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Top 10 Worst BCS Conference CFB Coaching Jobs

35 Comments

The BCS conference big shots (i.e. OSU president Gordon Gee) love to boast about the superiority of their product compared to the non-BCS conferences and for the most part, they are right. But even within the BCS ranks there are some programs that no would-be college coach should be forced to go to. Gus Malzahn knew that when he turned down Vanderbilt despite three million reasons to go there. Football coaches beware: These are the 10 worst BCS coaching jobs based on each program’s history, financial support, fan base, recruiting, location, facilities and ability to win.

10. Northwestern

9. Iowa State

8. Kentucky

7. Kansas

6. Washington State

5. Baylor

4. Indiana

3. Wake Forest

2. Duke

1. Vanderbilt

12:30 PM on 12/20/2010
  • Richard McComic

    Vandy is in the same boat as Tulane — doctors and lawyers a large % of the
    student base do not make dedicated football players! (in my opinion)

  • Cyclonepride

    Nice job putting together such a comprehensive list from your mom’s basement

  • SportsTalkMatt

    That’s a fairly accurate list. I’d have to say after dealing w/ these swine farmers in the state of Iowa I’d have to say ISU should be somewhere closer to #1. At least Vandy and Duke are educated people.

  • mitch

    All of the aforementioned are better academically than rogue universities like the U of Iowa

  • abcguyks

    Where are the Big East schools (not a one on your list)? That is a piss poor FB conference where many of schools provide little or no support for their teams. Can’t say that the locations are all that attractive either.

    List is worthless without defending each of the inclusions. On the other hand, what could we really expect from a post written from mom’s basement?

  • Dreambackfold

    Where is Pitt? They are the graveyard of College Football.

  • Bill Snyder

    Thanks for not mentioning the only school with a losing record to ISU.

  • Jim

    3 Big 12 schools and no Big East schools???
    I would put almost all Big East schools, minus 2 or so, on that list before any Big 12 schools. Nobody gives a crap about football in the Big East, not even their own fans.

  • FancyBulldog

    Phew, I though MSU might end up on this list until I realized that we’re a marquee program that competes year in and year out for SEC titles from the highly attractive metropolis; Starkville, Mississippi.

  • Sean

    ABC, the top right has the school’s names, so you can flip through and read why they are each on the list.

    Agree on the Big East too. Some of the schools aren’t even trying, it seems.

  • ISWHO?

    ISU should have been placed much higher. No one cares about their irrelevant program, yet the fans and players love to think they are at the same level as other BCS schools.

  • Joe

    Perrault. Your obsession with ISU fans is becoming creepy

  • Pitt Panther supporter

    Which schools that are in the top 25 fill their stadiums for college football while also having major league baseball and national hockey league teams to compete for the dollars?.

  • State Fan

    leave it to hawkeye fans to come on here and down play Iowa State lol Hmm would you rather have your kid go to a University that allows its kids to get away with drug abuse, assault, underage drinking, low education standards and a history of violence in there student athletes or a school that has high education standards, high graduation rate, and a coach that doesnt put up with s*** and loves his players. Ferentz cant even keep his own son out of trouble

  • Madclone1

    Well said, SportsTalkMatt!

  • hitstik

    to have UK in the top ten is ridiculous!!! To go to bowl games the past 4 years and beat the likes of Florida State, Clemson, and the conference USA champion in East Carolina, along with wins over #1 and eventual National Champion LSU and beat Georgia 2 out of the last 4 years, beat the Auburn Tigers (who are in the BCS national Championship this year) at their place last year, beat the SEC East Champion in South Carolina this year, reach as high as #8 in the national rankings during this time, and all the while having a top 25 attendance fan base in the country, is hardly one of the top 10 worst jobs in the country. I could name 3 in the SEC alone that are worse and more deserving. Try MISS State, Ole MIss, and of course Vandy. None of those teams have done anything the Cats have done in the last 5 years. And for damn sure didn’t have to do it after coming off one of the worst probation ridden sanctions in recent memory!!! What a Joke.

  • ECM7

    Tulane should be on this list.

  • hawkeyefanwarsend

    sportstalkmatt is a ***** so not suprised by his stance…cyclone fans and hawks hate him…it’s a shame he’s the only radio host here in des moines.

  • clownfansarechildren

    Lol clown fans are supporting one of the worst football programs in the nation! Youll always be the little brother!

  • Gamer

    Northwestern? Why not Tulane? Northwestern and Kentucky are competitive.

  • Bobby Bow

    The common thread, for the most part, is that these schools require the football players actually atttend the school.

  • slayerformayor

    Are you honestly telling me that Ferentz knew all along that DJK was living in a drug house and was totally cool with it? That he allowed him to use coke and pot and found ways for him to get around the drug tests? Do you actually have proof that ISU does better academically than Iowa? Iowa State fans are so sensitive and insanely jealous about anything involving Iowa. This season when ISU beat Texas they announced the score at Kinnick during the Iowa game and the place cheered, that would never happen in a million years at Jack Trice. It’s pretty much impossible to have a sensible conversation with a ISU fan.

  • Rad Ray

    ISU should be #1 simply because the school lives off the students who failed to get into The University of Iowa.

  • Jimmy

    Think UK should not be on this this list? Name a UK football coach in the past fifty years that went on to better things….., Grave yard

  • Doug from aol

    There are many coaches that close their career at a program like Rich Brooks and the Late jerry Claiborne……………………Oh an to answer the question on a coach that continued his career, how about Paul “BEAR” Bryant. UK has done more in a meat grinder of a conference.

  • Pappyjack

    Baylor should be at the top of the list.

  • ObjectionNoted

    The Kentucky Wildcats are in the middle of the pack in the SEC and during the Rich Brooks years have now a been invited to a bowl for the fifth season in a row.
    The Big Tuna was considering the UK job just prior to the Rich Brooks hire but, Dallas came calling and hired Bill Pacells to coach the Cowboys. Parcells was quoted in an article after the Rich Brooks hire as saying that he was highly considering the position.
    UK fans felt as if they lost out at the time but, Rich Brooks did a hell of a job and the fans respected him for the entertaining product that he placed on the field. Joker Phillips is carrying on the Legacy left behind by Coach Brooks and the fans are excited about the recruiting that Phillips uis currently envolved with.
    UK plays in a bowl on Jan., 8th. Be there!

  • Paul Clark

    I think Iowa State is the 9th BEST place to coach! Let’s talk about facilities. Our stadium is so loud and better than most MAC Conference stadiums and it’s sold out at least 1 or 2 times a year (especially when those darn Squaks come to town!).

    It’s easy to recruit. We are always ranked in the top half of the MAC Conference.

    Administrative support? No one in the MAC has more resources than Jamie Pollard. He’ll pull out all the stops to lure the very best to Ames. Heck, he’ll even put their picture on a gold coin if he needs to!

    Uniforms. We look like USC now trust me, recruits want to play for a team that looks like a USC.

    And lastly, Iowa State has tradition. Look at all of the conference titles, All Americans and Pro Bowlers. I doubt Kent State has as much tradition!

    GO CLONES!

  • SmartPhone

    I would prefer to send my kid to a school that teaches he/she the difference between “there” and “their” as well as how to use a period.

    “leave it to hawkeye fans to come on here and down play Iowa State lol Hmm would you rather have your kid go to a University that allows its kids to get away with drug abuse, assault, underage drinking, low education standards and a history of violence in there student athletes or a school that has high education standards, high graduation rate, and a coach that doesnt put up with s*** and loves his players. Ferentz cant even keep his own son out of trouble”

  • Bucky07

    Baylor? Really? That’s just plain stupid. No way in hell should this school be on THIS list.

  • recruit

    You’re nuts. Have you seen the facilities at Kansas? Top drawer.

  • HawkIssuck

    Iowa will always be the worst.

  • BRod

    looks like some basketball programs beating up on football to me.

  • tv

    This is great for Vanderbilt. we can look back at this when the biggest turnaround in the history of college football happens.It is going to happen folks! “better get your Vandy on!”

  • R

    Iowa State definitely should be closer to #1. That place is a sh*t hole for all sports. At least several of the other teams (WF, Baylor, WSU, etc) have enjoyed some semblance of success, once in a while. ISU has sucked at everything always and will suck at everything always, until the end of time. Even their colors are God awful. And this is coming from a non partial observer. Iowa State is the #1 in suck.

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