Sonny Dykes aiming to join exclusive club of 1st-year title winners
TCU’s Sonny Dykes is trying to become just the fourth coach in college football’s “poll era” – since 1936 – to win a national title in his first season on the job.
Dykes took over a team that went 5-7 last season and was picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 this season. Now, the third-ranked Horned Frogs are 13-1 and playing for the national title on January 9.
Here’s a look at the three coaches who won title rings in their first seasons.
1948, Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan
Preseason ranking: No preseason poll at the time; Michigan was No. 7 in the first poll, which came out October 4 (after the second week of the season)
Record: 9-0
The buzz: Oosterbaan played three sports at Michigan, starring in basketball and football and also playing baseball. He became a Wolverines assistant in basketball and football after he graduated in 1928. Oosterbaan was a football assistant from 1928-47, a basketball assistant from 1928-38 and the basketball head coach from 1938-46. When Fritz Crisler retired as football coach following the 1947 season – Michigan finished unbeaten and ranked No. 2, behind Notre Dame – he chose Oosterbaan as his replacement. Michigan opened the ’48 season by beating Michigan State 13-7, then allowed just 37 more points the rest of the season. The Wolverines moved from No. 4 to No. 1 in the third poll of the season, dropped to No. 2 after Week 5 despite a 28-20 win over Illinois, then moved back to No. 1 for good the next week after routing Navy 35-0. Michigan finished off its season by beating Ohio State 13-3 to finish 9-0. Because it had gone to the Rose Bowl in 1947, it wasn’t allowed to return in ’48. The national title in ’48 was Michigan’s last until it shared the crown in 1997 with Nebraska. Oosterbaan was coach for 10 more seasons, losing at least two games each year; he was replaced after going 2-6-1 in 1958 (both wins were by one point).
1989, Dennis Erickson, Miami
Preseason ranking: 4th
Record: 11-1
The buzz: Erickson had just finished his second season at Washington State when he was hired at UM. He replaced Jimmy Johnson, who left to coach the Dallas Cowboys. Erickson took over a program that had gone 44-4 in the previous four seasons, with one national title and two No. 2 finishes. Erickson’s staff included three future head coaches (Sonny Lubick, Ed Orgeron and Tommy Tuberville); one of his offensive linemen (Mario Cristobal) also became a head coach. Behind a defense featuring numerous future NFL standouts (including DTs Cortez Kennedy and Russell Maryland), Miami opened 6-0, outscoring foes by a combined 250-49. The Hurricanes lost at No. 9 Florida State in their seventh game and dropped from second to seventh in the polls. But they ended the season on a four-game winning streak, including a dominant 17-point win over top-ranked Notre Dame in the regular-season finale, then beat No. 7 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Notre Dame beat top-ranked Colorado in the Orange Bowl, which enabled UM to move up one spot to No. 1 in the final polls.
2001, Larry Coker, Miami
Preseason ranking: 2nd
Record: 12-0
The buzz: Coker took over a loaded team after he was promoted from offensive coordinator following Butch Davis’ departure to become coach of the Cleveland Browns. How loaded? Among the starters were future first-round picks Phillip Buchanon, Andre Johnson, Bryant McKinnie, Ed Reed, Mike Rumph, Jeremy Shockey, D.J. Williams and Jonathan Vilma. Frank Gore, the No. 3 rusher in NFL history, was the No. 3 running back, behind Willis McGahee and Clinton Portis. Among the other backups: Antrell Rolle, Sean Taylor, Vince Wilfork and Kellen Winslow Jr. Miami had gone 11-1 under Davis in 2000. In ’01, the Hurricanes won every game but one by double-digits, won every game but two by at least 22, won four times by at least 40 and three times by at least 58. UM hammered Heisman winner Eric Crouch and Nebraska 37-14 in the Rose Bowl to win the BCS title. The Hurricanes led 34-0 at halftime, thanks to a three-TD flurry in a span of a bit less than four minutes early in the second quarter.
In the past 50 years, three coaches have finished No. 2 in their first seasons.
+ John Robinson and USC finished 11-1 in 1976, including an upset of then-No. 2 Michigan in the Rose Bowl. USC finished second behind 12-0 Pitt.
+ Bobby Collins led SMU to an 11-0-1 finish in 1982. The Mustangs finished second behind 11-1 Penn State.
+ Gus Malzahn guided Auburn to the BCS Championship Game after the 2013 season, where the Tigers fell 34-31 to Florida State. That was the final season of the BCS. Auburn finished 12-2.