Ranking the Big Ten’s best football-basketball coaching duos

February 19, 2024 9: 19 am CT

The Big Ten Conference is in the midst of drastic changes. The conference is in the process of welcoming in USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington — expanding its reach to coast-to-coast.

No longer is it just the midwestern conference that plays tough styles of football and basketball. That description technically went away when Rutgers and Maryland joined the conference, but the additions of West Coast powers will completely change the personality.

Related: Power ranking all 18 Big Ten football programs after the 2023 season

One area of significant change is the ranking of coaches and programs — both football and basketball.

The landscape will become clear once we get through a few seasons of each sport. But for now, it’s time to take an initial look at the updated ranking of the best football-basketball coaching combinations in the conference.

For example, Wisconsin’s current duo is Luke Fickell and Greg Gard. The ranking views the pair together, instead of individually.

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10

Mick Cronin/DeShaun Foster (UCLA)

Feb 18, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin (right) talks with guard Brandon Williams (5) against the Utah Utes in the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Mick Cronin is considered one of the best coaches in college basketball — despite UCLA’s struggles this season.

Football head coach DeShaun Foster hasn’t coached a college game yet. But Cronin’s stature is enough to get the duo inside the top 10.

9

Ryan Day/Ohio State’s future basketball coach (Ohio State)

Dec 29, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day walks off the field after losing 14-3 to Missouri Tigers in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium. Credit: Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK

This duo enters at No. 9 because Ohio State recently fired basketball coach Chris Holtmann.

Depending on the hire, this duo could rise to the top three. Day is clearly one of the best football coaches in the conference, especially after the departure of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.

8

David Braun/Chris Collins (Northwestern)

Nov 4, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach David Braun looks on during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

No duo is doing more with less than Northwestern’s David Braun and Chris Collins.

Braun took over a disastrous situation and led the football Wildcats to an 8-5 2023 campaign, while Collins currently has his team at 18-8 overall, 9-6 in Big Ten play and set for an NCAA Tournament appearance.

This duo would be much higher if they coached somewhere other than Northwestern. It’s just nearly impossible to win there.

7

Bret Bielema/Brad Underwood (Illinois)

Oct 1, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema greets Wisconsin Badgers head coach Paul Chryst following the game at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

2023 wasn’t the best year for Illinois athletics. The football team went 5-7, while the basketball team suffered a heartbreaking first-round exit from the NCAA Tournament.

But there is history of both Bielema and Underwood excelling at the top of their respective sports. I think the duo is more impressive than their recent records indicate.

6

Matt Painter/Ryan Walters (Purdue)

Jan 11, 2019; Madison, WI, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter responds to a question at the post-game news conference after his team defeated the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

The jury obviously remains out on Purdue football coach Ryan Walters, who had the Boilermakers at 4-8 in his first season as a head coach.

But Matt Painter is the best basketball coach in the conference. When the two respective positions are compared to the rest of the conference, the duo ends up in the top six.

5

Kirk Ferentz/Fran McCaffery (Iowa)

Oct 14, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz looks on during warmups prior to the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Kirk Ferentz has been winning 10+ games at Iowa for over 20 years, regardless of the era of college football. He won’t be at Iowa for much longer, but while he is he deserves a top spot on this ranking.

Fran McCaffery, meanwhile, has the Hawkeyes in the NCAA Tournament every year and has produced some impressive teams. Yes, the program tends to disappoint in March. But this duo is still one of the Big Ten’s best.

4

Matt Rhule/Fred Hoiberg (Nebraska)

Nov 11, 2023; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule during the third quarter against the Maryland Terrapins at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Fred Hoiberg has improved incrementally since taking the Nebraska basketball job in 2019. His team is 18-8 this season, set to make the NCAA Tournament for the first in his tenure. Hoiberg has the program trending in the right direction.

Matt Rhule, meanwhile, has a history of excellence at the college level. He could be discussed as one of the conference’s best football coaches in 2-3 years once he has the time to turn Nebraska around.

This may be one of the more slept-on duos in the conference. But the duo is one of the best.

3

Luke Fickell/Greg Gard (Wisconsin)

Sep 2, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell walks out onto the field during warmups prior to the game against the Buffalo Bulls at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Wisconsin fans may disagree with this ranking, especially with some of the discussion around Greg Gard’s job this season.

But ignoring the basketball team’s current slide, both Fickell and Gard are at least top-six coaches in the conference. I’d put Gard closer to the top-three and Fickell closer to the top-six, but it’s inarguable the two programs are in terrific hands.