Bruins Nation: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: The Boxing Bulletin for Boxing Fans!

Do you know who the most successful black college football coach is/was?

UCLA's Karl Dorrell, the man with a sparkling 35-27 record in five years, the man pink-slipped after consecutive disappointing seasons.

Tyrone Willingham has the most victories — 76 to go along with 88 losses and one tie.

Dennis Green went 26-63 at Northwestern and Stanford. Sylvester Croom finished up at 21-38 at Mississippi State.

...

We're not being strategic. Dorrell, a UCLA alumnus, is the only black coach who landed somewhere he truly fit. The problem is he got there before he was truly ready for the responsibility.

11 months ago Rowing_picture_tiny tasser10 8 comments 1 recs  | 

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Wow

Great find, Tasser.

So, Dorrell is the most successful black HC ever. I think it goes without saying that there simply must be other black individuals out there who, if given the opportunity, will be more successful than him.

Dorrell: Nice guy, good citizen, probably pays all of his taxes. He’s just not HC material, at least not at this time. In fact, he might be too nice a guy to ever be a HC.

by Barnes2JJ on Dec 18, 2008 1:51 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Whitlock did put that disclaimer in there.

Dorrell was not ready for the job. That much was not his fault. I don’t like to dump on Dorrell because unlike Toledo, Karl is family. But I have to think Ty was/is a better coach if only based on his Stanford record. Dennis Green coached one of the great NFL teams of all time (1998 Vikings?). I wouldn’t certainly put Sylvester Croom ahead of KD. I don’t have any stats to back this one up, just based on what I saw on the field.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Dec 18, 2008 5:19 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Whitlock

He is a controversial writer but he did nail the Dorrell/UCLA dynamics the week he was hired at UCLA (search our achives here on BN). He nails it again.

Great shot Tasser. Keep it coming brother.

by Nestor on Dec 18, 2008 5:34 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

That stat shocked me a bit

But I guess we have to differentiate between “successful coach” and “good coach”. And I think the main difference is the state of the program that each of those guys inherited. Ty Willingham for example certainly was a good coach at Stanford and Notre Dame, but he inherited a program that was really hurting at UW…

But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.

by tasser10 on Dec 19, 2008 9:28 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

History Lesson

Whitlock is way, way off (as usual).

The most successful black head coach in college football history is Eddie Robinson who put up a record of 408-165-15 (w/ 45 winning seasons) at Grambling, where he coached four NFL HOFers in Buck Buchanan, Willie Brown, Willie Davis, and Charlie Joiner and one former Superbowl MVP QB in Doug Williams.

Gotta say, it’s pretty funny to see Whitlock of all people ignoring the achievements of black colleges in football.

by Sean P. on Dec 19, 2008 11:02 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

You beat me to it!

I was just about to make clear that Robinson was probably the most successful Black coach in history when I got to the bottom of the thread and found your post.

It takes one minute on Google to find that fact. But, knowing that would ruin an article.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Dec 19, 2008 8:25 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I think Whitlock meant to write D-1 coaches

The underlying argument of his piece otherwise is on point IMO.

by Nestor on Dec 20, 2008 9:22 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Nope - Whitlock makes a fundamental error

He used the word “coach” and the name of CTS in the same sentence. That displays a classic misunderstanding of the meaning of the word.

by Fox 71 on Dec 24, 2008 12:34 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to Bruins Nation, an unofficial daily online scrap book covering the greatest collegiate athletic program in the nation. GO BRUINS.
Start posting about the Bruins »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

4310_802638778316_2519469_46410875_2962006_n_small
The Evolution of a Bruin Fan
Images_small
UPDATE: Rivalry Game Ticket Thread
Morrell_small
Wildcat and the UCLA Running Game
Ucla_small
Everyone needs to calm down about Ben Ball
Trojanssuck_small
An Angel in the Defensive Backfield

Recent FanPosts

Moreyouknow_small
Pre-game Guesses: Washington State Results
Ucla_small
Now that we have some facts about ND...
Small
Rebuilding tradition starts right here!
Bruinsnation_small
Ben Ball Gameday Roundup: Dragovic Remains Suspended & Other Quick Notes
Images_small
Non-Revenue Sports Bruin Review and Calendar
Small
More evidence that the LA Times might be pro-U$C/ anti-UCLA
100_1894_small
Like Coach Said...
Telemachus_small
ASU @ UCLA Highlights

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

SPONSORS


Managers

094_small Ajax

Bruinsnation_small Nestor

Menelaus2_small Menelaus

Arron_afflalo1_small Tydides

Brad_pitt_as_achilles_small Achilles

Small Meriones

Telemachus_small Telemachus

Small Odysseus

Blue_bellerophon_small Bellerophon

Authors

Images_small Ryan Rosenblatt

Official Partner of CBS Sports