ESPN College Football

After the recent reports about Ohio State's self-reported secondary violations, I received several emails like this one from Justin in Plainfield, Ill.:

You have to help us put OSU's 46 secondary violations in perspective. How many did the other Big Ten schools have in the similar time frame?

Or this one from SkullSession in Ohio:

Adam, I love the blog and think you guys do an outstanding job. However, I am disappointed you decided to make Ohio State's reporting of secondary violations "news-worthy." Every school in the country reports secondary violations to the NCAA on a regular basis. Certainly, us Buckeyes are overly sensitive to negative press, especially when streaming from ESPN. But c'mon, wishing a recruit good-luck before a game, or recording a video for a recruit during his official visit while you're out of town....really! I'll be looking for the stories about the other 11 Big Ten schools and their violations.

I understand the frustration and the sensitivity from Ohio State fans who feel like their school is being picked on for something minor. Secondary violations aren't a big deal -- many are absurd in nature -- and every program has them. I also think these reports are noteworthy because Ohio State's compliance office and reporting procedures -- more than the actual secondary issues themselves -- should be monitored after what took place the last few years. This type of scrutiny comes with being a nationally relevant program.

That said, it's also important to put these issues into a larger context. Here are some numbers on secondary violations from the Big Ten, which receives all the self-reports of secondary issues (the NCAA handles all major issues with the schools):

• Since Jan. 1, 2006, the league has received 1,467 self-reports of secondary violations from its members. Of those, 239 (16.3 percent) involved football and 115 (7.8 percent) involved men's basketball.
• Since the start of 2012, the league has received 114 self-reports, including 22 in football.
• Between 2006-2011, the Big Ten received an average of 224 self-reported violations per year, with a high of 261 (2008) and a low of 187 (2009).
• Most Big Ten schools submit 15-30 secondary violations per year, although more than half have submitted more than 30 and several have eclipsed 30 on multiple occasions. The league has had multiple schools submit more than 40 violations in a year.

Ohio State acknowledged Thursday that it consistently leads the Big Ten in self-reports because it has the largest number of varsity sports (36) and the most student-athletes. Purdue has the fewest varsity sports in the Big Ten (18), and the league average outside of Ohio State is around 22 sports.

From the Big Ten's perspective, the number of self-reported violations isn't nearly as significant as the nature.

"We take more of a qualitative approach to reviewing violations than a quantitative approach," Big Ten associate commissioner for compliance Chad Hawley told ESPN.com on Friday. "Numbers necessarily aren't going to get our attention. What we're looking for is: Are there a pattern of violations committed by the same person or is there a violation of a very basic rule? ... If there's any intentionality, we will pay attention."

Hawley reiterated that Ohio State's recent self-reports are "standard" in both number and in nature.

The league office tracks secondary violations committed by particular coaches or officials. The Big Ten also has a compliance and reinstatement subcommittee made up of an athletic director, a senior woman administrator and three faculty representatives. The subcommittee meets every other month via conference call and reviews violations or patterns of violations that have been flagged.

This group sends letters to institutions, asks for reports about specific coaches or issues and can ask coaches to visit the league office for follow-up.

"It's situations where there might be a pattern on the part of a specific individual or maybe a high-profile situation we may pull out," Hawley said. "If it's a fundamental rule and there's not much excuse for that rule to be broken, we'll pull that out. And irresponsible behavior on the part of a coach."

Hawley said more violations occur in football and men's basketball because those sports have more coaches (particularly football), more sports-specific legislation and more media scrutiny, especially involving recruiting. The majority of self-reports across all sports occur because of recruiting issues, including prohibited contact with recruits.

"On one hand, you think a 'bump' or an impermissible phone call may be ticky-tack," Hawley said. "And it can be. But at the same time, if you look at it from a prospect's perspective, if it's done purposely or done enough, a coach can gain an advantage because their perception is this coach cares more about me or this person gave me a call when no one else did."

The bottom line with all of this is that the number of secondary violations don't matter much at all. But not all violations are the same, and if there's a problematic pattern emerging, the Big Ten can step in.

Hope everyone has a terrific Memorial Day weekend. I can already smell the grilled meats.

• Ohio State's John Simon talks about his "Tebowish" dedication. Buckeyes players are following Urban Meyer's marching orders and putting in extra work this summer. Johnathan Hankins is eyeing a national title.
• Athlon ranks Michigan No. 7 in its preseason poll. Which is a lot higher than Phil Steele, who has the Wolverines at No. 22.
• James Vandenberg is getting overlooked in some preseason mags. Iowa will soon enjoy a rarity: opening Big Ten play at home.
• Despite being named the nation's top athletic director, Michigan State's Mark Hollis is among the lowest-paid Big Ten ADs. But he says he's not worried about it. Pat Narduzzi got a big raise.
• Outgoing Minnesota AD Joel Maturi says he has no regrets. Could the new Vikings stadium be in the mix for the Big Ten championship game?
• New Nebraska associate AD Jamie Williams' son will walk on at quarterback next season. DeJuan Groce's 83-yard punt return is remembered in the countdown of Huskers touchdowns by distance.
• Penn State could be the Big Ten's sleeper, but a lot would have to go right. Bill O'Brien reviews the spring and talks about the early schedule in this Q&A.
• BTN's Tom Dienhart previews Week 4 in the Big Ten.
• Illinois needs to start rewarding its loyal fans with some success, Mark Tupper writes.
• Reviewing some preseason Wisconsin player rankings.
• The Big Ten Network has helped expand Northwestern's profile.

As part of ESPN.com's Hate Week, we asked you on Tuesday to vote for the most hated coach of all time in the Big Ten.

Now to wrap up Hate Week -- and we promise it's only going to be love from now on in this space (ahem) -- here are some of your comments on that topic. Let's conclude the Haters' Ball with a bang.

Philip from Iowa writes: No question it's Jim Tressel. First, he wins a lot of Big Ten Championships so naturally everyone else hates him for that. Second, he lost twice in a row in the National Championship, embarrassing the conference on the national stage -- and it hasn't yet been rebuilt. To make matters worse, the 2 games were 1 where OSU was the overwhelming favorite (against FL) and the other was to a 2 loss team (LSU)! Finally, there is the Terrell Pryor saga that happens while Tressel puts out a book called "The Winners Manual for the Game of Life" There is no contest, every school in the Big Ten, including many OSU alums and fans, hate Jim Tressel. Not many coaches can manage that.

Bert from Portland, Ore., writes: Most hated Big Ten Coach.Bo Schembechler. I attended Northwestern during 1975-79 and the football program won five games during that time (with an infamous 0-0 tie agaisnt Illinois). Woody Hayes would bring his team to town and in the post-game conference at least say that Northwestern played hard. Schembechler would complain that Northwestern did not belong in the Big Ten and that Michigan did not make enough money when it played in Evanston. He was a jerk of the worst kind. I remember watching the Homecoming game in 1978 when, during a rout, Northwestern managed to score a touchdown on a trick play embodiment of a fake punt fairly late in the game. Schembechler started screaming at his players and looked like he was on the verge of having a heart attack. The Northwestern fans started chanting "Rose Bowl! Rose Bowl!" In fact, Schembechler was probably the only man in the world who could make me root for USC in the Rose Bowl (which beat Michigan that season). Woody could be gracious in victory and even humble in own way. Schembechler could accomplish neither.

Logan D. from Saginaw, Mich., writes: The most hated coach in the B1G, or who should be the most hated coach, is without a doubt Bret Bielema. The guy just radiates egotism. All you need to do is type his name into Google followed by "is" and you will know exactly what he's like from the suggested words. As a Michigan State fan, I'm not sure if I have ever been angrier with a coach than I was at the end of last year's Big Ten Championship game. After Wisconsin's punter made his Oscar-worthy dive to seal the game, I don't know if I've ever seen a coach as outwardly exuberant as Bret was in that moment. You would have thought his team just scored a touchdown on the most miraculous play in history. I don't know another coach that would be as excited over seeing a yellow flag in the backfield. Plus, not that the guy is in need of an ego-boost whatsoever, but what compels you to put up 70 on Austin Peay and 83 on Indiana? We get it. You can score a lot of points against bad teams.

Brad W. from Philadelphia writes: Most hated coach? Hayden Fry. Unsportsmanlike, completely ungracious, score-runner-upper, never giving the opposition any credit, moronic 3rd-grade stuff like the pink locker room ... just an unpleasant, vicious old man. Could never beat his butt often enough. Runners-up: Earle Bruce, Mike White.

Rich H. from Wayne, N.J., writes: Most hated coach ever? Woody Hayes without a doubt. Surly, unprofessional, a hick, temper tantrums and unpolished. Dial up an automatic loss in almost every bowl game he coached. Track record of more NFL busts than any program sans Nebraska. Unimaginative offense; never changed with the times either. Never scheduled a tough out of conference game regular season without a 2-1/3-1 deal. His famous bout with Ref Jerry Markbreit on the sideline circa 1971? Should have been fired right then and there. Of course 1978 vs Clemson and Mr. Baumann will live in infamy and is the most embarrassing complete breakdown of any major head-coach EVER and televised on national TV to boot. Good thing he wasn't around in today's day and age - that dooming episode would have gone virile in 20 seconds. Yet alums adore this basic jackwagon, go figure. Did I mention his graduation rate? Less than 70%. Should I continue? Nah, jury rests...

Paul from Johnstown, Pa., writes: Love the Hate! I nominate two coaches, one current and one former. First, Bret Bielema...a totally spineless, classless jerk. Runs up the score. Goes for 2 late in the 4th Qtr with games in hand. Whines, whines, whines, whines like a 5 year old. Loses to TCU with a completely loaded team. Makes tacky comments about how great it is to be a Badger fan when questioned about the situations at PSU, OSU and UM. Sprints across the field like a tool to shake hands quickly with opposing coach in total disprespectful fashion .Second, Bo Scumbechler ... yes, "Scumbechler." As a PSU fan, I have an obligation to hate this man for the lack of class he showed when PSU was brought into the B1G. His comments and efforts to exclude PSU and/or to make PSU's admission into the conference unwelcoming still boils my blood.

Danny from Davenport, Iowa, writes: Adam, as a Hawkeye fan it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep from hating Pat Fitzgerald. He may not be on the radar much outside of Iowa City and his body of work may leave some to question this hatred for PF. But, look at this from an Iowa fan standpoint. PF is a whiner and a coward. Take last year, for instance. PF hid behind one of his own players while that player took heat for admitting to the world that Pat Fitz hated Iowa with a passion. One cannot help but think that this is hostility boiling over from the injury incurred during a game when PF was still in pads. Grow up and get over it. Then, there was PFs whole twitter controversy, or should I say the "director of football operations" twitter controversy while he was "accidentally" logged into PFs account. SURE, man up.

Mark from Oklahoma City writes: John Cooper. I was born in Ohio in 1986. Growing up and watching the pain and anguish that John Cooper put on my father's face Saturday afternoons in late November during the 90s was enough to make me despise him. Interestingly, it's during the same period I grew to despise Lloyd Carr. I hated him more at one point until I went to Ohio State during the Jimmy T era which he spent a good amount of time of beating the same Lloyd Carr into "retirement" which cemented Cooper as my most hated coach. Go back to Arizona State, take Gene Smith with you. Give me a coach from Ohio.

Shawn from Minneapolis writes: You gotta admire talent, so I'm not picking on anyone who won, not even those [REDACTED] coaches from Michigan. Most hated B1G coach: Tim Brewster, with a pathetic record of (*googles* ... cripes it didn't feel like that many wins) 15-30 in FOUR LONG YEARS. Long live Coach Kill!

Zach from Lincoln, Neb., writes: In regards to your most hated coach ever...Can the worst coach not have ever coached in the B1G? I think universally, Bill Callahan (excuse my french) is the dirtiest word that can be spoken in 'sker country.

Joe P. from Chicago writes: My most hated Big Ten coach ever is John L. Smith. As a Spartan fan, it was bad enough getting regularly slaughtered by our rivals (and inferior programs like Indiana), but he made our program into a punchline. God Bless Dantonio.

Chris from Wisconsin writes: As soon as Urban Meyer entered the B1G he instantly became the most hated coach of all time. As a Badger fan, I didn't even really hate any coaches in the Big Ten over the years but wow do I hate Urban Meyer and I can't even figure out what it is. I can't stand the guy and he has yet to coach a game at OSU hoping Bielema runs up the score on him for many years to come "and for Urban many is about 3 which is how long I expect him to stay at OSU.

Robert V. from West Bloomfield, Meechigan, writes: Most Hated Big Ten Coach:Wayne Woodrow Hayes.

Travis form Midland, Mich., writes: As a Michigan fan, I would have to say I hate Jim Tressel the most. I was not alive during the 10-year war between Woody and Bo, so I don't hate Woody as much as some other Michigan fans. The biggest reason I hate Tressel the most would be the violations. Before "tattoogate" broke, I hated him, but I respected him for running an honest program. After the NCAA violations, I hated him and I lost most of my respect for him. Personally (and this might be my Michigan fan bias), I believe Ohio State went beyond just the tattoos. I believe that there were rule infractions as early as Maurice Clarett. To sum it up, I hate Jim Tressel because, 1. He coached at Ohio State, 2. He was extremely successful against Michigan, 3. He turned his back to NCAA violations and is labeled a cheater in my mind because of this. My second least favorite coach might just be Jerry Sandusky, for obvious reasons.

John from New Hampshire writes: Easy question: Lloyd Carr hands down without a doubt. His sideline ranting made it even easier to just despise Meeechigan. His BS screaming for more time on the clock won him a miracle game about five years ago when Penn State was in the Big House and winning till Lloyd's crying got the refs to make a historically insipient call, giving undue time on the clock and giving those hideously clad (...that bright yellow....) chumps the game - and costing my beloved Nittany Lions perhaps a perfect season.

Six Big Ten centers have been named to the spring watch list for the Rimington Trophy

They are:

• James Ferentz, Iowa, Sr.
• Travis Frederick, Wisconsin, Jr.
• Will Matte, Indiana, Sr.
• Graham Pocic, Illinois, Sr.
• Brandon Vitabile, Northwestern, So.
• Matt Stankiewitch, Penn State, Sr.

Michigan's David Molk won the award in 2011. The Big Ten was loaded at the center spot last fall, boasting players like Wisconsin's Peter Konz.

The SEC leads all conferences with nine players on the watch list, the Big Ten had six, while the ACC, Mountain West and Pac-12 have five players each.

Ferentz and Pocic appear to be the Big Ten's top centers, although Frederick, who started in place of the injured Konz late last season and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors at guard, is an interesting name to watch.

Michigan State's Mark Hollis won a prestigious athletic director of the year award Wednesday, in part because he often breaks from the norm and thinks outside the box.

But he's also a traditionalist when it comes to certain topics, including the makeup of conferences. Another round of major realignment seems imminent, with the ACC squarely in the crosshairs, and the potential for 16-team superconferences remains real. Hollis echoed what Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said last week, telling ESPN.com on Thursday, "The Big Ten is very comfortable [at 12 teams] but very prepared."

Hollis knows Delany must be in a position to act if necessary. He's also concerned, though, about the reasons fueling realignment and the potential larger impact on college sports.

"I'm very much a regionalized individual," Hollis said. "I believe college sports need to be collegiate in its focus. You have to look beyond the one-sport mentality where a lot of these decisions are being made just around football. I understand the value and the importance that football has, but you have student-athletes competing in a lot of different sports. These affiliations, as they start breaking down by sport, are going to create a lot of confusion, which will be a concern for the sport. ...

"In some cases, you almost have fear as part of the decisions being made."

Fear, both on the part of individual schools and entire leagues, has kept realignment fluid for the better part of two years. No school or league wants to be irrelevant. And in an environment where massive TV deals are being awarded to conferences, no one wants to be left out.

The results are West Virginia in the Big 12, Syracuse headed to the ACC and Boise State heading to the Big East for football only.

"We're paying market value on coaches' salaries, trying to keep facilities that are very high up, trying to generate scholarship funds," Hollis said. "In order to pursue those revenues, we are sometimes making some decisions that are counterproductive to the way college sports have developed. I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I'm just saying we need to pause as an industry and really grasp what it is we are doing to intercollegiate sports."

Hollis' call for pause might be futile in an environment where everything seems to be in fast-forward. But at least one decorated athletic director hasn't completely lost perspective.

"I'm a purist in college sports," he said. "I love to see the pennants flying, I love to see school against school in so many sports the way Harvard and Yale compete against each other. I understand that we need to generate funds. I just want to make sure that we keep things in check and balance from that collegiate model."

Let's all go to the mail:

Mike from Chicago writes: I can't begin to explain how utterly confused I am as to your stance on Big Ten expansion. My question is why can't the Big Ten just sit on their hands while every other conference expands to 16 teams. According to Adam, "Leagues would completely lack intimacy and commonality, teams would play even less often and there would be filler teams everywhere." As a fan of the B1G and Wisky, I would be livid if going to 16 teams meant Wisconsin would play Iowa even less than we do now and instead we had to play a Maryland team. Even if the league did get a bigger TV contract, it would still have to split the money evenly with an additional 4 members. And how in the world would the national image of your conference improve if you added teams like Rutgers or Maryland? And Notre Dame? Seriously?!?! The only thing Notre Dame is the Holy Grail of is being consistently nationally irrelevant for as long as I can remember.

Brian Bennett: You make good points, Mike, and as we wrote, the Big Ten isn't really interested in expanding beyond 12 at this time. Unfortunately, there could be some more major changes in alignment, and "sitting on your hands" is usually not the wisest business strategy in a changing marketplace. What superconferences could mean is even more massive TV deals, and the Big Ten doesn't want to be left behind. I totally agree that there are not many attractive candidates for expansion, but the options could turn out to be really poor if the league isn't ready to pounce. For now, the Big Ten simply needs to monitor the situation and have contingency plans in mind, as I'm sure it does.

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Victor from Dayton, Ohio, writes: I was reading your and Adam's article on possible B1G expansion and I had a thought. Adam mentioned the idea of trying to get NC. My question is, while they may not add much to the football side of the conference (similar to Rutgers and Maryland that you mentioned) wouldn't it nice to see a Spartan-Tarheel shoot out multiple times a year in basketball? I think it has the possibility to turn into the basketball version of football's U of M-OSU rivalry. It would also make the B1G probably the best basketball conference out there. Thoughts?

Brian Bennett: It would no doubt be great for basketball, but basketball hasn't mattered one iota in this entire expansion circus. If so, Syracuse would never have left the Big East. That's why I think a team like Virginia Tech, which is a little worse fit academically and isn't great in basketball, is much more attractive. It's all about football.

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Jeremy from Transplanted Cornfield in West Virginia writes: Much has been made of the scheduling hiatus, and let's be realistic the only concern is for the marquee teams in the League. I realize that scheduling is done years in advance, but why not schedule League games 2 years out and use a Premier League inspired method? During a given year note the standings of the member teams and for the schedule two years hence match the top teams against each other. The biggest problem I see is in maintaining home-away locations evenly amongst the B1G, but I am sure that there a lot of smarter people than I who could work it out. Basically, we as fans get to see more "move the needle" games, and the League perception just may increase nationally. ... I think that if the B1G were to commit to the top 4-6 teams consistently playing each other, the quality of the teams would increase through being more battle tested. Your take?

Brian Bennett: It's an interesting idea, and while football schedules are often made years and years in advance, this is actually fairly workable given that teams already have dates for conference games booked. I do see a couple of problems with your scenario.

First of all, even two years out, it's not always possible to identify who the top teams will be. For example, if you were doing the schedule for 2011 back in 2009, there's no doubt at all you would have pegged Ohio State as one of the top teams. And yet the Buckeyes went 6-6. The same could be said for Iowa. Secondly, by putting so-called marquee teams together, you end up with the same potential problem of huge gaps between games for some teams. Your plan would avoid situations like Michigan State-Wisconsin missing each other for four years but not necessarily help, say, Illinois and Iowa play. There really is no perfect solution for an eight-game schedule in a 12-team league.

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Dan from Tempe, Ariz., writes: Love blog! I find it interesting (and sad) that it seems inevitable that we will have four 16-team super conferences. If this is case, what do you think about the idea of doing away with non-conference games all together and play an entire regular season (12-game) against conference opponents, with the division winners playing in a conference championship, and the four conference champions playing in a playoff for the national championship? While I think this situation is far from ideal, it creates a de facto 8-team playoff (i.e. winners of each division play each other) and it would be hard to complain that a national champion is undeserving.

Brian Bennett: I really like the idea of full round-robin conference play. However, I think you lose something with no nonconference opponents. Games like Michigan-Alabama are what get us pumped up for the season. And if everyone played in their own conference until the playoffs, the sport would be in danger of becoming too regionalized. I'd much rather watch Ohio State play USC than make sure it faces Northwestern and Minnesota, for instance.

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Rob NitLion from Morristown, N.J., writes: Brian, I'm very interested to hear your rebuttal to this theory. You recently wrote about the reasons that Urban Meyer is the most "hated" coach in the B1G (based on reader voting) without ever coaching a game. As a devoted B1G Blog reader, my theory, based on other mailblog and weekly chat questions, I think there has been an overwhelming feeling that Urban Meyer AND the Buckeyes have been hyped up "more than a tad" by you and Adam, based on Urban's track record and Ohio State's past dominance of the B1G, which has angered a lot of readers and thus led to this "hatred" of Urban Meyer. As a Penn State fan, I have no issue with Meyer as a coach, albeit I think he was lucky to have a few great players in his short time there, but I really think that a fair share of this reader sentiment has been produced through the many blog articles written by you and Adam that have made the Buckeyes instant favorites, somewhat rightfully so, but I do think that a majority of your readers have based their "hatred" on the overflow of Pro-Buckeye "propaganda". Brian, your witness...

Brian Bennett: If I may approach the bench ... Well, first of all, I certainly haven't made the Buckeyes "instant favorites." I have them ranked No. 25 in my preseason poll, behind four other Big Ten teams. (As for Adam's ranking, well, you'll have to talk to him.) I get that there has been a lot of hype about Meyer, not just from this corner but from all over the place. Which I think is justified, given Meyer's track record -- two national titles and an undefeated season at Utah cannot solely be attributed to luck and "a few great players" -- and Ohio State's vast resources. I would also argue, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that fans of other teams wouldn't be bothered by the hype nearly as much if they didn't believe most of it themselves, deep down. And the defense rests.

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Eli from New York writes: "There's little doubt that Meyer is going to win at Ohio State, just as there's little doubt many won't like him because of it."How about a little wager: $5000 that he doesn't win the B1G in 2013? I'd wager for having the best record this year, but we all know you don't have to have the best record to win the league.

Brian Bennett: I wouldn't bet large sums on any one team to win the conference in 2013, both because there's still enormous parity in the league and a lot can happen -- injuries, suspensions, etc. -- between now and then. If you offered me a bet that Ohio State would win the league at least once before 2015, I'd definitely take it. I also believe the Buckeyes will be playing for a national title by then. What kind of odds can I get on that?

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Trotter from Des Moines, Iowa, writes: Phil Steele doesn't have JVB on any of his 4 B1G teams ... OK? He has Keenan Davis as one of his top receivers. ... Hmm, QB's throw Receivers the ball still right? 3000+years last year is pretty good right? Unproven on the road, but c'mon! Out of all B1G QB's from last year coming back, JVB is the obvious first choice, no? Which QB would you take first in you and Adam's "fantasy" CFB teams?

Brian Bennett: I have a lot of respect for Phil Steele, and his preseason magazine is a must-have resource for any serious college football fan. But simply put, he blew this one. No way James Vandenberg shouldn't at least be on one of the top three teams. He's the best pure pocket passer in the league, hands down, and I think Iowa will lean on him heavily in lieu of a proven running game. Now, as far as fantasy goes, I'd still take Denard Robinson. Big running stats from a quarterback are immensely valuable in fantasy. Of course, given Adam's fantasy acumen, he'd probably draft an offensive lineman first.

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Matt from Minneapolis writes: Minnesota came really close to pulling off some pretty big upsets last year against USC and Michigan State. With a team that looks to be improved from last year, do you see any scenario in which the Gophers pull off an upset against a team eyeing a conference championship? If so, what game would it be?

Brian Bennett: I would expect the Gophers to at least scare the bejeezus out of a league contender. How about the Nov. 3 home game against Michigan? Minnesota wasn't remotely competitive against the Wolverines last year and will be looking to atone for such a poor performance at the Big House. Michigan will be coming off two straight tough games against Michigan State and then at Nebraska and could be physically beat up. Not saying Minnesota will pull that upset, but I could see a close game.

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Shawn J. from Scranton, Pa., writes: You questioned whether Rob Bolden made the right career move by staying at Penn State. It's doubtful that Bolden will ever play in the NFL. So any career move should prioritize his post-football plans. With that in mind, what's his best move? Keeping his full ride at a premier research university.

Brian Bennett: Sure, that's a totally understandable option, and being a backup at Penn State might be preferable to starting for an FCS school. We have no idea of what Bolden's priorities and personal goals are. But it has been my experience that most players want playing time, first and foremost. I'm not sure how much he's going to get with the Nittany Lions going forward unless he shows radical improvement.

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Malcolm from Del Mar, Calif., writes: If Michigan's coaching staff does what they do best and get the two sides of the line playing close to last year's squads, would that make them the favorite in the B1G Legends Division?

Brian Bennett: It would make them at least the co-favorites. The lines are definitely the biggest worry spot. But don't forget that last year's team played great and still didn't win the division. And that was with a favorable schedule. This year's schedule is much more difficult, with road games at Nebraska and Ohio State, plus the always difficult Michigan State game.

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Jim from Winchester, Va., writes: Which game, and what kinds of things will you see in the nonconference schedule that will make you think to yourself..."Nebraska's defense looks like it may sneak up on the BIG, and is actually pretty good."

Brian Bennett: I see what you did there, Jim. Making me agree with your point and only asking me when I will agree with it. Crafty move. Anyway, I'll be optimistic about Nebraska's defense if it shuts down its first two opponents. Southern Miss finished 14th in the nation last year in scoring more than 36 points per game, and even though the Golden Eagles will have a new quarterback and a more defensive-minded head coach, they still have plenty of weapons. Then Nebraska goes to UCLA, which resembles an offensive juggernaut the way I look like Brad Pitt. But the game is still on the road, and new coach Jim Mora will likely have some tricks up his sleeve. Strong performances in both those games will signal good things for the Huskers. Still, I'm way more interested in how they are going to handle Wisconsin and Ohio State to start Big Ten play.

Look, I know that you're concerned, but I'm designing T-shirts now. They're gonna be huge. Also medium and small.

• Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith says the department isn't facing any major violations right now. Former Buckeyes linebacker Andrew Sweat chooses safety over potential NFL stardom.
• Michigan State expects top quarterback Andrew Maxwell (knee) to be 100 percent by June. A look at several 2013 recruits Michigan State has offered.
• Jerry Kill says Minnesota needs a facilities upgrade soon. Minnesota's outgoing AD Joel Maturi weighs in on playoff possibilities and other Gopher-related topics.
• Penn State 2013 recruit Greg Webb talks about his recovery from a torn ACL. Lions coach Bill O'Brien reviews spring ball and looks ahead.
• Indiana coach Kevin Wilson is geared up for his second season in Bloomington. Wilson weighs in on the trickiness of non-league scheduling.
• BTN.com's Tom Dienhart looks at Week 3 in the Big Ten this season.
• Purdue offers scholarships to two teammates from Georgia (subscription required) who both play defensive end.
• Hail to the Orange writes that Illinois needs Tim Beckman to be its version of Hayden Fry.
• Great news as Iowa announcer Gary Dolphin is cancer free and ready for the 2012 season.
• Several freshmen offensive linemen could be in the mix for Michigan this year. Michigan's backup quarterbacks remain works in progress.
• A look back at Tom Rathman's 84-yard touchdown run for Nebraska in 1985.

Back in February, a day before Valentine's Day, we asked blog readers to vote for the most disliked coach in the Big Ten.

And, boy, did you vote. More than 27,000 people submitted their choice, and the "winner" by a slim margin was Ohio State's Urban Meyer.

Think about that for a moment. The most disliked coach in the Big Ten, according to our highly unscientific poll, was someone who won't coach his first game in the Big Ten until September. Why?

There are a couple of reasons behind those feelings. Meyer definitely ruffled some feathers across the league with his aggressive recruiting tactics, flipping committed players to the Buckeyes and angering fans and some coaches along the way. Yet he certainly isn't the first nor the only coach to change a prospect's mind or push the envelope on the recruiting trail, even in the supposedly genteel Big Ten.

Some of it also must stem from the nature of Ohio State as a program. Because of their size and status, the Buckeyes are always going to be a lightning rod for other fans, especially those from Michigan. Kermit the Frog would get hate mail from some quarters if he coached in Columbus.

But those things alone can't fully explain the immediate dislike of Meyer. Sure, he has been criticized for the way he handled some things during his tenure at Florida, but since when do Big Ten fans care about what happens in Gainesville?

No, the underlying reason Meyer inspires hatred among some fans is more simple than that. It's because they know he wins. Wins big. And that's scary.

Meyer has a 104-23 record as a college head coach. He's won two national titles, guided Utah to an undefeated season and claimed two other BCS bowl victories. Anyone who doubts that the marriage between Meyer and Ohio State, with all its resources and access to elite Division I talent, isn't going to produce wildly successful results is fooling themselves.

Deep down, other fans know this, and that's a big reason why they don't like Meyer already. In sports, you don't truly hate those you don't view as threats. Red Sox fans hate the Yankees, but until recently, the Yankees just saw the Red Sox as annoying pushovers. Same goes for Cardinals-Cubs.

It's no coincidence, then, that the four coaches we chose for our most disliked poll are all big-time winners. Wisconsin's Bret Bielema finished a close second to Meyer. Bielema has an engaging, outgoing personality, but he has also beat up on a lot of Big Ten teams while going 60-19 and making the past two Rose Bowls. And he's not afraid to keep pouring on the points when he's ahead. Same goes for Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, who has drawn the ire of Michigan fans by beating the Wolverines four straight times. You'll notice that no one hates Indiana's Kevin Wilson yet, because his Hoosiers have yet to defeat a Big Ten team. Brady Hoke isn't too popular in Ohio these days, but did Ohio State fans every really have cause to hate Rich Rodriguez?

Haters gonna hate, as they say. And winners are going to win. There's little doubt that Meyer is going to win at Ohio State, just as there's little doubt many won't like him because of it.

It's chat day, and we had some good discussion and debate early this afternoon.

In case you missed out, I've got you covered with a complete chat transcript.

Here are some highlights:

Jon from Augusta, Ga.: Having a 9th conference game could alleviate many of the long layovers (e.g., OSU-Neb, UW-MSU) that are coming up. Do you think the league would entertain the thought of staging a yearly set of 6 neutral site games (i.e., one for each team) as a 9th conference game? In this way, each team would keep an even # of home and away games, and it could increase B1G exposure in large cities within (Detroit, Cleveland, etc) and near (St. Louis, DC, NYC) the conference footprint.

Adam Rittenberg: Jon, that's an interesting proposal, but again, the problem is the reluctance of several Big Ten schools to part with home games. The thought of five guaranteed games away from home (road or neutral) just won't fly with some ADs in this league. But I obviously like the idea of fewer gaps between league matchups, and the neutral-site element is very interesting given what's happening around college football right now.

Smitty from Carmel, Ind.: If Michigan loses to Alabama in a close game, do they have a chance at a NCG if USC, Bama and LSU all have one loss at the end of season.?

Adam Rittenberg: Depends on those losses, Smitty, and how they came about. Michigan also would need the teams it beat to get to 11-1 -- Notre Dame, Michigan State, Ohio State, Nebraska, etc -- to be highly regarded nationally. If Michigan beats Notre Dame and Nebraska but neither team wins 10 games, the wins don't hold as much value for the Wolverines. Bottom line: it'd be tough for the Wolverines to get to Miami without beating Bama.

Chris from Santa Monica, Calif.: If you were a Head Coach, would you schedule a bunch of night games (or try to) for National Exposure, even if it could possible hinder your team's success? IE, UM has 3 night games this year, all away from AA.

Adam Rittenberg: Depends on which team I'm coaching, Chris. Three night games away from home aren't ideal, but Michigan can win all three contests in my view. And what a season that would be, to go on the road and repeatedly win at night. If I'm Michigan, I want one home night game a year and maybe one on the road. If I'm Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana or Minnesota, I want as many night games as possible to showcase my program. But there aren't many downsides to night football, in my view. It certainly doesn't seem to bother folks in other leagues as much as it does Big Ten folks.

Bama Fan from Denver: Adam, I was curious what you would say to SEC (and Bama folks) about Jim Delany's obvious bid to try to keep more than one SEC team out of the last four (although it could ostensibly happen down the road to two B1G teams I suppose). Are fans up there embarrassed by this? I sure would be if Mike Slive was putting up the same argument. thanks!

Adam Rittenberg: SEC fans crack me up. What do you expect him to do? Bow to the mighty Slive and just say, "Fill the playoff with your obviously superior teams! Don't mind us!" C'mon, Bama fan. Of course Delany is going to fight to have his conference champion in that mix as much as possible. He's the Big Ten commissioner, not the SEC appreciation commissioner. It'd be like Slive openly stumping for playoff games in the north. It's never going to happen.

Bill from Chicago: B1G doesn't want 9-game conference schedules because of regular games with Notre Dame (Mich., MSU, Purdue) and 4/5 home/away splits. The PAC-12 plays 9-game conference schedules despite regular games with Notre Dame (Stanford, USC) and 4/5 home/away splits. What's the difference?

Adam Rittenberg: The Pac-12 has always taken a more aggressive scheduling approach than the Big Ten, Bill. And the Pac-12 coaches, quite frankly, hate it because it hurts their chances of winning national titles. The 9-game league schedules, while benefiting Pac-12 fans, have unquestionably hurt the league in getting BCS bowl bids and winning national titles. So which do you want: more enjoyable regular-season schedules or stronger positioning to unseat the SEC atop college football?

Thanks again for your questions and your participation. If you didn't get a question answered, try again next week before I take a bit of a chat hiatus.

Jim Delany may or may not get everything he wants in a new college football playoff system, but it's still good to be the Big Ten commissioner.

According to USA Today, Delany was the second highest-paid conference commissioner in 2010, the year for which the most recent tax records are available. Delany made nearly $1.8 million, with a little more than $1.2 million in base salary and more than $550,000 in other compensation. USA Today reports his pay increased about nine percent.

That puts him second only to Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, who was paid $1.9 million in salary and bonuses. Scott received that salary in his first full year as Pac-12 (then Pac-10) commissioner, but he has earned his money with innovative ideas, including expansion.

What's a measly $100,000 between friends? We propose that Scott and Delany put the differences in salary on the line for the first Pac-12/Big Ten series in 2017. Any takers?

Both men, surprisingly, made much more than SEC commissioner Mike Slive, who took home just over $1 million. If Slive could just get the SEC to succeed in some team sports, perhaps he'd be in line for a raise. Of course, the cost of living is a little lower in Birmingham, Ala., than it is in the Chicago area or Northern California, where Delany and Scott go to work.

The tireless Phil Steele, he of the eponymous and indispensable college football preview magazine, has come out with his preseason All-Big Ten teams. You can find them -- which include four teams for offense, defense and special teams -- on his blog here.

Some of Steele's choices were obvious ones, like Montee Ball, Rex Burkhead, Ricky Wagner and Taylor Lewan on the first-team offense, and John Simon, Kawann Short, William Gholston, Gerald Hodges, Chris Borland, Mike Taylor and Johnny Adams on the first-team defense.

Steele picked Michigan's Denard Robinson as his first-team quarterback, with Ohio State's Braxton Miller on the second team. Iowa's James Vandenberg doesn't appear on his top four teams, which is very surprising.

Receiver may be the hardest position to figure out this year in the Big Ten. Steele has Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis, Iowa's Keenan Davis and Michigan's Roy Roundtree on his first team. He picks Ohio State's Jake Stoneburner as the top tight end in a year when that position could be stacked. Wisconsin's Travis Frederick, Michigan State's Chris McDonald and Nebraska's Spencer Long are the first-team interior linemen.

Steele likes Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins as a first-team performer on the defensive line. He goes with four linebackers, making room for Illinois' Jonathan Brown. Iowa's Micah Hyde joins Adams at first-team cornerback, while Michigan State's Isaiah Lewis and Ohio State's C.J. Barnett are the safeties.

Wisconsin leads the way with seven first-team picks, while Michigan State has the most players on all four teams, with 16. Ohio State has 15, including receivers Corey Brown and Devin Smith on the fourth team. Minnesota had only one player on Steele's top four teams -- Troy Stoudermire, who appears as the fourth-team cornerback and fourth-team kick returner.

Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett will occasionally give their takes on a burning question facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide which blogger is right.

With college football still buzzing from last week's announcement of a Big 12/SEC champions bowl game, there is more talk about potential realignment and super conferences. Today's Take Two topic is this: What moves should the Big Ten make if the conference landscapes again start to shift?

Take 1: Brian Bennett

I don't think the Big Ten is very interested in expanding past its current 12 members, but Jim Delany and the league have to be ready to do something if the winds change. That could happen if a couple of ACC teams bolt for the Big 12 or somewhere else, creating some free-agent chaos. The problem for the Big Ten is that there are not a whole lot of really attractive schools who fit geographically, academically and culturally. Maryland and Rutgers would probably be the best two possible additions, but neither get your blood pumping. Maryland is a bit of a mess right now with its major sports, while Rutgers has never really accomplished anything in football. Neither makes the league stronger. Notre Dame remains the Holy Grail but looks far more interested in joining an expanded Big 12 if it ever is forced to give up its independence. Schools like Florida State and Clemson just don't mesh with the Big Ten. If the league needed to add, I think Virginia Tech might be a good target. While the Hokies may not be an ideal fit, they are highly competitive in football and open up some new areas of exposure for the conference. That would make bringing in Maryland and/or Rutgers more palatable. But let's hope it doesn't come to that, because the Big Ten is in really good shape right now with 12 teams.

Take 2: Adam Rittenberg

I agree that 12 is a good number for the Big Ten, and any further expansion, other than Notre Dame, would likely be a reluctant move for the league. But the Big Ten can't afford to sit on its hands while the realignment landscape remains so active. Let's make this clear: I hate the idea of 16-team superconferences. It's expanding for the sake of expanding. Leagues would completely lack intimacy and commonality, teams would play even less often and there would be filler teams everywhere. That said, the Big Ten likely can't afford to stay at 12 if both the SEC and the Big 12 go to 16 teams. Beyond Notre Dame, the Big Ten likely would be adding for the sake of adding. But unfortunately, that's the reality. In this case, Maryland isn't the worst option, although Maryland's athletic department is a mess right now. I think it would be important to stretch the boundaries -- every other league is doing so -- and look to the southeast. Georgia Tech is a potentially intriguing option, located in a major market (Atlanta) in SEC territory. The AAU factor remains extremely important to Big Ten presidents, despite Nebraska's loss of membership. AAU schools that make sense include Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia. While it's nice to think about the Big Ten having a larger presence in the New York market, there's a risk there because Rutgers doesn't bring you much. The more prudent move would be to look to the southeast.

Hump day linkage:

• Michigan AD Dave Brandon not only doesn't favor using campus sites for semifinal games, he doesn't think they should be played in the Midwest anywhere, not even indoors. Huh?
• Pat Harty argues that the Big Ten should go to geographical divisions to avoid some of the gaps between rivals on the schedule. Dallas Clark might be the best story of the Kirk Ferentz era.
• Bruce Feldman has an excellent story about how two dirty plays don't define Michigan State's William Gholston.
• Steven M. Sipple looks at some of the candidates to eventually replace Tom Osborne, including recent hire (and former Huskers player) Jamie Williams. Nebraska picked up its first offensive lineman in the Class of 2013.
• Joe Paterno earned a state pension of more than $13 million during his 61 years at Penn State. A look at four big recruiting targets for the Nittany Lions this summer. Rob Bolden is staying put.
• Purdue got a $2 million donation that could go toward some improvements at Ross-Ade Stadium (but not lights).
• Tom Dienhart breaks down the best of Week 2 in the 2012 Big Ten season.
• Minnesota's Jerry Kill shared some optimism at a Rotary Club event.
• A planned SEC Network could eclipse the revenues of the Big Ten's similar venture.
• Gene Smith says Ohio State's athletic department is in its "glory years."
• Stewart Mandel talks realignment and playoff possibilities in his SI.com mailbag.

Tough news for former Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa. As the Chicago Tribune's Teddy Greenstein reports, Persa needs a second surgery on his right Achilles tendon, a procedure which could end his playing career.

Persa, who went undrafted last month, re-injured the tendon during a free-agent workout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He originally tore his Achilles near the end of the Iowa game on Nov. 13, 2010. Though the Wildcats mounted a Heisman campaign for Persa last spring, he had a couple of setbacks with his rehab and was never fully comfortable.

A foot specialist with the Indianapolis Colts told Persa he needed to shut things down now.

"He said my foot was at 65 percent," Persa told the Tribune, "and during the season, it was probably at 50 percent. He said: 'If you ever want it to be semi-normal again, you have to have another surgery.'"

Even at just 50 percent or so last year on his foot, Persa completed 73.4 percent of his passes, finishing second in the Big Ten in pass efficiency behind Wisconsin's Russell Wilson. He led the league in passing yards per game, at 237.6, and had 17 touchdowns against seven interceptions.

Still, he was no longer the running threat he used to be. Persa could have sought a redshirt last year and fully healed. But he says he has no regrets, and isn't going to mope if his football career is over.

"Six years at a place is a long time," he said. "If I never play again, I'm happy with what I've done."

Most Big Ten coaches label their jobs with a capital D for destination. When a head coach arrives on a Big Ten campus, he usually isn't looking for his next stop. Big Ten fans take pride in this.

The league has been largely immune from the wandering-eye coaches who leave programs at inopportune times for the next big thing. Even the Big Ten programs that could be classified as stepping stones haven't been left in the lurch very often in recent years. While it's not shocking that a Big Ten coach hasn't jumped to a different college job, it's a bit of a surprise that the NFL hasn't plucked one away.

The last Big Ten coach to voluntarily leave his team at a less-than ideal time was Nick Saban, who ditched Michigan State for LSU on Nov. 30, 1999. Saban had led the Spartans to a 9-2 record, a No. 10 national ranking and berth in the Florida Citrus Bowl. Although then-Michigan State athletic director Clarence Underwood praised Saban for putting the program "back on solid ground," Saban's departure put the school in a tough situation. Less than a week after Saban's departure, Michigan State promoted longtime assistant Bobby Williams to head coach, a decision that didn't turn out well.

After flirting with several bigger-name programs during his time at Northwestern, Gary Barnett finally left to take the Colorado job on Jan. 20, 1999, just weeks before national signing day. Although Northwestern immediately named Barnett's replacement, Randy Walker, the drawn-out saga wasn't much fun, given what Barnett had meant to the school.

But since Saban and Barnett, the Big Ten hasn't had any coaches voluntarily leave at bad times. There have been some midseason firings (Tim Brewster at Minnesota, Williams at Michigan State) and some late firings (Rich Rodriguez at Michigan, Glen Mason at Minnesota), but in those cases the schools, not the coaches, made decisions that put themselves in tough situations.

The most recent instances of coaches leaving Big Ten programs in tough spots involved two men who certainly didn't walk away on their own terms.

After months of scrutiny stemming from the tattoo/memorabilia scandal and his attempted cover-up, Jim Tressel resigned his post as Ohio State's coach on Memorial Day of 2011. Tressel stepped down just three months before the season and with spring practice all wrapped up. Ohio State knew it would be without Tressel for the first five games of the 2011 season, but his resignation under pressure left the program scrambling.

The school named 37-year-old assistant Luke Fickell, who had never been a head coach before, to the top job. After six consecutive seasons of Big Ten titles (won or shared), Ohio State went 6-7 under Fickell last fall, its first losing season since 1988 and its first seven-loss season since 1897. Ouch.

But the ugliest and most untimely departure was yet to come. Five days after former Penn State assistant Jerry Sandusky was arrested on child sex abuse charges, Penn State's board of trustees voted to fire longtime coach Joe Paterno. The date: Nov. 9. Penn State was 8-1 at the time, and 11 days earlier Paterno had recorded his 409th coaching victory, moving him past Eddie Robinson for the most wins in college football history. Hours before the board's decision, Paterno had announced he would retire following the season, his 46th as head coach. Instead, he was informed via telephone that his tenure was over, which triggered a backlash from Penn State students and fans.

The school promoted longtime assistant Tom Bradley to interim head coach. Bradley led the team during a hellish eight weeks that featured, among other things: a 1-3 record that knocked Penn State out of the Big Ten race; snubs by several bowl games who didn't want to deal with a p.r. nightmare; the announcement that Paterno had been diagnosed with lung cancer; a locker-room fight that left starting quarterback Matthew McGloin concussed and unable to play in the bowl; and a seemingly rudderless coaching search that took too long and put Bradley in an awkward situation.

In six months, two iconic Big Ten programs lost incredibly successful coaches under extremely messy circumstances.

A Big Ten coach bolting for an NFL job suddenly doesn't sound so bad.