ESPN College Football

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- As Illinois' starting center for the past few seasons, Graham Pocic has mashed limbs with some of the nation's best defensive tackles.

Penn State's Devon Still, Purdue's Kawann Short, Michigan State's Jerel Worthy and Michigan's Mike Martin are among those who have lined up across from Pocic. But Pocic's toughest opponent is a man he never faces on Saturdays.

"I get to go against the best D-tackle in the conference every day [in practice]," Pocic said. "It's awesome."

Pocic is biased, but don't be surprised if his teammate, Akeem Spence, earns the same label from the NFL talent evaluators a year from now. Spence has been on the NFL radar for the past two seasons, earning a starting job as a redshirt freshman and starting all 26 games he has played at Illinois.

The 6-foot-1, 305-pound Spence built on his freshman-year numbers (45 tackles, 4 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery) by finishing fourth on the squad in tackles (69) last fall. He had 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for an Illinois defense that finished seventh nationally in yards allowed and 15th in points allowed.

"His explosiveness off the ball, his strength, he's pretty athletic for his size," Pocic said. "He's just a powerful dude. If you're not ready when you go against him, he's going to get under you and make some plays in the backfield."

The Illini have had defensive linemen selected in the first round of the past two NFL drafts: tackle Corey Liuget in 2011 (No. 18 overall pick) and end Whitney Mercilus last week (No. 26 overall pick). Spence is already being mentioned as a top candidate to enter the NFL draft after his junior season this fall.

Asked last month how motivated he is to be Illinois' next elite next-level prospect, Spence's face lit up.

"I'm real motivated," he said. "I'm just working real hard, doing everything that they did, do everything right. When it's time to step up, I want to be that guy making a big sack, making a big tackle for loss, making a big turnover. That's what I'm working toward."

Spence remains in touch with Liuget, who he started alongside in 2010. Although they've had similar career arcs at the same position -- Spence actually has played more than Liuget did in his first two years -- they're different players.

"He's a lot taller than I am," Spence said.

Only two inches to be exact, but it makes a difference in the trenches.

"Corey was a little more agile and faster," Pocic said, "but Corey doesn't have the strength that Akeem has. Corey's probably a little more explosive, but Akeem's just so strong and physical inside. It's tough to deal with."

Like several other veteran defenders, Spence had concerns about the unit's direction after head coach Ron Zook's firing coordinator Vic Koenning's departure for North Carolina. He was relieved to learn the new scheme under coordinator Tim Banks closely resembles its predecessor. Illinois also retained defensive line coach Keith Gilmore, the lone holdover from the previous staff.

Spence will play mostly the 3-technique and 1-technique in Banks' scheme with some spot work out wide at the 5-technique.

"You're creating a culture of great defensive line play," Banks said. "Those kids want to uphold that standard. You talk about those guys [Liuget and Mercilus], they were just here. It's not like 10 years ago. Our guys know who they are. They say, 'If he can do it, I can do it.' There's been greatness in that room."

Spence wants to continue that legacy before he walks out the door.

1. Big 12 interim commissioner Chuck Neinas remains impressed with the tenor of the meeting in South Florida last week about the postseason. “Those were as intense, focused and serious meetings as I’ve ever been a part of,” Neinas said, “with a healthy respect for those who disagreed.” Neinas wants the BCS to increase emphasis on schedule strength and continue to ignore margin of victory. “Oregon winning by four touchdowns may be the same as Wisconsin or Nebraska winning by two,” Neinas said. “We shouldn’t take style of play into account.”

2. The announcement that the BCS decided on a four-team playoff is the easiest part of the decision. Over the next seven weeks, the leagues must decide when and where they will play the semifinal games -- Bowls? No bowls? -- and how to select the four participating teams. It will test the goodwill that came out of the meetings last week. It will test the schools’ allegiance to the bowls. College football always tries to strike a balance between tradition and revenue. This time, finding that balance couldn’t be more important.

3. The SEC edged the Big Ten in the final count of the 2012 NFL draft, 42-41. However, the SEC won in the first round, 9-4, and the first two rounds, 14-11. That gives both sides the requisite fodder to settle barroom discussions from now until the 2013 draft. Illinois had four players drafted in the first two rounds. And recruiting was a big reason that the Illini plucked Ron Zook out of the fired coaches support group. Zook coached at Illinois as he coached at Florida: great talent failed to translate into enough victories.

Our series ranking each position group from the 2011 Big Ten season comes to a close today with the final group, and one that is often overlooked but is always important: special teams.

Special teams is a broad spectrum, so we're combining performances in punting, kickoffs and field goals to come up with each team's position on this list.

And away we go:

1. Nebraska: Boy, did we mess this up in the preseason by ranking the Huskers 11th out of 12. Though we wrote at the time that Nebraska would almost certainly outperform its low rankings, we thought replacing star punter/kicker Alex Henery would be tough. Not really, as Brett Maher was one of the best punters and kickers in the league and the country. Freshman Ameer Abdullah was a star in kick returns, finishing ninth nationally in that category. So just remove one of the ones from that preseason number, and then we've got it right.

2. Purdue: The Boilermakers were mostly mediocre on offense and defense but did some great work on special teams. Freshman Raheem Mostert led the nation in kickoff returns, while sophomore Cody Webster finished second in punting. The strong-legged Carson Wiggs tied Maher for most field goals made in the league, though he still needs to improve his accuracy. Blocked kicks helped secure wins over Middle Tennessee and Ohio State, but Purdue lost on a blocked field goal try at Rice.

3. Penn State: When Anthony Fera returned from suspension and took over field goal duties, the Nittany Lions' special teams became truly special. Fera hit 14 of 17 field goals after Penn State had looked very shaky in that area early in the year, and he was also one of the league's top punters. Chaz Powell and Justin Brown were dangerous return men.

4. Ohio State: The Buckeyes ranked among the top third of Big Ten teams in just about every special-teams category. Field goal kicker Drew Basil made a dozen in a row at one point, and Ben Buchanan was solid at punter. Jordan Hall added some big returns.

5. Michigan State: We ranked the Spartans No. 1 in the preseason, and they came up with some game-changing plays, particularly in the first game against Wisconsin and in the Outback Bowl win over Georgia. But statistically speaking, Michigan State was average in most aspects of the kicking game. But Mike Sadler had some big moments punting, and Keshawn Martin did excellent work on punt returns.

6. Wisconsin: A tough team to rank, as there was both good and bad here. Jared Abbrederis led the nation in punt return average at 15.8 yards per attempt. Brad Nortman was a very reliable punter, while Philip Welch made five of his six attempts at field goals, something the Badgers didn't need very much with Montee Ball assaulting the end zone. But we can't ignore the big special-teams breakdowns against Michigan State and Ohio State that had as much as anything to do with ruining a potential undefeated season.

7. Michigan: The Wolverines weren't outstanding at any one area on special teams, but they proved much better than the No. 12 ranking we saddled them with in the preseason. Brendan Gibbons solidified what looked like a scary place-kicker situation and played a large role (along with brunette girls) in the Sugar Bowl victory. Michigan was also strong in punt returns and kick coverage, though its punting and kickoff returns left much to be desired.

8. Iowa: The good news first: Iowa led the league in net punting, thanks to a strong showing by senior Eric Guthrie in his first year starting. Now the bad: The Hawkeyes ranked second-to-last in kickoff coverage, and Mike Meyer missed six of his 20 field goal attempts, including both tries in the humbling loss to Minnesota.

9. Minnesota: Even without premier return man Troy Stoudermire, who missed most of the year with an injury, the Gophers ranked fifth in the league in kickoff returns, and they led the league in kickoff coverage. But a team that punted as much as Minnesota did in 2011 needed to do better than 11th in the conference in that category. Bonus point for the perfectly executed onside kick in the Iowa win.

10. Northwestern: The Wildcats' defense got the brunt of the blame in Northwestern's losses, but special teams didn't hold up its end of the bargain, either. Northwestern made only six field goals all year and ranked near the bottom of the conference in most categories. The bright spot was a league-best punt return unit.

11. Indiana: Mitch Ewald went 13-of-16 on field goals, but the Hoosiers weren't very good in most other areas. They returned more kickoffs than anyone in the Big Ten -- a product of a crummy defense -- but didn't do enough with them in finishing 108th nationally in that stat.

12. Illinois: Ron Zook didn't help his case to be retained as head coach through the performance of his special teams, a part of the game that was supposed to be his field of expertise. Illinois was simply dreadful in creating advantageous field position, finishing last in the nation in kickoff returns and third-to-last in punt returns. The Illini also weren't very good at kickoff coverage, though at least Derek Dimke made 10 of 12 field goals. Even that was marred by his missed 42-yarder at the end of a 10-7 loss at Penn State.

The haters had their fun on Monday, but it's time to feel the love again in the Big Ten. Sure, this might not seem like the league of love lately, especially after the last recruiting cycle, but Valentine's Day will make it all better (riiight).

Fortunately for you, we intercepted a few of the Valentine's missives being sent around the Big Ten.

Check 'em out ...

To: Bret Bielema
From: Urban Meyer

Bret, we got off to a bad start, but you'll grow to love me. Maybe even my recruiting methods, too. Remember what Ohio State fans thought of me in January 2007? Now, I'm king of Columbus! I've already forgiven you for your poor choice of words (this card, by the way, was sent legally through U.S. mail). I'll be sure to send you weekly updates on Kyle Dodson. Only 277 days until we meet in Madison. Save me a brat! ... Toodles

To: Urban Meyer
From: Bret Bielema

When leading by 27 ... go for two! When leading by 36 ... go for two!

To: Urban Meyer
From: Bret Bielema

Urban, sorry about the last card. Meant to send it to Tim Brewster. My bad.

To: Brady Hoke
From: Michigan fans

Gotta admit, we were a little concerned about your losing record. And the fact you weren't named Jim Harbaugh. But you were a Michigan man, dammit, unlike that last schlub. Plus, you actually cared about defense (Mattison rules!). Thanks for making us proud again. Now beat Ohio State every year.

To: College football fans
From: Jim Delany and Big Ten athletic directors

We're giving you your stinking playoff -- and this card. Happy?

To: Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan
From: Jim Delany

I know you guys took some heat for selecting Virginia Tech, but it was a great call. People rag on the Big Ten, but think how bad it'd be if there weren't these ACC teams completely incapable of winning BCS bowls. You da man! Any time you want to pair us against the ACC, don't hesitate!

To: Pat Narduzzi
From: Mark Dantonio

Thanks for staying. Don't worry, there's a check included. Let's give 'em 840 minutes of unnecessary roughness this year!

To: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
From: Denard Robinson

Who knew one team could make one player look so awesome? I love you guys! See ya in September!

To: Nebraska fans
From: Bo Pelini

I know you're not happy about the meltdowns against Wisconsin, Michigan and South Carolina. Or the reports linking me to other jobs. Or some of the assistant coach hires. Or the fact we had more walk-ons than scholarship players in the last recruiting class. But we can take the next step and make you proud. I've matured as a coach. I'm a little calmer and a little more self-aware. I might put some Gandhi quotes around the complex. Let's get off the roller coaster and start riding the wave of enlightenment. GBR! Om.


To: The end zone
From: Montee Ball

Had so much fun visiting this past season, I'll be back for more!

To: Matthew McGloin
From: Curtis Drake

The past is the past, Matty. Let's go knock out the other teams in 2012!

To: Iowa's running backs
From: Kirk Ferentz

Thanks for sticking around, guys. Some of the others must have gotten a bit confused. Told them to run to the end zone, not the nearest Greyhound station.

To: Denard Robinson and Taylor Lewan
From: William Gholston

Can't wait to throw my arms around you guys again this season. Really, really looking forward to Oct. 20.

To: Floyd of Rosedale
From: Minnesota fans

We love makin' bacon with you. Please stay with us forever.

To: NCAA infractions committee
From: Gene Smith

I thought love meant never having to say you're sorry. I guess you didn't think my attempt of asking for your forgiveness was enough. But it's OK. I've moved on and ended up in a much healthier relationship. Let's never fight again.


To: Indiana Hoosiers
From: Ron Zook

When up by seven, go for two! C'mon, you know you'll miss me.

I have a contract with ESPN.com. It has a start date and an end date. It has a predetermined salary structure. It includes job expectations, company policies and, like any contract, a lot of legalese. But the important things are spelled out clearly.

Before agreeing to the terms, ESPN’s legal department sends me the contract to review. I read it over. Usually several times. And then I sign it and send it in.

It's all right there in print -- no gray area.

Four Illinois assistant coaches are steamed because they put pen to paper before fully studying what was written on the paper. They thought they had two-year rollover contracts and were surprised to learn recently that their deals had been reworked in the summer of 2010 and as a result, they no longer would be paid after Feb. 28. Illinois fired head coach Ron Zook on Nov. 27, and only one assistant (defensive line coach Keith Gilmore) is remaining on staff with new boss Tim Beckman.

The assistants were irate and lashed out. Offensive line coach Joe Gilbert called the situation "very unprofessional." They even threatened to boycott Saturday's Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against UCLA, adding even more controversy to a game filled with it.

But the Bizzaro Bowl Boycott won't be taking place.

Zook told ESPN colleague Gene Wojciechowski on Friday night that his former aides will show up Saturday at AT&T Park.

"They're going to coach," said Zook, when contacted by ESPN.com Friday evening. "They're [the assistants] frustrated. But they're going to coach. They know it's about the kids. But they were trying to make a point. They've got careers, family, all of those things. They're class guys. And it's important that everyone knows they're really good people."

More from the story:

The dispute centers around a contract promise that Zook said was made to several of his assistant coaches by him and former Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther. According to Zook, the assistants -- Jeff Brohm, Ron West and Chip Long -- were told they would receive two-year deals which would run through the 2012 regular season. Assistant Joe Gilbert has told SI.com that he also was promised a multiyear contract.

"Somewhere -- I'm not sure how -- a couple of the contracts got changed," said Zook. "I truly believed they had two-year contracts. ... I'm not exactly sure how things got changed. I feel awful about it. They're great people and they did a great job. I don't know where it went wrong. I was under the understanding that they had two-year contracts."

I feel for the Illinois assistants. It's a bad deal for them, but it's because they signed bad deals. As athletic director Mike Thomas told SI.com, "We have a contract that's pretty clear, and we intend to honor that contract. We assume they'll honor it as well."

Boycotting would have been worse for the coaches and for the Illini players than it would have for the administration. If you want to stick it to your bosses, boycotting the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl probably isn't the best move. If you want to stick it to your players, boycotting is the way to go.

Plus, these assistants are looking for jobs. They have good credentials. But no employer wants to see "quitter" on a résumé.

Who knows what to expect Saturday afternoon in San Francisco? But at least the Illini assistants with be with the players they've coached all season.

The Kraft Fighting Hunger Bowl features two teams that fired their coaches, but that doesn't mean neither will show up and play hard. Not necessarily, at least.

WHO TO WATCH: UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince. This is almost certainly Prince's last game running the Bruins' run-first pistol offense. Next year under new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone, the Bruins will be spreading the field and throwing all over the place. Still, considering that interim coach Mike Johnson is more of a pro-style offensive coordinator, it wouldn't be surprising to see fewer QB keepers and more passes. And Prince, a junior, can make a statement to his new coaches about who should be the starting signal-caller in 2012.

WHAT TO WATCH: The mood. Illinois lost its final six games and fired Ron Zook. UCLA lost its final regular-season game to rival USC 50-zip and fired Rick Neuheisel, then subsequently needed a waiver from the NCAA to play in a bowl game after finishing with a losing record. Both teams suspended players after the regular season ended due to academic or behavior issues. With two interim coaches, and two staffs that aren't fully invested in the program going forward, it's likely one or both teams will be sloppy and uninspired. Things could get ugly. The question is whether ugly describes both teams imploding or just one.

WHY TO WATCH: Because it's college football and college football is awesome. Because it's hard not to slow down and rubberneck a traffic accident. Because there will be a quiz on this game on the Pac-12 blog on Tuesday, and the person who gets the most answers right wins $1 zillion. Maybe.

PREDICTION: Illinois 20, UCLA 14: Both teams enter amid down circumstances. Both teams have damaging player suspensions/ineligibility. The difference is that, despite everything, Illinois does something well — play defense — and UCLA does not.

Let's take a look at three keys for Illinois heading into Saturday's Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl matchup against UCLA.

1. Establish the run early: Top running back Jason Ford is out (academics), but Illinois still can establish the ground game against a UCLA defense ranked 95th nationally against the rush. The Bruins have surrendered more than 200 rush yards in seven games, including 352 in the Pac-12 championship against Oregon. Illinois freshman Donovonn Young has impressed in stretches and gets an opportunity to establish himself as the team's back of the future after missing the regular-season finale with an ankle injury. With fullback Jay Prosch also out (staph infection), Illinois really needs its offensive line to show up from the get-go. The line was supposed to be a strength for Illinois but has fallen short of expectations. If the Illini can get the ground game going early behind Young, Troy Pollard and quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, they'll open up the pass attack with A.J. Jenkins.

2. Maintain motivation and composure: Both Illinois and UCLA are dealing with coaching transitions, suspensions and other turmoil. UCLA players recently skipped a practice. Many question how motivated the teams will be to play a minor bowl game before moving forward with new leading men (Tim Beckman and Jim Mora Jr., respectively). Illinois players say practice has gone well, and they will be playing for interim coach Vic Koenning, fired coach Ron Zook and themselves on Saturday. The Illini didn't handle adversity well down the stretch of the regular season and must keep their composure if things don't go well Saturday. Illinois must continue to limit penalties after tying for 22nd nationally in penalties per game (4.83). UCLA hasn't been nearly as disciplined, ranking 91st in penalties per game (6.85).

3. Contain UCLA's ground game: Illinois' defense will be the best unit on the field Saturday in San Francisco, but the Illini need a strong effort against the run. UCLA's rushing attack is the strength of its team, ranking 29th nationally (190.7 ypg). The Bruins have three players with more than 450 rushing yards, including quarterback Kevin Prince, who had 163 yards in a win against Cal earlier this season. Illinois struggled against the run down the stretch and needs a strong performance from a talented line featuring Whitney Mercilus, Michael Buchanan and Akeem Spence. Defensive tackle Corey Liuget had a huge performance against Baylor in last year's bowl victory. It will be interesting to see if Spence can do the same against UCLA.

UCLA fans are warming to the idea of Jim Mora as the Bruins coach, perhaps because of some perky recruiting speculation and good staff hires. They are celebrating a volleyball national championship. They are trying to figure out whether the basketball team is getting its legs under it after getting back to .500.

The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against Illinois on New Year's Eve? Well, it's a bit down the list of buzz-generators in Westwood.

But the message from interim coach Mike Johnson is the Bruins are going to show up to play and they will play hard.

"They've been excellent," Johnson said of practices since he took over for the fired Rick Neuheisel. "I've enjoyed the time with them and the way they've approached it. I know it's a tough situation. There are a lot of distractions."

The chief distraction, of course, was Neuheisel's firing. That's always a big one. The Illini players surely understand. They also are playing under an interim coach -- Vic Koenning -- after the termination of Ron Zook. Both Johnson and Koenning are headed elsewhere after the game.

This is not a bowl destination for teams that are happy about how their season went. The Bruins mostly alternated wins and losses in desultory fashion -- Johnson used to the word "inconsistent" about 15 times in a 15-minute interview. But after getting pounded in their final two games, including the Pac-12 championship against Oregon, which dropped them to 6-7, they were forced to request a waiver from the NCAA to play in a bowl game with a losing record.

Not exactly something you put on a T-shirt.

Illinois took a different approach, winning its first six and rising to 16th in the nation before cratering with six consecutive defeats. Sure everyone associated with the program is weary of the term "collapse."

Johnson said he focused on fundamentals last week and will focus on Illinois this week before breaking for Christmas. The Bruins' offensive coordinator this year after replacing Norm Chow, he said he's not planning any major changes to the Bruins' pistol scheme. "I don't think you can put a new offense in in three weeks," he said.

He knows that he's not joining Mora's staff. A long-time NFL coach, he is a candidate for the Akron head coaching job. It would seem perfectly reasonable for him to be distracted by his uncertain future.

But Johnson insists that he and his players -- like all good competitors -- are focused on going out a winner, trying to hang a small rose on what has been a dreary season for all.

"It's about pride and respect for us," Johnson said. "We have to go out and earn the respect that everyone wants."

The next time a Big Ten fan base gets excited about a MAC coach likely will be the first.

Big Ten fans want big names, even if they're more hyped than proven. There's a sense that Big Ten programs should be able to reach further than the MAC, even though the MAC has produced some excellent major-conference coaches, many of whom have done well in the Big Ten. Some are known only by their first names: Woody, Bo and Ara. All three succeeded at Big Ten programs after coming from a MAC school, Miami (Ohio).

Still, coaching searches are often the time when fan perception meets program reality. It happened this week at Illinois.

The rumor mill began buzzing Tuesday that Illinois was close to a deal with Houston coach Kevin Sumlin. Regarded as a rising star in coaching, Sumlin is one of those names that gets fans excited, even if his track record doesn't quite match the hype around him. He runs an exciting offense at Houston, led by quarterback Case Keenum. He's a Big Ten guy (Purdue product) who had great success as a Big 12 assistant. Perhaps most important, he's wanted by others.

I never bought the Sumlin-to-Illinois talk. With a vacancy at Texas A&M, it makes too much sense for Sumlin to eventually move up the road to College Station. Illinois wanted him, but he didn't want Illinois. Predictably, the Sumlin buzz died down and Toledo's Tim Beckman became the target for Illinois first-year athletic director Mike Thomas.

Beckman will be introduced as Illinois' coach at a 4 p.m. ET news conference Friday in Champaign, Ill. He comes to the Illini after recording a 21-16 record in three seasons with Toledo.

There's a lot to like about Beckman. He's an Ohio native who knows the Big Ten and has recruited well, particularly in his home state. He has worked for successful programs (Oklahoma State, Ohio State and Bowling Green) and for successful head coaches (Mike Gundy, Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer). He took over a Toledo program dealing with a point-shaving scandal and led the Rockets to 8-win seasons in each of the past two years. He's known as a tireless worker with a fiery personality.

I have a feeling Illinois fans will feel better about the hire after Friday's news conference.

But some still will only see "MAC coach." And that's fine. Beckman will have to win them over by winning. If he mirrors what former Toledo coach Gary Pinkel has done at Missouri, or what former Toledo coach Nick Saban did at Michigan State, or what Bo, Woody and Ara did at Michigan, Ohio State and Northwestern, respectively, no one will remember where he came from.

When Thomas announced Ron Zook's firing, he noted that his track record shows he hires coaches with previous experience leading programs. He didn't add that he hires them from the MAC, as he brought both Brian Kelly and Butch Jones to Cincinnati from Central Michigan. Kelly had historic success at Cincinnati before moving onto Notre Dame, while Jones has the Bearcats at 9-3 this season. The Beckman hire follows the pattern for Thomas, who also reportedly expressed interest in two other MAC head-coaches: Eastern Michigan's Ron English and Temple's Steve Addazio.

If Beckman succeeds at Illinois, Thomas will be hailed as strong evaluator of under-the-radar coaches. If Beckman fails, Thomas will be seen as an AD who couldn't reel in the big fish. While Illinois reportedly was willing to spend big bucks for Sumlin, Beckman likely comes as a bargain, as he made $400,000 at Toledo.

Beckman inherits some talent at Illinois. Talent never was the problem for Zook, who recruited well. But Beckman will need to develop players better than his predecessor.

There are some potential concerns with Beckman, namely that he's a defensive coach whose defenses didn't exactly rank among the nation's best.

Here's a look:

2011 (Toledo): 76th in total defense, 89th in scoring defense
2010 (Toledo): 56th in total defense, 73rd in scoring defense
2009 (Toledo): 95th in total defense, 116th in scoring defense
2008 (Oklahoma State): 93rd in total defense, 73rd in scoring defense
2007 (Oklahoma State): 101st in total defense, 79th in scoring defense

To be fair, fielding a decent defense in the MAC is no easy task. But Toledo also surrendered 63 points in back-to-back games, including a 63-60 loss to Northern Illinois in which Beckman's timeout decisions came under heavy scrutiny.

Beckman could win points with many Illini fans by retaining Vic Koenning as his defensive coordinator. Koenning has done a masterful job with Illinois' defense, which boasts an All-American in defensive end Whitney Mercilus and ranked No. 7 nationally in yards allowed, No. 4 against the pass, No. 5 in tackles for loss and No. 9 in sacks. Whether their defensive philosophies match remains to be seen, but Beckman certainly should consider keeping Koenning.

His bigger task will be establishing consistency with an Illinois program that hasn't seen nearly enough in the past two decades. Although Illinois has reached back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 1991-92, the team has too often been a tease, arguably never more so than this season when it started 6-0 and finished 0-6. The talent has been in Champaign, but Illinois has been too fragile of a team. Beckman must change the culture.

Some coaches create buzz just by showing up (see: Meyer, Urban). Others create it by what they do on the field.

Beckman must show he can do the latter at Illinois.

Illinois will be without another major piece of its coaching staff for the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against UCLA.

The school fired head coach Ron Zook one day after a season-ending loss at Minnesota. Now, offensive coordinator Paul Petrino is jumping ship and reportedly heading back to Arkansas to coach for his brother, Bobby. Defensive coordinator Vic Koenning is the Illini's interim head coach, but he said Sunday night that there's no guarantee he wouldn't leave before the bowl game if he found the right opportunity elsewhere.

Losing Petrino causes more uncertainty for the players, but perhaps this offense could use a shakeup right now.

Like his brother, Paul Petrino is an excellent playcaller, and Illinois averaged 32.5 points per game during his first season as coordinator last year. The offense was scoring at a similar clip in the first half of this year, but it suddenly ground to a halt over the last six games, all losses. The Illini averaged just 11 points per game in the final six and put up at least one scoreless half in each of those games. You can't blame that all on Petrino, but it was odd how the offensive line got worse as the year went along and how quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase's production and confidence dipped after a strong freshman campaign.

One of the main reasons Petrino left Arkansas was because he wanted to become a head coach, and he felt he needed to get out of his brother's shadow to do so. When Koenning was named interim coach, it became clear that Petrino wasn't going to succeed Zook. Now he heads back to Fayetteville to replace Garrick McGee, who was named head coach at UAB.

Quarterbacks coach Jeff Brohm reportedly will serve as Illinois' offensive coordinator for the bowl game. Brohm has experience as a playcaller, having served as offensive coordinator at Louisville under Steve Kragthorpe. He also was an assistant under Bobby Petrino at Louisville and helped tutor his brother, Brian, at quarterback. His knowledge of the Petrino-style offense should make this as smooth a transition as possible, and Brohm deserves a shot at being a coordinator again after getting a raw deal in his one year under the embattled Kragthorpe.

Ultimately, the Illinois coaching situation won't start to settle until athletic director Mike Thomas hires a new head coach.

The Big Ten entered the 2011 season with two chief goals: win a national title for the first time since 2002 and build better depth throughout the league.

A BCS championship would tone down the Big Ten bashing around the country and grab some of the spotlight away from the rival SEC. Greater depth would prevent the New Year's Day disaster from happening again.

It appears as though the Big Ten went 1-1 in these objectives.

The league's national championship drought reached nine years as the Big Ten was out of the title talk by the end of October and had only one team (No. 10 Wisconsin) finish in the top 10 of the final BCS standings. With the SEC ensured of a sixth consecutive national championship, the Big Ten still has a gap to close with the nation's top conference.

While a Big Ten team won't be raising the crystal football in New Orleans, the league seemingly will enter the bowls with greater depth than it did a year ago, when only three teams finished the regular season with more than seven wins. Three teams finished with 10 or more wins, as Wisconsin and Michigan State both took another step toward becoming new Big Ten powers and Michigan made significant strides under first-year coach Brady Hoke and his staff.

Nebraska's transition to the Big Ten brought a few hiccups, as the Huskers struggled in losses to Wisconsin, Michigan and Northwestern. But Big Red also played very well for stretches, dominating Legends Division champion Michigan State on Oct. 30 and beating Penn State in State College under very difficult circumstances. Penn State rode star lineman Devon Still and a dominating defense to an 8-1 start before enduring a tough November on the field and especially off of it.

While the Big Ten lacked elite teams, it had five squads ranked in the polls for most of the season and produced plenty of exciting games, particularly the two contests between division winners Wisconsin and Michigan State.

The conference endured its share of disappointment both on and off the field. Ohio State, which dominated the Big Ten for the past decade, endured its worst record since 1999 and suffered five conference losses. Illinois couldn't capitalize on a schedule that featured eight home games and became the first FBS team to lose its final six games after winning its first six. Northwestern and Iowa both fell short of preseason expectations and Indiana was the only major-conference team that failed to record a victory against an FBS foe. While Minnesota looked better late in the season, the Gophers endured a historically bad stretch from Sept. 24-Oct. 22.

Ohio State's NCAA troubles continued, and the Penn State sex-abuse scandal has dominated the national spotlight for the past month. The scandal led to coach Joe Paterno's firing and continues to impact the university.

The season also marked the end for Ron Zook at Illinois, while Ohio State interim coach Luke Fickell will return to an assistant role on the staff of new boss Urban Meyer.

While it was a rough year for several Big Ten coaches, the league produced plenty of star players. Wisconsin had the best combined quarterback-running back performance in league history with Montee Ball and Russell Wilson, the nation's most valuable transfer. Defensive line continued to be the Big Ten's strongest position as standouts like Penn State's Still, Illinois' Whitney Mercilus and Michigan State's Jerel Worthy emerged. Nebraska's Lavonte David was among the nation's top linebackers. The Big Ten also saw upgrades at both running back and receiver and featured arguably the nation's top two centers in Wisconsin's Peter Konz and Michigan's David Molk.

Without many signature nonconference wins, the league once again enters the bowl season needing a boost after last year's struggles. We'll find out in the coming weeks whether improved Big Ten depth is perception or reality.

Offensive MVP: Wisconsin RB Montee Ball.

Only one player in FBS history has ever scored more touchdowns in a single season than Ball, who has 38. And we might not be able to say that after the Rose Bowl, because Ball trails Barry Sanders by just one score for the all-time record. The junior also has more rushing yards -- 1,759 yards -- than any player in the country this year while averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He has scored at least two touchdowns in every game this season, setting an NCAA record for most consecutive multi-touchdown games.

Defensive MVP: Penn State DT Devon Still

In a tremendous year for defensive players in the Big Ten, especially up front, Still stood out. The Nittany Lions senior had 17 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks from his interior line position, helping his team finish No. 5 nationally in scoring defense. Honorable mention to Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus, who leads the nation in sacks and forced fumbles, and Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David, who registered 122 tackles as the Huskers' leader on defense.

Newcomer of the year: Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson

It's not every day that a highly touted senior quarterback with three years of starting experience in the ACC drops in your lap, but that's the gift Wisconsin got in Wilson this season. Wilson led the Big Ten with 31 touchdown passes while throwing just three interceptions. He currently ranks second in the FBS in pass efficiency rating, slightly behind Baylor's Robert Griffin III and on pace to break the previous NCAA record. Wilson was also the Big Ten championship game MVP and a real godsend to a Badgers team that didn't have any other good options at quarterback to start the season. Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller gets the nod as the league's top freshman.

Coach of the year: Michigan's Brady Hoke

Hoke inherited a 7-6 team from 2010 and took it to a 10-2 record and the school's first BCS game since the 2006 season in his first year as head coach in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines no doubt benefited from having eight home games and missing Wisconsin and Penn State on the schedule. But their improvement on defense was stunning, and Hoke has injected new life into what had been a struggling brand-name program. Michigan State's Mark Dantonio also deserves recognition for leading the Spartans to a 10-3 record and Legends Division title despite a tough road schedule.

Biggest Surprise: Michigan

As we noted, some improvement was expected given the Wolverines' schedule. But hardly anybody saw a 10-win season and BCS bid coming this year. Michigan finished seventh nationally in scoring defense a year after allowing a Big Ten-worst 35.2 points per game in 2010. The Wolverines also finished the season strong by blowing out Nebraska and snapping a seven-game losing streak to Ohio State.

Biggest Disappointment: Ohio State

Most figured the Buckeyes would have problems this season after a controversy-plagued year that saw head coach Jim Tressel resign under pressure on Memorial Day. But a 6-6 record and an often-toothless offense exceeded even some of the most dire worst-case scenarios. What made the season even more disappointing was that the team had a very real chance to win the Leaders Division after beating Wisconsin at home. But the Buckeyes ended the year with three straight losses. The good news is the NCAA infractions case should soon finally be over, and Meyer is ready to bring the program back. Illinois also ranks as a major disappointment, especially after starting the season 6-0 and ending it 0-6 with putrid offensive production.

Best Game: (tie) Michigan State 37, Wisconsin 31 on Oct. 22 and Wisconsin 42, Michigan State 39 on Dec. 3

Who says rematches are a bad thing? After playing an instant classic in October that ended on a Hail Mary, Wisconsin and Michigan State staged another thriller in the first-ever Big Ten title game. There were so many twists and turns, momentum shifts and side stories to those two games that you could write a book on them. We wouldn't mind just scrapping the bowls and having these teams play a rubber-match third game for Big Ten supremacy.

Illinois Fighting Illini (6-6) vs. UCLA Bruins (6-7)

Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Illinois take from Big Ten blogger Brian Bennett: A bowl game is a San Francisco treat for Illinois, which lost its final six games of the season and fired head coach Ron Zook.

The Illini secured bowl eligibility on Oct. 8, beating Indiana to improve to 6-0 and move into the top 20 of the polls. From there came a stunning free fall, thanks in large part to an offense that forgot how to move the ball; Illinois scored just 66 total points in its final six games after averaging nearly 30 in the first half of the season. The offensive line is a mess, and quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase seems to have regressed in his sophomore year.

The one constant was the defense. Defensive end Whitney Mercilus leads the nation in sacks (14.5) and forced fumbles (nine, a Big Ten record). No wonder, then, that defensive coordinator Vic Koenning was named interim head coach when the school canned Zook. But Koenning says there's no guarantee that he and offensive coordinator Paul Petrino won't leave for other employment before the bowl game.

The Illini's finish made them so unappealing that they got shut out of the Big Ten's bowl lineup. So San Francisco is a nice landing spot, and UCLA -- a 6-7 team that also fired its head coach --- seems like the most fitting opponent.

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UCLA take from Pac-12 blogger Ted Miller: UCLA is heading to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl with an interim coach and losing record. Yeah, it's been that kind of season.

Coach Rick Neuheisel began the season on the hot seat and he couldn't get off it. Only once could the Bruins win consecutive games. The offense ran the ball well but struggled to find any balance with a consistent passing game. And the defense was just terrible.

Things got off to a bad start with a loss at Houston. Neuheisel had made a big deal in the preseason of how important the game was, and the Bruins had stomped the Cougars the previous year. But the Bruins got off to a slow start and couldn't finish a comeback. Then, after a win over San Jose State, the Bruins got clubbed at home by Texas, another team they had beaten the year before.

Then they started alternating wins and losses, beating Oregon State, losing to Stanford and beating Washington State. Things cratered -- it seemed -- in a loss at Arizona, which had just fired coach Mike Stoops.

But then the Bruins beat California and Arizona State back-to-back. Both were upsets. And the combination suddenly put the Bruins in the drivers' seat of the reeling South Division. But the Bruins couldn't maintain. They lost to Utah, beat Colorado and then got crushed 50-0 against rival USC.

The UCLA coach needs to be competitive with the Trojans, and Neuheisel wasn't on Nov. 26 and hasn’t been during his tenure. So he was fired, even though the Bruins backed into the Pac-12 title game. The loss to Oregon dropped the Bruins to 6-7, but they nonetheless will play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl after the NCAA granted it a waiver.

» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC

The 2011 regular season is in the books, and the Big Ten has some separation.

The league's top two teams, Michigan State and Wisconsin, will meet Saturday in the inaugural Big Ten title game in Indianapolis. Michigan also proved it belongs near the lead pack after beating Ohio State to finish 10-2 and likely secure an at-large BCS bowl spot. Nebraska and Penn State were evenly matched in their Nov. 12 matchup, and there's not much separating the 9-3 teams in the power rankings.

There's definitely a dropoff after the top 5 and it will be interesting to see how teams like Iowa, Ohio State, Northwestern, Purdue and Illinois fare in their bowl games. Ohio State showed some life on offense against Michigan, but fell to the Wolverines for the first time since 2003. Iowa and Illinois struggled in their finales, and Northwestern's season-long woes on defense showed up against Michigan State. Purdue found a way to beat Indiana, but will need a stronger effort to win its bowl game.

Let's get to the rankings.

1. Michigan State (10-2, 7-1 Big Ten): The Spartans are peaking at the perfect time and head to Indianapolis after a perfect 4-0 performance in November. We loved the way coach Mark Dantonio kept his foot on the gas against Northwestern and ensured his team didn't lose momentum before the season's defining game. Senior quarterback Kirk Cousins is playing outstanding football, and the Spartans are making plays in all three phases. They'll be tough to beat in Indy.

2. Wisconsin (10-2, 6-2): Credit Bret Bielema's team for making the most of its second chance in the Leaders division. Wisconsin left no room for doubt about the division's best team by crushing Penn State at Camp Randall Stadium behind Russell Wilson, Montee Ball and a stout defense. The Badgers get their rematch with Michigan State, which broke their hearts with a Hail Mary on Oct. 22 in East Lansing. Like the Spartans, Wisconsin went 4-0 in November.

3. Michigan (10-2, 6-2): The Streak is over as Michigan beat archrival Ohio State for the first time since 2003, ending a seven-game slide. Saturday's game didn't go as many had envisioned, as Denard Robinson and the Wolverines had to outscore a suddenly energized Ohio State offense. Robinson came alive in the final two games as Michigan closed the regular season with three consecutive wins and likely locked up a BCS at-large berth.

4. Nebraska (9-3, 5-3): It took 11 games, but the Huskers finally put together the type of defensive effort many of us expected when the season began. Nebraska held Iowa to its first scoreless first half in four years and limited the Big Ten's No. 5 offense to seven points and 270 total yards. Cornerback Alfonzo Dennard and linebacker Lavonte David triggered the Blackshirts' performance, and I-back Rex Burkhead led the offense with his seventh 100-yard rushing performance. The win likely locks up a Florida bowl appearance.

5. Penn State (9-3, 6-2): Faced with a tall order in Madison, Penn State couldn't keep pace with Wisconsin and fell short of a division title that looked likely when November began. The Lions had no answer for Wilson and Ball, and dug themselves a big hole with three turnovers. They now await their bowl fate, which should be interesting given the negative publicity surrounding the program. Penn State's coaching search also should kick into high gear.

6. Iowa (7-5, 4-4): A roller-coaster regular season for the Hawkeyes ended with a major thud in Lincoln. The offense never showed up, as star receiver Marvin McNutt couldn't shake free of Dennard and quarterback James Vandenberg was unable to find a rhythm. The defense played admirably for a while before letting down late. Iowa failed to capitalize on a favorable schedule this season, but the Hawkeyes still can pick up another bowl win. They're very good in postseason play.

7. Ohio State (6-6, 3-5): Buckeyes fans had to be wondering where this offense was all season. Amid the Urban Meyer chatter, Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman opened up the playbook and the Buckeyes executed extremely well behind freshman quarterback Braxton Miller. While it wasn't quite enough to beat Michigan, Ohio State showed impressive fight. A very difficult regular season has come to a close, and all eyes are on the future.

8. Northwestern (6-6, 3-5): A great quarterback and a good offense can only take a team so far, and Northwestern ended a disappointing regular season at .500. The Wildcats' season-long struggles in the secondary showed up Saturday against Michigan State, as the Spartans repeatedly converted third-and-long situations. Pat Fitzgerald must continue to assess the direction on defense. Still, wins in four of the final five games should send Northwestern to a bowl for a fourth consecutive year.

9. Purdue (6-6, 4-4): Despite some tense moments in Bloomington, Purdue found a way to regain the Old Oaken Bucket and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2007. The Boilers went .500 in Big Ten play for the second time under Danny Hope and should land in one of the Big Ten's final two bowl tie-ins (TicketCity or Little Caesars Pizza). Running back Ralph Bolden (54 rush yards, 63 receiving yards) had a nice day and Purdue's balanced offense racked up 27 first downs and 508 total yards.

10. Minnesota (3-9, 2-6): If only Minnesota could play Illinois or Iowa every week. For the second consecutive season the Gophers recorded their only Big Ten victories against the Fighting Illini and Hawkeyes, finishing 3-9. Quarterback MarQueis Gray raised hope for the future with a superb performance in the regular-season finale, and Minnesota's energized defense shut down an anemic Illinois offense. Year 1 of the Jerry Kill era was tough both on and off the field, but better days could be ahead.

11. Illinois (6-6, 2-6): Ron Zook's fate likely had been sealed before kickoff Saturday, but an uninspired performance by the Fighting Illini made the decision easy. Illinois made history by winning its first six games for the first time since 1951 and made more history by becoming the first FBS team to drop its final six games after starting 6-0. A once potent offense has completely fallen apart. Illinois now awaits its bowl destination as AD Mike Thomas begins looking for Zook's replacement.

12. Indiana (1-11, 0-8): A difficult season mercifully ended Saturday as Indiana saw two leads disappear as Purdue took control in the Bucket game. Kevin Wilson finishes his first season as coach with just one win and none against FBS competition. There's clearly a lot of work to do, especially on defense, but the good news is Indiana played more young players than any team in America and should reap the benefits in 2012.

Ron Zook needed to go. No one’s denying that.

But Zook’s time shouldn’t have run out on Sunday. It should have run out two years ago.

Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas’ move Sunday to fire Zook was like deciding to discard a carton milk that was well past its expiration date. Zook’s best days as Illinois’ coach had come and gone. Illinois’ epic collapse this season -- during which the Illini lost their final six games -- made it easier on Thomas in his first year on the job.

Firing Zook would have been the tougher but proper action following Illinois’ 2009 season. Former Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther had the opportunity to do so, but he prolonged Zook’s tenure. Guenther left the decision up to Thomas when he retired prior to this school year.

In 2009, the program was two years beyond Zook’s greatest accomplishment -- the 2007 Rose Bowl season. The evidence was strong that the Illini hadn’t benefitted from their Rose Bowl appearance, and they weren’t about to either.

Illinois went 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Big Ten in 2008. A year later, the Illini were even worse, going 3-9 overall and 2-6 in the Big Ten.

At that point, Zook had five seasons under his belt, the standard length of time a coach is given to prove himself these days. In five years, coaches have enough time to recruit their own players and fully implement their systems.

Zook had his five years, and there wasn’t many indications the program was succeeding or improving under him. Four of those campaigns ended with a losing record -- that Rose Bowl year being the lone exception. Illinois had gone 21-39 overall and 12-28 in the Big Ten during that period.

No one would have been surprised if 2009 was Zook’s final season. Plenty of athletic directors would have ended it then and looked for someone else to get the job done. It was certainly what a number of Illinois fans were after.

Guenther disagreed.

“There's a great deal of frustration obviously with the program at the moment," Guenther told reporters at the time. “We're still going to evaluate, but I think it's really unfair to start jumping at the end of the fifth year on a guy.”

Instead, Guenther retained Zook, fired the team’s offensive and defensive coordinators and went out and paid top dollar for two new coordinators. It was his way of hitting the reset button on Zook’s tenure.

Last season, Illinois again tasted moderate success. Having experienced three winning seasons since 2000, Illini fans were ecstatic about a somewhat positive year. The Illini went 7-6 overall, 4-4 in the Big Ten and won the Texas Bowl against a Baylor team that struggled late in the season.

Still, the only way last season could have been deemed a true success if it was springboard for an even bigger 2011 season.

Of course, that wasn’t to be. After being set up with five homes games in their first six contests, in which they took care of business, they dropped their next six games. Illinois currently stands at 6-6 , hoping for a bowl invitation.

Which brings us to Sunday.

Although two years too late and under the wrong athletic director’s watch, Zook’s era was brought to a close, igniting some optimism in Champaign.

Thomas hired two successful football coaches -- Brian Kelly and Butch Jones -- during his time at Cincinnati. Thomas will now try to duplicate the feat and find himself a coach who can bring stability to an Illinois program that has never won bowl games in consecutive seasons.

Unlike his decision to let Zook go, this likely won’t be as easy.

Illinois first-year athletic director Mike Thomas met with the media moments ago to discuss the school's dismissal of football coach Ron Zook earlier Sunday and the upcoming head-coaching search.

Some notes and observations:

• Although Illinois' historic 0-6 finish sealed Zook's fate, Thomas reiterated that he looked at the program's overall body of work under Zook and cited the team's struggles in Big Ten play as a major reason for the change. Zook's teams went just 18-38 (.321) in league games and had just one winning season out of seven in Big Ten play (6-2 in 2007). Zook had a winning record against only one Big Ten team -- Indiana. "When you look at us, first of all in the conference, are we competitive?" Thomas said.
• Thomas will lead the search committee, which also will include other university employees. He's not planning to hire a search firm at this time. It sounds like Jason Lener, who Thomas recently brought in from Miami (Ohio) as his new senior associate athletic director, will be very involved in the process.
• Thomas noted that his track record shows he hires coaches with previous head-coaching experience, but he won't rule out those who don't. He wants someone who has a "holistic approach" to the job and can excel both on and off the field. Thomas would be wise not to exclude top Big Ten assistants like Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst from the process.
• Thomas has said previously that hiring coaches is one of his strengths. He pointed to his time at Cincinnati, which had the worst facilities and resources of the Big East football programs, and his ability to bring in Brian Kelly. "At the University of Illinois, we should be thankful we have a lot to sell," he said. "... I have not seen anything that tells me we don't have what it takes as far as resources and infrastructure to have a successful program." He later added of the program, "I don't think this is a reclamation project."
• Along those lines, it doesn't sound like salary should be too much of an obstacle for Illinois, both with the head-coaching hire and with the assistants. Illinois allowed Zook to bring pay his top assistants well the past two seasons, and the approach likely won't change under the next coach. "Salaries are going up all the time, and you need to keep up with that if you want to be competitive," Thomas said. Zook, by the way, will be paid $1.3 million during the final two years of his deal.
• Thomas said he was "continually assessing and evaluating the process" but reached a final decision on Zook on Saturday night after the team's uninspiring loss to Minnesota. He met with Zook on Sunday morning to tell him the news, which the coach took well. "If it was about Ron the person, he certainly would have been worthy of a lifetime contract," said Thomas, who later called Zook "an A-plus person."
• Attendance and fan enthusiasm definitely seemed to be factors in Thomas' decision. Illinois averaged 49,548 fans per game and eclipsed 60,000 just once, against Michigan. "It’s easy in some ways to use the economy as an excuse but a lot of schools are filling up the stadium," Thomas said. "This program, there needs to be a certain buzz around it."
• Defensive coordinator Vic Koenning will serve as head coach through Illinois' upcoming bowl game. The other assistants on Zook's staff will remain, Thomas said, although it doesn't sound like any will be in the mix for the permanent head-coaching job (no surprise). Thomas said the assistants' future with Illinois will be up to the new head coach.
• Thomas plans to reach out to Illinois' verbal commits for the 2012 class and will honor their commitments to the team. Illinois has 14 players committed for the 2012 class.
• Thomas plans on "moving quickly" with the search. Although university hiring policies could delay the process, Thomas wants to work fast and get a coach in place before Illinois' bowl game in late December or early January.

We'll be following the search throughout, and it will be interesting to see where Thomas turns. A few names to keep in mind: Chryst, Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads, Houston coach Kevin Sumlin and maybe, just maybe, pretty please, Mike Leach.