Stability hasn't exactly been a word associated with Minnesota sports leadership in recent years when you consider Jerry Kill, who was hired late in 2010, is the longest-tenured current head coach among these six major teams: Gophers football, Gophers men's basketball, Wild, Timberwolves, Twins and Vikings. The Wolves, Twins and Vikings, of course, all hired new leaders in 2014.

The same could be said in terms of stability and the Vikings QB position. Since Brett Favre's run ended late in the 2010 season, seven different quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Vikings — and in 2013 and 2014, three different quarterbacks have started games for Minnesota.

That said, that lack of stability is starting to change — particularly with respect to specific football rivals, both college and pro.

If the Gophers are going to become consistent contenders in the Big Ten's West Division — something that is hardly a given, but is at least a possibility — they will need to consistently compete against and sometimes defeat Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Nebraska's coaching situation could not be uglier or more volatile than it is right now, with Bo Pelini lighting a match in the corn field and watching it all burn on his way out. Wisconsin's situation is different, with two coaches bolting for other teams since 2012, leaving the Badgers to introduce yet another head coach, Paul Chryst, on Wednesday. Chryst could very well keep the Badgers' train moving right along. But it's impossible to say that situation is stable right now.

The Gophers? A year ago, there were all sorts of questions about Kill and his health. He has answered those brilliantly and along with a devoted staff has kept Minnesota moving on an upward trajectory. Among the Gophers, Badgers and Huskers, Minnesota — by a long shot — has the most stable coaching situation right now.

On the pro side, the Vikings entered the season with — again, by a long shot — the least stable QB situation of any team in their division. Aaron Rodgers entered as the league's best quarterback and still in his prime with the Packers. Matthew Stafford is an above-average starter still growing with the Lions. And the Bears had just handed Jay Cutler a massive contract. The Vikings had just drafted a QB in the first round for the second time in four years, admitting they were starting over again.

Rodgers and Stafford have done nothing to change their standing … but when it comes to QB stability in the division, the Vikings no longer bring up the rear. Part of that is because Teddy Bridgewater has shown enough in his rookie season to convince us that while his ceiling isn't someone of Rodgers' caliber, his floor is as an adequate starter in the NFL for years to come. The Bears, meanwhile, just benched Cutler and will start Jimmy Clausen at QB this week.

Long-term, Cutler might still turn it around in Chicago. But his tenure there — already rocky at times — has turned completely volatile. We'd take the Vikings' situation 10 times out of 10 over Chicago's right now, and that's not something we would have said three months ago.