Pruitt - Two Year Review

Which is longer: the list of coaches who have done it or the list of schools?

 

I would guess coaches. In fact I am sure of it, as schools like tOSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, etc all have won natties with several different coaches.

 

Now given that coaches have a more limited time period in which to accomplish this feat than a school does, it seems to me that there is something to the idea that there less schools that can do it than there are coaches that can do it. When is the last time a school claimed its first national title? Colorado in 1990? And before that, BYU in 1984? Something like 60 schools have "won a national championship" which includes some years with multiple credible claims, and generally the arguable/ridiculous claims are not a school's only national title.

It seems like it kind of goes both ways on this. The school matters tremendously up to a point, which limits the number of coaches who get a real opportunity at having a shot. At the same time, it seems like repeat national title winning coaches are far more common than one-off winners lately, and they can do it at multiple schools. Florida vs Ohio State or LSU vs Alabama doesn't matter. But Michigan State vs other large schools seems to. Utah and Bowling Green vs Florida and Ohio state seems to. Tennessee is a school where you can legitimately contend for a title if you are a great coach. Kentucky is less so, and South Carolina is historically NOT such a place, as examples. those are both big state schools, so I am not sure what the reason is for that but that is looking at well over a century of football for all these teams.

 

I agree but the fact that Larry Coker can say yes to both tarnishes that list. I know he didn't do the leg work but still.

 

He inherited 50 first round picks. You and I could have won a Natty that year.

 

Which demonstrates that "school" can be a major factor.

 

They were stacked!

 

Arguably the best college team, ever.

 

Tenny could have won with that roster.

 

Don't go crazy on me now.

 

Florida in 1996. And before that, Florida State in 1993.

(Although I’m not sure I disagree with your broader musings)

 

12 schools have won a NC in the last 20. The four in the playoffs are among those 12.

Since Saban’s dominance started 10 years ago 4 other programs have won.

 

UCF, 2017.

 

Ya, I should have phrased that more carefully.

 

But Kirby Smart can't

 

Whoa, look at Mr. Blind Optimism over here!

 

I like very much that SC is coached by a dumbass.

Somebody on here once referred to him as Captain Caveman. I'm pleased to have the good Captain in the SECe.

 

Kirby lost one to a Nick Saban coached Bama team that had 60.