ESPN College Football

Bennett vs. yours truly in the circle drill. Who ya got?

• The Big Ten's primary playoff interests -- maintaining the Rose Bowl's prestige and having semifinals on campus -- don't seem to be catching on, Teddy Greenstein writes. Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez is intimately involved in the BCS playoff discussions. The Big Ten will have a big voice in this week's BCS meetings, Dennis Dodd writes.
• Big Ten ticket prices are on the rise, Matt Charboneau writes. The Star Tribune's Phil Miller wraps up spring ball in the Big Ten.
• The man likely to be named Minnesota's next AD knows his hoops but raises some doubts on the football side.
• A story I can't read enough -- the amazing comeback of Michigan State's Arthur Ray Jr. More on Ray here. Spartans DT Anthony Rashad White adjusts to the 3-technique.
• It won't happen this year, but I agree with Angelique Chengelis that a Michigan State-Michigan night game would be amazing.
• After winning over many Penn State fans, Bill O'Brien needs Ws on the field this fall. A poor spring game performance could hurt Rob Bolden in Penn State's quarterback race, while Paul Jones is certainly in the picture. Penn State will host UMass in 2014.
• Ohio State center Corey Linsley is a changed man. The circle drill set the tone for Urban Meyer's first spring game at Ohio State. Everything about the game showed change has come to Columbus.
• Illinois' three coordinators weigh in on their groups after the spring. Young offensive line coach Luke Butkus has a challenge ahead of him.
• Quarterback Joel Stave worked with Wisconsin's first-team offense for all of Saturday's scrimmage. Wisconsin's reputation as an offensive line factory has reached north of the border.
• Iowa had a productive weekend on the recruiting trail. The "bubble" is no more, and Iowa's facilities plan is moving forward.
• Nebraska's Alfonzo Dennard thrives on proving people wrong, and he'll have to do it again after this weekend's mishap. The Huskers pick up another recruit from the alma mater of Bo Pelini and Tim Beck.
• Linebacker Brandin Hawthorne looks comfortable as Michigan's man in the middle. Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison helped boost Mike Martin's draft stock.
• Six storylines for Purdue's offense coming out of the spring.

Rob from Morristown, N.J., writes: Adam, two questions for you. The first I am sure you get every year, but can you give us your explanation as well as the explanation from the league (Delaney) as to why it is beneficial for the B1G to have 4 marquee teams playing at the same time on Jan. 2. Apart from tradition (this year these games are not even on New Year's Day), it doesn't make sense to me from an exposure standpoint to have all teams playing at the same time, and certainly not from the perspective of a fan of the B1G who wants to see all the teams WIN! I don't beleive ANY other conference has two teams or more playing at the same time. What ARE the benefits of this? Second question, why aren't Penn State's Assistant Coaches like LJ, Sr and Vanderlinden being considered for other open head coaching vacancies? These have been the top defensive coaches in the B1G, if not the nation over the past few years, are schools scared away from them due to the scandal?

Adam Rittenberg: Good questions, Rob. You're not the only Big Ten fan miffed by the league's Jan 1/2-heavy lineup. The league views it as a chance to "own the day," to have its product splashed on multiple TV networks during a day where college football has thrived historically. The counter-argument is that New Year's Day no longer is what it used to be, and that spreading out the Big Ten games over several days would create more overall exposure rather than flooding everything on one day. As to your second question, I think the Penn State scandal has hurt all of the current coaches as far as other jobs. I'd include Tom Bradley in that mix. It's too bad because those guys are all excellent coaches.

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A.J. from Madison, Wis., writes: I was wondering if you could seed each division with how you think they'll rank next year. I think it's going to be a photo finish between Ohio State-Wisconsin and Michigan-Michigan State, but I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Adam Rittenberg: A.J., I completely agree the Leaders division will come down to Ohio State and Wisconsin. I'd give Ohio State the edge because the Buckeyes lose fewer key pieces than the Badgers, although Wisconsin has it going right now. I'd add Nebraska and Iowa to the Legends division race, which should once again be more competitive. Nebraska will host Michigan, Wisconsin and Penn State, so if the Huskers hold serve at home, they'll be in good shape.

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Ashley from Lincoln, Neb., writes: Adam, I'm a little confused as to why people keep saying that Nebraska will have so much trouble with South Carolina's defensive line. I have seen no evidence that this is an elite group. Yes, the defense is 4th in total yards allowed. But if you pin it down to stats that better represent the d-line it suddenly doesn't look so good. SC is 45th in rush defense, 42nd in tfls, 43rd in sacks and 83rd in red zone defense. And all of this against very few rush-based offenses. In fact, in their only games against top 40 rushing offenses, Navy and Auburn, SC gave up 274 and 246 yards on the ground, respectively. So why exactly should Nebraska be so afraid of this defense?

Adam Rittenberg: Ashley, you bring up a good point about South Carolina's rush defense, which isn't all that great. If Nebraska can move the ball on the ground, get into its tempo on offense and stay out of obvious passing situations, it should be in good shape against the Gamecocks. The concern is that Nebraska's offensive line remains pretty inexperienced, and South Carolina defensive ends Melvin Ingram and Jadeveon Clowney are two of the better defensive linemen the Huskers will face all season. Huskers offensive lineman Yoshi Hardrick told me he's really impressed with Ingram's and Clowney's speed. It would be a bigger concern if Nebraska were a pass-first offense. If the Huskers stay out of third-and-long, they should be fine.

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John from Kalamazoo, Mich., writes: Call me a little bit biased, but i don't completely understand all of Michigan state fans rights to complain about how the season ended for them and the wolverines. Sure, state won the head to head matchup in a very well played game by both teams. However, it seems everyone is overlooking how much it sucks for wolverine fans that a team that lost by double digits to teams they beat, got to play in the in the inaugural BTC. I cannot be the only person to see things this way.

Adam Rittenberg: Brian recently brought up this question, asking users which team's situation is better. The vote was fairly close, as 52 percent of responders (more than 11,500 votes cast) preferred Michigan's situation to Michigan State's. Fans do care about bowl order and going to a BCS game vs. the Outback Bowl does make a difference. Then again, Michigan State was a play away from its first Rose Bowl appearance in 24 years. The Spartans had earned that right, and they now have a division championship that follows a co-Big Ten championship. It certainly means something, even if Michigan gets more love during the bowl season.

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Steiny from Iowa writes: Adam, how is it that Iowa is in a lose lose situation. Everyone is saying that if Iowa wins its bowl game, Oklahoma just wasnt motivated to be there, and if they they lost well it was goin to happen anyways. Doesnt anyone want to give Iowa credit for anything if they win, and u honestly think bob stoops is goin to lay down for Iowa?

Adam Rittenberg: Steiny, I see what you're saying, and many would spin it that way if Iowa upsets Oklahoma. But it still would go down as a win in the record book, Iowa's fourth consecutive bowl victory. It would give the Hawkeyes their fourth consecutive season of eight or more victories and possibly serve as a springboard for the team heading into the 2012 campaign. But we've seen many examples of teams that don't look like they want to be in certain bowl games. It's fair to ask whether Oklahoma will be fired up because of where the Sooners began the season. But Stoops' teams rarely let up. OU should be ready.

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Ryan from Geneva, Ohio, writes: Have you heard anything about whether Urban Meyer is keeping DC Jim Heacock on his staff for next year? Heacock and I share an alma mater, DIII Muskingum University, and I was curious where my fellow Fighting Muskie might end up.

Adam Rittenberg: Ryan, it doesn't look like it, although things could change if Luke Fickell gets a head-coaching job elsewhere. Fickell is planning to stay on in a coordinator capacity and make Ohio State's defensive play calls. North Carolina interim coach Everett Withers is also a likely addition, so a co-coordinator situation with Fickell and Withers could be how it pans out. Heacock is a terrific coach and should find a spot somewhere as a coordinator.

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Shawn from Lansing, Mich., writes: Thank you for your articles on Arther Ray. We met him a couple of years ago when our son was also battling cancer. Our son passed away two years ago, Arthur was and has been still an inspiration for our family. Recently I was in intensive care and he tried to come by and visit but I was not feeling very well at the time. Arthur and the entire MSU family have been a blessing to us.

Adam Rittenberg: Shawn, thanks for your note. Arthur is one of the finest people I've covered in college football. It's great to see his story turning out so well. Good things happen to good people, and Arthur deserves everything he's getting right now.

File this under "feel-good story" and "extremely well-deserved."

Michigan State's Arthur Ray Jr. has been named the winner of the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl/FWAA Courage Award. Ray, a senior offensive lineman from Chicago, returned to football this season, four years after bone cancer derailed his career.

The award will be presented Jan. 3, 2012, at the AVMed Orange Bowl Coaches Luncheon in Miami. Ray will be honored again Jan. 4 on the field during the Discover Orange Bowl.

"This is a tremendous award for a young man who has conquered all of the odds up against him," Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. "He's played in games this year and has participated on the practice field daily. It's been a long road. He was on crutches for almost two years, from 2007 to 2009. He's really a living example to our football team on what you can do with a positive attitude and if you just continue to work, how you can conquer all obstacles."

I wrote about Ray's comeback from cancer in the spring of 2010. At that point, his status to see the field for the Spartans remained in doubt. He was cleared to practice in August and started the season opener against Youngstown State as senior Joel Foreman admirably gave up his spot for Ray.

Amazing story. Amazing kid. It's great to see Ray's story being recognized nationally.

Saw you so much clearer, once you were in my rear-view mirror.

Team of the week: Michigan. The Wolverines flexed their muscles and blew out Nebraska 45-17 in their best performance and arguably biggest win of the season. Michigan is now the Big Ten's best hope for an at-large BCS bid. Michigan State sure liked what happened in Ann Arbor this week, too.

Game of the week: Penn State 20, Ohio State 14. Ultimately, this game had no bearing on the Big Ten title race, but try telling these two teams that. In a week without many thrillers, the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes played an old-school, physical game that featured no second-half points but plenty of hold-your-breath moments. Given the backdrop of what Penn State had been dealing with back home, it was far from meaningless.

Biggest play: Illinois led Wisconsin 14-0 in the second quarter when punter Justin Duvernois dropped the ball after catching the snap. The Badgers' Conor O'Neill tackled him at the 2-yard line to set up a Montee Ball touchdown run and finally give Wisconsin some momentum. Who knows how the game would have unfolded differently had the Illini taken a 17-0 lead into half instead of 17-7. And for a team that had special-teams breakdowns in losses to Michigan State and Ohio State, it was good for Wisconsin to get one back in the kicking game.

Best call: Lions turning into Wildcats. Interim coach Tom Bradley and his staff decided to use Curtis Drake and Bill Belton in the Wildcat formation against Ohio State, something Penn State hadn't shown much of all season. By the time the Buckeyes adjusted to it, Penn State had piled up 254 yards and 20 points in the first half. The defense did the rest in the second half. Question: Would the Nittany Lions have used that kind of creativity if Joe Paterno was still the head coach?

Toughest call: Robert Marve's touchdown-no-fumble near the end of the Purdue-Iowa game. The Boilers quarterback scrambled and dived for the end zone with 1:27 left in the game, losing the ball just as he hit the pylon. The officials on the field ruled it a touchdown, which would have cut the lead to 31-27 with an extra point giving Purdue a chance to get within a field goal. But after a review, the play was ruled a lost fumble in the end zone, which gave the ball to Iowa and basically ended the game.

Boilermakers coach Danny Hope brought a still picture of the play to his Sunday media briefing, saying it showed Marve's hand hitting the pylon and the ball out of bounds. Other angles and replays seemed to validate the replay officials' ruling. You can watch the video of it here at the 1:40 mark. Either way, Purdue simply made too many mistakes in the game to be whining about one call, no matter how crucial it was.

Big Men on Campus (Offense): Wisconsin's Ball and Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson. Ball had career highs in rushes (38) and yards (224) and scored three more touchdowns, becoming just the fifth player in FBS history to reach 30 touchdowns in a season. Robinson bounced back from a couple of rough outings to account for four touchdowns and 263 total yards of offense against Nebraska. He has now won six Big Ten player of the week honors, third-most in league history.

Big Man on Campus (Defense): Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland. The sophomore made a career-high 16 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles against Illinois. His second forced fumble gave the Badgers a short field to set up their second touchdown, and he helped lead a defensive effort that shut out the Illini in the second half and forced four turnovers. A special shout out also goes to Northwestern's Brian Peters, who forced and recovered a fumble and made an interception despite wearing a cast on one arm against Minnesota.

Big Man on Campus (Special teams): Penn State's Anthony Fera. He made a 43-yard field goal and a 46-yarder at the end of the first half to account for the margin of victory in the Nittany Lions' 20-14 win against Ohio State. He also had three punts downed inside the 20-yard line, including one on the 3-yard line. How good has Fera been this season? This is third Big Ten weekly honor of the season.

Strangest moment: It's not often you see an offensive guard taking a handoff and running a sweep. But Michigan State's Joel Foreman did just that on Saturday in a nice gesture from Mark Dantonio.

The Spartans were up 48-3 on Indiana when Foreman lined up at tight end and came around the left side for a three-yard gain. Dantonio said he thought of the idea in practice Thursday as a way to honor Foreman, a fifth-year senior who has started 46 career games at left guard.

"That was for every big guy out there who ever wanted to run the ball," Foreman told reporters. "I'm averaging three yards a carry, broken tackle. I think that's more than [quarterback] Kirk [Cousins] has, so I'm doing all right."

It was a particularly appropriate way to end the home season for Foreman, who let cancer survivor Arthur Ray Jr. begin the game in his place in the season opener despite his consecutive starts streak. After Foreman's run, he jogged to midfield with the ball under his arm, saluted and then came out of the game. Ray was one of the first players to greet him.

"He got the game ball for that," Dantonio said of Foreman. "He took it, as a matter of fact."

Instant analysis from No. 17 Michigan State's 28-6 home win over Youngstown State on Friday night:

How the game was won: It wasn't a particularly pretty performance by the Spartans, especially in the first half. They committed seven penalties in the half and turned the ball over on a muffed punt, leading to a Penguins touchdown. If not for a missed PAT and botched field goal by Youngstown State, the halftime score could have been a lot closer than 14-6. Michigan State cleaned up its mistakes in the second half, the offense found a little bit better rhythm in the third quarter and the defense kept the Penguins from making more of an upset bid.

Turning point: Isaiah Lewis intercepted a Kurt Hess pass with a little more than eight minutes left and Michigan State clinging to a 21-6 lead. Lewis returned it to the Penguins' 17, and Le'Veon Bell scored his second touchdown of the game two plays later to salt the game away.

Player of the game: Spartans wide receiver B.J. Cunningham had a career night. He caught nine passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. With that performance, Cunningham now is tied for the most career receptions in Michigan State history, an impressive feat at a program that has produced the likes of Plaxico Burress, Charles Rogers and Andre Rison.

Key stat: Quarterback Kirk Cousins was sharp in the opener, completing 18 of 22 passes for 221 yards and a score.

Best moment: Cancer survivor Arthur Ray Jr. got a surprise start at left guard when Joel Foreman surrendered his spot to his fellow senior. Ray -- who had never appeared in a college game before Friday -- was visibly choked up before the game when he found out he would start. Ray played the first offensive snap for Michigan State -- a 7-yard gain -- before heading to the sidelines in favor of Foreman.

What it means: OK, so it wasn't all that impressive of a victory. But it was a difficult week for head coach Mark Dantonio, whose father passed away just days ago. Some sloppiness was to be expected by the offense with three new starters on the offensive line, and things got better later in the game. The defensive line should have dominated more, and it's surprising that the Spartans couldn't manage a single sack against an FCS opponent. Bottom line: a win is a win, and though the Spartans have some things to clean up and work on, that's the same for virtually every team after Week 1.

As we put a bow on spring football in the Big Ten, here's a look back at several things that stood out from the past few weeks.

Best comeback: Michigan State offensive lineman Arthur Ray Jr., who beat leg cancer at the start of his college career, got the green light April 8 to practice with his teammates for the first time. Ray had been cleared in the winter but needed the go-ahead from the NCAA. "It was great, one of the best days of my life," Ray told ESPN.com.

Best hype-building performance:: Ohio State freshman quarterback Braxton Miller won over a chunk of the Buckeyes' faithful at the spring game by leading three scoring drives and completing 7 of 12 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. The Buckeyes saw little separation among the men vying to replace Terrelle Pryor for the first five games, but Miller remains right in the mix.

Top flip: Nebraska freshman receiver Jamal Turner flipped into the end zone after scoring an electrifying 49-yard touchdown catch and run in the spring game. Sure, he drew a penalty, but it was fun to watch. Turner starred in the game with four receptions for 93 yards to go along with returns of 59 yards (punt) and 54 yards (kickoff). Turner finished with 228 all-purpose yards.

Top T-shirt: New Minnesota coach Jerry Kill introduced the "Minnesota Loafer" T-shirts, worn by players who missed a class, showed up late to a workout or erred in some other way. The front of the shirt reads: "I let my teammates down." The back: "Minnesota Loafers." All the lettering is pink. "That brown shirt with those pink letters doesn't look too good," Gophers quarterback MarQueis Gray said.

Best quarterback race: Several teams ended the spring with no clear No. 1 quarterback, while others had players take charge (Purdue’s Rob Henry, Iowa's James Vandenberg). Penn State didn't name a starter before spring ball concluded, but the coaches were pleased with Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin throughout the session. Bolden and McGloin not only looked more comfortable in the offense but displayed the type of leadership Penn State lacked in 2010. "As far as the quarterbacks, I think we're in good shape," coach Joe Paterno said.

Best position switch: Turner's move from quarterback to receiver certainly seemed to work out well. Michigan's Cameron Gordon was on the move once again, this time to linebacker, and like last spring, he drew impressive reviews. Michigan State's Dan France switched from defense to offense and landed the starting left tackle position.

Best two-way performer: Michigan State's Tony Lippett generated a ton of buzz this spring, as he played both cornerback and receiver. The Spartans' coordinators are fighting over him, and a near roster switch in the spring game draft caused uproar. Expect the redshirt freshman to see the field a lot this fall.

Best quote: "Like Mickey told Rocky, 'The worst thing that can happen to a fighter is to get civilized. You've got to get back to old school.' In my opinion, we've got to get back to a little bit of old school. That's what we've got the rest of spring practice to do." -- Illinois defensive coordinator Vic Koenning, on the team's linebackers

Best fashion revelation: New Michigan coach Brady Hoke told ESPN.com that he never wore red, "Ohio's color," when he coached at both Ball State, his alma mater, or at San Diego State. Cardinal is one of Ball State's school colors, and red is one of San Diego State's. "People understood," Hoke said. "They got the message, I guess. Right, wrong or different, that's me."

Spring football has provided a lot of interesting stories around the Big Ten, but my personal favorite is a no-brainer. Two weeks ago, the NCAA reversed Arthur Ray Jr.'s medical disqualification status and cleared the Michigan State offensive lineman to resume practicing. It marked a major milestone for Ray, who battled cancer in his leg and only got off of crutches last spring. Ray is cancer free and participating at guard in most drills during practice while he eyes the ultimate goal: suiting up for the Spartans in a game.

I caught up with Ray this week to talk about his amazing comeback.

What has it been like to be back out there practicing?

Arthur Ray: It's going great. I've been waiting for this for a long time.

When did you feel like this was real? Was it being on the practice field again? Getting the clearance from the doctors?

AR: It didn't hit me until I really walked on the field. It's a feeling I can't even describe. It was great, one of the best days of my life. I got the [medical] clearance in January, so I just waited for everything. It was a dream come true. I always knew I'd be able to practice. I had to wait to get clearance from the NCAA and Big Ten. I had to go through that whole process. But I knew I could practice again.

How did you find out?

AR: Coach [Mark Dantonio] called me, and I didn't answer because I was in class. He left me a voicemail, so I stepped out, listened to it and man, I just started crying. I called my mom. It was a great day. We had a team meeting and they announced it to the team and everybody just went crazy, so it was good.

When did you feel like you reached a turning point in your comeback?

AR: The turning point had to be once I finally got off crutches last spring, and I was allowed to walk around a little bit. I knew getting off crutches would be big, and I knew once I started walking that I'd definitely be able to run after moving around and strengthening up my leg.

What type of approach did you take in the weight room throughout the process?

AR: I took an attack approach to the weight room. I always attack every workout aggressively, and I wanted to take that same approach on the field. Even when I couldn't do so much, I always was going to work hard in the weight room.

What are you able to do in practice so far?

AR: Practice is just about getting my feet back underneath me, banging of course, going out there and hitting my guys, I'm allowed to do that a little bit. I'm just trying to get better every day. I'm doing all O-line drills and half-line, one-on-ones. Just none of the team or group stuff. I can't do that yet.

What was it like to get hit for the first time?

AR: Great. A feeling only a football player would know. It's a feeling I haven't felt in a while. I got the butterflies out, and I'm ready to go.

Did the guys take it easy on you?

AR: In the locker room, I told them not to take it easy on me because [if they do], I can't get any better. My goal is to play, and I want to play at a high level.

What's your plan for the rest of the spring and what's the outlook for this season? Can you play this fall?

AR: I'm taking it day by day this spring, see what I need to work on all summer and go through the summer and get better and continue to work hard. If I'm up to it and I sit down and talk to the coaches and they feel confident just from watching me, yeah, we'll give it a shot this year. But right now, I'm just excited to have this opportunity.

From a football standpoint, what are the biggest things you need to work on?

AR: Getting back in football shape. I'm in pretty good health shape, and my cardiovascular is pretty good from working out, running when I could going into winter conditioning. So it's getting back into football shape and strengthening my left leg a little more. My left leg's actually pretty strong. I feel like my upper-body strength is way stronger than it ever was.

And as far as your medical stuff, are you in the clear there?

AR: Aug. 12, surgery day. On Aug. 12, 2011, it'll be four years since I had my cancer removed. I still get six-month checkups, MRIs, CT scans, bone scans. After five years, I won't have to go through that anymore. So four years remission and I'm going strong.

What has been the reaction from everyone to seeing you out there again?

AR: Everybody's just excited. I love the support I have here at Michigan State. Coach D from Day 1 and everybody, all my teammates and the staff, they've been surrounding me and helping me 100 percent.

What will it be like to play in a game again?

AR: Probably the greatest day of my life to this point, when I finally run out there. I run it through my head constantly. When I go to sleep, I dream about it. It's a day I'm really looking forward to.

The links can wait. The Big Ten chat cannot. Join in!

• Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith discusses a rough situation involving Jim Tressel and the NCAA in Columbus. The Buckeyes are entering a new era, Matt Markey writes in The Toledo Blade. Colleague Jon Gruden thinks Terrelle Pryor can play quarterback in the NFL, Tim May writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
• Michigan State's Arthur Ray Jr. talks about his amazing comeback to the football field here and here and here.
• The injury bug has hit Illinois hard at running back this spring, GateHouse News Service's John Supinie writes.
• Iowa soon should have decisions on running back Adam Robinson and defensive back Willie Lowe, Randy Peterson writes in the Des Moines Register. Talk about a show of support: Iowa names strength coach Chris Doyle its assistant coach of the year.
• A touching moment at Minnesota practice as Connor Cosgrove, who is battling cancer, visits his teammates. Gophers cornerback Troy Stoudermire lays the wood at practice, Phil Miller writes in the Star Tribune.
• Penn State's president doesn't seem too wrapped up in Joe Paterno's contract situation. The "Whitehouse" game will be against Alabama on Sept. 10. Two Nittany Lions receivers work to eliminate drops, Jared Shanker writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News.
• Tight end Kevin Koger should thrive in Michigan's new offense, Ryan Autullo writes in The Toledo Blade. The Wolverines are still looking for a No. 1 running back, Mark Snyder writes in the Detroit Free Press.
• Jared Crick's injury allowed younger Nebraska defensive linemen to step up this spring, Brian Rosenthal writes in the Lincoln Journal Star.
• Indiana hands out progress reports as spring ball wraps up, Tim Ethridge writes in the Evansville Courier & Press.
• A spring snapshot of Purdue from The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette's Scott Dochterman.
• Staying healthy is the biggest challenge for Wisconsin defensive end Brendan Kelly, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.
• A former Michigan lacrosse player finds a home playing football at Northwestern, Josh Sim writes.

Three Big Ten teams, four days, three states. Bringin' it this week.

• More on Arthur Ray Jr.'s return to practice and other Michigan State spring bits from the Lansing State Journal's Joe Rexrode. The Spartans are expanding their recruiting base, Matt Dorsey writes in the Detroit Free Press.
• Penn State receiver Derek Moye will miss the rest of spring ball following a concussion, Matt Fortuna writes in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
• Purdue wanted to wait until Saturday to reveal the new Purdue Pete, but pictures of the mascot accidentally were posted online. Keep an eye on the Boilers' defensive ends Saturday as the Boilers look to replace Ryan Kerrigan, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
• More on the Gold Pants/"Pawn Stars" situation and other Ohio State nuggets from The Columbus Dispatch's Bob Hunter.
• A low-key practice gets a little chippy at Wisconsin thanks to a hit by safety Aaron Henry, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal. After thinking it over, Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi will stay home for the NFL draft.
• Nebraska's move to the Big Ten suits linebacker Will Compton, Rich Kaipust writes in the Omaha World-Herald. Kickoff time and TV have been finalized for the Huskers' trip to Wyoming.
• Roy Roundtree and Michigan's other receivers are catching on to the new offense, Mark Snyder writes in the Detroit Free Press. Former teammates of the late Michigan safety Vada Murray reflect on Murray's life, Michael Rosenberg writes in the Free Press. Michigan AD Dave Brandon also weighs in on Murray's passing.
• Indiana coach Kevin Wilson will only use the tight ends if they're good enough, Dustin Dopirak writes in The (Bloomington) Herald-Times (subscription required).
• Iowa's first commit for 2012 is a legacy, Randy Peterson writes in the Des Moines Register.
• The Iowa-Nebraska games in 2013 and 2014 are scheduled for Saturday but could be moved to Friday, Scott Dochterman writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• Plenty of Minnesota spring tidbits from the Star Tribune's Phil Miller. The Gophers need a No. 2 receiver to emerge alongside Da'Jon McKnight, Marcus Fuller writes in the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press.
• Northwestern fans should get to know the name Ibraheim Campbell, Skip Myslenski writes.
• Illinois is looking for answers at linebacker this spring, GateHouse News Service's John Supinie writes. Illini sophomore Evan Wilson is used to practicing in the spring, Bob Asmussen writes in The (Champaign) News-Gazette.

Arthur Ray Jr. was in class Thursday when the news he had waited years for finally arrived.

The NCAA had granted a waiver to remove the medical disqualification tag from Ray, and the Michigan State offensive lineman who battled leg cancer finally could practice with the team. He'll start counting against the team's scholarship limit, and no player in the country will relish the opportunity more than him.

Ray went through his first practice as a Spartan on Thursday afternoon.

"It was the greatest feeling in the world," Ray said in comments released through Michigan State on Thursday night. "It felt so good because it just represents so much now. I just feel like I have to represent everybody that's still dealing with bad things, like chemo. I still remember some of my guys that are still in the hospital."

Upon hearing the news from coach Mark Dantonio, Ray "cried tears of joy."

Ray is cancer free after a rough stretch in 2007-08. He had targeted this spring for his return, and he went through individual drills Thursday.

Dantonio told local reporters that Ray won't scrimmage this spring but will gradually work toward full participation.

"You know, when you want something bad enough, there's a greater chance of you getting it done," Dantonio said. "I think it's an example to a lot of people that are going through a lot of tough times in their life, that if they can just persevere, good things can happen for them. Because this guy, he's had four, five, six operations. He was on crutches for two years. You know, there was a lot of doubt whether he was gonna be able to walk again, let alone play football."

Quarterback Kirk Cousins shared his reaction when Ray returned to the practice field.

"At first when I saw the No. 73 and the helmet and the knee braces on him, I didn't know who it was at first. I had to look closer and it was Arthur. So it was strange, but it was awesome to see him out there. It's a testament to who he is, his family. And what he's battled through has been more than what you'd ask any 18-year-old to deal with."

As the Lansing State Journal's Joe Rexrode points out, Ray probably will redshirt this coming season, have a chance to play in 2012 and apply for a sixth year of eligibility -- the NCAA would be heartless not to grant one -- in 2013.

Ray's incredible story will be complete if and when he plays a game for Michigan State. But Thursday was a huge moment for the Spartans' offensive lineman.

"I'm using spring ball to get my feet back underneath me," Ray said. "I went out there today and did a few drills, a little bit of hitting. It felt great. I'm not that far off, I just have to keep working."

After what Ray has been through, you know he will.

The drive from State College to Pittsburgh isn't my favorite trek, but I had a smile on my face for much of the way after learning the good news out of East Lansing.

Michigan State offensive lineman Arthur Ray Jr. just took a big step in his incredible comeback from cancer. The NCAA approved Ray to begin practicing with the team, granting him a waiver. Ray previously had been medical disqualified, a designation that ensured Michigan State didn't have to count him against its scholarship limit.

I wrote about Ray's inspirational comeback from leg cancer in 2009, and he's one of the most impressive people I've ever covered. After several health setbacks, he made this spring a goal to return, and he has achieved it.

All Big Ten fans should be rooting for this guy to fulfill his dream of suiting up for Michigan State this fall. I look forward to catching up with Arthur next week in East Lansing.

Just a great end to the day!

Here's the second half of my interview with Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio. For Part I, click here.

Toward the end of last year, you had some defensive linemen emerge, guys like [Jerel] Worthy and [Blake] Treadwell. Who are you excited about up there?

Mark Dantonio: We got two great young players last year in Treadwell and Worthy playing pretty well. They'll only get better, although Worthy's a bit jammed up because of an injury. At defensive end, Tyler Hoover's a guy who will begin to play more and better. He's going into his third year now, he's 6-foot-6, 265, he's an outstanding athlete. Denzel Drone, Corey Freeman, Colin Neely comes back with a lot of time under his belt. And Kevin Pickelman, he's up to 280 pounds now, and he's going to have an outstanding spring. Really, we've got 13 players back on defense with substantial time as a starter at one point in time. And 13 on offense who have started at one point in time. We do have players back, but we have to solidify depth issues.

How about the secondary? You lost a couple guys there, but you have quite a few who have played. How does that unit need to improve?

MD: We have four guys back with plenty of experience. They've all started at one point in time, whether it was [Trenton] Robinson or [Chris L.] Rucker or Marcus Hyde or Johnny Adams. So that gives us a nucleus on which to build. And then guys like Jairus Jones are going to come in and play, and some of our young freshmen, Dana Dixon. We need to get better at the back end. We need to get better as a football team.

When you talk about defense, you talk about points scored, and usually you look at third-down efficiency, how you play in the red zone, and turnovers. When you look at us, we were No. 2 in the conference in sacks [35]. Third-and-long, we were fine, 75-80 percent. But third-and-short and third-and-medium is where we fell down. We didn't play well enough in the red zone, and then we didn't come up with enough turnovers. So that's where it starts to look you in the face statistically. I'm not that concerned with the yards, as long as it doesn't lead to touchdowns. You never know where those yards come from. But you need to get off the field on third down, you need to have turnovers, you need to play well in the red zone, and we'll work to correct that.

Pass defense, it's a total team thing, so you need to be able to transition from the defensive line, from playing the run to stopping the pass, to create a pass rush in a four-man scheme. Our linebackers also have to play better. On the flip side of it, we were 25th in the nation versus the run, and that's something we can build on.

Greg Jones, in talking about why he was coming back, mentioned how he wants to improve in pass coverage. Are there things you can see him doing to be more involved there?

MD: He made a statement for our football team, not just as a player but as a captain, as a team member, being unselfish and coming back here. Everyone always can improve. Certainly I can improve. So when you're in the same place in the same system, you always look for major improvement. Greg's a pass rusher, too. He had 9.5 sacks, so you can't negate that aspect of our defensive football team, but he will become better at the [middle] linebacker, having been full time in there last year. And that's the exciting thing. He provides a catalyst for our defense, and we can play around him.

I wanted to ask you about the offensive line. It's tough when you lose players like Rocco Cironi and Joel Nitchman. How do you see that group shaping up? And also Arthur Ray, how is he progressing? Will he be able to play?


MD: Arthur is able to run, he's able to jog, he's able to do some drills on his own. He's able to, at this point in time, lead a normal life, and that's a tremendous thing for a young man who has been on crutches for the last year and three quarters. His bone is healing. He hopes to play in the near future, within maybe a year. We'll have to petition the Big Ten office for that. We would have room for that at this point, but that's something the doctors have to decide on, and his family. But me, personally, and our entire football staff and team, are thrilled to have Arthur out there every single day, just seeing him walk and catch a ball and run around. He's reconditioning himself to be a football player. Where that takes him? Time will tell. But I can look at him now and say, 'There is a possibility.' So we'll have to make that decision probably next spring at this time.

And then just with the offensive line as a whole, what's your outlook there?

MD: Offensive line and kicker are the two areas where we have to develop the most. We have a kicker with no experience back. [Dan] Conroy kicked one field goal [in 2009], but for the most part, it's been [Brett] Swenson's job for four years. So Kevin Muma and Conroy will compete for that, and it'll be interesting to see how that plays out. Offensive line wise, we have progressed and we have been able to take the past program's offensive linemen and they've been very, very productive for us. Joel Foreman has been the only guy that we've recruited that we've used extensively last year, although D.J. Young is a guy who came on with us. So two guys. But for the most part, Cironi, [Brendon] Moss, Nitchman, they were the last staff's young people.

So it's time now for our guys. Two of our guys have three years in, four others have two years in, and then we have some guys that have one year in. They have to grow up, they have to get experience and that experience has to show in spring, fall camp and then through our first couple games. That will be a work in progress, but I do think we have talent at that position. There's so many moving parts there that they have to understand what to do and do it at a high rate of speed.

Spring practice is about to get under way at Michigan State, and four players convicted in last year's residence hall assault have been reinstated to the team.

Head coach Mark Dantonio said Tuesday that cornerback Chris L. Rucker, offensive linemen J'Michael Deane and wide receivers Mark Dell and B.J. Cunningham, all of whom received probation and community service after pleading guilty to misdemeanor assault, are back on the team. Wide receivers Donald Spencer and Chris D. Rucker, suspended for being present at the Nov. 22 incident but never charged, also are back for the spring.

Dantonio confirmed that wide receiver Myles White and nose tackle Oren Wilson will transfer. White was sentenced Monday to probation and community service, and Wilson faces sentencing March 31. The status of wide receiver Fred Smith, sentenced Friday to five days in jail plus probation and community service, will be determined when his legal issues are over. Eleven current or former players pleaded guilty in the incident, and six -- White, Wilson, Ashton Leggett, Jamiihr Williams, Glenn Winston and Roderick Jenrette -- are no longer with the program.

I fully expected reinstatement for Cunningham, Dell, Deane and Chris L. Rucker, who had no prior indiscretions. White and Wilson deserved heavier punishment, potentially dismissal from the team, because their involvement in the assault didn't come to light until January. Wilson even played in the Alamo Bowl, a privilege he didn't deserve. But it's all moot now as both players will be transferring.

I spoke with Dantonio moments ago, and while I'll have a two-part Q&A with the coach this afternoon and Wednesday, a few notes and quotes for now.

• Dantonio, on the off-field problems Michigan State has faced: "You’re going to fall down at times. We have the same problems that society has in a lot of ways, and because we live in a fishbowl a little bit, there's going to be higher consequences, more public scrutiny and things of that nature. But you do always have to believe in your young people. That helps them grow, and that’s what we’ll do."
• During the winter, Dantonio put a greater emphasis on the team's Unity Council and held 90-minute weekly seminars for players that featured guest speakers, including former players and a criminal justice professor. "We talked about the law, talked about our players’ rights, talked about consequences," Dantonio said. "When you make a decision, it’s not a quick fix judiciously. Our players need to understand that. It’s not over and done with when you do make a mistake. We're just trying to educate and be proactive, and I think it draws our team together."
• The big personnel news of the day is Keith Nichol's move from quarterback to wide receiver. Nichol remains an option at quarterback, but with greater depth behind Kirk Cousins this spring, he has a better chance to make big contributions at receiver. Nichol played some wideout during the Alamo Bowl but will spend much more time there this spring. Dantonio said Cousins has earned the starter's tag entering the spring after a solid sophomore season. Nichol is listed as both a first-team wide receiver and a second-string quarterback on the team's spring depth chart. "Keith is an outstanding athlete," Dantonio said. "He's played quarterback for us and he should continue to be thought of in that light somewhat. He would always be able to move back in there. ... But I also think that he can be an outstanding wide receiver, as proven in bowl practice. ... He needs to get on the football field for us."
• Dantonio identified offensive line and kicker as the two most critical areas to develop in spring ball. The Spartans lose three starters on the offensive line, including standout center Joel Nitchman, as well as first-team All-Big Ten kicker Brett Swenson.
• Some wonderful news about Spartans offensive lineman Arthur Ray Jr., who has kept his dream of playing football alive after battling bone cancer. Ray is finally off crutches and able to run and do individual drills. "His bone is healing," Dantonio said. "He hopes to play in the near future, within maybe a year. We'll have to petition for that. We would have room for [Ray on the roster]. That's something the doctors have to decide on. Me, personally, and our entire football staff, are thrilled to have Arthur out there every single day. ... I can look at him now and say there is a possibility [of him playing]." There are plenty of folks rooting for Ray, myself included.
• Defensive end David Rolf is transferring to be closer to his family. Defensive tackle Cameron Jude's status is unclear as he works through academic and personal issues.
• Defensive tackle Jerel Worthy doesn't appear on the spring depth chart because he underwent offseason shoulder surgery and will be limited in practice

Ray

Arthur Ray Jr. has been on crutches for nearly 21 months since he had cancer surgery. But the former star lineman hasn't given up his dream to play for Michigan State.

Listen to Ray tell his story and it's hard not to believe that one day, he'll fulfill his dream and suit up in green and white.

"If all else fails, I just want my health, man," he said. "I just want to be able to walk without crutches. I just want to live a normal life again without restrictions, without worries.

"But there's still that itch in me. Football is in me. I can't give it up. I can't just wake up and be like, 'Maybe I don't want to play.' I do. I can play this game."

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

This is my final blog post as a single man.

I'm getting married on Sunday (!!), so the blog will be on hiatus for the rest of the weekend. Check out my feature later today on Michigan State's Arthur Ray Jr., an incredible kid who hopes to return to football after battling bone cancer. The Big Ten player rankings will continue Tuesday, and by popular demand, I'll rank the toughest places to play in the league. 

Enjoy the weekend, and hope for good weather in Chicago.