Even as Nick Saban slinks a hasty retreat back to the college ranks, the names of other NCAA coaches — Kirk Ferentz, Pete Carroll — continue to bubble up for openings in the pro coaching ranks.
Which raises the question: Why?
When will NFL owners look at the track record and realize that college coaches are to the pros what National League pitchers are to the American League: Star talent in the lower circuit rarely translates to the big leagues.
Saban joins the ever-growing pile of the of college coach carcasses that the pro league has chewed and discarded. Remember Steve Spurrier? Dennis Erickson? (Twice!) Butch Davis? Rich Brooks? Did you know that Lou Holtz was once a head coach of the Jets? He even game them a fight song. (I’m not making that up.)
The Sporting News’ Dan Pompei, writing in 2005, noted:
Of the past 15 NFL coaching hires who came directly from college jobs, nine had records below .500 in their first NFL jobs. Overall, their combined winning percentage was .467.
There are exceptions, of course, most notably Jimmy Johnson. One could argue that Barry Switzer also qualifies as an exception, but his success was really the residue of Johnson’s planning. Tom Coughlin has had, ahem, mixed success, and may be available to return to the college ranks by this time next week.
In the current case, SI.com’s Don Banks has a good read on what went wrong with Saban, who will undoubtedly return to glory back in the minor leagues.
There is precedent for that as well: Take the case of Pete Carroll, who makes the case in the reverse direction. He was one-and-done as top man for the Jets. He was undistinguished as head of the Patriots. And he’s a deity as a college coach, making him the front-runner in Arizona for the Cardinals job. I would think that the Cards know better … but there’s a reason that they are the Cardinals.
January 3rd, 2007
I agree 100% and Jimmy Johnson walked into a perfect situiation with a boatload of picks from the Herschel Walker trade. what did he do in Miami?
Nothing about this Saban thing and the incesent calls from New York for the Giants to hire Weis isn’t slimy…
January 3rd, 2007
It is a different game with completely different leadership requirements. Someone said it best on the NFL Network yesterday (maybe Charles Davis?) In college, the kids call you “Coach”, in the pros the call you by your first name.
To me, asking a college coach to the NFL is a bit like showing up to an Indy race with a NASCAR. It might get you around the track, but its just a different race.
January 3rd, 2007
Umm, David? This is a sports blog — we don’t talk about NASCAR.
January 3rd, 2007
VROOOOM!!!!
January 3rd, 2007
You just guaranteed btw that I am going to find something to write about related to the world of NASCAR in the very near future…
January 4th, 2007
I disagree.
Firstly, most of these coaches in question have had previous NFL experience, INCLUDING Saban! Albeit not as a head coach. Most folks don’t realize he cut his teeth under Jerry Glanville with the Oilers, and then worked for Belichick for 3 years in Cleveland. As for these other coaches noted here? Ahem: Pete Carroll (Jets), Charlie Weis (Pats/Jets/Pats), even Ferentz worked for the Browns (Under Li’l Bill) and the Ravens — I think the theme may be ex-Belichick assistants here, and NOT successful college headmen!
Anyway, and more important (as to my disagreement), Rob quotes: Of the past 15 NFL coaching hires who came directly from college jobs, nine had records below .500 in their first NFL jobs. Overall, their combined winning percentage was .467. That means 6 had records of .500 or above. That’s not bad! Presumably, if you’re coming into a job in the NFL with a vacant position, it’s very likely that the guy before you was canned. Meaning, the team sucks, or underachieved, and thus wasn’t very good to begin with when you start. Pat Kirwan went a step further (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9489023) and this summer took a look at the last FIFTY first-year NFL head coaches, regardless of their previous stop. Check this: “the bottom line from all 50 first seasons: Only 17 of the 50 turned out to be winning seasons. 34% of the teams with a new head coach found a way to get nine or more wins in that first season.” Thus, you’re not very likely to do well in your first season, regardless of where you come from. In fact, 6 out of 15 for first-year-out-of-college coaches, is 40%. That’s better than the 34% overall mark Kirwan found. Looks like a college coach may be a better way to go! At least as far as success in the first year is concerned.
I leave you with my quote of the day:
“You can sleep well at night knowing I’m not a Carolina fan. My father raised me better than that.”
NASCAR’s Jeff Burton, a noted Duke fan
VRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!
February 13th, 2007
[...] Well, if the coach-in-waiting is Pete Carroll, I’d argue you have to be pretty dumb indeed. As I have asserted in this space in the past, college coaches simply cannot cut it in the pros. Of course Carroll was a pro HC before taking a college headset. But his track record was, err, less than impressive: He led the pathetic Jets to a 6-10 record in 1994 and got whacked after that single season for the immortal Rich Kotite. Two years later he took over a Patriots team that was coming off a Super Bowl appearance and coasted them to records of 10-6, 9-7, and finally 8-8 before the NY-NE coaching carousel spun once again, shooting College Pete off to California. [...]