Top 10 best coaches to play for in college football

A good college coach is a gift that keeps on giving.

Here are the top coaches that any player would be lucky to find themselves playing for:

Urban Meyer - Ohio State

Meyer has long placed among the best coaches in college football to play for, and Ohio State's dream 2014 season seems to have only confirmed that.

Despite everyone counting the Buckeyes out after losing their first- and second-string quarterbacks last season, Ohio State wrangled 14 wins, including a dominant victory in the national championship game. Meyer's record - now boasting three national titles, and winning records not only with the Buckeyes, but at his former schools Bowling Green (17-6), Utah (22-2), and Florida (65-15) - makes any recruit want to lace up their cleats for him.

Meyer is also entertaining off the field, photobombing friends and fans, and getting sweet revenge on players who steal his parking spot.

Oh, and sad pizza Urban is legendary.

Nick Saban - Alabama

Saban has had a steady spot among college's elite coaches every year. This comes as no surprise, though, since his Alabama squad continues to be among the most feared and revered teams in college football.

Consistency is the head coach's key accomplishment in his eight years with the team. The Crimson Tide haven't lost more than one SEC contest in each of the past four years, and have sent players to the pros every year since 2009. With a track record like that, Alabama isn't hurting for recruits, owning top recruiting classes from 2011-14.

Another thing Saban keeps consistent is his deadpan expression.

Gary Patterson - TCU

Thanks to Patterson's leadership, TCU gave college football its best storyline of the 2014 season.

Entering last year coming off a 4-8 season, the Horned Frogs flourished beautifully to finish with a 12-1 record that demanded national attention. After a CFP snub saw them slide out of the top four in the final week, The Associate Press' Coach of the Year remained quiet. He and the Horned Frogs let their only response be the pummeling of Ole Miss during the Peach Bowl, with the type of quiet grace that had spectators wondering what they would be missing come playoff time.

Jimbo Fisher - Florida State

In his first and only head-coaching position, Fisher has done Florida State proud. Coming off an undefeated 2013 season, the Seminoles finished the regular season last year undefeated, and never dropped below the No. 3 position in the College Football Playoff rankings.

Fisher has also proven that he is ride-or-die committed to his players' overall well-being, and is focused on educating his players in the wake of recent incidents of violence.

Plus, who wouldn't want to be part of this playful banter on the sidelines, right?

Mark Helfrich - Oregon

It's rare when a coach can boast about leading a team to a national playoff in only his second year at the helm.

In his first year of filling Chip Kelly's spot at Oregon, the Ducks finished 11-2 and topped it off with a 30-7 victory at the Alamo Bowl. Helfrich stepped it up a notch in his second season with the help of Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, ending a 13-2 season with a loss in the CFP title game. Although Helfrich is without his signature signal-caller this season, his team isn't lacking on both sides of the ball.

With the clear trajectory this program is taking, recruits are eager to hop on board.

Jim Harbaugh - Michigan, Stanford

Welcome back to college, Jim!

The former Michigan player and current coach has all the experience necessary to restore the Wolverines to their former glory.

A look at Harbaugh's record shows he's the type to get in and get results relatively quickly. He left San Diego after three seasons with a 29-6 record and two consecutive Pioneer League titles. After a rough first two seasons with Stanford, he led his team to consecutive winning seasons and bowl games, including an Orange Bowl victory. Recruits will keep this in mind when taking visits to Ann Arbor, combined with his experience leading the San Francisco 49ers to 44 wins between 2011 and '14.

Harbaugh also has the type of personality that makes him a perfect fit for college fans.

Mark Dantonio - Michigan State

Michigan State has become a big deal under Dantonio's watch.

Currently sitting at a 45-19 conference record since 2007, the head coach has led the Spartans to four consecutive bowl victories, and one outright Big Ten conference title. Named the 2013 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Dantonio's teams have finished with at least 11 victories four times during his tenure, a testament to his ability to inspire his squad to keep pushing toward progress.

Art Briles - Baylor

Briles took a Baylor program that was not on the radar and transformed it into a team that continues to be both in the conference championship and national title conversation.

After going 8-16 in his first two years as the leader of the Bears, it became clear that Briles had figured out the cracks in the armor. Briles' team then steadily improved, earning visits to five consecutive bowl games. Owning a 55-34 record with Baylor, he has led the Bears to become the reigning champions of the Big 12 conference for two years in a row, sharing a tie with TCU last season.

After feeling the brunt of the snub by the CFP committee, Briles has been vocal in defending his players' missed opportunity.

Mark Richt - Georgia

Richt continues to lead his program in a way that proves that titles aren't everything. The last time Georgia earned an SEC title was in 2005, but the Bulldogs have consistently pulled top-15 recruiting classes.

The veteran head coach maintains the type of consistency that makes players comfortable. Players know they'll end up with a winning season and national attention while playing in a packed stadium.

Bret Bielema - Arkansas

With Bielema at the helm, Arkansas is on an upward swing. While their 7-6 record may not impress some, the improvement the Razorbacks showed last season has landed Arkansas at No. 18 on the The Associated Press' preseason poll.

A closer look at the Razorbacks' winning season last year gives even more cause for optimism under Bielema, as four of Arkansas' games were lost by a touchdown or less. The Razorbacks also pounded Texas in a 31-7 bowl victory.

Besides, any coach who describes a bowl victory as "borderline erotic" is a winner.