Big Ten: Indiana Hoosiers
Had a good weekend. Went bird hunting with Ken Cosgrove.
- Some reasons for optimism for Illinois, according to Howard Griffith.
- Indiana defensive line signee Darius Latham put his appetite on display (subscription required).
- Iowa's opener vs. Northern Illinois will set the tone for the season, Bryce Miller writes. A Texas safety became the Hawkeyes' sixth commitment. A walk-on linebacker was injured in a moped accident.
- Michigan no longer is looking for a transfer quarterback. The Wolverines' fate could depend on how quickly young players mature. Jake Ryan's recovery is going well.
- Damion Terry talks about his all-star game experience and getting ready for Michigan State. The Spartans got a commitment from an Ohio defensive back. Gerald Holmes' father is the rock in his life.
- Minnesota landed a tight end recruit. The heavy lifting remains for Gophers AD Norwood Teague.
- A motor that never stops helps set a Nebraska offensive line recruit apart. The Huskers saw strength where others didn't in a Texas cornerback.
- Studying the evolution of Northwestern's offense. The Wildcats' secondary is in pretty good shape.
- Urban Meyer must tweak his offense to stay ahead of defenses. Phil Steele ranks Ohio State No. 2, and here is his preview of the Buckeyes. An Ohio State all-decade team.
- Bill O'Brien is due for a raise in a couple of weeks. Fatherhood added perspective and drive for Penn State defensive back Malcolm Willis.
- Purdue added a Texas quarterback and an in-state lineman over the weekend.
- A preview of Wisconsin's passing game.
Earlier today, Adam and I debated who would lead the league in passing yards in 2013. Now, it's your turn to decide.
Here are five candidates to win the passing title:
Who's your pick to lead the Big Ten in passing? Vote now in our poll.
- Taylor Martinez, Nebraska: Adam's choice to lead the league in passing yards, Martinez has improved greatly as a thrower and finished second in the Big Ten last season in total passing yards with 2,871. He's also got a deep group of receivers to work with in the Huskers' explosive offense.
- Devin Gardner, Michigan: My pick as the passing champion, Gardner averaged more than 240 yards passing per game last year after taking over for Denard Robinson. That projects to more than 3,000 yards over a 13-game season. Plus, the Wolverines should throw more as they move to a full-fledged pro-style attack.
- Braxton Miller, Ohio State: Miller threw for just 2,039 yards last year but has worked hard on his mechanics this offseason, and the Buckeyes want to throw the ball downfield more this season. The receiving corps is still a bit thin, but don't bet against Miller's talent.
- Indiana's starter: Cameron Coffman passed for 248.5 yards per game last year, tops among all returning Big Ten quarterbacks. And the Hoosiers led the league in passing yards. The complication is that there's a three-man QB race between Coffman, Nate Sudfeld and Tre Roberson. If one emerges as the clear-cut front-runner, he could put up some prolific numbers.
- Penn State's starter: If Bill O'Brien can turn Matt McGloin into a 3,000-yard passer, what can he do with Tyler Ferguson and Christian Hackenberg? If only we knew which one of those guys would take the majority of the snaps. One thing is for sure: Whoever starts will benefit greatly from throwing to the league's best receiver (Allen Robinson) and a deep and talented group of tight ends.
Who's your pick to lead the Big Ten in passing? Vote now in our poll.
Mitch Ewald gets his kicks as Indiana leader
June, 13, 2013
Jun 13
3:30
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
During a football practice, kickers are usually in their own little worlds. They're often on another field or alone in a field house practicing their crafts -- part of the team, yes, but mostly apart from it.
Mitch Ewald doesn't like that. So this spring, as Indiana would begin warmups, you could find the Hoosiers' 5-foot-10, 174-pound kicker running routes and catching passes with the receiver group.
"When Coach [Kevin] Wilson sees me, he just points and laughs," Ewald told ESPN.com this spring. "But when I wear the gloves, my hands are all right."
Ewald isn't content to just do his own thing. He's a fifth-year senior who has handled Indiana's field goals and kickoffs for the past three seasons, so he feels some ownership of the team.
"I really wanted to step out of my comfort zone and be more vocal this year," he said. "Be more one of the guys rather than just the kicker specialist."
You rarely see kickers mentioned as team captains, but the Hoosiers will take leadership where they can get it. Wilson has thrown boatloads of freshmen into the fire the past two seasons, and last year's team had only three senior starters. Ewald is one of the lone true veterans who has played the past three seasons.
Wilson said that in a vote for captains this spring, Ewald finished in the top six.
"Our kids respect him a lot," he said. "Of course, that also tells you something about where our team is at right now."
Even if Ewald were to just focus on his kicking, he'd be a valuable member of the team. He has made 44 of 55 kicks during his career and was second in the Big Ten in touchbacks on kickoffs last year.
He needs just five more field goals to become Indiana's career leader and 13 to break the school's all-time extra points record. He will also likely pass Antwaan Randle El as the No. 2 scorer in Hoosiers history.
"I'd be lying if I told you I didn't know about it and wasn't looking forward to it," Ewald said. "But I'm not putting too much pressure on myself about it."
With so much experience, Ewald says he doesn't get nervous before kicks anymore, though he does have to make sure he doesn't get too hyped up and try to be too perfect with his form. He dreams of kicking another big game winner like he had to end his freshman year, when his 31-yarder in overtime sealed the victory at rival Purdue.
"He has the potential where he should be one of the upper kids in this league," Wilson said. "I think he's got the makeup of a kid who can be a kicker in the NFL."
Even if Wilson gets his wish and the Hoosiers are scoring too many more touchdowns to need the field goal unit this season, Ewald will do his best to be a leading voice on the team. And who knows? Maybe he'll help them out on a trick play, because he has been practicing his receiving skills.
Mitch Ewald doesn't like that. So this spring, as Indiana would begin warmups, you could find the Hoosiers' 5-foot-10, 174-pound kicker running routes and catching passes with the receiver group.
"When Coach [Kevin] Wilson sees me, he just points and laughs," Ewald told ESPN.com this spring. "But when I wear the gloves, my hands are all right."
[+] Enlarge
Andrew Weber/US PresswireCoach Kevin Wilson said Indiana will be counting on more than just Mitch Ewald's clutch leg in 2013.
"I really wanted to step out of my comfort zone and be more vocal this year," he said. "Be more one of the guys rather than just the kicker specialist."
You rarely see kickers mentioned as team captains, but the Hoosiers will take leadership where they can get it. Wilson has thrown boatloads of freshmen into the fire the past two seasons, and last year's team had only three senior starters. Ewald is one of the lone true veterans who has played the past three seasons.
Wilson said that in a vote for captains this spring, Ewald finished in the top six.
"Our kids respect him a lot," he said. "Of course, that also tells you something about where our team is at right now."
Even if Ewald were to just focus on his kicking, he'd be a valuable member of the team. He has made 44 of 55 kicks during his career and was second in the Big Ten in touchbacks on kickoffs last year.
He needs just five more field goals to become Indiana's career leader and 13 to break the school's all-time extra points record. He will also likely pass Antwaan Randle El as the No. 2 scorer in Hoosiers history.
"I'd be lying if I told you I didn't know about it and wasn't looking forward to it," Ewald said. "But I'm not putting too much pressure on myself about it."
With so much experience, Ewald says he doesn't get nervous before kicks anymore, though he does have to make sure he doesn't get too hyped up and try to be too perfect with his form. He dreams of kicking another big game winner like he had to end his freshman year, when his 31-yarder in overtime sealed the victory at rival Purdue.
"He has the potential where he should be one of the upper kids in this league," Wilson said. "I think he's got the makeup of a kid who can be a kicker in the NFL."
Even if Wilson gets his wish and the Hoosiers are scoring too many more touchdowns to need the field goal unit this season, Ewald will do his best to be a leading voice on the team. And who knows? Maybe he'll help them out on a trick play, because he has been practicing his receiving skills.
The Derecho is gone, and the Blackhawks are three games from the Cup. Good times.
- Purdue loses incoming cornerback recruit TyVel Jemison but could gain another defensive back in the 2014 class.
- A Q&A with Nebraska recruiting coordinator Ross Els heading into the Big Red Weekend. Nebraska has high expectations for its Big Red Weekend.
- Indiana picks up a commitment from QB recruit Alexander Diamont. A full transcript of Kevin Wilson's recent comments at Lucas Oil Stadium.
- Michigan spent more than $1.7 million for its Outback Bowl trip. The Wolverines are in the top 3 for top recruit Da'Shawn Hand. Mott Children's Hospital is near and dear to Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon.
- Michigan State LB recruit Jon Reschke is willing to put in the work. A top 2015 RB recruit played in a 7-on-7 tournament at Michigan State.
- A great look at Tom Herman's path to the Ohio State offensive coordinator position. Examining Ohio State's potential impact freshmen in 2013.
- Tom Dienhart previews Week 3 in the Big Ten this fall.
- A decorated QB recruit visits Iowa on Wednesday. More than half of Iowa's kickoff times are set for this season.
- Penn State benefited when Danny O'Brien picked Wisconsin rather than the Lions, Dustin Hockensmith writes. Black Shoe Diaries checks in with Penn State recruit Jared Wangler.
- More on safety Reggie Mitchell's departure from Wisconsin to Pitt.
- Debating who will lead the Big Ten in interceptions. A look at the league's wide receivers.
- Half of Illinois' kickoff times in 2013 are now set.
- The NCAA's enforcement division is a complete mess under Mark Emmert's watch.
Recruiting is the lifeblood of every program in the country, and every conference has its own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to landing top prospects. In the start of a weeklong series, we'll examine the BCS conferences plus Notre Dame to find each's strength, the biggest obstacle each faces and the overall view of the conference. First up: the Big Ten.
Biggest obstacle: There are two problems: perception and a limited talent pool. The consensus top states in the nation for talent are Florida, Texas, California and Georgia, and unfortunately for the Big Ten, none of them is in the Midwest. Talent can be found within the states in the Big Ten's footprint, but a good deal of work on the recruiting trail within this conference needs to be done outside of its base. For the 2013 class, only roughly 57 percent of the players signed by Big Ten teams came from the states that house Big Ten programs, and many of those came out of Ohio. By comparison, roughly 71 percent of the prospects signed by Pac-12 schools for 2013 came from within its own states, and in the SEC, that number was closer to 85 percent. Granted, California supplied the majority of the talent signed by the Pac-12 teams -- and the Golden State is big enough to supply an entire conference -- but the Big Ten lacks any one particular state that can act as a key feeder for an entire conference, like California for the Pac-12 or Texas for the Big 12. It's a problem because the farther these Big Ten teams have to stray from their base for talent, the tougher it is for it to lure prospects from competing programs that might be closer to home.
Besides having to often cast a wider net for talent than most of its BCS counterparts, the conference has also battled some perception problems about its ability to compete at the elite level nationally. Only one program, Ohio State, has won or even been to a BCS title game, and its past two appearances saw the Buckeyes come out on the losing end. Beyond the national title game, the conference has struggled in recent years to come out on the winning end of bowl games, in particular New Year's Day bowls. Coming up short on the national stage against rival conferences have left a dent in the perception of the Big Ten, which can create an obstacle in the ever-competitive arena of recruiting when battling for top talent.
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Hodor!
- A closer look at Illinois linebacker Mason Monheim.
- Incoming Indiana defensive lineman Darius Latham is making his presence known on the boys' state all-star basketball team (subscription required). The Hoosiers picked up a quarterback from Los Angeles.
- Iowa is keeping a steady course in APR scores. A look inside the Hawkeyes' Ladies Football Academy.
- A Northwestern summer camp preview.
- Brady Hoke has Michigan's APR scores on an upswing. The Wolverines are in on two more of the top recruits in the nation. Devin Gardner says the team is angry about the way 2012 finished.
- Gerald Holmes is getting ready to try to become the next Michigan State starting tailback. Max Bullough is on the NFL radar.
- Minnesota got some good news with the APR scores.
- Nebraska got a commitment from a strong offensive lineman. Summer camp could yield several prospects for the Huskers.
- A kicker who showed the ability to perform under pressure accepted a scholarship offer from Ohio State. The Buckeyes' APR scores continue to climb.
- Penn State and Bill O'Brien continue to draw top recruits. Chris Weinke says Michael O'Connor is a near mirror image to Christian Hackenberg. A PSU video shows off the team's top weight-room performers.
- Purdue's new assistants are using summer camps to get acclimated. The Boilers are pursuing Glenn Robinson's son as a recruit.
- Wisconsin has found the perfect fit in Gary Andersen.
- Checking in on the Big Ten quarterbacks.
- A Big Ten expansion Q&A. Andy Staples grades all the expansion moves from the past three years.
- The BTN guys debate who will lead the league in receiving touchdowns.
Badgers lead way in returning lettermen
June, 12, 2013
Jun 12
11:00
AM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
We talk a lot about returning starters when previewing the season, and we gave you the whole breakdown of returning starters and career starts in the Big Ten last month. But that doesn't tell the entire story of a team's experience level.
Phil Steele attempts to calculate that further by breaking down how many lettermen each FBS team returns in 2013. Steele uses percentages of returning lettermen since schools use different methods to determine how they give out letters. But for the most part, the number of lettermen who are back reflect how many players with some experience a team has.
Steele's numbers show that Wisconsin has the highest percentage of returning lettermen of any BCS AQ school, at 83.87 percent (Rice and Texas-San Antonio rank 1-2, respectively). The Badgers, who have 17 returning starters, lost only 10 lettermen off last year's Rose Bowl team. That experience should help Gary Andersen in his first year as coach.
Here's how the rest of the Big Ten looks in the national rankings:
9. Michigan State: 80 percent
30. Indiana: 74.65 percent
35. Minnesota: 74.32 percent
49. Northwestern: 71.05 percent
71. Ohio State: 68.92 percent
73. Purdue: 68.57 percent
88. Michigan: 66.67 percent
99. Iowa: 65 percent
122. Illinois: 57.89 percent
123. Nebraska: 57.33 percent
125. Penn State: 54.29 percent
Some of these numbers cast the returning starters figures in a new light. Penn State, for example, ties for sixth in the Big Ten in returning starters with 16 but has a lower percentage of returning lettermen than every FBS team except Louisiana Tech. Indiana has one of the highest returning starters numbers in the country (21) but lost more lettermen than you'd expect. Nebraska ranked 42nd nationally in career total starts returning but is among the lowest teams in the country in percentage of lettermen who are coming back.
Do these numbers mean much in the grand scheme of things? Consider that the three BCS AQ teams with the highest percentage of returning lettermen last year (Florida, Stanford and Oregon) all ended up in BCS games, while Orange Bowl champion Florida State ranked sixth among AQ teams and Sugar Bowl winner Louisville was eighth. On the flip side, Notre Dame ranked 121st out of 124 teams and played for the national title, while Alabama was 104th. Ohio State was 74th last year and ended up 12-0.
No number is perfect in predicting success, but this gives you another idea of which teams have the most experience.
Phil Steele attempts to calculate that further by breaking down how many lettermen each FBS team returns in 2013. Steele uses percentages of returning lettermen since schools use different methods to determine how they give out letters. But for the most part, the number of lettermen who are back reflect how many players with some experience a team has.
Steele's numbers show that Wisconsin has the highest percentage of returning lettermen of any BCS AQ school, at 83.87 percent (Rice and Texas-San Antonio rank 1-2, respectively). The Badgers, who have 17 returning starters, lost only 10 lettermen off last year's Rose Bowl team. That experience should help Gary Andersen in his first year as coach.
Here's how the rest of the Big Ten looks in the national rankings:
9. Michigan State: 80 percent
30. Indiana: 74.65 percent
35. Minnesota: 74.32 percent
49. Northwestern: 71.05 percent
71. Ohio State: 68.92 percent
73. Purdue: 68.57 percent
88. Michigan: 66.67 percent
99. Iowa: 65 percent
122. Illinois: 57.89 percent
123. Nebraska: 57.33 percent
125. Penn State: 54.29 percent
Some of these numbers cast the returning starters figures in a new light. Penn State, for example, ties for sixth in the Big Ten in returning starters with 16 but has a lower percentage of returning lettermen than every FBS team except Louisiana Tech. Indiana has one of the highest returning starters numbers in the country (21) but lost more lettermen than you'd expect. Nebraska ranked 42nd nationally in career total starts returning but is among the lowest teams in the country in percentage of lettermen who are coming back.
Do these numbers mean much in the grand scheme of things? Consider that the three BCS AQ teams with the highest percentage of returning lettermen last year (Florida, Stanford and Oregon) all ended up in BCS games, while Orange Bowl champion Florida State ranked sixth among AQ teams and Sugar Bowl winner Louisville was eighth. On the flip side, Notre Dame ranked 121st out of 124 teams and played for the national title, while Alabama was 104th. Ohio State was 74th last year and ended up 12-0.
No number is perfect in predicting success, but this gives you another idea of which teams have the most experience.
Whatever you might think about the Big Ten's performance on the football field, you have to acknowledge this: the league is doing a great job in the classroom.
Or at least it is by the NCAA's main measuring stick. The NCAA released the latest Academic Progress Rate scores on Tuesday, and the Big Ten came out looking good. Every team beat the national average score for football (949) and is well out of range of any kind of penalties.
The APR measures eligibility, retention and graduation over a four-year period. The new scores go through the 2011-2012 school year. The NCAA gave out public recognition awards to three Big Ten schools last week, honoring Northwestern, Wisconsin and Ohio State for their APR scores. In fact, Northwestern ranked No. 1 among all FBS schools, while Wisconsin is No. 4 among BCS AQ schools and Ohio State is eighth. Future Big Ten member Rutgers is ninth.
Teams with scores below 925 can be hit with penalties such as scholarship losses and reduced practice time. Teams must achieve a 900 multi-year APR or a 930 average over the most recent two years to be eligible for postseason in the next academic year. To avoid a ban for the 2014-15 postseason, teams must post a multi-year score 930 or a two-year average of 940.
Minnesota was flirting with the danger line last year, as its four-year score was 932. But the Gophers have made good progress since, and so have Michigan and Michigan State. Here are the Big Ten's current four-year scores:
1. Northwestern: 996
2. Wisconsin: 985
3. Ohio State: 982
4. Nebraska: 972
5. Indiana: 963
T-6. Iowa: 961
T-6. Penn State: 961
8. Illinois: 960
T-9. Michigan State: 955
T-9. Minnesota: 955
11. Purdue: 953
12. Michigan: 951
Or at least it is by the NCAA's main measuring stick. The NCAA released the latest Academic Progress Rate scores on Tuesday, and the Big Ten came out looking good. Every team beat the national average score for football (949) and is well out of range of any kind of penalties.
The APR measures eligibility, retention and graduation over a four-year period. The new scores go through the 2011-2012 school year. The NCAA gave out public recognition awards to three Big Ten schools last week, honoring Northwestern, Wisconsin and Ohio State for their APR scores. In fact, Northwestern ranked No. 1 among all FBS schools, while Wisconsin is No. 4 among BCS AQ schools and Ohio State is eighth. Future Big Ten member Rutgers is ninth.
Teams with scores below 925 can be hit with penalties such as scholarship losses and reduced practice time. Teams must achieve a 900 multi-year APR or a 930 average over the most recent two years to be eligible for postseason in the next academic year. To avoid a ban for the 2014-15 postseason, teams must post a multi-year score 930 or a two-year average of 940.
Minnesota was flirting with the danger line last year, as its four-year score was 932. But the Gophers have made good progress since, and so have Michigan and Michigan State. Here are the Big Ten's current four-year scores:
1. Northwestern: 996
2. Wisconsin: 985
3. Ohio State: 982
4. Nebraska: 972
5. Indiana: 963
T-6. Iowa: 961
T-6. Penn State: 961
8. Illinois: 960
T-9. Michigan State: 955
T-9. Minnesota: 955
11. Purdue: 953
12. Michigan: 951
Three years ago, this happened.
- More on Danny O'Brien's departure from Wisconsin here and here and here.
- Zayd Issah's status with Penn State is up in the air as he'll likely play for a prep school this fall. Lineman Andrew Nelson looks forward to his future in Happy Valley. Hockey at Beaver Stadium? Yes, please.
- Joe Tiller returns to Purdue to talk Boiler football. Head coach Darrell Hazell settles in at Purdue.
- Michigan AD Dave Brandon says the Big Ten is moving forward.
- Ohio State players have bought in to strength coach Mickey Marotti and the Urban Meyer way, Bruce Feldman writes. Former Ohio State RB Maurice Clarett will speak to NFL rookies about his story of wasted opportunities.
- Former Michigan State star Julian Peterson says Mark Dantonio and Nick Saban were like Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde when they coached together in East Lansing. Spartans recruit Delton Williams will play safety one final time in the Big 33 game before moving to running back.
- Las Vegas might like Northwestern in 2013, but the gamblers don't.
- Renderings of Minnesota's proposed indoor practice facility have surfaced.
- A summer preview of Nebraska in 2013. Nebraska's new recruits have arrived on campus.
- Eleven Warriors ranks the Big Ten recruiting classes to date.
- The BTN.com guys debate who will lead the Big Ten in receiving yards this fall.
- Crimson Quarry breaks down Illinois heading into 2013.
- The future is bright for Indiana football.
- So much for the Big Ten going D-III if pay-for-play comes to pass.
A raven arrived this morning carrying your questions. As you wish:
J. Young from A city in that state up north: Greetings from enemy territory. With Ohio State in its last BCS chance before the playoff, how many eggs do you think the Big Ten has in the Urban Meyer basket for national success and some good PR this season?
Brian Bennett: The Big Ten shouldn't really care whether Ohio State gets it done, or if Michigan or Nebraska or Wisconsin or somebody else makes a run at the national title. But here's what the league should be happy about: the Buckeyes are going to start the season ranked somewhere in the top three, most likely, and will be No. 1 on some ballots. That means the Big Ten will be in the national title discussions at least early on in the season, and that's something that really hasn't happened since the middle of 2010. Remember that no Big Ten teams were in the top eight of either poll to start last year, and then Michigan got blasted by Alabama in the opener. The league didn't have a team in the top nine of either poll to start 2011 and was out of the BCS title chase by late October.
It's sad but true: when a conference doesn't have a national title contender, it becomes irrelevant in many ways. Ohio State should keep the Big Ten in the spotlight as long as it takes care of its very manageable early schedule. Hopefully, other league teams can join the Buckeyes in that quest.
MJ from Ocean, N.J., writes: Hey Brian, interesting piece from the EPA numbers that Brad Edwards put together placing the Buckeyes in the top 5 overvalued teams of 2012. Doubtful that these numbers can go back as far as '02, but I'd bet the national champion Buckeyes could be in that overvalued section as well with the several close victories to teams that had were thought to have no business competing with that team. But that's why they play the game and as long as we keep a 0 in the loss column, I'm good with that. Not that it's groundbreaking news, but do those numbers affect your opinion of the season that was for Ohio State?
Brian Bennett: Here's my basic opinion of all that: Those 2002 Buckeyes might have squeaked by in a lot of close games, and, heck, they might have even gotten very lucky on a shaky pass-interference call in the title game against Miami. Yet there's still a crystal football in their trophy case, and they're not giving it back. It really doesn't matter how you win, as long as you win. I didn't need advanced stats to tell me that Ohio State was not a dominant team most of the time in 2012; heck, I covered four of the Buckeyes' games in person and obviously watched them all very closely. They were just a team that knew how to make winning plays when they needed them. My lasting image of last season's team is probably watching from field level as they simply willed their way toward a couple of first downs against a terrific Michigan State team on the road to close out that victory. I still don't think Ohio State could have beaten Alabama last season, but no one can ever take 12-0 away from them.
Matt from Farmington Hills, Mich., writes: Brian, you recently posted Athlon's predictions for the 2013 B1G season. In it, OSU was picked to go undefeated by beating UM in the league championship game. First of all, can someone please slow down the Buckeye hype-train? I simply don't understand how a team that had to out-score Indiana last year and evaded multiple near-loss games can be picked to go undefeated AGAIN. Not to mention having to replace the majority of a front-seven on defense. Talent is great and they have it in (largely unproven) guys like Washington and Spence, but what about depth? Additionally, call me a homer, but I am confident that Michigan's talent rivals OSU's, and if Athlon is correct in that the two teams meet in consecutive games, I believe Michigan has too much pride to lose twice in a row to a HATED rival. Thoughts?
Brian Bennett: Does Ohio State have some question marks? For sure. But as we have pointed out, Urban Meyer's teams tend to improve a whole lot in Year 2, and I believe the Buckeyes are still the most talented team in the Big Ten from top to bottom. You make an interesting point about depth. That's still a major concern on the offensive line and at linebacker, and a few key injuries could also wreck the defensive line and wide receiver positions. Ohio State managed to stay relatively healthy, especially on offense, in 2012. We should never discount how difficult it is to go undefeated in one year, let alone two straight. Again, though, the schedule is very favorable.
The idea of playing Michigan twice in a row is fascinating. If that were to happen, the Buckeyes would have to play the Wolverines away from home both times. The revenge factor for the second meeting would be incredibly high. If Ohio State could pull that off, it would mean a long and painful offseason for Brady Hoke and the Maize and Blue.
Tyler from Chicago writes: Northwestern is looking to be a good program for a long time and they are just starting to upgrade their football facilities. Since, their moving all their football activities except for games to the main campus, what will they do with Ryan Field? Any chance they build a new stadium on Lake Michigan? I think it would be amazing and they would get more fans and recruits if there as an open end of the stadium looking out to the lake. Or will they upgrade the worst stadium in the Big Ten?
Brian Bennett: Building a stadium on Lake Michigan seems like a pipe dream. There's not exactly a ton of land there, and construction prices could be astronomical. We could definitely see some upgrades to Ryan Field in the future, including the addition of more club seating and luxury boxes. But first, Wildcats fans need to prove that they can consistently fill the stadium and make it an intimidating environment for visitors.
Nick from Indiana writes: Which true freshmen do you expect to have the biggest impact on defense this year for the Hoosiers?
Brian Bennett: Nick, I know the coaches are excited about the potential of Darius Latham, the kind of athletic defensive lineman that Indiana has had trouble landing in recent years. Safety Antonio Allen also has a great shot at contributing right away, as well as defensive end David Kenney III. Rashard Fant will get a long look in the secondary. Kevin Wilson has shown that he's not afraid of throwing freshmen into the mix right away, so anyone who's ready will have an excellent chance of playing early on. It's just a matter of which ones adjust to the college level the best and the quickest.
Matt from Ann Arbor writes: With the B1G looking to strengthen the non conference schedule, what would the "dream matchup" home and home series be -- that is a realistic option -- for each team (or just a few) in the conference? A few that I would love to see would be Michigan vs. Stanford, Nebraska vs. Oklahoma, Ohio St vs. Oregon and even Illinois vs. Missouri.
Brian Bennett: Interesting that you would ask that today, Matt, as we're inviting fans to let us know what nonconference series they would like to see their teams play. Nebraska-Oklahoma and Ohio State-Oregon are already on the books for future series, and those are absolute dream matchups. I'd love to see Michigan-LSU because of the Les Miles factor, but Wisconsin-LSU is going to be pretty darn good in its own right. Some other potential dream matchups, in my opinion: Ohio State-Florida, Nebraska-Texas, Penn State-Miami (which is very close to happening), Wisconsin-Arkansas (duh), Michigan-USC and Wisconsin-Notre Dame.
Greg from Philadelphia writes: Alright, Brian, I found this on a random fact generator: In Kentucky, it is illegal to carry ice cream in your back pocket... so knock it off, jerk, or I'm calling the cops!I am curious, however, as to what flavor of ice cream you tend to keep in your back pocket? I take you for a rocky road kind of guy.
Brian Bennett: Well, yeah, the law makes perfect sense. It seems like a good idea to carry ice cream in your back pocket until the first time you forget it's there and try to sit down. I'm actually not a big ice cream guy -- cookies and pie are more my thing -- but when the urge strikes, I tend to go cookies and cream.
J. Young from A city in that state up north: Greetings from enemy territory. With Ohio State in its last BCS chance before the playoff, how many eggs do you think the Big Ten has in the Urban Meyer basket for national success and some good PR this season?
Brian Bennett: The Big Ten shouldn't really care whether Ohio State gets it done, or if Michigan or Nebraska or Wisconsin or somebody else makes a run at the national title. But here's what the league should be happy about: the Buckeyes are going to start the season ranked somewhere in the top three, most likely, and will be No. 1 on some ballots. That means the Big Ten will be in the national title discussions at least early on in the season, and that's something that really hasn't happened since the middle of 2010. Remember that no Big Ten teams were in the top eight of either poll to start last year, and then Michigan got blasted by Alabama in the opener. The league didn't have a team in the top nine of either poll to start 2011 and was out of the BCS title chase by late October.
It's sad but true: when a conference doesn't have a national title contender, it becomes irrelevant in many ways. Ohio State should keep the Big Ten in the spotlight as long as it takes care of its very manageable early schedule. Hopefully, other league teams can join the Buckeyes in that quest.
MJ from Ocean, N.J., writes: Hey Brian, interesting piece from the EPA numbers that Brad Edwards put together placing the Buckeyes in the top 5 overvalued teams of 2012. Doubtful that these numbers can go back as far as '02, but I'd bet the national champion Buckeyes could be in that overvalued section as well with the several close victories to teams that had were thought to have no business competing with that team. But that's why they play the game and as long as we keep a 0 in the loss column, I'm good with that. Not that it's groundbreaking news, but do those numbers affect your opinion of the season that was for Ohio State?
Brian Bennett: Here's my basic opinion of all that: Those 2002 Buckeyes might have squeaked by in a lot of close games, and, heck, they might have even gotten very lucky on a shaky pass-interference call in the title game against Miami. Yet there's still a crystal football in their trophy case, and they're not giving it back. It really doesn't matter how you win, as long as you win. I didn't need advanced stats to tell me that Ohio State was not a dominant team most of the time in 2012; heck, I covered four of the Buckeyes' games in person and obviously watched them all very closely. They were just a team that knew how to make winning plays when they needed them. My lasting image of last season's team is probably watching from field level as they simply willed their way toward a couple of first downs against a terrific Michigan State team on the road to close out that victory. I still don't think Ohio State could have beaten Alabama last season, but no one can ever take 12-0 away from them.
Matt from Farmington Hills, Mich., writes: Brian, you recently posted Athlon's predictions for the 2013 B1G season. In it, OSU was picked to go undefeated by beating UM in the league championship game. First of all, can someone please slow down the Buckeye hype-train? I simply don't understand how a team that had to out-score Indiana last year and evaded multiple near-loss games can be picked to go undefeated AGAIN. Not to mention having to replace the majority of a front-seven on defense. Talent is great and they have it in (largely unproven) guys like Washington and Spence, but what about depth? Additionally, call me a homer, but I am confident that Michigan's talent rivals OSU's, and if Athlon is correct in that the two teams meet in consecutive games, I believe Michigan has too much pride to lose twice in a row to a HATED rival. Thoughts?
Brian Bennett: Does Ohio State have some question marks? For sure. But as we have pointed out, Urban Meyer's teams tend to improve a whole lot in Year 2, and I believe the Buckeyes are still the most talented team in the Big Ten from top to bottom. You make an interesting point about depth. That's still a major concern on the offensive line and at linebacker, and a few key injuries could also wreck the defensive line and wide receiver positions. Ohio State managed to stay relatively healthy, especially on offense, in 2012. We should never discount how difficult it is to go undefeated in one year, let alone two straight. Again, though, the schedule is very favorable.
The idea of playing Michigan twice in a row is fascinating. If that were to happen, the Buckeyes would have to play the Wolverines away from home both times. The revenge factor for the second meeting would be incredibly high. If Ohio State could pull that off, it would mean a long and painful offseason for Brady Hoke and the Maize and Blue.
Tyler from Chicago writes: Northwestern is looking to be a good program for a long time and they are just starting to upgrade their football facilities. Since, their moving all their football activities except for games to the main campus, what will they do with Ryan Field? Any chance they build a new stadium on Lake Michigan? I think it would be amazing and they would get more fans and recruits if there as an open end of the stadium looking out to the lake. Or will they upgrade the worst stadium in the Big Ten?
Brian Bennett: Building a stadium on Lake Michigan seems like a pipe dream. There's not exactly a ton of land there, and construction prices could be astronomical. We could definitely see some upgrades to Ryan Field in the future, including the addition of more club seating and luxury boxes. But first, Wildcats fans need to prove that they can consistently fill the stadium and make it an intimidating environment for visitors.
Nick from Indiana writes: Which true freshmen do you expect to have the biggest impact on defense this year for the Hoosiers?
Brian Bennett: Nick, I know the coaches are excited about the potential of Darius Latham, the kind of athletic defensive lineman that Indiana has had trouble landing in recent years. Safety Antonio Allen also has a great shot at contributing right away, as well as defensive end David Kenney III. Rashard Fant will get a long look in the secondary. Kevin Wilson has shown that he's not afraid of throwing freshmen into the mix right away, so anyone who's ready will have an excellent chance of playing early on. It's just a matter of which ones adjust to the college level the best and the quickest.
Matt from Ann Arbor writes: With the B1G looking to strengthen the non conference schedule, what would the "dream matchup" home and home series be -- that is a realistic option -- for each team (or just a few) in the conference? A few that I would love to see would be Michigan vs. Stanford, Nebraska vs. Oklahoma, Ohio St vs. Oregon and even Illinois vs. Missouri.
Brian Bennett: Interesting that you would ask that today, Matt, as we're inviting fans to let us know what nonconference series they would like to see their teams play. Nebraska-Oklahoma and Ohio State-Oregon are already on the books for future series, and those are absolute dream matchups. I'd love to see Michigan-LSU because of the Les Miles factor, but Wisconsin-LSU is going to be pretty darn good in its own right. Some other potential dream matchups, in my opinion: Ohio State-Florida, Nebraska-Texas, Penn State-Miami (which is very close to happening), Wisconsin-Arkansas (duh), Michigan-USC and Wisconsin-Notre Dame.
Greg from Philadelphia writes: Alright, Brian, I found this on a random fact generator: In Kentucky, it is illegal to carry ice cream in your back pocket... so knock it off, jerk, or I'm calling the cops!I am curious, however, as to what flavor of ice cream you tend to keep in your back pocket? I take you for a rocky road kind of guy.
Brian Bennett: Well, yeah, the law makes perfect sense. It seems like a good idea to carry ice cream in your back pocket until the first time you forget it's there and try to sit down. I'm actually not a big ice cream guy -- cookies and pie are more my thing -- but when the urge strikes, I tend to go cookies and cream.
Poor Sally Draper. So much therapy awaits you in the '70s.
- New Wisconsin strength coach Evan Simon has big goals for the Badgers this summer. Bret Bielema said he was jealous of the SEC and always wanted to coach there.
- Jim Tressel spoke to Purdue's coaches.
- Penn State landed a prototypical pocket passer in Michael O'Connor. Some common themes in the commencement addresses of Bill O'Brien and Joe Paterno, some 40 years apart. C.J. Olaniyan could flourish this year with teams focusing on Deion Barnes.
- Pay for assistants has skyrocketed, and Ohio State leads the way on that front in the Big Ten. Former Buckeyes receiver Ray Small was indicted on drug and weapons charges.
- What is Northwestern's biggest game in 2013?
- This is a big week for Nebraska recruiting. Taylor Martinez continues to receive instruction from QB guru Steve Calhoun.
- Minnesota's loss was Nebraska's gain when Russell Gary became a star for the Huskers. The Gophers are gearing up for a better apparel contract when their Nike deal runs out. A short Q&A with Jerry Kill.
- Mark Hollis wants Michigan State students to attend -- and stay at -- home football games. Punter Mike Sadler could be a Rhodes Scholar. Incoming Spartans kicker Michael Geiger is ready to compete.
- Leaders, including Thomas Gordon and Jeremy Gallon, emerged during Michigan's senior trip to California. Freshman running back Derrick Green credits Bikram yoga for helping make him a top prospect.
- Iowa's cheapest ticket isn't much of a bargain.
- Indiana got a commitment from a junior college offensive lineman (subscription required).
- Illinois signee Michael Hermosillo will instead pursue a baseball career after he was drafted by the Angels. Will the Illini draw a big crowd for their Soldier Field game?
- Bold Big Ten predictions from Off Tackle Empire.
Wishing you a great weekend. Be sure to follow us on Twitter.
Dan from Omaha writes: As a Husker fan who watched us get torched by the Wisconsin offense in the B1G title game, I'm a little surprised to not see Wisconsin on your list of triple threat teams. You've got experienced players returning at all key skills positions, unlike PSU who will be starting a brand new QB. And while Wiscy's QB position may be in question, either have big game experience under their belt. [Melvin] Gordon and [James] White are both very viable and dangerous backfield options. Several times Abbrederis has been talked up as one of, if not the best, returning receiver in the B1G, and both he and Pedersen (quadruple threat??) are on Steele's AA teams. Stave/Phillips, Gordon/White, and Abbrederis provide a very potent triple threat, at least in my book. Why the snub?
Adam Rittenberg: Dan, some fair points here. I disagree Wisconsin was snubbed from the list, as we can only include five teams in the poll and I felt the other five were more deserving than the Badgers, who finished 111th nationally in passing in 2012 (156.9 ypg). Sure, Penn State has some major quarterback questions, but the Lions also have better depth at both wide receiver and tight end than Wisconsin, not to mention a pass-oriented, talented play-caller in head coach Bill O'Brien. Wisconsin's quarterbacks have more experience, but I have a hard time seeing one come close to 3,000 pass yards this season. Jared Abbrederis is the team's only real threat at wide receiver, and while Jacob Pedersen is a solid tight end, I like Penn State's overall group more. It came down to Penn State vs. Wisconsin for that fifth spot, and the combination of O'Brien's play calls and Penn State's returning receivers and tight ends trumped what Wisconsin brings back for 2013. Penn State's offense always will have a passing lean under O'Brien, while Wisconsin will remain run-based (as it should be) under new coordinator Andy Ludwig.
FredCoxRocks from Chilly Minnesota writes: Will you be posting the APR scores of the B1G teams? I heard Minnesota took a big jump up, as Jerry Kill promised he would work on. I know in the last few years they were near the line (I believe they even lost some scholarships in the Brewster era).
Adam Rittenberg: Yes, we'll be posting the specific scores for all the teams on Tuesday afternoon (release comes out at 2:30 p.m. ET). Some of the scores already have trickled out, but you'll get a complete list then. You're right about Minnesota taking a big jump up under Jerry Kill, who spoke earlier this week about it. "We were in big time trouble two years ago," Kill said during a Minnesota barnstorming tour event. "I can tell you, we've had four back-to-back semesters of 3.0 [cumulative GPA] or better. We've gotten ourselves out of a hole. And a big reason that’s happened is people working together to help us get out of that hole. We have over half our football team that’s over a 3.0. That's a miracle in where we were at before."
Neil from Lincoln, Neb., writes: Hey Adam, do you think the Big Ten will consider adopting the Pac-12's championship game model? Rewarding the qualifying team with the best record with an essential home game both rewards them for their conference regular season play and postitions a Big Ten team to have a better opportunity to qualify for the College Football Playoff. What are your thoughts?
Adam Rittenberg: Neil, you certainly aren't the only Big Ten fan who likes the Pac-12's title game model, but I don't see the Big Ten going down this road. For starters, there's concern from several Big Ten power brokers (league officials, ADs) about playing the championship game outdoors. No Big Ten team has an indoor home venue. The bigger thing is the Big Ten views the championship game as a major branding opportunity. It wants to bring in all fan bases, showcase the league and hold several events around the game. Many Big Ten cities couldn't accommodate these types of events. Like the SEC, the Big Ten can afford to have its championship game at a neutral site because its fans are willing to travel. The Pac-12 simply doesn't have that luxury. Its fans don't travel well to bowls, and asking two fan bases to make a trip to a neutral site -- even a great venue like the Rose Bowl -- might be too much to ask. Unless the Big Ten continues to see disappointing attendance in Indianapolis or another neutral-site venue like Chicago, I don't see the league going with campus sites for the game.
Bill from Portales, N.M., writes: Dear Adam, Can we let the Gee issue go? Surely there is something you can report on about Ohio State's football team that doesn't center around an eccentric, loose-lipped University President. Yes, I agree that he has been an embarrassment to the University and the State (and all of us Buckeye fans) however he is not a member of the football team. Those of us who live outside of Ohio and count on your coverage of Buckeye football want to read about the coaches and players. We rely on you to quench our thirst for information on our beloved football team. Thanks for listening.
Adam Rittenberg: Bill, I think the Gee story is pretty much over. That there was so much sports coverage about the retirement of a university president underscores how much Gee has injected himself into the Ohio State football/athletics story during his run as president. And it's impossible to deny the fact his retirement announcement comes days after his comments related to football became public. NBC Nightly News wouldn't have mentioned the story if Gee had retired quietly, with no preceding controversy. We have and will continue to have plenty of Ohio State team coverage, and I agree that's what the blog is mainly about. But Gee wasn't a typical university president when it came to football and public comments, and that's why the situation generated so much media attention, not just from ESPN but from everyone.
Missed New Rivalries from Buckeye Nation writes: Hey Adam, I know the Indiana-Purdue rivalry will be the only protected rivalry starting in 2014, but would the Big Ten have any interest in having protected rivalries for all Big Ten teams even if it could not start until the Big Ten begins a 9-game conference schedule in 2016? Here's a possibility for protected-rivalries:Indiana-Purdue: It's obvious this rivalry must remain since it is an in-state rivalry that has significant meaning to everyone in the state of Indiana. Maryland-Iowa: Of course, this will not will the greatest rivalry but at least it won't be as one-sided as Virginia Tech and Boston College and it gives Maryland another conference rival.Michigan-Minnesota: Yes, this is more of a one-sided rivalry but it's a trophy rivalry game for the Little Brown Jug and it still has meaning. Michigan State-Wisconsin: This is a new rivalry on the rise with 2 powerhouse teams and it should remain that way. Ohio State-Illinois: It preserves the Illbuck, provides a decent rivalry game and gives Illinois another rivalry that would be played annually. Penn State-Nebraska: It keeps an older rivalry alive and it would provide 2 competitive teams. Rutgers-Northwestern: How about a NYC-Chicago rivalry in the Big Ten? And it would provide 2 decent football teams on an annual basis in the big cities. Most of these protected rivalries keeps traditional rivalries which is important to the Big Ten while creating new traditional rivalries for the Big Ten and should be considered for future Big Ten conference scheduling, what's your opinion on this Adam?
Adam Rittenberg: I've never been a fan of protected crossover games, especially when the league gets larger. Protected games across the board hurt the overall schedule rotations for teams and create long gaps in matchups like the one we currently have between Iowa and Illinois (haven't played since 2008). Purdue and Indiana definitely have to play each year, but the other crossovers you propose, while nice rivalries, aren't essential, in my mind. Sure, it's nice to have the Jug game and the Illibuck game every year, but not at the expense of those teams going years and years without playing cross-division foes. The Big Ten feels the same way: it's more important for every league matchup to take place at least once every four years. You won't get that if every team has a protected crossover.
Scott from North Liberty, Iowa, writes: Hi Adam. We hear a lot about the top teams and players in the Big Ten for the upcoming season as voted for the pre-season accolades. Can you name some teams that you think could surprise everyone as well as some players who are waiting eagerly behind an incumbent that could light up the stats if given the chance?
Adam Rittenberg: Starting in the Leaders Division, Indiana could be a surprise team. The Hoosiers certainly improved in Year 2 under Kevin Wilson, and with eight games at home, they should have a good chance to go bowling. The defense always will be a major question mark, but IU has upgraded the talent there and should be very explosive on offense. I'm not sure Penn State will be a surprise team, but those thinking the Lions will crumble under the weight of the NCAA sanctions might be waiting a while. Jerry Kill has a history of producing good teams in Year 3, and while Minnesota plays in the deeper Legends division, it could make some noise if it can build off of a decent bowl performance. As far as players, Melvin Gordon isn't an unknown, but he'll step into a bigger role for Wisconsin this fall. Many in Madison think Gordon has a higher ceiling than any recent Wisconsin running back, including Montee Ball. Purdue's Akeem Hunt is another running back poised for success after an excellent spring. Also keep an eye on Penn State LB Mike Hull. He finally moves into a full-time starting role and could have an excellent year. Also keep an eye on three defensive ends: Michigan's Frank Clark, Ohio State's Noah Spence and Michigan State's Shilique Calhoun.
Max from Toronto writes: Adam, tell Ivan that PA, MI, IL all have fantastic beaches, he should get out more. I've been to Destin, it's a dump!
Adam Rittenberg: Will do, Max, and Ivan can get to those beaches a lot easier from his home in Connecticut. But you can never take the South out of a Southerner, and I think he'll always be partial to Destin. Wonder if the Big Ten ever moves its spring meetings to a beach resort on Lake Michigan?
Dan from Omaha writes: As a Husker fan who watched us get torched by the Wisconsin offense in the B1G title game, I'm a little surprised to not see Wisconsin on your list of triple threat teams. You've got experienced players returning at all key skills positions, unlike PSU who will be starting a brand new QB. And while Wiscy's QB position may be in question, either have big game experience under their belt. [Melvin] Gordon and [James] White are both very viable and dangerous backfield options. Several times Abbrederis has been talked up as one of, if not the best, returning receiver in the B1G, and both he and Pedersen (quadruple threat??) are on Steele's AA teams. Stave/Phillips, Gordon/White, and Abbrederis provide a very potent triple threat, at least in my book. Why the snub?
Adam Rittenberg: Dan, some fair points here. I disagree Wisconsin was snubbed from the list, as we can only include five teams in the poll and I felt the other five were more deserving than the Badgers, who finished 111th nationally in passing in 2012 (156.9 ypg). Sure, Penn State has some major quarterback questions, but the Lions also have better depth at both wide receiver and tight end than Wisconsin, not to mention a pass-oriented, talented play-caller in head coach Bill O'Brien. Wisconsin's quarterbacks have more experience, but I have a hard time seeing one come close to 3,000 pass yards this season. Jared Abbrederis is the team's only real threat at wide receiver, and while Jacob Pedersen is a solid tight end, I like Penn State's overall group more. It came down to Penn State vs. Wisconsin for that fifth spot, and the combination of O'Brien's play calls and Penn State's returning receivers and tight ends trumped what Wisconsin brings back for 2013. Penn State's offense always will have a passing lean under O'Brien, while Wisconsin will remain run-based (as it should be) under new coordinator Andy Ludwig.
FredCoxRocks from Chilly Minnesota writes: Will you be posting the APR scores of the B1G teams? I heard Minnesota took a big jump up, as Jerry Kill promised he would work on. I know in the last few years they were near the line (I believe they even lost some scholarships in the Brewster era).
Adam Rittenberg: Yes, we'll be posting the specific scores for all the teams on Tuesday afternoon (release comes out at 2:30 p.m. ET). Some of the scores already have trickled out, but you'll get a complete list then. You're right about Minnesota taking a big jump up under Jerry Kill, who spoke earlier this week about it. "We were in big time trouble two years ago," Kill said during a Minnesota barnstorming tour event. "I can tell you, we've had four back-to-back semesters of 3.0 [cumulative GPA] or better. We've gotten ourselves out of a hole. And a big reason that’s happened is people working together to help us get out of that hole. We have over half our football team that’s over a 3.0. That's a miracle in where we were at before."
Neil from Lincoln, Neb., writes: Hey Adam, do you think the Big Ten will consider adopting the Pac-12's championship game model? Rewarding the qualifying team with the best record with an essential home game both rewards them for their conference regular season play and postitions a Big Ten team to have a better opportunity to qualify for the College Football Playoff. What are your thoughts?
Adam Rittenberg: Neil, you certainly aren't the only Big Ten fan who likes the Pac-12's title game model, but I don't see the Big Ten going down this road. For starters, there's concern from several Big Ten power brokers (league officials, ADs) about playing the championship game outdoors. No Big Ten team has an indoor home venue. The bigger thing is the Big Ten views the championship game as a major branding opportunity. It wants to bring in all fan bases, showcase the league and hold several events around the game. Many Big Ten cities couldn't accommodate these types of events. Like the SEC, the Big Ten can afford to have its championship game at a neutral site because its fans are willing to travel. The Pac-12 simply doesn't have that luxury. Its fans don't travel well to bowls, and asking two fan bases to make a trip to a neutral site -- even a great venue like the Rose Bowl -- might be too much to ask. Unless the Big Ten continues to see disappointing attendance in Indianapolis or another neutral-site venue like Chicago, I don't see the league going with campus sites for the game.
Bill from Portales, N.M., writes: Dear Adam, Can we let the Gee issue go? Surely there is something you can report on about Ohio State's football team that doesn't center around an eccentric, loose-lipped University President. Yes, I agree that he has been an embarrassment to the University and the State (and all of us Buckeye fans) however he is not a member of the football team. Those of us who live outside of Ohio and count on your coverage of Buckeye football want to read about the coaches and players. We rely on you to quench our thirst for information on our beloved football team. Thanks for listening.
Adam Rittenberg: Bill, I think the Gee story is pretty much over. That there was so much sports coverage about the retirement of a university president underscores how much Gee has injected himself into the Ohio State football/athletics story during his run as president. And it's impossible to deny the fact his retirement announcement comes days after his comments related to football became public. NBC Nightly News wouldn't have mentioned the story if Gee had retired quietly, with no preceding controversy. We have and will continue to have plenty of Ohio State team coverage, and I agree that's what the blog is mainly about. But Gee wasn't a typical university president when it came to football and public comments, and that's why the situation generated so much media attention, not just from ESPN but from everyone.
Missed New Rivalries from Buckeye Nation writes: Hey Adam, I know the Indiana-Purdue rivalry will be the only protected rivalry starting in 2014, but would the Big Ten have any interest in having protected rivalries for all Big Ten teams even if it could not start until the Big Ten begins a 9-game conference schedule in 2016? Here's a possibility for protected-rivalries:Indiana-Purdue: It's obvious this rivalry must remain since it is an in-state rivalry that has significant meaning to everyone in the state of Indiana. Maryland-Iowa: Of course, this will not will the greatest rivalry but at least it won't be as one-sided as Virginia Tech and Boston College and it gives Maryland another conference rival.Michigan-Minnesota: Yes, this is more of a one-sided rivalry but it's a trophy rivalry game for the Little Brown Jug and it still has meaning. Michigan State-Wisconsin: This is a new rivalry on the rise with 2 powerhouse teams and it should remain that way. Ohio State-Illinois: It preserves the Illbuck, provides a decent rivalry game and gives Illinois another rivalry that would be played annually. Penn State-Nebraska: It keeps an older rivalry alive and it would provide 2 competitive teams. Rutgers-Northwestern: How about a NYC-Chicago rivalry in the Big Ten? And it would provide 2 decent football teams on an annual basis in the big cities. Most of these protected rivalries keeps traditional rivalries which is important to the Big Ten while creating new traditional rivalries for the Big Ten and should be considered for future Big Ten conference scheduling, what's your opinion on this Adam?
Adam Rittenberg: I've never been a fan of protected crossover games, especially when the league gets larger. Protected games across the board hurt the overall schedule rotations for teams and create long gaps in matchups like the one we currently have between Iowa and Illinois (haven't played since 2008). Purdue and Indiana definitely have to play each year, but the other crossovers you propose, while nice rivalries, aren't essential, in my mind. Sure, it's nice to have the Jug game and the Illibuck game every year, but not at the expense of those teams going years and years without playing cross-division foes. The Big Ten feels the same way: it's more important for every league matchup to take place at least once every four years. You won't get that if every team has a protected crossover.
Scott from North Liberty, Iowa, writes: Hi Adam. We hear a lot about the top teams and players in the Big Ten for the upcoming season as voted for the pre-season accolades. Can you name some teams that you think could surprise everyone as well as some players who are waiting eagerly behind an incumbent that could light up the stats if given the chance?
Adam Rittenberg: Starting in the Leaders Division, Indiana could be a surprise team. The Hoosiers certainly improved in Year 2 under Kevin Wilson, and with eight games at home, they should have a good chance to go bowling. The defense always will be a major question mark, but IU has upgraded the talent there and should be very explosive on offense. I'm not sure Penn State will be a surprise team, but those thinking the Lions will crumble under the weight of the NCAA sanctions might be waiting a while. Jerry Kill has a history of producing good teams in Year 3, and while Minnesota plays in the deeper Legends division, it could make some noise if it can build off of a decent bowl performance. As far as players, Melvin Gordon isn't an unknown, but he'll step into a bigger role for Wisconsin this fall. Many in Madison think Gordon has a higher ceiling than any recent Wisconsin running back, including Montee Ball. Purdue's Akeem Hunt is another running back poised for success after an excellent spring. Also keep an eye on Penn State LB Mike Hull. He finally moves into a full-time starting role and could have an excellent year. Also keep an eye on three defensive ends: Michigan's Frank Clark, Ohio State's Noah Spence and Michigan State's Shilique Calhoun.
Max from Toronto writes: Adam, tell Ivan that PA, MI, IL all have fantastic beaches, he should get out more. I've been to Destin, it's a dump!
Adam Rittenberg: Will do, Max, and Ivan can get to those beaches a lot easier from his home in Connecticut. But you can never take the South out of a Southerner, and I think he'll always be partial to Destin. Wonder if the Big Ten ever moves its spring meetings to a beach resort on Lake Michigan?
Happy National Doughnut Day. Mmm ... doughnuts. Is there anything they can't do?
Check out College Football Live today, when Andre Ware ranks the top 5 quarterbacks in the Big Ten (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m. ET).
Check out College Football Live today, when Andre Ware ranks the top 5 quarterbacks in the Big Ten (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m. ET).
- Recruits having to pay their own way for official visits in the summer is becoming a problem for schools like Nebraska, and recruiting coordinator Ross Els would like to see some changes.
- An Ohio running back picked Iowa over Indiana. Phil Parker says he's pleased with the Hawkeyes defense.
- Indiana's flashy new helmet designs have succeeded in drawing attention to the program (subscription required).
- Michigan State released a 2013 promo video, touting the program's recent achievements. The Spartans are making recruiting inroads in New Jersey.
- More bad news for former Illinois defensive tackle Josh Brent.
- Kyle Meinke sees tight end Devin Funchess as Michigan's offensive breakout player. Laura Hoke is the leader of a close-knit group of Wolverines coaches' wives.
- Veteran defensive lineman Nate Cadogan is leaving Penn State. Opponents of the Penn State sanctions vow to push on despite the dismissal of Gov. Tom Corbett's lawsuit. Bill O'Brien is the commencement speaker at his niece's high school.
- Michigan has put a dent in Ohio State's recruiting, Bob Hunter writes. The Buckeyes' "must-get" prospects in the 2014 class.
- Taking a look back at the 1973 Minnesota Golden Gophers.
- It's camp season at Purdue.
- Northwestern was always where freshman offensive lineman Blake King wanted to be.
- Purdue won't really notice the addition of Maryland and Rutgers right away.
- Wisconsin is installing its new video board.
- Who'll lead the Big Ten in rushing this year?
The confidence in Seth Littrell's voice is unmistakable.
Littrell, the offensive coordinator at Indiana, leads a group in 2013 that would make many of his Big Ten colleagues jealous. Make all your "it's Indiana" jokes if you want, but the Hoosiers bring back 10 starters from an offense that finished second in the league in yards (442 ypg) and fourth in scoring (30.8 ppg) last fall.
"We lost our center," Litrell said, referring to Will Matte. "That's really all we lost."
All the other key pieces are back from a unit that scored 49 points against Ohio State -- the most ever against the Buckeyes and the most Ohio State surrendered in a game since 1994 -- and 27 first-half points against Michigan State, which allowed no more than 28 in an entire game all season. The Hoosiers scored 24 points or more in 10 of 12 games and eclipsed 450 yards in seven contests.
In addition to four returning line starters, Littrell has arguably the Big Ten's top wide receiving corps, a talented tight end in Ted Bolser, an explosive running back in Stephen Houston and three quarterbacks -- Tre Roberson, Cameron Coffman and Nate Sudfeld with significant experience. Head coach Kevin Wilson's up-tempo spread offense isn't new to the core players, and neither is Littrell, who enters his second year as the coordinator.
All the familiarity suggests Indiana will simply keep the same plan it executed in 2012. But Littrell wants to broaden the scheme.
"I think you can experiment a little bit more on offense," he told ESPN.com. "You can tweak some things, and they aren't hard. ... We're evolving, we're always growing in this sport. In this day in college football, if you're not growing, you're not going to be very successful. Everything seems like it gets a little more complex every year.
"It's a group that's a lot of fun to work with because they have some experience, they've been around each other, so you could probably play with some stuff a little easier than maybe you could in years past."
Indiana is still looking for a starting quarterback after Roberson, Coffman and Sudfeld competed this spring. But because all three men have experience, Littrell thinks he can broaden the playbook rather than condense it.
"I tell them, 'Don't be a mannequin. If you like some things as a quarterback, talk with each other, do something, go experiment,'" Littrell said. "[Summer is] the time where we used to go out and have fun and experiment, offense-defense competition. They've got to experiment on their own a little bit, too. Players who come back over the summer will say, 'Hey, coach, we've been working on this, we like this, take a look at it.'
"And most of the time, they're right."
Littrell, the offensive coordinator at Indiana, leads a group in 2013 that would make many of his Big Ten colleagues jealous. Make all your "it's Indiana" jokes if you want, but the Hoosiers bring back 10 starters from an offense that finished second in the league in yards (442 ypg) and fourth in scoring (30.8 ppg) last fall.
"We lost our center," Litrell said, referring to Will Matte. "That's really all we lost."
All the other key pieces are back from a unit that scored 49 points against Ohio State -- the most ever against the Buckeyes and the most Ohio State surrendered in a game since 1994 -- and 27 first-half points against Michigan State, which allowed no more than 28 in an entire game all season. The Hoosiers scored 24 points or more in 10 of 12 games and eclipsed 450 yards in seven contests.
In addition to four returning line starters, Littrell has arguably the Big Ten's top wide receiving corps, a talented tight end in Ted Bolser, an explosive running back in Stephen Houston and three quarterbacks -- Tre Roberson, Cameron Coffman and Nate Sudfeld with significant experience. Head coach Kevin Wilson's up-tempo spread offense isn't new to the core players, and neither is Littrell, who enters his second year as the coordinator.
All the familiarity suggests Indiana will simply keep the same plan it executed in 2012. But Littrell wants to broaden the scheme.
"I think you can experiment a little bit more on offense," he told ESPN.com. "You can tweak some things, and they aren't hard. ... We're evolving, we're always growing in this sport. In this day in college football, if you're not growing, you're not going to be very successful. Everything seems like it gets a little more complex every year.
"It's a group that's a lot of fun to work with because they have some experience, they've been around each other, so you could probably play with some stuff a little easier than maybe you could in years past."
Indiana is still looking for a starting quarterback after Roberson, Coffman and Sudfeld competed this spring. But because all three men have experience, Littrell thinks he can broaden the playbook rather than condense it.
"I tell them, 'Don't be a mannequin. If you like some things as a quarterback, talk with each other, do something, go experiment,'" Littrell said. "[Summer is] the time where we used to go out and have fun and experiment, offense-defense competition. They've got to experiment on their own a little bit, too. Players who come back over the summer will say, 'Hey, coach, we've been working on this, we like this, take a look at it.'
"And most of the time, they're right."
What you got?
Will from Farmington Hills, Mich., writes: Predict and rank the following scenarios from most likely to occur to least likely to occur: Michigan develops a solid running game, MSU produces a consistent chain-moving offense, OSU has a top 20 defense, Nebraska has a top 40 defense, Wisconsin does not skip a beat under the new coaching staff, Northwestern beats 3 of 5 top teams (OSU, Wis, Mich, MSU, Neb).
Brian Bennett: Challenge accepted. OK, here goes:
1. Michigan develops solid running game: Sure, the interior offensive line is young, but the combo of Fitz Toussaint and Derrick Green should be pretty good. And I think the return to the pro-style offense will allow the Wolverines to focus on putting together a more consistent running package. Plus, you only said solid, not great.
2. Wisconsin does not skip a beat: I really like Gary Andersen's track record, and the Badgers return a lot of talent. With that schedule, I like Wisconsin to improve on last season's 7-5 regular-season record and contend for the division title.
3. Nebraska fields a top 40 defense: This might seem controversial given the Huskers' questions on that side of the ball, but it's not all that difficult to get into the top 40, statistically speaking. San Diego State was No. 39 last season. Hawaii was No. 41. Nebraska -- despite those terrible performances against UCLA, Ohio State and Wisconsin -- still finished 35th. I suspect the Huskers will be good against mediocre-to-bad teams, and hopefully not terrible against the great offenses. That could still be enough to finish in the top 40.
4. Northwestern beats three of top five: Right now, I'd only make Northwestern the favorite in one of those games: Michigan State at home on Nov. 23. Though both Ohio State and Michigan come to Evanston, the Wildcats have one of the weakest home-field advantages in the Big Ten. They are typically good for at least one road upset, though. I think two of five is more likely, but Northwestern has the talent to compete with all five.
5. Ohio State fields a top 20 defense: The top 20 is a different stratosphere than the top 40, obviously. With a veteran defensive line last season, the Buckeyes finished No. 34. An outstanding Stanford team finished No. 20 last season. Now, Ohio State is replacing six of seven starters in the front seven, and while there is a lot of talent, there are some question marks as well. The schedule could help, though.
6. Michigan State consistently moves the chains: Let's see: quarterback questions, no clear starter at running back, receivers with a lot to prove, and an offensive line that underperformed last season. And Le'Veon Bell is in Pittsburgh. I have to see it to believe it.
Sense of Humor from Columbus, Ohio, writes: Hey BB. As a 2 time OSU Alum (coincidentally during both of Gordon Gee's tenures as President) it is especially painful to me to see what has transpired here. First off, he shouldn't play the public like he is, we all know the Board forced him out. We aren't blind. But what bothers me even more is the fact that, as a nation, have we REALLY become so politically correct that we have completely lost the ability to take a joke?! Anyone who has listened to the actual audio can tell that everything said was said in jest, especially based on the crowd laughter. GOD FORBID SOMEONE DISSES THE ALMIGHTY SEC. You think they don't make fun of us for being farmboys up here in B1G country?! It just seems weird to me as well, that these comments were made in December of 2012 if I read correctly, and yet the firestorm starts 6 months later?! Makes no sense to me. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Brian Bennett: I never read Gee's comments for anything but what they were: poor attempts at humor. We received some emails bashing the media for its role in Gee's (forced?) retirement, but at no point did Adam or I ever say Gee should be removed from his job. This was more, I suspect, a matter of trustees and other university leaders growing tired of dealing with his embarrassing comments. The timing didn't help him, either, as they came to light in a slow news period, whereas they probably would have had a shorter cycle in December. I agree with you that we've become overly sensitive, but that doesn't change the fact that Gee had repeatedly stuck his foot in his mouth and was clearly never going to learn from that. I'd love for him to stay in his job for another 10 years, because he makes for great copy and headlines. But if the school leadership felt like he wasn't acting very, well, "presidential" with his inappropriate jokes, I can't blame them.
Ry from Greensburg, Pa., writes: You wrote: "Penn State's Allen Robinson, who finished with 1,013. Robinson is still only a junior, so he's the best bet to do it again this year, though he'll be catching passes from an inexperienced quarterback to start the season." So that means that Robinson is the No. 1 player in the B1G likely to repeat and not listed because he is assumed to be the most likely candidate, or is he excluded from the list because the inexperienced QB won't be able to get him the ball like McG could? Also, I agree that Penn State's QB should be listed with higher chances than Indiana's QB to hit 3,000 yards because I think BO'B is a better coach than Kevin Wilson with better prospects/athletes to make plays for him.
Brian Bennett: Yes, Robinson is clearly the top choice to reach 1,000 yards in 2013. He was the best receiver in the Big Ten last season, and it wasn't really close, so there wasn't much need to discuss him. As for the Indiana vs. Penn State debate, I do believe Bill O'Brien's system, Robinson, and all those tight ends, will help whoever plays quarterback wind up with some great numbers. But let's not discount the Hoosiers, who have as deep a receiving corps as anybody in the league, and some pretty good passers in their own right. Consider that Indiana -- which played three quarterbacks last season -- passed for 3,734 yards last year, as opposed to 3,278 for the Nittany Lions. And IU will have an experience edge at quarterback.
David from Nashville, Tenn., writes: Regarding your list of double-digit sack masters, I've decided I need to speak up about Ohio State's Adolphus Washington and Noah Spence. I've been reading a lot of hype surrounding the two, and after you listing both on you list, I have to ask, aren't you (and most everybody else) jumping the gun a little bit? Washington recorded 9 tackles, 4 TFLs, and 3 sacks last year while playing in 10 games, and Spence recorded 13 tackles, only had 1 TFL and 1 sack in 11 games last year. Brendan Kelly had 7 TFLs, 5 sacks (11 games), Frank Clark had 9 TFLs, 2 sacks (11 games), Jonathon Brown 12 TFL, 4 sacks (only 1 solo, 9 games). All these guys ranked below Washington and Spence 'both'? Why? Is it because of the spring game where they were paired on a DL together and faced a non-starting OL (remember OSU split the teams for the game so it wasn't true 1's vs 1's)? ... Shouldn't we pump the breaks a bit? I find it odd that so many are dumping so much praise on tow true sophomores with 4 combines sacks between them? Certainly spring hype lets you down about 50 percent of the time.
Brian Bennett: Some very fair points here, especially when it comes to spring hype. It's also true that we're often more excited about the potential next best thing than solid returning players. But here's what I'll say in defense of picking those two. I didn't base a whole lot off the spring game. I did attend a regular Ohio State practice this spring and saw Spence dominate against Jack Mewhort, a senior who's one of the top left tackles in the Big Ten. In talking with Mewhort, coaches and team observers later, I found out that this was a regular occurrence, and that Spence was simply too hard to handle. Many people believe Washington is even better, and in fact, he had a bigger impact last season.
As for last year's stats, you've got to remember that Ohio State had a very veteran defensive line, and that Washington and Spence saw limited time as rookies. This year, there's no doubt both will start, leading to a whole lot more opportunities. And finally, the talent is undeniable; ESPN rated Spence the No. 4 recruit in the nation in the class of 2012, and Washington was No. 65. Maybe they don't quite live up to the hype this season, but I expect both to be very, very good.
Rob NitLion from Morristown, N.J., writes: The media, and then like-wise the fans make a HUGE issue regarding recruiting class "rankings," but would you say that class rankings can perhaps sway some commits to choose one school over another? Tell me Michigan recruits aren't being swayed that they have some of the highest rated recruits for 2014 coming in and they want to be a part of it (they are like the college football version of Kentucky Basketball recruiting) The reason I ask this is because Penn State is at an seemingly unfair disadvantage (aside from the sanctions). They currently have a top 15-20 ranked recruiting class for 2014 depending on the website you use' however, with only 3-5 more open scholarship slots, they most likely will only drop in the rankings due to sheer volume of the number of recruits they are allowed, while other schools continue to sign upwards of 25-30 recruits. Now this class BO'B is putting together at PSU this year might be a solid, ranking worthy class, but because of the scholarship restrictions there is no way they can maintain a high ranking. I believe this puts them at a further disadvantage, recruiting-wise, in future years.
Brian Bennett: I do think there is such a thing as recruiting momentum, in that great players want to play with other great players, and once a program starts bringing in a bunch of high-profile prospects, others want to join the bandwagon. However, I think that mostly occurs within a given class. Kids have short memories and attention spans, and I find it hard to believe that a recruit will base his decision on where to go to school based on a previous year's recruiting rankings. What matters more from year to year is whether the team is actually winning with the recruits it has brought in.
Penn State shouldn't really worry about class rankings. The Nittany Lions will obviously try to bring in the best recruits they can, but with only 15 scholarships to offer in each of the next four years, they're never going to be rated among the national leaders, which doesn't really matter anyway. O'Brien needs to win as much as he can under the sanctions and sell his ability both to play an exciting style and to get players ready for the NFL.
Lance S. from Greensboro, N.C., writes: If IU wants a helmet based on the state flag, fine. But don't you think they should have to use the actual flag colors (gold on a dark blue background)? It seems pretty disrespectful to me to change the colors -- I suspect the Indiana law on the flag specifies the colors to be used.
Brian Bennett: For the uninitiated, here's what the Indiana state flag looks like, and here's Indiana's state flag helmet. I see it as more of an homage to the state flag than a straight reproduction, and I think it would be jarring if the Hoosiers came out wearing blue and gold when they are so associated with cream and crimson. I get the idea, but am still not too fond of the helmet design. Maybe we should just keep state flags out of uniforms. Or else we end up with things like this.
Will from Farmington Hills, Mich., writes: Predict and rank the following scenarios from most likely to occur to least likely to occur: Michigan develops a solid running game, MSU produces a consistent chain-moving offense, OSU has a top 20 defense, Nebraska has a top 40 defense, Wisconsin does not skip a beat under the new coaching staff, Northwestern beats 3 of 5 top teams (OSU, Wis, Mich, MSU, Neb).
Brian Bennett: Challenge accepted. OK, here goes:
1. Michigan develops solid running game: Sure, the interior offensive line is young, but the combo of Fitz Toussaint and Derrick Green should be pretty good. And I think the return to the pro-style offense will allow the Wolverines to focus on putting together a more consistent running package. Plus, you only said solid, not great.
2. Wisconsin does not skip a beat: I really like Gary Andersen's track record, and the Badgers return a lot of talent. With that schedule, I like Wisconsin to improve on last season's 7-5 regular-season record and contend for the division title.
3. Nebraska fields a top 40 defense: This might seem controversial given the Huskers' questions on that side of the ball, but it's not all that difficult to get into the top 40, statistically speaking. San Diego State was No. 39 last season. Hawaii was No. 41. Nebraska -- despite those terrible performances against UCLA, Ohio State and Wisconsin -- still finished 35th. I suspect the Huskers will be good against mediocre-to-bad teams, and hopefully not terrible against the great offenses. That could still be enough to finish in the top 40.
4. Northwestern beats three of top five: Right now, I'd only make Northwestern the favorite in one of those games: Michigan State at home on Nov. 23. Though both Ohio State and Michigan come to Evanston, the Wildcats have one of the weakest home-field advantages in the Big Ten. They are typically good for at least one road upset, though. I think two of five is more likely, but Northwestern has the talent to compete with all five.
5. Ohio State fields a top 20 defense: The top 20 is a different stratosphere than the top 40, obviously. With a veteran defensive line last season, the Buckeyes finished No. 34. An outstanding Stanford team finished No. 20 last season. Now, Ohio State is replacing six of seven starters in the front seven, and while there is a lot of talent, there are some question marks as well. The schedule could help, though.
6. Michigan State consistently moves the chains: Let's see: quarterback questions, no clear starter at running back, receivers with a lot to prove, and an offensive line that underperformed last season. And Le'Veon Bell is in Pittsburgh. I have to see it to believe it.
Sense of Humor from Columbus, Ohio, writes: Hey BB. As a 2 time OSU Alum (coincidentally during both of Gordon Gee's tenures as President) it is especially painful to me to see what has transpired here. First off, he shouldn't play the public like he is, we all know the Board forced him out. We aren't blind. But what bothers me even more is the fact that, as a nation, have we REALLY become so politically correct that we have completely lost the ability to take a joke?! Anyone who has listened to the actual audio can tell that everything said was said in jest, especially based on the crowd laughter. GOD FORBID SOMEONE DISSES THE ALMIGHTY SEC. You think they don't make fun of us for being farmboys up here in B1G country?! It just seems weird to me as well, that these comments were made in December of 2012 if I read correctly, and yet the firestorm starts 6 months later?! Makes no sense to me. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Brian Bennett: I never read Gee's comments for anything but what they were: poor attempts at humor. We received some emails bashing the media for its role in Gee's (forced?) retirement, but at no point did Adam or I ever say Gee should be removed from his job. This was more, I suspect, a matter of trustees and other university leaders growing tired of dealing with his embarrassing comments. The timing didn't help him, either, as they came to light in a slow news period, whereas they probably would have had a shorter cycle in December. I agree with you that we've become overly sensitive, but that doesn't change the fact that Gee had repeatedly stuck his foot in his mouth and was clearly never going to learn from that. I'd love for him to stay in his job for another 10 years, because he makes for great copy and headlines. But if the school leadership felt like he wasn't acting very, well, "presidential" with his inappropriate jokes, I can't blame them.
Ry from Greensburg, Pa., writes: You wrote: "Penn State's Allen Robinson, who finished with 1,013. Robinson is still only a junior, so he's the best bet to do it again this year, though he'll be catching passes from an inexperienced quarterback to start the season." So that means that Robinson is the No. 1 player in the B1G likely to repeat and not listed because he is assumed to be the most likely candidate, or is he excluded from the list because the inexperienced QB won't be able to get him the ball like McG could? Also, I agree that Penn State's QB should be listed with higher chances than Indiana's QB to hit 3,000 yards because I think BO'B is a better coach than Kevin Wilson with better prospects/athletes to make plays for him.
Brian Bennett: Yes, Robinson is clearly the top choice to reach 1,000 yards in 2013. He was the best receiver in the Big Ten last season, and it wasn't really close, so there wasn't much need to discuss him. As for the Indiana vs. Penn State debate, I do believe Bill O'Brien's system, Robinson, and all those tight ends, will help whoever plays quarterback wind up with some great numbers. But let's not discount the Hoosiers, who have as deep a receiving corps as anybody in the league, and some pretty good passers in their own right. Consider that Indiana -- which played three quarterbacks last season -- passed for 3,734 yards last year, as opposed to 3,278 for the Nittany Lions. And IU will have an experience edge at quarterback.
David from Nashville, Tenn., writes: Regarding your list of double-digit sack masters, I've decided I need to speak up about Ohio State's Adolphus Washington and Noah Spence. I've been reading a lot of hype surrounding the two, and after you listing both on you list, I have to ask, aren't you (and most everybody else) jumping the gun a little bit? Washington recorded 9 tackles, 4 TFLs, and 3 sacks last year while playing in 10 games, and Spence recorded 13 tackles, only had 1 TFL and 1 sack in 11 games last year. Brendan Kelly had 7 TFLs, 5 sacks (11 games), Frank Clark had 9 TFLs, 2 sacks (11 games), Jonathon Brown 12 TFL, 4 sacks (only 1 solo, 9 games). All these guys ranked below Washington and Spence 'both'? Why? Is it because of the spring game where they were paired on a DL together and faced a non-starting OL (remember OSU split the teams for the game so it wasn't true 1's vs 1's)? ... Shouldn't we pump the breaks a bit? I find it odd that so many are dumping so much praise on tow true sophomores with 4 combines sacks between them? Certainly spring hype lets you down about 50 percent of the time.
Brian Bennett: Some very fair points here, especially when it comes to spring hype. It's also true that we're often more excited about the potential next best thing than solid returning players. But here's what I'll say in defense of picking those two. I didn't base a whole lot off the spring game. I did attend a regular Ohio State practice this spring and saw Spence dominate against Jack Mewhort, a senior who's one of the top left tackles in the Big Ten. In talking with Mewhort, coaches and team observers later, I found out that this was a regular occurrence, and that Spence was simply too hard to handle. Many people believe Washington is even better, and in fact, he had a bigger impact last season.
As for last year's stats, you've got to remember that Ohio State had a very veteran defensive line, and that Washington and Spence saw limited time as rookies. This year, there's no doubt both will start, leading to a whole lot more opportunities. And finally, the talent is undeniable; ESPN rated Spence the No. 4 recruit in the nation in the class of 2012, and Washington was No. 65. Maybe they don't quite live up to the hype this season, but I expect both to be very, very good.
Rob NitLion from Morristown, N.J., writes: The media, and then like-wise the fans make a HUGE issue regarding recruiting class "rankings," but would you say that class rankings can perhaps sway some commits to choose one school over another? Tell me Michigan recruits aren't being swayed that they have some of the highest rated recruits for 2014 coming in and they want to be a part of it (they are like the college football version of Kentucky Basketball recruiting) The reason I ask this is because Penn State is at an seemingly unfair disadvantage (aside from the sanctions). They currently have a top 15-20 ranked recruiting class for 2014 depending on the website you use' however, with only 3-5 more open scholarship slots, they most likely will only drop in the rankings due to sheer volume of the number of recruits they are allowed, while other schools continue to sign upwards of 25-30 recruits. Now this class BO'B is putting together at PSU this year might be a solid, ranking worthy class, but because of the scholarship restrictions there is no way they can maintain a high ranking. I believe this puts them at a further disadvantage, recruiting-wise, in future years.
Brian Bennett: I do think there is such a thing as recruiting momentum, in that great players want to play with other great players, and once a program starts bringing in a bunch of high-profile prospects, others want to join the bandwagon. However, I think that mostly occurs within a given class. Kids have short memories and attention spans, and I find it hard to believe that a recruit will base his decision on where to go to school based on a previous year's recruiting rankings. What matters more from year to year is whether the team is actually winning with the recruits it has brought in.
Penn State shouldn't really worry about class rankings. The Nittany Lions will obviously try to bring in the best recruits they can, but with only 15 scholarships to offer in each of the next four years, they're never going to be rated among the national leaders, which doesn't really matter anyway. O'Brien needs to win as much as he can under the sanctions and sell his ability both to play an exciting style and to get players ready for the NFL.
Lance S. from Greensboro, N.C., writes: If IU wants a helmet based on the state flag, fine. But don't you think they should have to use the actual flag colors (gold on a dark blue background)? It seems pretty disrespectful to me to change the colors -- I suspect the Indiana law on the flag specifies the colors to be used.
Brian Bennett: For the uninitiated, here's what the Indiana state flag looks like, and here's Indiana's state flag helmet. I see it as more of an homage to the state flag than a straight reproduction, and I think it would be jarring if the Hoosiers came out wearing blue and gold when they are so associated with cream and crimson. I get the idea, but am still not too fond of the helmet design. Maybe we should just keep state flags out of uniforms. Or else we end up with things like this.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Adam Rittenberg
Rittenberg joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four years at the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, where he covered sports at Notre Dame, Northwestern, DePaul and several other colleges. He lives in Chicago.
Brian Bennett
Bennett joined ESPN.com in August 2008 after nine years at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., where he covered college sports and the University of Louisville beat. He lives in Louisville.
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