The AFM System for ranking active college coaches in Division I-A

THE INDEX...The AFM Coaches' Index was designed and compiled by Tex Noel of 1st-N-Goal.
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This system has been designed to provide a quantitative method to examine the careers of current coaches. While it is impossible to factor in every variable, such as strength of opponents, conferences, budgets, etc., this is a way to look at all current coaches under the same microscope. The AFM Index analyzes coaches' careers in the same manner batting averages in baseball are determined (i.e. merely a reflection of the total number of hits versus at bats, the quality of pitchers faced, the inning in which the at bat occurred, were there runners on base, etc. do not go into the final compilation of the batting average).

We certainly understand that some coaches like Kansas State's Bill Snyder had to get it done without the operating budgets of Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc., and this makes his accomplishments even more impressive. But, it is impossible to factor in every obstacle or advantage that a coach has had to help or hinder him season by season. This index is merely a beginning point in the overall analysis of coaching excellence.

In subsequent issues, we will look at coaches from many different levels to rank them versus their peers. Additionally, we will detail the Ultimate Winners' Index, which will chronicle a coach's career not only as a head coach, but also will detail the amount of winning he has been associated with throughout his entire coaching career.

College football, is like every other sport, has its share of greatest players, teams and coaches. Everyone seems to want to know, "Who is the best?" In creating the AFM Coaches' Index, we have attempted to determine the best active coaches.

Oftentimes, a coach is "judged" by the number of championships he has won or the total number of victories. But, shouldn't a mentor's overall career be taken into account when ranking him with others?

The following NCAA I-A coaches' ranking, considers a coaches' "actual" career wins-losses-ties and winning percentage going into the 1999 season. In addition, each coach was awarded a respective range-based on the number of seasons that he been on the sidelines. Each coach listed has been rated on his entire career, not for just a championship season or one in which a perfect record was obtained.

The final factor used to even the playing field and prevent statistical anomalies (like David Cutcliffe with one career victory being in the number four position with a 102 AFM rating) is the creation of four sub-groups within which each coach is judged versus his peers within the same category. The four classifications are: Seniors: 20 or more years coached; Juniors: 11-14 years; Sophomores: 6-11years; and Freshmen: 1-5 years.

The formula:

A)-Career Wins divided by the number of seasons; then multiplied by 2

B)-Adding the Range Point* to the previous total

C)-Career Ties are then multiplied by .5

D)-Career Winning Percentage, with decimal point moved 2 places to the right

E)-adding A-D from the totals above

F)-Subtracting Average of Career Losses from all the above (A-D)

G)-The total from F would the equal the 1st-N-Goal NCAA 1-A Coaches Rating.

*Range Points:
1-3* 1
4-7 2
8-10 3
11-14 5
15-20 6
21-25 8
26+ 10
* years coached

With an AFM Index rating of 126.8, Joe Paterno is the highest ranked coach among active Division I-A mentors.
SENIORS Seasons W L T % AFM
Joe Paterno, Penn State 33307803.791126.8
Bobby Bowden, Florida State 33 29285 4 .772 104.2
LaVell Edwards, BYU 27 24391 3 .726 98.7
John Cooper, Ohio State 22 17973 6 .705 96.4
Lou Holtz, South Carolina 28 216957 .690 94.5
Don Nehlen, West Virginia 28 1911168 .61985.4
Ken Hatfield, Rice 20 139904 .600 81.9
Dick Tomey, Arizona 22 14798 7 .597 80.1
George Welsh, Virginia 26 1761214 .591 80.0
Jackie Sherrill, Miss St 21 15487 4 .63486.3

JUNIORS
Steve Spurier, Florida 12 11331 2 .781 100.5
John Robinson, UNLV 12 10435 4 .745 95.9
Dennis Erickson, Oregon State 13 11340 1 .737 94.6
Paul Pasquioni, Syracuse 13 10243 1 .702 88.1
Dennis Frachione, TCU 16 120 602 .655 84.3
Fisher DeBerry, Air Force 15 120 64 1 .661 83.4
Bobby Wallace, Temple 11 84 45 1 .650 82.7
Frank Bemer, Virginia Tech 18 11882 4 .733 78.7
Mike Cavan, SMU 13 7861 2 .560 70.3
Bruce Snyder, Arizona State 19 11295 6 .540 69.8
Mack Brown, Texas 15 95 77 1 .552 68.8
Spike Dykes, Texas Tech 12 7662 1 .550 67.0
Mike Price, Washington State 18 102 101 0 .502 64.9
Glen Mason, Minnesota 13 67 79 1 .459 64.1
Dave Arslanian, Utah State 10 56 55 0 .505 59.2

SOPHOMORES
Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee 7 6711 0 .859 106.5
R.C. Slocum, Texas A&M 10 94 282 .766 97.2
Bobby Keasler, NE Louisiana 9 78 342 .693 92.8
Jim Donnan, Georgia 9 88 32 0 .733 92.3
Terry Allen, Kansas 10 84 39 0 .683 84.2
Hal Mumme, Kentucky 10 77 38 1 .668 81.9
Randy Walker, Northwestern 9 59 35 5 .621 81.8
Sonny Lubrick, Colorado State 6 70 42 0 .625 81.9
Bill Snyder, Kansas State 10 77 39 1 .662 80.7
Joe Tiller, Purdue 8 57 37 1 .605 78.8
John Smith, Louisville 10 76 440 .663 76.9
Houston Nutt, Arkansas 6 44 260 .629 76.2
Bill Lynch, Ball State 9 57 36 3 .609 74.1
Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin 9 60 42 2 .587 71.3
Ron McBride, Utah 9 62 43 0 .590 70.9
Bob Toledo, UCLA 9 54 46 0 .540 68.9
Ted Tolliner, San Diego State 9 58 46 1 .557 66.1
Jeff Bowser, So Mississippi 8 50 40 1 .555 66.0
Mike Bellotti, Oregon 9 51 422 .547 65.3
Gerry DiNardo, LSU 8 49 41 1 .544 65.1

FRESHMEN
Bob Pruitt, Marshall 3374 0.902 116.6
David Cutcliffe, Mississippi 1 10 0 1.999 102.0
Tommy Bowden, Clemson 2 184 0 .818 97.8
Lloyd Carr, Michigan 4 39110.780 94.0
Mike Kruczak, Central Flordia 1 9 2 0.818 89.2
Rick Neuheisel, Washington 4 33140 .702 84.2
Butch Davis, Miamia FL 4 31150 .674 81.2
Frank Solich, Nebraska 2 9 4 0 .692 78.2
Dana Daniel, Wyoming 2 159 0 .625 74.0
Jeff Tisdale, Nevada 3 20140 .588 70.5
Nick Saban, Michigan State 5 34 241 .585 69.8
Bob Davie, Notre Dame 2 169 0 .640 68.5
Tyrone Willingham, Stanford 4 22231 .489 68.2
Chris Tormey, Idaho 4 26190 .578 68.1
Tommy Tuberville, Auburn 4 26200 .565 66.5
George O'Leary, Georgia Tech 528210 .571 66.1
Dirk Koetter, Boise State 1 6 5 0 .545 56.5
Gary Darnell, Western Michigan 6 21400 .344 36.7
Tom Holmoe, California 2 8 140 .36434.4

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