ESPN College Football

As part of ESPN.com's Hate Week, we asked you on Tuesday to vote for the most hated coach of all time in the Big Ten.

Now to wrap up Hate Week -- and we promise it's only going to be love from now on in this space (ahem) -- here are some of your comments on that topic. Let's conclude the Haters' Ball with a bang.

Philip from Iowa writes: No question it's Jim Tressel. First, he wins a lot of Big Ten Championships so naturally everyone else hates him for that. Second, he lost twice in a row in the National Championship, embarrassing the conference on the national stage -- and it hasn't yet been rebuilt. To make matters worse, the 2 games were 1 where OSU was the overwhelming favorite (against FL) and the other was to a 2 loss team (LSU)! Finally, there is the Terrell Pryor saga that happens while Tressel puts out a book called "The Winners Manual for the Game of Life" There is no contest, every school in the Big Ten, including many OSU alums and fans, hate Jim Tressel. Not many coaches can manage that.

Bert from Portland, Ore., writes: Most hated Big Ten Coach.Bo Schembechler. I attended Northwestern during 1975-79 and the football program won five games during that time (with an infamous 0-0 tie agaisnt Illinois). Woody Hayes would bring his team to town and in the post-game conference at least say that Northwestern played hard. Schembechler would complain that Northwestern did not belong in the Big Ten and that Michigan did not make enough money when it played in Evanston. He was a jerk of the worst kind. I remember watching the Homecoming game in 1978 when, during a rout, Northwestern managed to score a touchdown on a trick play embodiment of a fake punt fairly late in the game. Schembechler started screaming at his players and looked like he was on the verge of having a heart attack. The Northwestern fans started chanting "Rose Bowl! Rose Bowl!" In fact, Schembechler was probably the only man in the world who could make me root for USC in the Rose Bowl (which beat Michigan that season). Woody could be gracious in victory and even humble in own way. Schembechler could accomplish neither.

Logan D. from Saginaw, Mich., writes: The most hated coach in the B1G, or who should be the most hated coach, is without a doubt Bret Bielema. The guy just radiates egotism. All you need to do is type his name into Google followed by "is" and you will know exactly what he's like from the suggested words. As a Michigan State fan, I'm not sure if I have ever been angrier with a coach than I was at the end of last year's Big Ten Championship game. After Wisconsin's punter made his Oscar-worthy dive to seal the game, I don't know if I've ever seen a coach as outwardly exuberant as Bret was in that moment. You would have thought his team just scored a touchdown on the most miraculous play in history. I don't know another coach that would be as excited over seeing a yellow flag in the backfield. Plus, not that the guy is in need of an ego-boost whatsoever, but what compels you to put up 70 on Austin Peay and 83 on Indiana? We get it. You can score a lot of points against bad teams.

Brad W. from Philadelphia writes: Most hated coach? Hayden Fry. Unsportsmanlike, completely ungracious, score-runner-upper, never giving the opposition any credit, moronic 3rd-grade stuff like the pink locker room ... just an unpleasant, vicious old man. Could never beat his butt often enough. Runners-up: Earle Bruce, Mike White.

Rich H. from Wayne, N.J., writes: Most hated coach ever? Woody Hayes without a doubt. Surly, unprofessional, a hick, temper tantrums and unpolished. Dial up an automatic loss in almost every bowl game he coached. Track record of more NFL busts than any program sans Nebraska. Unimaginative offense; never changed with the times either. Never scheduled a tough out of conference game regular season without a 2-1/3-1 deal. His famous bout with Ref Jerry Markbreit on the sideline circa 1971? Should have been fired right then and there. Of course 1978 vs Clemson and Mr. Baumann will live in infamy and is the most embarrassing complete breakdown of any major head-coach EVER and televised on national TV to boot. Good thing he wasn't around in today's day and age - that dooming episode would have gone virile in 20 seconds. Yet alums adore this basic jackwagon, go figure. Did I mention his graduation rate? Less than 70%. Should I continue? Nah, jury rests...

Paul from Johnstown, Pa., writes: Love the Hate! I nominate two coaches, one current and one former. First, Bret Bielema...a totally spineless, classless jerk. Runs up the score. Goes for 2 late in the 4th Qtr with games in hand. Whines, whines, whines, whines like a 5 year old. Loses to TCU with a completely loaded team. Makes tacky comments about how great it is to be a Badger fan when questioned about the situations at PSU, OSU and UM. Sprints across the field like a tool to shake hands quickly with opposing coach in total disprespectful fashion .Second, Bo Scumbechler ... yes, "Scumbechler." As a PSU fan, I have an obligation to hate this man for the lack of class he showed when PSU was brought into the B1G. His comments and efforts to exclude PSU and/or to make PSU's admission into the conference unwelcoming still boils my blood.

Danny from Davenport, Iowa, writes: Adam, as a Hawkeye fan it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep from hating Pat Fitzgerald. He may not be on the radar much outside of Iowa City and his body of work may leave some to question this hatred for PF. But, look at this from an Iowa fan standpoint. PF is a whiner and a coward. Take last year, for instance. PF hid behind one of his own players while that player took heat for admitting to the world that Pat Fitz hated Iowa with a passion. One cannot help but think that this is hostility boiling over from the injury incurred during a game when PF was still in pads. Grow up and get over it. Then, there was PFs whole twitter controversy, or should I say the "director of football operations" twitter controversy while he was "accidentally" logged into PFs account. SURE, man up.

Mark from Oklahoma City writes: John Cooper. I was born in Ohio in 1986. Growing up and watching the pain and anguish that John Cooper put on my father's face Saturday afternoons in late November during the 90s was enough to make me despise him. Interestingly, it's during the same period I grew to despise Lloyd Carr. I hated him more at one point until I went to Ohio State during the Jimmy T era which he spent a good amount of time of beating the same Lloyd Carr into "retirement" which cemented Cooper as my most hated coach. Go back to Arizona State, take Gene Smith with you. Give me a coach from Ohio.

Shawn from Minneapolis writes: You gotta admire talent, so I'm not picking on anyone who won, not even those [REDACTED] coaches from Michigan. Most hated B1G coach: Tim Brewster, with a pathetic record of (*googles* ... cripes it didn't feel like that many wins) 15-30 in FOUR LONG YEARS. Long live Coach Kill!

Zach from Lincoln, Neb., writes: In regards to your most hated coach ever...Can the worst coach not have ever coached in the B1G? I think universally, Bill Callahan (excuse my french) is the dirtiest word that can be spoken in 'sker country.

Joe P. from Chicago writes: My most hated Big Ten coach ever is John L. Smith. As a Spartan fan, it was bad enough getting regularly slaughtered by our rivals (and inferior programs like Indiana), but he made our program into a punchline. God Bless Dantonio.

Chris from Wisconsin writes: As soon as Urban Meyer entered the B1G he instantly became the most hated coach of all time. As a Badger fan, I didn't even really hate any coaches in the Big Ten over the years but wow do I hate Urban Meyer and I can't even figure out what it is. I can't stand the guy and he has yet to coach a game at OSU hoping Bielema runs up the score on him for many years to come "and for Urban many is about 3 which is how long I expect him to stay at OSU.

Robert V. from West Bloomfield, Meechigan, writes: Most Hated Big Ten Coach:Wayne Woodrow Hayes.

Travis form Midland, Mich., writes: As a Michigan fan, I would have to say I hate Jim Tressel the most. I was not alive during the 10-year war between Woody and Bo, so I don't hate Woody as much as some other Michigan fans. The biggest reason I hate Tressel the most would be the violations. Before "tattoogate" broke, I hated him, but I respected him for running an honest program. After the NCAA violations, I hated him and I lost most of my respect for him. Personally (and this might be my Michigan fan bias), I believe Ohio State went beyond just the tattoos. I believe that there were rule infractions as early as Maurice Clarett. To sum it up, I hate Jim Tressel because, 1. He coached at Ohio State, 2. He was extremely successful against Michigan, 3. He turned his back to NCAA violations and is labeled a cheater in my mind because of this. My second least favorite coach might just be Jerry Sandusky, for obvious reasons.

John from New Hampshire writes: Easy question: Lloyd Carr hands down without a doubt. His sideline ranting made it even easier to just despise Meeechigan. His BS screaming for more time on the clock won him a miracle game about five years ago when Penn State was in the Big House and winning till Lloyd's crying got the refs to make a historically insipient call, giving undue time on the clock and giving those hideously clad (...that bright yellow....) chumps the game - and costing my beloved Nittany Lions perhaps a perfect season.

Most Big Ten coaches label their jobs with a capital D for destination. When a head coach arrives on a Big Ten campus, he usually isn't looking for his next stop. Big Ten fans take pride in this.

The league has been largely immune from the wandering-eye coaches who leave programs at inopportune times for the next big thing. Even the Big Ten programs that could be classified as stepping stones haven't been left in the lurch very often in recent years. While it's not shocking that a Big Ten coach hasn't jumped to a different college job, it's a bit of a surprise that the NFL hasn't plucked one away.

The last Big Ten coach to voluntarily leave his team at a less-than ideal time was Nick Saban, who ditched Michigan State for LSU on Nov. 30, 1999. Saban had led the Spartans to a 9-2 record, a No. 10 national ranking and berth in the Florida Citrus Bowl. Although then-Michigan State athletic director Clarence Underwood praised Saban for putting the program "back on solid ground," Saban's departure put the school in a tough situation. Less than a week after Saban's departure, Michigan State promoted longtime assistant Bobby Williams to head coach, a decision that didn't turn out well.

After flirting with several bigger-name programs during his time at Northwestern, Gary Barnett finally left to take the Colorado job on Jan. 20, 1999, just weeks before national signing day. Although Northwestern immediately named Barnett's replacement, Randy Walker, the drawn-out saga wasn't much fun, given what Barnett had meant to the school.

But since Saban and Barnett, the Big Ten hasn't had any coaches voluntarily leave at bad times. There have been some midseason firings (Tim Brewster at Minnesota, Williams at Michigan State) and some late firings (Rich Rodriguez at Michigan, Glen Mason at Minnesota), but in those cases the schools, not the coaches, made decisions that put themselves in tough situations.

The most recent instances of coaches leaving Big Ten programs in tough spots involved two men who certainly didn't walk away on their own terms.

After months of scrutiny stemming from the tattoo/memorabilia scandal and his attempted cover-up, Jim Tressel resigned his post as Ohio State's coach on Memorial Day of 2011. Tressel stepped down just three months before the season and with spring practice all wrapped up. Ohio State knew it would be without Tressel for the first five games of the 2011 season, but his resignation under pressure left the program scrambling.

The school named 37-year-old assistant Luke Fickell, who had never been a head coach before, to the top job. After six consecutive seasons of Big Ten titles (won or shared), Ohio State went 6-7 under Fickell last fall, its first losing season since 1988 and its first seven-loss season since 1897. Ouch.

But the ugliest and most untimely departure was yet to come. Five days after former Penn State assistant Jerry Sandusky was arrested on child sex abuse charges, Penn State's board of trustees voted to fire longtime coach Joe Paterno. The date: Nov. 9. Penn State was 8-1 at the time, and 11 days earlier Paterno had recorded his 409th coaching victory, moving him past Eddie Robinson for the most wins in college football history. Hours before the board's decision, Paterno had announced he would retire following the season, his 46th as head coach. Instead, he was informed via telephone that his tenure was over, which triggered a backlash from Penn State students and fans.

The school promoted longtime assistant Tom Bradley to interim head coach. Bradley led the team during a hellish eight weeks that featured, among other things: a 1-3 record that knocked Penn State out of the Big Ten race; snubs by several bowl games who didn't want to deal with a p.r. nightmare; the announcement that Paterno had been diagnosed with lung cancer; a locker-room fight that left starting quarterback Matthew McGloin concussed and unable to play in the bowl; and a seemingly rudderless coaching search that took too long and put Bradley in an awkward situation.

In six months, two iconic Big Ten programs lost incredibly successful coaches under extremely messy circumstances.

A Big Ten coach bolting for an NFL job suddenly doesn't sound so bad.

Secondary NCAA violations happen with every FBS program on a semi-regular basis, but at Ohio State, after the past year, every error is magnified.

The [Cleveland] Plain Dealer recently obtained a list of all Ohio State's NCAA violations since May 30, 2011, the day Jim Tressel resigned as football coach in the wake of the tattoo/memorabilia scandal. According to the Plain Dealer, Ohio State reported 46 violations in 21 sports during the span, including secondary NCAA violations committed by new football coach Urban Meyer and athletic director Gene Smith.

Meyer admits to saying "good luck" to defensive line recruit Noah Spence during a Dec. 16 game, which violates NCAA rules prohibiting direct contact with a prospect during a competition. Spence, who originally was leaning toward Penn State before the child sex abuse scandal broke, ended up committing to Ohio State days after the game while on an official visit, and he signed with the Buckeyes in February. He's the nation's No. 4 recruit according to ESPN Recruiting and the highest-rated recruit in the Big Ten this year.

From the Plain Dealer:

Ohio State learned of the matter after seeing a newspaper photo that appeared to show Meyer saying something to Spence. Meyer also told Ohio State about the incident two days after the game.

"I went to say hello and good luck to his coach and as I was walking off the field Noah said, 'Hello,' and I said 'Good luck,' before the game," Meyer wrote in a text message to The Plain Dealer on Thursday. "Nothing more. Nothing to hide. All good."

The violations included nothing about Meyer and recruit Kyle Dodson, who signed with Ohio State in February. The Sporting News reported that Wisconsin had accused Meyer of impermissible contact with Dodson, who originally committed to Wisconsin before switching.

Smith and Archie Griffin, the former Ohio State star running back and current CEO of the school's alumni association, admitted to recording a personalized video for recruit Ezekiel Elliott before his official visit to campus March 31. Such videos are prohibited. Elliott committed to Ohio State during his visit.

Other football secondary violations range from the truly ridiculous -- assistant coach Mike Vrabel used smokeless tobacco on the sidelines during games, which violates NCAA rules prohibiting tobacco use during games or practices -- to the extremely common (assistant Stan Drayton accidentally sending a recruit a text message rather than an email last summer).

The only major violations included are the ones involving players being overpaid for work by former booster Bobby DiGeronimo. Those violations, combined with the violations from the tattoo/merchandise scandal, resulted in Ohio State losing scholarships and receiving a one-year postseason ban from the NCAA for the 2012 season.

There are a few ways to view the report, none of which are off base.

• The NCAA rulebook is pretty silly.
• Meyer and Smith have to be more careful, especially after what happened. Smith's violation is a bit puzzling. You would think he would have some hesitation about recording a personalized video for a recruit.
• Ohio State's compliance department, panned during the tattoo/merchandise scandal, is improving in monitoring and reporting issues.

"So many lessons learned throughout that entire challenge," Smith told ESPN.com last month. "You have to constantly look at, 'OK, what could we have done better?' What procedures do we put in place as we move forward? Be as transparent as we can. The biggest thing for us is identify, report and move on. That's what we’ve always done. There's some things we changed to make sure we don’t end up in that situation again."

Miss today's Big Ten chat? No worries, I've got you covered.

Here's the complete transcript from the hour-long rundown.

Some highlights:

John from Saginaw: Adam: How do you rate the quality of Big Ten football coaches coming into 2013 versus best historic conference comparisons? Are we at a high period, low period? Seems like the SEC fortunes shifted upward when they started to seriously invest in their coaching staffs relative to other conferences.

Adam Rittenberg: John, you bring up a good point about SEC schools investing more in their coaches (head coaches and assistants), and you're starting to see more of that in the Big Ten, which lagged behind a bit in paying top assistants. Joe Paterno and Jim Tressel obviously are big losses from a success standpoint. Urban Meyer, however, brings in a very impressive track record. The jury is out more on Bill O'Brien and Tim Beckman, but I think Brady Hoke is regarded as a much better coach now after turning around Michigan than he was at this time last year. I think the overall quality remains strong, but the Big Ten must continue to commit resources to coaches to keep pace with the SEC.

Hank from Washington D.C.: How do you see the Wolverines faring in their non-conference schedule (Bama, Air Force, UMass, @ND)?

Adam Rittenberg: I think Michigan will go 3-1 or 2-2, and there's a huge difference between those two marks. A 3-1 record with Alabama, Notre Dame and Air Force on the slate is pretty darn good in my book. Alabama and Notre Dame both pose challenges, and Air Force is a really tricky game. My sense is Michigan emerges 3-1. A 4-0 mark would be outstanding and put Michigan on the radar for the national title.

Greg from Indy: Everyone knows your stance on IU, sometimes good offense, bad defense. But can you breakdown the defense? Are there some areas where they're not as bad, some areas where they're terrible? Or is it all just bad?

Adam Rittenberg: Greg, I see a general lack of Big Ten-quality talent with Indiana's defense. That tends to be more exposed in the secondary, but when the front-seven pressure isn't adequate, often the DBs are left exposed. So the answer is the overall depth hasn't been where it needs to be. There have been some very good individual defenders at IU like Tracy Porter and Jammie Kirlew, but as a unit, the talent in all three areas hasn't been good enough. I remember seeing this in a game at Iowa in 2009. Indiana dominated the first three quarters but lost a few players to injury. Iowa then went nuts in the fourth quarter and ended up winning fairly comfortably. It's simply too easy to move the ball and score points on the Hoosiers. That needs to change.

Drew from Cleveland: Just looked at Kipers big board for 2013 and saw that he has Hankins listed but not John Simon. Do you think it's accurate to have him listed as a better pro talent rather than Simon? Is Gholstons bust in the pros going to ultimately hurt simon considering they are similar players?

Adam Rittenberg: Drew, haven't had a chance to look at Mel's list just yet, but I'm not that surprised to see Big Hank listed ahead of Simon. Defensive tackles with tremendous size and quickness are top commodities in the NFL draft, particularly in the first round. Simon, meanwhile, is more a tweener, lacking ideal size for an end but being a bit too small to play inside. That's taking nothing away from Simon's ability, his work ethic, etc. But the NFL draft is largely about measurables, and Hankins is more desirable in that manner.

John from WV: Hey Adam. Considering how badly their backfield has been plagued by problems, how competive will the Hawkeyes be this year?

Adam Rittenberg: John, the good news, as I often tell Iowa fans, is that the team hasn't had trouble developing quality running backs. Keeping them healthy and on the field is another story. But if the trend continues, Iowa will develop a back or two who can handle the rushing load. The offensive line will need to be better in run blocking than it was a year ago, and the offense likely will be more pass-heavy at the start of the season. But it wouldn't shock me if Iowa ends up surviving just fine at RB. The bigger issue, in my mind, is a defense that took a step back in 2011.

Thanks again for all of the questions, and my apologies to those whose questions weren't posted. Let's do it again soon.

Terrelle Pryor is trying to put his past behind him and become a successful NFL quarterback. But he's not finished talking about what happened at Ohio State.

In an interview with SI.com's Jim Trotter, the disgraced former Buckeyes star and current Oakland Raider offered a new perspective on why he sold his memorabilia for cash and favors, which eventually helped lead to the downfall of coach Jim Tressel and NCAA problems for the program.

Pryor was suspended for the first five games of last season and then decided to enter the supplemental NFL draft. He was later banned from associating with the school for five years.

"The reason why I did it was to pay my mother's gas bill and some of her rent," Pryor told Trotter. "She was four months behind in rent, and the (landlord) was so nice because he was an Ohio State fan. He gave her the benefit of the doubt and she said, 'My son will pay you back sometime if you just let me pay you back during my work sessions.'

"She ended up losing her job, and she and my sister lived there. Let me remind you it was freezing cold in November, December, and she's using the oven as heat. That's what I did as a kid. I was telling the NCAA, 'Please, anything that you can do. I gave my mother this so my sister wouldn't be cold, so my mother wouldn't be cold.' They didn't have any sympathy for me.

"It's not like I went there and bought new Jordans. It's documented. Whenever I write my book the proof will be in there, the receipt that the money I gave my mother was to pay the electric and heat bill. The truth is going to come out one day when the time is right. I don't think I deserved (being punished) in that way, because of the reason I was doing it. I felt like I was doing God's work in a way, and I was getting driven into the ground."

Your heart would have to be constructed of stone not to feel some sympathy for a kid trying to pay the rent and heating bill for his mother and sister. And we all know that the system is stacked against college athletes, who make millions for their schools and see little besides tuition in return.

But is Pryor really credible? One of the key parts of the Ohio State scandal involved Pryor and other players receiving tattoos in exchange for memorabilia. Unless body ink contains some heating ability I'm not aware of, it's hard to see how that helped his family. (Or, just possibly, Pryor has found the solution to our energy crisis: tattoo power!)

And remember this ESPN story that alleged Pryor made as much as $40,000 signing autographs from 2009-10? Was that "God's work?" Just how much was that rent and heating bill, anyway?

There's more from Pryor in the interview.

"It was humbling," he said. "A mistake I made when I was a freshman by selling my pants for $3,000 just took away everything from me. I was just driven into the ground. I was the worst person in the world. My face popped up on the screen, and it seemed like I was the only one who did anything. I was the only one who was getting attacked.

"At that point last year, I'm 21 and it just felt like everything was against me, like I can't do anything right. I did something to help somebody else out, and I end up getting into trouble. I understand. I shouldn't have sold the stuff and taken $3,000. But I was kind of in a place where I didn't understand why this is happening to me -- especially for the reason that I did it."

Again, there's at least a glimmer of something here with which we can emphasize. What Pryor and others did, selling their Ohio State rings, jerseys and other memorabilia -- things they earned, by the way, and which the school is more than happy to handsomely profit from -- is not the worst crime in the world, especially compared to some of the other scandals we've seen in college football in the past year alone.

Yet Pryor knew what he was doing was wrong and that it would hurt Ohio State. He often seemed like he felt bigger than the program. He admitted in the SI.com interview that "I had some type of ego with me" during his college days.

Pryor is not a super villain. He may have had some legitimate and understandable reasons for some of the rules he broke at Ohio State. Hopefully, he learned some important lessons.

But Buckeyes fans would like him to just go away. And the prospect of him writing a book, which he mentioned in the interview, has got to be highly unsettling for Ohio State supporters.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Like most coaches, Ohio State's Luke Fickell has neither the time nor the desire to look backward.

Fickell isn't going to publish his memoirs about his 182-day term as Ohio State's head coach last year, when he guided his alma mater through an adversity-filled season that produced subpar results on the field. After Ohio State named Urban Meyer as its head coach on Nov. 28, Fickell's life didn't exactly slow down. He coached the Buckeyes through their bowl game, interviewing for Pitt's head-coaching vacancy during the span, before opting to remain with Ohio State as defensive coordinator. When Meyer introduced his staff at a Jan. 15 Ohio State men's basketball game, Fickell received the loudest ovation.

Since then, Fickell has spent most of his time recruiting, with some coaching sprinkled in this spring.

"From the day after the [bowl] game, I pretty much started moving on into the next page," Fickell told ESPN.com. "Since then, we've had spring break off, so that was probably about the only time you may have had to reflect, but you were so far into everything else. ... Then again, I'm not a person that is going to dwell upon the past."

He might not dwell on what happened, but he hasn't forgotten, either. The unique situation provided lessons for a young coach.

"There's things you take from every experience, but especially that one," Fickell said. "Not just about being a head coach, but being in the midst of adversity. It's everything from how you react and respond to how others around you react and respond to how an 18-year-old reacts and responds, to a 22-year-old. There was an incredible amount of things learned, not just about what things would I do different, but more emotionally."

Fickell is back in the familiar role of assistant coach, a position he held at Ohio State from 2002 until Jim Tressel's resignation on Memorial Day of 2011. The 38-year-old shares coordinator duties with coaching veteran Everett Withers, and he'll also coach the linebackers, as he did from 2005-2010.

Fickell shared defensive coordinator duties with Jim Heacock before taking over the head-coaching duties, but Heacock was regarded as the unit's leader. The 2012 season marks the first where Fickell moves into the primary play-calling role, although he downplays the idea that he'll have more ownership with the defense.

"In 2002, it wasn't Mark Dantonio's defense," Fickell said. "It was Ohio State's silver bullet defense. In '05, when Jim Heacock and myself were doing our thing, it wasn't our defense. It was every bit [former assistant] Paul Haynes' defense and [former assistant] Tim Beckman's defense."

Withers has been a defensive coordinator at three FBS programs (North Carolina, Minnesota and Louisville) and boasts NFL experience with the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints. He also shares a kinship with Fickell after serving as North Carolina's interim head coach last season.

While Fickell stepped into a tough situation on Memorial Day, Withers' promotion came even later, as he took over July 28 for the fired Butch Davis. Although they occasionally joke around about their experiences, Withers, like Fickell, hasn't had much time to look back.

"When Coach Withers and I had some opportunities to sit down and spend some time together, there were no egos involved," Fickell said. "That's Coach Meyer's biggest thing. He said, 'The most important thing is I want an alignment with the staff.' ... That's why we've been successful here and been good, not just at Ohio State but on defense as well."

Fickell inherits a defense that returns nine starters, including All-America defensive end John Simon, but backslid at times last season. Although Fickell spent most of his time with the defense last fall, he's no longer burdened by head-coaching duties.

"He's awesome," Simon said. "With the passion and fire he brings every day, especially with his knowledge of defense, it's great to have him back."

The scheme will remain more or less the same -- "Nothing that anybody would notice unless you were really studying us," linebacker Etienne Sabino said -- and so are the demands.

"We always talk about, 'Be on the same page,'" Sabino said. "We can both look at a play and he'll ask me, 'Is that good or not?' And if I say no, he's probably thinking the same thing. We're on the same page. He would never let you get complacent.

"He's still pushing me just as hard as when I first walked in here. That's great."

Is it really May already? Can't believe it. Anyway, our first May chat is in the books. In case you missed out on the fun, here's the full transcript.

Some highlights:

lites from New Jersey: Lots of talk about Wisconsin and Iowa having to improve recruiting to maintain position at the top of the B1G, yet both (lately mostly the UW) have just fine, thanks, by following a method of development of 3* guys rather than fighting the true bigs for 5* guys. As Alvarez's experience several years back, isn't aiming too high a potential risk as much as a reward?

Adam Rittenberg: Lites, while I see what you're saying about high-level recruits, just because Wisconsin and Iowa are strong developmental programs doesn't mean they couldn't help top-level recruits become even better. Sure, you'll probably encounter more prima donnas -- or "hat dance" guys, as Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald calls them -- among the five-star recruits, but there are also guys who back up the hype. Wisconsin and Iowa have positioned themselves to at least aim for the best of the best. Their main selling point: recent NFL draft success. Both teams will continue to develop under-the-radar guys, but they shouldn't hold back from the best prospects, either.

Adam from B10 Country: What's the chance that Hoke has a crash landing this year, seems like last years schedule was as favorable as you could ever get and a lot of balls bounced the teams way, is 6-6 out of the question?

Adam Rittenberg: Adam, I think 6-6 is out of the question, but Michigan could end up being a better team than in 2011 with a worse record. The schedule is that taxing, and a 2-2 split with Alabama, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State would be impressive in my book. The Wolverines still have to play MSU at home. I'd put Michigan in the 8- to 11-win range this fall.

Joe from Columbus: Do you think Tressel will get into the college football HOF?

Adam Rittenberg: Joe, this is a fascinating question, one I might have to address in a lengthier blog post. My inclination is yes because time tends to heal some wounds and Tressel's accomplishments as a coach, both at Youngstown State and at Ohio State, would make him a shoo-in for the HOF. It depends on how his violations are viewed when it's time for the selections. But if I had to make a prediction, I'd say yes.

Michael from DC: Adam, there's been a lot of talk about the Michigan and MSU squads, but I feel like this has been done in a vacuum; nobody is talking about the matchups on the field. While Michigan's defense may not be quite as stout, I think it is relatively more stout compared to MSU's offense. UM (finally!) has depth in the back seven and MSU has a lot of questions at receiver, even if Arnett plays. I also think its DL will perform better than people think. On the other side, Michigan (for the first time since Henne) has a returning starter at QB running the same offense and a talented OL that I think will be able to run the ball against MSU, as its strength on DL is its pass rush. How do you see these matchups playing out?

Adam Rittenberg: Michael, I applaud you for making the discussion about the matchups rather than the typical meatball stuff I hear from both fan bases. I'm particularly interested in seeing Michigan's offense vs. Michigan State's defense. Both units could be among the league's best -- Michigan State's D might be the league's best overall unit. Michigan will need to make the Spartans defend the entire field and keep Gholston out of the backfield. The Lewan-Gholston matchup should be fascinating, and not just because of the stuff that happened last year. If Michigan's defensive line can take away Le'Veon Bell and the run game, MSU will have a tough time scoring points. Michigan boasts two strong corners in Countess and Floyd, and Michigan State's receivers have a long way to go. The Spartans have to be a run-first team in 2011, and Michigan will try to take away that element. Should be a lot of fun at the Big House.

Mystery Coach from B10 Country: I develop talent better than anyone in the conference, who am I?

Adam Rittenberg: You are Kirk Ferentz. But sometimes you are Bret Bielema. Depends on the year.

Thanks again for all the questions and comments, and my apologies to those who didn't make the rundown. Let's do it again soon.

Here's your hump day linkage.

• Check out the latest from the BCS meetings here and here and here. Dennis Dodd writes the Rose Bowl will have to relinquish more tradition to remain in the playoff mix.
• Looks like "The Victors" will play at JerryWorld after all on Sept. 1.
• No surprise here, but Michigan State quarterback Andrew Maxwell (knee) will miss the spring game. Spartans' NFL prospects look forward to a big draft weekend. Joe Rexrode writes about the first lady of Michigan State football, who recently passed away.
• Ohio State's Michael Bennett shares some interesting thoughts on the new coaches. Jim Tressel returns to Columbus but doesn't talk football. The Bowtie slams media outlets critical of Ohio State.
• Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio spearheaded the idea of spring scrimmages against other teams.
• Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz seems to be opening up to more new ideas. Ferentz's accessibility is a welcome change, Pat Harty writes. Iowa is in the market for more neutral-site football games.
• Brady Hoke discusses the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, Ohio State's academic majors sign and other topics. Michigan WR Junior Hemingway boosts his draft stock into the middle rounds.
• Rod Woodson discusses his Purdue career, the current Boilers program and other topics in this Q&A.
• Whitney Mercilus might not be Illinois' only early round selection. It doesn't make the waiting game any easier for Illini draft prospects.
• ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay says Northwestern QB Dan Persa is "limited" as a pro prospect. An interesting look at Northwestern's new partnership with Under Armour.
• Steve Heiser writes Penn State should stop scheduling non-league nobodies. Bill O'Brien's assistants hit the recruiting trail.
• More on the measure approving alcohol sales at TCF Bank Stadium. Some praise for Minnesota's new athletic director.
• Athlon Sports wonders whether Nebraska can win the Big Ten this season.
• Wisconsin's offense struggled in the two-minute drill Tuesday. The Badgers' A.J. Fenton has a new look, literally and figuratively.

Bye, bye, Blackhawks. You made this mess, Stan. Time to clean it up.

• New Minnesota AD Norwood Teague has to sell hope at the U. Minnesota hit a home run with Teague, Charley Walters writes. Teague's lack of football experience doesn't make him a poor choice, Chip Scoggins writes.
• No surprise here as Montee Ball won't play in Wisconsin's spring game Saturday. Some Badgers notes from coach Bret Bielema's news conference.
• Quarterback Matthew McGloin discusses Penn State's new offense in this Q&A. Paul Jones is very much a part of the team's quarterback competition. Penn State's mostly new coaching staff will be sporting a different look on the sideline.
• Michigan State and Michigan aren't shying away from tough nonconference foes. BTN.com's Tom Dienhart ranks the nonconference slates.
• Ohio State's big April on the recruiting trail continues. A spring game report card for the Buckeyes. Doug Lesmerises had better give Jim Tressel his sweater back after sharing his thoughts on Buckeyes football.
• Iowa's NFL draft prospects on defense have to prove themselves. The Hawkeyes' recruiting roll continues.
• Chris Spielman talks about his very personal new book.
• Alcohol will be served at Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium in special tents through halftime of games.
• Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard posts bond after being charged with felony assault. Dennard's troubles will test NFL teams' faith in Nebraska, which typically supplies solid defensive backs to the league.
• Some bad news for Michigan tight end and draft prospect Kevin Koger, who will be out 6-8 weeks with a partially torn Achilles. The Wolverines hope to add a coveted linebacker to their recruiting class today.
• Michigan State beat writer Joe Rexrode weighs in on Arkansas' hiring of John L. Smith.
• Some Illinois football notes in John Supinie's latest piece.
• The Orlando Sentinel looks at Indiana heading into the 2012 season.
• Northwestern players get dizzy with it after the spring game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- From his 10th floor office across the street, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith has an excellent view of the football practice fields next to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

Smith only attended three practices this spring -- a busier-than-normal schedule, highlighted by the men's basketball team's run to the Final Four, kept him occupied -- but he occasionally used his binoculars to check in on the team. When the Buckeyes resume workouts in August, he'll be a regular fixture on the sideline.

"I see things," Smith told ESPN.com. "And the players talk to me. Because of my background [Smith played defensive end at Notre Dame], they come and talk to me. I know when something's out of whack in that regard."

But Smith doesn't expect any issues to surface. He has full confidence in the way new head coach Urban Meyer manages his players.

Smith took notice of the recent Sporting News investigation alleging, among other things, that Meyer coddled star players, oversaw a program filled with drug use among players and let character issues get out of control during his time as Florida's coach. Smith encouraged Meyer to respond to the reporter, Matt Hayes, which Meyer did.

The report "disturbed" Smith because of its timing, not its content.

"It bothers me that there's a continued attack on him about something that happened supposedly two, three years ago," Smith said. "Where are we? I just don't get that. Those are things Urban and I talked about in the hiring process."

Smith addressed the number of Florida players arrested during Meyer's six-year tenure, which varied in media reports.

"There were reports of everywhere from 41 to 26 arrests," Smith said. "I never could figure it out, so I said, 'Urban, where are we at? What's the number?' We actually talked about the issues he had at Florida, talked about the behavioral issues he had at Florida.

"But he talked about his system. He has a system like you and I deal with. As an employee, we get rewarded when we do well. We get bad reviews when we do poorly."

Meyer acknowledges he gives preferential treatment to players who earn it through their commitment to the program both on and off the field. He plans to operate the same way at Ohio State.

"It reminds me of Ara Parseghian a little bit," said Smith, who played for Parseghian at Notre Dame, "in that he's rewarding the guys that ultimately commit themselves. Whether you're a 4.0 student or a 2.2 student, it doesn't matter. If 2.2 is your capacity, that's you, you still get rewarded. We had a long conversation about it, and I like it."

Most Ohio State fans could not care less about the allegations during Meyer's time at Florida, and there haven't been any major player-management incidents during his time with the Buckeyes. Yet the lone connection between the allegations and Ohio State is an important one. Many say Ohio State's recent NCAA maelstrom stemmed from the head coach (Jim Tressel) failing to rein in a key player (Terrelle Pryor).

While Ohio State has put measures in place to prevent problems, Smith reiterates he has full faith in Meyer and his staff.

"We have a compliance officer in the [football complex] now," Smith said. "He's in the building, right next to Urban's office. So that changes things a little bit. We continually talk about how we treat kids, not just in football but all sports. So I don't feel the need to micromanage that.

"I really have a great deal of trust in what they're doing."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Paul Haynes and Taver Johnson were among the coaches entrusted to guide Ohio State through a storm 2011.

The last thing the two men could have expected at their next coaching stop was another tempest. And, in many ways, a more damaging one.

Haynes and Johnson are part of an Arkansas staff left to pick up the pieces from the Bobby Petrino scandal. Johnson, the Razorbacks' assistant head coach/linebackers coach, is in charge until a head coach is named, while Haynes serves as the Hogs' defensive coordinator after leaving Ohio State in December. Johnson had a chance to remain with Ohio State but left to join Hayes in Fayetteville.

Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell, who served as the Buckeyes' head coach last season after Jim Tressel's departure, has been in touch with Haynes since the Petrino scandal broke.

"A very, very difficult situation," Fickell told ESPN.com on Thursday. "Different in a lot of ways, but similar in some ways, too. Everybody learned from last year, whether they were an administrator here, whether they were an intern, a defensive coordinator or a head coach, you learn a lot of different things, and it's going to help them in the long run."

Fickell and Haynes are close friends and remain in regular contact, as do their wives. Fickell hasn't spoken as often with Johnson, but he's confident the two men don't need his advice despite another difficult situation.

"Hell, they were here, they know what happened," Fickell said. "Now if the situation [at Arkansas] stays the way it is, before they start a season, I'm sure just like I had, they'll have an opportunity to communicate with some different people and pick some brains. Right now, they're probably just trying to keep the whole ship afloat."

Through some very choppy waters.

Coming at you a day later than normal, but better than never.

Ryan from Grand Rapids, Mich., writes: Hey Adam, How much of a true telling of Michigan's season is the Alabama game going to be? The more that I think about it, the more I begin to sense there are too many unknown factors on both teams for people to make automatic judgments for both Michigan and Alabama teams. That being said, do you feel that a Michigan victory would be a solid sign for another 11 or 12 win season?

Adam Rittenberg: Ryan, I agree that the first game doesn't answer every question about a particular team, and both squads undoubtedly will be improved later in the season. But teams can make national statements in Week 1, like LSU did last season against Oregon in the opener. A Michigan win would be absolutely huge for the program and for the Big Ten, which has struggled to beat the SEC's elite. I haven't hid my feelings about Alabama. In my view, it's the best college program in America and boasts the best college coach in Nick Saban. Any victory against the Tide, no matter what year or how many starters they've lost or where the game is played, resonates in my book. While Alabama certainly won't be Michigan's last major test in 2012, a Wolverines victory would be extremely significant.

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Michael from Happy Valley, Pa., writes: hi Adam, you may have already answered this but after your visit to PSU these past two days I have a new and refreshing question about none other than the QB race. What do you think the chances are that Paul Jones, with no game-time experience, is named the starter come september 1st? It sounds like a longshot, but from what I've been hearing around campus and other websites, PJ has been on fire in practice and seems like the real deal when it comes to quarterback. Did he stand out to you at the practice you attended moreso than McGloin (bolden's name shouldn't even be thought of in the QB face ever again or I lose faith in humanity)

Adam Rittenberg: Michael, while Jones remains very much in the mix for the starting job, I think Penn State fans should pump the brakes a bit on all the hype surrounding him. From what I saw this week, he still has some strides to make in a very complex offense, although he clearly has some excellent skills. Granted, I only saw one practice, but he didn't stand out above the others. I realize most PSU fans are sick of Bolden, but it would surprise me if he's not in the final two for the starting job after spring ball. He's a confounding player in many respects, as I saw him make some tremendous, NFL-type throws, but also some head-scratching mistakes. Consistency remains the big key, but I wouldn't write him off despite his struggles in games.

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Sam from Iowa City, Iowa, writes: Adam, you quoted KF: "Bottom line is we're 4-4 the last two years in conference play," he said. "If that's the best we can do, then that's fine. But we felt like we've left something out there."If thats the best they can do, thats fine? Two questions for you regarding that. First, is than an opinion that permeates the program (from the AD to the players) as far as you can tell from your time in Iowa City. And second, as a professional sports writer, do you think that is a fair of Iowa as a program, with or without KF?

Adam Rittenberg: Sam, I think Kirk's point is that sometimes, a team maxes out at 4-4. Some teams simply aren't better than 5-7. But Iowa has been better than that, in his mind, the past few seasons and has fallen short. When Ferentz first came to Iowa, the team's maximum output was lower than it has been in recent years. Ferentz has built his program on maximizing talent. In some years, the max is 10 or 11 wins. In other years, it's seven or eight wins. I don't think Iowa will have a team, talent wise, that would call a six-win season satisfactory. I also don't think Ferentz's quote means that the team has an attitude that 4-4 is OK. Players and coaches have bigger goals, like reaching the Rose Bowl and winning a Big Ten title. Ferentz's point is that Iowa must max out its ability, which means better than 4-4 in most years.

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Chris from Chicago writes: Every year we hear a lot of complimentary things about teams in spring/summer practice -- improved competition, "swagger," guys playing/looking hungry. And then the season starts, and many times this hunger/improvement/swagger is nowhere to be seen. When Adam/Brian visit a spring/summer practice, what do you look for to see if a team is actually looking better than it did the previous year?

Adam Rittenberg: Chris, good point about the optimistic nature of spring ball. I've yet to visit a spring practice where the team lacks confidence or expects to lose nine or 10 games. But I do look at body language, and when I'm allowed to see practices, I look for players who look different and play different than they did the previous season. At Penn State, for example, I wasn't closely studying players like Silas Redd and Gerald Hodges (both of whom looked great, by the way). I know they can play at an All-Big Ten level. I was looking for the up-and-comers, and also which position groups are showing greater depth. I also look to see how fluid a practice is, whether there are big plays on both sides of the ball and how many breakdowns occur. But you can tell a lot from meeting with players and coaches, listening to how they say things and how confident they sound about their team.

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Brian from Indianapolis writes: Call me ignorant, but what does "Silverstone the links" mean? Is it an inside joke, or something?

Adam Rittenberg: Wish it were, Brian. No, it refers to how Alicia Silverstone feeds her son. Click the link at your own risk.

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Tom from Lakeland, Fla., writes: Going into 2012 it appears that Danny Hope is the only coach on the hot seat. Any thought that Bobby Petrino could end up at Purdue?

Adam Rittenberg: Wow, that didn't take long, did it? I'll say this: Bobby Petrino will have opportunities in 2013. He's too good of a football coach, and there will be those willing to overlook his lying and transgressions because he can win football games. I don't get the sense Purdue would go that route, and AD Morgan Burke remains supportive of Hope, who he tabbed to succeed Joe Tiller. I also don't know if Purdue could pay Petrino what he'd likely demand.

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Jake M. from Chicago writes: Hi Adam. What makes you and Brian so sure that Urban Meyer will succeed with Ohio St.? While he was highly successful at Florida, he also had the opportunity to win with arguably one of the best college players ever (Tebow). It just seems as if OSU has already won a national championship with Meyer before he has even coached a game.

Adam Rittenberg: Jake, there's certainly a group that wonders how Meyer's Florida tenure would have gone had Tebow not been there. And it's fair to wonder whether he's receiving too much praise too early in his Ohio State tenure. My feeling about Ohio State is the program is set up to compete at the highest level and did for most of Jim Tressel's tenure. The damage from the NCAA investigation appears minimal, in part because of what Meyer did on the recruiting trail following his hiring in late December. There's almost a sense that Ohio State is too big to fail. That doesn't mean Meyer and his staff will have it easy this year. They have work to do, particularly with an offense that has underperformed in recent years and needs playmakers to emerge at the wide receiver spot. I like the young defenders returning, and Ohio State should make strides on that side of the ball. It's not as if Ohio State has been far away from winning another national title. Meyer's presence as an elite recruiter, and the more innovative offense he'll bring could be what puts the Buckeyes over the top. But they'll still have to earn it and win what is becoming a deeper Big Ten.

It is forbidden to Silverstone the links.

• Urban Meyer's time at Florida ended similar to Jim Tressel's at Ohio State, except without the NCAA violations, Doug Lesmerises writes. Buckeyes safety Christian Bryant has bought into the new coaching staff.
• The pain football brings is nothing compared to what Michigan State's Nick Hill went through in a tattoo parlor.
• Quarterback recruit Matt Alviti is deciding between Michigan State and Northwestern (subscription required).
• Mike Marrow is in the mix for Nebraska's top fullback job, while his dad serves as a grad assistant on staff. Former Huskers QB Cody Green wins the starting job at Tulsa.
• Purdue players Ishmael Aristide and Rob Henry reflect on their campaign for student government office.
• Scroll down to find this info, but Illinois' AD says the school wants to play a nonconference game in Chicago in years it doesn't visit Northwestern. The Illini defense is looking for more takeaways.
• Michigan's Brandon Moore is finally stepping into a leadership role for the tight ends.
• Some spring football thoughts on Michigan and Michigan State.
• According to Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema, Montee Ball isn't letting up this spring.
• Northwestern's Brian Arnfelt has high hopes for the defensive line in 2012.
• Minnesota resumes practice Tuesday following the tragic death of linebacker Gary Tinsley.
• Penn State's offensive players are learning a new language this spring. A look at Penn State's scholarship breakdown in relation to recruiting.

Actual, meaningful, on-American-soil baseball returns tonight, featuring the defending world champs. Huzzah!

• Michigan State RB Le'Veon Bell responds to the message sent by the coaches. Despite recent wrist surgery, Spartans TE Dion Sims is poised for a big year.
• Michigan CB Blake Countess hopes to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, while RB Fitzgerald Toussaint is working hard to keep moving forward.
• Penn State's tight ends are speaking a different language in Bill O'Brien's offense. Even without major improvement at quarterback, Penn State has ways in which its offense can get a lot better.
• Landon Feichter's Purdue career has been all about toughness, so it's tough for him to sit out this spring.
• Most Nebraska players are excited about the alternate unis. Colleague Mitch Sherman writes about two Nebraska legacy recruits who took different paths to Lincoln.
• Greg Davis isn't Ken O'Keefe, so that alone means change for the Iowa offense. The Hawkeyes' Torrey Campbell is doing double duty (football and track) this spring.
• One Ohio State fan bought this picture at a Tuesday fundraiser (that's Earle Bruce, John Cooper, Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer spelling O-H-I-O.
• A closer look at Northwestern's offensive line heading into 2012.
• Former Minnesota quarterback Tony Dungy addressed the team at Tuesday's practice. Minnesota DE Ra'Shede Hageman hopes to lead by example.
• Illinois starting CB Terry Hawthorne also will see some time at wide receiver this spring.
• Indiana assistant Kevin Johns is all about the details (subscription required).

Braxton Miller isn't taking a complete intro course this spring at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. But he's not merely taking a refresher, either.

Miller knows a thing or two about the spread offense Ohio State is installing under new coach Urban Meyer. He ran a similar system as a standout quarterback at Wayne High School in Huber Heights, Ohio. And even though he came to Ohio State to play in a different system under previous coach Jim Tressel, Miller has been billed by just about everyone as a perfect fit for the spread.

They might be right, but it still takes work and time to absorb the system and effectively run it at the college level.

"You've got to crawl before you walk," Miller told ESPN.com on Saturday.

Miller is still in the crawling phase as he goes through his first spring session with the new offense and the new coaching staff.

"Still got a long way to go," offensive coordinator Tom Herman told reporters after Saturday's workout. "He makes mistakes just like everybody else in a brand-new system."

Asked what stands out about Ohio State's new offense, Miller first talked about the pace. The days of 10-play, six-minute drives ending in field goals are likely over in Columbus.

The Buckeyes will go no-huddle and play at an accelerated tempo, using hand signals from the sideline to relay plays. Miller will have to check the backside defensive end on zone-read plays, shift protections and operate in a system based on pace and motion, similar to what he did in high school. But the terminology is different, and so are the demands from the coaches.

"It's much faster and more explosive," Miller said of the offense. "I love it, man. I love it."

Ohio State finished 107th nationally in total offense last season, and while its scoring numbers weren't quite as bad, only five teams averaged fewer passing yards than the Buckeyes, two of them service academies (Army and Navy). Miller earned Big Ten freshman of the year honors, started 10 games at quarterback and displayed dynamic running skills, but he only attempted 157 passes, the second-fewest among Big Ten starters.

Meyer's hiring galvanized Ohio State fans, but it's his offense that immediately caught Miller's attention.

"I was pretty familiar with the system he ran, so I was real excited about it," Miller said. "He's got a lot of knowledge. I’m learning from him every day."

Developing Miller as a passer is a chief priority for both Meyer and Herman this spring. Miller finished his freshman season on a good note, recording 32 of 48 passes for 397 yards with four touchdowns and an interception in his final two games.

But passing opportunities were scarce in Ohio State's ultra-conservative scheme, and like many athletic younger quarterbacks, Miller, who last fall led the team with 715 rush yards, relied on his running skills too much at times.

"I can’t get bundled up and so rattled up when somebody is rushing," he said. "I have to stand in the pocket and deliver the ball."

His challenge this spring is two-fold. He must learn the offense while better establishing himself as a leader on the field.

"It was a blessing," he said of playing so much in 2011. "The difference is playing with 22-, 23-year-old guys, and being a freshman. As the leader, they're looking at you. That’s what I’m working on going into this year. I feel more comfortable with what I'm doing right now. There isn’t that much pressure so far, so I’m going in every day, telling the guys, 'Let’s go. Let’s work hard today.'"