ESPN College Football

When you think Big Ten football, what usually comes to mind is big, corn-fed Midwestern players and bruising offenses. The kind of place that would be perfect for a tight end.

But the 2011 season was a little lackluster for that position in the league, at least as far as the passing game goes. Sure, Northwestern's Drake Dunsmore and Wisconsin's Jacob Pedersen were Mackey Award semifinalists, but those two and Michigan State's Brian Linthicum were the only two tight ends in the conference to record more than 25 catches. Some guys we expected to have big years, like Nebraska's Kyler Reed, Minnesota's Eric Lair and Indiana's Ted Bolser, were nearly invisible on the stat sheet. And there was certainly no one who rose the level of recent Big Ten stars like Dallas Clark, Matt Spaeth, Travis Beckum, Lance Kendricks or Dustin Keller.

Dunsmore, who won the league's inaugural Kwalick-Clark tight end of the year award, and Linthicum have both graduated. Yet 2012 is shaping up as a potentially big season for tight ends across the league.

Some of it has to do with changing offenses and playcallers who love utilizing the tight end. Urban Meyer made a star out of Aaron Hernandez at Florida and could do the same with Jake Stoneburner, who started off blazing hot last year before the Ohio State offense forgot about him. With the Buckeyes searching for playmakers, expect Stoneburner to be utilized heavily in 2012.

"Seeing Hernandez make all those plays makes someone like me pretty happy," Stoneburner told Adam Rittenberg last month. "It's something I've been waiting for since I graduated high school, being able to go out there knowing you're going to get the opportunity to get the ball more than once or twice a game. "

Bill O'Brien coached Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski as offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots, which featured the tight end as much as anybody in football. Now O'Brien is at Penn State, where tight ends have mostly been an afterthought. That will change quickly.

"That’s a very important part of what we’re going to do offensively,” O’Brien told reporters in March. “Obviously, the last two years in New England taught me a lot about the use of a tight end, multiple tight ends.”

At Iowa, new offensive coordinator Greg Davis is raving about sophomore C.J. Fiedorowicz, a 6-foot-7, 265-pounder who began to emerge late last season as a weapon. With an uncertain running game and an excellent passer in quarterback James Vandenberg, Fiedorowicz could follow in the footsteps of Clark and Tony Moeaki as breakout Hawkeyes tight ends. Coincidentally, Iowa's new offensive line coach is Brian Ferentz, who coached the tight ends with the Patriots last year.

“You’ll see the tight ends playing outside sometimes,” Davis told the Des Moines Register during spring practice. “Used to seeing them in motion, but there will be motion in wide receiver sets in some situations because they’re tough match-ups.”

Wisconsin returns one of the best tight ends in the country in Pedersen, who had led Big Ten tight ends with eight touchdown catches a year ago. Bret Bielema is also excited about the depth at the position, with veterans Brian Wozniak and Sam Arneson, redshirt freshmen Austin Traylor and Austin Maly and Pittsburgh transfer Brock DeCicco. Given the inexperience at receiver outside of Jared Abbrederis, the Badgers could look to throw to their tight ends even more this season.

Indiana's Bolser had only 14 catches last year, but he was one of the stars of the spring for the Hoosiers. An improved passing game should help him become more of a factor. Purdue likes the depth it has at tight end, led by Gabe Holmes and Crosby Wright.

“A year ago it was one of the leanest positions on our football team," Boilers coach Danny Hope told reporters in the spring, "and now I think going into the season that the tight end position is going to be one of our strengths.”

Reed's numbers dropped last year, but he still led Nebraska with an average of 17.1 yards per catch. He and fellow senior Ben Cotton form a nice tandem of targets for Taylor Martinez. Michigan State must replace Linthicum but is optimistic about 6-foot-5, 280-pound Dion Sims, who practiced this spring with a cast on his hand. Sims could provide a safety valve for new quarterback Andrew Maxwell early on as the Spartans break in some green receivers.

Minnesota's Moses Alipate will at least be a curiosity as a former quarterback who grew to 290 pounds. Michigan needs Brandon Moore or someone else to step in for Kevin Koger, while Illinois' Jon Davis could have a different role in the team's new spread offense after a promising freshman campaign. Whoever replaces Dunsmore for Northwestern should get a lot of touches.

Tight ends could play an important part of many Big Ten teams' attacks this fall. Just as it should be.

The Kirk Ferentz-to-NFL rumors are as common to December as holiday shopping and frost on your windshield.

They had died down for a year or two, but now they're back.

The Kansas City Chiefs' firing of coach Todd Haley earlier Monday once again will pose the question of whether Ferentz would leave Iowa for an NFL job. When the Kansas City Star published its list of candidates to replace Haley, from "the realistic to semi-realistic, to just-plain-crazy," guess whose name appears at the top? Colleague Bill Williamson also lists Ferentz as one of the Chiefs' top candidates.

Ferentz has been mentioned for NFL coaching vacancies before and has always opted to remain at Iowa, where he makes incredibly good coin and doesn't need to win 10 games each year to keep his job. His connection to the Chiefs job is general manager Scott Pioli. Ferentz and Pioli have known each other for more than 20 years and worked together in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens organization, Ferentz as an assistant coach and Pioli in scouting. Both men have ties to New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Pioli has drafted several Iowa players for the Chiefs, including quarterback Ricky Stanzi and tight end Tony Moeaki.

"The thing about Kirk is he's one of the finest human beings I've met in my 25-plus years in this business, in this game," Pioli told The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette in August. "He's a great family man. He' got an incredible wife and his five kids, I've known them all since they were young. His ability to prepare people is the fact that he cares about his kids, how he cares about his players. He understands things in the big picture of football and the big picture of life. I think he does a great job of preparing kids and getting kids to trust him because he's so genuine. He's one of those people when you look at football and you see how he does things and how he does his job, it makes you proud to be in the same industry because he's a first-class act."

Bottom line: Pioli has a lot of respect for Ferentz, and few would be shocked if he inquired about the coach's interest in the Chiefs job.

The bigger question: Would Ferentz leave?

He has plenty of reasons to stay in Iowa (more than 3.8 million, actually). He makes top 10 money without having to finish in the top 10 every year, a currency most coaches would cherish. He has tremendous influence at Iowa, which prides itself on coaching continuity (Ferentz is the Big Ten's longest-tenured coach, in his 13th year with the Hawkeyes). His son, James, a Hawkeyes center, will be a senior next year. His youngest son, Steven, is a high school senior.

Ferentz, 56, easily could finish his coaching career in Iowa City, where he's held in high regard by the administration despite some disappointment both on and off the field since the 2010 Orange Bowl. Fan criticism seems to be increasing, but it doesn't seem strong enough to discourage Ferentz from staying.

It comes down to his NFL curiosity. If he's curious about how he'd fare coaching at the highest level, this might be the job and the time to make the jump. Coaches want control, and Ferentz would be working with a general manager he knows and trusts. It's also fair to ask how many opportunities Ferentz will have to coach in the pros.

"Scott typically comes through at some point in the season like a lot of GMs do," Ferentz told The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette. "... I'm always amazed at what he sees about everything and everybody that he'll share with me at some point. I don't know that our conversations were that much more extensive. He values what we say, but he likes to do a lot of work on his own. He and his staff are very thorough, very professional."

Will Ferentz become part of Pioli's staff in the near future? I tend to think he won't, as his situation in Iowa remains very comfortable and advantageous. But if the NFL pull is still there, this might be the time to move.

Mitchell: You do love pink.
Cam: No, pink loves me.

Quite a few hearts stopped in the state of Iowa when starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi hobbled off the field in the first half of today's opener.

Fortunately for Hawkeye Nation, Stanzi is OK and performing very well, as Iowa leads Eastern Illinois 28-7 at halftime. Stanzi has completed 11 of 13 passes for 134 yards and, most importantly, no interceptions. He missed only a few plays with the injury.

As Jewel Hampton sits out the opener because of a suspension, Adam Robinson is trying to stake his claim to the starting running back job. A-Rob has looked great so far, rushing for 79 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries. Iowa also seems to be handling the loss of standout tight end Tony Moeaki well so far, as Brad Herman and Allen Reisner have already combined for five receptions.

Iowa's defense has been solid aside from one EIU drive.

Looks like we won't see another Week 1 scare for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa tight end Allen Reisner talks about filling the starting role vacated by standout Tony Moeaki.

The position rankings move on to the wide receivers and tight ends, who will be grouped together. The Big Ten remains a defense-first conference, but I really like the depth at receiver and, to a lesser extent, tight end throughout the league. Although star power was considered, I put a very strong emphasis on overall depth and 2010 potential here.

This was the toughest position to whittle down to five (actually, six), but here goes ...

1. Michigan State: Sure, there's a lack of star power entering the season, but trust me, that will change. There's not a deeper group of receivers and tight ends in the Big Ten than this one. Veterans B.J. Cunningham and Mark Dell anchor the receiving corps, and dangerous speedster Keshawn Martin will play a much bigger role in the offense this season. Converted quarterback Keith Nichol also joins the mix there. Michigan State also boasts three talented tight ends, including Mackey Award watch list members Charlie Gantt and Brian Linthicum.

2. Indiana: The Hoosiers return two of the Big Ten's top five receivers in Tandon Doss, a first-team all-conference selection, and Damarlo Belcher. They also add experience with Terrance Turner and exciting young players like Duwyce Wilson and Dre Muhammad. Overall depth is a bit of a question mark, but both Doss and Belcher will get the attention of opposing defensive backs after combining for 1,732 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last fall. Max Dedmond returns at tight end after recording 18 receptions in 2009.

3. Wisconsin: I'm not completely sold on this entire group, although receiver Nick Toon and tight end Lance Kendricks should contend for All-Big Ten honors this fall. Isaac Anderson and David Gilreath both boast a ton of experience, but must take the next step in their development. Wisconsin could use a rebound season from Kyle Jefferson, and walk-on Jared Abbrederis continues to make plays in practice and should be a contributor this fall.

4. Purdue: Surprised by my choices so far? You won't be when the season starts. Like Michigan State, Purdue's depth will reveal itself this fall. The Boilers are led by Keith Smith, a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2009 and the league's top returning receiver (1,100 yards). He's joined by two veterans in receiver Cortez Smith and tight end Kyle Adams. But the real boost could come from young players like Antavian Edison and Gary Bush, as well as Justin Siller, the team's former starting quarterback who brings size and big-play ability to the perimeter.

T-5: Penn State: I'm tempted to rank the Lions a little higher but want to see how the entire group performs this season, provided they get the ball thrown to them. Derek Moye has all the tools to be an All-Big Ten receiver after recording 48 receptions for 765 yards and six touchdowns last season. Graham Zug is a very solid target who reached the end zone seven times in 2009. Although Chaz Powell moves to defense, Penn State boasts several exciting young wideouts like Devon Smith. Tight end is a big question mark after the departures of Andrew Quarless and Mickey Shuler.

T-5. Iowa: The Hawkeyes boast the league's top big-play tandem at receiver in Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Marvin McNutt. DJK is on track to become the team's all-time leading receiver this fall, and McNutt averaged 19.8 yards per catch and scored eight touchdowns in 2009. I like the potential of guys like Keenan Davis and Paul Chaney Jr., who returns from a knee injury. Tony Moeaki is a major loss at tight end, but Allen Reisner returns and talented freshman C.J. Fiedorowicz enters the fold.

Just missed the cut: Ohio State, Michigan

Up next: Quarterbacks

More rankings ...

• Defensive line
• Linebacker
• Secondary
• Offensive line
• Running backs

Schedule: Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes hit the field for their first practice at 11:30 a.m. ET today.

What's new: The offensive line certainly has a new look after the departures of Bryan Bulaga, Kyle Calloway, Dace Richardson and Rafael Eubanks. Iowa will be breaking in a new right tackle, most likely Markus Zusevics, and the center spot is up for grabs between Josh Koeppel and James Ferentz. The only other spot that gets a major overhaul is linebacker, as standouts Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds both depart. Iowa is one of only 11 FBS programs to return its coaching staff fully intact for 2010.

Sidelined: Iowa enters camp relatively healthy, although linebacker Ross Petersen won't participate in full-contact drills for at least a week because of a torn pectoral muscle.

Key battle: The competition at center between Koeppel and Ferentz should be good, but Iowa really needs to identify a second starting cornerback opposite Shaun Prater. Amari Spievey leaves a huge void, and the Hawkeyes will be looking to players like Micah Hyde and Jordan Bernstine to step up. Bernstine missed all of last season with an ankle injury, but he played as a reserve in his first two seasons. The situation at running back also should be very interesting to watch during camp.

New on the scene: Iowa doesn't typically play many true freshmen, but heralded tight end recruit C.J. Fiedorowicz should see the field following the departure of standout Tony Moeaki. Homegrown product A.J. Derby is a very interesting young prospect, but indications suggest he'll redshirt this fall.

Back in the fold: Jewel Hampton entered last summer as the projected successor to All-American Shonn Greene at running back, but a series of knee problems ended his season before it began. Hampton is back in the fold but must beat out Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher for the starting job. He'll miss the season opener because of a suspension, but we should finally see Hampton's return in Week 2 against Iowa State.

Breaking out: Iowa opened up its passing attack last season and saw Marvin McNutt and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos emerge as legitimate deep threats in the Big Ten. Johnson-Koulianos likely will finish as Iowa's all-time leading receiver, and McNutt averaged 19.8 yards per reception with eight touchdowns. Both players could have even bigger years in 2010. Along the defensive line, everyone knows about Adrian Clayborn, but watch out for Broderick Binns, Karl Klug and Christian Ballard, who should see increased opportunities to make plays this fall.

Quotable: "We tend to be a developmental team. We were 9-0 at one point last year, and we were a good team, we had played some great football, but we weren't a great team at that point. In January, we were a pretty good team. We really grew. So it's a race against time. I don't know where we stack up in that race right now." -- Head coach Kirk Ferentz

My look at three newcomers to watch for each Big Ten team in 2010 continues with Iowa.

OFFENSE: C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Fr., 6-7, 250

Kirk Ferentz rarely plays true freshmen, but Fiedorowicz has a lot working in his favor to see the field this fall. Iowa loses standout tight end Tony Moeaki and needs a second option alongside Allen Reisner. Fiedorowicz is the team's top-rated incoming recruit and boasts the size and athleticism to make a difference right away. He might not be the fastest player, but he uses his size extremely well and can gash defenses down the middle of the field.

DEFENSE: Micah Hyde, CB, So., 6-1, 185

Iowa has a major hole at cornerback following Amari Spievey's NFL departure, and Hyde is one of several players vying to fill it. Hyde appeared in all 13 games last season, mostly on special teams and in Iowa's dime package, and recorded eight tackles. His playing time will go way up this fall as he competes with Jordan Bernstine for a starting spot opposite Shaun Prater. He boasts good size at 6-1 and certainly looks like Iowa's No. 2 or No. 3 option at corner entering camp.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Keenan Davis, WR, So., 6-3, 215

Davis should be a major factor on kickoff returns and he'll likely line up alongside senior Derrell Johnson-Koulianos. He came out of spring ball listed as a co-starter on kickoff returns even though he had only two returns (one kickoff, one punt) in 2009. Davis' potential is obvious as he boasts good speed. Teams likely will kick away from Johnson-Koulianos, who ranked second in the league in kickoff returns in 2009 (31.5 ypr), so Davis should have plenty of chances to shine.

Eleventh in a series examining key players departing, staying and arriving at Big Ten schools in 2010.

Going ...

Pat Angerer, LB: Angerer was the heart and soul of Iowa's defense in 2009, racking up 145 tackles (sixth nationally), two forced fumbles and an interception. He earned consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors, first-team All-America honors from several outlets and was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Angerer always found himself around the football and had some of his best games (Penn State, Georgia Tech) against some of Iowa's better opponents.

Bryan Bulaga, LT: Despite missing three games in September with a thyroid condition, Bulaga won Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year honors and protected Ricky Stanzi's blind side. He started for two and a half seasons at left tackle/left guard and would have provided valuable experience for Iowa's line had he returns for his senior year. Bulaga earned first-team All-American honors from several outlets in 2009.

---

Staying ...

Adrian Clayborn, DE: Several opposing Big Ten coaches were shocked that Clayborn passed up the NFL draft for one more year in Iowa City. The consensus first-team All-Big Ten lineman could have a monster season in 2010 after recording 11.5 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, nine quarterback hurries and two blocked kicks. The Orange Bowl MVP should contend for national awards this fall as he tries to lead Iowa to a Big Ten championship.

Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, WR: DJK isn't short on personality or big-time receiving numbers. He has led Iowa in receiving for three consecutive years and will take aim on two team receiving records this fall. Johnson-Koulianos needs only 31 receptions and 401 receiving yards to break Kevin Kasper's records. If Iowa continues to air it out with Stanzi, DJK should have a big year.

---

Coming ...

C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE: Iowa loses a very valuable piece in Tony Moeaki, a tight end who looked like an All-American at times last year. Fiedorowicz is Iowa's most decorated recruit and boasts tremendous size and athleticism. Iowa likes to feature multiple tight ends, and Fiedorowicz might be the perfect complement for Allen Reisner if he can improve his blocking.

A.J. Derby, QB: A heralded recruit who grew up right in Iowa City, Derby is already generating a ton of buzz among Hawkeyes fans. He was one of only two incoming freshmen to enroll early and go through spring practice. Although he's staying at quarterback for now, he has the skills to contribute in several ways. Derby is a great candidate to run the Wildcat or shake things up on offense with a special package of plays.

More revolving door ...

• Indiana
• Michigan State
• Wisconsin
• Penn State
• Purdue
• Ohio State
• Minnesota
• Illinois
• Northwestern
• Michigan

Quite possibly the best part about spring practice is learning about players who come out of the blue to make some noise. Now there are numerous cases of spring practice stars who do absolutely nothing when it matters in the fall, so take this with a grain of salt.

But from time to time, spring ball can be a springboard for big things during the season.

There were quite a few relative unknowns who made names for themselves this spring in the Big Ten, but here are five (actually, six) who stood out to me:

1. Wisconsin WR Jared Abbrederis: He's the first player listed on Wisconsin's alphabetical roster, but few had heard of Abbrederis before this spring. The walk-0n became the story of the first part of spring ball, as he repeatedly made big catches against veteran defensive backs. Wisconsin has had success with walk-on wide receiver before, with Luke Swan topping the list, and Abbrederis could be a factor in a receiver group that needs a No. 2 option behind Nick Toon.

2. Indiana DEs Darius Johnson and Kevin Bush: I had heard of Johnson, but only because I repeatedly listed him on Indiana's injury report throughout last season. But these two ends made a strong impression this spring, at least with co-defensive coordinator Joe Palcic, who said they'll make folks forget about multiyear starters Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton. Johnson and Bush combined for two sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble in the spring game.

3. Michigan S Cameron Gordon: I talked to six players and four or five coaches at Michigan during my spring visit, and every one of them mentioned Gordon's play this spring. I didn't know much about him, as he redshirted last year as a wide receiver before switching to safety. Gordon's hard-hitting style and presence in the secondary certainly came through to teammates like Roy Roundtree and Troy Woolfolk. Michigan really needs help at safety this fall, so Gordon should be a factor.

4. Minnesota LB Mike Rallis: A converted safety, Rallis locked up a starting spot at strongside linebacker with an excellent performance this spring. He played some as a freshman but missed all but three games last season after breaking his leg. Minnesota loses all three starters at linebacker, so it really needed a boost like the one Rallis provided in spring ball. "He's going to be a playmaker for us," Gophers head coach Tim Brewster said.

5. Iowa TE Brad Herman: I knew about projected starter Allen Reisner, but Tony Moeaki left a pretty big hole to fill at tight end this spring. Herman seemed to step up nicely and provided a second option alongside Reisner. Heralded incoming recruit C.J. Fiedorowicz also could be a factor, but it sounds like he'll need to beat out Herman. "He's clearly had his best period of practice," head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "That's something we really needed to see."

Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi isn't in denial.

As soon as he finished his duties as victorious signal caller/American hero at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Stanzi began to focus on the area of his game that needed the most work before the 2010 season.

He didn't need anyone to spell it out for him.

"Obviously, the turnovers were the first thing that needed to be addressed," he said. "It starts with me, obviously, being the quarterback, the guy who has the ball in his hands the most."

Stanzi's overall résumé at Iowa speaks for itself. He owns a 18-4 record as the Hawkeyes' starting quarterback. He has led the team to two bowl victories, occupies sixth place on the school's all-time passing yards list (4,373) and was a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award last season.

But the guy with the ball in his hands the most has, at times, handed it over to opposing hands at an alarming rate. Stanzi threw 15 interceptions last fall, tying for most among Big Ten quarterbacks. He threw five interceptions against Indiana -- four in the third quarter alone -- and had four pick-sixes.

And amazingly, Stanzi and the Hawkeyes survived it all. Iowa's only two losses came in a game Stanzi didn't finish because of injury (Northwestern) and a game he missed because of injury (Ohio State). His value as an on-field leader and as a performer, particularly in the fourth quarters of close games, isn't up for debate.

Still, Stanzi knows you can only live on the edge for so long. It's very rare a team can survive multiple picks or pick-sixes and come away with wins like Iowa did in 2009.

"We need to clean up our turnover ratio," head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "We were doing really well through half the year, and then the bottom kind of came out. If we hadn’t done such a good job with takeaways, it really would have been a bad thing. We broke even [plus-2 for the season], but that’s a little bit of a distorted figure in my mind."

To address the issue, Stanzi and Iowa's other quarterbacks reviewed tape of each interception thrown last fall and put a grade on it. Offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe and his staff did the same.

They tried to identify what went wrong on each play and whether any themes or habits emerged that could be addressed.

"Obviously, it was a turnover, but you want to look at why it was a turnover," Stanzi said. "What was wrong? Was it your feet? Was it the wrong read? Was the ball just not there? There’s a lot of different things that factor into each different play, so there's not one thing you can put your finger on. But they were all ultimately my fault, so looking back on those, I use them as learning tools."

O'Keefe also identified more than one cause. He saw Stanzi forcing things a bit early in the year, putting too much on his shoulders. There also was a stretch of poor decisions and several throws that came a little late.

The good news? Everything could be corrected, and Stanzi dedicated himself toward doing so in spring practice.

"He works hard, he studies a lot of tape, he knows our system," O'Keefe said. "On our off days for practice, he might be in the indoor facility working on drops. He’s always doing something to try and help us as a team, and he feels the best way for him to help the team is to improve on things that he needs to get better at."

The film review this winter served its purpose, but Stanzi needed to validate what he'd learned on the field.

"When you’re sitting in the film room, you’re not able to go out and actually put in the work into a rep," he said, "which can be the next step in ultimately cutting back on the turnovers."

O'Keefe wants Stanzi to be more comfortable with throwing the ball away when receivers aren't open or taking off and running for a first down instead of forcing a throw.

Both men admit that Iowa threw downfield more often in 2009, a shift that could be attributed to a talented group of pass-catchers (Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Marvin McNutt and Tony Moeaki) and the absence of a dominant running back like Shonn Greene. But just because Stanzi attempts more low-percentage passes doesn't mean his interceptions percentage has to rise.

"We’re not planning on changing our attack an awful lot, so it’s just a matter of cleaning a couple things up," Ferentz said. "There are times when you take chances and there are other times when you just don’t. That’s part of the process. He'll be fine.

"It’s something he can get better at, and that’s obviously No. 1 on his list right now, just taking a little bit better care of the ball."

Last week's NFL draft rekindled a hot topic on this blog -- the 2009 Big Ten Coach of the Year race between Iowa's Kirk Ferentz and Ohio State's Jim Tressel.

As we all know, Ferentz won the award, his third after claiming the honor in both 2002 and 2004. Tressel amazingly has never won the award despite leading Ohio State to six Big Ten titles, a national title, seven BCS bowl appearances and a 59-13 mark in conference games since he took over as head coach in 2001.

Let the record show that I endorsed Ferentz for the 2009 award, though I wouldn't have made a fuss if it had gone to Tressel. I cited Iowa's ability to overcome a brutal road schedule and several key injuries as primary reasons why the award should go to Ferentz. Plus, Ferentz and his assistants regularly take average recruits and turn them into All-Big Ten performers.

"Ferentz had so many things working against him this season, namely a brutal road schedule and several unfortunate injuries. ... Ferentz readily admits Iowa isn't the most talented or deepest team in the Big Ten, but he and his assistants got the most out of the Hawkeyes this fall. ... Tressel deserves to win this award one of these seasons, and he did a great job turning things around after Purdue and worked his November magic yet again. I'd be happy for Tressel if he got the nod tonight, but the honor should go to Ferentz."

So how does the NFL draft change this, if at all?

Well, Iowa had six players drafted, including a first-round pick in left tackle Bryan Bulaga, a second-round pick in linebacker Pat Angerer, two third-round picks in cornerback Amari Spievey and tight end Tony Moeaki, and a fourth-round pick in linebacker A.J. Edds.

Ohio State, meanwhile, had its weakest draft in recent memory. The Buckeyes had no players drafted in the first three rounds and only one, outside linebacker Thaddeus Gibson, drafted before the seventh round.

The draft also mirrored the 2009 All-Big Ten selections, which included only two first-team selections from Ohio State (safety Kurt Coleman and guard Justin Boren) and five first-team selections from Iowa (Bulaga, Spievey, Angerer, defensive end Adrian Clayborn and safety Tyler Sash).

Despite having a weak senior class, at least according to NFL potential, and one of his least decorated teams at Ohio State, Tressel won another Big Ten title, not to mention a Rose Bowl championship.

Did he deserve the Coach of the Year Award over Ferentz?

I've heard plenty from both fan bases on this topic, and I'll attempt to summarize the viewpoints.

Ohio State fan argument: It's ridiculous Tressel has never won the award despite dominating the Big Ten since his arrival. Why should he get penalized for Ohio State recruiting well and being the preseason favorite all the time? Look at the 2009 season. Iowa had more than twice as many first-team All-Big Ten selections, and a much stronger NFL draft class. And Ohio State still beat the Hawkeyes head-to-head to win the Big Ten championship and then the Rose Bowl. This was one of Tressel's best coaching jobs, and if he can't win the award in a year like this one, he'll never get it. O-H!

Iowa fan argument: It's ridiculous that Tressel has never won Big Ten Coach of the Year, but Ferentz deserved the award in 2009, just like he did in 2002 and 2004. Look at where Iowa's recruiting classes rank next to Ohio State's year after year. Ferentz consistently does more with less talent, while Tressel wins the league because he has the most gifted recruits. It goes back to recruiting and player development, and a coach should be judged by what he does with players after they come under his watch.

Both sides bring up great points, and both coaches certainly did enough to deserve the award last fall.

I took a look at who was winning Coach of the Year in other conferences. Specifically, I wanted to see how often the award went to the coach from the dominant team, or the team that recruited the best.

• Pete Carroll won Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors three times during his dominant USC tenure. He claimed the award outright in 2006 and shared it with Washington State's Bill Doba in 2003 and UCLA's Karl Dorrell in 2005.
• Oklahoma's Bob Stoops has won Big 12 Coach of the Year four times, while Texas' Mack Brown won his second award last season. The Sooners and Longhorns have dominated the league in the last decade.
• Florida's Urban Meyer has never won SEC Coach of the Year, making him the closest parallel to Tressel. Nick Saban has won or shared the award three times, once with LSU and twice with Alabama.
• Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer won back-to-back ACC Coach of the Year awards in 2004 and 2005. Beamer and the Hokies have been the league's dominant team since moving over from the Big East.

This shows that dominant head coaches can win Coach of the Year awards in their leagues, although Tressel and Meyer both have been passed over.

Pretty much everyone agrees that Tressel deserves this award, but unless Ohio State takes a nosedive on the field or in recruiting, his drought likely will continue.

The 2010 NFL draft is in the books, so let's take a look at the 34 Big Ten players who heard their names called in New York. When the full list of undrafted free agents comes out, I'll post it later in the week.

ROUND 1

• Michigan DE Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles, No. 13 overall
• Iowa LT Bryan Bulaga, Green Bay Packers, No. 23 overall
• Penn State DT Jared Odrick, Miami Dolphins, No. 28 overall

ROUND 2

• Indiana LT Rodger Saffold, St. Louis Rams, No. 33 overall (first pick of Round 2)
• Illinois WR Arrelious Benn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, No. 39 overall
• Penn State LB Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys, No. 55 overall
• Purdue DT Mike Neal, Green Bay Packers, No. 56 overall
• Iowa LB Pat Angerer, Indianapolis Colts, No. 63 overall

ROUND 3

• Iowa CB Amari Spievey, Detroit Lions, No. 66 overall
• Illinois G Jon Asamoah, Kansas City Chiefs, No. 68 overall
• Minnesota WR Eric Decker, Denver Broncos, No. 87 overall
• Penn State LB Navorro Bowman, San Francisco 49ers, No. 91 overall
• Iowa TE Tony Moeaki, Kansas City Chiefs, No. 93 overall

ROUND 4

• Northwestern DE Corey Wootton, Chicago Bears, No. 109 overall
• Ohio State DE/LB Thaddeus Gibson, Pittsburgh Steelers, No. 116 overall
• Wisconsin TE Garrett Graham, Houston Texans, No. 118 overall
• Iowa LB A.J. Edds, Miami Dolphins, No. 119 overall
• Northwestern QB Mike Kafka, Philadelphia Eagles, No. 122 overall
• Wisconsin DE/LB O'Brien Schofield, Arizona Cardinals, No. 130 overall

ROUND 5

• Illinois TE Mike Hoomanawanui, St. Louis Rams, No. 132 (first pick of fifth round)
• Northwestern CB Sherrick McManis, Houston Texans, No. 144 overall
• Michigan P Zoltan Mesko, New England Patriots, No. 150 overall
• Penn State TE Andrew Quarless, Green Bay Packers, No. 154 overall
• Minnesota LB Nate Triplett, Minnesota Vikings, No. 167 overall

ROUND 6

• No Big Ten players selected

ROUND 7

• Penn State TE Mickey Shuler, Minnesota Vikings, No. 214 overall
• Michigan State CB Jeremy Ware, Oakland Raiders, No. 215 overall
• Iowa RT Kyle Calloway, Buffalo Bills, No. 216 overall
• Indiana DE Jammie Kirlew, Denver Broncos, No. 232 overall
• Ohio State DT Doug Worthington, Pittsburgh Steelers, No. 242 overall
• Ohio State S/CB Kurt Coleman, Philadelphia Eagles, No. 244 overall
• Indiana CB/KR Ray Fisher, Indianapolis Colts, No. 246 overall
• Michigan LB/S Stevie Brown, Oakland Raiders, No. 251 overall
• Ohio State LB Austin Spitler, Miami Dolphins, No. 252 overall
• Penn State LB Josh Hull, St. Louis Rams, No. 254 overall

Here are the selections according to Big Ten team:

Illinois: 3
Indiana: 3
Iowa: 6
Michigan: 3
Michigan State: 1
Minnesota: 2
Northwestern: 3
Ohio State: 4
Penn State: 6
Purdue: 1
Wisconsin: 2

Quick thoughts:

• Three of the biggest draft steals from the Big Ten were pass-catchers in 2009: Illinois wideout Arrelious Benn, Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker and Iowa tight end Tony Moeaki. Benn had first-round skills but a fourth-round college résumé. Decker most often was compared to former Broncos wideout Ed McCaffrey, and if healthy, he could do big things in Denver. If Moeaki stays healthy, the Chiefs might have found the next Tony Gonzalez. Kirk Ferentz puts Moeaki right up there with Dallas Clark in Iowa's top tight ends.
• Love the Colts' pick of Angerer, who could be a very good pro in a great situation in Indy. With Angerer and Indiana's Fisher going to Indianapolis, the Colts now have drafted 26 Big Ten players under Bill Polian.
• Northwestern's Kafka also goes to a very good situation in Philly, as the Eagles love to pass the ball and will run some shotgun.
• Penn State's Lee, Purdue's Neal, Wisconsin's Schofield and Northwestern's Wootton and McManis could all be steals for their teams. Health has been an issue for Lee, Schofield, Wootton and McManis, so they need to find ways to get on the field and stay there.
• It was interesting how one Big Ten left tackle, Indiana's Saffold, rose up the draft boards late in the process, while another, Iowa's Bulaga, dropped.
• Ohio State had four players drafted, but this has to be the Buckeyes' weakest draft class in recent memory. I thought Gibson would go in the second or third round, but Worthington, Coleman and Spitler barely made the cut. Did Jim Tressel deserve Big Ten Coach of the Year over Ferentz? The case looks stronger now.
• Draft snubs included Michigan State wide receiver Blair White, Michigan cornerback Donovan Warren, Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark and Purdue quarterback Joey Elliott. Warren was the only Big Ten junior not to get drafted. His decision to leave looked reasonable at the time, but he clearly could have used another year in Ann Arbor. All four players have reportedly signed free-agent deals.

Question of the day: Do you have enough patience to wait for Big Ten expansion?

• Colleague Ted Miller recaps Day 2 from the BCS meetings.
• The Big East is prepared to fight if the Big Ten tries to poach its teams, Tom Luicci writes in The Star-Ledger. The Big Ten might not be the only conference looking to go big through expansion.
• An interesting comment from a Big 12 official in this story by the Los Angeles Times' Chris Dufresne.
• Ohio State safety Tyler Moeller talks about the ugly incident that cost him the 2009 season as well as his hope to return this fall. Terrelle Pryor might not play much in the Buckeyes' spring game, but the quarterback went No. 1 in Wednesday's player draft, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• Michigan State also held its spring game player draft Wednesday, and running back Edwin Baker might feel a little snubbed, Shannon Shelton writes in the Detroit Free Press. The Green squad looks to be the clear favorite, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal.
• Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick is a virtual lock to go in the first round of the NFL draft tonight, Joe Juliano writes in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
• Minnesota's spring game is being likened to a final exam for quarterback candidates Adam Weber and MarQueis Gray, John Hageman writes in the Minnesota Daily.
• As Purdue wrapped up spring ball Wednesday, the secondary remains a concern, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal & Courier.
• Former Iowa tight end Tony Moeaki wants to prove his body can hold up in the NFL, Pat Harty writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Here's the draft outlook for all of Iowa's NFL hopefuls from The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette's Scott Dochterman.

After watching Michigan State and Purdue slug it out on the basketball court Sunday, I was tempted to make the short drive down I-65 to Indianapolis for the final few days of the NFL combine.

The combine continues today and Tuesday, but many of the key evaluations have already taken place.

Let's take a look at the Big Ten's top performers in the events through Sunday:

40-Yard Dash

• Tony Moeaki, Iowa, tied for fourth among tight ends (4.69 seconds)
• Andrew Quarless, Penn State, tied for fourth among tight ends (4.69 seconds)

Bench Press

• Daryll Clark, Penn State, first among quarterbacks (21 reps)
• Arrelious Benn, Illinois, tied for first among wide receivers (20 reps)
• Blair White, Michigan State, sixth among wide receivers (18 reps)
• Michael Hoomanawanui, Illinois, third among tight ends (25 reps)
• Andrew Quarless, Penn State, tied for fifth among tight ends (23 reps)
• Garrett Graham, Wisconsin, tied for eighth among tight ends (20 reps)
• Thaddeus Gibson, Ohio State, tied for sixth among defensive linemen (32 reps)
• Brandon Graham, Michigan, tied for 10th among defensive linemen (31 reps)
• Mike Neal, Purdue, tied for 10th among defensive linemen (31 reps)

Vertical Jump

• Mike Kafka, Northwestern, tied for seventh among quarterbacks (32 inches)
• Arrelious Benn, Illinois, tied for eighth among wide receivers (37 inches)
• Garrett Graham, Wisconsin, sixth among tight ends (34.5 inches)
• Tony Moeaki, Iowa, tied for seventh among tight ends (34 inches)
• Rodger Saffold, Indiana, tied for ninth among offensive linemen (29.5 inches)

Broad Jump

• Mike Kafka, Northwestern, tied for fifth among quarterbacks (9 feet, 2 inches)
• Tony Moeaki, Iowa, tied for fifth among tight ends (9 feet, 5 inches)
• Rodger Saffold, Indiana, tied for second among offensive linemen (9 feet, 5 inches)

3-Cone Drill

• Mike Kafka, Northwestern, third among quarterbacks (6.96 seconds)
• Blair White, Michigan State, third among wide receivers (6.69 seconds)
• Rodger Saffold, Indiana, third among offensive linemen (7.42 seconds)

20-Yard Shuttle

• Blair White, Michigan State, first among wide receivers (4.03 seconds)
• Garrett Graham, Wisconsin, fourth among tight ends (4.35 seconds)
• Rodger Saffold, Indiana, eighth among offensive linemen (4.67 seconds)

60-Yard Shuttle

• Mike Kafka, Northwestern, second among quarterbacks (11.79 seconds)
• Blair White, Michigan State, second among wide receivers (11.07 seconds)
• Tony Moeaki, Iowa, third among tight ends (11.86 seconds)

So it's been a good combine for players like Moeaki, Saffold, White, Kafka and Quarless. I'll provide more updates on top performers as the results are posted.