[NU Sports] FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL: Day Eight ...

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

One week in already and time is flying! As always, feel free to discuss, disagree, share or suggest (especially for best games of the decade!) and most of all, enjoy and get psyched for football season, only 32 days away now!

FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL
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> DAYS 1-10: The top coaches of the decade

10) Glen Mason, Minnesota
09) Bret Bielema, Wisconsin
08) Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
07) Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
06) Randy Walker, Northwestern
05) Lloyd Carr, Michigan
04) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa

> DAYS 11-20: The top games of the decade
> DAYS 21-30: The top players of the decade
> DAYS 31-40: The top teams of the decade

TOP COACHES
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3) Joe Tiller, Purdue

(62-50 overall, 37-35 in league play, 1 Big Ten title)

No coach has had more influence on Big Ten football in the past decade than Wily Joe Tiller. It began in 1997 when “basketball on grass” was first introduced to the “3 yards and a cloud of dust” Big Ten. Two 9-win seasons and Alamo Bowl wins later, you could start to see things changing as believers were converted. But the question still lingered - sure you get points and 8 wins, but can it win championships?

The answer came in 2000, and it’s fitting that Tiller’s Boilermakers finally made it to the promised land of Pasadena in that exciting year. Big Ten football was turned on its head in 2000, with Randy Walker’s Northwestern team putting up 40+ points on a regular basis, Drew Brees and the Boilers setting passing records and even mighty Michigan getting into the offensive explosion mix. It was as notable moment of truly changing the game that ranks right up there with the option and winged T formations.

Unfortunately for fans in West Lafayette, 2000 was the high point in the Tiller era. They had more overall wins (9 again) in 2003 and rose to a top 5 ranking nationally before finishing the season in Orlando, but that would be their only other January 1 appearance. After 8 straight bowl appearances, 2 of the final 4 Tiller years ended without the postseason and an orderly transition at the top was made. It hurt the numbers on his record a bit, but anyone involved in Big Ten football knows that Tiller’s impact on the game over the past decade is measured in much more than just wins and losses. 

Joe made it to Pasadena, which puts him ahead of some coaches on this list with better records, and he had a profound impact on the game we see on the field today as fans. And as a fun little kicker, beginning with that Rose Bowl team in 2000, his teams played some underrated defense and once Drew Brees left, the more notable Boilermakers on draft day usually came on that side of the ball. Tiller made a graceful exit and rode off into the west to relax in mountain country, but fans of exciting football are forever thankful.

Coming Tuesday: The decade's comeback "kid"

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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