ESPN Ranks Jimbo Fisher #1 coach under 50

"Roughly half the 127 FBS coaches -- 47.2 percent -- are under the age of 50. Among the Power 5 conferences, 43.1 percent (28 of 65 coaches) are in their 30s and 40s.
Who are the best young coaches? In their final appearance in the best-under-50 list, the two coaches whose teams played for the BCS title two years ago have had the most success before their 50th birthdays.
FSU’s Jimbo Fisher and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, who will both hit 5-0 in October, lead the conversation of the top coaches under 50.


1. Jimbo Fisher, FSU (49)

Fisher has his national title. He’s the best example of a coach-in-waiting situation that worked out well -- or as well as it can. In fact, the way Fisher handled -- and worked through -- the awkwardness surrounding Bobby Bowden’s final chapter is one of the finer points on his resume, right up there with the crystal football. How many people would have been able to survive that, let alone excel in the aftermath of the turmoil? Fisher did so nimbly. His recent assistant hires have also been outstanding, and that’s the mark of a good head coach.

4. Dabo Swinney, Clemson (45)
Chad Morris, the new SMU coach who was Clemson’s OC, said he learned a great deal from Swinney, in terms of how to make good, smart decisions as a head coach. “He does all the little things really, really well,” Morris said. It’s all pretty incredible, considering Swinney was thrust into the role as the interim after Tommy Bowden was fired. He had never even been a coordinator to that point and was only a few years removed from a real estate gig. Swinney, though, proved to be a natural in terms of management and consistent messaging and marketing. In today’s college football, those things are as important as they’ve ever been, and they're why Swinney (61-26) has been steady."