NCAAF · 1 year ago

Succession Plan: 5 CFB Internal Promotions That Worked

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

5. Mike Gundy - Oklahoma State Cowboys
Mike Gundy was a member of Les Miles's staff in Stillwater, serving as the Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator from 2001 to 2004. When Miles left for the LSU head coaching position, the Oklahoma State Cowboys promoted Gundy to the head coach position, a title he still holds today. Gundy has won 156 games, the National Coach of the Year award (2011), and has a 67.5 winning percentage. Gundy is by far the winningest coach in Oklahoma State history.
1. Tom Osborne - Nebraska Cornhuskers
Perhaps no internal promotion in college football history worked as well as Nebraska moving Tom Osborne to head coach following the resignation of Bob Devaney. Devaney was successful during his run as head coach but wanted to concentrate on his duties as athletic director, so he moved Osborne from offensive coordinator to head coach. Osborne took over in 1973 and won 255 games (83.6% of games), claimed eight national championships, and received many awards and honors. Osborne led the Huskers until 1997 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Nebraska is still searching for anything even closely resembling the level of success Tom Osborne had in Lincoln.
2. Dabo Swinney - Clemson Tigers
Dabo Swinney arrived as a wide receivers coach at Clemson in 2003, working under head coach Tommy Bowden. In 2007, Bowden promoted Swinney to Associate Head Coach, and when Bowden was dismissed during the 2008 season, Swinney served as the interim head coach and offensive coordinator for the Tigers. Clemson promoted Swinney to permanent head coach before the 2009 season, and Dabo has led the Tigers since. He is now Clemson's all-time winning coach with 170 victories to only 43 losses. The Tigers have won the ACC eight times under Swinney and had the school's only two national titles (2016 and 2018).
3. Jimbo Fisher - Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles were led by Bobby Bowden from 1976 to 2009. Bowden won a pair of national titles and more than 300 games before stepping down before the 2010 season. The Seminoles turned to offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher to fill Bowden's spot, and Fisher led FSU to 19 wins in his first two seasons before really taking off in 2012. Florida State went 12-2 and won the Orange Bowl in 2012, then went 14-0 and won the school's third National Championship in 2013. Things faded at the end of his run as FSU went just 5-6 in 2017 before he bolted for Texas A&M. No one can argue the overall success of the hire.
4. Ryan Day - Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes made a considerable splash, hiring Urban Meyer in 2012 and riding off to great success between 2012 and 2018. Meyer was placed on administrative leave in 2018 after an investigation into his handling of domestic violence accusations made against another staffer. Ryan Day was the offensive coordinator and had been with the Buckeyes for two seasons. Day won all three games to close the season, and Meyer stepped away from Ohio State, leaving the Buckeyes to promote Day to full-time head coach. Ohio State has gone 56-8 under Day, and he has been a smashing success by nearly all accounts. There are serious concerns about three straight losses to rival Michigan, but Ohio State is poised to compete again for the top of the sport in 2024 under Day's guidance.
5. Mike Gundy - Oklahoma State Cowboys
Mike Gundy was a member of Les Miles's staff in Stillwater, serving as the Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator from 2001 to 2004. When Miles left for the LSU head coaching position, the Oklahoma State Cowboys promoted Gundy to the head coach position, a title he still holds today. Gundy has won 156 games, the National Coach of the Year award (2011), and has a 67.5 winning percentage. Gundy is by far the winningest coach in Oklahoma State history.
1. Tom Osborne - Nebraska Cornhuskers
Perhaps no internal promotion in college football history worked as well as Nebraska moving Tom Osborne to head coach following the resignation of Bob Devaney. Devaney was successful during his run as head coach but wanted to concentrate on his duties as athletic director, so he moved Osborne from offensive coordinator to head coach. Osborne took over in 1973 and won 255 games (83.6% of games), claimed eight national championships, and received many awards and honors. Osborne led the Huskers until 1997 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Nebraska is still searching for anything even closely resembling the level of success Tom Osborne had in Lincoln.