Three months ahead of the season finally kicking off, one analyst has ranked the Big Ten coaches and the Nebraska football head coach is in an interesting spot.
Before the Nebraska football team plays a down under the new regime, it can be a bit hard to pin down just how good Matt Rhule is. There have been times when he’s looked like one of the best coaches in the sport. There have also been times when he’s struggled on the biggest stage.
That’s probably why, despite being well-known as a program builder, when the rankings from CBS Sports and USA Today came out, he was a bit more in the middle of the road. Though the fact that he’s already jumped over several coaches in the Big Ten is probably a good sign for Nebraska football fans.
CBS Sports Tom Fornelli ranks the Nebraska football head coach as the 7th best in the conference. USA Today has him ranked a bit higher at sixth. It’s worth noting that means that Rhule was ranked ahead of Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz among others.
That should give some Husker fans a good feeling considering that Ferentz has been helming his job for quite a while now and Rhule hasn’t coached a season in Lincoln. He’s also ahead of the likes of Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald and Michigan State’s Mel Tucker.
There was a time when both of those coaches were very hot names in the college football world. It turns out that for now, Rhule is hotter.
So who are the guys that are considered the better coaches in the Big Ten right now? The guy right ahead of Rhule will have the chance to prove he’s better fairly soon. Minnesota’s PJ Fleck is ranked one spot ahead. The two will square off in Nebraska football’s season opener.
Illinois’ Bret Bielema, Penn State’s James Franklin, Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell, Ohio State’s Ryan Day and of course Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh are at the top of the list.