Thought it would be interesting to see everyone's opinions on where the best coaching jobs in each conference are. Keep in mind that this has nothing to do with current talent on the roster. I'm talking facilities, recruiting pool, fan base, media exposure, tradition, prestige, etc., etc.
Here are my lists:
ACC
1. Florida State - Pretty much as good as it gets for the ACC. Fanbase and recruiting pool give it a big edge.
2. Miami - Probably the best recruiting pool in the country. Distance from other Florida schools sets it aside. Fanbase and facilities are severely lacking from my understanding, keeping it behind FSU.
Miami coaches have to remember to stay humble and recruit local-every time the program has taken a nosedive, it is because a coach has decided to start recruiting a ton of national kids, instead of a ton of Miami/Dade/Broward kids. See Erickson and Coker.
3. Georgia Tech - History, proximity to Atlanta for recruiting and media exposure, decent facilties add up to a solid 3rd place program for me.
Personally, I'd have Maryland at #5, w/ Clemson at #3-DC area is a very underrated recruiting ground, G-Tech will always be 2nd fiddle to the SEC schools for recruits
4. Virginia Tech - Success has been recent. Beamer has really overachieved here.
Again, Virginia is a very, very underrated in-state talent base-and Beamer keeps more than his share in-state
5. Clemson - Unrealistically high fan expectations and low density recruiting pool hold back this program.
Disagree on Clemson's recruiting base-SC/NC/Georgia/Florida-they have a huge presence in those states, but the AD finally realized Tommy Bowden couldn't score in a Thai whorehouse, he was canned and the recruits decommitted-bring in a good offensive mind/recruiter and they will be fine-I'd put them at 3rd in the ACC
Big 12
1. Texas - In-state talent pool sets this school apart from other big two in this conference.
2. Oklahoma - Only over Nebraska due to less reliance over it's history on "non-regional" recruits.
3. Nebraska - Most devoted fan base in the country. Even with the recent struggles, sell out streak is around 300+ games.
4. Texas A&M - Will always be #2 in Texas, but great fan base, recruiting pool, facilities make this a desirable job.
5. Oklahoma State - 3 words. T. Boone Pickens.
A border w/ Texas for recruiting doesn't hurt either.
Good list for the B-12, although I think Colorado is an underrated job-recruits love the scenery and party scene in Boulder, draw from California and Texas
Big East
1. Pitt - History, prestige, and fan base give Pitt slight nod over USF.
2. South Florida - Big-time up and comer due to recruiting pool, and like Pitt, has use of fairly new pro stadium.
3. Rutgers - Uncontested locally in recruiting pool. Newly renovated stadium and facilities. Exposure to the largest media market in the US.
4. West Virginia - Fan base, prestige, and history alone place this at 4 on this list.
5. Louisville - Recently renovated facilities, huge athletic budget.
Big Ten
1. Ohio State - In-state talent gives it an edge over Michigan. National prestige gives it an edge over Penn State.
2. Penn State - Too much talent in Pennsylvania to give Michigan the nod over the Nittany Lions.
PSU is a huge regional draw. When Schiano takes over, they will really be scary-they can own New Jersey recruiting.
3. Michigan - Low pay doesn't help its cause.
4. Illinois - Renovated facilities. Huge recruiting pool. Fan support will be there eventually.
I think the size of the Illini recruiting pool is overstated-they have to fight for Chicagoland recruits, although Locksley helps them immensely in Florida and Maryland/DC
5. Wisconsin - Rabid fan support, good facilities. Limited built-in recruiting pool.
Pac 10
1. USC - Probably the best gig in the country.
2. UCLA - If basketball wasn't king here, it could challenge USC.
3. Oregon - Phil Knight's guinea pigs have a good fan base, great facilities. All that's missing is a built-in recruiting base.
4. Arizona State - Rising along with the Phoenix area as a whole.
5. Cal - Because the rest of the Pac 10 is garbage.
Stanford could be tied w/ Cal-Harbaugh has the recruiting machine going-Ivy League caliber education, BCS caliber sports in Cali-not a bad combination if you have the right coach/recruiter-which it appears Harbaugh is.
SEC
1. Florida - Top dog in Florida will get you top billing in your conference.
Agreed, but Florida must recruit more regionally than FSU and Miami.
2. Alabama - Big tradition = big money.
Plus big talent pool-most kids in Alabama/Mississippi want to Roll Tide
3. LSU - Great fan base, pretty good recruiting pool built-in.
LSU has a Texas pipeline that other SEC schools don't
4. Georgia - Just can't put them higher than this. Never seem to be as good as people think they are.
5. Tennessee - Built-in recruiting base is all that's holding them back.
Auburn would be better than Tennessee,IMO, except for the psychotic boosters...
I was going to attempt to do an overall top 10. But I think once you get to that level, it's pretty much splitting hairs. Notre Dame I'd probably slot into #2 in the Big Ten, with a lack of built-in recruiting them keeping them behind the Bucks, but an exclusive TV deal keeping them ahead of Penn State and Michigan.
