By Jim Johnson
SouthernPigskin.com

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Taking a look at the top ten coaches in ACC and SEC history.

This is an entirely subjective list of the greatest SEC and/or ACC coaches of all time. Wins, championships, both conference and national, and longevity were taken into account, of course. Also taken into consideration was how iconic each coach was, how meaningful they were to their respective schools, and how they altered the course of history for their school and football in the south as a whole. For the sake of diversity, only one coach per school was eligible, unless their resume from multiple schools makes them worthy. So while Nick Saban may or may not deserve to be on the list, Bear Bryant certainly does. Extra merit was given to coaches that turned around or took their programs took the next level. The men that carried that indescribable air of greatness (you know, that attitude that you can’t really put into words but still gives you chills at the mention of his name) got a little bump in the rankings too. Some of the coaches on the list didn’t technically coach in the SEC or ACC, but teams that are in one of those conferences now are eligible. So without further adieu, the greatest head coaches to ever grace the gridirons of the Southeast:

10. Frank Beamer

Beamer was hired as the head coach of Virginia Tech around Christmas time in 1986, and what a gift he was and continues to be for Hokie fans. One of only two active coaches on the list, he is currently 227-111-2 at VT. He took over a generally unsuccessful Virginia Tech team, having reached only six bowl games in its first 104 years. Since Beamer took over, the Hokies have become a perennial contender in the ACC and have played in 21 bowl games in a row. Known for “Beamer Ball”, he maximizes his teams’ opportunities to score by encouraging supreme effort in all facets of the game: offense, defense, and, particularly, special teams.

Record: 227-111-2

Championships: 4 ACC Championships

Fun Fact: Since taking over the Hokies, 35 different players have scored at least one special teams touchdown.

9. Wallace Wade

This man did it all, coaching basketball, baseball and football at Duke, Vanderbilt and Alabama. Wade is the winningest coach in Duke football history. And while he never won a national championship for the Blue Devils, he won three at Alabama. Ever driven to follow his beliefs, he famously left Alabama for Duke in 1930, citing his philosophy that strong academics should complement athletic achievement. In one of the greatest regular seasons ever, his Blue Devils shutout every team they faced, giving up their only points in the waning minutes of their 1939 Rose Bowl loss to USC.

Record: 61-13-3 (Alabama); 110-36-7 (Duke)

Championships: 10 SoCon Championships, 3 National Championships

Fun Fact: Wade had a career winning record as head coach in basketball, baseball and football.

8. Ralph Jordan

Ralph “Shug” Jordan is the winningest football coach in Auburn history. He ended the Tigers’ streak of five straight losing seasons in his first year at the helm, leading them to a 5-5 record. Things only got better after that, leading them to their first conference and national championship two years later. In 1973, Auburn’s home stadium became the first one to ever be named after an active coach, when it was dubbed Jordan-Hare Stadium in his honor. The Tigers only had three losing seasons in his entire quarter-century long tenure.

Record: 176-83-6

Championships: 1 SEC Championship, 1 National Championship

Fun Fact: Not only is he Auburn’s winningest head football coach, but he’s also the Tigers’ fifth winningest basketball coach of all time.

7. Bobby Dodd

One of the great football analysts in the history of the game, Dodd was ahead of his time as far as his preparation and understanding. Another man with a great moral compass, Dodd placed equal value on molding his teams, not only into great football players, but also intelligent young men. He didn’t believe in intense, demanding practices, so much as well structured, effective and efficient practices– think Chip Kelly before there was a Chip Kelly. He would sit in a folding chair on the sideline during games, rarely even feigning interest in what was happening on the field. As iconic and unique a coach as there ever was, Bobby Dodd will forever be immortalized in Atlanta.

Record: 165-64-8

Championships: 2 SEC Championships, 1 National Championship

Fun Fact: Dodd’s interest in withdrawing Georgia Tech from the SEC started with his strong disdain for Bear Bryant, which was sparked by Dodd’s perceived lack of discipline by the Crimson Tide.

6. John Vaught

Vaught remains the only head coach to ever win an SEC Championship at Ole Miss, and he won six of them. Johnny Vaught created a dynasty in the early ’60s, winning three of the four national championships from 1959 to 1962. The Rebels were a perennial power nationally during his entire 25-year tenure, and haven’t enjoyed remotely similar success since his departure. He took the ‘Rebs to over half of the bowl games they been to in the program’s 120 year history.

Record: 190-61-12

Championships: 6 SEC Championships, 3 National Championships

Fun Fact: The only two head coaches to have a winning record against Vaught are “Bear” Bryant and Robert Neyland.

5. Vince Dooley

In Dooley’s 25 years as Georgia’s head coach, he had only one losing season. Influenced by Bobby Dodd, Dooley possessed a similar devotion to preparation, planning and precision. The man lived and breathed football. He led the Bulldogs to 20 bowl games, six SEC Championships, and the school’s first national title in over 30 years, while winning five SEC Coach of the Year awards. His teams were famous for stubborn, hard-nosed football on defense, and disciplined, fundamentally sound football on offense. Maybe his greatest accomplishment was grooming the greatest college football player ever, Herschel Walker.

Record: 201-77-10

Championships: 6 SEC Championships, 1 National Championship

Fun Fact: A man of many talents, Dooley has published two children’s books about UGA’s mascot, Hairy Dawg, as well as a book about gardening.

4. Steve Spurrier

Had this been a list of the most quotable coaches, Spurrier would be on top. It might pain many SEC fans to see him so high, but you can’t argue with his productivity. He got his first head coaching gig at Duke, where he returned the Blue Devils to heights not seen since the days of Wallace Wade. Two years later he returned to his alma mater, the University of Florida, where he led the Gators to the best record in the SEC in his first year. In 1991 his Gators won their first ever SEC title, and five years later won their first National Championship. After a brief stint with the NFL’s Washington Redskins, Spurrier returned to the SEC with the South Carolina Gamecocks. He has turned a once laughable South Carolina program into a national powerhouse, but is still looking to give the Gamecocks their first SEC Championship.

Record: 20-13-1 (Duke); 122-27-1 (Florida); 80-41 (South Carolina)

Championships: 1 ACC & 6 SEC Championships, 1 National Championship

Fun Fact: Spurrier won the 1966 Heisman Trophy as the quarterback for the University of Florida.

3. Robert Neyland

Perhaps the greatest defensive coach of all time, Neyland’s Tennessee Volunteers once held 17 consecutive opponents to zero points. He was a trailblazer, credited with being the first coach to take advantage of sideline telephones and beginning the trend of using game tape to prepare for opponents. His Volunteers were among the first teams to use lightweight shoulder pads and tear-away uniforms which allowed his teams to maximize speed and quickness. He would do anything to get an edge and it worked. He is famous for creating the seven “Game Maxims” of football, that Tennessee players recite in the locker room to this very day. And “The General” did all this in between two tours overseas, protecting this great nation.

Record: 173-31-12

Championships: 2 SoCon & 5 SEC Championships, 4 National Championships

Fun Fact: There is a nine-foot tall, 1,500-pound statue of Neyland outside of Tennessee’s stadium, which also happens to be named after him.

2. Bobby Bowden

Bobby Bowden is the winningest Division I FBS coach in history, and has piled up more W’s than anyone else on this list. This poster-boy for longevity coached for 44 years, 34 of them at Florida State. Of those 34 years at FSU, following his departure from West Virginia, his inaugural season was his only one with a losing record. This was an unthinkable turnaround for a program that had gone a despicable 4-29 in the three years before Bowden took the job. It’s noteworthy that of the Seminoles’ 503 wins since their football program’s inception, Bowden contributed 315 of them, almost 63%, a testament not only to his longevity but his productivity as well. On top of those staggering win totals, he led the ‘Noles to 12 ACC Championships, and their first National Championship (he won a second national title in 1999).

Record: 315-98-4 (Florida State)

Championships: 12 ACC Championships, 2 National Championships

Fun Fact: Bobby Bowden coached against his son, Tommy Bowden, nine times, edging him out five games to four in what came to be known as the “Bowden Bowl.”

1. Paul “Bear” Bryant

The man, the myth, the legend, Paul “Bear” Bryant is the greatest college football coach of all time. An icon, just the name brings vivid images to mind of the “Bear” cooly gliding along the sideline, his head adorned with the trademark houndstooth hat that was his crown. He was intimidating, unapproachable, towering over most of his own players, the quintessential legendary coach. He didn’t care if you liked him, he was going to beat you anyways. His first SEC head coaching job was at Kentucky where he led the Wildcats to a winning season in all eight of his years, as well as their first bowl game and first SEC Championship. From there he moved to Texas A&M where he had a disastrous first year, but turned it around almost immediately, only losing five game the rest of his three years. He left for Alabama when the Aggies refused to allow him to integrate their team, the beginning of his immortalized career at the helm of the Crimson Tide. In his 25 years in Tuscaloosa, he won a staggering 14 SEC Championships and six national titles. He retired as the winningest head coach in college football. To this day, his consistent success over such a long period of time is as unmatched as his mystique. There will never be another “Bear” Bryant.

Record: 60-23-5 (Kentucky); 25-14-2 (Texas A&M); 232-46-9 (Alabama)

Championships: 14 SEC Championships, 6 National Championships

Fun Fact: He acquired the nickname “Bear” when he accepted a challenge to wrestle an actual bear at a carnival when he was a teenager.