Big Ten: Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Big Ten's 3,000-yard passers in 2012
May, 25, 2012
May 25
3:00
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
When it comes to passing statistics in college football, 3,000 yards is a pretty good benchmark.
If you've reached that milestone as a quarterback, you're in pretty elite company. There were only 39 quarterbacks to do so in the FBS last season, and just three in the Big Ten: Michigan State's Kirk Cousins (3,316), Wisconsin's Russell Wilson (3,175) and Iowa's James Vandenberg (3,022). Northwestern's Dan Persa (2,376) missed three games and was limited in others, or else he might have made a run at it, too. No one else from the league surpassed 2,200 yards passing.
Of that group, only Vandenberg returns. The Big Ten isn't known as a huge passing league, so how many quarterbacks can reach 3,000 in 2012? Here's a breakdown of the top contenders in order of their chances of making it to 3K:
Vandenberg: On the plus side, Iowa will likely look to pass a lot this season without a proven running back, and new coordinator Greg Davis is a quarterback guru. On the downside, Vandenberg won't have favorite target Marvin McNutt, and he struggled on the road last season. Still, I think he'll get there and be better as a second-year full-time starter and senior.
Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois: Taking a flyer here. Scheelhaase threw for 2,110 in an offense that ran into the ground for the final six games. He won't have A.J. Jenkins around, and he'll have to learn an entirely new offense. But new coach Tim Beckman's spread attack could allow Scheelhaase to put up big numbers if the Illini can find enough weapons.
Danny O'Brien, Wisconsin: Assuming, as most do, that Maryland transfer O'Brien will beat out Joel Stave for the starting job, he has a chance to follow in Russell Wilson's footsteps. A tremendous running game means receivers often will be open. O'Brien threw for more than 2,400 yards as a freshman at Maryland. Then again, Wilson was the first quarterback in Wisconsin history to amass 3,000 passing yards, and he played about as flawlessly as you can play.
Braxton Miller, Ohio State: Miller threw for only 1,159 yards last season, but it took several games for him to become the starter, and the Buckeyes often decided not to pass much. He showed his potential by throwing for 235 yards against Michigan, and the Buckeyes were slinging it all over the place in the spring game. Miller's passing numbers should go way up under Urban Meyer, but 3,000 still seems like quite a reach.
Andrew Maxwell, Michigan State: Maxwell is stepping into the same offense that produced the passing yards leader last season in the Big Ten. But B.J. Cunningham and Keshawn Martin are gone, and Maxwell has never started a game. I think he'll be good, but given the youth at receiver and strength on the offensive line, the Spartans likely will run the ball more in 2012.
Denard Robinson, Michigan: Don't laugh. Shoelace threw for more than 2,500 yards in 2010, after all. He looked much better with his fundamentals this spring, and if he can get some of last season's 15 interceptions to go for catches by his teammates, that will help. It's unlikely, but never say never when it comes to Robinson.
Taylor Martinez, Nebraska: Martinez's 2,089 yards were a career high last season. He worked hard on his technique this offseason, and the Nebraska passing game should be much improved. The Huskers probably run it too well to have a 3,000 yard passer, but I do see Martinez's passing stats improving significantly.
Marqueis Gray, Minnesota: Gray threw for only 1,495 yards last season, but did have some big games, like against Michigan State (366 yards). I'd be stunned if he doesn't at least eclipse 2,000 yards. But does he have enough weapons around him, and will his running prowess hold down the passing numbers?
Unnamed Purdue quarterback: Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve combined to throw for 2,500 yards last season, and that was with TerBush as a newbie starter and Marve coming back from injury. If one of them seized the job and played full time, then 3,000 could be reachable. But it's more likely that Danny Hope will continue to rotate snaps between those two and Rob Henry.
Kain Colter, Northwestern: The Wildcats will have a deep and talented receiving corps, and they're not afraid to throw it around. The question is whether the athletic Colter can become more of a true passer, and how much Pat Fitzgerald will utilize Colter's ability to run.
Tre Roberson, Indiana: Roberson threw for less than 1,000 yards last season, but only played in nine games. He is improving as a passer, and the Hoosiers figure to open things up more in the passing game. Ben Chappell led the league in passing yards just two years ago. But 3,000 still seems like too much of a leap, and the probable lack of a bowl game hurts Roberson's chances.
Matt McGloin, Penn State: Whether it's McGloin or Paul Jones or Rob Bolden starting, they'll have a chance to post some good statistics under the guy who used to coach Tom Brady. But we've seen nothing from the Nittany Lions' quarterback options to suggest they can have that kind of season.
In closing, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw only one quarterback pass for 3,000 yards this season in the Big Ten. How many do you think will reach that milestone?
If you've reached that milestone as a quarterback, you're in pretty elite company. There were only 39 quarterbacks to do so in the FBS last season, and just three in the Big Ten: Michigan State's Kirk Cousins (3,316), Wisconsin's Russell Wilson (3,175) and Iowa's James Vandenberg (3,022). Northwestern's Dan Persa (2,376) missed three games and was limited in others, or else he might have made a run at it, too. No one else from the league surpassed 2,200 yards passing.
Of that group, only Vandenberg returns. The Big Ten isn't known as a huge passing league, so how many quarterbacks can reach 3,000 in 2012? Here's a breakdown of the top contenders in order of their chances of making it to 3K:
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Charlie NeibergallIowa's James Vandenberg is the Big Ten's lone returning 3,000-yard passer.
AP Photo/Charlie NeibergallIowa's James Vandenberg is the Big Ten's lone returning 3,000-yard passer.Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois: Taking a flyer here. Scheelhaase threw for 2,110 in an offense that ran into the ground for the final six games. He won't have A.J. Jenkins around, and he'll have to learn an entirely new offense. But new coach Tim Beckman's spread attack could allow Scheelhaase to put up big numbers if the Illini can find enough weapons.
Danny O'Brien, Wisconsin: Assuming, as most do, that Maryland transfer O'Brien will beat out Joel Stave for the starting job, he has a chance to follow in Russell Wilson's footsteps. A tremendous running game means receivers often will be open. O'Brien threw for more than 2,400 yards as a freshman at Maryland. Then again, Wilson was the first quarterback in Wisconsin history to amass 3,000 passing yards, and he played about as flawlessly as you can play.
Braxton Miller, Ohio State: Miller threw for only 1,159 yards last season, but it took several games for him to become the starter, and the Buckeyes often decided not to pass much. He showed his potential by throwing for 235 yards against Michigan, and the Buckeyes were slinging it all over the place in the spring game. Miller's passing numbers should go way up under Urban Meyer, but 3,000 still seems like quite a reach.
Andrew Maxwell, Michigan State: Maxwell is stepping into the same offense that produced the passing yards leader last season in the Big Ten. But B.J. Cunningham and Keshawn Martin are gone, and Maxwell has never started a game. I think he'll be good, but given the youth at receiver and strength on the offensive line, the Spartans likely will run the ball more in 2012.
Denard Robinson, Michigan: Don't laugh. Shoelace threw for more than 2,500 yards in 2010, after all. He looked much better with his fundamentals this spring, and if he can get some of last season's 15 interceptions to go for catches by his teammates, that will help. It's unlikely, but never say never when it comes to Robinson.
Taylor Martinez, Nebraska: Martinez's 2,089 yards were a career high last season. He worked hard on his technique this offseason, and the Nebraska passing game should be much improved. The Huskers probably run it too well to have a 3,000 yard passer, but I do see Martinez's passing stats improving significantly.
Marqueis Gray, Minnesota: Gray threw for only 1,495 yards last season, but did have some big games, like against Michigan State (366 yards). I'd be stunned if he doesn't at least eclipse 2,000 yards. But does he have enough weapons around him, and will his running prowess hold down the passing numbers?
Unnamed Purdue quarterback: Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve combined to throw for 2,500 yards last season, and that was with TerBush as a newbie starter and Marve coming back from injury. If one of them seized the job and played full time, then 3,000 could be reachable. But it's more likely that Danny Hope will continue to rotate snaps between those two and Rob Henry.
Kain Colter, Northwestern: The Wildcats will have a deep and talented receiving corps, and they're not afraid to throw it around. The question is whether the athletic Colter can become more of a true passer, and how much Pat Fitzgerald will utilize Colter's ability to run.
Tre Roberson, Indiana: Roberson threw for less than 1,000 yards last season, but only played in nine games. He is improving as a passer, and the Hoosiers figure to open things up more in the passing game. Ben Chappell led the league in passing yards just two years ago. But 3,000 still seems like too much of a leap, and the probable lack of a bowl game hurts Roberson's chances.
Matt McGloin, Penn State: Whether it's McGloin or Paul Jones or Rob Bolden starting, they'll have a chance to post some good statistics under the guy who used to coach Tom Brady. But we've seen nothing from the Nittany Lions' quarterback options to suggest they can have that kind of season.
In closing, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw only one quarterback pass for 3,000 yards this season in the Big Ten. How many do you think will reach that milestone?
Hope everyone has a terrific Memorial Day weekend. I can already smell the grilled meats.
- Ohio State's John Simon talks about his "Tebowish" dedication. Buckeyes players are following Urban Meyer's marching orders and putting in extra work this summer. Johnathan Hankins is eyeing a national title.
- Athlon ranks Michigan No. 7 in its preseason poll. Which is a lot higher than Phil Steele, who has the Wolverines at No. 22.
- James Vandenberg is getting overlooked in some preseason mags. Iowa will soon enjoy a rarity: opening Big Ten play at home.
- Despite being named the nation's top athletic director, Michigan State's Mark Hollis is among the lowest-paid Big Ten ADs. But he says he's not worried about it. Pat Narduzzi got a big raise.
- Outgoing Minnesota AD Joel Maturi says he has no regrets. Could the new Vikings stadium be in the mix for the Big Ten championship game?
- New Nebraska associate AD Jamie Williams' son will walk on at quarterback next season. DeJuan Groce's 83-yard punt return is remembered in the countdown of Huskers touchdowns by distance.
- Penn State could be the Big Ten's sleeper, but a lot would have to go right. Bill O'Brien reviews the spring and talks about the early schedule in this Q&A.
- BTN's Tom Dienhart previews Week 4 in the Big Ten.
- Illinois needs to start rewarding its loyal fans with some success, Mark Tupper writes.
- Reviewing some preseason Wisconsin player rankings.
- The Big Ten Network has helped expand Northwestern's profile.
Your comments: Most hated B1G coach
May, 25, 2012
May 25
9:00
AM ET
By
Brian Bennett and
Adam Rittenberg | ESPN.com
As part of ESPN.com's Hate Week, we asked you on Tuesday to vote for the most hated coach of all time in the Big Ten.
Now to wrap up Hate Week -- and we promise it's only going to be love from now on in this space (ahem) -- here are some of your comments on that topic. Let's conclude the Haters' Ball with a bang.
Philip from Iowa writes: No question it's Jim Tressel. First, he wins a lot of Big Ten Championships so naturally everyone else hates him for that. Second, he lost twice in a row in the National Championship, embarrassing the conference on the national stage -- and it hasn't yet been rebuilt. To make matters worse, the 2 games were 1 where OSU was the overwhelming favorite (against FL) and the other was to a 2 loss team (LSU)! Finally, there is the Terrell Pryor saga that happens while Tressel puts out a book called "The Winners Manual for the Game of Life" There is no contest, every school in the Big Ten, including many OSU alums and fans, hate Jim Tressel. Not many coaches can manage that.
Bert from Portland, Ore., writes: Most hated Big Ten Coach.Bo Schembechler. I attended Northwestern during 1975-79 and the football program won five games during that time (with an infamous 0-0 tie agaisnt Illinois). Woody Hayes would bring his team to town and in the post-game conference at least say that Northwestern played hard. Schembechler would complain that Northwestern did not belong in the Big Ten and that Michigan did not make enough money when it played in Evanston. He was a jerk of the worst kind. I remember watching the Homecoming game in 1978 when, during a rout, Northwestern managed to score a touchdown on a trick play embodiment of a fake punt fairly late in the game. Schembechler started screaming at his players and looked like he was on the verge of having a heart attack. The Northwestern fans started chanting "Rose Bowl! Rose Bowl!" In fact, Schembechler was probably the only man in the world who could make me root for USC in the Rose Bowl (which beat Michigan that season). Woody could be gracious in victory and even humble in own way. Schembechler could accomplish neither.
Logan D. from Saginaw, Mich., writes: The most hated coach in the B1G, or who should be the most hated coach, is without a doubt Bret Bielema. The guy just radiates egotism. All you need to do is type his name into Google followed by "is" and you will know exactly what he's like from the suggested words. As a Michigan State fan, I'm not sure if I have ever been angrier with a coach than I was at the end of last year's Big Ten Championship game. After Wisconsin's punter made his Oscar-worthy dive to seal the game, I don't know if I've ever seen a coach as outwardly exuberant as Bret was in that moment. You would have thought his team just scored a touchdown on the most miraculous play in history. I don't know another coach that would be as excited over seeing a yellow flag in the backfield. Plus, not that the guy is in need of an ego-boost whatsoever, but what compels you to put up 70 on Austin Peay and 83 on Indiana? We get it. You can score a lot of points against bad teams.
Brad W. from Philadelphia writes: Most hated coach? Hayden Fry. Unsportsmanlike, completely ungracious, score-runner-upper, never giving the opposition any credit, moronic 3rd-grade stuff like the pink locker room ... just an unpleasant, vicious old man. Could never beat his butt often enough. Runners-up: Earle Bruce, Mike White.
Rich H. from Wayne, N.J., writes: Most hated coach ever? Woody Hayes without a doubt. Surly, unprofessional, a hick, temper tantrums and unpolished. Dial up an automatic loss in almost every bowl game he coached. Track record of more NFL busts than any program sans Nebraska. Unimaginative offense; never changed with the times either. Never scheduled a tough out of conference game regular season without a 2-1/3-1 deal. His famous bout with Ref Jerry Markbreit on the sideline circa 1971? Should have been fired right then and there. Of course 1978 vs Clemson and Mr. Baumann will live in infamy and is the most embarrassing complete breakdown of any major head-coach EVER and televised on national TV to boot. Good thing he wasn't around in today's day and age - that dooming episode would have gone virile in 20 seconds. Yet alums adore this basic jackwagon, go figure. Did I mention his graduation rate? Less than 70%. Should I continue? Nah, jury rests...
Paul from Johnstown, Pa., writes: Love the Hate! I nominate two coaches, one current and one former. First, Bret Bielema...a totally spineless, classless jerk. Runs up the score. Goes for 2 late in the 4th Qtr with games in hand. Whines, whines, whines, whines like a 5 year old. Loses to TCU with a completely loaded team. Makes tacky comments about how great it is to be a Badger fan when questioned about the situations at PSU, OSU and UM. Sprints across the field like a tool to shake hands quickly with opposing coach in total disprespectful fashion .Second, Bo Scumbechler ... yes, "Scumbechler." As a PSU fan, I have an obligation to hate this man for the lack of class he showed when PSU was brought into the B1G. His comments and efforts to exclude PSU and/or to make PSU's admission into the conference unwelcoming still boils my blood.
Danny from Davenport, Iowa, writes: Adam, as a Hawkeye fan it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep from hating Pat Fitzgerald. He may not be on the radar much outside of Iowa City and his body of work may leave some to question this hatred for PF. But, look at this from an Iowa fan standpoint. PF is a whiner and a coward. Take last year, for instance. PF hid behind one of his own players while that player took heat for admitting to the world that Pat Fitz hated Iowa with a passion. One cannot help but think that this is hostility boiling over from the injury incurred during a game when PF was still in pads. Grow up and get over it. Then, there was PFs whole twitter controversy, or should I say the "director of football operations" twitter controversy while he was "accidentally" logged into PFs account. SURE, man up.
Mark from Oklahoma City writes: John Cooper. I was born in Ohio in 1986. Growing up and watching the pain and anguish that John Cooper put on my father's face Saturday afternoons in late November during the 90s was enough to make me despise him. Interestingly, it's during the same period I grew to despise Lloyd Carr. I hated him more at one point until I went to Ohio State during the Jimmy T era which he spent a good amount of time of beating the same Lloyd Carr into "retirement" which cemented Cooper as my most hated coach. Go back to Arizona State, take Gene Smith with you. Give me a coach from Ohio.
Shawn from Minneapolis writes: You gotta admire talent, so I'm not picking on anyone who won, not even those [REDACTED] coaches from Michigan. Most hated B1G coach: Tim Brewster, with a pathetic record of (*googles* ... cripes it didn't feel like that many wins) 15-30 in FOUR LONG YEARS. Long live Coach Kill!
Zach from Lincoln, Neb., writes: In regards to your most hated coach ever...Can the worst coach not have ever coached in the B1G? I think universally, Bill Callahan (excuse my french) is the dirtiest word that can be spoken in 'sker country.
Joe P. from Chicago writes: My most hated Big Ten coach ever is John L. Smith. As a Spartan fan, it was bad enough getting regularly slaughtered by our rivals (and inferior programs like Indiana), but he made our program into a punchline. God Bless Dantonio.
Chris from Wisconsin writes: As soon as Urban Meyer entered the B1G he instantly became the most hated coach of all time. As a Badger fan, I didn't even really hate any coaches in the Big Ten over the years but wow do I hate Urban Meyer and I can't even figure out what it is. I can't stand the guy and he has yet to coach a game at OSU hoping Bielema runs up the score on him for many years to come "and for Urban many is about 3 which is how long I expect him to stay at OSU.
Robert V. from West Bloomfield, Meechigan, writes: Most Hated Big Ten Coach:Wayne Woodrow Hayes.
Travis form Midland, Mich., writes: As a Michigan fan, I would have to say I hate Jim Tressel the most. I was not alive during the 10-year war between Woody and Bo, so I don't hate Woody as much as some other Michigan fans. The biggest reason I hate Tressel the most would be the violations. Before "tattoogate" broke, I hated him, but I respected him for running an honest program. After the NCAA violations, I hated him and I lost most of my respect for him. Personally (and this might be my Michigan fan bias), I believe Ohio State went beyond just the tattoos. I believe that there were rule infractions as early as Maurice Clarett. To sum it up, I hate Jim Tressel because, 1. He coached at Ohio State, 2. He was extremely successful against Michigan, 3. He turned his back to NCAA violations and is labeled a cheater in my mind because of this. My second least favorite coach might just be Jerry Sandusky, for obvious reasons.
John from New Hampshire writes: Easy question: Lloyd Carr hands down without a doubt. His sideline ranting made it even easier to just despise Meeechigan. His BS screaming for more time on the clock won him a miracle game about five years ago when Penn State was in the Big House and winning till Lloyd's crying got the refs to make a historically insipient call, giving undue time on the clock and giving those hideously clad (...that bright yellow....) chumps the game - and costing my beloved Nittany Lions perhaps a perfect season.
Now to wrap up Hate Week -- and we promise it's only going to be love from now on in this space (ahem) -- here are some of your comments on that topic. Let's conclude the Haters' Ball with a bang.
Philip from Iowa writes: No question it's Jim Tressel. First, he wins a lot of Big Ten Championships so naturally everyone else hates him for that. Second, he lost twice in a row in the National Championship, embarrassing the conference on the national stage -- and it hasn't yet been rebuilt. To make matters worse, the 2 games were 1 where OSU was the overwhelming favorite (against FL) and the other was to a 2 loss team (LSU)! Finally, there is the Terrell Pryor saga that happens while Tressel puts out a book called "The Winners Manual for the Game of Life" There is no contest, every school in the Big Ten, including many OSU alums and fans, hate Jim Tressel. Not many coaches can manage that.
Bert from Portland, Ore., writes: Most hated Big Ten Coach.Bo Schembechler. I attended Northwestern during 1975-79 and the football program won five games during that time (with an infamous 0-0 tie agaisnt Illinois). Woody Hayes would bring his team to town and in the post-game conference at least say that Northwestern played hard. Schembechler would complain that Northwestern did not belong in the Big Ten and that Michigan did not make enough money when it played in Evanston. He was a jerk of the worst kind. I remember watching the Homecoming game in 1978 when, during a rout, Northwestern managed to score a touchdown on a trick play embodiment of a fake punt fairly late in the game. Schembechler started screaming at his players and looked like he was on the verge of having a heart attack. The Northwestern fans started chanting "Rose Bowl! Rose Bowl!" In fact, Schembechler was probably the only man in the world who could make me root for USC in the Rose Bowl (which beat Michigan that season). Woody could be gracious in victory and even humble in own way. Schembechler could accomplish neither.
Logan D. from Saginaw, Mich., writes: The most hated coach in the B1G, or who should be the most hated coach, is without a doubt Bret Bielema. The guy just radiates egotism. All you need to do is type his name into Google followed by "is" and you will know exactly what he's like from the suggested words. As a Michigan State fan, I'm not sure if I have ever been angrier with a coach than I was at the end of last year's Big Ten Championship game. After Wisconsin's punter made his Oscar-worthy dive to seal the game, I don't know if I've ever seen a coach as outwardly exuberant as Bret was in that moment. You would have thought his team just scored a touchdown on the most miraculous play in history. I don't know another coach that would be as excited over seeing a yellow flag in the backfield. Plus, not that the guy is in need of an ego-boost whatsoever, but what compels you to put up 70 on Austin Peay and 83 on Indiana? We get it. You can score a lot of points against bad teams.
Brad W. from Philadelphia writes: Most hated coach? Hayden Fry. Unsportsmanlike, completely ungracious, score-runner-upper, never giving the opposition any credit, moronic 3rd-grade stuff like the pink locker room ... just an unpleasant, vicious old man. Could never beat his butt often enough. Runners-up: Earle Bruce, Mike White.
Rich H. from Wayne, N.J., writes: Most hated coach ever? Woody Hayes without a doubt. Surly, unprofessional, a hick, temper tantrums and unpolished. Dial up an automatic loss in almost every bowl game he coached. Track record of more NFL busts than any program sans Nebraska. Unimaginative offense; never changed with the times either. Never scheduled a tough out of conference game regular season without a 2-1/3-1 deal. His famous bout with Ref Jerry Markbreit on the sideline circa 1971? Should have been fired right then and there. Of course 1978 vs Clemson and Mr. Baumann will live in infamy and is the most embarrassing complete breakdown of any major head-coach EVER and televised on national TV to boot. Good thing he wasn't around in today's day and age - that dooming episode would have gone virile in 20 seconds. Yet alums adore this basic jackwagon, go figure. Did I mention his graduation rate? Less than 70%. Should I continue? Nah, jury rests...
Paul from Johnstown, Pa., writes: Love the Hate! I nominate two coaches, one current and one former. First, Bret Bielema...a totally spineless, classless jerk. Runs up the score. Goes for 2 late in the 4th Qtr with games in hand. Whines, whines, whines, whines like a 5 year old. Loses to TCU with a completely loaded team. Makes tacky comments about how great it is to be a Badger fan when questioned about the situations at PSU, OSU and UM. Sprints across the field like a tool to shake hands quickly with opposing coach in total disprespectful fashion .Second, Bo Scumbechler ... yes, "Scumbechler." As a PSU fan, I have an obligation to hate this man for the lack of class he showed when PSU was brought into the B1G. His comments and efforts to exclude PSU and/or to make PSU's admission into the conference unwelcoming still boils my blood.
Danny from Davenport, Iowa, writes: Adam, as a Hawkeye fan it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep from hating Pat Fitzgerald. He may not be on the radar much outside of Iowa City and his body of work may leave some to question this hatred for PF. But, look at this from an Iowa fan standpoint. PF is a whiner and a coward. Take last year, for instance. PF hid behind one of his own players while that player took heat for admitting to the world that Pat Fitz hated Iowa with a passion. One cannot help but think that this is hostility boiling over from the injury incurred during a game when PF was still in pads. Grow up and get over it. Then, there was PFs whole twitter controversy, or should I say the "director of football operations" twitter controversy while he was "accidentally" logged into PFs account. SURE, man up.
Mark from Oklahoma City writes: John Cooper. I was born in Ohio in 1986. Growing up and watching the pain and anguish that John Cooper put on my father's face Saturday afternoons in late November during the 90s was enough to make me despise him. Interestingly, it's during the same period I grew to despise Lloyd Carr. I hated him more at one point until I went to Ohio State during the Jimmy T era which he spent a good amount of time of beating the same Lloyd Carr into "retirement" which cemented Cooper as my most hated coach. Go back to Arizona State, take Gene Smith with you. Give me a coach from Ohio.
Shawn from Minneapolis writes: You gotta admire talent, so I'm not picking on anyone who won, not even those [REDACTED] coaches from Michigan. Most hated B1G coach: Tim Brewster, with a pathetic record of (*googles* ... cripes it didn't feel like that many wins) 15-30 in FOUR LONG YEARS. Long live Coach Kill!
Zach from Lincoln, Neb., writes: In regards to your most hated coach ever...Can the worst coach not have ever coached in the B1G? I think universally, Bill Callahan (excuse my french) is the dirtiest word that can be spoken in 'sker country.
Joe P. from Chicago writes: My most hated Big Ten coach ever is John L. Smith. As a Spartan fan, it was bad enough getting regularly slaughtered by our rivals (and inferior programs like Indiana), but he made our program into a punchline. God Bless Dantonio.
Chris from Wisconsin writes: As soon as Urban Meyer entered the B1G he instantly became the most hated coach of all time. As a Badger fan, I didn't even really hate any coaches in the Big Ten over the years but wow do I hate Urban Meyer and I can't even figure out what it is. I can't stand the guy and he has yet to coach a game at OSU hoping Bielema runs up the score on him for many years to come "and for Urban many is about 3 which is how long I expect him to stay at OSU.
Robert V. from West Bloomfield, Meechigan, writes: Most Hated Big Ten Coach:Wayne Woodrow Hayes.
Travis form Midland, Mich., writes: As a Michigan fan, I would have to say I hate Jim Tressel the most. I was not alive during the 10-year war between Woody and Bo, so I don't hate Woody as much as some other Michigan fans. The biggest reason I hate Tressel the most would be the violations. Before "tattoogate" broke, I hated him, but I respected him for running an honest program. After the NCAA violations, I hated him and I lost most of my respect for him. Personally (and this might be my Michigan fan bias), I believe Ohio State went beyond just the tattoos. I believe that there were rule infractions as early as Maurice Clarett. To sum it up, I hate Jim Tressel because, 1. He coached at Ohio State, 2. He was extremely successful against Michigan, 3. He turned his back to NCAA violations and is labeled a cheater in my mind because of this. My second least favorite coach might just be Jerry Sandusky, for obvious reasons.
John from New Hampshire writes: Easy question: Lloyd Carr hands down without a doubt. His sideline ranting made it even easier to just despise Meeechigan. His BS screaming for more time on the clock won him a miracle game about five years ago when Penn State was in the Big House and winning till Lloyd's crying got the refs to make a historically insipient call, giving undue time on the clock and giving those hideously clad (...that bright yellow....) chumps the game - and costing my beloved Nittany Lions perhaps a perfect season.
Let's all go to the mail:
Mike from Chicago writes: I can't begin to explain how utterly confused I am as to your stance on Big Ten expansion. My question is why can't the Big Ten just sit on their hands while every other conference expands to 16 teams. According to Adam, "Leagues would completely lack intimacy and commonality, teams would play even less often and there would be filler teams everywhere." As a fan of the B1G and Wisky, I would be livid if going to 16 teams meant Wisconsin would play Iowa even less than we do now and instead we had to play a Maryland team. Even if the league did get a bigger TV contract, it would still have to split the money evenly with an additional 4 members. And how in the world would the national image of your conference improve if you added teams like Rutgers or Maryland? And Notre Dame? Seriously?!?! The only thing Notre Dame is the Holy Grail of is being consistently nationally irrelevant for as long as I can remember.
Brian Bennett: You make good points, Mike, and as we wrote, the Big Ten isn't really interested in expanding beyond 12 at this time. Unfortunately, there could be some more major changes in alignment, and "sitting on your hands" is usually not the wisest business strategy in a changing marketplace. What superconferences could mean is even more massive TV deals, and the Big Ten doesn't want to be left behind. I totally agree that there are not many attractive candidates for expansion, but the options could turn out to be really poor if the league isn't ready to pounce. For now, the Big Ten simply needs to monitor the situation and have contingency plans in mind, as I'm sure it does.
Victor from Dayton, Ohio, writes: I was reading your and Adam's article on possible B1G expansion and I had a thought. Adam mentioned the idea of trying to get NC. My question is, while they may not add much to the football side of the conference (similar to Rutgers and Maryland that you mentioned) wouldn't it nice to see a Spartan-Tarheel shoot out multiple times a year in basketball? I think it has the possibility to turn into the basketball version of football's U of M-OSU rivalry. It would also make the B1G probably the best basketball conference out there. Thoughts?
Brian Bennett: It would no doubt be great for basketball, but basketball hasn't mattered one iota in this entire expansion circus. If so, Syracuse would never have left the Big East. That's why I think a team like Virginia Tech, which is a little worse fit academically and isn't great in basketball, is much more attractive. It's all about football.
Jeremy from Transplanted Cornfield in West Virginia writes: Much has been made of the scheduling hiatus, and let's be realistic the only concern is for the marquee teams in the League. I realize that scheduling is done years in advance, but why not schedule League games 2 years out and use a Premier League inspired method? During a given year note the standings of the member teams and for the schedule two years hence match the top teams against each other. The biggest problem I see is in maintaining home-away locations evenly amongst the B1G, but I am sure that there a lot of smarter people than I who could work it out. Basically, we as fans get to see more "move the needle" games, and the League perception just may increase nationally. ... I think that if the B1G were to commit to the top 4-6 teams consistently playing each other, the quality of the teams would increase through being more battle tested. Your take?
Brian Bennett: It's an interesting idea, and while football schedules are often made years and years in advance, this is actually fairly workable given that teams already have dates for conference games booked. I do see a couple of problems with your scenario.
First of all, even two years out, it's not always possible to identify who the top teams will be. For example, if you were doing the schedule for 2011 back in 2009, there's no doubt at all you would have pegged Ohio State as one of the top teams. And yet the Buckeyes went 6-6. The same could be said for Iowa. Secondly, by putting so-called marquee teams together, you end up with the same potential problem of huge gaps between games for some teams. Your plan would avoid situations like Michigan State-Wisconsin missing each other for four years but not necessarily help, say, Illinois and Iowa play. There really is no perfect solution for an eight-game schedule in a 12-team league.
Dan from Tempe, Ariz., writes: Love blog! I find it interesting (and sad) that it seems inevitable that we will have four 16-team super conferences. If this is case, what do you think about the idea of doing away with non-conference games all together and play an entire regular season (12-game) against conference opponents, with the division winners playing in a conference championship, and the four conference champions playing in a playoff for the national championship? While I think this situation is far from ideal, it creates a de facto 8-team playoff (i.e. winners of each division play each other) and it would be hard to complain that a national champion is undeserving.
Brian Bennett: I really like the idea of full round-robin conference play. However, I think you lose something with no nonconference opponents. Games like Michigan-Alabama are what get us pumped up for the season. And if everyone played in their own conference until the playoffs, the sport would be in danger of becoming too regionalized. I'd much rather watch Ohio State play USC than make sure it faces Northwestern and Minnesota, for instance.
Rob NitLion from Morristown, N.J., writes: Brian, I'm very interested to hear your rebuttal to this theory. You recently wrote about the reasons that Urban Meyer is the most "hated" coach in the B1G (based on reader voting) without ever coaching a game. As a devoted B1G Blog reader, my theory, based on other mailblog and weekly chat questions, I think there has been an overwhelming feeling that Urban Meyer AND the Buckeyes have been hyped up "more than a tad" by you and Adam, based on Urban's track record and Ohio State's past dominance of the B1G, which has angered a lot of readers and thus led to this "hatred" of Urban Meyer. As a Penn State fan, I have no issue with Meyer as a coach, albeit I think he was lucky to have a few great players in his short time there, but I really think that a fair share of this reader sentiment has been produced through the many blog articles written by you and Adam that have made the Buckeyes instant favorites, somewhat rightfully so, but I do think that a majority of your readers have based their "hatred" on the overflow of Pro-Buckeye "propaganda". Brian, your witness...
Brian Bennett: If I may approach the bench ... Well, first of all, I certainly haven't made the Buckeyes "instant favorites." I have them ranked No. 25 in my preseason poll, behind four other Big Ten teams. (As for Adam's ranking, well, you'll have to talk to him.) I get that there has been a lot of hype about Meyer, not just from this corner but from all over the place. Which I think is justified, given Meyer's track record -- two national titles and an undefeated season at Utah cannot solely be attributed to luck and "a few great players" -- and Ohio State's vast resources. I would also argue, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that fans of other teams wouldn't be bothered by the hype nearly as much if they didn't believe most of it themselves, deep down. And the defense rests.
Eli from New York writes: "There's little doubt that Meyer is going to win at Ohio State, just as there's little doubt many won't like him because of it."How about a little wager: $5000 that he doesn't win the B1G in 2013? I'd wager for having the best record this year, but we all know you don't have to have the best record to win the league.
Brian Bennett: I wouldn't bet large sums on any one team to win the conference in 2013, both because there's still enormous parity in the league and a lot can happen -- injuries, suspensions, etc. -- between now and then. If you offered me a bet that Ohio State would win the league at least once before 2015, I'd definitely take it. I also believe the Buckeyes will be playing for a national title by then. What kind of odds can I get on that?
Trotter from Des Moines, Iowa, writes: Phil Steele doesn't have JVB on any of his 4 B1G teams ... OK? He has Keenan Davis as one of his top receivers. ... Hmm, QB's throw Receivers the ball still right? 3000+years last year is pretty good right? Unproven on the road, but c'mon! Out of all B1G QB's from last year coming back, JVB is the obvious first choice, no? Which QB would you take first in you and Adam's "fantasy" CFB teams?
Brian Bennett: I have a lot of respect for Phil Steele, and his preseason magazine is a must-have resource for any serious college football fan. But simply put, he blew this one. No way James Vandenberg shouldn't at least be on one of the top three teams. He's the best pure pocket passer in the league, hands down, and I think Iowa will lean on him heavily in lieu of a proven running game. Now, as far as fantasy goes, I'd still take Denard Robinson. Big running stats from a quarterback are immensely valuable in fantasy. Of course, given Adam's fantasy acumen, he'd probably draft an offensive lineman first.
Matt from Minneapolis writes: Minnesota came really close to pulling off some pretty big upsets last year against USC and Michigan State. With a team that looks to be improved from last year, do you see any scenario in which the Gophers pull off an upset against a team eyeing a conference championship? If so, what game would it be?
Brian Bennett: I would expect the Gophers to at least scare the bejeezus out of a league contender. How about the Nov. 3 home game against Michigan? Minnesota wasn't remotely competitive against the Wolverines last year and will be looking to atone for such a poor performance at the Big House. Michigan will be coming off two straight tough games against Michigan State and then at Nebraska and could be physically beat up. Not saying Minnesota will pull that upset, but I could see a close game.
Shawn J. from Scranton, Pa., writes: You questioned whether Rob Bolden made the right career move by staying at Penn State. It's doubtful that Bolden will ever play in the NFL. So any career move should prioritize his post-football plans. With that in mind, what's his best move? Keeping his full ride at a premier research university.
Brian Bennett: Sure, that's a totally understandable option, and being a backup at Penn State might be preferable to starting for an FCS school. We have no idea of what Bolden's priorities and personal goals are. But it has been my experience that most players want playing time, first and foremost. I'm not sure how much he's going to get with the Nittany Lions going forward unless he shows radical improvement.
Malcolm from Del Mar, Calif., writes: If Michigan's coaching staff does what they do best and get the two sides of the line playing close to last year's squads, would that make them the favorite in the B1G Legends Division?
Brian Bennett: It would make them at least the co-favorites. The lines are definitely the biggest worry spot. But don't forget that last year's team played great and still didn't win the division. And that was with a favorable schedule. This year's schedule is much more difficult, with road games at Nebraska and Ohio State, plus the always difficult Michigan State game.
Jim from Winchester, Va., writes: Which game, and what kinds of things will you see in the nonconference schedule that will make you think to yourself..."Nebraska's defense looks like it may sneak up on the BIG, and is actually pretty good."
Brian Bennett: I see what you did there, Jim. Making me agree with your point and only asking me when I will agree with it. Crafty move. Anyway, I'll be optimistic about Nebraska's defense if it shuts down its first two opponents. Southern Miss finished 14th in the nation last year in scoring more than 36 points per game, and even though the Golden Eagles will have a new quarterback and a more defensive-minded head coach, they still have plenty of weapons. Then Nebraska goes to UCLA, which resembles an offensive juggernaut the way I look like Brad Pitt. But the game is still on the road, and new coach Jim Mora will likely have some tricks up his sleeve. Strong performances in both those games will signal good things for the Huskers. Still, I'm way more interested in how they are going to handle Wisconsin and Ohio State to start Big Ten play.
Mike from Chicago writes: I can't begin to explain how utterly confused I am as to your stance on Big Ten expansion. My question is why can't the Big Ten just sit on their hands while every other conference expands to 16 teams. According to Adam, "Leagues would completely lack intimacy and commonality, teams would play even less often and there would be filler teams everywhere." As a fan of the B1G and Wisky, I would be livid if going to 16 teams meant Wisconsin would play Iowa even less than we do now and instead we had to play a Maryland team. Even if the league did get a bigger TV contract, it would still have to split the money evenly with an additional 4 members. And how in the world would the national image of your conference improve if you added teams like Rutgers or Maryland? And Notre Dame? Seriously?!?! The only thing Notre Dame is the Holy Grail of is being consistently nationally irrelevant for as long as I can remember.
Brian Bennett: You make good points, Mike, and as we wrote, the Big Ten isn't really interested in expanding beyond 12 at this time. Unfortunately, there could be some more major changes in alignment, and "sitting on your hands" is usually not the wisest business strategy in a changing marketplace. What superconferences could mean is even more massive TV deals, and the Big Ten doesn't want to be left behind. I totally agree that there are not many attractive candidates for expansion, but the options could turn out to be really poor if the league isn't ready to pounce. For now, the Big Ten simply needs to monitor the situation and have contingency plans in mind, as I'm sure it does.
Victor from Dayton, Ohio, writes: I was reading your and Adam's article on possible B1G expansion and I had a thought. Adam mentioned the idea of trying to get NC. My question is, while they may not add much to the football side of the conference (similar to Rutgers and Maryland that you mentioned) wouldn't it nice to see a Spartan-Tarheel shoot out multiple times a year in basketball? I think it has the possibility to turn into the basketball version of football's U of M-OSU rivalry. It would also make the B1G probably the best basketball conference out there. Thoughts?
Brian Bennett: It would no doubt be great for basketball, but basketball hasn't mattered one iota in this entire expansion circus. If so, Syracuse would never have left the Big East. That's why I think a team like Virginia Tech, which is a little worse fit academically and isn't great in basketball, is much more attractive. It's all about football.
Jeremy from Transplanted Cornfield in West Virginia writes: Much has been made of the scheduling hiatus, and let's be realistic the only concern is for the marquee teams in the League. I realize that scheduling is done years in advance, but why not schedule League games 2 years out and use a Premier League inspired method? During a given year note the standings of the member teams and for the schedule two years hence match the top teams against each other. The biggest problem I see is in maintaining home-away locations evenly amongst the B1G, but I am sure that there a lot of smarter people than I who could work it out. Basically, we as fans get to see more "move the needle" games, and the League perception just may increase nationally. ... I think that if the B1G were to commit to the top 4-6 teams consistently playing each other, the quality of the teams would increase through being more battle tested. Your take?
Brian Bennett: It's an interesting idea, and while football schedules are often made years and years in advance, this is actually fairly workable given that teams already have dates for conference games booked. I do see a couple of problems with your scenario.
First of all, even two years out, it's not always possible to identify who the top teams will be. For example, if you were doing the schedule for 2011 back in 2009, there's no doubt at all you would have pegged Ohio State as one of the top teams. And yet the Buckeyes went 6-6. The same could be said for Iowa. Secondly, by putting so-called marquee teams together, you end up with the same potential problem of huge gaps between games for some teams. Your plan would avoid situations like Michigan State-Wisconsin missing each other for four years but not necessarily help, say, Illinois and Iowa play. There really is no perfect solution for an eight-game schedule in a 12-team league.
Dan from Tempe, Ariz., writes: Love blog! I find it interesting (and sad) that it seems inevitable that we will have four 16-team super conferences. If this is case, what do you think about the idea of doing away with non-conference games all together and play an entire regular season (12-game) against conference opponents, with the division winners playing in a conference championship, and the four conference champions playing in a playoff for the national championship? While I think this situation is far from ideal, it creates a de facto 8-team playoff (i.e. winners of each division play each other) and it would be hard to complain that a national champion is undeserving.
Brian Bennett: I really like the idea of full round-robin conference play. However, I think you lose something with no nonconference opponents. Games like Michigan-Alabama are what get us pumped up for the season. And if everyone played in their own conference until the playoffs, the sport would be in danger of becoming too regionalized. I'd much rather watch Ohio State play USC than make sure it faces Northwestern and Minnesota, for instance.
Rob NitLion from Morristown, N.J., writes: Brian, I'm very interested to hear your rebuttal to this theory. You recently wrote about the reasons that Urban Meyer is the most "hated" coach in the B1G (based on reader voting) without ever coaching a game. As a devoted B1G Blog reader, my theory, based on other mailblog and weekly chat questions, I think there has been an overwhelming feeling that Urban Meyer AND the Buckeyes have been hyped up "more than a tad" by you and Adam, based on Urban's track record and Ohio State's past dominance of the B1G, which has angered a lot of readers and thus led to this "hatred" of Urban Meyer. As a Penn State fan, I have no issue with Meyer as a coach, albeit I think he was lucky to have a few great players in his short time there, but I really think that a fair share of this reader sentiment has been produced through the many blog articles written by you and Adam that have made the Buckeyes instant favorites, somewhat rightfully so, but I do think that a majority of your readers have based their "hatred" on the overflow of Pro-Buckeye "propaganda". Brian, your witness...
Brian Bennett: If I may approach the bench ... Well, first of all, I certainly haven't made the Buckeyes "instant favorites." I have them ranked No. 25 in my preseason poll, behind four other Big Ten teams. (As for Adam's ranking, well, you'll have to talk to him.) I get that there has been a lot of hype about Meyer, not just from this corner but from all over the place. Which I think is justified, given Meyer's track record -- two national titles and an undefeated season at Utah cannot solely be attributed to luck and "a few great players" -- and Ohio State's vast resources. I would also argue, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that fans of other teams wouldn't be bothered by the hype nearly as much if they didn't believe most of it themselves, deep down. And the defense rests.
Eli from New York writes: "There's little doubt that Meyer is going to win at Ohio State, just as there's little doubt many won't like him because of it."How about a little wager: $5000 that he doesn't win the B1G in 2013? I'd wager for having the best record this year, but we all know you don't have to have the best record to win the league.
Brian Bennett: I wouldn't bet large sums on any one team to win the conference in 2013, both because there's still enormous parity in the league and a lot can happen -- injuries, suspensions, etc. -- between now and then. If you offered me a bet that Ohio State would win the league at least once before 2015, I'd definitely take it. I also believe the Buckeyes will be playing for a national title by then. What kind of odds can I get on that?
Trotter from Des Moines, Iowa, writes: Phil Steele doesn't have JVB on any of his 4 B1G teams ... OK? He has Keenan Davis as one of his top receivers. ... Hmm, QB's throw Receivers the ball still right? 3000+years last year is pretty good right? Unproven on the road, but c'mon! Out of all B1G QB's from last year coming back, JVB is the obvious first choice, no? Which QB would you take first in you and Adam's "fantasy" CFB teams?
Brian Bennett: I have a lot of respect for Phil Steele, and his preseason magazine is a must-have resource for any serious college football fan. But simply put, he blew this one. No way James Vandenberg shouldn't at least be on one of the top three teams. He's the best pure pocket passer in the league, hands down, and I think Iowa will lean on him heavily in lieu of a proven running game. Now, as far as fantasy goes, I'd still take Denard Robinson. Big running stats from a quarterback are immensely valuable in fantasy. Of course, given Adam's fantasy acumen, he'd probably draft an offensive lineman first.
Matt from Minneapolis writes: Minnesota came really close to pulling off some pretty big upsets last year against USC and Michigan State. With a team that looks to be improved from last year, do you see any scenario in which the Gophers pull off an upset against a team eyeing a conference championship? If so, what game would it be?
Brian Bennett: I would expect the Gophers to at least scare the bejeezus out of a league contender. How about the Nov. 3 home game against Michigan? Minnesota wasn't remotely competitive against the Wolverines last year and will be looking to atone for such a poor performance at the Big House. Michigan will be coming off two straight tough games against Michigan State and then at Nebraska and could be physically beat up. Not saying Minnesota will pull that upset, but I could see a close game.
Shawn J. from Scranton, Pa., writes: You questioned whether Rob Bolden made the right career move by staying at Penn State. It's doubtful that Bolden will ever play in the NFL. So any career move should prioritize his post-football plans. With that in mind, what's his best move? Keeping his full ride at a premier research university.
Brian Bennett: Sure, that's a totally understandable option, and being a backup at Penn State might be preferable to starting for an FCS school. We have no idea of what Bolden's priorities and personal goals are. But it has been my experience that most players want playing time, first and foremost. I'm not sure how much he's going to get with the Nittany Lions going forward unless he shows radical improvement.
Malcolm from Del Mar, Calif., writes: If Michigan's coaching staff does what they do best and get the two sides of the line playing close to last year's squads, would that make them the favorite in the B1G Legends Division?
Brian Bennett: It would make them at least the co-favorites. The lines are definitely the biggest worry spot. But don't forget that last year's team played great and still didn't win the division. And that was with a favorable schedule. This year's schedule is much more difficult, with road games at Nebraska and Ohio State, plus the always difficult Michigan State game.
Jim from Winchester, Va., writes: Which game, and what kinds of things will you see in the nonconference schedule that will make you think to yourself..."Nebraska's defense looks like it may sneak up on the BIG, and is actually pretty good."
Brian Bennett: I see what you did there, Jim. Making me agree with your point and only asking me when I will agree with it. Crafty move. Anyway, I'll be optimistic about Nebraska's defense if it shuts down its first two opponents. Southern Miss finished 14th in the nation last year in scoring more than 36 points per game, and even though the Golden Eagles will have a new quarterback and a more defensive-minded head coach, they still have plenty of weapons. Then Nebraska goes to UCLA, which resembles an offensive juggernaut the way I look like Brad Pitt. But the game is still on the road, and new coach Jim Mora will likely have some tricks up his sleeve. Strong performances in both those games will signal good things for the Huskers. Still, I'm way more interested in how they are going to handle Wisconsin and Ohio State to start Big Ten play.
Jerry Kill seeks fast facilities upgrade
May, 24, 2012
May 24
1:00
PM ET
By
Adam Rittenberg | ESPN.com
Norwood Teague's fundraising success at VCU was one of the biggest reasons he landed the job as Minnesota's athletic director. Last year, Teague launched a campaign to build a $10 million practice facility for men's and women's basketball. According to Teague's VCU bio, the school's athletic annual fund has increased by more than 119 percent during his watch.
That's good news for Minnesota football coach Jerry Kill, who is making it clear to his new boss that the program needs a facilities bump in the near future. While the opening of TCF Bank Stadium marked a huge step for Minnesota after the drab years in the Metrodome, the football program's everyday facility, the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex, lags behind the competition in the Big Ten.
From the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press:
The interesting subplot here is that Minnesota men's basketball coach Tubby Smith also wants a separate practice facility. During Teague's introductory news conference last month, Smith told reporters, "We shouldn't be the last school in the Big Ten without a practice facility."
So who gets a new facility first, football or men's basketball? Teague's big accomplishments as an AD have come on the hoops side, but he left VCU for Minnesota in part because he wanted to oversee a department with FBS football. While Smith is the bigger name with the national championship on his résumé, Teague is in a league (Big Ten) where football undeniably drives the bus. If Minnesota can get better on the gridiron, all the others programs will benefit.
Teague soon will have to answer that question. It's his first big decision in a big new job.
That's good news for Minnesota football coach Jerry Kill, who is making it clear to his new boss that the program needs a facilities bump in the near future. While the opening of TCF Bank Stadium marked a huge step for Minnesota after the drab years in the Metrodome, the football program's everyday facility, the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex, lags behind the competition in the Big Ten.
From the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press:
The U's indoor football practice facility cost $5.5 million to build in 1985 under coach Lou Holtz, who left to coach Notre Dame after two seasons. The building has received only patchwork and paint since then, although new turf was installed before the 2010 football season. Among the issues are several leaks in the 55-foot-high roof.
"It's not in good shape," Kill said. "That's not a football-selfish issue. We have nine teams using that, plus everybody on campus. For about $3 million, you can fix that. That needs to be an immediate fix. Now [Teague is] the boss, but it's an eyesore in recruiting. It's not good."
The interesting subplot here is that Minnesota men's basketball coach Tubby Smith also wants a separate practice facility. During Teague's introductory news conference last month, Smith told reporters, "We shouldn't be the last school in the Big Ten without a practice facility."
So who gets a new facility first, football or men's basketball? Teague's big accomplishments as an AD have come on the hoops side, but he left VCU for Minnesota in part because he wanted to oversee a department with FBS football. While Smith is the bigger name with the national championship on his résumé, Teague is in a league (Big Ten) where football undeniably drives the bus. If Minnesota can get better on the gridiron, all the others programs will benefit.
"I have a big vision of where we need to go; Tubby does, too," Kill said. "But you've got to take care of what you have because you just don't get things like [a new facility] right away. What are we going to do immediately to help the programs?"
Teague soon will have to answer that question. It's his first big decision in a big new job.
Look, I know that you're concerned, but I'm designing T-shirts now. They're gonna be huge. Also medium and small.
- Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith says the department isn't facing any major violations right now. Former Buckeyes linebacker Andrew Sweat chooses safety over potential NFL stardom.
- Michigan State expects top quarterback Andrew Maxwell (knee) to be 100 percent by June. A look at several 2013 recruits Michigan State has offered.
- Jerry Kill says Minnesota needs a facilities upgrade soon. Minnesota's outgoing AD Joel Maturi weighs in on playoff possibilities and other Gopher-related topics.
- Penn State 2013 recruit Greg Webb talks about his recovery from a torn ACL. Lions coach Bill O'Brien reviews spring ball and looks ahead.
- Indiana coach Kevin Wilson is geared up for his second season in Bloomington. Wilson weighs in on the trickiness of non-league scheduling.
- BTN.com's Tom Dienhart looks at Week 3 in the Big Ten this season.
- Purdue offers scholarships to two teammates from Georgia (subscription required) who both play defensive end.
- Hail to the Orange writes that Illinois needs Tim Beckman to be its version of Hayden Fry.
- Great news as Iowa announcer Gary Dolphin is cancer free and ready for the 2012 season.
- Several freshmen offensive linemen could be in the mix for Michigan this year. Michigan's backup quarterbacks remain works in progress.
- A look back at Tom Rathman's 84-yard touchdown run for Nebraska in 1985.
Hump day linkage:
- Michigan AD Dave Brandon not only doesn't favor using campus sites for semifinal games, he doesn't think they should be played in the Midwest anywhere, not even indoors. Huh?
- Pat Harty argues that the Big Ten should go to geographical divisions to avoid some of the gaps between rivals on the schedule. Dallas Clark might be the best story of the Kirk Ferentz era.
- Bruce Feldman has an excellent story about how two dirty plays don't define Michigan State's William Gholston.
- Steven M. Sipple looks at some of the candidates to eventually replace Tom Osborne, including recent hire (and former Huskers player) Jamie Williams. Nebraska picked up its first offensive lineman in the Class of 2013.
- Joe Paterno earned a state pension of more than $13 million during his 61 years at Penn State. A look at four big recruiting targets for the Nittany Lions this summer. Rob Bolden is staying put.
- Purdue got a $2 million donation that could go toward some improvements at Ross-Ade Stadium (but not lights).
- Tom Dienhart breaks down the best of Week 2 in the 2012 Big Ten season.
- Minnesota's Jerry Kill shared some optimism at a Rotary Club event.
- A planned SEC Network could eclipse the revenues of the Big Ten's similar venture.
- Gene Smith says Ohio State's athletic department is in its "glory years."
- Stewart Mandel talks realignment and playoff possibilities in his SI.com mailbag.
B1G could be in for tight end renaissance
May, 22, 2012
May 22
1:05
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
When you think Big Ten football, what usually comes to mind is big, corn-fed Midwestern players and bruising offenses. The kind of place that would be perfect for a tight end.
But the 2011 season was a little lackluster for that position in the league, at least as far as the passing game goes. Sure, Northwestern's Drake Dunsmore and Wisconsin's Jacob Pedersen were Mackey Award semifinalists, but those two and Michigan State's Brian Linthicum were the only two tight ends in the conference to record more than 25 catches. Some guys we expected to have big years, like Nebraska's Kyler Reed, Minnesota's Eric Lair and Indiana's Ted Bolser, were nearly invisible on the stat sheet. And there was certainly no one who rose the level of recent Big Ten stars like Dallas Clark, Matt Spaeth, Travis Beckum, Lance Kendricks or Dustin Keller.
Dunsmore, who won the league's inaugural Kwalick-Clark tight end of the year award, and Linthicum have both graduated. Yet 2012 is shaping up as a potentially big season for tight ends across the league.
Some of it has to do with changing offenses and playcallers who love utilizing the tight end. Urban Meyer made a star out of Aaron Hernandez at Florida and could do the same with Jake Stoneburner, who started off blazing hot last year before the Ohio State offense forgot about him. With the Buckeyes searching for playmakers, expect Stoneburner to be utilized heavily in 2012.
"Seeing Hernandez make all those plays makes someone like me pretty happy," Stoneburner told Adam Rittenberg last month. "It's something I've been waiting for since I graduated high school, being able to go out there knowing you're going to get the opportunity to get the ball more than once or twice a game. "
Bill O'Brien coached Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski as offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots, which featured the tight end as much as anybody in football. Now O'Brien is at Penn State, where tight ends have mostly been an afterthought. That will change quickly.
"That’s a very important part of what we’re going to do offensively,” O’Brien told reporters in March. “Obviously, the last two years in New England taught me a lot about the use of a tight end, multiple tight ends.”
At Iowa, new offensive coordinator Greg Davis is raving about sophomore C.J. Fiedorowicz, a 6-foot-7, 265-pounder who began to emerge late last season as a weapon. With an uncertain running game and an excellent passer in quarterback James Vandenberg, Fiedorowicz could follow in the footsteps of Clark and Tony Moeaki as breakout Hawkeyes tight ends. Coincidentally, Iowa's new offensive line coach is Brian Ferentz, who coached the tight ends with the Patriots last year.
“You’ll see the tight ends playing outside sometimes,” Davis told the Des Moines Register during spring practice. “Used to seeing them in motion, but there will be motion in wide receiver sets in some situations because they’re tough match-ups.”
Wisconsin returns one of the best tight ends in the country in Pedersen, who had led Big Ten tight ends with eight touchdown catches a year ago. Bret Bielema is also excited about the depth at the position, with veterans Brian Wozniak and Sam Arneson, redshirt freshmen Austin Traylor and Austin Maly and Pittsburgh transfer Brock DeCicco. Given the inexperience at receiver outside of Jared Abbrederis, the Badgers could look to throw to their tight ends even more this season.
Indiana's Bolser had only 14 catches last year, but he was one of the stars of the spring for the Hoosiers. An improved passing game should help him become more of a factor. Purdue likes the depth it has at tight end, led by Gabe Holmes and Crosby Wright.
“A year ago it was one of the leanest positions on our football team," Boilers coach Danny Hope told reporters in the spring, "and now I think going into the season that the tight end position is going to be one of our strengths.”
Reed's numbers dropped last year, but he still led Nebraska with an average of 17.1 yards per catch. He and fellow senior Ben Cotton form a nice tandem of targets for Taylor Martinez. Michigan State must replace Linthicum but is optimistic about 6-foot-5, 280-pound Dion Sims, who practiced this spring with a cast on his hand. Sims could provide a safety valve for new quarterback Andrew Maxwell early on as the Spartans break in some green receivers.
Minnesota's Moses Alipate will at least be a curiosity as a former quarterback who grew to 290 pounds. Michigan needs Brandon Moore or someone else to step in for Kevin Koger, while Illinois' Jon Davis could have a different role in the team's new spread offense after a promising freshman campaign. Whoever replaces Dunsmore for Northwestern should get a lot of touches.
Tight ends could play an important part of many Big Ten teams' attacks this fall. Just as it should be.
But the 2011 season was a little lackluster for that position in the league, at least as far as the passing game goes. Sure, Northwestern's Drake Dunsmore and Wisconsin's Jacob Pedersen were Mackey Award semifinalists, but those two and Michigan State's Brian Linthicum were the only two tight ends in the conference to record more than 25 catches. Some guys we expected to have big years, like Nebraska's Kyler Reed, Minnesota's Eric Lair and Indiana's Ted Bolser, were nearly invisible on the stat sheet. And there was certainly no one who rose the level of recent Big Ten stars like Dallas Clark, Matt Spaeth, Travis Beckum, Lance Kendricks or Dustin Keller.
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AP Photo/Matt SaylesJacob Pedersen led the Big Ten's tight ends with eight touchdown catches last season.
AP Photo/Matt SaylesJacob Pedersen led the Big Ten's tight ends with eight touchdown catches last season.Some of it has to do with changing offenses and playcallers who love utilizing the tight end. Urban Meyer made a star out of Aaron Hernandez at Florida and could do the same with Jake Stoneburner, who started off blazing hot last year before the Ohio State offense forgot about him. With the Buckeyes searching for playmakers, expect Stoneburner to be utilized heavily in 2012.
"Seeing Hernandez make all those plays makes someone like me pretty happy," Stoneburner told Adam Rittenberg last month. "It's something I've been waiting for since I graduated high school, being able to go out there knowing you're going to get the opportunity to get the ball more than once or twice a game. "
Bill O'Brien coached Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski as offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots, which featured the tight end as much as anybody in football. Now O'Brien is at Penn State, where tight ends have mostly been an afterthought. That will change quickly.
"That’s a very important part of what we’re going to do offensively,” O’Brien told reporters in March. “Obviously, the last two years in New England taught me a lot about the use of a tight end, multiple tight ends.”
At Iowa, new offensive coordinator Greg Davis is raving about sophomore C.J. Fiedorowicz, a 6-foot-7, 265-pounder who began to emerge late last season as a weapon. With an uncertain running game and an excellent passer in quarterback James Vandenberg, Fiedorowicz could follow in the footsteps of Clark and Tony Moeaki as breakout Hawkeyes tight ends. Coincidentally, Iowa's new offensive line coach is Brian Ferentz, who coached the tight ends with the Patriots last year.
“You’ll see the tight ends playing outside sometimes,” Davis told the Des Moines Register during spring practice. “Used to seeing them in motion, but there will be motion in wide receiver sets in some situations because they’re tough match-ups.”
Wisconsin returns one of the best tight ends in the country in Pedersen, who had led Big Ten tight ends with eight touchdown catches a year ago. Bret Bielema is also excited about the depth at the position, with veterans Brian Wozniak and Sam Arneson, redshirt freshmen Austin Traylor and Austin Maly and Pittsburgh transfer Brock DeCicco. Given the inexperience at receiver outside of Jared Abbrederis, the Badgers could look to throw to their tight ends even more this season.
Indiana's Bolser had only 14 catches last year, but he was one of the stars of the spring for the Hoosiers. An improved passing game should help him become more of a factor. Purdue likes the depth it has at tight end, led by Gabe Holmes and Crosby Wright.
“A year ago it was one of the leanest positions on our football team," Boilers coach Danny Hope told reporters in the spring, "and now I think going into the season that the tight end position is going to be one of our strengths.”
Reed's numbers dropped last year, but he still led Nebraska with an average of 17.1 yards per catch. He and fellow senior Ben Cotton form a nice tandem of targets for Taylor Martinez. Michigan State must replace Linthicum but is optimistic about 6-foot-5, 280-pound Dion Sims, who practiced this spring with a cast on his hand. Sims could provide a safety valve for new quarterback Andrew Maxwell early on as the Spartans break in some green receivers.
Minnesota's Moses Alipate will at least be a curiosity as a former quarterback who grew to 290 pounds. Michigan needs Brandon Moore or someone else to step in for Kevin Koger, while Illinois' Jon Davis could have a different role in the team's new spread offense after a promising freshman campaign. Whoever replaces Dunsmore for Northwestern should get a lot of touches.
Tight ends could play an important part of many Big Ten teams' attacks this fall. Just as it should be.
Links are schedule-heavy today, as everyone is weighing in on the 2015/2016 slates.
- One downside of the future schedules is a four-year break for Ohio State and Nebraska.
- Wisconsin finally returns to Michigan's schedule in 2015. Wolverines coach Brady Hoke has restored pride among former players.
- After two unforgettable games in 2011, Michigan State and Wisconsin won't meet from 2013-16. Pat Caputo writes that Michigan State and Michigan should play at night.
- With Rob Bolden's status up in the air, Penn State recruit Steven Bench is ready to be the team's No. 3 quarterback. Polish off the Land Grant Trophy -- it's coming back in 2015.
- Illinois should have no trouble marketing its 2015 home schedule. Illini coach Tim Beckman, aware of the sacrifices his family makes for his career, lets his kids choose which high school they attend.
- Iowa fans can weigh in on who their team's protected rival should be. Iowa's 2014 schedule is just plain weird, Mike Hlas writes.
- A closer look at Week 1 in the Big Ten this fall. Tom Dienhart also ranks the Big Ten's top defensive linemen.
- New Nebraska associate AD Jamie Williams understands the speculation about him taking over for Tom Osborne.
- Wisconsin's end-of-season game with Penn State helps offset the sting of not seeing Iowa nearly enough. The man behind the Bucky Badger mascot design passes away.
- Northwestern lucked out with the schedules for 2015 and 2016.
- Ohio State returns to Minnesota's schedule in 2015.
- Indiana will finally face new Big Ten member Nebraska in 2015.
- Mike Carmin details 10 things to know about Purdue's future schedules.
- Maybe the plus-one model isn't dead, Scott Dochterman writes.
Email exchange: Legends spring wrap-up
May, 21, 2012
May 21
1:00
PM ET
By
Adam Rittenberg and
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
Getty Images, US PresswireBrady Hoke and the Wolverines square off against Mark Dantonio and the Spartans on Oct. 20.Now it's time for them to share their thoughts on what they saw and learned this spring, and you can follow along as they exchange emails. Check out the Leaders Division exchange here. They now turn their focus to the Legends Division.
Adam Rittenberg: Let's take a look at what I believe to be the stronger division in 2012. You spent a lot of time in the Mitten State last month, and while you didn't gorge yourself like you did in America's Dairyland, you got the money quote of spring ball from Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, who said, "We're laying in the weeds. We've beat Michigan the last four years. So where's the threat?" How spicy is the Michigan State-Michigan rivalry getting, and how good do you think these two teams will be this season after visiting both campuses?
Brian Bennett: Oh, there was some serious gorging going on at Zingerman's in Ann Arbor and Sparty's in East Lansing. Good thing there's only one spring practice session per year.
Anyway, I went into the spring thinking Michigan and Michigan State were the two strongest teams in the league, and I didn't see anything to change my opinion. While the Wolverines are more focused on Ohio State and even Alabama, they know they have to end their losing streak against Michigan State. And the Spartans take serious pride in that four-game run while bristling at all the offseason accolades thrown toward Brady Hoke's team. Oct. 20 can't come soon enough, as far as I'm concerned.
If the two teams played right now, I'd definitely take Michigan State. Dantonio has done a terrific job of developing depth on both lines and all over the defense. There's not a deeper team in the Big Ten, and the Spartans' physical play has given Michigan fits. The Wolverines still need to figure some things out in the trenches, especially on the defensive line, but that's one area where Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison excel. I believe these two teams will be neck and neck all year for the Legends title.
Of course, there's another team lurking in the division, and that's Nebraska. You went to Lincoln this spring, and it sounded like the Cornhuskers are feeling mighty ambitious this season. Do they have the necessary tools to back up their lofty goals?
Adam Rittenberg: It was interesting to see a team openly discuss the national title, Brian, especially in a league like the Big Ten. Huskers safety P.J. Smith even went so far as to say a Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl championship would be "kind of disappointing." That's bold. Nebraska would have to skip a step or two to reach that point, but I can see where the confidence stems from. There's a greater comfort level between players and coaches in Lincoln, and also between the coaches and what they face in the Big Ten. Offensive coordinator Tim Beck was candid about the difficulty of preparing for so many new opponents, particularly since Nebraska's offensive and defensive systems are a little different from what we see in the rest of the league.
Quarterback Taylor Martinez received good marks from the coaches, and his focus on footwork could translate into a more consistent passing attack. Beck certainly wants to be a bit more balanced, and Nebraska returns pretty much everyone at wide receiver and tight end. We often hear the cliche that it's all about the quarterback, but it holds true with Nebraska. If Martinez actually makes strides as a passer -- he'll be operating in the same offense as the starter for the first time in his high school or college career -- the Huskers will put up points this fall. But after watching Martinez last season, it's fair to have some doubts about No. 3.
The defense expects to exploit a schematic advantage we heard a lot about last season but didn't see much on Saturdays. I like coordinator John Papuchis, and Bo Pelini made two good staff additions in D-line coach Rick Kaczenski and secondary coach Terry Joseph. They're all about details and accountability, and they believe they'll be able to replace star power with greater depth in certain areas. Nebraska also should be strong in special teams. Do the Huskers have a unit better than Michigan State's defense? Not right now. But Nebraska could end up being the division's most complete team by season's end.
Getting back to Michigan State and Michigan. Both teams lose tremendous leaders from 2011 (Kirk Cousins, Mike Martin, Jerel Worthy, Joel Foreman, David Molk, Ryan Van Bergen). Who do you see filling those roles this year?
Brian Bennett: That's a good question, and one that will have to be answered this summer. For Michigan State, Andrew Maxwell impressed me as a guy who can lead in a similar way as Cousins did; he'll just have to play well at quarterback and battle through adversity. The Spartans have some seniors on defense who can lead, like Anthony Rashad White and Johnny Adams, but they also have some highly respected juniors in Max Bullough and William Gholston.
But they are replacing some very valuable leaders, just as Michigan is doing. Denard Robinson has worked on becoming more vocal and sounded like a different guy in interviews this spring. There's no question he has the respect of his teammates. Craig Roh and Jordan Kovacs seem like natural leaders on defense, and offensive tackle Taylor Lewan says he wants to take on that role as well. But leadership can't be forced, and it remains to be seen if either team can find such strong captains as guys like Cousins and Martin were.
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AP Photo/Charlie NeibergallIowa quarterback James Vandenberg threw for 3,022 yards and 25 touchdowns last season.
AP Photo/Charlie NeibergallIowa quarterback James Vandenberg threw for 3,022 yards and 25 touchdowns last season.Adam Rittenberg: Let's start off with Iowa, which underwent some major changes this spring with a new offensive coordinator (Greg Davis), a position coach promoted to defensive coordinator (Phil Parker) and several more assistants shuffling, arriving or being promoted. The players seemed to embrace the changes, and coach Kirk Ferentz basically said the team needed a fresh start even though he didn't want to lose his previous coordinators. There's a lot of excitement about Davis' offense, which will be more up-tempo than what we've seen in the past from Iowa. Quarterback James Vandenberg really seems to get it, but will he have enough weapons around him to execute? The running back curse struck again this spring with Jordan Canzeri's ACL injury. Iowa needs young and/or unproven players to step up there, and wide receiver isn't a deep group. It'll be a big summer for Keenan Davis.
The feeling I had coming out of Evanston is that Northwestern will be a younger team but potentially a better one. The Wildcats say goodbye to an accomplished senior class that featured some outstanding players like quarterback Dan Persa. But was it the most talented group? I don't think so. Northwestern has improved its recruiting efforts in recent years, and the team could begin seeing the benefits this year. There are a lot of new faces at spots like defensive back and defensive line. I was impressed with cornerback Nick VanHoose and end Deonte Gibson. The wide receiving corps should be one of the Big Ten's best, even if Kyle Prater isn't eligible until 2013. The Wildcats might not have many familiar names at receiver, but they boast incredible depth there. This team still has question marks -- secondary, pass rush, running back, quarterback -- but the talent level is getting a bit better.
Neither of us made it up to Minneapolis this spring, but we both talked with Gophers players and coaches. What was your sense of the second spring under coach Jerry Kill?
Brian Bennett: We swear it's nothing personal, Gophers fans. Both of us would have enjoyed a trip to the Twin Cities, but the schedule just didn't work out.
Anyway, I did sense more confidence from the Minnesota players and coaches we interviewed. That's not surprising, given that it's the second year for Kill's staff and more familiarity almost always brings a better comfort level. MarQueis Gray really started to come on late last season and appears to have made strides as a passer. He could be one of the league's top playmakers this year. Overall, the Gophers look to have a little more talent this year, thanks to some junior college imports, youngsters who got experience last year and Troy Stoudermire coming back at cornerback. The defense should have more speed, though it remains undersized. The big question for me is who will emerge as weapons alongside Gray, especially at receiver.
But I think that, with a manageable nonconference schedule, Minnesota has a chance to win five or more games this year and it will be much more competitive in Big Ten play than it was early last season. The Legends Division looks more balanced top to bottom than the Leaders and should be fun to follow all year.
Here is your linked-in invitation:
- Illinois is trying to increase its home attendance, and it's offering some very affordable season tickets.
- Kevin Wilson says this is a "fight year" for Indiana and that if the Hoosiers don't improve, "it’s just a vicious cycle that can go right down the toilet." (subscription required).
- Iowa athletic director Gary Barta is not a playoff proponent, and he says there currently is no Phase III for football facilities improvements.
- Brady Hoke wants to solve Michigan's road woes. Wolverines coaches are trying to control the hype surrounding the opener against Alabama.
- Hoke can't ignore his team's losing streak against Michigan State. A quarterback who is committed to the Spartans is starting to make a name for himself.
- Minnesota is outsourcing its ticket sales.
- Dave Butterfield's 87-yard punt return is remembered in the countdown of Nebraska touchdowns by distance. Incoming freshman linebacker Michael Rose is ready to get going after an injury setback. Nebraska is still a rookie when it comes to the Big Ten.
- The pressure is on Ohio State players to get better on their own this summer.
- The Penn State careers of Rob Bolden and Curtis Drake appear to be in doubt. Colleen O'Brien talks about being a coach's wife.
- Purdue welcomed back a pair of key players.
- Bret Bielema enjoyed a homecoming and talked about his journey.
- Mike Slive got the upper hand on Jim Delany again with the SEC/Big 12 bowl alliance, Kevin Scarbinsky says.
It's Friday. Cool, cool, cool.
- Ohio State has reported many secondary violations in the past year, including Urban Meyer telling Noah Spence "good luck" before a game. None of them are a big deal on their own, but all eyes are on the Buckeyes right now, Doug Lesmerises writes.
- Purdue coach Danny Hope is optimistic that Antavian Edison will be cleared of weapons charges and can play in 2012. He says Edison may have "been in the wrong place at the wrong time."
- New offensive coordinator Greg Davis's Texas ties helped Iowa land a commitment from a high school quarterback.
- No more surprise bee suits -- Michigan expects to announce all its special uniform plans for 2012. Charles Woodson says Brady Hoke's rebuilding job has been "unbelievable."
- The starting free safety spot remains one of the few jobs up for grabs on Michigan State's defense.
- Remember the plan to spotlight academic achievements on the Big Ten Network? Not so much.
- Nebraska has missed out on the star quarterback recruits it was pursuing but still has some potentially strong signalcallers on the radar.
- Strength coach Craig Fitzgerald put Penn State players through a taxing round of summer workouts that included one of the toughest days at the beach ever.
- Tom Dienhart analyzes Wisconsin's schedule.
- Nate Sandell dissects Minnesota's roster.
- Less Florida and more California could be in the Big Ten's bowl future.
- Illinois alums took a shot at Northwestern's "Chicago's Team" slogan.
Big Ten post-spring power rankings
May, 18, 2012
May 18
9:00
AM ET
By
Adam Rittenberg and
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
The book is closed on spring football in the Big Ten, but what did the chapters reveal? Although no games are played during the spring, which fuels optimism for all 12 teams, the 15 practices provide clues for the upcoming season. The Big Ten saw few major injuries to key players, some good news (the NCAA declaring Michigan State WR DeAnthony Arnett eligible for 2012) and some potentially troubling signs.
It's time to revive the power rankings coming out of the spring. We see separation with the top two teams, while Nos. 3-5 are closely matched. The same holds true for Nos. 7-10.
Here they are ...
1. Michigan State: The Spartans' defense looks like the single best unit in the Big Ten entering the season. Spring practice only enhanced our opinion of Pat Narduzzi's group, which has no shortage of stars. While the passing game needs work, Arnett's presence should help, and the Spartans will rely more on their run game with Le'Veon Bell and an improved offensive line.
2. Michigan: Quarterback Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint, who affirmed himself as Michigan's top tailback this spring, form arguably the Big Ten's most dangerous backfield tandem. If Michigan can fill some key pieces on both lines, where there was some shuffling this spring, it will be back in the BCS bowl mix and among the favorites to win the Big Ten crown.
3. Wisconsin: It seems hard to fathom, but Montee Ball appeared to take his game to an even higher gear this spring. The Badgers' star running back will fuel the offense again, although quarterback remains a question mark as Maryland transfer Danny O'Brien arrives this summer. Wisconsin still needs more playmakers to emerge on the defensive line and in the secondary.
4. Nebraska: Tough call on this spot, but the Huskers return their core pieces on offense from a 9-4 team. Footwork-conscious quarterback Taylor Martinez received good reviews this spring, and he should be more comfortable in Year 2 at the helm of Tim Beck's offense. Coach Bo Pelini thinks the defense will be improved and potentially deeper, although the Huskers lose a lot of star power on that side of the ball.
5. Ohio State: There were few dull moments in Ohio State's first spring under Urban Meyer, who began installing an offense unlike any seen in Columbus. After resembling a "clown show" early on, the offense made strides and quarterback Braxton Miller looks like a strong fit for the system. An improved defense, led by linemen John Simon and Johnathan Hankins, should buy the offense some time to get acclimated.
6. Penn State: New coach Bill O'Brien ushered in a historic spring in Happy Valley, and Penn State players for the most part embraced the many changes taking place. The Lions still don't have a quarterback, but they have an excellent running back in Silas Redd and an improved offense line that pleasantly surprised O'Brien this spring. Penn State's defensive front seven, led by linebacker Gerald Hodges and tackle Jordan Hill, might need to carry the team at times.
7. Purdue: Fourth-year coach Danny Hope thinks this is clearly his best team in West Lafayette, and with 18 starters back, it's easy to see why. The Boilermakers are one of the Big Ten's deepest teams at positions like quarterback, defensive tackle, running back and cornerback. Purdue must continue to absorb the new defense installed by Tim Tibesar and fill some key gaps along the offensive line.
8. Iowa: Although Iowa's changes this spring didn't make national headlines like the ones at Penn State and Ohio State, they were very significant. New offensive coordinator Greg Davis began installing a more up-tempo and multifaceted offense that seems to be clicking with senior quarterback James Vandenberg. Jordan Canzeri's ACL injury once again clouds the picture at running back entering the summer, and Iowa needs its young defensive line to grow up in a hurry.
9. Northwestern: The Wildcats showcased one of the league's top wide-receiving corps this spring, and if Kain Colter can improve his passing, the offense should surge. Defense has been Northwestern's bugaboo in recent years, and young players like end Deonte Gibson and cornerback Nick VanHoose stepped forward this spring. It's crucial for the defense to keep making progress if Northwestern wants to maintain its bowl streak.
10. Illinois: There's little doubt Illinois will be a defense-driven team, and the Illini look loaded in the front seven with players like end Michael Buchanan, who turned in a very strong spring, as well as tackle Akeem Spence and linebacker Jonathan Brown. An offense that flatlined late last season began learning a new system this spring and still lacks playmakers at running back and wide receiver. Running back Josh Ferguson's spring-game performance is encouraging.
11. Minnesota: The second spring of the Jerry Kill era brought greater comfort for both players and coaches alike. Quarterback MarQueis Gray made strides in his second spring session as the starter, although the Gophers are still looking for more weapons to surround No. 5. The defensive line should be an improved group after several lifeless seasons. Minnesota still needs to develop depth in the secondary and at wide receiver.
12. Indiana: After playing an insane number of freshmen in 2011, Indiana began to reap the benefits this spring. An influx of junior-college defenders, including linebackers David Cooper and Jacarri Alexander, also should boost a unit that needs all the help it can get. The Hoosiers have some nice building blocks on offense at both quarterback (Tre Roberson) and running back (Stephen Houston, Isaiah Roundtree), but they still have a lot of work to do before the season.
It's time to revive the power rankings coming out of the spring. We see separation with the top two teams, while Nos. 3-5 are closely matched. The same holds true for Nos. 7-10.
Here they are ...
1. Michigan State: The Spartans' defense looks like the single best unit in the Big Ten entering the season. Spring practice only enhanced our opinion of Pat Narduzzi's group, which has no shortage of stars. While the passing game needs work, Arnett's presence should help, and the Spartans will rely more on their run game with Le'Veon Bell and an improved offensive line.
2. Michigan: Quarterback Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint, who affirmed himself as Michigan's top tailback this spring, form arguably the Big Ten's most dangerous backfield tandem. If Michigan can fill some key pieces on both lines, where there was some shuffling this spring, it will be back in the BCS bowl mix and among the favorites to win the Big Ten crown.
3. Wisconsin: It seems hard to fathom, but Montee Ball appeared to take his game to an even higher gear this spring. The Badgers' star running back will fuel the offense again, although quarterback remains a question mark as Maryland transfer Danny O'Brien arrives this summer. Wisconsin still needs more playmakers to emerge on the defensive line and in the secondary.
4. Nebraska: Tough call on this spot, but the Huskers return their core pieces on offense from a 9-4 team. Footwork-conscious quarterback Taylor Martinez received good reviews this spring, and he should be more comfortable in Year 2 at the helm of Tim Beck's offense. Coach Bo Pelini thinks the defense will be improved and potentially deeper, although the Huskers lose a lot of star power on that side of the ball.
5. Ohio State: There were few dull moments in Ohio State's first spring under Urban Meyer, who began installing an offense unlike any seen in Columbus. After resembling a "clown show" early on, the offense made strides and quarterback Braxton Miller looks like a strong fit for the system. An improved defense, led by linemen John Simon and Johnathan Hankins, should buy the offense some time to get acclimated.
6. Penn State: New coach Bill O'Brien ushered in a historic spring in Happy Valley, and Penn State players for the most part embraced the many changes taking place. The Lions still don't have a quarterback, but they have an excellent running back in Silas Redd and an improved offense line that pleasantly surprised O'Brien this spring. Penn State's defensive front seven, led by linebacker Gerald Hodges and tackle Jordan Hill, might need to carry the team at times.
7. Purdue: Fourth-year coach Danny Hope thinks this is clearly his best team in West Lafayette, and with 18 starters back, it's easy to see why. The Boilermakers are one of the Big Ten's deepest teams at positions like quarterback, defensive tackle, running back and cornerback. Purdue must continue to absorb the new defense installed by Tim Tibesar and fill some key gaps along the offensive line.
8. Iowa: Although Iowa's changes this spring didn't make national headlines like the ones at Penn State and Ohio State, they were very significant. New offensive coordinator Greg Davis began installing a more up-tempo and multifaceted offense that seems to be clicking with senior quarterback James Vandenberg. Jordan Canzeri's ACL injury once again clouds the picture at running back entering the summer, and Iowa needs its young defensive line to grow up in a hurry.
9. Northwestern: The Wildcats showcased one of the league's top wide-receiving corps this spring, and if Kain Colter can improve his passing, the offense should surge. Defense has been Northwestern's bugaboo in recent years, and young players like end Deonte Gibson and cornerback Nick VanHoose stepped forward this spring. It's crucial for the defense to keep making progress if Northwestern wants to maintain its bowl streak.
10. Illinois: There's little doubt Illinois will be a defense-driven team, and the Illini look loaded in the front seven with players like end Michael Buchanan, who turned in a very strong spring, as well as tackle Akeem Spence and linebacker Jonathan Brown. An offense that flatlined late last season began learning a new system this spring and still lacks playmakers at running back and wide receiver. Running back Josh Ferguson's spring-game performance is encouraging.
11. Minnesota: The second spring of the Jerry Kill era brought greater comfort for both players and coaches alike. Quarterback MarQueis Gray made strides in his second spring session as the starter, although the Gophers are still looking for more weapons to surround No. 5. The defensive line should be an improved group after several lifeless seasons. Minnesota still needs to develop depth in the secondary and at wide receiver.
12. Indiana: After playing an insane number of freshmen in 2011, Indiana began to reap the benefits this spring. An influx of junior-college defenders, including linebackers David Cooper and Jacarri Alexander, also should boost a unit that needs all the help it can get. The Hoosiers have some nice building blocks on offense at both quarterback (Tre Roberson) and running back (Stephen Houston, Isaiah Roundtree), but they still have a lot of work to do before the season.
There's a lot going on, even for May. Let's get to your emails and talk about it all.
Andrew from Brooklyn writes: I know you've been over this ad nauseum, but can you explain one more time, how [Jim] Delany and the ADs justify allowing the bowls to host semifinals? I can't think of a single advantage in such a situation for Big Ten institutions or their fans. 1. It takes tourism dollars out of the region. 2. It enriches the bowl committees, perhaps the most corrupt element in all of college sports (not only the indictment of John Junker, but also the excessive compensation of directors, the kickbacks involved in room guarantees, etc). 3. It puts Big Ten teams at a locational disadvantage. 4. It forces Big Ten fans to potentially travel long distances three weeks over the course of a month. Is this really just about a sentimental attachment to the Rose Bowl?
Brian Bennett: Well, there is one advantage: Bowls allow people to get out of the upper Midwest in the winter and enjoy some sunshine. But other than that, I agree with everything you wrote. I simply don't understand the illogical attachment to an outdated bowl system that is neither financially nor competitively advantageous for the league. Then when you see comments from Ohio State's Gene Smith saying he doesn't think teams should be playing in cold weather, well, frankly that's mind-boggling. (And even more so as the Big Ten says basically in the next breath that it would like to play a bowl game in New York City, well known for its tropical late December climate.)
I get that bowls are rewards for players, but this isn't Little League. On the plus side, improvements to the college football postseason have traditionally come at such a glacial pace that we should be happy that so much positive change is coming. Set up a good system now for selecting the four teams, and then the debate over where to play the games can be revisited in the future, especially if it becomes obvious that the bowl site situation is too much of a burden on fans.
Dan from Lincoln, Neb., writes: What are the chances that when all is said and done, the B1G will have nothing to show for all the posturing it has done during the playoff debates? We've given up helping fans not have to travel three times (twice to somewhere south) to see a team play the NC, given up on any advantage for the local team/area (financially, weather wise), and at this rate the Rose Bowl will go strictly to the four-team event. No wonder the SEC and Pac12 have just sat back and let the spoils fall in their lap...
Brian Bennett: Delany piqued interest with his comment that, "It will be demonstrably clear how flexible and how open the Rose Bowl has been in this process." I'm not sure what that means just yet, but the Big Ten had better come out with a good deal involving the Rose Bowl, given how much it has staked its future to that game. It appears as though the league's priorities have been protecting that game and securing a playoff model that rewards conference champions as much as possible. The ACC has come out in support of the same idea, which bolsters the Big Ten's case there. Ultimately, regardless of where the games are played or what the Rose Bowl's status is, the Big Ten's goal has to be getting teams into the Football Final Four (or whatever it ends up being called) as consistently as possible. The champions model no doubt benefits the conference in that regard, because it would be tough to omit a Big Ten champ most years.
Mike from Denver writes: With the upcoming Pac12/B1G series, I haven't seen anything anywhere regarding how the lineup will be set. Is there any possibility we can get a set-up similar to the B1G/ACC b-ball series where match-ups are set only a year in advance based on anticipated strength of the teams in the coming season? I know it is more difficult with football, but if they lock a date and designate home/away years in advance, why wouldn't it work?
Brian Bennett: Well, we know one matchup, as Northwestern-Stanford already have agreed to a series that will take place during the start of the agreement. (How smart do the Wildcats look, locking up one of the potentially more attractive Pac-12 opponents already?). I doubt we'll see the games be set only a year in advance, because football scheduling simply doesn't work that way. With games being held on different weekends and teams needing to fill the rest of their schedule, it becomes too impractical. Even with just a year lag time, you can't always accurately predict teams' strength. The best bet will be to create compelling matchups based on programs' name value. I'm pretty sure we'd all watch Ohio State-USC, Michigan-Washington, Penn State-Oregon (just to name some random potential examples) regardless of how good the teams in the game actually were.
Alex from Venice, Calif., writes: I was reading your Big Ten Spring Wrap piece, and I wanted to bring something up. I have to disagree with you about Michigan (or any team) being too modest when they say that their top goal is to win a Big Ten championship. You can't play in the National Championship without first taking care of business in your conference (unless, of course, you're in the SEC). The conference championship is something that is in your control. Of course schools want to play for the National Championship, but they know in order for them to do that, they must take care of business within their conference. Rich Rodriguez, shudder, was lambasted over stating that the Big Ten championship was their priority. He got the "why are you not aiming higher -- this is Michigan and we expect more!" His response was that in order to be in that discussion you better be tops in your conference. He was right, Brady Hoke is right and Bo was certainly right.
Brian Bennett: Alex, you make some good points, and I have no problem with Brady Hoke making the Big Ten title the main goal this year, especially given the Wolverines' recent Big Ten title drought. Winning a league championship is clearly the next step for the program to truly be "back." I just find it interesting that the league hasn't had a national champion since 2002 and hasn't been in the BCS title game since 2006, yet only Nebraska is really openly talking about getting to that level this year. The Big Ten needs to aim higher than just the Rose Bowl.
Peter from Seattle writes: Why is it that whenever Taylor Martinez's name is brought up, people also bring up his completion percentage and how low it is? Denard Robinson had a lower completion percentage and people don't talk about that being an issue every time his name is brought up.
Brian Bennett: Well, I don't know about "people." But we're always saying on this blog that Robinson has to improve his accuracy and cut down on the 15 interceptions he threw in 2011. Robinson's completion percentage in 2010 was actually pretty good. For comparison's sake:
Martinez 2010: 59.2 percent completions
Robinson 2010: 62.5 percent
Martinez 2011: 56.3 percent
Robinson 2011: 55 percent
Both players' percentages went down in 2011, but remember both were in the first year of new offensive systems. They should each improve upon that with an extra year in the respective systems.
Alex H. from Louisville writes: I appreciated the Spring wrap up article on the Hoosiers. Our football program is the easy target for kicking and it is nice to see fresh eyes on the product. If you didn't cover the Hoosiers much the last few years, we are to put it mildly "under construction." Last year was actually a huge year for us because we flushed 30 years of complacency out when the new staff ran everyone out. Some agree and some don't on this subject, but I do know that what we had been doing didn't work. Our coach indicated last week that there is still probably a few hanger-ons still, but he thinks he has flushed most of it. ... I really believe we have the ingredients finally to make noise in the Big Ten in the next 5 years with our best coaching staff, facilities, and Athletic Director that wants to win the right way. Perfect Storm???
Brian Bennett: I'm happy to get a Hoosiers question in the mailbag. Frankly, it doesn't happen very often. Anyway, I feel like the Indiana program was starting to turn into something under Terry Hoeppner, but his tragic death was just a terrible setback. After visiting Bloomington for the first time in several years, I was impressed by the facilities improvements and commitment the school has given to football at long last (that Big Ten Network money sure helps). The program seems like it now has the tools to compete, but it still must overcome the lack of tradition, a small fan base and the difficulty of recruiting head to head against bigger Big Ten teams. I like what Kevin Wilson is doing, and it would be a lot of fun to see Indiana become a factor. But there is much work still ahead.
Mike from Apple Valley, Minn., writes: Hey, Brian, barring major surprise, the Vikings will not be moving from the Twin Cities. Does that help or hurt the Gophers? On one hand, the Gophers would have had more attention and may attract more of a following in the area, look at any other Big Ten team not in an NFL market (about all of them). But on the other hand, it could hurt recruiting because there would have been one less amenity in the Twin Cities. Or is there something else I'm missing? Thanks!
Brian Bennett: Mike, we did an interesting series last summer looking at the challenges faced by college programs in NFL cities. I suggest you check it out. It's not always easy, but schools like USC, Miami, TCU and Washington have made it work. The Gophers are never going to get all the attention in their city or state because of the pro teams in the Twin Cities. But as you mentioned, the benefits of living in a big city with pro teams can help in recruiting as well. Ultimately, I think there are certainly enough fans who will support the program if it starts winning big under Jerry Kill and that players won't really care whether they're in a pro or college town. It all comes down to leadership and success.
Andrew from Brooklyn writes: I know you've been over this ad nauseum, but can you explain one more time, how [Jim] Delany and the ADs justify allowing the bowls to host semifinals? I can't think of a single advantage in such a situation for Big Ten institutions or their fans. 1. It takes tourism dollars out of the region. 2. It enriches the bowl committees, perhaps the most corrupt element in all of college sports (not only the indictment of John Junker, but also the excessive compensation of directors, the kickbacks involved in room guarantees, etc). 3. It puts Big Ten teams at a locational disadvantage. 4. It forces Big Ten fans to potentially travel long distances three weeks over the course of a month. Is this really just about a sentimental attachment to the Rose Bowl?
Brian Bennett: Well, there is one advantage: Bowls allow people to get out of the upper Midwest in the winter and enjoy some sunshine. But other than that, I agree with everything you wrote. I simply don't understand the illogical attachment to an outdated bowl system that is neither financially nor competitively advantageous for the league. Then when you see comments from Ohio State's Gene Smith saying he doesn't think teams should be playing in cold weather, well, frankly that's mind-boggling. (And even more so as the Big Ten says basically in the next breath that it would like to play a bowl game in New York City, well known for its tropical late December climate.)
I get that bowls are rewards for players, but this isn't Little League. On the plus side, improvements to the college football postseason have traditionally come at such a glacial pace that we should be happy that so much positive change is coming. Set up a good system now for selecting the four teams, and then the debate over where to play the games can be revisited in the future, especially if it becomes obvious that the bowl site situation is too much of a burden on fans.
Dan from Lincoln, Neb., writes: What are the chances that when all is said and done, the B1G will have nothing to show for all the posturing it has done during the playoff debates? We've given up helping fans not have to travel three times (twice to somewhere south) to see a team play the NC, given up on any advantage for the local team/area (financially, weather wise), and at this rate the Rose Bowl will go strictly to the four-team event. No wonder the SEC and Pac12 have just sat back and let the spoils fall in their lap...
Brian Bennett: Delany piqued interest with his comment that, "It will be demonstrably clear how flexible and how open the Rose Bowl has been in this process." I'm not sure what that means just yet, but the Big Ten had better come out with a good deal involving the Rose Bowl, given how much it has staked its future to that game. It appears as though the league's priorities have been protecting that game and securing a playoff model that rewards conference champions as much as possible. The ACC has come out in support of the same idea, which bolsters the Big Ten's case there. Ultimately, regardless of where the games are played or what the Rose Bowl's status is, the Big Ten's goal has to be getting teams into the Football Final Four (or whatever it ends up being called) as consistently as possible. The champions model no doubt benefits the conference in that regard, because it would be tough to omit a Big Ten champ most years.
Mike from Denver writes: With the upcoming Pac12/B1G series, I haven't seen anything anywhere regarding how the lineup will be set. Is there any possibility we can get a set-up similar to the B1G/ACC b-ball series where match-ups are set only a year in advance based on anticipated strength of the teams in the coming season? I know it is more difficult with football, but if they lock a date and designate home/away years in advance, why wouldn't it work?
Brian Bennett: Well, we know one matchup, as Northwestern-Stanford already have agreed to a series that will take place during the start of the agreement. (How smart do the Wildcats look, locking up one of the potentially more attractive Pac-12 opponents already?). I doubt we'll see the games be set only a year in advance, because football scheduling simply doesn't work that way. With games being held on different weekends and teams needing to fill the rest of their schedule, it becomes too impractical. Even with just a year lag time, you can't always accurately predict teams' strength. The best bet will be to create compelling matchups based on programs' name value. I'm pretty sure we'd all watch Ohio State-USC, Michigan-Washington, Penn State-Oregon (just to name some random potential examples) regardless of how good the teams in the game actually were.
Alex from Venice, Calif., writes: I was reading your Big Ten Spring Wrap piece, and I wanted to bring something up. I have to disagree with you about Michigan (or any team) being too modest when they say that their top goal is to win a Big Ten championship. You can't play in the National Championship without first taking care of business in your conference (unless, of course, you're in the SEC). The conference championship is something that is in your control. Of course schools want to play for the National Championship, but they know in order for them to do that, they must take care of business within their conference. Rich Rodriguez, shudder, was lambasted over stating that the Big Ten championship was their priority. He got the "why are you not aiming higher -- this is Michigan and we expect more!" His response was that in order to be in that discussion you better be tops in your conference. He was right, Brady Hoke is right and Bo was certainly right.
Brian Bennett: Alex, you make some good points, and I have no problem with Brady Hoke making the Big Ten title the main goal this year, especially given the Wolverines' recent Big Ten title drought. Winning a league championship is clearly the next step for the program to truly be "back." I just find it interesting that the league hasn't had a national champion since 2002 and hasn't been in the BCS title game since 2006, yet only Nebraska is really openly talking about getting to that level this year. The Big Ten needs to aim higher than just the Rose Bowl.
Peter from Seattle writes: Why is it that whenever Taylor Martinez's name is brought up, people also bring up his completion percentage and how low it is? Denard Robinson had a lower completion percentage and people don't talk about that being an issue every time his name is brought up.
Brian Bennett: Well, I don't know about "people." But we're always saying on this blog that Robinson has to improve his accuracy and cut down on the 15 interceptions he threw in 2011. Robinson's completion percentage in 2010 was actually pretty good. For comparison's sake:
Martinez 2010: 59.2 percent completions
Robinson 2010: 62.5 percent
Martinez 2011: 56.3 percent
Robinson 2011: 55 percent
Both players' percentages went down in 2011, but remember both were in the first year of new offensive systems. They should each improve upon that with an extra year in the respective systems.
Alex H. from Louisville writes: I appreciated the Spring wrap up article on the Hoosiers. Our football program is the easy target for kicking and it is nice to see fresh eyes on the product. If you didn't cover the Hoosiers much the last few years, we are to put it mildly "under construction." Last year was actually a huge year for us because we flushed 30 years of complacency out when the new staff ran everyone out. Some agree and some don't on this subject, but I do know that what we had been doing didn't work. Our coach indicated last week that there is still probably a few hanger-ons still, but he thinks he has flushed most of it. ... I really believe we have the ingredients finally to make noise in the Big Ten in the next 5 years with our best coaching staff, facilities, and Athletic Director that wants to win the right way. Perfect Storm???
Brian Bennett: I'm happy to get a Hoosiers question in the mailbag. Frankly, it doesn't happen very often. Anyway, I feel like the Indiana program was starting to turn into something under Terry Hoeppner, but his tragic death was just a terrible setback. After visiting Bloomington for the first time in several years, I was impressed by the facilities improvements and commitment the school has given to football at long last (that Big Ten Network money sure helps). The program seems like it now has the tools to compete, but it still must overcome the lack of tradition, a small fan base and the difficulty of recruiting head to head against bigger Big Ten teams. I like what Kevin Wilson is doing, and it would be a lot of fun to see Indiana become a factor. But there is much work still ahead.
Mike from Apple Valley, Minn., writes: Hey, Brian, barring major surprise, the Vikings will not be moving from the Twin Cities. Does that help or hurt the Gophers? On one hand, the Gophers would have had more attention and may attract more of a following in the area, look at any other Big Ten team not in an NFL market (about all of them). But on the other hand, it could hurt recruiting because there would have been one less amenity in the Twin Cities. Or is there something else I'm missing? Thanks!
Brian Bennett: Mike, we did an interesting series last summer looking at the challenges faced by college programs in NFL cities. I suggest you check it out. It's not always easy, but schools like USC, Miami, TCU and Washington have made it work. The Gophers are never going to get all the attention in their city or state because of the pro teams in the Twin Cities. But as you mentioned, the benefits of living in a big city with pro teams can help in recruiting as well. Ultimately, I think there are certainly enough fans who will support the program if it starts winning big under Jerry Kill and that players won't really care whether they're in a pro or college town. It all comes down to leadership and success.
The league meetings in Chicago and playoffs (cue Jim Mora clip) dominate your hump day links:
- The Big Ten's love of the Rose Bowl is making it act irrationally and against the league's best interests, Dan Wetzel writes.
- There's no guarantee on how that Rose Bowl relationship will continue.
- The Big Ten won't be able to use geography as an excuse for bowl performance in the future, Drew Sharp says.
- The league is pushing for a seven-win minimum to make a bowl game even though that may hurt some of its own teams.
- A selection committee is the best way to go to pick playoff teams, Andy Staples writes.
- Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas envisions playing a game in Chicago every other year.
- Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis said he would welcome a night game against Michigan.
- Indiana AD Fred Glass says his athletic program is self-sustaining (subscription required).
- Brady Hoke talked about the need for leadership from his seniors during a speech to fans. Michigan missed out on Ty Isaac but has other options at running back.
- Athlon ranks Nebraska No. 14 and previews its season, while asking if Taylor Martinez is one of the league's top quarterbacks. A 92-yard romp through Yankee Stadium makes the list of most memorable Huskers touchdowns.
- Curt Warner's son hopes to follow in dad's footsteps at Penn State. Bill O'Brien will adjust his offense to fit his current players. Quarterbacks coach Charlie Fisher says Matt McGloin leads in the QB race.
- Purdue's Otis Armstrong once heard he was too small to be a running back. Now, he's headed to the College Football Hall of Fame.
- Ohio State AD Gene Smith said the tattoo scandal hurt him and his family.
- Former Wisconsin athletic director Pat Richter earned an honor. Wisconsin spent about $44,000 investigating sexual impropriety allegations against former athletics administrator John Chadima.
- Maize N Brew asks what will be good enough for Minnesota.
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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