The Big Ten’s rise has been built on more than just the names at the top of the sidelines. The head coaches grab the headlines, sure, but the coordinators have become a major reason the league keeps producing elite teams and, by extension, head-coaching candidates.
Heading into the 2026 college football season, there are 10 assistants in the Big Ten who can make a real case for a jump up the ladder if they put together another strong year. Some are proven program-builders. Others are fresh in new roles and looking to turn one big season into a power-conference job.
At Indiana, both coordinators sit near the top of that conversation. Bryant Haines comes in at No. 1 after winning the Broyles Award and guiding a defense that finished second in scoring defense and fourth in total defense last season.
That unit was flat-out dominant, and while Haines still needs another solid year, the track record is already strong enough to make him one of the league’s most attractive names. Right behind him is Mike Shanahan, whose offense helped Indiana put up 41.6 points per game in 2025, good for seventh in the country.
That kind of production turned heads, and it’s hard to imagine him staying put for long if the Hoosiers are good again in 2026.
Ohio State also has two assistants on this list, and both come with plenty of buzz. Matt Patricia landed in Columbus as Ryan Day’s defensive coordinator and immediately helped the Buckeyes hold opponents to just 9.3 points per game.
Another year of that kind of output would only strengthen his case, especially with so much defensive talent gone. On the other side, Arthur Smith arrives as the offensive coordinator after Ryan Day again looked to the NFL for help.
Smith brings experience as both an NFL offensive coordinator and head coach, which should give him a chance to hit the ground running.
Penn State’s D’Anton Lynn is another defensive mind worth watching closely. He was the coach who turned USC’s defense from a liability into a strength after arriving from UCLA, and now he’s back at his alma mater. If that kind of transformation carries over in Happy Valley, his name will be right in the middle of the next hiring cycle.
Oregon’s Chris Hampton is moving into a bigger spotlight too after Tosh Lupoi left the Ducks’ defensive coordinator job for the Cal head coaching position. Hampton had already been central to Oregon’s success, especially with the safeties, and his work at Tulane plus the talent around him in Eugene should keep him in the mix next offseason.
There are also a few assistants whose stock could rise with the right season. Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. was already mentioned for head-coaching jobs this past cycle, and the next test is whether he can keep the offense rolling after Luke Altmyer. The Illini averaged 29.4 points per game this season, and another strong showing would force more people to take him seriously as a candidate.
Michigan’s Jason Beck is in a similar spot after following Devon Dampier from New Mexico to Utah before landing in the Big Ten with the Wolverines. If he can get Bryce Underwood moving in the right direction, he’ll add another strong chapter to an already promising rise.
Then there’s Cortez Hankton at Ohio State, who steps into a bigger role after Brian Hartline left for the USF head coaching job. Hankton has already built a strong reputation as a developer and recruiter, with stars like Ladd McConkey, Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr, and Kyren Lacy among his success stories. Now he’ll be working with Jeremiah Smith and Chris Henry Jr, which should only raise his profile.
LaVar Woods rounds out the list at No. 8 after nearly two decades in the Big Ten. He spent eight seasons running Iowa’s special teams units under Kirk Ferentz before taking on a new role at Michigan State, and his reputation has been built over a long stretch of steady work. The question now is simple: who eventually gives him the head-coaching shot?
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