Link: http://www.sportingnews.com/list/46...yer-mark-dantonio-jim-harbaugh-james-franklin
1. Urban Meyer, Ohio State
A look at Meyer's three losses in 41 career games at Ohio State: Michigan State in Big Ten Championship Game (bad play call by Meyer on late fourth-and-short led to loss); Clemson in Orange Bowl (his QB Braxton Miller played final quarter with shoulder injury); Virginia Tech. He's a machine, everyone, and the only thing that can stop him is the same thing that stopped him at Florida: himself.
2. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
How can we say this without offending the good folks of East Lansing? It's not like Dantonio is recruiting to Maui, or even Columbus, Ohio. Yet he has won 53 games (and two straight major bowls) in the last five seasons, and has elevated the Spartans among the nation's elite -- all without fancy 4- and 5-star recruiting classes. No coach, no staff, develops players better.
3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
When Harbaugh left Stanford after the 2010 season, he was the hottest coach in football -- NFL or college. When he and the 49ers parted ways after last season, he still was the hottest coach in football. Make no mistake, he will win at Michigan. He will win championships and he will restore a lost program. The only question: how long before he wants to prove he can win it all in the NFL, too?
4. James Franklin, Penn State
Franklin and his staff took the one year hit hardest by NCAA sanctions and squeezed seven wins out of it. And it could have been much better: Penn State lost three games by a combined eight points, and lost to national champion Ohio State in overtime. When those highly-ranked recruiting classes begin to stack up, watch this program take off.
5. Jerry Kill, Minnesota
Kill has taken a program that desperately wants to win and be relevant (see: brand new facilities), and forced it upon the Big Ten. The Gophers no longer are an easy out. The next step is winning games that matter in November. Kill's teams are 6-10 in November, including 1-7 vs. ranked teams (the first win was last year at Nebraska).
6. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
As much as Fitzgerald has accomplished at Northwestern, there's no denying the slippage in Evanston. The back-to-back 5-7 seasons would have been cause for celebration not so long ago at NU, but now are disappointments because of increased expectations. It's time for the Wildcats to start winning close games again: six losses in 2013-14 by a combined 29 points, and two overtime losses.
7. Mike Riley, Nebraska
The great overachiever at Oregon State. His first stint set up Dennis Erickson's magical 2000 season; his second secured his spot as the winningest (and most popular) coach in school history. If ever he was going to stretch his legs and try something different, this was the spot. But they're not happy in Lincoln if you're winning seven or eight games. They weren't happy with the previous coach when he was winning 9 or 10.
8. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Annually the most overpaid coach in the game. At least, from the outside. There's more to Ferentz's $4 million a year salary than coaching and winning games (he clearly isn't winning enough lately). It's a culture and ideal in Iowa City of what college sports should be, and Ferentz fits perfectly with what Iowa wants and needs. That doesn't mean anything to anyone outside the state seeing that bloated salary and 26-25 record over the last four seasons; it means everything to those within.
9. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Chryst would have been (and, in hindsight, should have been) the hire at Wisconsin two years ago, but he didn't want to leave what he had just begun at Pitt. So now the perfect fit for the Badgers (he's a UW alum, and Madison native) arrives to find a strong team eager to prove itself all over again.
10. Randy Edsall, Maryland
A good coach and a good man with some tough sledding at a university trying to place value in football. It has taken time -- and Edsall has taken some public shots for doing things his way (his mentor is Tom Coughlin; you do the math) -- but he hasn't veered from his philosophy. Two tough losses in 2014 (last-second, three-point to West Virginia; three-point loss to Rutgers) prevented the Terps from winning nine games and taking another step forward.
11. Kyle Flood, Rutgers
Likely saved his job with a strong finish to last season, and now has to build on the momentum. A terrific recruiter who is growing into the role of head coach. No matter what Flood does, he has the success and expectations of the Greg Schiano era hanging over him. Schiano did it in the old Big East; this is new, significantly tougher, territory for Rutgers in the Big Ten.
12. Kevin Wilson, Indiana
Someone had to take the job, and Wilson wanted to be a head coach -- and IU got a hot assistant four years ago who probably should have waited for a better job. Beating Purdue and an occasional upset (Iowa, Missouri) can last only so long. IU has four gimme putts in the non-conference schedule. But where are the other two wins in conference to get this team to bowl eligibility?
13. Tim Beckman, Illinois
Give Beckman credit, his tenure was flaming out quickly, and his team responded with three Big Ten wins (triple from the first two seasons) to reach the postseason. Now here comes one-time heralded recruit QB Wes Lunt, who started at Oklahoma State as a freshman and left Stillwater after that same season. Beckman might just ride Lunt (and OC Bill Cubit's system) to a contract extension. Imagine that.
14. Darrell Hazell, Purdue
Hazell has won four games in two seasons, hasn't beaten rival Indiana and his only Big Ten win is against Illinois (see: Tim Beckman). See where this is headed? The one-time Jim Tressel assistant stepped into a tough situation (players never wanted Danny Hope fired), and the buy-in has been excruciatingly slow -- and painful to watch.
1. Urban Meyer, Ohio State
A look at Meyer's three losses in 41 career games at Ohio State: Michigan State in Big Ten Championship Game (bad play call by Meyer on late fourth-and-short led to loss); Clemson in Orange Bowl (his QB Braxton Miller played final quarter with shoulder injury); Virginia Tech. He's a machine, everyone, and the only thing that can stop him is the same thing that stopped him at Florida: himself.
2. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
How can we say this without offending the good folks of East Lansing? It's not like Dantonio is recruiting to Maui, or even Columbus, Ohio. Yet he has won 53 games (and two straight major bowls) in the last five seasons, and has elevated the Spartans among the nation's elite -- all without fancy 4- and 5-star recruiting classes. No coach, no staff, develops players better.
3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
When Harbaugh left Stanford after the 2010 season, he was the hottest coach in football -- NFL or college. When he and the 49ers parted ways after last season, he still was the hottest coach in football. Make no mistake, he will win at Michigan. He will win championships and he will restore a lost program. The only question: how long before he wants to prove he can win it all in the NFL, too?
4. James Franklin, Penn State
Franklin and his staff took the one year hit hardest by NCAA sanctions and squeezed seven wins out of it. And it could have been much better: Penn State lost three games by a combined eight points, and lost to national champion Ohio State in overtime. When those highly-ranked recruiting classes begin to stack up, watch this program take off.
5. Jerry Kill, Minnesota
Kill has taken a program that desperately wants to win and be relevant (see: brand new facilities), and forced it upon the Big Ten. The Gophers no longer are an easy out. The next step is winning games that matter in November. Kill's teams are 6-10 in November, including 1-7 vs. ranked teams (the first win was last year at Nebraska).
6. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
As much as Fitzgerald has accomplished at Northwestern, there's no denying the slippage in Evanston. The back-to-back 5-7 seasons would have been cause for celebration not so long ago at NU, but now are disappointments because of increased expectations. It's time for the Wildcats to start winning close games again: six losses in 2013-14 by a combined 29 points, and two overtime losses.
7. Mike Riley, Nebraska
The great overachiever at Oregon State. His first stint set up Dennis Erickson's magical 2000 season; his second secured his spot as the winningest (and most popular) coach in school history. If ever he was going to stretch his legs and try something different, this was the spot. But they're not happy in Lincoln if you're winning seven or eight games. They weren't happy with the previous coach when he was winning 9 or 10.
8. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Annually the most overpaid coach in the game. At least, from the outside. There's more to Ferentz's $4 million a year salary than coaching and winning games (he clearly isn't winning enough lately). It's a culture and ideal in Iowa City of what college sports should be, and Ferentz fits perfectly with what Iowa wants and needs. That doesn't mean anything to anyone outside the state seeing that bloated salary and 26-25 record over the last four seasons; it means everything to those within.
9. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Chryst would have been (and, in hindsight, should have been) the hire at Wisconsin two years ago, but he didn't want to leave what he had just begun at Pitt. So now the perfect fit for the Badgers (he's a UW alum, and Madison native) arrives to find a strong team eager to prove itself all over again.
10. Randy Edsall, Maryland
A good coach and a good man with some tough sledding at a university trying to place value in football. It has taken time -- and Edsall has taken some public shots for doing things his way (his mentor is Tom Coughlin; you do the math) -- but he hasn't veered from his philosophy. Two tough losses in 2014 (last-second, three-point to West Virginia; three-point loss to Rutgers) prevented the Terps from winning nine games and taking another step forward.
11. Kyle Flood, Rutgers
Likely saved his job with a strong finish to last season, and now has to build on the momentum. A terrific recruiter who is growing into the role of head coach. No matter what Flood does, he has the success and expectations of the Greg Schiano era hanging over him. Schiano did it in the old Big East; this is new, significantly tougher, territory for Rutgers in the Big Ten.
12. Kevin Wilson, Indiana
Someone had to take the job, and Wilson wanted to be a head coach -- and IU got a hot assistant four years ago who probably should have waited for a better job. Beating Purdue and an occasional upset (Iowa, Missouri) can last only so long. IU has four gimme putts in the non-conference schedule. But where are the other two wins in conference to get this team to bowl eligibility?
13. Tim Beckman, Illinois
Give Beckman credit, his tenure was flaming out quickly, and his team responded with three Big Ten wins (triple from the first two seasons) to reach the postseason. Now here comes one-time heralded recruit QB Wes Lunt, who started at Oklahoma State as a freshman and left Stillwater after that same season. Beckman might just ride Lunt (and OC Bill Cubit's system) to a contract extension. Imagine that.
14. Darrell Hazell, Purdue
Hazell has won four games in two seasons, hasn't beaten rival Indiana and his only Big Ten win is against Illinois (see: Tim Beckman). See where this is headed? The one-time Jim Tressel assistant stepped into a tough situation (players never wanted Danny Hope fired), and the buy-in has been excruciatingly slow -- and painful to watch.
