Best college football coach in history from each state

TUSCALOOSA, AL - CIRCA 1958-1982: Paul Bryant, head coach of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team observes the play during a game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Alabama) (Photo by University of Alabama/Collegiate Images/Getty Images) /

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General view of the Princeton University football stadium during a sparsely attended, nighttime Sprint football game between the home team and the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, New Jersey, November 4, 2011. (Photo by Oliver Morris/Getty Images) /

New Jersey: Fritz Crisler

One of the true innovators of the sport also helped Princeton dominate in the 1930s to take the top spot in New Jersey.

Crisler earned All-American honors as a defensive end at Chicago from 1919-1921 and was then hired by the Maroons as an assistant coach under Stagg. Following a quick two-year stint has a head coach at Minnesota from 1930-1931, Crisler moved to Princeton, which was an early powerhouse in college football.

The Tigers kept things rolling under Crisler with a perfect 9-0 campaign and a national title in 1933. Crisler never had a losing season with Princeton and added a second undefeated season and championship in 1935.

With the two titles and 35-9-5 career record, Crisler was dominant, even if over a brief period of time before leaving for Michigan in 1938. Crisler claimed another title with the Wolverines in 1947 and perhaps more importantly came up with the idea of two-platoon football, which created separate units of players for offense and defense.

Princeton has enjoyed a few strong stretches since and even another championship in 1950 under Charlie Caldwell, but Crisler’s two perfect campaigns give him the edge. State rival Rutgers, which played Princeton in the first-ever college football game, has not been able to find the same success with just two conference titles in its history.

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