Knight and Cig, but who else? Maybe I'm not well-versed in IU sports history, but I can't get to four. The only other coach I can think of is Branch McCracken. Perhaps a soccer coach???
Bo McMillin
Knight and Cig, but who else? Maybe I'm not well-versed in IU sports history, but I can't get to four. The only other coach I can think of is Branch McCracken. Perhaps a soccer coach???
Doc Councilman and Hobie Billingsley (Swimming and Diving), Sam Bell (Track and Field), and Jerry Yeagley (Soccer).
@jackskip23 RMK, Cig, Doc, and Coach Yeagley.
Hobie had over 100 divers win national titles and he and Doc had a S&D dynasty.
@jackskip23 I gave you mine, and I think that's what 90% of all IU sports enthusiasts are going to say. I don't know beans about swimming and diving, but in my mind they go together. If you think the Diving coach is that outstanding, that's fine: who you knocking off: Knight, Cig, or Yeagley? In my mind you have 1, but not both and by recognizing Doc, you're also recognizing Billingsley.
@jackskip23 I gave you mine, and I think that's what 90% of all IU sports enthusiasts are going to say. I don't know beans about swimming and diving, but in my mind they go together. If you think the Diving coach is that outstanding, that's fine: who you knocking off: Knight, Cig, or Yeagley? In my mind you have 1, but not both and by recognizing Doc, you're also recognizing Billingsley.
Yeagley has a higher profile given his recency but Billingsley has the greater results, but I see your point. Fun to compile a list of the greats which, to be fair, is hard to do if only four make it.
@jackskip23 There are a lot of great coaches (Sam Bell for instance, as you mentioned gets left off) and any one of those head coaches is going to tell you their assistants were responsible for their success. Who knows, Bryant Haines might be the best of the bunch! But, I don't really think there's even an argument with the 4 I listed because it recognizes 4 different sports and all they encompass. Yeagley won 6 national titles, and set the program up for further success with his son coming on board. Again, swimming is my weakest depth of knowledge, but in terms of the best coach up there, privately, I don't think Yeagley is worse than 2nd.
You guys nailed it
@jackskip23 I gave you mine, and I think that's what 90% of all IU sports enthusiasts are going to say. I don't know beans about swimming and diving, but in my mind they go together. If you think the Diving coach is that outstanding, that's fine: who you knocking off: Knight, Cig, or Yeagley? In my mind you have 1, but not both and by recognizing Doc, you're also recognizing Billingsley.
We'll see about Cig, but the other three fundamentally changed their respective sports.
@unclemark Got news for ya: Cig has changed the sport, in a huge way! I've kept going back to the end of Moneyball with the Boston owner says (paraphrasing): "anyone not tearing down there program and rebuilding according to your script, is a dinosaur" It may not be the long term impact the others had, but Cig has fundamentally changed the sport. There is going to be a much higher premium on experienced productive players from P4 and G5 levels.
@unclemark Got news for ya: Cig has changed the sport, in a huge way! I've kept going back to the end of Moneyball with the Boston owner says (paraphrasing): "anyone not tearing down there program and rebuilding according to your script, is a dinosaur" It may not be the long term impact the others had, but Cig has fundamentally changed the sport. There is going to be a much higher premium on experienced productive players from P4 and G5 levels.
Point taken, but I was thinking more along the lines of how their respective sports were actually played.
@unclemark I knew what you meant, but I think Cig has had a huge impact on how coaching is done. I've gotten really defensive of Cig, his approach and especially the players. I purposely refuse to say other teams "have more talent", because Cig has expanded the definition of talent for a player to include experience, work ethic, production, smarts and attitude. Jeremiah Smith/Carnell Tate are more athletic and have a higher NFL ceiling than Sarratt and Cooper, but are no more talented! The #s and results prove it. Our roster is the most talented in CF in 2025-26! Just my personal crusade!
