•Overview
The SEC is the nation’s best conference. The Big 12 has the nation’s best coaches.
So they’ve got that going for them. Now, those defenses. …
Sporting News continues its series of ranking the FBS coaches in each conference, concluding with an overall 1-124 ranking. No other league was more difficult than the Big 12, which is loaded with quality coaches from No. 1-10.
The Big 12 has been chasing the SEC for more than a decade. Oklahoma State couldn’t get there in 2011 to take a shot at the champs, but maybe this season, one of the following 10 men will get the Big 12 in position to break the SEC’s hold on the BCS National Championship Game.
• Bob Stoops (AP Photo)
1. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
Age: 51
2011 record: 10-3, 6-3
At Oklahoma (13 years): 139-34
FBS career (13 years): 139-34
Don’t believe the nonsense that Stoops has lost his edge; that he can no longer win big games. His teams won the Big 12 in 2010—merely the seventh time in 13 years OU has won the second-best conference in the nation.
There’s this perception that OU has slipped of late. In the last four years—the playing span of one recruiting class—the Sooners have won 42 games, two Big 12 titles and played in two BCS bowls. The number of FBS teams that would take that over their previous four years? About 117 or so out of 120.
A BCS coach says: “It’s amazing what Bob has done at such a high-profile job for such an extended period of time. Winning like he does at OU, with all that pressure and all those expectations, is one of the truly great stories of our profession over the last two decades.”
Trending: Holding steady.
• Gary Patterson (AP Photo)
2. Gary Patterson, TCU
Age: 52
2011 record: 11-2, 7-0 (MWC)
At TCU (12 years): 109-30
FBS career (12 years): 109-30
Even in a “down” year, Patterson pulled 11 wins—including one at unbeaten Boise State—from a team that probably should have won eight. It was TCU’s fourth straight season of at least 11 victories, and the seventh time in nine seasons the Frogs have won at least 11 games.
Patterson has made an art of recruiting players at one position, and developing them at another spot. The story of All-American DE Jerry Hughes, a high school tailback, is a microcosm of Patterson’s work.
A BCS coach says: “I don’t want to take away anything that Gary has accomplished at a place that was really forgotten when he and Denny (Franchione) got there. I’m not one of those guys who says let’s see what happens when he gets in a real league. I’m a guy that says I can’t wait to see him in that real league.”
Trending: Rising.
• Mike Gundy (AP Photo)
3. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Age: 44
2011 record: 12-1, 8-1
At Oklahoma State (7 years): 59-30
FBS career (7 years): 59-30
Little talked about fact: In the last four years that Oklahoma has won 42 games, rival Oklahoma State has won 41 under Gundy. The Cowboys broke an eight-game losing streak to the Sooners last year, and had the most wins in school history—after setting the record in 2010. Next up: rebuilding with true freshman QB Wes Lunt.
Trending: Rising.
• LHC Bill Snyder (AP Photo)
4. LHC Bill Snyder, Kansas State
Age: 72
2011 record: 10-3, 7-2
At Kansas State (20 years): 159-83-1
FBS career (20 years): 159-83-1
We all know the story. Took the worst program in Division I football, labored for years and eventually upset No. 1 Oklahoma in 2003 to win the school’s first Big 8/12 championship in 70 years. Along the way, K-State went from laughingstock to national power. Now Snyder’s back to his old tricks in Round 2 in Manhattan.
A BCS coach says: “I’m amazed watching him work. He has so much energy and passion, and the kids just gravitate to him. He’s not an easy guy to work for, but players love him.”
Trending: Rising.
• Mack Brown (AP Photo)
5. Mack Brown, Texas
Age: 60
2011 record: 8-5, 4-5
At Texas (14 years): 141-39
FBS career (27 years): 221-108-1
Two years ago, Brown might have been at the top of this list. But recruiting has slipped—or evaluation during recruiting—and the Longhorns are an average team in the body of a mega program. That’s not to say Brown can’t turn it around; he more than likely will. It just means he has fallen down this list until then. Texas hasn’t had 12 losses combined in back-to-back seasons since John Mackovic’s final two seasons in 1996-97. A year later, Brown arrived in Austin.
An NFL scout says: “I’m betting on Mack. He needed some new blood on that staff, some unlike minds. It takes more than one season for those guys to build chemistry. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they’re the surprise of (2012)."
Trending: Falling.
• Charlie Weis (AP Photo)
6. Charlie Weis, Kansas
Age: 56
2011: Assistant coach at Florida
FBS career (5 years): 35-27
Let’s not forget this is the same coach who led Notre Dame to back-to-back BCS bowls—how good does that look now in South Bend? Did it get ugly late at ND? Yes. Didn’t he make mistakes? Sure. But Weis is a much better coach than the criticism he takes for the Irish years. He’ll also recruit better than any coach that has been at Kansas—maybe ever.
Trending: Rising.
• Art Briles (AP Photo)
7. Art Briles, Baylor
Age: 56
2011 record: 10-3, 6-3
At Baylor (4 years): 25-25
FBS career (9 years): 59-54
Perception: The rise of Robert Griffin III the last two seasons made Art Briles. Reality: Briles was a significant factor in the rise of RG3 and the Baylor program overall. Well-respected within the coaching community, he’s fiercely loyal to Baylor and has stayed in Waco despite being pursued by other schools.
Trending: Rising.
• Dana Holgorsen (AP Photo)
8. Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia
Age: 40
2011 record: 10-3, 5-2 (Big East)
At West Virginia (1 year): 10-3
FBS career (1 year): 10-3
Holgorsen was thrown into a difficult situation before he ever gained control of the program (sabotage from former coach Bill Stewart), then went to the final week of the season before winning the Big East. A blowout of Clemson in the Orange Bowl wrapped it all up in a nice, neat bow.
He knows offense as well as anyone in the game. And he knows the Big 12 from his time as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State. Don’t think he can’t win big here just because the competition is greater.
Trending: Rising
• Paul Rhoads (AP Photo)
9. Paul Rhoads, Iowa State
Age: 45
2011 record: 6-7, 3-6
At Iowa State (3 years): 18-20
FBS career (3 years): 18-20
One of the game’s true good guys dealing with one of the game’s truly tough jobs. It’s hard to recruit to Iowa State; it’s even harder to win there. And Rhoads has proven you can do both.
Trending: Holding steady.
• Tommy Tuberville (AP Photo)
10. Tommy Tuberville, Texas Tech
Age: 57
2011 record: 5-7, 2-7
At Texas Tech (2 years): 13-12
FBS career (16 years): 123-72
A few years ago, Tuberville was a top 5 coach in the big, bad SEC. Now he’s last in the Big 12—and treading water. It’s not like Tubs forgot how to coach; it’s a brutal job in Lubbock. Maybe now they can appreciate what Mike Leach accomplished.
Trending: Falling
Read more:
http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-05-04/college-football-coach-rankings-big-12-bob-stoops-gary-patterson-mike-gundy#ixzz1uKu5VoDC
