Texas is in a rut in terms of performance on the gridiron over the last five years, but it appears the glow around Charlie Strong's job hasn't subsided in that stretch.
According to a piece from ESPN national analyst Travis Haney, Texas remains a destination job and the most desirable coaching gig in America.
Texas joins Alabama, USC, Ohio State and Florida as jobs Haney described as "the best," meaning each had every resource available for a coach to succeed.
Here is what Haney had to say about Texas:
"Ah, we've arrived at our destination. If every Power 5 job suddenly opened tomorrow ... Texas would be the most desirable choice. Even its conference and regional rivals didn't argue much with those results. "I mean, what more could you want?" one Big 12 coach said. Austin is a vibrant, diverse and growing city that is receiving international acclaim; it's a destination for coaches and recruits alike (if only for Franklin Barbeque brisket). The facilities aren't brand-new, but they're still among the best in the country. Even so, you're not going to catch the school's brass sitting on its hands -- not with A&M's headline-grabbing stadium project and the acclaim for new venues at Baylor and TCU. Texas let everyone know last summer that it had earmarked $750 million for athletic facilities spending for the next five to 10 years. That includes updates to the football building and some parts of DKR Stadium. The administration is proud enough -- and has deep enough pockets -- to make sure the football program has everything it could possibly need, and more."
He also pointed out there is not a more talent-rich area in the country to recruit from:
"As for recruiting, Texas high school football is as close to a minor league feeder as there is for college football. Skill players are especially plentiful -- and quarterbacks, too, though that hasn't been Texas' strong suit in recent years."
However, the one real downside he pointed out was a fan base that he called not "particularly exuberant inside DKR." He also said one fellow college coach he spoke to said, the "wine-and-cheese" metaphor that applies to North Carolina basketball also holds true for Texas football.
Haney did also have one added negative to the job:
"The only discernible downside of the gig is a sometimes turbulent political climate at the university -- where the AD and president, in addition to the head football coach, have been run off in the past year."
But in the end, Haney said a powerful coach could "avoid all the pitfalls" and that "the Forty Acres is college football nirvana, all the live long day."
Other than Oklahoma at No. 9, no other Big 12 schools made the list of 24 programs.
The top coaching jobs in college football
1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. USC
4. Ohio State
5. Florida
6. LSU
7. Florida State
8. Georgia
9. Oklahoma
10. Notre Dame
11. Texas A&M
11. Oregon
13. Auburn
14. Michigan
15. Tennessee
16. Clemson
17. UCLA
17. Penn State
19. South Carolina
20 Michigan State
21. Nebraska
22. Arkansas
23. Miami
24. Wisconsin
Of course Texas is #1. We have a coach, that is going to put those resources to use. Even after a 6-7 season, he's making noise.
Texas #1
According to a piece from ESPN national analyst Travis Haney, Texas remains a destination job and the most desirable coaching gig in America.
Texas joins Alabama, USC, Ohio State and Florida as jobs Haney described as "the best," meaning each had every resource available for a coach to succeed.
Here is what Haney had to say about Texas:
"Ah, we've arrived at our destination. If every Power 5 job suddenly opened tomorrow ... Texas would be the most desirable choice. Even its conference and regional rivals didn't argue much with those results. "I mean, what more could you want?" one Big 12 coach said. Austin is a vibrant, diverse and growing city that is receiving international acclaim; it's a destination for coaches and recruits alike (if only for Franklin Barbeque brisket). The facilities aren't brand-new, but they're still among the best in the country. Even so, you're not going to catch the school's brass sitting on its hands -- not with A&M's headline-grabbing stadium project and the acclaim for new venues at Baylor and TCU. Texas let everyone know last summer that it had earmarked $750 million for athletic facilities spending for the next five to 10 years. That includes updates to the football building and some parts of DKR Stadium. The administration is proud enough -- and has deep enough pockets -- to make sure the football program has everything it could possibly need, and more."
He also pointed out there is not a more talent-rich area in the country to recruit from:
"As for recruiting, Texas high school football is as close to a minor league feeder as there is for college football. Skill players are especially plentiful -- and quarterbacks, too, though that hasn't been Texas' strong suit in recent years."
However, the one real downside he pointed out was a fan base that he called not "particularly exuberant inside DKR." He also said one fellow college coach he spoke to said, the "wine-and-cheese" metaphor that applies to North Carolina basketball also holds true for Texas football.
Haney did also have one added negative to the job:
"The only discernible downside of the gig is a sometimes turbulent political climate at the university -- where the AD and president, in addition to the head football coach, have been run off in the past year."
But in the end, Haney said a powerful coach could "avoid all the pitfalls" and that "the Forty Acres is college football nirvana, all the live long day."
Other than Oklahoma at No. 9, no other Big 12 schools made the list of 24 programs.
The top coaching jobs in college football
1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. USC
4. Ohio State
5. Florida
6. LSU
7. Florida State
8. Georgia
9. Oklahoma
10. Notre Dame
11. Texas A&M
11. Oregon
13. Auburn
14. Michigan
15. Tennessee
16. Clemson
17. UCLA
17. Penn State
19. South Carolina
20 Michigan State
21. Nebraska
22. Arkansas
23. Miami
24. Wisconsin
Of course Texas is #1. We have a coach, that is going to put those resources to use. Even after a 6-7 season, he's making noise.
Texas #1
