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THE TOP 10 DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL

September 26, 2006

The most shocking development last week occurred off the playing field. Memphis coach Tommy West sent Joe Lee Dunn out to pasture.

In his heyday, Dunn had few peers as a defensive coordinator. He was at his most masterful when preparing his troops for a foe with an unorthodox offense.

"I lost one of my heroes," said handicapper Dave Malinsky when he heard the news. Malinsky has fond memories of cashing two big bets on Ole Miss in 1992. The first came in the Egg Bowl when the Rebels smothered Mississippi State on 11 plays at the goal line to preserve a narrow victory. Malinsky pressed his bet in the Liberty Bowl where Ole Miss whitewashed Air Force.

The Ole Miss DC that year was Joe Lee Dunn. His next team in Oxford led the nation in total defense.

Dunn's expulsion reminds us that coaching assessments are fluid. Today's rising star is tomorrow's ham-'n-egger. Nonetheless, we were inspired by Tommy West's hatchet job to rank-order the top 10 defensive coordinators in college football. Feel free to disagree.

GENE CHIZIK, TEXAS

Prior to arriving in Austin, Chizik spent three seasons as the DC at Auburn. In 2004, he was the ninth recipient of the Broyles Award, emblematic of the top assistant coach in college football. Born in 1961, the University of Florida alum was on the winning side in 29 straight games before Ohio State ended the skein on Sept. 9.

BUD FOSTER, VIRGINIA TECH

A three-time Broyles Award finalist, Foster has stayed loyal to Frank Beamer, his position coach during his playing days at Murray State. The Hokies have pitched 20 shutouts since Foster was elevated to the post of DC in 1995. Last year's squad led the nation in total defense.

BO PELINI, LSU

Mentored in high school by the patriarch of the Stoops clan, the 38-year old Pelini toiled under Pete Carroll as an NFL assistant. When he arrived at LSU in 2005, it was his third college stop in three years. He was the interim head coach for Nebraska in the 2003 Alamo Bowl. In that game, the Huskers held Michigan State without a touchdown.

In last year's Peach Bowl, Pelini's defense had a game for the ages. LSU held the Miami Hurricanes to six yards from scrimmage in the second half. Pelini regained the luster he had lost when his Oklahoma defense was waxed by Southern Cal in the 2004 national title game.

RANDY SHANNON, MIAMI

Shannon is in the sixth season of his second tenure with the Hurricanes. During his year away from the program, he earned high marks as the LB coach of the Dolphins. During his 5-plus seasons as the UM DC, Miami has held 28 foes to 10 points or less.

A Miami native who was a member of Miami's 1987 national title team, Shannon has never coached outside his native city. He's the logical successor to Larry Coker, but far from a lock. If not for the salt-and-pepper factor, he would be the head coach of an SEC school today.

JOE KINES, ALABAMA

Kines was out of his element in his lone season as the head coach at Arkansas, but at age 62 he's a splendid DC who keeps buffing his resumé. Last year, the Tide held Florida and Tennessee without a touchdown and led the nation in scoring defense after bushwhacking Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl.

TYRONE NIX, SOUTH CAROLINA

In 2001, at age 29, Nix was the youngest DC in the country. Steve Spurrier lured him away from Southern Miss and was quick to dismiss co-DC John Thompson so that Nix could tinker without interference. With only one senior starting on the defensive side of the ball, the 2006 Gamecocks limited their first two league opponents to a solitary touchdown.

VIC KOENNING, CLEMSON

Longtime Bobby Bowden assistant Mickey Andrews is the most prominent DC in college football, but Koenning outfoxed him in each of the last two meetings. The former Wyoming head coach spent two seasons at Troy before coming to Clemson. In his final year with the Trojans, his defense finished second to Southern Cal in takeaways. Over the last two-plus seasons, Koenning's teams are 12-0 ATS in underdog roles.

DICK BUMPUS, TCU

Because Gary Patterson is considered a defensive wizard, Bumpus, a 28-year coaching veteran, has been lost in his shadow. But Bumpus, one of the popularizers of the 4-2-5 Defense, has made an impact since renewing his working relationship with Patterson in 2004. In their last five regular season games, the Horned Frogs have surrendered only two touchdowns.

WILL MUSCHAMP, AUBURN

The inclusion of Muschamp may be premature. He's had limited freedom to improvise while working under Nick Saban and Tommy Tuberville, control freaks with defensive backgrounds. However, insiders are predicting a bright future for the 35-year old Georgia alum. In opting to return to the SEC, Muschamp purportedly turned down an offer to become the head coach at Middle Tennessee State.

TIM "SUITCASE" ROSE, TOLEDO

No list of top coordinators would be complete without the grizzled Rose. A restless vagabond in the mold of the noted basketball coach Larry Brown, Rose has surfaced at eight schools over the last 14 years. In his debut season at each new stop, the defense improved statistically from the previous season.

Toledo's defense has been no great shakes in the early going, but it will inevitably come around. There are seven freshmen on the two-deep, four fresh out of high school.

HONORABLE MENTION: Norm Parker (Iowa), Charlie Strong (Florida), Jon Tenuta (Georgia Tech). UP-AND-COMER: Manny Diaz (Middle Tennessee State).

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-- By ARNE K. LANG