Power Ranking Les Miles, Mike Gundy and the CFB Coach of the Year Finalists

It's about that time to start handing out awards and this time, it involves those guys that either make the team go or hold them back. Of course it's the head coach and the Coach of the Year finalists that were recently announced.

Head coaching in football is extremely tough and there's a lot of pressure that comes with it. With most schools you have to produce and give the team results. You're on a short leash and if the university doesn't see a fast improvement, chances are you're history.

This years finalists include Mike Gundy, Brady Hoke, Bill Snyder, Les Miles and Dabo Swinney.

All of those coaches have done great things this season and are all deserving candidates.

Here are the power rankings for which coach deserves the award the most.

5. Michigan Head Coach Brady Hoke

This isn't a jab at Hoke because he's done a fabulous job with the Wolverines this year. It's more of the respect and great jobs the other head coaches have done this season.

This was Hoke's first season at Michigan and he went 10-2 and reached a BCS bowl game for the first time since 2007. It's also the first time the Wolverines have won double-digit games since 2006. And most importantly, he was able to end the seven-game losing streak against the hated Ohio State Buckeyes.

But with a weak Big Ten schedule and a star quarterback in Denard Robinson that nearly every defense has a difficult time stopping, Hoke has to finish last on this list.

4. Oklahoma State Head Coach Mike Gundy

Mike Gundy is a man and he's forty!

He's also a guy that has really turned this Oklahoma State program around and has had back-to-back double-digit winning seasons for the first time since 1987 and 1988.

He led the Cowboys to a BCS bowl game and won the Big 12 title for the first time ever. It's the first conference title for the Cowboys since winning the Missouri Valley Conference in 1948.

No question he is a fantastic coach but with a loaded team and a late loss to a brutal Iowa State team, it will hurt his chances of winning the award.

3. Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney

Dabo Swinney was looking like the Coach of the Year winning eight straight games in the beginning of the season. He also pulled off a remarkable streak of beating three ranked teams in a row. 

Swinney led the Tigers to their first double-digit winning season since 1990. It was also their first ACC title since 1991. He finished with a 10-3 record and led the Tigers to the BCS Orange Bowl with one of the youngest rosters in the country.

His starting quarterback is a sophomore and key playmaker and his star receiver is a freshman.

It's going to be how the Tigers finished that will cost Swinney the award. Clemson looked horrible at the end of the year losing three of their last five games. All of those losses were ugly and by double-digits.

2. LSU Head Coach Les Miles

Surprised by having Les Miles third? Don't be.

There's no question what Miles has done with the Tigers has been impressive. He's overcome adversity this entire season and led the Tigers to an undefeated record and national championship. All while going through the toughest schedule in the country.

This will be his second national championship berth with the Tigers in four years.

But it's the amount of NFL potential he has on this roster that forces me to put him in this spot. Sure, what he has done was impressive, but when you have all that talent on your team, the success is kind of expected.

1. Kansas State Head Coach Bill Snyder

Okay, raise your hand if you had the Wildcats winning 10 games this season? Nobody? That's why Bill Snyder deserves this award.

The last time the Wildcats won double-digit games was in 2003. This team went 7-6 last season. They've only made two bowl games since 2003.

Kansas State was expected to be a doormat in the Big 12 this season and wasn't even thought of as far as being ranked was concerned. They ended up finishing No. 8 in the BCS Rankings and had a shot to reach a BCS bowl game.

Their only losses came against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. They managed to beat solid teams like Baylor, Miami, Missouri, Texas A&M and Texas.

Bill Snyder did more with less and that's why he deserves the Coach of the Year award.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]