One Word to Describe the Top 50 College Football Coaches

It’s difficult enough (especially for a female type) to explain even the most simplistic issue in a few words, so how could we possibly attempt to pin a one-word definition on a stack of talented college football coaches?

Well, as underwhelming as a singular word can seem, it can in reality paradoxically pack a meaningful punch.

Yes, simplicity masks depth, and minimalism is truly the only way to discover if "less" truly does equal the "more" we're all searching for.

And so, in the spirit of this ridiculously-profound approach, we will have a crack at defining the Top 50 current coaches in college football with a mere one word.

Fifty tremendous coaches, 50 modest words.

Provocative.

As a note, we have determined the Top 50 coaches by looking across their total careers and taking into consideration a wide array of both current job and all-time careers statistics including win/loss records, division and conference titles, National Championships, bowl records, BCS play and ranked finishes.

This means you won’t see a long list of first or second-year coaches here (with zero previous experience), as they don’t have the comparative stats to rank fairly.

50. David Cutcliffe, Duke

Groomer

David Cutcliffe coached both Peyton Manning at Tennessee (he was in Knoxville in an offensive capacity from 1982-1998) and Eli Manning at Ole Miss (he was the head coach from 1998-2004) before the brothers emerged as NFL stars.

Sure, both gentlemen were super talented coming into college, but is it a simple coincidence that an entire slew of offensive records at both schools were set during the combined Cutcliffe/Manning eras?

49. Mario Cristobal, FIU

Historic

Mario Cristobal took over at FIU only five years after the Golden Panthers started fielding a football team and only two years after they joined the FBS ranks.

Cristobal led FIU to a 1-11 finish in 2007, a 5-7 record in 2008, digressed to 3-9 in 2009, then exploded to 7-6 in 2010, which included a first-ever program bowl appearance and win.

FIU is 5-3 thus far in 2011, and if they can win three of the last four games they will secure their first-ever eight-win season and will have a realistic shot at a back-to-back Sun Belt Conference titles.

Regardless of where Cristobal goes after FIU, he will always and forever be the guy who put the Golden Panthers on the football map.

48. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern

Resolute

Pat Fitzgerald comes across as one of the most determined coaches in college football.

Yes, Fitzgerald is on a quest to lead his alma mater to their first bowl win since the Wildcats upended Cal in the 1949 Rose Bowl.

Since then Northwestern is 0-8 in bowl play, which includes three losses under Fitzgerald by a combined total of 17 points (two of the three were in OT).

With a 3-5 record and only four games remaining in 2011, the Wildcats will have their work cut out just to reach a fourth consecutive bowl (if they knock off Minnesota and Rice, then Nebraska and Michigan State still stand in the way), but if they can get there, look for Fitzgerald do everything within his power to secure a coveted postseason win.

47. Butch Jones, Cincinnati

Validated

After enjoying a fruitful 27-13 record in his three years at Central Michigan (2007-2009) Butch Jones took on the unenviable task of taking over a Bearcat program from the departed Brian Kelly, who led UC to a 33-7 record in three seasons.

Yes, Kelly would have been a hard enough act to follow, but a 4-8 record in 2010 made Jones look like he may not have been the guy the Bearcats needed to continue the winning ways.

Fast forward to 2011, and Jones is proving himself nicely with a 6-1 start and No. 23 ranking in the AP.

Whoever hired Jones has got to be feeling better too.

46. Brady Hoke, Michigan

Stoked

A native of Kettering, Ohio, and a graduate of Ball State in Indiana, Michigan's first-year head man Brady Hoke has to be fired up on about a zillion different levels.

First, you've got the fact that after coaching his alma mater for six years (in the MAC) then San Diego State for two seasons (in the MWC) that he's landed the sweet juicy Big Ten peach that is the Michigan job.

Secondly, you've got a 7-1 start to his inaugural campaign, which is the best Wolverine start since 2006 when they went 11-2 under Lloyd Carr.

Thirdly, you’ve got a Michigan defense that has improved to No. 23 in scoring nationally, which is almost miraculous relative to 2010’s No. 106 ranking.

And finally, you've got the fact that the Wolverines are tied for first place in the Big Ten Legends Division with a realistic chance of scoring a first-ever trip to the first-ever conference title game in Indianapolis.

Stoked?

You betcha.

45. Greg Schiano, Rutgers

Committed

Greg Schiano could have easily jumped ship at Rutgers after his coaching stock rose to almost astronomical levels due to Rutgers' 11-2 run in 2006.

He surely turned down some sweet offers after guiding a team that went 1-11 only five years previously, and after the Knights dropped all the way to 4-8 in 2010 it almost looked as if he should have gotten out of town when the gettin’ was good.

But, he didn't—he stayed the course at HIS program, and in 2011 Rutgers is 5-3 with four games left that are arguably "winnable," putting bowl eligibility—and perhaps a conference title—in sight in the multifaceted Big East.

44. Houston Nutt, Ole Miss

Teetering

In his fifth season in Oxford, Houston Nutt's coaching seat is heating up at an alarming rate.

The Rebels' 2-6 start in 2011 brings Nutt's record at Ole Miss to 24-22, which doesn't seem that bad until you realize that he’s 10-19 in conference play and hasn't beaten an SEC foe since besting Kentucky 42-25 in October of 2010.

The Houston Nutt-coached Rebels have dropped 11 consecutive conference games, and they haven’t beaten a BCS foe in the same period (the last three wins were over Fresno State and FCS Southern Illinois this year, then ULL last season).

It's anyone’s guess as to how long Nutt will last at Ole Miss.

43. Al Golden, Miami FL

Hardened

It’s hard to conjure up a more beleaguered first season at the helm than Al Golden has experienced during his opening campaign at Miami.

Begin with the shock of the illegal goings-on, then NCAA sanctions just before the opening. Add in nail-biting (literally) losses to Kansas State, Virginia Tech and Virginia, then pile on the fact that the Hurricanes lost those three games by a TOTAL of 14 points, and you’ve got a huge case of indigestion.

Regardless of all the drama and gut-wrenching defeat, Miami is showing all the signs of a team that will return to first rate form in the years that follow the stage show of 2011.

An absolute certainty is that Golden will be a hard-boiled coach who's difficult to rattle after his first season in Coral Gables.

42. Derek Dooley, Tennessee

Promising

After hiring a guy who went 17-20 in three seasons at Louisiana Tech, Volunteer fans had to wonder what their already-troubled program was getting themselves into.

Even though Tennessee showed signs of life in their 6-7 2010 product, a 3-5 start (0-5 in the SEC) in 2011 might have the people of the checkerboard end zones losing sleep over the young Dooley all over again.

But before we start calling for the end of the younger Dooley era, it would be prudent to remember that this guy has been dealing with a young team, an injured starting QB and they've just ran up against a buzz saw slate of foes that include (consecutively) Georgia, LSU, Alabama and South Carolina.

Dooley and his Vols have still showed enough promise to be hopeful about the future of the storied program under the young but talented coach.

41. Ron Zook, Illinois

Vulnerable

2011 opened up like the kind of year the Illini were dreaming of when they hired the square-jawed Zook back in 2005, but after three consecutive losses fantasies have turned into hopes that the losing skid will end before the season does.

Zook's main statistical vulnerability over his 10 years as a coach in major college football is performance against ranked opponents.

Zook is 2-6 at Illinois and 7-10 all time against Top 10 teams, and 4-19 in Champaign and 10-30 in his career against Top 25 teams.

40. Troy Calhoun, Air Force

Successful

Troy Calhoun’s five-year run at Air Force has been filled with historically impressive achievements.

Calhoun is 38-22 leading his alma mater, which nets him a winning percentage of 63, the highest in Falcon football coaching.

If Air Force can rebound from a 4-4 start and win at least a few of the final four (Army, Wyoming, UNLV and Colorado State), then Calhoun will have the Falcons bowl-bound for five consecutive years for the first time in program history.

39. Larry Blakeney, Troy

Underappreciated

If you catch yourself asking, "Who is Larry Blakeney?" then we’ve already made our point about him.

Blakeney has been the head coach at Troy for 21 seasons, where he successfully managed the Trojans’ transitions from D-II to DI-AA (1992), then from DI-AA to D-IA (or the FBS in 2001).

Blakeney's all-time numbers include a 165-93-1 overall record (66-69 in the FBS), a 42-18 mark in conference play, seven I-AA playoff appearances, three Southland Conference titles, five consecutive Sun Belt crowns (2006-2010) and a 2-3 record in major bowls.

38. Skip Holtz, USF

Ascending

After racking up a 34-23 record in five seasons at UConn, a 38-27 mark in five years at East Carolina and now a 16-11 record in two and a half seasons at USF, Skip Holtz's stock is continually rising.

With the hot bed of recruiting in Tampa Bay and a relatively short road to the BCS in the Big East (if it survives), if Holtz can make manage a successful run at USF then the sky is literally the limit for his career in coaching.

With his father's tendency to move to the next job with relative frequency it's hard to even entertain the idea that USF is Holtz the Younger's destination position.

37. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State

Overlooked

Seriously, what has Mark Dantonio got to do to get some media love?

Here is a guy who has taken what is arguably a tier II Big Ten school (and in saying that I only mean that they’re not the guaranteed recruiting powerhouse that Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin are) to a 39-20 mark in 4.5 seasons.

Every year the Spartans receive a pitiful pile of pub, then wind up being a huge part of the championship equation.

What's up with that?

36. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State

Launching

Mike Gundy may be on track to go where no State Oklahoma Cowboy has gone before.

Yes, Oklahoma State hasn't won a conference title since they won the Big Eight title in 1976, and though Gundy led the Cowboys to an 11-win season in 2010 (an all-time program high) prior to that OSU has only hit the 10-win total three times—ever.

Oklahoma State is one of only four teams in the FBS that truly has control of their own destiny in 2011, and if they win out they have a direct path to the BCS National Championship Game.

Start the countdown because the Cowboys may launch further into space than has Gundy's hair…

35. Pat Hill, Fresno State

Berth-ful

Pat Hill took over at Fresno State in 1997, and in 14 full seasons he's led the Bulldogs to 11 bowl appearances.

And, let's remember that Fresno State calls the WAC home, which is not necessarily a surefire catapult into postseason glory (i.e. the bids are more difficult to come by).

Hill is 111-76 all time at Fresno State and 4-7 in bowl play.

34. George O’Leary, UCF

Reformer

In 1995 George O’Leary took over a Georgia Tech team that had won 11 games in three seasons and led them to a 52-33 record in eight years, which included five consecutive bowl games (1997-2001) and the 1998 ACC crown.

After taking a couple years out of the college game to serve as the DC for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings O'Leary took over an UCF program (in 2004) that had never won a championship of any kind and had never even been to a bowl game.

Fast forward to 2011, and O'Leary’s Knights have won two C-USA crowns and after three defeats scored their first-ever program bowl win in 2010 with a thrilling 10-6 win over Georgia in the Liberty Bowl.

The cherry on top of O'Leary's reconstruction resume came last season when UCF finished the season ranked in the Top 25 (21 in the AP) for the first time in history.

33. Jim Grobe, Wake Forest

Notable

Wake Forest is not necessarily a destination type of job, but that hasn't stopped Jim Grobe from making it just that.

Prior to Grobe's arrival in 2001 the Demon Deacons program highs consisted of three eight-win seasons earned from 1888-2000, the 1970 ACC title and a 2-3 record in bowl play.

Since Grobe, Wake Forest has enjoyed not only an additional eight win season but also nine and 11-win campaigns, the 2006 ACC crown, a 3-1 record in bowl play (the loss was in the Orange Bowl) and a 5-3 record thus far this season.

Yes, the Demon Deacons aren't a football powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination, so how is it that Grobe has a winning record there (in a BCS conference) in more than 11 seasons?

Grobe is 67-63 at Wake Forest, which makes him one helluva ball coach.

32. Gary Pinkel, Missouri

Divisional

Gary Pinkel spent a decade as the head man at Toledo and has been at Missouri for 11 years in the same capacity.

Over 20 full seasons as the big dog Pinkel has captured six divisional titles, which is the third-best among any coach on this 50-man list.

Pinkel’s divisional dominance consists of three MAC West crowns (1997-1998 and 2000) and three Big 12 North titles (2007-2008 and 2010).

Ironically, all the titles came 10 years apart exactly, which means Pinkel could win the SEC East title in 2017-2018 and 2020.

31. Chris Ault, Nevada

Unfailing

"Unfailing" is a good description of Nevada's Chris Ault on at least a couple of different levels.

First, Ault has steadily served as the Wolfpack head coach for two long stints (1976-1995, then 2004-present) and didn’t leave his institution in between, departing the sidelines only to serve as the school's AD.

Secondly, Ault’s stats as a head coach in major college football are astounding (or perhaps, unfailing if you will): 224-100-1 overall, 127-47 in conference play, nine conference crowns, seven trips to the FCS playoffs and eight major bowl berths.

30. Tom O’Brien, N.C. State

Bowl-tastic

Not only has Tom O'Brien taken two ACC teams to a total of nine bowl games but he's also amassed an impressive 7-2 record all time in postseason play.

O'Brien led Boston College to seven consecutive bowls from 1999-2005, and has ushered current employer N.C. State to berths in 2008 and 2010.

With a 4-4 record this season the Wolf Pack are two wins away from earning O'Brien a 10th bowl appearance, and if they make it you can bet they'll be ready to play.

29. Mike Price, UTEP

Rosy

Mike Price entered into his eighth season as the head coach in UTEP in 2011, and after almost a decade in El Paso it's easy forget the unbelievable triumph he engineered in Pullman Washington before becoming a Miner.

Price took over at Washington State in 1989 and in 14 seasons managed one of the biggest football revivals in modern college football.

Yes, Price transformed a program that had had one 10-win season in the previous 95 years to three 10-win seasons, two Pac-10 titles (1997 and 2002, their first conference crowns since 1930) and two Rose Bowls (1998 and 2003, their first trips to Pasadena since 1931).

The Cougars have gone 38-76 since he left after the 2002 campaign, and you can call Price a lot of things, but he is truly legendary in the little town of Pullman, Wash.

28. Bo Pelini, Nebraska

Restorer

Though when you think of Pelini you might immediately picture a super intense guy with veins a-popping, defining him simply as "passionate" would be seriously selling him short.

Pelini is a restoration expert who is currently engineering a revival of Cornhusker football.

Nebraska went 27-22 in the four years prior to his arrival (including two dismal five-win seasons) and has gone 36-13 since Pelini started stalking the sidelines in Lincoln.

Included in this total are three consecutive division titles (Big 12 North 2008-2010), three consecutive bowl appearances, a 2-1 bowl record and two out of three possible Top 25 finishes.

Not bad for three seasons playing with the big boys, and with the Huskers' move to the Big Ten and Bo’s relative youth (Pelini turns 44 this December), his "restorer" status could someday be bumped all the way up to "legend-freakin-dary."

27. Jeff Tedford, Cal

Strained

After leading Cal to seven consecutive bowl appearances, a Pac-10 title and four Top 25 finishes from 2003-2009, Jeff Tedford is beginning to feel the strain associated with a dry spell.

Yes, the Golden Bears have won only nine games since 2010 and their only Pac-12 win thus far in 2011 came against newbie Utah.

Even though Cal could still reach bowl eligibility this season it's easy to see that they're struggling, which turns up the heat on Tedford.

The nature of the football beast is that it's a "What have you done for me lately?" kind of world, which is flat-out wrong for coaches as good as Tedford.

26. June Jones, SMU

Visionary

Where some guys see a beleaguered football program that literally is on its own island, June Jones sees a run across the big waters to the exclusive BCS.

Yes, where others see a program that is still hooked up on life support after being in a gridiron coma, Jones sees a bowl-eligible, winning football team that miraculously captures divisional crowns and has the potential to vanquish even bigger demons.

I don't know who Jones' agent is, but either he or the coach himself has some serious foresight and fortitude.

Jones? He's 102-69—at Hawaii and SMU.

It's the best story on the list.

25. Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech

Optional

You can't run the triple option in the new millennium of college football—right?

Well, somebody forgot to tell Paul Johnson that, and in more than 15-plus years as a college head coach he's racked up an 146-57 record running the option.

Johnson's numbers include five conference titles, two DI-AA National Championships and seven bowl appearances. If the Yellow Jackets can survive Duke, Virginia Tech and Georgia, then in 2011 it's off to a chance for a second ACC crown in three seasons, as well as another crack at the BCS.

Wow.

24. Howard Schnellenberger, FAU

Bold

Ever wonder how the "U" became the "U?"

Well, a guy named Howard Schnellenberger took over perennial loser Miami in 1979, started recruiting like a mad man and actually stood up promised national titles.

Yeah, we've seen other guys say crazy stuff like that—but who else has delivered?

Schnellenberger’s Hurricanes won the big enchilada in 1983, then he led similarly-beleaguered Louisville to a 10-1-1 finishm including a 34-7 pounding of Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl in 1990.

Perhaps most impressive is Schellenberger's work at FAU, where he took on the task of literally starting up a program.

Schnellenberger has guided the Owls from no team, to the FCS, then the FBS in his 11 seasons, and has somehow managed to lead them to an almost miraculous 2007 Sun Belt crown, as well as first-ever bowl wins over Memphis and Central Michigan (2007 and 2009).

Don't let the foxy looks fool you—this guy is the real deal, and it doesn't seem like there is much left in college football that could scare him.

23. Paul Pasqualoni, UConn

Clandestine

Who is Paul Pasqualoni and how did he, in a covert fashion, find his way to the elite 25 percent of active college football coaches?

Well, Pasqulaloni took over for Randy Edsall at UConn in 2011, and though you might still be shrugging your shoulders, this is a guy who's got a serious collegiate coaching resume.

Do you remember the Syracuse teams that played so well back in the mid-to-late 1990s?

Yes, the Orange teams that won three consecutive Big East crowns (1996-98), were ranked in the Top 25 and ascended to consecutive Fiesta and Orange bowls?

Pasqualoni was the coach behind those teams.

He went 107-59-1 at Syracuse, was 73-34 in Big East play, won three conference crowns and was 6-3 the postseason.

22. Bronco Mendenhall, BYU

Victorious

Bronco Mendenhall has headed up the BYU program since 2005, and since then has a 62-24 record and is a sizzling 39-9 in MWC play (of course the Cougars are independent in 2011, so that mark is frozen in time).

Mendenhall's BYU teams have won 10-plus games four out of six tries, have never failed to be bowl-eligible and have finished in the AP Top 25 four times.

All this adds up to Mendenhall being the winningest coach in the history of BYU football.

21. Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

Tested

Brian Kelly had all the stats necessary to have a huge portion of the college football nation believing he was the ONE to finally return Irish football to a consistent level of dominance.

Kelly went 118-35-2 in 13 glorious seasons at Grand Valley State, was 19-16 in three years at Central Michigan and finally blazed to a 34-6 record from 2006-2009 at Cincinnati.

Notre Dame looked to be the next candidate on the block for a Brian Kelly Extreme Football Makeover.

But after one and a half years, Kelly and his Irish are 13-8 and still at least one season away from the jingle jangle of the BCS.

Is the Notre Dame job too big even for the hugely successful Brian Kelly?

My guess is no, and the tests he's having to currently endure will do nothing but prepare him for the victory that lies ahead.

And the haters will hate—which I personally find delicious.

20. Frank Solich, Ohio

Close

Even though Frank Solich led Nebraska to a Big 12 crown in 1999, he is very close to grabbing an even more elusive golden ring at Ohio.

The Bobcats haven't tasted from the chalice of MAC Championship victory since 1968, and after coming within one game of the prize in 2006 and 2009, Solich is again within smelling distance.

Ohio is one game back from Temple in the 2011 MAC East race, and if they can knock off the Owls this Saturday on the road then they'll have their third shot at ending a 43-year dry spell.

19. Bret Bielema, Wisconsin

Gutted

Though it would probably be fairer to come up with one word that describes Bret Bielema's entire coaching body of work, it's really difficult to not want to limit the definition to the events of the past two weeks.

Yes, on Oct. 21 the Badgers were 6-0 and looked primed to unload on the rest of their opponents as they blazed a trail to a Big Ten title and beyond.

A mere 10 days later, instead of being 8-0, Wisconsin is two plays away from being 8-0 (a tragic and painful reality), and have fallen to a 6-2 mark due to back-to-back Hail Mary-sealed losses at Michigan State, then Ohio State.

"Ouch" doesn’t even begin to cover it.

18. Bill Snyder, Kansas

Timeless

After Bill Snyder quite literally transformed Kansas State football from 1989-2005 he looked to have ridden into the sunset and taken dominant Wildcat football along with him.

Seriously, after they name the stadium after you aren't you supposed to be done?

Well, not so in the case of Snyder, who at 72 years young has managed to turn things around in Manhattan once again, leading K-State to a 7-1 start with the promise of a finish that will be intriguing to watch.

17. Rick Neuheisel, UCLA

Grappling

You can almost envision Rick Neuheisel, white-knuckled, hanging on to the UCLA job and exerting every ounce of energy he has in the process.

Neuheisel is 18-25 in 3.5 seasons in Westwood, and at 4-4 in 2011, his career could very realistically hang in the balance of a run of season-ending games that includes Arizona State, Utah, Colorado and USC.

If Neuheisel can manage a bowl appearance and/or find a way to shock the crosstown Men of Troy, he is likely to hang on to the rope for at least another season.

And that could be a very good thing, because what's better than a big-name football program being successfully led by an alumnus who wouldn't leave town for all the tea in Tuscaloosa?

16. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa

Devoted

Kirk Ferentz has given Iowa 13 of the best years of his coaching career, and on top of that he's given the Hawkeyes his unswerving devotion.

Indeed, after every 10-plus-win season in Iowa City (there have been four), Ferentz's name is thrown around in regards to NFL openings like tortillas flying through the West Texas wind at Texas Tech.

But regardless of the sweetness of the pro offers or seductive innuendos, Ferentz remains committed to his one and only (for now) Hawkeyes.

Seriously, faithful behavior is a rare commodity in today’s sporting world. Props to coach Ferentz.

15. Bobby Petrino, Arkansas

Blazer

Since joining the SEC in 1992 Arkansas has only made it to the conference championship game twice, which is a testament to the consistent beating teams take in the SEC West.

Though this is a trend that hasn't necessarily changed since Bobby Petrino took over in Fayetteville in 2008, boy, can't you see the tide literally begin to turn for the Hogs?

In 2010 Arkansas went 10-3 and punched their ticket to the BCS for the first time in history behind Auburn, who went all the way (in the back of Gene Chizik's Ford).  And after a 7-1 comeback-infused start in 2011 it's easy to believe that the Petrino era has all the right stuff to be legendary.

Of course the big hurdle will be winning the division, but can't you see it on the horizon?

"Hey! Isn’t that Bobby Petrino blazing that trail up ahead of us?"

Oh yes it is.

14. Tommy Tuberville, Texas Tech

Crusader

Before riding into Lubbock, Tommy Tuberville enjoyed a very successful decade at Auburn (85-40) that was highlighted by five SEC West titles and a 2004 run to perfection that included an SEC crown and a Sugar Bowl win.

During Tuberville's triumphant entrance into  the confines of West Texas, Tubs promised this same level of success for the Red Raiders program, which he quantified by anticipating "championships."

But titles are harder to come by in the windswept, hard-scrabble Texas Panhandle, which means Tuberville—the ultimate gridiron crusader—has his work cut out for him if he is to succeed in his lofty aim of taking Texas Tech football to the sacred next level.

This guy is going to need to gird his loins with all the chain metal he can find.

I personally hope he is successful beyond my wildest dreams.

13. Gene Chizik, Auburn

Stoic

Gene Chizik has the kind of square jaw and serious in-game facial expressions that earn him a "stoic" label based on appearance alone.

But when you add in the 2011 Tigers" scrappy play, Chizik takes stoic to an entirely different level.

That's right, who cares how many players we don't return? Who cares what the naysayers are saying?

Auburn is still going to win games against quality opponents, and if they don't, they’ll be highly chaffed.

Chizik is the type of guy who just squares up and gets it done, and he definitely doesn't believe in resting on his laurels (which are extremely nice as far as laurels go).

12. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech

Resilient

Frank Beamer is in his 25th season in Blacksburg, and year-in and year-out he produces championship-caliber teams.

Attrition is a natural part of college football, and somehow Beamer has managed to tame the beast of personnel turnover to the tune of winning four out of the last seven ACC championships.

The Hokies have been to a bowl game every single year since 1993 and only twice in this time period did Beamer's program NOT finish in the Top 25.

Beamer is a modern marvel.

11. Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Embattled

In 2011 Santa Claus whizzed down the chimney in Salt Lake City and brought Kyle Whittingham the one thing that had been on his wish list for six long seasons—a BCS conference home.

Yep, Gary Patterson had it on his list,—as did Chris Petersen and Bronco Mendenhall—but Whittingham won the "we’ve finally arrived" sweepstakes when the Pac-10 expanded into the state of Utah.

Hopes were high coming into 2010 when the Utes marched into BCS-dom led by a coach who is 57-20 overall and 6-7 against ranked opponents.

Speed forward nine weeks. and Whittingham's squad is 4-4 and only just captured their first-ever conference win by virtue of knocking off beleaguered Oregon State last weekend at home.

Yes, Whittingham is experiencing some serious growing pains in his first year in the BCS, but that doesn't mean that the blazing fire won't cause the steel inside to get stronger.

10. Dennis Erickson, Arizona State

Survivor

Dennis Erickson's "Wild West Coaching Show" has strayed to the East Coast only once (Miami, Fla., from 1989-1994) and, in total, he's been at the helm of six college football programs and two NFL franchises.

Erickson is 179-91-1 as a collegiate coach, 40-56 in the pros and has shiny hardware that includes two National Championships, one Big Sky crown, three Big East titles and two Pac-10 Championships.

And just when it looked like the winning was over, Erickson looks to have the Sun Devils' ship pointed on a 2011 course that could include a divisional title and a trip to the first-ever Pac-12 title game.

Where has this guy not been, and who will ever shut him down?

9. Gary Patterson, TCU

Primed

After watching fellow non-BCS coaching success story Kyle Whittingham of Utah open up an ole box of BCS under last year's tree, in 2012 Gary Patterson will at long last join the ranks of the chosen ones who have a clear path to college football's super duper showdown deluxe.

That's right, it's no longer shouts of "We belong!" or wistful cries of, "If we go undefeated then maybe, if everyone else loses a game then they’ll let us in," for Patterson’s Toads—the BCS is literally just around the corner.

So now Patterson finally will take his 103-30 record (in the WAC, C-USA and MWC), his five conference crowns, his two BCS bids and his 6-4 bowl record, and see how he competes in the big time.

Patterson has got to be chomping at the bit to have all the talk stop and have his purple lads hit the turf against the Big 12.

You’ve earned it Gary…good luck!

8. Chris Petersen, Boise State

Standing-by

Chris Petersen has yet to unwrap that shiny BCS package, so for him it's yet another year of vying for perfection in an "easier" conference, followed by standing by and hoping desperately that only one BCS team can survive the season unscathed.

Yes, the Broncos can play their hearts out and lead the nation in a wide array of statistical categories, but until they can finally control their own destiny they'll be understudies in the most unfair production in college sports.

By the way, Petersen is 68-5 all time at Boise State and has only suffered two losses in the last four seasons.

7. Mark Richt, Georgia

Silencing

After jumping into an unprecedented 0-2 hole to start 2011, grumbling Bulldog fans were sharpening their axes and considering head-hunting for a new coach in Athens.

Six consecutive wins later and suddenly Mark Richt’s 11th Georgia product is in a somewhat enviable position in an SEC East race that presents a realistic opportunity for the Dawgs to reach their first SEC title game in four seasons.

Richt has begun to silence the doubters, but how long will everyone remain quiet, and how many wins equal the stability he once so enjoyed in between the best shrubs in college football?

6. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina

Exceptional

The accomplishments of the Ol' Ball Coach sometimes get overshadowed by the fact that, at present, we are all tuning into see if the 66-year-old living legend can guide South Carolina to their first SEC crown in program history.

But Spurrier's resume contains far more than the hope of great things to come—it instead reports on deeds and accomplishments that are difficult to put into perspective.

Included are an ACC title (at Duke), six SEC crowns, eight SEC East titles (one last season at South Carolina), the 1996 National Championship, nine Coach of the Year awards (at three different schools), First-Team All-American honors at QB (1965 and 1966), the 1966 Heisman Trophy and UPI Player of the Year.

Wow…

5. Les Miles, LSU

Theatrical

Les Miles has sped to a 70-17 mark in his first 7.5 seasons at LSU, and as good as a ball coach as he's been, he's almost been even more entertaining.

From grass eating to dramatic flourishes at press conferences and random play-calling, Miles manages to pump out winning teams while exercising a knack for the grand gesture.

Even if you don't like the guy, it's hard not to be at least mildly intrigued and perhaps a touch amused.

4. Mack Brown, Texas

Weary

Saying that Mack Brown is growing tired takes nothing away from the fact that's he's pulled off quite a coaching tour de force in Austin.

Yes, he's graying and looking a bit drained, but this is still the man who has gone 137-35 at Texas, winning the 2005 BCS national title in the process.

The merciful side of human nature almost prods us to wish the Longhorns could win a few so old Mack could feel good about hanging up his spurs.

3. Nick Saban, Alabama

Pressured

It's hard to imagine a more stressful situation than that faced by Nick Saban at Alabama.

After leaving LSU with a National Championship notch in his belt, Saban has been expected to deliver every single season in Tuscaloosa—and though he's certainly striving there (51-11 thus far), the ante keeps being upped in terms of expectations.

The bar is high at Nick Saban's Alabama.

How high?

Well, win it all…the sloppy big cheesy enchilada.

And remember, these guys play in the SEC West.

2. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma

Visored

Coach Stoops could be defined as "visored" in two distinct ways.

First, in a literal sense, Bob Stoops is the most successful current coach who dons a visor-type head ornament and therefore he is the torch-bearer for the visor itself.

Secondly, as a visor provides shade, the omni-potent presence of Texas in the same division and conference as that of Oklahoma has somewhat overshadowed the fact that the Stoops-led Sooners have completely dominated the Longhorns and the entire Big 12.

Want some numbers to back that up?

Well, in the 12 full seasons of the Stoops era at Oklahoma his program has won eight Big 12 South crowns (and ousted Texas in the process), seven conference titles and one national title.

1. Joe Paterno, Penn State

Sculpture-Worthy

In a world where terms like "legendary" and "celebrated" are thrown around like footballs at East Carolina, Joe Paterno is the real deal and worthy of all high praise.

Though we could list the laurels of Paterno out in long form, one simple statistic says it all: 409 wins, the most ever in Division I coaching.

And folks, this guy isn't done yet.