Top Five Coaches in the BIG Ten
- SpartyONline Writer
- Sep 1, 2016
- 3 min read
The season is heating up and with that the fan debate over which coach is the best in the BIG Ten. So we decided to take an objective look at head coaches in the conference, ranking them first based upon their success in the BIG Ten, second on college coaching in the FBS, and third professional experience. We placed success in the conference first for obvious reasons. We felt success in the college ranks should outweigh professional success given history has shown that college experience doesn’t necessarily translate to the professional ranks or vice versa. Case in point Nick Saban and Charlie Weise.
#1. Urban Meyer-Ohio State
Urban Meyer’s resume speaks for itself with a 50-4 (.926) record, one CFP national title, one conference title, and a division title in each of his four years in the BIG Ten. Add to that two BCS national titles, two SEC titles, and three SEC division titles, while coaching in arguably the best power five division in college football and it’s easy to make the case for Meyer.
3 National Championships (2006, 2008, 2014) 2 MWC Titles (2003, 2004) 2 SEC Championships (2006, 2008) 3 SEC Eastern Division Titles (2006, 2008–2009)
1 Big Ten Championship (2014) 2 Big Ten Leaders Division Titles (2012–2013) 2 Big Ten East Division Titles (2014–2015)
#2. Mark Dantonio-Michigan State
You can easily make the case for Mark Dantonio as well with three conference titles, three division titles, a College Football Playoff Final Four, a BCS national title (DC) and a record of 87-33 (.725) over his nine year tenure at Michigan State. In fact you have to give Dantonio the edge based on the fact that he has posted 11 win seasons five of the last six years, more than any coach in the history of college football. Dantonio is the only coach in the BIG Ten to have defeated Meyer. In fact Dantonio has done it twice out of four meetings, each time when Meyer’s team was undefeated. You could make the case that he achieved more since he had the rougher road. Dantonio had to build from the bottom up in East Lansing, starting with recruiting, where Meyer walked into a Tressel built program that was already humming at a national level. However, Meyer’s national title tilts the scale in his favor. After all, at the end of the day, any coach will tell you it’s all about winning. Mark Dantonio came close last year with a team that was plagued by numerous injuries all season. A CFP title would tip the scale in Dantonio’s favor.
3 Big Ten Championships (2010, 2013, 2015) 2 Big Ten Legends Division Titles (2011, 2013) 1 Big Ten East Division Titles (2015)
1 CFP Final Four (2015)
1 BCS National Championship (2002) OSU Defensive Coordinator
#3. Kirk Ferentz-Iowa
Ferentz 127-87 (.593) in 17 years at Iowa is the dean of BIG Ten football coaches and also the longest tenured coach at the FBS level along with Bob Stoops. In addition to two BIG Ten titles and Iowa’s first division title last season, his career at Iowa has been marked by several “firsts” in Iowa football history. The 2008 Hawkeyes were the first Iowa team to start the season 8-0. In 2003 Iowa accepted its first BCS bowl bid and the 2010 team was the first to win a BCS game (Orange Bowl). Finally, last season was the first time an Iowa team recorded 12 wins.
2 Big Ten Championships (2002, 2004) 1 Big Ten West Division Title (2015)
#4. Jim Harbaugh-Michigan
Jim Harbaugh is a close second behind Lovie Smith when it comes to his professional coaching career. In his four years as an NFL head coach with the San Francisco 49’ers Harbaugh earned three Division titles and 1 NFC title. Harbaugh also has the strongest NFL player pedigree of any active BIG Ten coach with 14 years as an NFL QB. In addition Harbaugh took over a losing Stanford team and in four years coaching the Cardinal he posted a 29-21 (.580) record earning two second place finishes in the PAC10. In 2015 he earned a 10-3 record in his first year at Michigan.
2 NFC Division Titles
1 NFC Title (lost in Superbowl)
#5. Lovie Smith-Illinois
Lovie Smith has the strongest professional pedigree of any of the BIG Ten coaches with 11 years as head coach in the NFL. After assistant coaching stints at Wisconsin, ASU, Kentucky, Tennessee, and OSU, Smith earned three NFC Division titles and 1 NFC Championship over 9 years.
2 NFC Division Titles
1 NFC Titles (lost in Superbowl)
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