Sporting News Ranks Paul Chryst Near Bottom Of Division I Coaches

Coaching rankings, to me, anyway, are always really arbitrary. Sure, you can usually pick out the cream of the crop. Anyone like Jim Calhoun who built a program is easy to identify. But generally, coaches are only as good as their players.

Nonetheless, the Sporting News somehow tried to rank every Division I football coach. New Pitt coach Paul Chryst didn't fare all that well.

Chryst was a hot head coaching candidate the last few years, but didn’t jump at the first few schools that offered. The unexpected (Todd Graham leaving for Arizona State) left a prime job available—a job where the only way to go is up.

How one goes about slotting a first-year head coach is beyond me, but, well, there you have it.

While 82nd isn't all that great, Chryst actually didn't fare all that badly in the Big East. Syracuse's Doug Marrone, Rutgers' Kyle Flood, and Temple's Steve Addazio all ranked lower, making Chryst fifth in the conference.

The one thing I find hard to understand is that Chryst's name was repeatedly mentioned in the list of hot coaching candidates. Sure, he can't go to the head of the line, but if you're going to rank him, then how is he slotted below guys like Paul Pasqualoni or other unknowns? Like I said, just too difficult to make an accurate list.

Look, we won't even be able to rate Chryst all that well until after a few years. Lots of factors will go into it including recruiting, winning, and maybe most importantly, sticking around long enough to take the 'embarrassment' label off of Pitt.

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