College Football: 10 Successful coaches who would flop in the NFL

Michael Collins

Nov 22, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Bobby Petrino and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly chat before the game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

A college football coach is a special breed, and even when a coach has success at the college level it doesn’t mean they would also be a great NFL coach.

Steve Spurrier is one of the most successful and revered coaches in college football. Even when his teams aren’t winning championships, opponents still fear the Spurrier-factor. But his brief stint in the NFL as head coach of the Washington Redskins (2002-2003) is a prime example of how winning in college doesn’t always translate to the same result in the NFL.

Mike Leach – Washington State Cougars

CFB Win Pct.: .585
Years in Current Postion: 3

Leach, affectionately known as “The Mad Scientist”, made his name as an offensive genius during his 10-year tenure at Texas Tech. He’s got a great personality and really relates to kids.

He hasn’t seen the success at Washington State that he did with the Red Raiders, but he’s still considered a top college coach.

However, we’ve seen more than one coach that ran a pass-happy attack similar to Leach’s “air raid” offense end up being run (literally) out of the NFL. Leach also has a reputation as a bit of a control freak with his players, and that simply won’t fly with most NFL players.

Next: Rodriguez

Dec 31, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez talks with his players in the huddle in the first quarter against the Boise State Broncos in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl at Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Rich Rodriguez – Arizona Wildcats

CFB Win Pct.: .598
Years in Current Postion: 3

Rodriguez had the West Virginia Mountaineers constantly near the top of the rankings. His brief time at Michigan was much less successful, but now he’s got the Arizona Wildcats challenging in the ultra-competitive Pac-12.

But in the NFL, RichRod’s abrasive personality and bristling at players who question him would spell doom for him in a hurry. Like a lot of good college coaches, Rodriguez has the need to remain in complete control, and few make that happen in the NFL

Next: Miles

Sep 27, 2014; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles talks to an official during the second half of a game against the New Mexico State Aggies at Tiger Stadium. LSU defeated New Mexico State 63-7. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Les Miles – LSU Tigers

CFB Win Pct.: .724
Years in Current Postion: 10

Not only would it be odd seeing someone else on the LSU sidelines if Les Miles were to leave, but it would be equally unnerving to see him prowling along an NFL bench nibbling on snacks of field-turf.

Let’s face it, Les Miles is odd. OK, he’s weird. But he’s the kind of odd and weird that fits in perfectly with the college football mentality. His type of eccentricity might be too much for the corporate suits in the NFL world.

There’s also the fact that Miles has a somewhat checkered history when it comes to quarterbacks, and in the NFL, quarterback is king.

Be cool – stay in school, Les.

Next: Swinney

Oct 11, 2014; Clemson, SC, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney prior to the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

Dabo Swinney – Clemson Tigers

CFB Win Pct.: .701
Years in Current Postion: 7

Dabo is the ultimate rah-rah coach and all-around pal to his team. He probably surreptitiously plays beer pong with his players (just kidding, Clemson folks. Don’t go starting rumors posts now).

While his passionate and somewhat loud sideline and interview demeanor are great TV for College GameDay and entertaining blog posts, he’d be a fish out of water in the NFL.

He also falls into the category of young coaches who see quick success in college coaching that could be tempted to make that jump to the professional ranks, and then come running back to campus life in a hurry.

Next: Stoops

Oct 4, 2014; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops prior to the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Bob Stoops – Oklahoma Sooners

CFB Win Pct.: .792
Years in Current Postion: 16

Stoops is one of the deans of college football coaches, and he belongs in Oklahoma. After 16 seasons, he’s proven he can coach just about any kind of college team, and do it successfully.

But unless he were handed a loaded roster in the NFL (like Barry Switzer was with the Cowboys), he’d have a tough time getting wins or the NFL egos to step-and-fetch to his tune. Another coach who is hell-bent on control, he just wouldn’t find a happy home outside a college campus.

The sad part is that his schemes would probably work well in an NFL setting, but his personality probably wouldn’t mesh.

Next: Franklin

Apr 18, 2015; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin jogs off the field following the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The Blue team won the game 17-7. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

James Franklin – Penn State Nittany Lions

CFB Win Pct.: .596
Years in Current Postion: 1

If James Franklin isn’t the coach that’s completely built and suited for the college experience, then I don’t know who is. He’s dynamic, loves to have fun with his players, is social media savvy and has that golden touch in recruiting.

None of which are things needed on an NFL coach’s resume.

What Franklin did at Vanderbilt was nothing short of miraculous, and he’ll eventually have the Nittany Lions rampaging through the Big Ten again, but he should keep his bubbly personality and quips on campus and out of NFL locker rooms.

Next: Kelly

Nov 22, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly leaves the field after the Louisville Cardinals defeated Notre Dame 31-28 at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Brian Kelly – Notre Dame Fighting Irish

CFB Win Pct.: .737
Years in Current Postion: 5

Not only would Brian Kelly probably not make a good NFL coach, but he’s gone on record as saying that the idea of him leaving Notre Dame to jump to the NFL is “crazy”.

And he’s probably right.

While the Irish do run a very NFL-similar system, Kelly isn’t the guy to deal with those Sunday millionaires. The first time he grabbed an NFL defensive end by the facemask and turned beet red while delivering the butt-chewing, the next thing we’d read about Kelly would be how he’d “lost the locker room”.

Next: Meyer

Apr 18, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer addresses his team before the Ohio State Spring Game at Ohio Stadium. The Gray team won the game 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

Urban Meyer – Ohio State Buckeyes

CFB Win Pct.: .845
Years in Current Postion: 3

Urban Meyer is one of the all-time great coaches, but if he were to try his hand in the NFL we’d have carbon copies of the Steve Spurrier/Nick Saban stories.

Two-and-done.

If you can actually picture Urban Meyer on an NFL sideline, then your imagination is much more vivid than most. He can motivate young men, recruit, and spar with the officials like few coaches ever have in Division 1 play, but his style is not conducive to the NFL game.

Like many of the others on this list, he’d find clashes with egos and firmly ensconced star players to be a regular occurrence, and in the NFL it’s usually the players who win those skirmishes.

Next: Malzahn

Jan 1, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn reacts against the Wisconsin Badgers during the second half in the 2015 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Auburn Tigers 34-31 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Gus Malzahn – Auburn Tigers

CFB Win Pct.: .744
Years in Current Postion: 2

Uncle Gus probably has just the right temperament for the NFL, and he’s certainly got the wardrobe (sans the visors), but his personality and dress code aren’t why he’d fail in a professional coaching job.

Malzahn runs what is essentially a gimmick offense – or at least that’s how it would be viewed in the NFL. He can keep it going in the college game for years to come, but NFL defenses and defensive coordinators have already proven they can adjust and stop a zone-read type system.

The guy who saved Auburn football would be eaten alive as an NFL coach, and would be back to coaching on campus after two seasons or less.

Next: Richt

Oct 18, 2014; Little Rock, AR, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt motions to the fans after the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at War Memorial Stadium. Georgia defeated Arkansas 45-32. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Richt – Georgia Bulldogs

CFB Win Pct.: .739
Years in Current Postion: 14

Put quite simply, Mark Richt is too nice for the NFL.

Heck, sometimes he’s too nice a guy for college coaching, but his mentoring and strong faith are part of his allure at Georgia and the main reasons his players are so loyal to him.

The NFL locker room experience would probably make poor Richt blush…or run screaming for the hills.

Richt is great at developing quarterbacks and in getting guys ready for NFL play, but he’d never make it in trying to coach those same guys at the next level. After 30 years in college coaching, its clear he’s found his niche and needs to remain there.

Next: 10 Top CFB Coaching Hires for 2015

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Michael Collins

Michael Collins is a sports humorist, columnist, former radio host, and Atlanta team apologist who has been covering sports nationally for over 30 years. He is a member of the FWAA and has had his work featured in Sports Illustrated and FOX Sports. His words of wisdom - "A facepalm is not an endorsement"