I'm at Bowling Green in Tark. Took the school from D- prestige to B-. Here are my last four seasons:
128: 26-4 (28 RPI, 136 SOS), regular season & CT champ, 1st round NT exit
129: 27-3 (54 RPI, 270 SOS), regular season & CT champ, 1st round NT exit
130: 22-8 (67 RPI, 178 SOS), regular season & CT champ, 1st round NT exit
131: 20-10 (62 RPI, 95 SOS), regular season & CT champ, 1st round NT exit

I'm looking to move to a job in a Big 6 conference (ACC, SEC, B10, B12, P10, BigEast).

Here are my B6 options:

Not Qualified:
South Carolina (A prestige)
Louisville (B+)
Purdue (B+)

Keep Looking:
Virginia (B-)
Fresno State (B-)
Iowa State (B-)
Cal (B-)
Alabama (B-)
Oregon (C+)

Step Backwards:
Texas Tech (C)
Rutgers (C-)
Arizona State (D+)
Iowa (D+)
Northwestern (D+)

Two questions:

1. What do I have to do, in terms of future success, to unlock those "Keep Looking" schools?

2. Which of the Step Backward schools has the most potential, just based on location?

From my experience you would need to get a school like Bowling Green up to a high B+ to be considered for any of the jobs you have listed as "Keep Looking". For the most part those are pretty high profile programs and they aren't going to hire a coach from a mid major who cant get past the first round of the tourney. To get up to a B+, you will need to get some tourney wins and hopefully have a player or two drafted.

The other option would be to take one of the big 6 "step backwards" schools, and get them up to a B/B- (which should be much easier to do than at Bowling Green on account of baseline prestige), then apply to one of the higher tier schools. Its easier to jump from a big 6 to a big 6 than from a mid major. Either way, you need to win tourney games.

FWIW, I would probably make the move to Arizona St and start a full blown rebuild in the PAC 10. While I would love to have you join us in the Big East at Rutgers, it is easily the hardest conference in Tark, consistently #1 RPI, and recruiting and conference play are absolutely brutal. Be prepared for a long rebuild there. Similar story with Texas Tech, really tough conference to rebuild in. I think Arizona St would give the best shot at landing some higher tier recruits and get you ready to jump to an elite program.

Question 1) I just think you need to win a First Round Game. I feel sure that is all that is holding you back at this point.

Question 2) Just not Iowa or Northwestern. All three of the others have a certain quality, and good recruiting potential. My first Big Six job was at Iowa. First that State has very few recruits, and the other Big Ten and Big 12 Schools really kill you locally. Northwestern is a little better as the number of recruits, but Illinois, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Michigan State can all crush you for local talent.

From my experience, you can get a Big Six job if your current school is 2 prestige notches higher. So at B-minus Bowling Green, a "C" school would be gettable. And from your list, that looks to be the case (though there could be some fractions within the prestige grade that alter this).

So, if Oregon, for example, sucks next year, they might fall to a straight-C, and if you maintain your B-minus or better, they should be available to you. Actually, yes, Oregon will totally blow next season cuz they're losing Altamirano, and their prestige will lose the 58 RPI from 4 seasons ago. They will go 4-23 at best, and definitely drop to a "C"... so you can start looking for homes in Eugene right now!

personally i think Arizona St isn't a great job, because there isn't a huge amount of recruit generation there and you and Arizona could battle each other to mediocrity, with him having the advantage due to a higher baseline.

Texas Tech has some isolation which can be good and bad. it's a tough conference. I'd probably still take it over Arizona St.

I'm at Rutgers in Knight and it's challenging. crowded area. tough conference. you have the lowest baseline in the conference. you lose every battle to Syracuse, lol. honestly, I'm not loving it.

never played in the Big Ten in this game so hard for me to comment. there are a few schools in Iowa and I've seen coaches at places like N Iowa have success, so it certainly can be done. Northwestern seems like an okay location since Illinois is not a powerhouse in Tark, but I have no firsthand experience, and it is also the lowest baseline prestige in that conference so you're handicapping yourself a little.

i don't really love any of those jobs and would probably stay another season, unless your prospects there are bad for next season and would hurt your resume.

Agree TT > ASU.

Related question: which is the best of the Keep Looking jobs?

Honestly, I think if you have patience, Iowa is a good landing. Other than that, I agree with Bath. You'd have a shot at rebuilding Iowa. I would not go to the SEC nor the ACC. If you want to wait, of course Cal seem like a nice place, maybe Oregon.

Posted by npb7768 on 11/3/2017 12:19:00 PM (view original):
From my experience, you can get a Big Six job if your current school is 2 prestige notches higher. So at B-minus Bowling Green, a "C" school would be gettable. And from your list, that looks to be the case (though there could be some fractions within the prestige grade that alter this).

So, if Oregon, for example, sucks next year, they might fall to a straight-C, and if you maintain your B-minus or better, they should be available to you. Actually, yes, Oregon will totally blow next season cuz they're losing Altamirano, and their prestige will lose the 58 RPI from 4 seasons ago. They will go 4-23 at best, and definitely drop to a "C"... so you can start looking for homes in Eugene right now!

First paragraph isn't close. I jumped from mid-B+ Weber State to 17th prestige in the country #2 A- Colorado. #36 prestige to #17, I believe.

Posted by grimacedance on 11/3/2017 3:08:00 PM (view original):
Related question: which is the best of the Keep Looking jobs?

Personally, I like Oregon the best of these but I think a case could be made for just about all of them. The only one I don’t like is Fresno St ... low baseline for a Big 6 ... and frankly they’re not really a Big 6 school are they?

From the other list, I too like Texas Tech.

Posted by cubcub113 on 11/3/2017 4:17:00 PM (view original):

Posted by npb7768 on 11/3/2017 12:19:00 PM (view original):
From my experience, you can get a Big Six job if your current school is 2 prestige notches higher. So at B-minus Bowling Green, a "C" school would be gettable. And from your list, that looks to be the case (though there could be some fractions within the prestige grade that alter this).

So, if Oregon, for example, sucks next year, they might fall to a straight-C, and if you maintain your B-minus or better, they should be available to you. Actually, yes, Oregon will totally blow next season cuz they're losing Altamirano, and their prestige will lose the 58 RPI from 4 seasons ago. They will go 4-23 at best, and definitely drop to a "C"... so you can start looking for homes in Eugene right now!

First paragraph isn't close. I jumped from mid-B+ Weber State to 17th prestige in the country #2 A- Colorado. #36 prestige to #17, I believe.

Context is very relevant here. Your Weber St team was well ahead of it’s baseline. Your success (a final four, right?) opened up more opportunities.

Not everyone has jobs above their current prestige levels open to them, and the OP clearly doesn’t have your Weber St resume.

If you look at it from the point of view of what is the minimum you have to do to get a big six job I don’t think npb is as far off as you suggest.

Posted by possumfiend on 11/3/2017 4:35:00 PM (view original):

Posted by cubcub113 on 11/3/2017 4:17:00 PM (view original):

Posted by npb7768 on 11/3/2017 12:19:00 PM (view original):
From my experience, you can get a Big Six job if your current school is 2 prestige notches higher. So at B-minus Bowling Green, a "C" school would be gettable. And from your list, that looks to be the case (though there could be some fractions within the prestige grade that alter this).

So, if Oregon, for example, sucks next year, they might fall to a straight-C, and if you maintain your B-minus or better, they should be available to you. Actually, yes, Oregon will totally blow next season cuz they're losing Altamirano, and their prestige will lose the 58 RPI from 4 seasons ago. They will go 4-23 at best, and definitely drop to a "C"... so you can start looking for homes in Eugene right now!

First paragraph isn't close. I jumped from mid-B+ Weber State to 17th prestige in the country #2 A- Colorado. #36 prestige to #17, I believe.

Context is very relevant here. Your Weber St team was well ahead of it’s baseline. Your success (a final four, right?) opened up more opportunities.

Not everyone has jobs above their current prestige levels open to them, and the OP clearly doesn’t have your Weber St resume.

If you look at it from the point of view of what is the minimum you have to do to get a big six job I don’t think npb is as far off as you suggest.

Right, i was describing the minimum necessary for Bowling Green, where based on his 4 first-round exits, two prestige ticks should be enough for Big Six. Weber State is way more accomplished so it's a different story.