What are the Top 10 College Football Jobs?

Surfing the Rivals Network, I came across the following question: what do you think are the top 10 head coaching jobs in D1 college football? This question was posed by a Nebraska fan, who hired former assistant and most recent LSU DC Bo Pellini as their new head football coach.

What are my Top 10 programs?

1.) Michigan - they are the winninest program to date and just hired Rich Rodriguez as there new coach! While the search was poorly handled in some people's eyes, the final hire by Michigan was very good one.

2.) Southern Cal - not always at the top, but with Coach Pete Carroll bringing the Trojans back to national prominence and the fact LA has no NFL franchises... hard not to put them near the top!

3.) Oklahoma - another program that fell, but Coach Bob Stoops has elevated OU again. This program certainly may be #1, but will give Michigan props today!

4.) Texas - recruiting grounds in the State of Texas make the Longhorns program a very solid one. If Coach Mack Brown exited today, the Longhorns would find a solid replacement (see Michigan)!

5.) LSU - had Coach Les Miles left the Tigers for Michigan, there placement this high on the list would be tested, but with two BCS title appearances in the last 6 years under two different coaches places, LSU is a Top 5 program.

6.) Ohio State - the Buckeyes are under great hands with Coach Jim Tressel and the fact that Big Ten-Pac Ten are tied into the BCS, along with Tressel's success places the Buckeyes up there.

7.) Florida - hard to go against the program that is the current defending national champs. Both Coach Urban Meyer and Coach Steve Spurrier won MNC here... titles in both football and basketball in the same year... doesn't hurt the Gators!

8.) Georgia - location, location, location helps the Bulldogs as a SEC school and when it comes to recruiting. A BCS title is only missing aspect for Georgia.

9.) Tennessee - Rocky Top has the facility (100 plus stadium) and is coming up on ten years removed of a MNC.

10.) Notre Dame - the glitter in South Bend is fading a little, but with its history and NBC television contract I would be remiss not to include the Fighting Irish in the Top Ten. Replacing Charlie Weis shouldn't have the same implications as replacing Coach Ty Willingham.

Two programs that need to find there mojo again: Alabama and Nebraska. Alabama's Coach Nick Saban was a big $$$ coaching hire, but can he win another BCS title at his 2nd school? Nebraska's Coach Bo Pelini has never been a head coach before. He certainly is a better fit than Bill Callahan in Lincoln, but the Huskers haven't won a MNC for 10 years and are on their 3rd coach, since Dr. Tom Osborne retired.

Two programs that have Hall of Fame Coaches, but appear to be showing there rust: Florida State and Penn State. Both programs appear to be on a similar path as Nebraska post-Osborne?

Where's Miami-FL these days? A 5-7 record (2-6 ACC) to close 2007 and a tough road hiring a new coach after the 2006 season certainly knocked the Hurricanes out of the Top Ten.

Iowa loses 3 players to transfer

Kirk Ferentz announces today that 3 Hawkeyes will be transferring after December 2007. All three players have had off the field issues this past year.

Good luck to the young men.

peace

Welcome Coach Rich Rodriguez to Michigan and the Big Ten

Well, new Michigan Head Football Coach Rich Rodriguez will not have to change is wardrobe coming over from Western Michigan. Both colors have similar colors.

My sister-in-law's husband is a native of West Virginia and a big Rich Rodriguez fan. Hopefully, his Mountainers will keep him happy in the future.

I am looking forward to welcoming Coach Rodriguez and his fav spread offense to the Big Ten Conference. It should be fun watching the Ohio State-Michigan series with Tressel vs. Rodriguez. It will be fun to witness in 2009 the return of the Iowa-Michigan series.

Coach Rodriguez appears to be a solid hire for Michigan. Rodriguez leaves his alma mater to come to Michigan. Iowa hired Coach Todd Lickliter earlier this year in basketball. Like Rodriguez, Lickliter left his alma mater to come to Iowa.

The Big Ten Conference is an outstanding football conference. Seeing Michigan hire a well respected coach, who has done well at WVU, is good for the conference. Time will tell how far Rodriguez will take the Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten and beyond. It should be fun watching everything unfold.

Welcome Coach Rich Rod to the Big Ten via Michigan!

peace

Bo Pelini to be next Head Football Coach at Nebraska

Bo Pelini to be named new Head Coach at Nebraska-Lincoln today at 4 pm.

Pelini is a former Ohio State football player.

He began his coaching career as GA under J. Hayden Fry at Iowa.

Coached one year as DC at Nebraska under Coach Frank Solich. Pelini served as interim coach after Frank Solich was dismissed in '03. He enters the full-time position, 1-0 as a Husker Coach, leading Nebraska to victory over Michigan State in '03 Alamo Bowl.

Pelini served a year at OU, as well as the year at Nebraska, so he will bring some experience in the Big 12 to the table. How well he will develop his staff in recruiting will be very important.

Currently DC at LSU, who will likely be heading to play Ohio State in the BCS Title Game, pending a surprise in the Final BCS Poll today.

Dr. Tom Osborne goes outside his own tree of former players and assistants to hire the first-time head coach. Certainly the boosters and fans are happy now in Lincoln.

I know a former Husker football player under Osborne and his wife here in Cedar Rapids will likely be very happy. Certainly, hindsight is 20/20, but Pelini likely needed some seasoning between '03 and '07 to get the head coaching position at Nebraska.

While the 4 years under Bill Callahan wasn't a success or Nebraska, the future is likely brighter having Callahan as a transition coach as opposed to moving Pelini up in '03 to replace Coach Frank Solich, who former AD Steve Pedersen fired, despite a winning season in his sixth year.

The Blackshirts get a defensive minded coach. Will have to wait and see how high the Huskers go under a first-time head coach. The defense needs rebuilding, but the entire program needs leadership and a direction in all three phases of the game.

Peace

Jeff Sagarin NCAA football ratings says: OU vs. Ohio State

Who are the right final two teams for this year's BCS Championship Game?

I think the time is right for a Plus One format to be introduced, but who should be in this year's BCS Title Game?

It's likely Ohio State, but who should they play?

Jeff Sagarin says OU is #1, with the Buckeyes #2.

Oklahoma Sooners 11-2 (7-2) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes 11-1 (7-1) would be an entertaining match up.

OU Coach Bob Stoops played his college football in the Big Ten (Iowa) and is a native and high school product of the State of Ohio.

peace

Rose Bowl should always be for Champions

The 2007 College Football season has shown the BCS needs to be changed, once again.

USC and Ohio State should be facing one another in the 2008 Rose Bowl. Champions of the conferences should face one another each.

Ohio State will go to the BCS Championship, most likely, after Black Saturday for teams like West Virginia, Missouri and others throughout the season.

The BCS should be about #1 vs. #2 only. We need to get back the traditional bowl system, with a plus one game, with the final #1 vs. #2 in that one final game. The BCS Championship Game shouldn't eliminate the Big Ten or Pac Ten champion playing in the Rose Bowl in any year.

The Rose Bowl should be for the Champions of the Big Ten and Pac Ten. The Fiesta would likely have the Big 12 Champion, the Sugar would have the SEC and so forth.

A plus one system would eliminate a team coming off a loss from playing in the BCS Championship. It would allow everyone to play a bowl game, win in that bowl game, and than the final #1 vs. #2 always being two teams that are coming off a win.

It won't happen this year, but the '08 season should get back to traditional champions and a Plus One System. Make it happen BCS!

peace