1. USC

Pete Carroll has proven over his six-year tenure that he is the top dog when it comes to coaches in the Pac-10. After taking over the program during one of its worst stretches ever, Carroll went on to coach his way to five consecutive seasons of 11 wins or more, and two national championships. His recruiting skills cannot be overlooked, having brought in several top NFL picks, like Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer.

2. California

No current coach in the conference has done a better turnaround with a program than Jeff Tedford. In the year prior to his arrival in Berkley, the Bears went 1-10. Four short years later, Tedford has them at the forefront of the national title discussion. Known primarily as an offensive genius, Tedford has been the architect of great college careers of Joey Harrington and Kyle Boeller.

3. Oregon

Mike Bellotti has quickly become the Don Corleone of the Pac-10. With the firing of Dirk Koetter this past offseason, no other coach even comes close. As the coach of Oregon over the past 11 years, Bellotti has gone bowling in all but two of those seasons, turning the UO into a football school instead of ... well, nothing.

4. Arizona State

The Sun Devils lucked out when they bungled the Dirk Koetter situation, which led to his firing, and then had Dennis Erickson fall into their laps. Erickson, who is known best for his dine and dash policy with schools he coaches, fled the boring pit of Moscow, Idaho for Tempe, Ariz. and a chance to retire as a winner. Questionable tactics aside, Erickson boasts a good college record at 148-65-1.

5. Oregon State

Under no circumstances should any coach succeed in Corvallis, Ore, yet the Beavers' coach, Mike Riley has done just that. Riley has made the most of his second run with OSU, especially last year by punching the Trojans in the mouth and winning the Sun Bowl. That kind of year will get a street named after him in sleepy Corvallis.

6. Washington

The gleam of the Huskies' most recent coaching hire of Tyrone Willingham is still there but fading. Two sub-par, .500 seasons have left a foul taste in the mouth of fans, but it would be foolish to see that there hasn't been improvement. Willingham is one of the ultimate players' coaches, and his closeness with his players could translate into on-the-field success. If not, this ranking could plummet.

7. UCLA

The Bruins are much like Washington in that the sheen of a new hire is fading quickly. Karl Dorrell has not missed a bowl game in four years and is an alumnus of the school, but his 29-20 record and inability to successfully challenge the Trojans has made his future dim.

8. Arizona

Mike Stoops can only live off the success of his brother's name for so long. While Stoops has been a fantastic recruiter and a great energy guy for his players to feed off, his labors have produced rather unsatisfying results. A 12-22 record and no bowl appearances may be enough for the retirement community of Tucson, but not for those close to the program.

9. Washington State

Bill Doba is, well, finished. Many of the team's most loyal fans are beginning to turn on Doba. Everyone agrees that he's a nice guy and all, but he hasn't produced wins. But seriously people, this is Pullman! What do you want? Mike Price may as well have been a god for the kinds of miracles he pulled off as coach at WSU.

10. Stanford

This grade may as well read as "incomplete." At least for ASU and Dennis Erickson, there is some track record of success, but Jim Harbaugh brings a completely unknown commodity. One stint at the University of San Diego and a mediocre NFL career are not the kind of accolades Cardinal boosters should be jumping for joy about.