ESPN College Football

Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne talks with Adam Rittenberg about the latest playoff proposals and Tommie Frazier not being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Let's plop back into our series looking at the most indispensable players on each Big Ten squad entering the 2012 season.

We remind you again that this is not necessarily a listing of the best players on each team, but of those whose absence would cause the most pain because of their particular value or a lack of depth at their positions. The Wisconsin Badgers go under the microscope today.

Jared Abbrederis, WR, Jr.

It's been quite a journey for Abbrederis, going from walk-on to indispensable player. But on offense, he is without peer right now. Yes, Montee Ball is the superstar and a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite. But Wisconsin would be able to run the ball without him, thanks to James White and Melvin Gordon. Ricky Wagner and Travis Frederick are extremely valuable on the offensive line, but we've seen over and over again how the Badgers can replace offensive linemen with virtually no dropoff. With Nick Toon graduated, there are no receivers on the roster with nearly as much experience or proven production as Abbrederis, who led the team with 933 receiving yards a year ago. He also was the nation's best punt returner in 2011. Abbrederis' absence from spring practice because of a foot injury exposed the youth and inconsistency of the wideout corps; any extended time missed in the fall would severely hurt the Badgers' chances of repeating as Big Ten champions.

Chris Borland, MLB, Jr.

You could pick Borland or outside linebacker Mike Taylor for this spot, since both are among the best in college football at the position. We're going with Borland because of what he means to the defense as the middle linebacker. He had 143 tackles last year in his first year of playing in the middle and should be better for the experience this season. Head coach Bret Bielema, a former linebacker coach himself, says Borland might be the best middle linebacker he's ever coached. Wisconsin managed to make the Rose Bowl two years ago when Borland missed the season with an injury, but the talent dropoff from him to the next guy in would make it tough for the Badgers to do the same in 2012.

Before Purdue cemented itself as the "Cradle of Quarterbacks," the Boilers produced several superstar running backs, and Otis Armstrong might have been the best of the bunch.

Armstrong succeeded another Boilers' ball-carrying standout, Leroy Keyes, and starred for Purdue from 1970-72. Unlike Keyes, Armstrong played on mostly weak teams under Bob DeMoss, which made his accomplishments fly under the national radar. But Armstrong got his due Tuesday as the Big Ten's only member of the 2012 College Football Hall of Fame class.

A Chicago native, Armstrong arrived at Purdue in 1969 and, like all freshmen, sat out the season. He announced himself the following fall with 1,009 rush yards on 213 carries, becoming just the second Purdue back (Keyes being the other) to eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground. After a solid junior campaign, Armstrong sizzled as a senior, racking up 1,361 rush yards and nine touchdowns en route to earning consensus All-America honors. He finished his career with a flourish, piling up 276 yards against archrival Indiana, a single-game team record that stands to this day.

Armstrong still holds Purdue's record for career rushing attempts (671), and his career rush yards mark (3,315) is third behind two players (Mike Alstott and Kory Sheets) who played four seasons. He twice recorded five 100-yard rush games in a season (1970, 1970) and trails only Alstott for most career 100-yard rush performances at Purdue (13 in 31 career games).

Armstrong also stood out as a kick returner, averaging 30.1 yards per runback with two touchdowns in 1972. He added five receiving touchdowns on 36 career receptions.

Although Purdue went just 13-17 during Armstrong's career, his accomplishments didn't go unnoticed and he was selected No. 9 overall by Denver in the 1973 NFL draft. Armstrong played eight seasons with the Broncos, earning two Pro Bowl selections and rushing for 4,453 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Here are your lunchtime -- wait for it -- links.

• Playoffs are on the minds of Big Ten leaders as they gather in Chicago today.
• Penn State coach Bill O'Brien says he'd like to play Pitt on an annual basis, but the schedule may not allow it to happen. A decision on the Lions' starting quarterback should be coming soon. Penn State has gone to great lengths to help restore its reputation.
• Michigan receiver Jerald Robinson had his hearing on a misdemeanor charge postponed. A one-time Wolverines recruiting target says Michigan doesn't pressure prospects into committing. Tate Forcier signed with a CFL team.
• Le'Veon Bell is earning some high praise at Michigan State.
• Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke wants to preserve the Rose Bowl tradition.
• Concussions caused Ohio State's Andrew Sweat to walk away from football. Tom Dienhart analyzes the Buckeyes' schedule.
• Indiana's Kevin Wilson won't follow Tom Crean's lead and start recruiting eight- or ninth-graders.
• Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald was asked about the debate over compensating players in a talk with students.
• Versatility will be key as former Gopher fullback Jon Hoese tries to make the Green Bay Packers.
• An Ohio linebacker has taken notice of Illinois and Tim Beckman.
• The married life suits Bret Bielema just fine.
• Kirk Ferentz went on the road to talk about what's happening with Iowa football.
• Nebraska's nutritionist talks about how to feed a bunch of hungry Huskers. The Lincoln Journal Star's countdown of the Cornhuskers' top 100 most memorable touchdowns takes a look at the beginning of the Triplets.

This isn't exactly surprising news, but Big Ten schools are among the biggest spenders -- and earners -- in all of college athletics, according to a new database compiled by USA Today.

The newspaper collected the expenses and revenues for Division I athletic programs in 2010-2011, the most recent year for which public schools' filings with the NCAA were available. The study showed that everything is bigger in Texas, including sports spending; the Longhorns outpaced every other school with a $133.7 million budget and more than $150 million in revenue.

But Big Ten schools also ranked high among the biggest spenders, with seven teams in the top 16 nationally. Here is how they stacked up nationally in operating expenses:

2. Ohio State: $122.3 million

3. Michigan: $111.8 million

6. Penn State: $101.3 million

9. Wisconsin: $95.6 million

12. Iowa: $93.4 million

14. Michigan State: $84.5 million

16. Nebraska: $83.7 million

22. Minnesota: $78.9 million

26. Illinois: $77.7 million

29. Indiana: $71 million

41. Purdue: $66.2 million

(Note: Information for Northwestern, which is a private school, was not available).

Only the SEC -- another surprise, right? -- has more big spenders than the Big Ten, with eight schools reporting more than $80 million in expenses

The USA Today report also said that only 22 athletic programs turned a profit in 2010-11, but 10 of the 11 Big Ten schools surveyed were in the black, while Minnesota broke even (Thanks, Big Ten Network). Penn State had the biggest profit, at nearly $15 million, while Michigan and Ohio State each reported revenue of about $11 million more than their expenses.

Another interesting part of the report is how much subsidy each athletic program receives from its school, in the form of student fees and other university support. Four Big Ten athletic programs -- Ohio State, Nebraska, Penn State and Purdue -- receive no school subsidy, something only seven Division I programs can claim. Meanwhile, Michigan ($272,000) and Iowa ($564,000) get less than a million, ranking in the bottom 10 nationally for subsidy support.

Here's a look at the subsidies other league programs receive:

Minnesota: $7.8 million in subsidies (9.9 percent of total operating budget)

Wisconsin: $7.2 million (7.5 percent)

Illinois: $4 million (5.1 percent)

Michigan State: $3.7 million (4.3 percent)

Indiana: $2.7 million (3.8 percent)

The USA Today report paints a picture of the haves and have-nots in college athletics and even suggests that the wild disparity between the upper echelon and the bottom schools could lead to a split in college football.

But while many schools' athletic programs are struggling to make ends meet or need vast support from their universities to keep the lights on, the Big Ten looks extremely healthy in its finances.

"College Football Live's" panel of experts preview Michigan's upcoming season.

Two years ago, expansion took center stage at the Big Ten spring meetings. Last year, league commissioner Jim Delany revealed a proposal being discussed that would allocate more money to student-athletes on full scholarships.

What will be the big topic at this year's Big Ten spring gathering? You'll have to wait and find out. The meetings take place Tuesday and Wednesday at a downtown Chicago hotel.

A major change to this year's joint group meetings is that the Big Ten football coaches will not attend. The coaches held their annual business meeting Feb. 3 at Big Ten headquarters in Park Ridge, Ill., and opted not to join the spring get-together. Most if not all Big Ten athletic directors will attend, along with senior woman administrators and faculty representatives. Delany and other top league officials will be on hand, along with Big Ten Network president Mark Silverman and other BTN representatives.

Let's look at some of the big items to be discussed during the next two days:

1. The Big Ten's place in a future football postseason model: Delany has generated headlines in recent weeks with his so-called top 6 proposal as well as his desire to have league champions and division champions in a playoff ahead of those who didn't win either title. The Big Ten's top priority, in case you've been in a cave, is to protect the Rose Bowl, which Delany regards as the league's most important external relationship. Although the presidents have the final say -- Big Ten presidents meet June 3 in Park Ridge -- and no BCS officials will be attending the meetings, Delany will brief the ADs on the models being discussed. "To me, the the Rose Bowl is still the pinnacle and it’s very important," Purdue AD Morgan Burke told The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier. "The question is how can that can be integrated." What's best for the Big Ten? On-campus games, strong access for league champions or simply Rose Bowl relevancy? There's much to discuss this week.

2. The Pac-12 scheduling partnership: Athletic directors Barry Alvarez (Wisconsin) and Gene Smith (Ohio State) told ESPN.com last month that some details still must be worked out for the Big Ten/Pac-12 scheduling partnership, which is set to begin in football in 2017 but likely will have a staggered start. Alvarez told Brian Bennett that some Pac-12 schools are "dragging their feet" a bit on scheduling, and Smith told me that Ohio State won't begin the partnership until 2018 because of previously scheduled games. The partnership surely will be discussed this week.

3. The bowls: The league is halfway through its four-year cycle with most recent bowl lineup, which remains the nation's most challenging, given the locations. It's a good time to evaluate the bowls and whether to look for any adjustments going forward. The automatic-qualifier status is gone, and there's momentum to revamp the way top bowls select teams in order to generate better matchups. Will league tie-ins even matter going forward? Also, bowl-eligibility requirements might be increased from six wins to seven wins, which Big Ten athletic directors like Iowa's Gary Barta and Michigan's Dave Brandon support but others may not.

Other items: The ADs will discuss football league championship game, how the first event went in Indy and possibly how the first season went with division play. As usual, they'll discuss NCAA proposals/changes (scholarships, academics, recruiting, compliance, etc.), nonconference scheduling and the league's media agreements (BTN, ABC/ESPN). While Big Ten expansion isn't on the horizon, it's hard to imagine realignment won't come off after all of the recent news around college sports.

Who knows, maybe the ADs will have the sudden impulse to approve November night games for football. Ah, to dream ...

Check the blog for spring meetings updates throughout the next few days.

We had a lot of fun as usual on our Big Ten Monday chat, and we even got a little list-happy.

If you missed it, never fear. Here's the complete transcript, along with some highlights to brighten your Monday:

Levi (East Lansing): Brian, with all the talk of how the rose bowl is the league's ceiling, is there a team in the BIG who if goes 10-1 can still be considered for the NC game?
Brian Bennett: I think you mean 12-1, which would be the record for team that won the Big Ten championship with one loss. And sure. It depends on what other teams have done and who the one was against, of course. The SEC seems to have a stranglehold on getting at least one spot in the title game, so the competition for the other would be fierce. Michigan beating Alabama but losing one close conference game on the road might be the league's best shot for that scenario.

Matt (DC): Now that spring practice is over are there any true freshman in the conference that could make an immediate impact? I know that may be a way too early to know question because a lot are not even on campus but just curious if any stood out.
Brian Bennett: Sure. Joe Bolden at Michigan will play in some capacity. Great instincts. Obviously, Michael Thomas at Ohio State can be a factor after his big spring game. There are probably others I'm forgetting, but those two stand out.

Phil (Lincoln): How close is the Legends division? Everyone seems to be picking MSU, but I think both NU and MU has a shot to win the division. Would you say its more competitive than the leaders?
Brian Bennett: I think it's more top heavy. I have a hard time envisioning any scenarios where Northwestern, Iowa or Minnesota win the division, but I could see all three of the teams you mentioned in the Rose Bowl. Can only really say that about two in the Leaders.

Mr. T (Columbus): If you had to rank the Defenses in the B1G for this year what would be your top 5?
Brian Bennett: Hmmm... always tough to do off top of my head, but I'd probably go: 1. Michigan State. 2. Penn State. 3. Ohio State. 4. Michigan. 5. Nebraska.

AAWolv (Ann Arbor): Ok, now how about the top 5 offenses?
Brian Bennett: This one is tougher. How about: 1. Nebraska. 2. Wisconsin. 3. Michigan. 4. Northwestern. 5. Michigan State

Barry (Lincoln): Top 3 QB's this year... ready? Go!
Brian Bennett: We are heavy on the lists today, aren't we? Well, OK. In no particular order: Denard Robinson, James Vandenberg and -- surprise! -- MarQueis Gray.

Tony (Castle Rock, CO): Making a requirement for conference champions gets rid of more subjectivity of college football, by lessening how much polls and popular opinion means in determining who is the 'best'(highly opinionated) teams and allows you to play for it, not lobby like a politician.
Brian Bennett: It's always going to be subjective unless teams play the same schedules or conferences decide their champion the same way. The ACC is not as strong as the Big Ten or SEC, so why should its champion have a better shot of playing for the title than the second-best team from those leagues?

Kevin (Chicago): Feel like NU season depends on Colter's ability to pass. Your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: That will play a big role. I really like the receivers, and we know Colter can run. If he can throw it anything like Persa, he'll be a major force. Of course, Northwestern is usually good on offense. The defense has to get much better than what it showed last year.

From league commissioner Jim Delany to the presidents to the athletic directors and to the coaches, the Big Ten is united in its desire to keep the Rose Bowl as relevant as possible.

Even the league's newest head football coach, Penn State's Bill O'Brien, wants to preserve The Granddaddy of Them All as a premier game every year. O'Brien told reporters Monday during a coaches caravan stop that he and his fellow coaches want the bowl games (i.e. the Rose) folded into the playoff structure.

O'Brien is also aligned with Delany in wanting favorable playoff access for conference champions.

From the Centre Daily Times:

"It's definitely headed down the road of a Final Four, and I agree with Jim Delany and our coaches," O'Brien said. "I think all the coaches in the Big Ten want to keep it in the bowl structure, especially with how it relates to the Rose Bowl. The Rose Bowl should be part of the Final Four. My only deal in that is to make sure the Big Ten champion is represented in the Final Four."

O'Brien added that he's "just a rookie head coach," but it's notable that he's already on board with the company line in the Big Ten.

What surprises me about the Big Ten's position is how the push to keep the Rose Bowl relevant trumps the desire to have playoff games on campus. The possibility of hosting nationally relevant games in late December is unquestionably a win for Big Ten coaches, Big Ten administrators, Big Ten fans and Big Ten players. Right now, coaches like O'Brien essentially play road games in the major bowls. That won't change in the system that the SEC and other leagues are pushing. Still, the campaign for on-campus games has taken a backseat to the demand to keep the Rose Bowl relevant.

Sure, Big Ten folks see the writing on the wall -- on-campus playoff games seem highly unlikely -- but the lack of effort to advocate for them is surprising and disappointing.

During the course of spring practice, Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett visited 11 of the 12 league schools, getting an up-close look at the players and coaches who will shape the 2012 season.

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. First, they'll discuss the teams in the Leaders Division. A Legends Division email exchange will arrive in the near future.

Brian Bennett: Adam, I guess the biggest story in the Big Ten this spring was the culture change at both Penn State and Ohio State. You went to both places. What was your sense of how different things are there now, compared to your previous visits to State College and Columbus?

Adam Rittenberg: There's definitely a new energy in both football complexes, Brian. Change can be tough on fans, especially at a place like Penn State where they've only known their program under Joe Paterno's watch, but the players seem to be excited about the new ways things are operating. At Penn State, they're excited to play for a coach (Bill O'Brien) who comes straight from the NFL and has made some much-needed modernizations to certain areas of the program (strength program, offensive philosophy). The enthusiasm about strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald and his philosophy really stood out to me at Penn State. I was also impressed by some of the younger players like freshman tight end Jesse James and redshirt freshman defensive end Deion Barnes.

The changes aren't as dramatic at Ohio State because Urban Meyer retained so many assistants from the previous staff. On the other hand, the thought of Ohio State running a true no-huddle, spread offense amazes players as much as it does the rest of us after so many years of TresselBall. One welcome change with both programs is greater accessibility for the media (and, through us, the fans). I had to pinch myself a few times while watching a Penn State practice.

You made your first visit to Madison, where, judging by the pictures you posted on Twitter, you likely gained 15 pounds and lost that Kentucky twang. What stood out about your time in Mad-city?

Brian Bennett: I'm just now shedding the last of those cheese curds from my system. Change was not really a buzzword with the Badgers, even with a slew of new assistant coaches and some turnover at key positions. This program has a system it believes in and will continue to do the same things year in, year out with new faces.

Wisconsin is still all about running the ball, and Montee Ball looked terrific during the practice he participated in while I was there. If possible, he's even a step faster, and backup Melvin Gordon is going to be a star someday as well. The quarterbacks and receivers weren't nearly as impressive or consistent, but Danny O'Brien wasn't there and Jared Abbrederis was out with his foot injury. I am intrigued by the size of some of the Badgers wideouts, like Marquis Mason (6-foot-4) and Chase Hammond (6-5). The Badgers could be effective throwing some jump balls to those guys, and with their tight ends and offensive line, their offense is going to be just fine.

There are more questions on the defense, but I liked what I saw from the defensive tackles and the secondary, which looks a little more athletic. We know the linebackers will be good with Chris Borland and Mike Taylor. If David Gilbert or someone else can come back and give them a pass rusher from the defensive end spot, this team should be loaded for a run at repeating in the Leaders Division.

I see Illinois as a bit of a mystery team in the division, with a new coach and a new system. How much progress did the Illini make in learning the spread under Tim Beckman, and do they have enough offensive playmakers to run it?

Adam Rittenberg: I don't think they do, although running back Josh Ferguson's performance in the spring game raises hope. Illinois also has some versatile players in cornerback Terry Hawthorne and quarterback Miles Osei who can fill in at receiver and/or running back if need be. But Beckman has been candid about the lack of depth at running back, and we both saw how that offense fared after opposing teams limited A.J. Jenkins' effectiveness. I do think quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase could end up being a good fit for the spread. He obviously has the mobility you need at that position, and while his arm strength is a question mark, he should be able to spread the ball around if enough weapons emerge. I think it's critical for receiver Darius Millines to stay healthy. He really had stood out in practices, but he just can't stay on the field.

I liked what co-offensive coordinator Chris Beatty said about the offense needing to regain its swagger. It's still hard to pinpoint exactly what happened to the unit last year, but I know when a spread offense establishes a nice tempo, it's awfully hard to stop. But here's the thing with Illinois: it might only need to score 20-24 points a game. The defense should be really, really good, and potentially better than last year's crew. The coaches are really excited about Michael Buchanan at end, and the front seven could be the best in the Big Ten.

You also spent some time in the Hoosier State this spring. Purdue coach Danny Hope feels this is his best team. Things couldn't get much worse for Kevin Wilson at Indiana after a 1-11 clunker in 2011. What sense did you get from being in West Lafayette and Bloomington?

Brian Bennett: I sensed quite a bit of confidence coming out of Purdue's camp. That will happen when you have 18 starters back, three healthy quarterbacks and are coming off a bowl win (granted, only against Western Michigan, but it beats the alternative).

The Boilermakers didn't let reporters watch any meaningful parts of spring practice because they're installing Tim Tibesar's new defensive system, so I didn't learn as much about them as I'd like. Still, it's clear this team has experience and some major talent with guys like Kawann Short and Ricardo Allen on defense. I think Purdue is very much a sleeper in the division, though we're going to need to see this team cut down some of its mental mistakes and play with far greater consistency than it has in the Danny Hope era.

The best thing I saw from Indiana was competency on defense. Wilson played so many freshmen last year, and the benefit is that those guys are now a year older and know the system. They were able to execute it much better this spring, and the juco kids will help a lot. The Hoosiers have some nice players on offense, like young quarterback Tre Roberson, running backs Stephen Houston and Isaiah Roundtree and tight end Ted Bolser, and I think Seth Littrell's system will play well to their strengths. Yet you look at the roster and compare it to the upper echelon of the Big Ten, and it's clear that Indiana has a long way to go to catch up and be any sort of factor in the league race.

I came away from the spring still thinking Wisconsin will win this division, but I also believe it will be a tight race and that Penn State could very well take it. Ohio State might end up being the best team in the Leaders but can't play for the league title. Did your spring visits make you feel any differently about the division?

Adam Rittenberg: I agree that Wisconsin remains the team to beat, but I came away thinking the division could have greater depth. The Legends still looks stronger with Michigan State, Michigan and Nebraska up top, and every Leaders Division team has some flaws. But Wisconsin knows how to win, returns a nice core and added a key piece in O'Brien. Ohio State will be a better defensive football team -- end John Simon is poised for an enormous senior season, and hopes are high for tackle Johnathan Hankins, too -- and while there will be some growing pains on offense, it's not as if the Buckeyes set an impressive benchmark in 2011. They were mostly awful.

Penn State and Illinois are very similar teams to me. Both have new coaches whose hiring elicited some skepticism. Both look extremely strong in the defensive front seven. Both retained excellent D-line coaches from the previous staff (Larry Johnson, Keith Gilmore). Both have standout linebackers (Gerald Hodges, Jonathan Brown) and stout defensive tackles (Jordan Hill, Akeem Spence). And both have major question marks on offense: Penn State more so at quarterback, Illinois more so at running back/receiver. Still, if the defenses perform to their capability, Penn State and/or Illinois could really make some noise in a wide-open division.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Bradley Roby came to Ohio State with a specific plan mapped out.

Redshirt the first year, in part because the Buckeyes had two senior starters returning at cornerback (Chimdi Chekwa and Devon Torrence). Check.

Earn a starting job as a redshirt freshman and keep it throughout Year 2 in the program. Check.

Cover the Big Ten's best wide receivers -- including four selected in last month's NFL draft -- both in games and in Buckeyes practices. Check.

"That's what I put all my efforts into," Roby told ESPN.com, "and I'm glad it came to fruition."

One item not included on Roby's plan was upset a future first-round pick with both skills and trash talk. But he succeeded in doing so during Ohio State's victory at Illinois in October. Roby held Illini star receiver A.J. Jenkins to 80 yards and no touchdowns -- Jenkins came in averaging 135.8 yards and 1.2 touchdowns per game. Roby also set up Ohio State's first touchdown with a 36-yard interception return.

Roby had sparked some fireworks earlier in the week when he described Jenkins as "decent, but he's nothing special, really." Jenkins had proclaimed himself the Big Ten's top receiver earlier in the season, and he had been backing it up. Roby now says the media spun his comments "out of control" but admits his words added excitement to the game.

The Buckeyes cornerback doesn't hide the fact he likes to talk trash during games, but most of his targets don't return fire. Jenkins did.

"I guess that's because I got in his head," Roby said. "Because if they're not responding to you, most likely they’re trying to ignore you. But if they're yelling back at you, it means you're getting to them. So keep doing it."

Roby will keep yapping, and he'll continue seeking out the best competition. Last fall, he lined up across from standouts like Michigan State's B.J. Cunningham and Wisconsin's Nick Toon. He already has watched some tape of California standout Keenan Allen, a first-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2011 who will visit Ohio State in Week 3.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Roby also challenged himself in practice by seeking out DeVier Posey, Ohio State's top receiver. Posey played in just three games last season because of suspension, but was drafted in the third round in April.

"I always would want to go against DeVier last year to make sure I'm getting better," Roby said. "You only get better when you go against better people. If you can hang with DeVier, you can hang with any receiver in the Big Ten."

Ohio State's lack of depth at receiver entering 2012 is well documented, and asked who he sought out this spring, Roby replied, "Nobody, really." Still, he has a good eye for talent. When we talked two days before Ohio State's spring game, Roby spotted freshman Michael Thomas walking by and told me to look out for him. Thomas ended up recording 12 catches for 131 yards in the spring game.

Roby spent much of the spring working on off-man coverage, a focal point for new secondary coaches Everett Withers and Kerry Coombs. Ohio State played mostly press coverage in 2011 and will continue to do so, but off-man will be a bigger part of the scheme going forward. Roby welcomes the change.

"If you're a good athlete, anybody can play press," he said. "Coach Withers told me that's one thing in the [NFL] a lot of corners don't know how to do when they come from college. They just press, and they can't play off-man. Some teams need their corners to play off-man, so if you can't do that, you can't play. So me being able to learn this at this age, having three years left eligibility-wise, it will definitely help me by the time I get to that next level."

The next level is certainly part of Roby's plan, and broadening his coverage skills is crucial in taking that step.

"Technique, eyes in the right place, making sure you stay low," he said. "You've got to be disciplined to play off-man, because one false move, it's a touchdown."

Roby made some false moves during his first season in the fire, but he also showed he's a playmaker, tying for the team lead in interceptions (3), leading the team in pass breakups (6) and adding a forced fumble and 3.5 tackles for loss. The rapid rise didn't surprise Roby, who, in case it's not obvious, oozes confidence.

"To be a DB, you've got to have that," Buckeyes safety C.J. Barnett said. "You've got to think you're the best out there, because you don't have confidence, you're going to get beat. Roby, he exerts that. I really wasn’t surprised by what he did last year. We all knew that he was good. He just needed his time and he stepped up."

There are football guys, and there are track guys. It takes more than just speed to be good at football, which is why some coaches will dismissively call players "track guys."

But football guys sometimes give track a shot, too, like during this past weekend's Big Ten outdoor track and field championships in Madison, Wisc.

A few recognizable names from the league's gridiron competed in the event. Here's a look at how they did:

• Indiana wide receiver Nick Stoner was part of the 4X100 relay team that finished second and the 4X200 relay team that placed third. He was also 18th in the 200-meter dash prelims with a time of 21.61 seconds. Stoner played cornerback and wide receiver as a freshman for the Hoosiers last year but was known more for his special teams play.
• Ohio State's Devin Smith -- best known for catching the 40-yard touchdown pass to beat Wisconsin last season -- finished 12th in the high jump at 6 feet, nine inches. He was also 19th in the 100-meter dash prelims, with a time of 10.88 seconds. He could be a key part of the Buckeyes' offense this season.
• How versatile is Illinois' Ryan Lankford? He played wide receiver and punter last year to pull off that rare double. Lankford also finished 19th in the long jump, going 22 feet, seven inches.
• Kyle Jefferson, a former Wisconsin receiver, finished sixth in both the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes and was on the 4X400 relay team that placed second. That second-place finish clinched the overall men's title for the Badgers.

Doing well in one sport is hard enough. Congrats to these guys for succeeding in two.

Big Ten spring meetings take place Tuesday-Wednesday in Chicago. I'll be on hand throughout, so be sure and check the blog for updates.

Onto the links.

• Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman admits the school made the wrong call in hiring RichRod. Wolverines coach Brady Hoke reminisces about Bo Schembechler.
• Iowa athletic director Gary Barta favors increasing the bowl eligibility requirement to seven victories.
• Former Nebraska running back Aaron Green is transferring to TCU. Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman hasn't shied away from talking athletics during his tenure. The Lincoln Journal Star looks at Nebraska's most memorable touchdowns, from 1 yard to 100.
• Texas A&M edges Nebraska to host an ESPN "College GameDay" commercial.
• The system is the star at Wisconsin, which will make it easier to replace some star power, SI.com's Andy Staples writes.
• Ohio State's shift from quarters to semesters will impact the team's preseason preparation. Tom Herman's recruiting connections in Texas have put Ohio State in the mix for some top prospects.
• A look inside Bill O'Brien's offensive playbook at Penn State.
• A Michigan State verbal commit could be swayed to stay and play at home in Texas. Another Spartans recruit draws high marks at the Elite 11 tryout.
• Illinois quarterback recruit Aaron Bailey is a humble star. Illini fans can meet coach Tim Beckman this week.
• Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany needs to get over his SEC obsession, David Climer writes.
• Former Michigan State star Jerel Worthy calls Wisconsin's offensive line the best he faced in college. Former Wisconsin center Peter Konz is bringing back the "Dirty Bird" to the Atlanta Falcons.
• Juco defender Randy Gregory remains committed to Purdue. Boilers great Jim Carter, he of "Touchdown Twins" fame, died last week at 100.
• BTN.com's Tom Dienhart breaks down Northwestern's 2012 schedule.

It's a new week, and it's time to delve back into our series looking at the most indispensable players on each Big Ten squad entering the 2012 season.

Once again, this is not necessarily a listing of the best players on each team, but ones whose absence would be toughest to absorb because of their particular value or a lack of depth behind them. Let's take a look now at the Indiana Hoosiers:

Will Matte, C, Sr.

The Hoosiers have some replacement options for several key players on offense. For example, if quarterback Tre Roberson were unavailable, junior college import Cameron Coffman showed this spring that he could run the offense. Leading rusher Stephen Houston has solid backups in Isaiah Roundtree and Matt Perez. It wouldn't be nearly as easy to replace Matte, a fifth-year senior who has started 32 career games on what is otherwise a pretty young offensive line. Indiana had to scramble when Matte got hurt last season and would not want to be without his leadership again this year.

Adam Replogle, DT, Sr.

The Indiana defense was pretty brutal last year, but Replogle wasn't to blame. He led the team with four sacks, while adding seven tackles for loss and 49 stops overall, which was the most on the team's defensive line. He enters 2012 as the Hoosiers' active career leader in tackles, sacks and tackles for loss (tied in that last category with fellow defensive lineman Larry Black Jr., who's pretty indispensable himself). Replogle was a team captain last season, providing leadership to an extremely young team. He'll need to do that again, along with making plays up front to help this defense get better.

May and June aren't exactly the busiest months of the college football season. But there's still plenty to talk about, from wrapping up the spring to previewing the fall to discussing playoff possibilities with Big Ten presidents and athletic directors meeting this week.

So let's get together and talk about all of it on my weekly Monday Big Ten chat. I'll be in my usual time slot of 3 p.m. ET, and you should be there, too.

Here is the link. Hope to see you there.