Greatest Football Coach in UC history?

[shanacker]

Thought this could be an interesting topic. Based on what I know, I would say BK.

[CaptainProbasco]

Coaches with the most wins:

53 - Rick Minter
50 - Sid Gillman
34 - Brian Kelly

Based on this, the answer is Rick Minter

[Bearcat Otto]

You forgot to mention the coches with the most losses.

You will find Minter's name there as well.

[nachoman91]

Unless you were around in the 50's there really is only one answer to this question.....Brian Kelly. You can discuss the merits of Rick Minter bringing UC up to a level of semi-respectability but in my opinion this pales in comparison to Brian Kelly's three 10+ win seasons, two BCS bowls, an undefeated regular season, three times top 25 ranked at the end of a season, and a national ranking as high as #3.

Who knows what lies ahead for UC sports but I am sure glad I was around to see what might have been the greatest run for UC football in its history.

[Rational Cat]

Kelly or Gillman.

Both great coaches, both great innovators. Gillman revolutionized the passing game. Air Coryell, of San Diego Chargers fame, came directly from Gillman's mind.

My favorite BK story is how he came in here when Dantonio's staff left, and coached the Cats to the International Bowl win over Western Michigan, thus beating them twice in one year, with 2 different teams and 2 different styles of play.

[richard k.]

Unless you were around in the 50's there really is only one answer to this question.....Brian Kelly. You can discuss the merits of Rick Minter bringing UC up to a level of semi-respectability but in my opinion this pales in comparison to Brian Kelly's three 10+ win seasons, two BCS bowls, an undefeated regular season, three times top 25 ranked at the end of a season, and a national ranking as high as #3.

Who knows what lies ahead for UC sports but I am sure glad I was around to see what might have been the greatest run for UC football in its history.

In fact I WAS there during the 50's - and while I give Kelly great credit for what he did and is doing, only ONE coach in the history of the game is in both the college and pro halls of fame - Gillman. When Kelly accomplishes that I will put him on the same level as Gillman.

[JDBEARCAT]

Sid Gilman without a doubt.

[OCASCM07]

First is are we looking at just at UC, just at a college level, or all levels.

No matter what in order to look at this with no bias and taking into account wins before and after UC in order to determine it you'd have to look at Overall Career Winning % counting bowl/playoff wins as 2 wins, National/SuperBowl Championship wins as 4, counting ties as a half win.

That would take a long time to figure out but I bet Tom Fennnell would be near the top of the list if someone did it. Sid Gilman also has one heck of a coaching tree and record so I know he'd be up there as well.

[subflea]

Unless you were around in the 50's there really is only one answer to this question.....Brian Kelly.

I wasn't around in the 50's, but I can still say it is Sid Gillman.

[bearcatbret]

Until someone stays around as long as Mentor did and has the success that Kelly had, it is hard to say. I hope we find a coach that has 9+ win seasons every year for the next 20 years.

[mjv780]

I hope we find a coach that has 9+ win seasons every year for the next 20 years.

I'd say we have a pretty solid foundation at that point...

[RockOfTruth]

Thought this could be an interesting topic. Based on what I know, I would say BK.

I guess it depends on how you define 'greatest', which is very subjective. From a win-loss standpoint, Brian Kelly was the best. I don't think total number of wins really counts, because Minter won less than 50% of his games, but stuck around the longest for his 53 wins. Surely, that can't be considered great. There are intangibles as well. Kelly got the practice fields and bubble for UC, which goes a long way (in my opinion) on building a great program not just having a great team. Good conversation, but as great as Gillman was, I think Brian Kelly gets my vote for the greatest.

Sid Gillman, 50-13-1 (winning 78.9%), 0-1 bowl games
Rick Minter, 53-63-1 (winning 45.7%), 1-3 bowl games
Brian Kelly, 34-6 (winning 85%), 2-1 bowl games

[shadyo]

I guess it depends on how you define 'greatest', which is very subjective. From a win-loss standpoint, Brian Kelly was the best. I don't think total number of wins really counts, because Minter won less than 50% of his games, but stuck around the longest for his 53 wins. Surely, that can't be considered great. There are intangibles as well. Kelly got the practice fields and bubble for UC, which goes a long way (in my opinion) on building a great program not just having a great team. Good conversation, but as great as Gillman was, I think Brian Kelly gets my vote for the greatest.

Sid Gillman, 50-13-1 (winning 78.9%), 0-1 bowl games
Rick Minter, 53-63-1 (winning 45.7%), 1-3 bowl games
Brian Kelly, 34-6 (winning 85%), 2-1 bowl games

Is it the greatest UC FB Coach or the greatest FB Coach to coach at UC. Either way it is between Kelly and Gillman with the Kelly story still being written if you are to judge the entire career. If you just look at the time at UC, I would give the nod to Gillman.
I think the foundation has been laid to point that this will be a much longer list in the future.

[OCASCM07]

Here's what the research for the coaches I could find say regardless of tenure

TOP 5 BEST WINNING % AT UC
1. Tom Fennell (86.36%)
2. Brian Kelly (85%)
3. Sid Gillman (78.91%)
4. Amos Foster (73.33%)
5. Frank Cavanaugh (72.22%)

TOP 5 BEST WINNING % CAREER
1. Amos Foster (76.92%)
2. George Little (75.68%)
3. Brian Kelly (75.09%)
4. Frank Cavanaugh (73.1%)
5. Tom Fennell (69.35%)

TOP 5 MOST WINS AT UC
1. Rick Minter (53)
2. Sid Gillman (50)
3. Brian Kelly (34)
4. George Blackburn (25)
5. Tony Mason (25)

TOP 5 MOST WINS CAREER
1. Sid Gilman (204)
2. Brian Kelly (199)
3. Tim Murphy (160)
4. Frank Cavanaugh (145)
5. Tommy Tuberville (130) Yes I included him just for comparison sakes

TOP 5 FOR UC BASED ON THE MOST TOP 5 RANKINGS ABOVE
1. Brian Kelly (4)
2. Sid Gilman (3) His Professional Coaching Numbers Skew Winning %
3. Frank Cavanaugh (3)
4. Amos Foster (2)
5. Tom Fennell (2)

MY TOP 5 BASED ON AVERAGE RANKINGS FOR THOSE 4 CATEGORIES
1. Brian Kelly (2.5)
2. Sid Gillman (4.25)
3. Tommy Tubberville (7.5)
4. Butch Jones (8.25)
5. Frank Cavanaugh (9.75)

[RedRocker]

Sid Gilman without a doubt.

I'll second that with BK close behind. Way before my time, but my dad watched a lot of UC back then since he grew up in Mt. Auburn and told me it was a great time to be a UC fan.