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Where do high level college football teams get their coaches: An analysis

Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:26 am
Posted by Bjorn Cyborg
Member since Sep 2016
26776 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:26 am
Methodology: There are 64 Power 5 conference Teams and two major independents. For the sake of this thread, I am considering these 66 teams as the upper echelon "P5" schools.

Of these teams, the below 24 teams are what I consider the highest level of the highest level. These schools, based on budgets, competitive levels of play, stadiums, etc., are the best of the best.

Sure there are some arguments to be made about who should be on this list, but I think most people could agree on the top 20. Probably BYU, Iowa and Virginia Tech are the fringe teams.

So where do these schools get their coaches from?

Overwhelmingly, P5 coordinators or G5 head coaches.

Only 3 of 24 were hired as a head coach from another P5 program, and only 1 (Jimbo Fisher) was from a "high level" P5 program.

Only two, LSU and Clemson, were position coaches. There are three former NFL head coaches.

What does this tell us? Not much that we didn't already know -- that it's a crap shoot. That going into it being "for" or "against" a certain coach because of where he is currently coaching is not smart.


Where did their current coach come from:

Independent
Notre Dame (G5 head coach)
BYU (P5 coordinator)


Pac 12
Oregon (P5 coordinator)
Washington (P5 coordinator)
USC (P5 coordinator)
UCLA (NFL head coach)

Big 12
Oklahoma (P5 coordinator)
Texas (P5 coordinator)

Big 10
Ohio State (P5 coordinator)
Michigan (NFL head coach)
Penn State (lower level P5 head coach)
Nebraska (G5 head coach)
Iowa (NFL coordinator)

ACC
Clemson (P5 position coach)
Florida State (G5 head coach)
Miami (P5 coordinator)
Virginia Tech (G5 head coach)

SEC
Georgia (P5 coordinator)
Tennessee (G5 head coach)
Florida (lower level P5 coach)
Alabama (NFL head coach)
Auburn (G5 head coach)
LSU (P5 position coach)
Texas A&M (High level P5 head coach)


Note: If there is an error in this, please let me know and I will correct it.



Posted by sabes que
Member since Jan 2010
10156 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:30 am to
Good info, but IMO we shouldn’t really concern ourselves with such things. We are not the other 63 P5 teams, we are a top 5 job nationally. Also every situation is unique. Let’s just get the best guy and let everyone else do what they do.
Posted by doubleb
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2006
36046 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:30 am to
Two of the ex NFL were elite P5 coaches. I understand the coaches came directly from the NFL but they made their Mark in college.
Posted by LSU316
Rice and Easy Baby!!!
Member since Nov 2007
29289 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:32 am to
quote:

we are a top 5 job nationally


Meh....but let's just say you are right. Are you correlating that to the fact that we should get a top 5 coach?

List the top 5 coaches and I'll bet you my paycheck that none of those will be LSU's next head coach.
Posted by Fun Bunch
New Orleans
Member since May 2008
115870 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:32 am to
Pretty interesting the amount of P5 Coordinators that have made the leap to HC in high profile programs and been successful.

I think everyone here is dismissing that out of hand.
Posted by Bjorn Cyborg
Member since Sep 2016
26776 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:33 am to
quote:

Two of the ex NFL were elite P5 coaches. I understand the coaches came directly from the NFL but they made their Mark in college.


The point is "where did they come from" when they were hired - where did the AD go looking?

And I would argue that Harbaugh was also elite at the college level.
Posted by sabes que
Member since Jan 2010
10156 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:36 am to
I’m saying that given how attractive of a job LSU is, we shouldn’t worry about where the majority of the other 63 P5 found their respective coaches. Every situation is unique, and we are definitely at a level to have super high standards/expectations in a hire.
Posted by Alt26
Member since Mar 2010
28363 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:37 am to
There is no set formula to follow. And much of it depends on timing. Alabama had a down season in 2006 following a really good season in 2005. Had they been looking for a HC in 05 they almost certainly don't get Saban. It just that the job became available at the same time Saban wanted out of the NFL.

Ohio St. did not want to fire Jim Tressell. He was 10-1 in his final season. It just so happened the year without Tressell was the same year an Ohio native who was the prior HC at Florida was sitting out. One year later the two came together.

IMO, the FIRST thing a HC must be able to do is recruit. Without players, all the x's and o's knowledge only gets you so far. After that, the guy has to be able to be firm on core values of a program...but also willing to adapt when necessary.
Posted by LSU316
Rice and Easy Baby!!!
Member since Nov 2007
29289 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:42 am to
quote:

I’m saying that given how attractive of a job LSU is


LSU is a much less attractive job today than it was when we hired Saban....we are the poster child for the fact that climbing the mountain is 100% easier than staying on top.

quote:

we are definitely at a level to have super high standards/expectations in a hire.


Practically you are probably right but in reality look at our last 3 hires....2 of the 3 were shite hires and ultimately proved it on the field. I get that this is Woodward's first opportunity to make a football hire at LSU so he has the benefit of the doubt.

Although I will say this when a coach looks at the fact that Ed Orgeron and Les Miles won a national title at LSU any coach out there should firmly believe they could win a national title at LSU.

This post was edited on 10/13/21 at 8:43 am
Posted by lsu777
Lake Charles
Member since Jan 2004
31104 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:48 am to
quote:

I’m saying that given how attractive of a job LSU is, we shouldn’t worry about where the majority of the other 63 P5 found their respective coaches. Every situation is unique, and we are definitely at a level to have super high standards/expectations in a hire.



so elite like

OU
OSU
Bama
UGA
Auburn
Florida
Texas
USC
ND

because only Bama got an NFL guy(luck in timing and him wanting back in CFB)

only Florida hired a P5 coach and it wasnt from a top 25 job

only Texas A&M hired from another elite P5 school.

your view on how attractive LSU is.....well its flawed. I agree its very very attractive and top 8 for sure...but if you look at things logically you will see how rare P5 to P5 moves are and really how rare elite P5 to another elite P5 moves are.

For whatever reason, coaches dont move like that. Its why it is laughable when people bring up Riley. Only P5 coaches we could possibly have a shot at are(not saying this is my list i want, just ones we have a shot at)

Fleck
Gundy
Aranda
Campbell

maybe and i mean maybe Cristobal and it would only be because he wants back in the Southeast or he feels he cant win it all at Oregon

Franklin...maybe but i think USC would be more attractive to him as one of the only reasons to leave his dream job in Penn State would be to have less Competition.

we arent getting anyone else thats P5 and its delusional to think otherwise. onyl reason we really have shots at campbell, gundy and aranda are because of the conference changes coming down.

You may get Lane, because he cant win a NC at Ole Miss imo.

very very good chance our coach comes from G5 ranks or high level coordinator. Whole point of this thread was to show that.

I mean UGA is top 5 job, maybe better than LSU, and they had to get a coordinator. Florida had to steal from a non power P5 program. etc.
Posted by Bleeding purple
Athens, Texas
Member since Sep 2007
25315 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:48 am to
Interestingly, those lonely 2 previous position coaches went on to win a NC at their current HC position.
Posted by sabes que
Member since Jan 2010
10156 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:50 am to
quote:

LSU is a much less attractive job today than it was when we hired Saban
So after winning 3 Natty’s(and playing for four) in the last than two decades(and with the second most players on NFL rosters), we are a less of an attractive job than following the 90’s when Saban was hired?
Posted by Bjorn Cyborg
Member since Sep 2016
26776 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:51 am to
quote:

LSU is a much less attractive job today than it was when we hired Saban


This is moronic. LSU has won three national titles since that time, with three different coaches and upgraded its facilities to among the best in the country.

Saban and Miles were great hires. Orgeron was a horrible hire.

I doubt Saban would even be considered for the LSU job today, with his resume at Michigan State.

LSU wasn't a top 20 job back then and it's arguably top 5 today.
Posted by sabes que
Member since Jan 2010
10156 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 8:54 am to
quote:

Florida had to steal from a non P5 program
I understand Miss State sucks, but they are still in the SEC if I remember correctly.
Posted by LSU316
Rice and Easy Baby!!!
Member since Nov 2007
29289 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 9:00 am to
You missed the part about the mountain. Maybe it's over your head.

Regardless, let's assume that LSU is a top 5 power in college football. That would lead me to believe that we get our first choice of coach basically. That would then suggest that Ed Orgeron was the #1 option in our last coaching search.

Does that suggest "top 5 football power" to you?
Posted by Broham
Crowley
Member since Feb 2005
18390 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 9:00 am to
quote:

LSU (P5 position coach)

Posted by LSU316
Rice and Easy Baby!!!
Member since Nov 2007
29289 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 9:01 am to
quote:

Miles


quote:

great hire


Posted by sabes que
Member since Jan 2010
10156 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 9:03 am to
quote:

let’s assume that LSU is a top 5 power in college football. That would lead me to believe that we get our first choice of coach basically.
Why? Everyone’s first choice is Saban and no one is getting that regardless of being a top 5 job.
Posted by EvrybodysAllAmerican
Member since Apr 2013
11162 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 9:04 am to
We learned from the baseball search that its not that easy to just pull a sitting HC from a similar level school, just because you offer more money or better facilities, even if you are a top tier blue blood. If coaches are successful and comfortable they will tend to stay where they are. Theyve already got a ton of time and effort into their current programs. Jimbo was unhappy at FSU and they were going in the crapper. Kiffin probably learned from his mistake and shouldve never left UT.

I think we're getting Napier. Maybe Aranda because of his ties, assuming he liked it here.

Fickell isnt happening. He's next man up at tOSU. Freeze, Urban ,Gruden,Kiffin are pipe dreams with too much baggage.
Joe Brady is apparently an NFL guy but he should at least get a call.
This post was edited on 10/13/21 at 9:09 am
Posted by LSU316
Rice and Easy Baby!!!
Member since Nov 2007
29289 posts
Posted on 10/13/21 at 9:05 am to
quote:

Everyone’s first choice is Saban and no one is getting that regardless of being a top 5 job.


There are 4 more choices that we aren't getting...want to start with Dabo or Jimbo? I mean they are both on the list.
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