Jim Tressel
overall record- 229-79-2 5-4 in bowl games 1 national championship
Bobby Bowden
overall record 377-129-4 21-10-1 2 national championships
Nick Saban
overall record 146-54-1 7-6 in bowl games 3 national championships
Paul "bear" Bryant
overall record 323-85-17 15-12 in bowl games 6 national champtionships
Urban Meyer
overall record 104-23 7-1 in bowl games 2 national championships
The one they call Woody
overall record 238-72-10 6-6 in bowl games 5 national championships
Guys I really take Urban on this list.... career 81% winner and 7-1 in bowl games!! thats insane! and hes only what 48???
Have to agree. I think Saban's game style traditionally matches up with what Ohio State is used to running with. Can't really debate the success Urban has had everywhere he has gone.
I don't always take names when I kick ass but when I do, they most often belong to a Wolverine.
Barry Switzer: 157–29–4 at Oklahoma (8-5 in Bowls, 3 Championships)
Tom Osborne: 255-49-3 at Nebraska (13-14 in Bowls, 3 Championships)
*EDIT: I guess I kind of missed the point of this post haha, I thought we were just listing the best coaches ever. Based upon their total body of work, Urban's record is beyond reproach. He won two championships in the nation's toughest conference, as well as dominating at every location he's coached. Probably the best big-game coach at this moment, I'm taking him. To be fair, though, Urban is in his prime; whilst total records of these coaches span their primes and downturns. So, with that in mind, I'm going to take Bobby Bowden. During his prime he was the king of a tough ACC (plus playing UF every year during the Spurrier years), while Bryant and Tressel took advantage of weak conferences during their most dominant spans. Woody's ability to reign over arguably the toughest conference in the nation at the time (the Big Ten) cannot be discounted; but Bowden's exploits are more consistent and reach longer than Hayes'.
I think you need to remove the Youngstown St wins from Tressel's record, if you are going to count those as wins, you also need to count his 4 Championships. One way or the other you need consistency.
"Michigan and "huge mistake" are synonymous"
-Mark Titus
I think you should throw out Tressel's DIV II (FCS) W/L record. [Ignoring the vacated games, which I do] That makes him 106-22 with an 83% winning percentage, 1 National title (but 3 title games), and a 6-4 bowl record. 7 out of 10 BIG championships including 6 in a row to end his career).
Woody coached 320 games. If Tressel kept up those numbers for 320 games (roughly 14 more seasons with a 12-14 game season), his record would be roughly 266-54, he would have appeared in at least 4 more title games, and would have won 10 more B1G championships. Of course these are all projections and factors like age, competition, and recruiting would greatly affect a true comparison, but based on body of work and what could've been (thankfully not for my Wolverines), I would take ol' Sweater Vest.
EDIT: Switzer and Osborne also had 83% winning percentages, with Osborne's marginally higher.
Those who stay will be CHAMPIONS!
~Bo Schembechler
I say Tress at this point. I have full faith that Urban Meyer will end up being a great coach at OSU but haven't seen him coach here yet. For all his past success I still have to reserve judgement until at least after game one.
BTW - I am just slightly young to take Woody. As a child, I watched him & obviously know what a legend he is, but can't pick him as I grew up mainly with Earl, Cooper & JT...
The world is full of kings & queens who'll blind your eyes & steal your dreams - it's heaven & hell - Ronnie James Dio.
Bear
"Attack the Strong, Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead!"
-Former OSU S&C Coach Lichter