Top coaches in MIAA history ranked

[KPKCBC]

1. Mel Tjeerdsma (Northwest Missouri State, 1994–2010)

• The Record: 183–43 (.810), 12 MIAA Titles, 3 National Championships (1998, 1999, 2009).
• The Legacy: The undisputed GOAT. He took a program with zero playoff history and built the most dominant dynasty in DII. He reached seven title games in 12 years and defined the modern MIAA.

2. Adam Dorrel (Northwest Missouri State / Central Oklahoma, 2011–Present)

• The Record: 3 National Championships (2013, 2015, 2016); 4 Total MIAA Titles.
• The Legacy: The most efficient winner in league history. He won three national rings in just six seasons at Northwest. His 2024 MIAA title at UCO (the school's first ever) proves his system works anywhere.

3. Chuck Broyles (Pittsburg State, 1990–2009)

• The Record: 198–47–2 (.806), 9 MIAA Titles, 1 National Championship (1991).
• The Legacy: The MIAA’s all-time wins leader (198). He maintained "The Jungle" as the most feared venue in the country for two decades and kept the Gorillas in the national top-10 year after year.

4. Don Faurot (Truman State, 1926–1934)

• The Record: 63–13–3 (.816), 7 MIAA Titles in 9 seasons.
• The Legacy: A Hall of Fame innovator. He won 26 straight games at Truman and later invented the Split-T formation (the father of the modern option). He is the most influential football mind to ever coach in this conference.

5. Dennis Franchione (Pittsburg State, 1985–1989)

• The Record: 53–6 (.898), 5 MIAA Titles in 5 seasons.
• The Legacy: He was "perfect" in the conference, winning the MIAA title every single year he coached in it. He laid the groundwork for the 1991 National Title before moving on to major FBS success.

6. Maurice "Red" Wade (Truman State, 1951–1966)

• The Record: 99–41–2 (.704), 8 MIAA Titles.
• The Legacy: The dominant force of the post-WWII era. He restored Truman State’s glory, winning five titles in a six-year span (1951–1956) and remains the winningest coach in Bulldog history.

7. Bill Hargiss (Emporia State, 1914–1917, 1920–1927)

• The Record: 62–23–11, 5 Conference Titles.
• The Legacy: A true pioneer who won the MIAA’s first-ever football title in 1915. He was a visionary who was among the first in the Midwest to utilize the huddle and the forward pass as primary weapons.

8. Kenneth Knox (Southeast Missouri State, 1952–1967)

• The Record: 88–59–4, 6 MIAA Titles.
• The Legacy: The architect of SEMO’s greatest era. He dominated the mid-century MIAA, including an incredible "four-peat" from 1957–1960, making the Indians a national power.

9. Jerry Partridge (Missouri Western, 1997–2016)

• The Record: 149–83 (.642), 2 MIAA Titles (2003, 2012).
• The Legacy: Ranks 3rd all-time in MIAA career wins. He built Missouri Western into a consistent national threat during the league's most competitive "Super-Power" era.

10. Willie Fritz (Central Missouri, 1997–2009)

• The Record: 97–47 (.674), 1 MIAA Title (2003).
• The Legacy: Now an elite Power 4 coach, Fritz put UCM on the map by leading them to their first-ever NCAA playoff berth in 2002 and establishing a winning culture in Warrensburg.

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Honorable Mentions

• Rich Wright (Northwest Missouri State): 3 MIAA Titles (2018, 2019, 2021). Has maintained the Bearcat dynasty with a relentless winning percentage.
• Ryland Milner (Northwest Missouri State): 6 MIAA Titles. The "Old Guard" legend who established the winning tradition in Maryville from 1937–1957.
• Chris Brown (Fort Hays State): 2 MIAA Titles (2017, 2018). Winningest coach in FHSU history who broke the "Missouri schools" stranglehold on the league.
• Charlie Finley (Missouri S&T): 100 Wins, 3 MIAA Titles. A master of doing "more with less" at a rigorous engineering school during the 70s and 80s.
• Garin Higgins (Emporia State): 118+ Wins. Currently 5th all-time in MIAA career wins and has kept the Hornets as a perennial top-25 threat.

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[libertybearcat]

Good stuff... although NW did have a little playoff history before Mel... lost in 84 and and 89... so no wins, but went twice. Certainly not saying NW had a rich tradition of winning. Mel told me in the 20 years before he got there, NW never had back to back winning seasons. He has some great stories of conversations he had with people from Maryville in those first couple years he was there.

[KPKCBC]

Good stuff... although NW did have a little playoff history before Mel... lost in 84 and and 89... so no wins, but went twice. Certainly not saying NW had a rich tradition of winning. Mel told me in the 20 years before he got there, NW never had back to back winning seasons. He has some great stories of conversations he had with people from Maryville in those first couple years he was there.

One thing I noticed after compiling the list is , man what a coaching gauntlet you ran into in the MIAA from about 97-09

[northwest missouri state]

the 00s is the league's apex. if you're factoring what these guys did outside their time in d2 the rankings change so i assume that's not part of the criteria (?).

[KPKCBC]

I mean it did play into it, especially for some of the guys that were in the MIAA for a shorter period but dominated while they were here and then found success at other places. I tried to stick to success in ther MIAA as well though so it's a bit of a mixed bag.

[Gorilla John 92]

As much as I dislike Tim Beck, he needs to be considered.


Minor correction, Coach Fran only won 2 MIAA titles as Pitt came into the league, and NCAA DII, in 1988. He did win the conference title every year (3 CSIC and 2 MIAA) he coached at Pitt.

I would also say that he, and Broyles, brought national level football success to the MIAA. Before that, hmm...not much success. The playoffs were also a gauntlet in this region as they were up against the Lone Star and North Central Conference.

[northwest missouri state]

I mean it did play into it, especially for some of the guys that were in the MIAA for a shorter period but dominated while they were here and then found success at other places. I tried to stick to success in ther MIAA as well though so it's a bit of a mixed bag.

well, i asked b/c of faurot's larger impact on the sport overall not to mention his big boy success. he would have to be #1 if considering criteria outside d2.

ppl are going to have varying takes obviously but you did a good job.

[transparent58]

As much as I dislike Tim Beck, he needs to be considered.


Minor correction, Coach Fran only won 2 MIAA titles as Pitt came into the league, and NCAA DII, in 1988. He did win the conference title every year (3 CSIC and 2 MIAA) he coached at Pitt.

I would also say that he, and Broyles, brought national level football success to the MIAA. Before that, hmm...not much success. The playoffs were also a gauntlet in this region as they were up against the Lone Star and North Central Conference.

If winning a Natty is part of the equation, Beck should be in the conversation. Would also throw Jerry Kill's name in the bucket for what he did at ESU before going everywhere else he went and had success.

[HookemHerd]

I’d add Schurig for turning around a program and longevity

[GrifFan]

Good list, but I’d move Faurot (for his impact beyond the MIAA) and Broyles (forced the league to get better by winning the ship) ahead of Dorrell. Beck might knock Fitz off at 10.

[Brandon]

Good list, but I’d move Faurot (for his impact beyond the MIAA) and Broyles (forced the league to get better by winning the ship) ahead of Dorrell. Beck might knock Fitz off at 10.

I think Chuck is no lower than #2 because he'd be the runaway#1if Mel hadn't shown up.

[Predatory Primates]

Not sure how one of the 4 coaches to ever win a natty while in the MIAA doesn't get on the list over a whole bunch of the others. His tenure as a HC was definitely feast or famine, but he is probably one of the better offensive minds in the college game at any level.

[PSR]

I wouldn’t put Beck in the list. He had 2 good seasons and 8 bad ones. Ran the program back to the veer. The 11 season was lightning in a bottle and the 14 team was his only other good team. Beck teams missed the playoffs more in his first 4 seasons than Broyles teams did his 20 years. His teams missed the playoffs in 98, 02, 08. Beck missed 09, 10, 12, 13. Then again in 15, 16, 17, 18. Not one of the best imo. One season shouldn’t get a coach on the all time list.

[Predatory Primates]

I wouldn’t put Beck in the list. He had 2 good seasons and 8 bad ones. Ran the program back to the veer. The 11 season was lightning in a bottle and the 14 team was his only other good team. Beck teams missed the playoffs more in his first 4 seasons than Broyles teams did his 20 years. His teams missed the playoffs in 98, 02, 08. Beck missed 09, 10, 12, 13. Then again in 15, 16, 17, 18. Not one of the best imo. One season shouldn’t get a coach on the all time list.

IDK
He compares to thecalso mentioned Brown and Higgins in terms of ccs and PO appearances, but his po trips were a Natty and a quarterfinals appearance instead of early exits.