ESPN College Football

Hump day linkage:

• Michigan AD Dave Brandon not only doesn't favor using campus sites for semifinal games, he doesn't think they should be played in the Midwest anywhere, not even indoors. Huh?
• Pat Harty argues that the Big Ten should go to geographical divisions to avoid some of the gaps between rivals on the schedule. Dallas Clark might be the best story of the Kirk Ferentz era.
• Bruce Feldman has an excellent story about how two dirty plays don't define Michigan State's William Gholston.
• Steven M. Sipple looks at some of the candidates to eventually replace Tom Osborne, including recent hire (and former Huskers player) Jamie Williams. Nebraska picked up its first offensive lineman in the Class of 2013.
• Joe Paterno earned a state pension of more than $13 million during his 61 years at Penn State. A look at four big recruiting targets for the Nittany Lions this summer. Rob Bolden is staying put.
• Purdue got a $2 million donation that could go toward some improvements at Ross-Ade Stadium (but not lights).
• Tom Dienhart breaks down the best of Week 2 in the 2012 Big Ten season.
• Minnesota's Jerry Kill shared some optimism at a Rotary Club event.
• A planned SEC Network could eclipse the revenues of the Big Ten's similar venture.
• Gene Smith says Ohio State's athletic department is in its "glory years."
• Stewart Mandel talks realignment and playoff possibilities in his SI.com mailbag.

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.

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.

Former Penn State football player Adam Taliaferro, who recovered from a devastating spinal cord injury in a 2000 game and later became an attorney, is one of three new members elected to the school's board of trustees.

Election results were announced Friday after more than 37,000 votes were cast. Taliaferro and two others, Anthony Lubrano and Ryan McCombie, begin serving their three-year terms July 1. Lubrano was especially critical of the board for its handling of Joe Paterno's firing in November.

The board had two open seats, one vacated by Dave Joyner, now the school's athletic director, and trustee Ann Riley lost her re-election bid.

Taliaferro, who received the highest vote total (15,629), played for the late Paterno and defended his former coach after Paterno's firing in November in the wake of the child sex abuse scandal. During his campaign, Taliaferro talked about being as transparent and as accessible as possible to alumni.

"Being an outsider, you can't see everything,” Taliaferro told The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News in March. "How are decisions made? How are the calls made? Once I'm on the inside, and I can see that, I could say if there needs to be restructuring."

Ivan Maisel: Bill O'Brien, a longtime Patriots assistant, is getting used to college players again. He's also trying to strike a balance between respecting the past and moving forward at Penn State. | Video

Adam Rittenberg: Penn State has experienced unparalleled turmoil in the last five months, starting with the scandal that rocked State College through its first spring without Joe Paterno. But the players have shown a resiliency that should benefit them come fall.

Dana O'Neil: Penn State basketball has always needed football. Men's hoops coach Patrick Chambers knows this. What's different now? Football, with new Nittany Lions coach Bill O'Brien at the helm, needs basketball, field hockey and just about everything else more than ever.

Thanks to those who sent in opinions on the Joe Paterno stadium/field naming issue at Penn State. I've included several at the bottom of the mailblog.

Let's get going.

Bill T. from Ottawa, Ill., writes: As a Purdue Alumnus I have watched in agony over the past several seasons as Purdue fell short of all our fans' expectations. I find it absolutely frustrating that Danny Hope claims he is going to use Terbush and Marve this upcoming season...again. Don't you think that it destroys the momentum of the team offensively and also shatters the confidence of both quarterbacks? Additionally I have read all the buzz about how we are a sleeper team in the Big Ten. I would really like to express that we have traditionally struggled against Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio State (even at the height of the program at the turn of the century). What makes you guys think this year is going to be different? We have returned a ton of starters before and sputtered (2004 and 2005). Do we really deserve sleeper status?

Adam Rittenberg: Bill, I certainly understand the philosophy that two quarterbacks equals no quarterbacks. That said, I'm interested to see how Hope employs his signal-callers when all three, including Rob Henry, are healthy. He always has had a lot of confidence in Robert Marve, and Marve hasn't been healthy during his time at Purdue. If Marve plays to his capabilities at 100 percent, I'd imagine Purdue will stick with him at quarterback. The wild card in my mind is Henry, who had an excellent offseason in 2011 and would have been the starter if not for his own knee injury. As for the sleeper status, the Leaders division is wide open and Purdue returns nine starters on both sides of the ball. Purdue also has shown flashes of taking the next step, particularly with its two victories against Ohio State under Hope. Now I'm hardly sold on the Boilers, who make too many major mistakes in all three phases to consistently win against upper-tier teams. But if Purdue can get more consistent in its play, it can do some damage. Talent doesn't seem to be the issue in West Lafayette.

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Adam from East Lansing, Mich., writes: As a Michigan State fan, when I heard JLS was hired at Arkansas I was in shock. This is the last person I would ever hire to drive a top 10 team to an SEC title. JLS has been known to blow it with good teams and although he gave MSU a pulse and hope to start a season, we would always blow it in some fashion. From the biggest comeback ever (at NW) to the Ohio State FG and Notre Dame night game collapse, JLS has proven he is not a steady coach. I guarantee you this though, they will beat Alabama or LSU at home for a program victory (but then somehow lose to Vanderbilt at home the following week). Do you think JLS can finally be a steady coach?

Adam Rittenberg: Adam, you bring up some excellent points here. While I understand why Arkansas went with John L. Smith, who brings years of head-coaching experience not found among the remaining assistants, I completely agree with you about the unsteadiness of his personality. He's a treat to cover and always provides great sound bytes, but his colorful personality has reflected in his team's play, at least at Michigan State. Now John L. had success elsewhere, namely Louisville, but the fragility of his teams at Michigan State cannot be overlooked. Arkansas is an extremely talented team with some veteran leaders, but the players have been on an emotional roller-coaster after the Petrino scandal. I would think they'd be better served by a coach known for his steady demeanor, rather than one best remembered for slapping himself and going ballistic during a halftime interview at Ohio State.

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Michael from St. Louis writes: Nebraska just received a verbal from a kid named Courtney Love. How long before the Hole/Nirvana jokes get really old?

Adam Rittenberg: It will be a tough call between Courtney Love and Taco Charlton for the captain of our all-name recruit team for 2013. It's too bad both Courtney Love and recent Wisconsin recruit Hugs Etienne both play defense. That would be a fun matchup. Oh well, whatever, never mind.

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Samuel from Iowa City, Iowa, writes: Adam, just started reading your post on Gene Smith and Urban Meyer and I had to stop to get a question in. Smith ONLY attended three practices this spring? Smith will be a fixture on the sidelines in August? Am I only the only who isn't very comfortable with an AD spending so much time on, let alone being so CLOSE to, one of his programs? I realize football is the cash machine, so it consumes most of his time. But it seems to me a heathy distance from the football program is necessary for an AD to be an objective chief executive officer.

Adam Rittenberg: Sam, while I see what you're saying, I don't think Gene Smith is too involved with the football team by attending practices. Keep in mind he's a former football player himself, so he has a unique connection to the game and to the players. I agree that ADs must be careful not to micromanage or be too involved in one of their programs, even if it's their most important sport. But I don't think Smith is crossing that line. It's also important that he keeps tabs on things after the NCAA situation, something he and Ohio State never want to go through again. There definitely have been instances of ADs meddling with football, even in the Big Ten, but I don't think Smith is overstepping his bounds.

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Mike from Superior, Wis., writes: Hey Adam, when I'm reading this blog and I see schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, even Minnesota, scheduling high profile, or at least higher profile non-conference games against really good opponents, it makes me wonder why does a school like Wisconsin fail to do the same with it's non-conference schedule? I don't understand why they wouldn't want to do the same to increase their exposure more and have a shot at getting some serious quality wins. Thoughts?

Adam Rittenberg: Mike, this isn't a new issue for Wisconsin fans, but it remains a point of contention in Badger Land. I don't get the sense Barry Alvarez is going to dramatically upgrade the Badgers' non-league schedule as long as he's AD. Wisconsin got a bit unlucky with teams like Oregon State, which has been pretty decent until recently, but you don't see the "wow" games nearly enough with the Badgers. I do like that Wisconsin recently added a home-and-home series with Washington, part of the Big Ten-Pac-12 partnership. But it'd be nice to see more. We've heard about potential games with teams like TCU and Notre Dame in recent years, but they haven't come to fruition. While Wisconsin isn't exactly struggling for exposure, it could certainly benefit from a few more showcase opportunities.

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John from Prince William County writes: Adam, while the Big Ten clearly has underperformed since 2000 as opposed to the pre-BCS years when it was indisputably the top conference in the country every year from 1992 to 2000, you exaggerate the fall off. While not as dominant as it was, the Big Ten has been the best conference in the country during the BCS era just as it was prior to and is the nation's top conference more often than not.

Adam Rittenberg: Wow, John, and I thought your Penn State comments were insane. How is the Big Ten the nation's best conference in the BCS era? One national title and three Rose Bowl wins in 14 years. How is that exaggerating the drop-off? Those are the facts. The Big Ten isn't the nation's worst major conference by any means, and there are some inherent disadvantages the Big Ten faces regarding bowl locations, etc. But c'mon. The Big Ten isn't the league it was in the mid to late 1990s. The Big Ten is typically a top-3 conference with the SEC and Big 12 or Pac-12. But it will take several national titles for the Big Ten to claim to be the nation's top league again.

Now for some thoughts on Joe Paterno and Beaver Stadium ...

Bernie from Princeton, N.J.: If the university wants to do the right thing in honoring Joe Paterno they will name the field or stadium after him WITHOUT the family signing off on the gesture. The university, specifically the Board of Trustees, acted in a tremendously dishonorable fashion during a very difficult time, but that does not proclude them from being held responsible by the Paterno family if they choose to take some sort of legal action at a later date. The university is trying to save face with the alumni and Paterno family rather than doing the right thing.

Alex from Henry, Ill.: Adam, I may be a UT Longhorn fan, but i am a constant reader of all the blogs here on ESPN.com. Joe Paterno was the face of Penn State up until his dismissal from the university. I think that Beaver Stadium should eventually be named Joe Paterno Stadium, but it should not be for a reason as silly as to avoid a law suit. It should be named after him because of the forty-five years that he was the head football coach and not to mention the fifteen more he was an assistant. Sixty years at the same university is unheard of in this day. It should be because of the 409 wins including 24 bowl wins. If you aren't going to rename it because of his achievements on the field, do it for his achievements off the field. He donated A LOT of money to the university.

Mike from Allentown, Pa.: Hi Adam,Regarding the Stadium/Field naming. As a Penn State Alumni I think the idea of "Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium" is a bit outlandish. Nobody will remember that as the full name, and if you need evidence just ask a Florida State fan. How many times to you hear "Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Walker Stadium"? Hardly ever. I think the library having his name is good, but maybe they could add another building possiblye one frequented by English majors? That, or they just rename the whole stadium, like Alabama, to Beaver-Paterno Stadium. However, if they do not rename any buildings/stadiums, I don't think it that takes away from everything Joe did for 62 years. His name is on the library, and really he cared more about books than wins.

Howard from New York: Joe Paterno did so much more for Penn State than just create a college football brand. He was about education, charity and then football. Look at the former players that have come to his defense. Not a single bad word mentioned from any former coach or player. The stadium should be named after Joe for the fans who loved him. That would be the library and the stadium..that's a first. Enough said.

Jerry from Kelayres, Pa.: I don't know about renaming Beaver Stadium. If the fans want it, fine. But for the board to use this offer to ameliorate the family for slandering JoePa, is just buying the Paterno family favor.The facts are on Paterno's side. He was unjustly associated with somehow enabling Sandusky to do what he is accused of. A clear view of the facts show JoePa is innocent and could harm no one let alone innocent young boys.JoePa's reputation must be clear first before they do anything to justly honor JoePa.

Penn State will honor the late Joe Paterno in some way this fall. The school also doesn't want to be sued by Paterno's family because of the way it fired the legendary coach in November.

The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News reports Penn State officials offered to rename Beaver Stadium after Paterno in hopes of receiving a full release from the family, which would prevent them from suing the school or publicly criticizing the situation. Penn State's informal proposal following Paterno's death also included an apology for how Paterno was fired (over the phone) and the honoring of his contract with the school, which took place late last week.

But Paterno's family declined the stadium naming offer. Joe Paterno never wanted it when he was alive.

From the Patriot-News:

A source close to the Paterno family says renaming the field would still be "a tremendous and humbling honor," but it "has always been a fan-driven matter. It was never important to Joe."

Paterno was uncomfortable with the statue of him placed outside Beaver Stadium, which depicted him holding is index finger in a No. 1 salute. A source told The Patriot-News, "The idea he'd be out in front of that stadium with a No. 1 finger is crazy. He always showed a closed fist."

Tensions remain between Paterno's family and the university, as confirmed in a statement issued Friday by the family that took issue with claims that it had reached a settlement with the school.

The field/stadium renaming plan remains popular among many Penn State fans. A father and son circulated a petition during the Blue-White festivities this week that called for the field at Beaver Stadium to be named after Paterno. According to The Patriot-News, two of Paterno's sons, Jay and Scott, signed off on the petition, which received close to 60,000 signatures before the Blue-White Game. Paterno's family would agree to the naming if it was done for the fans.

It's clear the ongoing tension makes any tribute to Paterno an especially delicate issue.

What's your take? Send your responses here.

If Corey Crawford were writing these, they'd be called lunch leaks. Brutal.

• Penn State has fired assistant AD Mark Sherburne, according to the Centre Daily Times.
• MarQueis Gray knows he was horrible at the start of last season, but the Minnesota quarterback has grown up both on and off the field. The Gophers have plenty of questions to address in their spring game.
• Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema talks coaching turnover, expectations and married life in this Q&A with Tom Dienhart. Badgers offensive lineman Ryan Groy helped recruit Danny O'Brien to Mad-city.
• Penn State has started the healing process on the recruiting trail. Stefanie Loh wonders what if Joe Paterno had retired after the 2009 Rose Bowl. Some bad news for the Lions as linebacker Jamie Van Fleet reportedly suffered an ACL tear.
• The offense wins Michigan State's second spring scrimmage, thanks in part to running back Larry Caper. Keith Mumphrey is emerging as a weapon at receiver for Michigan State. BTN's Gerry DiNardo talks about why he thinks MSU is the team to beat.
• The Scarlet team looks like the favorite in Ohio State's spring game. Urban Meyer says the questions about his health are "old news." The NFL Network reports former Buckeyes tackle Mike Adams tested positive for marijuana at the combine.
• Michigan isn't sending its marching band to the opener at Jerry World, citing travel costs. Ricky Barnum has adjusted to playing center this spring, but Michigan's offensive line still must improve as a group. Former Michigan star David Molk says his height is the only thing holding him back in draft evaluations.
• Iowa defensive lineman Dominic Alvis expects to be full speed by June following an ACL injury.
• Illinois coach Tim Beckman tries to spur the Illini-Northwestern rivalry.
• Freshman defensive end Deonte Gibson stood out for Northwestern this spring.

Penn State on Thursday announced it has provided Joe Paterno's estate more than $5.5 million in payments and benefits to settle the late coach's contract. The school says it finalized the remaining payments due to the coach, who was fired in November in the wake of the child sex abuse scandal and died in January.

Despite the large payout, Paterno's family denies that it has settled with Penn State, saying through its lawyer that it declined a request for a full release. Paterno family lawyer Wick Sollers released a statement that notes Penn State made "a straightforward payment of moneys indisputably owed to the Paterno estate. The university had requested that the family agree to a full release in return for the payments under the contract. That request was declined and no release was signed."

From the Associated Press:

A breakdown of the payments provided by the school included: a career bonus of $3 million, an annual bonus of $425,000, the use by Paterno's family of a Beaver Stadium suite for 25 years valued at $1.5 million and $900,000 from television and radio revenue from last season.The deal also pledges payments to the coach's widow, Sue Paterno, of $1,000 a month for life, and gives her on-campus parking and access to university hydrotherapy equipment. ...

Other elements of the package include a final paycheck of $34,000, a death benefit of $51,000, a bowl bonus of $50,000, and $350,000 -- payable over five years -- under a 1986 consulting agreement. The university also agreed to forgive $350,000 in outstanding loans and debt. No explanation was provided regarding Paterno's debts to the school. While the school said in a news release that the total value of the package was "over $5.5 million," added together the various elements are worth about $6.7 million.

Penn State holds its Blue-White Game on Saturday, and some are planning tributes to honor Paterno, including one urging fans to wear black shoes to Beaver Stadium.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Greetings from central Pennsylvania, where I'll be spending the next few days with coach Bill O'Brien and the Penn State Nittany Lions.

If I listed the number of changes that have occurred since my last visit here in September, I'd be typing for days. It's a historic time at Penn State as the program is under new leadership for the first time since 1966, as O'Brien takes over for the late Joe Paterno. The fallout from the sex abuse scandal, Paterno's dismissal and the response of university and state officials to the situation remain major issues, but spring practice has shifted some of the attention back to the field.

Penn State is spending the spring installing new systems on both sides of the ball, as O'Brien brings in his offense from the New England Patriots and Ted Roof implements a defense based on being "multiply aggressive." The early feedback from players seems to be positive, and Penn State is practicing at an accelerated pace. I'll be checking out practice late this afternoon -- a first for me at Penn State -- and I'll be particularly interested in the quarterbacks, offensive line, tight ends and defensive backs.

The quarterback position will be spotlighted throughout the spring and summer, as O'Brien and assistant Charlie Fisher look to upgrade a spot that has declined since 2009. Unfortunately, quarterbacks and assistant coaches aren't available to the media until after the Blue-White Game, but I'll pass along what I learn.

I'll be visiting with O'Brien and some players today and Tuesday, so check the blog for more on the Nittany Lions.

Time to take a break from Day 2 of my Hoosier State adventure and answer some of your emails:

Brian from Atlanta writes: Why are you two always so wrong about every issue surrounding a playoff? Every system has problems, and the four team plus is no worse than the others in that regard. A 4 team playoff has lots of problems (EX. If a 1 loss team beats an undefeated team in the semis -- why does that loss count more?), and it hurts the Rose Bowl. You playoff proponents put blind faith in the system to accurately pick the top 4 teams and seed them, but somehow think that same system would fail after the bowls. That makes no sense. Either the system works all the time or none of the time.

Brian Bennett: Well, Brian (great name by the way), I can give you a very simple answer as to why the proposed plan to include the Rose Bowl in a playoff is dumb: It's being called, as you mentioned, a "four-team plus." How ridiculously convoluted does that sound? And that's the very point: We've finally gotten to a place where the powers that be are very open to the excellent idea of a four-team playoff and now there's an option that would muck up the whole thing.

No playoff system is perfect; there are those who would argue that the NCAA basketball tournament doesn't always crown the best team because of its single-elimination format (though the bracket did a pretty darn good coronation job this year). But a four-team, seeded football playoff where the best teams qualify is as good as we're going to get. Let's not ruin it before it begins.

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Scott from East Lansing, Mich., writes: Brian, I think the talk about the Pac-12/Big Ten partnership making it harder for either of the conferences to reach the title game is unjustified. I think it would make it more likely that a team from one of those conferences would go. You need to run a stronger schedule to convince people to get into the championship game, and these match-ups would only make it more likely that the most dominant teams in both conferences could make it to the BCS title game. Am I right or are people seeming something I am not? Also, I am so stoked for the MSU/Oregon series!

Brian Bennett: What the Pac-12/Big Ten series does is potentially make it harder to go undefeated. And going undefeated is the surest way to get into a four-team playoff, because there's no way a team from either league that goes 13-0 would be left out. Adding another difficult game only increases the chances for a loss. Though it does add to a team's strength-of-schedule argument, that would really only come into play if a one-loss Big Ten or Pac-12 team was trying to lobby its way in against other one-loss or non-power-league teams.

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Brian from Newmarket, United Kingdom, writes: I was curious on your thoughts regarding Don Van Natta Jr's article on Penn State? Do you feel differently about JoePa's firing? Seems like Joe may not have been as guilty as everyone says and there was some other shady things going on.

Brian Bennett: Cheers, Brian (great names in the 'bag today!). The story was a fascinating look at all the political and behind-the-scenes power struggles going on in the context of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. But it doesn't really change my opinion of whether Joe Paterno needed to be let go. I've said all along that virtually no one in this entire saga -- not Paterno, not Penn State administrators and trustees, not the governor, not the original investigators -- comes off looking good in this whole mess. I still believe Paterno should have done more and that he could not have been allowed to coach another game under the circumstances, though the way his dismissal was hired by the trustees was also handled very poorly.

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Ben from Connecticut writes: OK, I give. Every article involving Jim Delany always -- always! -- refers to him as some flavor of "powerful." Just what makes him so powerful? Is it simply the title of Big Ten commish or something more? Chutzpah? Dirty pics of Mike Slive? I'd love to know how, if the rest of the world wanted to do something, he'd be able to stop it.

Brian Bennett: He has pictures of Slive eating Chick-fil-A on a Sunday. Actually, Chris, in some respects anyone who is the commissioner of the Big Ten (or the SEC) is going to wield enormous influence simply because of the league he represents. The Big Ten might not be winning national titles in football right now, but it still has a tremendous financial impact on the sport. That said, some milquetoast commissioner wouldn't have the same respect as Delany has. He's been extremely successful and is always going to be one of the brightest guys in any room. The rest of the power brokers need him and the Big Ten to make this playoff system happen.

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Grant from Detroit writes: Thanks for your interview piece with Pat Narduzzi. From your experience with the B1G D-Coordinators, is there a better one in the B1G? And I don't mean that I want you to point out DC's whose teams are successful. I am asking if there is another DC in the conference who has done more with such unheralded recruiting classes. I don't think it takes a great coach to maintain the play of great recruits. I think a great coach sees the talent where others don't and grows that talent into true greatness.

Brian Bennett: I've been impressed with his work since I covered Cincinnati over on the Big East blog, and many of the players that he coached played major roles in getting the Bearcats to BCS games under Brian Kelly. Narduzzi is very bright, a great motivator and one of the best in the business. You also can't discount the impact of Mark Dantonio, who's a defensive-minded coach (and a former brilliant defensive coordinator himself). I think it's the combination of those two guys and their working relationship that has made the Spartans' defense so good.

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Cam from Columbus, Ohio, writes: Love the blog and all, but in your Week 9 road trip post, you said that Michigan State-Wisconsin has become the most exciting new rivalry in the B1G. With all due respect, I wholeheartedly disagree. I would say Ohio State-Wisconsin has become a MUCH more intriguing rivalry in recent years. Ohio State's only loss of the regular season coming in Camp Randall in 2010, followed up by a last-minute upset of the Badgers in the Shoe in 2011, and some poisonous feelings that definitely are felt in other sports too (see: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin basketball final seconds; timeouts BETWEEN last second freethrows? Cold.). Now that both of these teams are possible "elites" again, what do you think about their budding rivalry and its effects on the B1G as a whole?

Brian Bennett: I love college hoops as much as anybody, but I don't think you can include that in this discussion. Michigan State-Wisconsin gets the nod for me because they played two thrilling, monumental games last year; because the Spartans ruined Wisconsin's shot at a perfect season in 2010; and because the two teams staged very close games in the previous three years. Other than last year's barnburner in Columbus, the Wisconsin-Ohio State series hasn't been nearly as close, as four of the previous five games were decided by double digits. So Spartans-Badgers is more exciting, though this year's Ohio State-Wisconsin game could easily ratchet things way up.

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A.J. from Madison, Wis., writes: If the Badgers had their 2012 schedule in 2011, would they have gone undefeated in the regular season? They would have gotten OSU and MSU, their two losses, at home but had to play Nebraska and Penn State on the road.

Brian Bennett: Really interesting question. Wisconsin absolutely pounded Nebraska and Penn State at home, so logically you could assume the Badgers would have won those games on the road, too. And Camp Randall would likely have provided enough of an advantage to change the outcomes against Michigan State and Ohio State. But here's why I say no: Wisconsin is simply so, so much better at home that the odds are the Badgers would have slipped up somewhere on the road, where they undid themselves with special-teams disasters and mental breakdowns in the two regular-season losses last season.

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Brian from Warrensburg, Mo., writes: Can you please explain why you guys think Michigan St will finish atop Nebraska this season? Unless their schedule is considerably easier, I feel like they lost too much star power last year to compete head to head with a Nebraska team that only lost a couple good players and beat them very soundly last year.

Brian Bennett: Another Brian! This must be some kind of a record. I put very little stock in last year's Nebraska-Michigan State game when trying to forecast this season. While the Huskers deserve all the credit for playing a great game, I firmly believe the Spartans were emotionally spent from playing and beating Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan in three successive weeks before going to Lincoln. And didn't Nebraska lose almost as much star power as Michigan State, with Alfonzo Dennard, Lavonte David and Jared Crick? I know that Michigan State's defense is going to be great; I don't know how good Nebraska's defense is going to be or if the Huskers' offense can become more consistent in league play.

With all that said, it's not even tax day yet, so these early predictions don't mean a whole lot. I will form better opinions after spring practice. Adam has seen Nebraska up close, and I will be checking out the Spartans soon. Can't wait to compare notes.

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Nate from Easley, SC, writes: I really like the idea of a spring scrimmage but, other than injuries, I have one major concern. The current system is slanted toward benefiting those with a good pre-season ranking, so, if voters took the results of a glorified scrimmage into account, wouldn't it further skew the pre-season rankings? (Granted, voters' pre-season ranking are already perception-based and not entirely accurate.) Said another way, do you think a scrimmage "Win" would take on more value than player development? Would two highly perceived teams want to to scrimmage if it hurt their stock going into the season?

Brian Bennett: That's an angle I hadn't considered. On one hand, maybe it's not so bad if voters took spring scrimmages into account, because preseason polls are mostly based now on what a team did last year and what it brings back, never having seen one spring or summer workout. If a voter actually paid attention to a spring scrimmage and how a team looked in an exhibition like that, that's probably at least as accurate as the way most voting is done now. I don't think preseason rankings are as big of a deal in a four-team playoff anyway, because the cream should rise to the top in most years.

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STATE COLLEGE, PA. -- In the lobby of the Penn Stater hotel, they stood vigil -- reporters, cameramen, students, alumni, residents and a few tipsy hotel bar patrons. It was Nov. 9, 2011, shortly before 9 p.m., and the throng awaited the decision of the Pennsylvania State University board of trustees. Behind the closed doors of Room 206, the 32 men and women charged with navigating the worst crisis in Penn State's 156-year history were on the verge of a painstaking but seemingly unavoidable verdict.

Near the back of a conference room littered with coffee cups and plates of half-eaten fudge brownies and chocolate-chip cookies, a 79-year-old trustee and philanthropist named Mimi Coppersmith stood up and beseeched her colleagues to reconsider what they were poised to do. "Coach Paterno is revered here in State College," she said.

"We're not going to drink the Kool-Aid," snapped John P. Surma, then the board's vice chairman and the chief executive officer of United States Steel Corp. "This is what we need to do."

Read more on this story from Dan Van Natta Jr.

When Penn State hired former FBI director Louis Freeh to conduct an independent investigation into the Jerry Sandusky scandal, it signaled that this would be a serious review.

That appears to be the case so far, as the Associated Press reports that Freeh and his team have conducted about 200 interviews in the probe. The people interviewed include administrators, football staffers and even trustee members.

According to the story, Freeh and his investigators are asking about who knew what when, chains of command and also about compliance with NCAA rules. Freeh's team is also interacting with ongoing state, federal and NCAA investigations into the Sandusky case.

It sounds like Freeh is doing exactly what he should be doing: turning over every rock in this probe to find out exactly what happened and who is to blame. His report, which trustees hope will be released in the fall, could finally provide some concrete answers. Then again, since he lacks subpoena power and those he is interviewing are not under oath, who knows what level of cooperation Freeh and his team will actually get?

Either way, the release of that report will be highly anticipated.

Speaking of Penn State, ESPN.com special contributor Roy S. Johnson has an interesting column today where he says the school should not rename Beaver Stadium after Joe Paterno. Johnson says both Paterno and Gen. James A. Beaver deserve better than that.

"In the interim, Penn State should honor Paterno, but not by renaming Beaver Stadium. The university should begin by vowing -- and then demonstrating -- that it will build upon the most laudable aspects of his legacy, while using the sordid allegations in the grand jury report and indictment against Sandusky as teachable foundations for programs that address child abuse and poverty."

Check out his full column here.

If you think this is over, then you're wrong.

• Marcus Coker is looking for a fresh start at Stony Brook.
• Former Kansas quarterback Jordan Webb, who would be immediately eligible, is looking for a new school and says he plans to visit Wisconsin next month.
• Ryan Van Bergen and other Michigan players showed off at pro day. Brady Hoke gets the Q&A treatment from the Orlando Sentinel. A look at the Wolverines' special teams heading into spring practice.
• You can expect a lot of shuffling on the Minnesota offensive line this spring. Jerry Kill is optimistic the Gophers will improve this season.
• Nebraska's Alonzo Whaley, the top candidate to replace Lavonte David, has fought through some adversity to get to this point. Fullback is back as an important position for the Huskers, and transfer Mike Marrow is a candidate to see time there.
• There's word in this Bob Hunter column that longtime former Ohio State assistant coach Jim Heacock has retired.
• A poll shows that a majority of Pennsylvanians favor renaming Penn State's Beaver Stadium after Joe Paterno. Defensive end recruit Garrett Sickels talks about picking the Nittany Lions.
• Kyle Prater got a university waiver to participate in Northwestern's spring practice.
• Illinois picked up an offensive lineman for the 2013 class.

Earlier today, I wrote about a new statement from the Penn State board trustees explaining — again — why they fired coach Joe Paterno on Nov. 9. I questioned why such a statement was necessary. Apparently, Paterno's family feels the same way.

The Paterno family issued its own statement this afternoon in response to the trustees. Here it is in its entirety:

"The Paterno family is surprised and saddened that the Board of Trustees believes it is necessary and appropriate to explain — for the fourth or fifth time — why they fired Joe Paterno so suddenly and unjustifiably on Nov. 9, 2011.

"The latest statement is yet another attempt by the Board to deflect criticism of their leadership by trying to focus the blame on Joe Paterno. This is not fair to Joe's legacy; it is not consistent with the facts; and it does not serve the best interests of the university. The board's latest statement reaffirms that they did not conduct a thorough investigation of their own and engaged in a rush to judgment.

"At various times, university officials have said that they fired Joe Paterno. At other times they have said they didn't fire him. They have simultaneously accused him of moral and leadership failures, and praised him for the high standards he set for the university.

"The tough questions that have yet to be addressed relate not to Joe Paterno, but to the board. Two months ago, as Joe Paterno was dying, the board conducted a series of media interviews condemning him for 'moral' failures. Now they are trying a different tack and accusing him of 'leadership' failures. The question we would ask is simply this, when will the board step up and acknowledge that the ultimate responsibility for this crisis is theirs? Everyone who cares about Penn State is longing for strong, courageous, honest leadership. Today's statement is anything but that."

This remains a highly-charged debate, with some people feeling that Paterno didn't deserve the treatment he received and others believing that the trustees had little choice but to dismiss him at the time (I fall into the latter camp, by the way). Regardless, it serves very little purpose to extend this controversy with public statements that don't contain any new information. I'm betting most Penn State supporters would simply like to move forward.