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1. Urban Meyer, Ohio State
Record: 50-4 (154-27)
The three-time national championship coach is 50-4 at Ohio State the last four season. No Power 5 coach has a higher winning percentage at their current school, and the Buckeyes will be right back in the hunt for another national title. Meyer just keeps rolling.
2. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
Record: 87-33 (105-50)
Stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s not going to happen under Dantonio. Sure, the Cotton Bowl hurt, but the Spartans still have 11 or more wins in five of the last six seasons. They’ve won the Big Ten two of the last three years, and Ohio State and Michigan come to East Lansing this year. Michigan State is an elite program now thanks to Dantonio. It’s not going to change.
3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Record: 10-3 (39-24)
Harbaugh lost to both rivals last season, but you know what? It hasn’t slowed down the Harbaugh hype one bit. Michigan won its bowl game, brought in a top-five class and Harbaugh is showing his face in more than half of the 50 states at those satellite camps this summer. Those who say he hasn’t won anything aren’t watching close enough. He’s putting the Wolverines in position to win a national championship within the next three years. He just has to beat those two rivals first.
4. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Record: 127-87
Longevity counts for something. Ferentz is now the co-dean of FBS coaches along with Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, and the longtime Iowa coach proved he still had something with an undefeated regular season in 2015. The Hawkeyes will be the favorites again in the Big Ten West. Expect more of the same from Ferentz.
5. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Record: 70-56
Fitzgerald led the Wildcats to their second season with 10 wins in the last four years, and he’s entering his 11th season in Evanston. Northwestern is an inherently tough place to win, and Fitzgerald continues to do it the right way.
6. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Record: 10-3 (29-22)
Chyrst proved Barry Alvarez right by winning 10 games in his first season, capped with a Holiday Bowl win against USC. Yet the Badgers didn’t beat a ranked team last season and fell from their perch atop the Big Ten West Division. This year’s schedule is brutal with cross-over games against Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State.
7. Lovie Smith, Illinois
Record: 0-0
This might seem high given Smith has never been a head coach in the FBS, but we're betting his NFL background -- which included two NFC championship appearances and an appearance in Super Bowl XLI -- carries over. Smith's biggest test will be proving himself on the recruiting trail. If he can win in Chicago, then the Illini could become real intriguing real fast.
8. Mike Riley, Nebraska
Record: 6-7 (99-87)
Riley had a tough first year in Lincoln full of close calls. Nebraska lost seven games by a combined 31 points. There are resources to work with, and Riley's steady demeanor is a plus. But Huskers fans are still looking for that first Big Ten championship. Is that something Riley can deliver?
9. James Franklin, Penn State
Record: 14-12 (38-27)
Franklin helped guide the Nittany Lions through NCAA sanctions with two bowl berths the last two seasons, but there's still work to do in Happy Valley. Penn State is 0-5 against ranked teams under Franklin. That will need to change in order to move up in a tough Big Ten East Division.
10. Kevin Wilson, Indiana
Record: 20-41
Wilson does a good job considering the resources at Indiana, and the Hoosiers have thrown scares into the best of the Big Ten East over the last few seasons. Wilson also finally led Indiana back to the postseason. The Hoosiers can score with anybody. They just need a few more stops.
11. Tracy Claeys, Minnesota
Record: 2-4
Claeys took over Minnesota on an interim basis, and he showed enough to become the full-time successor for long-time friend Jerry Kill. Can Claeys maintain the same physical standard that had the Gophers on the cusp of a division title before an injury-riddled 2015 season? That’s the biggest test in his first full season.
12. D.J. Durkin, Maryland
Record: 0-0
Durkin was one of the best defensive coordinators in the country at Michigan last season, and he’s already made a few splashes on the recruiting trail. It will be interesting to see how Durkin uses the lessons learned from Urban Meyer at Florida and Jim Harbaugh at Michigan to compete in the Big Ten East. Expect Durkin to move up this list quickly.
13. Chris Ash, Rutgers
Record: 0-0
Rutgers is coming off an embarrassing year on and off the field, and Ash might just be the right fit. He learned as a defensive coordinator through stops at Wisconsin, Arkansas and Ohio State the last five seasons. That background will pay off for the Scarlet Knights.
14. Darrell Hazell, Purdue
Record: 6-30 (22-40)
Hazell hasn't kept an even keel, but the Boilermakers are just 2-22 in Big Ten play the last three seasons. More progress is needed, and that comes in the form of a bowl berth.
1. Urban Meyer, Ohio State
Record: 50-4 (154-27)
The three-time national championship coach is 50-4 at Ohio State the last four season. No Power 5 coach has a higher winning percentage at their current school, and the Buckeyes will be right back in the hunt for another national title. Meyer just keeps rolling.
2. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
Record: 87-33 (105-50)
Stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s not going to happen under Dantonio. Sure, the Cotton Bowl hurt, but the Spartans still have 11 or more wins in five of the last six seasons. They’ve won the Big Ten two of the last three years, and Ohio State and Michigan come to East Lansing this year. Michigan State is an elite program now thanks to Dantonio. It’s not going to change.
3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Record: 10-3 (39-24)
Harbaugh lost to both rivals last season, but you know what? It hasn’t slowed down the Harbaugh hype one bit. Michigan won its bowl game, brought in a top-five class and Harbaugh is showing his face in more than half of the 50 states at those satellite camps this summer. Those who say he hasn’t won anything aren’t watching close enough. He’s putting the Wolverines in position to win a national championship within the next three years. He just has to beat those two rivals first.
4. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Record: 127-87
Longevity counts for something. Ferentz is now the co-dean of FBS coaches along with Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, and the longtime Iowa coach proved he still had something with an undefeated regular season in 2015. The Hawkeyes will be the favorites again in the Big Ten West. Expect more of the same from Ferentz.
5. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Record: 70-56
Fitzgerald led the Wildcats to their second season with 10 wins in the last four years, and he’s entering his 11th season in Evanston. Northwestern is an inherently tough place to win, and Fitzgerald continues to do it the right way.
6. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Record: 10-3 (29-22)
Chyrst proved Barry Alvarez right by winning 10 games in his first season, capped with a Holiday Bowl win against USC. Yet the Badgers didn’t beat a ranked team last season and fell from their perch atop the Big Ten West Division. This year’s schedule is brutal with cross-over games against Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State.
7. Lovie Smith, Illinois
Record: 0-0
This might seem high given Smith has never been a head coach in the FBS, but we're betting his NFL background -- which included two NFC championship appearances and an appearance in Super Bowl XLI -- carries over. Smith's biggest test will be proving himself on the recruiting trail. If he can win in Chicago, then the Illini could become real intriguing real fast.
8. Mike Riley, Nebraska
Record: 6-7 (99-87)
Riley had a tough first year in Lincoln full of close calls. Nebraska lost seven games by a combined 31 points. There are resources to work with, and Riley's steady demeanor is a plus. But Huskers fans are still looking for that first Big Ten championship. Is that something Riley can deliver?
9. James Franklin, Penn State
Record: 14-12 (38-27)
Franklin helped guide the Nittany Lions through NCAA sanctions with two bowl berths the last two seasons, but there's still work to do in Happy Valley. Penn State is 0-5 against ranked teams under Franklin. That will need to change in order to move up in a tough Big Ten East Division.
10. Kevin Wilson, Indiana
Record: 20-41
Wilson does a good job considering the resources at Indiana, and the Hoosiers have thrown scares into the best of the Big Ten East over the last few seasons. Wilson also finally led Indiana back to the postseason. The Hoosiers can score with anybody. They just need a few more stops.
11. Tracy Claeys, Minnesota
Record: 2-4
Claeys took over Minnesota on an interim basis, and he showed enough to become the full-time successor for long-time friend Jerry Kill. Can Claeys maintain the same physical standard that had the Gophers on the cusp of a division title before an injury-riddled 2015 season? That’s the biggest test in his first full season.
12. D.J. Durkin, Maryland
Record: 0-0
Durkin was one of the best defensive coordinators in the country at Michigan last season, and he’s already made a few splashes on the recruiting trail. It will be interesting to see how Durkin uses the lessons learned from Urban Meyer at Florida and Jim Harbaugh at Michigan to compete in the Big Ten East. Expect Durkin to move up this list quickly.
13. Chris Ash, Rutgers
Record: 0-0
Rutgers is coming off an embarrassing year on and off the field, and Ash might just be the right fit. He learned as a defensive coordinator through stops at Wisconsin, Arkansas and Ohio State the last five seasons. That background will pay off for the Scarlet Knights.
14. Darrell Hazell, Purdue
Record: 6-30 (22-40)
Hazell hasn't kept an even keel, but the Boilermakers are just 2-22 in Big Ten play the last three seasons. More progress is needed, and that comes in the form of a bowl berth.
