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We always say around here that spring games are overrated from an information-gathering standpoint. Still, you can't blame fans for wanting to see their team in action, and those whose schools have new coaches were especially curious to see what things were looking like this spring.

That's one reason it's no surprise that Ohio State and Penn State had two of the three largest spring game crowds in the nation this year, according to Sports Business Daily.

The Buckeyes led the country in spring game attendance, with 81,112 coming out to get a glimpse of the new Urban Meyer regime. No one should be surprised by the passion for the Scarlet and Grey; Ohio State claims the all-time spring game record, with more than 95,000 showing up for the 2009 event.

Defending national champion Alabama was second with 78,526, followed by Penn State at 60,000. The Nittany Lions got a large turnout for Bill O'Brien's Beaver Stadium debut and the first spring game without Joe Paterno in half a century.

Spring game attendance is often largely dependent on the weather, and it must be said that weather conditions were truly terrible throughout most of the Big Ten for spring games. Rain and chilly temperatures were the norm, holding down crowds at places like Michigan and Michigan State. Storms canceled the Nebraska spring game, which surely would have been packed since the Huskers drew more than 66,000 last year and better than 77,000 the previous two spring games. Indiana and Purdue both moved their events indoors and mostly kept fans away to escape lightning.

So the numbers were lower than they should have been, but here is how other Big Ten schools ranked nationally in spring game attendance:

17. Michigan: 25,000
20: Michigan State: 20,000
31: Iowa: 15,000
36: Wisconsin: 10,479
53. Minnesota: 3,500
55. Illinois: 3,000

Note: Northwestern did not report its attendance for the spring game.

You can tell from this 2011 chart that the numbers were down from their averages in a lot of places. Let's hope for better weather next spring.

The depravity and decadence of Derby weekend await me. But first: your emails.

Bryan from Chicago writes: Regarding your handicapping of the B1G race, I'm betting on all teams. With the odds you gave each team, if you add them up, the player has about a 33% advantage over the house! If you ever decide to open a casino, let me know and I'll be the first one in line. But, if I'm taking 1 team, betting with emotions I'm taking my Huskers -- hoping they can outscore a lot of teams this year. Betting with brains, I'm taking Wisconsin -- no Ohio State to worry about, gives them the easiest road to the title game and who knows once you get there, and 8-1 is a good payout.

Brian Bennett: In defense of my admittedly poor math skills, Indiana is much higher than the listed 99-to-1, but the toteboard can only handle double-digit numbers. And Ohio State's scratch threw off the odds. But I agree with you about Nebraska and Wisconsin being pretty good value plays. I'd add Penn State to that mix as well.

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Brian from Newark, DE, writes: Am I the only person not completely overjoyed with this whole playoff deal? To me, it's a real stretch to call a two game tournament a playoff. There's four teams involved. Granted, that's double what the current system allows. But it's still not exactly opening the championship up like the basketball tournament does. All this really amounts to is one extra game for two teams. So can we stop calling it a playoff and start referring to it as what it really is: The one more game after the bowls so we can all make a little more money and appease the fans bowl?

Brian Bennett: Brian (great name, by the way, and correct spelling), I'm perfectly fine with the four-team format. It keeps the value of the regular season, keeps the season from dragging far into January and still opens the championship up to more teams. How many years have there been more than four legitimate national title contenders at the end of the year, anyway? I've never been in favor of a 16-team format because that's too many teams and not enough quality. An eight-teamer would be a lot of fun, and I think we will eventually see an expansion of any playoff system. But for now, while we can quibble with the details, let's rejoice that the sport is actually giving us something we want.

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Zach from Lincoln writes: Why are we even listening to the "on campus semi-finals won't work" [sentiment]?? I understand they are worried about teams with small stadiums not being able to host large crowds, but how many times since the BCS model was created has 1 of those teams been #1 or #2? Zero is the correct answer. Also, even if one of these teams did eventually finish #1 or #2 doesn't the fact that college stadiums are in general larger than NFL stadiums make up for the fact that there could be a smaller venue every once in a blue moon?

Brian Bennett: Couldn't agree more with you, Zach. The capacity of the Superdome is just over 72,000, while Sun Life Stadium -- home of the Orange Bowl -- seats a little more than 75,000. There would be a whole lot more seats (and money to be made) with games at the Big House, Horseshoe, Bryant-Denny, etc. MGoBlog does a good job of breaking down the difference in capacity and how campus sites would have meant more, not less, seats during the BCS era in this post.

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Josh S. ? @josh_sim writes: Re: Big 6. Won't voters change their voting patterns and work around the rules for best matchups?

Brian Bennett: That's a concern with any system, including the one we have now. Which is why we need to take this out of the hands of voters, especially one with obvious biases like the coaches themselves.

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Roger from Denver, Colo., writes: Really, 25 [for Ohio State in your rankings]? Come on, Blue had the easiest schedule in the conference, barely beat an extremely down The Ohio State team and you have Blue ranked top 10 not to mention in ACC bowl game that they really lost but got a bogus call in their favor on a touchdown.

Brian Bennett: The mountain air might be getting to you, Roger. Fact is, Michigan went 11-2 last year while Ohio State was 6-7. Michigan brought back its coaching staff and arguably the most productive backfield in the league (Denard Robinson and Fitz Toussaint), while the Buckeyes will be going through a coaching transition and lack offensive playmakers. I like Ohio State to be much improved this season, and there's no question the team has talent. But given last year's results, I think a ranking at the bottom of the Top 25 is fair for this point in the year.

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Dying for The Gophers To Be Relevant Again from Minneapolis writes: I find it interesting how people get excited about the new A.D. at Minnesota. Everyone is giddy over his fund raising abilities. Sure, raising funds is important for all programs, but winning is the key. Some would say that fund raising will help winning, I believe that winning will hep fund raising. Your thoughts?

Brian Bennett: An athletic director absolutely has to be able to do two things right: hire good coaches, and keep the money fountain flowing. Since Norwood Teague didn't hire Jerry Kill, the best thing he can do is make sure donations are coming in so the Gophers can keep up with facilities, salaries, etc. Winning solves a lot of ills, but ultimately that will be up to Kill and his staff to it make happen.

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David from Houston writes: I just saw your 4/26 mailbag and the Wisconsin coach and AD answers concerning their non-conference scheduling. As a Badger, I'm calling "BS" on Bret Bielema. His answer of "people don't want to play here" may be right in some rare instances, but that is most definitely not what is going on with Badger scheduling. The real issues are this: 1) The Badgers will only play one road game per year (at least Barry was honest about that one). 2) Wisconsin is not willing to schedule more than one BCS opponent per season. They went through a nice stretch for 2001-2003 of playing two such schools, but that turned out to be an aberration. 3) They won't even do that if they think a future year's Big Ten Schedule is "too tough." See the 8-year postponement of the Virginia Tech games. ... The Pac-12 deal is nice, but this team is not going to then start scheduling 2 BCS foes each season. This will just take their one good game out of their hands, leaving them to deal with the 3 buy games each year.

Brian Bennett: David, I can understand your frustration as a fan in not getting to see great nonconference games at Camp Randall. At the same time, Wisconsin is not alone in only scheduling one BCS AQ school per year in its nonconference slate. In the Big Ten alone, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue all only have one such opponent on their schedule this season. Indiana has none.

While I'd love to see the Badgers schedule more aggressively, it just doesn't pay many dividends for schools to do so. The Badgers went to the Rose Bowl the past two years and were a couple plays away from being in the national title mix both times. I hope the new playoff format rewards strength of schedule to encourage all teams to play better nonconference opponents.

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Max from Madras, India, writes: Brian, what do you think is more detrimental to the season? QB competition and playing 4 guys in your spring game, a la PSU? Or pretty much knowing who your starter is going to be, and not having him for your spring game, a la MSU? Or at this stage does it really matter?

Brian Bennett: It's early enough to not really matter. Remember Wisconsin won the Big Ten last year, and its starting quarterback didn't arrive in Madison until the summer. But in the scenario you mention, I'd much rather be Michigan State. The Spartans know Andrew Maxwell will be their starter, and his injury wasn't serious. He's been in the program for four years, so playing in a spring game means very little. Penn State still doesn't seem to be settled at the position. Maxwell can confidently lead the offense all summer. I'm not sure any of Penn State's quarterbacks can do the same.

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Paul from Orlando, Fla., writes: Last season, Nebraska had All Big Ten-caliber players at each level of the defense in Crick, David and Dennard. Although these players made major contributions in 2011, the defense ranked a mere 36th nationally in total defense; well outside the norm for a Pelini coached defense. It appeared, especially early in the season, that offensive coordinators could simply pick on the young guy lined up opposite Crick, David or Dennard and these players didn?t really impact their game plans. This spring Pelini has been vocal about how much he likes his secondary and expects the defensive line and linebackers to be a solid veteran group. Do you think having a veteran defense without any weak links and a potentially dominate group at one level of the defense can lead to a better 2012 defense despite the loss of such great players?

Brian Bennett: It's an interesting question, and one I've been thinking about a lot this season. In fairness to the 2012 Huskers, Crick, David and Dennard were never really all healthy at the same time. But a big problem, as you mentioned, was the obvious holes on that defense. Bo Pelini seemed optimistic this spring about the defensive play, but aren't all coaches optimistic in the spring? Still, I think this defense has a chance to be very solid. I just want to see a couple of players take the next step into becoming major difference-makers, whether that's a guy like Will Compton or Cameron Meredith or Daimion Stafford. You need special players to be a truly special defense.

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Mr. Pewter from Farmland, Iowa, writes: I hate the new Cy-Hawk trophy. I am still going to rally around my family with a basket full of corn. Come with it now!

Brian Bennett: You keep raging against that machine.

Hey, didn't you use to be Albert Pujols?

• A group is considering a start-up bowl game in St. Louis that could include a Big Ten team.
• Michigan State fans should feel reassured by the play of Connor Cook in the spring game. The Spartans' fullbacks could give the offense a new dimension.
• Michigan coaches are pleased with the progress of centers Ricky Barnum and Jack Miller. Stacked with commitments for 2013, the Wolverines are already working hard on the '14 class.
• James Vandenberg will have to be a chemistry major while stirring a young Iowa offense.
• Jesse James hopes to make his own name at tight end for Penn State. Hershey lineman Andrew Nelson talks about his commitment to the Lions, plus some names the team is focusing on now in recruiting.
• Illinois reportedly picked up a defensive lineman.
• Former Indiana linebacker Jeff Thomas will get a shot with the Buffalo Bills (subscription required).
• The Big Ten Network's Tom Dienhart has a Q&A with Minnesota coach Jerry Kill.
• Former Nebraska stars Roy Helu and Prince Amukamara are hoping for bigger things in their second NFL seasons, though Amukamara already owns a Super Bowl ring.
• Northwestern got a commitment from an Illinois offensive lineman.
• Ohio Stadium has a story worth celebrating as it approaches its 90th anniversary.
• Former Wisconsin star Michael Bennett was charged with fraud.

Happy birthday to Rogers Hornsby, Ulysses S. Grant, Enos Slaughter, George "Iceman" Gervin, Chris Carpenter, Sheena Easton and ... I know I'm forgetting somebody. Who could it be?

• Illinois scored its first major recruiting victory with a commitment from dual-threat quarterback Aaron Bailey. A.J. Jenkins was caught off guard when he joined teammate Whitney Mercilus in the first round.
• Iowa got the go ahead to build phase two of its new football facility. Riley Reiff followed in the footsteps of Bryan Bulaga.
• Ryan Van Bergen has been told he'll go in the sixth round.
• Michigan State fans will get a long look at Connor Cook in the spring game, because there's no other quarterback to look at.
• Lavonte David will have to wait another day to be drafted.
• For just the fifth time in 14 years, Ohio State didn't have a first-round pick.
• Is Paul Jones getting too much hype at Penn State? Fourth-string, senior quarterback Shane McGregor still has hope of making an impact.
• Tom Dienhart has a Q&A with Indiana coach Kevin Wilson.
• Lloyd Carr as Wisconsin coach? It might have happened, had Barry Alvarez turned down the Badgers. Wisconsin defensive tackle Jordan Kohout shares his Muslim views on Twitter.
• A high school kicker accepted a preferred walk-on position at Northwestern.
• Scroll down this Sid Hartman column to find an item about high season-ticket renewals at Minnesota.
• Purdue's Ricardo Allen challenged his Twitter followers to play him on NCAA Football 2012, and so far he's beat them all.

Many Bothans died bringing us this information.

• Jim Delany will seek some input from players for their perspective on the Rose Bowl. More coverage of the BCS meetings here and here.
• Authorities say former Minnesota linebacker Gary Tinsely died of an enlarged heart.
• Iowa got a commitment from an Ohio defensive tackle, its third D-line recruit in the '13 class so far. Marvin McNutt may have to wait a while to hear his name called.
• Nebraska's Lavonte David may be undersized, but his production is awfully large. Sam McKewon recaps the Huskers' spring.
• Kyle Meinke breaks down all of Michigan's draft hopefuls. Junior Hemingway's draft stock is on the rise.
• Whether Bill O'Brien wants to win now or win later may help him decide who his starting quarterback will be. Matt McGloin may still be the last man standing.
• Ricky Wagner wants to follow in the line of greatness at left tackle for Wisconsin.
• Whitney Mercilus talks about his draft season.
• Ohio State's Mike Adams could be a "boom or bust" prospect.
• Jerel Worthy could break Michigan State's first-round drought. The Spartans' spring game draft said a lot about how some players are viewed.
• Damarlo Belcher is Indiana's best hope for a draftee.
• Purdue kicker Carson Wiggs wants to be Mr. Irrelevant.

The Big Ten has released its complete prime-time schedule for the 2012 season, with 14 total games under the lights this fall. That includes six games on the ABC/ESPN family of networks and eight on the Big Ten Network.

Here you go, night owls (all kickoffs listed in ET):

Aug. 31

Boise State at Michigan State, 8 p.m., ESPN

Sept. 1

Indiana State at Indiana, 8 p.m., Big Ten Network

Sept. 8

Vanderbilt at Northwestern, 8 p.m., BTN

Sept. 15

Notre Dame at Michigan State, 8 p.m., ABC
Utah State at Wisconsin, 8 p.m., BTN
Ball State at Indiana, 8 p.m., BTN

Sept. 22

Syracuse at Minnesota, 8 p.m., BTN
Louisiana Tech at Illinois, 8 p.m., BTN

Sept. 29

Wisconsin at Nebraska, 8 p.m., ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2

Oct. 6

Nebraska at Ohio State, 8 p.m., ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2

Oct. 13

Ohio State at Indiana, 8 p.m., BTN

Oct. 20

Penn State at Iowa, 8 p.m., BTN

Oct. 27

Ohio State at Penn State, 6 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Michigan at Nebraska, 8 p.m., ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2

Thoughts:

• Every Big Ten team except Purdue will have at least one night game this season. The Boilermakers have to be a little disappointed after getting to a bowl game last year and bringing back a talented roster. Nebraska and Ohio State will each play three league games under the lights.
• If you were planning on going to a Halloween party on Oct. 27, better make sure you have access to a TV -- or TVs. Not only will the Ohio State-Penn State and Michigan-Nebraska games be on in prime time, that's also the same day Wisconsin and Michigan State meet up at Camp Randall Stadium. It's a little hard to believe that game, which is a rematch of two epic duels from last season, won't be in prime time. But the two chosen for night slots are also big and feature four enormous fan bases. Wisconsin-Michigan State likely will get the 3:30 p.m. ET time slot in what is shaping up to be the biggest day of the season in the Big Ten.
• Ohio State will play three of its four October games at night, including Nebraska's visit to the Horseshoe. It's no surprise, given the Buckeyes' following and the presence of Urban Meyer. Even without the ability to play in the postseason, the Buckeyes figure to be an attractive team for TV ratings purposes this year. The atmosphere in Columbus when Big Red comes to town should be absolutely electric.
• Speaking of Nebraska, three of the Huskers' biggest games of the season will all be in prime time. Bo Pelini's team will get a chance to atone for blowout losses to Wisconsin and Michigan under the lights at Memorial Stadium. That place got crazy for last year's huge comeback win against Ohio State at night and should be similarly fired up for the Badgers and Wolverines.
• Penn State will have back-to-back prime-time games, and neither will be easy. The Nittany Lions must travel to Kinnick Stadium, which is usually a great atmosphere at night. It's the third time in four years those two teams have played at night. Penn State will also play the following week after dark versus Ohio State, which should provide an advantage for the Nittany Lions. There was no night game at Beaver Stadium last year, which didn't sit too well with the Penn State faithful. They've got a perfect white-out opportunity with Meyer and the Buckeyes coming to State College.
• Adam and I had Michigan State No. 1 in our pre-spring power rankings and may very well keep the Spartans there through the summer. But Michigan State will not get any prime-time exposure during conference season. The night games against Boise State (on a Friday) and Notre Dame were no-brainers, and with both at home the Spartans will need good showings to impress the rest of the country.
• Northwestern had three straight night games last season but gets only one all season this year, in the academic bowl against Vanderbilt. Assuming both student bodies aren't studying, that could be a fun game.
• Wisconsin won't get the benefit of playing at Camp Randall at night this year, except against Utah State. And the Badgers didn't figure to need much help in that game.
• The night kickoff could also help Minnesota in an interesting nonconference game against Syracuse. The Gophers had only one night game a year ago and lost in embarrassing fashion to North Dakota State.
• Indiana gets three prime-time exposure opportunities, all of them at home. Perhaps that can improve the game-day environment in Bloomington, though Ohio State often has almost as many fans as the Hoosiers when it comes to Memorial Stadium.
• Michigan's first-ever night game last season against Notre Dame was a smashing success, but the Wolverines will not go under the lights again this year in the Big House, as had been reported. But they will get their share of high-profile prime-time matchups, having to play Notre Dame and Nebraska on the road at night. The opener against Alabama in Arlington, Texas, is also expected to be a night kickoff. The schedule offers few breaks for Brady Hoke's team in 2012.
• Overall, I think it's a very strong prime-time schedule. I count five weeks with at least one really appetizing matchup, with the potential for much more. I'm already planning on not sleeping the night of Oct. 27.

What are your thoughts on the prime-time schedule?

We're reviewing all six spring games from the weekend in the Big Ten (Nebraska's was canceled). Let's move on to Indiana.

You can find coverage of the Hoosiers' game here, here and here.

Star of the game: Running back Isaiah Roundtree, who ran for two touchdowns, including a 63-yarder.

How it went down: The Cream squad beat the Crimson 19-16, but no official stats were kept and the scrimmage was moved from Memorial Stadium to indoors at Mellencamp Pavilion after one quarter, wreaking havoc on the media's ability to keep numbers.

Yet Roundtree, who transferred to Indiana from Morehead State, easily stood out. Head coach Kevin Wilson likes Roundtree but said the running back didn't have a great spring before Saturday, in part because of a sprained ankle. A healthy, engaged Roundtree could push last year's leading rusher, Stephen Houston, for the starting tailback spot.

Quarterback Tre Roberson ran for a touchdown, but neither team threw for a passing score. The defense played well around the goal line, forcing the offense to settle for repeated field goal tries.

"We’re playing better team defense,” Wilson told reporters. “We’re getting lined up cleaner, not missing assignments, getting more guys to the ball.”

Tight end Ted Bolser, who looked good in the spring practice I watched in Bloomington earlier this month, had six catches on the day. There's no reason why he can't become a big weapon for this team.

Last day in Michigan. Informative trip, and friendly hosts in Ann Arbor and East Lansing.

• Minnesota will set football aside this weekend to attend Gary Tinsley's funeral.
• Iowa could blitz more and use safety help to assist a young defensive line this season.
• Junior college transfers are bolstering Indiana. The Hoosiers still have a lot of questions (subscription required).
• Tim Beckman likes to put meals on the line and hopes his first Illinois team is hungry to win. The Illini will keep things vanilla for their televised spring game after practicing behind closed doors.
• Brady Hoke likes Michigan's physical play this spring.
• Jeremy Langford is getting a look at receiver for Michigan State and likes the move.
• Junior college transfer Mohammed Seisay is making his presence known at cornerback for Nebraska.
• Ohio State students can get a look at the Buckeyes on Saturday.
• Kawann Short is looking for a dominant senior season for Purdue.
• Bill O'Brien is known for offense, but he's tweaking the defense at Penn State, too.
• Joe Brennan and Joel Stave are battling for the Wisconsin quarterback job now and plan to compete for it once Danny O'Brien arrives. Cornerback Devin Smith is back at practice after an injury-filled season.
• Northwestern looks forward to holding a productive spring game.

It's a big weekend in the Big Ten, as seven teams will hold their spring games on Saturday. We're here to guide you through them all with previews of each team's fan-friendly event.

Let's take a look at what to expect from Indiana's Cream and Crimson Game:

When: Noon, Saturday

Where: Memorial Stadium

TV: The game will be streamed live over the internet by the Big Ten Network on both BTN2Go and The Big Ten Digital Network. The Big Ten Network will air the game Monday at 9 p.m.

Admission: Free. Gates open at 9:30 a.m. and fans are asked to enter at the west side of the stadium. All parking lots are open, and parking is free.

Weather forecast: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 73.

What to watch for: Let's face it: after a 1-11 season, what Hoosiers fans really want to see is pure competency.

Head coach Kevin Wilson played a ton of freshmen last year, many of whom are completing their first collegiate spring practice. As tough as the growing pains were in 2011, that youth movement should translate to some progress this season. The defense in particular must get better after giving up 37 points per game. Look for a little more aggressiveness up front, some sounder coverage in the back end and an experience and talent infusion at linebacker from junior college imports David Cooper and Jacarri Alexander.

Offensively, Tre Roberson looks like the future face of the program, but he has been pushed this spring by junior college transfer Cameron Coffman. Ideally, Roberson finishes off his spring with a bang and gives Indiana a major anchor to build around for the next three years, but may the best man win. The running back position looks a lot deeper as well, with leading 2011 rusher Stephen Houston joined by a healthy supporting cast.

With so many young players and so little success under their belts, no job can truly be considered safe in Bloomington. IU doesn't really have the depth to play a true spring game, but Wilson will be watching to see which guys can perform in a game-day-like setting

Hope you're having a better week than Bobby Petrino:

• The rich get richer: Ohio State got a commitment from one of the nation's top tight ends. Not to be outdone, Michigan received a verbal pledge from a blue-chip linebacker.
• The Wolverines are already thinking about Alabama and Ohio State.
• Wisconsin lined up in practice with tailbacks Montee Ball and James White on the field at the same time and could employ that look this season. Jon Budmayr remains upbeat about returning despite a long road ahead.
• Illinois assistant Billy Gonzales refuted a report that he was attacked by Percy Harvin while he was a coach at Florida.
• The role of the tight end could be making a comeback in the Iowa offense. Reese Morgan has a mighty challenge on his hands as he moves over to coach the defensive line.
• Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio says Le'Veon Bell is his lead tailback -- for now. Receiver Keith Mumphery is drawing some high marks in practice.
• Tre Roberson still needs to get better to hold onto the Indiana quarterback job.
• Bill O'Brien has made himself at home at Penn State.
• Minnesota reached a new stage of mourning by returning to practice, including Gary Tinsley's roommate, Keanon Cooper.
• The idea of a spring scrimmage against another team intrigues some Big Ten coaches, though Bo Pelini is an opponent.
• Tim Tibesar has brought some new defensive drills to Purdue.
• Traditional power backs could be going the way of the dodo, Rob Oller writes.
• Nick VanHoose nearly went to Indiana, and now he has a chance to start at cornerback for Northwestern.

The work is 10 dollars. The lie is extra.

• Fullback/tight end Zach Becker soldiers on for Illinois despite countless issues with his feet.
• Indiana's defense is trying to get back into attack mode (subscription required).
• Running back Damon Bullock will be under the spotlight at Iowa practice after Jordan Canzeri's injury.
• Michigan's Blake Countess is being held to a high standard as a sophomore. Al Borges talks about his philosophy of player development.
• Walk-on John Jakubik is making an impact at receiver this spring at Michigan State.
• Minnesota set aside its weekend practice as it mourned the loss of Gary Tinsley.
• Bo Pelini praised Taylor Martinez after Nebraska's Saturday scrimmage. A new look for the Huskers could restore the program's long reach. Sean Fisher is looking to make an impact at linebacker.
• Tony Jones says he's the fastest guy on Northwestern's team, and now he's looking to make up for a lost season.
• Excitement is building at Ohio State as players start to learn the spread offense.
• Penn State center Matt Stankiewich says the Nittany Lions are full of enthusiasm and energy this spring. The Penn State playbook is no longer simple.
• Purdue quarterbacks are trying out wearing gloves this spring, while a couple of cornerbacks are thinking pink.
• Georgia's president says the Big Ten and Pac-12 shouldn't get special treatment for the Rose Bowl in any playoff plan.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Tre Roberson's throwing arm was sore during Thursday morning's passing drills. And as far as Indiana is concerned, that's not a bad thing.

Roberson made a promising debut last season as a true freshman, starting the Hoosiers' final five games and showing off a strong mix of athleticism and poise. Now in his first college spring practice, Roberson is working on his passing. A lot.

"He's throwing it a ton," first-year Indiana offensive coordinator Seth Littrell said. "He's not fully used to it. He's always been a spread, run type of quarterback."

The Hoosiers know that Roberson can take off and run, but that's not the only thing they want out of a quarterback. Littrell and head coach Kevin Wilson come from the Mike Leach/Oklahoma offensive system, where high-percentage passing makes everything go.

Wilson said the two easiest ways for IU to improve on its 1-11 record this season is to become a high-efficient passing team and to get more physical overall. Roberson completed 57 percent of his throws during his rookie campaign, which needs to go up. The good news is, the talent -- and the pedigree -- is there.

"I do think he has a skill set where I'll be very disappointed if he doesn't become a complete quarterback," Wilson said. "He throws it well, his mechanics are clean and I think he plays like a quarterback.

"It's nice that he has good feet and can make some plays on the run and you can design a quarterback run or run the option once in a while. ... But I don't think we can be an elite team running zone read or pulling it all the time."

At the beginning of last season, Roberson's path to playing time appeared uncertain. He was third on the depth chart behind Ed Wright-Baker and Dusty Kiel. Hotshot recruit Gunner Kiel, Dusty's brother, had committed to Indiana in the summer.

But injuries and ineffectiveness by Wright-Baker and the elder Kiel allowed Roberson to become the first true freshman ever to start for the Hoosiers. In his first career start, on the road against Iowa, he completed 16-of-24 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown and ran for 84 yards.

"I just wanted to bring fun to the huddle," he said. "We weren't having a lot of fun last year. So I was just coming in and smiling and saying, 'Let's go. We can do this.'"

Football is in his genes. His grandfather, Larry Highbaugh, played defensive back at Indiana and later in the Canadian Football League, where he won six Grey Cups. Highbaugh was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Roberson said he used to see CFL trophies all over his grandfather's house growing up. But he really remembers watching his father, Gajuan, play semi-pro football on Friday nights.

Tre led Lawrence Central High School to the state championship game and won Indiana Mr. Football honors. Roberson always knew he wanted to go to Indiana, where two of his grandparents and a couple of cousins had attended. He committed when Bill Lynch was still the coach and kept his word even through the coaching change. The Hoosiers' less-than-stellar tradition never deterred him.

"I just felt like, if I came here I'd have the ability to help it change," he said.

Now he's the center of that effort to change things. Wright-Baker and Dusty Kiel both transferred in the offseason, and Gunner Kiel wound up at Notre Dame. Tre Roberson looks like the future at Indiana. His arm better get ready for lots of work.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Hello from John Mellencamp's favorite small town.

I've spent the afternoon catching up with players and coaches from Indiana and am about to go outside and watch Kevin Wilson's team practice. The Hoosiers were 1-11 last year, so they've got a whole lot of work to do. What's interesting to me about this team is that they played so many freshmen last year that this is still an incredibly young squad, but one with some valuable game experience.

Can Tre Roberson take the next step as a quarterback? Can the defense stop anybody? These are major questions surrounding IU this spring. Wilson told me that his team has a long way to go, but he likes the attitude and energy his players have had this spring. He and his staff are focusing more on teaching and team building than anything else, but at least they now have some players who understand what they're trying to accomplish. And junior college linebackers David Cooper and Jacarri Alexander are drawing praise from the coaches for the passion and effort they've brought this spring.

I'll have a video up shortly from here and will have much more on the Hoosiers tomorrow and in the coming days, so stay tuned.

I had to get these links done early so I could hit up a lunch buffet with Betty Draper.

• Super Bowl champ Dave Diehl came back to Illinois to help out the Illini and his buddy Luke Butkus.
• New Indiana defensive ends coach Jon Fabris has some really high standards (subscription required).
• Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg is adjusting to a new offense and a different style from offensive coordinator Greg Davis.
• Michigan's Craig Roh is finding his niche on the defensive line after yet another move.
• Le'Veon Bell must avoid complacency if he wants to remain Michigan State's No. 1 back. William Gholston has a chance to be unstoppable if he puts it all together.
• Minnesota cornerback Michael Carter is finally moving in the right direction after a sub-par first few years.
• Nebraska offensive lineman Seung Hoon Choi is trying to add a fitting final chapter to his interesting football journey. The Huskers are looking to Chicago for future quarterbacks.
• Northwestern's Tony Jones has overcome injuries to give the team's receiving corps a boost.
• Braxton Miller is taking on more of a leadership role for Ohio State. The Buckeyes picked up a running back for the '13 class.
• Penn State has a policy for renaming stadiums and roads after people. Derek Day has gone from walk-on to backup running back for the Nittany Lions this spring.
• Purdue's defense enjoyed some steaks thanks in large part to Ricardo Allen.
• Coming back from injury, Wisconsin receiver Marquis Mason hopes to make an impact this year. The youngest of the Watt brothers committed to the Badgers over the weekend.
• Athlon ranks the Big Ten coaches from 1 through 12.

Winter is coming.

• There's no such thing as an Iowa running back curse, no matter how much that might appear to be the case right now. Iowa transfer A.J. Derby is competing for the quarterback job at a Kansas junior college.
• Brady Hoke is pleased so far with the competition at Michigan this spring. Justice Hayes and some early enrollees are among the spring surprises so far for the Wolverines.
• "Shilique the Freak" could make an impact this year at defensive end for Michigan State.
• Year Two for the Minnesota coaches is leading to less stress and fewer mistakes at spring practice. A big hit highlighted Thursday's practice for the Gophers.
• New Nebraska defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski shows some intensity during practice. Ciante Evans feels more confident at nickel back this spring after a shaky 2011.
• Kyle Prater got his "welcome to the Big Ten" moment at Northwestern practice.
• Black Shoes Diaries breaks down the Penn State depth chart. A look at the Nittany Lions' early recruiting success.
• Bret Bielema thinks Danny O'Brien will make a smooth transition to Wisconsin. And Bielema refutes the notion that bringing in another transfer quarterback will hurt recruiting at that position.
• Urban Meyer has been pretty candid in describing his first Ohio State team.
• Kevin Wilson talks about Indiana's eighth practice of the spring.
• Purdue players Kawann Short and Eric Mebane show off a little musical skill.