[NU Sports] the Zook watch

[Mike Nolan]

Here's how I see the Big Ten coaches stacking up

Wisconsin       Bielema is gold plated safe.  Besides, Barry loves him.  

Michigan State  Dantonio is also gold plated safe, but better have 
                a replacement for Kirk Cousins lined up.

Northwestern    Fitz has a lifetime job for as long as he considers it the 
                job of a lifetime.

Nebraska        The Pelinis (Bo and Carl) are both safe but IMHO Bo could 
                be lured away by the right offer.  Mike Stoops has 
                tarnished the 'hire a great coach's brother' concept for now.

Minnesota       Jerry Kill won the pig.  He's safe, but is he healthy?

Michigan        Hoke's doing a great job, darn it, Michigan is on the 
                road back to the top.  But there is that little obstacle 
                down in Columbus to deal with.  That's the problem with
                a one game 'real' schedule.  

Purdue          Hope getting his team bowl eligible will give him 2-
                3 years more, at least.  Beat Iowa and he gets a 
                contract extension.  

Indiana         Wilson isn't doing as badly as I thought he would do 
                in year 1.  Maybe he should start throwing chairs around,
                it worked for Bobby.  

Iowa            Ferentz is going to show up on the 'most overpaid coaches' 
                list again list soon, I suspect.  A loss to Purdue followed
                by a crushing defeat in Lincoln would put him on the hot
                seat for next year.  

Ohio State      It'll depend on when and how hard the NCAA drops the 
                hammer, but if the Columbus Dispatch has to reset the 
                'days since Michigan last defeated Ohio State in football' 
                counter on their website, that will seriously hamper 
                Fickell's chances of staying in an 'on the job' training 
                program.  Right now, I'm guessing he'll be there in 2012,
                possibly without the 'interim' label.  But James Van Ness
                was the interim chair of the department of Electrical
                Engineering at Northwestern for 18 years.  

Illinois        They have to pull the plug on Zook some time, why not 
                this year?  An 0-6 finish might do it.

Penn State      Hello, anybody want this job?  :crickets chirping:
--
Mike Nolan