ESPN College Football

2011 record: 7-6
2011 conference record: 4-4 (fourth, Legends Division)
Returning starters: offense: 6; defense: 5; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners

QB James Vandenberg, C James Ferentz, WR Keenan Davis, TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, CB Micah Hyde, LB James Morris, LB Christian Kirksey, S Tanner Miller

Key losses

RB Marcus Coker, WR Marvin McNutt, OT Riley Reff, G Adam Gettis, DT Mike Daniels, DE Broderick Binns, LB Tyler Nielsen, CB Shaun Prater

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Marcus Coker (1,384 yards)
Passing: James Vandenberg* (3,022 yards)
Receiving: Marvin McNutt (1,315 yards)
Tackles: James Morris* and Christian Kirksey* (110)
Sacks: Mike Daniels (9)
Interceptions: Micah Hyde* and Tanner Miller (3)

Spring answers

1. Embracing change: Iowa is going through a historic number of changes, including the first new coordinators (Greg Davis and Phil Parker) in Kirk Ferentz's tenure as head coach. But for the most part, players and coaches seem to be embracing the new elements of the program, including an offense that will diverge a bit from what Iowa ran under Ken O'Keefe. The Hawkeyes will be a more up-tempo offense and mix in some no-huddle elements. "They've been extremely open to everything," Davis told ESPN.com. "Sometimes the same play said differently and explained differently creates excitement. And I sense an excitement."

2. Back seven emerging: There's no doubt Iowa will lean on its defensive back seven this season. Cornerback Micah Hyde has established himself as a premier playmaker and a team leader, and Ferentz likened the career paths of linebackers James Morris and Christian Kirksey to those of former stars Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge. Linebacker play could be a major strength for Iowa this fall, while players like Hyde and Tanner Miller bring experience to the secondary.

3. C.J.'s time: Tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz arrived at Iowa with a lot of hype and attention. He appears poised for a breakout junior season in Davis' offense. "This is only 39 springs I've been in, and I've never had a tight end like C.J.," Davis told reporters. At 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, Fiedorowicz can create a lot of problems for opposing defenses and should be an integral part of the Hawkeyes' passing attack this fall.

Fall questions

1. Defensive line: Iowa hasn't been this young up front in recent memory, and despite a strong track record at defensive line, there are major question marks entering the summer. The coaches are relying on Steve Bigach and Joe Gaglione, the only veteran linemen on the field this spring, as well as Dominic Alvis, who will return from a torn ACL this fall. But Iowa undoubtedly needs young players like Darian Cooper, Riley McMinn and Carl Davis to take steps and contribute.

2. Running back: Stop me if you've heard this before, but Iowa enters the summer with big questions at the running back position following Marcus Coker's transfer and Jordan Canzeri's ACL injury during spring ball. The good news is that despite an unfortunate stretch of bad luck and bad circumstances, Iowa has consistently developed good to great Big Ten backs. The Hawkeyes must do so again as unproven returnees Damon Bullock and De'Andre Johnson compete with decorated incoming freshmen Greg Garmon and Barkley Hill.

3. The search for No. 1 receiver: All-Big Ten selection Marvin McNutt leaves a significant void, and given Iowa's question marks at running back, the team really needs a No. 1 receiver to emerge. Keenan Davis seems like the obvious choice, but he had an "up and down" spring, according to Ferentz, with some injuries. Kevonte Martin-Manley played a lot last year and could be ready to make some strides, as could Don Shumpert. "We have some room there for guys to step up," Ferentz said.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- If you graded the magnitude of FBS coaching changes from the past offseason, Iowa's would barely make the needle move on the Richter scale.

Even in Big Ten territory, the ground shook more in places like State College, Columbus and Champaign. Iowa still has Kirk Ferentz, the new dean of Big Ten coaches, who has been at Iowa more than twice as long (13 seasons) as any of his peers in the league (Wisconsin's Bret Bielema and Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald are next at six seasons each). Unlike Penn State and Ohio State, the program hasn't been mired in scandal, and none of the personnel moves were forced.

But in Hawkeye Country, the transformation of Ferentz's staff equates to The Big One.

Ferentz made the first two coordinator changes of his tenure, hiring former Texas assistant Greg Davis to oversee the offense and promoting secondary coach Phil Parker to lead the defense. Two assistants moved positions -- including Reese Morgan, who shifted from offensive line to defensive line -- and Ferentz hired two former players, Brian Ferentz and LeVar Woods, as position coaches.

In the quick-change environment of college football, such moves are typically greeted with a shrug. But Iowa has been the model of continuity. Before Davis, Ferentz hadn't made an outside coaching hire since naming Erik Campbell receivers/tight ends coach after the 2007 season. By keeping offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe, defensive coordinator Norm Parker and strength coach Chris Doyle for the past 13 years, Iowa created what Ferentz calls "a great foundation of stability."

"We've had occasional changes here, but not like this," Ferentz told ESPN.com. "It was an interesting period."

It also has been an exciting one. Spring practice inherently brings a newness, as the slate is cleaned and planning accelerates for the upcoming season. But spring ball at Iowa has taken on a decidedly different tone, one Ferentz and his players are welcoming.

While Ferentz didn't force anyone out the door -- O'Keefe left for an assistant post with the Miami Dolphins, Parker retired and defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski left for Nebraska -- he vows that changes would have been made even if the staff had remained intact. Iowa has lost momentum following an 11-2 surge in 2009, its wins total dropping to eight during 2010 and to seven last fall.

"We just needed to go back and make sure everything made sense and was adding up the way we wanted it do," he said. "Just consider some new ideas, some things that might benefit our production. Now it's actually been forced by the [coaching] changes."

Asked how receptive he is to change, Ferentz, who some label as too conservative and set in his ways, replied, "wide open."

"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."

The more seismic shift takes place on offense with Davis, who steps in after a year out of football. Although his 13-year tenure as Texas' offensive coordinator ended on a down note in 2010, his offenses averaged 39 points between 2000-09, the second highest total nationally and first among BCS automatic-qualifying teams.

Davis has had success with different schemes and different quarterbacks. While Iowa fans shouldn't expect a five-wide, spread attack this fall, a historically buttoned-up offense likely will loosen its collar a bit.

"I kept hearing from Kirk, 'Regardless of whether Ken had gone to Miami, we needed to do some things differently. We needed to make sure we're growing as a staff, as players, that we're taking advantage of what our kids can do,'" Davis told ESPN.com. "So meeting with the kids, meeting with the coaches, it's been very refreshing. They've been extremely open to everything. Sometimes the same play said differently and explained differently creates excitement.

"And I sense an excitement."

The feeling is mutual. Davis said last year was the first time he hadn't been part of a sports team since he was six years old.

The 60-year-old has returned to the field refreshed and revived.

"You can tell how much he loves the game," senior quarterback James Vandenberg said. "He gets really excited for practice, especially when we go against the defense. You'd think we were playing the Super Bowl with how excited he gets when we execute well. We show up early for lifting and he is literally here every morning at 6 a.m., always ready to go.

"We all kind of feed off of that."

Vandenberg enjoyed his time with O'Keefe and showed promise in his first season as the starter, passing for 3,022 yards with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions. But after some struggles away from Kinnick Stadium and the team’s poor finish -- Iowa dropped three of its final four games -- Vandenberg also sensed a need for change.

"It's just new blood, which kind of re-energizes everybody,” he said. "It's making us work hard, and we're watching more film than we probably would in the spring. And it's making spring ball really competitive."

The changes on defense are more subtle. Phil Parker (no relation to Norm) said he"ll run "basically the same scheme" as his predecessor, sprinkling in some new ingredients and perhaps simplifying things for a group that is extremely young up front.

Parker is a new voice, though, and a powerful one.

"He's a go-getter," safety Micah Hyde said.

"I didn't think [the team] needed coaches leaving, that kind of change," Hyde continued, "but we haven't lived up to our expectations the last couple years. We definitely should have been playing better ball. It is a good thing, just to get some new input."

That a seven-win season equals disappointment in these parts resonates with Iowa players and coaches. Iowa hasn't had a losing regular season since 2000 and since 2001 has averaged 8.4 wins.

But Ferentz's critics point to his hefty salary, ranked in the top 10 nationally, and the fact that Iowa has had just one 10-win season since 2004. The team also needs to regain its mojo in close games, which have been the norm throughout Ferentz's tenure. After a terrific run from late in the 2008 season through most of the 2009 campaign, Iowa is 3-7 in games decided by seven points or fewer in the past two seasons.

"How we maximize those close situations usually determines how we end up," Ferentz said. "We haven't done a good enough job the last two years. Everybody would agree with that.

"That's documented, so what can we do?"

They've shaken things up. And just maybe they'll send shock waves through the Big Ten this fall.

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).

Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg has been brushing up on Greg Davis' history, both recent and ancient.

Since the Hawkeyes hired Davis as offensive coordinator, Vandenberg has watched numerous clips of former Texas quarterbacks Vince Young and Colt McCoy. Davis' last coaching stop took place in Austin, where he helped mold both Young and McCoy into elite college signal callers. As Vandenberg acclimates himself with Davis, he wants to get a sense of the system Davis has run and the quarterbacks he has coached.

But Vandenberg also is keenly aware he's not Young or McCoy. He's a different player with different skills. Will that be a problem for Davis? Hardly.

That's where the ancient history comes in.

"The one thing I always think of is he coached Gary Kubiak, who's the coach for the [Houston] Texans," Vandenberg told ESPN.com. "[Davis] was his college coach when [Davis] was only 28 years old. So he's been in the business for a long time and really knows the ins and outs and has done it with a lot of different people and systems."

Vandenberg is excited to be the next man in line. Before this offseason, Iowa hadn't made any coordinator changes -- offensive or defensive -- during head coach Kirk Ferentz's tenure.

While Vandenberg enjoyed working with former coordinator Ken O'Keefe, he echoes the seemingly program-wide excitement about having new voices in the football building and on the practice field this spring.

"It's some fresh blood," Vandenberg said. "That's what has everybody excited. There was nothing wrong with the old system, and we had a great coach. But the excitement comes with learning a new offense and hearing plays called from a new play-caller. There's a lot yet to be seen, but all these unknowns and knowing the success he's had is what has us all excited right now."

Davis' tenure at Texas ended on a down note in 2010, but his most recent success took place with McCoy and Young. The Longhorns had a top 25 offense every year between 2003-08. They led the FBS in scoring behind Young in 2005 en route to a national title and finished fifth in scoring behind McCoy in 2008.

Under Davis, Texas averaged 39 points per game between 2000-09, which ranked second nationally and first among teams from BCS automatic-qualifying leagues. While the numbers are notable, Davis' versatility has stood out to Vandenberg on tape.

"He knows how to play to his personnel," Vandenberg said. "When he had Ricky Williams there, he knew he was going to get 30 carries a game. When he had Vince Young, there was a lot of zone-read stuff. With Colt McCoy, there was a lot of empty stuff. He's adjusted to the guys he had and been successful in every aspect of offense, from power football to spread football.

"We're all excited to see what his wrinkle is for us."

Vandenberg, who racked up 3,022 pass yards with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his first year as Iowa's starter in 2011, said he's familiar with most of the plays Davis wants to run, but needs to absorb new terminology and some different reads. Davis stresses the need to complete passes and get the ball out quickly, two areas Vandenberg feels are strengths of his.

Accuracy is a focal point this spring for Vandenberg, who completed just 58.7 percent of his attempts in 2011. His goal: 65 percent or better. He also wants to play smarter in games. To do so, he'll have to absorb Davis' system better than anyone else on the field.

"I'm able to bring guys along right now," he said. "I've had a little more time studying it. These practices are vital, just being to make sure we're all on the same page with all these new plays and all these new situations."

Change is in the air this spring at Iowa. The Hawkeyes have two new coordinators for the first time in Kirk Ferentz's tenure, one from the outside (OC Greg Davis) and one from within the program (DC Phil Parker). Ferentz also hired two new assistants, offensive line coach Brian Ferentz and linebackers coach LeVar Woods, and moved offensive line coach Reese Morgan to defensive line. For an Iowa staff built on continuity, this represents a a major shakeup. The coaches also will be working with a very young roster, as evidenced by the pre-spring depth chart issued this week. It all should make for an interesting spring in Hawkeye Country.

The Hawkeyes opened practice Wednesday, and ESPN.com caught up with Ferentz on Thursday.

Here are his thoughts.

What is the atmosphere like this spring being on the field with this group after all the changes?

Kirk Ferentz: Certainly we have a lot of learning to do for two reasons. Number one, our youth and inexperience, and secondly, with some of the staff changes. We have a lot of different elements involved. It's certainly different than when we finished up in December. It's a lot of positions, and some of it's schematically and that type of thing. We're all on edge a little bit, and that's good.

You made some of your hires fairly recently. How do you feel about where the offensive and defense schemes are at this point?

KF: We're pretty well down the road that we need to be on. We've had some really good meetings over the last several weeks. A little bit more intensive on the offensive side with Greg being hired at the end of February, but I think we've had good meetings. He certainly has a good grasp of what he likes to do and what he's comfortable with. We've been able to blend and mesh things. I think we're pretty much on the same page right now. It's been fun actually, just invigorating to re-examine some things. And the players, they always pick it up faster than the older guys.

When you sat down and talked with Greg, how close was your offensive philosophy to his?

KF: One of the things that really impressed me so much is his experience with various styles of offense. He's been with a lot of different types of players, quarterbacks, going back to Eric Zeier at Georgia, the guys he worked with at North Carolina, and at Texas, they ran several styles of attack. There was a lot of evolution when they got Vince Young. The thing is, he has a system that's been proficient and that he's comfortable with. It really is very flexible and adaptable. That part has all been good.

Very impressed with Greg, starting with all the recommendations I got, people who I have a lot of respect for in football who spoke so highly of him as a coach and so highly of him as a human being. And after a month of being with him, I can see why all of those things were said. He's really been tremendous. We've been fortunate to have great coaches here. You're always a little nervous when you lose somebody as good as Ken, but Greg has been outstanding.

I read your comments from the other day and wanted to clarify something. Did you expect to make some changes even if you didn't have the coordinators leaving?

KF: Absolutely. I was entertained a bit reading the reports of the press conference. The headlines were a little bit overstated. But that was something Ken and I had talked about, and Norm [Parker] and I had talked about as the year went on last year. You're 13 years into it, and we're all feeling good about being here such a long period of time. The great thing about stability is we all know each other.

But the other point, too, and every year you look back at things, but I remember specifically in Cleveland one year in '94 where we looked back and went through our playbook step by step. Steve Crosby had become our coordinator after the '93 season. We went through everything. The advantage of doing it is if you've been somewhere for a while, you add this one year and then you add that, and things don't always mesh or make as much sense as they should, so there's a cumulative effect there. So it's a good exercise to do, and I think it was time for us to do that regardless. And in the case of getting new coordinators, you have to do that anyway. It's been really healthy, it's been invigorating, and hopefully we'll be a more efficient operating group here moving forward.

You've talked about wanting to see better execution. What can you stress in the spring to help you execute better as a team?

KF: That's always the challenge in football. There were complaints about us. The perception is we're a conservative offense, and we threw the second-most amount of passes we had in 13 years last year, so I said they must have been conservative passes because we didn't get any credit for that. But overall, that's the name of the game, whatever you're doing, offensively, defensively or special teams, the key is how you execute those things. Certainly what you call can affect that, but at the end of the day, it's about the team that executes the best. That's the never-ending battle.

You have some guys out on the defensive line, but it's definitely one of the younger groups you've had there. With Reese Morgan moving over to that side, how do you see that group shaking out in the spring, and how will Reese's experience help there?

KF: It's maybe not identical, but it's similar to what we went through in 2005. We graduated four guys that were all in NFL camps after that season. Three of those guys are still active players -- Jonathan Babineaux, who's done a good job in Atlanta; Matt Roth's had a nice career; Derreck Robinson continues to be rostered; and Tyler Luebke is the other guy, was with the Redskins as a free agent. That's the price you pay when you graduate some good players. The last two years we've had a high number of seniors go out both years, and some NFL players in that group. It's something we anticipated, we knew it was going to be a challenge, but all that being said, we're optimistic.

One of my motivating factors for moving Reese over to that spot is Reese is just a tremendous teacher. That's the No. 1 thing I saw in him when we hired him here. He took Pat Flaherty's spot. He's a real builder, and he's done that with the offensive line. You look at last year, we had Riley Reiff, who people are talking about, but we also had Markus Zusevics and Adam Gettis, who both I think are going to get drafted here. They were both roughly 225, 230 [pounds] when they came out of high school and built themselves into players. Reese was a key component of their development, and that's what he does a great job of. I think we've got the right guy with the right group. We've got a lot of work to do, but at the end of the day, that group will be fine, just like in '05.

What would you like to see out of James [Vandenberg] during the spring?

KF: Just continued improvement. We expect him to play his best football next year and lead even better than he did. He played well last year and he led well, but he's going to have to do better. With a young team like this, it's going to be imperative that our most experienced guys play their best and lead our football team. It sure helps when you're playing better. And he's totally capable. We have confidence in James.

Is Keenan [Davis] another guy who fits into that category, needing to play his best as an older guy?

KF: Most definitely. If you look at the improvement Marvin McNutt made throughout his career, from making a move [from quarterback] in the middle of the '08 season, to the records he set, it didn't happen just by accident or just by him hanging around. He worked hard, he got better each year, and his hard work and effort, certainly in production and yardage, that's what we need from Keenan. Marvin's not here, quite obviously, so Keenan has to be the guy and take a very prominent role as a receiver. And he's certainly capable, so we expect to see that growth from him.

What would you like to see from the running back group by the end of the spring?

KF: Development and maturation. We have three guys that are working at that position who are talented enough. They're all capable, but they're young. Jordan Canzeri missed a significant amount of time last year with a hamstring issue. Damon Bullock, we moved him around enough that it probably rendered him ineffective. We'll let him settle at the running back position. And we think De'Andre Johnson has potential as well, but he's got to mature. He missed his first year because he was coming off an ACL injury from high school, so he's a little bit behind that way. But he's got every opportunity to develop and be a good player. It sure would help our football team.

When you're this young, are you more tempted to play freshmen if they come in and show that ability, or do you have to work with the guys who have some experience?

KF: We'll have a better grip on where we are at the end of spring practice. We're going to need some help at some spots, that's a given. Bottom line is for the most part, the guys that demonstrate they can play and help us, they're going to get that opportunity. We had the case with Allen Reisner. Back in '07, we had to throw him in. He was a true freshman. He wasn't necessarily ready to go, but we ran out of guys, so he had to go in there. We hopefully won't be in that situation. But anybody [who] can help us win next year, if it's special teams or on offense, defense, we'll give them an opportunity.

Greg came in from the outside, while Phil Parker has been there. What's it been like seeing him in this role? Do you see him putting his personality on the defense?

KF: We're early into the process right now. To the casual fan, it's not going to look a lot different, probably, but there will be some subtleties and some things not only Phil, but the entire staff talked about. It's like anything else, you're always trying to evolve and progress, move forward a little bit without losing your identity. That's probably what you'll see from that group. Phil's a veteran coach. He's had several chances to leave here for BCS coordinator positions and has chosen to stay here, so I don't think there's any question he's ready to go. He'll do a great job. He's very detailed and he's a good leader.

From a leadership standpoint, do you have some guys in mind, especially on defense, who you could see moving into those roles this spring?

KF: Most definitely. The guys that we're really counting on, you start with Micah Hyde. He's probably our most experienced player on defense, most proven, so we're counting on that from him. James Morris and Chris Kirksey, they're only third-year students next year, but they've played a lot of football, too, and good football. They're playing a leadership position at linebacker. And up front, I'd say Steve Bigach's a guy we're really counting on to really help set the tempo of the group. He's already been doing that, and I think he'll do a good job.

It's the first day of March, which means football practice is almost here, the madness is upon us, baseball is close and spring is about to bloom. Oh, and it's Thursday mailbag time. What's not to love?

Travis from St. Louis writes: I guess we'll know when Iowa plays MSU in October how good the offense can be. I think you correctly point out the concern how well Greg Davis can do at Iowa considering Texas is consistently working with 4-5 stars recruits. I think the hallmark of a good coach is the re-teaching of talent to the next man in. It's reasonable to think Davis will struggle with that at Iowa. I also agree that Ken O'Keefe got a bad rap. There weren't complainers during Kirk Ferentz's glory years 2002-2004. I think that O'Keefe did a pretty good job last year. I would argue his offense definitely underachieved from 2007-2010 even with the Orange Bowl year. Iowa survived those years on defense and several future NFL players (Clayborn, Angerer, Spievey, Klug etc).

Brian Bennett: Hello to you in St. Louis, Travis. I'm getting married there this summer and am getting excited about the Cardinals this year. But I digress. You make some good points, especially about Iowa's defense. I think that's really the key, because when Ferentz's teams are at their best, they're playing really good defense and the offense is controlling the clock with the running game while avoiding mistakes. Iowa is probably never going to score 50 points a game like Davis' Texas team with Vince Young did, but that's not Ferentz's style.

With a normal defensive effort, the Hawkeyes would have scored enough points to beat Iowa State last year and should have been able to hold Minnesota to under 21 points. Just flip those two results, and all of a sudden we're talking about a nine-win team instead of a seven-win club.

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Sean from Tucson, Ariz., writes: You had Kirk Cousins at No. 6 in your preseason rankings, and then in the article you had nothing but praise for him. So how come he moved down to No. 9? Because as a Spartan Alumni I cannot imagine that there are 8 players in the B1G who did more for their teams then Cousins did for the Green and White.

Brian Bennett: It's a good question, and one a few Michigan State fans asked this week. The ranking is not meant as a knock on Cousins, whom I feel had an even better year than what we expected in the preseason. It's instead a reflection of some of the other performances in the league. You'll find as the countdown continues that our top eight guys were all either All-Americans, national award winners or record breakers.

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Sean from Cincinnati writes: If Braxton Miller has a Heisman-like year next year do you think that the Buckeyes having a postseason ban would hurt his chances with the voters?

Brian Bennett: First off, I don't think Miller will be a serious Heisman Trophy contender in 2012. He will be learning an entirely new system and has an unproven cast of receivers around him. I find it more likely that Miller will be a Heisman contender in 2013 and '14. But strange things do occur. If he goes nuts in his first year under Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes have a strong regular season, then I don't think the postseason ban will have any effect. Remember that Heisman balloting is done before bowl season. Matt Barkley finished sixth last year despite USC being on probation. And I doubt Robert Griffin III got bonus points for leading his team to the Alamo Bowl.

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Matt from East Lansing, Mich., writes: Brian, I see Michigan continues to get recruits. While this isn't the best for Spartans fans, is there a danger locking up so many recruits so quickly? It seems like if there is another recruit out there that UM hasn't really seen (say they have a really good senior year); I think UM might be disappointed that they couldn't get him because they have no scholarships to offer.

Brian Bennett: That is one danger of locking up players early. They may not develop as planned during their senior years, while others may be late bloomers. Remember, though, that these are non-binding verbal commitments on both sides. If a prospect is not performing as hoped, then Michigan could always end the relationship. And the Wolverines will still have some spots available to offer players late in the recruiting process, as well as facing some almost inevitable decommitments. Recruiting is moving to an earlier and earlier time frame, and it's better to have blue-chipper in the fold as soon as possible rather than scramble around late looking for players.

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Antwon H. from Cleveland writes: Brian, do you think Ohio State is letting good recruits get away with the way "that team up north" is pulling in new recruits every day seemingly?

Brian Bennett: I wouldn't worry about the Buckeyes missing out. Ohio State has five commitments for 2013, and all five are ESPNU 150 prospects. That's impressive. Michigan has four committed players from Ohio, including one from Columbus, but according to our recruiting folks only one of those players had an offer from the Buckeyes. There should be enough talent to go around.

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Dave R. from Columbus, Ohio, writes: Regarding your Ohio State "Big Shoes to Fill" -- I certainly understand the O line. However, I'd put Devier Posey on that list, too. True, he was out all but 2 or 3 games last year, but no one filled his shoes when he was out. He made some big catches coming back. We have some talent coming in on the O line; but I'm not so sure we have the talent we need in receivers. Just curious why you felt Adams and Brewster were bigger shoes to fill than Posey.

Brian Bennett: You kind of answered your own question there, Dave. Posey only played the final three games of last year and had 162 total receiving yards. While he was no doubt the team's best receiver, Ohio State already had to try and fill his shoes for almost all of last year, and he didn't make a huge impact -- the Buckeyes went 0-3 with him in the lineup. Finding a go-to receiver is still a point of emphasis for the Buckeyes, but this is Year 2 of that project.

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Jay from Vermont writes: There's been a lot of talk about preserving the Big Ten/Pac-12 relationship with the Rose Bowl and possibly incorporating major bowl games into the playoff picture. I was thinking, why don't they just keep the 4 major bowls so they could keep traditional match-ups, then seed the four champions, and let the playoff take over from there? Also I think there should be a limit on the number of bowl games, maybe 29 or 30 so only half the teams get to go, and a 7-win requirement instead of the current 6 which let a below .500 team (UCLA) go bowling this year.

Brian Bennett: Jay, I wouldn't be surprised if the bowls are incorporated somehow because the bowl lobby has a weird grip on college football administrators and school presidents. Still, I prefer the home sites plan because it's much better for fans. They won't have to travel to two neutral sites in consecutive weeks to follow their teams, and the on-campus atmospheres are what make the sport special in the first place. I don't think your plan would work because it would extend the season at least another two weeks after New Year's Day and would mean as many as 16 games for the two national finalists (12 regular season games, conference championship game, bowl and two playoff games). There is no appetite among decision makers to play that many games or go that late into January.

I agree with your take on limiting bowl games, but if 6-6 teams want to keep playing in minor bowls, so be it. I'll probably still watch them because there's not much else on in December.

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Steve Z. from Lafayette, Ind., writes: Hi Brian, great job on the blog! I was just wondering what the timeline generally is for the NCAA to decide on a transfer's exemption from sitting out at year. I think it'd be great if Kyle Prater could play for the 'Cats this year!

Brian Bennett: You, me and college programs around the nation would love to know what that timeline is. The NCAA works on its own schedule, and while I understand that it has numerous cases to sort through, the process often seems to drag on unnecessarily long. Meanwhile, teams simply have to wait and hope and can't make firm plans. After the NCAA -- ahem -- fixes all its other problems, perhaps a more streamlined system for player appeals can be instituted.

A vocal portion of the Iowa fan base longed to replace offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe and bring in some new blood from outside the program. Those Hawkeyes fans got their wish but might be surprised at how similar the new playcaller is to the former one.

The 58-year-old O'Keefe resigned earlier this month after 13 years as Kirk Ferentz's offensive coordinator, moving on to an assistant's job with the Miami Dolphins. O'Keefe's conservative style was heavily criticized, though his offenses experienced major success behind star quarterbacks. Ferentz chose to replace him Monday with former Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis -- a 60-year-old veteran assistant who spent 13 years calling plays for the Longhorns and who was criticized for being too conservative, though his offenses had major success behind star quarterbacks.

OK, it's far too simplistic to suggest O'Keefe and Davis are cut from the exact same cloth. But there are certainly some interesting parallels between the two.

Like O'Keefe, Davis probably weathered more criticism than he deserved. When he had it rolling, his offenses were some of the very best in the country. The 2005 Longhorns averaged more than 50 points per game on their way to the BCS title behind the singular talents of Vince Young at quarterback. He oversaw other prolific attacks led by quarterback Colt McCoy, as Texas beat Ohio State in 2009 Fiesta Bowl and earned a spot in the 2010 BCS title game. Davis also developed standout quarterbacks Major Applewhite and Chris Simms, not unlike how O'Keefe produced stars at the position like Brad Banks and Ricky Stanzi.

Yet for all of his successes in Austin, Davis never truly felt the love from the fan base. For the longest time, before Young blossomed into a superstar, the Longhorns stalled on offense against tough opponents, especially Oklahoma. After McCoy graduated, Texas struggled for two years to get back on track before Mack Brown finally showed his longtime trusted friend the door. The team struggled mightily to generate a strong rushing game once Jamaal Charles headed to the NFL after the 2007 season. To put it simply, Davis' offenses worked when he had a great quarterback and scuffled when they didn't.

While Texas used spread elements, particularly with Young and McCoy in charge, Davis often stuck to the basics and had a maddening tendency to play it safe in big spots. Sound familiar, Hawkeyes fans?

It must also be noted that Davis also benefited from some wildly impressive, blue-chip offensive talent that Brown recruited, like Young, McCoy, Charles, Roy Williams and Limas Sweed. While Iowa has done a great job under Ferentz of identifying and developing players, the Hawkeyes don't get the kind of five-star recruits that Texas brings in every year. Few teams do, so that's no knock on Iowa. Part of the problem in Texas the past couple years seems to be that the highly-rated recruits weren't as good as people thought. Can Davis succeed without top-notch talent?

Davis must also prove that he can design a consistent, competent running game, which has long been a hallmark of Ferentz's teams. He'll need to do so without any proven depth at the position after Marcus Coker's departure. The happiest man in Iowa City should be James Vandenberg, who should thrive under Davis in his second year of starting at quarterback.

Davis has been a coach for 33 years and has been a part of a lot of very successful teams. There is much to like about him and his résumé. There are also a lot of similarities between him and O'Keefe, for better and for worse. Ferentz has never had any other playcaller at Iowa besides O'Keefe, so it's little surprise that he stayed true to form with this pick.

Hoping you have a great weekend.

Mochila from Grand Rapids, Mich., writes: Adam, I enjoyed your evaluation of the new kick-off rules, but you left out one other change that I thought was surprising. The NCAA also proposed moving the Touchback to the 25-yard line, up from the 20. How might this factor into teams' kick-off strategy? I'm guessing this was done to curb the anger of the Purdues and Nebraskas of the country, but it's a greater boon to teams that are bad in the kick return game. Will we see teams attempt to pooch it to the 1-5 yard line to force a return? Thanks for keeping us Bored-at-Work folks breathing through the off-season.

Adam Rittenberg: Good call, Mochila. I should have included the part about the 25-yard line. I think it all depends on the quality of the return man, the leg strength of the kicker and how much faith a coach has in his coverage team. For the most part, coaches can live with teams starting on the 25-yard line after a touchback. It's certainly better than watching a guy like Raheem Mostert or Ameer Abdullah break into the open field. The rule changes are designed to slow down the actual kickoff play -- coverage teams won't have as long a long run-up to the ball -- so teams that want to kick inside the 5-yard line had better be solid in closing gaps. My sense is if teams have a kicker who can record touchbacks, they'll go that route and then take their chances defending 75 yards of field.

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Tim from Parts Unknown writes: Adam,Brian blames you for DRob's low rating. I'm curious to how low you thought he should be. Let me paste a section of the article here. If his rank was a compromise, where did you want the guy who "led the Big Ten -- again -- in total offense, was responsible for 36 touchdowns, ran for more than 1,000 yards as a quarterback and led his team to an 11-2 record and BCS win?"

Paul from Escanaba, Mich., writes: Adam,You wanted Denard Robinson ranked lower than 16? Maybe behind that guard from Wisconsin?Well he might not be the protypical QB and did turn the ball over too much, his value to Michigan is undenialable and by the way they went 11-2. The do not beat Ohio St., Nebraska, ND without him. Not saying he is the best player in the league (Montee Ball this year), but he has to be in the top

J DePoy from Asheville, N.C., writes: Dear Adam,Why do you hate Denard Robinson? Your double-talking hypocrisy is dripping with lunacy; in one sentence you use words like "electrifying" and "Heisman Contender" to describe the most prolific athlete in the conference. But then you don't even rank him in the top 15? And you actually wanted to rank him "much lower"! You have laid your cards on the table, thus revealing your true ignorance. I can forgive your water boy golly shocks northwestern charm, but seriously ~ this nonsense blogging list pure vomit.

Adam Rittenberg: Let me make this clear: I don't hate Denard Robinson at all. He has been great to watch the past few seasons, and he's certainly one of the most exciting players in the country. I ranked him as the league's No. 3 player following the 2010 season. I don't believe he was one of the Big Ten's best in 2011, despite still being one of the league's most exciting. There's a difference. A guy can be "electrifying," but he can also make a lot of mistakes, as Robinson did in 2011. J, there's also a difference between calling Robinson a Heisman contender in September and then evaluating his entire season. I've never called Denard a Heisman contender in November.

Some folks I'm hearing from about this are blinded by the fact that many of Robinson's mistakes didn't lead to losses. It's rare to have a team go 11-2 with a quarterback who leads the league in interceptions (15) and completes only 55 percent of his passes. Michigan's defense repeatedly bailed out Robinson, and in some games, like the Northwestern contest, bought him enough time to rebound with some big plays and great overall production. He also got a lot of help from his receivers, like in the Sugar Bowl. Robinson had some huge performances, like Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State, but he also struggled in the two losses and was fortunate his mistakes didn't lead to additional losses. If he can produce like he has the past few seasons and cut down on his mistakes, he'll be ranked much higher after the 2012 season.

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Rand from Orlando writes: REALLY, Adam? Who do the FANS want as OC? I grew up on Iowa football in the 50's, 60's, 70's when the rallying cry was "wait til wrestling season!" Why do you think "In heaven there is no beer" became the student body anthem? Then I attended Iowa 76 - 77 and came back as a Naval Officer recruiter in1981. I'm hanging on tightly to my Ferentz-Hawkeye bandwagon seat. The fair-weather whiners ought to shut up and not love 'em because they win - love 'em because they're IOWA!

Adam Rittenberg: Thanks for the perspective, Rand. Things certainly have been worse at Iowa, but I also understand fans' desire to see a dynamic play-caller come to Iowa City. Did Ken O'Keefe get too much criticism during his tenure? No doubt, but most offensive coordinators do. He did a nice job developing quarterbacks during his tenure. Fans like exciting play calls and guys who take chances. Those types of coordinators don't necessarily fit Kirk Ferentz and the way he runs a program. And that's OK, as Ferentz has had a lot of success. But I think it's more than fair for fans to question a hire or want an exciting play-caller, especially when the program seems to be trending down a bit.

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Adam from East Lansing, Mich., writes: Michigan State will win over/under 22.5 games over the next two years. I say over based on schedule, depth chart, momentum, and these green glasses I am wearing.What say you Adam (great name).

Adam Rittenberg: Same to you, sir. That's a lot of wins in a two-year span, and it likely would mean Michigan State records four consecutive seasons of 10 or more wins. Although I like the momentum Mark Dantonio has generated and the way they're recruiting, I think it's likely the Spartans have a mini step back either in 2012 or 2013. Will Michigan State go 5-7? Highly unlikely. But I could see an 8-4 or something like that. So I'm going with the under but wouldn't be shocked if Michigan State goes over.

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Josh from Nebraska writes: What do you make of Bo Pelini hiring an outside agency to help improve recruiting? Is this him admitting they are not getting the job done, or simply him trying to get better in every aspect of being a head coach? Fact is Nebraska is geographically challenged when it comes to recruiting and is at a huge disadvantage to many other programs. Do you think this will actually impact the Huskers recruiting success?

Adam Rittenberg: It's an interesting move, Josh. I think it's Bo trying to grow as a leader and take a different approach to a huge part of his job. I remember reading a piece from last March about Bo embracing his role as a CEO of the program, and how he had TD Ameritrade's CEO around the program for two years as an executive adviser. These are all steps he's taking to do his job better. People can view this latest step as an admission that Nebraska's recruiting could be better, but I think it's good to think outside the box, especially because, as you state, Nebraska faces some inherent hurdles in recruiting. The Nebraska brand simply isn't what it was in the mid to late 1990s. That's what happens when you don't win a conference title for a while. But the Nebraska tradition remains a great recruiting tool, along with superb facilities and other areas, but there are some challenges, too, especially in a new league? It'll be interesting to see what type of impact this approach has going forward.

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Roger from Eagan, Minn., writes: Adam: Enjoyed the story about Troy, but even though it may seem trivial you should really correct the 6th year theme runing throughout. Troy never red-shirted and will entering his 5th year in the program. His situation is like Royston's only in that they both were granted medical waivers to play an additional year. In Kim's case that was his 6th year.

Adam Rittenberg: Roger, my apologies for the confusion. I did correctly state in the story that Stoudermire "had applied to the Big Ten for a medical hardship waiver for 2011, which would give him one more season of eligibility." I also used some examples of players applying for sixth years of eligibility (Kim Royston, Keith Smith). My point was to illustrate how the applications for both hardship waivers or sixth years are really crap shoots. You never know how they'll turn out. But I get how that might have been confusion, as Stoudermire, unlike Royston, never sat out a season.

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Jim from PA writes: I've asked this question two different times to both you and Brian, so now that it's the off-season, maybe the fifth time is the charm. What is the official reason night games aren't played in November in the Big Ten? I'm assuming it's the weather? If that's the case, are the people who agreed to that aware that high school football is played at night in November?

Adam Rittenberg: Jim, I wrote about this back in May 2009, as it's something that has bothered Big Ten fans for some time. It's worth reposting some of the key points about the policy I gleaned from talking with Big Ten senior associate commissioner Mark Rudner at the 2009 spring meetings:

• Weather certainly is a factor, but it's not the only factor. The Big Ten is simply not a conference that traditionally plays games at night, and that tradition still matters. There's no Tiger Stadium At Night in the Big Ten. Rudner noted that the league still plays night games in September and October and sees the value in doing so, but it doesn't lose much exposure because all of its games are nationally televised. He also really values the 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff time, which has become the Big Ten's showcase game in recent years.
• Night games present a logistical nightmare that most fans can't fully comprehend. From getting fans in and out of mammoth stadiums to policing the areas -- all in potentially lousy weather -- these events present some tough obstacles. Though many of the same challenges are present with September and October night games, the November weather compounds things.
• This is not a new policy. It has been in place for quite some time. The Big Ten has no plans to revisit the policy, and any change likely wouldn't be made until the league renews its TV contract in the distant future.

Again, it's not the explanation you or I want to hear, but it's worth reviewing.

Kirk Ferentz took two months to promote a position coach (Phil Parker) to a coordinator job, and he's taking his time filling Iowa's other coordinator vacancy.

"The calendar is important to some degree, but what's more important I think is we get the right people in place for this program," Ferentz said at a Feb. 8 news conference.

Ferentz's deliberate approach to finding Ken O'Keefe's successor at offensive coordinator could be linked to the type of candidate he's considering. Two names that have come up, Greg Davis and Tom Moore, are former offensive coordinators who aren't strongly attached to other teams. There are also some internal candidates who could be promoted, among them wide receivers coach Erik Campbell.

While Ferentz could pluck a coach from another team, it seems unlikely he'll do so. Consequently, he can be measured with the hiring process.

Davis, who served as Texas' offensive coordinator from 1998-2010, resigned under pressure in December 2010 after the Longhorns went 5-7. Moore left the Indianapolis Colts in May after 12 seasons as the team's offensive coordinator. He spent the 2011 season as a consultant with the New York Jets.

Moore and Davis both have decades of experience as offensive coordinators.

Moore played quarterback at Iowa and started his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Hawkeyes in 1961. He helped Peyton Manning develop into the NFL's premier quarterback for several years and directed a dynamic Colts offense. The knock on Moore is his age (73). He wouldn't be a long-term solution at Iowa, but he could do the job for a few years until another assistant, like Iowa's new offensive line coach Brian Ferentz, is ready to take charge.

As The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette's Marc Morehouse writes, "You could see Ferentz’s logic with Moore, a seasoned 'Yoda' type imparting knowledge and wisdom."

Davis is younger (60). He has no ties to Iowa, having spent most of his career in the south and southeast. He had a lot of success running the spread offense with quarterbacks Vince Young and Colt McCoy but switched to a pro-style system in 2010 and received heavy criticism as Texas ranked 88th nationally in scoring (23.8 ppg) and 58th in total offense (382.5 ypg). Davis won the Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant, after helping Texas to a national title in 2005.

Iowa has run primarily a pro-style offense during Ferentz's tenure, so it would be interesting to see which direction Davis would go if he's brought in.

Given the criticism Davis received late in his Texas tenure, Iowa fans would have some doubts about him. But he fits the Ferentzian mold as an experienced coach who tends to be conservative with his play calls.

Iowa fans, what say you? Who do you want as the team's next offensive coordinator?

When the Big Ten football coaches gathered in Chicago for a meeting earlier this month, Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald looked over to Iowa's Kirk Ferentz and joked, "Which one of us is the old man now?"

Fitzgerald was struck by the notion that at age 37, heading into his seventh year as the Wildcats' head man, he is now the second-longest-tenured coach in the league. That shows how much change the conference has experienced the past two years -- and illustrates why this spring looms as an important time for many of its teams.

Three schools -- Ohio State, Penn State and Illinois -- hired new permanent head coaches this offseason, following the three that did so last year (Michigan, Indiana and Minnesota). Add in Nebraska, and seven of the 12 Big Ten teams have coaches either in their first or second year of competing in the conference.

"That's unprecedented," said Big Ten associate commissioner Mark Rudner, who has worked for the league since 1979 and currently serves as the football coaches' liaison to the conference. "It's a whole new world."

The Big Ten used to be known as a collection of icons, the league of Woody and Bo and larger-than-life coaches. No school is less familiar with change than Penn State, which will begin a season without Joe Paterno as head coach for the first time since 1966.

All the new personalities lead some to wonder if the Big Ten will maintain its identity and culture. Already, new Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has made waves with some aggressive recruiting tactics, leading Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema to criticize Meyer and caution that the Big Ten does not want to become a northern version of the SEC.

Meyer and Bielema met to hash out their differences in that coaches' meeting earlier this month. Rudner took it as a positive sign that 11 of the 12 coaches attended what was a voluntary gathering just two days after signing day. The only coach who didn't attend, Penn State's Bill O'Brien, was preparing to coach in the Super Bowl.

"Everybody seems willing to throw in with everybody else, so hopefully that will make for a lot smoother transition," Rudner said.

Transition will be the main buzzword thrown around most campuses when spring practice begins in early March.

Meyer will install the offensive system that helped the Florida Gators win two national titles as the Buckeyes begin their quest to regain Big Ten supremacy -- after the 2012 bowl ban expires, of course. Illinois is switching to a full-fledged spread attack under new coach Tim Beckman, himself a former Meyer assistant.

Jerry Kill at Minnesota and Kevin Wilson at Indiana will seek better things after disappointing first seasons, and each has brought in some junior college players to try to fill holes on the roster. Michigan won the Sugar Bowl in Brady Hoke's first year but still wants to move toward more of a pro-style offense, as long as it doesn't restrict the talents of QB Denard Robinson. Nebraska had its share of successes and setbacks in its first season of Big Ten play and now has a better idea of what it takes to compete in the league. The Huskers need to get stronger on defense but will have to do so without departed stars Lavonte David, Alfonzo Dennard and Jared Crick.

Even some of the most stable programs weren't immune to change. Wisconsin, which has gone to back-to-back Rose Bowls, lost most of its offensive staff when coordinator Paul Chryst went to Pitt and took several assistants with him. Purdue coach Danny Hope wasn't satisfied with making the program's first bowl since 2007 and reorganized his defensive staff. And as Big Ten dean Ferentz enters his 14th season at Iowa, he'll do so for the first time without defensive coordinator Norm Parker (who retired) or offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe (who left for the Miami Dolphins).

"We probably cheated time here a little bit," Ferentz said.

Some veteran staffs stayed intact, such as Northwestern and Michigan State. The Spartans figure to make another run at a Legends Division title if they can adequately replace QB Kirk Cousins, All-American defensive tackle Jerel Worthy and their top three receivers.

"Players just want to have consistency in vision and consistency in expectations," Fitzgerald said. "When you've had a position coach for four straight years, you know what to expect, and there's something to be said for that.

"At the same time, when there's change, there's a newfound sense of urgency. Our big challenge is making sure our guys don't feel like we're Charlie Brown's teacher going, 'Wah-wah-wah-wah,' and start getting bored."

There's nothing boring about the transition at Penn State. Paterno's reign came crashing down in shocking, controversial fashion before he passed away in January. For the first time in decades, the Nittany Lions will have several new assistant coaches, not to mention a new style of offense and leadership under O'Brien. Players can already see the differences in winter conditioning.

"There's a lot of excitement around here right now," linebacker Michael Mauti said. "It's just a whole new way of doing things."

They'll be saying that on a lot of Big Ten campuses this spring.

Did you survive the first weekend without any college or professional football?

• Missing out on Stefon Diggs leaves a hole in Ohio State's otherwise stellar recruiting class.
• Penn State signee Jamil Pollard had to endure the slaying of two of his sisters. Michael Mauti expects to be 100 percent healthy by the spring.
• Someone wrote a love song to Denard Robinson. No, really. Former Wolverine Warde Manuel is the new athletic director at UConn.
• Minnesota doesn't need anyone with local ties as its next AD if it wants a successful Big Ten leader, Jim Souhan writes.
• Lavonte David is gone, so opportunity abounds for some young Nebraska linebackers.
• Some notes on Iowa's recruiting class. The Hawkeyes shouldn't change much despite the departure of Ken O'Keefe.

E. Gordon Gee says if you're not sending questions into this mailbag, you need to get a life.

Let's answer some emails:

Ben from Connecticut writes: If the Big Ten's playoff proposal is adopted, do you see activist voters determining homefield advantage in the 2 v 3 matchup? Given what happened between Alabama/Ok. State, Florida/Michigan, and Texas/Cal, I'd be a lot more comfortable if a body more accountable than the BCS were in charge of seeding. I don't want a bunch of voters bumping Florida up a notch so they don't have to travel to Madison in December.

Brian Bennett: Ben, I think the poll jockeying would likely involve who's No. 4 vs. No. 5 instead of the home sites. For example, had that system been in place this year, I believe voters would have moved Oregon, which finished No. 5, ahead of Stanford for the No. 4 spot since the Ducks beat Stanford and won the Pac-12 title. But I totally agree that a better system than the current BCS model is needed to determine the matchups, because using the coaches' poll is just inviting massive conflicts of interest into the process.

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Chuck D. from Mt Morris, Mich., writes: I thought it was interesting that after the Big Ten announced that they were looking into a playoff, Mike Silve seems to be backing off now. Everyone always comments that the SEC and Big 12 were interested in the playoff four years ago, but is the SEC having a change of heart with their run of BCS championships, especially this past championship game? And (possibly) giving up their home field advantage, at least in the semi-final games?

Brian Bennett: Who could blame Mike Slive? The current system has allowed his league to win six straight national titles, including this year's when two SEC teams were in the championship game. Slive should be the only guy fighting a change to the BCS system.

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Topher from Denver writes: It seems that everyone has gotten so caught up with the reshuffling at Iowa that everyone has forgotten to ask a very important question. Who will be the QB coach? Ken O'Keefe has done a great job, and we have been blessed to have some great QBs. But if any of the internal candidates get the OC position it would make more sense for them to stay with their current position coaching duties rather than trying to take over QBs. So who would be the top candidate to take over QBs?

Brian Bennett: That's a good question. Kirk Ferentz addressed this a little bit on Wednesday but didn't say a whole lot. If current receivers coach Erik Campbell is promoted, then it makes sense for him to keep working with receivers as well. Then I think you could see Iowa bring in somebody from the outside to coach the quarterbacks. Or Ferentz could hire an outside person for the coordinator spot who has experience with the quarterbacks, though promoting from within seems to be his preferred method right now. Those who criticized O'Keefe should recognize what a good job he did developing quarterbacks.

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Tim from Niamey, Niger, writes: I usually write Adam, but since he doesn't answer me, I thought I would give you a shot:) I have been reading alot of different articles on the fact that the Buckeyes and Wolverines are back in a big way. After a 6-7 season, even with the hiring of Meyer, isn't that putting the cart before the horse? I mean, don't the Bucks have to go win some big games before they can be declared back? After a mediocre season at best, I am waiting for all this hype to be turned into some wins.

Brian Bennett: Adam ignores all emails from Niger. It's shameful, really. Anyway, this may shock you, but we in the media have a tendency to jump the gun a little bit on stories (no, really). So I see where you're coming from. At the same time, though, Urban Meyer is a proven winner, and it's hard to deny the talent he's bringing in. Ohio State had a rough 2011 but wasn't that far away from winning most of its games, and that was with a rookie head coach, a freshman quarterback, several suspensions and all kinds of off-the-field distractions. Yes, the Buckeyes still have to prove it on the field, but there's every reason to believe that will happen, and quickly.

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John from Lincoln, Neb., writes: Adam keeps saying that Nebraska needs to get more recruits from B1G country. The way I see it is that Pelini and Co. need to go after the best recruits out there, not dependent on their location. If there is a good player somewhere in B1G country and there was a slightly better player from Texas/Cali/Florida why not go after the better player? It's not like we can't get the player from outside of the B1G (Neb has recruiting ties all over). The only way I really see MORE benefit from getting players in B1G conference territory would be keeping that player away from a conference rival and having to play against him.

Brian Bennett: Well, sure, Nebraska should get the possible player, but I don't think it's that simple. The Huskers used to be able to recruit Texas so well in part because they played games in Texas and had a presence there. Leaving the Big 12 will likely hurt that. Fact is, a lot of recruits want to play either close to home or at a school that will play games in their home areas. That means a more Midwestern focus in recruiting efforts for Nebraska, which isn't blessed with a natural talent base in its own backyard.

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Greyson F. from Lansing, Mich., writes: How often do you sing "I am evil Homer" when you see the statue on your desk?

Brian Bennett: About the same number of times I sing the "Itchy & Scratchy" theme song. "They fight, they bite ..."

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Diamond G. from Detroit writes: What match up would you like to see in the first year of the B1G Ten vs Pac 12? for me I would like to see Stanford at Wisconsin, Ohio at Oregon, USC at MSU, Arizona at Michigan, Nebraska at Arizona State, and Cali at Iowa are my top choices, what you thing would be a out come if that played?

Brian Bennett: I had some fun with potential matchups back in December, Diamond. You can see those here. The series won't start until 2017, so predicting outcomes is impossible.

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Kevin from Mt. Prospect, Ill. writes: No Kain Colter in the top 25? Huge part of the wildcats success this year especially against Nebraska and his multiple uses at QB, running back and WR.

Brian Bennett: Devising a 25-player list in a 12-team league is really hard and means that many great players will be left off. Colter did some really nice work in filling in for Dan Persa, and he might have been the most versatile player in the league. But he also had several games late in the season where he wasn't a big factor once Persa came back. Ultimately, he just missed the cut.

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Patrick from Chicago writes: Brian, I enjoyed the NFL combine list. To me it's the perfect bookend to recruiting rankings. That, or graduation rates...but college football isn't about educating students. Wisconsin has 8 going, 7 from various recruiting classes + Russell Wilson. How many of those were 4-star recruits?

Brian Bennett: Using ESPN.com's recruiting rankings, only offensive tackle Josh Oglesby was a four-star prospect out of Wisconsin's eight combine invitees. He was an ESPNU150 prospect rated No. 28 overall in his class. Center Peter Konz was a three-star prospect. The rest -- fullback Bradie Ewing, cornerback Antonio Fenelus, punter Brad Nortman, receiver Nick Toon and offensive guard Kevin Zeitler, did not get ranked by ESPN.com as recruits. Toon was a four-star prospect according to Rivals, which also rated Zeitler and Nortman as three-star prospects. Ewing, Fenelus and even Wilson to some extent would all have to be considered surprises to the recruiting folks.

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Tim from Lincoln, Neb., writes: Random thought while watching the Super Bowl: Jason Pierre-Paul was committed to Nebraska before he switched to South Florida...I'm drooling a little thinking about him and Ndamukong Suh destroying quarterbacks.

Brian Bennett: That would have been almost unfair. I covered JPP in his one year at South Florida and knew he had beast written all over him. He developed late because he didn't play the game early on, but what a force he is now.

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Keenan from Maine writes: Because I'm bored and I don't care what my hair looks like as long as it's short enough to not pay attention to, I got a haircut to emulate Bielema. It didn't turn out perfect, I over exaggerated the peak so I look more like Tintin. I'm now curious what Bielema tells his barber how to cut his hair. A friend mentioned he was getting a haircut I suggested getting it cut like Hoke, his favorite teams coach, he said only crazy people get their hair cut like coaches or cartoon characters. Now i'm curious how each B1G coach gets their hair cut and maybe what the most common hairstyles are across the board in college.I know....I need a better hobby.

Brian Bennett: E. Gordon Gee agrees, Kevin.

Iowa fans grew antsy while waiting nearly two months for head coach Kirk Ferentz to name successor to Norm Parker at defensive coordinator. But Ferentz said Wednesday that he wanted to take his time with the decision, which resulted in defensive backs coach Phil Parker (no relation) being promoted on Tuesday.

"I just didn't see any advantage to moving quickly," Ferentz said at a news conference. "Unless you have to, there's no real advantage to that. So I just wanted to kind of sift through it, and I'm really glad that I did because my mind was in a couple different places. ... You want to take your time and feel really good."

Ferentz said he eventually settled on Parker -- who has spent the past 13 years coaching the Hawkeyes secondary -- as the best fit for the program. He said Parker has had opportunities to leave to go to other BCS teams, including a top-10 program that offered him a coordinator spot.

Ferentz did not announce a new offensive coordinator or any specific plans to fill the role vacated when longtime playcaller Ken O'Keefe left for the Miami Dolphins last week. He said he knew about O'Keefe possibly leaving as soon as Joe Philbin -- a friend of O'Keefe's -- got the Dolphins job. Expect Ferentz to take his time with this hire, too, even though current assistant Erik Campbell looks like a strong candidate to become another in-house promotion.

In some ways, it's understandable why Ferentz isn't making these decisions quickly. After all, O'Keefe and Norm Parker were the only coordinators he'd had at Iowa until this point.

"We probably cheated time here a little bit," he said. "I don't think anybody envisioned the head coach or two coordinators making it for 13 years. ... Right now, I'd settle for 10 out of the next two guys. That would be great if we could get 10 I'll be, what, 66. I'll have to figure that out then. Somebody will feel sorry for me and come join us at that point."

Some other notes from Ferentz's press conference:

• He explained his surprising decision to move offensive-line coach Reese Morgan to the defensive line by saying Morgan is an excellent teacher. The Hawkeyes will be very young on the D-line next season, and Ferentz felt Morgan was the right guy to get that group up to speed. He pointed to Morgan's excellent work of developing offensive linemen, including projected 2012 NFL first-rounder Riley Reiff, who came to school as a defensive end prospect.
• With the offensive line job open, speculation is rampant that Ferentz will hire his son Brian, currently a New England Patriots assistant, to coach that position. The elder Ferentz addressed that by saying he's "open to anything" but added that his son has a pretty good job right now.
• LeVar Woods was elevated from administrative assistant to a temporary coach during recruiting, and most expect him to be named the full-time linebackers coach. "He's still the interim coach as far as I know, at least," Ferentz said. "He's certainly interested in working here, and we'll let him go through the process. Hopefully he'll do well in the weeks ahead here and we'll find a seat for him."
• Ferentz said he didn't think the athletic department's budget would be an issue in hiring new assistants. But he also added, "I don't think we're going to try to sign a superstar coach or anything like that."
• A lot of Iowa fans wanted some change in the staff and many criticized O'Keefe's conservative game plans. Ferentz didn't rule out a major change with the new offensive coordinator, but odds are more likely that Iowa's style of play will look mostly the same. Ferentz said his next coordinator has to "believe in blocking" first and foremost. "As a head coach what I'm interested in is we've got to block. We've got to make the make-able plays and make sure we're doing a good job in turnover ratio. I think that's really critical if you're going to try to get somewhere."
• Iowa will move the start of its spring practice back a couple of days, and Ferentz would like to have the staff complete before the Hawkeyes get going in late March. But, again, moving fast is not his top priority. "Right now I think we've just got to make sure it's the right guy, certainly before we leave on spring break. ... Spring ball to me is about teaching the basics. It's about executing basic plays and just getting things taught. We have a very young team right now so it's not like we can be on page 7 anyway, so we really have to start at the beginning. So I think that gives us a little wiggle room there, too."

Your questions, my answers.

Robert from Atlanta writes: Adam, first I love the blog and continue the good work. Please explain to me why you feel Michigan State will be a strong team again. With so many key losses at QB, RB, TB, several WR's, and on defense, I see a group that will struggle quite a bit. If any team lost as much as they did they would be doomed. MSU doesnt reload like other schools. What am I missing here? I see the entire B1G taking steps back except for OSU and Michigan's losses are minimal. I see MSU ranked #7 in preseason polls. This has to be an oversight or I could be wrong on the key losses. Educate me please.

Adam Rittenberg: Robert, this is a fair question. The part I disagree with is: "MSU doesn't reload like other schools." While this has been true in the past, Michigan State is at a point where I believe it can reload, especially at some key positions. The Spartans have recruited extremely well at spots like wide receiver and defensive back, and the 2012 class might be the best lot yet. The level of athleticism has improved substantially under Mark Dantonio, which allowed Michigan State to beat a team like Georgia in the Outback Bowl. The Spartans have enough athleticism and depth on defense to replace a few key departures (Jerel Worthy, Trenton Robinson). It actually wouldn't surprise me if MSU is better on defense in 2012. While I agree the offense has some holes to fill, I like Michigan State's young wide receivers (especially if transfer DeAnthony Arnett becomes eligible immediately). The offensive line could be a lot better after dealing with inexperience in 2011. Losing Kirk Cousins is huge, but Andrew Maxwell has been groomed for this role. Michigan State will have to be a defense-driven team in 2012, and while the Spartans could win 10-11 or 7-8, I like their D.

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Lavar A. from Silver Spring, Md., writes: Adam, I'm missing the logic. You say the B1G playoff proposal primarily benefits the B1G. But I don't see it. THe B1G wouldn't even have had a team in the 4-team playoff in 2011....or 2010....or 2009....or 2008. If this very playoff system had been in effect, we just would have had many more opportunities not to watch the SEC play home games in the south. How do you see this being a benefit to the B1G in the near (or far) future? Oh and by the way, I do find the idea very intriguing nonetheless.

Adam Rittenberg: Lavar, while you're right about the drought between 2008-2011, the proposal at least gives Big Ten teams a chance to host games with national championship implications. The current setup essentially forces the Big Ten to win road games in the major bowls. A proposal that would include the current BCS bowls doesn't change anything. Yes, you need to qualify in the top 4 to be in the discussion, and the Big Ten clearly needs to compete better at the national level. But the proposal gives the Big Ten a chance to exploit an advantage that it currently cannot.

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Jason from Dallas writes: Adam,I actually agreed with Evan from Arusha, Tanzania's comment about lack of Purdue coverage in both you and Brian's blogs. But then when I sent comments you would both answer, which leads me to believe that you do cover Purdue, but there's just not a lot to cover. Just letting you know that I do appreciate the little bit of Purdue you do cover and hope they give reason to deserve more coverage in the future. It is insulting to think we're behind Northwestern, but they are the ones who consistently get to bowl games, not us. As for an actual question: I'm one of the many that are really down on Danny Hope. He got a great recruiting class this year, so I'm willing to give him a pass for one more year. But recruiting doesn't mean much if you can't coach them up, so we shall see. Tiller had 9 guys drafted in one year back in 2004 to lead all schools. Hope is projected to have nobody drafted this year, not a good sign. Do you believe 5-7 gets him fired? What about 6-6? Obviously 7-5, 8-4 (which is what they should be) means they are heading in the right direction.

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M.I.A. does not endorse these links:

• Bo Pelini opens up to Tom Shatel about the state of the Huskers' program and all kinds of other issues in a must-read piece. Pelini's first recruiting classes at Nebraska show that it takes a few years to judge such things.
• Urban Meyer has raised the stakes in the Big Ten, Drew Sharp writes. Meyer was at full speed in a meeting with Ohio high school coaches. The dustup over Meyer obscured the fact that Ohio State and Michigan are back in a big way, Tom Oates says.
• Departing Iowa offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe deserves some credit for the Hawkeyes' highs and not just scorn for the lows.
• Who is Bill O'Brien, anyway? Here's a detailed profile of the new Penn State coach. Nittany Lions signee Evan Schwan has overcome injuries.
• Michigan State got its first commitment for 2013 from an in-state running back.
• Increasing football attendance is at the top of Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas's priority list.
• Some leftover notes from the Michigan Wolverines' signing day.
• Purdue's Akeem Shavers won a national award.