Let’s keep the coach debates rolling with who coaches in the heart of the Big Ten.
The case for Bielema:
Known for building teams on toughness, Bielema is right at home in the Big Ten. And despite some tough times at Arkansas, he’s still had only three losing seasons in 14 as a head coach, and two of those were his first seasons in Fayetteville and Champaign, respectively, where he was asked to turn around programs that were in shambles before his arrival. The fact that he’s already turned Illinois – a program that hadn’t been relevant for nearly two decades – into a division contender within 12 months is nothing short of a miracle. Bielema’s teams are always among the best in the nation in running the ball and have nasty offensive linemen.
The case against Bielema:
Things deteriorated at Arkansas pretty quickly, and he was never able to get over the hump against superior competition or win the big game. That same issue reared its head at Wisconsin, where he lost consecutive Rose Bowls, especially against TCU when the Badgers had a far superior roster. And outside of Russell Wilson (a one-year rental as a grad transfer), he hasn’t been able to develop any difference-makers at quarterback.
The case for Fitzgerald:
Northwestern is one of the two or three hardest jobs in the entire Power 5 to win at, and Fitzgerald has won more than any coach in the history of the program by a country mile. With the recruiting limitations due to the academic standards in Evanston, Fitzgerald has to do more with less than almost anyone in the Big Ten and routinely does. The Wildcats have two division titles in the past five seasons and have finished .500 or better in 10 of 16 seasons that he’s been at the helm.
The case against Fitzgerald:
When things go bad for the Wildcats under Fitzgerald, they go very, very bad. So while they’ve won two division titles in the past five years, they’ve also gone a combined 7-29 in the other three seasons. What’s been most concerning, though, is that their defense – Fitzgerald’s calling card as a former All-American linebacker – has completely fallen off in the past few seasons.
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The verdict:
Pat Fitzgerald’s body of work is undoubtedly impressive, considering the odds that are stacked against him, and he’s proven that he gets the most out of the talent on hand. But Bielema is a better recruiter at this point and appears to be on the upswing again as a coach and program leader. The toughness and attitude that he brings on a daily basis to the facility is something that any program would love to have.
