Big Ten Football: Brady Hoke's Not the Only NFL-Caliber Head Coach

According to AnnArbor.com, ESPN college football analyst (and former Washington Huskies QB) Brock Huard named Brady Hoke as one of four college coaches who could make a successful transition to the NFL. Huard doesn't expect the move from Hoke—as well he shouldn't—but it's more than fair to point out the fact that Hoke's skill set translates well to the next level.

But Brady Hoke isn't the only Big Ten coach who could make the jump to the next level. Here are some more coaches who are NFL material, either right now or down the road.

10 years from now: Bill O'Brien, Penn State

Bill O'Brien was the offensive coordinator at New England last season. His innovative use of tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski helped lead the Patriots to the highest-scoring offense in the AFC—by over 100 points—and back to the Super Bowl for the first time in four years.

As a first-time head coach this year, O'Brien needs a substantial amount of head coaching experience before he'll be getting calls from the league. But Penn State is a great place to get that work in.

And who knows? At 42, he may just take after his predecessor and hang around Happy Valley for a few decades.

5 years from now: Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern

Pat Fitzgerald is even younger than O'Brien (he's 37), but he's got six years of head coaching experience under his belt and a de facto lifetime contract from Northwestern to show for it. His teams are extremely well-coached, and his offenses are every bit as innovative as anybody else's in the Big Ten—yes, even you, Ohio State and Penn State.

Although it's entirely plausible that Coach Fitz is an Evanston lifer, he'll be getting calls from the NFL very soon.

Today: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa

We know Kirk Ferentz is NFL material because the NFL has tried to woo him multiple times in his tenure at Iowa. A Brian Belichick disciple from his days at Cleveland, Ferentz has turned down the Jacksonville Jaguars and Green Bay Packers to stay at Iowa—and there were probably more inquiries by other teams that just never saw the light of day.

In terms of accomplishing more without an inherent talent advantage, Ferentz is one of college football's best—and that's a skill the NFL is looking for from a coach.

Now, that all said, the window's closing on Ferentz's NFL suitability. He's turning 57 before the start of the season, and there isn't much of a market in the NFL for coaches over 60 who have never led a franchise there before.

It's okay to admit that Ferentz's star was burning brighter in the league before he went around turning offers down. But if Ferentz ever had an itch to go to the next level, he probably wouldn't have to look hard for a suitor.

5 years ago: Jim Tressel, Ohio State

Jim Tressel enjoyed a talent advantage over nearly everyone he faced at Ohio State, to be sure. It's easy to look like a better coach when your players are better, stronger and faster. But in a game so cyclical, so susceptible to the whims and vagaries of chance, Jim Tressel's teams just never faltered, never took that big step back.

That is amazing.

Of course, Tressel's window of suitability has since closed; he's turning 60 by the end of the year. And although the behavior he permitted at Ohio State would be downright normal on an NFL team, his flouting of authority and proper procedure with his superiors is enough of a red flag that he's not really worth a hire anymore.

But just imagine if it were Tressel, not Jim Caldwell, who had taken over for Indianapolis when Tony Dungy retired after the 2008 season. He'd probably have a Super Bowl ring to go next to his BCS championship ring. His reputation with the NCAA wouldn't be in tatters. He'd be one of the greatest football coaches of all time. What an "if."