Big Ten: Zach Reckman
Michigan State reviewing Gholston incident
Athletic director Mark Hollis released a statement Tuesday saying the Big Ten has notified Michigan State of a possible violation. The school is in the process of conducting its own review, which, according to the Big Ten Handbook, but be completed by Wednesday.
"We are thoroughly reviewing the entire game and utilizing all of the available resources: coaches' video from midfield and end zone cameras, TV copy as well as still photographs," Hollis' statement reads. "Once the internal review is completed, we will forward a written report on to the Big Ten."
If Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany doesn't agree with Michigan State's findings or potential penalties, he has three business days to reply to the school with a decision. While the process could go beyond Saturday's game between Michigan State-Wisconsin, it would be very surprising if Delany doesn't act quickly.
The Big Ten in 2009 imposed three one-game suspensions for sportslike conduct violations, typically on the Friday before games. Two of these suspensions -- Michigan LB Jonas Mouton and Purdue OL Zach Reckman -- stemmed from incidents after a play, while the other was imposed for a helmet-to-helmet hit by Ohio State S Kurt Coleman.
Earlier this month, Illinois suspended LB Jonathan Brown for a game for striking a Northwestern player in the groin. The Big Ten supported the decision.
Gholston is listed as a starter on Michigan State's depth chart for the Wisconsin game. Coach Mark Dantonio declined to comment on Gholston, citing the ongoing review by the school and the Big Ten. Dantonio said his team doesn't play dirty football.
Although Hollis didn't name Gholston in his statement or indicate how Michigan State will act, he did state, "This is an isolated incident and Coach D and his staff will continue to emphasize the importance of maintaining one's composure during the heat of the moment."
Rarely do these incidents result in no discipline, so it's likely there will be some action taken by Michigan State or the Big Ten. While the process could carry on for a few more days, we'll probably have a resolution before the Wisconsin game.
One thing for MSU to consider: while the Wisconsin game is big, next week's game at Nebraska is arguably bigger as it takes place within the Legends division and on the road. You can make a case that if Gholston is to be suspended, Michigan State would benefit more from having him against the Huskers.
What to watch in the Big Ten: Week 11
1. 'Eyes face final hurdles before showdown: Most folks believe that no remaining regular season game will impact the Big Ten title race more than No. 9 Ohio State at No. 13 Iowa on Nov. 20 at Kinnick Stadium. But for that game to truly mean something, both the Buckeyes and the Hawkeyes must take care of business this week. Ohio State faces a Penn State squad riding a wave of confidence following three consecutive Big Ten victories. Iowa goes up against its recent nemesis, Northwestern, which has beaten the Hawkeyes in four of the teams' last five games.
Charles LeClaire/US PresswireMatt McGloin has earned the starting quarterback job at Penn State.3. Hope, Rodriguez reunite: Purdue coach Danny Hope and his Michigan counterpart Rich Rodriguez had an awkward interaction after Purdue's historic win last year at Michigan Stadium. Hope called out Rodriguez for allegedly alerting the Big Ten about a play that resulted in the league suspending Boilers offensive lineman Zach Reckman. The post-game exchange surprised Rodriguez (and most of us, quite frankly). Both Hope and Rodriguez say the issue is in the past, but keep an eye on how the two coaches conduct themselves Saturday, especially if the score is lopsided.
4. Illinois aims to secure bowl eligibility: There's no time for Illinois to wallow in what might have been last week at the Big House. It's never easy to lose in triple overtime, much less when you've scored 65 points and have a plus-4 turnover margin. But Ron Zook must get his team to refocus for last-place Minnesota, as a win will make Illinois bowl eligible for the first time since 2007. Illinois' final two games -- vs. Northwestern at Wrigley Field, and at Fresno State -- are no gimmes, so the Illini must take care of business against the hapless Gophers. Look for big things from Mikel Leshoure, Nathan Scheelhaase and the Illinois ground attack against a Minnesota defense that ranks 106th nationally against the run (200.5 ypg).
5. Wisconsin's running back rotation: After providing a huge lift in Wisconsin's last two victories, Montee Ball is expected to get the start at running back Saturday against Indiana. Ball performed well last year against the Hoosiers, racking up 115 rush yards and two touchdowns in a 31-28 win. James White, who leapfrogged Ball for the backup job in the preseason, is getting healthy from a sprained knee and should get a nice chunk of carries as well. Coach Bret Bielema has gone back and forth on the status of starter John Clay (sprained knee), and I wouldn't expect to see much of No. 32 unless Wisconsin finds itself in real trouble.
6. Northwestern returns to finishing school: In two of the last three weeks, Northwestern has gotten away from a hallmark of its program -- the importance of finishing. The Wildcats squandered leads of 17-0 and 24-14 against Michigan State and watched a 21-0 lead against Penn State vanish quickly. Coach Pat Fitzgerald counted 27 missed tackles in the Penn State game, and a young defense seems to be showing its cracks against the play-action pass. Northwestern will need a much stronger performance from the defense against Ricky Stanzi and the dangerous Iowa offense.
7. Offensive Player of the Year race: There's still no clear favorite for Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year as we enter crunch time. Stanzi has been extremely effective and efficient, but he'll need a strong finish to hold off both Denard Robinson and Terrelle Pryor. Robinson, the nation's No. 2 rusher, goes up against Purdue star defensive end Ryan Kerrigan, the frontrunner for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Pryor has completed better than 75 percent of his passes in five games this season, and he tries to make strides before the showdown against Stanzi and Iowa.
8. Gray day for Minnesota: Interim coach Jeff Horton finally used MarQueis Gray at quarterback last week against Michigan State and likely will do so in a limited role for the rest of the season. Most Minnesota fans consider Gray the team's quarterback of the future, and it's good that he's getting some reps at quarterback before the end of a lost season. Horton isn't going to have Gray run a large package of plays, but the talented sophomore could provide a much-needed spark for an offense that can't seem to get over the hump with Adam Weber at the controls.
9. Robinson vs. Robinson: You shouldn't have trouble remembering the names of the starting quarterbacks Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium. Denard Robinson will start his 10th consecutive game for Michigan despite leaving last week's game against Illinois with concussion-like symptoms. Purdue once again will turn to true freshman Sean Robinson at quarterback, as both Rob Henry and Justin Siller are still recovering from injuries. Purdue's Robinson provided an early spark last week against Wisconsin and could do some damage against a suspect Michigan defense if he can avoid turnovers.
10. Backing up Belcher: Indiana receiver Damarlo Belcher "felt like a failure" after he dropped the potential game-winning touchdown in the final minute last Saturday against Iowa. Fortunately, Belcher's teammates have picked him up this week, unanimously voting him one of the game captains for the Wisconsin contest. For Indiana to have any shot at a monumental upset, the Hoosiers' passing attack must be on point and Belcher is a huge part of it. Coach Bill Lynch has seen a positive response in practice from Belcher, who leads the Big Ten with 65 receptions.
How did the officials grade in the five areas of focus?
Bill Carollo: We did a pretty good job on pass interference and helmet-to-helmet hits. Those two areas were in our focus areas. We're right about 95 percent of the time when we throw the flag. It's 5 percent that we're incorrect when we throw the flag, and then there's areas when we don't throw the flag and we should have. Maybe that's another 10-15 percent in some of these major categories. So we're trying to get everyone to a certain performance level that the coaches expect. There could be a mistake or two. We pray that it's not a game-deciding penalty. We just don't want to guess. So if they are only 90 percent sure, it looks like maybe it's [a penalty], we tell them, 'Don't throw it. Be 100 percent sure, and if you aren't sure, just keep the flag in your pocket.' Because guessing, at best you're going to be 50 percent because you don't have all the facts. You see the tail end of a play and you think it's a low block, it's a side block, a crack-back [block], and then when you back and see the whole thing, the guy turned on him, he was pushed into him, there's reasons why he ended up there. So let it go.
Three weeks in a row, you handed out discipline for on-field conduct. What type of message did that send, and how was it received around the league?
BC: Helmet-to-helmet and player safety is probably our No. 1 area that we focused on as coaches and as officials. Because the focus should be on the player. We had some situations that we did obviously take some disciplinary action on certain plays. The conference makes that decision on Monday. I tracked all of our unnecessary roughness fouls, and we called them early in the year, and we told the coaches we were going to continue to call them. And if we get only nine out of 10 right and we missed one and we did throw the flag for player safety, I can live with that. I don't like it. I want to be 100 percent [accurate], but the reality is we saw less helmet-to-helmet hits as the season went. We tracked them by week, all 13 weeks. And our accuracy [in calling the fouls] has gone up. Part of it has to do with some of the training, reinforcing those areas. At the same time, talking to the coaches and saying, 'Coach, that's a foul, and here's the reason why it's a foul, and we're going to continue to call it, so you need to tell the players not to lead with the helmet, don't use the crown of the helmet, don't try to punish, even though you're trying to make a play. And if it's close, you'll probably get a flag.' I'm telling our guys, 'Clean that up,' and we did. So I think the results were very good.
I had athletic directors and coaches disappointed in some of the discipline we did take, and they didn't always agree, but I was comfortable that what we were doing is the right thing, and that's what the NCAA wants. And they knew we were going to continue to throw the flag.
Two of those incidents [Jonas Mouton's punch and Zach Reckman's late hit] were either after a game or after a play. Did you see a reduction in those situations?
BC: It's the same thing. They need to control themselves, and coaches need to control their players. The game is over. The play is over. And we didn't throw a flag on one of those [Mouton vs. Notre Dame]. Any time there is a punch, the rule book's pretty clear. That's automatic. If you don't throw a guy out for throwing a punch, when do you? That's pretty clear. No one likes it. I don't like disciplining the players, especially when they're trying to make a play, a football play. When the play's over and it's not a football play, they don't get as much of a break from me. That's control. That's player discipline.
Now it seems like everyone has a camera and anything that happens will find its way to the Big Ten office. How has that changed during your time as an official?
BC: Dick Butkus used to use a clothesline and that was a great play and it makes the highlights. The game is changing from when I played in the '70s, from when the [Big Ten] coaches played in the '80s or '90s. The game is evolving and changing, and we need to keep changing with it, officials and coaches. And what was just a great football play before is [now] clearly a foul, and it might be discipline for the following game, not just a great highlight. So it's changing, and officials have to spend more time in the spring with the teams and the coaches, and in August, to learn how the game is evolving from a speed standpoint, the techniques that they're doing, the blocking. Understanding the different formations, whether it's the Wildcat, spread offenses, spread-punt formation, whatever it may be. Now there's a lot more options, a lot of things happen, so the officials have to understand the game better than they did when I was working. The officials are better today than when I was in [the Big Ten], but we're demanding even more because the demands and the expectations, because of video, because of television, because there's a camera everywhere, because there's exposure, because of the big stage of the Big Ten, we're putting more pressure than when I was an official in this league 25 years ago.
Any rules changes?
BC: Last year, they decided that we're going to change the rules every other year, which meant last year we received some rule changes, but this year, we should not receive any. And then going into the 2011 season, we'll have changes. However, if it's a safety factor, they can make the exception, and we did that. We took the wedge blocking on kickoffs -- even though it should be waiting till 2011 -- and there's some other rules out there for taunting that we made changes to but won't take effect until '11. But the wedge blocking -- the NFL made the change -- we looked at the numbers, how that affects the game, looked at injuries, and then also looked at how often it happens in the Big Ten. And we've made a decision that we should change the rule this year.
So you can have two players forming the wedge, but once you get to three stationary players forming that wedge a couple yards apart, it'll be a live-ball foul. And that's good. We said you can't low block. Well, once in a while, to get rid of three people, they would throw a low block, break a couple legs in the process, maybe even the guy throwing the block gets injured himself, and it was an area we didn't always catch. So we took at it and said, 'You know what? Let's just get rid of the wedge.' Because then there won't be people low blocking. So I think it's a good change.
Big Ten sends message with discipline
- Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton was suspended for punching Notre Dame center Eric Olsen following a play in a September game. No penalty was called on the field, but the Big Ten disciplined Mouton after reviewing film of the game.
- A week later, the league suspended Purdue offensive lineman Zach Reckman for a late hit on a Northern Illinois player at the end of the Boilermakers' loss to the Huskies. Purdue originally suspended Reckman for a quarter, but the league lengthened it to an entire game.
- Finally, the Big Ten suspended Ohio State safety and co-captain Kurt Coleman for a game following a helmet-to-helmet hit against Illinois' Eddie McGee during a game in Columbus. Coleman was called for a personal foul on the play.
Did the league's hard-line stance on conduct send a message? Big Ten Coordinator of Football Officials Bill Carollo thinks so.
"I'm telling our guys, 'Clean that up,' and we did," Carollo said. "I think the results were very good. I had athletic directors and coaches disappointed in some of the discipline we did take, and they didn't always agree. But I was comfortable that what we were doing is the right thing, and that's what the NCAA wants. It needed to be cleaned up, and [coaches] knew we were going to continue to throw the flag."
Officials throughout college football cracked down on helmet-to-helmet hits last season, and Carollo saw a reduction in the Big Ten. He also tracked unnecessary roughness fouls, both the ones called and the ones missed.
The accuracy of calls also increased, which Carollo attributes to officials' increased awareness as well as coaches being more mindful of what would be called.
"If you don't throw a guy out for throwing a punch, when do you?" Carollo said. "That's pretty clear. I don't like disciplining the players, especially when they're trying to make a play, a football play. When the play's over and it's not a football play, they don't get as much of a break from me. That's control. That's player discipline."
The changing environment for media and technology also factors into how the league handles player conduct. Carollo and his staff aren't the only ones breaking down game film, and even if a flag isn't thrown on game day, they'll eventually find out about any questionable incidents.
"Dick Butkus used to use a clothesline and that was a great play and it makes the highlights," said Carollo, who discussed the league's response with coaches this week at Big Ten spring meetings. "The game is changing from when I played in the 70s, from when the coaches played in the 80s or 90s. The game is evolving and changing, and we need to keep changing with, officials and coaches.
"What was just a great football play before is [now] clearly a foul, and it might be discipline for the following game."
John from Gilbert, Ariz., writes: Adam, at this point in the season who are your top picks for freshman who have made the largest impact in the Big Ten this year?
Adam Rittenberg: Good question, John. Wisconsin freshman linebacker Chris Borland has been an impact player all season, both on special teams and on defense. Iowa's Adam Robinson is a redshirt freshman, and he provided a big lift at running back after the injury to Jewel Hampton. Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier looked like a lock for Big Ten Freshman of the Year in September, and while he has struggled as the season went on, he's clearly an upgrade for the Wolverines and should make progress next year. Other impact freshmen include Wisconsin linebacker Mike Taylor, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, Indiana running back Darius Willis and Illinois cornerback Terry Hawthorne.
John from Columbus, Ohio, writes: Adam thanks for explaining how the bowl games work with who goes where. but going by how it works my question is why even play a tough non conference schedule? if a team can get picked over another team that has more wins then them then you my as well play an easy non conference schedule. Ohio State played and lost to Usc and Minnesota played and lost to Cal, and you got teams like Wisconsin who pad the schedule every year and can easily bump teams with a better record to get a better bowl. almost seems smarter to pad the schedule doesnt it???
Adam Rittenberg: You've figured it out, John. This is a big reason why teams don't schedule harder, in addition to the lost revenue from playing a good team on the road versus playing a cupcake at home. You don't need to be a great team to get to seven or eight or even nine wins in some cases. You can still go to a Jan. 1 bowl game and make some money. On the other hand, scheduling easy nonconference games can backfire if you're trying to reach your top goals. Penn State and Wisconsin both played fairly easy nonleague schedules -- Penn State more so than the Badgers -- and both teams lost their two signature matchups (Ohio State and Iowa). You have to wonder if playing tougher opponents in September could have helped them.
Brian from Louisville, Ky., writes: Adam, great job with the blog, I check it frequently throughout the day. As a Purdue alum, I am encouraged by Danny Hope's fiery/positive/aggressive attitude. He's done a great job of keeping this team afloat, especially after dropping 5 straight, some in heartbreaking fashion. I realize Rich Rodriguez probably showed poor form by bringing the confrontation up during a presser and that they should have handled this behind closed doors. But, I think Hope's actions come across as sour grapes and not the best example of sportsmanship for your players. You just beat them on the field. That should do your talking for you. I guess as a player/recruit you love the fact that your coach has your proverbial back, but does this outweigh the fact that you are being perceived as a sore winner? Your thoughts?
Adam Rittenberg: You bring up some great points, Brian. Danny Hope deserves a ton of credit for keeping Purdue afloat this season after so many near misses in September and October. But I was really surprised to see what happened after the game on Saturday. And while it was strange that Rodriguez brought up the incident in his news conference, there is video of the post-game handshake and the two coaches barking at each other. So it would have come up anyway. I tend to agree with you about Hope. You just beat Michigan in Ann Arbor for the first time since 1966. Be happy about it and don't bring up something that happened nearly two months ago. Zach Reckman's suspension isn't why Purdue lost to Notre Dame. Let it go and celebrate. But it certainly was a strange incident all around. Very SEC.
Lance from Johnstown, Pa., writes: Hi Adam, I just read your take on the BCS at-large situation. I would tend to agree with you that the Big10 has a decent shot at getting a second bid. Wouldn't you think that Penn State, despite losses against Iowa and OSU, is in the best position? I would have to think that even if Iowa loses to OSU and then wins out (leaving them with two losses), if Stanzi is not back or is questionable, the bowl selection committee may be a little hesitant to invite Iowa to take on top competition. Furthermore, PSU already has the edge over Wisconsin in the rankings and we all know how well PSU fans travel.
Adam Rittenberg: I think a lot depends on how Iowa performs in Columbus. If the Hawkeyes get spanked or shutout and show nothing on offense, it'll be hard for a BCS bowl committee to select them, especially if Ricky Stanzi will be sidelined. Several e-mailers have asked about Penn State vs. Wisconsin. If the Badgers win out, they'll finish with five consecutive wins, while Penn State would have only two. Then again, Penn State looked pretty good until the Ohio State disaster. And the Nittany Lions are more of a "national" program. And there's the Joe Paterno factor. So I would think if Penn State wins out and moves into the top 14 of the BCS, it has a pretty decent shot at an at-large berth.
Michael from Des Moines, Iowa, writes: A little bit of tounge in cheek here, but why is there no talk about the blatent missed calls in the Iowa/NW game, Stanzi almost losing his head, and the phantom holding call on the Wegher run that was called back. We had to listen to the Indiana missed call talk all week. I also wonder why Iowa is still not being considered for the BCS title game, they lost a game without their starting quarterback, isn't that the same argument that USC was using?Adam, keep up the good work.
Adam Rittenberg: Iowa lost to an unranked team in November. With or without the starting quarterback, it knocks pretty much anyone out of the BCS title mix. As for the calls, there were certainly some questionable ones, as there seem to be every game. The holding penalty on Wegher's touchdown was very questionable, but the officials clearly saw something excessive that drew a flag. You could probably call holding on every play if you really wanted to. On the Ricky Stanzi play in the end zone, it looked like the closest official (the referee) was screened by Stanzi or the Northwestern defender and watching the football, which was already out before any facemask. Whenever there's a fumble, the officials will be watching the ball instead of something that happens later, so I don't really fault them there. There were also some calls that went against Northwestern, including a 15-yard penalty on Sherrick McManis that looked like a legal hit to me. Iowa has certainly benefited from calls this season, and some have gone against the Hawkeyes. Just the way it goes.
Bad blood brewing between Rodriguez, Hope
Purdue-Michigan isn't considered a major rivalry, but there's some bad blood brewing between head coaches Rich Rodriguez and Danny Hope.
After today's Purdue victory at Michigan Stadium, Hope reportedly introduced Rodriguez to Boilers offensive lineman Zach Reckman and said, "Thanks Coach, we appreciate what you did." The Big Ten suspended Reckman for a game in September after he delivered a late hit to a Northern Illinois player after Purdue lost to the Huskies.
"I was a little disappointed that after the game their coach seemed to bring the lineman over like I was the reason that his lineman got suspended for that one game," Rodriguez told reporters in Ann Arbor. "I don’t know where that came from. I talked to him on the phone and told him that wasn’t me that -- this is way back when. I didn’t have anything to do with that young man getting suspended for that one game."
Rodriguez had previously he would be alert the Big Ten of any conduct issues after the league suspended Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton for punching Notre Dame's Eric Olsen. The Michigan coach made a reference to seeing a conduct issue on Sept. 19, presumably Reckman's late hit.
"As a coach you say, 'OK, the precedent will be set,' and that's why I saw we’ll look at every act," Rodriguez said in late September. "And, in fact, it's funny you say that, I saw a Big Ten game, in the locker room as we were leaving, highlights, and it was the end of the game and a guy jumped on someone on the last play of the game and did a little of this right here. Now is that a non-football act? It probably is, so that may be turned in and see what happens."
I'm not sure where this is going to go. Unlike the SEC, the Big Ten rarely has coaches publicly sniping at one another.
Big Ten suspends Coleman, OSU not happy
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
The Big Ten might lack a top 5 team, but the league leads the nation in suspending its own players.
Ohio State star safety Kurt Coleman on Monday became the third Big Ten player in as many weeks to be issued a one-game suspension from the conference office.
Coleman will sit out this week's game at Indiana because of a helmet-to-helmet hit on Illinois quarterback Eddie McGee in the final minutes of Saturday's 30-0 Ohio State victory. Officials flagged Coleman for a personal foul, and though he wasn't ejected, he left the field and did not return.
In issuing Coleman's suspension, the Big Ten cited a new NCAA rule requiring conference to review flagrant personal fouls, especially those involving helmet-to-helmet contact and "targeting an opponent."
From the Big Ten's news release:
In the 2009-10 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations, Rule 9-6, Article 2, states: “When there is a foul called for initiating contact/targeting an opponent [Rule 9-1-3] that does not result in a player disqualification, there shall automatically be a video review by the conference for possible additional sanctions before the next scheduled game.” Rule 9-1, Article 3.a., states in part that “no player shall initiate contact and target an opponent with the crown [top] of his helmet.” Rule 9-1, Article 3.b., states in part that “no player shall initiate contact and target a defenseless opponent above the shoulders."
The Big Ten reviewed the play and consulted with NCAA National Coordinator of Officials Dave Parry before imposing the one-game suspension for Coleman.
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith and head football coach Jim Tressel issued a joint statement Monday disagreeing with the league's decision.
"Obviously, we will abide by the one-game suspension from the Big Ten Conference, but we feel as if there was poor judgment throughout," Ohio State's statement reads. "We concur that Kurt’s hit was late and a result of poor judgment; he was thus penalized and removed from the game by his coaches. We do not agree that it was 'premeditated' or that he was 'targeting a defenseless' player. The decision to suspend points to the conference office's feeling as if there was poor judgment by the game officials for their decision not to eject at the time. In our estimation, the final 'poor judgment' is in levying a one-game suspension in this particular case. We will abide by the decision, learn from it, and move forward."
Wow. It doesn't seem like the Big Ten's recent string of suspensions is sitting well with its members.
The league suspended Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton for punching Notre Dame's Eric Olsen in a Sept. 12 game, while Purdue offensive lineman Zach Reckman was suspended for Saturday's game against Notre Dame after a late hit at the end of the Northern Illinois loss.
The difference here is neither Mouton nor Reckman drew penalties for their actions. Michigan wouldn't have suspended Mouton had the league not intervened, while Purdue planned a one-quarter suspension for Reckman.
Coleman is a co-captain at Ohio State and by all accounts a fabulous representative for the team and the university. Ohio State understandably hates to see a guy like Coleman cast in a negative light.
The league, by the way, had no comment on Ohio State's response when I checked in this afternoon.
By suspending a prominent player like Coleman, the Big Ten reiterated the message that on-field conduct will be closely examined and severely punished, if necessary. It'll be interesting to see if other conferences follow suit or not.
Big Ten suspends Purdue's Reckman for late hit
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
The Big Ten has suspended its second football player in six days, providing more evidence of the league's hardline stance on player conduct this season.
Purdue offensive lineman Zach Reckman received a one-game suspension from the league for a late hit on Northern Illinois' Sean Progar last week at Ross-Ade Stadium. Reckman lowered his shoulder and speared a sliding Progar after Progar had secured a Purdue lateral attempt on the final play of Northern Illinois' 28-21 victory.
Reckman, the Boilermakers' starting left guard, will sit out Saturday's game against Notre Dame (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET). The Big Ten ruled that Reckman violated a league agreement prohibiting "striking or attempting to strike or otherwise physically abusing an official, opposing coach, spectator or athlete," and issued him a public reprimand.
“We appreciate Purdue’s and head coach Danny Hope’s attention to this issue and feel a one-game suspension is appropriate,” Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said in a statement. "The behavior of Zach Reckman at the end of the Northern Illinois game is unacceptable and could have triggered a larger incident."
Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke contacted the Big Ten about the play Sunday after talking with Hope, and Hope decided to suspend Reckman for the first quarter of the Notre Dame game.But the Big Ten went with a harsher penalty.
“We talked with our guys before the game about maintaining their composure, and Zach made a mistake,” Hope said in a statement released Thursday. “But I know Zach and firmly believe that he would not attempt anything of a malicious nature. Morgan and I agreed that a one-quarter suspension would be appropriate in this case, and that is what we presented to the Big Ten. They saw it differently, and we have to live with their decision.”
Asked about the play on Sunday, Hope said he didn't think Reckman's play was "all that vicious.""I don't think Zach Reckman should've jumped in there on that guy at the end of the play but maybe he was hoping the ball would come out," Hope said Sunday. "He was trying to find a way to win."
The Big Ten suspended Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton for last week's game after he punched Notre Dame center Eric Olsen on Sept. 12. Like Reckman, Mouton didn't draw a penalty.
Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez, who wasn't going to suspend Mouton before the league stepped in, said he would be watching every Big Ten closely to find similar instances of non-football acts. Rodriguez said Monday that he had seen an example during last weekend's games but didn't specify the play.
Junior Justin Pierce is listed as Reckman's backup at left guard on Purdue's depth chart.
Big Ten position rankings: Offensive line
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
Everything on offense starts with what happens up front, and line play will make or break the season for several Big Ten teams. The league loses a handful of standout linemen, including Rimington Trophy winner A.Q. Shipley, but several teams should reload nicely.
There's a lot to like about the top three, and I don't see any truly bad units in the league.
1. Iowa -- Shonn Greene was the nation's most dominant running back last year, but he had plenty of help. Iowa returns three starters and several key reserves from a line that propelled Greene to 13 consecutive 100-yard rushing performances. Junior Bryan Bulaga is the league's premier left tackle, while Kyle Calloway provides depth on the other side. The Hawkeyes boast more guard depth than any Big Ten team, a group that includes Dace Richardson, who has resurrected his career after a string of injuries.
2. Ohio State -- A major disappointment in 2008, Ohio State's line should be much improved thanks to experience, the addition of guard Justin Boren and some excellent recruiting. Boren brings a much-needed spark to the line and impressed just about everyone this spring. Center Mike Brewster is a year older, and senior Jim Cordle has shown impressive versatility in shifting to right tackle. The left tackle spot concerns me a bit, but Ohio State has recruited extremely well here.
3. Wisconsin -- The Badgers lose starting guards Andy Kemp and Kraig Urbik, but they always find a way to control the line of scrimmage and return several key pieces. Center John Moffitt and left tackle Gabe Carimi will contend for All-Big Ten honors, and Bill Nagy looks solid at one of the guard spots. If right tackle Josh Oglesby takes a step forward and lives up to his potential, Wisconsin will once again have one of the league's top lines.
4. Northwestern -- The team hopes its skill-position losses will be offset by a much better offensive line, which returns four starters. Northwestern did a good job of limiting sacks last year but should be much better at staying on blocks and buying time for athletic quarterback Mike Kafka. Left tackle Al Netter and center Ben Burkett are both All-Big Ten candidates, and the Wildcats boast plenty of depth after recruiting extremely well to this position.
5. Michigan -- No group will make a bigger jump in Year 2 of the spread offense than the line, which returns four starters. Michigan should be very solid up the middle with center David Molk and guards Stephen Schilling and David Moosman. If the Marks (Ortmann and Huyge) hold up at the tackle spots, a run game led by Brandon Minor will surge. Despite several player departures, Michigan has recruited several standout linemen who will provide depth this fall.
6. Michigan State -- I like the Joels (Foreman and Nitchman), and left tackle Rocco Cironi returns from a shoulder injury, but this group still needs to prove itself. Despite Javon Ringer's success last fall, the line was just average and must fill several gaps. Hopes are high for J'Michael Deane and Jared McGaha after spring ball, and if those players make progress Michigan State will move up the list.
7. Penn State -- The line rivals the secondary as Penn State's biggest concern entering the fall. In addition to Shipley, the Lions lose tackle Gerald Cadogan and guard Rich Ohrnberger. Only one starter (right tackle Dennis Landolt) returns to the same position he occupied in 2008. Stefen Wisniewski will be fine at center, but Penn State needs tackle DeOn'tae Pannell and others to make a lot of progress during camp.
8. Illinois -- With so much talent at the skill positions, expectations will be high for the Illini line, which drew mixed reviews in 2008. Right guard Jon Asamoah will contend for All-Big Ten honors, and Illinois really likes young right tackle Jeff Allen. The team must fill a big hole at left tackle, though veteran Eric Block slides over from guard to center. This could end up being a very respectable group.
9. Minnesota -- Perhaps no offensive line in the Big Ten intrigues me more than Minnesota's, which is going through a major transition in both scheme and technique with assistant Tim Davis. The Gophers are returning to their roots as a power-run offense, but they'll have to adjust quickly to all the changes. Left tackle Matt Stommes could be a pro prospect if things fall right, and the mammoth Jeff Wills lines up on the other side of the line. Notre Dame transfer Matt Carufel joins the mix as a starting guard.
10. Purdue -- Injuries decimated the two-deep last year, and Purdue used seven different starting lineups up front. The Boilers are much healthier entering the fall and should be much better. Young players like right guard Ken Plue gained valuable experience last fall, and he rejoins veterans Jared Zwilling, Zach Reckman and Zach Jones. The big question is how quickly the group jells as Purdue wants to stress the run game more this fall.
11. Indiana -- Much like Purdue, injuries hit Indiana's line especially hard last fall. The Hoosiers have two proven veterans in left tackle Rodger Saffold and center Pete Saxon, both of whom have started for three seasons. If those two can lead the way and young players like Justin Pagan and Will Matte continue to develop, Indiana will be much improved here.
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Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
The Big Ten's only new head coach isn't new at Purdue. Danny Hope was there for Purdue's rebirth in the late 1990s and returned last year as head coach-in waiting and offensive line coach. Those tags have since been removed, and Hope is going through his first practices as the man in charge. Purdue comes off a 4-8 season and missed a bowl for just the second time since Joe Tiller's arrival in 1997. Hope brought in five new coaches during the offseason, including offensive coordinator Gary Nord and defensive coordinator Donn Landholm.
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| Sandra Dukes/Icon SMI | |
| Joey Elliott is a candidate to start at QB for Purdue in 2009. |
The Boilers have competition at quarterback, running back and wide receiver as they try to turn things around in Hope's first year. I caught up with Hope earlier this week.
A few practices in, is the team where you thought it would be? Ahead of schedule? Behind schedule?
Danny Hope: We're ahead in some ways. Obviously, when you have a guy like Curtis Painter, who was accomplished as he was at the quarterback spot, you've got a lot of work to do. We are eight receivers short from the roster of 2008. So I didn't really know what to expect when we went out the first day in shorts last Wednesday, but I was very pleased with what we've got done so far. We are able to go out there and execute the offense to some degree, which is a good sign for us this early in spring. The good thing about our quarterback spot, even though we don't have a bona fide returning starter, is our top two quarterbacks played in 2008.
How does the quarterback competition shape up right now?
DH: Joey Elliott was a very good No. 2 quarterback for us, was actually putting pressure on Painter and starting to get in some games, and then he got injured. You're not getting a rookie. He's a football junkie. He loves it. He had shoulder surgery and his health status is much better than I thought it would be at the start of spring. He's throwing the ball better, got a little more zip on it. He's a guy who knows more about the offense than anyone else we have on that side of the ball right now. So him being healthy enough to go out there and throw was a huge shot in the arm for us. And obviously, Justin Siller, even though he wasn't that well prepared because he had not been in the lineup before and was working as a running back, we beat Michigan with Justin Siller and he's a great athlete. He has some game experience. So we don't have two varsity rookies out there. That's a good sign. And I really like what I'm seeing out of our freshman, Caleb TerBush, who was on the scout team all of last year, he's out there getting some great reps. We're further along at the quarterback spot than I thought we were going to be, but when you're comparing it to the likes of Drew Brees, Kyle Orton and Curtis Painter, we're nowhere near that.
Do you have a timetable on when you'd like to make a decision on a starter? Will it go well into preseason camp?
DH: Everybody asks that, and the most important thing to me is the development at the quarterback position, not just one particular quarterback. Last year is a classic example of what I'm talking about, where Painter went down and Joey Elliott got hurt and we had to take Justin Siller from running back and move him to quarterback, and he wasn't prepared to do so. I think the development of all of our quarterbacks is key this spring, and certainly the No. 1. We'll play as many players as we can, so I'm not really concerned about saying there has to be a certain deadline or due date as long as each and every one of our quarterbacks are improving and can get themselves in position to help us win. That's more important than naming a guy.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Adam Rittenberg
Rittenberg joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four years at the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, where he covered sports at Notre Dame, Northwestern, DePaul and several other colleges. He lives in Chicago.
Brian Bennett
Bennett joined ESPN.com in August 2008 after nine years at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., where he covered college sports and the University of Louisville beat. He lives in Louisville.
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