The list season is here, pre-season top 25 teams, top 25 quarterbacks, top 10 portal transfers to make a difference, post spring B1G rankings, Las Vegas win-loss totals, if you can think of it, someone has created a list. So, why should I be any different.
My coach’s list is based on somewhat of a mixed bag, what coaches have done in the B1G and what they’ve done as a head coach. I also took into consideration experience, how they recruit, handling the transfer portal, and NIL. But let’s face it, list are always subjective.
With that, here are my rankings of B1G coaches going into 2025, starting with the best.
- James Franklin – He’s my number one because he’s coached five more B1G seasons then Ryan Day, and ten more seasons than Dan Lanning. His teams are consistently in the running.
- Dan Lanning – The fact this is his first head coaching job, and he has a record of 35-6 is impressive. He also won the B1G Conference in his first season. He’s setting Oregon up for continued success.
- Ryan Day – People will say I’m crazy for not having Day listed first but I agree with Harbaugh, he was born on third base. Plus, he’s never beaten Michigan. He’ll need to prove he can keep Ohio State at the top.
- Lincoln Riley – Based on his B1G showing Riley should be lower. But his record at Oklahoma and making the CFP, plus coaching three Heisman QB’s speaks volumes. Given time, he’ll get the Trojans right.
- Brett Bielema – Because of his record at Wisconsin (68-24) and what he is doing at Illinois, Bielma earns the fifth spot. He’s a B1G coach through and through and there has been an uptick in recruiting.
- Matt Rhule – Some will say I’m biased ranking Rhule this high, and maybe so. But Rhule is .500 in the B1G thus far and has successfully rebuilt teams at Temple and Baylor. He took the Huskers to a bowl game in his second season, and he’s working the portal and NIL at a top level. He has also vastly improved the talent level at Nebraska.
- Kirk Ferentz – A coach that has lasted 26 seasons in the B1G should be higher on the list. But his team’s consistent lack of offense and Ferentz’s inability to fix it knocks him down.
- Jedd Fisch – He proved what he’s capable of at Arizona and he has continued that with a good start at Washington. He has a ton of experience as a coach and that will continue to translate into wins.
- PJ Fleck – He might should be further up the list for what he has done at Minnesota. Again, I question the ceiling at Minnesota and wonder if Fleck can go any higher. But you must admire the consistency to win he’s shown while there.
- Luke Fickell – To say Fickell’s performance thus far in the B1G is disappointing would be an understatement. Even though he might be the first coach on this list fired, he’s a good coach, he proved that at Cincinnati. He made a mistake in how he went about building his Wisconsin team, which is why he’s number ten and behind Fleck.
- Curt Cignetti – Talk about the perfect storm. The only thing that doesn’t make Indiana’s 11-1 season a complete fluke is Cignetti’s ability to talk smack. He’ll move way up the list if he can get Indiana to a 9-win season in his second year.
- Greg Schiano – When you think of Rutgers, you think of hard-nosed football. That’s Schiano. He has experience coaching B1G football and can pick a rock fight.
- Sherrone Moore – With only one year of head coaching experience it’s hard to move him too far up the list, even if he did rack up 8 wins in his first season. If he can overcome the sign stealing and Harbaugh scandal and put up a couple more winning seasons as head man, he’ll move up the list rapidly.
- Jonathan Smith – He is lower on the list due to his lack of B1G experience. There is a learning curve, and until he figures it out, he’ll remain lower on the list. He does have head coaching experience, so his ability to ascend quickly is a possibility.
- Barry Odom – Odom has coached at both Missouri and UNLV, but the B1G is a different breed of cat. He’s at fifteen because of that. We’ll see how he performs in his first season and go from there.
- Mike Locksley – He looked to be the right man for the Maryland job, but just when you thought he had things going in the right direction he has a 4-8 season. Part of that may be the inability to recruit to Maryland.
- DeShaun Foster – Seeing Foster at the B1G media days last year made me question his hiring. However, I was impressed with his team’s grit in his first season. He had them ready for both Nebraska and Iowa.
- David Braun – As a head coach he struck lightening in his first season after what he was given. But last season showed he was clearly in over his head. Northwestern isn’t an easy place to win and Braun is overmatched.
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