The Big Ten in 2024
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The Big Ten is already considered among the better football conferences in the country. With the recent additions of UCLA, Oregon, Washington, and USC, the quality throughout the league is set 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 new look of the Big Ten.
18. DeShaun Foster (UCLA)
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DeShaun Foster enters this season without ever being a head coach at any level. The former NFL running back has been a running backs coach essentially for the duration of his coaching career. When Chip Kelly decided to become Ohio State’s Offensive Coordinator, Foster got the gig to the surprise of many. Thus far, Foster has done a great job in trying to revive the excitement around the program. This has included recruiting at a much harder clip compared to Kelly — as well as hiring a respectable staff led by new OC Eric Bieniemy. Still, it’s anyone’s guess as to whether he’ll be a solid head coach or not. With that said, being a very proud alum, the facets of energy, effort, and dedication do not figure to be an issue with Foster at the helm.
17. Ryan Walters (Purdue)
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Ryan Walters has only one year under his belt. The Boilermakers went 4-8 this past year. There are some signs of positivity when analyzing last year’s results. Purdue lost three games by 7 points or less. If those three results went the other way, we’d be talking about Walters as one of the better young coaches in the country. As it stands, the 38-year-old still has time to put his stamp on this program with further player development and some NIL help.
16. David Braun (Northwestern)
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In the wake of the Pat Fitzgerald scandal, David Braun initially took over as the team’s interim coach. After leading the Wildcats to a surprising 8-5 record, the powers that be at Northwestern decided to remove the interim tag and make Braun the full-time head coach this year. No one could’ve envisioned that Braun would become the 2023 Big Ten Coach of the Year after taking over the job from Fitzgerald — the most successful coach in program history. However, Northwestern may have inadvertently stumbled into a very talented leader of the program. Once he has a greater track record, we’ll feel more comfortable with him climbing up this list.
15. Mike Locksley (Maryland)
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It’s been a mixed bag for Mike Locksley since coming back home to run his hometown program. The Terrapins are coming off three straight winning seasons (and three bowl wins in a row). With Locksley’s immense recruiting ability, Maryland has been able to attract some good talent within its program. On the other hand, Maryland hasn’t shown much to indicate it can actually compete seriously in the Big Ten. Locksley’s career record at Maryland through six years is 29-33 (15-32 in conference play).
14. Sherrone Moore (Michigan)
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Sherrone Moore has some big shoes to fill. He was appointed as Michigan’s new head coach once Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL. Moore did assume the role as the Wolverines head coach for a spell this past year during Harbaugh’s suspension. He was widely regarded as one of the country’s top assistant coaches. With a background rooted in offensive line play along with playcalling, his transition as the new head coach should be a smooth one. Moore is a passionate, energetic, intelligent guy with all of the tools to succeed at the highest level. Re-visit this ranking a year from now, and you’ll see Moore ranked much higher within this list.
13. Jedd Fisch (Washington)
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Jedd Fisch was one of the hottest names on the coaching market this past year. After taking over a dreadful Arizona team, Fisch transformed the program into a 10-win team two years after going 1-11. Known as an aggressive recruiter, Fisch took the Washington job with the idea that he’d have access to a better level of athlete. With a strong NFL pedigree, Fisch’s offensive scheme is both potent and nuanced. It’ll take some time for him to rebuild a roster that was gutted by graduation, the transfer portal, and early entrants to the NFL. However, all of the resources are there for him to keep the Huskies humming as a real threat nationally.
12. Greg Schiano (Rutgers)
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Greg Schiano gets a slight edge over Jedd Fisch based on his experience level as a head coach. Remember, this is a guy who led Rutgers to an 11-win season back in 2006. Now in his second stint with the program, Schiano has worked tirelessly to rebuild the recruiting ties to the Northeast area — particularly in the state of New Jersey. He undoubtedly has the Scarlet Knights trending in the right direction. The team went 7-6 last year, and that included a bowl victory over the Miami Hurricanes.
11. PJ Fleck (Minnesota)
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The Golden Gophers are at a bit of a crossroads. On one hand, PJ Fleck has led the program to three seasons with at least nine wins. This includes an 11-win season (2019). However, the team went just 6-7 last year. We do give Fleck credit for compiling a 5-0 record in bowl games. However, the team has gone 29-32 in conference games under his guidance. With the addition of Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC, the sledding within the Big Ten might get even tougher. This could end up being a very difficult year for the Golden Gophers.
10. Curt Cignetti (Indiana)
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This was a potentially very good hire by the Hoosiers. Curt Cignetti comes to Indiana from his previous gig at James Madison. While with the Dukes, Cignetti went 52-9 in five seasons. This includes an 11-win season last year. The Pittsburgh native has plenty of experience coaching at the D1 level. He was an assistant coach under Nick Saban at Alabama and also had stints at NC State, Pitt, Rice, and Temple. Cignetti’s unique coaching path — which enabled him to garner reps at all levels — should allow him to make Indiana into a very respectable, competitive program. As a head coach, his career record collectively is 119-35.
9. Bret Bielema (Illinois)
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The former Wisconsin and Arkansas coach is working on revitalizing a dormant Illinois program that hasn’t experienced a 10-win season since 2001. Bret Bielema took the job in 2021 after spending a few years in the NFL — at one point working as a consultant for former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Bielema struggled at his most recent stop as a head coach wit the Razorbacks, but hopes that he’s picked up a few things along the road to help him at his current post. He finished with a 68-24 at Wisconsin, but his teams have gone just 47-53 since.
8. Matt Rhule (Nebraska)
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Matt Rhule returned to the collegiate ranks in 2023 after a three-year stint in the NFL. The former Carolina Panther coach seems to be more comfortable at this level. One just one year at Nebraska, Rhule seems to already be building momentum for the program. A 5-7 record is nothing to write home about, but we’re talking about a Cornhuskers program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2016. Though, Rhule’s overall record as a coach is a bit troublesome. He finished his Panthers tenure with an 11-27 record, and is just barely over .500 (52-50) as a college coach.
7. Luke Fickell (Wisconsin)
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In Luke Fickell’s first full-year as Wisconsin’s head coach, the Badgers finished 7-6. It was a bit of a disappointing result following a strong 5-2 start, but Fickell’s team played hard all year. Just two of the losses were by more than nine points. It feels like the Badgers have the opportunity to break through under Fickell’s watch. The former coach at Cincinnati compiled a 57-18 record with the Bearcats that included a College Football Playoff appearance.
6. Jonathan Smith (Michigan State)
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Michigan State’s first-year coach is hoping to bring the Spartans back into national relevancy. Jonathan Smith spent the last six years as head coach at Oregon State, where he helped turned the Beavers into a respectable program. Smith won 25 games over his last three years in Corvallis — including a 10-win campaign in 2022 that ended with a dominant over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl. He will be joined in East Lansing by a familiar face in Oregon State transfer QB Aidan Chiles. The Spartans could massively benefit from acquiring this pairing in the offseason.
5. Kirk Ferentz (Iowa)
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The longest-tenure coach in Division I is Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz who took the job all the way back in 1999. Since then, Ferentz has compiled 196 wins and two Big Ten titles. On four occasions has Ferentz been named the Big Ten Coach of the Year. Recently, the Hawkeyes have been among the steadiest teams in the conference. Led by one of the country’s stingiest defenses, Iowa has compiled three 10-plus win campaigns in the last four complete seasons. It’d be nice to see a little more offensive firepower, but Ferentz and the Hawkeyes are finding a way to get it done.
4. Lincoln Riley (USC)
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Lincoln Riley is one of the brightest offensive minds in the game. He lit up Big 12 scoreboards at Oklahoma for five seasons before moving out to Southern California. Former Sooner QB Caleb Williams joined him on the trip out West, forming one of the country’s most potent offenses. A strong 11-3 campaign in Year 1 had many believing USC could challenge for a College Football Playoff berth. Instead, the Trojans disappointed en route to an 8-5 record. It will be intriguing to see just how long Riley will continue to deny potential NFL openings.
3. James Franklin (Penn State)
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James Franklin leading Penn State back into national relevancy cannot be understated. The Nittany Lions hadn’t had a double-digit season in five years before Franklin took over in 2014. He’s compiled four 11-win seasons since earning the job. Last year, Penn State boasted one of the nation’s toughest defenses, finishing third in PPG allowed (13.5). However, Franklin’s group has routinely come up short against the Big Ten’s elite. Penn State is 0-6 against Ohio State and Michigan over the last three seasons.
2. Dan Lanning (Oregon)
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Oregon enters its first year in the Big Ten with third-year coach Dan Lanning. Over his previous two seasons, Lanning led the Ducks to a 22-5 record with two Bowl wins. Last year, Lanning struck an ideal balance on both sides of the ball. The Ducks finished second in PPG (44.2) and ninth in PPG allowed (16.5). While Lanning doesn’t have the extensive resume as some others in the conference, what we’ve seen from his Oregon team so far grants him a place near the top of this list.
1. Ryan Day (Ohio State)
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Looking across the Big Ten, nobody is getting it done at a higher level than Ohio State’s Day. Taking over for Urban Meyer is no easy task. The Buckeyes’ job comes with high expectations and the fans expect a perennial contender. Since claiming the full-time job in 2019, Day boasts a 53-8 record while suffering just three losses in conference play. Day has led the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff twice, with a runner-up finish in the 2020 season. With Kansas State transfer Will Howard likely to take over at quarterback, Day should have the Buckeyes in contention once again.
