30 Best College Football Coaches of All-Time
By Hayden Hyde
30. John Gagliardi
- Career Record: 489-138-1
- Bowl Record: 1-0
- Tournament Record: 4-1 in NAIA Playoffs, 34-18 in NCAA D-III Playoffs.
- Honors and Awards: Most wins in college football history. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006. 2 NAIA National Championships, 2 NCAA Division III National Championships, 3 Montana Collegiate Conference Championships, 27 MIAC Championships.
St. John’s University, a small, men’s only college in Collegeville, Minnesota, possesses one of the most successful football programs in the entire nation. You’ve probably never heard of John Gagliardi or St. John’s, but that shouldn’t discount any of their accomplishments.
Gagliardi is the winningest coach in college football history. He has won four national championships and collected 30 conference championships along the way.
Winning a national title at the Division III level is slightly more difficult because of their 32-team playoff system, and not just a four-team playoff for the FBS schools.
Gagliardi is most famous for his unorthodox style of coaching. His practices only last 90 minutes, his players don’t have to lift weights, tackling is not allowed in practice, and his players aren’t supposed to even call him coach. As odd as it may seem it works pretty well for Gagliardi.
Next: Frank Beamer