Underdog Dynasty - Ranking the Best Head Coaching Jobs in the Sun BeltAn unofficial The American, Conference USA, Sun Belt, and Independent football bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52546/ud_favicon.png2016-06-06T08:00:03-04:00http://www.underdogdynasty.com/rss/stream/113378812016-06-06T08:00:03-04:002016-06-06T08:00:03-04:00Sun Belt writers rank the Sun Belt coaching jobs
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<p>South Alabama is a mediocre job, unless you ask our USA guy. Georgia State is great... maybe. And Coastal Carolina??? What?!</p> <p> </p>
<table border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td>Arkansas State</td>
<td>Appalachian State</td>
<td>Coastal Carolina</td>
<td>Georgia Southern</td>
<td>Georgia State</td>
<td>Idaho</td>
<td>Louisiana</td>
<td>ULM</td>
<td>NMSU</td>
<td>Texas State</td>
<td>Troy</td>
<td>South Alabama</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Will Butler</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nic Lewis</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TK Sherrill</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jeremy Harper</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Haisten Willis</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chris Kay</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jeremy Adcock</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jared Kalmus</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>7</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<h4>Collective panel rankings:</h4>
<h5>1. Arkansas State</h5>
<p>Haisten's homer pick aside, pretty much everyone agreed that this is the best job in the Sun Belt. And given all that they've accomplished this decade, why not?</p>
<h5>2. Georgia Southern</h5>
<p>Jeremy Harper may not have been overly impressed with the Eagles, but everyone else was. Unless Tyson Broad disappoints, #GATA is going to be a serious pain in the ass for everyone in the conference going forward.</p>
<h5>3. Louisiana</h5>
<p>They're still a top 4 job to us for now, especially with Mark Hudspeth still playing his part as the spirit animal of every enraged Cajun in Acadiana. Keywords being "for now."</p>
<h5>4. Appalachian State</h5>
<p>It's already good job that could easily become a great job. Both Jeremys certainly believe so, and Chris even listed them #1 for fan loyalty and on-field consistency. TK was too busy yelling at App State's athletic department for holding a whiteout to put together a homer ranking for his alma mater.</p>
<h5>5. Troy</h5>
<p>One of the consistently ranked middle-of-the-pack teams. Larry Blakeney built too much at Troy for it to be a bottom third program in this conference, but they have most definitely been passed by everyone above them in this list.</p>
<h5>6. Texas State</h5>
<p>[writes, deletes Dennis Franchione 6-6 record joke, writes again but in brackets this time]</p>
<h5>7. Coastal Carolina</h5>
<p>How does our panel rank a current FCS school over 5 FBS programs? I'm guessing we all just want to go to Myrtle Beach.</p>
<h5>8. Georgia State</h5>
<p>GSU was the biggest source of disagreement among our panelists. Rankings for the desirability of the Panthers' head coaching job ranged from a top 5 job to the bottom 25%. Keep an eye on GSU the next few years, as they seem equally likely to find wild success or crash out and implode. Chris says they have the biggest upside of any non-top-four team, but that's not enough to move much further until the <i>realize </i>it.</p>
<h5>9. South Alabama</h5>
<p>I was unwittingly able to talk up Mobile resident Nic Lewis from ranking the Jaguars last, but he certainly is far from impressed with them. So much so that he rated NMSU, who won't have a conference in two years, as a better job. OUCH.</p>
<h5>10. ULM</h5>
<p>There was a pretty strong consensus that being the Warhawks' head coaching job will be the toughest in the Sun Belt once the western schools are kicked out following the 2017 season. They'd better hope the price of oil rebounds or that Louisiana somehow finds some way of funding higher educati---*laughs hysterically*</p>
<h5>11. NMSU</h5>
<p>The general consensus was that FBS independence and an Aggie program still willing to invest in its future is a better job than their counterparts in Moscow that have officially tapped out of playing at the highest level of college football.</p>
<h5>12. Idaho</h5>
<p>:(</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/6/11781658/sun-belt-conference-writers-rank-coaching-jobsTHETexasStateUniversity2016-05-26T14:07:36-04:002016-05-26T14:07:36-04:00UDD Joins Jonesboro's 95.3 FM (The Ticket) to Discuss Sun Belt Head Coach Rankings<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.953theticket.com/?p=14936">UDD Joins Jonesboro's 95.3 FM (The Ticket) to Discuss Sun Belt Head Coach&nbsp;Rankings</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Arkansas State got our #1 coaching job ranking, so our friends in Jonesboro wanted to discuss the series. I was more than happy to oblige.</p></p></div>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/26/11788986/udd-joins-jonesboros-95-3-fm-the-ticket-to-discuss-sun-belt-headTHETexasStateUniversity2016-05-25T15:00:03-04:002016-05-25T15:00:03-04:00Arkansas State is the class of the Sun Belt
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<figcaption>Harry How/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>After years in obscurity, the Red Wolves have rapidly built a program that's the class of the SBC.</p> <p>There's something to be said for an administration that cares about football.</p>
<p>If you're a head coach, you want administrative support so you can pay for the best assistants (and keep them), get the best facilities possible, and, if you're the sentimental type, be able to leave a program in good hands after you've parlayed Sun Belt success to a different job at a "bigger" school.</p>
<p>If there's anyone in the Sun Belt Conference that has perfected the art of building and maintaining an elite program in almost record time, it's the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/arkansas-st-red-wolves" class="sbn-auto-link">Arkansas State Red Wolves</a>. On paper, there wasn't much that was all that special about ASU football when Steve Roberts started <a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/18/11684234/football-arkansas-state-2006-Miracle-On-The-Bluff">laying the groundwork</a> for future success in 2006. It was an average to below average program in a below average conference in a college town where two of the four top attractions <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FAttractions-g31706-Activities-Jonesboro_Arkansas.html&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.underdogdynasty.com%2F2016%2F5%2F25%2F11548258%2Farkansas-state-red-wolves-best-sun-belt-jobs" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">named by TripAdvisor</a> are a mall and a bowling center.</p>
<p>What a difference five years makes. Buoyed by newfound administrative support and, to a lesser extent, a dilution of the Sun Belt's gene pool with the departures of WKU, UNT, and MTSU to Conference USA, Arkansas State has had a remarkable run of success. Hugh Freeze, Gus Malzahn, and Bryan Harsin all came through, won a conference title, then departed for Ole Miss, Auburn, and Boise State, respectively.</p>
<p>After a very brief conference title drought (which still included two bowl appearances), Blake Anderson pulled off a perfect 8-0 defenestration of the Sun Belt Conference in 2015 to add another trophy to the case in Jonesboro. Now he's pulled in some extremely high profile SEC and Big 12 transfers to offset graduation losses, which means the Red Wolves may end up reloading instead of rebuilding once again.</p>
<p>That success and fantastic administrative leadership by personable athletic director Terry Mohajir means Arkansas State is now among the Sun Belt's elite in the facilities arms race. A shiny new <a href="http://www.astateredwolves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205680819" target="_blank">football operations facility</a> with an indoor practice field signaled ASU's intent to get on top of the conference. Now they've turned <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia-cdn.tripadvisor.com%2Fmedia%2Fphoto-s%2F07%2Fe5%2F6a%2Fbf%2Fliberty-bank-stadium.jpg&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.underdogdynasty.com%2F2016%2F5%2F25%2F11548258%2Farkansas-state-red-wolves-best-sun-belt-jobs" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">a dinky little press box</a> into a <a href="http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/kasu/files/styles/x_large/public/201509/12006522_10153747510746264_4876582498291114373_o.jpg" target="_blank">gleaming facility </a>that would be perfectly at home in the AAC. Or maybe even the ACC.</p>
<p>One thing's for certain: Even with the rise of the heavyweights to the east, the reality is that Arkansas State are Sun Belt favorites to be reckoned with every year.</p>
<p><b style="font-size: 1.25em;">PROS:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><span>A highly likable athletic director and an extremely competent athletic department that are the class of the Sun Belt. Few schools could lose this many coaches and sustain the run of success the Red Wolves have had.</span></li>
<li><span>Facilities that are among the conference's best. <a href="http://www.astateredwolves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205680819" target="_blank">Gorgeous new football ops building</a>? Check. Indoor practice facility? Check. <a href="http://www.astateredwolves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=207063" target="_blank">Brand new shiny press box</a>? Check.</span></li>
<li><span>An active, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/17/11691126/new-arkansas-state-red-wolves-sun-belt-football-poster-schedule">rabid fanbase</a> with an attitude that is the very embodiment of #SunBeltHeat.</span></li>
<li><span>A recent history that's seen Hugh Freeze, Gus Malzahn, and Bryan Harsin and now Blake Anderson win four conference titles in five years. </span></li>
</ul>
<h4><b>CONS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Recruiting to northeast Arkansas can require a little bit of creativity, such as going after high profile SEC transfers and loading up on satellite camps in Texas.</span></li>
<li><span>Until the "One and Done" years, ASU's FBS history was not kind to them in the least. </span></li>
<li><span>Jonesboro's somewhat small market status (124K metro area population) perhaps holds them back in conference expansion talks.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><b>Making the case for why Arkansas State is ranked just fine where it is, thank you: Jeremy Harper, Senior Editor and Arkansas State Beat Writer</b></h4>
<p>Arkansas State is a great case study for what happens when a university and a fan base become totally committed to elevating its program. Fundraising has increased dramatically, and so has spending. In 2011, <a target="_blank" href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/story/2011-11-17/cover-college-football-coaches-salaries-rise/51242232/1">Arkansas State paid Hugh Freeze $151,660</a><span>. </span> Five years later, Blake Anderson is pulling down<a target="_blank" href="http://sports.newsday.com/long-island/data/college/college-football/coaches-salaries/blake-anderson/"> $700.000 annually plus incentives</a>.</p>
<p>As a result, the product on the field has vastly improved in just five years.</p>
<p>But this statement can be made of many teams currently in the Sun Belt. Programs are spending more money, fans are demanding better products, and Sun Belt complacency is rapidly vanishing into the ether. A-State is number one on this list now. But it faces tremendous competition in the seasons ahead.</p>
<h4>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</h4>
<p>You don't have the patience for a true rebuilding job. Therefore you want a pop-out-of-the-box Sun Belt program that can go toe-to-toe with the big boys and has the speed (if not the depth) to make virtual Bret Bielema very, very uncomfortable.</p>
<h4><b>If you choose this job in real life:</b></h4>
<p>You're a good coach who wants to work with an athletic department that's put together a program that's an almost instant pipeline to the SEC or a top-end G5 job. Maybe you're ok with the idea with spending a few years building your resume with a program and a fanbase that cares. Nobody else in the Sun Belt's as well equipped to support your career climbing efforts, so why not?</p>
<h4><b>Verdict:</b></h4>
<p>Picking last year's conference champion might seem like recency bias to some. But Arkansas State's success transcends one good season.</p>
<p>Losing a coach and making the transition smoothly is a difficult task at any level. Losing three coaches in five seasons and somehow managing four conference titles, three 9+ win seasons, and 5 bowl appearances is downright extraordinary. If there's anywhere that's easy to build a winning team in the Sun Belt, it's the little program that could in Jonesboro.</p>
<p>ASU deserves all the credit in the world for their achievements. Even if the conference's leadership can't be bothered to give them any.</p>
<h4>Best jobs in the Sun Belt countdown:</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/3/11548184/new-mexico-state-sun-belt-toughest-job/in/11337881" target="_blank">12. NMSU</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/4/11548168/idaho-is-in-dire-straits-but-at-least-they-have-somewhere-to-go/in/11337881" target="_blank">11. Idaho</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/5/11548202/louisiana-monroe-best-jobs-sun-belt-ranking/in/11337881" target="_blank">10. ULM</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/6/11548208/georgia-state-finally-has-a-pulse/in/11337881" target="_blank">9. Georgia State</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/9/11548216/south-alabama-jaguars-sun-belt-best-jobs/in/11337881" target="_blank">8. South Alabama</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/10/11548316/can-coastal-carolina-hack-it-in-the-fbs" target="_blank">7. Coastal Carolina</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/11/11548226/texas-state-bobcats-sun-belt-conference-best-coaching-jobs/in/11337881" target="_blank">6. Texas State</a></p>
<p id="paragraph13"><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/12/11548232/troy-trojans-best-head-coaching-jobs-sun-belt/in/11337881" target="_blank">5. Troy</a></p>
<p id="paragraph14"><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/13/11548248/appalachian-state-mountaineers-best-sun-belt-head-coach-jobs/in/11337881" target="_blank">4. Appalachian State</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/19/11548256/louisiana-lafayette-ragin-cajuns-sun-belt-conference-best-head-coach-jobs">3. Louisiana-Lafayette</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/georgia-southern-eagles/2016/5/20/11548254/georgia-southern-is-the-ultimate-fcs-to-fbs-success-story" target="_blank">2. Georgia Southern</a></p>
<p>1. Arkansas State</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/25/11548258/arkansas-state-red-wolves-best-sun-belt-jobsTHETexasStateUniversity2016-05-20T09:00:03-04:002016-05-20T09:00:03-04:00Georgia Southern & the Sun Belt are a perfect fit
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<p>Eagle fans unhappy with not being ranked #1 are encouraged to send all hate mail to pauladeen@honeybooboo.net.</p> <blockquote>
<p>And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts<br>And I looked and behold, a pale horse<br>And his name that sat on him was <strike>Death</strike> Erk<br>And Hell followed with him.</p>
<p>-Johnny Cash, allegedly</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As any conventional football coach will tell you, playing a triple option team is its own special form of hell. You have to prepare for a scheme that you'll likely never see for the rest of season. You have to account for 3 highly mobile ball carriers on every play and know where they are at all times.</p>
<p>All this on top of dealing with blockers who use schemes you won't be used to and (especially if you're Navy) may employ more than its fair share of cut blocks that could shred your roster if you're not careful. After you've loaded the box with 9 defenders, you have to watch for the once-in-an-eon pass over the top of your cornerbacks, who were likely already a pile of mush for having to actually tackle people all the time.</p>
<p>While playing any triple option team can be hell, playing a <i>good </i>triple option team is like facing the grim reaper dead in the face, and then realizing he's already handed it off to a receiver on an end around and oh damnit he's already 60 yards down the field.</p>
<p>Welcome to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/georgia-southern-eagles">Georgia Southern Eagles</a> football.</p>
<h4><b>PROS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Being third on the FBS totem pole in talent heavy Georgia means you can pick up an embarrassment of high caliber recruits (by Sun Belt standards) without having to try nearly as hard as your peers. </span></li>
<li><span>Loud, boisterous, knowledgeable, seemingly omnipresent fans who show up on gameday.</span></li>
<li><span>A history filled with national and conference titles that matches up with anyone in the current iteration of the SBC.</span></li>
<li><span>An administration that's 100% embraced the power of winning football and a personable athletic director who has a coherent vision for success.</span></li>
<li><span>Like the triple option? You've come to the Mecca, Medina, Nirvana, Jersualem, and Valhalla of developing running quarterbacks, insanely powerful fullbacks, and flashy, thrilling running backs. </span></li>
</ul>
<h4><b>CONS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Want to run anything other than the triple option? Well you can just <b><i>get the h-e-double hockey sticks out</i></b>, sir. I bet you don't even put sugar in your tea, Yankee.</li>
<li>Georgia's the latest state to put <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-education/georgia-regents-cap-student-funding-of-athletic-pr/nrK3x/">a law on the books</a> that won't exactly help G5 schools.</li>
<li>Despite the recent FBS move-up, any head coach had better win, and win soon. Georgia Southern fans aren't known for their patience.</li>
</ul>
<h4><b>Making the case for why Georgia Southern should be ranked higher than 2nd: Haisten Willis, Managing Editor and Georgia Southern Beat Writer:</b></h4>
<p>Well of course they should be higher. Can we place the Eagles on top of of the AAC as well, plus the ACC, SEC and the universe?</p>
<p>Okay, maybe I'm a bit biased. But if you're a head coach Statesboro is a great place to go and build a career. GS's last two coaches left for higher-paying (notice I didn't say better) jobs, and Paul Johnson still reigns after nearly a decade at Georgia Tech.</p>
<p>You've got a sort of ace in the hole with the offense. Southern doesn't recruit the same type of player as most other schools, so you've got a major leg up there, plus a fun college town and great fan base to sell in a state overflowing with talent.</p>
<p>Cons? Well, you've also got to be okay running the triple option, so there's a risk of getting typecast. And those diehard fans can be a double-edged sword. We expect a lot of wins, but the exit of Willie Fritz shows there can be hostility when the winning leads to a paycheck at another school.</p>
<p>Still, I'd take the built-in infrastructure, talent and tradition and try to keep Georgia Southern strong long before I'd look to buck history and turn around a struggling program. College football tends to be pretty top heavy, and your best bet is often to sign up for a winner.</p>
<h4><b>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</b></h4>
<p>You would choose Georgia Southern because you probably found a glitch where the opposing linebacker jumps 7 feet up in the air when you pump fake on a triple option pass and then hit your one good receiver for a 95 yard bomb despite the ball hanging up in the air like a dead duck for approximately 60 seconds.</p>
<p>You might also be an Alabama fan who hasn't upgraded to a digital television yet and your tv's RGB color balance is on the fritz and you can't tell the difference in uniform. "HEY THESE UNIFORMS LOOK KINDA LIKE AUBURN BUT I BET THAT TINY-ASS STADIUM WAS WHAT BRYANT-DENNY LOOKED LIKE BACK WHEN THE BEAR COACHED I APPRECIATE THE HISTORICAL ACCURACY OF THIS HERE GAME PAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWL."</p>
<h4><b>If you choose this job in real life:</b></h4>
<p>You have to have a certain personality to fit in at GSU--one that adheres to a triple option doctrine with an almost Nebraska-like level of fanaticism as well as arbitrary traditions both impressive and quirky set 30-40 years ago. All the while you must still be cheeky enough to embody the raw energy of an underdog that quietly knows it's going to kick the asses of most of its opponents. You also don't mind a surprising amount of pressure to win at a Sun Belt school.</p>
<h4>Verdict:</h4>
<p>Everything's in place to win consistently at Georgia Southern, a plucky underdog that has embraced its role so thoroughly that they've become the North Dakota State of the FBS as the small school that a P5 school should <i>never, ever schedule at all costs.</i></p>
<p>Oh, did I mention that Georgia Southern is breaking in a new head coach? That's right, I left that little tidbit until the end because it almost seems a certainty that the Eagles will make the coaching transition with relative smoothness. There's only one team that's better equipped to handle a coaching change, and not coincidentally, they'll be the #1 team in our countdown.</p>
<h4>Best jobs in the Sun Belt countdown:</h4>
<p id="paragraph6"><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/3/11548184/new-mexico-state-sun-belt-toughest-job/in/11337881" target="_blank" data-ref-index="5">12. NMSU</a></p>
<p id="paragraph7"><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/4/11548168/idaho-is-in-dire-straits-but-at-least-they-have-somewhere-to-go/in/11337881" target="_blank" data-ref-index="6">11. Idaho</a></p>
<p id="paragraph8"><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/5/11548202/louisiana-monroe-best-jobs-sun-belt-ranking/in/11337881" target="_blank" data-ref-index="7">10. ULM</a></p>
<p id="paragraph9"><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/6/11548208/georgia-state-finally-has-a-pulse/in/11337881" target="_blank" data-ref-index="8">9. Georgia State</a></p>
<p id="paragraph10"><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/9/11548216/south-alabama-jaguars-sun-belt-best-jobs/in/11337881" target="_blank" data-ref-index="9">8. South Alabama</a></p>
<p id="paragraph11"><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/10/11548316/can-coastal-carolina-hack-it-in-the-fbs" target="_blank" data-ref-index="10">7. Coastal Carolina</a></p>
<p id="paragraph12"><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/11/11548226/texas-state-bobcats-sun-belt-conference-best-coaching-jobs/in/11337881" target="_blank">6. Texas State</a></p>
<p id="paragraph13"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/12/11548232/troy-trojans-best-head-coaching-jobs-sun-belt/in/11337881">5. Troy</a></p>
<p id="paragraph14"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/13/11548248/appalachian-state-mountaineers-best-sun-belt-head-coach-jobs/in/11337881">4. Appalachian State</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/19/11548256/louisiana-lafayette-ragin-cajuns-sun-belt-conference-best-head-coach-jobs" target="_blank">3. Louisiana-Lafayette</a></p>
<p>2. Georgia Southern</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/georgia-southern-eagles/2016/5/20/11548254/georgia-southern-is-the-ultimate-fcs-to-fbs-success-storyTHETexasStateUniversity2016-05-19T09:00:03-04:002016-05-19T09:00:03-04:00Despite recent downturn, UL is an excellent job
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6Eo2m6zJEpm1z2GoSG3IsfVBhXs=/0x0:2992x1995/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49629217/GettyImages-460718880.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Stacy Revere/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Ragin' Cajuns have gone from a football backwater to a Sun Belt power in a very short time. </p> <p>After the seemingly endless <span>Terrance Broadway</span> reign of terror, the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/louisiana-ragin-cajuns" class="sbn-auto-link">Louisiana Ragin Cajuns</a> are at a bit of a crossroads. Their death grip on the conference has been challenged significantly by the rise of the eastern powers as well as Arkansas State's resurgence.</p>
<p>But there's plenty of reason to believe they'll be back. So long as the human conduit of 50 trillion electronvolts of white hot Cajun rage known as Mark Hudspeth is still head coach and <strike>human death star</strike> running back Elijah McGuire lines up in the backfield, UL will always have a chance on the field.</p>
<p>But even without those two, there are plenty of reasons to believe that Ragin' Cajun football will be a mainstay within the Sun Belt's halls of power for years to come. In addition to a winning infrastructure already in place, there's the reality that Louisiana football has turned into an extremely attractive G5 head coaching position.</p>
<h4><b>PROS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Louisiana recruiting base + reliable Texas pipeline = A recruiting situation that's as good as any in the SBC.</span></li>
<li><span>Crawfish, friendly fans, boudin, cracklins, fried alligator, more alcohol than you can ever imagine. BEST. TAILGATE. EVER.</span></li>
<li><span>An indoor practice facility and a highly upgraded Cajun Field put UL among the Sun Belt's elite in the facilities arms race.</span></li>
<li><span>Ragin' Cajun fans show up in better numbers than most (so long as they're winning)</span></li>
<li><span>A well organized athletic department that facilitates a culture of winning across all sports</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><b>CONS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Recent NCAA troubles combined with an uncharacteristic 4-8 season gives off an air of uncertainty about the future.</span></li>
<li><span>UL has the private donors to weather the state's budget crisis, but the political situation certainly won't help. </span></li>
<li><span>Pre-Hudspeth UL football in the Sun Belt was, to put it lightly, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/Louisiana-Lafayette.htm">not great.</a> Can they win post-Hudspeth?</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><b>Making the case for why Louisiana should be ranked higher than 3rd: Chris Kay, Louisiana Beat Writer</b></h4>
<p>UL Lafayette is one of the top Sun Belt jobs to coach at and here's why. Louisiana is a hot bed of talent and there is only one Power 5 school in the state. While LSU is an elite team, they can't take all of the recruits. Add Texas as a true recruiting pipeline and there might not be a better situation in the conference. The Ragin' Cajuns routinely recruit plenty of three-star talent, which allows them to consistently compete. As for the fan base, the Ragin' Cajun faithful love their football. During the 2015 season, they averaged the second most fans per game in the conference (21,596).</p>
<p>On the field, the team has very winnable rivalry games. Programs like UL Monroe and Tulane have struggled to consistently play well in recent years and McNeese State is a very winnable FCS rivalry from back in the day. On the other hand, ULL has consistently been able to put big names on the schedule and even see them visiting Cajun Field, like Boise State in 2016. At the end of the day, ULL has to be considered one of the top jobs in the Sun Belt Conference.</p>
<h4>If you were playing NCAA football in an (extremely drunk) online dynasty...</h4>
<p>"Alright awesome I just scored my 8th touchdown with <span>Elijah McGuire</span>, I love his spin-deke-juke-ropeadope move that always happens whenever I smash my controller like I'm playing Tekken. Wait."</p>
<p>"Good heavens, is that a <a target="_blank" href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ae/62/cb/ae62cb06d54ac1b75b9b84998e567336.jpg">mildly perturbed cayenne pepper</a> with bad hair doing a headstand in the end zone? Did Brad Nessler start speaking Cajun? Because I can't understand a word he's saying. Did Mark Hudspeth just tear off his shirt to reveal perfectly chiseled abs? DID AN ALLIGATOR JUST CRUISE BY ON AN ATV?!"</p>
<h4><b>If you choose this job in real life:</b></h4>
<p>You'd better be able to understand the Cajun accent, culture, and perhaps even the language. Lafayette and Acadiana are very unique locations, and you'd better embrace it with a fiery passion. Being able to recruit Louisiana is an absolute must, and having Texas recruiting ties is a major plus. You're looking for an athletic department that's more than willing to support a winning program. You ultimately want to use this job as a slingshot to a big time SEC job if one comes open.</p>
<h4><b>Verdict:</b></h4>
<p>During the height of Hudspeth's Reign of Terror, Louisiana had a strong case for the #1 job in the Sun Belt. Perhaps they still do. But a brief down spell, recent NCAA troubles, and a state budget crisis that's a threat to every school not named LSU make this job <i>slightly </i>less attractive than it once was. There are also questions about whether UL can succeed after Mark Hudspeth is no longer head coach, as nobody else has done so within the Sun Belt.</p>
<p>Those questions keep UL from being in the top 2 of this countdown for now, but make no mistake: It's an elite Sun Belt job. Louisiana has far too many things going for it to be down for long, and don't be surprised when they're back in the conversation for Sun Belt titles every season.</p>
<p>And even if they do fall off the map, they'll still have one hell of a tailgate.</p>
<h4>Best jobs in the Sun Belt countdown:</h4>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/3/11548184/new-mexico-state-sun-belt-toughest-job/in/11337881">12. NMSU</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/4/11548168/idaho-is-in-dire-straits-but-at-least-they-have-somewhere-to-go/in/11337881">11. Idaho</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/5/11548202/louisiana-monroe-best-jobs-sun-belt-ranking/in/11337881">10. ULM</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/6/11548208/georgia-state-finally-has-a-pulse/in/11337881">9. Georgia State</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/9/11548216/south-alabama-jaguars-sun-belt-best-jobs/in/11337881">8. South Alabama</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/10/11548316/can-coastal-carolina-hack-it-in-the-fbs">7. Coastal Carolina</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/11/11548226/texas-state-bobcats-sun-belt-conference-best-coaching-jobs/in/11337881">6. Texas State</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/12/11548232/troy-trojans-best-head-coaching-jobs-sun-belt/in/11337881">5. Troy</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/13/11548248/appalachian-state-mountaineers-best-sun-belt-head-coach-jobs/in/11337881">4. Appalachian State</a></p>
<p>3. Louisiana</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/19/11548256/louisiana-lafayette-ragin-cajuns-sun-belt-conference-best-head-coach-jobsTHETexasStateUniversity2016-05-13T09:00:02-04:002016-05-13T09:00:02-04:00Appalachian State is rising fast
<figure>
<img alt="ASU is so damn good, even their helmets float in midair." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DIzTGBryPs91Qu0uKkb_RGsvaeg=/0x0:2992x1995/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49567135/GettyImages-502023166.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>ASU is so damn good, even their helmets float in midair. | Michael Chang/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>An FBS football dynasty could be taking shape in Boone, North Carolina.</p> <p>During our countdown of the best head coaching jobs in the Sun Belt, you've likely noticed a transition from jobs that are all but hopeless to those that have potential but have never quite gotten it together to, most recently, a historical power that's been on a down spell.</p>
<p>Now we're really getting to the cream of the crop in the Sun Belt. Each of these next four jobs have more positives than negatives, and either are or recently have been conference title contenders.</p>
<p>The smash success of the Appalachian State Mountaineers at the FCS level might already be transferring to the FBS level. Last season, they were one shocking home loss to Arkansas State away from following Georgia Southern as the second straight Southern Conference FCS-to-FBS move-up to win a Sun Belt title, and they still finished the season 11-2 with a thrilling bowl win to boot. What's scary is that they return most of their team and a 10-2 record next season doesn't seem overly farfetched.</p>
<p>Right now, ASU as a coaching job does have a few minor details working against it, but those concerns could be easily swept away with a run of conference titles and New Orleans Bowl wins. After last season, those dreams don't seem quite so farfetched anymore.</p>
<h4><b>PROS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>An insanely successful history has already translated into relatively quick FBS competence. They were the NDSU before NDSU in the FCS world.</li>
<li>Boone is an incredibly underrated college town. Nestled in a very gorgeous part of Appalachia, you've got plenty of options--you can take in the laid back hippie vibe, get out in nature, or enjoy one hell of a party scene, if that's your thing.</li>
<li>Opponents don't win at The Rock, and for good reason: Mountaineer fans fill the place up consistently and provide one of the best home field advantages in the Sun Belt. Not to mention it's in one of the most gorgeous settings not located in Boulder, Colorado.</li>
<li>Everyone--EVERYONE--in college football knows who App State is. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA_zeMCnlWY" target="_blank">You know why</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h4><b>CONS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>All those years of massive upsets and conference/national titles and 10+ win seasons mean some of the highest fan expectations in the Sun Belt. Don't slip up.</li>
<li>ASU's recruiting base isn't quite as robust as those available to their counterparts in Georgia and Alabama. Boone isn't the easiest place to get to, not that it's really mattered that much historically.</li>
<li>Snow? In the #FunBelt? Didn't we ban that stuff forever?</li>
</ul>
<h4><b>Making the case for why Appalachian State should be ranked higher than 4th: TK Sherrill, Senior Editor & Appalachian State Beat Writer</b></h4>
<p>No job in the south can offer the uniqueness of Appalachian State. When you coach at home, you literally have 10,000 students right behind you ready to go. Look to your left and you see Howard's Knob. To your right, there's trees that, for a good portion of the season, are changing colors. Hard to beat that.</p>
<p>Being in a small college town tucked into the mountains is an acquired taste, especially since most of the App State players come from flat lands. The frigid winters and howling winds are not for everyone.When I went to App State for college, my dad, an alum, told me "Boone is the windiest, rainiest, snowiest place I've ever lived."</p>
<p>Even though you're three hours from Virginia Tech, two hours from Tobacco Road, two and a half hours from Tennessee and three hours from Clemson, App State Football claims their section of North Carolina and have a significant presence in Charlotte. There's no confusion, once you reach the mountains, you're in Mountaineer Country.</p>
<p>Despite the small, mountain town disadvantages. Despite the need for recruiting several hours from home in South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Florida, Jerry Moore and Scott Satterfield have written the blueprint on recruiting to App State. It has worked so well as such that Satterfield has plucked assistants from Conference USA, the MAC and the American Athletic in his last three searches.</p>
<p>A few more years of success at the FBS level and App State could probably be the best job in the Sun Belt.</p>
<h4>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</h4>
<p>You would choose Appalachian State, smirk to yourself and think "Heh. I'm gonna schedule Michigan for my out of conference every single season and there's not a damn thing they can do about it."</p>
<h4><b>If you choose this job in real life:</b></h4>
<p>You're hoping to build off of years and years and winning and ride the gravy train to an eventual ACC bid. You also have to be patient and accepting of an impatient fanbase that does not tolerate losing for long. In spite of all this you have to get creative in finding FBS-caliber recruits to come to a gorgeous but remote part of North Carolina, and embrace being the perpetual underdog to schools like UNC, NCSU, and even ECU.</p>
<h4><b>Verdict:</b></h4>
<p>App State is a high risk/high reward job. You'll have to work more than you'd probably expect to keep years and years of sustained momentum going, but the payoff is one of the best fan atmospheres in the conference as well as working with an athletic department that's highly competent in fostering success in football.</p>
<p>The flip side is, if you stumble you also risk running afoul of a fan culture that forced out Jerry Moore after two straight seasons of *gasp* 8-4 records. If there's anybody that might pull a Nebraska and run off somebody who probably should've kept his job, it might be ASU (or Georgia Southern) fans. It's a nerve-wracking tightrope to walk, but right now the thrills and adrenaline couldn't be much higher.</p>
<h4>Best jobs in the Sun Belt countdown:</h4>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/3/11548184/new-mexico-state-sun-belt-toughest-job/in/11337881">12. NMSU</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/4/11548168/idaho-is-in-dire-straits-but-at-least-they-have-somewhere-to-go/in/11337881">11. Idaho</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/5/11548202/louisiana-monroe-best-jobs-sun-belt-ranking/in/11337881">10. ULM</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/6/11548208/georgia-state-finally-has-a-pulse/in/11337881">9. Georgia State</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/9/11548216/south-alabama-jaguars-sun-belt-best-jobs/in/11337881">8. South Alabama</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/10/11548316/can-coastal-carolina-hack-it-in-the-fbs">7. Coastal Carolina</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/11/11548226/texas-state-bobcats-sun-belt-conference-best-coaching-jobs/in/11337881">6. Texas State</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/12/11548232/troy-trojans-best-head-coaching-jobs-sun-belt" target="_blank">5. Troy</a></p>
<p>4. Appalachian State</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/13/11548248/appalachian-state-mountaineers-best-sun-belt-head-coach-jobsTHETexasStateUniversity2016-05-12T09:00:04-04:002016-05-12T09:00:04-04:00Troy won't be down for too much longer
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q3KVXhW9U72789QBCy_o9Yoekm0=/0x0:4364x2909/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49549397/GettyImages-490871512.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Christian Petersen/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If recruiting and their past history mean anything, Troy may not have to #RebuildTheWall for too much longer. </p> <p>In a conference that can be short on sure football commodities, the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/troy-trojans" class="sbn-auto-link">Troy Trojans</a> were once as dependable of a program as any. From 2005-2010, Larry Blakeney's squad ran off an impressive streak of five straight conference titles (3 tied, 2 outright) and more often than not were the Sun Belt's prized representative in the New Orleans Bowl.</p>
<p>What was notable about Troy's run of success was that it was always done in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.college-sports-journal.com/index.php/ncaa-division-i-sports/fbs-football/430-troy-trojans-quietly-having-football-success-at-every-level">quiet, workmanlike fashion</a>. They've always taken the long view of slowly building up an infrastructure to facilitate the rise of the program from Division 2 to 1-AA to FBS. What was most impressive about their approach was a self awareness to know their limitations and to build a culture of winning off of their strengths. Although they have always publicly stated their aspirations for higher standards, you rarely caught Troy acting too flashy (think Texas A&M) or dreaming <i>too much</i> of the future to the detriment of the here and now.</p>
<p>As often happens with elder statesman head coaches, program dynamics eventually turned sclerotic under legendary head coach Larry Blakeney and the program hit an extended downturn. However, the rebuilding process looks to be on schedule. If Neal Brown's 2016 recruiting was any indication, Troy will soon have the playmakers to complete the rebuild and start contending for bowl games and conference titles.</p>
<p>If that happens, it'll be a huge triumph for Troy partisans everywhere to know that Trojans football can thrive without Blakeney at the helm.</p>
<h4><b>PROS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>No UAB-esque administration problems here. There's been plenty of <a href="http://collegefootball.ap.org/article/troy-midst-73-million-athletics-makeover" target="_blank">investment in Troy's facilities</a> recently, which will more than likely assist in helping the Trojans get back to prominence.</li>
<li>There's a history of success at multiple levels here. In the mid to late 2000's there were conference titles and bowl games aplenty, they had a good run of success in 1-AA in the late 1990's, and also have a couple of Division II titles to their name in the 1980s as well.</li>
<li>The recruiting base is ridiculous, and Neal Brown's seemingly shown how Troy can take advantage, at least on paper.</li>
</ul>
<h4><b>CONS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>There appears to be a definite ceiling for fan support at Troy. Even during the height of Blakeney's tenure, and even when teams like Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, and Missouri came to town, Trojan fans <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Memorial_Stadium_(Troy_University)" target="_blank">haven't managed to sell out Veterans Memorial Stadium</a>.</li>
<li>It's not as quite remote as Moscow or Las Cruces, but given that the nearest "major" metro area with a decently-sized airport is Montgomery--over an hour's drive away--Troy, Alabama is most definitely an outpost.</li>
<li>Can anyone not named Larry Blakeney--aka the Bill Snyder of the Sun Belt--win consistently at Troy? </li>
</ul>
<h4><b>Making the case for why Troy should be lower than 5th: Haisten Willis, Managing Editor and Georgia Southern Beat Writer</b></h4>
<p>Gotta go with lower, if only slightly. As proud a program as this is, Troy seems a bit directionless at the moment, a lost puppy wandering the G5 neighborhood.</p>
<p>Coach Brown will have this team back in the win column soon, I've got not doubt about that. But as a program there doesn't seem to be much of an identity. Troy <i>was </i>Larry Blakeney for so long and now much latch onto something else as its calling card. It's a strange position to be in if you're the head coach.</p>
<p>Example: I was lucky enough to chat with Troy's PA announcer ahead of the Georgia Southern matchup last season. Not five minutes passed before the legendary 2004 win over Missouri came up in conversation. When the present came up there wasn't as much to talk about.</p>
<p>There also wasn't much of an atmosphere to speak of during that game, and as Will notes above Troy isn't exactly easy to get to. Again, this is a solid program with a winning tradition. I'd only place them just below 5th in the conference based on those factors.</p>
<p>But the Trojans did so well jumping up two divisions under Blakeney, winning title after title and sending players to the NFL. <i>Now what?</i></p>
<h4><b>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</b></h4>
<p>You want a Sun Belt team in a recruiting hotbed with a decent amount of history and infrastructure to their name, but you also don't want the easiest job right out of the gate. You always enjoyed the trumpet players from EA Sports's half-assed Russian band sounding like they were about to spontaneously combust on the spot while playing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlILFVwdOAs" target="_blank">Troy's fight song</a>.</p>
<p>You had a particular attachment to Movie Gallery as a kid, much to the bafflement of your friends and loved ones.</p>
<h4><b>If you choose this job in real life:</b></h4>
<p>Much like South Alabama, you want a Sun Belt job in the nation's college football heartland with ample recruiting opportunities and a natural launching point for a higher profile P5 job. But unlike South Alabama, you want a program with some real history and facilities to build off of. You're either a lifer or a big name up and comer, and you're not afraid of the pressure that comes with restoring a former power to its previous glory.</p>
<h4><b>Verdict:</b></h4>
<p>Troy may be one of the smallest of small market teams, but it's a niche they've shown they can be successful at in the past. In the long view, a small fanbase and a remote location limits the Trojans' ability to grow the program beyond the scope of an occasional Sun Belt power. However, investments in the program through solid facilities, a longtime winning history, and being located in one of the best recruiting hotbeds in the country will always give them a chance to be competitive.</p>
<p>Expectations therefore may not be consistently as high among the top tier of the 'Belt, but competing for the occasional conference title is considered a reasonable standard. For now, that's more than most of the teams below them can say.</p>
<h4>Best jobs in the Sun Belt countdown:</h4>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/3/11548184/new-mexico-state-sun-belt-toughest-job/in/11337881">12. NMSU</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/4/11548168/idaho-is-in-dire-straits-but-at-least-they-have-somewhere-to-go/in/11337881">11. Idaho</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/5/11548202/louisiana-monroe-best-jobs-sun-belt-ranking/in/11337881">10. ULM</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/6/11548208/georgia-state-finally-has-a-pulse/in/11337881">9. Georgia State</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/9/11548216/south-alabama-jaguars-sun-belt-best-jobs/in/11337881">8. South Alabama</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/10/11548316/can-coastal-carolina-hack-it-in-the-fbs">7. Coastal Carolina</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/11/11548226/texas-state-bobcats-sun-belt-conference-best-coaching-jobs/in/11337881">6. Texas State</a></p>
<p>5. Troy</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/12/11548232/troy-trojans-best-head-coaching-jobs-sun-beltTHETexasStateUniversity2016-05-11T09:00:03-04:002016-05-11T09:00:03-04:00Texas State could succeed with good leadership
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_jnL65MxcQUyjhKp856HdnRaNCU=/0x0:3579x2386/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49448595/usa-today-8813372.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There has to be a magic formula for unlocking athletic success at Texas State. Right?</p> <p>My alma mater is a bit unique in how they moved up to the FBS. The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/texas-st-bobcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Texas State Bobcats</a> didn't start a team from scratch, nor did they wait until they had plenty of wins and rings to make the transition. Instead, they did it the really hard way.</p>
<p>Twelve years ago, Texas State football was in the midst of a 20 year dry spell so pronounced that nobody in their right mind cared about it. Every athletic facility outside of the end zone complex ranged from dilapidated to downright embarrassing, and the fanbase was nonexistent. Our athletic director, now seemingly a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.953theticket.com/?p=14578" style="background-color: #ffffff;">magnet</a> for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/sports-texas-state-sports/college-football%3A-texas-state-ad-larry-teis-head-coach-everett-withers" style="background-color: #ffffff;">controversy</a>, was fixing a completely dysfunctional athletic department that was guilty <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ponyfans.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5105&start=0" style="background-color: #ffffff;">more of complete sloppiness</a> rather than any particularly egregious violations.</p>
<p>Taken in that context, the rise of Texas State from an FCS laughingstock to an FBS football program with gleaming facilities and actual fans with expectations is a breathtaking rate of improvement within a decade.</p>
<p>Yet things have seemingly gone a bit stale. None of Texas State's three high profile programs of football, basketball, and baseball have so much as sniffed a conference title since baseball blasted through the Southland Conference in 2011. Combine that with last year's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.txstatebobcats.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=146&path=football">3-9 disaster of a campaign</a> despite high preseason expectations, and many are a bit restless despite a Year Zero rebuild scenario on the horizon.</p>
<p>Thankfully, new head coach Everett Withers and his staff are selling the hell out of Bobcat football to the fans and providing more access to the program than ever before. What's unknown is whether an administration that's often seemed reluctant to truly play for keeps at the FBS level will help him or hold him back.</p>
<h4><b>PROS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Sellouts for Texas Tech, Navy, and the 2005 season show that with a good opponent and/or a winning team, attendance will explode.</li>
<li>Texas State is located well inside the Golden Triangle of Austin/San Antonio, DFW, and Houston. Hello, recruiting hotbeds.</li>
<li>Enrollment is booming, and there will eventually be enough Texas State graduates to fill the hole left by generations of SWT partisans alienated by the name change.</li>
<li>San Marcos is an excellent college town by both state of Texas and Sun Belt standards.</li>
<li>Texas State has solid Sun Belt-caliber football facilities, especially the north end zone renovation and south end zone complex. </li>
<li>The largest athletics budget in the Sun Belt. </li>
</ul>
<h4><b>CONS:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>An AD that was good for cleaning up a wayward FCS athletic department but <a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/12/10/9882748/a-vote-of-no-confidence-in-texas-state-athletics-director-larry-teis">has never seemed comfortable</a> with the rise in expectations that came with the FBS move. </li>
<li>Being the westernmost outpost (after Idaho and NMSU leave) in a conference focused on a southeastern footprint puts Texas State in an uncomfortable situation in bowl selections and with the fans.</li>
<li>San Marcos is a media island. Nearby Austin is Longhorn central, and UTSA is dangerously close to shutting Texas State out of San Antonio permanently. </li>
<li>A lack of an indoor practice facility puts the Bobcats behind the Sun Belt's elite in the long term facilities arms race.</li>
<li>If the team isn't winning by midseason or playing a big name opponent, the alumni often won't show.</li>
<li>Much of the budget is from student fees and not private donations. </li>
</ul>
<h4><b>Making the case for why Texas State should be higher than 6th: Managing Editor and UTSA Beat Writer Jared Kalmus</b></h4>
<p>I'm mostly okay with where Texas State ranks here but if I had to argue in one direction or the other it would be for a higher ranking. While athletic director Larry Teis holds the Bobcats back with his penny pinching and often absent-minded leadership, Texas State is not a place that should be hard to win at.</p>
<p>The campus boasts some of the most impressive athletic facilities in the conference and a convenient location puts the Bobcats within a three to four hour unofficial visit day trip for athletes in Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Texas State's academic profile is rising and a beautiful campus will always impress visitors.</p>
<p>With the right leadership and alumni support, Texas State could be a perennial contender for the Sunbelt championship. All of the other chips are already in place.</p>
<h4><b>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</b></h4>
<p>You would choose Texas State because you want to play with a Texas school with all of the recruiting potential but with none of the geographic (UTEP) or academic restrictions (Rice). <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/breaking-madden">You think Jon Bois had some great ideas</a> and you want to see what it'd be like to switch every player's strength rating from 99 to 50 and every player's speed rating from 50 to 99. Also, you like making Necessary Roughness jokes that certainly none of us have ever heard before, you fresh bringer of perspective, you.</p>
<h4><b>If you choose this job in real life:</b></h4>
<p>You have significant Texas recruiting ties and want a Texas head coaching job with little in-state competition, at least on the field and within your conference. You can handle expectations that can be slightly...outsized at times, and relish the spotlight. You're not afraid to get things done and publicize the hell out of your program with somewhat minimal help from your athletic department. You want to eventually parlay this job into some sort of gig higher up on the totem pole, such as Houston or Texas Tech.</p>
<h4><b>Verdict:</b></h4>
<p>Texas State appears to be one of those places that should have everything going for it, and probably would with the right hires at athletic director and head coach. Everett Withers may just be that head coach, as he's willing to engage the fans, advertise the program, and disrupt a culture of complacency. Now he just needs FBS-caliber administrative support to really get things moving in the right direction.</p>
<p>If that doesn't happen, Texas State may get labeled as one of those places where it's harder to win at than it should be.</p>
<h4>Best jobs in the Sun Belt countdown:</h4>
<h4></h4>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/3/11548184/new-mexico-state-sun-belt-toughest-job/in/11337881">12. NMSU</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/4/11548168/idaho-is-in-dire-straits-but-at-least-they-have-somewhere-to-go/in/11337881">11. Idaho</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/5/11548202/louisiana-monroe-best-jobs-sun-belt-ranking/in/11337881">10. ULM</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/6/11548208/georgia-state-finally-has-a-pulse/in/11337881">9. Georgia State</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/9/11548216/south-alabama-jaguars-sun-belt-best-jobs/in/11337881">8. South Alabama</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/10/11548316/can-coastal-carolina-hack-it-in-the-fbs">7. Coastal Carolina</a></p>
<p>6. Texas State</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/11/11548226/texas-state-bobcats-sun-belt-conference-best-coaching-jobsTHETexasStateUniversity