50 greatest high school football coaches of all-time

MaxPreps decided to do it anyway.

Using a ranking formula that takes into account wins, average wins per year, winning percentage, state titles, national championships and state championship percentage, MaxPreps has come up with a list of the Top 50 Greatest High School Football Coaches of All Time.

With seven national championships, 28 state or section titles and a winning percentage of .938, it's not hard to figure out why former De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) coach Bob Ladouceur is at the top of the list. Of the 120 coaches MaxPreps ranked, he came out on top in several categories, including winning percentage, national championships, state championships and state championship percentage (state championships\years coached).

No. 2 on the list was also a fairly obvious choice. J.T. Curtis has won 26 state titles, the second-highest total behind Ladouceur, and he has the second-highest total number of wins behind Summerville's John McKissick.

Greg Toal, who had most of his success at Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), comes in third place thanks to 305 wins, 15 New Jersey section championships and three national championships.

In order for a coach to be ranked using the formula, that coach need to have at least 375 wins, or at least 10 state championships, or at least one national championship. National championships were those selected by either the National Sports News Service, USA Today, the National Prep Poll or MaxPreps. Coaches with a national championship but less than 10 years coaching high school football were not considered.

Not all parts of the rankings were rated equally. Some categories were given more weight than the others. Adjustments were also made for the size of the coach's school and the size of the state where the school was located.

Not every formula is perfect, of course. This one has a hard time adequately judging the type of league play a coach like Bruce Rollinson of Mater Dei faces on a weekly basis. The fact that he has won "just" six state/section titles is more a testament to the tremendous difficulty posed by playing teams from the Trinity League.

The average number of games played also favors coaches from the past 40 years when state playoffs have become more prevalent. Paul Brown of Washington (Massillon, Ohio) won nearly every game he coached, but his teams only played 10 games a season because there were no playoffs in Ohio in the 1930s.

That being said, the formula at least creates some discussion, argument and criticism, and that's what it's there for.

Two teams had at least two coaches on the list. Valdosta, which has won more games than any other school in the nation, had Wright Bazemore and Nick Hyder on the list. Meanwhile, Washington (Massillon, Ohio), which has won more national titles than any other school in the nation, has three coaches in Brown, Leo Strang and Chuck Mather.

1. Bob Ladouceur, De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)
Years coached: 39, (1979-2012)
Record: 399-25-3 (.938)
Average wins per year: 11.7
State championships: 28
State championship percentage: .824
National championships: 7

2. J.T. Curtis, John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.)
Years coached: 49 (1969-2017)
Record: 569-64-6 (.895)
Average wins per year: 11.6
State championships: 26
State championship percentage: .531
National championships: 1

3. Greg Toal, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
Years coached: 33 (1982-1996, 1999-2016)
Other Teams: Saddlebrook, River Dell, Hackensack
Record: 305-55-2 (.845)
Average wins per year: 9.2
State championships: 15
State championship percentage: .455
National championships: 3

4. Mike Smith, Hampton (Va.)
Years coached: 47 (1971-2017)
Record: 484-86-2 (.848)
Average wins per year: 10.3
State championships: 12
State championship percentage: .255
National championships: 2

5. Wright Bazemore, Valdosta (Ga.)
Years coached: 28 (1941-1971)
Record: 265-51-7 (.831)
Average wins per year: 9.5
State championships: 15
State championship percentage: .536
National championships: 3

6. Chuck Kyle, St. Ignatius (Cleveland)
Years coached: 35 (1983-2017)
Record: 345-87-1 (.798)
Average wins per year: 9.9
State championships: 11
State championship percentage: .314
National championships: 3

7. Tommy Knotts, Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.)
Years coached: 34 (1983-2003, 2005-17)
Other Teams: Independence (Charlotte, N.C.), Harding University, West Charlotte
Record: 403-64-0 (.863)
Average wins per year: 11.9
State championships: 10
State championship percentage: .294
National championships: 0

8. George Quarles, Maryville (Tenn.)
Years coached: 18 (1999-2016)
Record: 250-16-0 (.940)
Average wins per year: 13.9
State championships: 11
State championship percentage: .611
National championships: 0

9. Frank Lenti, Chicago Mt. Carmel (Chicago)
Years coached: 34 (1985-2017)
Record: 372-77-0 (.829)
Average wins per year: 10.9
State championships: 12
State championship percentage: .353
National championships: 0

10. Gary Joseph, Katy (Texas)
Years coached: 14 (2004-2017)
Record: 190-18-0 (.913)
Average wins per year: 13.6
State championships: 4
State championship percentage: .286
National championships: 1`

11. Paul Brown, Washington (Massillon, Ohio)
Years coached: 11 (1930-40)
Other Teams: Severn (Md.)
Record: 96-9-3 (.903)
Average wins per year: 8.7
State championships: 6
State championship percentage: .545
National championships: 4

12. George Smith, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Years coached: 34 (1975-1992, 1994-2010)
Record: 361-66-0 (.845)
Average wins per year: 10.6
State championships: 6
State championship percentage: .176
National championships: 2

13. Corky Rogers, Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Years coached: 45 (1972-2016)
Other Teams: Lee (Jacksonville)
Record: 471-84-1 (.848)
Average wins per year: 10.5
State championships: 10
State championship percentage: .222
National championships: 0

14. Cal Lee, St. Louis (Honolulu)
Years coached: 24 (1972, 1982-2001, 2014-16)
Record: 263-39-5 (.865)
Average wins per year: 11.0
State championships: 16
State championship percentage: .667
National championships: 0

15. Allan Trimble, Jenks (Okla.)
Years coached: 22 (1996-2017)
Record: 241-42-0 (.857)
Average wins per year: 11.0
State championships: 13
State championship percentage: .591
National championships: 0

16. Gerry Faust, Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)
Years coached: 19 (1962-1980)
Record: 178-23-2 (.882)
Average wins per year: 9.4
State championships: 5
State championship percentage: .263
National championships: 4

17. Tom Westerberg, Allen (Texas)
Years coached: 14 (2004-17)
Other Teams: Barber Hill (current team)
Record: 162-23-0
Average wins per year: 11.6
State championships: 4
State championship percentage: .286
National championships: 1

18. Tony Karcich, St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.)
Years coached: 38 (1974-2013)
Other Teams: Bergen Catholic
Record: 338-75-5 (.815)
Average wins per year: 8.9
State championships: 20
State championship percentage: .526
National championships: 0

19. Bill Castle, Lakeland (Fla.)
Years coached: 42 (1976-2017)
Record: 418-90-0 (.823)
Average wins per year: 10.0
State championships: 6
State championship percentage: .143
National championships: 2

20. Bob Beatty, Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)
Years coached: 21 (1997-2017)
Other Teams: Blue Springs
Record: 236-38-0 (.861)
Average wins per year: 11.2
State championships: 13
State championship percentage: .619
National championships: 0

21. George Curry, Berwick (Pa.)
Years coached: 46 (1967-2008, 2012-2015)
Other Teams: Lake Lehman, Wyoming Valley West
Record: 454-108-4 (.806)
Average wins per year: 9.9
State championships: 6
State championship percentage: .130
National championships: 3

22. John Herrington, Harrison (Farmington Hills, Mich.)
Years coached: 48 (1970-2017)
Record: 432-108-1 (.799)
Average wins per year: 9.0
State championships: 13
State championship percentage: .271
National championships: 0

23. Joe Golding, Wichita Falls (Texas)
Years coached: 15 (1947-1961)
Record: 152-26-2 (.850)
Average wins per year: 10.1
State championships: 4
State championship percentage: .267
National championships: 1

24. Pete Adkins, Jefferson City (Mo.)
Years coached: 44 (1951-1994)
Other Teams: Centralia
Record: 405-60-4 (.868)
Average wins per year: 9.2
State championships: 9
State championship percentage: .205
National championships: 0

25. Bruce Rollinson, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Years coached: 29 (1989-2017)
Record: 287-83-2 (.774)
Average wins per year: 9.9
State championships: 6
State championship percentage: .207
National championships: 3

26. Al Woolard, Lawrence (Kan.)
Years coached: 35 (1934-1968)
Other Teams: Edna (Okla.), Commerce (Okla.), Nowata (Okla.)
Record: 263-39-12 (.857)
Average wins per year: 7.5
State championships: 12
State championship percentage: .343
National championships: 1

27. Nick Hyder, Valdosta (Ga.)
Years coached: 28 (1968-1995)
Other Teams: West Rome
Record: 302-48-5 (.858)
Average wins per year: 10.8
State championships: 7
State championship percentage: .250
National championships: 3

28. Chuck Mather, Washington (Massillon, Ohio)
Years coached: 14 (1937-41, 1945-53)
Other Teams: Brilliant, Leotonia, Hamilton
Record: 111-18-5 (.847)
Average wins per year: 7.8
State championships: 6
State championship percentage: .429
National championships: 2

29. Wilson Matthews, Central (Little Rock, Ark.)
Years coached: 12 (1944, 1947-58)
Record: 118-17-3 (.866)
Other Teams: Rogers
Average wins per year: 9.8
State championships: 10
State championship percentage: .833
National championships: 1

30. Carlton Flatt, Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, Tenn.)
Years coached: 34 (1970-1998, 2002-06)
Record: 355-68-3 (.837)
Average wins per year: 10.4
State championships: 10
State championship percentage: .294
National championships: 0

31. Mike Grant, Eden Prairie (Minn.)
Years coached: 35 (1981-86, 1989-2017)
Other Teams: Forest Lake
Record: 333-69-0 (.828)
Average wins per year: 9.5
State championships: 11
State championship percentage: .314
National championships: 0

32. Nick Kotys, Coral Gables (Fla.)
Years coached: 32 (1940-1971)
Other Teams: Shickshinny (Pa.), Bloomsburg (Pa.), Pottsville (Pa.)
Record: 258-57-16 (.804)
Average wins per year: 8.1
State championships: 6
State championship percentage: .188
National championships: 4

33. John DiBiaso, Everett (Mass.)
Years coached: 36 (1982-2017)
Other Teams: St. Patrick's, Weston, Catholic Memorial (current team)
Record: 305-77-2 (.797)
Average wins per year: 8.5
State championships: 13
State championship percentage: .361
National championships: 0

34. Dick Dullaghan, Ben Davis (Indianapolis)
Years coached: 31 (1969-79, 1984-2003)
Other Teams: Bishop Chatard, Carmel
Record: 313-58-0 (.844)
Average wins per year: 10.1
State championships: 8
State championship percentage: .258
National championships: 1

35. John Roderique, Webb City (Mo.)
Years coached: 21 (1997-2017)
Record: 260-24-0 (.915)
Average wins per year: 12.4
State championships: 11
State championship percentage: .524
National championships: 0

36. Billy Rolle, Northwestern (Miami)
Years coached: 18 (1998-2011, 2014-17)
Other Teams: Killian, Southridge, Coral Reef
Record: 172-53-0 (.764)
Average wins per year: 9.6
State championships: 4
State championship percentage: .222
National championships: 1

37. Maurice Collins, Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.)
Years coached: 39 (1960-2000)
Other Teams: Gonzaga College
Record: 322-79-9 (.796)
Average wins per year: 8.3
State championships: 15
State championship percentage: .385
National championships: 0

38. Todd Dodge, Carroll (Southlake, Texas)
Years coached: 19 (1994-2006, 2012-2017)
Other Teams: Cameron, Carrollton Newman, Keller Fossill Ridge, Marble Falls, Austin Westlake (current team)
Record: 175-69-0 (.717)
Average wins per year: 9.2
State championships: 4
State championship percentage: .211
National championships: 3

39. Randy Allen, Highland Park (Dallas)
Years coached: 37 (1981-2017)
Other Teams: Ballinger, Brownwood, Abilene Cooper
Record: 376-87-6 (.808)
Average wins per year: 10.2
State championships: 3
State championship percentage: .081
National championships: 0

40. Chuck Moser, Abilene (Texas)
Years coached: 14 (1946-59)
Other Teams: McAllen
Record: 125-3-4 (.799)
Average wins per year: 8.9
State championships: 3
State championship percentage: .214
National championships: 1

41. Howard Wood, Washington (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Years coached: 35 (1908-1946)
Record: 246-74-16 (.756)
Average wins per year: 7.0
State championships: 19
State championship percentage: .543
National championships: 0

42. Leo Strang, Washington (Massillon, Ohio)
Years coached: 18 (1946-1963)
Other Teams: Caldwell, Upper Sandusky, East Cleveland Shaw
Record: 127-26-1 (.828)
Average wins per year: 7.1
State championships: 3
State championship percentage: .167
National championships: 2

43. Al Fracassa, Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
Years coached: 54 (1960-2013)
Other Teams: Royal Oak Shrine Catholic
Record: 430-117-7 (.782)
Average wins per year: 8.0
State championships: 9
State championship percentage: .167
National championships: 0

44. Bob Milloy, Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)
Years coached: 47 (1970-2016)
Other Teams: Walt Whitman, Springbrook, Sherwood
Record: 405-124-1 (.765)
Average wins per year: 8.6
State championships: 12
State championship percentage: .255
National championships: 0

45. Duane Maley, San Diego (Calif.)
Years coached: 12 (1948-1959)
Record: 97-19-3 (.828)
Average wins per year: 8.1
State championships: 2
State championship percentage: .167
National championships: 1

46. Bob Shannon, East St. Louis (Ill.)
Years coached: 32 (1976-2007)
Other Teams: Alton, Christian Brothers (St. Louis)
Record: 260-93-0 (.737)
Average wins per year: 8.1
State championships: 6
State championship percentage: .188
National championships: 1

47. Win Brockmeyer, Wausau East (Wausau, Wis.)
Years coached: 40 (1931-1970)
Other Teams: Fergus Falls (Minn.), Faribault (Minn.)
Record: 265-43-14 (.845)
Average wins per year: 6.6
State championships: 10
State championship percentage: .250
National championships: 0

48. Phil Danaher, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas)
Years coached: 44 (1974-2017)
Other Teams: Dilley, Hamshire-Fannett
Record: 445-109-4 (.801)
Average wins per year: 10.1
State championships: 0
State championship percentage: 0
National championships: 0

49. Gary Rankin, Alcoa (Tenn.)
Years coached: 36 (1982-2017)
Other Teams: Smith County, Riverdale
Record: 410-75-0 (.845)
Average wins per year: 11.4
State championships: 13
State championship percentage: .361
National championships: 0

50. John McKissick, Summerville (S.C.)
Years coached: 63 (1952-2014)
Record: 620-156-13 (.794)
Average wins per year: 9.8
State championships: 10
State championship percentage: .159
National championships: 0