The first, more specific question is this: Why are Kyle Whittingham, Kalani Sitake and Bronco Mendenhall successful college football coaches? The third, more general question is actually the same as the first two, asked about most successful college football coaches across the country. And negative experiences without teaching kills morale.”Saban, in 1998, then the coach of a 4-5 Michigan State team, on the verge of playing No. “… The point I want to make, too, is everything is transactional in college football right now,” Saban continued. That’s what I think is happening some in college football.