Drew Thurman (11:25 pm)
Coaching changes are taking place all over the country, and are filling up a lot of air time of ESPN. From the firing of Tommy Bowden at Clemson to the hiring of Lane Kiffin at Tennessee, excellence is being demanded. Unlike many conferences around the country, the coaching outlook actually looks pretty stable in the Big Ten at this point in the year. I am actually shocked by this, because I figured there would be a much larger coaching shake up in the conference with the lack of success taking place for many teams. Let's take a look:
Illinois: Ron Zook has been coaching the Fighting Illini since 2005, and has made a big splash in recruiting the Mid-West. Zook has quickly become one of the most notable head coaches in the Big Ten despite his 18-30 record with the Illini. He won Champaign over with his 9-4 record and Rose Bowl bid in 2007, but one has to wonder if that was the exception not the rule. With a 5-7 record in 2008, Zook is going to have to translate his recruiting classes to wins to keep his job for the long haul!
Indiana: You have to wonder how good the Hoosiers could have been with Hoeppner at the helm, but now they are stuck with Bill Lynch. IU being embarrassed not once, but twice by a MAC school highlights how bad Lynch really is. He could not keep his job at Ball State (fired in '02), and is obviously not the quality the Hoosiers need. Speaking of Ball State, Head Coach Brady Hoke would be a great candidate for the Hoosiers to look at. You know the old statement,"If you can't beat 'em, steal their coach!" Anyways, Lynch's days seem to be numbered in Bloomington.
Iowa: After the 2004 season Kirk Ferentz looked to be one of the best coaches in the Big Ten, and was coming off of three seasons with records of 11-2, 10-3, and 10-2. The next three seasons were not so friendly to Hawkeyes, and I along with many thought this with Ferentz's last season. The 8-4 season they put together looks to have saved his job, and he owes Shonn Greene a big thank you.
Michigan: It's hard to say anything positive about what is going on up in Ann Arbor or about Rich Rodriguez. He came in and changed traditions, changed the style of ball, and ticked off the Wolverine faithful. The 3-9 record he produced didn't make up for any of that, and I personally wonder how much time he has with the Maize and Blue. In fact rumors surfaced about him going to Clemson, with many of Michigan fans were already talking about Brian Kelly of Cincinnati replacing him. Overall I think Rich Rodriguez can turn things around, but he needs time, and that means winning the fans over again!
Michigan State: Mark Dantonio has been the stable coach that the Spartans needed. I don't think he is ever going to blow anyone away with his offensive schemes or risky play calling, but seems to have cleaned things up a bit in East Lansing. He has things going in the right direction, and I don't see him going anywhere anytime soon. Things might be a little rough without Ringer next season, but Dantonio doesn't need to worry about his job.
Minnesota: If anyone doubted Tim Brewster after the 1-11 start at Minnesota, they do not now. The Gophers did lose their final four games, but the 7-5 record they produced is miles ahead of last season. Brewster offers a much fresher style, and it has really paid off for him on the recruiting trail as well. The Big Ten really needs more teams like Minnesota to step up, and you better believe I will be rooting Brewster on.
Northwestern: Pat Fitzgerald didn't take over the Northwestern team in the best of circumstances, but he has made the most of the opportunity. The Wildcats have seen improvement in each of his three seasons, with the best being the 9-3 record this year. Fitzgerald seems to be safe, though I am not sure Northwestern will ever be able to make a run like they did in the late 1990's again.
Ohio State: "In Tressel We Trust." No matter how frustrated some of you may be with the offensive play calling, Tressel has won four straight Big Ten Titles. I think it is safe to say that Tressel is a Buckeye until he chooses retirement.
Penn State: I have to say that I thought the end of this season was a perfect time for Joe Paterno to step down because Penn State won the Big Ten Title, he was forced to be in the booth and let the assistants coach, and his contract runs up at the end of the season. Who am I to tell the winningest coach of all time to step down though! It looks like the only thing that will stop JoePa now is death!
Purdue: The Tiller era is done for the Boilermakers, and new coach Danny Hope takes over for the '09 season. Hope isn't a huge name, but he did provide a smooth transition for Tiller's exit. He isn't young either, at 49, and will have to prove himself to the folks in West Lafayette. He previously coached Eastern Kentucky with an overall record of 35-22, and in 2007 lead them to a 9-3 year in the Ohio Valley Conference. He already has made huge changes on the Purdue staff, and hopefully will bring some fresh air into the program. Like I said earlier, the Big Ten needs teams like this to step up!
Wisconsin: Bret Bielema started out strong with a 12-1 record in his first season with the Badgers, but now has many wondering if he can do it without Barry Alvarez's recruits. Wisconsin has been a sinking ship the last three seasons with Bielema, and going 3-5 in the Big Ten this season has raised many eyebrows. Things better get turned around quickly, or the Wisconsin faithful will happily look elsewhere. I may be totally wrong, but I don't think Bielema can take this team to the next level!
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