Head coach in college athletics is huge -- underrated. In the pros, it's overrated for sure. But in college, coaches make or break programs in so many ways.
Putting together and maintaintng a clean top notch program, sure I agree which he has did. They have won the Big Ten almost 50% of the time he has been there. He has the 6th highest win pct in Big Ten history. I keep throwing out facts on how successfull he has been, which cannot be denied.
OSU was lambasted for firing Cooper. For every time you fire succesfully a Cooper you go backwards the other 4 times.
In a game can you blame him (or any coach) for the line not blocking or a punter knocking down punts inside the 20 or a WR dropping numerous passes or a passing game that isnt working due to the weather or a handful of miss tackles on a routine running play, etc...
Said this for years. If this was the case than why arent ND a top notch program with the genius Weiss. Why did a staff with Ara Paraseghian (sp), Bo Scembechler, Lou Holtz win zero games one year? How does Phil Jackson win 9 NBA titles and a few years later not make the playoffs? Players make plays when it is all said and done.