List of college football coaches with 200 wins

This is a list of college football coaches with 200 career wins. "College level" is defined as a four-year college or university program in either the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics or the National Collegiate Athletic Association. If the team competed at a time before the official organization of either of the two groups but is generally accepted as a "college football program" it would also be included.

Contents

Historical overview

As of January 3, 2012, a total of 70 head football coaches had reached the milestone of 200 career coaching wins.

In the 100 years after the first college football game in 1869, only eight coaches reached the 200-win milestone. The only two who reached the mark before 1950 were Glenn Scobey Warner, with 319 wins from 1895 to 1938 (mostly at Carlisle, Pitt and Stanford), and Amos Alonzo Stagg, with 314 wins from 1890 to 1946 (mostly at the University of Chicago).[1]

By 1970, another six coaches had reached the milestone: Ace Mumford, with 233 wins from 1924 to 1961 (mostly at Southern University); Fred T. Long, with 227 wins from 1921 to 1965 (mostly at Wiley College); Jess Neely, with 207 wins from 1924 to 1966 (mostly at Clemson and Rice); Cleveland L. Abbott, with 203 wins at Tuskegee University between 1923 and 1954; Jake Gaither, with 204 wins at Florida A&M University from 1945 to 1969; and Eddie Anderson, with 201 wins from 1922 to 1964 (mostly at Holy Cross).[1][2]

Though only eight coaches reached the milestone from 1869 to 1970, 62 coaches have reached the mark in the 41 seasons since then. The most recent coach to reach 200 wins is Danny Hale, the current head football coach at Bloomsburg University, who reached the mark on October 8, 2011.

Leaders by category

In overall career wins, the all-time leader is John Gagliardi with 484 wins, mostly at the Division III level.[3] Gagliardi began his head coaching career at Carroll College in Helena, Montana in 1949, and in 1953 took his current job at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Joe Paterno, head coach at Penn State from 1966 to 2011, is second with 409 career wins, and Eddie Robinson, head coach at Grambling State University from 1941 to 1997 with a two-season hiatus during World War II, is third with 408.[2][3] Bobby Bowden is in fourth place and Bear Bryant in fifth place.[3]

Among NCAA Division I coaches, the all-time win leader is Joe Paterno at 409, followed by Eddie Robinson (408), Bobby Bowden (377), Bear Bryant (323), Tubby Raymond (300), and LaVell Edwards (257). The all-time win leaders in NCAA Division II are Jake Gaither and Chuck Broyles, and the all-time win leaders in NCAA Division III are John Gagliardi and Larry Kehres.

Among active coaches, the career win leaders are John Gagliardi (484), Larry Kehres (317), Ken Sparks (299), Bob Ford (255), Kevin Donley (254), and Hank Biesiot (253).[1][2]

Among the coaches with 200 career wins, the individual with the highest winning percentage is Larry Kehres with a .926 winning percentage after 26 seasons (1986–present) as the head football coach at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. Five others have reached the 200-win milestone with career winning percentages above .800: Jake Gaither (.844), Tom Osborne (.836), Mike Kelly (.819), Ron Schipper (.808) and Bo Schembechler (.804).[1][2]

The coaches with the most wins at one college are John Gagliardi (460 at St. John's), Joe Paterno (409 at Penn State), Eddie Robinson (408 at Grambling), Larry Kehres (317 at Mount Union), Roy Kidd (314 at Eastern Kentucky), Bobby Bowden (304 at Florida State), and Tubby Raymond (300 at Delaware).

Key

* Active in the 2011 season
† Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
200 wins with a Division I program (or historic equivalent)[n 1]

Coaches with 200 career wins

Updated through games played on January 3, 2012.
Rank Name Years Wins Losses Ties Pct. Teams
&100000000000000010000001* Gagliardi, JohnJohn Gagliardi† 63 484 133 11 .779 Carroll (MT) (1949–1952), St. John's (MN) (1953–present)
&100000000000000020000002 Paterno, JoeJoe Paterno† 46 409 136 3 .749 Penn State (1966–2011)
&100000000000000030000003 Robinson, EddieEddie Robinson† 55 408 165 15 .707 Grambling (1941–1942, 1945–1997)
&100000000000000040000004 Bowden, BobbyBobby Bowden† 44 377 129 4 .743 Samford (1959–1962), West Virginia (1970–1975), Florida State (1976–2009)
&100000000000000050000005 Bryant, BearBear Bryant† 38 323 85 17 .780 Maryland (1945), Kentucky (1946–1953), Texas A&M (1954–1957), Alabama (1958–1982)
&100000000000000060000006 Warner, Glenn ScobeyGlenn Scobey Warner† 44 319 106 32 .733 Georgia (1895–1896), Cornell (1897–1898, 1904–1906), Carlisle (1899–1903, 1907–1914), Pittsburgh (1915–1923), Stanford (1924–1932), Temple (1933–1938)
&100000000000000070000007* Kehres, LarryLarry Kehres 26 317 24 3 .926 Mount Union (1986–present)
&100000000000000080000008 Kidd, RoyRoy Kidd† 39 314 124 8 .713 Eastern Kentucky (1964–2002)
&100000000000000080000008 Stagg, Amos AlonzoAmos Alonzo Stagg† 57 314 199 35 .605 Springfield (1890–1891), Chicago (1892–1932), Pacific (CA) (1933–1946)
&1000000000000001000000010 Westering, FrostyFrosty Westering† 40 305 96 7 .756 Parsons (1962–1963), Lea (1966–1971), Pacific Lutheran (1972–2003)
&1000000000000001100000011 Raymond, TubbyTubby Raymond† 36 300 119 4 .714 Delaware (1966–2001)
&1000000000000001200000012* Sparks, KenKen Sparks 32 299 80 2 .787 Carson–Newman (1980–present)
&1000000000000001300000013 Schipper, RonRon Schipper† 36 287 67 3 .808 Central (IA) (1961–1996)
&1000000000000001400000014 Harring, RogerRoger Harring† 31 261 75 7 .771 Wisconsin–La Crosse (1969–1999)
&1000000000000001500000015 Girardi, FrankFrank Girardi 36 257 97 5 .723 Lycoming (1972–2007)
&1000000000000001500000015 Edwards, LaVellLaVell Edwards† 29 257 101 3 .716 BYU (1972–2000)
&1000000000000001700000017 Osborne, TomTom Osborne† 25 255 49 3 .836 Nebraska (1973–1997)
&1000000000000001700000017 Malosky, James S.James S. Malosky 40 255 125 13 .665 Minnesota–Duluth (1958–1997)
&1000000000000001700000017* Ford, BobBob Ford 43 255 178 1 .589 St. Lawrence (1965–1968), Albany (1973–present)
&1000000000000002000000020* Donley, KevinKevin Donley 33 254 117 1 .684 Anderson (IN) (1978–1981), Georgetown (KY) (1982–1992), California (PA) (1993–1996), Saint Francis (IN) (1998–present)
&1000000000000002100000021* Biesiot, HankHank Biesiot 36 253 103 1 .710 Dickinson State (1976–present)
&1000000000000002200000022* Beamer, FrankFrank Beamer 31 252 120 4 .676 Murray State (1981–1986), Virginia Tech (1987–present)
&1000000000000002300000023 Holtz, LouLou Holtz† 33 249 132 7 .651 William & Mary (1969–1971), North Carolina State (1972–1975), Arkansas (1977–1983), Minnesota (1984–1985), Notre Dame (1986–1996), South Carolina (1999–2004)
&1000000000000002400000024 Kelly, MikeMike Kelly 27 246 54 1 .819 Dayton (1981–2007)
&1000000000000002500000025 Tjeerdsma, MelMel Tjeerdsma 27 242 82 4 .744 Austin (1984–1993), Northwest Missouri State (1994–2010)
&1000000000000002600000026 Hayes, WoodyWoody Hayes† 33 238 72 10 .759 Denison (1946–1948), Miami (OH) (1949–1950), Ohio State (1951–1978)
&1000000000000002700000027 Joe, BillyBilly Joe† 31 237 108 4 .685 Cheyney (1972–1978), Central State (1981–1993), Florida A&M (1994–2004)
&1000000000000002800000028 Merritt, JohnJohn Merritt† 32 235 70 12 .760 Jackson State (1952–1962), Tennessee State (1963–1983)
&1000000000000002900000029 Schembechler, BoBo Schembechler† 27 234 65 8 .804 Miami (OH) (1963–1968), Michigan (1969–1989)
&1000000000000002900000029* Moore, JerryJerry Moore 30 234 131 2 .640 North Texas (1979–1980), Texas Tech (1981–1985), Appalachian State (1989–present)
&1000000000000003100000031 Mumford, AceAce Mumford† 36 233 85 23 .717 Jarvis Christian (1924–1926), Bishop (1927–1929), Texas College (1931–1935), Southern (1936–1942, 1944–1961)
&1000000000000003200000032* Douds, DennisDennis Douds 38 232 162 3 .588 East Stroudsburg (1974–present)
&1000000000000003200000032 Fry, HaydenHayden Fry† 37 232 178 10 .564 SMU (1962–1972), North Texas (1973–1978), Iowa (1979–1998)
&1000000000000003400000034 Bailey, WillardWillard Bailey 34 231 149 7 .606 Virginia Union (1971–1983, (1995–2003), Norfolk State (1984–1992), Saint Paul's (VA) (2005–2010)
&1000000000000003500000035 Tressel, JimJim Tressel 25 229[n 2] 79 2 .742 Youngstown State (1986–2000), Ohio State (2001–2010)
&1000000000000003500000035* Wilcox, LarryLarry Wilcox 33 229 126 0 .645 Benedictine (KS) (1979–present)
&1000000000000003700000037* Taylor, JoeJoe Taylor 29 228 90 4 .714 Howard (1983), Virginia Union (1984–1991), Hampton (1992–2007), Florida A&M (2008–present)
&1000000000000003800000038* Brown, MackMack Brown 28 227 113 1 .667 Appalachian State (1983), Tulane (1985–1987), North Carolina (1988–1997), Texas (1998–present)
&1000000000000003800000038 Long, Fred T.Fred T. Long 45 227 151 31 .593 Paul Quinn (1921–1922), Wiley (1923–1947, 1956–1965), Prairie View A&M (1948), Texas College (1949–1955)
&1000000000000004000000040* Ault, ChrisChris Ault†[n 3] 27 226 103 1 .686 Nevada (1976–1992, 1994–1995, 2004–present)
&1000000000000004100000041* Luckhardt, JohnJohn Luckhardt 27 225 70 2 .761 Washington & Jefferson (1982–1998), California (PA), (2002–present)
&1000000000000004200000042* Bagnoli, AlAl Bagnoli 30 222 81 0 .733 Union (NY) (1982–1991), Penn (1992–present)
&1000000000000004300000043 Kessinger, TedTed Kessinger† 28 219 57 1 .792 Bethany (KS) (1976–2003)
&1000000000000004300000043 Carpenter, GeneGene Carpenter 32 219 89 6 .707 Adams State (1968), Millersville (1970–2000)
&1000000000000004300000043 Harms, RonRon Harms 31 219 112 4 .660 Concordia (NE) (1964–1969), Adams State (1970–1973), Texas A&M–Kingsville (1979–1999)
&1000000000000004600000046* Talley, AndyAndy Talley 32 218 135 2 .617 St. Lawrence (1979–83, Villanova (1985–present)
&1000000000000004600000046 Randleman, RonRon Randleman 36 218 167 6 .565 William Penn (1969–1975), Pittsburg State (1976–1981), Sam Houston State (1982–2004)
&1000000000000004800000048 Christopherson, JimJim Christopherson 32 217 102 7 .676 Concordia (MN) (1969–2000)
&1000000000000004800000048 Martinelli, FredFred Martinelli† 35 217 119 12 .641 Ashland (1959–1993)
&1000000000000005000000050 Manlove, BillBill Manlove 33 215 111 1 .659 Widener (1969–1991), Delaware Valley (1992–1995), La Salle (1997–2001)
&1000000000000005100000051* Ash, RobRob Ash 32 214 119 5 .641 Juniata (1980–1988), Drake (1989–2006), Montana State (2007–present)
&1000000000000005200000052* Cater, MonteMonte Cater 31 213 107 2 .665 Lakeland (1981–1986), Shepherd (1987–present)
&1000000000000005200000052* Laycock, JimmyeJimmye Laycock 32 213 151 2 .585 William & Mary (1980–present)
&1000000000000005400000054* Giancola, RickRick Giancola 29 209 91 2 .695 Montclair State (1983–present)
&1000000000000005400000054 Mazzaferro, PeterPeter Mazzaferro 41 209 157 11 .569 Waynesburg (1959–1962), Curry (1963), Bridgewater State (1968–1986, 1988–2004)
&1000000000000005600000056* Hamilton, EricEric Hamilton 35 208 138 6 .599 New Jersey (1977–present)
&1000000000000005700000057 Neely, JessJess Neely† 40 207 176 19 .539 Southwestern (TN) (1924–1927), Clemson (1931–1939), Rice (1940–1966)
&1000000000000005800000058 Butterfield, JimJim Butterfield† 27 206 71 1 .743 Ithaca (1967–1993)
&1000000000000005900000059 Elliott, HaroldHarold Elliott 37 205 179 9 .533 Southwestern (KS) (1964–1968), Washburn (1969–1970), Emporia State (1971–1973), Texas–Arlington (1974–1983), Northwest Missouri State (1988–1993), Eastern New Mexico (1994–2004)
&1000000000000006000000060 Gaither, JakeJake Gaither† 25 204 36 4 .844 Florida A&M (1945–1969)
&1000000000000006100000061* Hale, DannyDanny Hale 23 203 67 1 .751 West Chester (1984–1988), Bloomsburg (1993–present)
&1000000000000006100000061 Woodson, Warren B.Warren B. Woodson† 31 203 95 14 .673 Arkansas State Teachers (1935–1940), Hardin–Simmons (1941–1942, 1946–1951), Arizona (1952–1956), New Mexico State (1958–1967), Trinity (TX) (1972–1973)
&1000000000000006100000061 Abbott, Cleveland L.Cleveland L. Abbott 32 203 96 28 .664 Tuskegee (1923–1954)
&1000000000000006100000061* Hameline, WaltWalt Hameline 31 203 123 2 .622 Wagner (1981–present)
&1000000000000006500000065 Nehlen, DonDon Nehlen† 30 202 128 8 .609 Bowling Green (1968–1976), West Virginia (1980–2000)
&1000000000000006600000066 Dooley, VinceVince Dooley† 25 201 77 10 .715 Georgia (1964–1988)
&1000000000000006600000066 Anderson, EddieEddie Anderson† 39 201 128 15 .606 Loras (1922–1924), DePaul (1925–1931), Holy Cross (MA) (1933–1938, 1950–1964) Iowa (1939–1942, 1946–1949)
&1000000000000006600000066 Piper, Keith W.Keith W. Piper 39 201 141 18 .583 Denison (1954–1992)
&1000000000000006600000066 Sweeney, JimJim Sweeney 32 201 153 5 .567 Montana State (1963–1967), Washington State (1968–1975), Fresno State (1976–1977, 1980–1996)
&1000000000000007000000070 Mudra, DarrellDarrell Mudra† 26 200 81 4 .709 Adams State (1959–1962), North Dakota State (1963–1965), Arizona (1967–1968), Western Illinois (1969–1973), Florida State (1974–1975), Eastern Illinois (1978–1982), Northern Iowa (1983–1987)

Active coaches nearing 200 career wins

This list identifies active coaches with at least 185 career wins, i.e. those who can reach the 200-win milestone within a season or two; updated through games played on January 3, 2012.
Rank Name Years Wins Losses Ties Pct. Teams
* Spurrier, SteveSteve Spurrier 22 198 75 2 .724 Duke (1987–1989), Florida (1990–2001), South Carolina (2005–present)
* Dennison, JimJim Dennison 30 196 131 2 .599 Akron (1973–1985), Walsh (1995–present)
* Franchione, DennisDennis Franchione 26 193 107 2 .642 Southwestern (KS) (1981–1982), Pittsburg State (1985–1989), Texas State (1990–1991), New Mexico (1992–1997), TCU (1998–2000), Alabama (2001–2002), Texas A&M (2003–2007), Texas State (2011–present)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The list includes coaches with 200 wins regardless of division. Coaches with 200 wins at a Division I school (or historic equivalents) are designated with the referenced peach shading. The referenced shading has also been used for coaches with historic programs that were among the elite programs of their era. For example, Amos Alonzo Stagg's wins with the University of Chicago are included.
  2. ^ On July 9, 2011, Ohio State announced that it had vacated all 12 wins (and its share of the Conference championship) from the 2010 season due to major violations of NCAA rules in which ineligible players were allowed to play. Prior to the ruling, Tressel had 241 career wins.
  3. ^ Ault has 210 Division I wins; his first 16 wins came when Nevada was a member of Division II in 1976 and 1977. The school became a charter member of Division I–AA (now FCS) in 1978, and joined Division I–A (now FBS) in 1992.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "NCAA Career Statistics". NCAA. http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careersearch. Retrieved June 21, 2010.  (The NCAA Career Statistics database allows the viewer to obtain coaching records for all NCAA coaches by inputting the individual's name in the linked window.)
  2. ^ a b c d "NCAA Coaching Records". NCAA. 2008. pp. 188–189. http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/D2/2008/Coaching%20Section.pdf.  (The linked document is a report published by the NCAA listing the winningest coaches based on data through the end of the 2007 season. Updated information on coaches active in subsequent seasons is available through the other sources listed in the "References" section.)
  3. ^ a b c "All-Time Coaching Records". College Football Data Warehouse. http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/coach_records.php. Retrieved June 20, 2010.  (The referenced page reflects the updated information on the Top 10 winningest coaches. Records for other coaches are available in the database in alphabetical order through links from the referenced page.)
College athletic coaching wins leaders in the United States