Ranking the Fridge
Tom Dienhart of The Sporting News ranked Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen No. 28 among the 66 BCS coaches. Five ACC coaches are ranked above him (and so is that Paterno guy everyone around here seems to adore).
So whaddaya think? Is Ralph better than Jim Grobe, Frank Beamer, Tom O'Brien, Bobby Bowden or Butch Davis? One thing is for sure -- he made a smart move hiring Kevin Lempa from O'Brien's old staff at BC.
I gave Tom a call to see what he took into consideration when making this list and he said things like past performances, conference championships, consecutive winning seasons, and an overall feeling. He called it "far from being scientific," but said that if it looks like a coach's better days are behind him, he dropped down the list.
Here's the complete list:
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=200861
Comments
I will take Ralph anyday of the week over those guys. Ralph has earned my respect and he deserves to be our coach!
Posted by: Matt N | May 7, 2007 3:09 PM
Ralph has done a good job, the only thing I'd criticize him for is failing to find a good QB since Soctty McB left. An impotent offense lead by Statham and the liked wasted two years where the Terps had an incredible defense. If Friedgen was able to get a qb after McBrien, he'd like have another 10 win season, and we'd be talking about his 6 consecutive bowl appearances.
Posted by: Marty | May 7, 2007 8:52 PM
My check must have arrived in time. Thanks for looking out, Dienhart.
Posted by: Bill Callahan | May 8, 2007 9:55 AM
We forget that despite Ralph's advanced age, he's fairly new to the head coaching ranks. And this list is certainly of the what have you done lately variety- example: Jim Grobe at number 4!
Posted by: Sephtical | May 8, 2007 9:26 PM
America is a society that measures...and I mean EVERYTHING.
Now we're rating coaches?
I would think that is something near impossible to accomplish with any sort of credibility.
Like any coach, Ralph has endured the ebb and flow of success and failure. In this business, you can fall from genius to idiot instaneously.
Reaching a bowl game AND winning it proves to me he has the program on the right track.
Posted by: Charles Owen | May 9, 2007 9:49 AM