Kirk Ferentz no longer Big Ten’s oldest head football coach

Nebraska hired an old dude.

Just kidding. Because 61 isn't old. Mick Jagger is 71. Iowa has a U.S. Senator, Chuck Grassley, who is 81.

But Mike Riley, who seemingly came out of nowhere (OK, out of Oregon State) Thursday to become the Cornhuskers' new head football coach, immediately became the oldest Big Ten head football coach.

He replaced Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, who is 59.

Now it's up to Michigan to hire someone older than 61 to make a statement against the ageists out there. Unlike the racists and sexists and homophobes, however, ageists will eventually become what they discriminate against. If they're lucky, that is.

Here's the Big Ten football coaches and their ages:

Mike Riley, Nebraska: 61

Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: 59

Mark Dantonio, Michigan State: 58

Randy Edsall, Maryland: 56

Jerry Kill, Minnesota 53: (Aug. 24, 1961)

Kevin Wilson, Indiana: 53 (Oct. 23, 1961)

Gary Andersen, Wisconsin: 50 (Feb., 19, 1964)

Darrell Hazell, Purdue: 50 (Apr. 14, 1964)

Urban Meyer, Ohio State: 50 (July 10, 1964)

Tim Beckman, Illinois: 49

Kyle Flood, Rutgers: 43

James Franklin, Penn State: 42

Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern: 40

Michigan: ????