Big Ten Coaches Think Minnesota Is One of the Worst Jobs in the Conference

Of the 18 teams in the Big Ten, anonymous coaches allegedly think that the job in Minnesota is among the worst. Of course, no job in the Big Ten is really a bad job.

Jan 17, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Niko Medved and assistant coaches react during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Of the 18 teams in the Big Ten, the men's basketball head coaching job at the University of Minnesota is thought of as one of the worst in the conference. That's according to an anonymous survey of Big Ten coaches that was conducted by The Field of 68.

In the survey, the Minnesota job ranked 15th. The only jobs ranked behind Minnesota are Northwestern, Rutgers, and Penn State.

1. Michigan
2. Indiana
3. Michigan State
4. Illinois
5. Purdue
6. UCLA
7. Ohio State
8. Oregon
9. Wisconsin
10. Maryland
11. Washington
12. USC
13. Nebraska
14. Iowa
15. Minnesota
16. Northwestern
17. Rutgers
18. Penn State

🔥 BIG TEN JOB RANKINGS 🔥

We anonymously polled coaches and asked them to rank every job in the league! 👀

RANKINGS HERE ⬇️https://t.co/EnxQCsKqvz pic.twitter.com/1yGzChpDev

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) January 27, 2026

While it's an interesting ranking, there really aren't any bad jobs in the Big Ten. It's arguably the premier conference in college basketball, and being one of the 18 head coaches is an incredible opportunity.

What we know is that Big Ten coaches voted based on unspecified parameters, although The Field of 68 says "recruiting base and facilities were a major factor" in past rankings, and "now it's obviously financial resources (NIL) that are paramount."

How much NIL each Big Ten program is working with is a mystery, but it's safe to say that the Indianas, Michigans, and Illinois' of the world have deeper pockets than Minnesota.

That's largely why former Gophers head coach Ben Johnson didn't get the opportunity to run it back in 2023-24 with the previous season's roster, as Elijah Hawkins, Pharrel Payne, Braeden Carrington, and Joshua Ola-Joseph all transferred. That Gophers team also lost Cam Christie to the NBA, leaving Dawson Garcia and Mike Mitchell Jr. as the only major returnees on the 2024-25 team, which ultimately led to Johnson's firing and the hiring of Niko Medved.

What we're seeing now is some Medved magic. He's working with a team that is ravaged by injuries and seriously lacking size, but the Gophers have been extremely competitive and have two wins against top-25 teams. They've lost five in row to fall to 10-10 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten, but four of the five losses were very close and could have gone either way.

The toughness and style of play have generated optimism in Gophers Nation, with fans very excited to see what Medved can do with another year of recruiting and roster building in the transfer portal.

Minnesota is back in action Wednesday night at Wisconsin, with the opening tip set for 8 p.m. CT.