The top coach is Urban Meyer; Richt has unlisted number

Rule 1 of list-making: Any rundown worth its bullet points must stir discussion. Here’s one that goes above and beyond. Matt Hayes of Sporting News rates the top five coaches in college football. We’ll gloss over the top two because it’s just too depressing to note that No. 1 works six hours down I-75 and No. 2 works 3 1/2 hours west on I-20. Let’s skip to No. 5:

Brian Kelly of Cincinnati.

The front four — the Urban Crier, Coach Satan, Pete Carroll and Big-Loss Bob Stoops — have won a total of five BCS titles. Brian Kelly has never won a BCS game. But I’m not saying Hayes made a bad choice. I’m saying he made a great choice. Because he’s guaranteed to get a ton of e-mail from north of Cincinnati, where there’s a coach who wears a sweater vest and who has won a BCS title and played for two others and who isn’t in Hayes’ top five.

Jim Tressel is listed third among “five on the outside.” The other four: Mack Brown, Les Miles, Chris Petersen of Boise State and Frank Beamer.

Jim Tressel, outsider. Brian Kelly, big-timer. Great list.

Who's the better coach?

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And now we come to what we in the biz call the Local Angle: Paul Johnson of Georgia Tech is No. 1 among Hayes’ “five with sights on the top five.” The other four: Two guys who coach along Tobacco Road (Tom O’Brien and Butch Davis), plus Rich Rodriguez of Michigan and Gary Patterson of TCU.

And you know whose name pops up nowhere? The guy who works in Athens and who wins 10 games every year. The guy who has two SEC titles to his name. The guy who has Willie Martinez as his defensive coordinator. That guy used to be considered a real comer. Where’d he go?

(Now available for viewing: Mark Bradley — that’d be me — stops making snide asides and actually presents his top 10 college coaches. Obviously Lane Kiffin is No. 1, but who’s No. 2? And does Richt make this list?)

113 comments Add your comment

Gridiron Gator

July 14th, 2009
5:33 am

We’re happy with our guy, you can have yours. Especially happy he will be signing a new long term contract and will be in Gainesville for a good while longer.

UGAmatic

July 14th, 2009
5:40 am

The “other guy” is right where he and the school he coaches belong – in obscurity!

Jeff

July 14th, 2009
5:54 am

These lists are about as reliable as columnist’s preseason picks. You should know that better than anyone Mark B. Who cares where Paul Johnson ranks in comparison to Mark Richt. Richt will own Johnson in the long term. One win doesn’t make a career. It is how you build on that win. I know how you don’t build on a big win, losing 38-3 on national TV after making rings for the previous win…..

ByteMe

July 14th, 2009
6:00 am

I think what it comes down to is that after all this time, we’re all very clear on how far Richt can take a team. UGA seems satisfied with that, but other schools are looking for the crystal football to end up in their trophy case and are willing to find someone who can win that for them.

TommyP

July 14th, 2009
6:12 am

ByteMe: You really believe that? If you do, you’re not very intelligent.

Mark Richt has put together a consistent power. He’s won SEC titles and he’s only lacked the luck required in this incredibly flawed system to play in the national championship game. (twice)

“…other schools are….willing to find someone who can win that for them.”
So which school would fire Mark Richt if he had done all he’s done in Athens in another town?

RK

July 14th, 2009
6:18 am

Mark Richt has yet to prove he can bring it all together. At FSU, that coaching staff (with Richt) built a dynasty, and at UGA he has always had the talent, but hasn’t delivered yet. He is young……………

phil

July 14th, 2009
6:18 am

Picking the right coordinators is placed squarely on the shoulders of the head coach. If that coach fails to do his job, the head coach needs to handle the situation. I hope C.M.R. has addressed this problem..

hop

July 14th, 2009
6:22 am

COACH RICHT RECORD IS THE BEST IN GEORGIA’S HISTORY AND HE WILL WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!
THE QUESTION IS WILL THE GEORGIA PEOPLE BE PATIENT ENOUGH FOR HIM TO DO THAT!

THE FLORIDA SITUATION IS UNIQUE WHILE MEYER TIMING COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER, THE OTHER FLORIDA SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN AWFUL. BOTH FSU AND MIAMI HAVE STRUGGLED MIGHTILY.

THEM OLD ADAGE”TIMEING IS EVERYTHING APPLIES TO THE GATORS NOW!

ByteMe

July 14th, 2009
6:35 am

TommyP: I’m old enough to have closely watched a number of coaches at a number of schools and a number of sports and there really is a difference between good coaches who can win a lot of games and great coaches who can take their team to the next level. Richt is a good coach, but he’s not able to get his teams to the next level, so the big game will elude UGA.

DawgJones

July 14th, 2009
6:40 am

Let me say this…Mark Richt has done good work at UGA but until he has won a NC at a place with resources and talent galore he is at best a second five guy. The cincy guy is an interesting choice…I will say this, he does nothing but win as a HC…A couple of NC’s in DII and took a MAC doormat and won a league title and now has won the Big East. Trust me none of this is the SEC, but the guy wins with the material he inherits and recruits. Let’s just be happy UT picked Kiffin, if they had been smart and hired this guy…they would win sooner and not later!

ByteMe

July 14th, 2009
6:41 am

Oh, TommyP, and to answer your question: pretty much every other school in the SEC would have fired Richt by now for not having brought home the trophy. They would have gotten to the point where the AD would have said “it’s time for us to go in another direction and bring a champtionship to XXXX.”

Bite me...

July 14th, 2009
7:00 am

KornDawg

July 14th, 2009
7:01 am

ByteMe: Ask a Carolina fan how much they would like 1 SEC title. They’d rename the town if RIcht had done the same in Columbia that he has done in Athens! In other words, he would not be fired!

JB

July 14th, 2009
7:07 am

“EVERY other would have have fired Richt.”..???? YOU ARE ill-informed my friend….Other than say Florida, every SEC WOULD hire RICHT in a new york minute if they were looking for a coach and he was looking……..he’s been a head coach for 8 years ( no time at all) and has has won 80% of his games in the toughest league in America…..You sir are a hater, not a objective student of the game !

hipdawg

July 14th, 2009
7:23 am

Richt didn’t drop the pass or get flagged or throw the late int. etc…..The only thing I would say is he could change coordinaters (def.) when the time calls for it.I love what he has done and excited about the future!!!

Mac

July 14th, 2009
7:27 am

Where else would Richt get fired after all his accomplishments? Why, Auburn, of course.

Richt is not a good coach. He’s a great one.

JB

July 14th, 2009
7:29 am

test….is this blog over ?

bigshot

July 14th, 2009
7:30 am

Until Mark Richt wins a NC this will be the type of rspect he gets. Winning championshhips is what it is all about. I am a UGA fan and like Mark Richt,but I fear UGA is sliding downward. The schedule this season may not help things either.

cobradawg

July 14th, 2009
7:31 am

Some people would hire Danny Ford, Jimmy Johnson, Or Barry Switzer to get a NC. Being a coach with some class, who actually tries to mold and educate young men, be dammed. I would’nt trade Mark Richt for ten NC’s

JB

July 14th, 2009
7:32 am

Byte me much be a Tech fan, where the new trophy case built to house ACC title trophies continues to SIT EMPTY !

bigshot

July 14th, 2009
7:38 am

Hipdawg,you say that MR did not drop the pass or get the flag thrown on him etc. Urban Meyer didn’t catch the pass or not get the flag thrown on him, but he coached the players who didn’t and Mark Richt coach the players who did. You offer a very lame excuse.

JB

July 14th, 2009
7:44 am

I disagree bigshot…here’s why……………Auburn and Tenn are in a mess……florida will be human again after this year…..our recruiting the last two years has been elevated from the previous 4-5 years….the 2010 commits are really strong…..I see better players and i think the coach’s are going to work harder than ever this year after last year……I say we struggle to 8 maybe 9 wins this year, but me think 2010 looks promising, even with a new QB. GO DAWGS

Mark Bradley

July 14th, 2009
7:47 am

You mean Kiffin the Younger isn’t the greatest coach ever, DawgJones?

brewdawg

July 14th, 2009
8:14 am

Only UGA fans would want to move Richt after what he’s done for this program. From the mid-80’s to 2001, this was the definition of a mediocre program, with what, one top ten finish? Now, under Richt, we are back on the national radar, finishing in the top 10 consistently. Florida has won 2 national titles with 1 loss. In 2002, UGA had one loss, but ran up against the rare “Two major unbeatens” year. In 2007, UGA finished SECOND in the nation, and probably came a missed chip shot field goal by Kentucky over Tennessee from playing in the national title game. But there is NO WAY Richt will be able to win it all right? It may not happen this year, but if the ridiculous, over-inflated sense of superiority stricken UGA fans don’t run him out of town, it WILL happen.

*And NO I’m not taking away ANYTHING from UF’s one-loss national titles. I’m simply saying that when you don’t go undefeated, the stars have to align for you.

Bank Walker, Texas Ranger

July 14th, 2009
8:29 am

First I think MR is a top 10 coach. Frank Beamer and Petterson, are you kiddin me. And if Tressell is not in the top 5, houw in the world can you put Stoops in there. Stoops is barely top 5 in his conference. As for PJ, totally agree. The guy wins where ever. If he can win at Tech with the academics and the lack a facilities, he can win anywhere

Frank

July 14th, 2009
8:32 am

The way you tell if Richt is on par with say a Meyer or Saban is to ask yourself if one of those would have been our coach the past eight years, would we have a N.C.???

athensdawg

July 14th, 2009
8:34 am

patience, pups. I believe they were writing the same things about jimmy johnson, howard snellenberger, barry switzer, etc. in the 80s….two guys who were left out of that loop….

tom osborne
bobby bowden

NEITHER could win the big game. But they finally got their place in the sun.
That’s the model CMR is following…..it aint sexy, its frustrating as all heck for us, but it is what it is.
deal with it.

Mark Bradley

July 14th, 2009
8:53 am

FYI, Switzer won two national titles in the 1970s. (AP-only in 1974, consensus No. 1 in 1975.) Just saying.

Bank Walker, Texas Ranger

July 14th, 2009
8:59 am

Mark, not to get off the subject but can you do a piece on how big an idiot Chris Berman is. Thanks for you consideration.

Monticello Dawg

July 14th, 2009
9:00 am

My views are similar to athensdawg- patience is required. As long as Richt keeps knocking on the door, eventually that NC will materialize. John Wooden, Bear Bryant, Joe Paterno- all in 16th year as head coach before winning it all, Bobby Bowden, 23 years, Tom Osborne, 21. John Wooden, arguably the greatest collegiate coach in any sport, only made the NCAA tournament 3 times in his first 13 seasons while coaching at a school like UCLA. If the ADs at those schools had listened to some of the fans posting here, every one of them would have been fired.

Mark Bradley

July 14th, 2009
9:04 am

Thanks for the idea, Bank Walker. But what, if I may, prompted that?

Slickshea

July 14th, 2009
9:05 am

Enter your comments here

m

July 14th, 2009
9:06 am

The worst coach in the history of the world was chan gomer gailey…..and Thank God and Greyhound….he is gone.

The best coach is Paul Johnson….some of you idiots just haven’t figued it out yet….but you will.

Paul Johnson is playing chess while all these other guys are playing checkers. PJ finally has a platform to show what his offense can really do. And even in the first year at TECH, with a makeshift offensive line…with a QB that had never run the option and played hurt the whole year…without enough running backs…etc….he still won 9 games and beat #1 preseason ugag at sanford and son stadium.

Mark it down…Paul Johnson is the best coach around….just sit back and watch.

45-42….just the beginning.

Got 12?

July 14th, 2009
9:09 am

When I moved back to Atlanta from Alabama ten years ago (during the Donnan years), Auburn fans seemed to outnumber UGA fans two-to-one. Then came Richt. Now, there are UGA fans everywhere and most are whiners. He’s the best coach UGA has ever had but everyone still complains.

With time and a few adjustments, Richt will win a nation championship at UGA. I have no idea why the lofty expectations exist in the first place.

Slickshea

July 14th, 2009
9:11 am

Mark Bradley and Matt Hayes – both equally skilled at pissing off a fan base for no real reason other than generating chatter. Hayes for his senseless omission of Tressel. Bradley for his senseless inclusion of his last paragraph.

J

July 14th, 2009
9:13 am

MB, I believe that’s what Athensdawg was saying… he’s comparing CMR to Osborne and Bowden. And he is absolutely, 100% correct. I’ll take the class of Coach Richt over any other coach in America, especially that snot-nosed, smug, little fella in Gainesville. Win with class, lose with class.

JB

July 14th, 2009
9:14 am

you win 10 games EVERY YEAR………..the stars will line up soon and we win 12 and play for. the title…
( unless USC and OHIO state are also 12-0, which the TV GODS would put in the game)

Sting 'em Buzz

July 14th, 2009
9:21 am

Beamer has a title if memory serves me correctly.

I’m thankful that Paul Johnson is not the automatic win for UGA that Chan Gailey was. PJ’s days are already closer to the O’Leary days.

Sting 'em Buzz

July 14th, 2009
9:22 am

MB, I’m guessing that he watched the home run derby.

Sting 'em Buzz

July 14th, 2009
9:30 am

Berman — Home Run Derby….back back back back back gone

B

July 14th, 2009
9:42 am

Mark Richt has won more games in the SEC in the past 10 years than any other coach.

Mark Bradley

July 14th, 2009
9:43 am

I understand. That’s why I don’t watch the HRD.

MikeInValdosta

July 14th, 2009
9:53 am

Matty Hayes also picked OkieSt to go 12- 0. http://tinyurl.com/lgj2fw

DirtyDawg

July 14th, 2009
9:55 am

Assume Mark that you never had any intention of answering your own question of ‘where’d he go’, because he hasn’t gone anywhere but up. I was one that thought, along with Vince Dooley, that Jim Donnan – the guy that will be entering the College Football HOF if I recall correctly – deserved another year at UGA. He may have come in with a big chip on his shoulder and he may have been guilty of putting his faith in a talented, but flawed, QB, but he knew football and coached it well.

Regardless, the decision was made and we came out with one of the most gifted men that ever walked a sideline. We have become more proud of our program as never before – at least since Joel Eaves and Vince Dooley brought us back from the early 60’s. Where did he go? He’s right where he needs to be attracting talent and coaching ‘em up. Don’t be surprised when he whips that, so-called, #1 guy on this specious list…and any of the others that he, and we, may play this next year. I’ve got a feeling that this guy with Sporting News will have to eat his words at the end of the season…of course you people never really have to say you’re sorry, you just write some more crap to get the fights started.

Bank Walker, Texas Ranger

July 14th, 2009
9:56 am

You are correct. It has be building but he suggested that Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey Jr. be appointed to the All Star game like Willie Mays was at one time. What an idiot and a front runner. I can’t believe they let this guy prime time and golf, geeeezzz

Otto

July 14th, 2009
9:58 am

Beamer and Tressel in the Top 10? Both win best of the rest conferences and when faced with playing for it all don’t win. What is Tressel’s record against the SEC and what is VT’s record in ACC championship years or how did they play agaisnt FSU with a national title on the line?

CPJ? give it a few years and we’ll see.

CMR has become the old coach in the SEC but a win over UGA is never a given and 10 win season in a conf that has won 3 of the last 5 national titles is the norm.

Les Miles is finally starting his decline Jimbo and the top notch DCs are gone. Saban is also back taking in the recruits. Les will be out in 4 years. Ole Miss is stepping up their game and Petrino will recruit well at Arkansas.

Bank Walker, Texas Ranger

July 14th, 2009
10:02 am

I’m not much of a proof reader

Dawg85

July 14th, 2009
10:04 am

I’ll stick with Coach Richt too. Meyer’s a good coach, no doubt, but we’ll see how good after Tebow leaves. In Tebow he has a quarterback he will never see again. I’ll take 10 wins a year. UGA has had two years (2002 and 2008) where they could have had a shot at the National Championship but things just didn’t line up. Auburn goes undefeated in 2004 and doesn’t get a shot. The BCS is a crapshoot. CMR has won 2 SEC championships after UGA went 20 years without one. He’s going to win more before it’s over.

ByteMe

July 14th, 2009
10:06 am

KornDawg: it isn’t what Richt has done that makes him great, it’s what he hasn’t done that keeps him from being considered “great”.

As for Carolina, of course they’d love the success UGA is having… until the expectations are that they need even greater success, and then he’d be gone. For some reason, UGA has settled for a nice guy that can’t get his players past a certain level of success. Florida didn’t settle for only a certain level of success. Just ask Ron Zook about that.

TampaGator

July 14th, 2009
10:10 am

Anyone who thinks Richt is not a great coach is nuts. His problem is he has to play a better coached team every year. That is the Gators and Meyer. Meyer, no doubt, is the best coach in the SEC and the nation. If he had coached USC recently, they would have won about 5 national championships in a row. Richt and Carroll can recruit with Meyer, but they sure can’t coach up a team like Meyer does. Hate him and call him a “crier” all you want Bradley, but he isn’t going to Notre Dame and he isn’t getting out of Georgia’s Bulldog hair anytime soon. The top coach in America and the best program in America resides off University Avenue and 13th Street in a town called, “Winnersville, USA.” That Gainesville for short.

brewdawg

July 14th, 2009
10:13 am

Okay wow. Mark Richt has just been compared to Ron Zook. That is the quickest way to lose any credibility you may have as a blogger.

Muttering Dawg

July 14th, 2009
10:13 am

Richt apparently is a fine person and coach. He wins 10 games a year and that’s hard to top. And if GA fans are content with a national championship once every 35 to 40 years, that’s great. He hangs around another 8-10 years, he’ll be due. Meanwhile, down I-75, somebody has won 2 NCs in the last 3 years and may get another one soon. Of course that guy has more talent to work with than Georgia does, so you might expect greater things. As to the ratings of coaches, I think it’s fair to leave Richt off the list. I’d say he’s a good coach; not a great one. If and when he gets a NC, it probably won’t be because of his coaching ability. He has a great record, though. And, he’s still young. I think most UGA fans are happy with him.

baconboy

July 14th, 2009
10:15 am

As a Gator fan, I certainly hope that Richt stays at UGA. I think he lacks a certain killer instinct that you need to succeed at the highest (i.e. national championship) level. I just don’t fear him.

By the way Dawg85, do you think that Richt will have another quarterback like Stafford again? I think Richt has a bigger problem this year than Meyer will have next year without Tebow.

brewdawg

July 14th, 2009
10:18 am

Baconboy- Matthew Stafford was the third-best QB under the Richt era. 1. David Greene, 2. DJ Shockley. I was not crestfallen to see MS leave for the NFL. Stafford will make a better pro QB than he was a college QB, mainly because he had one eye on the pros the entire time he was at UGA.

GT Rich

July 14th, 2009
10:23 am

Meyer has been lucky that Miami and FSU are weakened, which has made recruiting easier and those games easy wins. Richt is a great coach. 10 wins per year in the SEC is amazing and deserves praise from dawg fans, and a little patience, plus a playoff system for the chance to win a Natl Championship. However, Richt had been gifted a freebie win in state every year with the poor coaching of Gailey. Now that PJ is in Atlanta, you can expect a much closer game year in and year out. Probably 3 UGA wins to every 2 for Tech. This will make getting to the BCS title game a little tougher…

TampaGator

July 14th, 2009
10:24 am

ByteMe. Zook was not primarily fired because of his lack of success, although it did have something to do with it, especially the loss to Mississippi State his last year. Zook is a horrible game day coach. He was primarily fired because he had a serious disconnect with the “Bull Gator” nation, the ones with all the money. He also lost the respect of the Gator Nation in general for some of the unprofessional behaviors he exhibited in public (like showing up at a frat house and getting into a fight with students). Ron Zook should have remained a def. coordinator either in college or in the pros, as well as recruit for someone like Meyer or Richt. If you watch Zook on the sideline, he appears to be overmatched by the other coach on game day. No, 8-5 does not cut it at Florida. But Zook would have been given a longer time to turn things around if not for the poor standing he had with “Bull Gators” all over Florida. He simply did not understand the need for him to connect with the people who give the most money. Meyer does that well. He also connects with the entire “Gator Nation” and “us” with him. He has the respect Zook did not have, and he is a far better pre and during game coach that Zook is. One of the coaches that did not overmatch Zook on game day, however, was Richt. And game day coaching is what is keeping Richt from becoming the great coach. Too often Georgia teams come into games without the best game plan in my opinion. And Richt does not always take best advantage of his talent or match his talent up well against equal or better talented players, and sometimes lesser talented teams like Kentucky and Vandy.

Melinda

July 14th, 2009
10:33 am

I think CMR is a person of good personal integrity… but the argument that he is molding these young men in his image… Florida may have 24 arrests in a 4 year period, but Georgia has 30 in that same timespan. I would like to see the players held to a higher standard of accountability than that. I do think he is probably in the top 10.

CPJ has 8 or more wins in all but one season (1st year at Navy) as head coach. His first year at Tech was impressive (see Rodriguez at Michigan for example) given the system changes, youth of the team and injuries.

GatorGloryDays

July 14th, 2009
10:33 am

All you people saying Meyer is “lucky” this and that. Don’t you wish you could have a coach as “lucky” as Meyer? What would you give for just one NC…and you would probably die for 2 out of 3 NC. GTRich, Meyer has had a lot to do with FSU and Miami not being as good. From day one, he has out recruited and out coach the Miami and FSU coaches. Don’t get too down on Miami and Shannon, my friends. They are coming on. I expect they will be a huge surpise this year. They are loaded with talent and Shannon is a good coach, although a little too sensitive about being beat on the field and in the recruiting wars by Meyer. Bowden is just too old. And he is not longer that positive figurehead that he was. And he certainly no longer coaches. So why not go ahead and retire, Bobby. No one would blame you. You aren’t going to catch Patrino anyway.

Matt from Suwanee

July 14th, 2009
10:34 am

Enough talk! Is it time for kickoff, yet?

Gatorzone

July 14th, 2009
10:36 am

Richt is a great coach and UGA would be Crazy to let him go. Look at UT and Auburn. That is a fine example of cutting of your nose because of impatience. I hope Richt does get let go so the Gators do not have to face him every year.

Gatorzone

July 14th, 2009
10:38 am

Look for Tubberville to take over Miami after this season…
You heard it here first folks.

Mark Bradley

July 14th, 2009
10:41 am

I don’t much like the Urban Crier, either, but he’s not lucky. He’s just good.

shankit

July 14th, 2009
10:41 am

TampaGator
Gainesville is not Winnersville, USA.
Valdosta, Georgia is.
Go Wildcats, Blazers and Vikings.

Otto

July 14th, 2009
10:42 am

TampaGator I agree with some of what you say about CMR. I think the offense and play calling has fallen off greatly since Bobo took over.

However, CMR has what Zook did not. CMR has done well with moneyed alumni which will buy him time a Zook or Donnan did not have.

Otto

July 14th, 2009
10:44 am

I hope Miami can get some good coaches to go with Tubberville. Tubbs is only as good as he allows his assistants to be.

Marcus

July 14th, 2009
10:46 am

MB,
Can we have a list of the 10 best coaches who have the least to work with?

Ranking the top 10 coaches in FBS (Div. 1-A) is like People magazine’s top 10 sexiest folks…..they have the resources ans support to make sure they stay on top.
I know UGA is the local angle, the BCS teams are the ones that sell (newspapers, magazines, tv ads, website ads, etc.), but for me, someone doing a bang-up job without the boatload of resources, generational wealth and support, near-corporate-like infrastructure in the Ath. Dept, etc. should be considered.
Not to say that running a corporation…err, BCS football program is easy, but lets not overlook what it takes to run a non-FBS program (small business), esp. without the ingrained advantages that most BCS and even non-BCS have.

Take some time to recognize coaches on the FCS, Div. II and Div. III level, will ya?!?!?

shankit

July 14th, 2009
10:48 am

TampaGator
One feat your mighty Gators might want to consider is the recent
AJC poll relating to GPA averages of all major college teams in the
nation.
Guess who had the lowest GPA average in the SEC among college football
athletes? (850 GPA) URBAN MEYER’S GATORS.
Also, Florida was ranked in the lowest five in the nation.
I guess Georgia needs to turn it’s head like Florida and the Cocks
to oblige their coach assurance of winning with dumb jocks.

Mark Bradley

July 14th, 2009
10:49 am

Marcus, I’d say the two best pure coaches in the country — and I’m only talking Division I-A here — work in the ACC. One of them lives in Winston-Salem. The other lives in Vinings.

shankit

July 14th, 2009
11:00 am

Marcus
My pick for the top ten coach in a lower division would be Chris Hatcher.
Won the Harlan trophy as a player for Valdosta State.
Coached under his old coach Hal Mumme at Kentucky and coached
Dusty Bonner who led the SEC in passing until politics replaced him.
Came back to his Alma Mater, Valdosta State, coached Dusty Bonner to
two Harlen trophies,
and won national championships at his level.
Will probably win another at Georgia Southern, before someone recognizes
his offensive skills, his tenacity and recruiting abilities.
Also, a pretty good night time golfer. Beat me and the pro at VCC.

brewdawg

July 14th, 2009
11:00 am

Mark, WHAT IS IT with your infatuation for “One Year Crownings”? You did it with Mora/McKay. You’re doing it with Smith/TD. Now Paul Johnson too? It’s like all of a sudden Paul Johnson has accomplished more in one year than Richt has during his 10 at UGA. Look, I know you don’t have a bias against UGA, or for Tech. That’s not my complaint here. Actually, I’m not complaining. I’m trying to help you. Stop making these “One Year Crownings” before your prediction percentage drops even FURTHER below the ole Mendoza Line.

Otto

July 14th, 2009
11:01 am

CPJ one of the 2 best lol

brewdawg

July 14th, 2009
11:04 am

And yes, I know Richt hasn’t been there for 10 years. It’s just that Bradley needs help, and I had to get that post out quick.

Gatorzone

July 14th, 2009
11:10 am

shankit, if what you say is true can you back it up with facts? Everything I read is how well they do academically and graduation rates.

Gatorzone

July 14th, 2009
11:11 am

shankitt, I was referring to what you say about Florida.

Gatorzone

July 14th, 2009
11:15 am

Oh, I see. You used old Data from before Urrban was there…
The University of Oklahoma and the University of Florida, whose football teams play Jan. 8 for the national championship, ranked near the bottom in standardized test scores. Florida’s freshman football classes of 2002-04 ranked 50th in average score out of 53 schools for which football SAT averages were available, and Oklahoma’s freshman football classes of 2001-03 ranked 42nd. Florida’s football players ranked last in average high school GPA, at 2.54. The average for all football players in the study was 2.93.

brewdawg

July 14th, 2009
11:15 am

Mark Bradley’s “One Year Crowning” List:

1. Mora/Mckay Runnin’ Rebels! Result… ugh

2. UGA’s Endzone Celebration To Turn Tide of UGA-UF Series! Result… argh

3. Smith/TD’s Process Unbeatable! Result: ???

4. CPJ’s First Year Confirms Stature Among Nations Best! Result: ???

5. Fill in Mark’s next surefire “One Year Crowning” here

Gatorzone

July 14th, 2009
11:18 am

dan

July 14th, 2009
11:22 am

Man talk about a “what have you done for me lately” attitude in regards to Richt. And what a shock, a top 5 list featuring Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Pete Carroll and Bob Stoops! How original!

Richt is just as good or better than any of those coaches on that list including the coaches in the top 5. But that’s fine if people want to underestimate him and UGA. That’s fine if they want to say our program is on the decline and our coordinators suck. It’s fine if they want to say that Richt is too nice and can’t win the big one. Who cares what the National Media thinks? If they don’t respect Richt by now then they never will.

Richt doesn’t get the respect that Pete Carroll gets because he isn’t the attention seeking prima donna that Carroll is. Except for perhaps those USC teams in 2004 and 2005, most of Richt’s teams would line up just fine with most of Carroll’s teams believe me. It’s all about perception. Richt doesn’t market himself to the National Media and I can promise you he doesn’t care what some nobody like Matt Hayes of Sporting News thinks. Richt doesn’t need their seal of approval and thrives as an underdog. And I can assure opposing teams that if they take UGA lightly, they will be in for a very rude awakening.

HH

July 14th, 2009
11:25 am

Sooner or later, in another two or three years, the fans that count at UGA will finally realize that: 1) Richt has reached his level of incompetence, or, competence, if that makes people feel better, and that 2) Richt is, and has been, overrated and overpaid. This could happen sooner rather then later if UGA has a couple more nationally televised meltdowns. OSU could be the game that starts things on the downward slope if Richt and Willie aren’t careful.

Carter S

July 14th, 2009
11:43 am

Mark, the Dawg fans who are reading this (and the ones that can, are) are not going to be very happy with you.

Jim Doannan as in Doans Pills

July 14th, 2009
11:48 am

I’m afraid ole Markie boy has reached his plateau. He has fell asleep at the wheel. He should have fired Willie and he should have never red shirted Moreno.What a waste of resources too. Many UGA fans were frustrated with CMR after the losses to Florida and Tech. Ain’t too many happy how we line up against the lamechickens as of late. Last year at homecoming it was sure awful quite after we let Vandy hang around. This year will be a huge letdown! Bank on it! You people still have the same hope when Ray Goof was coaching. Its time for Markie boy to go to the altar and lead the choir boys and let someone else take over the reigns at UGA.

Mark Bradley

July 14th, 2009
11:54 am

Brewdawg, you’re right. I need to remind myself that Paul Johnson had never coached a college football game until last season.

Jim Doannan as in Doans Pills

July 14th, 2009
11:54 am

I wasnt talking about Mark Bradley either!

Mark Bradley

July 14th, 2009
11:55 am

I never even got to the plateau, Coach Doannan. I tripped on the first rung.

Nick Saban

July 14th, 2009
11:57 am

I’ve never won 10 games two years in a row, and yet Matty Hayes thinks I’m the second best coach in the nation.

I also lost to Lousiana-Monroe two seasons ago.

brewdawg

July 14th, 2009
12:06 pm

Sure, CPJ had a good run at Navy. And yes, he’s a fine coach. But you miss the point. You are so quick to annoint the next best thing, and with your track record in doing so, you may want to back off. Bobby Johnson did fine at Navy before CPJ. It’s not like CPJ was handed the keys to Army. And Tech had 9 wins under Gailey, same as last year with CPJ. The only difference is that he beat UGA. So let me say I, as a Dawg fan, am flattered you think that the only way a Tech team can beat UGA is if they have one of the finest two coaches in the country.

Tom

July 14th, 2009
12:09 pm

If brew were to be honest he’d point out that he’s not nearly as flattered as he is scared.

Markie Boy Richt

July 14th, 2009
12:11 pm

Gosh wait a minute…. I lost to Vandy at homecoming 3 years ago. Lost to a pathetic South Carolina in which we never scored a TD in our own back yard 2 years ago. Oh yeah lost to a freshmen laid-en tech team with a new offense that wasnt fully implemeneted. Had two weeks to prepare too. hmmmmmm

Nick Saban

July 14th, 2009
12:18 pm

Vandy ‘06 and USC ‘07 both would have beaten Louisiana-Monroe by 20+.

Nick Saban

July 14th, 2009
12:19 pm

Remember that one time when a player of mine took a knee on a kickoff…only it was on the 1? That’s some coachin’, folks.

Mark Bradley

July 14th, 2009
12:21 pm

At the risk of giving away my super-secret rankings — coming at 2:30 p.m., you hear? — let me note I’m not quite as high on Saban as many folks seem to be. And I wouldn’t necessarily assume I’ve left Mark Richt off the list. I wouldn’t assume that at all.

brewdawg

July 14th, 2009
12:29 pm

For the record, I do think CPJ is better than Gailey. I do not think UGA will own Tech like they have the better part of this decade. I am, you see, not like most Dawg fans- meaning I am realistic. However, I will defend them when I feel it necessary. For instance, I’d love to sit down and talk to Jim Rome about his infatuation with hating and belittling Mark Richt.

Dawg1

July 14th, 2009
12:33 pm

I’ll take CMR over the rest. He is the right fit for UGA. The NCS will come, likely in a year when no one is expecting it and then he’ll suddenly be considered a ‘top 5 coach’ by over paid journalist.

Enjoy your golf game Mark.

Gatorzone

July 14th, 2009
12:35 pm

All the Saban bashers talking about losses to UL monroe, that stuff is irrelevant. He won the NC at LSU and competed for the SEC in his second year at Bama. I would say he is a pretty good coach!

Mark Bradley

July 14th, 2009
12:35 pm

Don’t play golf, I’m afraid. But overpaid? You got me there.

Nick Saban

July 14th, 2009
1:02 pm

“He won the NC at LSU and competed for the SEC in his second year at Bama.”

- Mark Richt went 13-1 in 2002. I went 13-1 in 2003. Both of us lost to Florida (Georgia by 7 in JAX, LSU by 12 in Death Valley). Mark Richt had undefeated Miami and undefeated tOSU in his way. There were no undefeated teams in 2003.

- Mark Richt won the SEC his second year at Georgia. He went on to win, as in not lose (like I did), the Sugar Bowl.

Melinda

July 14th, 2009
1:07 pm

Um Brew Dog, Bobby Johnson did not coach at Navy. Charlie Weatherbie coached at Navy. Bobby Johnson was the coach at Furman before Vanderbilt. Army was in better shape than Navy when PJ took over. Navy had a 1-20 record the two previous seasons (the worst string of losses in their history) and PJ took them to a bowl game in year 2. That’s pretty impressive. Army has had 3 coaches in that time who haven’t been able to turn their program around. Navy also had the #1 graduation rate in the country during his tenure as well. At GSU he took a team with a losing record and had them in the playoffs during his FIRST year. GSU played in three consecutive National Championship games and won two. One of them a blowout over the Youngstown State squad coached by The Sweater Vest. He was the OC during two championship runs in the 80s. He won five straight conference titles at GSU and took Navy to five straight bowl games. The proof is in the W-L record. He is a good coach.

Gatorzone

July 14th, 2009
1:24 pm

Uh, Nick Saban if you will look at my post I said earlier that Richt was a great coach and UGA would be crazy to get rid of him. I was not comparing the two, just stating that Saban is a really good coach. but, since you are comparing where is Richt’s tropy? Saban is winning at his second SEC school which everyone know is hard to do. Ask Spurrier.
Quit being sooo typical UGA and quit being so touchy.

brewdawg (the idiot)

July 14th, 2009
1:34 pm

Touche Melinda. I’m not sure where I got the Bobby Johnson idea into my head. I should have at least researched it. Being a Bradley acolyte, I am not immune to some ridiculous postings. That was pretty horrible on my part though.

However, I am not disputing CPJ’s skills. It just irritates me that all of a sudden he’s better than CMR because of one game. Make it a trend first, then start talking. That’s why I warned UGA fans that one endzone celebratory win over Florida did not necessarily signal a changing of the guard.

GT Gators

July 14th, 2009
1:50 pm

Just My Two Cents…..When Spurrier came to UF he was a GOD after coaching Duke to winning Seasons….Then he goes to UF with better ahtletes, talent and coaches and is Now coaching in the same conference and he is mediocre at best. Meyer is coaching at UF and this after coaching Utah and having success. If Meyer can keep the talent and athletes coming to UF he will be on the top of the ladder. The same for Saban…..They can coach.

As for CMR and CPJ…..CPJ will have to prove himself over time and I personally think that he will. He has won everywhere he has been. The fault is that UGA fans want to talk about the offense and the last 8 years and a fluke win and GT playing in a weak conference. That ship don’t sail here in the real world. In that 7 year run of wins for UGA many fluke things happened…Reggie and the 4th down play, Tony Taylor picking up a fumble and running it back for a TD, And we can go on and on. As far as a weak Conference I would say that outside of UF, Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU and UGA the rest of the conference is Bottom of the ladder teams.

Now CMR……Good Coach, Proven Winner, Character Guy, Great Recruiter, Makes bad choices…HOLD ON….He has had how many Top 10 Recruiting classes and what has he done with that talent? Everyone was calling for WM head last year and he kept him? He allowed a silly stunt in Jax 2 yrs ago during a game against a rival? The team(not CMR) fell on its face in 3 games last year(UF=Blowout, Alabama=Blowout, GT=Blow-Up in 2nd half)? CMR will win a NC at some point in his career and when he does it will be bliss. But until he makes better choices and the players start following the lead of the coach and stay out of trouble and put thier heart, mind and soul into football like all the UGA fans then he will have trouble winning the elusive NC. And BTW he was the coach last season during those 3 games listed above and didn’t make the adjustments that a coach needed to make.

Top 10 coaches IMHO
1-Meyer-UF….2 NC in 3 yrs amybe 3 out of 4
2-Carroll-USC….Great Recruiter always up for the big game
3-Saban-Ala…..Great Recruiter only gonna get better
4-Brown-Texas…..Under the radar but always wins
5-Beamer-VT…..Defence is his staple and coaches in a smaller market
6-Davis-UNC…..Proven winner and building a great program
7-Nutt-Ole Miss…..Last year was the beginning
8-Johnson-GT…..Look Above
8-Richt-UGA…….Look Above
10-Rodrigez-Michigan……Won at WVU and getting the talent to run his offense in Michigan
10-Tressel-OSU….Good coach just not a Big Game Coach!

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