With the summer on the way, and the college football season in sight, we take a look at the 25 biggest villains in college football history.
Throughout the history of college football, there has certainly been a fair share of villains. Whatever the reason, these guys have definitely rubbed people the wrong way, earning a spot on our list. Some players are hated because of winning, some for whining, but all will never be forgotten as long as college football is still around.
Here is a look at the 25 biggest villains in college football history.
Back in the 1980s, the University of Miami (FL) football program was not only the most publicized team in all of college football, but possibly in all of sports. Led by a quarterback who would go on to win the Heisman Trophy, the Hurricanes came at you hard from all angles of the game. With a coach that loved to run up the score, “The U” could hang a 50-spot on a team at any time, and that led to them being one of the most hated teams in the history of sports.
The man under center for the Hurricanes was Vinny Testaverde, who would go on to be a very good quarterback in the NFL after his days on campus were through. During his time with Miami, Testaverde was one of the more hated players in the country, mostly because all his team did was win big, and talk trash doing it. Testaverde and teammate Jerome Brown put their stamp on the team by showing up the 1986 National Championship Game in fatigues but followed it up with a horrifying performance.
Fresh off winning the Heisman Trophy, Testaverde and his Hurricanes teammates took on an undefeated Penn State team, led by Coach of the Year, Joe Paterno. Testaverde would have the worst game of his career, throwing five interceptions in the team’s 14-10 loss to the Nittany Lions. It was a terrible way to end the collegiate career of a man who would turn around the Miami program while collecting his fair share of haters along the way.
LeGarrette Blount came to the Oregon Ducks after being one of the better junior college prospects in the country, and he made sure his short time on campus in Eugene would not be boring. Blount emerged as one of the best running backs in college football during his time with the Ducks, but most people will only remember him for the wrong reasons. In one of the more bizarre occurrences in college football history, Blount sucker-punched an opponent, landing him on our list of the biggest villains in college football history.
The game between the Oregon Ducks and Boise State Broncos was a nationally televised matchup of two top-20 schools. The Ducks were known for their high-powered offense, led by Blount at running back, but the Broncos were able to keep Blount in check, holding him to -5 yards on the ground. After the game, linebacker Byron Hout made a comment to Blount, who proceeded to punch him in the face.
Blount then hit teammate Garrett Embry, who was trying to break up the situation. In head coach Chip Kelly’s first game, the Ducks were an embarrassment, and Kelly eventually suspended Blount for the entire season. The suspension did not last, and Blount was reinstated in November, scoring a touchdown in the team’s 2010 Rose Bowl loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The punch was not the only thing that mired Blount’s time with the school, as he was also late for meetings, and missed workouts. Despite his immense talent, Blount would go undrafted after leaving Oregon, but he has had a solid NFL career since. In 2016, Blount led the NFL in rushing touchdowns, scoring 18 times for the New England Patriots, who would go on to win Super Bowl LI over the Atlanta Falcons.
Blount has done a lot of wonderful things on a football field since the punch, but unfortunately for him, it is what he will likely always be remembered for.
For most football fans, the Vontaze Burfict they know is the perceived dirty player in the NFL. The star linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals has had his fair share of questionable plays during his time with the team, leading to some calling for him to be suspended for his play. However, there is no doubt that he is a fantastic talent, and those people who saw him play at Arizona State know that his behavior on the field did not start once he made it to the NFL.
During his time with the Sun Devils, Burfict was just as electric, and controversial on the field. In 26 games with the school, Burfict collected 16 personal foul penalties and battled with head coach Dennis Erickson. Erickson would go on to bench Burfict on numerous occasions, and when it came time for the NFL Draft, most teams did not think that Burfict was worth the headaches.
One play in particular that stands out was against another current NFL star. Playing against the Stanford Cardinal, Burfict grabbed wide receiver Doug Baldwin’s facemask, leading to a personal foul that would give the Cardinal a first down. Stanford would go on to score on the drive, winning a game that the Sun Devils should have taken. It was a play that was a microcosm of Burfict’s time on campus with the Sun Devils.
Burfict has a high motor, and that leads to him being on the wrong side of the penalty flag on more occasions that his coaches would like. He has also been known to step on ankles, and against the Pittsburgh Steelers in January of last year, Burfict’s cheap hit on wide receiver Antonio Brown caused the Bengals to blow a chance at making the playoffs. He was a villain then, and he continues to be a villain now.
For Florida State fans, Peter Warrick is a legend who helped the team win the 2000 Sugar Bowl, where he took Most Valuable Player honors. A two-time All-American during his time in Tallahassee, Warrick was one of the main reasons the Seminoles were one of the most feared teams in the country. However, Warrick was not without his faults, and those who played against him during his run with Florida State, would definitely consider him a villain.
The problem with players like Warrick, in the eyes of his haters, is that he plays with too much swagger. During his time with the Seminoles, Warrick was widely regarded as the best overall player in college football, nearly winning the Heisman Trophy despite being suspended for two games during the 1999 season. The reason for his suspension came off the field, where he was arrested for theft of a clothing store.
Warrick and teammate Laveranues Coles went to Dillard’s in the Tallahassee Mall and bought over $400 worth of clothing, paying only a little over $21 for it. In Florida, that is considered theft, and because school rules say players can not play with criminal charges pending, the incident cost him the Heisman. He came back two games later, and when the Seminoles played Florida later in the year, Gators fans brought Dillard’s shopping bags to the game to mock Warrick, but Florida State still won.
There is no doubt that Warrick was an incredible talent on the field, but for anyone who played against him in the late-90s, he was certainly a villain. He had a decent NFL career after the Cincinnati Bengals made him the No. 4 overall pick in 2000, but will forever be known for his time with the Seminoles.
The University of Miami enjoyed quite a run during the 1980s, as the Jimmy Johnson-led Hurricanes were the class of college football. While Johnson only was the head coach of the team for a five-year run from 1984-1988, he put his stamp on the program, leading them to the 1987 national title. Taking over for Howard Schnellenberger was not easy, but by the time he left Miami, Johnson had become the most famous coach in school history.
In 1983, Schnellenberger led the Hurricanes to a National Championship but decided to leave the school to become a head coach in the United States Football League (USFL). That paved the way for Johnson, who was a bit of an unknown when he took over the program. Headlines that read “Jimmy Who?” popped up all over Miami, but he was confident in his skills as a head coach.
Johnson was a master recruiter and was able to bring in the best players from around the country. He also led a program that was encouraged to talk trash to their opponents, drawing the ire of their competition. The team was nicknamed the “Bad Boys of College Football,” as the personalities on the team matched that of their head coach. After going only 8-5 in his first season, some doubted that Johnson was the right man for the job, but he quickly led his team to a decade of dominance.
During his time with the Hurricanes, Johnson left nothing to chance, often running up the score on his opponents. He became a villain around college football, but for players in his program, he was as beloved as they come. He would go on to win two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and is one of three men to win both a national title and a Super Bowl (Pete Carroll and Barry Switzer).
It was very hard for me to put into words an article about college football villains without mentioning Lane Kiffin, so here he is at No. 20. Once regarded as the next great coach in the game, Kiffin has rubbed people the wrong way at every stop, making his fair share of enemies along the way. He is currently the head coach at Florida Atlantic University after his stay at the University of Alabama ended abruptly.
Kiffin began his head collegiate coaching career at the University of Tennessee, where he signed the year after being fired by the NFL’s Oakland Raiders. At 33-years old, Kiffin was the youngest head coach in college football, but he left after only one season to head to USC. During a booster breakfast in Tennessee, Kiffin accused Florida head coach Urban Meyer of violating rules, making him an enemy of the Florida Gators. Once he left Tennessee after his brief stay, he became Public Enemy No. 1, and while he may not be that anymore, he is certainly still considered a villain.
From there, Kiffin had a rough couple of seasons with the USC Trojans, he not only struggled to win games but also turned heads with his comments. The program had sanctions against it from Pete Carroll’s tenure with the team, and that hurt his ability to win games. However, he won only four of the last 11 games he coached at the school and was fired unceremoniously by Athletic Director Pat Haden at 3 a.m. after being pulled off the team bus when returning from a game.
Kiffin landed on his feet, however, getting a golden opportunity to be the offensive coordinator at a powerhouse, Alabama. That tenure also ended badly, as he was stripped of his duties before the team’s national title game against Clemson this year. Now at Florida Atlantic, Kiffin will try to get his career on the right paths, and his hope is likely to get another shot at running a big-time program in the near future.
For a career that started with such promise at Ohio State University, Maurice Clarett left school as one of the more controversial players in the history of the program. Bursting onto the scene as the best freshman running back in the country, Clarett led his Buckeyes teammates to a national title, putting the finishing touches on Ohio State’s 2003 Fiesta Bowl victory with a game-winning touchdown. Incredibly, that would be the last touchdown he would score for the Buckeyes.
As a freshman, Clarett rushed for over 1,200 yards for Ohio State, scoring 18 touchdowns as the team went a perfect 14-0. Everyone in Columbus must have felt that this was just the beginning, as Clarett had to stay on campus for at least three years. Well, that never happened, as the team suspended him for the 2003 season for filing a false police report. Clarett left school, and sued to be included in the 2004 NFL Draft, but would have to wait until the following year to enter.
Eventually, Clarett was drafted by an NFL team, the Denver Broncos took him in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He would not tote the rock at the pro level, however, as he was cut during training camp. For someone who looked good as a freshman, leading his team to a national title, to never have a single carry in the NFL is nearly impossible to believe. But Clarett achieved just that, and will forever be a villain in the eyes of Buckeyes fans for it.
Aside from filing the false police report, Clarett also had his run-ins with the coaching staff at Ohio State. He publicly attacked them, screamed at position coaches on the sidelines. Since leaving the NFL, Clarett has been arrested multiple times, including an OVI arrest in January of last year, when it appeared he had gotten his life on the right path.
Lawrence Phillips is one of the sadder stories of any player who ever played college football. Loaded with immense talent, Phillips saw his career, and eventually, his life go down the drain, ending with a suicide in jail. Once considered the best running back in college football, Phillips let his terrible anger get the best of him, leading to many off-the-field incidents that eventually derailed his promising career.
During his time with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Phillips emerged as arguably one of the top college running backs of all-time. He could do everything for the Cornhuskers, who won two National Championship with Phillips toting the rock. After helping the team to the title in 1994, Phillips pleaded not guilty to criminal charges two weeks later, after grabbing a 21-year old student by the neck. He then was ruled ineligible for taking a $100 lunch, but after paying the money back was ruled eligible to play in 1995.
As a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, Phillips once again let his anger get the best of him. Phillips broke into teammate Scott Frost’s apartment, grabbing Kate McEwen by her hair and throwing her down three flights of stairs. He then rammed her head into a mailbox, in a scary scene that happened on campus. The team suspended him for six games, but he came back in time to help Nebraska to their second straight title, racking up three touchdowns in a 62-24 victory over No. 2 Florida.
For all his faults, the St. Louis Rams still made him the No. 6 overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. He bounced around the NFL, AFL, and CFL for a couple of years, before last appearing with the Calgary Stampeders in 2003. The rest of his life was filled with criminal activity, including a first-degree murder charge for the death of his cellmate while in prison. He hung himself while awaiting trial to see whether or not he would receive the death penalty. His family donated his brain to Boston University to be checked for CTE.
When Jimmy Clausen chose Notre Dame as his college, Fighting Irish head coach Charlie Weis must have felt like he won the lottery. Clausen was the hands-down best quarterback in the country, as he was dubbed “The Kid with the Golden Arm.” In South Bend, people could imagine the national titles he would win, though he would leave school as more of a disappointment than a savior.
It did not start well for Clausen, who announced his school from the College Football Hall of Fame. Arriving at the campus in a stretch Hummer limo, Clausen spoke about winning four national championships for the Irish, though he would eventually finish his career with a sub-.500 winning percentage. It was quite the fall from grace for a player that every school in the country coveted when he was in high school.
For the opposition, Clausen was a seen as a punk, and that made him a villain in the eyes of nearly every school he played. He had a certain air about him when he played for the Fighting Irish, though he seems to have matured since then. His NFL career has been mostly as a backup quarterback, and while he never reached the heights he was expected to out of high school, he has come a long way from the kid who showed up in the Hummer limo.
Clausen ended up leaving South Bend early, and the Carolina Panthers selected him in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Since then, Clausen has bounced around from the Panthers to the Chicago Bears, to the Baltimore Ravens, where he last was on an NFL roster back in 2015. Clausen never lost a game in high school, going 42-0 as the starter for Westlake Village (CA), but at Notre Dame, he finished his collegiate career with a 16-26 mark.
For Deion Sanders, sports always came easy. A three-sport star for the Florida State Seminoles, Sanders would go on to play in both the NFL and Major League Baseball. During his time on campus, Sanders emerged as the best athlete in college sports, and for Seminoles fans, his legendary career is one that will go down as arguably the best from a defensive player in school history.
For those who played against Sanders, they had to hate his guts because he had the talent to support his legendary swagger. A star cornerback for the football team, Sanders was nicknamed “Prime Time,” due to his ability to come up big in the biggest moments of the game. Sanders would go on to be drafted as the No. 5 overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft, and capped his collegiate career with a moment that will forever make him a villain in the eyes of Auburn fans.
Withsecondssecond left in a game against the Tigers, Sanders did what he made a career of doing, putting the dagger in another victory. Sanders picked off Tigers quarterback Reggie Slack in the end zone on the final play of the 1989 Sugar Bowl, sealing the Seminoles’ 13-7 win. Deion then proceeded to taunt the Auburn sidelines, ending his collegiate career with a defining moment on national television.
Sanders’ incredible athletic career did not end in Tallahassee, as he went on to become a Hall of Fame player in the NFL. The cornerback is considered to be one of the cockiest, showiest players to ever put on the red and gold for the Seminoles, and was one of those rare players whose talent can actually match up with his swagger. He is hated by most of those who played against him, but is certainly loved at Florida State.
During his time with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Terrelle Pryor was one of the more electric college quarterbacks the world had seen in a long time. A special blend of size, speed, and arm strength, Pryor led the Buckeyes to back to back Big Ten championships. Eventually, Pryor would be the man some blame for head coach Jim Tressel losing his job, but it wasn’t until he got caught doing some shady deals off the field that people began to hate Pryor, especially in Columbus.
Pryor was a three-year starter for Ohio State, racking up a 31-4 record during his time on campus. Prior to landing with the Buckeyes, Pryor appeared headed for Michigan, where he would have been a nice fit in Rich Rodriguez’s offense. He became a villain in Ann Arbor by spurning the Wolverines for Ohio State, where he would dominate the school in his three years under center for the Michigan rival.
Off the field, Pryor was the main cog in one of the weirdest scandals in college football history. The event came to be known as “Tattoogate,” where members of the Ohio State football program allegedly gave away memorabilia for tattoos. That memorabilia included championship rings, and once they were finally caught, Tressel ended up with his head on the chopping block, ending the tenure of one of the better coaches in school history.
Instead of dealing with being suspended, Pryor then bolted to the NFL, where he made himself eligible for the NFL Supplemental Draft. The Oakland Raiders selected him the third round, and he actually played pretty well as their starter for a short time. Currently, Pryor is a standout wide receiver in the NFL, as he had a breakout season with the Cleveland Browns in 2016, gaining over 1,000 yards on 77 catches with four touchdowns. He signed an $8 million contract with the Washington Redskins this offseason.
During his run as the starting quarterback for the USC Trojans, Matt Leinart was the face of the biggest dynasty of the 2000s in college football. A tall, good-looking southpaw quarterback, Leinart was nearly unbeatable during his time with the Trojans, losing only two games, while notching 37 wins. USC was Hollywood, and Leinart looked like he could win the role as a star in a movie.
After three stellar seasons with the team, Leinart shunned the NFL, opting to return for his senior season with the Trojans. Seen as a legitimate first round prospect, the quarterback decided that he loved the life of being the Trojans quarterback too much to not live it up for one more year. He was over-confident, played with a certain air around him, and that certainly rubbed his opponents the wrong way.
It did not matter to Leinart, as he played every game with the notion that his team was going to win. In a famous interview after a game, Leinart said “we don’t know how to lose. It is not in our nature.” Certainly some strong words from a guy who would go on to win a national title with the team, as well as the 2004 Heisman Trophy. The National Championship was stripped from USC in 2011, but Leinart’s legacy with the school will never be forgotten.
Leinart did eventually get drafted to the NFL, as the Arizona Cardinals expected him to be their quarterback of the future when they took him with the No. 10 overall pick in 2006. He never quite lived up to expectations at the next level, battling injuries and inconsistent play. Still, his hard-partying days at USC are the stuff of legend, and as the leader of Pete Carroll’s USC program, he was one of the more hated players in college football history.
Woody Hayes spent 28 years on the sidelines for the Ohio State Buckeyes, cementing his legacy as arguably the best football coach in college football history. Racking up an incredible .759 winning percentage at the helm of the program, Hayes would see his career end in disgrace, as he was fired from the school for an ugly on-the-field incident against Clemson. Still, what he meant to the game of football will never be forgotten, though for people outside of the Ohio State program, he was certainly a villain.
Those who played for Hayes would tell a different story, as while he was a hard man to play for, he did have a heart of gold. He was wonderful to his kids, helping them leave the University as a man, after entering as a teenager. However, once the game began, he was as fiery as they come to the opposition, and referees took their fair share of punishment from him as well.
A winner of five national titles, Hayes was not without his faults, which included some instances of him breaking a yard marker or two. He was famous for stomping the ground on the sidelines, and in 1959, he actually tried to punch a Los Angeles Examiner reporter. He connected on a punch 19 years later, and it would be the moment that ended his college coaching career at Ohio State.
In a heated game against Clemson, Hayes punched Charlie Bauman, after the Buckeyes lost to the Tigers in the 1978 Gator Bowl. Ken Fritz, one of Ohio State’s own players, was also struck by Hayes as he tried to intervene in the situation. The punch led to Hayes being fired the next day, which was a terrible end for a coach who won 13 Big Ten Coach of the Year honors during his time as the best coach in college football.
Where do you begin with Reggie Bush? A standout running back for the USC Trojans, Bush was arguably the best college football player of his generation and he was a touchdown machine during his time with the school. All the good feelings he brought when he was wearing the Trojans uniform went up in smoke in the years after, and he has since been stripped of everything he accomplished for the Trojans.
During Bush’s time at USC, the Pete Carroll-led Trojans were the class of college football. They seemed unbeatable at times, running through teams on a weekly basis. Bush was the main cog in the offensive machine, and while quarterback Matt Leinart got a lot of the spotlight off the field, Bush was definitely the villain of the opposition between the white lines.
A two-time All-American, Bush would go on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2005, when he racked up over 2,600 all-purpose yards while scoring 18 touchdowns. However, in 2010 Bush forfeited the trophy, as he was ruled ineligible to be a student-athlete at the school. In the history of the Heisman Trophy, Bush is the only player to forfeit his honor, as the history books, and his alma mater scrubbed themselves of him.
Bush would go on to leave school prior to his senior season, and many believed he would be the first overall selection in the 2006 NFL Draft. Instead, he dropped to No. 2, where the New Orleans Saints grabbed him after the Houston Texans passed on him for Mario Williams at No. 1. He has had a decent NFL career, but injuries have limited his production, and he never truly became the player most expected he would become when he was lighting up the Rose Bowl playing for the hated Trojans.
Back in the 1980s, the University of Miami football team was an extremely talented unit, and they knew it. The leader of the pack was their flamboyant wide receiver, who would go on to become a Pro Football Hall of Famer once his time at the U was finished. Michael Irvin was the playmaker of the Hurricanes football team, and no player was more hated then he was by the opposition during the rise of the Miami Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes of the late 1980s helped revolutionize college football. The players on those teams knew they were talented, and backed up their swagger on the field with dominating performances. It all came crashing down eventually, but to be a Hurricanes fan back then, there was no player that was more exciting than Michael Irvin.
Nicknamed “The Playmaker,” Irvin was known for his high-stepping antics, leaving defensive backs in his wake. A member of the school’s 1987 National Championship team, Irvin drew the ire of the Hurricanes opposition, and would flash his trademark smile doing it. He played so well that the Dallas Cowboys made him the No. 11 overall pick in the 1988 NFL Draft, and he would go on to win three titles with America’s Team, including two with former Hurricanes coach, Jimmy Johnson.
Since retiring from football, Irvin has carved out a nice living as an analyst. However, he has not been able to shake his bad-boy persona, and is being investigated for sexual assault. One cannot deny the impact Irvin has had on the game of football, at both the pro and collegiate level, and his talents have certainly caused him to have plenty of haters over the years.
Kellen Winslow Sr. is known for his incredible performance in the San Diego Chargers overtime victory against the Miami Dolphins in a playoff game on January 2, 1982. In that game, named The Epic in Miami, Winslow was nearly carried off the field by his Chargers teammates in exhaustion, the product of his 13 catches for 165 yards performance. Winslow suffered multiple injuries in the game, but basically willed his Chargers teammates to victory by displaying incredible guts.
Kellen Winslow Jr. is known for being a loud-mouth player during his time with the Miami Hurricanes, who played their home games in the same stadium where his father cemented his legacy with the Chargers. The crowing moment of the younger Winslow’s college career was undoubtedly after the Hurricanes played the Tennessee Volunteers, where he let the reporters know that he was in fact, a soldier.
The younger Winslow was a fantastic talent as well, playing at a level during his time at The U that the Cleveland Browns made him the No. 6 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. A nice blend of size and speed, Winslow was the face of the Miami Hurricanes program in the early-2000s, and most of the time, not for the right reasons. Like any star that plays for the Hurricanes, Winslow is going to be hated, and he certainly was during his time at school.
Winslow battled injuries during his time in the NFL, going over 1,000 yards receiving only once in his career. He was a brash player for the Hurricanes, but he was able to back it up on the field, which is something he was not always able to do at the next level. While he is definitely not a (expletive) soldier, he is definitely one of the more memorable villains in the history of college football.
Before there was Nick Saban at Alabama, there was Barry Switzer at Oklahoma. Switzer was the head coach of one of the better teams in the history of college football, as his Sooner ballclubs were annually regarded as one of the best teams in the country. He was the main man behind a cast of characters that will forever be remembered, including the No. 1 villain on our list.
For Switzer, his ascension to the top of the Oklahoma food chain was a long one. He started off as the team’s running back coach, before being promoted to offensive coordinator. When Chuck Fairbanks left the school to be the head coach of the New England Patriots, Switzer took over, going undefeated during his first two seasons at the helm. It was quite a beginning to a career that would have its fair share of lows.
Switzer was the head coach of the Sooners from 1973-88, before leaving the school on bad terms. In 1989, the school was placed on probation due to NCAA violations, which included player Charles Thomson soliciting cocaine to undercover FBI agents. The Sooners had several scandals at the time, and Switzer decided it was best to resign his post after 16 years leading the team. He won three national titles during his time at Oklahoma, and still calls Norman home today.
In 1994, Switzer was named the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, helping lead the team to a Super Bowl championship. He is one of only three coaches to ever win both a national title, and a Super Bowl, joining Pete Carroll and Jimmy Johnson. His teams were hated during his time at Oklahoma, especially by the University of Texas, and it lands him in the top-10 of our rankings.
Whether or not Todd Marinovich played for your team, there are plenty of reasons to consider him a villain. During his time at USC, Marinovich established himself as an elite NFL quarterback prospect, but could never get his act together off the field. In the NFL, Marinovich was a blown top draft pick for the Los Angeles Raiders, who saw him make only eight starts for the team after selecting him No. 24 overall in the 1991 NFL Draft. When he was right, it was the opposition that hated him, as he could beat you on any day with his incredible passing talent.
During his youth, Todd’s father Marv decided to make his son a quarterback prodigy. Nicknamed “Robo QB,” Marinovich was on a strict plan from his youth to become the best quarterback in the country. His father actually was able to accomplish that feat, as he would go to become the best quarterback in the country during his time at Mission Viejo (CA) High School. As a freshman at USC, Marinovich would be named College Freshman of the Year for 1989, and his remarkable comeback against Washington State became the stuff of legend.
Down late in the fourth, Marinovich led his team on a 91-yard drive that saw him complete 11 passes. He capped the drive with a touchdown pass, and the completed the two-point conversion to give USC a last-second win. After a tumultuous 1990 season, that saw him get arrested for cocaine possession, Robo QB decided to leave school for the NFL, ending what would be a disappointing career with the Trojans to say the least.
During his time with the Trojans, Marinovich missed classes, was suspended from the team, got in shouting matches with his coaches on television, and iced his career with cocaine possession. He had all the talent in the world to be a Heisman Trophy-level quarterback, but allowed off the field distractions to get the best of him. Maybe his Dad pushed him too hard, but he has left a trail of haters in his path on his way up, and then on the way down.
There are few coaches in the history of sports that are hated more than Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Perhaps it is because all he does is win, but he draws the ire of not only opposing fans, but of opposing coaches. Still, what he has done with the program at Alabama is legendary, and when all is said and done, he may go down as the best head coach in the history of college football.
Saban started his collegiate career with the Toledo Rockets, before moving on to Michigan State, and then to LSU, where he won his first national title with the Tigers. From there, Saban would enter the NFL ranks, as he was named the head coach of the Miami Dolphins for short stint. His final months as the Dolphins’ head coach were spent deflecting questions about whether he would take the Alabama job, which he continued to deny up until he actually took the job with the Crimson Tide.
That created haters for him in Miami, and once he took over at Alabama, all the winning made him quite the villain among his peers. At Vanderbilt, James Franklin called Saban “Nicky Satan,” while Tim Davis, a former assistant with the Tide said that Saban was the “devil himself.” Saban is a part of the Bill Belichick coaching tree, and like Belichick, he is considered a villain because he is the best at what he does.
As the head coach of Alabama, Saban is 114-19, an astonishing win-loss record to say the least. He also has won four national title with the team, giving him five overall, putting him in rarefied air. Every year, the Crimson Tide go into the college football season as a favorite to win it all, adding to Saban’s legacy as one of the most hated villains in the sport.
At one point in time, Tony Mandarich was the gold standard that offensive lineman coming out of college would be judged by. His Sports Illustrated cover labeled him “The Incredible Bulk” and en route to being the second overall selection in the 1989 NFL Draft. A dominating force at 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, Mandarich could run a 4.6 40-yard dash, and had the strength that should have made him a Hall of Famer left tackle during his time in the NFL.
Unfortunately for Mandarich, the NFL tests for drugs, which is what he was using to become a Hulk-like figure during his time with the Michigan State Spartans. His antics on the field made him hated by his opponents, and leaving school early to go work out in Florida, skipping his senior season, made him a villain in East Lansing. He looked like a WWF star during his time with the Spartans, and even despite missing three games to a suspension, finished sixth in the 1988 Heisman race.
The things he did at Michigan State are the stuff of legend, including telling a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes that “he was going to die today.” He would fake drug tests to stay eligible to play, and when he was on the field, he was one of the more punishing offensive lineman in the history of the Big Ten. In 1988, Mandarich was an All-American, and the Big Ten Lineman of the Year, but that would pretty much be the last good season he would ever have playing organized football.
To put this guy in perspective, going into the 1989 NFL Draft, Mandarich was not only considered the best offensive lineman in the draft, but the best offensive line prospect in history. It was not until 2008 that he finally admitted to taking steroids, which was one of the worst kept secrets in college football history. He only stated he took drugs during college, and never in the NFL, where he fizzled out after a seven-year stint with the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts.
Tim Tebow is maybe the most polarizing athlete in the history of sports. When it comes to Tebow, you either love him, or hate him, and that is why he is listed as the No. 5 biggest villain in the history of college football. An incredible talent for the Florida Gators, Tebow was a member of two National Championship teams, winning a Heisman Trophy during his storied career as one of the best players in SEC history.
For a guy who seems to do everything right, it is funny to rank him so high on a list of villains. But that is exactly what he was during his time with the Gators, teaming with head coach Urban Meyer to be an unstoppable force from his quarterback position. From his legendary jump-pass touchdown as a freshman, to winning the Heisman, Tebow put together one of the more impressive careers we have ever seen in college football.
Then there was “The Speech,” which really made Tebow a villain in the eyes of those who hated him already. After a loss to Ole Miss, Tebow took to the microphone and gave a speech about how no-one will work harder than him from that point, and he made good on his promise, leading the team to a national title victory over No. 1 Oklahoma, 24-14.
Tebow is still rubbing people the wrong way, as he currently is playing Minor League Baseball in the New York Mets organization. A tremendous individual in so many respects, Tebow is just chasing his dreams, but collects the haters every where he goes. What he did at Florida was incredible, and he remains the most talked about player in the history of the sport.
Famous Jameis. During his time on campus with the Florida State Seminoles, Jameis Winston was the most polarizing player in the country. A star from day one, Winston led his teammates to a national title, winning the Heisman Trophy along the way. He was a player like fans hadn’t seen in a long time, full of so much talent on the field, and so much controversy away from it.
Loved by his teammates and coaches, Winston burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman with the Seminoles, becoming the youngest player to ever win the Heisman Trophy. He followed up his magical first season under center with another dominating year as a Sophomore, but unfortunately for Seminoles fans, they were not able to repeat as champions. However, his legacy at the school is in concrete, as are his indiscretions during his time at Florida State.
During his time at Florida State, Winston was involved in a sexual assault scandal, although he was never charged. He also had other off-the-field mishaps, like stealing crab legs from a local grocery store. He said he forgot to pay, but was roasted by the media for it. In addition, he was suspended for the Clemson game because he shouted obscenities at the student union, bringing more negative attention to himself.
For all his faults, Winston still went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. he has been a starter since day one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and has his team in a good position to be very good for a very long time. His time at Florida State made him a villain in the eyes of many, but in the NFL, he has been a class citizen, and is one of the better young quarterbacks the game has to offer.
Maybe it is his million-dollar smile. Maybe it was the way he showed up at Auburn and completely shredded the SEC. Whatever the reason is, Cam Newton is definitely one of the more hated players to ever play college football. His collegiate career got off to a very shaky start, but by the time he left Auburn, he has accomplished more than most players could ever dream about.
Newton began his college career at the University of Florida, but he didn’t last long there. He was arrested on felony charges of burglary, larceny, and obstruction of justice after stealing a laptop out of a dorm room. The charges were eventually dropped due to the fact he completed a pre-trial diversion program, but the damage was done. He left Florida and attended Blinn College, where he became the best junior college player in the country.
From there, Newton headed to Auburn, where he had a magical, yet controversial 2010 season. Newton led the Tigers to a national title, winning the 2010 Heisman Trophy over guys like Andrew Luck, and LaMichael James. During most of the second half of the season, Newton played under a shroud of controversy, as it was rumored his father, Cecil Newton requested large amounts of money for his son to play at the program.
This made Newton a villain to the fans in the SEC, as he completely dominated college football for that one season. He decided to forgo his final year of eligibility, entering the 2011 NFL Draft, where the Carolina Panthers made him the No. 1 overall pick. He remains a lightning rod for the haters at the pro level, but it has not stopped him from being one of the best quarterbacks in the game.
It was very hard not to put Johnny Manziel at the top of this list, as he is one of the more controversial players in recent memory. An absolute star during his time with the Texas A&M Aggies, Manziel rubbed everybody he came across the wrong way, including fans of his alma mater. He would go on to put together some magical seasons in College Station, but the way he left the school, and his legacy in college football has been cloudy at best.
Manziel’s career got off to a blazing start. As a redshirt freshman, Manziel broke all kinds of records, becoming the first freshman to throw for 3,000 yards, while rushing for 1,000 more. He would go on to win the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first freshman to do so. He led the Aggies to a stunning victory over Alabama, and became known to the world as “Johnny Football.” While he was a magician on the field, he was an enigma off of it, finding himself in trouble more times than not.
For some, he was seen as snobbish, someone who grew up with everything he wanted. For others, he was seen as a punk, somebody who could do whatever they wanted and not get in trouble for it. Whatever side of the fence you were on, Manziel was a lightning rod, and was loved, and hated by not only his opposition, but by Aggies fans as well. Flashing his “Money” sign after touchdowns only led to his hated legacy, but there is no denying that he was one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks in the history of the sport.
Despite being the life of the party in college, and saying he could not wait to leave school, Manziel still ended up being a first-round draft pick in the NFL. In the pro ranks, he quickly flamed out, as he let his demons off the field get the best of him. There are still people hoping he turns his life around, but at the current time, it looks like the only good memories we will have of Manziel on the football field will be the highlight reel performances he had as a member of the Aggies.
Brian Bosworth was a dominating presence during his time with the Oklahoma Sooners, leading the team on the defensive side of the ball. One of the more brash athletes to every play in any sport, Bosworth was quick to let you know just how good he is, and how bad you are going to be beaten. His college career ended in controversy, but there is no doubt that no list of villains would be complete without him at the top of it.
The big linebacker had it all, the power, the speed, and the looks. The Boz donned a rock-and-roll haircut, cutoff shirts, and he did not care who he pissed off. He flipped off the Colorado student section on one occasion, and he made no bigger statement than during the 1987 Orange Bowl. That game would be his defining moment in the game of college football, as he would leave school after to enter the NFL Draft.
Prior to the 1987 Orange Bowl, Bosworth failed a drug test, making him ineligible for the game. Instead of just standing on the sidelines with his teammates, Bosworth decided to make a statement. He wore a shirt that said “National Communists Against Athletes,” an obvious play on the term N.C.A.A. An autobiography he wrote with Sports Illustrated’s Rick Reilly spoke of drugs, guns, and wild times at Oklahoma, which played a role in head coach Barry Switzer resigning from the school.
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Bosworth would end up flaming out in the NFL, with his defining moment being Bo Jackson running over him for a touchdown in a game against the Los Angeles Raiders. Still, the mark he has left on the game of college football will never be forgotten, as he pushed the envelope, time and time again. He is the biggest villain to ever play the sport, and he probably likes it that way.