Friday Flakes: Re-Ranking a Ranking of College Football Coaches

CBS Sports published their list of the top 25 college football coaches. This is how they determined their list in an article written by Tom Fornelli:

As for how these rankings are decided, our crew of CBS Sports college football writers voted on them. There are no strict guidelines on which we based our rankings. Some could just be voting based on what the coach has accomplished in their careers. Others might be voting strictly on which coach they would hire right now. More than likely, most are a blend of several different factors. I know that’s how I compiled mine.

So for fun I thought I would look at their list and pick three coaches I think are overrated, and thus should be ranked lower, and pick three coaches I think are underrated and thus should be ranked higher.

To be clear, the coaches on the overrated list are likely still really good coaches, but I’m just saying I would have ranked them lower.

Overrated

1. Lincoln Riley - Remember when Scott Frost was referenced as Lincoln Riley-lite? Well Lincoln Riley has never had to build a program from the ground up. He inherited quite a great situation. He has had two 12-2 seasons, so he isn’t a slouch. We will see in the coming season and after whether he is worthy of such a high ranking.
2. Kirby Smart - The main difference between his success at Georgia and that of Mark Richt is that Kirby Smart can flat out recruit. Since he showed up Georgia has probably been the third best team in terms of recruiting. Does that make him a great football coach? I don’t think so. Well maybe it does. We will likely disagree on that point. I think he has underachieved based off of the amount of talent he has brought in.
3. James Franklin - The question is whether 2016 and 2017 is a better indicator of the future or if 2018 is what Penn State should expect going forward from James Franklin. I don’t think Franklin will be in Happy Valley in three years as they have very high expectations for that football program. We wouldn’t know anything about that would we?

Underrated

1. Mike Leach - It’s crazy that he has been at Washington State since 2012. Unlike Lincoln Riley, Mike Leach has built two football programs from ground up. Texas Tech has been able to sustain the success Mike Leach had, and I expect we could say the same about Washington State whenever Mike Leach leaves.
2. Mark Dantonio - Is there anybody who does more with less? He doesn’t have great recruiting classes but still continues to pump out NFL draft picks on a yearly basis. On both sides of the ball. Wouldn’t that be nice.
3. David Shaw - I’m a David Shaw homer and I am proud of it. I wish Nebraska played like Stanford. Maybe for nostalgia’s sake. Regardless he also does very well with some of the major disadvantages that comes with a football program at Stanford. That being said, if my son somehow became good enough to play football at Stanford or Nebraska, I would do my best to send him to Stanford. And then go climb in a hole and cry.

SPORTS!

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