Coaching can play a pretty big part in my handicapping. If there is a bad coach with a terrible track record involved, I'll usually leave the game alone. Or bet against him.. Especially if he's made a favorite. I find that betting on bad coaches on a consistent basis can quickly drive you to the poor house. But during the season i see people come on here all the time and make their teams the bet of the decade. But I've found that games involving these kinds of coaches are far from a lock in any sense of the word. No matter how good the game looks. I can usually count on one hand the amount of times I'll be on one of these suckers during the season. And when I do, the other coach usually has to be just as bad.
On the other hand, the better coaches can win you bets that look impossible to the general public. When these kinds of coaches are made the dogs by the betting public, it gets my attention in a hurry. Here is a list of my top 10 favorites I like. And some that I wouldn't trust to take my dog for a walk.
Coaches I like:
1.Urban Meyer: Right now, the most innovative coach in the game. The one to catch. Two BCS titles speak for themselves...Case closed.
2.Pete Carroll: Despite losing that one game in conference every season, I don't think anybody can deny that he raised USC up to a whole other level than where they were 10 years ago. A great recruiter that has arguably the best personnel in football year after year. And also one of the best in-game coaches in the game.
3.Bob Stoops: Yes, like Jim Tressel he's caught the BCS losing disease the past few years. But did anybody really stop to think that in the the 3 BCS title games that OU played in against LSU, USC and Florida that the Sooners just weren't the best team? Hardly the fault of the coach. The 2007 West Virginia BCS game loss withstanding where there was more involved with OU's loss there that didn't have anything to do with coaching than the general public was aware of, the Boise State team that OU played in 2006 was the best team in Broncos history. And I can tell you that the 2006 version of the Sooners was arguably the weakest team in the Stoops era. They had a converted wide receiver at QB for Christ's sake. At any rate, no matter what you think of OU, they've consistently been toward the very top of the rankings for the past decade under Stoops, who has accumulated an amazing 109-24 record and one national title in his 10 years.. It's hard to argue with success.
4.Brian Kelly: One of those kinds of coaches who can virtually will his team to a win. Is there a game that goes by that he's not out there on the 50 yard line arguing his case to any referee that will listen? This guy's head is in the game more than any coach that I've seen. I would like to see what he could do with a real powerhouse team. A fantastic motivator.
5.Tom O'Brien: This guy did a hell of a job when he was at Boston College. Anybody who can guide a football team to 8 straight bowl wins is more than just lucky. And now in his second year at NCST he's already started to make more noise in the ACC. An 86-59 coaching record speaks for itself.
6.Butch Davis: An absolute killer recruiter that knows the x's and o's of the game as well as anyone around. He has a national championship under his belt from his Miami days. He's coached in the NFL. He's somebody who has been around. And he's accumulated a very impressive 63-33 record along the way.
7.Gary Patterson:A coach who preaches good fundamentals and defense. A very no nonsense coach that doesn't take any shit from anybody. Including the TCU alumni. Which is probably the big reason why he still hasn't landed a primetime coaching job. But with a 73-27 career coaching record, if I was a bigger school I think I would take a chance on him.
8.Todd Graham: Another one of the great innovative coaches in college football. Again, this is somebody who if he ever gets in the bigtime coaching ranks, will cause a lot of opposing coaches to start pulling hairs. He's only been a head coach for only 4 years. But he's already accumulated a 28-13 record. And in his first two years has coached Tulsa all the way up to their conference title games two years running.. And sent his previous team Rice to it's first bowl in 45 years. Nuff said. By the time it's over, he could end up being the best of this lot.
9.Chris Peterson: When Hawkins left Boise State I thought they might start going downhill a little. But judging by what Hawkins has done at Colorado, and what Peterson has continued to do at Boise, i'm beginning to think that Peterson was the real wizard behind the curtain.
10.Mike Riley: No matter how you look at it, Riley is one of them most consistent coaches in the country. He's taken his Oregon St. team to a bowl game for the last 6 out of 7 years. And has won 5 of those games. And has won all 5 of those games as less than touchdown favorites. Do you realize how hard that is to do? His teams always get better as the season moves along. Which is probably the best indication of somebody who knows what he's doing. This team started out this season 0-2. And finished 9-4 with just 10 starters returning, including just 3 on defense. A remarkable coaching job any way you look at it.
Honorable mention:
Nick Saban
Paul Johnson
Houston Nutt
Joe Paterno
Jim Tressel
Mark Dantonio
Rich Rodriguez
Frank Beamer
Jim Grobe
Mike Bellotti
Mike Leach
Mark Mangino
Art Briles
Bobby Johnson
Dick Tomey
The Bad Ones:
Dave Wannstadt: Has probably single-handidly lost more weekend bettors money betting on Pitt than any other coach.
Ron Zook: Probably not as bad a Wannstadt. But has failed to impress me in any way as a head coach. With the good recruiting and personnel that he's had to work with at Florida and Illinois, he should have done much better.
Charlie Weis: This next year is probably the year that's going to make him or break him. But at 4 years at Notre Dame he's failed to impress me despite some great recruiting the last couple of years.
Bret Bielema: I get the feeling as the years go by and the farther the Badgers get from the coaching of Alvarez, the more this team is going to fall. This guy just doesn't impress me at all. From his interviews to his idiotic in-game playcalling.
Butch Jones: The farther that Central Michigan gets away from the coaching and recruiting of Brian Kelly the worst they're going to get. The playcalling in his bowl game against Florida Atlantic was borderline retarded. I'm not impressed at all with him.
Todd Dodge: I don't think this guy is going to make it. He comes straight from the highschool coaching ranks. And so far it's showed in his first two seasons going 2-10 last year and things didn't get any better this year going 1-11. He's taken the Mean out of Mean Green.
Although the verdict is still out on a few more coaches, I have to say that 2008 was a good year for cleaning house of bad coaches. Here's a list of the ones that we won't miss: Sylvester Croom, Greg Robinson, Phillip Fulmer, Ron Prince, Tommy Bowden, Joe Glenn, Tyrone Willingham and Chuck Long.
On the other hand, the better coaches can win you bets that look impossible to the general public. When these kinds of coaches are made the dogs by the betting public, it gets my attention in a hurry. Here is a list of my top 10 favorites I like. And some that I wouldn't trust to take my dog for a walk.
Coaches I like:
1.Urban Meyer: Right now, the most innovative coach in the game. The one to catch. Two BCS titles speak for themselves...Case closed.
2.Pete Carroll: Despite losing that one game in conference every season, I don't think anybody can deny that he raised USC up to a whole other level than where they were 10 years ago. A great recruiter that has arguably the best personnel in football year after year. And also one of the best in-game coaches in the game.
3.Bob Stoops: Yes, like Jim Tressel he's caught the BCS losing disease the past few years. But did anybody really stop to think that in the the 3 BCS title games that OU played in against LSU, USC and Florida that the Sooners just weren't the best team? Hardly the fault of the coach. The 2007 West Virginia BCS game loss withstanding where there was more involved with OU's loss there that didn't have anything to do with coaching than the general public was aware of, the Boise State team that OU played in 2006 was the best team in Broncos history. And I can tell you that the 2006 version of the Sooners was arguably the weakest team in the Stoops era. They had a converted wide receiver at QB for Christ's sake. At any rate, no matter what you think of OU, they've consistently been toward the very top of the rankings for the past decade under Stoops, who has accumulated an amazing 109-24 record and one national title in his 10 years.. It's hard to argue with success.
4.Brian Kelly: One of those kinds of coaches who can virtually will his team to a win. Is there a game that goes by that he's not out there on the 50 yard line arguing his case to any referee that will listen? This guy's head is in the game more than any coach that I've seen. I would like to see what he could do with a real powerhouse team. A fantastic motivator.
5.Tom O'Brien: This guy did a hell of a job when he was at Boston College. Anybody who can guide a football team to 8 straight bowl wins is more than just lucky. And now in his second year at NCST he's already started to make more noise in the ACC. An 86-59 coaching record speaks for itself.
6.Butch Davis: An absolute killer recruiter that knows the x's and o's of the game as well as anyone around. He has a national championship under his belt from his Miami days. He's coached in the NFL. He's somebody who has been around. And he's accumulated a very impressive 63-33 record along the way.
7.Gary Patterson:A coach who preaches good fundamentals and defense. A very no nonsense coach that doesn't take any shit from anybody. Including the TCU alumni. Which is probably the big reason why he still hasn't landed a primetime coaching job. But with a 73-27 career coaching record, if I was a bigger school I think I would take a chance on him.
8.Todd Graham: Another one of the great innovative coaches in college football. Again, this is somebody who if he ever gets in the bigtime coaching ranks, will cause a lot of opposing coaches to start pulling hairs. He's only been a head coach for only 4 years. But he's already accumulated a 28-13 record. And in his first two years has coached Tulsa all the way up to their conference title games two years running.. And sent his previous team Rice to it's first bowl in 45 years. Nuff said. By the time it's over, he could end up being the best of this lot.
9.Chris Peterson: When Hawkins left Boise State I thought they might start going downhill a little. But judging by what Hawkins has done at Colorado, and what Peterson has continued to do at Boise, i'm beginning to think that Peterson was the real wizard behind the curtain.
10.Mike Riley: No matter how you look at it, Riley is one of them most consistent coaches in the country. He's taken his Oregon St. team to a bowl game for the last 6 out of 7 years. And has won 5 of those games. And has won all 5 of those games as less than touchdown favorites. Do you realize how hard that is to do? His teams always get better as the season moves along. Which is probably the best indication of somebody who knows what he's doing. This team started out this season 0-2. And finished 9-4 with just 10 starters returning, including just 3 on defense. A remarkable coaching job any way you look at it.
Honorable mention:
Nick Saban
Paul Johnson
Houston Nutt
Joe Paterno
Jim Tressel
Mark Dantonio
Rich Rodriguez
Frank Beamer
Jim Grobe
Mike Bellotti
Mike Leach
Mark Mangino
Art Briles
Bobby Johnson
Dick Tomey
The Bad Ones:
Dave Wannstadt: Has probably single-handidly lost more weekend bettors money betting on Pitt than any other coach.
Ron Zook: Probably not as bad a Wannstadt. But has failed to impress me in any way as a head coach. With the good recruiting and personnel that he's had to work with at Florida and Illinois, he should have done much better.
Charlie Weis: This next year is probably the year that's going to make him or break him. But at 4 years at Notre Dame he's failed to impress me despite some great recruiting the last couple of years.
Bret Bielema: I get the feeling as the years go by and the farther the Badgers get from the coaching of Alvarez, the more this team is going to fall. This guy just doesn't impress me at all. From his interviews to his idiotic in-game playcalling.
Butch Jones: The farther that Central Michigan gets away from the coaching and recruiting of Brian Kelly the worst they're going to get. The playcalling in his bowl game against Florida Atlantic was borderline retarded. I'm not impressed at all with him.
Todd Dodge: I don't think this guy is going to make it. He comes straight from the highschool coaching ranks. And so far it's showed in his first two seasons going 2-10 last year and things didn't get any better this year going 1-11. He's taken the Mean out of Mean Green.
Although the verdict is still out on a few more coaches, I have to say that 2008 was a good year for cleaning house of bad coaches. Here's a list of the ones that we won't miss: Sylvester Croom, Greg Robinson, Phillip Fulmer, Ron Prince, Tommy Bowden, Joe Glenn, Tyrone Willingham and Chuck Long.
