Here are some college football coaches who rose above the sport to become icons in their own right:

Bear Bryant: With his trademark hound’s-tooth hat adopted by Crimson Tide fans, The Bear’s presence is powerful even today. During his 25-year coaching tenure at Alabama, his overall record stands at 232-46-9, along with 6 national championships and 13 SEC championships.

Knute Rockne: With his adoption of the forward pass and savvy marketing skills, he became symbolic of Notre Dame football. Rockne went 105-12-5 with five national championships in 13 years with the Fighting Irish.

Woody Hayes: Sometimes criticized for his legendary temper, Hayes became emblematic of Ohio State football during his 27 years in Columbus. With an overall record of 238-72-10, he led the Buckeyes to three national championships and thirteen Big 10 titles.

Joe Paterno: With a career than stretches over 60 years, the Penn State coach is the definition of a living legend. His teams have appeared in 36 bowls, winning 24 of them. Still active at 84, JoePa has led the Nittany Lions to 5 undefeated seasons and 2 national championships.

See also:

Eddie Robinson, Grambling (408-165-15)

Robert Neyland, Tennessee (173-31-12), four national championships

Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma (145-29-4), three national championshipsWant to know more? Go ahead: Penn State Football: Joe Paterno Makes His Case Worse Every Week