That way we won't be required to do the obvious and place UCLA's new offensive coordinator Norm Chow on top of this list of top Pac-10 coordinators and then wonder for, oh, the 347th time, why he has never gotten a good opportunity to be a head coach.
Chow is the nation's best coordinator. He's earned that title by producing wherever he's been. Even if he never becomes a head coach, he seems a sure bet to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
That said, we're trying to weave into this list the likelihood of a head coaching future. Fair or unfair, Chow, 62, wouldn't top that list.
That also hits Dennis Erickson's staff at Arizona State, which lots of folks will tell you is a fantastic collection of football teachers. Offensive coordinator Rich Olson, 60, and defensive coordinator Craig Bray, who turns 57 in December, are lifelong assistants who have a deep connection with Erickson. It would be fairly surprising, however, if they got offered a BCS head coaching job.
There aren't many schools like West Virginia these days that will hire a Bill Stewart, and even that move required truly bizarre circumstances.
DeWayne Walker, defensive coordinator, UCLA: He's worked with Pete Carroll, Joe Gibbs and Bill Belichick. His Bruins defenses have finish in the top-four in the conference in both scoring and total defense each of the past two seasons. He's a good recruiter. Can be grumpy, but Rick Neuheisel surely will bring the sunshine out of him.
Chip Kelly, offensive coordinator, Oregon: Admittedly, we are jumping on the bandwagon here a bit early. After all, it was only one season. But when the Ducks offense was healthy last year, it was a thing of unstoppable beauty. Another big season, and he's going to top everyone's list.
Mark Banker, DC, Oregon State: Folks at OSU tell me that Banker should hire me as his agent. I've written about him a few times. Some guys talk about attacking offenses; Banker's defense actually does. He seems to have an eye for talent and a plan to develop it.
Steve Sarkisian, OC, USC: The three men above the 34-year-old Sarkisian on this list hang their hats on impressive numbers. Some Trojans fans will say their offense hasn't been up to snuff since Chow departed. But Sarkisian is an up-and-comer because of other important head coaching qualities beyond X's and O's, not the least of which is his time under Pete Carroll.
Bob Gregory, DC, California: A year ago, Gregory would have been higher on this list, but the Bears defense was uneven in 2007, which is part of the reason a switch to a 3-4 defense was made. A bevy of top linebackers also played a part. That said, Cal's defense has given up 22.4 points-per-game since Gregory arrived in 2002, second only to USC in the conference. Bears fans might grumble, however, about the low sack numbers the past two seasons.
Sonny Dykes, OC, Arizona: Dykes, 38, brought the Texas Tech spread to Arizona, and if things go according to plan this season, the skilled and veteran Wildcats will score a bunch of points. That will get some programs sniffing.
Jim Michalczik, Co-OC, California: USC's Pat Ruel gets a lot of credit -- and deservedly so -- but Michalczik, 42, may be the best offensive line coach in the conference. As we pointed out yesterday, Cal's owned the conference's best ground game over the past six seasons, while also doing a great job of protecting its quarterback. Those two things come in handy, right?
Nick Holt, DC, USC: It's hard to be Pete Carroll's defensive coordinator because you won't get much credit for the good things that happen, but Holt's on this list for many of the same reasons Sarkisian is: their mentor has a pretty good track record. And, Holt, who turns 46 in October, has head coaching experience, albeit only a two-year stint at Idaho.
Tim Lappano, OC, Washington: Sure, Seattle reporters love Lappano because he provides insight on the Huskies that Tyrone Willingham refuses to give. But Lappano has made lemonade out of the lemons of talent he inherited at Washington. If Jake Locker becomes an all-around QB this fall, and the Huskies offense thrives despite across-the-board inexperience at the skill positions, Lappano will deserve the lion's share of the credit. He also did a good job as Erickson's offensive coordinator at Oregon State and showed admirable loyalty to Willingham by not jumping to ASU.
Chris Ball, Co-DC, Washington State: Ball, 45, is taking his third tour of Pullman, and he's back with a fat resume of success supervising secondaries. He was a hit at Pittsburgh under Dave Wannstedt (fourth nationally in pass defense) and Alabama (rankings of first and fifth in pass defense). That diverse coaching geography, by the way, is a feather in Ball's backwards-turned baseball cap.
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Ted Miller
Ted Miller has been covering college football since 1997, starting with Auburn and then heading West to Washington and the Pac-10. His columns for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer won first place in 2007 APSE Best Writing contest. The Atlanta native and University of Richmond graduate presently lives with his wife in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Ted Miller has been covering college football since 1997, starting with Auburn and then heading West to Washington and the Pac-10. His columns for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer won first place in 2007 APSE Best Writing contest. The Atlanta native and University of Richmond graduate presently lives with his wife in Scottsdale, Ariz.
