Sporting News; Rating the New Coaches

[cygnus34]

Ranking the hires among BCS coaches

January 29, 2007

The dust has settled on the new coaching hires. That begs the question: Of the 12 BCS schools that changed coaches, which ones made the best hires? Here's my ranking … and take.

1. Tom O'Brien, N.C. State: Sure, he has the pizzazz of a rice cake, but I dare you to find a better coach. You can't, so don't try. And all it took to get O.B. out of B.C. was to pay him what he's worth -- something BC refused to do. I pity the Eagles. I really do.

2. Nick Saban, Alabama: The dysfunctional Crimson Tide said they wanted to land a big whale. And, well, Bama landed Moby Nick. Love him or hate him, you have to respect Saban's grid I.Q. And, really, if we've learned anything over the years, winning really big ranks somewhere above eating and breathing on the Capstone.

3. Steve Kragthorpe, Louisville: Sharp, bright, savvy … I could go on, but you get the picture. Kragthorpe is one of the nation's "it" coaches who just so happens to be taking over one of the nation's "it" programs. Kinda neat, huh? But, golly, I have to think Kragthorpe is NFL-bound someday. But, for now, let's enjoy the continuing rise of a coach and a program.

4. Butch Davis, North Carolina: Kudos to UNC for jumping on Davis early. He showed his mettle rehabbing Miami in the late-1990s. And the situation in Chapel Hill is a whole lot better than the one in Coral Gables that Davis inherited. And now that the NFL is out of his system, Davis may stick around awhile. Exciting, isn't it?

5. Brian Kelly, Cincinnati: I was miffed Iowa State didn't grab Kelly, the ultimate dues-payer who has worked his way up college football's dirt road. Combine his know-how with an underrated program that has access to BCS bowls and, well, I think you know where I'm going with this.

6. Dennis Erickson, Arizona State: The nation let out a collective groan when this hiring was announced. No doubt, Erickson has baggage, as he's perceived as a job-jumper who sometimes brings in, ahem, unsavory types to do his work. Regardless, A.D. Lisa Love knows what we all knows: Erickson knows how to win. And, ya know, that's really important.

7. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State: Think of Dantonio as a swift kick in the pants. I'm guessing Sparty's response will go something like this: Thank you, sir, may I have another? Dantonio won't be the players' buddy (hello, Bobby Williams) or a wild-and-crazy guy who runs with the bulls (hello, John L. Smith). Instead, Dantonio will inject much-needed grit, toughness and discipline into what has been one of the nation's biggest slackers this decade.

8. Tim Brewster, Minnesota: Brewster was tabbed more for his gusto and promise than for his coaching acumen. Let me be the 756,235th person to write: Brewster never has been a head coach or coordinator. (That's your cue to gasp.) Is it a gamble? You betcha. But it's one the Gophers had to take as the school preps to finish fund-raising on a new on-campus stadium. This could be the sleeper hiring of the offseason.

9. Jim Harbaugh, Stanford: There are lots of reasons to be excited … and scared to freaking death. No doubt, Harbaugh has a marquee name that will score big with recruits, media types and boosters. But, can he REALLY coach? Harbaugh showed great promise leading San Diego. But that's a I-AA non-scholarship program. This is the Pac-10! More specifically, this is Stanford! But remember this: Cardinal A.D. Bob Bowlsby hired some face-less coach at Iowa named Kirk Ferentz. I'm just saying.

10. Randy Shannon, Miami: It's no secret Shannon wasn't the first choice of A.D. Paul Dee. Heck, Shannon probably wasn't even the second choice. But, in the end, Shannon got the job as much for his keen defensive acumen as for being in the right place at the right time for a job that was curiously difficult to fill. One last thought: Miami isn't the best place to cut your teeth as a first-time head coach. Good luck with that, Randy.

11. Gene Chizik, Iowa State: He was itching for the chance to run a program. And, you know what Grandma always says: Careful what you wish for. More reason for Iowa State A.D. Jamie Pollard to worry: Chizik never has been a head coach. Heck, he's never really been anywhere long enough to get a real read on the guy. In 2001, Chizik still was an assistant at Central Florida. And even if Pollard scored a coup, does anyone really think Chizik will be around long if he has success?

12. Jeff Jagodzinski, Boston College: Are you still trying to figure out what he did to earn this job? Well, I've done some research. Turns out Jag's was the offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. (I'll pause here so you can applaud.) That obviously impressed B.C. A.D. Gene DeFilippo, who also liked the fact Jagodzinski previously was an assistant for Boston College. But I'm guessing here's what DeFilippo REALLY liked about Jags: He was cheap.

[smazza]

give me the coach with the most talent

[HarveyGlass]

Whoever wrote this thinks there is no better coach than Tom O'Brien?

I'm gonna have to disagree.

[bulls96go]

krap is the best

shanon has the best talent pool