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• Illinois is trying to increase its home attendance, and it's offering some very affordable season tickets.
• Kevin Wilson says this is a "fight year" for Indiana and that if the Hoosiers don't improve, "it’s just a vicious cycle that can go right down the toilet." (subscription required).
• Iowa athletic director Gary Barta is not a playoff proponent, and he says there currently is no Phase III for football facilities improvements.
• Brady Hoke wants to solve Michigan's road woes. Wolverines coaches are trying to control the hype surrounding the opener against Alabama.
• Hoke can't ignore his team's losing streak against Michigan State. A quarterback who is committed to the Spartans is starting to make a name for himself.
• Minnesota is outsourcing its ticket sales.
• Dave Butterfield's 87-yard punt return is remembered in the countdown of Nebraska touchdowns by distance. Incoming freshman linebacker Michael Rose is ready to get going after an injury setback. Nebraska is still a rookie when it comes to the Big Ten.
• The pressure is on Ohio State players to get better on their own this summer.
• The Penn State careers of Rob Bolden and Curtis Drake appear to be in doubt. Colleen O'Brien talks about being a coach's wife.
• Purdue welcomed back a pair of key players.
• Bret Bielema enjoyed a homecoming and talked about his journey.
• Mike Slive got the upper hand on Jim Delany again with the SEC/Big 12 bowl alliance, Kevin Scarbinsky says.

CHICAGO -- Two years ago, Big Ten expansion dominated the discussion at league's spring meetings.

This week, the subject barely came up when athletic directors and others got together. The Big Ten presidents and chancellors announced in August that the league "will not be actively engaged in conference expansion at this time, or at any time in the foreseeable future, barring a significant shift in the current intercollegiate athletic landscape."

The shifting elsewhere has continued, and teams are switching leagues practically every day, but the Big Ten seems content to stay out of the realignment chaos. Iowa athletic director Gary Barta told ESPN.com the ADs spent "hardly any time at all" talking about realignment this week.

"We have a great 12," Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips said. "We have some really like-minded institutions, and I think everybody's more than thrilled about where we're at right now. Do you make sure you understand what's going on in the landscape? Absolutely. That's our responsibility. But right now, are we really, really pleased with where we're at? That's an exclamation point."

Most of the monitoring responsibility falls on Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, who stated those in his position are "not doing their job" if they don't track issues like expansion, television deals and compliance issues. Since the Big Ten began realignment fever in December 2009, every other league in the FBS has changed in some way.

The Pac-10 became the Pac-12. The SEC has swelled to 14 teams, and the ACC soon will, too, unless Florida State heads for greener pastures.

"The tectonic plates underneath conference alignment are still hot," Delany said Wednesday. "... Clearly you're reading that some people who thought they were going in one direction, TCU, are now going in another direction. Some out West who thought they were going East are now maybe reconsidering that. You're seeing discussions. So what that tells me is the tectonic plates, there's still fluidity. Our position hasn't changed. We're very pleased with the 12 institutions we have. We're not in an active mode.

"But we're monitoring it."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Onto the links.

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

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Reporters and fans aren't the only ones who struggle to squeeze information out of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz.

Ferentz's son, James, a senior center for the Hawkeyes, didn't fare much better this past winter.

When Iowa announced in early February that offensive line coach Reese Morgan would move to the defensive line, speculation immediately increased that Brian Ferentz, Kirk's oldest son and James' big brother, would return to his alma mater and coach the offensive front. James Ferentz heard the rumors, too. So he did some recon.

"I was trying to squeeze some information out of my mom, but she wasn't talking," James told ESPN.com. "Obviously, neither was my dad. He wasn't going to crack at all, so I knew my best chance was going to my mom. And when she wasn't talking, I knew I wasn't going to get any information."

James didn't discuss the situation with Brian, not wanting to put his brother "in an awkward position." But when their mother, Mary, clammed up about the situation, James knew there was a decent chance his brother would be leaving his post with the New England Patriots to return to Iowa City.

James ended up getting the scoop, but only a day before Kirk informed the rest of the team.

"I was really excited to finally hear the news," James said. "It's going to be good for Iowa football and selfishly good for me."

It's not unusual to see FBS coaches having their sons on the roster. Ferentz has coached his two oldest sons and his youngest, Steven, might walk on at Iowa.

There are also examples of coaches hiring their sons as assistants, like Frank and Shane Beamer at Virginia Tech or Steve Spurrier Sr. and Steve Spurrier Jr. at South Carolina.

But for a head coach to have one son on staff and another on the roster -- and to have the older son directly coaching his younger brother -- is unique. Brian played guard and center for the Hawkeyes. Kirk coached Iowa's offensive line from 1981-89.

"It's been great on two fronts," Kirk Ferentz told ESPN.com. "On a personal level, it's been interesting and neat, not something I ever envisioned happening. So that worked out beautifully. But more importantly, he's doing a competent job, and that's what we brought him here for, to do a good job coaching the line.

"He's off to a great start."

Brian's hiring has been scrutinized because of his relationship to his boss. The University of Iowa has a policy against nepotism that states familial relationships should be avoided whenever possible during the hiring process. According to documents obtained by the Associated Press, Iowa considered more than 100 candidates for two assistant positions before hiring Brian Ferentz and promoting LeVar Woods to linebackers coach.

From the AP report:

Athletic director Gary Barta has said it was his decision to hire Brian Ferentz, he will act as his supervisor and that Kirk Ferentz recused himself from the interview process. The claim was undercut earlier this month when Brian Ferentz said he had spoken about the job with his dad and took it because "you can't say no to your father."

The documents released Friday do not mention the relationship between Ferentz and his son, or any special steps taken during the hiring process. In fact, they show Kirk Ferentz was a member of the search committee for both positions along with other assistants and athletic department officials. A department spokesman had no immediate comment Friday, and university spokesman Tom Moore said the school had "followed its policies throughout this process."

Asked about the response, Kirk Ferentz said, "Not surprised, especially in Iowa, you kidding me? Anything that happens, you have to consider it to be news."

Ferentz noted how Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands hired his twin brother, Terry, as associate head coach.

"That was a pretty good thing for the wrestling program," he said. "I wouldn't have brought Brian back here if I didn't think it would be a good thing for our program. That was the first priority."

James hasn't struggled to view Brian as a coach, first and foremost. He has been impressed by Brian's knowledge and his ability to connect with each offensive lineman.

"I don't if he's harder on me than most guys," James said, smiling. "He's probably a little quicker to point out my mistakes, but I make plenty of them, so I leave the door open a lot."

Iowa is young up front. While Ferentz has started the past 26 games at center, left guard Matt Tobin is the only other lineman with significant starting experience.

Ferentz sees the need for the line to prove itself and come together. He's excited to do so with his older brother and father calling the shots.

"If you can't appreciate the uniqueness and the incredible opportunity," he said, "I think I'd be missing out on a lot. I'm really fortunate to be in this position."

Minnesota on Tuesday announced it will use a four-member search committee and the Parker Executive Search firm to identify Joel Maturi's successor as athletic director.

The search committee will conduct semifinalist interviews and report to university president Eric Kaler. Minnesota also has assembled a 21-member search advisory committee, which will identify the qualities sought for the next athletic director, finalize a job description and forward names to the search committee.

Minnesota wants to determine its finalists by late April and announce the new AD in early May. Kaler wants to have the new athletic director start July 1, the day after Maturi officially retires. Maturi has served as Minnesota's AD since July 12, 2002.

The search committee includes:

• R. Timothy Mulcahy, vice president for research, University of Minnesota
• Mary Jo Kane, director, Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, University of Minnesota
• Amy Phenix, chief of staff, Office of the President, University of Minnesota
• John E. Lindahl, managing general partner, Norwest Equity Partners

The search advisory committee includes faculty, staff, students, community leaders and alumni. Gophers quarterback MarQueis Gray is on the committee, along with men's hockey coach Don Lucia, football operations director Dan O'Brien and athletics compliance director JT Bruett.

One name Minnesota reportedly can scratch off its list is Iowa athletic director Gary Barta, a Minneapolis native. An Iowa spokesman told the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press that Barta is happy staying put.

Realizations are the worst!

• Brady Hoke calls Ohio State "Ohio" and now Urban Meyer will only refer to Michigan as "that team up north," like Woody Hayes did. The Buckeyes are still waiting for Stefon Diggs, who might not be ready to make a decision yet.
• Iowa's president said the school is simply obeying federal law by not disclosing information about investigations of students, including the Marcus Coker case. Hawkeyes AD Gary Barta talks about the hiring process, playoffs, Mika'il McCall and some other issues.
• A tight end recruit was shocked when a Michigan scholarship offer recently came his way. There wont be a night game at the Big House in 2012, but 2013 is a real possibility.
• Minnesota is discussing whether to move its opener against UNLV to a Thursday night.
• Illinois set its spring game date, and that will be the only chance for fans to see Tim Beckman's team before the fall.
• Joe Paterno's grave site has become a mecca for Penn State fans. The nation's top tight end recruit likes what he's heard from Bill O'Brien.
• The lawyer for a former Wisconsin athletic department staffer accused of making sexual advances to male students says his client is the victim of character assassination.

Every Big Ten administrator who has commented on the league's four-team playoff proposal also has made sure to acknowledge the Rose Bowl in the same breath.

"The Rose Bowl is extremely important to Michigan State just as it is to every school in the Big Ten and Pac-12," Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis told the Associated Press.

"Any talk of a limited playoff needs to keep the tradition of the Rose Bowl and the bowl system in play," Iowa AD Gary Barta wrote to the Des Moines Register in an email.

"My concern -- first and foremost -- is maintaining our relationship with the Rose Bowl," Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez wrote in his monthly letter to fans.

Perhaps there's some little-known Big Ten bylaw requiring league officials and administrators to pay homage to the Rose Bowl whenever discussing the future of college football. Commissioner Jim Delany always makes a point to acknowledge the Rose Bowl as the league's most important external relationship.

Kevin Ash, the Rose Bowl's chief administrative officer, enjoys hearing this from one of the game's conference partners. He hopes the pledges continue, as the Rose Bowl needs both the Big Ten and Pac-12 to be in its corner.

One of the big questions with any playoff model is how it would impact the current bowls, including the Rose. Would the Rose Bowl remain a premier sporting event on New Year's Day, or would the game start seeing drops in attendance and ratings like some of the other major bowls?

The Big Ten plan would remove the top four teams from the BCS bowl pool and have semifinal games played on the college campus of the higher seed. The championship game then could be bid out, like the Super Bowl.

The Rose Bowl's fate largely rests with Delany and his Pac-12 counterpart Larry Scott.

"We rely on them heavily to lead on our behalf, because we don't sit at the table with them," Ash told ESPN.com on Thursday. "We're not an active party. We know they have our best interest at heart, and we're a huge part of who they are in the postseason."

Like many, Ash senses the momentum building toward a college football playoff. He understands that the next BCS cycle, beginning in 2014, could bring changes for the Rose Bowl.

"It's going to be interesting to see some of the proposals," he said. "There could be variations that could be OK for the Rose Bowl game. If the commissioners feel we need to move in a different direction, which is best for college football, we've got to be a part of that."

The desire to maintain the traditional Big Ten-Pac-12 Rose Bowl matchup has been viewed as one of the primary impediments to a college football playoff.

Like the Big Ten and, to a lesser extent, the Pac-12, the Rose Bowl has been viewed as an obstruction to a college football playoff. Although the game has loosened its access rules and has had teams from other leagues, most recently TCU in the 2011 game, the desire always has been to have the Big Ten champion face the Pac-12 champion on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif.

Any type of playoff format would decrease the likelihood of having both league champions in the game.

"Whatever system they decide to put forward, we will deal with the access issue as it applies to us, and we will embrace any visitor that comes to our game," Ash said. "But each year, we hope to have a Pac-12 and Big Ten champion playing for the Rose Bowl championship. Simple as that. Does it hurt us to have other teams in here? No. But we're traditionalists. It's a part of who we are."

Some see the Rose Bowl's traditionalist nature as being inflexible. The Big Ten, and, to a lesser extent, the Pac-12, have been viewed this way as well.

Ash said it's not the case.

"Since the BCS, we've learned to evolve, and we still have our tradition," Ash said. "Tradition is a two-sided sword. If you sit on tradition, then you can get left behind, but if you are careful about how you move forward, then you can keep that tradition going. There's possibilities out there, models that can be successful for us. We've got to see what plays out."

And follow Delany's and Scott's lead.

"They're very, very intelligent guys, and their leadership is amazing," Ash said. "We need to evolve in order to stay relevant. I think those are the guys who can take us there.

"They're going to protect us as best they can."

Making sure you get served every day.

• Coverage of an emotional week in State College here and here and here.
• Bowl eligibility might be getting tougher, resulting in better games, Brett McMurphy writes.
• Urban Meyer reportedly completes his Ohio State staff with a former Michigan assistant. Former Buckeyes tight end Jake Ballard talks about heading to the Super Bowl with the G-men.
• Wisconsin's new linebackers coach compares Bret Bielema to Jim Harbaugh. Tom Oates writes that Wisconsin didn't go far enough in its investigation of John Chadima.
• Nebraska and Illinois remain in the running for coveted D-line recruit Vincent Valentine. A hip issue has ended Huskers CB Alfonzo Dennard's time at the Senior Bowl.
• Iowa AD Gary Barta discusses potential BCS changes and the team's interminable defensive coordinator search. Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz will attend the JoePa memorial today.
• Indiana co-defensive coordinator Mike Ekeler calls the team's 1-11 season "the most humbling experience I've ever had."
• Michigan coach Brady Hoke recruited the Cincinnati area earlier this week.
• The Armani Reeves sweepstakes is entering the closing stretch as three Big Ten schools are in the mix.
• Some good Purdue football thoughts from earlier this week.
• Recruit David Fennell is traveling quite a distance to play ball at Michigan State. Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins puts in the work at the Senior Bowl.
• A foot injury has slowed down draft prep for Michigan center David Molk.

Question-and-answer time.

Alex from Ann Arbor, Mich., writes: Adam, Its pretty obvious that over the last few years, the B1G as a conference has been getting better and deeper, with Wisconsin making 2 Rose Bowls, MSU continuing to develop under Dantonio, and the Nebraska addition. However, with Meyer and Hoke setting up great 2012 classes, and no other team in the conference coming close to them in terms of recruit rankings, could you possibly foresee a return to the Big 2/Little 8 setup? Or at the very least, the B1G having a lot of good teams that occasionally challenge, but only 2 consistent national powers in Michigan and OSU? I hope for the sake of the conference that it doesn't happen, but I could see it going that way.

Adam Rittenberg: Alex, I was thinking about this when surveying this year's recruiting classes. You haven't seen teams like Michigan State, Wisconsin, Penn State or Nebraska have the recruiting pop they've had in years past. Several of those teams are signing smaller recruiting classes, so it will be interesting to see if things change in 2013. Ohio State is positioned to return to nationally elite status by 2013, and could remain there for a very long time. I'm not quite as confident about Michigan, although Brady Hoke and his staff have a clear vision and are recruiting well. There's a chance the Big Ten could get back to "Ohio State and everybody else" by 2013, but Michigan is in a lot better shape now than it was 18 months ago. I also think teams like Michigan State and Wisconsin are on the rise, and others could join them. You have seven teams in the league — Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Iowa — with the resources and support to compete for championships almost every year.

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Jason from Madison, Wis., writes: So the annual discussion begins with the draft as it does every year. This year it seems to be around Russell Wilson and his height. Why is this something the NFL scouts freak out about every year. Wilson spent the whole year throwing over and around the Badgers o-line (averaging 6'8") and defenses in the B10. Drew Brees just set an NFL record for passing yards in a season. Why does height seem to be such a annual discussion? If a person is a quality quarterback, why not give them a chance?

Adam Rittenberg: Jason, I hear ya, but Wilson would be the shortest starting quarterback for an NFL team if he makes it. Seneca Wallace is listed at 5-11, and Brees is at 6-feet. Wilson certainly has the arm strength to compensate for a lack of size, but he'll have to impress the NFL folks with his mobility and decision-making. Scouts are very into measurables. It's why the weigh-in, which I find creepy, is such a big deal. Wilson's height likely will hurt his draft stock, but he can help himself with what he does in a uniform, not at a weigh-in.

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David from Pasadena, Calif., writes: Hope this submission for JoePa comments and tributes isn't too late. I graduated in 1999 and began working at the Paterno/Pattee Libraries in 2001. I had never met Joe during my college years but did see him on a few occasions while I worked at the Paterno Library. The first time, he came in, walked up to the circulation desk, and asked where the reading room was. I had to hide my shock that he was coming up to me with a question before I finally answered, "you mean your reading room? The Paterno Family Reading Room?" He responded with, "yeah, sure that one." I directed him to it. On his walk there, an older couple was walking through the library and gentleman, in his 40s, looked so awestruck as Joe walked by him. He was tugging on his wife whispering who it was. Another time, during a Blue/White weekend, there was a fundraising event at the Library. Joe came in and walked to the check-in table to look for his name tag. It struck me because the one man who didn't need a name tag, thought he did. Joe, we'll never forget you...you'll never need a name tag.

Adam Rittenberg: Great stories, David! Thanks for writing in.

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Ken from Virginia writes: Adam,If you truly want to honor Joe Paterno's achievement at his time of passing, referencing trash like Dan Bernstein is inappropriate. Unless that is your intention — to be a a member of the ignorant, lazy, intellectually vacant, foolish and illiterate.

Adam Rittenberg: Ken, I'm going to present all viewpoints on Paterno in the blog, both positive and negative. If you don't like it, don't read it. Most of the Paterno columns took the same tone — complex legacy, did more good than bad, should be remembered for his impact on Penn State, etc. Bernstein's take is one shared by a lot of folks I've heard from. And while I don't totally agree with him about Paterno, I also don't understand the folks who can't fathom the possibility of Paterno doing something wrong. The bottom line is we still don't know the full story and how much anyone knew or didn't know. But to have blinders on and think Paterno isn't capable of doing wrong is ignorant, lazy, intellectually vacant and foolish.

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Aditya from Bangalore, India, writes: When you compared the attendance figures of big ten schools, you noted that Iowa's average attendance stayed the same. I'm fairly certain that is because they sold out every game. But if we are seriously 7th in the big ten in attendance after selling out, do you think the hawkeyes should renovate kinnick to add more seats in?

Adam Rittenberg: It's an interesting situation, Aditya. I think the current plan works really well for Iowa. Kinnick Stadium is very cozy and can be very hostile for opponents because of the way it's set up. Sometimes you lose the charm by expanding the stadium, although a small expansion might not be a bad idea, especially because of the additional revenue it would generate. Athletic director Gary Barta in November 2010 talked about the possibility, saying Iowa takes a conservative approach to the situation and doesn't go into any year budgeting 100 percent ticket sales. "Certainly we talk about it, we think about it going into the future," Barta told the Des Moines Register. "But one of things you have to ask yourself [about] is balance. The one thing you don’t ever want to happen is for there to all of a sudden become a chunk of tickets available, because then the bottom drops out." So while there's nothing in the works short term, the ticket sales during the next few years could determine a lot.

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David from Chicago writes: Adam, thanks for the interesting post about Big Ten attendance figures. I didn't realize the "tiers" were so dramatic. Obviously, the top tier programs (attendance-wise) have a revenue advantage, but how much of a difference does attendance make? I know the Big Ten has a revenue sharing program for TV and bowl games, which allows a team to Northwestern to be competitive. It would be interesting to know what percentage of a Big Ten program's revenue comes from revenue-sharing vs. other sources (including ticket sales), and how that compares to other leagues.

Adam Rittenberg: David, that's a good question and I'll look into it. Some Big Ten programs obviously have more resources than others despite the Big Ten's even revenue-sharing. Some programs also appropriate money differently, have different numbers of endowed scholarships, etc. In the past decade you've seen almost every Big Ten program make some type of facilities upgrade, whether it's a stadium renovation or a makeover of a football practice facility/headquarters. It's important for a program like Northwestern to keep up, and that's why you're seeing a facilities plan under way there that could lead to a new football practice facility.

As expected, more Big Ten figures -- past and present -- have weighed in on the passing of former Penn State coach Joe Paterno on Sunday morning at 85.

Here are some additional statements:

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz

"It is certainly a very, very sad day. The passing of Coach Paterno is a huge loss; there will never be another Joe Paterno. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Paterno family."

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta

"Joe Paterno has meant so much to college athletics over such a long period of time. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his immediate family first and foremost, and then, certainly, to the extended Penn State family."

Former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of Coach Paterno. I will remember him with respect and admiration. I will remember his competitive spirit, his incredible generosity, his honesty, his integrity and his humanity."

Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini

"My condolences go out to Coach Paterno’s family and the Penn State community. I have so much respect for what Coach Paterno accomplished at Penn State both on and off the field. He wasn’t just a legendary coach, but a class individual and his record speaks for itself. I had the honor of getting a few chances to spend time with him since we joined the Big Ten, and those were special opportunities for me as a relatively young head coach in this profession."

In addition, National Football Foundation chairman Archie Manning and NFF President & CEO Steven Hatchell issued a joint statement on Paterno's passing. Paterno is a 2007 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.

It reads:

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Coach Paterno. He stands at the very top of the mountain in terms of his coaching accomplishments, and his dedication to the education of his players set the standard for entire college football world. On multiple occasions, the National Football Foundation saluted his never-ending passion and commitment to the game. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sue, his family, and the entire Penn State community."

After the big news about the Big Ten-Pac-12 partnership, the links will be split into two categories.

BIG TEN-PAC-12 PARTNERSHIP

• Check out all of ESPN.com's coverage here.
• Some good overall analysis of the merger here and here and here and here.
• Ohio State AD Gene Smith said the plan won't change the school's approach to non-league scheduling.
• Iowa AD Gary Barta expects the Cy-Hawk series won't be affected.
• Michigan AD Dave Brandon also weighs in on the impact.
• The partnership also won't impact the Purdue-Notre Dame series.

OTHER BIG TEN LINKS

• Michigan State junior defensive tackle Jerel Worthy is "50-50" on whether he'll return in 2012. Max Bullough and Denicos Allen have formed a new linebacker legacy in East Lansing.
• Ohio State's juniors gear up for what will be their final bowl game (bowl ban in 2012). The Buckeyes' offense hopes to build on its last performance.
• It has been 50 years since Minnesota last played in the Rose Bowl.
• Penn State quarterback Matthew McGloin (concussion) missed practice again Wednesday. Lions interim coach Tom Bradley has helped his players through a difficult time, David Jones writes.
• Nebraska coach Bo Pelini insists he's not looking around for other jobs. T-Magic is very much on South Carolina's radar.
• Wisconsin's departing assistants discuss what the program has meant to them. The Badgers will be sharp when the Rose Bowl kicks off, Tom Oates writes.
• It's time for Purdue to raise the bar in 2012. A nice wrap-up of Purdue's 2011 season.
• Iowa offensive lineman Riley Reiff will discuss his NFL future next week. Kirk Ferentz and Bob Stoops are big fans of one another.
• Illinois linebacker Trulon Henry, who should return to the field Saturday, feels like he has "nine lives." Illini quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase wants to end the season on a high note. New Illinois coach Tim Beckman answers your questions.
• Northwestern is ready to get rid of the bowl monkey. Check out the chat wrap from Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald.
• Injuries on the defensive line force Michigan's veterans to pick up the slack.

So there was this big news yesterday. I may need to take a leave of absence.

• Pat Harty wonders if Kirk Ferentz's ways are still working for Iowa. Athletic director Gary Barta says Ferentz is still the best coach for the school. Iowa is still looking for answers on defense.

• Michigan's Troy Woolfolk is enjoying his move back to safety as he makes room for freshman Blake Countess. Greg Mattison's son will be cheering for Iowa this week.

• Purdue's running game has been grounded of late. The Boilers' defense hopes to eliminate the big plays this week at Wisconsin.

• Mike Taylor doesn't talk a whole lot, but when the Wisconsin linebacker speaks up, teammates listen. It's time for the annual discussion of whether Bret Bielema is the right coach for the Badgers long term, Michael Hunt writes.

• Ohio State was improvising things on its game-winning play against Wisconsin. Boom Herron has given the team an emotional lift. NCAA sanctions could end the Buckeyes party.

• Maybe Damarlo Belcher's dismissal will end up helping Indiana.

• Michigan State is trying to figure out where its offense went wrong against Nebraska. Offensive coordinator Dan Roushar says the Spartans should have worked the middle of the field more.

• Minnesota receiver/returner Marcus Jones is out for the year with a knee injury.

• Pat Fitzgerald talks about the challenge of facing Nebraska.

• Taylor Martinez has grown a lot as a game manager for Nebraska. Three freshmen running backs are vying to be the next Huskers workhorse.

• Joe Paterno is no fan of this bye week. Penn State may be off, but it's still trying to earn respect.

• Teddy Greenstein handicaps the Big Ten race.

USA Today has collected all the available salaries and contracts for FBS athletic directors, and a few Big Ten figures rank among the nation's best-compensated leaders.

Ohio State's Gene Smith ranks No. 5 among the highest-paid athletic directors nationally with a salary of more than $1.05 million annually. Whatever you might think of Smith's handling of all the football-related scandals of the past year, there's no doubt he oversees one of the largest and most profitable athletic departments in the country.

Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez checks in right behind Smith at No. 6 at about $1.04 million a year. I doubt too many Badgers fans are complaining about that right now.

Michigan's Dave Brandon is 13th nationally with a salary of more than $700,000 a year. That can buy a whole lot of Domino's pizzas.

Here is how the Big Ten athletic directors whose salaries are known stack up against one another (Note: Since Northwestern is a private school and Penn State isn't subject to the same open-records rules, those two schools are not available). The chart included each athletic director's total pay plus the maximum amount they could earn in bonus clauses, if applicable:

1. Gene Smith, Ohio State: $1,058,546 ($250,000 in potential bonuses)

2. Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin: $1,040,800

3. Dave Brandon, Michigan: $700,454 ($165,000)

4. Mike Thomas, Illinois: $575,000 ($200,000)

5. Morgan Burke, Purdue: $505,918 ($120,000)

6. Fred Glass, Indiana: $495,746

7. Gary Barta, Iowa: $456,992 ($140,000)

8. Joel Maturi, Minnesota: $451,900 ($170,000)

9. Mark Hollis, Michigan State: $395,000 ($62,000)

10. Tom Osborne, Nebraska: $321,538

CHICAGO -- The Nebraska-Iowa game has a new name.

Now that the schools are both members of the Big Ten, their annual Black Friday matchup will be called "The Heroes Game." The schools unveiled the name, along with a logo for it, at a breakfast news conference preceding the final day of Big Ten media days. The actual trophy has yet to be built and probably won't be revealed until the week of this year's Nov. 25 game.

The schools are taking this "Heroes" tag seriously. They plan to recognize one Iowa citizen and one Nebraskan for an extraordinary act prior to each year's game. Friends, neighbors or co-workers can nominate people for the heroes distinction, and those chosen will be honored on the field during the game and will have their name and hometown etched on the Heroes Game trophy. The schools also plan to use proceeds from the game to benefit the Iowa and Nebraska chapters of the American Red Cross.

"Not only is it a trophy game, but we wanted it to have meaning beyond that," Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said. "I think the heroes concept has a great feel to it."

The Heroes Game becomes the 14th trophy game in the Big Ten. It's the third conference trophy game on Iowa's schedule, along with Floyd of Rosedale (Minnesota) and the Heartland Trophy (Wisconsin).

Nebraska joins the trophy party as it enters the Big Ten, something that's already different than the Big 12.

"I think we had a trophy with Missouri, but frankly I don't think I've ever seen the trophy and I don't know what it's called," Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne said. "This is new to us, and I think it's a good thing."

Osborne and Barta said the trophy game was natural once Nebraska came into the league, since the two states share a border and many similar characteristics. It's safe to say the Cornhuskers are more excited about playing Iowa than they were facing Texas, at whom Osborne took a veiled swipe during his podium remarks.

"We have had a couple of what might be called rivalry games in Nebraska, and some of them were maybe not so healthy," Osborne said. "They were not of our choosing. Somebody decided we were their rival, and as a result it got a little bit nasty at times. I never did understand that. ...

"[Iowa and Nebraska] come from similar states, with high-level character, good work ethics, a lot of agriculture and good family values. So I think it will be very good."

We'll find out Nov. 25.