Underdog Dynasty - Ranking The Best Head Coaching Jobs In The AACAn unofficial The American, Conference USA, Sun Belt, and Independent football bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52546/ud_favicon.png2016-06-22T13:00:03-04:00http://www.underdogdynasty.com/rss/stream/115329332016-06-22T13:00:03-04:002016-06-22T13:00:03-04:00How The UDD Writers Ranked The AAC HC Jobs
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<p>The final decisions have been made about the best coaching job in the AAC. Here is a look at how the rankings turned out. </p> <p>Going into this endeavor, I was exactly not sure of the passion that would erupt when talking about head coaching jobs. While some are clearly better than others, it is also pretty clear that coaching in the AAC is probably the best you can get without moving to the dark side and coaching a P5 program.</p>
<p>What became extremely evident was just how wildly varying they opinions on our own site were from one another. Some writers saw a golden opportunity in leading Navy, while others saw that that position as one of the worst/hardest in all of the conference.</p>
<p>Our voting panel consisted of: Justin Mears, Ryan Lynch, Will Butler, James Jimenez, Cyrus Smith, Nicolas Lewis, Jared Kalmus, Thomas Sherrill, Nick Simon, and Jeremy Adcock.</p>
<p>With that said, let's take a look at all 12 teams and a small look into how the voting went.</p>
<h4>1. Houston: 118 votes (9 first place)</h4>
<p>Even with the varying opinions about other programs, there was very little doubt about the Cougars. Houston earned nine of the ten first place votes and dominated the poll. Highest ranking: #1 (9x). Lowest Ranking: #2 (Sherrill).</p>
<h4>2. South Florida: 105 votes (1 first place)</h4>
<p>The biggest difference between the voting on USF and UCF came down to a couple of voters downgrading UCF due to last season. Highest ranking: #1 (Sherrill). Lowest Ranking: #4 (Lynch).</p>
<h4>3. Central Florida: 97 votes</h4>
<p>The recent season that saw George O'Leary not only resign as the head coach, but also as the athletics director really hurt the Knights' cause. Highest ranking: #2 (4x). Lowest Ranking: #6 (Kalmus).</p>
<h4>4. Memphis: 88 votes</h4>
<p>In the closest battle of the entire poll, the Tigers and an exciting future barely slipped by Cincinnati by a mere three overall votes. Highest ranking: #2 (2x). Lowest Ranking: #6 (2x).</p>
<h4>5. Cincinnati: 85 votes</h4>
<p>Despite being a haven for coaches in the last 15 years, the Bearcats could not quite overcome Memphis. I personally had Cincinnati at #3. Highest ranking: #3 (2x). Lowest Ranking: #6 (Lewis).</p>
<h4>6. East Carolina: 60 votes</h4>
<p>One of the best fanbases in the entire G5, East Carolina still has a bit to prove as a go to program for head coaches. The Pirates do have a very high upside for the right coach. Highest ranking: #4 (Smith). Lowest Ranking: #10 (Jimenez).</p>
<h4>7. Navy: 57 votes</h4>
<p>Service academies are so much tougher to judge based on the different set of criteria than any other school in the nation. As stated before, Navy was a point of argument in our Slack conversation. Highest ranking: #4 (2x). Lowest Ranking: #12 (Jimenez).</p>
<h4>8. SMU: 46 votes</h4>
<p>The upside to SMU is there for the right coach. It has been tough to win and get the fanbase excited, but there is hope for a bright future. Highest ranking: #7 (2x). Lowest Ranking: #11 (2x).</p>
<h4>9. Connecticut: 37 votes</h4>
<p>A basketball school that also has the highest budget of any G5 program is tough to judge. Based on football alone, it was hard to pull the Huskies out of the bottom 25%. Highest ranking: #7 (2x). Lowest Ranking: #12 (3x).</p>
<h4>10. Temple: 32 votes</h4>
<p>There was some thought that the last season would do quite a bit in helping the job, but it needs more time to turn into a wanted position. Highest ranking: #7 (2x). Lowest Ranking: #11 (Smith).</p>
<h4>11. Tulsa: 28 votes</h4>
<p>Private schools in Oklahoma have so many inherent disadvantages from location to support to the athletic budget. Tulsa would be a great job in another conference, but is among the worst in the AAC. Highest ranking: #6 (Jimenez). Lowest Ranking: #12 (5x).</p>
<h4>12. Tulane: 27 votes</h4>
<p>Another position that would be at least in the top half if it were in the MAC, Sun Belt, or Conference USA, Tulane was shown no love in the poll. What may be even more amazing is that only one voter put Tulane at the bottom of the list. Highest ranking: #6 (Simon). Lowest Ranking: #12 (Lynch).</p>
<p><b>Observations:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><span>I don't believe I have ever seen a voting that ended with the last place team finishing with so few last place votes. Tulane ended up last because they were voted #10 or #11 in all but two ballots.</span></li>
<li><span>James Jimenez earns a special contrarian award. He was the lowest voter for East Carolina and Navy while giving Tulsa the highest ranking at #7, just enough to beat out Tulane for the bottom spot.</span></li>
<li><span>The top three was nearly a consensus with Central Florida and South Florida tucked in behind Houston. </span></li>
<li><span>We basically ended in a four tier grouping. Tier One: Houston, USF, UCF. Tier Two: Memphis, Cincinnati, East Carolina. Tier Three: Navy, SMU, UConn, Temple. Tier Four: Tulsa, Tulane. </span></li>
<li><span>The Memphis/Cincinnati rankings caught me offguard. I thought going in that Cincinnati would be closer to third or even second in voting than finishing fifth. That was my biggest shocker.</span></li>
<li><span>Temple and East Carolina are the jobs to watch if they can have sustained success. The resources are there for both programs to push the top five easily in the future.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>Thanks for taking this journey with me. Were our rankings suspect or do you agree with what we came up with? Let us know in the comments and I will make sure to address any question or comments below.</div>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/22/12001680/udd-writers-ranked-the-aac-football-head-coaching-positions-G5Jeremy Adcock2016-06-21T09:00:03-04:002016-06-21T09:00:03-04:00Houston Is The Best Job In The AAC
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<p>Leading the Houston Cougars is better than leading many Power Five programs. I personally think that it is the best G5 program around. It was a shoe-in for Houston to be the best AAC job. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Was it ever a doubt? In one of the easiest decisions we have ever had to make as a staff, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/houston-cougars">Houston Cougars</a> have the best football head coaching job in the American Athletic Conference. I would love to hear arguments against Houston in the comments, but can't see how you can argue the combination of every factor that comes into leading a program and not end up in Houston.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>With that said, let’s take a look at how Houston stacks up with the rest of the AAC.</span></p>
<h4><b><span>Pros:</span></b></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Look at some of the coaches that have come through the program. Jack Pardee, Kevin Sumlin, Art Briles, and possibly the hottest coaching name in football, Tom Herman. Just those four put Houston among elite company.</span></li>
<li><span>The hottest G5 around. Sorry Boise, but the H-Town takeover is now the G5 takeover. Houston is winning <a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/12/31/10695306/2015-peach-bowl-recap-houston-cougars-vs-florida-state-seminoles">NY6 bowls over Florida State</a>, killing it in <a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/2/3/10904496/houston-becomes-first-g5-school-to-sign-top-10-recruit">recruiting</a>, and turning into the one program no P5 wants to meet.</span></li>
<li><span>Houston as a city. Sure the population is among the four highest in the nation and you can think of reasons not to live there, but it is a <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FAttractions-g56003-Activities-Houston_Texas.html&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.underdogdynasty.com%2F2016%2F6%2F21%2F11974832%2Fh-town-takeover-complete-houston-is-the-best-head-coaching-job-in-the" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">damn good city</a> that will support a charismatic head coach that wins.</span></li>
<li><span>Want to coach a Heisman winner? You can win it here. Since 1970, players do not win the Heisman Trophy unless they are a P5 program, Notre Dame, or occasionally BYU. Add Houston to the list. <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/page/theseason0807ware/houston-andre-ware-changed-game-25-years-ago">Andre Ware won the trophy</a> in 1989 and the program has enough national recognition that the right player could win it again.</span></li>
<li>A solid athletics budget. The athletics budget is nothing special, but it aligns with the top of the AAC and allows for Houston to stay at the top.</li>
<li>An impressive stadium. TDECU Stadium is an on campus and state of the art stadium that is virtually brand new. </li>
</ul>
<h4><b><span>Cons:</span></b></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Expectations are sky high. After Briles and Sumlin made Houston a household name again, Tony Levine was not bad in his time with the program, but 8-5 and 7-5 seasons <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/12/7/7348711/houston-cougars-tony-levine-head-coach-fired">were not enough</a>. Winning at a high level is mandatory.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><b><span>Making the case for why Houston should be higher: Chris Wimmer, Houston writer for UDD.</span></b></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>P.T. Barnum said, "Nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Actually, it might not have been Barnum, but most people attribute the quote to him and probably for good reason.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The point is, there has been a crowd gathered around the UH football program for almost 15 years now. Art Briles began the resurrection in 2003 and pulled the program out of a 10-year spiral where it finished 32-79 overall. He snapped a six-year bowl drought.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Then Kevin Sumlin pushed it higher. He led the Cougars to their first one-loss season in 20 years in 2011 before departing for Texas A&M.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Hell, Tony Levine finished 8-5 in the two seasons before Tom Herman stormed the Bastille and lit the G5 world on fire last year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The equation is easy: A successful program attracts the top coaching talent. The coaches (theoretically) continue that success and the cycle stays intact. The job stays a hot commodity because a lineage of coaches proved they could win there, despite the school’s size relative to the P5 programs in the state.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>And what is the No. 1 ingredient in a coach’s recipe for success? TALENT. Tons of it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Houston is one of the two major hubs in arguably the most fertile recruiting ground in the nation. It is the only school with any tradition of success in East Texas (Texas A&M is a tweener; I’d call it east-central). Not only does it have an immense talent pool to draw from within its own city limits and surrounding suburbs, but it’s no more than 6 hours by car from any city in another pond stocked with talent: Louisiana.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>A 6-hour radius from Houston includes: Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and New Orleans.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>So, the list now includes Recent Success and Recruiting. Here’s the icing on the cake: a nearly brand new stadium. TDECU Stadium will celebrate its third anniversary on August 29 and the shiny venue is right on campus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Lastly, if the team needs a stadium that holds more than 40,000 people — say, for instance, if it’s playing in a massive opening-weekend game against one of the traditional powerhouses in college football — it just travels seven miles across town to NRG Stadium, the home of the Houston Texans.</span></p>
<h4><b><span>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</span></b></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>You have an incredibly fun team to control with amazing athletes all over the field. The offense is exciting and the defense is constantly stocked with NFL level talent. If you do not score 40 or more points per game in a dynasty mode, maybe the game is not for you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>You also have a stadium that looks pretty impressive on the game and will look even better when you win a national championship or two.</span></p>
<h4><b><span>If you choose this job in real life...</span></b></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>You want to win lots of games and recruit at a top 30-50 level with an incredible array of talent at your doorstep. You know that winning at Houston earns you a job at one of the elite programs in the country when it is open.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>You have to also be charismatic and willing to earn the trust of the city. Imagine a dull coach leading Houston last fall and much of the allure from the magical 2015 season disappears.</span></p>
<h4><b><span>Verdict:</span></b></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Sure, we could have gone contrarian and went with a Florida school, but this is the elite job in all of the G5. Everything is in place for this job to be a successful experience for many coaches down the line. From location to an administration willing to get things done, this is a great position. I am of the belief that no P5 program can truly be a final destination, but coaching Houston is just about as close as you can get to a true dream job.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>The list so far:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>2. </b><b><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/17/11928994/south-florida-HC-head-coaching-g5-big-east-cfb-USF-Bulls">South Florida</a></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>3. </span><span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/15/11922052/central-florida-will-always-be-a-top-three-aac-head-coaching-position?_ga=1.229608476.1645630768.1451329257">Central Florida</a></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>4. </span><span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/13/11865314/fedex-memphis-aac-ranking-head-coach-big-12-G5-P5-college-football/in/11532933">Memphis</a></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>5. </span><span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/10/11864842/coaching-cincinnati-AAC-head-coach-G5-Big-12-realignment-rankings-college-football?_ga=1.161598396.1645630768.1451329257">Cincinnati</a></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>6. </span><span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/8/11863504/east-carolina-head-coach-rankings-AAC-ECU-Pirates?_ga=1.263441420.1645630768.1451329257">East Carolina</a></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>7. </span><span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/6/11858554/leading-navy-football-is-a-job-that-transcends-sports">Navy</a></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>8. </span><span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/3/11826360/smu-is-a-low-risk-high-reward-head-coaching-position?_ga=1.264864655.1645630768.1451329257">Southern Methodist</a></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>9. </span><span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/1/11819070/forget-basketball-connecticut-is-a-better-job-than-you-think?_ga=1.207735058.1645630768.1451329257">Connecticut</a></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>10. </span><span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/30/11805660/temple-is-a-job-slowly-on-the-rise?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Temple</a></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>11. </span><span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/27/11794462/tulsa-is-not-the-worst-head-coaching-job-in-the-aac-barely?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Tulsa</a></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/27/11794462/tulsa-is-not-the-worst-head-coaching-job-in-the-aac-barely?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257"></a></span></span><span>12. </span><span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/25/11748158/tulane-aac-job-fbs-college-football-G5-shaun-king?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Tulane</a></span></b></p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/21/11974832/h-town-takeover-complete-houston-is-the-best-head-coaching-job-in-theJeremy Adcock2016-06-17T13:00:03-04:002016-06-17T13:00:03-04:00South Florida Is The Second Best AAC HC Job
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<p>South Florida is a program that has experienced success since day one, but is still looking for that elusive first conference championship. Will it come this season?</p> <p><span>We have made it to the cream of the crop, the top head coaching jobs in the AAC. For the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedailystampede.com/">South Florida Bulls</a>, success on the gridiron has come naturally since Jim Leavitt helped build the program from scratch. The Bulls have done just about everything except win a conference title since joining the FBS in 2001.</span></p>
<p><span>The next few years are crucial as the stench from the Holtz era is replaced by a return to glory and a possible <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american">American</a> Athletic Conference title. </span></p>
<p><span>How does the South Florida head coaching job stack up versus other jobs in the AAC?</span></p>
<h4><span>Pros:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>All they do is win. Despite a rough stretch during the end of the Skip Holtz and beginning of the Willie Taggart tenures, the Bulls have the<a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/s/south_florida/yearly_totals.php"> fourth best overall record since 2000 among AAC teams</a> (105-88). </span></li>
<li><span>Recruiting is a breeze. Getting a recruiting class to rank in the 60s or above is incredibly easy with so many quality players in state. They even <a href="http://southflorida.247sports.com/Season/2014-Football/Commits">finished #41 nationally in 2014</a> with a class that included <span>Quinton Flowers</span>, <span>Marlon Mack</span>, and <span>Jamie Byrd</span>.</span></li>
<li><span>Bowling is they do. A virtue of winning lots of games is earning bowl berths. The Bulls have been to <a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/s/south_florida/bowl_history.php">seven bowl games in 15 years</a> as a FBS program. </span></li>
<li><span>Location, location, location. <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FAttractions-g34678-Activities-Tampa_Florida.html&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.underdogdynasty.com%2F2016%2F6%2F17%2F11928994%2Fsouth-florida-HC-head-coaching-g5-big-east-cfb-USF-Bulls" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Tampa is a great city</a> with lots of beach front property, an active music scene, and great food. Can you even attempt to compare Tampa to Storrs or Tulsa.</span></li>
<li><span><a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/s/south_florida/vs_conf_opponents.php?confid=11&restrictions=none">Multiple huge wins over ACC foes</a>. Taking away the wins from the Big East, South Florida has five wins over ACC teams. That includes wins over Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina (2x), and North Carolina State.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4>Cons:</h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Lack of on campus stadium. A <a href="http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/usf-explore-building-campus-football-stadium#stream/0">stadium on campus</a> with a better deal than Raymond James Stadium would help.</span></li>
<li><span>Attendance issues. You can blame a poor product in other years, but the Bulls have seen attendance drop in each of the last four seasons. It went from a high of 44,550 in 2011 to a disappointing <a href="http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/Attendance/2015.pdf">26,578 in 2015</a>.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><span>Making the case for why South Florida should be higher: Nick Simon, South Florida writer for UDD.</span></h4>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1466159710522_1871" class="yiv9132685523MsoNormal"><span>When you have a program that in its twenty-year existence has already been a member of power conference, pulled off numerous upsets of major opponents, went as high as #2 in the nation in 2007, and STILL hasn’t tapped into its full potential as a G5 power, USF being a top three coaching job in the AAC shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.</span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1466159710522_2197" class="yiv9132685523MsoNormal"><span>For any prospective head coach, the built-in advantage of being located in the middle of a recruiting gold mine gives you the advantage of not having to leave the state or even the Tampa Bay area to put together a dangerously skilled football team. USF under Willie Taggart has consistently pulled in top G5 recruiting rankings over the past three seasons and it finally started to translate on the field late last year when they were boat racing teams like Temple and Cincinnati as the hottest team in the AAC to close the season. If your name isn’t Skip Holtz and you actually know how to utilize the talent in front of you, you should produce a winner in Tampa.</span></p>
<p class="yiv9132685523MsoNormal"><span>This turnaround success has been the product of the foundation laid out by current AD Mark Harlan, who’s taken the dumpster left behind by the previous administration and re-instilled a winning attitude. Harlan and staff has made clear the vision for the program and is now actively looking to land an on-campus stadium for USF, the final frontier. As a result, we’re currently seeing a re-engagement of a fanbase who were driven off by the previous regime, so certainly attendance will see a major spike from 2015 as the team continues their success under Taggart.</span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1466159710522_2250" class="yiv9132685523MsoNormal"><span>A huge topic of debate here when we were ranking these was slotting USF and UCF. Even though our Citronaut neighbors to the east do boast multiple conference titles and a Fiesta Bowl (that they immediately threw in the garbage by going 0-12 last season, #UCFDonut), both programs share more similarities than differences that both fan bases care to admit, making it a virtual coin-flip for this spot in my opinion.</span></p>
<h4>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</h4>
<p><span>You love to run a truly balanced offense. You have athletes all over the field for your disposal that can allow you to run the entire playbook. Your playbook has a few more trick plays and you aren't afraid to run them.</span></p>
<p><span>Playing in an actual NFL stadium on the game is just an added bonus. Recruiting is much easier as nearly every player is in your "pipeline" state, allowing you to go after and get five-star players.</span></p>
<h4>If you choose this job in real life...</h4>
<p><span>You don't have to leave the state to recruit quality players. You have all of the resources needed to win at a high level. You are somewhat familiar with the oddities involving recruiting from certain areas. Getting in good with some of the highest talent producing schools takes some finesse.</span></p>
<p><span>While winning is a priority, occasional missteps are accepted as a part of life. Because they haven't experienced championship football yet, expectations are not as high as a Houston or even East Carolina. You know that you will get exposure and coaching well at USF can get you to the next level. </span></p>
<h4>Verdict:</h4>
<p><span>For a while it seemed that Leavitt was on the threshold of a dynasty. Skip Holtz was an abject failure. Willie Taggart looks to have finally turned the boat around and helped to show just why this job is so coveted. Just look at the talent all over his roster and what other coaches in the AAC would do to have just some of it on their rosters. </span></p>
<p><span>It is not quite on the level of a Houston just yet, but the ceiling is as high as any G5 program nationally for South Florida. </span></p>
<h4><span>The list so far:</span></h4>
<p><span><b>3. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/15/11922052/central-florida-will-always-be-a-top-three-aac-head-coaching-position?_ga=1.229608476.1645630768.1451329257">Central Florida</a></p>
<p><span><b>4. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/13/11865314/fedex-memphis-aac-ranking-head-coach-big-12-G5-P5-college-football/in/11532933">Memphis</a></p>
<p><span><b>5. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/10/11864842/coaching-cincinnati-AAC-head-coach-G5-Big-12-realignment-rankings-college-football?_ga=1.161598396.1645630768.1451329257">Cincinnati</a></p>
<p><span><b>6. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/8/11863504/east-carolina-head-coach-rankings-AAC-ECU-Pirates?_ga=1.263441420.1645630768.1451329257">East Carolina</a></p>
<p><span><b>7. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/6/11858554/leading-navy-football-is-a-job-that-transcends-sports">Navy</a></p>
<p><span><b>8. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/3/11826360/smu-is-a-low-risk-high-reward-head-coaching-position?_ga=1.264864655.1645630768.1451329257">Southern Methodist</a></p>
<p><span><b>9. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/1/11819070/forget-basketball-connecticut-is-a-better-job-than-you-think?_ga=1.207735058.1645630768.1451329257">Connecticut</a></p>
<p><span><b>10. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/30/11805660/temple-is-a-job-slowly-on-the-rise?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Temple</a></p>
<p><span><b>11. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/27/11794462/tulsa-is-not-the-worst-head-coaching-job-in-the-aac-barely?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Tulsa</a></p>
<p><span><b>12. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/25/11748158/tulane-aac-job-fbs-college-football-G5-shaun-king?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Tulane</a></p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/17/11928994/south-florida-HC-head-coaching-g5-big-east-cfb-USF-BullsJeremy Adcock2016-06-15T09:00:03-04:002016-06-15T09:00:03-04:00Central Florida Is The Third Best AAC Job
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<figcaption>Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>There are so many built in advantages coaching Central Florida. From location to funding to success, leading the Knights will always be a top AAC job.</p> <p><span>We are finally breaking into the top three football head coaching jobs in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american">American</a> Athletic Conference. Gone are the programs that have to hide significant flaws, leaving South Florida, Houston, and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/">UCF Knights</a>. While one of the best jobs in the AAC, our panel of voters decided that leading UCF is not quite the best job in the conference.</span></p>
<p>Former Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost agreed that an 0-12 season is nothing to worry about in leaving a great spot in the northwest to take over the Knights.</p>
<p><span>How does the Central Florida head coaching job stack up versus other jobs in the AAC?</span></p>
<h4><span>Pros:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Lots of recent success. Since 2005, the Knights have <a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/c/central_florida/championships.php">six division titles and four conference titles</a> (C-USA 2x, AAC 2x). They have been to seven bowls during that time with a trip to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/fiesta-bowl">Fiesta Bowl</a> during the 2013 season. Two top 25 finishes include a #10 AP poll finish in 2013. </span></li>
<li><span><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FAttractions-g34515-Activities-Orlando_Florida.html&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.underdogdynasty.com%2F2016%2F6%2F15%2F11922052%2Fcentral-florida-will-always-be-a-top-three-aac-head-coaching-position" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Orlando</a>. There are many worse places to end up in than Orlando. It is one of the highest ranked cities in the AAC. </span></li>
<li><span>Recruiting. According to 247 Sports, the state of <a href="http://247sports.com/Season/2017-Football/Recruits?Player.Enabled=True&Player.Hometown.State.Key=sa_44&Recruitment.Enabled=False">Florida has seven 5-star and 39 four-star recruits</a> in the 2017 class. There are so many quality players in-state for UCF to go after. They can pull an entire recruiting class without leaving the state. </span></li>
<li><span>An administration willing to make changes. From <a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/19/11706418/ucf-announces-new-video-boards-and-they-are-awesome">upgraded video boards</a> to a much needed uniform makeover, those in charge have made it clear that they will make changes as needed to get the program to the next level. </span></li>
<li><span>Spending and making money. Working along with the previous Pro, the Knights have went from spending just over <a href="http://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances/">$20 million in 2005 on athletics to $47,647,475 last year</a>. Athletic revenues also broke $50 million for the first time in school history in 2015.</span></li>
<li><span>On campus stadium. The Knights have an <a href="http://www.ucfknights.com/facilities/ucf-brighthouse-bio.html">impressive on-campus stadium</a> that holds just over 44,000. </span></li>
</ul>
<h4><span>Cons:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Come visit Orlando. In school history, UCF has only hosted 12 power five conference teams. Of those, seven came from the Big East. <a href="http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa/aac/ucf-knights.php">Things may be changing</a> as Maryland comes to town in 2016, Georgia Tech in 2017, and Stanford in 2019. </span></li>
<li><span><a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/c/central_florida/yearly_totals.php">No consistency</a>. Every 10-4 season seems to be offset by a 4-8 season. Despite leading UCF to 10 wins on four occasions, George O'Leary also had five losing seasons, including a 4-8 after a 10-4 season and a 5-7 after an 11-3 season. I am counting the 0-12 season as one of his failures as well. </span></li>
</ul>
<h4><span>Making the case for why Central Florida should be higher: Chas Short, Central Florida writer and Senior Editor for UDD.</span></h4>
<p class="yiv5187054219MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1465941421596_2415">If you were feeling uncharitable, the fact that we collectively rated UCF as the third best coaching job in the American Athletic Conference could cause you to question where you go for your AAC analysis. If you’re more fair-minded than that, you can look at this rating as a profound example of the recency bias.</p>
<p class="yiv5187054219MsoNormal">I get that the Knights went winless last year, I do. But we are supposed to be ranking based on desirability of the coaching job. And there’s no way USF should be above UCF here.</p>
<p class="yiv5187054219MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1465941421596_2423">A coach at UCF knows there’s an ability to compete and win at a high level. The Knights have won more AAC titles than anyone else (outright in 2013, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/1/24/7460633/ucf-knights-looking-back-at-the-2014-season" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1465941421596_2422">sharing the title</a> with Memphis and Cincinnati in 2014). The <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/1/2/5265136/2014-fiesta-bowl-baylor-ucf-results-score">Knights won the Fiesta Bowl</a> in the last year of the BCS era. USF, whom we have ranked above the Knights, has never won a conference title (in any conference) or a BCS/Access Bowl.</p>
<p class="yiv5187054219MsoNormal">UCF has the same "Florida advantages" that USF does. Oh, and an on campus stadium.</p>
<p class="yiv5187054219MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1465941421596_2424">Job security should factor in highly here. As the head coach of the Knights, you have a lot of leeway. UCF stood by <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/american-athletic-conference/2015/10/26/9613590/the-resignation-of-ucf-head-coach-george-oleary-a-retrospective">George O’Leary</a> through up and down years and through litigation arising from a football player’s tragic death on the practice field. Heck, GOL got to be the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/6/23/8832203/george-oleary-will-be-ucfs-interim-athletic-director">athletic director <i>and </i>the head football coach</a> until the 2015 season <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/10/25/9611546/espn-ucf-head-coach-george-oleary-has-resigned/in/9376317">cratered</a>. <span> </span>So while a lot can be said for Houston pulling in great head coaches (who have gone on elsewhere), I’m still thinking that Tony Levine <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2014/12/12/7379853/houston-cougars-fire-tony-levine-now-what">got the hook</a> pretty fast . . .</p>
<p class="yiv5187054219MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1465941421596_2426">We’re not irrational to have rated the UCF job below Houston (which <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/1/1/10697368/access-bowls-new-years-six-houston-cougars-peach-bowl-group-of-five">won the access bowl</a> last year and has been a coaching cradle), but it’s just plain wrong to have the Knights at #3.</p>
<h4><span>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</span></h4>
<p>You like the fact that you have a roster that is able to adapt to virtually any offense, save the triple option. You have lots of game breakers all over the field and can put up points even versus the top P5 teams on the schedule.</p>
<p>Plus, Bright House Networks stadium looks pretty cool on the game. Imagine how nice those new uniforms will look in action on the game.</p>
<h4><span>If you choose this job in real life...</span></h4>
<p>You understand just how enticing this job really is. You get a fanbase that will not run you off after one losing season. They expect excellence, but also understand that not every year can be 11-2. You love the ability to have full control of the program with very little fighting from administration.</p>
<p>You know that talent is all over the area and you can reload much quicker than Connecticut, Memphis, or Tulsa. A coach that accepts this job understands just how high profile of a job it can be with a couple of big wins.</p>
<h4><span>Verdict:</span></h4>
<p>It is a bit of a surprise that UCF was ranked below neighbor South Florida. Some of that may be due to last season, but many mentioned that the trajectories of the programs are in different directions.</p>
<p>While the USF/UCF debate can go on for ages, there is no doubt that the Knights deserve to be a top three AAC job every year.</p>
<h4><span>The list so far:</span></h4>
<p><b>4. </b><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/13/11865314/fedex-memphis-aac-ranking-head-coach-big-12-G5-P5-college-football/in/11532933">Memphis</a></p>
<p><span><b>5. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/10/11864842/coaching-cincinnati-AAC-head-coach-G5-Big-12-realignment-rankings-college-football?_ga=1.161598396.1645630768.1451329257">Cincinnati</a></p>
<p><span><b>6. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/8/11863504/east-carolina-head-coach-rankings-AAC-ECU-Pirates?_ga=1.263441420.1645630768.1451329257">East Carolina</a></p>
<p><span><b>7. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/6/11858554/leading-navy-football-is-a-job-that-transcends-sports">Navy</a></p>
<p><span><b>8. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/3/11826360/smu-is-a-low-risk-high-reward-head-coaching-position?_ga=1.264864655.1645630768.1451329257">Southern Methodist</a></p>
<p><span><b>9. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/1/11819070/forget-basketball-connecticut-is-a-better-job-than-you-think?_ga=1.207735058.1645630768.1451329257">Connecticut</a></p>
<p><span><b>10. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/30/11805660/temple-is-a-job-slowly-on-the-rise?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Temple</a></p>
<p><span><b>11. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/27/11794462/tulsa-is-not-the-worst-head-coaching-job-in-the-aac-barely?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Tulsa</a></p>
<p><span><b>12. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/25/11748158/tulane-aac-job-fbs-college-football-G5-shaun-king?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Tulane</a></p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/15/11922052/central-florida-will-always-be-a-top-three-aac-head-coaching-positionJeremy Adcock2016-06-13T13:00:02-04:002016-06-13T13:00:02-04:00Memphis Is The Fourth Best AAC Head Coaching Job
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<figcaption>Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The day has finally come for Memphis to earn a spot at the adult table as one of the top head coaching jobs in the AAC.</p> <p><span>Some jobs have been among the best for years, others have started to rise from mediocrity, and then there is the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/memphis-tigers" class="sbn-auto-link">Memphis Tigers</a> job. It can be argued that this job WAS one of the worst in all of college football. It was a dreadful program in a city that just didn't care. Then Justin Fuente saved the day.</span></p>
<p><span></span>During his time at Memphis he returned prestige to the program, won a ton of games, and got the city on his side. Now, Memphis has FedEx willing to spend lots of money and rich donors coming out of the woodwork. What a difference a few years make as Memphis has broken into the top four jobs in the conference.</p>
<p><span>How does the Memphis head coaching job stack up versus other jobs in the AAC?</span></p>
<h4><span>Pros:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>FedEx is willing <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/5/10/11653516/memphis-fedex-big-12-expansion-championship-game">to sling mone</a>y. FedEx is willing to spend lots of money and the school has claimed that they will invest a reported $500 million dollars. </span></li>
<li><span>The <a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/m/memphis/vs_conf_opponents.php?confid=177&restrictions=none">SEC will visit.</a> Since 1990, Alabama (1x), Arkansas (3x), Ole Miss (9x), Mississippi State (8x), Missouri (1x), and Tennessee (5x) have played Memphis at the Liberty Bowl.</span></li>
<li><span>The fans are showing up. After drawing only 20,078 fans per game in 2011, the Tigers were second in the AAC with <a href="http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/Attendance/2015.pdf">43,802 in 2015</a>. They had the second biggest jump in attendance of any FBS team from the 2014 season (9,951). </span></li>
<li><span>A budget to work with. While it was only the #7 budget in the AAC in 2015, Memphis is willing to spend money. The budget has been in the<a href="http://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances/"> $43-50 million range </a>for each of the past four years. </span></li>
</ul>
<h4><span>Cons:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Memphis has the same problem as UAB and South Alabama. The <a href="http://www.memphisflyer.com/NewsBlog/archives/2015/12/01/liberty-bowl-could-get-48m-upgrade">Liberty Bowl</a> is a relic to the past that has been beaten up and should probably be replaced. A new on-campus stadium would be ideal, but it has to be big enough to host the Liberty Bowl Game. </span></li>
<li><span>It has been a tough ride. Justin Fuente is the first head coach to <a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/m/memphis/coaching_records.php">leave Memphis with a winning record</a> since the early 1970s. Things bottomed out right before Fuente with Larry Porter going 3-21 in two seasons.</span></li>
<li><span>Recruiting your backyard. The talent level in Memphis can compare with some of the most talented cities in the nation. The Tigers rein much of the basketball talent, but lose out on way too much local talent. The current staff is looking to change that with offers to 26 in-state players for 2017.</span></li>
<li><span><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FAttractions-g55197-Activities-Memphis_Tennessee.html&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.underdogdynasty.com%2F2016%2F6%2F13%2F11865314%2Ffedex-memphis-aac-ranking-head-coach-big-12-G5-P5-college-football" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Memphis as a city</a>. It is a vibrant city that has a collection of music and food that rivals any other city. There are great places to go, but no one can deny that statistics prove it is among the most dangerous cities in the nation.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><span>Making the case for why Memphis should be lower: Cyrus Smith, Managing Editor, UDD.</span></h4>
<p>Memphis is a top-five <i>basketball</i> job in the AAC but not football. Yes, the Memphis job has become a lot more attractive thanks in large part due to Justin Fuente and FedEx money but I am not a believer. Memphis is still a basketball school at heart and its going to take a few more successful seasons before that changes.</p>
<p>East Carolina and Cincinnati have had much more success on the gridiron, have more passionate fan bases, and they have an on-campus stadium that is in much better shape than the Liberty Bowl. Seeing the Memphis job above those schools is a surprise.</p>
<p>Fan support is crucial at the G5 level and Memphis has never consistently supported the football program like some of the other schools on the list have. Sure, there definitely is talent in the state so recruiting to Memphis is nice but the SEC routinely gobbles up the difference makers that hail from Memphis and other parts of Tennessee.</p>
<p>Fuente was the first successful coach in years to make Memphis relevant. I'm going to need Mike Norvell to do the same before I start entertaining the idea that Memphis is a top-five football job in the AAC.</p>
<h4><span>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</span></h4>
<p><span>You want to use a team that has some talent and build it into a national power. One thing you will always have on the roster is platyers with 90+ in the speed category. You can completely change the offense and defense and have the players to succeed. You want to watch the Liberty Bowl expand and turn the Tigers into a national title contender.</span></p>
<p><span>Your eventual goal is to get the SEC to trade Vanderbilt for Memphis, win the SEC, and then win the National Title.</span></p>
<h4><span>If you choose this job in real life...</span></h4>
<p><span>You have looked at Justin Fuente and think you can do the same. You realize the pitfalls of coaching this team, but also understand that it can be a successful program on a year to year basis. You also realize that a great job is waiting on the other side if you can find a way to pull out a few winning records. </span></p>
<p><span>The talent base is wide open and Memphis kids just need a good reason to stay home. Recruit in state and the southeast and you will bring a lot of talent to the team. You can run an exciting offense and exotic defense if you want, there are really no restrictions that you may face at other programs. </span></p>
<h4><span>Verdict:</span></h4>
<p><span>Though it has looked nice recently, this has been a historically tough job that eats up coaches and spits them out. Tommy West, a former head coach that loved the school, resigned because he just did not get the support needed to succeed. Things have changed a bit since then with the success of Fuente and the verbal and potential monetary support of FedEx.</span></p>
<p><span>The strides taken by this program in the last few years have been astronomical and it would not surprise me to see Memphis end up in a P5 conference in the upcoming years. </span></p>
<h4><span>The list so far:</span></h4>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/10/11864842/coaching-cincinnati-AAC-head-coach-G5-Big-12-realignment-rankings-college-football?_ga=1.161598396.1645630768.1451329257">5. Cincinnati</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/8/11863504/east-carolina-head-coach-rankings-AAC-ECU-Pirates?_ga=1.263441420.1645630768.1451329257">6. East Carolina</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/6/11858554/leading-navy-football-is-a-job-that-transcends-sports">7. Navy</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/3/11826360/smu-is-a-low-risk-high-reward-head-coaching-position?_ga=1.264864655.1645630768.1451329257">8. Southern Methodist</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/1/11819070/forget-basketball-connecticut-is-a-better-job-than-you-think?_ga=1.207735058.1645630768.1451329257">9. Connecticut</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/30/11805660/temple-is-a-job-slowly-on-the-rise?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">10. Temple</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/27/11794462/tulsa-is-not-the-worst-head-coaching-job-in-the-aac-barely?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">11. Tulsa</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/25/11748158/tulane-aac-job-fbs-college-football-G5-shaun-king?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">12. Tulane</a></p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/13/11865314/fedex-memphis-aac-ranking-head-coach-big-12-G5-P5-college-footballJeremy Adcock2016-06-10T12:00:02-04:002016-06-10T12:00:02-04:00Cincinnati Is A Perfectly Fine AAC HC Position
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<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>From Mike Gottfried to Butch Jones, the head coach at Cincinnati has been able to turn that job into something bigger and better (in their eyes). </p> <p>There are so many head coaching jobs in the AAC that are among the top G5 jobs available. We have now hit the cream of the crop. These are jobs that not only catch the eye of coordinators looking for that first shot, but also good enough for coaches to leave their current program to accept.</p>
<p>Cincinnati is an old position that has become one of the hottest in the last ten years. Is the excellent recent history enough to vault it over so many other worthy competition?</p>
<p><span>How does the Cincinnati head coaching job stack up versus other jobs in the AAC?</span></p>
<h4><span>Pros:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li>Since the 1970s, several coaches have used Cincinnati as a <a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/c/cincinnati/coaching_records.php">springboard to some of the best jobs</a> in the nation. Mike Gottfried went to Kansas, Tony Mason went to Arizona, Tim Murphy left for his dream job at Harvard, Mark Dantonio went to Michigan State, Brian Kelly left for Notre Dame, and Butch Jones left for Tennessee. </li>
<li><span>Recent history. Since the 2007 season, Cincinnati has ended the season <a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/c/cincinnati/in_the_polls.php">ranked in the top 25</a> five times. In 2009, they ended the season as a top 10 team in both the AP and Coaches Polls. That was the culmination of back to back BCS Bowls (Orange and Sugar). In the last five seasons, they have 13 more wins than any other AAC program. </span></li>
<li><span>Expansion and realignment. Many of the top authorities on conferences expansion believe that <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/3/11/11205342/cincinnati-big-12-conference-expansion-realignment">Cincinnati is going to end up in the Big 12</a>. </span></li>
<li><span>They are sitting in a recruiting hotbed, but it doesn't keep them from recruiting nationwide. As recently as the 2015 class, Cincinnati pulled in <a href="http://cincinnati.247sports.com/Season/2015-Football/Commits">signees from 12 different states</a>.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><span>Cons:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>For a team that dates back to 1885, rivalries versus P5 programs just aren't there. They have played Kentucky 34 times, but not since 1996. They have played Louisville 53 times, but that ended when Louisville left for the ACC. Take away former conference mates and the only P5 conference they have played more than 50 times is the Big Ten. </span></li>
<li><span>Was it just a hot streak? The program has been decent in the past, but only had one 10-win season before 2007. Since then, they have railed off double digit wins in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012. After back to back nine-win seasons in 2013 and 2014, they fell off to seven wins in 2015. </span></li>
<li><span>No matter the success, Cincinnati loves its basketball team and they have the ability to overpower everything else. Unless you are earning NYD Six bowl berths, the football program can be forgotten.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4>
<span>Making the case for why Cincinnati should be higher: </span>Phil Neuffer, Site Manager at <a href="http://www.downthedrive.com/">Down The Drive</a>:</h4>
<p>For one thing, there’s a history of success and a fan base and program that expects to win. The Bearcats have had seven nine-win seasons in the last decade and have been to a bowl game 14 times in the last 20 years, including the last five years straight. Last season, although the best laid plans kind of blew up in everyone’s face, expectations were high, especially with a newly renovated Nippert Stadium, and those expectations are built by the loyalty of the UC fan base.</p>
<p><span>Jumping off the Nippert Stadium renovation, UC has shown a willingness to commit to its athletic programs, especially football. Plus there’s the fact that in just a few years the Bearcats could very well be playing in the Big 12.</span></p>
<p><span>Then there’s the pipeline to Ohio for recruiting. While it may not be the big three of Texas, California or Florida, Ohio is one of the more fertile recruiting grounds in the country and, although Ohio State largely gets first dibs, UC is the next biggest dog in the yard.</span></p>
<p><span>Another point in UC’s favor is one that isn’t as much fun to admit out but needs to be. It has been an excellent launching pad to bigger and more highly-paying jobs. Mark Dantonio, Brian Kelly and Butch Jones all went on to gigs of fame and fortune in the realms of the Big Ten, SEC and South Bend after coaching with the Bearcats. Really, coaching at UC is a value proposition and an investment in your future if you’re a coach. </span></p>
<h4><span>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</span></h4>
<p><span>You know that you will always have good talent on the roster. Maybe it is not quite what Florida schools can pull, but the Bearcats are rarely lacking in the talent category. You know that you can play a bit wide open on offense and score lots of points. Similar to many jobs in the AAC, scoring often mean giving up a lot of points as well. You are fine with a shootout.</span></p>
<p><span>You like the idea of Cincinnati taking over a spot in any of the top conferences on the game. You want to get them in the ACC, SEC, or Big 12 and eventually win a national title. You are also okay with not playing the flashy P5 teams at home very often. </span></p>
<h4><span>If you choose this job in real life...</span></h4>
<p><span>Simply, you look at what Dantonio, Kelly, and Jones have gone on to do and you see your name in bright lights. Winning at Cincinnati gets your name out to the big programs. You aren't taking the Boston College type of job. You are expecting to go to a top tier team like a Michigan, Florida, or Texas when they come open. </span></p>
<h4><span>Verdict:</span></h4>
<p><span>Just for the ability to step up into a top tier job as well as the rumors of a move to the Big 12, this is a great job opportunity. Expectations have increased through the years, but are not at the insane level of an East Carolina fanbase. Keeping the run of success alive and basically keeping the train running on time is all the fans ask out of you. </span></p>
<p><span>While it is a coveted job, it would be hard to ever put Cincinnati above fourth in head coaching job rankings.</span></p>
<h4><span>The list so far:</span></h4>
<p><span><b>6. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/8/11863504/east-carolina-head-coach-rankings-AAC-ECU-Pirates?_ga=1.263441420.1645630768.1451329257">East Carolina</a></p>
<p><span><b>7. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/6/11858554/leading-navy-football-is-a-job-that-transcends-sports">Navy</a></p>
<p><span><b>8. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/3/11826360/smu-is-a-low-risk-high-reward-head-coaching-position?_ga=1.264864655.1645630768.1451329257">Southern Methodist</a></p>
<p><span><b>9. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/1/11819070/forget-basketball-connecticut-is-a-better-job-than-you-think?_ga=1.207735058.1645630768.1451329257">Connecticut</a></p>
<p><span><b>10. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/30/11805660/temple-is-a-job-slowly-on-the-rise?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Temple</a></p>
<p><span><b>11. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/27/11794462/tulsa-is-not-the-worst-head-coaching-job-in-the-aac-barely?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Tulsa</a></p>
<p><span><b>12. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/25/11748158/tulane-aac-job-fbs-college-football-G5-shaun-king?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Tulane</a></p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/10/11864842/coaching-cincinnati-AAC-head-coach-G5-Big-12-realignment-rankings-college-footballJeremy Adcock2016-06-08T09:00:03-04:002016-06-08T09:00:03-04:00East Carolina Is The Sixth Best AAC HC Position
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wkzSXCso58ccpGIxrDcU7j2Eg0s=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49782075/usa-today-8096813.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A program with one of the most passionate fanbases in the nation, leading the program at East Carolina is a tough but rewarding job.</p> <p>Not every job in the AAC is created equally. Some have inherent advantages like location, money, and tradition. Others have been forced to work hard to become one of the best jobs in the conference. Leading the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/east-carolina-pirates" class="sbn-auto-link">East Carolina Pirates</a> was once a job few wanted, but has turned into one of the top six head coaching jobs in the conference.</p>
<p><span>How does the East Carolina head coaching job stack up versus other jobs in the AAC?</span></p>
<h4><span>Pros:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li> <span>One of the most passionate fan bases among G5 programs. Just looking at the last five seasons, the Pirates have the highest average attendance among the AAC... by nearly 10,000 fans per game. The </span><a href="http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/Attendance/2015.pdf">43,274 average attendance</a> <span>in 2015 is higher than Boston College, Colorado, Duke, Illinois, Kansas, Northwestern, Oregon State, Purdue, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and Washington State.</span> </li>
<li> <a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/e/east_carolina/opponents.php">Play the big boys every year</a><span>. ECU has played North Carolina 17 times, North Carolina State 28 times, South Carolina 18 times, Virginia Tech 20 times, and West Virginia 21 times. On any given season, you can almost guarantee 1-2 of those teams on the schedule. Just look at what is <a href="http://www.ecupirates.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/m-footbl-future-schedules.html">on the slate though 2020</a>. </span>
</li>
<li> <span>The program is willing to spend money. Just this year, they announced a </span><a href="http://www.ecupirates.com/genrel/041616aaa.html">$55 million renovation project </a><span>to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. $55 million is a lot of money for any G5 program to spend on a stadium renovation. Some of the entire stadiums did not cost that much when constructed.</span>
</li>
<li><span>Players go to the next level. Since 1951, 63 East Carolina players have been drafted by the NFL. Over 100 Pirates have spent some time in the NFL, including players like Chris Johnson, Jeff Blake, Earnest Byner, and Vonta Leach.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><span>Cons:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>Winning is tough. ECU is a very aggressive scheduler and it shows with the year by year records. The only double digit winning seasons in school history are in 1991 under Bill Lewis and 2013 under Ruffin McNeill. There are very few "easy outs" in the AAC.</span></li>
<li> <span>Not a destination job. In the history of the program, only Jack Boone (1952-1961) and Steve Logan (1992-2002) have stayed ten or more seasons. Since 1970, the </span><a href="http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/e/east_carolina/coaching_records.php">average stay for an ECU head coach is 4.6 years</a><span>. Take out Logan and that falls to 3.8 seasons.</span> </li>
<li> <span>Questionable athletic director. As everyone knows, Athletic Director Jeff Compher </span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/american-athletic-conference-usa-sun-belt-coaching-changes/2015/12/4/9851750/ecu-head-coach-ruffin-mcneill-fired-ad-jeff-compher-presser">fired Ruffin McNeill</a><span> after the 2015 season. It was a move that </span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/12/4/9852434/trying-to-make-sense-of-east-carolina-pirates-athletic-director-jeff">no one in or around the program saw coming</a><span>. Whether it turns out to be a good decision to replace McNeill with Scottie Montgomery, it worries prospective coaching candidates moving forward.</span>
</li>
</ul>
<h4>Making the case for why East Carolina is about where they should be: <a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/authors/thomas-sherrill">TK Sherrill, UDD's App State Writer</a>
</h4>
<p>ECU has had a loyal fanbase even through their dark years. I've been to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for a Noon kickoff when it was 100 degrees and their fans showed up. Greenville is in the middle of the nothingness of eastern North Carolina, which is part of the charm. If this was a fanbase loyalty vote, ECU would be #1 in the American.</p>
<p>One of the interesting facets of the ECU job is that you're judged a good bit by what you do out of conference against old rivals like Virginia Tech, NC State, North Carolina and other regional FBS foes. Those are the highlights of the ECU slate, not so much in conference.</p>
<p>The firing of Ruffin McNeil was a clear signal by ECU that mediocrity of any sort won't be tolerated. The AD's office is conducting the program like it's a top AAC team, but right now they're still behind the top tier.</p>
<p>If you look just at ECU, you would think they're a top program in the AAC. But then you look at who else is in the league and you have to pump the brakes. ECU could vault up higher in the next 3-4 years as the infrastructure is there. Scottie Montgomery will be the real test to see how good the ECU really job is.</p>
<h4><span>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</span></h4>
<p><span>You like the idea of playing an open style of football with actual crowds in the stands. Unlike many other G5 programs, you immediately get 40,000+ fans in the stands rather than the 1,000 or so if you choose Idaho. </span></p>
<p><span>You like the challenge of facing one of the toughest G5 schedules on the game. The strength of schedule is high enough that you can get into the top 25 by game six. You will be able to get in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football-playoff" class="sbn-auto-link">college football playoff</a> within two years, maybe one, if you go undefeated. You can also push a Wake Forest out and earn your "rightful" spot in the ACC.</span></p>
<h4><span>If you choose this job in real life...</span></h4>
<p><span>You have thick skin. You are coaching a team that plays in the AAC but has an SEC type of fanbase. The passion is impressive, but they can get a little out of control sometimes. Expectations can be too high, something many coaches would struggle with. </span></p>
<p><span>You understand the limitations and expect to get ECU to the next level before departing for another job (i.e. Holtz to South Florida) within 4-5 years. This can be a stepping stone to try and get that P5 job you covet. </span></p>
<h4><span>Verdict:</span></h4>
<p><span>When you average 40,000+ per game for a G5 program, it is not just another job. This job is tough and only works for the right person. Look at Steve Logan. He was arguably the best head coach in ECU history, leading them to five bowl berths. His first losing record in nine years causes him to resign. Even Pat Dye (Wyoming) and Skip Holtz (South Florida) left for other G5 jobs.</span></p>
<p><span>There is a reason that only two coaches have made it to double digit seasons coached. East Carolina has to prove to future coaches that it can be a destination job in the future. An AAC title would go a long way.</span></p>
<h4><span>The list so far:</span></h4>
<p><span><b>7. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/6/11858554/leading-navy-football-is-a-job-that-transcends-sports">Navy</a></p>
<p><span><b>8. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/3/11826360/smu-is-a-low-risk-high-reward-head-coaching-position?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Southern Methodist</a></p>
<p><span><b>9. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/1/11819070/forget-basketball-connecticut-is-a-better-job-than-you-think?_ga=1.207735058.1645630768.1451329257">Connecticut</a></p>
<p><span><b>10. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/30/11805660/temple-is-a-job-slowly-on-the-rise?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Temple</a></p>
<p><span><b>11. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/27/11794462/tulsa-is-not-the-worst-head-coaching-job-in-the-aac-barely?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Tulsa</a></p>
<p><span><b>12. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/25/11748158/tulane-aac-job-fbs-college-football-G5-shaun-king?_ga=1.205244304.1645630768.1451329257">Tulane</a></p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/8/11863504/east-carolina-head-coach-rankings-AAC-ECU-PiratesJeremy Adcock2016-06-06T14:00:03-04:002016-06-06T14:00:03-04:00Navy Is The AAC's Seventh Ranked Head Coaching Job
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yNWjW-fxyhOF_-chIe7bETn8VrY=/0x0:3065x2043/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49774253/usa-today-8992716.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It is difficult compare a service academy job to the rest of the AAC. How exactly does Navy match up as a head coaching job with the rest of the conference?</p> <p><span>When originally talking about this series with the rest of the UDD staff, there was one program that brought forth the most varied opinions. The head coaching job for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/navy-midshipmen">Navy Midshipmen</a> was ranked as high as a top five position by some and as low as the worst job in the AAC by others.</span></p>
<p><span>Coaching at Navy is a much different job that at any other job in the conference due to it being a service academy. Some coaches have struggled with the ability to turn an undersized squad into a solid football program. </span></p>
<p>From the history starting in the 1870s to seven top 10 national rankings to a resurgence under Paul Johnson and Ken Niumatalolo, there is and will always be something special about the Navy football program.</p>
<p><span>How does the Navy head coaching job stack up versus other jobs in the AAC?</span></p>
<h4><span>Pros:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><span>A history unlike any other. Navy have <a href="http://heisman.com/roster.aspx?path=football">Heisman Trophy winners Joe Bellino and Roger Staubach</a> as well as eight different Top 10 AP poll finishes. The Midshipmen boast rivalries with Notre Dame, Pitt, Virginia, and Army among others. </span></li>
<li><span>The Army-Navy Game. Arguably the greatest rivalry game in all of sports, the annual Army-Navy game is a once in a lifetime experience that everyone should attend. To be part of a game that grasps the attention of the entire nation no matter the records, it is a huge deal. It even has its own <a href="http://armynavygame.com/index.php">website</a>.</span></li>
<li><span>The triple option. I am biased, but a perfectly run triple option is the beauty of college football in a nutshell. It is also a perfect offense for an undersized team to run. We just experienced one of the greatest four years of the triple option under <span>Keenan Reynolds</span>. </span></li>
<li><span>A litany of famous players. Joe Bellino, Roger Staubach, Slade Cutter, Donald Whitmire, Bob Reifsnyder, Napoleon McCallum, and <span>Keenan Reynolds</span>. I could go on and add several more players to the list, but that is just a taste of the talent that has passed through Navy.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><span>Cons:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li> <span>Recruiting is tough. Navy is not a school that recruits players for football only. When a player makes the commitment </span><span>to Navy, it is to be part of the Navy, not just to play football. The four or five-star player looking to play in the NFL will not even think of Navy. </span> </li>
<li><span>A tough schedule. Though Navy has been extremely successful in recent years, they play an incredibly <a href="http://www.navysports.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/future-schedules.html">tough schedule on a yearly basis</a>. A yearly game versus Notre Dame, Air Force, and Army are always tough an emotional games. Then you add in another non-conference game (FAU in 2017, Hawaii and Lehigh in 2018, and Southern Miss in 2019). That isn't even mentioning an AAC division that includes Houston, Memphis, Tulsa, Tulane, and SMU.</span></li>
<li><span>Always undersized. The Midshipmen have a total of <a href="http://www.navysports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/navy-m-footbl-mtt.html">eight players that are 300+ pounds</a>. They have 20 players that are under 5-11. It takes a special type of coach to turn an eternally undersized team into a winning program on a yearly basis.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4>
<span>Making the case for why Navy should be higher: </span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/authors/justin-mears">Justin Mears, UDD's Navy Writer</a><span>.</span>
</h4>
<p><span>The Navy homer in me would say third highest salary in AAC with the ninth or so expectations from the fan base. As long as you beat Army and get to a bowl game, you are golden. They have done that 12 out of 13 years in a row.</span></p>
<p><span>The head coach gets a house and a car. Everything is provided for you, Annapolis is gorgeous, and almost every player gets to redshirt but still play at the prep school for a year to develop more.</span></p>
<p><span>You can have as many players on the team as you want (no scholarship limit like other schools).</span></p>
<p><span>Upside certainly not as high as others but neither are expectations yet they are paying Ken Niumatalolo a top three salary in conference.</span></p>
<h4><span>If you were playing NCAA football in an online dynasty...</span></h4>
<p><span>You are like me and love running the triple option on video games. Nothing is more fun than running the speed option to the outside, making the perfect pitch, and going 80 yards for a touchdown. You like being an underdog that can compete with the big boys on lesser talent. </span></p>
<p><span>You want to bring glory to the Naval Academy and possibly bring a national title to a service academy. The job on this game is a multi-year commitment. You will not be making the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football-playoff">college football playoff</a> with a single undefeated season. After two in a row, you might get your national title shot during the third season. </span></p>
<h4><span>If you choose this job in real life...</span></h4>
<p><span>You understand ahead of time that this is a job unlike any other. The players have commitments that </span>supersede football and are training to become the first line of defense for the United States. You are hopefully well versed in the option and have an ability to pull out every ounce of talent from your players.</p>
<p><span>You can't go into this job hoping to use it as a stepping stone. Coaches for service academies tend to get typecast and rarely get a shot to move up. Paul Johnson was an exception in bringing the option to Georgia Tech. Things could be changing in the future as Niumatalolo has proven success brings suitors. </span></p>
<h4><span>Verdict:</span></h4>
<p><span>As I said before, it takes a different type of person to run a football program for a service academy. The built in disadvantages of leading Navy are more than apparent, but Johnson and Niumatalolo have proven that 21st century success is possible.</span></p>
<p><span>The job will never have the attraction of the top jobs in the AAC, it is a dream job for a candidate that has lots of respect for the armed forces and wants to transcend football.</span></p>
<h4><span>The list so far:</span></h4>
<p><span><b>8. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/3/11826360/smu-is-a-low-risk-high-reward-head-coaching-position/in/11532933">Southern Methodist</a></p>
<p><span><b>9. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/1/11819070/forget-basketball-connecticut-is-a-better-job-than-you-think/in/11532933">Connecticut</a></p>
<p><span><b>10. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/30/11805660/temple-is-a-job-slowly-on-the-rise/in/11532933">Temple</a></p>
<p><span><b>11. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/27/11794462/tulsa-is-not-the-worst-head-coaching-job-in-the-aac-barely/in/11532933">Tulsa</a></p>
<p><span><b>12. </b></span><a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/5/25/11748158/tulane-aac-job-fbs-college-football-G5-shaun-king/in/11532933">Tulane</a></p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/6/6/11858554/leading-navy-football-is-a-job-that-transcends-sportsJeremy Adcock