Staff stability: the key to consistency

Football coaches frequently cite staff stability as a key in building long-term success at major-college programs. As we put the wraps on the 2007 college football season, here’s a little chart that reinforces that premise. In the decade of the ‘Aughts’ (2000-2007), nine programs have won 10 or more games at least five times. Among those nine schools, seven have had their current head coach in place for at least seven consecutive seasons (Texas, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, USC, Georgia, Ohio State and TCU). The only exceptions, LSU and Boise State, have been long-term winners under multiple coaches for more than a decade. Although assistants come and go, stability in college football is measured by how long the head football coach remains in power at his school. By and large, that is the secret to the success of the schools that have posted the most 10-win seasons from 2000-2007. In that eight-year stretch, these schools have earned at least a share of seven national championships. A school-by-school breakdown, with 10-win seasons and national titles won in the past eight years: Texas (7 seasons with 10 wins, 1 national title) Oklahoma (7 seasons with 10 wins, 1 national title) USC (6 seasons with 10 wins, 2 national titles) Virginia Tech (6 seasons with 10 wins, no national titles) Boise State (6 seasons with 10 wins, no national titles) LSU (5 seasons with 10 wins, 2 national titles) Ohio State (5 seasons with 10 wins, 1 national title) TCU (5 seasons with 10 wins, no national titles) Georgia (5 seasons with 10 wins, no national titles) _ Jimmy Burch