Who Are The Legendary Coaches Since 2000?

[alwayshavebeen]

Directly to the question - Nick Saban is the only "legendary coach" since 2000. 4 National Championships in that short period of time makes it undeniable.

 

[Bluegrasstide]

Great question. Saban is the only legit legend in that time. When did Alvarez step down at Wisconsin? I am not a Big Ten fan, but always thought he represented that university well. Won a few games, too.

 

[TideMan09]

There's one HC I think will be looked back on in a legendary way that's never won a NC..Coach Snyder from K State..What he's done there is unreal & is prolly the most likeable HC in the game..If he wasn't up there in age, I think he'd be the perfect hire at Texas, he would turn them around, and would unite the football program..

 

[RobK]

To me, the mark that separates the truly elite, "legendary" coaches is the ability to win two or more national titles, college or pro. I think the second title is the difference between a coach who may be legendary at his own program, his conference, or his region of the country vs. the coaches that are legendary on the national stage...the ones who can be measured against the great coaches of past era.

Since 2000, that leaves us with Coach Saban and Urban Meyer at the college level, and with Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin at the pro level.

You have other guys like Bill Cowher who is certainly legendary in Steelers' lore, or Bob Stoops who is a legendary OU coach, Spurrier who is a legendary Florida coach and legendary SEC coach, and even a man like Coach Stallings who was and is a legendary Alabama coach, but they don't have the multiple national titles that would cement them with the greats of all time.

No doubt, winning multiple titles today is harder than it ever was, both in college and in the NFL. College scholarship limitations that didn't exist in previous eras and almost universal TV exposure which has created a great deal of parity. The NFL has expanded numerous times since the days of Lombardi and also has free agency and a salary cap that the teams of the 70's and 80's (and before) didn't have to contend with.

 

[TexasBama]

Lavell Edwards is the only fairly recent retiree that could be considered legendary, given he's on the College HOF. Active coaches - CNS and SOS.

 

[CrimsonPride25]

Just for arguments sake, would Frank Beamer be in the conversation? I say this without looking at any of his numbers since 2000 but VaTech has always been pretty consistent

Legendary is also a pretty high classification for 14 years IMO

 

[rickvox79]

Our opponent this Thursday has had one of the best CFB coaches since 2000, although I wouldn't say legendary even though he probably had the chance to be in that conversation with a few more title game wins. Bob Stoops is 159-39 with 1 national title and 8 Big 12 titles. He's played in the national title game a total of 4 times I believe. So if you're talking since 2000, I believe he has been one of the top coaches, just don't think I'd use the word "legendary" though.