DESPITE ESPN TALK, BOWDEN NOT ALL-TIME COLL. WINNER: During Thursday’s Florida State-Wake Forest contest, ESPN referred to Bobby Bowden as “college football’s all-time winningest coach“. Although the Demon Deacons denied him last night, the Worldwide Leader threw out the “winningest coach” thing a few times in the telecast.

Of course, it’s all a blatant lie.

370 current wins by the Seminoles’ senior statesman may place him as the all-time leader in Division I. And while Bobby stays a few steps ahead of Jumpy Joe Paterno, the real king of the coaching hill is John Gagliardi.

As the head honcho of Division III St. John’s University in Minnesota, John has them all beat with 449 notches on his victory belt. That’s more than Bowden. More than Paterno. More than Eddie Robinson. More than Amos Alonzo Stagg.

Gagliardi has spent 59 years as the man in charge, with 55 of those seasons situated in the lovely community of Collegeville (how apt). The secrets of his success may lie in the way he runs his team. Gagliardi’s standard practice regimen is known as “Winning With No’s”. His unique methods feature:

• No blocking sleds or dummies
• No scholarships
• No compulsory weightlifting program
• No whistles
• No “coach” - players call him John
• No tackling in practice - players wear shorts or sweats
• Short practices - an hour and a half or less

Sounds silly? Tell that to a man approaching 450 career wins.

And there seems to be no stopping Gagliardi, as he’d led the Johnnies to a perfect 6-0 record so far this year. John looks to keep the terrific tally going as he & his boys head into Saturday’s game against Gustavus Adolphus.

Gustav may want get 10 more friends to help himself out.