30 Best College Football Coaches of All-Time
By Hayden Hyde
1. Paul “Bear” Bryant
- Career Record: 323-85-17
- Record at Each School: 6-2-1 at Maryland, 60-23-6 at Kentucky, 24-14-2 at Texas A&M, and 232-46-9 at Alabama.
- Bowl Record: 15-12-2
- Honors and Awards: 7 National Championships, 14 SEC Championships, 1 SWC Championship. 12-time SEC Coach of the Year, 3-time AFCA Coach of the Year.
Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant is the most iconic head coach with his houndstooth fedora and stoic presence on the sidelines.
Before coaching at Alabama, Bryant helped turn lowly programs like Maryland, Kentucky, and Texas A&M into very good teams. Kentucky went to its first bowl and had its first winning season under Bryant. The Bear turned the 1-9 “Junction Boys” into Southwest Conference champions at Texas A&M in 1955 and produced his only Heisman winner, John David Crow, in 1956.
What I respect most about Bryant was how adamant he was about integrating African American players into college football. He ultimately decided to leave Kentucky and Texas A&M because both universities refused to integrate their programs.
Bryant found success quickly after he took over as head coach at his alma mater Alabama in 1956. The Crimson Tide went to 23 consecutive bowl games after they failed to make one his first season. Alabama did not suffer a single losing season under Bryant.
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Seven national championships, 14 SEC championships, the transformation of two major programs and his laundry list of other accomplishments speak for themselves.
Bear Bryant is the greatest college football coach of all-time.