Athlon sports ranks the Big Ten coaches so you don't have to.

[NUinID]

I don't have a problem with Dantonio or Meyer at the top. I have a big problem with Franklin at 3rd. He hasn't even coached a down in the big 10 and is the 3rd best coach? Anderson the jury is out on this guy, they were playing pretty well and then really faded down the stretch. His team was not mentally prepared to play PSU in the last game of the season and got beat way worse than the score indicated.

I guess I would have BP at around 5. You could probably interchange Kill, Fitz, BP, Hoke and Anderson at this point and put them in any order. I think they are all pretty good coaches with each having their own problems.

 

[kchusker_chris]

Here's my takeaway.....the infamous win total that dare not be mentioned is brought up. I find is interesting to no end how many people who are hardcore Nebraska supporters will point to that and say that it's--that it's well -something-, while outsiders seem to still expect more out Nebraska. Or at least they think that there should be something better expected in Lincoln.

...those outsiders are whiny, entitled idiots. IT'S NOT 1995 ANYMORE OUTSIDERS!

 

[Landlord]

I guess I would have BP at around 5. You could probably interchange Kill, Fitz, BP, Hoke and Anderson at this point and put them in any order.

No, you couldn't. There's no factual basis for it. I'm not going to waste my time presenting the entire resumes of each coach, but just look at the credentials:

Franklin hasn't coached a single game in the Big Ten. His wins in the SEC over the last two years consist of Georgia (8-5), Florida (4-8), Kentucky (2-10), Tennessee (5-7), Missouri (5-7), Auburn (3-9), Kentucky (2-10), Ole Miss (7-6), and Tennessee (5-7). He might turn out to be a great coach, but being ranked at #3 isn't actually based on anything - it's a prediction. He should be an asterisk on the list.

Pat Fitzgerald has had losing conference records three of the last four years, and five of his eight years total. Bo owns head-to-head on him, and coming off his best season in school history, they were a field goal away from going winless in the Big Ten. I get that they don't have the resources, fair point. I also get that they don't have the expectations, not a fair point. Surpassing lower expectations doesn't mean you're a better coach than another who doesn't reach higher expectations.

Gary Andersen seems to be a solid coach, but that's after one season. For a while they were two plays (one the official's fault) away from being undefeated on the season, but then they got spanked by Penn State and beat confidently by SC. Not much else to go off of, but he seems like a good one.

Kirk Ferentz has a losing conference record over the last four years, and is barely over .500 lifetime. They had a good, not great and not even really good, season last year after going 4-8. So kudos for turning it around, but Ferentz is the coach that got them to 4-8 in the first place. Once again, Bo has head-to-head. Still have head-to-head here as well.

Jerry Kill has done....what, exactly? His team had a decent season, but he wasn't even coaching for 75% of it. Jerry Kill has a long and successful coaching career, but is 17-21 at Minnesota even considering last year's success that he only had a fraction of a part of. Bo has head-to-head and it's not really even close.

Brady Hoke had a good first season, but has failed to win his division even once, and instead of getting better his teams have gotten worse, going from 11 wins, to 8 wins, to 7 wins. With all the resources in the world, and with the best recruiting in the conference, Brady Hoke has done next to nothing. Bo has head-to-head on him, and also made him look like an absolute fool in his own house.

 

[carlfense]

His standing here is probably a statement about the power of public relations. If he was a bit chummier with the press he might sit third or even second on the list. Link

 

[BigRedBuster]

I guess I would have BP at around 5. You could probably interchange Kill, Fitz, BP, Hoke and Anderson at this point and put them in any order.

No, you couldn't. There's no factual basis for it. I'm not going to waste my time presenting the entire resumes of each coach, but just look at the credentials:

Franklin hasn't coached a single game in the Big Ten. His wins in the SEC over the last two years consist of Georgia (8-5), Florida (4-8), Kentucky (2-10), Tennessee (5-7), Missouri (5-7), Auburn (3-9), Kentucky (2-10), Ole Miss (7-6), and Tennessee (5-7). He might turn out to be a great coach, but being ranked at #3 isn't actually based on anything - it's a prediction. He should be an asterisk on the list.

Pat Fitzgerald has had losing conference records three of the last four years, and five of his eight years total. Bo owns head-to-head on him, and coming off his best season in school history, they were a field goal away from going winless in the Big Ten. I get that they don't have the resources, fair point. I also get that they don't have the expectations, not a fair point. Surpassing lower expectations doesn't mean you're a better coach than another who doesn't reach higher expectations.

Gary Andersen seems to be a solid coach, but that's after one season. For a while they were two plays (one the official's fault) away from being undefeated on the season, but then they got spanked by Penn State and beat confidently by SC. Not much else to go off of, but he seems like a good one.

Kirk Ferentz has a losing conference record over the last four years, and is barely over .500 lifetime. They had a good, not great and not even really good, season last year after going 4-8. So kudos for turning it around, but Ferentz is the coach that got them to 4-8 in the first place. Once again, Bo has head-to-head. Still have head-to-head here as well.

Jerry Kill has done....what, exactly? His team had a decent season, but he wasn't even coaching for 75% of it. Jerry Kill has a long and successful coaching career, but is 17-21 at Minnesota even considering last year's success that he only had a fraction of a part of. Bo has head-to-head and it's not really even close.

Brady Hoke had a good first season, but has failed to win his division even once, and instead of getting better his teams have gotten worse, going from 11 wins, to 8 wins, to 7 wins. With all the resources in the world, and with the best recruiting in the conference, Brady Hoke has done next to nothing. Bo has head-to-head on him, and also made him look like an absolute fool in his own house.

 

[74Hunter]

Also, if there's a 7-5 season in the horizon with the current schedule in 2014, well that is just a complete disaster. I would hope that would be a huge sign of the direction of the program.

Actually, on S&B yesterday, it was said that our schedule is the 26th toughest in the nation, iirc, which is exactly why I'm not expecting more than #9/10 wins.

2015 is when this team should show the fruits of what has been rebuilt, rebuilt, then rebuilt again.

I'm sure if Bo was #3 on the list, you never would have posted it. But by all means, please use more hyperbole and non-truths to support your witchhunt.

 

[NUpolo8]

Also, if there's a 7-5 season in the horizon with the current schedule in 2014, well that is just a complete disaster. I would hope that would be a huge sign of the direction of the program.

Actually, on S&B yesterday, it was said that our schedule is the 26th toughest in the nation, iirc, which is exactly why I'm not expecting more than #9/10 wins.

2015 is when this team should show the fruits of what has been rebuilt, rebuilt, then rebuilt again.

I'm sure if Bo was #3 on the list, you never would have posted it. But by all means, please use more hyperbole and non-truths to support your witchhunt.

It's far more easier to deal in truths like a schedule that has Florida Atlantic, McNeese St, Purdue, Illinois and Rutgers on it as the 26th toughest in the nation? But hey if a local sports show says it I guess it's gospel right?

Honestly, those five games are for free. They probably exact "revenge" on Minnesota for bowl eligibility, play down to Northwestern again for lucky #7, then you have Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan St, three teams that took great pleasure in kicking Nebraska's a$$ the last time they saw each other on a football field.

Those three games should be what Bo Pelini and his 3 million dollars and state of the art facilities should be judged on. Not the mystery 2015, 2016, or however far back you and the Status quo automatons want to move the goalposts to.

 

[zoogs]

We play probably a decent Miami team, and Wisconsin & Michigan State while avoiding Ohio State and Michigan. Illinois, Northwestern, Rutgers, Purdue, Minnesota, and Iowa round out the conference schedule. Come on, how tough is that really? I almost have a hard time seeing how we don't win 10 games this year. 9 in the worst case.

I don't disagree that a junior year Tommy Armstrong at QB probably sets us up nicely for 2015 (assuming Gregory sticks around or we reload there), but such is the cyclical nature of college football. Write one year off and the next "chance to make a run" is just around the corner, two seasons out.

 

[sd'sker]

is someone really looking toward the 2015 season already? yikes.

 

[StPaulHusker]

James Franklin at #3? Maybe for recruiting. This guy has 4 total wins in his HC career against FBS schools that finished their season with an above 500 winning percentage. His signature wins are:

2011-None

2012-Ole Miss(7-6) NC State(7-6)

2013-Georgia(8-5) Houston(8-5)

I am not saying Pelini is #3 but Franklin certainly isn't.

 

[NUpolo8]

James Franklin at #3? Maybe for recruiting. This guy has 4 total wins in his HC career against FBS schools that finished their season with an above 500 winning percentage. His signature wins are:
2011-None

2012-Ole Miss(7-6) NC State(7-6)

2013-Georgia(8-5) Houston(8-5)

I am not saying Pelini is #3 but Franklin certainly isn't.

So that win in 2013 against Georgia isn't a very big deal?

 

[Mavric]

James Franklin at #3? Maybe for recruiting. This guy has 4 total wins in his HC career against FBS schools that finished their season with an above 500 winning percentage. His signature wins are:
2011-None

2012-Ole Miss(7-6) NC State(7-6)

2013-Georgia(8-5) Houston(8-5)

I am not saying Pelini is #3 but Franklin certainly isn't.

So that win in 2013 against Georgia isn't a very big deal?

I don't see where he said that.

 

[NUpolo8]

James Franklin at #3? Maybe for recruiting. This guy has 4 total wins in his HC career against FBS schools that finished their season with an above 500 winning percentage. His signature wins are:
2011-None

2012-Ole Miss(7-6) NC State(7-6)

2013-Georgia(8-5) Houston(8-5)

I am not saying Pelini is #3 but Franklin certainly isn't.

So that win in 2013 against Georgia isn't a very big deal?

I don't see where he said that.

It seemed he was dismissing Franklin as a top three coach in the conference by saying his "signature wins" weren't all that big a deal, and I happened to see one from 2013 that caught my eye.

 

[Mavric]

It seemed he was dismissing Franklin as a top three coach in the conference by saying his "signature wins" weren't all that big a deal, and I happened to see one from 2013 that caught my eye.

No, just listing his best wins - thus "signature". I believe the lack of wins was his point.

 

[Elbow Bursitis]

Just further proof that no one respects us nationally, nor should they. It's what you get for pulling in "ok" recruiting classes, having one famous player in the NFL, not winning a conference championship/BCS game in 15 years. Our biggest media stories of the year were the tape release and the Iowa meltdown. The only people saying we are serious threat next year live in Nebraska.