ESPN College Football

Has something seemed odd to you about the BCS bowls this year? Does it seem like ... oh wait, West Virginia just scored again.

Does it seem like ... wait, there goes De'Anthony Thomas. Don't think he'll get caught from behind.

Does it seem like ... wait, would somebody please tackle Justin Blackmon?

Does it seem like there have been a lot of points this bowl season?

It's not just you. There have been a lot of points. More points than ever before. And by huge quantities.

So far, BCS bowl teams have averaged a total of 77 points in the Rose, Fiesta, Orange and Sugar bowls. That, folks, is nearly 26 points more than last year (51.6). And it's nearly 11 points better than the previous high of 66.3 from 2001-02.

Perhaps pairing two SEC teams in the title game has created a black hole sucking all defensive stinginess into the LSU-Alabama rematch, which you might recall went 9-6 with no touchdowns in their first meeting. West Virginia scored 10 touchdowns -- 10! -- against Clemson. Alabama gave up 12 TDs all season.

Speaking of Clemson: ACC. Well, well, well.

After the Tigers ingloriously fell 70-33 to the Mountaineers, we got our second story from the BCS bowl season: The ACC's insistence on throwing up on itself in BCS bowl games.

The conference that was once expected to challenge the SEC is now 2-13 in BCS bowl games. That's hard to do. You'd think in 15 BCS bowls the conference could get lucky at least five or six times. But no, it insists on making ACC blogger Heather Dinich, a genuinely nice person, into some sort of Grim Reaper every bowl season.

Heck, the Big East has won seven BCS bowls -- second fewest among AQ conferences -- but it's 7-7.

Of course, this all ties together, and we're here to bring out a bow, but first a warning: If you don't want to read about how good the SEC is for the 56,314th time this year, then stop reading. I'd recommend an episode of "South Park" or perhaps a John le Carré thriller as an alternative for passing the time.

We can all agree the SEC plays great defense right? Alabama and LSU will play for the title Monday with the nation's top-two defenses. Do you think perhaps that it's not a coincidence that the conference that is 16-7 in BCS bowl games plays great defense?

The only other AQ conference with a winning record in BCS bowl games is the Pac-12, which is 11-7. The Pac-12 isn't known for defense, either, but USC was when it won the conference's last national title in 2004.

The only team to win a BCS national title without an elite defense was Auburn in 2010, but the Tigers' defense seemed to find itself late in the season. Since 1999, eight national champions had a top-10 defense. Other than Auburn, the lowest-rated defense to win a BCS national title was Ohio State in 2002. It ranked 23rd in the nation in total defense.

Three of the four BCS bowl games have been thrillers. Two went to overtime. We've seen big plays all over the field in the passing game and running game. Yet, if things go according to script in the title game, we'll see none of that. We might not see more than a couple of plays that go for more than 20 yards. We might not see any.

Some might call that boring. It might seem that both offenses are so paranoid of making a mistake that they are stuck in mud, both in game plan and execution.

But, snoozefest or not, when the clock strikes zero a team from the SEC will hoist the crystal football for a sixth consecutive time.

That might say something about playing better defense.

Illinois Fighting Illini (6-6) vs. UCLA Bruins (6-7)

Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Illinois take from Big Ten blogger Brian Bennett: A bowl game is a San Francisco treat for Illinois, which lost its final six games of the season and fired head coach Ron Zook.

The Illini secured bowl eligibility on Oct. 8, beating Indiana to improve to 6-0 and move into the top 20 of the polls. From there came a stunning free fall, thanks in large part to an offense that forgot how to move the ball; Illinois scored just 66 total points in its final six games after averaging nearly 30 in the first half of the season. The offensive line is a mess, and quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase seems to have regressed in his sophomore year.

The one constant was the defense. Defensive end Whitney Mercilus leads the nation in sacks (14.5) and forced fumbles (nine, a Big Ten record). No wonder, then, that defensive coordinator Vic Koenning was named interim head coach when the school canned Zook. But Koenning says there's no guarantee that he and offensive coordinator Paul Petrino won't leave for other employment before the bowl game.

The Illini's finish made them so unappealing that they got shut out of the Big Ten's bowl lineup. So San Francisco is a nice landing spot, and UCLA -- a 6-7 team that also fired its head coach --- seems like the most fitting opponent.

---

UCLA take from Pac-12 blogger Ted Miller: UCLA is heading to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl with an interim coach and losing record. Yeah, it's been that kind of season.

Coach Rick Neuheisel began the season on the hot seat and he couldn't get off it. Only once could the Bruins win consecutive games. The offense ran the ball well but struggled to find any balance with a consistent passing game. And the defense was just terrible.

Things got off to a bad start with a loss at Houston. Neuheisel had made a big deal in the preseason of how important the game was, and the Bruins had stomped the Cougars the previous year. But the Bruins got off to a slow start and couldn't finish a comeback. Then, after a win over San Jose State, the Bruins got clubbed at home by Texas, another team they had beaten the year before.

Then they started alternating wins and losses, beating Oregon State, losing to Stanford and beating Washington State. Things cratered -- it seemed -- in a loss at Arizona, which had just fired coach Mike Stoops.

But then the Bruins beat California and Arizona State back-to-back. Both were upsets. And the combination suddenly put the Bruins in the drivers' seat of the reeling South Division. But the Bruins couldn't maintain. They lost to Utah, beat Colorado and then got crushed 50-0 against rival USC.

The UCLA coach needs to be competitive with the Trojans, and Neuheisel wasn't on Nov. 26 and hasn’t been during his tenure. So he was fired, even though the Bruins backed into the Pac-12 title game. The loss to Oregon dropped the Bruins to 6-7, but they nonetheless will play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl after the NCAA granted it a waiver.

If your team has a head-coaching vacancy -- looking at you, Illinois fans -- you're probably hearing the names Paul Chryst and Pat Narduzzi right about now.

Chryst, the Wisconsin offensive coordinator, and Narduzzi, the Michigan State defensive coordinator, are the two hottest candidates among Big Ten assistants to become head coaches in the coming days and weeks.

Both men have been instrumental in Wisconsin and Michigan State becoming new powers in the Big Ten. Both men oversee units ranked in the top 15 nationally in several major statistical categories (scoring defense, total defense, pass defense, rush defense, scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense). And both should be fielding some calls from other programs.

If you're not familiar with Chryst and Narduzzi, there's some good news for you. They'll be coaching directly against one another Saturday night when No. 13 Michigan State takes on No. 15 Wisconsin in the inaugural Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis.

While Chryst is working on another record-setting season with Wisconsin's offense, Narduzzi's defense has taken a significant step forward this year.

The Spartans' defense moved from good -- it ranked 43rd nationally in total defense and 39th in points allowed last year -- to nationally elite. Michigan State's defense leads the Big Ten in the following categories: rushing defense (102.5 yards per game), total defense (266.7 ypg), sacks (38), interceptions (16) and third-down defense (32.9 percent conversions). Narduzzi's crew has held seven opponents to 17 points or fewer and six opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards. Michigan State has allowed only eight rushing touchdowns all year and just 30 trips inside the red zone.

"I think he's a genius," Spartans senior safety Trenton Robinson said. "With how we watch film and how he breaks everything down -- him and the GAs and the coaches -- they do such a great job. Every game we go into, even the games that we've lost, we lost on not executing. It's not like bad coaching, play calls or anything, it’s just us missing a tackle or blowing a coverage ."

Narduzzi and the other Michigan State coaches were off-limits to the media this week, but he took some time this spring with ESPN.com to break down the Spartans' approach to defending the power run. Check out the videos here and here. Coincidentally, the opponent in the clips is Wisconsin.

Robinson said he and his fellow defenders are never shocked by a formation or a play an opponent showcases. They've already seen it in practice.

Narduzzi also keeps his players in mind when crafting game plans.

"Nothing's really complicated for us," said Robinson, who is tied with teammate Isaiah Lewis for the Big Ten interceptions lead with four. "He makes it as simple as possible, and if the guys aren't liking something, like a certain play, coach will be like, 'You guys aren't liking this? OK, scratch it. If you're not comfortable with it, we're not doing it.' So he makes sure all of us players are comfortable with the calls that he has. It's a great thing."

Wisconsin's offense has thrived in Chryst's five-plus seasons as offensive coordinator, averaging more than 34 points per game. Last year the Badgers averaged 41.5 points, shattering the team scoring record by more than a touchdown per game. This year's unit is on pace to surpass the mark, averaging 44.8 points a game.

Under Chryst's watch Wisconsin has produced the Big Ten offensive player of the year in two of the past three seasons (running back John Clay in 2009, running back Montee Ball this year). Quarterbacks like John Stocco, Scott Tolzien and more recently Russell Wilson are among the most successful in team history.

"Paul Chryst uses players' abilities as good as any coach I've ever been around," Badgers head coach Bret Bielema said. "As a head coach, you really appreciate coordinators that understand the skill set of your players and how to use them and maximize those skills. Everybody has a weakness, and if you can hide it or minimize it, you're going to be better overall. Paul really does a good job of that."

Wisconsin's offense lacks glitz or gimmicks, and the Badgers make no secret about their intention to overpower their opponents from a one-back set. Although Wisconsin recruits to its vision on offense, Chryst has shown the ability to adjust, especially this year with Wilson, whose skills are unlike what the Badgers typically have at quarterback.

"We'll do some things that will become staples of your offense or of your program," Chryst said, "but each year, you adjust to the players you have."

Chryst played a big role in attracting Wilson to Madison from North Carolina State, and Wilson describes his coach as having "a calmness to him, but a competitive edge that most people can't match."

"He always wants his players to understand the whys of football," Wilson said. "That's what I love. ... I ask a lot of questions."

Wilson admits to peppering Chryst about his past experiences working with quarterbacks like Derek Anderson at Oregon State. Chryst also spent time with Drew Brees during a one-year stint as a San Diego Chargers offensive assistant.

"The value to coaching a lot of different players is it really just reinforces how different each guy is," Chryst said. "It's your job as a coach then to know the player and then adjust. There's a lot of different ways to have success. You realize Scotty Tolzien can have success different than Russell Wilson or Derek Anderson or other guys I've been around."

Chryst's name has come up before at this time of year for coaching vacancies elsewhere. Texas courted him for its offensive coordinator vacancy after the 2010 season, and Chryst was on Purdue's radar to replace Joe Tiller.

Earlier this week Chryst denied having contact with Illinois about its vacancy, and he remains focused on facing the Narduzzi-led Spartans defense on Saturday night.

"You can put yourself into a cocoon," he said. "Who cares what's being rumored about? I've got a job and that's to coach football here at Wisconsin. The best thing you can do is do your job well."

Both Chryst and Narduzzi have done their jobs very well this season, possibly setting them up for better things.

Ron Zook needed to go. No one’s denying that.

But Zook’s time shouldn’t have run out on Sunday. It should have run out two years ago.

Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas’ move Sunday to fire Zook was like deciding to discard a carton milk that was well past its expiration date. Zook’s best days as Illinois’ coach had come and gone. Illinois’ epic collapse this season -- during which the Illini lost their final six games -- made it easier on Thomas in his first year on the job.

Firing Zook would have been the tougher but proper action following Illinois’ 2009 season. Former Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther had the opportunity to do so, but he prolonged Zook’s tenure. Guenther left the decision up to Thomas when he retired prior to this school year.

In 2009, the program was two years beyond Zook’s greatest accomplishment -- the 2007 Rose Bowl season. The evidence was strong that the Illini hadn’t benefitted from their Rose Bowl appearance, and they weren’t about to either.

Illinois went 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Big Ten in 2008. A year later, the Illini were even worse, going 3-9 overall and 2-6 in the Big Ten.

At that point, Zook had five seasons under his belt, the standard length of time a coach is given to prove himself these days. In five years, coaches have enough time to recruit their own players and fully implement their systems.

Zook had his five years, and there wasn’t many indications the program was succeeding or improving under him. Four of those campaigns ended with a losing record -- that Rose Bowl year being the lone exception. Illinois had gone 21-39 overall and 12-28 in the Big Ten during that period.

No one would have been surprised if 2009 was Zook’s final season. Plenty of athletic directors would have ended it then and looked for someone else to get the job done. It was certainly what a number of Illinois fans were after.

Guenther disagreed.

“There's a great deal of frustration obviously with the program at the moment," Guenther told reporters at the time. “We're still going to evaluate, but I think it's really unfair to start jumping at the end of the fifth year on a guy.”

Instead, Guenther retained Zook, fired the team’s offensive and defensive coordinators and went out and paid top dollar for two new coordinators. It was his way of hitting the reset button on Zook’s tenure.

Last season, Illinois again tasted moderate success. Having experienced three winning seasons since 2000, Illini fans were ecstatic about a somewhat positive year. The Illini went 7-6 overall, 4-4 in the Big Ten and won the Texas Bowl against a Baylor team that struggled late in the season.

Still, the only way last season could have been deemed a true success if it was springboard for an even bigger 2011 season.

Of course, that wasn’t to be. After being set up with five homes games in their first six contests, in which they took care of business, they dropped their next six games. Illinois currently stands at 6-6 , hoping for a bowl invitation.

Which brings us to Sunday.

Although two years too late and under the wrong athletic director’s watch, Zook’s era was brought to a close, igniting some optimism in Champaign.

Thomas hired two successful football coaches -- Brian Kelly and Butch Jones -- during his time at Cincinnati. Thomas will now try to duplicate the feat and find himself a coach who can bring stability to an Illinois program that has never won bowl games in consecutive seasons.

Unlike his decision to let Zook go, this likely won’t be as easy.

Adam Rittenberg examines the kinds of changes the Illini must make in order to turn their season around.

Before the season Illinois senior wide receiver A.J. Jenkins predicted he was going to have a significant year. So far, he’s been dead on.

Jenkins leads the country with 815 receiving yards and is also among the nation’s best with 46 receptions and seven touchdowns while helping Illinois to a 6-0 start.

Jenkins spoke with ESPNChicago.com this week about his season, the team’s year and more prior to Saturday’s match up against Ohio State.

Q: Is this the type of season you envisioned for yourself?
A:Yeah, when you put in all the hard work you have in the offseason and just prepare yourself. The whole offense is feeling good. It’s not just me. It’s [quarterback] Nate [Scheelhaase.] It’s the line. It’s coach [Paul] Petrino. Obviously, I put in a lot of work in the offseason, so I can have a good year. Hopefully, I keep doing what I’m doing.

Q: How much of what you’ve done is your improvement, and how much of it is Scheelhaase’s growth?
A: Honestly, we have a class together. We kind of built a bond, built a friendship now. Me and coach P’s relationship is a lot closer. Now, we trust each other. When it comes to the game of football, you got to have trust. Once Nate and I had class, we talk more, we chill out more. We got that trust thing going. On the field, he trusts me to make plays. I trust him to make the right reads. I trust him on and off the field.

Q: You’ve been at Illinois for the good and the bad. Does it make this year’s success sweeter?
A: It definitely feels like it was long ago [we struggled.] Last year, we went to our first bowl game. Honestly, we’ve got momentum going into this year. We’ve been through it. We now know how to finish and keep rolling from there. Hopefully, we keep that going on Saturday. I really don’t reflect on the bad times.

Q: You’ve said your comment earlier this season about being the Big Ten’s best wide receiver was taken out of context, but what’s wrong with saying you belong with the cream of the crop in the conference?
A: Me saying that, people took it and ran with, saying I was being disrespectful of all the better receivers in the Big Ten. I wasn’t doing that all. I don’t know if there’s anything wrong with it. I’m trying to be the best player I can be. That’s all I was trying to say.

Q: Do you feel you’re an elite receiver now?
A: I don’t know. I hope I can be one of the best receivers. I’m just out there playing. I’m just doing me. I’m not really worried about anything like that.

Q: Do you think about your NFL prospects?
A: Not at all. I’ve not even thought that far ahead. I’m starting to look ahead to O-State.

Q: Do you think Illinois has received the respect nationally it deserves at this point for being 6-0?
A: I don’t really know. I don’t know what they’re saying. I’m just preparing myself for the game. I don’t know what they’re saying. I don’t know what the media is saying. I don’t feed into all of the ESPN talk or whatever the talk is. I keep focused on what’s really important.

Q: So you don’t read anything?
A:I just don’t like reading stuff like that. If there’s bad stuff, you get sad. It kind of makes a person mad. It can mess up a team’s focus. I just don’t go online and read stuff. I don’t go searching for things. I watch ESPN, but I don’t go searching for things.

Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg analyzes the recent coaching developments at Illinois.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Five lessons from the week that was in the Big Ten:

1. Iowa is foolproof in the clutch -- After a long stretch of heartbreaking losses from 2006-2008, Iowa has won its last five games decided by five points or fewer. The Hawkeyes have fallen behind in both of their Big Ten games and rallied behind tremendous special teams play, opportunistic defense and a resilient quarterback in Ricky Stanzi. Since upsetting Penn State last November, Iowa has displayed a team-wide confidence when things get close. The Hawkeyes might not be able to live on the edge much longer given their schedule, but they're a good bet when the score gets close late in games.

2. Ohio State's defense is the Big Ten's best unit -- Jim Heacock's defense once again has made the Buckeyes the team to beat in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes rank seventh nationally in points allowed and 11th in total defense, and they're forcing more turnovers than they have in past years. No Big Ten offense comes close from a talent and execution standpoint, and while Iowa's defense has been solid, Michigan exposed some weaknesses Saturday at Kinnick Stadium. Despite losing several national award winners, Ohio State's defense repeatedly makes big plays and rescues an offense that still hasn't found its rhythm. Sure, the Buckeyes allowed yards to Wisconsin, but they forced major mistakes and didn't wear down despite being on the field for 42:47.

3. Minnesota can run the football -- Tim Brewster wants to restore Minnesota as a rushing powerhouse, and the Gophers took a big step Saturday. Eight players combined for 207 rush yards and four touchdowns in Saturday's victory against Purdue. Redshirt freshman Kevin Whaley provided a spark off the bench, and quarterback Adam Weber got more involved in the run game with nine carries and a touchdown. Weber only attempted nine passes in the victory, two of which were intercepted. Wide receiver Eric Decker might be the Big Ten's best offensive player, but Minnesota knows it needs to run the ball to win Big Ten games.

4. Big Ten getting defensive -- It's very clear midway through the season that the Big Ten won't be an offensive league in 2009. While veteran quarterbacks have struggled a bit and one potential juggernaut (Illinois) has totally crumbled, the league's defenses are once again the story. Both Ohio State and Penn State boast top-20 units, and Iowa has at times been the league's most impressive defense. Minnesota's linebackers have sparked an improved defense, while both Michigan State and Northwestern are starting to see their veteran-laden units step up. Both Michigan and Wisconsin showed good things on defense despite losses, while the league's bottom three (Purdue, Indiana, Illinois) are all struggling to stop anybody.

5. Michigan not a finished product -- Credit the Wolverines for never giving up and always finding ways to hang around in games, but it's clear that head coach Rich Rodriguez is still very much in the building stage. Michigan is still too prone to defensive breakdowns, and its special-teams play, aside from all-world punter Zoltan Mesko, left much to be desired against Iowa. Despite Tate Forcier's late-game magic earlier this season, Rodriguez didn't go back to the freshman quarterback in crunch time after some earlier struggles. The talent is there and Michigan will continue to improve, but things aren't falling into place just yet.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Sick of the preseason yet? Me, too.

Quarterback Terrelle Pryor is a known commodity at Ohio State, but who are the Buckeyes' unknowns? Buckeyes starting defensive end Cam Heyward is wearing a walking boot but shouldn't be out too long, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
A neck injury nearly ended Donsay Hardeman's career, but the Illinois safety is back and can't wait to hit somebody, Shannon Ryan writes in the Chicago Tribune. Illini senior quarterback Juice Williams wants to go out a winner, Herb Gould writes in the Chicago Sun-Times.
Defensive end Nickcaro Golding is among Purdue's top training camp performers, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
Notes on Wisconsin's quarterback competition, injury updates and the coaching staff lighting up a few players during practice, courtesy of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Jeff Potrykus.
Minnesota freshman Ra'Shede Hageman could be a 60-minute man this fall, Marcus Fuller writes in the Pioneer Press.
Michigan needs everyone in the same boat to turn things around this fall, Bob Wojnowski writes in The Detroit News.
Freshman quarterback Edward Wright-Baker has moved up to the second-string offense, Chris Korman writes in The (Bloomington) Herald-Times.
The Lansing State Journal's Joe Rexrode breaks down the candidates still alive for starting spots at Michigan State.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg


Thomas from Dublin, Ohio, writes: Through reports and the one televised practice this summer, it's deduced that the defensive line of Ohio State may be the team's strength.In Saturday's jersey scrimmage, the defensive line seemed to have its way with the offense, leading to the defense keeping the Scarlet jerseys. At this point, is the defensive line so good that it's making the offensive line look bad? The offensive line seems to be having a lot of troubles and I personally cannot tell if it's OSU's defensive line that's causing these problems.


Adam Rittenberg: I'm extremely impressed with the Buckeyes' defensive line heading into the fall, but their strong play in Saturday's scrimmage shouldn't be overblown. The offensive line played without arguably its best piece, guard Justin Boren, who looks to be recovering well from a knee injury. Also, the left tackle position remains very much in flux, with Andrew Miller and J.B. Shugarts competing there. You've also got guys like Bryant Browning and Jim Cordle in different spots, so it's going to take a while for that group to jell.

Adam from Terre Haute, Ind., writes: I don't know what to make of the badgers running back situation. I know zach brown is a very good back but were talking about JOHN CLAY! He just flashed so much potenia last year. Why do you think they moved him back to back up? Is it to motivate him or to make him work harder? Because I can't see any other back starting other than JoHn Clay next season. What should I make of this?


Adam Rittenberg: It surprised me, too, but Wisconsin's decisions might have more to do with Brown's production than any regression from Clay. Brown was kind of the forgotten man last year behind P.J. Hill and Clay, but he clearly has elevated his play in camp. The coaches will play the best player, but you're right about the motivation factor for Clay. After being hyped as the team's No. 1 offensive option all summer, he's suddenly the backup. You can bet he'll be fired up for the season. Wisconsin should benefit from the variety Clay and Brown provide. They're obviously different physically and stylistically, so offensive coordinator Paul Chryst will be able to use them in different situations.

Nick from Tuscaloosa, Ala., writes: What do you think about Minnesota working in the Wildcat...or rather Wild Gopher package into their offense this season? Will it be successful in helping establish a running game?



Adam Rittenberg: Gopher fan in Bama country? Nice. Minnesota has so many athletes, especially on the offensive side, so the Wildcat package makes a lot of sense. You've got a guy like Troy Stoudermire, who was tremendous on kickoff returns last year and played some quarterback in high school. He hasn't played much wide receiver at the college level, but he's dangerous with the ball in his hands and seems like a perfect fit to run the Wildcat.

Matt from NYC writes: Adam,You and others have said the Big Ten needs to win the Rose Bowl to regain its reputation. I've also seen talk that our problems stem from the fact tha we constantly get two
teams in the BCS so all of our teams have to play up in competition. Really, I think our problems stem from USC getting screwed out of the championship game every year. Let someone else play them and the Big Ten can take on number two in the Pac 10. I think you'd see the Big Ten do just fine then. It's not like I see any SEC schools chomping at the bit to play the Trojans. Lord knows those guys will schedule anyone, where as Florida won't leave the state of Florida.



Adam Rittenberg: Good assessment, Matt. No team in the country wants to play USC in a meaningful game, and the Big Ten has seen the Trojans four times in the Rose Bowl this decade. I can't imagine the Big Ten's Rose Bowl losing streak would be what it is had the opponent been Oregon, Cal or Oregon State. Having only one BCS team would improve the league's overall bowl prospects, but the Big Ten wants its teams on the biggest stages with the biggest payouts. Two BCS victories after the 2005 season certainly helped, and the Big Ten could make a similar breakthrough this year, if the matchups fall right.


Craig from Peoria, Ill., writes: Adam:I'm a native from Peoria, IL. However, I am NOT a U of I fan in any shape or form. I developed a love for NU football during the mid 90s while I was playing football in highschool. I feel like the only guy in this area who is a NU fan. I know that NU football has been around a long time, so why is it that the citizens of Chicago do not fill Ryan Field with thousands of fans, yet the U of I can be packed on any given saturday?



Adam Rittenberg: There are several factors involved, namely the number of sporting options in Chicago. Northwestern isn't the only show in town like many Big Ten programs, and the team doesn't have that historical bond with the Chicago sports fan. Things could change with the program's decent run since 1995 and head coach Pat Fitzgerald's popularity, but not enough people in the Chicago area connect to the program. Northwestern's alumni base in Chicago pales in comparison to those of other Big Ten schools (Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin). So it's an uphill battle, but things should pick up if the team keeps winning and schedules better nonconference matchups.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Dig in.

The man alleged to have attacked Ohio State linebacker Tyler Moeller has been charged with felony battery, The Columbus Dispatch's Ken Gordon writes in his blog. A great piece by The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Doug Lesmerises about Ohio State's first opponent, Navy.
Defensive tackle Abe Koroma, who we knew wouldn't be back at Penn State, will transfer to FCS Western Illinois, Bob Flounders writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News. Penn State's wideouts are eager to prove themselves, Ron Musselman writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Tate Forcier generated most of the preseason buzz at Michigan, but keep your eyes on another freshman quarterback, Denard Robinson, Michael Rosenberg writes in the Detroit Free Press. More on the young quarterbacks from The Sporting News' Dave Curtis. Also, a nice wrap-up of Michigan's media day.
Hand signals are pretty common in football, but Minnesota offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch takes things to a new level, Kent Youngblood writes in the Star Tribune.
If you want to play quarterback in the NFL, go to Purdue, Cory Giger writes in The Altoona Mirror.
Wisconsin running back Zach Brown came into camp with a chip on his shoulder, and it's showing as he's the projected starter, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal. Badgers quarterback Curt Phillips has drawn comparisons to Tyler Donovan, which is both good and bad, Mike Lucas writes in The Capital Times.
Illinois star wideout Arrelious Benn earned Bob Asmussen's award for training camp MVP.
Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga wants a Big Ten title before he's through in a Hawkeyes uniform, Ryan Suchomel writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
Injuries are once again cropping up for Indiana's offensive line, Hugh Kellenberger writes in The (Bloomington) Herald-Times.
The defensive line remains the one area of concern on Michigan State's defense, Shannon Shelton writes in the Detroit Free Press.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The AP preseason poll is out, and there are few major surprises, from the team on top to the three Big Ten squads included in the rundown.

Defending national champ Florida received 58 of 60 first-place votes and leads off the rankings ahead of Texas, which got the other two first-place votes. 

Ohio State comes in at No. 6, while Penn State appears tied with Oklahoma State at No. 9. Iowa rounds out the Big Ten contingent at No. 22. Those rankings seem about right to me. I had Iowa a few spots higher in the ESPN Power Rankings, but the knee injury to running back Jewel Hampton creates a bit more anxiety about the Hawkeyes.

Illinois finished 27th in the voting, two spots ahead of Michigan State. The hype around Illinois continues to grow, largely because of what Ron Zook has coming back on offense. I'm a little more hesitant to buy in after last year's struggles, but Illinois certainly has the talent to perform well this fall. 

Northwestern received five votes in the poll, putting the Wildcats at No. 44. Michigan didn't receive an AP preseason vote for the first time in recent memory. 

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Florida head coach Urban Meyer issued the following statement Saturday morning, saying his previous comments about the team's locker room setup were not meant to attack his Gators predecessor, Ron Zook.

"I was asked about fights in locker rooms," Meyer said. "I made a comment about the previous locker room arrangement and how that can lead to issues such as separating freshmen. There was no intent to criticize the previous staff or coach Zook. Obviously the locker room arrangement was that way for a while."

Meyer never mentioned Zook or any of Florida's former assistants by name in his unprovoked rant Friday, and the mistreatment he referred to took place between players, not coaches. But this statement is laughable. In his comments Friday, Meyer made multiple references to the team's poor performance on the field.

"You don't win many games, but you beat up freshmen and shave eyebrows."

"Let's get our brains kicked in against our rival, but let's go beat up a freshman."

Last time Florida didn't win a ton of games or beat its rivals was during Zook's tenure, when the Gators never won more than eight games. Meyer also said he and his staff had to "break that great culture we had here." If that's not an indictment of the previous staff, tell me what is.

Meyer is a great coach with a tremendous program, but he should stick to running up the score and furthering the legend of Tim Tebow. Backtracking isn't his strong suit.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Ron Zook is entering his fifth season at Illinois, but the coach simply can't get away from his ties to Florida.

Florida head coach Urban Meyer opened fire on his predecessor Friday, saying he inherited a program where freshmen were regularly mistreated by older players and exiled in a violent locker room. Meyer's response came after The Orlando Sentinel's Jeremy Fowler asked him how he treats fighting between players after an alleged incident at Miami that left Hurricanes defensive end Adewale Ojomo with a broken jaw.

The question had no mention of Zook or the previous regime, but Meyer, who never mentioned Zook by name, launched into this attack.

"When we first got here five years ago they had freshmen in a separate locker room and it was a bunch of tin lockers over there and they weren't allowed to walk [into the regular locker room]," Meyer told reporters Friday. "Think about this for a minute: this is a big-time college football program and we had some fights because they treat their freshman like they were non-people.

"'Don't walk through here, we'll kick your tail, we'll shave your eyebrows.' It took us awhile to break that great culture we had here. That was tremendous. You don't win many games, but you beat up freshman and shave eyebrows. Absolutely unbelievable."

Oh, wait, there's more.

"It's called a team, not some silly nonsense. That was five years ago, let's go beat up freshmen. Let's get our brains kicked in against our rival, but let's go beat up a freshman."

Zook issued the following statement Friday night in response to Meyer's comments.

"I was surprised to see that, once again, five years later, we're blamed for
something else at Florida. But by now I guess I shouldn't be. This one was
most disappointing because it implies we didn't look out for our players.
From someone who wasn't there at the time. I can assure you I've never, ever
been accused of that. I thought I was too much of a players' coach.

"The implication is incorrect -- there is no place for hazing in college
football and we've put a stop to that if we've ever seen it. I applaud
Florida for fostering what they say is a wonderful family atmosphere. I
would invite anyone to talk to any of our players here at Illinois and,
although we don't look for media opportunities to brag about it, it is a
wonderful family atmosphere."

Wow. Reading this exchange, I know what my colleague Chris Low goes through on a daily basis.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Best case/worst case is the fabulous brainchild of Pac-10 blogger Ted Miller, and I'm swiping the idea for the Big Ten. Here's the first in a series exploring the best and worst outcomes, within reason, for each Big Ten squad.

Illinois is a suitable place to start because the Fighting Illini always seem to be a team of extremes.

BEST CASE

The team jells and makes Jell-O out of opposing defenses.

Juice Williams performs like the Big Ten's most experienced quarterbacks and continues to break stadium records without the mistakes that plagued him late last fall. Wide receiver Arrelious Benn adds touchdown catches to his already impressive résumé and headlines one of the nation's best receiving corps with Florida transfer Jarred Fayson and Jeff Cumberland, who breaks an opposing cornerback's jaw with a stiff arm. The running game resurfaces. A focused Martez Wilson finally fulfills his potential and earns first-team All-Big Ten honors as the team's middle linebacker, and the defense works out its issues against the run and finds the next Vontae Davis in cornerback Tavon Wilson.

Illinois starts things off by finally beating Missouri. Williams breaks his own total offense record in the Edward Jones Dome and makes pulp out of Tigers linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. The Illini hang 50 on Mizzou and enter Big Ten play riding high. Can't see the Illini winning in Columbus again, but Benn and Fayson exploit a young Penn State secondary in Week 4.

The upset of Penn State sparks a winning streak, as Illinois' offense overwhelms Michigan State and steamrolls Indiana and Purdue. The Illini enter the top 20 as they welcome nemesis Michigan to Memorial Stadium on Halloween. Tez Wilson destroys Michigan's young quarterbacks and Williams picks apart the secondary for a big win. Illini fans hold an orange-out in the stadium and pack the place.

Illinois stumbles once more before the finish, most likely against Cincinnati the day after Thanksgiving, but the team rebounds to beat Fresno State and finish 10-2. Head coach Ron Zook answers his critics by maximizing his talent, and the team sees a major drop in off-field incidents. Zook gets more revenge in the Capital One Bowl when Illinois beats a Florida team that falls way short of expectations. Illinois finishes No. 12 in the final polls. Despite winning the Biletnikoff Award, Benn decides he loves Champaign too much and shocks everyone by staying for his senior season.

WORST CASE

The inconsistency that has plagued the program throughout its history surfaces again, and the team fragments.

Williams puts up big numbers but throws more interceptions than touchdowns. Opposing defenses constantly double-team Benn and keep him out of the end zone, allowing their front four to shut down Jason Ford and the rushing attack. Wilson too often gets out of position at middle linebacker, and an iffy defensive line generates no pass rush and struggles against the run for the second straight season. Special teams continue to hurt Illinois and opponents constantly capitalize on favorable field position.

Missouri beats the Illini in yet another St. Louis shootout, setting the tone for a shaky season. Weatherspoon twice intercepts Williams and then downs a carton of orange juice on the field after the game. Illinois then begins Big Ten play with three consecutive losses against upper-tier teams, dropping the team to 1-4 and turning up the heat on Zook. After handling the Indiana schools on the road, Illinois falls to Michigan for the ninth consecutive time at Memorial Stadium.

Needing a strong finish to reach the postseason, Illinois fails to win consecutive games, something it did just once last season. A 2-2 split down the stretch leaves the Illini at 5-7 for the second consecutive season. Rival Iowa wins the Big Ten. Zook energizes his critics who say he's simply a recruiter, and he enters 2010 on the hot seat. Benn goes bye bye.