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Big Ten football coaches are immersed in recruiting these days, but they should pay attention to a recent incident on the hardwood.

It involved Iowa men's basketball coach Fran McCaffery and a chair. Some are calling it the Fran Slam.

For those needing more information, McCaffery, incensed at a questionable call and at his team during a drubbing at Michigan State, slammed a chair on the court during a timeout. Not surprisingly, the Fran Slam became a YouTube sensation, and it also appeared on the radar screen of Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany.

Safe to say, Delany wasn't thrilled.

From USA TODAY:

Delany didn't name names but told USA TODAY in an e-mail Sunday: "The conference did communicate its concern regarding certain conduct during the Iowa-MSU game to the institution through Iowa's athletic director, the coach's direct supervisor.

"The conference did not ask for, nor did the conference expect, an apology from the coach. The conference is primarily focused on future conduct, not statements of apology. The conference does not expect similar conduct in the future."

That's a very Delany way of saying: cut it out.

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta chimed in, saying that while he loves McCaffery's passion and style, "It's important his passion doesn't cross a line that distracts from our greater goals. That's what happened last week."

McCaffery says he's not going to change and will continue to show emotion on the sideline. But I have a feeling those chairs are safe for a while.

Football coaches had better take notice, because we're in an age when every gesture is caught on camera and will make its way to the Big Ten office. One too many blowups could lead to repercussions from a league that wants its coaches to be good public representatives.

The Big Ten has some coaches known to get a bit riled up on the sideline. Nebraska's Bo Pelini had some well-documented issues in a 2010 game at Texas A&M. Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald is very animated during games. Although a gum-throwing Bill Lynch isn't around any more at Indiana, there aren't too many Tom Landrys in this league.

Will the McCaffery incident change how football coaches conduct themselves during games? Probably not. Should they pay attention to what happened? Absolutely.

Fans seem to be split on this issue. Most want their coach to be passionate and energetic. As a Chicago Bears fan, I struggle with Lovie Smith's perpetually stoic sideline demeanor.

But I've also heard from some Nebraska fans irked by Pelini's blowups (imagine if Mike Stoops had ended up in Lincoln, too?).

How do you want your coach to behave on the sideline during games?

Longtime blog readers are probably sick of hearing my position on Indiana football, but it's worth restating.

Until the defense gets a significant upgrade, the Hoosiers won't consistently compete in the Big Ten. Indiana's defense has been porous for more than a decade, ranking no better than 71st nationally since 2000.

After Indiana fired Bill Lynch, I wrote that the school should value defense in its coaching search. And while I liked the Kevin Wilson hire, he follows a line of mostly offensive coaches -- Lynch, Gerry DiNardo, Cam Cameron -- who haven't gotten it done in Bloomington.

Offense sells these days. I get that. But Indiana might be wise to hire a guy who knows a thing or two about defense.

Hoosiers co-defensive coordinator Mike Ekeler knows a thing or two about defense, having come to IU from one of the nation's best defensive staffs at Nebraska. And Ekeler didn't like what he saw Saturday night at North Texas, as Indiana surrendered 24 points in a 16-minute span.

North Texas piled up 427 yards in its first victory of the season, and Indiana had no answer for Lance Dunbar (127 rush yards, 152 receiving yards).

Ekeler didn't hold back in his assessment of the defense following Monday's practice.

"We had 28 loafs and I think it was 18 missed tackles," Ekeler said. "… That was an embarrassment for us. Tip my hat to North Texas, but the way we look at it, we play us every week. Us kicked our [butt]. We didn't come to play. That's on me, and I take it very personal. I'm embarrassed that that tape's out there how we looked on defense. We had guys out there playing like they were scared. Scared to go up there and put their face on somebody."

Ekeler and fellow coordinator Doug Mallory have put all their players on notice this week heading into the Big Ten opener against Penn State.

"There is no depth chart at this point," Ekeler said. "We're not gonna watch that."

Indiana already has seen a shakeup on the offensive line, as freshmen have replaced veterans in the starting lineup. Don't be surprised if youth is served on defense Saturday against the Nittany Lions.

Every college football season brings new faces and new storylines, but the Big Ten hasn't had a makeover like this before.

The conference will feature a new member (Nebraska), new divisions (Legends and Leaders) and a new championship game, the first in its history. Five new coaches join the league, and at least six teams will start new quarterbacks. Not surprisingly, the league race appears wide open.

As the Big Ten season kicks off Thursday night in Madison, let's take a look at all the newness around the conference.

NEW TEAM

Nearly 15 months after being admitted to the Big Ten, Nebraska will play its first game as a member of the league. The Huskers have enjoyed a honeymoon of sorts as the rest of the league familiarizes itself with the program's history, the school and a talented team projected to be in the mix for the Big Ten championship.

There will be much more hype surrounding Nebraska's first Big Ten game -- Oct. 1 at Wisconsin -- and rightfully so, and Saturday's opener against FCS Chattanooga won't be the best barometer for Bo Pelini's squad. The game will, however, provide a look at Nebraska's new offense under coordinator Tim Beck. Quarterback Taylor Martinez is healthy and supposedly more mature, while running back Rex Burkhead has received high marks throughout the offseason. Who steps up among Nebraska's talented young offensive skill players?

Those of us who haven't watched Big Red regularly also will get a sense of the defense and the complex scheme defensive tackle Jared Crick, coordinator Carl Pelini and others have cited. Don't expect Nebraska to reveal too much against Chattanooga, but after discussing the Huskers ad nauseum, it'll be nice to see them on the field.

NEW COACHES

Four Big Ten coaches will make their debuts with new teams Saturday, while Nebraska's Pelini works his first game as a Big Ten member.

Luke Fickell's job interview at Ohio State begins Saturday against Akron, as the former Buckeyes defensive lineman and longtime assistant makes his head-coaching debut for his alma mater. Fickell's in-game decisions, sideline demeanor and perhaps even his game-day attire (vest? no vest?) will be closely examined. Ohio State shouldn't have trouble with Akron, and anything less than a strong opening statement after a tough offseason will elicit some grumbling.

Another highly anticipated debut takes place in Ann Arbor as Brady Hoke leads Michigan out of the tunnel. Hoke has made few missteps since his hiring in January, and his approval rating among Michigan fans has soared. But things can change on game day, and a team going through quite a bit of transition must deliver a strong performance against Western Michigan.

Jerry Kill also has energized a fan base in Minnesota, and he begins another turnaround project with the Gophers after successfully rehabilitating programs at lower levels. Kill has been realistic about his team's prospects this season, and an opener at USC provides a huge challenge for Minnesota.

After years as one of the nation's top assistants, Kevin Wilson begins his head-coaching career Saturday as Indiana takes on Ball State at Lucas Oil Stadium, site of the Big Ten championship game. Wilson's personality and coaching style differ sharply from his predecessor, Bill Lynch, and Indiana fans hope the on-field results do, too. A new attitude certainly is taking root in Bloomington.

NEW QUARTERBACKS

At least half the Big Ten will be starting new quarterbacks in Week 1: Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin. Penn State could play two quarterbacks with previous starting experience (Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin), while Northwestern might have to play multiple signal-callers because of Dan Persa's lingering injury issues.

Terrelle Pryor's departure from Ohio State in June leaves the Buckeyes with virtually no proven experience under center. Senior Joe Bauserman and freshman Braxton Miller emerged in camp, and both men could see significant time against Akron.

The Big Ten's most anticipated player debut takes place Thursday in Madison as Russell Wilson leads the Wisconsin offense against UNLV. Wilson, who started the past three season at NC State, has seamlessly transitioned to a new team and performed well in preseason practices.

Familiar names step into leading roles at Minnesota and Iowa. MarQueis Gray, the Gophers' No. 2 wide receiver in 2010, will start at quarterback, while James Vandenberg, who nearly led Iowa to a Big Ten championship in 2009 after Ricky Stanzi went down, leads the Hawkeyes offense against Tennessee Tech.

Purdue didn't expect to be in this category again, but Rob Henry's knee injury last week marked the latest blow for a star-crossed team. With Robert Marve still hobbled, Caleb TerBush will start the opener, making his first appearance since 2009.

Indiana's quarterback competition has been wide open throughout camp, as Dusty Kiel, Ed Wright-Baker and Tre Roberson try to separate themselves.

The season also brings some new challenges for returning quarterbacks. Michigan's Denard Robinson will have to adjust to a new offense after flourishing in the spread, while Northwestern's Persa might have to reinvent himself as a pocket passer because of limited mobility. Nebraska's Martinez aims for greater consistency in Beck's offense after mixed results in 2010.

As you can see, new is the norm for the Big Ten in 2011. Enjoy the ride.

Earlier today, we wrapped up the Key Stretch series, which examined a series of games that could make or break the season for each Big Ten team. We won't know for a few more months just how important these stretches will be, but we can consult the past.

I thought it would be interesting to look at last year's preseason Key Stretches, see how they turned out and determine whether they were, in fact, the most revealing portions of the schedule. I used colleague David Ubben's prediction for Nebraska in 2010.

ILLINOIS

Key stretch: Indiana (Oct. 23), Purdue (Oct. 30), at Michigan (Nov. 6)

Prediction: 1-2

Actual result: 2-1

Verdict: The stretch turned out to be notable, as Illinois flexed its offensive muscle in all three games, winning two and dropping a wild shootout in Ann Arbor. In many ways, the more revealing stretch came earlier, as Illinois recorded its first win at Penn State and made both Ohio State and Michigan State work hard for wins.

INDIANA

Key stretch: Arkansas State (Oct. 16), at Illinois (Oct. 23), Northwestern (Oct. 30).

Prediction: 2-1

Actual result: 1-2

Verdict: This would have been a bit more revealing had I added the Iowa game on Nov. 6, which Indiana lost in heartbreaking fashion. The Northwestern and Iowa games proved that Indiana couldn't get over the hump in Big Ten play, which eventually led to the firing of coach Bill Lynch.

IOWA

Key stretch: Penn State (Oct. 2), at Michigan (Oct. 16), Wisconsin (Oct. 23), Michigan State (Oct. 30)

Prediction: 3-1

Actual result: 3-1

Verdict: This didn't turn out to be the truest gauge of the 2010 Hawkeyes. Things looked very good after Iowa crushed Michigan State, but the Hawkeyes nearly fell to Indiana the next week and then dropped their final three regular-season contests to finish at a disappointing 7-5. They redeemed themselves a bit by winning the Insight Bowl.

MICHIGAN

Key stretch: Michigan State (Oct. 9), Iowa (Oct. 16), at Penn State (Oct. 30)

Prediction: 1-2

Actual result: 0-3

Verdict: These three losses encapsulated Michigan's struggles in Big Ten play under Rich Rodriguez. After another strong start, the Wolverines couldn't overcome numerous major defensive breakdowns in any of these games. The defensive woes and losses in "red-letter games," as athletic director Dave Brandon called them, led to Rodriguez's dismissal in January.

MICHIGAN STATE

Key stretch: Wisconsin (Oct. 2), at Michigan (Oct. 9), Illinois (Oct. 16)

Prediction: 2-1 or 1-2 (saw Michigan as swing game)

Actual result: 3-0

Verdict: This stretch definitely showed the Spartans were for real in 2010. They showed incredible resilience in the Wisconsin game, rallying from a first-half deficit to beat the Badgers despite not having coach Mark Dantonio on the sideline. Michigan State displayed its offensive firepower and playmaking defense in Ann Arbor and showed it could win ugly against Illinois. All in all, an illuminating stretch for a team that shared the Big Ten title.

MINNESOTA

Key stretch: at Wisconsin (Oct. 9), at Purdue (Oct. 16), Penn State (Oct. 23), Ohio State (Oct. 30)

Prediction: 1-3

Actual result: 0-4

Verdict: You could argue the season ended with the South Dakota loss in Week 2, but this stretch showed Minnesota was in trouble in all three phases. The Gophers made far too many major mistakes and failed to capitalize on chances against Purdue and Penn State. The Purdue game marked the end for coach Tim Brewster, who was fired the next day.

NEBRASKA

Key stretch: at Kansas State (Oct. 7), vs. Texas (Oct. 16), at Oklahoma State (Oct. 23) and Missouri (Oct. 30)

Ubben's prediction: 4-0

Actual result: 3-1

Verdict: The stretch provided a pretty good gauge, as Nebraska looked dominant against Kansas and showcased its offensive firepower against both Oklahoma State and Missouri. Nebraska's inconsistent offense, which surfaced later in the season, doomed the Huskers in a stunning loss to Texas. Quarterback Taylor Martinez suffered an injury in the Missouri game and was never the same.

NORTHWESTERN

Key stretch: Purdue (Oct. 9), Michigan State (Oct. 23), at Indiana (Oct. 30)

Prediction: 2-1

Actual result: 1-2

Verdict: The stretch illustrated Northwestern's struggles to close games in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats had numerous advantages against Purdue but failed to capitalize, and squandered a 17-0 lead on their home field against Michigan State. Even though Northwestern was a much better team with quarterback Dan Persa on the field, it had issues in crunch time.

OHIO STATE

Key stretch: at Wisconsin (Oct. 16), Purdue (Oct. 23), at Minnesota (Oct. 30), Penn State (Nov. 13)

Prediction: 3-1

Actual result: 3-1 (yes, I know this likely will turn into 0-4)

Verdict: The Buckeyes were a very good team that fell victim to slow starts, and it cost them against Wisconsin and cropped up against Penn State as well. The Wisconsin game began with a special-teams meltdown, a surprising problem for Ohio State, and the Badgers totally dominated the line of scrimmage. This stretch showed that while Ohio State handled inferior teams, it had some bad habits that hurt against better opponents.

PENN STATE

Key stretch: at Iowa (Oct. 2), Illinois (Oct. 9), at Minnesota (Oct. 23), Michigan (Oct. 30)

Prediction: 3-1

Actual result: 2-2

Verdict: The stretch showed Penn State was a team that struggled to put it all together for long stretches. The Lions' offensive struggles surfaced against Iowa and Illinois, and while Penn State turned things around in the second half of the season with three consecutive wins, it didn't produce complete performances needed to beat the league's best teams.

PURDUE

Key stretch: Toledo (Sept. 25), at Northwestern (Oct. 9), Minnesota (Oct. 16)

Prediction: 2-1 or 3-0

Actual result: 2-1

Verdict: The stretch didn't provide a good barometer of the 2010 Boilers. Despite injuries at key positions, Purdue started Big Ten play with two wins but dropped its final six conference games to finish at 4-8. Starting quarterback Robert Marve tore his ACL in the Toledo game and missed the rest of the season.

WISCONSIN

Key stretch: at Michigan State (Oct. 2), Minnesota (Oct. 9), Ohio State (Oct. 16), at Iowa (Oct. 23)

Prediction: 3-1

Actual result: 3-1

Verdict: Definitely a revealing stretch for the Badgers, who stumbled in East Lansing but used the loss to turn things around. Wisconsin recorded a landmark victory against No. 1 Ohio State, and coach Bret Bielema finally notched a signature road win at Iowa as the Badgers surged down the stretch to earn a Rose Bowl berth.

I'll have a full Big Ten NFL draft wrap-up Monday and might sneak it a post or two this weekend as the final rounds take place.

As always, you can contact me here. Now onto your questions.

JZ from Bloomington, Ind., writes: Adam, I really like what I am seeing and hearing from the IU football team this spring. There definitely seems to be change in tone to the overall program. However, I have one concern about Coach Wilson. He seems to have not embraced IU or the fans at all. I have talked to a few fellow fans that have met the coach or had interactions with him around town, and all are less than impressed. He is at best described as gruff, and worst a total... you can guess. His incident at the dorms this winter, compounded with him losing so many coaches so quickly, only adds to my concerns about his character. Wins will help him no matter what, and this town dealt with Bob Knight for a long time. Yet I have always felt this program needs someone personable to coach it. I am curious if you think Coach Wilson needs to be more personable to be an overall success at IU?

Adam Rittenberg: JZ, Bill Lynch was the nicest guy in the world and he went 3-21 in the Big Ten the past three seasons. Having known Kevin for quite some time, he can be a bit of an acquired taste, and he's certainly not a rah-rah guy. But here's what he is: a brutally honest coach who has won at the highest levels. Players will know exactly where they stand with him, and I believe he will win in Bloomington eventually. I understand that appealing to the fan base is important, especially one like Indiana's that needs something to smile about, but Wilson's top priority is the team and turning things around on the field. The assistant coaches leaving was unfortunate, but I'm not sure it's a red flag about Wilson's character. Indiana is a program that needs an edge, and Wilson seems to be providing one.

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Lauren from Washington writes: "Can the Big Ten still make these claims after the Jim Tressel mess at Ohio State?" I'm highly dissapointed in this comment/article Adam. Ohio State is ONE school, there are 11 other schools in this confrence! Do not start to lump us all together as "shady" off of what Ohio St. has done. It makes it even worse now that B1G's very own ESPN blogger has started doubting his confrence's character legitimacy?

Adam Rittenberg: Ah, the "Big Ten's very own blogger" argument, my favorite. Or is it the "you're a nerd and never played football" claim? Both get high marks for originality. ... Anyway, here's the deal. Yes, Ohio State is only one school. But it's the Big Ten's most visible program because of its success, and Jim Tressel is the Big Ten's most visible coach other than the iconic Joe Paterno. The fact that Ohio State and Michigan are appearing before the Committee on Infractions in consecutive seasons is significant because these are big-time programs that have largely avoided major NCAA trouble. The moral high ground also applies to off-field incidents, and quite a few Big Ten programs -- Iowa, Penn State, Michigan State -- have endured some rough stretches off the field in recent years. As I stated in the post, the Big Ten still has to have a few more major scandals to catch up to the SEC, but the Ohio State situation certainly damages the Big Ten's reputation.

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Adam from Baltimore writes: Hey Adam,You may accuse me of being petty an selfish on this, but I have to say it. You reported the death of Mandich and it is very sad that he passed away so early from a horrific disease. And in no way am I trying to trivialize death or what he accomplished both on and off the field at the collegiate and professional levels. But I had just had to ask how you decide which stories on former players to post on. Lynn Chandnois passed away last week and he was arguably one of the best players in MSU history and yet he got a lunch link. I also realize that the story about Chandnois got picked up by the ESPN general site and I'm not accusing you of bias or anything else, because I know you can't report on every single thing and keeping track of every player ever to have gone through a B1G football program is impossible. But I just had to ask how do you decide which ones to report on?

Adam Rittenberg: Adam, this is a fair question. It honestly comes down to time and timing. There are stretches during days or even weeks when I simply don't have time to do full posts on everything. While I wanted to do more on Lynn Chandnois, a terrific player, I had other assignments that took precedence that day. The news about Mandich broke at night, and I had time to do a full post for the next day. So it's definitely not a slight at Chandnois or Michigan State. I'll try to at least link to every significant story in the Big Ten, but during especially busy times like spring ball and the season, I can't get to everything.

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Brian from Aliedo, Ill., writes: Adam, Please don't use the 'B1G' moniker. I think it looks stupid and from all the backlash of when it first came out I'm not alone. Hopefully if people don't use and and don't buy into it the Big 10 will change it sooner rather than later.

Adam Rittenberg: Sorry, Brian, as you see above and in the lunch links, the "B1G" will be incorporated into the Big Ten blog. In addition to saving headline space, I think this mark is resonating with a large portion of Big Ten fans. I see it included in many emails every week. It'll also be visible on my new background for videos. While we can and should continue to debate things like Leaders and Legends and the logos, this one seems to be passing muster.

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Cory from Nebraska writes: Adam, What is going on with MSU players? I would have thought both players and the coaching staff would have learned something after the residence hall incident but apparently not. As an alum I'm willing to chalk a small lapse in judgement or two to youth but I don't feel like any improvement is being made particularly after this latest incident with Freeman. As an alum I love MSU and want to see the teams in all sports do well but I don't think winning requires the schools reputation and integrity to be compromised and the embarassment these incidents as a whole are beginning to bring. Do you have any insights that might help me feel better about all this?

Adam Rittenberg: Cory, I doubt I can make you or any fan feel better about off-field incidents. You can look at each case individually, and regarding Corey Freeman, while it's unfortunate, he didn't commit capital offenses. Same with Chris L. Rucker last year. You can also look at the program as a whole, and I think there are some valid concerns about off-field incidents and the response from the coaching staff. Whether it's true or not, the larger perception is that Michigan State goes soft on players who make mistakes off the field. This is mainly reinforced by how the Spartans handled Glenn Winston and also Rucker last year. So while the individual cases might not be too bad, they do add up over time.

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Vince from San Diego writes: Adam, I heard your Podcast with Ivan and Beano. Great point about vacating all OSU wins sans the Sugar Bowl as the NCAA already knew the players were ineligible. That being said, with the NCAA's NOA letter pointing squarely at Tressel...not OSU, wouldnt it also be illogical to hit the OSU with scholarship reductions and a bowl ban (assuming the "repeat offender" tag isnt used) and make more sense to slap Tress individually with a "show cause" penalty? P.S. I hope the price to keep Tress isnt too high, I went to OSU during the Cooper years!

Adam Rittenberg: You bring up some great points, Vince, and the Committee on Infractions will have to consider whether to hammer Tressel, Ohio State, both or neither when it renders its verdict. I also wonder how the focus on Tressel affects Ohio State as it presents its case before the COI. Do the Buckeyes throw The Vest under the bus? As for the penalties, any truly severe sanction for Tressel directly affects the program, such as a show-cause and recruiting restrictions. The NCAA could come down so hard on Tressel that it forces Ohio State to part ways with him. But after reading the Notice of Allegations, it seems likelier Tressel gets hit harder than Ohio State (scholarship reductions, postseason ban, etc.).

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Brandon from Columbus, Neb., writes: Adam, Just a question regarding Ohio State's issues. Is the suspensions for the players final or can the NCAA enact stricter penalties as more and more info comes out? 5 games doesn't seem like enough to drive the point home that players need to be smarter and know right from wrong themselves. The way to fix college football is to let players know there are severe repercussions and get them to help police themselves!

Adam Rittenberg: The players' cases with the NCAA have been resolved, unless new information surfaces. The five-game suspensions were upheld back in March. I'd disagree with you about five games not being enough to drive the point home. Five games is a lot for a college football player, especially seniors trying to impress NFL scouts in their final seasons. And while the players' violations were significant, selling memorabilia items isn't the same as academic fraud, point shaving, etc. Most would agree coach Jim Tressel's mistake -- not coming forward with information about the players despite multiple chances to do so -- is far worse than the players' violations.

After the 2010 season wrapped up, Damarlo Belcher had Indiana's video staff compile cutups of all his catches and drops from the previous 12 games.

The catches far outnumbered the drops. Belcher had 78 receptions last fall, tops among Big Ten players. He ranked 19th nationally in receptions per game (6.5) and finished fourth in the league in receiving yards per game (69.3 rpg). The 6-foot-5, 214-pound Belcher emerged as the most consistent pass-catcher on the league's top passing offense.

Belcher reviewed every play, but he spent more time on the drops. Specifically, he watched The Drop.

Indiana fans don't need further explanation. Anyone who watched the end of the Hoosiers' Nov. 6 game against then-No. 15 Iowa understands.

After Iowa scored a late touchdown to take an 18-13 lead, Indiana responded with a drive to the Hawkeyes' 18-yard line. After three incompletions, quarterback Ben Chappell lofted a pass to the end zone on fourth-and-10. Belcher leaped above the defenders to grab it for the game-winner.

But the ball bounced off of his hands. Iowa ran out the clock, and another chance for Indiana to turn a corner had disappeared.

Belcher hasn't forgotten what happened that day.

“I can't," he said. "But it won't happen again, I'll tell you that. That’s the one I watch the most."

Belcher felt understandably sick after the drop, but his coaches and teammates rallied around him. Indiana's leadership council unanimously voted him a game captain the next week against Wisconsin.

Belcher finished the season with an eight-catch, 83-yard performance as Indiana knocked off Purdue in overtime to reclaim the Old Oaken Bucket. But Indiana fell a win shy of bowl eligibility, and the school fired coach Bill Lynch the day after the Bucket game.

The Drop has lingered in Belcher's mind throughout the winter and spring.

"I think about it every day," he said. "Whenever I'm in the weight room or out at practice, I think about it. It gives me an extra effort or motivation to just go hard."

Belcher will be Indiana's clear-cut No. 1 receiver this fall after teammate Tandon Doss declared early for the NFL draft. Belcher also considered bolting after the coaching change.

Indiana's hiring of offensive guru Kevin Wilson helped keep Belcher in Bloomington.

"That was a big part of the reason why I stayed," Belcher said. "Coming from where he came from, I couldn't do anything but stay."

Wilson has talked to Belcher about former Oklahoma star tight end Jermaine Gresham and other standout pass-catchers he coached in Norman. Belcher has responded well to the new staff this spring.

"He's the oldest guy in the group, the most experienced, and he's been great to work with," co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Kevin Johns said. "For someone who led the Big Ten in receptions, who made All-Big Ten recognition, he's very hungry to learn. He comes into meetings with wide eyes, not a guy who feels, 'I already know everything.'"

Belcher's hunger stems in part from the drop against Iowa. He can't wait for the season and a chance for redemption.

"If it can be close, man, I want it, I want the ball in my hands," he said. "That's how much it affected me. Whenever it's crunch time, I'll be ready."

Mitchell: Well, if the shoe fits ...
Cam: They don't, they're comically large.

• Illinois AD Ron Guenther likes the direction of the school's football program, Chris Hine writes in the Chicago Tribune. It's a coin flip whether Guenther remains AD beyond July 1, Loren Tate writes in The (Champaign) News-Gazette.
• Former Indiana coach Bill Lynch returns to his alma mater (Butler) as an associate AD. The Indianapolis Star's Terry Hutchens weighs in on Indiana's surprising staff turnover.
• There's a lot to like about Nebraska's revamped coaching staff, Tom Shatel writes in the Omaha World-Herald. The Lincoln Journal Star's Steven Sipple and Brian Christopherson discuss Nebraska's assistant coaching changes.
• Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio State are among the must-see teams this spring, Rivals.com's Tom Dienhart writes.
• A new film chronicles former Michigan football player (and U.S. president) Gerald Ford and the stand he took for a black teammate in 1934, John Niyo writes in The Detroit News.
• Former Iowa receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos wants a chance to apologize to coach Kirk Ferentz.
• Michigan State's 2012 recruiting class could have an Ohio flavor to it, Matt Dorsey writes in the Detroit Free Press.
• Minnesota coach Jerry Kill does a Q&A with Off-Tackle Empire. Former Gophers linebacker and captain Mike Sherels joins the staff as a special assistant to Kill.
• The TCU rematch buzz has died down, and Wisconsin is still on track to open the 2011 season against UNLV, Jeff Potrykus writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Ohio State and Penn State make offers to juniors, while Northwestern adds to its 2011 class.
• Three Ohio State football players visit a cancer patient.

Some of these will be old by lunch time, so I wanted to get them to you now.

• Illinois' big recruiting class puts the program in a good spot, Herb Gould writes in the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Indiana's recruiting class marks Bill Lynch's most important contribution to the program, Dustin Dopirak writes in The (Bloomington) Herald-Times.
• Iowa's recruiting closes on a strong note, Marc Morehouse writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• One Big Ten recruiting target asks for help on Twitter to make his decision, Mike Hlas writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• There should be some drama for both Michigan and Michigan State today, Mark Snyder writes in the Detroit Free Press. Brady Hoke wanted character and toughness with his first recruiting class, Angelique Chengelis writes in The Detroit News.
• Assistant Dan Roushar now will be running the show for Michigan State's offense, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal. The Spartans are waiting on decisions from several recruits, Denny Schwarze writes in the State Journal.
• Jerry Kill's first class at Minnesota might not have his personal touch, but he still landed some crowd-pleasing prospects, Phil Miller writes in the Star Tribune.
• Nebraska still hopes to land a big name on signing day, Brian Cristopherson writes in the Lincoln Journal Star. All you need to know about Nebraska on signing day from the Omaha World-Herald.
• Christian Jones' knee injury didn't scare away Northwestern from the ESPNU 150 prospect, ESPNChicago.com's Scott Powers writes.
• The Columbus Dispatch's Tim May looks at the five Ohio State players already enrolled. Quarterback Cardale Jones is a grayshirt recruit to the Buckeyes, Bob Fortuna writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• Penn State took two recruits away from Pitt for this year's class, Ron Musselman writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Lions offensive lineman Johnnie Troutman faces a DUI charge, FightOnState.com's Mark Brennan reports.
• Purdue brings in a small class highlighted by several running backs, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
• Wisconsin typically outperforms its recruiting ranking, Adam Mertz writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.

Before the season, I made 10 somewhat fearless predictions for the Big Ten this fall.

Now that the season is complete, let's go back, see how my forecast turned out and hand out some grades.

Prediction No. 1: The Big Ten faces Nebraska in a BCS bowl

Reality: The Big Ten nearly faced the Huskers in the postseason, but Nebraska fell a game short of a BCS contest and the Insight Bowl picked Missouri instead of Nebraska to face Iowa. Even if Nebraska had beaten Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game, it would have faced Big East champ UConn in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Grade: C+

Prediction No. 2: The Game (Ohio State-Michigan) changes dates

Reality: Although Ohio State and Michigan were placed in different divisions, the annual rivalry game will remain on the final Saturday of the regular season. Fans on both sides created quite an uproar at the prospect of The Game being moved, but ADs Gene Smith and Dave Brandon and the Big Ten ended up making the right call.

Grade: D

Prediction No. 3: Joe Paterno secures career win No. 400 against Michigan

Reality: Paterno reached the milestone a week later against Northwestern as Penn State won its third consecutive game after a 3-3 start. I didn't see the Illinois loss coming, and neither did Penn State. But an impressive offensive showing against Michigan set the stage for No. 400, as Penn State mounted the biggest home comeback in Paterno's tenure to beat Northwestern 35-21.

Grade: B+

Prediction No. 4: Michigan and Penn State both play three quarterbacks

Reality: Not an overly fearless pick here, but both teams had three quarterbacks appear in a chunk of games. Penn State basically used two signal callers: Rob Bolden for the first half of the season and Matt McGloin for the second half. Michigan's Tate Forcier relieved Denard Robinson in several games after "Shoelace" got banged up. Kevin Newsome (Penn State) appeared in six games, and Devin Gardner (Michigan) played in four.

Grade: A-

Prediction No. 5: Michigan State's Greg Jones records two interceptions

Reality: Not only did Jones finish the season with the first two interceptions of his college career, but he recorded both picks in the same game against Northern Colorado. Jones played a slightly bigger role in pass coverage, but maintained a presence on blitzes as well.

Grade: A

Prediction No. 6: MarQueis Gray leads Minnesota in receiving

Reality: Da'Jon McKnight actually led Minnesota in both receptions (48) and receiving yards (750), but Gray (42 catches, 587 yards) wasn't far behind. Gray did a nice job establishing himself as a reliable option for quarterback Adam Weber. Although he's moving back to quarterback, he could have a future as a receiver at the next level.

Grade: A-

Prediction No. 7: Bill Lynch chucks his chewing gum against Michigan again

Reality: Does anyone have proof of this? Lynch certainly had some potential gum-chucking moments, mostly because of Robinson. A true gentleman off of the field, Lynch got very animated during games and was a lot of fun to watch. Wonder how far new IU coach Kevin Wilson can chuck his chewing gum?

Grade: B+

Prediction No. 8: The Big Ten has at least one forced and one unforced coaching change

Reality: I should have been bolder with this prediction as the Big Ten featured three forced coaching changes (Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan). Paterno remains in place at Penn State, and no one else voluntarily stepped aside. After two seasons of few changes, the Big Ten coaching fraternity certainly will have a new look in 2011.

Grade: C-

Prediction No. 9: Purdue, Michigan State and Northwestern all pull off upsets

Reality: I admittedly miscast Michigan State as a dark horse when the Spartans turned out to be one of the Big Ten's best teams. Although the Spartans won two of the "upsets" I predicted (Wisconsin, Penn State), I won't take too much credit. Northwestern upset Iowa for the third straight season, and Purdue's biggest "upset" came at Northwestern in quarterback Rob Henry's first career start.

Grade: C

Prediction No. 10: Evan Royster and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos will set team records against Illinois and Michigan State, respectively.

Reality: Royster became Penn State's all-time leading rusher a little later than expected, as he broke Curt Warner's record Oct. 30 against Michigan, three weeks after the Illinois game. DJK was ahead of schedule, breaking Tim Dwight's school receiving yards record in an Oct. 16 win against Michigan. He faced Michigan State two weeks later.

Grade: C-

How'd I do?

Any time a coaching change is made, the potential of losing committed recruits increases.

Bill Lynch and his Indiana staff didn't win enough Big Ten games at Indiana, but they upgraded the program's recruiting efforts recently. Lynch and his assistants were good at identifying attainable prospects early in the process and getting them to commit well in advance of National Signing Day. The pattern was holding true for the 2011 class.

But Lynch's firing in November caused several Indiana recruits to look elsewhere. Two prospects that committed to Indiana, defensive end C.J. Robbins and defensive back Nick VanHoose, have switched their commitments to Northwestern this week. VanHoose switched his commitment following a visit to Northwestern this weekend, and Robbins did the same.

An interesting subplot is that new Indiana coach Kevin Wilson spent three seasons (1999-2001) as a Northwestern assistant and worked with Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald in 2001. Not sure if Fitz will be receiving a Christmas card from Wilson, but as coaches like to say, recruiting is recruiting.

Indiana may also lose heralded defensive back Raymon Taylor, who committed to IU this summer but recently said he's looking around at other programs . Taylor visited Iowa during the weekend. And another heralded defensive recruit, linebacker Zack Shaw, says he remains committed to IU but recently visited West Virginia.

Considering Indiana's chronic woes on defense, it's important for Wilson to get both Taylor and Shaw on board. The coach wants to take his time to hire a defensive coordinator, but as an offense-oriented coach, it's hard for Wilson to sell his vision without a defensive staff in place.

It will be interesting to see what Indiana's class looks like in February.

The economy might still be in recovery mode, but FBS head coaches seem to be doing just fine.

USA Today on Wednesday came out with its annual list of coaches' salaries. It includes figures for 10 of the 11 Big Ten leading men (As a private institution, Northwestern doesn't have to make Pat Fitzgerald's salary public).

Let's take a look:

Ron Zook, Illinois: $1,508,500 total compensation (university and non-university); $52,650 maximum bonus

Bill Lynch, Indiana*: $650,000 total compensation; $450,000 maximum bonus

Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: $3,781,000 total compensation; $1,750,000 maximum bonus

Rich Rodriguez, Michigan: $2,525,280 total compensation; $300,000 maximum bonus

Mark Dantonio, Michigan State: $1,796,700 total compensation; $660,000 maximum bonus

Tim Brewster, Minnesota*: $808,000 total compensation, $1,050,000 maximum bonus

Jim Tressel, Ohio State: $3,888,389 total compensation, $450,000 maximum bonus

Joe Paterno, Penn State: $1,109,977 total compensation; maximum bonus not available

Danny Hope, Purdue: $900,000 total compensation; $637,250 maximum bonus

Bret Bielema, Wisconsin: $1,781,759 total compensation; $350,000 maximum bonus

*-fired

Man, I need to sign with Ferentz's agent. Although I've written many times that he's worth every penny, Iowa spent $540,142.86 per victory this season. Ouch.

Dantonio and Bielema were the best bargains in 2010. Michigan State paid $163,336.36 per win, while Wisconsin paid $161,978.09 per victory.

It's interesting to see the bonus breakdowns for the coaches. Brewster clearly was brought back with a very incentive-laden deal, while Zook makes the bulk of his money from his annual salary.

Some other notables:

Jerry Kill^, Northern Illinois: $347,812 total compensation; $205,000 maximum bonus

Bo Pelini, Nebraska: $2,100,000 total compensation; $550,000 maximum bonus

Les Miles, LSU: $3,905,000 total compensation; $400,000 maximum bonus

Chris Petersen, Boise State: $1,494,053 total compensation; $145,000 maximum bonus

Al Golden, Temple: $513,867 total compensation; maximum bonus not available

Mack Brown, Texas: $5,161,500 total compensation; $850,000 maximum bonus

^-Hired Monday as Minnesota's coach

Big Ten fans had to be pleased to hear colleague Rod Gilmore's proclamation during ESPN's BCS selection special Sunday night.

"Let's welcome back the Big Ten to college football royalty," Gilmore said.

Perhaps we should hold off on crowning this league for a few more weeks.

Although the Big Ten maintained its momentum from a strong 2009-10 bowl season, the league still needs a strong finish to brand 2010 a success. The Big Ten lacked many signature nonconference wins -- it had some bad luck as teams like Miami and Notre Dame didn't meet expectations -- and few squads finished the regular season on a good note.

What can't be disputed is the Big Ten's strength at the top. Three teams went 11-1 and shared the Big Ten title -- Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan State -- and all three squads finished in the top 10 of the final BCS standings. No other conference had more than two squads in the top 10, and the Big Ten was the only league with a legitimate beef about the BCS's limit on two teams per conference.

Wisconsin finally took that critical step from good to great this fall, winning its final seven games, mostly in dominating fashion, while not compromising the program's core values. Michigan State was one of the best stories of the college football season, going from unranked to 11-1 with a share of the league crown. The Spartans repeatedly overcame adversity both on and off the field, showing that the program has truly taken a step under Mark Dantonio's leadership. Ohio State was, well, typical Ohio State, surging down the stretch behind a strong defense and an improved offense to record a record-tying sixth consecutive Big Ten championship.

The rest of the Big Ten? Meh.

After the big three, no other squad recorded more than seven victories. Iowa endured an extremely disappointing season, given the August hype, and lost its late-game mojo in shocking fashion. Northwestern and Michigan both started 5-0 before dropping five of their final seven contests. Penn State showed improvement as the season went on but lost convincingly to elite foes. Illinois made strides in all three phases and recorded some quality wins, but losses in three of its final four games combined with more maddening inconsistency left Illini fans feeling unsatisfied.

The league had a clearly defined bottom tier with Indiana, Minnesota and Purdue. The Boilers get a pass after enduring an unthinkable stretch of injuries to key players, although their inability to avoid major mistakes is a concern going forward. Minnesota endured a nine-game slide and became the first Big Ten school to fire its coach during the season since 2002. Indiana waited until the day after the season to fire coach Bill Lynch, as the Hoosiers once again couldn't get over the hump in Big Ten play.

Once again, the bowl games will serve as a proving ground for the Big Ten. If the league performs well, especially in the two BCS games, it could enter 2011 billed as the nation's top conference following the addition of Nebraska.

But if the league stumbles in the coming weeks, forget the crown. It will be back to court jester status.

Offensive MVP: Michigan QB Denard Robinson

It's a close call between Robinson and Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa, but there's no way Michigan gets to seven victories without "Shoelace." Robinson made his mark in the Michigan, Big Ten and NCAA record books, breaking the single-season FBS mark for quarterback rushing (1,643 yards) and becoming the first player in NCAA history to record 2,000 pass yards and 1,500 rush yards in a season. Although he slowed down against superior Big Ten competition, Robinson altered game plans and carried Michigan on his back for much of the season.

Defensive MVP: Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan

You can call him "Superman," and Kerrigan delivered a heroic performance for the Boilers. He led the nation in tackles for loss (26) and ranked third nationally in sacks (12.5). The consensus Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year tied for second nationally in forced fumbles with five and recovered two fumbles. Kerrigan recorded a tackle for loss in 11 of Purdue's 12 games and had multiple tackles for loss in seven contests. Just an absolute beast. Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt is a close second to Kerrigan. Watt made more game-changing plays than any Big Ten defender.

Coach of the Year: Michigan State's Mark Dantonio

Dantonio needed only four years to turn a chronic underachiever into a Big Ten champion. He fostered a new sense of mental toughness in his players after a rough season both on and off the field in 2009. Dantonio made two of the gutsiest calls of the college football season, "Little Giants" against Notre Dame and "Mousetrap" against Northwestern, and worked his way back to the sideline barely a month after suffering a heart attack Sept. 19. He certainly shares this honor with offensive coordinator Don Treadwell, who did a great job overseeing the team in Dantonio's absence. Wisconsin's Bret Bielema also merits a mention here.

Newcomer of the Year: Wisconsin RB James White

If you listed the Big Ten position groups least likely for a freshman to emerge entering the season, Wisconsin's running backs might be at the top. The Badgers returned 2009 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year John Clay as well as capable backup Montee Ball and veteran reserve Zach Brown. But true freshman James White hit the ground running as soon as preseason camp began and never looked back. The consensus Big Ten Freshman of the Year led Wisconsin and ranked fifth in the league with 1,029 rush yards, and he reached the end zone 14 times. White looked like Wisconsin's best back for much of the fall. Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase merits a mention here.

Biggest surprise: Michigan State

Those of us who study the league closely saw the potential with Michigan State entering the season. But after a rough 2009 and with a history of struggling to reach elite status, the Spartans were a tough sell. They ended up going from unranked in the preseason to 11-1, co-Big Ten champions and ninth in the final BCS standings (Michigan State rose to as high as No. 5). The biggest surprise for me wasn't necessarily that Michigan State won 11 games, but how it got there, by repeatedly overcoming adversity. These aren't your same ol' Spartans. Illinois merits a mention here after doubling its wins total from 2009.

Biggest disappointment: Iowa

The Hawkeyes claimed 11 wins and an Orange Bowl championship last season, and with a sizable senior class returning, expectations had been understandably elevated entering the fall. A preseason top 10 squad in both major polls, Iowa seemed to put its living-on-the-edge days behind it in the first two weeks. But the Hawkeyes couldn't complete a furious comeback at Arizona, setting the tone for a series of late-game problems. Iowa surrendered late touchdowns in all five of its losses and blew fourth-quarter leads in all four of its Big Ten defeats. A 7-5 record wasn't what anyone had in mind this year.

Game of the Year: Wisconsin 31, Iowa 30 (Oct. 23 at Kinnick Stadium)

Iowa fans likely won't agree with this choice, but the game not only provided the drama but largely shaped the Big Ten title race. Wisconsin had come off of a win against top-ranked Ohio State, but a loss in Iowa City likely would have eliminated the Badgers from the Big Ten championship chase. Iowa came in 2-0 in Big Ten play and would have been seen as the league title frontrunner had it won. The game featured eight lead changes and several huge performances by players on both teams. Iowa led 30-24 late in the fourth quarter when Wisconsin called a fake punt deep in its own territory -- Bielema called the play "chain" -- and moved the chains to keep the drive alive. The Badgers, playing without several key players because of injury, went on to score the game-winning touchdown as Iowa struggled to manage the clock in the final minute. Wisconsin won its final four games easily to secure its first league title and its first trip to the Rose Bowl in 11 years.

Kevin Wilson is a great offensive mind.

I first saw this in 2000 as a student reporter at Northwestern, where Wilson transformed the Wildcats' attack, trading in a going-nowhere, traditional scheme for the spread system. Under Wilson's leadership, Northwestern ranked third nationally in total offense, eighth in rushing and ninth in scoring en route to a co-Big Ten championship in 2000.

Wilson moved on to Oklahoma, where he has coordinated offenses that ranked in the top 25 nationally in six out of the last eight seasons. Wilson's offense in 2008 led the nation in scoring (51.1 ppg) and ranked third in passing and 20th in rushing. He can run the spread with the best of them and twice was a finalist for the Frank Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant, winning it in 2008.

It's clear that Wilson is ready to be a head coach, and Indiana has provided him with the opportunity. I think he's a good hire, and I have no doubt Wilson will help the Hoosiers score a lot of points in the coming years.

Here's my concern: Can Wilson fix Indiana's chronic problems on defense?

If he can't, he'll meet the same fate as Bill Lynch, Gerry DiNardo and Cam Cameron, offensive-minded coaches who were fired because they couldn't make Indiana's defense respectable. Cameron had star quarterback Antwaan Randle El for four years and still couldn't make a bowl.

Indiana fans are tired of seeing these numbers, but they bear repeating. There isn't a unit in the Big Ten that has struggled as much for as long as Indiana's defense.

Here's where Indiana's defense has ranked nationally in the 11 years:

2010: 89th (410.2 ypg)
2009: 88th (401 ypg)
2008: 107th (432.2 ypg)
2007: 71st (403.4 ypg)
2006: 109th (402.3 ypg)
2005: 93rd (417.7 ypg)
2004: 110th (453.2 ypg)
2003: 94th (429.7 ypg)
2002: 101st (428.4 ypg)
2001: 72nd (393.8 ypg)
2000: 112th (457.3 ypg)

Again, I'm not hating on the Wilson hire at all. I've known Wilson for a long time. He's a straight shooter who Indiana fans will really like, if they don't already after the coach's strong performance at Tuesday's introductory news conference.

He has a very strong résumé and Indiana landed him for a fair price ($1.2 million a year).

Wilson also will have time to fix the program, receiving a seven-year contract.

"Indiana needs to give continuity a try in its football program," athletic director Fred Glass said.

But for Wilson to last in Bloomington, he has to get the defense on track. The good news is Wilson knows firsthand that you can't win in a major conference without a defensive focus.

"I'm an offensive guy, but nine years going against coach [Bob] Stoops every day [in practice], you learn how to play great defense," Wilson said. "We're going to play some great defense here."

Wilson isn't sure if he'll continue to call the offensive plays from the field or hire a playcaller to IU. It's an important decision, and I think Wilson would be better served to be a CEO-type and leave the play calling to someone he can trust.

The bigger hire, and arguably the biggest hire he'll make at Indiana, is defensive coordinator. Indiana lacks the talent on defense to consistently stop Big Ten offenses, and it really needs someone who can provide a schematic advantage.

"I'm going to take some time because I do have time and I need to get it right," Wilson said. "I need to get the right guy. It's a huge hire.

"We're going to get someone good."

Indiana got someone good in Wilson.

While he lacks head-coaching experience, he's no stranger to the big stage after nine years at Oklahoma and has several indirect ties to the Indiana program and to the region. He'll bring energy to a program that has been unable to get over the hump in Big Ten play.

If this offensive guy can fix Indiana's defense, the Hoosiers will finally get over that hump.

Coach Bill Lynch talked a lot this summer about Indiana being only 12 plays away from a nice season in 2009.

The Hoosiers got even closer to an elusive bowl berth this fall, winning five games and playing competitive contests against Michigan, Northwestern and especially Iowa. But a program that can't seem to get over the hump in Big Ten play fell just short again, and Indiana athletic director Fred Glass determined that the time had come for a change at the top.

Glass' decision to fire Lynch on Nov. 28 wasn't an easy one, but it made sense after Lynch won only three Big Ten games in the past three seasons. Like several of his IU predecessors, Lynch fostered success on offense, as quarterback Ben Chappell had another big season as one of the Big Ten's top signal-callers. He got plenty of help from his outstanding receiving corps, led by All-Big Ten selection Tandon Doss and fellow junior Damarlo Belcher.

But Indiana's defense continued to struggle mightily, despite the arrivals of several junior college players. Indiana allowed the most points (408) of any Big Ten team and didn't generate much of a pass rush aside from end Darius Johnson.

The Hoosiers' wins came against four weak nonconference foes and a banged-up Purdue team in West Lafayette. Although there were some nice moments, especially the players lifting the Old Oaken Bucket on Nov. 27, the time for change had arrived.

Offensive MVP: Ben Chappell. Few Big Ten players meant more to their teams than Chappell, who led the league in passing yards (3,295) and tossed 24 touchdowns and only nine interceptions for a one-dimensional Hoosiers offense. Overshadowed by so many other great Big Ten quarterbacks, Chappell ranked 22nd nationally in total offense and recorded six 300-yard passing performance this season. Belcher and Doss merit mentions here.

Defensive MVP: Tyler Replogle. Indiana endured another rough year on the defensive side, but Replogle did his part. The senior linebacker led Indiana with 87 tackles, six for loss, and added an interception, three quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery. His leadership for a young Hoosiers defense was invaluable.

Turning point: Indiana still had a chance to make a bowl game when it hosted Iowa on Nov. 6 at Memorial Stadium. The Hoosiers' defense kept the Hawkeyes out of the end zone until the closing minutes, and Iowa took an 18-13 lead with 2:50 remaining. Chappell drove Indiana downfield and lofted a fourth-down pass to an open Belcher in the end zone. But the normally sure-handed junior dropped the ball. Indiana was pasted 83-20 the next week at Wisconsin.

What's next: Glass acted quickly to find a successor for Lynch and will introduce Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson as the team's new coach today at a 4 p.m. ET news conference in Bloomington. Wilson has Big Ten ties at Northwestern and brings a strong track record to Indiana, which returns several exciting offensive weapons for 2011. His biggest task is no different from the one facing the men who came before him -- fix Indiana's defense.

The final regular season Coaches' Poll came out Sunday, and the ballots were made public.

Six Big Ten coaches participated in the poll this season: Wisconsin's Bret Bielema, Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, former Indiana boss Bill Lynch, Michigan's Rich Rodriguez, Ohio State's Jim Tressel and Illinois' Ron Zook.

You can check out the complete ballot breakdown, but here's how the Big Ten coaches voted on some of the key teams:

Bret Bielema: No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Auburn, No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Michigan State, No. 7 Stanford, No. 9 Boise State, No. 16 Nebraska.

Mark Dantonio: No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Michigan State, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 7 Stanford, No. 15 Alabama, No. 16 Nebraska

Bill Lynch: No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Auburn, No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Stanford, No. 7 Michigan State, No. 8 Boise State, No. 14 Nebraska

Rich Rodriguez: No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Auburn, No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Stanford, No. 7 Michigan State, No. 13 LSU, No. 17 Nebraska, No. 21 Mississippi State, No. 23 West Virginia

Jim Tressel: No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Stanford, No. 7 Michigan State, No. 8 Arkansas, No. 15 Nebraska

Ron Zook: No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Auburn, No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 5 Michigan State, No. 6 TCU, No. 7 Stanford, No. 12 Boise State, No. 18 Nebraska

A few notes:

• Only four coaches didn't have Stanford in their top 6, and three of those coaches hail from the Big Ten (Bielema, Dantonio and Zook; Middle Tennessee's Rick Stockstill was the other).
• Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh returned the favor by ranking no Big Ten teams in his top 6. Harbaugh had Ohio State at No. 7, Wisconsin at No. 8 and Michigan State at No. 10. Zing! If this guy ever gets in this league, there will be some fireworks.
• Michigan State's lowest vote didn't come from Harbaugh, but rather Nebraska's Bo Pelini, who listed the Spartans at No. 11, three spots below his 3-loss Huskers. The Spartans and Huskers, by the way, will be in the same division beginning in 2011.
• Zook was one of five coaches who ranked Wisconsin at No. 3 (the Badgers received no votes for No. 1 or No. 2). Zook also gave TCU its lowest vote (No. 6) of any coach.
• Dantonio gave his Spartans their highest vote (No. 4) of any coach. Zook was the only other coach to have Michigan State in the top 5.
• Is anyone else surprised to see Tressel rank Michigan State at No. 7, below Stanford? Tressel is tight with Dantonio, but he didn't let his loyalty get in the way of his voting. That's refreshing to see.
• Only three coaches ranked Ohio State outside the top 6: Harbaugh, Notre Dame's Brian Kelly and Iowa State's Paul Rhoads.

Other notable ballots:

Stanford's Jim Harbaugh: No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Auburn, No. 3 Stanford, No. 4 TCU, No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 6 Virginia Tech, No. 7 Ohio State, No. 8 Wisconsin, No. 9 Nevada, No. 10 Michigan State

Nebraska's Bo Pelini: No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Stanford, No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Oklahoma, No. 8 Nebraska (ha!), No. 11 Michigan State

Alabama's Nick Saban: No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Stanford, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Michigan State, No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 15 Alabama

Notre Dame's Brian Kelly: No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Stanford, No. 6 Virginia Tech, No. 7 Ohio State, No. 9 Michigan State

Northern Illinois' (now Minnesota's) Jerry Kill: No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 5 Stanford, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Michigan State, No. 12 Boise State, No. 14 Nebraska