| 06 August 2009
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We talked about the conference being down. I would say the level of coaching has something to do with it. The conference was hurt badly by the untimely deaths of a couple of young guys who were showing they had the juice in Randy Walker and Terry Hoeppner. I think we could see some change soon, and it would be a good thing. Get some new blood in here. Several high profile guys are starting into the get it done or get out point in their tenures. Purdue has a new coach this year so I will only rank the other 10 schools.
1. Jim Tressel - Hands down the best coach in the conference. Ohio State is dominating the Big Ten in a way that you don't see one school dominate a major conference very often.
2. Joe Paterno - So past his prime that he does not seem to do much coaching anymore but because of the mediocre level of coaching in the conference right now he is still #2.
3. Mark Dantonio - Looking like a star in the making. He is hitting Ohio hard again, something that has been key to Michigan State success as well as Michigan in the past. Class act all the way around. The next Buckeye head coach after JT retires? I think his odds are quite good.
4. Tim Brewster - From 1-11 to 7-6 in one year speaks volumes. He is recruiting really well, and smartly. Bringing in all those JUCO players to jump start the program was a great idea. His offense looks like it could be as dynamic as any on the conference.
5. Pat Fitzgerald - 4-8 to 6-6 to 9-4. A couple of years from now we could see him a few steps up this list. I saw a shaky start beyond the 4-8, specifically with recruiting, but he recovered nicely. This year he is not off to a good start. He is young and has much to learn in this area but the guy can coach.
6. Kirk Ferentz - Once the darling of the conference, Ferentz is under fire. 7-5, 6-7 and 6-6, before putting up a 9-4 last year to shooed away the vultures for the time being. Off the field incidents are piling up. Still recruiting well enough but not like he was 3-4 years ago.
7. Rich Rodriguez - I can hear the accusations of homerism with this ranking but I am still unsure of the changes he brings to the conference with his read option and 3-3-5 defense. Neither looked good last year. I know he does not have the players in place to fit his system right now. I think he goes out quickly or changes the conference.
8. Ron Zook - I thought he might be a better coach than his reputation said he was but right now he has one season with more than 5 wins despite recruiting better than anybody in the conference but Jim Tressel. Even there things have started to cool. Juice Williams finding consistency, or Zook finding another quarterback, could right this ship. (NOTE: Since I wrote this Illinois has extended his contract.)
9. Brett Bielema - The bloom is off the rose. The very first year he took over for Alvarez and went 12-1, I heard the talk of what a great hire but on the field they just did not look like the same team. Wisconsin did what they did under Alvarez and they did it very well. I did not see the same readiness and execution under Bielema. Since the 12-1 he has gone 9-4 and 7-6. Of the 7 wins last year, 4 of them came against Akron, Marshall, Fresno St and Cal Poly.
10. Bill Lynch - Indiana has always been the bottom of conference but under Terry Hoeppner things were turning around. After a 7-6 Lynch fell to 3-9 last year and his best player has left the team.
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