Yup, I got busy and didn’t post these in the offseason. So I figured now that each team has played at least 4 games, to split the difference and look at them now before the half way point. My blog, my rules. This will go coldest to hottest and only includes coaches in year two or beyond.
1. Urban Meyer, Ohio State
Probably the coldest seat in the entire nation, too. In addition to a national title already at OSU, he is 54-4 overall. He isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
2. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
He has three conference titles, a Rose Bowl victory, a college football playoff appearance, and four top ten finishes. Even with the 2-2 record his seat is stone cold.
3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
He won ten games in his debut season, crushed it at recruiting, and now has a top ten team with a 5-0 start. He is also a beloved alum and a goofy personality that you love when it is on your sideline and find irritating when it is on the other sideline so big blue nation is all in on Mr. Khaki
4. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Just like Harbaugh, he won ten games in his debut season. He is also a beloved alum in Madison. The fact that his team has upset LSU and MSU as well as hang tough at Michigan with so many injuries has made his 2016 team a lovable band of misfits – and I mean that in the best possible sense.
5. Kevin Wilson, Indiana
Wilson got his team to a bowl game last year which was not only his first but also the program’s first since 2007. The eye test has also shown how much this club has progressed under him. Now that the defense is playing at a high level the Hoosiers appear better equipped to start making bowls consistently and start picking off some clubs, as highlighted by their upset win over Michigan State.
6. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Winning ten games a year ago certainly helps and being one of the most beloved alums in NU football history keeps Fitz out of harms way. Factor in lowered expectations at the school and it will be hard to ever see him go as long as the Wildcats keep making bowls. Still, a bit of a rocky start to this season, including the loss to a FCS program, but that Iowa win helped greatly. Now of course they could bottom out again and finish 2-10. That would be interesting to see how uncomfortable he gets if this year played out like that.
7. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Sadly the extension through 2025 combined with an awful athletic director and apathetic school president means that Kirk is probably here for the duration but also helping preventing his seat from being an inferno is there are still many Hawkeye fans blinded by the Rose Bowl last year who think that coach Ferentz can get us back there sooner rather than later. I’m in the other group, the fans who loved the wild ride last year but find it the aberration.
8. Mike Riley, Nebraska
The 5-0 start was like a glass of water on a hot day, exactly what the doctor ordered, but it brings his overall record in Lincoln to just 11-7. This is also a fan base that expects championships, winning isn’t enough. Remember, Bo Pelini won at least nine games every year and was still fired. So until Nebraska is in the Big Ten title game, and more importantly wins it, there will still be vocal doubters in Husker nation.
9. James Franklin, Penn State
So let’s recap, he is 17-14 at PSU and just 7-11 in the Big Ten. He is 0-7 against Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State. He has never beaten a team that ends in the final polls of the season for his entire career. Oh, he has also now started losing to fellow Pennsylvania schools. Temple last year and Pitt this year. His athletic director recently stated that he isn’t on the hot seat now and won’t be in December. When your AD has to make a statement like that…it means you’re on the hot seat.
10. Darrell Hazell, Purdue
The Maryland blowout brings him to 8-32 (2-23) for his time at Purdue. I actually feel bad for him in many ways. First is by all accounts he is an incredibly likeable man. Second, he was sort of pushed on Purdue by former boss Jim Tressell, who helped lead a search committee. Third, he was finally hired by PU after a long search so fans knew he was like the 10th choice. Fourth, he took a massive gamble on himself after being a head coach for just two seasons – you have to respect someone with that moxie at least some what. Fifth and final, he had to coach at a school with zero interest in trying to improve anything. Facilities are blah, the stadium is a dump, the town holds little interest to recruits, and the few fans who do bother to show up boo him the entire time because of points 2 and 3.
Fresh Face Watch:
All of these coaches are in their first year – or in Tracy Claey’s case first year without the interim tag. They are in order of current success right now because it is unimaginable for any of these programs to dump a coach after just one season.
1. D.J. Durkin, Maryland
Most thought that with Randy Edsall’s recruiting that this team could be improved rather quickly. Heck, I picked them to make a bowl game at 6-6 but who would have guessed the 4-0 start with an absolute pasting of Purdue, 50-7? Talk about being bought in to a new coaching staff.
2. Lovie Smith, Illinois
A little bit disappointed by the start, after all they did win five games a year ago and I had them making a bowl, but some signs of improvement were seen at Lincoln in a competitive loss. The biggest shocker so far has to be the uneven defensive play.
3. Tracy Claeys, Minnesota
Claeys coached the final five games last year and the bowl going 2-4 (1-4). His team started 3-0 before falling to Penn State in their league opener. Sitting at 5-5 (1-5) isn’t awful but his buyout is very cheap so unless he starts winning some conference games, the Gophers might take a second look at him at the end of the year or next season.
4. Chris Ash, Rutgers
Recruiting at Rutgers tanked during Kyle Flood’s tenure so Ash inherited the barest cupboard entering this season. Sitting at 2-3 (0-2) isn’t a horrible surprise and the fans know they need to be patient since Ash’s system is such a departure so realistically this entire year is a wash. Even next season might be a part of the honeymoon period.
What About Western Michigan?
Awesome question. WMU is spending this season as an honorary Big Ten member since they are currently 2-0 in the Big Ten. Western is coached by P.J. Fleck who took over in 2013 after Bill Cubit was fired. Cubit had coached from 2005-2012 and was four games above .500 overall and nine games over .500 in league going 51-47 (36-27) in eight seasons. So despite not being awful, he never won a MAC division or a bowl game and the 2012 4-8 (2-6) fiasco was enough.
Fleck was young – hell, he’s still just 35 – and had never coordinated nor been a head coach; but he had a ton of enthusiasm. The 2013 team went 1-11 (1-7) but through the 5-0 start in 2016 he has since gone 21-10 (12-4). The question isn’t about if his seat in Kalamazoo is hot, the question is if he will be on their sidelines for much longer.
I’m a romantic, I would love to see Fleck stay at Western and build it into another Boise State. I would like to see a real life EA Sports College Football dynasty play out where someone takes the little guy to glory. I would also like to live in a world where someone is happy with an $800,000 salary to stay at a school that took a massive gamble on him and gave him his first head coaching gig. Sadly, this is the business of football. Tom Herman won’t be at Houston for the long haul and Fleck won’t be at Western Michigan forever, either. With that in mind I might as well be selfish. How can Iowa get Fleck?!?
Big Ten and Counting 