NO. 15: MARK HUDSPETH, LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
Record as a head coach: 102-37
Best season: 9-4 as the Sun Belt co-champion and New Orleans Bowl winner in 2013.
Notable player: QB Terrance Broadway
The case: Hudspeth took North Alabama to the Division II quarterfinals or semifinals in five of seven seasons. Then after an assistant coaching stop at Mississippi State, he’s become perhaps the hottest lower-tier FBS coach. He’s produced four consecutive 9-4 seasons, with New Orleans Bowl wins each year.
NFL.com independently polled five executives before the season on the best up-and-coming college coaches, and two of them tabbed Hudspeth.
Said one executive: “He really seems to have the pulse of his team, but he doesn’t micromanage. He’s a creative offensive guy and he can recruit. That’s not an easy place to win and he’s done just that.”
Plus, can you really leave out a 46-year-old who bench-pressed 370 pounds earlier this year? I mean, are you telling this guy he’s not one of the best?
http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec...coaches-15-11/