Ultimate Depth Chart: Coaches

Today starts the "Ultimate Depth Chart" series. I will name the 85 players (the NCAA limit for scholarship players) that would make up the ultimate depth chart. First off is the coaches. The coaches set the tone and control the ebb and flow of the team. They are responsible for understanding the goals of the team and guiding the team in that direction by way of a plan. They make the difficult decisions in recruiting, off the field situations, depth chart issues and of course play calling. The following three coaches are the coaches I feel would best direct a program to the top of a conference and national title race and would best manage the "ultimate depth chart" team through a rigorous 12-14 game college football season.

Head Coach: Paul “Bear” Bryant”, Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Alabama (1945-1982)
-Bear Bryant won 73.2% of his games as a head coach, going 323-85-17 over 42 seasons. During his 25 seasons at the University of Alabama, Bryant won six national titles (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978 and 1979), including back-to-back championships twice, and brought the SEC title back to Tuscaloosa 13 times. Bryant’s first Alabama team did not make a bowl game, but for the following 24 seasons the Tide rolled somewhere for post season play. Bryant was 15-12-2 all time in bowl games. Bryant had an eye for coaching talent, mentoring future great coaches Howard Schnellenberger, Pat Dye and Gene Stallings, among others.

Assistant Head Coach: Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma (1947-1963)
-Wilkinson engineered one of the greatest runs in college football history by winning 47 straight games from 1953 to 1957. The 47 game win streak included two of Wilkinson’s three National Titles (1950, 1955, 1956). The 1956 team is considered among the best of all-time. The Sooners also had a 31 game winning steak from 1948 to 1950. Wilkinson’s teams also won 74 consecutive conference games. Wilkinson’s teams posted a 145-29-4 overall record, winning three National Titles and 14 Conference Titles (in only 17 seasons). Of Wilkinson’s 17 season, 8 resulted in double-digit win totals, four of which were undefeated. His 82.5 winning percentage is still among the best of all time. Wilkinson went on to be a successful color commentator for ABC and was inducted into the college football hall-of-fame in 1969.

Assistant Head Coach: Tom Osborne, Nebraska (1973-1997)
- Osborne is the model of consistency in college football coaching history. Osborne won at least 9 games each of his 25 years at the helm and posted a 255-49-3 record, becoming the coach fastest to reach 250 wins. His teams won 83.6% of their games, among the best percentages in history. During his 25 seasons, Osborne’s teams only spent three weeks outside the top 25 and finished in the top 15 in 24 out of 25 seasons (24th in 1990). In the last five seasons of his career as a head coach, Osborne coached Nebraska to one of the best runs in college football history. From 1993-1997, the Huskers won three national titles (1994, 1995, 1997), played in another national title game (1993), went 4-1 in bowl games, won four conference titles and posted a 60-3 record. His 1995 squad is considered among the best in college football history. In all, Osborne's teams captured 13 conference titles. Osborne was named Nebraska's athletic director in 2007.