Top 5 College Football Coaches of All Time

 Top 5 College Football Coaches of All Time

Nick Saban. (2023, March 23). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Saban

In America, college football is one of the most popular sports. There have been a lot of great coaches over the years. Let's take a look at the top 5 college football coaches of all time.

There is no doubt that these coaches are legends in college football. Those coaches should all be considered the best in sports history.

Here are the top 5 college football coaches of all time, according to a recent poll of sportswriters and broadcasters:

Nick Saban (Alabama) 

Saban is the current head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, and he has won seven national championships, more than any other coach in college football history. He won 2 at LSU (2003) and 5 at Alabama (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2020). He is the only coach in college football history to win a national championship with two different schools.

Nicholas Lou Saban Jr. (born December 6, 1951) is an American football coach of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Nick Saban is currently the highest-paid college football coach in the country, earning $9.5 million annually.

Saban is widely considered to be one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. He has won seven national championships, more than any other coach in college football history. He has won six national championships at the Division I FBS level, two at LSU (2003) and five at Alabama (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2020). He also won a national championship at the Division I-AA level with Michigan State in 1988.

Saban is also a highly decorated coach. He has been named National Coach of the Year six times, and he has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Saban is known for his demanding coaching style and attention to detail. He is also known for recruiting top talent. He has built a national powerhouse at Alabama, and he is the undisputed king of college football.

Paul "Bear" Bryant (Alabama) 

Bear Bryant. (2023, April 1). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_Bryant

Bryant is the former head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, and he won six national championships.

Paul William "Bear" Bryant (September 11, 1913 – January 26, 1983) was an American college football player and coach. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, and is best known as the head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships. Upon his retirement in 1982, he held the record for the most wins (323) as a head coach in collegiate football history. The Paul W. Bryant Museum, Paul W. Bryant Hall, Paul W. Bryant Drive, and Bryant-Denny Stadium are all named in his honor.

Bryant was born in Moro Bottom, Arkansas, and raised in Fordyce, Arkansas. He played college football at the University of Alabama, where he was an All-American lineman. After graduating from Alabama, Bryant served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, he began his coaching career as an assistant coach at the University of Maryland. He then served as head coach at the University of Kentucky (1946–1953) and Texas A&M University (1954–1957) before returning to Alabama in 1958.

Bryant's teams at Alabama were known for their toughness, discipline, and execution. He was a master of game preparation and motivation, and he always seemed to have his teams ready to play their best football on Saturdays. Bryant's teams won six national championships (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, and 1979), and they appeared in 32 bowl games. He was named National Coach of the Year six times.

Bryant retired from coaching after the 1982 season. He died of a heart attack in 1983 at the age of 69. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

Bryant is one of the most iconic figures in the history of college football. He is a legend in the state of Alabama, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of coaches and players for years to come.

Tom Osborne (Nebraska) 

Tom Osborne. (2023, March 8). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Osborne

Osborne is the former head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and he won three national championships.

Tom Osborne is a former American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and politician from Nebraska. He served as Nebraska Cornhuskers' head football coach from 1973 to 1997 (25 seasons). After being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999, Osborne was elected to Congress in 2000 from Nebraska's third district as a Republican. He served three terms (2001–2007), returned to the University of Nebraska as athletic director in 2007, and retired in 2013.

Osborne played college football as a quarterback and wide receiver at Hastings College. Soon after finishing his brief NFL career, he was hired by Nebraska head coach Bob Devaney as an assistant. Osborne was named Devaney's successor in 1973. Over the next 25 years established himself as one of the best coaches in college football history with his trademark I-formation offense and revolutionary strength, conditioning, and nutrition programs. He retired with a career record of 255–49–3 (.836), 13 conference titles, and three national championships. He coached 53 All-Americans, including 1983 Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier.

Osborne's teams were known for their discipline, execution, and toughness. He was a master of game preparation and motivation, and he always seemed to have his teams ready to play their best football on Saturdays. Osborne's teams won three national championships (1994, 1995, and 1997), and they appeared in 34 bowl games. He was named National Coach of the Year three times.

Osborne retired from coaching after the 1997 season. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. He was elected to the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 2004.

Osborne is one of the most iconic figures in the history of college football. He is a legend in the state of Nebraska, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of coaches and players for years to come.

Woody Hayes (Ohio State) 

Woody Hayes. (2023, April 2). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Hayes

Hayes is the former head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, and he won five national championships.

Woody Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Denison University from 1946 to 1948, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio from 1949 to 1950, and Ohio State University from 1951 to 1978, compiling a career college football coaching record of 238–72–10. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1983.

As head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Hayes led his teams to a 205–61–10 record (.761), including three consensus national championships (1954, 1957, and 1968), two other non-consensus national titles (1961 and 1970), 13 Big Ten conference championships, and eight Rose Bowl appearances. Hayes was a three-time winner of The College Football Coach of the Year Award, now known as the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award, and was "the subject of more varied and colorful anecdotal material than any other coach past or present, including fabled Knute Rockne", according to biographer Jerry Brondfield.

Hayes was born in Clifton, Ohio, in 1913. He attended Denison University, where he played football, and graduated in 1935. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, he began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Denison. He then served as the head coach at Miami (Ohio) (1949–1950) and Ohio State (1951–1978).

Hayes was a demanding coach who expected his players to give their all. He was also a fierce competitor who was not afraid to argue with officials. Hayes' temper sometimes got the best of him, and he was involved in several on-field incidents. In 1978, he punched a Clemson player after the Gator Bowl, and he was fired by Ohio State shortly thereafter.

Hayes died in 1987 at the age of 74. He is considered one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. His legacy is complex, but he is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in the history of the sport.

Bud Wilkinson (Oklahoma) 

Bud Wilkinson. (2023, March 31). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Wilkinson

Wilkinson is the former head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, and he won four national championships.

Charles Burnham "Bud" Wilkinson (April 23, 1916 – February 9, 1994) was an American football player, coach, broadcaster, and politician. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1947 to 1963, compiling a record of 145–29–4. His Oklahoma Sooners won three national championships (1950, 1955, and 1956) and 14 conference titles. Between 1953 and 1957, Wilkinson's Oklahoma squad won 47 straight games, a record that still stands at the highest level of college football. After retiring from coaching following the 1963 season, Wilkinson entered into politics and, in 1965, became a broadcaster with ABC Sports.

Wilkinson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and attended Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Faribault, Minnesota. He played college football at the University of Minnesota, where he was an All-Big Ten Conference selection in 1936 and 1937. After graduating from Minnesota, Wilkinson served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

After the war, Wilkinson began his coaching career as an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota. He then served as the head coach at the University of Tulsa (1944–1946) before being hired by Oklahoma in 1947.

Wilkinson's teams at Oklahoma were known for their discipline, execution, and toughness. He was a master of game preparation and motivation, and he always seemed to have his teams ready to play their best football on Saturdays. Wilkinson's teams won three national championships (1950, 1955, and 1956), and they appeared in 14 bowl games. He was named National Coach of the Year three times.

Wilkinson retired from coaching after the 1963 season. He entered into politics and, in 1965, became a broadcaster with ABC Sports. He also served as the athletic director at Oklahoma from 1964 to 1969.

Wilkinson died in 1994 at the age of 77. He is considered one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. His legacy is complex, but he is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in the history of the sport.

These coaches are all considered to be among the greatest in the history of college football. They have all won multiple national championships, and they have all had a profound impact on the sport.