ESPN College Football

In honor of the weather, these links were cooked under record-high temperatures.

• Wisconsin's quarterback competition this spring begins with the team's top two pass-catchers sidelined. Badgers coach Bret Bielema is geared up for spring ball.
• Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson knows he has to be more vocal as a senior. Craig Roh bulks up to play strong-side defensive end.
• Adrian Amos and Bill Belton are among Penn State's young players who could be difference-makers. Recently dismissed Lions DL Shawn Oakman faces charges from a February incident. A decorated D-line recruit visits State College this weekend.
• A look at Iowa's extremely young defensive line in spring ball. Former Hawkeyes RB Marcus Coker moves forward at Stony Brook.
• Urban Meyer's new home gives him a front-row seat when The Memorial golf tournament rolls through C-Bus.
• Minnesota QB MarQueis Gray is surrounded by a different group of challengers this spring. Gophers players are more comfortable with the practice pace this spring.
• Michigan State is making a recruiting push in America's dairyland.
• Purdue defensive end Robert Maci plays through pain as he competes for a starting job. Boilers running back Ralph Bolden once again battles back from an ACL injury.
• Some highlights from Week 2 of Indiana's spring session.

It happened. Satan's trifecta. The day I most dreaded had fallen on the day I most loved.

• Cornerback Ross Douglas joined quarterback Christian Hackenberg on a big recruiting day for Penn State. Hackenberg fills a huge need for PSU, Bob Flounders writes. Lions defensive end Shawn Oakman isn't talking about his dismissal from the team.
• Ohio State is closing in on Cincinnati assistant Kerry Coombs as its next defensive backs coach. Eleven Warriors looks at how Urban Meyer will install his offense this spring.
• David Molk and Mike Brewster aren't interested in continuing the barbs about who is the better center. Here's the list of players participating in Michigan's pro day.
• BTN.com's Tom Dienhart previews spring football in the Big Ten.
• Wisconsin's staff overhaul has reportedly cost the team a 2013 verbal.
• Brian Christopherson looks at how the new kickoff rules might impact Nebraska. Coach Bo Pelini won't rush to replace assistant Corey Raymond.
• Illinois football forms a partnership with the Chicago White Sox. New coach Tim Beckman is tightening media access to spring practices.
• Two Purdue football players are considering running for student government.
• Wide receiver Keshawn Martin stood out among Michigan State's players at the NFL combine. Quarterback Kirk Cousins also received high marks from the combine.
• Mgoblog's Brian Cook explains why the college football playoff movement is in high gear.
• Michigan's Joe Bolden and Ohio State's Bri'onte Dunn are among the early enrollees who could have a big impact this spring.

Hope Leap Day William visits today and trades candy for your tears.

• Pat Harty wonders if new Iowa playcaller Greg Davis is ready for a change in talent level from his days at Texas. DJK was released from his arena football team.
• Denard Robinson is growing as a leader, Al Borges says. Junior Hemingway thinks Michigan will beat Alabama in the 2012 opener. Mike Martin is happy with his showing at the NFL combine.
• Bo Pelini says he's in no rush to fill the coaching vacancy on his staff, even if that means he won't have a dedicated secondary coach for the start of spring practice March 10. Alfonzo Dennard made his case -- a solid, if not spectacular one -- at the NFL combine.
• Ohio State got a commitment from top-rated in-state offensive lineman and ESPNU 150 prospect Evan Lisle.
• Penn State dismissed redshirt freshman defensive end Shawn Oakman without much explanation. New Nittany Lions quarterbacks coach Charlie Fisher says he's confident the program can attract elite signal-callers to State College.
• A fullback prospect talks about his visit to Purdue.
• It's a promising sign that Thomas Hammock didn't become the latest assistant to leave Wisconsin.
• NBCSports.com looks at some Big Ten spring storylines.
• If you didn't read Adam's piece about the lack of diversity among Big Ten head coaches, you should.

As promised in last week's mailbag, let's take a look at the annual Big 33 game from over the weekend.

The annual showcase for high school players from Ohio and Pennsylvania featured 20 future Big Ten players, including five Ohio State signees. And the Buckeye State got a boost from those future Buckeyes, as Ohio crushed Pennsylvania 50-14.

Ohio State recruits had a big hand in the win. Quarterback Cardale Jones threw two touchdowns passes, strikes of 54 and 40 yards. Receiver Devin Smith caught two touchdowns. Cornerback Doran Grant returned an interception 100 yards for a score.

The Ohio defense -- which featured Grant and future Ohio State defensive linemen Chase Farris and Steve Miller, plus Northwestern signee Andrew Smith -- held Pennsylvania to negative rushing yards.

Will the Buckeyes, though, lament one who got away? Akise Teague was named the game's MVP with 102 rushing yards, 66 receiving yards and three total touchdowns. Mr. Football in Ohio wanted to go to Ohio State but was not offered because of his lack of size. The Youngstown product signed with Cincinnati instead.

Penn State signee Shawn Oakman had said he wanted to help put Philadelphia, his hometown, back on the map. But the big defensive end did not record a tackle.

Some linking pleasure on Rebecca Black's favorite day:

• The Detroit News has a Q&A with Mark Dantonio, who's eager to build on last year's success. Dantonio checked out some players at a camp.
• Incoming freshmen are due to arrive at Ohio State this weekend, and the Buckeyes will anxiously hope everyone shows up. Linebacker Ejuan Price has already asked for his release. Other future Buckeyes remain committed to the school. Luke Fickell faces some difficult decisions.
• Huge (6-foot-9, 270-pound) Penn State recruit Shawn Oakman wants to put Philadelphia football back on the map.
• Nebraska assistant coach and recruiting coordinator John Papuchis talks about the Huskers' strategy going forward in the Big Ten.
• Michigan athletics is in the black for the 10th straight year, and the Wolverines expect to double their surplus this year. Brady Hoke is restoring order in Ann Arbor.
• Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg knows how to excel in the classroom, and he can handle public speaking. A look at how the Hawkeyes compare to other Big Ten contenders in some different stat areas.
• Drew Brees presented Ryan Kerrigan with an award, and Purdue astronauts mingled with athletes at a Boilermakers banquet.
• A rundown of Minnesota's nonconference opponents.
• Pat Fitzgerald and Yankees manager Joe Girardi share a friendship.

The Big Ten lost one of its own today in New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. The Boss earned his Master's degree at Ohio State from 1954-55 and served as a grad assistant under Buckeyes legendary football coach Woody Hayes. Steinbrenner went on to serve as an assistant at both Northwestern (1955-56) and Purdue (1956-57) before entering the shipping business.

Although he made his name as a baseball owner, his roots in football were obvious with how he ran the Yankees. RIP.

• Purdue shocked no one by naming Robert Marve its starting quarterback for preseason camp, but plenty of questions remain elsewhere, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
• Solider Field will put its name in the hat for a potential Big Ten championship game, Teddy Greenstein writes in the Chicago Tribune.
• Michigan is putting the finishing touches on the renovated Big House, annarbor.com's Jeff Arnold writes.
• When remembering the Penn State-Nebraska series, don't forget the 2002 matchup, Jared Shanker writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News. Lions recruit Shawn Oakman also will hoop it up in Happy Valley, Philip Cmor writes in The Altoona Mirror.
• Michigan State linebacker Max Bullough has a family legacy with the Spartans, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal. The Spartans pick up two recruits from Wisconsin, Shannon Shelton writes in the Detroit Free Press.
• Illinois tackle Corey Lewis likely will redshirt this season with a torn ACL he suffered at the end of a stellar spring, Joe Miegoc writes in the Pocono Record.
• Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema shoots down a rumor about incoming recruit Beau Allen's health, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.
• Iowa's latest recruit brings some major size to the defensive line, Andy Hamilton writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen. What's the No. 4 game of the Kirk Ferentz era? Mike Hlas goes with the Iowa-Michigan contest in 2002, Scott Dochterman goes with last year's game at Ohio State, while The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette readers go with the 2010 Orange Bowl.
• It probably never will happen, but a Big Ten-SEC football challenge would be a lot of fun, Dochterman writes.