The Big Ten in 2024
USA TODAY Sports, Brightcast Media
The Big Ten is already considered among the better basketball conferences in the country. With the recent additions of UCLA, Oregon, Washington, and Southern Cal, the quality within the league figures to get even better. The same can be said for the head coaches prowling the sidelines. This piece will aim to rank the coaches within the juggernaut of a conference. As you’ll soon learn, the additions of these four coaches from former Pac-12 schools immediately impact the conference in a positive way.
18. Jake Diebler (Ohio State)
David Berding/Getty Images)
Dieber ranks at the back of the pack only for the fact he’s entering as a first-time head coach. The 37-year-old has spent 15 (!) years as an assistant coach (Valparaiso, Vanderbilt, Ohio State) before being promoted to the head coaching job in a full-time capacity after functioning as the interim once Chris Holtmann was fired. A native of Ohio, this is unquestionably Diebler’s dream job. He’s off to a great start when it comes to recruiting, and arguably is recruiting already at a higher level compared to his predecessor. It’ll be fascinating to see how this tenure goes. However, we’d bet on Diebler skyrocketing up this list sooner rather than later.
17. Ben Johnson (Minnesota)
David Berding/Getty Images
Johnson was appointed the head coach of Minnesota after stints as an assistant with both Xavier and the Golden Gophers. A former Minnesota player himself, Johnson understands the unique challenges in holding this position. It’s arguably the toughest job in the Big Ten when factoring in a lack of NIL funding and a limited in-state pool of talent to pull from. In three years, Johnson has a combined record of 41-54. The Golden Gophers did get to the second round of the NIT this past year — which was the best season Johnson’s had since taking the job. We’ll see if Minnesota can continue on an uptick under his guidance.
16. Steve Pikiell (Rutgers)
Rich Schultz/Getty Images
Keep an eye out on Rutgers this year. Pikiell and his staff did a terrific job in landing a top-five recruiting class in the country. According to 247Sports, signees Ace Bailey (No. 2) and Dylan Harper (No. 4) are both top-five players nationally. Each will be building blocks moving forward with the expanded Big Ten. Losing Cliff Omoyuri was a loss, though the Scarlet Knights should be pretty decent this upcoming year. Pikiell’s job security could be on the line, as he’s only won 20 games once in eight years with the university.
15. Kevin Willard (Maryland)
David Berding/Getty Images
The fanbase has been a bit lukewarm on Williard. Since coming over from Seton Hall, he’s gone 38-30 in two years — including a disappointing 16-17 mark this past season. With a basketball program possessing such a rich history, expectations for the Terrapins are high. Willard has been working to reverse the fortunes of the team through the transfer portal. He’s brought in Selton Miguel (South Florida), Rodney Rice (Virginia Tech), and Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Belmont).
14. Mike Rhoades (Penn State)
David Berding/Getty Images
Rhoades is a coach certainly capable of rising up this list. He was fantastic at VCU — leading the Rams to three NCAA appearances and two seasons with at least 25 wins. Now in the Big Ten, he’s hoping to remind those in Happy Valley that basketball actually does exist. His up-tempo, pressing, frenetic style of play is something that should attract recruits. Once he gets ‘his guys’ into the program, don’t be shocked if Penn State becomes one of those annoying, plucky, difficult opponents you’d rather not face.
13. Mike Woodson (Indiana)
David Berding/Getty Images
Indiana hasn’t won a title since 1987. Along with that, the team’s last Final Four appearance game was in 2002. With expectations sky-high, Mike Woodson is on the proverbial clock. Getting talent into the program hasn’t been an issue. However, making sure said talent gels properly has been a bit of an adventure. Help is on the way with transfers Oumar Ballo and Myles Rice (and likely Kanaan Carlyle). This should be a top-half team in the Big Ten. If the Hoosiers underachieve drastically, Woodson’s job could come into question.
12. Danny Sprinkle (Washington)
Alika Jenner/Getty Images
Sprinkle isn’t a household name just yet. However, there’s a lot to like about the fit with Washington. He hails from the Pacific Northwest region (he was born in Washington, grew up in Montana). After leading his alma mater Montana State to a combined 81-43 record in four years (two NCAA Tournament appearances), he led Utah State this past year to a 28-7 record in the rugged Mountain West. The Aggies not only won the conference but also won a game in the NCAA Tournament before losing to Purdue. With Washington’s inherent advantages — coupled with the basketball-rich tradition in Seattle — the Huskies could be a real force in this league sooner than you’d think.
11. Greg Gard (Wisconsin)
David Berding/Getty Images
Gard followed in the footsteps of Bo Ryan. That wasn’t exactly an easy task. Taking over in 2015, Gard made the Sweet 16 in his first two seasons. Since then, Wisconsin hasn’t been back to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. There are those questioning whether Gard can recruit at a high enough level to compensate for a somewhat archaic scheme. If the Badgers continue to flounder come tournament time, you could see Wisconsin making a move. Losing AJ Storr to the portal was a significant blow.
10. Fred Hoiberg (Nebraska)
David Berding/Getty Images
Hoiberg is one of the better offensive minds in the conference. He’s excellent at exploiting mismatches on the floor with his play calling. After four tough years in Lincoln, he broke through this year — leading the Cornhuskers to an impressive 23-11 record. Hoiberg’s prowess as a tactician gives Nebraska a puncher’s chance in virtually every game it plays. His teams play freely, creatively, and with purpose.
9. Fran McCaffery (Iowa)
David Berding/Getty Images
The longtime coach has been at Iowa since 2010. The Hawkeyes have notched seven NCAA Tournament appearances during this time. While the track record as a consistent program is solid, Iowa has not reached the Sweet 16 under McCaffery’s leadership. The last time this occurred was 25 years ago back in 1999. As we’ve also seen with the football program, the Athletic Department seems reticent in moving off its head coaches. McCaffery is still quite capable as a coach. However, if Iowa continues to flame out early, one has to wonder how much longer it’ll stick with the current head man.
8. Dusty May (Michigan)
Luke Hales/Getty Images
After the Juwan Howard experiment ended, Michigan pivoted and acquired one of the country’s hottest coaching candidates in Dusty May. The Indiana native essentially made Florida Atlantic into a household name — and a program that was ranked nationally. Over the last two years, May took the Owls to two straight NCAA Tournament appearances. This included a Final Four in 2022. Now at Michigan, he’ll be flush with resources and NIL funding. Though the Wolverines have been quite pedestrian of late, May should turn this thing around rather quickly.
7. Eric Musselman (USC)
Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images
The Muss Bus is headed for Los Angeles after departing his gig at Arkansas. The longtime coach is well-traveled having coached on the collegiate and NBA levels. His ability to put together teams on the fly is likely a big reason why USC brought him on board. As he’s shown in the SEC and during his time with Nevada, Muss will take a group of transfers and quickly morph them into a very tough out. His teams are often athletic, aggressive, and passionate — a characteristic he exemplifies from the sidelines. While USC will always play second-fiddle to UCLA in Los Angeles, there’s more than enough local talent to build this program from the ground up while also augmenting with transfer portal reinforcements.
6. Chris Collins (Northwestern)
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Collins is a fantastic coach — there’s no doubt about it. Having learned from under his father Doug and his college coach, Mike Krzyzewski, he’s revived this Northwestern program in a way no one has done before. The program had NEVER been to the NCAA Tournament before Collins took over the job in 2013. Since then, the Wildcats have been to the Big Dance on three separate occasions. He’s led the program to two straight years with at least 22 wins. Suffice it to say, Collins is already the best coach the university has ever had leading its basketball program.
5. Brad Underwood (Illinois)
Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Position-less basketball has been a tactic Underwood has used to great effectiveness of late. The Illinois head coach has done a really nice job in recruiting versatile players with the ability to function in a myriad of different ways. His teams are potent offensively and quite aggressive on the defensive end. As such, the Fighting Illini have gone to four straight NCAA Tournaments. This included an Elite Eight appearance this past season.
4. Dana Altman (Oregon)
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Altman is a witch in the best sense of the term. For those unfamiliar with his coaching style, his Oregon teams love to push the tempo and create shots off quick passes. His teams have been adaptable to several different styles — whether playing against a physical team or one that slows the pace of play. Normally, Altman fields teams that are both athletic and efficient from beyond the arc. These Oregon squads love putting pressure on the opposition, whether offensively or defensively. Altman is a master at in-game adjustments, and more often than not, his wrinkles end up working very well.
3. Mick Cronin (UCLA)
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
This was a transition year for Cronin’s Bruins in 2022-23. If you look at his track record, Cronin has won everywhere he’s gone. Few coaches in America are as dialed into the defensive end of the floor as Cronin is. Even with average athletes, he took a few of these UCLA teams and made them into elite defensive units. Having access to better talent in Westwood, Cronin has led UCLA to three Sweet 16 appearances and a Final Four appearance in five years on the job. With a .685 win percentage since taking the position five years ago, the Bruins might be on the cusp of having another national contender in 2023-24. Transfers Skyy Clark, Kobe Johnson, and Eric Dailey Jr. add to an already good core featuring rising junior point guard Dylan Andrews and dynamic sophomore scorer Sebastian Mack.
2. Matt Painter (Purdue)
Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
Painter has been named the Big Ten Coach of the Year on five separate occasions. His offensive sets are beautiful, as he prioritizes crisp ball movement, spacing, and intentional cutting. Dating back to when he first took over the job in 2005, Painter has led the Boilermakers to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances. This has included a boatload of Sweet 16 appearances, a couple of Elite Eight’s, and one appearance in the National Title Game (this past season). Solidified as a fixture in the conference and nationally as well, the next step for Painter is to win a National Championship.
1. Tom Izzo (Michigan State)
Nick King/Lansing State Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK
Izzo deserves his flowers here. He’s the dean of the Big Ten at this point in his career. Even though the program has dipped a bit from where it once was, Izzo is arguably the face of College Basketball when it comes to head coaches. He’s accrued eight Final Four appearances and one National Championship. In the process, he’s won 10 Big Ten regular season titles and sent many players to the NBA.
