I have BK at somewhere after Sarkisian, Saban, Day and Smart.
So I guess for me BK is #5 and Saban #1.
Day and Riley inherited programs in really good shape and have just been able to keep things moving and adding a few of their own twists. Time will tell on them.
Saban & Dabo clearly on top. Riley & Day inherited great programs but have shown some signs of greatness early, they have to be next. From there I'm not sure I could make the argument for anyone else before BK. I wish with all of my Irish heart that we could get back on top but can anyone argue against the fact that we are in the best stretch of Irish football since the late 80's? Sure, we still lack a signature playoff win against a top program (although Clemson's scalp last year was quite tasty). Have the BK haters forgotten the lost years in the wilderness? And in the current era of college football name me one school not named Clemson, Alabama or Ohio State that has fared better than the Irish the last 4 years. I think BK has some clear weaknesses but I no longer dread watching the Irish play average teams just hoping they wouldn't lose. I sat in the snow and watched the Irish lose to an awful Syracuse team. I was at the game when Navy broke the streak and quite frankly was a better team than the Irish the next few years when they proved that win was not a fluke. Tulsa (that's on BK). I repeat: Tulsa. Have the BK haters (and I am not a BK lover, just not a hater) forgotten how routine it was for average opposing teams to waltz into Rockne's house and dance all over the field after winning? Those images are burned into my mind.
Darn, that rant got a little long but my wounds are deep and I am in a much better place now as an Irish fan than at any time post-Lou (I never fell for the Charlie era teams at their "height," always knew it was a mirage and that his mouth helped start a golden age for ND haters). If your sole measure of success/happiness is a natty then you are in for a rough ride because this era of college football unfortunately will continue to be dominated in the near future by the Triumvirate Dynasties of Bama, Clemson & OSU.
Oh, I put BK 5th.
years ago Kelly wouldn't have made the list. Right now, he's probably right after Saban, Dabo and Day because our program is right after those (although a significant gap does exist). Hiring Freeman was a major boost and that's what a guy like Saban does. Only Saban does it for DC and OC. If Kelly would land a Freeman caliber recruiter/coach as OC then he could very well reach the top at some point. Or if Rees develops to that point perhaps. Freeman will get half the team there and we'll see how far Rees is capable of taking them.
I'm not sure I'd take anyone over Kelly to run this particular program right now. It is a different type of program to run well and be elite with. Many failed before him and he failed for his first 5 years. For all his shortcomings...especially over the first 5 years at ND, he's doing a real good job right now. Maybe not the best in the country, but certainly performing like an elite HC.
well when he was one.
His career record as a HC is 46-35. That is a win percentage of .568. He's 2-2 in bowl games (won the Holiday Bowl twice, lost the Alamo Bowl and Las Vegas Bowl). The only time he lost fewer than 4 games in a season was his shortened last season at USC, when he went 3-2 in five games. He's never won 10 games in a season (he had 7 full seasons at UW and USC combined -- plus the half season at USC). And he won only 7 or fewer in all but two seasons (at Washington: 8-4, at USC: 9-4). He might turn out to be great at Texas, but his HC resume to this point is lackluster.
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There are lots of division 1 programs, and plenty of good head coaches. Kelly would definitely be behind Saban and Dabo. But he might be top 10 at this point. The only thing that really stood out about your post was the inclusion of Sarkisian in the upper echelon— don’t really get that based on his middling history as a HC.
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