2024 Preseason Big Ten Coach Rankings

18. Deshaun Foster- UCLA

When Chip Kelly unexpectedly left his position as Head Coach at UCLA to go be a coordinator at Ohio State, the question was who will replace him? In a move that surprised me and many others in the college football world, the Bruins opted to promote Running Backs Coach Deshaun Foster. Foster played for the Bruins from 1998-2001 and after a few years in the NFL, he moved into coaching. With this being his first chance as a Head Coach, it’ll be interesting to see how he handles a Big 10 job in a large market like Los Angeles.

17. Ryan Walters- Purdue

After dominating the Big 10 as Illinois’s Defensive Coordinator in 2021 and 2022, Ryan Walters got his shot to be a Head Coach in the same conference. While a 4-8 first season was slightly disappointing, it is important to understand how hard it is to win at Purdue. For example, Purdue lost 29 players to the transfer portal this offseason, including their top two receivers, number one edge rusher, and more. However, it is early in the Ryan Walters era, and we will see if the Boilermakers can bounce back in 2024.

16. Sherrone Moore- Michigan

It pains me to rank Michigan’s new head coach, Sherrone Moore, this low on the list. Serving as both Offensive Coordinator and, at times, Head Coach for Michigan last season, Moore proved his worth and potential. Not only did he rack up a 4-0 record as Head Coach due to the suspension of Jim Harbaugh, but he beat Penn State on the road and took down rival Ohio State to send the Wolverines to the Big 10 Championship. While I do think Moore will do a great job at Michigan, with no other head coaching experience he slides into the 16th spot.

15. David Braun-Northwestern

Taking over after the departure of Northwestern football legend Pat Fitzgerald, David Braun was put in an impossible position. However, not only did Braun help stabilize the program, but he thrived and accomplished arguably the best coaching job in the country last season. Leading the Wildcats to a 7-5 record and a Las Vegas Bowl win over Utah, Braun was promoted to the full-time Head Coach. While I am not very confident in Northwestern maintaining this success through 2024, they may have found their guy moving forward to lead the program.

14. Curt Cignetti- Indiana

Of all the coaches on this list, Curt Cignetti would be my pick for the coach most likely to move up in next year’s rankings. Cignetti began his coaching career at the Division II level with the IUP Crimson Hawks before moving on to the FCS level at Elon. In just two seasons, he led the Phoenix to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in school history. He then moved on to James Madison, achieving a 33-5 record in the FCS, before guiding the Dukes through their transition to the FBS level. Even in the FBS, Cignetti kept winning, going 19-4 in two seasons in the Sun Belt. Now, Cignetti takes over at Indiana, a place where winning football games has proven to be exceptionally difficult. Nevertheless, I believe Cignetti is up to the task and could even get the Hoosiers bowling in 2024.

13. Mike Locksley- Maryland

While Maryland has not seen success at the national level, Mike Locksley has been a staple of consistency for the Terrapins. Taking over in 2019, Locksley had a rough first season going 3-9. However, since the COVID-19 season in 2020, Locksley has led Maryland to a bowl game in three consecutive seasons, something the program had not achieved since 2006-2008. Not to mention, Maryland won all three of those bowl games, including a dominant 31-13 victory over Auburn last year. Moving into 2024, with transfer quarterback MJ Morris from North Carolina State, the Terrapins should be poised to make yet another run at a bowl game in 2024.

12. Greg Schiano- Rutgers

Greg Schaino is undoubtedly the greatest coach in Rutgers football history. Taking over in 2001 for his first stint with the school, Schaino went 69-67 in 11 seasons. While 69-67 may sound pretty average, it is important to understand the context of Rutgers football before Schiano. Prior to the hiring of Schiano in 2001, Rutgers hadn’t finished above .500 since 1992 and hadn’t won 10 or more games since 1976. In his first stint with the Scarlet Knights, Schiano led them to five consecutive bowl games from 2005 to 2009 and an additional one in 2011. He also went 11-2 in 2006 which saw Rutgers finish 12th in the final AP Poll, which is still their highest finish in school history. Since taking back over in 2020, Rutgers has only gotten better. After a 7-6 season last year that saw them beat Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl, Rutgers has their highest preseason win total in years at 6.5 and should be poised for another solid season.

11. PJ Fleck- Minnesota

The fact that PJ Fleck only enters in at number 11 in these rankings just shows how great the Big 10 coaching really is. Beginning his head coaching career at Western Michigan in 2013, Fleck transformed the team from a 1-11 season in his first year, to a 13-1 season in 2016, with their only loss coming in the Cotton Bowl to Wisconsin. Following this electric season, Fleck took the job at Minnesota and proceeded to rebuild their program as well. After a 5-7 season in his first year, the Gophers only got better, peaking with an incredible 11-2 season in 2019. This marked the first time Minnesota won 11 games in a season since 1904. He has gone bowling in five of his seven seasons, and has won all five of those bowl games. On top of all this, Fleck’s .595 win percentage at Minnesota is the best any coach has achieved at the school since Bernie Bierman, who stopped coaching in 1950.

10. Jedd Fisch- Washington

Taking over at Arizona in 2021, Jedd Fisch inherited a skeleton of a program. Following the Kevin Sumlin era that saw the Wildcats win just nine games in three years, Arizona was in desperate need of a positive change and that is exactly what Jedd Fisch brought to Tucson. After a 1-11 first season, Fisch went 5-7 before putting everything together for a 10-3 season in year three. After this season that marked Arizona’s best performance since 1998, Fisch departed for the same job at Washington. However, taking over for Kalen DeBoer, who led the Huskies to the National Championship last season, Fisch has some big shoes to fill. Washington loses most of its production from last year, and it will be a huge challenge for Fisch to not only rebuild the Huskies but to do so in their first year in the Big Ten.

9. Bret Bielema- Illinois

Bret Bielema has had an extremely interesting career path that has seen him have a lot of success. Beginning at Wisconsin in 2006, Bielema started off with a bang, going 12-1 in his first season as head coach. He coached the Badgers for seven seasons, winning 10 or more games four times, making a bowl every season, and leading them to the Rose Bowl in each of his final three seasons with the program. He then took the job at Arkansas, which in hindsight seems to have been a mistake. His 29-34 record with the Razorbacks over five seasons was a major step down from his 68-24 record at Wisconsin. However, after taking over at Illinois in 2021, Bielema has proved he still has what it takes to be a successful head coach in college football. A 5-7 record in his first season was followed by the best season Illinois has had since 2007, going 8-5 and contending for the Big Ten West title up until the last week of the season. While Illinois is a very tough place to win, Bielema has proved he is the man for the job and should continue to elevate the Fighting Illini program.

8. Kirk Ferentz- Iowa

Hired at Iowa in 1999, Kirk Ferentz is easily the longest-tenured college football coach in the country and has been the face of the program for decades. While recent offensive issues have resulted in controversy and debates among fans, nobody can deny his ability to win games with a strong identity. Ferentz has been a beacon of consistent success, making bowl games in 21 of his 25 seasons, winning 10 or more games eight times, and finishing in the AP Top 25 in eleven seasons. He has built Iowa football from the ground up, and it is hard to imagine the program without him as the leader. While he is a legendary coach and an almost sure Hall of Famer, Ferentz ranks only eighth due to his recent stubbornness in improving the offense and his continued retention of his son, Brian Ferentz, as offensive coordinator. In 2021, despite going 10-4, Iowa’s offense ranked 94th according to ESPN’s SP+ metrics. In 2022, it fell to 118th. Despite this unbelievably poor performance, Ferentz retained his son as Offensive Coordinator. Finally, in 2023, the offense fell to 129th in the country, and Brian Ferentz was finally let go. Despite these issues, Ferentz remains a legendary coach with consistently elite defenses and should have Iowa winning many games again in 2024.

7. Jonathan Smith- Michigan State

I admit I may have ranked this coach a bit too high, but I am extremely confident in his ability to coach and win games with less talent. Taking over at Oregon State in 2017, Smith inherited one of the toughest jobs in the country. Oregon State only had two seasons of 10 or more wins in its entire program’s history and it was rare to see the Beavers competitive in the Pac-12. However, after a 2-10 first season, Smith rebuilt the program from scratch. In his fourth season, Smith finally got the Beavers to a bowl game, finishing 7-5, before putting everything together in 2022. In 2022, Oregon State went 10-3, marking one of the best seasons in school history and capped it off with a dominant 30-3 win in their bowl game over the Florida Gators. After another successful 8-4 season in 2023, Smith left to take the job at Michigan State and I think it is a perfect fit. Bringing transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles with him from Corvallis, Smith has a future star in the conference. However, with an extremely tough schedule, we will see if Smith can get the Spartans bowling in year one.

6. Matt Rhule- Nebraska

As a Husker fan, I am doing my best to remove all bias from these rankings and I think the sixth spot is a fair ranking for Matt Rhule. Taking over at Temple in 2013, Rhule transformed a program that had only won 10 games once in its entire history and achieved the feat twice. He rebuilt the team from a 2-10 record in year one to back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2015 and 2016. He then left to take the Baylor job in 2017, facing a massive rebuild ahead. Following the Art Briles saga that left the program in ruins with sanctions and reduced scholarships, Rhule successfully rebuilt them as well. In just three seasons, he took them from winning just one game in 2017 to winning 11 in 2019, culminating in appearances in both the Big 12 Championship game and the Sugar Bowl. After spending some time in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, Rhule accepted the head coaching position at Nebraska. Despite just a 5-7 record in year one, myself and many other Husker fans remain optimistic due to the renewed vibe and identity within the program. For example, in a noticeable change from previous teams, the Husker defense went from 77th in points per game in 2022, to 13th in 2023 and ranked even higher in other defensive metrics. With lots of production returning, along with highly-rated freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola coming in, hopes are high within the Nebraska fanbase.

5. Lincoln Riley- USC

I don’t know if it’s possible to begin your head coaching career with more pressure than Lincoln Riley did at Oklahoma. Taking over in Norman in 2017 after the retirement of Sooner legend Bob Stoops, Riley had to be successful early and he was. Going 12-2 in each of his first three seasons, Riley brought Oklahoma just about as much success as you could expect. He also led the team to the College Football Playoff all three of those years. While they did lose in the semifinals each time, it's still an undeniable accomplishment. Following two more good seasons with just two losses, Riley shocked everyone when he left to take the job at USC in 2022. It was one of the worst breakups in recent college football history, and although Riley has won a lot of games at USC, boasting a 19-8 record in his first two seasons, it isn't quite as good as I expected. The reason Riley isn’t ranked higher is that despite having the undeniable best quarterback in the country, Caleb Williams, for two seasons with the Trojans, he has only achieved said 19-8 record. While the offense has consistently excelled under Riley, defensive progress has been hard to find, extending back to his time at Oklahoma and it will be interesting to see how, or if, USC will improve defensively moving into 2024.

4. Luke Fickell- Wisconsin

Coming in at number four is the first and only coach to get a Group of Five school into the College Football Playoff. In 2017, Luke Fickell left his job as Defensive Coordinator at Ohio State to take the head coaching job at Cincinnati. After a 4-8 first season, Fickell quickly turned the program around and proceeded to go a combined 53-10 over the next five seasons. This included three 11-win seasons, two New Year's Six appearances, and a College Football Playoff berth after a 13-0 season in 2021. He brought Cincinnati their golden era of football and is a big part of why they got the invite to the Big 12 conference. After a 9-3 season in 2022, Fickell left to take the job at Wisconsin. Just a 7-6 record in year one was a little bit disappointing, but I remain optimistic about the Fickell era in Madison moving forward. With transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke coming in from Miami and running back Chez Mellusi returning, the Badgers should be poised to take a step forward in 2024.

3. Dan Lanning- Oregon

When Oregon hired Dan Lanning in 2022, I was hesitant to love the hire. He had obviously done a great job as Georgia’s Defensive Coordinator but hiring a first-time head coach at Oregon? I wasn’t sure about it. However, Lanning has done nothing but win with the Ducks. In two seasons he has racked up an impressive 22-5 record with two bowl wins as well. In year one, Lanning went 10-3, just missing the Pac-12 Championship and took down North Carolina in their bowl game. In 2023, Oregon put it all together, going 12-2, with both of their losses coming to Washington, who would end up in the national championship. I also can’t help but love Lanning for his obvious passion for the game and his willingness to take chances that other coaches wouldn’t. 4th and 4 on the opponent’s 20 in a close game? You can bet Lanning’s going for it and I love that belief he has in his team and coaching staff. Going into 2024, Oregon will have a new look as they move into the Big Ten, but Lanning has ensured the roster is ready by bringing in arguably the best transfer class in the country, highlighted by Evan Stewart and Dillon Gabriel.

2. James Franklin- Penn State

For the second ranked coach in the conference, James Franklin receives a lot of criticism. While I understand that going 10-2 or 9-3 and losing to Michigan and Ohio State year after year can be frustrating, it doesn’t change the fact that Franklin is one of the best coaches in the country. I mean, the man is the only coach I’ve ever heard of to actually win games at Vanderbilt. Prior to Franklin’s hiring in 2011, Vanderbilt had been to just four bowl games and never won more than eight games in school history. Not only did Franklin get the Commodores to a bowl game in all three seasons he coached, but he also went 9-4 in his last two seasons, marking the two best seasons in school history. To this day, he is still by far the winningest coach in school history and Vandy hasn’t come close to replicating that success. Following these three seasons, Franklin left and took the job at Penn State. So far, he has done an exceptional job with the Nittany Lions. While he never quite got them to the four-team playoff, Franklin has five seasons of 10 or more wins and three New Year’s Six wins including a 2023 Rose Bowl victory. Going into 2024, Franklin’s Nittany Lions have high expectations once again with a projected win total of 10.5. We will see if they can finally break through in the Big Ten.

Ryan Day- Ohio State

If you thought James Franklin received a lot of criticism, Ryan Day will do you one better. I don’t think I’ve heard any fanbase call for their coach to be fired with a 56-8 overall record, but here we are. Taking over for the legendary Urban Meyer in 2019, Ryan Day had high expectations to say the least. However, he stepped in and immediately delivered. In a season that was slightly overshadowed by Joe Burrow and LSU, Ohio State went 13-0 in one of the most dominant regular seasons ever seen in the Big Ten. While they would ultimately fall in an all-time classic to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, the stage was set for the Ryan Day era. Unfortunately for Day, since that season, he hasn’t been able to achieve the most important thing at Ohio State: beating Michigan. Despite going 11-2 each of the last three seasons, winning the Rose Bowl in 2021, and even coming a field goal away from making the National Championship in 2022, Ohio State fans still aren’t satisfied. Going into 2024, I think Ohio State may just have their most talented roster ever under Ryan Day. With multiple options at quarterback, the best running back room in the country, and a defense that should be one of the best in the nation, it might be National Championship or bust for the Buckeyes in 2024.