I’m really not sure what to say about this, but Ryan Day didn’t make Pro Football Focus’ list of top twenty college football coaches heading into 2021. If you read all nuts and bolts of what coaches Seth Galena puts on the list, it appears he puts more stock in the “opportunity to win games” versus actually being a good coach like the title says. Still, if you are going to have Nick Saban of Alabama at No. 1, you can’t leave another shiny program, Ohio State, off the list.
Here’s how the rankings — somewhat hilariously might I add — play out.
1. Nick Saban, Alabama
2. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
3. Kirby Smart, Georgia
4. Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
5. Dan Mullen, Florida
6. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
7. Matt Campbell, Iowa State
8. Kyle Whittingham, Utah
9. Lance Leipold, Kansas
10. Mack Brown, North Carolina
11. Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina
12. Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
13. Jimbo Fisher, Florida State
14. Mark Stoops, Kentucky
15. Luke Fickell, Cincinnati
16. Tom Allen, Indiana
17. Jeff Monken, Army
18. James Franklin, Penn State
19. Billy Napier, Louisiana
20. P.J. Fleck, Minnesota
Kirby Smart is No.3, so that blows the whole hypothesis of opportunity to win out of the water since he’s done less with some of the best talent than anyone we can think of.
It is, of course, an opinion ranking, and everyone is entitled to that, but not ranking Day among the top twenty is a far, far reach no matter if you put more disclaimers than a credit card statement on the whole deal.
In fact, we did the math and Day is a combined 9-2 against this “best” coaches list. Let’s call this what it is — a total miss. Say what you want about Day being young in his career, or that Ohio State has too many advantages, and I can find examples that pertain to a name on this list to counter that.
There is simply no way, no how Day is not one of the 20 best coaches in college football on almost any list you want to make right now. Anyway, it appears Galena caught some slack for it too.
Welp. I don’t blame people for giving a super wedgie to these rankings. If you think James Franklin is a better coach than Day after two straight years of declining performance, for example, you are in an extreme minority. Like most others on this list.
List
Ranking the Big Ten football head coaches heading into 2021
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