Hating on the $EC - Mostly Alabama (and a little Georgia too)

[AlabamAlum]

Right now when you talk the top coaches of this era, it is him and Saban and then everyone else fighting for third.

I wanted UFM when he was at BGSU. Great coach. But, yeah, he's crazy and (unless he's changed) let's stress eat at him.

[iam416]

The B10 East is a little less stressful than the SEC. And while Florida is resource-rich, well-placed geographically and has tons of potential, I think Ohio State is an even more advantageous job. Of course, until he wins a 2nd at OSU that opinion takes on some water.

In any event, he has things rolling. The thing that got him a little at Florida, aside from the stress or whatever, is that he had a hard time replacing some assistants. UFM is going to produce HCs so he's going to have to hire replacements. He did a great job hiring Tom Herman and, I think, Herman benefited massively from working under UFM. He was less successful replacing Herman but it's hard to fully assess because the QB-issue variable fucked things up. We'll see how Warriner (great OL hire)-Beck-Studrawa do this season. It's a great lithmus test because they have almost no experience, but they do have experience where it matters the most.

Defensively, he botched his first DC hire with Withers, but didn't waste much time cutting him loose and moving on to Chris Ash, who was good. Replacing Ash with Schiano strikes me as a no-brainer, but they'll have to replace him in two seasons.

So, we'll see. Urbs probably has 5-10 more seasons in him. He'll have to cycle through is coordinators another couple times. It's tough.

But, I'd rather have a HC hiring ambitious, talented assistants than hiring over-the-hill old men content to, say, hold Ohio State to 42 points a game.

[iam416]

And, of course:

1. The Nick
2. UFM
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3. ?

[WM Wolverine]

Having a HC hiring all his buddies is an issue instead of assembling the best possible coaching staff?

Both RR and Hoke were hurt by M's coaching staff budget, imo the former more than the latter. I always said Hoke more than most head coaches would only be as good as his coordinator hires, I don't think he ever hit more than a double with any of the hires.

3. Bob Stoops, Gary Patterson, Brian Kelly, Les Miles, Dabo Swinney, Jimbo Fisher, Mark Richt, Mike Dantonio and Jim Harbaugh all a very distant 3rd; tough to split these guys up. Chip Kelly's in the NFL now and Art Briles is awaiting his show cause

It was very obvious UFM was going to make some P5 program much better wherever he chose. I always hoped Lloyd Carr would call it a career right when Meyer was looking to move.

[Mike]

I don't think Brian Kelly deserves to be in that group.

[lineygoblue]

I always hoped Lloyd Carr would call it a career right when Meyer was looking to move.

Even though it took a bit longer, I still think we got the best of the deal.

[WM Wolverine]

Kelly is helped by being at ND but I think he's going to start winning 10+ games a season and regularly play in NY6 bowls. Yeah, I'd probably put him a tier below (after taking another peek) most the others till he starts to beat top 10 programs....

Same can be said of JH; except the way he turned around the Stanford program is an underrated accomplishment. That football program was Illinois of the B1G and quickly became a top 10 program after his hire. M is in good hands, just unfortunate our rival has as good as coach in CFB and had a 3-year head start. Dantonio will be a tough game every year but we should see them in our rearview relatively soon.

[Mike]

Man, that 7 years was a steep price to pay for anybody. I'm happy with where we're at but the only thing that will make me fully get over HokeRod is a couple Natty's.

[iam416]

Couple. Heh. With 1 in the past 65+ years that's a little like BYU hoping for a "couple" national titles.

Anywho, better win it this year to get the ball rolling. Dem boys down in Columbus ain't gonna be this young very often.

[iam416]

And Kelly is definitely on my list for the 3-10 spot. Notre Dame was in an awful spot when he took over. They are now a really talented team. I thought he did a great job with them last season. To be that close at Clemson and at Stanford -- his only two regular season losses -- after having to replace his QB -- very impressive, IMO.

The only knock, results-wise, on him is his 4th and 5th seasons at ND. But, that happens. HARBAUGH!!! is sure shit going to dip next season -- unless his team fails to live up to expectations this season.

Richt would not make my list. I think Swinney an Jimbo will move up as their programs are really rolling and they only have to beat each other to win the ACC. But, they've only done it at one place. Winning big at multiple places is really hard to do. That's why The Nick is so clearly #1 and why, IMO, UFM is so clearly #2.

[WM Wolverine]

I think Kelly has ND exactly where he wants them, they are in position to stay a top 10 program for awhile.

Swinney and Jimbo have no competition except from each other, ACC after them is poop. Both going forward are going to be there with Saban/Meyer thanks to ACC.

[iam416]

It's not just the ACC. Jimbo is recruiting at a really high level and Dabo isn't too far behind. They're going to have really, really good teams for awhile, IMO. I'd definitely pick FSU to be better more often than not, but Clemson will be in the mix.

[WM Wolverine]

The weak ACC played a part in those programs separating themselves and standing out as elite programs. In the Big XII, SEC, Pac 12 or B1G those programs might win just 9-11 games a season. In the ACC, they'll win 10-11 in the regular season and play in a lot of NY6 bowls.

[Hannibal]

Kelly isn't that great. Charlie left behind quite a bit of talent and beyond his one fluke Manti Teo season he hasn't done jack shit.

[WM Wolverine]

Charlie after some time couldn't recruit anymore, his talent tried up around the time he left.