"If every Power 5 job in America opened tomorrow ..."
Which would be most desirable? Which would have the least appeal?
That is again the hypothetical question we're posing in our second annual attempt to rank the Power 5 head-coaching jobs, from worst to best. There's a new top job this year. Texas, last year's No. 1, has been bumped.
We've broken down the jobs into five categories, using the expectations for the program as it stands today as a general guideline for the groupings. I enlisted the help of four ESPN college football reporters -- Chris Low, Ryan McGee, Adam Rittenberg and Mark Schlabach -- to settle on the rankings, considering criteria such as location, recruiting base, budgets and administrative stability. Thoughts from coaches, agents and administrators were then solicited for feedback on the rankings.
On Monday, we started with the bottom tier and the 10 worst jobs. The countdown continues today with jobs 55-46.
Tier 4: Building any kind of momentum -- let alone sustaining success -- is an uphill battle
55. Illinois, Big Ten
Current head coach: Bill Cubit (second year)
2015 rank: 48 (tie) | 2015 record: 5-7
Turmoil has engulfed the entire university, not just the athletic department. Illinois had perhaps the roughest season of any Power 5 program, beginning with an acrimonious split with former coach Tim Beckman just six days before the season opener. The instability was so profound that, in lieu of viable candidates, interim coach Bill Cubit was given a two-year extension, allowing time for things to settle down, at which point a more permanent decision can be made.
The challenge: For now, the primary issue is reckoning with continued unrest as new administrators get settled. The hiring of new athletic director Josh Whitman was announced just last week. He played and previously worked at Illinois, so on-the-ground experience is an asset. But it's worth wondering if the 37-year-old Whitman is properly equipped to handle the daunting task of resuscitating the department's image in the wake of a two-sport player abuse scandal involving allegations against the football and women's basketball programs.
The bright side: It's a middle-of-the-road program in the Big Ten, and that's meant as a compliment. In other words: Illinois should not vacillate as violently as it has in the past 15 years, going back to the Ron Turner-led Sugar Bowl appearance in 2001. The Illini have been to just four bowl games since then, and one was the Rose Bowl in 2007. Because of decent in-state recruiting and facilities, coaches see this as a program that should regularly find its way to bowl games.
54. Northwestern, Big Ten
Current head coach: Pat Fitzgerald (11th year)
2015 rank: 54 | 2015 record: 10-3
It's difficult to believe that it has been 10 years since Pat Fitzgerald, then just 30 years old, took over at his alma mater after the passing of coach Randy Walker. Fitzgerald entered a difficult situation and has managed to take Northwestern to bowl games in six of those 10 seasons. At a school known more for books than brawn, he would be a difficult act to follow.
The challenge: Much like Boston College, Northwestern largely struggles to leverage a major market -- and one with more available high school talent -- because of its private status. Like BC, Northwestern is also not a prominent part of the city's sports fabric. The Wildcats have at least tried to combat that by playing neutral-site games at Soldier Field and Wrigley Field. As great an academic school as it is, there's little zest for football. One coach called it the worst game-day experience in the Big Ten, and that's with relative success.
The bright side: A beautiful, new lakeside athletic complex will be completed in the next year. It will better leverage the aesthetics of the tree-lined campus and Lake Michigan shoreline, compared to the current digs to the north and west of the student epicenter. Fitz has proven that it's possible to carve a niche in the Big Ten, something aided by being in the weaker Western Division.
53. Colorado, Pac-12
Current head coach: Mike MacIntyre (fourth season)
2015 rank: 55 (tie) | 2015 record: 4-9
Think the school regrets leaving the Big 12 at all? Not that things were going much better, but the Buffaloes are a ghastly 14-48 since joining the Pac-12 in 2011. Coach Mike MacIntyre, entering his fourth season, is easing toward hot-seat status after Jon Embree's abysmal two-year run.
The challenge: Colorado is a poor man's version of Nebraska: It's a program that was able to compete at the highest levels when recruiting wasn't so contentious and provincial. And it has since lost its footing. The signing day revolution only entrenched Colorado's sense of recruiting isolationism. There aren't many Christian McCaffreys coming through the state's pipeline. When they do, they're going elsewhere. (McCaffrey's younger brother Dylan, a 2017 quarterback, just committed to Michigan.) The Pac-12 move made California, and not Texas, the focus of recruiting efforts, and it has proved difficult for the Buffaloes to gain traction in either of those markets. There's just no brand recognition presently.
The bright side: With the Rockies as nature's tableau, it's a gorgeous area. Boulder is an excellent college town, and nearby Denver provides plenty of entertainment options for a coaching staff and players alike. It's literally one of the sunniest places in the country. Sagging institutional support used to be a complaint, but how could that still be the case after significant upgrades to Folsom Field and the development of a state-of-the-art athletic complex? All told, $156 million has been poured into recent projects. "It's transformational for our whole athletic department and for our whole football program," MacIntyre told Insider last summer. "We're progressing. If you didn't have that [facility], it would only go a certain level; now this allows us to get certain recruits we couldn't before. Donors are giving and want us to be successful. We're definitely on the rise."
52. Oregon State, Pac-12
Current head coach: Gary Andersen (second year)
2015 rank: 50 | 2015 record: 2-10
Given its relative isolation in the hills south of Portland and stiff competition from rival Oregon, it's something of a miracle that the Beavers went to 11 bowl games in 16 seasons under Dennis Erickson and Mike Riley. It's a tough standard to continually meet, perhaps indicated by Gary Andersen going 2-10 in his first season. (In fairness, Riley didn't leave him much experienced talent after leaving for Nebraska.)
The challenge: The Beavers are often left fending for recruiting scraps in California. As a result, a staff has to be spot-on with evaluations, finding overachievers, and then it has to be excellent in developing those young players. More often than not, Riley's staffs did this exceptionally well. It cannot be overstated how much tougher it has become for OSU with Oregon now registering as a national brand.
The bright side: Even in the throes of a rotten 2015, Andersen told Insider that he believed in the school's institutional commitment level. That was after the transition from respected veteran AD Bob De Carolis to Todd Stansbury, who had worked at the school prior to a stint at UCF. A $42 million facility is due for completion later this year. It will help OSU keep up with the rest of the league, including the rival Ducks.
51. Kentucky, SEC
Current head coach: Mark Stoops (fourth year)
2015 rank: 45 (tie) | 2015 record: 5-7
It's becoming clearer that Rich Brooks' tenure (2003-09) established a fair set of expectations. Kentucky averaged 7.5 wins his final four seasons, winning three of four bowl appearances. But even then, it finished no higher than a tie for third in the SEC East. If UK fans or administrators expect anything more than that on a regular basis, they're going to be sorely disappointed, and they'll run through coaches in a hurry.
The challenge: As Kentucky's football coach, it's not that you're at a basketball school as much as you're at a basketball school in a football-obsessed conference. If you're going to be successful in football, you had better be as nutso as your SEC brethren. The administration has been decidedly more committed since Mark Stoops took over three years ago (see below), but it's always going to be something that makes an interested coach leery of this particular job. Stoops has recruited as well as Kentucky ever has, and yet he's 4-20 in conference play. Climbing in the SEC is a trying exercise, even in the weaker of the two divisions. You'd ideally want to enter the league somewhere better suited for success.
The bright side: The football program is definitely not being ignored, as evidenced by pumping $120 million into a recent redo of Commonwealth Stadium. A $45 million football office is on the way as well. So basketball isn't getting all the attention. Kentucky isn't a bad high school football state, and Stoops has mined neighboring Ohio for recruits. But again, the roster upgrades haven't yet led to wins. That's alarming for a prospective coach, even if the current staff is largely to blame.
50. Virginia, ACC
Current head coach: Bronco Mendenhall (first year)
2015 rank: 51 | 2015 record: 4-8
When this job opened late last year, it received a good deal of attention from Power 5 coordinators looking for their first jobs (and also from the guy who got it, BYU's Bronco Mendenhall). The takeaway: Virginia is not a destination by any means, but it's perceived by coaches and agents as a solid starting point with more promise than its measly two winning seasons since 2005.
The challenge: There are admissions hurdles to be cleared, though previous staffs managed to sign 14 ESPN 300 prospects since 2011. So the standard isn't entirely prohibitive, but it is something coaches would consider. Those close to the program believe AD Craig Littlepage is nearing retirement -- some believed he wouldn't even make this hire -- so it will be interesting to see what direction UVa goes if and when that does happen.
The bright side: Charlottesville is a scenic, thriving college town, and its central location in the state makes UVa accessible to pseudo-recruiting hotbeds in the Tidewater and D.C. suburbs. Richmond also produces a decent amount of talent each year. The facilities, including a relatively new indoor structure, are underrated and among the top third in the ACC. The league's Coastal Division has proven to be wide open, as opposed to the FSU- and Clemson-led Atlantic side.
49. Kansas State, Big 12
Current head coach: Bill Snyder (25th year)
2015 rank: 52 | 2015 record: 6-7
The Wizard of Little Apple, Bill Snyder, is still on the job. Maybe the 76-year-old is trying to stay until he has turned every last member of the Lockett family into a college star.
The challenge: Above all, it's the terrifying thought of replacing Snyder, the legend with a 193-101-1 mark, who took over what in 1989 was likely the worst college job in the country. He leaves it in a much better place in myriad ways, but these are not the shoes you want to fill. (Ask Ron Prince, who was 17-20 during Snyder's hiatus in the 2000s.) K-State experiences the same recruiting hurdles that Kansas does, adding in the fact that it's two hours from Kansas City. Along with Lubbock and Pullman, it's as isolated as any major college town in America. And that again underlines Snyder's improbable work over the years.
The bright side: AD John Currie is well-regarded among coaches and peers. He has worked to dramatically improve facilities, including spending about $70 million on stadium fixes and a football complex set for completion later this year. Snyder has provided the blueprint for success, but following it will prove more difficult than assembling furniture from Ikea using only the Swedish instructions. The state's talent-rich juco system is the key, and it's something Snyder has leveraged beautifully. When Snyder does step aside, look for Kansas and others in the area to try to shift some of the relationships that KSU has leaned on for so long.
48. Duke, ACC
Current head coach: David Cutcliffe (ninth year)
2015 rank: 58 | 2015 record: 8-5
We were told by agents and coaches that we had Duke too low a year ago. And we listened! With four consecutive bowl trips and 27 victories in the past three seasons -- including a division title -- David Cutcliffe has shown it's possible to become a consistent winner at this noted hoops school.
The challenge: Every Power 5 academic powerhouse wants to present learning as something attractive for families and recruits. Stanford does it better than anyone, but Duke resonates in a similar way. It likewise has national academic cachet. The dilemma is whether a coach can find elite-level players who can qualify. Look at this year's recruiting rankings: Stanford, which has become a regular fixture in the top 15, finished 13th. But not too far behind, at No. 28, was Duke. It was a new high-water mark for the program, which added four ESPN 300 prospects, including three from the heavily recruited Atlanta area.
The bright side: There has been room for Duke to rise in the ACC Coastal, where it doesn't have to fight past traditional powers FSU and Clemson. As far as facilities, Insider visited campus just before the 2015 season, and construction workers were feverishly working on upgrades to Wallace Wade Stadium. It's still modest in size, but it is seeing a significant face-lift. Just on the other side of the stadium, the program's new practice area, including an indoor facility, puts it in the upper third of the ACC. Agents also think AD Kevin White would be a good boss, one who isn't going to cater only to the hoops program. And that has been backed up by the improvements on Cutcliffe's watch.
47. Minnesota, Big Ten
Current head coach: Tracy Claeys (first year)
2015 rank: 48 (tie) | 2015 record: 6-7
Minnesota was the only consensus choice among our five voters. It's a point of transition for the program after Jerry Kill had step aside due to a medical condition. He leaves the Gophers in good shape, with longtime staffer Tracy Claeys taking over. If the search had been opened to the outside, it likely would have drawn overtures from mid-major coaches and established Power 5 coordinators.
The challenge: There's also a leadership issue here following AD Norwood Teague's dismissal amid misconduct. The school is working toward finding his replacement, but the job has already been open for several months. A coach never wants to go somewhere unless he knows with whom he'll work. Even with strides under Kill, who took the school to bowl games in his last three full seasons, it could not break through in the Big Ten. Minnesota hasn't beaten rival Wisconsin since 2003, and it has claimed Paul Bunyan's ax just twice since 1994. The ceiling appears lower than a division title.
The bright side: The outdoor stadium, which opened in 2009, has been a huge step up from the Metrodome. Attendance in 2015 was the highest in the building's seven years. Much-needed support facilities are now on the way. Even with the struggles against Wisconsin, and now Iowa's resurgence, it's still far more palatable to be in the West Division. Moving past Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State would prove far more daunting. Minnesota can remain competitive in the West.
46. Maryland, Big Ten
Current head coach: D.J. Durkin (first year)
2015 rank: 44 | 2015 record: 3-9
We learned a lot about Maryland in the past year. Notably, coaches and agents have figured out that Maryland perhaps has a higher view of itself than others do. That isn't a bad thing, necessarily. There's something to be said for ambition. But there was a potent dose of reality when the school -- after firing coach Randy Edsall -- set its sights as high as Chip Kelly. And it ended up with a Big Ten defensive coordinator, a first-time head coach at that.
The challenge: As mentioned with others in the division, the bottom half of the Big Ten East is going to have a hard time even intermittently moving past its established powers. New coach DJ Durkin learned from Jim Harbaugh and Urban Meyer as a young assistant, and now he's tasked with beating them on the field and on the recruiting trail. In terms of talent and depth, the odds are decidedly stacked against the Terps in that equation. In reality, sticking with the ACC would have provided a better path to football stability and success, but Maryland hoops -- and a money grab by switching leagues -- took precedent.
The bright side: The D.C. metro area and proximity to New Jersey and Pennsylvania provide a fertile recruiting hub, though plenty of other schools are factors in all of those areas. Maryland has always nabbed some local blue-chippers, thanks to the efforts of those such as then-assistants James Franklin and Mike Locksley. Again, is it getting enough to chase the Big Ten's big dogs? And there's that unabashed ambition, headed by AD Kevin Anderson and backed by Under Armour and its head, Kevin Plank. The drive has manifested itself in a $155 million project to turn the old gym, Cole Field House, into a state-of-the-art training facility. Plank himself pledged $25 million up front, the school's website says. The desire of Plank to create an "Oregon East" -- a football power driven by apparel company dollars -- will continue to make this an intriguing job to coaches, one that could eventually climb with consistent commitment. But the recent search demonstrated that Maryland is not yet "there."