Who is the No 1 Coach in Football?

The AP poll lists Dabo Swinney as the No. 1 coach in the football world, and there is a good reason for it. He has turned around a Clemson program that had never made the top 10.

Red Blaik

If you have ever played college football, you have undoubtedly seen the name, Red Blaik. He was an assistant coach to Duffy Daugherty and a graduate school seminar at the Army. Later, he developed the veer offense, which transformed college football. Teams like Texas and Darrell Royal adopted it to win the national championship, and many other programs followed suit.

Before becoming a head coach, Blaik was a star player at Miami University in Ohio. After college, he was an All-American end for the Army. He left the Army in 1922 to join his father in the real estate business but found his calling as an assistant coach in Wisconsin. The legendary coach also played for George Little at Miami before returning to the Army as an assistant coach. He accepted the head coaching position at Dartmouth in 1934.

George Halas

George Halas is a legendary figure in American football. He paved the way for the growth of the National Football League and helped turn the game into what has become known as the mythical “national pastime.” Born in 1895, Halas grew up in Chicago with a family of Czech immigrants. 

During World War I, Halas served as an ensign in the Navy and played for the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. He was also named the MVP of the Rose Bowl game. Which took place on New Year’s Day 1919. He teamed up with Jimmy Conzelman and Paddy Driscoll, scored a receiving touchdown, and returned an interception for 77 yards. During the game, Halas’ team beat the Mare Island Marines 17-9.

Kirk Ferentz

While there are many other great football coaches, few have the proven success of Kirk Ferentz. His success is rooted in his ability to develop players to their full potential. Ferentz is an excellent motivator and has a knack for highlighting individual players. As a result, he has coached players who may not have received the highest level of attention in high school yet have now become top NFL players.

As a coach, Ferentz has said he’s most content turning little-known recruits into big-time college stars. So if Iowa’s recruiting rankings dip to the 60s this fall, he probably won’t be concerned because he’ll find a way to turn the small-town Iowa farmer into a superstar. And once he does, he’ll shape the team around that star.

Dave Aranda

It isn’t just his stature as a former head coach that makes him the top candidate. His reputation for winning is well established. Aranda has been a head coach at two schools, including Baylor and Wisconsin. His record is impressive, and he knows how to handle the early frustrations of college football. He has been asked to speak at clinics and explain his defense to other coaches, who have been surprised by his style.

As a player, Aranda attended Redlands University. His parents were immigrants from Guadalajara. In the playoffs, he fractured his shoulder and had to play with it taped to his side. The injury kept him off most recruiting lists, so he worked as a truck-stop security guard for the graveyard shift. He also considered joining the Navy.

Dan Quinn

Dan Quinn was one of the hottest names in the head coaching cycle. He’s the former defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys and has head coaching experience. He’ll remain with the Cowboys through 2022. But there are some doubts about his abilities.

Quinn has a history with Paton. The two were on the same staff in the Miami Dolphins in 2005.  Paton and Quinn talked about a possible collaboration. However, Paton preferred to stay in Minnesota and continue working there.

Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh has been a successful coach at every stop in his career, including four seasons as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. In his first three seasons, the 49ers went 44-19 and won the NFC championship. In 2012, they won the George Halas Trophy as NFC champions. He is 96-41 as a head coach, including nine seasons at the collegiate level.

As the head coach of Michigan, Jim Harbaugh is trying to build on that momentum and restore the Wolverines’ program to its previous status as a college football juggernaut. The upcoming season will be most important in establishing Harbaugh’s legacy in Ann Arbor. He must match up against his predecessors to prove he is a top coach.

Tony Benitez

Known as Rafael Benitez, he was a manager at Liverpool from 2008 to 2010. He was fired from the club midway.  A few months later, he was appointed as the interim manager of Chelsea, where he won the 2012-13 Europa League. After that, he managed Napoli, winning the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana in his first season with the club. He was sacked in January 2016 but was hired back by Newcastle United in March 2016. He managed the club for one season and led it to the Championship title the following season.

During his time as manager of Napoli, Benitez often used a 4-2-3-1 formation, which was based around a lone striker. His wide forwards often cut infield to shoot across the goal. The lone striker often started in an advanced position and then retreated to a deeper position once he reached the final third.