Okay, we’re game. After seeing so many sites do this wrong, we decided to try and do things the right way. It’s time for our own Big Ten coaching rankings as we sit on the doorstep of the 2019 season.
Yeah, sure this is all opinion based and can change as quickly as the next week, but this shouldn’t be about ranking a program, nor should it be about experience alone. You have to see potential, and you have to understand what each head coach is working with.
So, off we go …
No. 14 – Chris Ash, Rutgers
Look, I know it’s hard to work with what Rutgers is. The tradition isn’t there, the facilities are behind, and there’s a lack of interest in the New York media market for college sports, even when the Scarlet Knights have done well. Still, there hasn’t been much progress under Ash, and I fear this is a make or break kind of year for him.
No. 13 – Mike Locksley, Maryland
I have to be honest, the hype train was a little our of control on this hire in my opinion. We’ve already seen Locksley operate as the ‘Terps head man for a cup of coffee and it didn’t work out. Now that he worked under Saban, is he really THAT much better? I don’t think so, but maybe I’ll be proven wrong.
No. 12 – Lovie Smith, Illinois
Tell you the truth, I really thought about ranking Smith dead last, but he inherited a mess. Unfortunately for him though, there hasn’t been much of a turn around in Champaign and I’m beginning to think he just isn’t cut out for the college game. The hire was really made on name alone without any experience in the college game and there’s nowhere to go but up I guess.
No. 11 – Tom Allen, Indiana
Here’s the deal. I’ve seen many rank Allen below this, but you have to remember where he is. He actually got the Hoosiers to play defense and continue to have them battling against some of the big boys. There hasn’t been that huge break-through win yet, but it’s Indiana football for the love of all that’s sacred and good.
Next … Nos. 10 through 6
No. 10 – Jeff Brohm, Purdue
Boy what a difference a year makes. After exceeding expectations in year one, the Boilermakers came back to Earth a little last year. The offense schematics from Brohm can be dynamic, but there’s still too much inconsistency and not enough emphasis on playing defense to go much higher than this right now. Consistent game-planning seems to be an issue that needs to get better.
No. 9 – P.J. Fleck, Minnesota
At some point Fleck has to stop just talking a big game and actually see results on the field. The recruiting has gotten better and there are signs of the boat rowing around the river bend, but this is the year in which he has to put a stamp on the program and put the Big Ten on notice or else it’s just another Golden Gopher season that we’ve all become accustomed to.
No. 8 – Scott Frost, Nebraska
Man, talk about the hype machine going in overdrive. Frost has yet to really do much of anything at Nebraska aside from get on a winning streak down the stretch of last year, yet everyone seems to think he’s the second coming of Tom Osborne. He’ll get things pointed in the right direction, but let’s not look at what he did at UCF and think it’ll automatically translate to the top level of success in the Big Ten.
No. 7 – Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Look, I like Ferentz as a man. He is noble. He is a lot of what’s good about college football but we’re judging on coaching, not everything else. In that sense, he might just be one of the overrated coaches in all of college football. If settling for mediocrity is what you’re after, while being inconsistent every single year, then yeah, Ferentz is your guy. Iowa’s last Big Ten title was in 2004. Enough said.
No. 6 – James Franklin, Penn State
I’ve seen a lot of sites and publications name Franklin as the best head coach in the conference and I can’t help but laugh. I mean, has anyone gotten more mileage out of one league championship year than what Franklin got out of the 2016 Big Ten title? Even then, the Nittany Lions lost the Rose Bowl to finish with three losses. He routinely recruits well but ends up short on potential. Nobody in the league does less with more.
Next … Nos. 5 through 1
No. 5 – Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Chryst is the perfect guy for Wisconsin. Iowa fans should look to the Badger program and reset expectations. The recruiting is done more to a type than anything else yet things generally work out in the end with a division championship and shot at more. It was a step back last year, but look for Wisconsin to rebound in 2019 with the cool and calculated Chryst running the show.
No. 4 – Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
I want to go lower here but I can’t. For all the jokes and punching bag comments that can be directed at Harbaugh, he has breathed new life into the program. There’s still nary a championship of any kind in there, but it’s likely only a matter of time before a breakthrough happens. Ohio State still owns Michigan, but the gap has closed significantly.
No. 3 – Ryan Day, Ohio State
Nobody seems to really know where to rank Day. I’ve seen him up around where Lovie Smith is in the bottom three of the league, but haven’t seen anyone go higher than eighth best. And … it has everything to do with a lack of experience. I think people are missing the boat here and Day is going to be a superstar. He’s already on the cutting edge of understanding offense, he’s showing an ability to recruit well, and has put together a fantastic staff. It’s gong to be fun. Admittedly, even I had to pause though before going much higher than this until we see a full season.
No. 2 – Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
Nails. The Spartan brass got it right when it brought Dantonio in to change the culture of the program. He’s the master at mining for overlooked talent and plugging it in with some better athletes to mold a team. The players love him and he has a way of getting the best out of every single player on the squad. His teams play with a toughness that exude his personality. He’s hard to dislike.
No. 1 – Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Fitzgerald would be a star in any other program in America. He loves Northwestern so much that he won’t leave, but put him in charge of a sexy team and you’d have a monster on your hands. He’s a players’ coach that holds his kids accountable, but praises when called for. A master motivator and big-picture guy, he’s the best there is in the Big Ten right now.
