Ohio State won the first ever College Football Playoff last season, giving the entire Big 10 Conference reaped the rewards, especially when speaking of reputation. Thought of as too slow, and too behind the times to compete for titles, the Buckeyes gave legitimacy to a conference in need of it.
The conference’s run of good fortune continued through the off-season, as two new coaches, both with their own appeal, took over two powerhouse programs.
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan: As much success as Harbaugh had in San Francisco with the 49ers, off the field personality issues ultimately led to his departure. Now he’s back in his old stomping grounds–Harbaugh is a Michigan alum–and tasked with bringing the Wolverines back to where they once were: competing for titles. Harbaugh has experience with rebuilds, as both Stanford and the 49ers were in disarray at the time of his hiring. At Michigan, he’ll have more resources at his disposal than he’s ever had in college. What remains to be seen is whether or not Harbaugh can land a quarterback to lead UM’s resurgence, much like Andrew Luck did at Stanford.
Urban Meyer, Ohio State: At this point, there’s no denying that Meyer is as good as any coach in America. Now that he’s won a title in Columbus, though, the pressure will be on to do it again, especially considering the talent that he has to work with at the quarterback position. But that’s not all he’s got. Ezekiel Elliott is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, meaning the Buckeyes could have the most talented skill position players in the country. How will Meyer balance it all?
Mike Riley, Nebraska: When Bo Pelini was dismissed from NU, the fanbase wanted a hire that would reinvigorate the masses, and bring blue-chip recruits to Lincoln by the truckload. Riley may not be that, but he is a coach that knows how to win a lot of football games at places where it’s much harder to do so than Nebraska. Moving from Corvallis to the pressure cooker than is NU football may be difficult, though, as Riley hasn’t had to deal with much external, or institutional, pressure since 2001, his last season coaching the San Diego Chargers.
