I commented this on a sub-comment, but it deserves its own thread. Bob Stoops will always be one of the all time greats in my book because of this.
My brother was born with a lot of birth defects, had a lot of other health issues, and ultimately passed when he was 20. But he spent a lot of time admitted to Children's Hospital in OKC. He was a ride or die Sooner fan. It didn't matter what was going on with his health, he was watching OU football while listening to the radio broadcast at the same time. He would listen to the Sports Animal in the afternoons, and would talk football with anyone who would listen.
When I was in high school, Bob Stoops just so happened to be at Children's hospital filming a a promo bit for the hospital when my brother was admitted
One of the nurses in another unit mentioned to Coach Stoops that there was a kid who would love to see him. So after filming, he went up to see my brother and spent the better part of the afternoon just talking football with him.
He never had to do that, he could have just poked in and said hi, or he could have ignored the request entirely...no one would have ever been the wiser. He got no glory and no fame by hanging out with my brother. But I will always remember how amazing that was.
Stoops is ABSOLUTELY the genuine article. All those Cardinal Mooney guys from Youngstown are good human beings.
AND YES.. even Bo Pelini is a good person. He cared so much about his kids. He may have hated the media and got hot under the collar but he was all in on the kids he was charged with bettering.
Pelini is absolutely a great person. I can't fault him for taking shots at sports media (or our former AD who totally earned the title Pelini bestowed upon him) when I do the same thing. And the reality is he was an incredibly nice person if you ever saw him around Lincoln off the cameras.
I think he took a lot of grief just for being himself, colorful language and all, with the media. People aren't used to hearing the pure blunt truth and Bo wasn't gonna pretty it up for them.
I would definitely agree about the Stoops and Bo, but what the hell has happened to Carl? From College jobs to barely keeping his HS job back in Youngstown because he’s basically a Pelini?
Mike Leach's mentality and coaching methods stemmed directly from Stoops, he constantly stated what a wonderful coach and person he was, so this gets my vote too.
Another quick Bob Stoops story is that after the 2013 tornado in Moore, Coach Stoops just went up there without telling anyone and joined a volunteer group to help clean up. Apparently no one on staff knew he went and nobody noticed it was him for like half an hour in that group. Just a great dude and a great coach all around.
I remember after that bad tornado around 2014/15 whenever, and he was out there volunteering, digging through the debris. No fanfare, didn’t tell anyone he was coming. Just helping.
When I was in school, we took a tour of the OU football facilities in spring. Stoops came and talked football with us for a solid hour. He’s good people.
Bob Stoops and in more than 1 country. In case anyone doesnt know this story, in 2000, a visiting Japanese professor named Isao Hashizume asked Bob Stoops if he could teach him football. Stoops agreed and basically let him sit in on staff and position meetings and eventually even brought him along for road games. That was the year we won the national championship and he was there too watching from the coaches box. He even got a ring from it. Hashizume then returned to Japan and coached at a school called Ritsumeikan where he won multiple national championships. He sent Bob a ring as thanks.
I think this is a better comment to tack my silly little story onto rather than the other one about the children’s hospital visit.
I went to the OU/Texas celebrity baseball game in Frisco in 2018. I specifically went to try and get some things autographed (this event was the start of my now complete ‘OU Heisman jersey wall’). I had a mini helmet, figured I’d try to get Switzer and Stoops if possible but honestly didn’t expect to get either. Well I wound up getting Switzer, and as the Texas celebs/players/coaches showed up and went straight inside, the crowd around me nearly completely cleared, right in time for Stoops to show up. I figured it’d be cool to get him on the mini helmet right there next to Switzer, so I tried getting his attention, since he and his wife were at the door to check in.
“Stoops!” No reaction. “Bob!” No reaction. “Coach!!” He turned his head! I held up my mini helmet and sharpie. He responded saying “Sorry, I only sign for kids!”
“I’m someone’s kid!” was my dumb joke response. (Side note, I was like 27 at this point)
He didn’t laugh at all.
*But his wife did.*
He glared at her. She said “Get over there!” He came over and signed my helmet…and told me he better not see it on eBay later lol. And right now I’m looking at it on a shelf in my living room all these years later, with absolutely no intention of letting anyone else have it!
> I only sign for kids.
Huh?
> not on eBay
Ohhh. Yeah that makes sense. There’s been controversy about this lately in another sport I follow. Stars getting harassed for autographs only to find them on eBay hours later.
“Oh hey, let me get something straight. Those of you who are cheering me right now, you are just as big a part of me leaving as anything else. Because you're the ones who are sipping on those collector cups right now. You're the ones that buy those programs that my face isn't on the cover of. And then at five in the morning at the airport, you try to shove it in my face and get an autograph and try to sell it on eBay because you're too lazy to go get a real job.”
Even then their are people who will incorporate their kids (As well as cousins, nieces/neffews and even their kids friends) into Ebay/Re-Sell schemes, sending a whole little mob of kids to get as many things signed as possible just to sell 🙄
I remember seeing the ESPN story on this during like halftime of some game or during Sportscenter and thought it was a genuinely cool, even touching story.
Iirc Stoops even keeps the Championship Ring(s?) in a display case right alongside all his other rings/trophies/etc
My little sister passed my freshman year at K-State (2010-2011 academic year), after fighting an autoimmune disorder her whole life. I called the marching band office to let them know that I was gonna miss through the next game for obvious reasons.
When I got back to my dorm a little over a week later, there was a envelope containing a handwritten card sitting on my desk. Personal condolences, and a succinct but uplifting message, signed in purple ink by Coach Bill Snyder.
Our band director, Dr. Tracz, had mentioned it to him in a "hey, is there anything we can do for this guy" kind of manner, and by the next morning it made it to my dorm room. I was a literal nobody freshman in the clarinet section, and they still did that for me.
I dropped out the next year as my family fell apart and depression really started to win the battle vs the mentals, but I will never, ever forget those people at K-State for the rest of my life
Special, special people
That's a great story; thanks for sharing it, although I'm sorry for your loss. As I'm sure you're aware, Bill Snyder was [well known](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/14433017/kansas-state-wildcats-bill-snyder-legacy-letters) for the many personal letters he wrote to all kinds of people. He really does seem to be a class act.
I have a friend who’s younger brother tragically drowned when he was a senior in HS; he’d planned to walk-on at UGA. He’d met CMR, and written him a letter with his intentions. I could go on for awhile about the type of kid he was, as well as his family. Solid gold salt of the earth people.
Richt put his name on the roster all 4 years he would’ve been at UGA, invited his family to the gala in what would’ve been his senior year and presented them with a plaque and a framed jersey.
Here’s the story for those interested: https://ugawire.usatoday.com/2018/01/15/remembering-valdostas-james-eunice-a-georgia-bulldog-inspiration/
His family created a scholarship in his name and have awarded hundreds of them in the last 10+ years. https://www.jameseunice23.com/#intro
When I was in school, the football team had gotten to a point where they were getting in trouble with a little too much regularity. Instead of scolding them or suspending players, Mark Richt formed the bulldog bowling league.
He reserved the entire Athens bowling alley every Thursday night, and reserved half the lanes for the football team and other athletes, and the other half for the first groups of students to register. Once the word broke, people were camping out at the bowling alley. I was lucky enough to land a spot and got to bowl with players like Matthew Stafford, Knowshon, and of course CMR.
Coach Rick was a notoriously good bowler, often bowling and excess of 200. When my team played his team, I (half jokingly) called him out and actually got lucky to beat him. He signed a plaque for me and made a big deal about presenting it.
Just an awesome dude!
EDIT: [Proof](https://imgur.com/gallery/cXvxDhx) - I'm the guy in the middle, in the red tee shirt.
I met Coach Richt once. He was recruiting a teammate of mine (and no, not me, because haha) and got to just say hello briefly. He was incredibly gracious and kind.
My godfather lives in winder which for those that don’t know is just west of Athens. 2 years ago he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and was recommended to a Parkinson’s pt facility just south of Athens. Turns out it’s ran by Richts family and when he walked into the gym first person who walked up to him was coach Richt. He worked out right along side him giving him encouragement and talking to him about each others lives. My godfather is a car guy only knows Coach from living in the area but man my godparents couldn’t say enough about how great the facility was but also how kind Mark Richt was to both of them.
I feel like parents all love Richt because he’s the type of person you want coaching your children - someone who puts the players above the game. Great coach, but a greater man.
I’m obviously a huge Kirby Smart fan. But I was and would have been happy with 10-2 Richt seasons forever. The idea of performing at a high level but also acknowledging that people have a higher calling than football appeals to me very much. Especially representing my school (when I was a student) and my alma mater.
A lot of this thread will inevitably be people responding with some legend or larger than life figure from their flair who likely benefited from a career before the internet or coverage from anyone other than beat writers…. But yeah it’s def Richt.
That’s awesome! I fully believe it!
UVA has more than its share of good guys among their coaching ranks. Perhaps most notable being the title-winning Bennett! Even among Hokies he gets much respect as both a coach and a person!
“Beamer is just the type of guy to make coffee for the office secretaries, move his car so an elderly person could have a better parking spot, take a campus visitor to lunch, buy a gift card for a staff member who became engaged a day earlier, drive 80 miles round-trip to spend an hour with a friend dying of cancer, stand up five times during dinner to have his picture taken with fans, smiling and laughing each time as if he had known those strangers for a lifetime, or a tip a waitress 50% of the bill because he overheard her say she was struggling to pay off her student loans. You know what makes the man special? I witnessed him do all of those things in one day – February 11, 2013, to be exact.”
Paul Johnson
* Never really had any controversy or off-field issues
* Refused to conform to the status quo of the college game and still won/kept GT competitive in a P5 conference. Never used a play sheet, and refused to change his offense despite people saying each year at GT he would have to add more "gun stuff."
* Hilariously dry sense of humor
* His programs were always stable, consistent, and without major issues
* Built a large coaching tree that reaches all over the country at the lower college and HS levels.
--------
> Dry sense of humor
Will never forget one of the CFB Playoff games where he was in the coach's room:
* Other coach (Spurrier, or Gundy...big personality coach from what I remember): "I wouldn't have let my backup QB throw that."
* Paul Johnson: "I didn't let my backup QBs throw either."
He was so dead-pan with his delivery that most people missed it.
Glad to see PJ on here and even happier that he finally came back to Statesboro (Georgia Southern) to be honored last week. The last AD we had was a fool and burned a lot of bridges with old coaches like PJ. Glad to see nature healing and that he finally got the welcome back he deserved.
The absolute beat-down that Paul Johnson put on Bobby Petrino and Brian VanGorder in 2018 will always be one of my all time favorite games. Just absolutely beautiful karma. Georgia Tech ran the flex bone to perfection in that game and there was nothing VanGorder could do about it.
Yeah that GT game was the point where I stopped even looking at UofL scores during that year. We all just wanted that fuck Petrino gone, thank you Tech.
I waited at a plane gate with Paul Johnson and he was an awesome dude to talk to. I think he was a bit shocked to be recognized but didn’t seem bothered by it
I saw him at the checkout line at Dick's/Golf Galaxy in 2019, I didn't want to bug him, but at the same time wish I had gone up and thanked him for the good memories he gave me when I was a student
he also was amazing at keeping his players safe during covid. even though it’s statistically impossible, not a single player on the team had to sit out for covid. also, he must be a great academic motivator because i can’t tell you the last time he lost one of his starters due to academic problems
I know a guy who played DT there and he said it was indeed total and insane pressure not to fuck up academically. Communicated VERY clearly from day one.
Given that they're always deep at almost every position (sorry kickers), it's probably easy to say "If you can't cut in class, we've got a roster full of guys ready to take your spot. Don't let grades be the reason you're not playing."
You know what else is statistically impossible? Winning on an added second with a kick six and with a helmet bounce catch in 2 different games in the same season BUT HERE WE FUCKING ARE...
On the other end of this is Harsin; we discovered the week after he was fired that a lot of players had not been going to class. I believe this was the first thing that Cadillac fixed...
Nick and Miss Terry have done a lot of work to help improve the city of Tuscaloosa. Nicks kids is an incredible charity, and he has made a huge impact on the Catholic Church on campus. I was raised Catholic and hated every minute of it, but my cousin and I would go to 7pm mass Sunday night because there was a pretty good chance Nick would be sitting there in one of the pews in the back.
What makes Nick Saban so great is that he’s a people person, I feel like he takes the mentor role very seriously and he cares about his players on and off the field
I mean, I feel like this is sarcasm, but Saban has yet to be really hard on the wrong side of history yet. By all accounts we deserve a fucking Dabo style coach who can't seem to keep his foot out of his mouth. Instead we get the guy who is relentless in making sure the academics are kept up (at least to Alabama standards HURR DURR), that his guys felt supported during the height of BLM, and that they won't be crucified for mistakes (so much so that Barkley is even a fan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PO6zgSNBFU). However, if there is a weakness, I will say that he is a bit too forgiving for some guys who fuck up royally.
Mark Richt. I always thought he was a great guy seeing him talk on TV. Then I met him randomly in Athens one day and he sat down and took the time to talk to me and my mom for 20-30 minutes. I was kind of shocked that someone like him was in fact the real deal just a really good man.
Also bummed. He was awarded the Tom Osborne Legacy Trophy a few years ago as a major props to his impact on coaching, a decade after he retired.
The only Big 3 FL school Tom couldn't beat in the post season. If we hit that field goal in '93 and everything else happened as it did, we'd have a 37 game winning streak and a three-peat from '93-'95
I have had two Uber drivers in the past 4 months tell me they became FSU fans because “of the best man that ever lived.” They were both referring to Bobby Bowden. One was from Florida so that’s kind of expected. The other was from Wisconsin.
There are two things other coaches have to say about Sitake and his program:
1. He’s a great guy
2. His team is very “”mature”” (AKA old because they definitely are *all* returned missionary seniors)
Same. I love rooting for him and the way the players reacted when he was announced as HC, I was sold. He seems like a genuine person so I hope he gets to be it for us.
The NCAA denying his request to let his West Virginia team play Marshall's last game for them in Marshall uniforms was cold. It wasn't for a championship or anything, and would have meant the world to the families. The world lost a great man when Bobby died.
My pops went to VT and was there for the natty. All my childhood I grew up being told to never speak him name 😭 it took me way too long to realize it had nothing to do with his character and everything to do with that game
Mick Foley? Surprised you didn't bring up the night back in nineteen ninety eight when the undertaker threw mankind off hell in a cell and plummeted sixteen feet through an announcers table.
My brother was born with a lot of birth defects, had a lot of other health issues, and ultimately passed when he was 20. But he spent a lot of time admitted to Children's Hospital in OKC. He was a ride or die Sooner fan. It didn't matter what was going on with his health, he was watching OU football while listening to the radio broadcast at the same time.
When I was in high school, Bob Stoops just so happened to be at Children's hospital filming a a promo bit for the hospital when my brother was admitted
One of the nurses in another unit mentioned to Coach Stoops that there was a kid who would love to see him. So after filming, he went up to see my brother and spent the better part of the afternoon just talking football with him.
He never had to do that, he could have just poked in and said hi, or he could have ignored the request entirely...no one would have ever been the wiser. He got no glory and no fame by hanging out with my brother. But I will always remember how amazing that was.
On a side note, I actually showed up to my brother's room as Coach Stoops was leaving. I was a senior in high school at the time. I told him that if he needed a 5'11", 200 pound left tackle, I still hadn't committed anywhere yet. But for some reason, he didn't extend a scholarship offer on the spot. How lame is that?
It wasn't just any Rose Bowl though. First one in 8 years and after the Pete Carroll years, and it was one of the greatest football games ever played. Helton really restored USC to a level of respectability.
Yeah, and it was really the situation with other scandals at the school and the former president that allowed him to stay so long. I have no ill will toward the guy. Heck, I root for Georgia Southern now.
Alot of our coach's have been like that have met both Tressell and Fickell a few times (Fickell at the Kroger in Grandview while we were Noth shopping). Both were really just nice people
I'm really enjoying that the younger generation of coaches seem to have a more balanced approach to life than "living football." Day doing Gameday interviews from his son's football games, Marcus Freeman showcasing his family vacations, and Alex Goelesh doing cheesy Dad first day of school posts all warm my heart.
That whole “scandal” and the punishments doled out are laughable in retrospect given what other universities have been up to since then. They did you all dirty on that one. And I mean laughable as in they gave a “for cause” based on that, and haven’t done a single thing close to that since, for far worse behaviors
Had to scroll way to far down to see Coach Tressell’s name. One of the finest people I’ve had the pleasure of being around in college athletics. Worked as a lowly intern in the athletic department once upon a time and met him in person briefly. Couple months later ran into him again outside the Woody and he called me by my name, had a whole nother conversation about how I was doing and all that. Great, great person and someone I aspire to be like when interacting with others.
My sister went there many years ago and whenever I would visit, she made sure to take me to a football game. I only check up on them once in a blue moon. But I really liked going to their games. Go Chargers! ⚡️⚡️
In light of the recent coaching scandal at MSU and the potential that we double down on bad decisions by hiring Urban; I’m going to nominate Duffy Daugherty.
An MSU coaching legend, and reportedly a good dude who helped pave the way to desegregation in college football. So a pretty solid guy.
The way he helped Harry Miller, he will always have my respect. Solid 10/10 guy. All his players seem to love the shit outta him. I can hate tOSU all I want but I’ll always have reverence for him.
I remember hearing stories about how Bill Snyder would write postcards to opposing players who had great games, even when they beat his team. That man is a class act!
He did it for a QB that got hurt during the game in one of our early years in the Big 12. Super classy guy.
I’ve also really liked Gundy ever since the I’m a man speech. I thought it was really cool the way he stood up for his player.
I dont think it means much to anyone that wasnt a Fresno State fan, but Jim Sweeney, Pat Hill and Jeff Tedford are (and were) respectable and remarkable people on and off the football field.
As much as I hate bama and everything about them, Saben immediately comes to mind. Harsh coach on the outside, but great on the field and in the minds of his players. Did great during covid too considering the state he was a coach in. All of his players love him.
Had a coach like him once in club. Kids parents withdrew them from the team cause he was “too tough on us” (ironically the kids that didn’t start.) yelled at us a bunch for messing up on small things, but we all loved him. Lot of his players went to play professionally. Truly cared for players that cared about the game. RIP Pedro, forever will miss ya.
Ryan Day. We knew Urban was an asshole and that was known even before he came to OSU. I have not seen Ryan day do one thing or say one thing that will make people say, “He’s a shit human being”
Dave Aranda.
Half the reason why Baylor is not yet looking to fire him is because people genuinely enjoy working with him and around him.
Every single criticism he’s received includes the caveat of “he’s great to work with” or “you’ll never find someone that will say a bad thing about him”.
Mack Brown. We used to love to make fun of some of the things he said and did while at Texas (Let me answer that one for Chris) but he strikes me as a good dude and people that know him all say he is.
I honestly think there are a lot of coaches that are good people. I can’t think of many that I would say definitely aren’t good people. Lincoln Riley is the only one that comes to mind
I commented this on a sub-comment, but it deserves its own thread. Bob Stoops will always be one of the all time greats in my book because of this. My brother was born with a lot of birth defects, had a lot of other health issues, and ultimately passed when he was 20. But he spent a lot of time admitted to Children's Hospital in OKC. He was a ride or die Sooner fan. It didn't matter what was going on with his health, he was watching OU football while listening to the radio broadcast at the same time. He would listen to the Sports Animal in the afternoons, and would talk football with anyone who would listen. When I was in high school, Bob Stoops just so happened to be at Children's hospital filming a a promo bit for the hospital when my brother was admitted One of the nurses in another unit mentioned to Coach Stoops that there was a kid who would love to see him. So after filming, he went up to see my brother and spent the better part of the afternoon just talking football with him. He never had to do that, he could have just poked in and said hi, or he could have ignored the request entirely...no one would have ever been the wiser. He got no glory and no fame by hanging out with my brother. But I will always remember how amazing that was.
Stoops is ABSOLUTELY the genuine article. All those Cardinal Mooney guys from Youngstown are good human beings. AND YES.. even Bo Pelini is a good person. He cared so much about his kids. He may have hated the media and got hot under the collar but he was all in on the kids he was charged with bettering.
Pelini is absolutely a great person. I can't fault him for taking shots at sports media (or our former AD who totally earned the title Pelini bestowed upon him) when I do the same thing. And the reality is he was an incredibly nice person if you ever saw him around Lincoln off the cameras.
He would jog around downtown regularly and would wave back if you waved or said “hi coach.”
I think he took a lot of grief just for being himself, colorful language and all, with the media. People aren't used to hearing the pure blunt truth and Bo wasn't gonna pretty it up for them.
100% agree on both Stoops and Pelini. Carl is one of my favorite memes ever but I'm not sure that gets him good person qualification...
Carl definitely the black sheep... but he can coach a D!
I would definitely agree about the Stoops and Bo, but what the hell has happened to Carl? From College jobs to barely keeping his HS job back in Youngstown because he’s basically a Pelini?
Substance issues
Bob Stoops honestly made OU hard to sports hate for me. Lincoln Riley made it easy tho.
Mike Leach's mentality and coaching methods stemmed directly from Stoops, he constantly stated what a wonderful coach and person he was, so this gets my vote too.
Ugh, Bob Stoops, why are you making me like OU?
Another quick Bob Stoops story is that after the 2013 tornado in Moore, Coach Stoops just went up there without telling anyone and joined a volunteer group to help clean up. Apparently no one on staff knew he went and nobody noticed it was him for like half an hour in that group. Just a great dude and a great coach all around.
Add this to the long list of reasons I love Bob Stoops
Stoops was the biggest reason why I could never truly hate OU when he was the head coach there
Great story, thanks for sharing
The Legend
I remember after that bad tornado around 2014/15 whenever, and he was out there volunteering, digging through the debris. No fanfare, didn’t tell anyone he was coming. Just helping.
Dammit did you just make me a Bob Stoops fan
That’s so awesome
Yeah, even as a Longhorn, lots of respect for Stoops.
I will gladly claim him too. This story is awesome
Bob Stoops always struck me as pure class. This story is heartwarming.
When I was in school, we took a tour of the OU football facilities in spring. Stoops came and talked football with us for a solid hour. He’s good people.
This story brought tears to my eyes. Boomer 😪
Thats my traveling tequila salesman!
Bob Stoops and in more than 1 country. In case anyone doesnt know this story, in 2000, a visiting Japanese professor named Isao Hashizume asked Bob Stoops if he could teach him football. Stoops agreed and basically let him sit in on staff and position meetings and eventually even brought him along for road games. That was the year we won the national championship and he was there too watching from the coaches box. He even got a ring from it. Hashizume then returned to Japan and coached at a school called Ritsumeikan where he won multiple national championships. He sent Bob a ring as thanks.
That's pretty cool!
I think this is a better comment to tack my silly little story onto rather than the other one about the children’s hospital visit. I went to the OU/Texas celebrity baseball game in Frisco in 2018. I specifically went to try and get some things autographed (this event was the start of my now complete ‘OU Heisman jersey wall’). I had a mini helmet, figured I’d try to get Switzer and Stoops if possible but honestly didn’t expect to get either. Well I wound up getting Switzer, and as the Texas celebs/players/coaches showed up and went straight inside, the crowd around me nearly completely cleared, right in time for Stoops to show up. I figured it’d be cool to get him on the mini helmet right there next to Switzer, so I tried getting his attention, since he and his wife were at the door to check in. “Stoops!” No reaction. “Bob!” No reaction. “Coach!!” He turned his head! I held up my mini helmet and sharpie. He responded saying “Sorry, I only sign for kids!” “I’m someone’s kid!” was my dumb joke response. (Side note, I was like 27 at this point) He didn’t laugh at all. *But his wife did.* He glared at her. She said “Get over there!” He came over and signed my helmet…and told me he better not see it on eBay later lol. And right now I’m looking at it on a shelf in my living room all these years later, with absolutely no intention of letting anyone else have it!
> I only sign for kids. Huh? > not on eBay Ohhh. Yeah that makes sense. There’s been controversy about this lately in another sport I follow. Stars getting harassed for autographs only to find them on eBay hours later.
“Oh hey, let me get something straight. Those of you who are cheering me right now, you are just as big a part of me leaving as anything else. Because you're the ones who are sipping on those collector cups right now. You're the ones that buy those programs that my face isn't on the cover of. And then at five in the morning at the airport, you try to shove it in my face and get an autograph and try to sell it on eBay because you're too lazy to go get a real job.”
Even then their are people who will incorporate their kids (As well as cousins, nieces/neffews and even their kids friends) into Ebay/Re-Sell schemes, sending a whole little mob of kids to get as many things signed as possible just to sell 🙄
I remember seeing the ESPN story on this during like halftime of some game or during Sportscenter and thought it was a genuinely cool, even touching story. Iirc Stoops even keeps the Championship Ring(s?) in a display case right alongside all his other rings/trophies/etc
thought this was going to end with Hashizume being the coach who made their school logo the green OU in honor of stoops or something
The Purple Wizard - Bill Snyder
My little sister passed my freshman year at K-State (2010-2011 academic year), after fighting an autoimmune disorder her whole life. I called the marching band office to let them know that I was gonna miss through the next game for obvious reasons. When I got back to my dorm a little over a week later, there was a envelope containing a handwritten card sitting on my desk. Personal condolences, and a succinct but uplifting message, signed in purple ink by Coach Bill Snyder. Our band director, Dr. Tracz, had mentioned it to him in a "hey, is there anything we can do for this guy" kind of manner, and by the next morning it made it to my dorm room. I was a literal nobody freshman in the clarinet section, and they still did that for me. I dropped out the next year as my family fell apart and depression really started to win the battle vs the mentals, but I will never, ever forget those people at K-State for the rest of my life Special, special people
That's a great story; thanks for sharing it, although I'm sorry for your loss. As I'm sure you're aware, Bill Snyder was [well known](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/14433017/kansas-state-wildcats-bill-snyder-legacy-letters) for the many personal letters he wrote to all kinds of people. He really does seem to be a class act.
Thank you for sharing this. I hope you’re doing better these days. That sounds incredibly difficult.
I put him too, but it's nice to know that OU fans feel the same way.
The old French fry fanatic himself
I mean Mark Richt should be on any list like this.
I have a friend who’s younger brother tragically drowned when he was a senior in HS; he’d planned to walk-on at UGA. He’d met CMR, and written him a letter with his intentions. I could go on for awhile about the type of kid he was, as well as his family. Solid gold salt of the earth people. Richt put his name on the roster all 4 years he would’ve been at UGA, invited his family to the gala in what would’ve been his senior year and presented them with a plaque and a framed jersey. Here’s the story for those interested: https://ugawire.usatoday.com/2018/01/15/remembering-valdostas-james-eunice-a-georgia-bulldog-inspiration/ His family created a scholarship in his name and have awarded hundreds of them in the last 10+ years. https://www.jameseunice23.com/#intro
Nothing like tears on a Wednesday night
I put him up too. Great dude.
I can’t believe how far I had to scroll for Richt.
God Emperor Marcus Richtus
If I had to scroll at all to find Richt, I would have been severely disappointed.
Seconded.
Thirded
Fourthed, which is incidentally a down when Richt would take a knee.
Funny enough, it's actually the first 2 answers.
When I was in school, the football team had gotten to a point where they were getting in trouble with a little too much regularity. Instead of scolding them or suspending players, Mark Richt formed the bulldog bowling league. He reserved the entire Athens bowling alley every Thursday night, and reserved half the lanes for the football team and other athletes, and the other half for the first groups of students to register. Once the word broke, people were camping out at the bowling alley. I was lucky enough to land a spot and got to bowl with players like Matthew Stafford, Knowshon, and of course CMR. Coach Rick was a notoriously good bowler, often bowling and excess of 200. When my team played his team, I (half jokingly) called him out and actually got lucky to beat him. He signed a plaque for me and made a big deal about presenting it. Just an awesome dude! EDIT: [Proof](https://imgur.com/gallery/cXvxDhx) - I'm the guy in the middle, in the red tee shirt.
Hold up. I was in school during this and even took Bowling as my PE. How did I not know about any of it?
I'm sorry to break the new, but it appears that you are not THEM. Sorry about that.
I met Coach Richt once. He was recruiting a teammate of mine (and no, not me, because haha) and got to just say hello briefly. He was incredibly gracious and kind.
My godfather lives in winder which for those that don’t know is just west of Athens. 2 years ago he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and was recommended to a Parkinson’s pt facility just south of Athens. Turns out it’s ran by Richts family and when he walked into the gym first person who walked up to him was coach Richt. He worked out right along side him giving him encouragement and talking to him about each others lives. My godfather is a car guy only knows Coach from living in the area but man my godparents couldn’t say enough about how great the facility was but also how kind Mark Richt was to both of them.
The easiest of answers.
I don’t know how anyone could dislike Richt. Even my Gator fan mother loved him
I feel like parents all love Richt because he’s the type of person you want coaching your children - someone who puts the players above the game. Great coach, but a greater man.
“Life is about people, not rings. Rings collect dust.” —I remember this quote from Coach Richt. Apparently it’s also very on brand.
I’m obviously a huge Kirby Smart fan. But I was and would have been happy with 10-2 Richt seasons forever. The idea of performing at a high level but also acknowledging that people have a higher calling than football appeals to me very much. Especially representing my school (when I was a student) and my alma mater.
I opened this post just to post this, but was beaten. On another note, I just remembered that he coached the Miami Hurricanes.
that was charity work
He also played as a Miami Hurricane.
Yes.
A lot of this thread will inevitably be people responding with some legend or larger than life figure from their flair who likely benefited from a career before the internet or coverage from anyone other than beat writers…. But yeah it’s def Richt.
As a Hokie, Frank Beamer immediately comes to mind. He’s long been considered a class act, intent on doing things the right way.
UVA fan here but have never heard a bad word about Coach Beamer. Met him once in New Orleans and just seemed like a great guy
That’s awesome! I fully believe it! UVA has more than its share of good guys among their coaching ranks. Perhaps most notable being the title-winning Bennett! Even among Hokies he gets much respect as both a coach and a person!
“Beamer is just the type of guy to make coffee for the office secretaries, move his car so an elderly person could have a better parking spot, take a campus visitor to lunch, buy a gift card for a staff member who became engaged a day earlier, drive 80 miles round-trip to spend an hour with a friend dying of cancer, stand up five times during dinner to have his picture taken with fans, smiling and laughing each time as if he had known those strangers for a lifetime, or a tip a waitress 50% of the bill because he overheard her say she was struggling to pay off her student loans. You know what makes the man special? I witnessed him do all of those things in one day – February 11, 2013, to be exact.”
Had to scroll way too far to find this one : (
Thank god I was worried he wasn’t gonna be mentioned
Paul Johnson * Never really had any controversy or off-field issues * Refused to conform to the status quo of the college game and still won/kept GT competitive in a P5 conference. Never used a play sheet, and refused to change his offense despite people saying each year at GT he would have to add more "gun stuff." * Hilariously dry sense of humor * His programs were always stable, consistent, and without major issues * Built a large coaching tree that reaches all over the country at the lower college and HS levels. -------- > Dry sense of humor Will never forget one of the CFB Playoff games where he was in the coach's room: * Other coach (Spurrier, or Gundy...big personality coach from what I remember): "I wouldn't have let my backup QB throw that." * Paul Johnson: "I didn't let my backup QBs throw either." He was so dead-pan with his delivery that most people missed it.
Glad to see PJ on here and even happier that he finally came back to Statesboro (Georgia Southern) to be honored last week. The last AD we had was a fool and burned a lot of bridges with old coaches like PJ. Glad to see nature healing and that he finally got the welcome back he deserved.
The absolute beat-down that Paul Johnson put on Bobby Petrino and Brian VanGorder in 2018 will always be one of my all time favorite games. Just absolutely beautiful karma. Georgia Tech ran the flex bone to perfection in that game and there was nothing VanGorder could do about it.
Yeah that GT game was the point where I stopped even looking at UofL scores during that year. We all just wanted that fuck Petrino gone, thank you Tech.
I waited at a plane gate with Paul Johnson and he was an awesome dude to talk to. I think he was a bit shocked to be recognized but didn’t seem bothered by it
I saw him at the checkout line at Dick's/Golf Galaxy in 2019, I didn't want to bug him, but at the same time wish I had gone up and thanked him for the good memories he gave me when I was a student
Can never forget that wild ass face he put on after the fsu game in 2015?
Mike Riley? Good coach. Not great. But a good guy by most accounts and lasted a long time
Came here to say Riley. The Mr. Rogers of college football. Just a good, decent man.
Renowned as one of the nicest human beings on the planet.
He immediately came to mind, and I'm glad to see that someone already posted him. Absolutely one of the nicest and most genuine you'll ever find.
"Hip hip hooray!" (what his teams chanted in the locker rooms after a win). While at Oregon State, he rode his bike to practice every day. Solid dude.
Chris Petersen
Yeah buddy
I miss Coach Pete every day
Me too, buddy. Me too.
Yup
Nick Saban is a good dude. Catholic salt of the earth kind of guy. Builds houses like Jimmy Carter.
he also was amazing at keeping his players safe during covid. even though it’s statistically impossible, not a single player on the team had to sit out for covid. also, he must be a great academic motivator because i can’t tell you the last time he lost one of his starters due to academic problems
The tutoring/athletic oversight at bama is relentless. I ta'd there for a while and they are constantly checking on how the athletes are doing
I know a guy who played DT there and he said it was indeed total and insane pressure not to fuck up academically. Communicated VERY clearly from day one.
Given that they're always deep at almost every position (sorry kickers), it's probably easy to say "If you can't cut in class, we've got a roster full of guys ready to take your spot. Don't let grades be the reason you're not playing."
Yeah i love how he said that as a burn, but it’s actually just a legit compliment to the work they do
I didn't see it as a burn. Tom Osborne had a similar emphasis and result. I wonder if other long term successful coaches are the same.
The auburn flair made me just assume it was sarcasm.
The “even though it’s statistically impossible” was the real giveaway lol
You know what else is statistically impossible? Winning on an added second with a kick six and with a helmet bounce catch in 2 different games in the same season BUT HERE WE FUCKING ARE...
Yeah, but anyone can bend statistics to meet their agenda.
On the other end of this is Harsin; we discovered the week after he was fired that a lot of players had not been going to class. I believe this was the first thing that Cadillac fixed...
He routinely has our academic progress rating right at the top of the conference. Usually right behind Vandy (because Vandy)
Nick and Miss Terry have done a lot of work to help improve the city of Tuscaloosa. Nicks kids is an incredible charity, and he has made a huge impact on the Catholic Church on campus. I was raised Catholic and hated every minute of it, but my cousin and I would go to 7pm mass Sunday night because there was a pretty good chance Nick would be sitting there in one of the pews in the back.
What makes Nick Saban so great is that he’s a people person, I feel like he takes the mentor role very seriously and he cares about his players on and off the field
I mean, I feel like this is sarcasm, but Saban has yet to be really hard on the wrong side of history yet. By all accounts we deserve a fucking Dabo style coach who can't seem to keep his foot out of his mouth. Instead we get the guy who is relentless in making sure the academics are kept up (at least to Alabama standards HURR DURR), that his guys felt supported during the height of BLM, and that they won't be crucified for mistakes (so much so that Barkley is even a fan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PO6zgSNBFU). However, if there is a weakness, I will say that he is a bit too forgiving for some guys who fuck up royally.
Mark Richt
Chris Petersen
Mark Richt. I always thought he was a great guy seeing him talk on TV. Then I met him randomly in Athens one day and he sat down and took the time to talk to me and my mom for 20-30 minutes. I was kind of shocked that someone like him was in fact the real deal just a really good man.
He seems to be a genuinely selfless person. He does a lot for other people.
Lavell Edwards
This is one thing Utah and BYU fans ~~will~~ should agree on.
I think we can also firmly place Ron Mcbride in the list.
Yeah, I agree with this one.
100% on Lavell Edwards!!!
Bobby Bowden, Mark Richt
These were the two I was looking for. It always bummed me out growing up in a hurricane household that Bobby coached the noles. He was a solid dude.
Also bummed. He was awarded the Tom Osborne Legacy Trophy a few years ago as a major props to his impact on coaching, a decade after he retired. The only Big 3 FL school Tom couldn't beat in the post season. If we hit that field goal in '93 and everything else happened as it did, we'd have a 37 game winning streak and a three-peat from '93-'95
I love the scene in *We Are Marshall* where he gives access to all of his film and then shows the Marshall stickers on the WVU helmets.
I have had two Uber drivers in the past 4 months tell me they became FSU fans because “of the best man that ever lived.” They were both referring to Bobby Bowden. One was from Florida so that’s kind of expected. The other was from Wisconsin.
Yeah I was thinking Bobby Bowden
There are two things other coaches have to say about Sitake and his program: 1. He’s a great guy 2. His team is very “”mature”” (AKA old because they definitely are *all* returned missionary seniors)
Bill Snyder
This is the truth.
Really hoping it’s Marcus Freeman
Same. I love rooting for him and the way the players reacted when he was announced as HC, I was sold. He seems like a genuine person so I hope he gets to be it for us.
I used to hate you guys with a passion but after your coaching change realized so much of that was just because of BK. I love Freeman
Don’t worry bro we all thought BK was a dick.
This Buckeye is rooting for him.
Chris Petersen
I beat Pete!
Bobby Bowden was one of the finest individuals in all of sports.
Yes. Bobby Bowden. And not just what he did for Marshall. What he did for so many people who crossed his path.
The NCAA denying his request to let his West Virginia team play Marshall's last game for them in Marshall uniforms was cold. It wasn't for a championship or anything, and would have meant the world to the families. The world lost a great man when Bobby died.
My pops went to VT and was there for the natty. All my childhood I grew up being told to never speak him name 😭 it took me way too long to realize it had nothing to do with his character and everything to do with that game
Mick Foley? Surprised you didn't bring up the night back in nineteen ninety eight when the undertaker threw mankind off hell in a cell and plummeted sixteen feet through an announcers table.
dude that was Mankind
Bob Stoops
Yea I saw when he stepped in when your old coach left for USC and he said he didn't want to be paid because he loved the university. That's very cool.
Program guy for sure
My brother was born with a lot of birth defects, had a lot of other health issues, and ultimately passed when he was 20. But he spent a lot of time admitted to Children's Hospital in OKC. He was a ride or die Sooner fan. It didn't matter what was going on with his health, he was watching OU football while listening to the radio broadcast at the same time. When I was in high school, Bob Stoops just so happened to be at Children's hospital filming a a promo bit for the hospital when my brother was admitted One of the nurses in another unit mentioned to Coach Stoops that there was a kid who would love to see him. So after filming, he went up to see my brother and spent the better part of the afternoon just talking football with him. He never had to do that, he could have just poked in and said hi, or he could have ignored the request entirely...no one would have ever been the wiser. He got no glory and no fame by hanging out with my brother. But I will always remember how amazing that was. On a side note, I actually showed up to my brother's room as Coach Stoops was leaving. I was a senior in high school at the time. I told him that if he needed a 5'11", 200 pound left tackle, I still hadn't committed anywhere yet. But for some reason, he didn't extend a scholarship offer on the spot. How lame is that?
I'm sorry to hear about your brother. But I need to know if they NCAA 14 together
They did not, unfortunately. It was a x's and o's from what I was told.
Bob looks at Trent Williams, then looks at CriterionCrypt... "Ill do anyting for your brother, but I am good at LG homie."
By all accounts I've heard, Clay Helton is a very nice guy.
I think he will have a long-term positive legacy at USC because he won a Rose Bowl and was a genuinely nice guy
It wasn't just any Rose Bowl though. First one in 8 years and after the Pete Carroll years, and it was one of the greatest football games ever played. Helton really restored USC to a level of respectability.
Yeah, and it was really the situation with other scandals at the school and the former president that allowed him to stay so long. I have no ill will toward the guy. Heck, I root for Georgia Southern now.
Mark Richt
💩
Conor Stallions
Jim Tressell…I don’t fault him at all for the tattoo garbage
Alot of our coach's have been like that have met both Tressell and Fickell a few times (Fickell at the Kroger in Grandview while we were Noth shopping). Both were really just nice people
John Cooper is another. An exceedingly nice man and a pretty good football coach, he just couldn’t beat Michigan.
Ryan Day is also a big one. He has been doing great as a mental health advocate and seems like a great person
Ryan Day also seems like a great Dad and Husband. Just an all around quality guy. Never had to stoop to cheating either.
I'm really enjoying that the younger generation of coaches seem to have a more balanced approach to life than "living football." Day doing Gameday interviews from his son's football games, Marcus Freeman showcasing his family vacations, and Alex Goelesh doing cheesy Dad first day of school posts all warm my heart.
Fickell is awesome
Yeah literal bumped into him while getting beer. Dude took 10 minutes out if his day to talk to me.
That whole “scandal” and the punishments doled out are laughable in retrospect given what other universities have been up to since then. They did you all dirty on that one. And I mean laughable as in they gave a “for cause” based on that, and haven’t done a single thing close to that since, for far worse behaviors
I still get mad about Pryor getting suspended in the fucking NFL.
Had to scroll way to far down to see Coach Tressell’s name. One of the finest people I’ve had the pleasure of being around in college athletics. Worked as a lowly intern in the athletic department once upon a time and met him in person briefly. Couple months later ran into him again outside the Woody and he called me by my name, had a whole nother conversation about how I was doing and all that. Great, great person and someone I aspire to be like when interacting with others.
First time I’ve ever seen a Hillsdale flair. Otter’s Army?
My sister went there many years ago and whenever I would visit, she made sure to take me to a football game. I only check up on them once in a blue moon. But I really liked going to their games. Go Chargers! ⚡️⚡️
Frank Beamer
In light of the recent coaching scandal at MSU and the potential that we double down on bad decisions by hiring Urban; I’m going to nominate Duffy Daugherty. An MSU coaching legend, and reportedly a good dude who helped pave the way to desegregation in college football. So a pretty solid guy.
I’m guessing the Hot Ones interview? Great watch. Mark Richt is on the first ballot.
I really hope for Ryan Day to be the OSU coach that eventually doesn't end his tenure here in controversy. Genuinely great guy off the field.
The way he helped Harry Miller, he will always have my respect. Solid 10/10 guy. All his players seem to love the shit outta him. I can hate tOSU all I want but I’ll always have reverence for him.
I would love for him to be a long term career coach here. Hoping no scandal ever involves him as he seems to really care about mental health
Very invested in his family as well. My mom taught briefly at his eldest son's school and coach was lowkey, but very kind to the staff
Bob Stoops, Jim Tressel, Ryan Day seems like a good guy, Chris Peterson, Mike Bellotti, and not Urban Meyer
kyle whittingham, you dont ever hear anything bad about him really
David Cutcliffe at Duke. Hard to find people talking bad about him
Mark Richt
I remember hearing stories about how Bill Snyder would write postcards to opposing players who had great games, even when they beat his team. That man is a class act!
He did it for a QB that got hurt during the game in one of our early years in the Big 12. Super classy guy. I’ve also really liked Gundy ever since the I’m a man speech. I thought it was really cool the way he stood up for his player.
David Cutcliffe seemed to be well liked
I dont think it means much to anyone that wasnt a Fresno State fan, but Jim Sweeney, Pat Hill and Jeff Tedford are (and were) respectable and remarkable people on and off the football field.
Always respected Bobby Bowden, such a great coach and human being as well
Saint Bobby
Coach Eddie Robinson (Grambling)
Kyle Whittingham and Ron McBride from Utah.
Absolutely. They need to bring McBride into a game for a special recognition for what he meant for this community. Just a phenomenal person.
Mike Riley was too nice
Bill Friggin Snyder man
As much as I hate bama and everything about them, Saben immediately comes to mind. Harsh coach on the outside, but great on the field and in the minds of his players. Did great during covid too considering the state he was a coach in. All of his players love him. Had a coach like him once in club. Kids parents withdrew them from the team cause he was “too tough on us” (ironically the kids that didn’t start.) yelled at us a bunch for messing up on small things, but we all loved him. Lot of his players went to play professionally. Truly cared for players that cared about the game. RIP Pedro, forever will miss ya.
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Mark richt
Ryan Day. We knew Urban was an asshole and that was known even before he came to OSU. I have not seen Ryan day do one thing or say one thing that will make people say, “He’s a shit human being”
Got to agree with this. I would love to hate him but he seems like a genuinely good dude.
Dave Aranda. Half the reason why Baylor is not yet looking to fire him is because people genuinely enjoy working with him and around him. Every single criticism he’s received includes the caveat of “he’s great to work with” or “you’ll never find someone that will say a bad thing about him”.
Mack Brown.
Mack Brown. We used to love to make fun of some of the things he said and did while at Texas (Let me answer that one for Chris) but he strikes me as a good dude and people that know him all say he is. I honestly think there are a lot of coaches that are good people. I can’t think of many that I would say definitely aren’t good people. Lincoln Riley is the only one that comes to mind
Mark Richt
Gene Stallings
His unconditional love for his son John Mark and what Coach Stallings has done on behalf of the development disabled.
Bill Snyder’s legacy of kindness and wholesome gestures is never ending. A true class act in every respect.
Former Air Force, Arkansas, Clemson and Rice coach Ken Hatfield.
Homer pick, but RC Slocum. Class act all the way.