Pick a word, any word.

That’s what I asked the 65 coaches from the Power Five conferences and Notre Dame to do. Describe their team in one word.

Some coaches were one-word wonders, but a few insisted they needed two words. That’s fine because the descriptions shed some insight into how coaches view their team and/or what they want the public perception of their team to be.

Of the 65 coaches, “hungry” was the most common description. Nine coaches went with it, making a “hungry” team the modern-day equivalent of the “taking it one game at a time” cliché. Four coaches used “unproven,” another four “experienced” and three said “young.” Two coaches each used “redemption,” “committed,” “improved” or “youthful."

In all, the 65 coaches used 44 different descriptions.

Well, here’s to taking it one “word” at a time. My word: Enjoy.

Big Ten

Illinois’ Tim Beckman: Family

Indiana’s Kevin Wilson: Cusp

Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz: Developmental

Maryland’s Randy Edsall: Hungry

Michigan’s Brady Hoke: Together

Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio: Committed

Minnesota’s Jerry Kill: Hungry

Nebraska’s Bo Pelini: Exciting

Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald: Focused

Ohio State’s Urban Meyer: Fast

Penn State’s James Franklin: Perseverance

Purdue’s Darrell Hazell: Hungry

Rutgers’ Kyle Flood: Hungry

Wisconsin’s Gary Andersen: Youthful