The Big Ten players' poll debuted Monday with a look at which Big Ten coach the players would want to compete for the most. Now it's time to look at which coach they'd want to avoid suiting up for on Saturdays.
As a reminder, these interviews took place with 28 Big Ten players representing 11 teams in recent weeks. We interviewed 2-3 players per team. The players agreed to answer five questions, on the condition of anonymity. While you can guess who said what about whom, we're not revealing any specifics.
Here's Question No. 2: Which Big Ten coach would you least like to play for?
Results
Danny Hope, Purdue -- 4 votes
Bret Bielema, Wisconsin -- 4 votes
Kevin Wilson, Indiana -- 3 votes
Urban Meyer, Ohio State -- 2 votes
Brady Hoke, Michigan -- 2 votes
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa -- 2 votes
Bo Pelini, Nebraska -- 2 votes
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern -- 1 vote
Bill O'Brien, Penn State -- 1 vote
Tim Beckman, Illinois -- 1 vote
Jerry Kill, Minnesota -- 1 vote
No one/decline to say -- 5 votes
Player comments
On Ferentz: "He's a Type A personality and I'm a Type B."
On Meyer: "It seems like it's all about him."
On Wilson: "He seems a little animated, to say the least."
On Hope: "I really wouldn't want to play there."
On Pelini: "He's a screamer."
Unlike the first poll question, this one yielded a wider range of responses. In fact, Michigan State's Mark Dantonio is the only Big Ten coach not mentioned. Several of the players simply picked the head coaches of their rival program, and some noted that they wouldn't want to play at certain schools, not necessarily for certain coaches. I think several coaches, namely first-year bosses O'Brien and Beckman but also possibly Hope and Wilson, were hurt by not being as well known throughout the league as some of their colleagues. Bielema's total again seems a bit surprising and might have more to do with what his teams do to Big Ten opponents (beat them soundly) than his personality. Among the five players who didn't answer or declined to, effort was made on our part, but they wouldn't budge. And, just in case you're wondering, no player voted for his own coach here.
Coming up Wednesday: Dirtiest opposing player(s)
Previously
Part I: Big Ten coach you want to play for the most