The most beloved and most hated head coach for the Oklahoma Sooners were considered among the greatest.
The Athletic's Chris Vannini ranked the top-25 college football coaches in the past 25 years since 2000. The Sooners had two former head coaches make the list with Bob Stoops at No. 6 and Lincoln Riley, making the cut only because of his time with OU, at No. 20.
Bob Stoops, Lincoln Riley (because of OU) included in list of best college football coaches
It's hard to argue with the top two of Nick Saban and Urban Meyer as the only two coaches during that time who won national championships at two different schools. The entire top 5 is strong, but Stoops certainly belongs near that group of coaches just outside the top-5.
Stoops led the Sooners to a national title in 2000, which is when the timeframe for this ranking began. He never had a losing season in 18 years leading OU, including 14 seasons with at least 10 wins. Stoops then retired after the 2016 season and handed things over to his offensive coordinator, Riley.
Riley was gifted a Blue Blood program like a trust fund baby and Stoops was there to hold his hand along the way. Riley was 55-10 in five seasons at OU with three Big 12 titles and three Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks.
Thanks to Stoops and his time at OU, Riley can be considered among the great college football coaches and no one will argue. By himself, though, it would be a joke to consider Riley on this list.
Some say not to judge a head coach until his fourth year at the helm when the past regime no longer has a mark. After three Big 12 titles, OU came up short in Riley's fourth and fifth seasons. Then, with what Stoops built crumbling and tougher competition looming because of a move to the SEC, Riley ran to the USC and Pac-12.
In three seasons at USC, Riley is 26-14 and just finished a 7-6 campaign during the Trojans' first year in the Big Ten and outside of a dying conference. His best season was his first at 11-3 with a transfer from OU leading his team at quarterback. He's barely been above .500 since.
Riley deserves to be on this list, but only because of his time with the Sooners and what Stoops handed him, so credit Stoops for earning two spots among the top-25 college football coaches since 2000.
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