State team has all the makings to a special story book ending.
Tressel has been one of the top coaches in college football since he arrived to Ohio State in 2001. He has led the Buckeyes to three National Title games, and if he can get through this difficult situation to start this year, 2011 could very well be the most special season of Tressel's career.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
