ESPN College Football

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Bottom line is we're 4-4 the last two years in conference play," he said. "If that's the best we can do, then that's fine. But we felt like we've left something out there."

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

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

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

"And I sense an excitement."

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

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

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

"We all kind of feed off of that."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That's where the ancient history comes in.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are his thoughts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some other notes from Ferentz's press conference:

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

The Big Ten recruiting classes are signed and sealed, and although a few more recruits could come aboard, we have a good idea of what the rosters will look like heading into the 2012 season.

That means it's Power Rankings time. Again.

We're taking a post-signing day look at where the league stacks up. There aren't too many changes from our previous rundown, but some teams received a bump from strong recruiting classes.

As they say on Twitter, #legooo.

1. Michigan State: The Spartans' recruiting class didn't crack ESPN's top 25, but it features several strong prospects and is loaded up at wide receiver and defensive back. Mark Dantonio tells us he can't remember recruiting 10 athletes like the ones Michigan State added in the class. Michigan State already is one of the Big Ten's most athletic teams, so this bodes well for the Spartans as they look for another big season.

2. Michigan: Brady Hoke and his staff rode a fast start to 2012 recruiting and finalized a class ranked No. 7 nationally. The Wolverines started three freshmen on defense in 2011 and added several more who can contribute early in their careers, including linebacker Joe Bolden, cornerback Terry Richardson and defensive tackle Ondre "Pee Wee" Pipkins. If Michigan can maintain its momentum on defense after losing several stud linemen, it will be very tough to beat in 2012.

3. Ohio State: Urban Meyer announced himself with a superb recruiting class featuring arguably the nation's best crop of defensive line prospects. Ohio State would have been an improved team in 2012 after its first seven-loss season since 1897, but the recruiting class boosts the Buckeyes even more. The defensive front seven should be a deeper and stronger unit, and players like Noah Spence, the Big Ten's top-rated recruit, have a chance to contribute immediately.

4. Nebraska: The Huskers missed on their top signing day target (offensive lineman Andrus Peat) but still inked a solid class that should help at positions like linebacker, where Big Red lacked size and depth. Linebacker Michael Rose could contribute early in his career. Nebraska also addressed the departure of standout cornerback Alfonzo Dennard with talented juco addition Mohammed Seisay.

5. Wisconsin: Quality not quantity was the theme for Wisconsin, which signed only 12 players, the Big Ten's smallest class by five recruits. The Badgers lost two offensive line commits to other schools but added a decorated quarterback in Bart Houston and some solid players to the defensive back seven, including linebacker Vince Biegel. This is the type of season that will test Wisconsin's ability to reload and provide a true gauge of the program's progress under Bret Bielema.

6. Penn State: New coach Bill O'Brien and his staff had to scramble to keep the class together, and the 2012 recruiting haul didn't quite match what Penn State adds in most seasons. The coaches were able to keep some good prospects and fulfilled a need at wide receiver with Eugene Lewis and others. It'll be interesting to see how quarterback Steven Bench turns out after Penn State lost verbal commit Skyler Mornhinweg to Florida.

7. Purdue: The Boilers added speed in their 2012 class, and they loaded up on quarterback prospects for the future with four signal-callers. But Purdue also beefed up along the offensive line with Jordan Roos and others. With coaching changes and personnel changes throughout the Leaders Division -- not to mention Ohio State's bowl ban -- Purdue has an excellent chance to make some noise in 2012.

8. Iowa: The big story in Iowa City isn't so much the recent recruiting class but the seismic changes going on in one of the nation's more stable programs. After having the same coordinators for the past 13 seasons, Kirk Ferentz must replace both Norm Parker and Ken O'Keefe, who left late last week for a post on the Miami Dolphins' staff. Iowa will have new leadership on both sides of the ball, creating some uncertainty but also some excitement. The Hawkeyes added some nice pieces in the 2012 class, such as running back Greg Garmon and defensive end Faith Ekakitie.

9. Northwestern: Although the Wildcats' class didn't crack the national rankings, it looks like the best haul in Pat Fitzgerald's tenure as head coach. Northwestern picked up a potential difference-maker on defense in defensive end/linebacker Ifeadi Odenigbo. Malin Jones could be the team's answer at running back, a spot that has suffered during Fitzgerald's tenure. The Wildcats also added the league's top transfer in former USC receiver Kyle Prater.

10. Illinois: It might take a year for Tim Beckman and his staff to make a big splash on the recruiting scene. Illinois' 2012 haul didn't receive great reviews, but the Illini are pursuing several nationally elite 2013 prospects from within the state. Linebacker recruits Tajarvis Fuller and Tyrone Neal should help Illinois in the defensive back seven. There's enough talent on the squad to get back to a decent bowl, but Beckman and his staff have plenty of work ahead.

11. Minnesota: The Gophers inked a class that drew good reviews from ESPN's analysts. Jerry Kill and his staff retained several top in-state prospects, including offensive lineman Isaac Hayes, wide receiver Andre McDonald and quarterback Philip Nelson. McDonald and fellow wideout Jamel Harbison could be immediate contributors for an offense that needs more options. But defense must be the top offseason focal point for Minnesota, which added several juco defenders.

12. Indiana: Although the Hoosiers remain at the bottom, we liked their recruiting class, which should first and foremost provide immediate help on defense. Junior college defenders like Tregg Waters and Jacarri Alexander likely will step in right away for a struggling unit. Indiana also will increase the competition at quarterback with heralded prep prospect Nate Sudfeld and juco addition Cameron Coffman.

Iowa is now in the market for both an offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator.

The school announced Friday that Ken O'Keefe, the only offensive coordinator Kirk Ferentz has ever had with the Hawkeyes, is leaving the program. According to multiple reports, he is taking a job with the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

This easily qualifies as the most tumultuous turnover to hit Ferentz's staff, as Norm Parker retired as defensive coordinator after the season after working in that role for all of Ferentz's 13 seasons in Iowa City.

O'Keefe, 58, was known for tutoring quarterbacks and helped develop Heisman Trophy runner up Brad Banks, Drew Tate and Ricky Stanzi before handing the reins to James Vandenberg this past season. Vandenberg threw for over 3,000 yards and had 25 touchdown passes

But he also had become a target for increasing fan criticism because of Iowa's often buttoned-down style of play. Few days went by this season when I didn't get a question or comment from a Hawkeyes fan asking if Ferentz could just please fire O'Keefe and bring in a more wide-open style of play.

Fact is, though, Ferentz is very comfortable employing a more classic Big Ten offensive system and is unlikely to bring in someone who will deviate much from that approach. If you're expecting the next Gus Malzahn to stroll into Kinnick Stadium, keep dreaming.

And few folks were complaining about O'Keefe when Stanzi led the Hawkeyes to an Orange Bowl win or when Banks guided the team to the Rose Bowl in the 2002 season. Iowa averaged 27.5 points per game in 2011 and 28.9 points per game the year before, finishing in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten both times.

Still, some new ideas could freshen up a program that has seemingly stagnated since that Orange Bowl run. Ferentz has shown loyalty to his assistants over the years through thick and thin, and these are the most changes he's ever had to make. Highly respected defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski left for the same position at Nebraska this offseason, too.

Ferentz hasn't talked much about his staff since the Insight Bowl loss to Oklahoma, so we're not sure if he anticipated this move by O'Keefe. Given the close relationship between the two, it's hard to believe O'Keefe completely blindsided Ferentz with this news.

Yet this comes at a difficult time for Iowa, as many of the would-be attractive candidates are already locked into other jobs. Would Ferentz be interested in promoting from within? Assistant coach Erik Campbell, who has done a great job developing receivers and tight ends and knows the Big Ten inside and out, could be an interesting choice if the Hawkeyes look to go that route.

And then there's the small matter of hiring a defensive coordinator, a position that's been vacant for more than a month now. Iowa has given indications that it will announce Parker's successor next week. The Hawkeyes will certainly need to accelerate that hiring process for an offensive playcaller to get ready for spring practice.

One thing's for sure: it will be a fascinating offseason to follow in Iowa. Many Hawkeyes fans wanted big changes to be made with this program, and for better or worse, that's what they're getting.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Some quick notes at the end of the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium, where it has been mostly Michigan State so far.

• Michigan State made a statement on its opening possession, marching 64 yards in eight plays. After recording only 101 rush yards in its Oct. 29 loss to Nebraska, Michigan State immediately established its ground game with Le'Veon Bell and eventually Edwin Baker. Bell's 9-yard gain up the middle on the first play from scrimmage was a very good sign. The run game allowed Michigan State to set up its play-action pass, and Kirk Cousins made an easy touchdown toss to B.J. Cunningham. Baker also made a terrific touchdown grab moments later.
• The Spartans are simply making way more plays on both sides of the ball than Iowa. Cornerback Johnny Adams had a terrific interception, showing great concentration on a sideline fade pass to Keenan Davis.
• Iowa finally showed some signs of life at the end of the quarter. First, the Hawkeyes pressured Cousins to force a punt. Then, the offense moved the ball downfield, thanks to a brilliant one-handed grab from senior wideout Marvin McNutt. Coordinator Ken O'Keefe made some excellent calls on the drive, as Iowa faces third-and-2 from the Michigan State 8 to begin the second quarter.
• On the injury front, Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard suffered a left leg injury and needed to be helped off the field.

When Iowa wrapped up preseason camp, coach Kirk Ferentz left the field despondent about a particular position group.

A defensive line replacing three multiyear starters selected in the NFL draft? Nope.

A secondary that lost two multiyear starters at safety? Guess again.

What about the quarterback spot? Ricky Stanzi, after all, had taken his bionic arm and infectious patriotism to Kansas City.

But Ferentz wasn't fretting about the men throwing passes. He had little faith, however, in the men charged with catching them.

Other than senior Marvin McNutt, an All-Big Ten candidate and a bona fide NFL prospect, Iowa's wide receiving corps left Ferentz feeling empty.

"I was really in the tank about that position," he said. "We really weren't doing very well."

McNutt, who racked up 87 catches for 1,535 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in the past two seasons, shared his coach's concern.

"We thought things were moving a little slow," McNutt told ESPN.com. "And you could see in the first couple games, we didn't click the way we wanted to. I knew we had the talent. Things just needed to happen. When people get a little more game experience, they start playing a little bit better."

Or a lot better.

What looked like a weakness for Iowa has become potentially a major strength as the team opens Big Ten play this week at Penn State. The emergence of junior Keenan Davis and redshirt freshman Kevonte Martin-Manley alongside McNutt, who continues to roll, gives Iowa a formidable receiving corps.

Iowa's big three has combined for 58 catches, 880 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns through the first four games. After McNutt carried the corps in the season opener (140 receiving yards, 2 TDs), both Davis and Martin-Manley have come on strong, particularly during a historic second-half rally against Pitt, when Iowa went to an effective no-huddle pass attack that left its fans drunk with the possibilities for the rest of the season.

The Hawkeyes aren't going to "go 100 percent no-huddle," as Ferentz joked last week, but the receiving corps, along with blossoming junior quarterback James Vandenberg, gives coordinator Ken O'Keefe new ways to stretch the field.

"These guys, if you give them a chance, they need to be making plays," O'Keefe told ESPN.com. "The most fun in football is that receiver position."

Iowa's receivers are having plenty of fun these days.

Davis' emergence is more of a relief than a surprise for the Hawkeyes. The departure of record-setting wideout Derrell Johnson-Koulianos left a void, and most expected Davis to fill it, especially after he made strides this spring and turned heads at the spring scrimmage.

But Davis' progress slowed in August, and he recorded only two catches in the opener. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Davis had a key drop in overtime the next week in Iowa's loss to Iowa State but still finished with five receptions for 95 yards and a touchdowns. He followed it up with a career-best performance in the Pitt comeback (10 catches, 129 yards, TD).

"Keenan Davis is finally realizing his potential a little bit," Ferentz said. "I wouldn't have objected if it happened last year with him. We certainly had plenty of need. ... That's the neat thing about football, especially college and high school football. All players progress at different times. The key thing is that they do progress, and we're starting to see that."

Martin-Manley, a smaller receiver at 6-feet and 205 pounds, plays more in the slot and has benefited from some mismatches in coverage.

"The biggest thing for him was learning where he's going to line up," O'Keefe said. "The second thing is get off the line of scrimmage and run your route, get yourself open. And then once you get all that down, you've got to be able to do it full speed. That's what's happened. He's starting to do some things full speed."

The turning point for the receivers, not surprisingly, came in the Pitt game as Iowa fell behind 24-3 late in the third quarter.

"We all looked at each other and said, 'It's time to make plays, men. We know the ball is going to start flying to us,'" McNutt recalled.

Two passes to Davis and one to Martin-Manley put Iowa at the Pitt 5-yard line, where Vandenberg scored two plays later. Iowa's fourth quarter began with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Davis. Martin-Manley then hauled in touchdowns on consecutive possessions, including the game-winner, a 22-yarder with 2:51 left.

"When that happens," McNutt explained, "it builds a lot of confidence for each other as well as us as a receiving corps."

Iowa will need its receivers to be confident and effective as they face by far their toughest defensive test in Penn State.

"We've been making great strides," McNutt said, "but I wouldn't say we think we’re accomplished yet."

IOWA HAWKEYES

The class

Recruits: 23 (22 high school seniors, one junior college player)

Top prospects: Iowa landed two of the nation's top 20 guards in four-star prospect Jordan Walsh and three-star lineman Austin Blythe. The Hawkeyes had a key signing-day addition in Darian Cooper, rated as the nation's No. 21 defensive tackle by ESPN Recruiting. Ken O'Keefe's offense values the tight end position and Iowa got a good one in Ray Hamilton. Jake Rudock could end up being Iowa's quarterback of the future.

Needs met: The Hawkeyes lose quite a bit at receiver and tight end both now and after the 2011 season, and they addressed both positions in this class. Hamilton is one of three tight ends to go along with two wide receivers. Running back depth has been a major issue in each of the last two seasons, and Iowa added four of them, led by the mammoth Rodney Coe.

Analysis: There's a lot to like in this class, especially two or three years down the road. Iowa took care of its needs -- running back and receiver -- but also landed a potential huge steal at the most important position on the field in Rudock. Walsh and Blythe provide depth along the offensive line, and it'll be interesting to see how quickly defensive recruits like Cooper and linebacker Quinton Alston see the field.

ESPN Recruiting grade: B-

USA Today continued its comprehensive look at coaches' salaries with a look at how the assistants are faring (not too bad, despite a down economy).

The number of assistant coaches earning $250,000 or more is on the rise, particularly in the SEC, but what strikes me is the Big Ten's absence among the very top earners. No Big Ten assistant ranks among the top 10 nationally in salary and only Illinois offensive coordinator Paul Petrino ($475,250) ranks in the top 30 in earnings. The SEC, meanwhile, has 14 assistants among the top 30.

Are Big Ten assistants getting short-changed? Are Big Ten assistants inferior to those in the SEC? Why such a discrepancy?

I think the quality of coaching remains very high in the Big Ten and several assistants might want to get new agents. I also think that wild spending on assistant coaches is less a part of the culture in the Big Ten than it is in the SEC, Big 12 or even ACC. Will we ever see a Big Ten coordinator make more than $900,000, like Will Muschamp did at Texas, or more than $500,000? Perhaps we will, but I think it's doubtful.

There are also quite a few top assistants at big-time programs in the Big Ten who don't seem likely to make the jump to head-coaching positions elsewhere. While we've seen Big Ten assistants like Wisconsin's Dave Doeren and Ohio State's Darrell Hazell land top jobs this month, there aren't a ton of red-hot coaching prospects in the Big Ten.

It's interesting to see the discrepancy.

Who are the Big Ten's highest-paid assistants? Check 'em out:

(Note: As a private institution, Northwestern doesn't have to reveal coaches' salaries; Penn State declined to provide coaches' salary information.)

1. Illinois offensive coordinator Paul Petrino (total compensation: $475,250, maximum bonus: $39,000)

2. Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst (total compensation: $361,094, maximum bonus: $122,500)

3. Illinois defensive coordinator Vic Koenning (total compensation: $325,120, maximum bonus: $26,000)

4. Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman (total compensation: $311,500, maximum bonus: $50,550)

5. Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock (total compensation: $309,000, maximum bonus: $51,500)

6. Minnesota defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove (total compensation: $305,000, maximum bonus: $0)

7. Michigan offensive coordinator Calvin Magee (total compensation: $282,100, maximum bonus: $0)

8. Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Robinson (total compensation: $277,100, maximum bonus: $0)

9. Ohio State assistant head coach/receivers coach Darrell Hazell (total compensation: $264,800, maximum bonus: $48,133)

10. Iowa offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe (total compensation: $260,524, maximum bonus: $0)

Nebraska's highest-paid assistants are offensive coordinator Shawn Watson ($380,000 salary, $130,833 maximum bonus) and defensive coordinator Carl Pelini ($375,000 salary, $129,375 maximum bonus).

Illinois' decision to spend big bucks for its new coordinators plays out here. It's interesting that for a defense-oriented league like the Big Ten, three of the four highest-paid assistants are offensive coordinators.

The Big Ten's biggest assistant coach bargain in 2010: Michigan State offensive coordinator Don Treadwell ($235,250), who led the team during coach Mark Dantonio's absence. All but one of Ohio State's assistants makes more than Treadwell.

Another major bargain is Wisconsin running backs coach John Settle ($129,792).

Your thoughts on the coaches' salaries?

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Few men have traveled the route from "coach on the hot seat" to "hot coach" faster than Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, who today received a new seven-year contract through 2015.

	Mark Cunningham/Getty Images
	Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz has a new contract that takes him through the 2015 season.

And few men have handled both positions better. 

Think back to the spring and summer, when Ferentz had to defend himself and his program following a flurry of player arrests. The most serious incident, an alleged sexual assault involving two former Hawkeyes players, prompted accusations of a cover-up by the football program and a second investigation into Iowa's handling of the situation. This was all coming off three subpar seasons after the glory years of 2002-04.

The negative sentiment around the program continued up until preseason camp. But the unflappable Ferentz addressed the problems calmly and urged everyone to wait and see what would happen in the fall. 

"The fact of the matter is we've gone through a period where we've had an inordinate amount of problems," Ferentz told me on Big Ten media day in Chicago. "It's never been acceptable in our program, never will be. ... The couple things I would ask. I would hope people would give this team, the 2008 team, a chance to establish their own identity and judge them on their actions."

Five games into the season, Ferentz had to address his job status after Iowa started 3-2. Another loss brought increased criticism on his assistants, particularly offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe. Then Ferentz's son, James, a freshman offensive lineman for the Hawkeyes, was suspended after being cited by police for alcohol possession.

But things turned around for Ferentz, both on and off the field, in mid-October as Iowa won five of its final six games, including an upset of No. 3 Penn State on Nov. 8. Ferentz hired Chigozie Ejiasi as the team's director of player development, and the off-field incidents involving players seemed to decline. 

The Hawkeyes' turnaround earned them an invitation to the Outback Bowl, the program's fifth January bowl under Ferentz. 

Suddenly, Ferentz was in familiar territory: Lauded for his coaching ability, rumored for NFL head coaching jobs with the Browns and Chiefs. 

And once again, Ferentz handled his position well.

He never campaigned for an NFL job and reiterated that he was happy at Iowa and wanted to stay. He never asked for a new contract. Still, his close friendship with new Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli sparked rumors he could be departing.

Sometimes, that's all the leverage you need. Ferentz and athletic director Gary Barta started discussing his contract in January, and boom, here it is.

Ferentz makes a ton of money (the new contract doesn't change his salary), returns a team that should rank in the preseason top 20 and boasts the kind of job security most of his colleagues can only dream about. He might jump to the NFL eventually, but he's in a pretty good spot right now, and he knows it.  

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Some leftover links from New Year's Day and a look ahead to the Big Ten's final chance at redemption in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. 

• Penn State's defense played three-deep zone and tried to limit damage against USC, but Mark Sanchez and Damian Williams still made the Nittany Lions pay, David Jones writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News.  

"They played a lot of vanilla stuff and just tried to prevent the big play," said Williams in the boisterous Trojan locker room. "They were very disciplined, very structured. But, at the same time, when you're so schooled and so disciplined, it kind of turns into machine mode. And we were able to find gaps in the defense and Mark had a heck of a day."

• The Rose Bowl experience remains unmatched, but the Big Ten's inability to compete on the field hurts the time-honored rivalry, Chris Dufresne writes in the Los Angeles Times.  
• Iowa guard Julian Vandervelde wants his university to give head coach Kirk Ferentz a lifetime contract, and it might not be a bad idea with the Cleveland Browns lurking, Sean Keeler writes in the Des Moines Register. 

"Love him back. Bring the years. Bring the faith. Give those assistants, especially coordinators Ken O'Keefe and Norm Parker, a nice raise. They've earned it.

'At this point, you kind of have to give Coach what he wants, as long as it's reasonable,' linebacker A.J. Edds said with a wry smile. 'I mean, you can't argue with the results.'

You can't. The Hawkeyes, left for dead in early October, went out and made a statement Thursday. When it comes to Ferentz, it's time for the university to do the same."

• For the second straight year, Michigan State finished a bowl game disappointed with missed opportunities but hopeful about the future, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal. The Spartans didn't get the breaks they needed to beat a superior Georgia team, Michael Rosenberg writes in the Detroit Free Press.  
• Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman wasn't thrilled that the team's plan to use two quarterbacks on the field together in the Fiesta Bowl leaked out, Tim May and Ken Gordon write in The Columbus Dispatch.
  

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

It should be another revealing week of Big Ten football, particularly in Madison and Evanston. Here are 10 things to track as you watch the action Saturday.

Quarterbacks are popular on this week's rundown.

1. Quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and C.J. Bacher -- The man who plays better likely will determine the winner of the Michigan State-Northwestern game. Both players share backfields with capable running backs (Heisman Trophy candidate Javon Ringer and Tyrell Sutton), but both signal-callers have struggled with consistency this season. Bacher has dominated the Spartans in two meetings but faces a much-improved defense. Hoyer is starting to hit his stride but still owns an unsightly completion percentage (47.7).

2. Joe Paterno's whereabouts -- With questions looming about the 81-year-old's coaching future beyond this season, Paterno could end up in the press box for the second consecutive week because of a right leg injury. He also might tough it out on the Camp Randall Stadium field, where he suffered a broken left leg in 2006. Penn State has continued to win no matter where Paterno ends up, but the Nittany Lions face a big test against the browbeaten Badgers.

3. Wisconsin quarterback Allan Evridge -- Evridge remains the Badgers' starter, but head coach Bret Bielema hardly gave him a ringing endorsement this week. The fifth-year senior needs to improve his accuracy and limit mistakes. All-American Travis Beckum had six receptions last week against Ohio State, and Wisconsin could get talented tight end Garrett Graham back in the mix. Aaron Maybin and Penn State's talented defensive line likely will pressure Evridge, who needs to keep his poise.

4. Eric Decker vs. Vontae Davis -- The nation's leading wide receiver goes up against one of the top cover corners in FBS. Decker and Minnesota have a great chance to validate a surprising start against Illinois, which comes off its best game of the year last week at Michigan. Ohio State and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins held Decker in check two weeks ago, and the talented Davis will try to do the same.

5. Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter -- After being replaced in the fourth quarter of last week's loss to Penn State, Painter gets the start against No. 12 Ohio State. Coach Joe Tiller wondered this week whether Painter has been trying too hard after seeing his completion percentage drop (57.6) and his touchdown-to-interception ratio balance out (5-5). Painter's career stats are impressive, but he struggles in big games and needs a strong showing against the Buckeyes.

6. Iowa offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe -- Head coach Kirk Ferentz has defended O'Keefe and shielded him from the media, but another poor offensive performance against Indiana will turn up the heat on both men. Fans are concerned that Iowa has fallen behind the times with its offensive structure and play calling. O'Keefe can quiet the critics -- momentarily, at least -- if the Hawkeyes capitalize on a Jekyll-and-Hyde Hoosiers defense and end a three-game slide.

7. Michigan's defense -- When Wolverines head coach Rich Rodriguez ripped his team for playing "soft" against Illinois, he was speaking directly to a veteran defense that had answered the bell before last week. Top pass rusher Brandon Graham (leg infection) could be sidelined, but Michigan needs to regain its defensive edge against Toledo, which has scored just 16 points the last two weeks after a 54-point effort against Fresno State.

8. Minnesota coach Tim Brewster -- He didn't play up his return to his alma mater, but you can bet Brewster would like nothing more than to beat Illinois. Illini players said Brewster wanted the Illinois head-coaching job that went to Ron Zook, and they expect a fired-up Golden Gophers squad on Saturday. Zook asked Illini fans to turn out in force this week -- and to bring their "Zook Zone" towels -- to cheer on a team that played its last two games in two tough environments (Michigan Stadium and Beaver Stadium).

9. Northwestern's coaching staff -- Pat Fitzgerald and his assistants have had two weeks to prepare for one of the more anticipated games in recent program history. The extra time should help veteran defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz figure out a way to contain Ringer, but Fitzgerald's ability to keep his players grounded will be the biggest key. Fitzgerald knows what it's like to play with expectations at Northwestern, something the team has struggled with since 2000.

10. Offensive play calling at Camp Randall -- Penn State fans hope the Lions offense went conservative in last week's unstylish win at Purdue and will open things up again against Wisconsin. Galen Hall and Jay Paterno likely will expand the playbook, particularly with top wideout Jordan Norwood back, but quarterback Daryll Clark must continue to play smart on the road. Wisconsin reserve running back John Clay has provided a lift in each of the team's last two losses. Clay has to touch the ball more for the Badgers to have a chance at an upset.