College Football: 10 toughest coaching careers to follow

When a legendary coach leaves a program, it can spell doom for a school for years to come. These were the 10 toughest coaching acts to follow in history.

In college football, coaching can spell the difference between mediocrity and excellence. Every program strives to land the best possible coach, but that is always easier said than done. When a school manages to snag a great leader, holding on to them as long as possible is critical.

But no legend lasts forever. Whether due to retirement or a better offer from another school, even the greatest coaching acts must come to an end eventually. When that happens, it can lead a program right back to mediocrity.

Following a legend can be a daunting task. Even if a program continues to go to bowl games, and even if powerhouses continue to string together victories, maintaining a program at the pinnacle is hardly a guarantee.

It can almost seem unfair to be tabbed as the next coach to follow a legend. The new coaching staff is bound to be judged by the performance of their predecessors, for better or worse. For this week’s Sunday Morning Quarterback, let’s dive in and look at those coaching acts that have been the toughest to follow in college football history.

Before we dive in though, let’s set a few parameters for what constitutes the toughest acts to follow. This list constitutes those coaches who have won multiple national championships at a specific school, and who won at least 70 percent of their games coaching at that school. The success of their successors is also a factor in the equation.

There are a lot of spectacular candidates to make this list, but these parameters help narrow down the shortlist of 10 coaching royalty.