A good morning to reflect on college football

[Hajo]

And WELL DONE BAMA!  Roll Tide you deserved it!

[Plazus]

I look at it this way.  I always want Michigan to beat Ohio State.  But, after that game, I want Ohio State to do as well as possible, so that it is clear Michigan was playing a great team.

Very good point. I just can't help but feel so dirty inside at the thought of cheering on TTUN in the NC game. Now if they're playing in any other bowl game, I'd be okay with pulling for them for the win. It was a good, satisfying feeling watching TTUN trounce Florida in this year's bowl game. So far this millennium, Florida really had Ohio State's number in sports (IE: 2006 National Championships in both football and men's basketball, and in 2011 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl).

[-ammo-]

First - thanks Hajo.

I think Nick Saban can claim the greatest of all time at this point (GOAT).  Anyone want to argue that?

I'm an Alabama fan, and without a doubt bias.  I have beaten that drum that the Bear was the greatest - but what Saban has accomplished in coaching career is hard to dispute.

[Ramesis]

I'm an Alabama fan, and without a doubt bias.  I have beaten that drum that the Bear was the greatest - but what Saban has accomplished in coaching career is hard to dispute.

What about Shug Jourdan? 

[Brooke]

First - thanks Hajo.

I think Nick Saban can claim the greatest of all time at this point (GOAT).  Anyone want to argue that?

I'm an Alabama fan, and without a doubt bias.  I have beaten that drum that the Bear was the greatest - but what Saban has accomplished in coaching career is hard to dispute.

Maybe you are biased, but that doesn't mean you aren't right.    No one can argue with the performance of Alabama and Saban.

[Plazus]

I think Nick Saban can claim the greatest of all time at this point (GOAT).  Anyone want to argue that?

Nick Saban is without a doubt one of the best football coaches in the modern era. Is he the greatest of all time? Depends on who you ask and how you look at it. Here's some stats to munch over:

Nick Saban:
Years Coached = 20 years
Career Record = 196-60-1 overall and in NCAA major schools is at 191-60-1
Career Win Percentage = 76.5%
Bowl Record = 8-8
Bowl Win Percentage = 50%
Lowest Win Percentage at specific school = Michigan State @ 58.5% where his record there is 34-24
Lowest Win Percentage of any season = 50% tied for years 1996 and 1998 at Michigan State where his teams were 6-6 each season
Highest Win Percentage at specific school = Alabama @ 85.4% where his record there is 105-18
Highest Win Percentage of any season = 100% for the 2009 season at Alabama. His team was 14-0 that year.

Nick Saban has built a football factory and a dynasty at Alabama. He only has one undefeated season as a head coach. His success will be marked in the history books for many years to come. Ever since he left Michigan State to coach at LSU, he has improved in coaching, recruiting, and managing the game. It's paid off in lots of wins and national titles. He's had 22 Consensus All-Americans at Alabama alone (testament to excellent recruiting and coaching) and 26 altogether.

Since I have a bias as well, and I'm an Ohio State fan, I'll post up Urban's numbers for comparison.

Urban Meyer:
Years Coached = 14 years
Career Record = 154-27
Career Win Percentage = 85.1%
Bowl Record = 9-2
Bowl Win Percentage = 81.8%
Lowest Win Percentage at specific school = Bowling Green @ 73.9% where is record there is 17-6
Lowest Win Percentage of any season = 72.7% at Bowling Green in 2001 where his team was 8-3 that year
Highest Win Percentage at specific school = Ohio State @ 92.6% where is record there is 50-4
Highest Win Percentage of any season = 100% at Utah in 2004 where they went 12-0. 100% at Ohio State in 2012 where they went 12-0 without a bowl appearance.

Urban Meyer is competing against coaches 100 years ago in regards to the highest winning percentage in major FBS schools. Only two coaches rank above him in all-time winning percentage (Knute Rockne of Notre Dame and Frank Leahy of Boston College/Notre Dame). Among all active FBS head coaches, no one else even comes close to matching his win percentage. Bob Stoops comes in at 2nd with 79.5%. He also has two undefeated seasons as head coach (three if you only count the regular season games). He has three national championships to his name. When he took over as head coach for Ohio State, he won 24 straight games before losing to Michigan State in the 2013 Big Ten Championship game. In fact, as OSU head coach, Meyer has only ever lost to one Big Ten team in his career- and that is Michigan State. He is 4-0 against his chief rival, Michigan at OSU. Meyer has also won more national championships than he has bowl game losses (3 vs 2). Meyer only has 9 Consensus All-Americans in his entire coaching career (7 of which are from his time at Florida).

So who is the greatest of all time? Well Nick Saban is a seasoned coach and has "seen it all". He's had good years and bad years both. As Alabama head coach, he has built a college football powerhouse that churns out All-Americans and NFL players like socks in a sock factory. Saban is in his golden years of coaching. Urban Meyer is still a young coach in the grand scheme of things. He's got plenty of coaching years ahead of him. His incredible winning percentages may go up or down in the coming years as the college football game evolves.

Nick Saban and Urban Meyer are the only two FBS head coaches to have won a national championship at two different schools. Meyer claimed the 1st CFP national championship and Saban has claimed the 2nd CFP national championship.

[Hajo]

Urban Meyer hasn't done so bad either. Urban is only50 years old, Saban around 65.  Urban Meyer has time to build his championship complete resume.

I know I am a Buckeye fan, but I feel that OSU had a better chance at Bama.  OSU has 9 underclassman entering the draft not to include the Seniors.

The Buckeyes were loaded with NFL talent.  Would have ben a better match imho.

[Brooke]

The Buckeyes were loaded with NFL talent.  Would have ben a better match imho.

I think most people would agree.

[Masherbrum]

Saban would come 2nd in current with Urban ahead of him.   As far as better than Bear?   Bear has Six National Championships if memory serves.    I would place Bear ahead of Saban at this point.

[-ammo-]

I think most people would agree.

That is speculation, although I know there were a bunch of OSU fans and players that were sick after the Bama-MSU game.

As for Urban Meyer - definitely a great head football coach.  The delineation between he and Saban is three additional NC titles for the latter.  That is another indicator of success that IMO, makes Sabah the better coach

[Hajo]

Ammo, Urban has many more years to go, Saban doesn't.  So we'll see when the day is done.  Can't argue about Urbans' record being better then Sabin's by all accounts.

And may I remind you the SEC,s best coaches are from the B1G.  Someone had to teach those southern boys how to play football!   

[-ammo-]

Haha good one Hajo

This Bama fan thanks you for Saban

[Plazus]

But that's not the best part... Many of the greatest football coaches of all time came from Ohio. There's a good reason it is referred to as the birthplace of elite coaches.

[-ammo-]

But that's not the best part... Many of the greatest football coaches of all time came from Ohio. There's a good reason it is referred to as the birthplace of elite coaches.

I didn't know Ohio is known for that....  Do they all end up in Alabama? 

[Hajo]

I didn't know Ohio is known for that....  Do they all end up in Alabama? 

AMMO...........in recollection which is poor, Don Shula, Lou Holtz, Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, Urban Meyer, Paul Brown and more.

I can't remember the rest.  I think George Halas was as well but I do know that there are more then I listed.

Ohio was the start of the NFL.  Thus Footballs HOF is there.  High School football in Ohio is one of the best states for college recruiting.

Ohio supplies players to MSU, Michigan, Notre Dame and when OSU played in the Nat. Championship last year two Oregon starters were from Ohio.

Ohio provides many more HS players to college programs around the country that I've mentioned such as Penn State etc.