Where Does Pat Fitzgerald Rank in the Big Ten? Ranking All 18 Head Coaches

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Objects in the mirror may seem farther away than they truly are. That's the exact case with college football season.

Though summer just kicked off, the fall football season is already on its heels. As I try to remind myself to stop and smell the summer flowers, it's hard to do knowing the Michigan State Spartans season is approaching with a new look, new mantra, and renewed sense of confidence, all brought in by new head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Michigan State lost its identity over the past few years, going from a physical, blue-collar football team with a "don't care" mentality to a program that tried its best to resemble a West Coast team under previous head coach Jonathan Smith.

It's never a good thing to implement an entirely new system and mentality into a school, especially one that resides in the Great Lakes State — a state that not only embodies blue-collar grit but lives it every day, whether at home or on the job.

Now, it finally looks like the Spartans will be able to push the envelope back toward being one of the grittiest and hardest-working teams in the Big Ten. Realistically, that's the only way Michigan State can get back to consistent bowl games. It's also why I predicted the Spartans to finish 7-5 this season, though I believe the ceiling sits somewhere around nine or even 10 wins.

Since I recently wrapped up my season prediction article for the Spartans, I thought now would be a good time to rank all 18 head coaches in the Big Ten.

Keep in mind, this is not a prediction for how the conference standings will shake out this season — that article will come closer to kickoff. Instead, imagine an expansion team opened tomorrow and could select any Big Ten head coach to lead its program. Team success, recruiting advantages, and school prestige are removed from the equation. This is simply how I would rank the coaches themselves.

1. Curt Cignetti (Indiana)

There's a legitimate debate to be had between the top two coaches in the conference. In fact, it's the last two national championship-winning coaches: Curt Cignetti and Ryan Day.

While Day may have the longer résumé and more overall accolades, we live in a recency-biased era. Cignetti not only won the most recent national championship, but he did it with a program that few believed could ever realistically compete for one until it actually happened.

2. Ryan Day (Ohio State)

Day may actually be the best coach in the Big Ten, but he has too many notable losses on his résumé to claim the automatic top spot.

That said, Day continues to impress year after year and consistently has Ohio State in the national championship conversation. While his rosters are often loaded with talent, it still takes a great coach to maximize that talent and keep a team competing at the highest level.

3. Dan Lanning (Oregon)

Lanning has spent just four years at the helm of Oregon, and in those four seasons he's averaged only two losses per year, compiling an impressive 48-8 record.

The Ducks have a legitimate chance to become the fourth different Big Ten team in four years to win a national championship, and Lanning deserves a significant amount of credit for building Oregon into a perennial contender.

4. Kirk Ferentz (Iowa)

The longest-tenured coach in college football, Ferentz was hired in 1999 and has turned consistency into an art form.

Iowa has won eight or more games in each of the last 11 full seasons, excluding the COVID-shortened year, and Ferentz has guided the Hawkeyes to 14 consecutive winning seasons. You may not always love the style, but the results speak for themselves.

5. Lincoln Riley (USC)

Yes, I know the Trojans haven't made the College Football Playoff under Riley, and there are plenty of newer Big Ten coaches who some fans may argue belong ahead of him.

However, I'm not going to completely dismiss what a coach accomplished before joining the conference. After all, Curt Cignetti wasn't at the top of these rankings a year ago despite having success elsewhere.

Riley has always found ways to generate elite offensive production. The next step is getting USC's defense moving in the right direction. After winning nine games last season, the Trojans may finally be in position to make their first playoff appearance under Riley's leadership.

The Rest of My Rankings

6. Matt Campbell (Iowa State)

7. Kyle Whittingham (Michigan)

8. P.J. Fleck (Minnesota)

9. Bret Bielema (Illinois)

10. Pat Fitzgerald (Michigan State)

11. Matt Rhule (Nebraska)

12. Greg Schiano (Rutgers)

13. Jedd Fisch (Washington)

14. Bob Chesney (UCLA)

15. David Braun (Northwestern)

16. Luke Fickell (Wisconsin)

17. Mike Locksley (Maryland)

18. Barry Odom (Purdue)

The list is certainly up for debate, but if I were starting a football program today and could choose any coach from the Big Ten, this is the order I'd put them in.

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