How will Greg Schiano stack up against other coaches who made the jump?

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Nick Saban. Bobby Petrino. Steve Spurrier.

In the college football world, these names are well-respected.

The NFL? Not so much.

Many coaches who roam the sidelines on Saturdays hold bigger dreams: to coach on Sundays. However, not all coaches find the same level of success in the pros as they do in the college ranks. Many coaches for one reason or another just don’t make it in the NFL.

That’s not to say it’s impossible.

This past season, Jim Harbaugh left Stanford to become head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. In his first season, he led the Niners to their first playoff appearance since 2002 and only a few plays short of their first Super Bowl appearance since the Steve Young era.

This past week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked to college football for the same type of success when they tabbed Rutgers’ Greg Schiano as their next head coach. At Rutgers, Schiano posted a mediocre 68-67 record; however, his impact goes further than his record indicates. Schiano was able to turn Rutgers into a respectable football program and oversaw the development of future NFL players such as Ray Rice, Kenny Britt and Devin McCourty.

So how will Schiano fare in the NFL? Let’s look at the coaches with the most success in their transition from college to the NFL.

5. Jim Harbaugh (University of San Diego, Stanford University – San Francisco 49ers)

Harbaugh got his first head-coaching gig at the University of San Diego, where he compiled a 29-6 record. He would then go on to Stanford, where he turned around a program that went 4-7 in his first season in 2007 to a 12-1 record in 2010. As a head coach, Harbaugh oversaw the development of former NFL QB Josh Johnson (University of San Diego) and likely first overall pick in this year’s draft, Andrew Luck (Stanford).

Although it’s been only one year with San Francisco, Harbaugh gets a great deal of credit for turning around a below-average 49ers team. After being handed essentially the same  personnel as the year before, the Harbaugh-led 49ers improved from 6-10 in 2010 to 13-3 in 2011. If the 49ers continue with this success, Harbaugh will certainly climb this list.

4. Bobby Ross (The Citadel, Maryland, Georgia Tech – San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions)

Bobby Ross first began his coaching career as an assistant with Virginia Military Institute. He would later go on to coach at William & Mary, Rice and Maryland. After leaving college for an assistant coaching position in the NFL, Ross was given his first head coaching position at The Citadel. He would also go on to become head coach at Maryland and Georgia Tech, which included a split of the National Championship with GT in 1990. He would end his career with Army in 2007. In his career as a college head football coach, Ross had a record of 103-101-2, including a split National Championship in 1990 and 4 ACC Championships.

As an NFL coach, Ross made multiple playoff appearances with the San Diego Chargers and Detroit Lions. In his combined 8 1/2 seasons in the NFL, Ross led his team to the postseason five times, including one Super Bowl appearance with the Chargers in the 1994 season.

3. Dick Vermeil (UCLA – Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs)

After beginning his career as an assistant in the NFL with the LA Rams, Vermeil went on to be named to his first head football coaching position at UCLA. In two brief seasons with the Bruins, Vermeil went 15-5-3. Vermeil also led UCLA to a Rose Bowl win against Ohio State and a top 5 finish in his second season.

After UCLA, Vermeil was named head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and took them to a Super Bowl. Vermeil would later go on to coach the “Greatest Show on Turf” in St. Louis, and ended his career as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. As an NFL head coach, Vermeil compiled a 44-36 record, including a Super Bowl victory in 1999 (St. Louis Rams) and 6 playoff appearances (4 with Philadelphia, 1 with St. Louis, 1 with KC).

2. Tom Coughlin (Rochester Institute of Technology, Boston College – Jacksonville Jaguars, NY Giants)

Tom Coughlin first began his head coaching days at small-school Rochester Institute of Technology in 1970. For those keeping track, the school hasn’t even fielded a team since the late ’70s. More famously, Coughlin was also head coach at Boston College for three seasons. There, Coughlin was able to lead BC to a 21-13-1 record, including two bowl appearances and two top-25 finishes.

Coughlin was able to continue this success after transitioning to the NFL. After being named the first head coach in Jacksonville history, Coughlin was able to lead the Jaguars to the postseason in only their second season. Coughlin would later be named to his current position as head coach of the New York Giants. In his 16 seasons as NFL head coach, Coughlin has led his teams to 9 postseason appearances (4 with Jacksonville, 5 with NY) and a Super Bowl victory with the Giants in 2007. Coughlin will look to his second Super Bowl victory with the Giants on Sunday.

1. Jimmy Johnson (Oklahoma State, University of Miami (FL) – Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins)

Jimmy Johnson is the best example of success in transitioning from the college game to the pros. Johnson found success as a head coach in the college ranks with both Oklahoma State and Miami. He is one of only two head coaches in history to have won both a NCAA National Championship and a Super Bowl (the other being Barry Switzer, who doesn’t make an appearance on this list due to one writer’s belief that Switzer simply continued on Johnson’s success with Dallas). Johnson found most of his success at Miami, leading the Hurricanes to a bowl game in each of his five seasons, including their National Championship season in 1987.

Johnson was able to find similar success in the NFL, most famously with the Dallas Cowboys. After being named head coach of the Cowboys, Johnson was able to turn the team around, going from 1-15 in his first season to consecutive Super Bowl wins in ’92 and ’93. He would go on to coach for the Miami Dolphins. In his 9 seasons as NFL head coach, Johnson went 80-64.

Johnson is the epitome of head coaching success. He has found the ability to turn around each program he has led – both at the professional and college level – and sets a perfect example for Schiano to follow in Tampa Bay.

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