ESPN College Football

CHICAGO -- The Big Ten reported another record revenue total for the past fiscal year, and although its members on average sponsor many more sports than their counterparts in the SEC, athletic directors say their football programs have the financial resources to compete at the highest level.

"We all make the investments necessary in football," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said at the spring meetings.

Smith cited the higher salaries Big Ten programs like Ohio State and Michigan are now paying top assistant coaches, a push that accelerated at Ohio State when head coach Urban Meyer arrived. Still, the Big Ten on average pays assistants less than SEC programs. Many of the nation's highest-paid assistants are also in the ACC and Big 12.

But according to Smith, who oversees 36 varsity sports at Ohio State, money isn't holding back Big Ten football. He instead looks to the league's other major sport, men's basketball, as a road map for greater success on the gridiron.

While Big Ten football took a beating on the field and in public perception last fall, Big Ten basketball enjoyed the label of "nation's best conference" during the 2012-13 season.

"What we need in our football programs is really what we endured this past year in basketball," Smith said. "We had huge stability among our basketball coaches."

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo just completed his 18th year at the helm in East Lansing, while Wisconsin's Bo Ryan just finished his 12th campaign. Other coaches like Ohio State's Thad Matta, Purdue's Matt Painter, Michigan's John Beilein and Indiana's Tom Crean are no longer newbies at their schools.

Big Ten football, meanwhile, has only one coach -- Iowa's Kirk Ferentz -- who has been in his post longer than six seasons.

The second part of the football equation, according to Smith, is "strategic, high-level recruiting."

It's undeniable that more Big Ten basketball programs consistently recruit at a nationally elite level than Big Ten football programs. In basketball, it's not just the usual suspects -- Michigan State, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State -- but others (Illinois, Purdue) that can rise up.

"Part of that is recruiting in geographies where, frankly, the people are," Smith said. "We do not enjoy the environment that we had in the '70s and the '80s in Michigan and even some parts of Ohio or Pennsylvania or Illinois. Families aren't there. We've got to go to where they are."

College football and college basketball are different sports with different challenges in recruiting, but comparisons are always made, as Smith did this week. If Big Ten football can regain greater coaching stability and spread out its recruiting reach, more success should come.

The Big Ten made news a little more than a week ago by announcing its new division alignment for the 2014 season, as well as a move to nine conference games beginning in 2016. We covered all the news here and here and here, but several components of the moves merit further analysis.

We're breaking down the divisions and the new conference schedule model, their impact now and in the future, as the College Football Playoff is just a year away. These aren't exactly Take Twos, but they're similar, as we'll both be sharing our thoughts on these big-ticket items.

Today's topic is: How likely are these divisions to stand the test of time?

Brian Bennett

The Big Ten sometimes gets criticized for being too stodgy and stubborn, but the fact is the league is undergoing a serious football makeover for the second time since 2010. Yes, expansion played a major role in Legends and Leaders getting (thankfully) cast overboard, but the league didn't have to remake the divisions so drastically just to add Maryland and Rutgers. So no one ought to think that the new East and West formats will last forever, or even a mighty long time.

Yet the conference isn't going to make any quick knee-jerk reactions here, either. You can't properly judge competitive balance on just a few seasons, so I have little doubt that the Big Ten aims to let this play out over a number of years to see how it's working. If you're like me and you think the East has too much power, well, you'll have to wait and find out if that's actually true. A big key to all of this, I believe, is Penn State. As long as the Nittany Lions are on probation and dealing with sanctions, they are somewhat sidelined in the whole balance-of-power argument, even though they are eligible to win a division title. The scholarship reductions could have a major impact on the program beyond 2017. But if Penn State can regain its headliner status quickly, then the Big Ten may well have to re-examine whether it's right to have Michigan, Ohio State and the Nittany Lions all duking it out in the same division.

Of course, whether Michigan State can remain strong is also an issue, as is whether other West teams can consistently challenge Nebraska and Wisconsin for superiority. Again, this is something we're only going to learn over a long period of time, probably a decade or more.

But as we've seen, things can change rapidly. Who's to say there won't be further expansion that causes another reshuffling? Perhaps Michigan or Ohio State will get tired of finishing in the Top 10 nationally but only No. 2 in its own division. Maybe teams in the West will demand more exposure and recruiting opportunities in the East. The future, to quote Don Draper, is something you haven't even thought of yet. At least we know the Big Ten is adaptable.

"We're not foolish enough to think what we did today is what the Big Ten will look like for the next 100 years," Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips said the day of the division announcement. "We've had a lot of change in the last 24 months. We've proven under commissioner Jim Delany's leadership that we'll adjust and make changes."

In other words, if you don't like the current alignment, just stick around a while.

Adam Rittenberg

The Big Ten can't be shuffling the divisions every 2-3 years, unless there's more expansion. But the league also can't bury its head in the sand and let a Big 12 North/South situation take place. The potential for that to happen exists with so much firepower in the East, but I also think the league will let things play out for a while before entertaining serious talk of another shuffle. Keep in mind that the Big Ten's recent expansion and, to a certain extent, its division realignment is about building the brand in a new region. So if there's more attention on the East than the West, at least initially, the league office can live with that.

You bring up some great points about Penn State, and it will be important for Bill O'Brien's team to prevent Ohio State and Michigan from separating themselves in the East (and in the entire league). But I think the key to staying power isn't necessarily the "No. 1 seeds," as league commissioner Jim Delany calls Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska and Penn State. And while Wisconsin can't match those four programs for historic excellence, the Badgers have been just as good or a little bit better than Penn State since the Lions joined the Big Ten. They've also been a better program than Nebraska in recent seasons. Wisconsin will boost the West division.

The teams to watch here are Northwestern, Iowa and Michigan State. The West might not match the East in terms of strength at the very top, but it can match up with overall depth if Northwestern continues on its upward trajectory and Iowa gets back to the success it had in 2009. Northwestern has tremendous momentum right now with improved recruiting and a new facility coming soon. Iowa has shown the ability to rise up repeatedly under Kirk Ferentz. If both of those programs are winning eight, nine or 10 games in many seasons, the West should be fine even if Ohio State and Michigan create a bit of separation. Michigan State's role is to challenge the three traditional powers in the East and create at least some parity in the division. As I wrote last week, Michigan State has a great opportunity in the East division and shouldn't shy away from it. We're going to learn exactly who these Spartans are in the coming seasons.

As you mention, BB, there are a lot of unknowns out there. Ohio State and Michigan appear poised to separate themselves because of their recruiting efforts. But that might not be the case. Ultimately, it's up to teams like Northwestern, Iowa and Michigan State -- as well as Purdue, Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Rutgers and Maryland -- to create enough depth/parity in both divisions. Otherwise, we'll eventually see another change.

More B1G Debate

• Division balance
• Playoff ramifications

1. About the College Football Playoff: I like the name. The Super Bowl isn’t going to morph into the Pro Football Playoff anytime soon, and Mercedes-Benz isn’t going to rename its S600 the Luxury Sedan. But the College Football Playoff has clean lines. It is Zen. And after the complicated, godforsaken, unloved BCS, the College Football Playoff is exactly what the sport needs. At long last, no one has to explain anything. On the other hand, the BCS sure drummed up attention. Can the Playoff match it?

2. Former Oregon head coaches Rich Brooks and Mike Bellotti visited the Ducks’ practice Monday morning at the invitation of new head coach Mark Helfrich. Afterward, Brooks couldn’t get over what he saw from third-year sophomore quarterback Marcus Mariota. “He’s so accurate,” Brooks said. “That’s unusual for a young player. I was amazed at his accuracy last year.” Mariota completed 230-of-336 passes (.684) in his first season and led the Pac-12 in passing efficiency. Wait until Oregon opens up the playbook for him.

3. Iowa offensive line coach Brian Ferentz, in describing how his young players learned their jobs this spring, gave a perspective on his head coach that only a son can provide. “It’s kind of like I remember watching Steven learning how to swim,” Brian said of his younger brother, now a Hawkeyes lineman. “My dad (Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz) picked him up and threw him in the water and he learned how to swim.” Not to worry: Steve wore floaties. But that’s not the point. “You throw them in,” Brian said, “they splash around the water a little bit, and they figure out it’s not that bad. They are floating. They will live.”

Iowa fans, know this: Greg Davis felt your pain about last year's offense.

"It obviously wasn't the season we wanted, and it was frustrating for all of us," the second-year Hawkeyes offensive coordinator told ESPN.com. "It was frustrating for me."

Iowa finished 11th in the Big Ten in scoring in 2012 and averaged just 16.7 points in the final six games of a dismal 4-8 season. So Davis, along with head coach Kirk Ferentz and the rest of the offensive staff, set about trying to fix things this offseason. The problems weren't hard to pinpoint when they gathered together to go over what went wrong.

"Everybody came in with a list of things that was pretty similar," Davis said. "There were a lot of things that were on everybody's sheet."

The lack of a downfield passing game checked in very high on that list. One of the indelible images of the Hawkeyes' season was watching quarterback James Vandenberg throw horizontal passes to receivers well short of the first-down marker.

Davis wants to use the vertical passing game a lot more this year, but that is easier said than accomplished.

"We had to look at, how do we get the ball deep?" he said. "We're not all of a sudden going to have Jerry Rice and John Taylor on the outside."

The Hawkeyes' lack of playmakers at receiver became painfully obvious last season. Though Davis likes the progress of slot receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley and the speed of Jordan Cotton and Don Shumpert, Iowa still looks a little athletically challenged on the perimeter.

So Davis' plan is to use one of the team's main strengths -- its running game -- to shore up a weakness.

"Because of our ability to run the ball, we've really worked hard on play-action shots," he said. "Hopefully, many of our big plays will come off play-action."

With the healthy return of Brandon Scherff and Andrew Donnal, Davis thinks the offensive line will perform like a typical group of Iowa mashers up front. The Hawkeyes -- dare we tempt fate by saying it -- are now flush with running backs, led by bulldozer Mark Weisman and the speedier Damon Bullock. Building pass plays out of run looks should both improve the protection for the quarterback and give receivers more time to get 15 yards or so downfield and read the defense.

"There's more of a threat all around," running back Jordan Canzeri said. "We have some new plays where we're taking more shots downfield, different routes."

Davis also wants the offense to simply have more opportunities, period. Iowa averaged only 66 offensive snaps per game last year, running the fewest plays in the Big Ten. Part of that, of course, is converting third downs and staying on the field. But Davis also hopes to incorporate more no-huddle, which the Hawkeyes used in stretches last year.

"We want to play faster, we want to get more snaps and we want to stress the defense more," Davis said. "We do so much at the line of scrimmage anyway, so why huddle?"

That doesn't mean that Iowa is about to become a spread team by any means. But having both Bullock and Weisman, who were almost never healthy at the same time last year, adds more options. Weisman can line up as the fullback in the I-formation, or the Hawkeyes can use him as a single back with Bullock splitting out as a receiver. If they do that without huddling, that should create some favorable matchups against defenses.

Of course, first and foremost, the Hawkeyes need to identify a starting quarterback, and they're not much closer to doing so with spring practice set to end Saturday. Davis said the three contenders for the job -- Jake Rudock, Cody Sokol and C.J. Beathard -- are still "too close to call."

"They've all done some things where you say, 'Wow, this is really pretty good,'" he said. "They've also all done some things where you say, 'Wow, this is really not very good.' I'm pretty sure won't know until [preseason] camp."

Throughout the spring, Iowa has rotated the three quarterbacks every two plays. Last Saturday, for the first time, each was given a chance to lead a drive until its completion during team drills. Yet, there's still not much separation.

Davis said it reminded him a little of when he was at Texas and the quarterback race was so close that the Longhorns began the season alternating freshmen Colt McCoy and Jevan Snead. McCoy didn't show he was the guy until he actually had to make plays with defenders chasing him and without the comfort of a no-contact jersey.

Iowa fans -- and Davis -- just hope that whoever starts ends up running an offense that makes many more plays than last year.

Ever wonder why the Big Ten remains one of the richest and most powerful football conferences despite an on-field product that has undoubtedly backslid in recent seasons?

Look in the mirror.

You, the Big Ten fan, are the biggest reason why the conference continues to be relevant. You're why the Big Ten Network has been such a hit. You're why bowl games are lining up to form tie-ins with the Big Ten for 2014 and beyond. You're why the Big Ten's next television deal likely will trump all others we've seen. You're why the gap between the Big Ten and the SEC in the marketplace is a lot narrower than it is on the field.

Big Ten football programs know this, but they haven't always shown their appreciation as much as they could. Each program is different, but transparency hasn't been a huge strength around the conference.

Things are beginning to change this spring.

Several programs are opening their doors to fans. All 15 of Minnesota's spring workouts are open for the third straight year. New Purdue coach Darrell Hazell opened most of the team's practices this spring to the public. Wisconsin fans can attend practices Saturday and next Friday before the spring game April 20. Ohio State holds its student appreciation day at Saturday's practice (remember this photo from last year's event?). Northwestern has an open practice Saturday, while Illinois had one last week in Chicago (the Illini also have a meet-and-greet the week of their spring game).

The latest outreach move comes from Iowa, which announced Thursday that it will hold an open practice April 14 in West Des Moines. This has been in the works for a while but finally is official. The Hawkeyes will work out at Valley High School's stadium, and although fans need tickets, the event is free.

Open practices are extremely rare for Iowa, a program that values its fans but certainly doesn't rank high for transparency. Coach Kirk Ferentz, who once coached under Bill Belichick, prefers to keep things behind closed doors, and information coming out of the football building is, well, very limited.

After an extremely disappointing 2012 season, Iowa needs to generate some buzz and connect with its fans in a key part of the state. Although Iowa's open practice won't conflict with Iowa State's spring game, as initially reported, Iowa can no longer dismiss Iowa State as the other team in the state after recent years.

As The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette's Mike Hlas wrote last month:

The Hawkeyes are wide-awake to the realization they can no longer take anything or anyone for granted. Yes, Kinnick Stadium will be sold out (or close to it) for the unforeseeable future. Game Day at Kinnick is still the social event of the season for tens of thousands of Iowans. But after you’ve gone 4-8, slippage is always a distinct possibility. And the Hawkeyes need to start winning consistently again before they can assume they’re the frontrunners for the best high school players in the state, especially from central Iowa.

In a news release announcing the open practice, Ferentz said, "This is an opportunity for us to reach out to our Central and Western Iowa Hawkeye fans that support us so loyally during the fall in Kinnick Stadium."

It's an encouraging sign, and spring is the perfect time for these initiatives. There are no games around the corner, and the paranoia about important information leaking out isn't nearly as strong. And shouldn't be.

Spring games are nice, but programs can do a little more for the fans who do so much in the fall. Several Big Ten programs are coming to this realization.

Big Ten spring football is finally in full swing as Iowa on Wednesday became the 12th and final league team to hit the practice field. The return to the gridiron can't come a moment too soon for the Hawkeyes, who went 4-8 in 2012, their worst record since coach Kirk Ferentz's second season at the helm (2000). It has been another offseason of transition for Iowa as Ferentz welcomes three new full-time assistants (Chris White, Bobby Kennedy and Jim Reid) for a second consecutive year. Finding a quarterback tops Iowa's spring agenda, and the team also needs to identify a center and more playmakers on both sides of the ball.

ESPN.com caught up with Ferentz on Wednesday to discuss the spring.

What are the main objectives for you guys this spring?

Kirk Ferentz: Like any spring, you've got a lot of players on a lot of different levels. You've got experienced players, and we're certainly counting on them improving and developing into leaders. You've got younger guys who have played, and you're hoping they're ready to play more proficiently. And then you've got other guys who, in some cases, are special-teams guys who have a chance to become offensive and defensive role players, or guys who haven't been on the field yet. So you have a lot of layers of players at different levels. The biggest thing is trying to gauge where they're at, and at the same time, you're trying to find out what they can do and pull a team together. It's always a fun period and a really interesting period.

How has the transition on the staff this year gone so far, especially in relation to last year? You had quite a long period without any changes on your staff.

KF: Last year was probably a little more dramatic with two new coordinators. Norm [Parker] and Ken [O'Keefe] were here 13 years, so they were big departures. We've got Phil [Parker] and Greg [Davis] both in their second years, and they're both tremendous coaches. What's unusual is how long we were all together at one time. Usually staffs don't stay in one place for 13, 14 years. Normally they move to the next channel and you have a new group of folks coming in. So it's a natural series of transitions. The way I look at it, we've had six new members join the staff in the last two years, and it's a matter of pulling everything together. But I'm really excited about all the guys who have joined. They're outstanding coaches, and it looks like they're all going to be great fits here at Iowa. At the same time, I'm very appreciative of the guys who had been here and helped us move things.

Is the transition harder for the players or the new coaches?

KF: There's learning on both sides. The players to have learn their coaches, certainly, and the coaches have a lot to learn about the players. That can be a healthy thing, too. It's a clean slate and a fresh beginning for everybody. For players, it's a whole new opportunity.

Offensively, it wasn't what you were hoping for last year. Is it a total reset this year with some new faces, or are there some things you can continue from last year?

KF: It may be ironic. We feel more comfortable and more optimistic right now than we did a year ago about the offense. The part that's ironic is we lost a two-year starter at quarterback [James Vandenberg]. We had James play a lot at quarterback and James Ferentz played like 38 games at center, so you have two guys right in the middle of things who aren't going to be there. But I look around at other positions and we've got a lot of guys coming back who have played in the system and who I think are more capable now of playing at a higher level than they were a year ago. That's got us excited. That being said, we've got to find replacements for both Jameses. We've got to find a replacement for Keenan Davis and Matt Tobin, to start with. But I look at the group coming back and as recent as late last August, we didn't know if Damon Bullock could play in this conference successfully, and we had no idea Mark Weisman could run the ball. So I think we're a lot further down the road than we were even eight months ago, 10 months ago.

When you and Greg looked at things, did you identify areas to target for the spring?

KF: Greg came in, this was all new to him, the players were all new to him. His knowledge of our personnel is a lot more extensive than it was a year ago at this time. And that was one of the reasons I was so attracted to Greg in the hiring process, his ability historically to work with a lot of different types of players and different types of offenses. He wasn't married to one system. There's nothing like experience, and he's got a real good grip on who our players are, what they can do and what we can do to help them be more productive.

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Spring ball officially opened in the Big Ten on Wednesday when Northwestern hit the practice field. The Wildcats did so wearing the numbers "5:03" on the back of their practice jerseys, which was Pat Fitzgerald's way of reminding his team how close his team was to going undefeated in 2012.

They won't be the only league team cognizant of time this spring. A sense of urgency should permeate the Big Ten the next two months, as so many programs -- and the conference as a whole -- feel the need to, um, spring forward.

After all, 10 full seasons have passed since a Big Ten team last won a national title. The league has one Rose Bowl victory in the past 13 years and none since 2010. After last year's dreadful nonconference showing, the Big Ten should be thankful for the renewing spirit of spring.

Ohio State fans have been crossing off calendar days since the end of November, waiting for the 2013 season to arrive. If the Buckeyes followed Northwestern's lead, they could put "0:00" on their practice shirts, because they were the only team in the country to finish undefeated last year. Of course, they couldn't go bowling because of probation, but now they look like a legitimate title contender under Urban Meyer, who has always operated ahead of schedule. Improving the team's passing game, and the throwing mechanics of Heisman Trophy contender Braxton Miller, is high on the agenda this spring in Columbus.

Michigan coach Brady Hoke measures time -- and success -- by Big Ten titles, and for him it's unacceptable that the Wolverines haven't claimed a league championship since 2004. After an 11-2 season in Hoke's first year as head coach, Michigan weathered an 8-5 campaign last year while losing to four teams that finished in the top eight. Denard Robinson has left Ann Arbor, which means Hoke and offensive coordinator Al Borges can move forward with their plan to implement a truer pro-style attack. But the biggest issue for the Maize and Blue this spring is if several young offensive linemen can mature quickly.

Another year passed without a conference championship for Nebraska, which still hasn't won a league title since 1999. The Huskers have won either nine or 10 games during all five of Bo Pelini's seasons as head coach, but fans keep waiting for him to get the program over that last hurdle to greatness -- and to avoid ugly losses like last year's 70-31 thumping versus Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game. Nebraska should have one of the most potent offenses in the country, but Pelini has to fix the defense this spring -- and do so with eight starters gone from last year.

Speaking of droughts, Michigan State is still seeking its first Rose Bowl berth since 1988. Mark Dantonio had built the team into an annual contender before last year's disappointing 6-6 regular season. The Spartans will have an open quarterback competition this spring and a new offensive coordinator, hoping they can find a way to score enough points to complement what should be another outstanding defensive unit.

Penn State still faces four more years of harsh NCAA sanctions and will have to deal with the first season of a 65-scholarship limit this season. Bill O'Brien did amazing work last year in State College, but his toughest tests likely still lie ahead.

Wisconsin has gone to three straight Rose Bowls but saw coach Bret Bielema bolt for Arkansas in December. The Badgers don't want to cede momentum now, especially with Ohio State appearing to take off, so new coach Gary Andersen and his staff need to hit the ground running. Purdue also underwent a coaching change, and the Boilermakers are banking on Darrell Hazell to inject some excitement and turn around evaporating ticket sales. Indiana improved from one to four wins in Kevin Wilson's second year and now must take the next step toward getting back to a bowl game. There's no secret where the team needs to focus this spring: on its defense, which was last in the Big Ten two years running.

Year 3 has been good to Jerry Kill in his previous head-coaching stops, and Minnesota fans hope he's on the same schedule with the Gophers after leading them to a bowl game in 2012. Iowa would like to turn back the clock to a few years ago when it was a Big Ten power and forget last year's 4-8 disaster. Kirk Ferentz isn't going anywhere because of his contract, but fans are rumbling. The clock is already ticking on Tim Beckman at Illinois after a 2-10 debut. If the Illini don't show improvement this season -- which would be hard not to do, because they were one of the worst teams in the country in just about every statistical category last year -- he may not get to coach a third year in Champaign.

And then there's Northwestern, which broke through last season with its first bowl win since 1949 and returns the nucleus of that team. The Wildcats will look to reach the next level this year, hoping to contend for a Legends Division title and even more. The 5:03 serves to remind them of how much more work they have left to do.

"We've taken the attitude that we'll find a way to make that up in the offseason," Fitzgerald said.

The rest of the Big Ten should take a similar mindset this spring. There's no time to waste.

Iowa's 2012 recruiting class included two Floridians in wide receiver Greg Mabin (Fort Lauderdale) and defensive end Daumantas Venckus-Cucchiara (Weston). The Hawkeyes' most recent recruiting haul included no players from the Sunshine State -- a first in the Kirk Ferentz era.

This is no accident.

I must have missed it from last winter, but Ferentz said he's no longer assigning an assistant coach to recruit Florida. Then Tuesday night, Iowa recruiting coordinator Eric Johnson told an I-Club gathering in Des Moines that Florida is no longer a priority area for the program's recruitment.

I think I just choked on some orange juice and spilled some sun screen.

We're talking about Florida, right? The state that produced four of the top six players and 22 of the top 100 players in the 2013 class, according to ESPN Recruiting? The state often grouped with Texas and California as the nation's top recruiting hotbeds?

Yes, that Florida.

All but two Big Ten teams (Iowa and Michigan) signed at least one Floridian earlier this month. Indiana and Purdue both signed five.

The Iowa coaches think the program needs to concentrate recruiting closer to campus. The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette's Marc Morehouse notes that Iowa went to St. Louis, a city that has produced recent stars like Adrian Clayborn and Marvin McNutt, for three recruits in the 2013 class. Iowa also has had recruiting success in other Midwestern cities like Chicago and Indianapolis, and signed a Detroit prospect (safety Desmond King) on Feb. 6.

There's nothing wrong with prioritizing your backyard and places where you've had success. But ignoring Florida just doesn't make a lot of sense.

Iowa did well in the Sunshine State early in Ferentz's tenure, luring players like defensive tackle Colin Cole, linebacker Abdul Hodge and wide receiver Mo Brown. Former assistant Bret Bielema was Iowa's primary recruiter in Florida and left the Hawkeyes following the 2001 season, but other Iowa assistants continued to recruit the state.

As pointed out here and here, Iowa has had many more misses than hits with Florida prospects since 2002. Several players transferred, including running backs Jeff Brinson and De'Andre Johnson. The jury is out on other Florida recruits, including quarterback Jake Rudock, who could start this coming season.

I'm still waiting for a good reason for Iowa to back away from Florida. Sure, Iowa has had a run of bad luck with Florida recruits. But should it stop trying? I can think of 22 reasons -- and many more from the 2013 class -- to keep investing time and money there.

Big Ten teams can't expect to compete at a national elite level by recruiting solely in the Midwest. Prioritizing states like Florida -- along with Georgia, Texas and California -- is a must for Big Ten programs.

It's great to see coaches develop talent and several Big Ten programs, including Iowa, have done that well over the years. But there's a ceiling for teams trying to win with overlooked recruits from the heartland. Too many Big Ten teams -- not just Iowa -- seem to fall into this trap. Penn State just signed its first Florida recruit (safety Neiko Robinson) in more than a decade. That's insane.

It still comes down to talent, and there's just more of it in the South. Big Ten teams need to compete in states like Florida. Will they get all the top players? Of course not. But with the right coaches and strategy, they can help their teams get better.

Sure, Iowa lost Bielema, who continued his Florida recruiting push as Wisconsin's head coach and will carry it on at Arkansas. Iowa lost another Florida recruiter when Rick Kaczenski left for Nebraska in 2011.

But Ferentz has had plenty of chances to hire assistants with Florida roots the past two seasons. Iowa's staff is in an unprecedented period of flux, and Ferentz has brought in six new assistants since the end of the 2011 season. None of them could help Iowa made inroads in Florida?

Look how Nebraska secondary coach Terry Joseph, hired last March, has helped the Huskers' recruiting efforts in the South. The same goes for new Big Ten assistants like Everett Withers at Ohio State. Wisconsin would have loved to retain assistant Charlie Partridge because of his recruiting clout in Florida.

Perhaps Iowa can build itself back into a Big Ten title contender without investing in Florida. Re-establishing itself in cities like St. Louis certainly is a good sign.

But Ohio State's coaches continue to mine the South, and Michigan is ramping up its Southern recruiting efforts as well.

In recruiting, you follow the talent. You flock to it. You compete for it.

You don't turn your back on it.

Now that signing day is over, coaches can put their full focus on recruiting the 2014 class. And they will soon be doing so with far fewer restrictions.

The NCAA board of directors approved a proposal last month that would allow coaches to contact recruits as much as they wanted through text messaging and social media, and schools would have no limits on the amount of printed materials they could mail to prospects. Coaches could also begin contacting prospects during the summer of their sophomore years. The changes are set to become bylaws on Aug. 1.

Coaches are surely celebrating this de-regulation, right? Think again. Several Big Ten coaches expressed serious concerns about what the new measures would mean for recruits -- and for themselves.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer was the most outspoken critic of the new rules on Wednesday, telling the media that he was writing a letter to "all the coaches in America" to argue against the proposal.

"Could you imagine what's going to be rolling into kids' driveways?" Meyer said. "Fatheads and magnets -- it's nonsense. ... I don't agree with that at all."

Michigan coach Brady Hoke called the rules "a big-time mistake," while Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini said the NCAA is "going down a gravel road."

“First and foremost, it is going to affect the kids in high school," Pelini told reporters Wednesday. "They are going to be concentrating on things they shouldn’t be concentrating on. That is academics, being the best football player they can be, that’s developing as a young man and enjoying his high school career.

"The more time a kid is sitting on his phone texting and on the telephone and all the other things, that is [doing] the kids, the high schools and high school coaches a disservice."

Ironically, the coaches criticizing these changes could be the ones who benefit from it the most. It stands to reason that schools from super-rich conferences like the Big Ten have more money to spend on mailings and their recruiting budgets, thus they'd have a leg up in wooing prospects. But Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said he doesn't want to see college football become like Major League Baseball, where the richest teams like the New York Yankees often have an unfair advantage.

"It's almost like maybe we're trying to force that," Ferentz said.

Several coaches said they were in the process of reviewing the new rules and deciding how to implement them into their recruiting plan. They also plan to talk about it as a group when the league coaches and AD meet this weekend at Big Ten headquarters.

"Every day, we spend part of the day on recruiting," Penn State coach Bill O'Brien said. "How are we going to handle unlimited text messaging, unlimited visits to schools, whatever it may be? We're never going to join the ranks of the wild, wild west, I can promise you that.

"We're going to do things the right way at Penn State and still try to go out there and try to find Penn State guys. So that's not going to change. Maybe some of the ways we go about doing it have to change because of the less rules."

One of the biggest concerns for coaches will be how much more time they now have to spend on texting and mailing recruits. If they're not inundating a prospect with tweets and letters, maybe a rival recruiter is.

“You only have so many hours in a day," Pelini said. "You are going to have to change some things in your staff and how you go about things to give yourself the best opportunity to obviously keep up with the Joneses."

Change is definitely coming to recruiting, even if it's the kind of change Big Ten coaches don't really want.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany knows it's a bottom-line world and the bottom line is his league finished 2-5 in bowls this season.

But Delany also is a realist. He knew all seven Big Ten squads entered their games as underdogs. The league's best team, Ohio State, and arguably its second best, Penn State, watched at home because of NCAA sanctions. After a season where the Big Ten took a beating on and off the field, the prospect of a winless postseason seemed to fit the league's narrative this season.

Instead, Northwestern and Michigan State won their games, while both Minnesota and Michigan were in position to win in the fourth quarter before squandering leads. Wisconsin paced Stanford in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio, while Nebraska, written off by most against a Georgia team that nearly made the national title game, entered the fourth quarter tied with the Bulldogs.

"I wish we had won more, obviously," Delany told ESPN.com on Tuesday. "You go into all the games hoping you do. We were decided underdogs in a lot of them. I want to first recognize and congratulate the guys who beat us. And then we had a couple teams that did win. It was great for Michigan State -- they fought awful hard -- and Northwestern did as well. They carried the banner. With the exception of Purdue, which did not play well at all, we were right there. If Georgia's a top 5 team, Stanford's a top 10 team, our teams certainly went toe-to-toe with those guys.

"Notwithstanding the results, I'm cautiously optimistic going forward."

New Year's Day -- or in last year's case, Jan. 2 -- hasn't been a celebratory one for the Big Ten in recent years. There was the infamous 0-5 performance two years ago (featuring three blowouts). The league has gone 1-4 in each of the past two seasons.

But aside from Purdue's 44-point loss to Oklahoma State in the Heart of Dallas Bowl, the Big Ten teams held their own.

"I thought Michigan and Wisconsin and Nebraska and Minnesota fought their hearts out," Delany said. "I love how hard they played. I thought the teams were prepared. Obviously, we've taken a fair share of criticism, and I don't think it's undeserved because when you're the Big Ten or a major conference, you're expected to perform, perhaps win more games than we have in the last five years. But I've seen the story before in basketball, in football. I've been through five-year down cycles before. I've been through 10-year up cycles.

"But I'm cautiously optimistic."

One reason is the potential for greater coaching stability in the Big Ten. The league is in a historic period of changes with its football programs. Indiana's Kevin Wilson, who just finished his second season, is the longest-tenured coach in the Leaders Division. After Iowa's Kirk Ferentz (14 years), Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald (seven years) is the Big Ten's longest serving coach.

But newer coaches are having success. Urban Meyer went 12-0 in his first go-round at Ohio State. Minnesota's wins total doubled in Jerry Kill's second season. And Penn State's Bill O'Brien won Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in his first year as a head coach, despite dealing with unique challenges in State College. Delany called O'Brien's achievements "under almost impossible circumstances ... one of the best stories of the year."

"I would say it's clear that we're not conference 1 or 2, and we need to move forward, but I think our coaching situations will stabilize a bit," Delany said. "Getting Ohio State back will be a good thing. I see improvement at a lot of places. I see improvement at Indiana, I see improvement at Northwestern, I see improvement at Michigan, I see improvement at Michigan State. Ohio State had consequences for its actions, but they'll be fully available [for the postseason] next year, and they ran the table this year."

The Big Ten's biggest issue continues to be an absence from the national championship race. A conference can't be great, Delany said, unless it competes for the crystal football. The Rose Bowl also has been a problem for the Big Ten, which has won only once (Ohio State in the 2010 game) since Wisconsin's consecutive wins in the 1999 and 2000 games.

"It's the biggest game we play every year, other than the national championship game," Delany said. "It's huge. It's always disappointing not to win. ... It's elevated above everything else."

The Big Ten is still looking to elevate its profile, but after entering bowl season with a very low bar and avoiding a total mess, the league at least can avoid months and months of national flogging ... maybe.

"I love the effort that our guys gave," Delany said. "I would have loved to win a little bit more, but we showed that whatever the margin is between winning and losing, it's been tightened up a bit."

Big Ten bowl season is finally here. How ya feeling?

Jones from Omaha, Neb., writes: I was originally opposed to additional B1G expansion (Maryland, Rutgers) on grounds of brand dilution. They don't seem to bring nearly as much to the table as the Huskers. I'm warming to the brave new world. Now that even more expansion is likely and divisions must be realigned, I'm for Old B1G vs. New B1G. As a Husker fan this will give us exposure in far away lands, plus we've already given up all of our old traditional matchups by leaving Big 12. Bring on NC, Duke, Rutgers, Maryland, Virginia, and whoever else might be an expansion target.

Adam Rittenberg: Jones, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to create a much easier path to the Big Ten championship game for your beloved Huskers. Being in a division with all of those ACC teams certainly looks more favorable than having to beat the likes of Michigan each year. I disagree with this view, as Nebraska has a better chance to build rivalries with teams closer to its campus. Geography will be a bigger factor in the next division alignment, and if Wisconsin is moved to the "West" division, Nebraska would have annual games with both Wisconsin and Iowa. These games could turn into truly great rivalries that Husker fans will value. I think Nebraska needs to be paired with at least one of the other major name-brand teams -- Michigan, Ohio State or Penn State -- but it makes more sense to divide things geographically if the Big Ten's next additions are on the East Coast.

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Pat from Detroit writes: Not even a quick blurb about the passing of Reggie Garnett? I know i was over the holidays, but c'mon! The far too soon passing of an early 90s big ten stud could've at least made the lunch links. RIP Reggie.

Adam Rittenberg: Apologies, Pat, as I've been working on something outside the blog for most of the week and Brian has been busy with bowl assignments as well. It was sad to hear about Garnett's passing -- he was only 38. Check out some links about Garnett here and here and here. Coach Mark Dantonio released a statement about Garnett on Wednesday night. It reads: "We were very saddened to hear about the passing of Reggie Garnett yesterday. A four-year starter in the mid-1990s, Reggie was a tremendous player and a true Spartan. More importantly, he had remained connected to the MSU football program, returning to campus for reunions and games. Reggie was an outstanding young man, who will be missed by all of us. We’d like to express our deepest sympathy to his family as well as his extended Spartan family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, teammates and friends."

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Russ from Bloomington, Ill., writes: It sounds like there are going to be lots of openings for NFL head coaches starting next week. Is Kirk Ferentz still considered a good coach in those circles? And given that Iowa is going to be lucky to go 4-8 next year, could he finally be tempted to make the leap and spare us Hawkeye fans more one yard pass plays on 3rd and 3?

Adam Rittenberg: Good question, Russ. The Ferentz-to-NFL rumors seem to be an annual thing, and I doubt this year will be an exception, despite his recent struggles at Iowa. The job to watch is Kansas City, as Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli and Ferentz are close from their time with the Cleveland Browns. Pioli thinks very highly of Ferentz, but Pioli's own job should could be in jeopardy. My sense is that Ferentz doesn't want to leave Iowa on such a down note and would be likelier to make a jump when the program is in a bit better shape. His youngest son, Steve, just finished his freshman year on the team, and some think Ferentz, 57, wants to stay at Iowa until all of his children have graduated. Money clearly isn't a problem for Ferentz, although it's hard to resist the pull of the NFL.

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John from New York writes: I understand Bennett's logic about a healthy D line and your loyalty to the Big Ten but there is no possible way he thinks the score of Purdue-Oklahoma State will be 31-27. Ok St scored 30 against Kansas State, 36 against Texas, and 48 against Oklahoma. Purdue gave up 41 to Marshall, 44 to Michigan, and 44 to Minnesota, they have no coach and not to mention they won't have a fan within 1000 miles of the stadium... Either you're required to show some sort of confidence in the league or he needs to be checked into a hospital. That game will be closer to 70-27

Adam Rittenberg: John, Oklahoma State certainly has the ability to light up Purdue's defense. But Kawann Short is a potential first-round pick at defensive tackle and played much of the season with a bum wheel. The Boilers' cornerbacks also will challenge the Cowboys receivers, but it really comes down to the defensive line and what type of pressure it can apply on the Pokes. Purdue's defense needs its best effort of the season to keep Oklahoma State's offense in check, but it's also important for Purdue to control the ball on offense and keep the Pokes offense off of the field. Could we see a 70-27 game? Sure. Oklahoma State has that type of firepower. But how much do the Pokes really want to be in this game? Purdue has an interim coach, but I really think the Boilers will be more motivated than Okie State.

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Nick from Marion, Ohio, writes: Like most level-headed and educated realignment prognosticators, you believe the ACC is the most likely conference to supply the Big Ten with its next expansion targets. What happens if Maryland isn't able to wiggle out of its $50 million buyout; are Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia Tech still the likely looks? Also, give us three non-ACC schools you could see joining the ranks of the B1G.

Adam Rittenberg: Nick, I definitely think the outcome of the Maryland-ACC dispute about the buyout will be a major factor in any additional defections from the league. If Maryland indeed has to pay the full $50 million, it might discourage other schools from leaving, although the Big Ten long-term future revenue projections suggest it still might be smart to make the move. I firmly believe when the Big Ten expands again, it will once again look to the ACC. Georgia Tech is definitely on the radar. Virginia could be an attractive candidate and North Carolina is the grand prize, although UNC might not be realistic. We'll see. Outside the ACC, I don't see many realistic candidates. Maybe Kansas, although the Big Ten made a big deal about wanting to have a greater East Coast presence, and Kansas isn't there. Connecticut needs to become an AAU member to gain serious consideration.

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Gabriel from Virginia Beach, Va., writes: 1st round pick Lewan vs. Future 1st round pick Clowney: Who wins on Jan. 1st????

Adam Rittenberg: Gabriel, it should be a tremendous matchup in Tampa. It's hard to pick against Clowney, who has been so dominant this season as just a true sophomore. Lewan had some nice moments as well, but as he told me earlier this month, he hasn't seen a pass-rusher quite like Clowney. Michigan's offensive line has struggled at times to generate push in the run game, but it has protected the pocket well, allowing only 15 sacks in 12 games. I think Clowney records at least one sack in the game but doesn't dominate Lewan. I'm really interested to see what coordinator Al Borges has brainstormed for Michigan, which will need a creative game plan against such an athletic Gamecocks defense.

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Craig from Braintree, Mass., writes: Troy Stoudemire is very close to breaking the NCAA kick return record. Will he get drafted as a kick returner considering the NFL's kick return rules? Is he the top kick returner in the country? in the B1G?

Adam Rittenberg: Craig, I think Stoudermire has a chance to play at the next level because of his versatility. He has played cornerback and receiver with the Gophers and obviously has talent as a return man, although his production has gone down since the 2008 season. He'll have to show well in the postseason all-star games, the NFL combine and any other pre-draft events, but he has a chance.

The Big Ten used to be the league of coaching stability.

Rewind to the 2005 season, and the Big Ten featured seven coaches -- Penn State's Joe Paterno, Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez, Michigan's Lloyd Carr, Minnesota's Glen Mason, Purdue's Joe Tiller, Northwestern's Randy Walker and Iowa's Kirk Ferentz -- who had been in their jobs for at least seven seasons. Paterno obviously had been at Penn State for a lot longer than that, but Alvarez was in his 16th and final season with the Badgers and Carr was in his 11th with the Wolverines.

Look at the Big Ten coaching landscape right now. Only one of those coaches, Ferentz, remains. The next longest-tenured is Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald, who took over following Walker's death in 2006. Indiana's Kevin Wilson, who just completed his second season, will be the longest-tenured coach in the Leaders Division in 2013. Eight of the Big Ten's 12 coaches will be in their first, second or third seasons next fall.

When was the last time the Big Ten had this type of coach turnover?

You have to look to the early 1990s to find similar results. Six Big Ten teams made coaching changes between 1989-92: Illinois (after 1991 season), Michigan (after 1989 season), Minnesota (after 1991 season), Northwestern (after 1991 season), Purdue (after 1990 season) and Wisconsin (after 1989 season). The league had 10 teams until 1993, so the 60 percent turnover rate in a three-year stretch certainly was significant.

The bad news is the Big Ten's national profile struggled during that time, much like it is now. The league went 4-9-1 in bowl games between 1990-92 and had just two teams in the final rankings in both 1991 and 1992. The good news is things improved the next few seasons, as the Big Ten posted winning bowl marks in 1993 and 1994 and won three consecutive Rose Bowls. Several coaching hires made between 1989-92 worked out well, namely Alvarez at Wisconsin and Gary Barnett at Northwestern.

The Big Ten hopes history repeats itself in the coming years.

Did you think AIRBHG would rest during the holiday season? Not a chance.

Unfortunately for Iowa, the running back exits continue as freshman Greg Garmon has decided to transfer from the team. There's nothing official from Iowa, but Garmon told multiple media outlets that he asked for and received his release from head coach Kirk Ferentz on Wednesday.

Garmon said Iowa wasn't a good fit for him, and Ferentz agreed.

A heralded recruit from Erie, Pa., Garmon saw the field a bit this fall and had 38 carries for 122 yards to go along with eight receptions for 57 yards. His playing time decreased following the emergence of Mark Weisman and the return of Damon Bullock from injury.

Iowa's running back depth -- knock on wood -- looks good for 2013 as Weisman, Bullock, Jordan Canzeri and Barkley Hill all return. But Garmon would have been a nice part of the mix, and his departure continues a frustrating trend for Iowa, which now has lost four running backs -- Garmon, Marcus Coker, Mika'il McCall and DeAndre Johnson -- in the past year. Garmon is the seventh Iowa running back to transfer in the past three seasons.

There's not much left to say about Iowa's unusual attrition at running back. Garmon's departure isn't as damaging because the team has others in line, but it raises more questions about why the Hawkeyes can't keep talented ball-carriers.

Head coaches are like quarterbacks. They get too much credit and too much blame.

Assistant coaches are like nose tackles. They don't get nearly enough credit despite playing vital roles.

Today, we'll change it up and give some recognition to Big Ten assistant coaches who did exemplary jobs with their position groups or, in some cases, units in 2012. Each of these coaches fostered improvement this season. Some took units in bad shape and made them better. Others took units in decent shape and made them very good. Some entered the season with skeptics and quieted them.

We came up with 13 assistants who deserve recognition. Yes, we realize we're leaving out some quality folks, but we had to cap it somewhere and wanted to spread the love around to the different teams.

Here's the rundown in alphabetical order:

Chris Ash, Wisconsin, defensive coordinator/secondary: All the attention on the offense's turbulent season took the spotlight away from the good things happening on the defensive side. Wisconsin finished in the top 25 nationally in total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense and pass efficiency defense. The Badgers held nine opponents to 21 points or fewer and gave an inconsistent offense chances to win every time out. Ash will be missed as he joins ex-Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema at Arkansas.

Tim Beck, Nebraska, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks: The second-year play caller oversaw the Big Ten's top offense, which averaged 462.2 yards per game (24th nationally) and 35.1 points per game (28th nationally). Junior quarterback Taylor Martinez made significant strides under Beck's watch, and Nebraska survived the loss of star running back Rex Burkhead for most of the season thanks to contributions from Ameer Abdullah and others.

Tracy Claeys, Minnesota, defensive coordinator: An improved defense sparked Minnesota to a 4-0 start and eventually to bowl eligibility for the first time since the 2009 season. The Gophers pass rush showed life for the first time in years as senior end D.L. Wilhite and others put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Minnesota was especially good against the pass, ranking 11th nationally and 20th in pass defense efficiency. Although the offense remains a work in progress, Minnesota should be pleased with the direction on defense under Claeys.

Adam Cushing, Northwestern, offensive line: Cushing's recruiting ability always has stood out, but his coaching skills had been questioned as Northwestern struggled to convert promising line prospects into powerful blockers. The Wildcats went from a finesse offense to a power offense this season, blasting off of the line to the tune of 230.9 rush yards per game. Red zone offense went from a weakness to a strength as Northwestern tied for 17th nationally. Cushing's line paved the way for star running back Venric Mark.

Rich Fisher, Nebraska, wide receivers: Nebraska isn't known for its wide receiver play, but things are changing under Fisher's watch. Led by standout sophomore Kenny Bell, the Huskers' top three receivers combined for 1,657 yards and 11 touchdowns on 115 receptions. Just as important, the receiving corps helped Nebraska's bread-and-butter run game with effective blocking throughout the season. Fisher's hiring after the 2010 season raised some eyebrows, as he had taken a break from college coaching, returned to the high school ranks and also served as a golf instructor in Massachusetts. But he definitely looks like a great addition to Bo Pelini's staff.

Patrick Higgins, Purdue, wide receivers: Higgins played a significant role in Purdue's late-season surge, as he took over the offensive play-calling duties after coordinator Gary Nord suffered a severe back injury. Purdue won its final three games with Higgins and head coach Danny Hope handling the play calls. Higgins also did a nice job with Purdue's wide receiving corps, despite the fluctuating quarterback situation. Three veteran Boilers receivers eclipsed 40 catches and 300 receiving yards, and redshirt freshman Dolapo Macarthy showed promise.

Seth Littrell, Indiana, offensive coordinator/tight ends/fullbacks: Head coach Kevin Wilson brought in Littrell to boost Indiana's passing attack, and Littrell delivered despite losing starting quarterback Tre Roberson in Week 2. Indiana went from 80th nationally in pass offense to 19th, leading the Big Ten with 311.2 yards per game. With help from assistant offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kevin Johns, Littrell managed the quarterback situation pretty well as both Cameron Coffman and Nate Sudfeld had success. Littrell will go largely unnoticed because of Indiana's low profile and 4-8 record, but he was one of the Big Ten's best coaching additions for 2012.

Curt Mallory, Michigan, secondary: Michigan's defensive line dominates the spotlight because that's where coordinator Greg Mattison and head coach Brady Hoke put their primary focus, but Mallory has done a really nice job with a secondary that struggled mightily under the previous regime. Despite losing promising cornerback Blake Countess to a torn ACL in the season opener, Michigan still finished second nationally (behind Nebraska) in pass defense (155.2 ypg allowed). Safety Jordan Kovacs has blossomed under Mallory's watch, and while the depth in the secondary isn't where it will be eventually, Mallory has managed things well.

Bart Miller, Wisconsin, offensive line: Miller began the season as a graduate assistant and moved into one of the team's top assistant roles in Week 3 after the surprising dismissal of veteran line coach Mike Markuson. Although Wisconsin's line didn't have its typical dominant performances every time out, Miller fostered obvious improvement and cohesion during the course of the season. The finished product showed up in the Big Ten championship game against Nebraska, as Wisconsin bullied the Huskers to the tune of 70 points, 539 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.

Reese Morgan, Iowa, defensive line: Iowa didn't have much to cheer about in 2012, and some of the staff changes Kirk Ferentz made led to some growing pains. Morgan faced a significant challenge in moving from offensive line to defensive line, which returned only a handful of players who had logged field time in 2011. Given the youth and inexperience along the Hawkeyes' defensive front, Morgan did a nice job in Year 1. Joe Gaglione had a nice senior season (9 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles) and young players like Louis Trinca-Pasat showed promise. The line held its own in the first half of the season before struggling late.

Pat Narduzzi, Michigan State, defensive coordinator: Many of these assistants took questionable units and improved them. Narduzzi led an elite defense that entered the season with high expectations and met them. Make no mistake: Michigan State's defense is the only reason the team found itself in every game this season. The Spartans had a few standouts, namely linebacker Max Bullough, but their overall team defense and stinginess stood out. Narduzzi is one of the nation's premier coordinators and should land a head-coaching job in the near future.

John Strollo, Penn State, tight ends: Although O'Brien's offense is a tight end's dream, Strollo did a terrific job of developing young and unproven players this season. Redshirt freshman Kyle Carter emerged into one of the Nittany Lions' top passing threats, and junior Matt Lehman and true freshman Jesse James also stepped up at times. Of Penn State's top five receiving-yards leaders this season, three players are tight ends (Carter, Lehman and James).

Ed Warinner, Ohio State, offensive line/co-offensive coordinator: Warinner took an underachieving Buckeyes offensive line with serious depth questions and turned it into quite possibly the best line in the league. The Buckeyes' front five turned a corner in Big Ten play and created lanes for Braxton Miller, Carlos Hyde and the Big Ten's top scoring offense. Warinner was the Big Ten's best assistant hire of the last offseason and earns our vote as the league's top assistant in 2012.

Former NFL coach Bill Parcells once famously said that if he was going to be asked to cook, he wanted to be able to pick the groceries.

That might be one of the reasons coaches like Lou Holtz, Mike Riley, Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier found more success in college football than in the pros.

When Saban was coaching the NFL’s Miami Dolphins in 2006, he favored injured quarterback Drew Brees over veteran Daunte Culpepper when both were free agents. But Miami’s team doctors wouldn’t clear Brees’ surgically repaired right shoulder, so the Dolphins ended up signing Culpepper instead.

Unable to pick and choose his own free agents and draft choices, Saban had a 15-17 record in two seasons with the Dolphins in 2005-06. He left to become Alabama’s coach in 2007, and he’ll attempt to guide the No. 2 Crimson Tide to their third Discover BCS National Championship in four seasons when they play No. 1 Notre Dame in Miami on Jan. 7.

Given Alabama’s dominance under Saban over the past five seasons, it’s no surprise his name is again being mentioned as a potential NFL coach. The Boston Globe reported this week that Saban might be a top candidate to coach the Cleveland Browns next season, if new owner Jimmy Haslam hires NFL Network analyst Michael Lombardi, one of Saban’s closest friends, as his team’s general manager. Saban was Cleveland’s defensive coordinator under coach Bill Belichick in the early 1990s, when Lombardi worked as the team’s director of player personnel.

Would Saban try the NFL again?

“I learned about myself by going to the NFL,” Saban told ESPN.com this spring. “Why do I have to go do it again?”

Saban’s denials don’t preclude him from being among the college coaches most likely to make a jump to the pros. According to an ESPN.com survey of coaches and athletics directors around the country, Oregon’s Chip Kelly, Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly, Stanford’s David Shaw and Saban were considered the most likely coaches to have NFL options in the future.

Washington’s Steve Sarkisian and Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, another Belichick disciple, also were mentioned as potential NFL coaches in the survey, along with Penn State’s Bill O’Brien (a former New England Patriots offensive coordinator), Ohio State’s Urban Meyer, USC’s Lane Kiffin (a former Oakland Raiders head coach) and UCLA’s Jim Mora (a former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks head coach), among others.

Chip Kelly, 49, has guided the Ducks to a 45-7 record during the past four seasons. He nearly left Oregon to become coach of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, but eventually turned the job down (the Bucs hired former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano). After enjoying so much success at Oregon, Kelly might be champing at the bit to see how his fast-paced, spread offense works in the pros. And given how the New England Patriots’ new high-paced offense is performing this season, more NFL owners and general managers might be willing to give Kelly a chance.

Shaw, who has a 22-4 record in two seasons at Stanford and won a Pac-12 championship this season, also might make sense in the pros. His predecessor, Jim Harbaugh, left Stanford to coach the San Francisco 49ers. Shaw spent nine seasons coaching in the NFL, most recently as receivers coach for the Baltimore Ravens.

As for Saban? He told ESPN.com in the spring that he doesn’t want to go back to the NFL. His wife, Terry, has said as much in the past couple of days.

“I loved coaching the NFL players,” Nick Saban said. “Everybody thinks it’s the NFL players who are hard to get along with. I loved the NFL players and it was never a problem. It’s just the rules of parity in that league make it difficult to create any advantage for yourself. I always thought my advantage was I was willing to outwork everybody to get better. That was a hard thing. I missed college players and I missed helping guys develop personally, academically and athletically.”