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Message
Charles McClendon- Greatest LSU Football Coach?
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:04 pm
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:04 pm
I was thinking about who most people would agree on as LSU's greatest football coach of all time, and my first thought has to be Charles McClendon. Even though he didn't win a national championship while coaching at LSU, his overall body of work is impressive. 16 winning seasons, 5 straight seasons with 9 wins (from the 1969 season through the 1973 season) and he led the Tigers to 13 bowl appearances during his tenure, winning 7 of them. He was 5-1 in his first 6 bowls, but went 2-5 in the next 7 bowls after that.
He started coaching the Tigers in 1962, and didn't have his first losing season until 1975. Very consistent and always fielded competitive teams who were ready to play. This is my reference site: LINK
From what I've heard of Coach McClendon, he was a highly respected coach who got the most out of his players and was a true leader. What do you guys think, what is y'all opinion on Charles McClendon being the greatest Tiger football coach of all time?
He started coaching the Tigers in 1962, and didn't have his first losing season until 1975. Very consistent and always fielded competitive teams who were ready to play. This is my reference site: LINK
From what I've heard of Coach McClendon, he was a highly respected coach who got the most out of his players and was a true leader. What do you guys think, what is y'all opinion on Charles McClendon being the greatest Tiger football coach of all time?
25
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:06 pm to SaintlyTiger88
Help Mac pack.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:08 pm to The Boat
I wasn't born yet during Coach McClendon's tenure, but I've always heard good things about him though.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:09 pm to SaintlyTiger88
quote:
16 winning seasons, 5 straight seasons with 9 wins (from the 1969 season through the 1973 season) and he led the Tigers to 13 bowl appearances during his tenure, winning 7 of them. He was 5-1 in his first 6 bowls, but went 2-5 in the next 7 bowls after that.
Les Miles career will shite on that when it's all said and done.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:11 pm to SaintlyTiger88
Dietzel didn't have the longevity. Saban didn't have the longevity either plus it's well known that he murdered three guys in a drug deal gone bad in Miami, which is the real reason he got out... (that's the rumor...) Ditto Arnsparger on longevity. Hallman and Archer didn't have the clue. Dinardo beats Hallman and Archer by a nose. Cholly Mac couldn't beat Bama if the girls softball team from Tuscacrappy showed up for the football game. My vote is Lester... Can't complete a sentence but players love him and he keeps assistant coaches better than anyone... Miles by a mile.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:15 pm to cheesesteak501
Les is certainly on his way to passing Coach McClendon in several important categories. Coach McClendon had 135 wins while he was at LSU. Les Miles currently has 95 wins at LSU. So right now he's 40 wins away from tying McClendon, I'd say in four more years he'll get there. Coach Miles already has a national championship while Coach McClendon never won one, so he's ahead of them there. Coach McClendon never won more than 9 games in a season, while Les Miles has done that seven times. So Les Miles is definitely making his case, by the time he's done, he will surely have a case for greatest of all time!
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:20 pm to SaintlyTiger88
It's les miles.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:21 pm to SaintlyTiger88
You do realize that during the Charlie Mac era that LSU only played 10 or 11 regular season games every year, right? Also, bowl games were not a guarantee just for having a .500 record. 9 win teams didn't always go at all. Also, no conference title games.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:21 pm to SaintlyTiger88
Very good coach. Too loyal to his assistants, though.
He had some good games, including putting a major whipping on Notre Dame when they came to town.
He was bashed for not beating the Bear, but few of Bear's assistants did for that matter. Mac did it twice.
Seemed to not change with the times, but again, his assistants did not do him a whole lot of favors.
Dietzel was pretty much brought back to fire Mac. Paul D. worked out a deal to let Mac remain an additional year so he could be President of the American College Football Coaches' Association. He would have gotten a better deal but was concerned for his assistants and was willing to take a lesser deal for himself to avoid having to fire several of his assistants on an immediate basis.
One early mistake was trying to make an option QB out of Bert Jones. Jones has been known to say that if he had it to do over he wouldn't have gone to LSU.
For better or worse, Mac also started the first black QB in the history of the program. Had it worked, there probably would have not been as many detractors. It didn't. Mac had few options at the time as he had retooled the offense to a veer formation to make best use of Mike Miley's talents. However, Miley signed a pro baseball contract after spring practice, and all Mac had available was Billy Broussard and Carl Otis Trimble. Broussard could pass, but was not a great runner. Trimble reportedly could run, but showed everyone he could not pass. All the opposition starting with Texas A & M picked up on it that year and things were never the same after that.
He had some good games, including putting a major whipping on Notre Dame when they came to town.
He was bashed for not beating the Bear, but few of Bear's assistants did for that matter. Mac did it twice.
Seemed to not change with the times, but again, his assistants did not do him a whole lot of favors.
Dietzel was pretty much brought back to fire Mac. Paul D. worked out a deal to let Mac remain an additional year so he could be President of the American College Football Coaches' Association. He would have gotten a better deal but was concerned for his assistants and was willing to take a lesser deal for himself to avoid having to fire several of his assistants on an immediate basis.
One early mistake was trying to make an option QB out of Bert Jones. Jones has been known to say that if he had it to do over he wouldn't have gone to LSU.
For better or worse, Mac also started the first black QB in the history of the program. Had it worked, there probably would have not been as many detractors. It didn't. Mac had few options at the time as he had retooled the offense to a veer formation to make best use of Mike Miley's talents. However, Miley signed a pro baseball contract after spring practice, and all Mac had available was Billy Broussard and Carl Otis Trimble. Broussard could pass, but was not a great runner. Trimble reportedly could run, but showed everyone he could not pass. All the opposition starting with Texas A & M picked up on it that year and things were never the same after that.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:26 pm to SaintlyTiger88
quote:
I wasn't born yet during Coach McClendon's tenure, but I've always heard good things about him though.
I was. Yes, he was a great guy. Got caught up in a couple of downturns in the program and then got caught up in some politics.
At that the attempted running of the football program was a joke. The HC had the program. On paper he answered to the AD. In reality, he answered to the BOS. The BOS made complete asses out of themselves, particularly in their antics when hiring Archer.
The BOS's involvement really did not get de-emphasized until Mark Emmert oversaw the hiring of Nick Saban.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:30 pm to SaintlyTiger88
Nope Miles, Saban, and Dietzel were better imo
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:37 pm to The Boat
quote:
Help Mac pack.
You know what Coach McClendon said about that "He said when I left, I looked around and there was nobody there to help me Pack"
He had a sense of humor
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:37 pm to NorthshoreTiger76
If it isn't Miles already, it will be.
For those saying Dietzel he was at LSU for 7 seasons, he failed to win 6 games in 4 seasons. Remove the '58 & '59 seasons, & Dietzel's record at LSU would be 26-22-3.
For those saying Dietzel he was at LSU for 7 seasons, he failed to win 6 games in 4 seasons. Remove the '58 & '59 seasons, & Dietzel's record at LSU would be 26-22-3.
This post was edited on 6/3/14 at 6:38 pm
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:37 pm to TopsInAmericaTim
quote:
Saban didn't have the longevity either plus it's well known that he murdered three guys in a drug deal gone bad in Miami, which is the real reason he got out...
And,he's a registered sex offender.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:41 pm to TigerintheNO
Dietzel had nothing when he started, McClendon got worse at the end
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:47 pm to SaintlyTiger88
Just stop already..
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:48 pm to TigerBait2008
What's up TigerBait? Who do you think is the greatest coach?
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:56 pm to kingbob
quote:
You do realize that during the Charlie Mac era that LSU only played 10 or 11 regular season games every year, right? Also, bowl games were not a guarantee just for having a .500 record. 9 win teams didn't always go at all. Also, no conference title games.
There was far less parity. Winning nine games then was about equal to 10 today. Charlie Mac was an average coach. Les Miles is a very good coach. I'd rank them...
1. Saban - short tenure
2. Miles
3. Arnsparger (sp?) He wouldn't work hard enough at recruiting
4. Dietzel
Dietzel's a bit of a wild card because he was really from a different era.
Posted on 6/3/14 at 6:57 pm to Penrod
Arnsparger had a chance to be great but he didn't want to stay here and build
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