Napier v Saban v Bowden

[CajunFun]

There are numerous threads about Billy going elsewhere.

Let me throw out a question for debate: Who's the greater football genius: Nick Saban? Or Bobby Bowden?

Saban took over a program with 12 national championships, under 4 different coaches, spanning 8 decades.

Bowden, on the other hand, took FSU from doormat to domination. In fact, his program surpassed 'Bama's: once Bowden hit his stride, Alabama became an also-ran. From 1987 to 2004, the Crimson Tide beat FSU in the polls only twice.

So who's the greater coach, Saban, or Bowden?

Here's another thought: Even Bear Bryant only lasted at 'Bama for 25 years.

Bowden was HC at FSU for 34 years. (Only Paterno at PSU lasted longer, and, well, we all know how that turned out.)

BTW Bowden, like Napier, produced his first 10-win season in his second year. But it took Bowden 13 years to produce 10-win seasons back-to-back...

A review of FSU v 'Bama during Bowden's tenure:

	'Bama	FSU	NC
1976	11	—	Pitt
1977	2	14	ND
1978	1	—	'Bama
1979	1	6	'Bama
1980	6	5	UGA
1981	7	—	Clemson
1982	—	13	Penn St
1983	15	—	Miami
1984	—	17	BYU
1985	13	15	OU
1986	9	26	Penn St
1987	—	2	Miami
1988	17	3	ND
1989	9	3	Miami
1990	—	6	Colorado
1991	5	4	Miami
1992	1	2	'Bama
1993	14	1	FSU
1994	5	4	Nebraska
1995	21	4	Nebraska
1996	11	3	UF
1997	—	3	Michigan
1998	—	3	Tennessee
1999	8	1	FSU
2000	—	5	OU
2001	—	15	Miami
2002	11	21	Ohio St
2003	—	11	USC
2004	—	15	USC
2005	8	23	Texas
2006	—	—	UF
2007	—	—	La State
2008	6	21	UF
2009	1	—	'Bama

[CajunFun]

PS I forgot a critical point.

Florida State's academics grew rapidly under Bowden, and have continued growing since. For instance, the current FSU annual research budget is about $300M.

UL's research funding, as most of you know, just surpassed $140M.

Alabama, with all of their great football coaches, and teams, and national championships...

...has a research budget of about $64M. Their 2017 numbers put them just behind South Dakota State.

[31Ragin97]

Great point.

[tdncz]

There are numerous threads about Billy going elsewhere.

Let me throw out a question for debate: Who's the greater football genius: Nick Saban? Or Bobby Bowden?

Saban took over a program with 12 national championships, under 4 different coaches, spanning 8 decades.

Bowden, on the other hand, took FSU from doormat to domination. In fact, his program surpassed 'Bama's: once Bowden hit his stride, Alabama became an also-ran. From 1987 to 2004, the Crimson Tide beat FSU in the polls only twice.

So who's the greater coach, Saban, or Bowden?

Here's another thought: Even Bear Bryant only lasted at 'Bama for 25 years.

Bowden was HC at FSU for 34 years. (Only Paterno at PSU lasted longer, and, well, we all know how that turned out.)

BTW Bowden, like Napier, produced his first 10-win season in his second year. But it took Bowden 13 years to produce 10-win seasons back-to-back...

A review of FSU v 'Bama during Bowden's tenure:

	'Bama	FSU	NC
1976	11	—	Pitt
1977	2	14	ND
1978	1	—	'Bama
1979	1	6	'Bama
1980	6	5	UGA
1981	7	—	Clemson
1982	—	13	Penn St
1983	15	—	Miami
1984	—	17	BYU
1985	13	15	OU
1986	9	26	Penn St
1987	—	2	Miami
1988	17	3	ND
1989	9	3	Miami
1990	—	6	Colorado
1991	5	4	Miami
1992	1	2	'Bama
1993	14	1	FSU
1994	5	4	Nebraska
1995	21	4	Nebraska
1996	11	3	UF
1997	—	3	Michigan
1998	—	3	Tennessee
1999	8	1	FSU
2000	—	5	OU
2001	—	15	Miami
2002	11	21	Ohio St
2003	—	11	USC
2004	—	15	USC
2005	8	23	Texas
2006	—	—	UF
2007	—	—	La State
2008	6	21	UF
2009	1	—	'Bama

Even more significant is the fact that these rankings were before BCS or CFP
Had BCS/CFP been around, rankings would have obviously been differ t at end of year

[tdncz]

Shocked that our research budge is over 2x Alabama’s

[Turbine]

Napier is the greater genius.

There, settled.

[31Ragin97]

True. Remember when they used to let one guy pick both teams then ask them are you sure they are even? Then coach gives the chooser the opposite team since he assured he thought they were even. Ha

[fanof71]

True. Remember when they used to let one guy pick both teams then ask them are you sure they are even? Then coach gives the chooser the opposite team since he assured he thought they were even. Ha

What?

[Turbine]

True. Remember when they used to let one guy pick both teams then ask them are you sure they are even? Then coach gives the chooser the opposite team since he assured he thought they were even. Ha

I use this method to decide if I should post something or not.

I end up with 1/3 the posts this way.

[CajunFun]

By chance, a friend who is a Memphis alum, just sent me the following. I added UL in.

NB: some of these foundations, perhaps all, include athletic endowments, which inflates the appearances:

School	Endowment (in millions)
Harvard	$42,000
Texas	$30,000
ND	$13,800
TAMU	$13,500
Michigan	$12,440
Northwestern	$11,000
'THE' OSU	$5,260
'Bama	$833
Clemson	$775
Ole Miss	$736
Miss State	$529
La State	$522
SDSU	$353
Rhodes	$352
Memphis	$223
Agnes Scott	$217
Louisiana	$174
Sewannee	$106

[tdncz]

By chance, a friend who is a Memphis alum, just sent me the following. I added UL in.

NB: some of these foundations, perhaps all, include athletic endowments, which inflates the appearances:

School	Endowment (in millions)
Harvard	$42,000
Texas	$30,000
ND	$13,800
TAMU	$13,500
Michigan	$12,440
Northwestern	$11,000
'THE' OSU	$5,260
'Bama	$833
Clemson	$775
Ole Miss	$736
Miss State	$529
La State	$522
SDSU	$353
Rhodes	$352
Memphis	$223
Agnes Scott	$217
Louisiana	$174
Sewannee	$106

Wow
In THAT order???

[tdncz]

We are 17th in country?
Hmmm
Are you sure??