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1. The merger of what’s left of the Mountain West Conference and Conference USA on Monday is the latest painful episode of the epidemic unleashed upon intercollegiate athletics by AQ conferences. Of all that the BCS brought to college football, the most havoc has been wreaked by the heightened financial importance of belonging to an AQ league. Conferences are misshapen. Rivalries are tossed aside. Surely if anyone could have predicted this, the BCS commissioners would have come up with Plan B.

2. The NCAA Football Rules Committee’s proposed change on kickoffs is a two- or three-beer argument. If player safety is the goal, the idea of moving the kickoff from the 30- to the 35-yard line is a no-brainer. But moving the result of a touchback from the 20 to the 25? The argument is that it will encourage receiving teams not to return the ball from the end zone. But if I’m kicking off, do I want to surrender five more yards? If my kickoff defense is good, why kick it into the end zone?

3. Boston College has been anemic on offense for three years, yet new Rutgers coach Kyle Flood hired three Eagle offensive assistants in the last few days. Assistants, like players, are more successful under some head coaches than others. BC head coach Frank Spaziani already had hired former Kent State head coach Doug Martin and longtime Ohio State coordinator Jim Bollman to transform his offense. Rutgers may or may not be better for the arrival of the coaches. BC, which needs fresh blood, is better off for their departure.

Ivan Maisel and Beano Cook discuss the historical perspective of signing day, the future of Rutgers and Navy joining the Big East.

You can say all you want about the glaring holes on his résumé:

Greg Schiano never won a Big East title.

Greg Schiano never beat West Virginia.

Greg Schiano never did much more than break even in 11 seasons as head coach at Rutgers.

I say this: Schiano rescued Rutgers football. He turned a longtime doormat into much more than just a respectable program. He turned the Scarlet Knights into winners, all while graduating his players and turning out more than his share of NFL prospects.

For that, he should be forever embraced in New Jersey.

Perspective is hard to have in sports. The demands on coaches and players are exponentially higher today than they were 10 years ago, even at a place that endured as much losing as Rutgers did before Schiano arrived in 2001. Coaches are no longer given time to build, the way Schiano was. They are given time to deliver championships, with a ticking clock set to a handful of years.

Part of what makes what Schiano did all the more impressive is that he lasted so long without delivering a title. That points directly to the state of the program when he took over as a hot-shot defensive coordinator from the University of Miami. Rutgers had not had a winning season since 1992. Rutgers had not played in a bowl game since 1978.

Slowly but surely, Schiano went to work. Ahem. He chopped wood. He started winning games. It took five hard, long seasons for the results to show.

In his last seven seasons with the program, Rutgers went 56-33 with six winning seasons and a 5-1 bowl record. The only losing season was 2010, when the Scarlet Knights had to endure a devastating injury to Eric LeGrand that not only rocked every player on the roster, it rocked Schiano to the core.

That 4-8 campaign led to renewed questions about whether Schiano was the right man to continue to lead Rutgers into the future. Some Scarlet Knights fans were antsy because they had seen progress, but not enough progress. Where were the rings? Where were the championships in the most winnable conference among the six automatic qualifiers?

You see, this is what Schiano did. He won so much, winning seasons were no longer good enough.

Not even this past season. Rutgers came oh-so-close to getting that coveted title in 2011. A turnaround campaign had the Scarlet Knights playing for a share of the conference title on the final week of the regular season. All they needed was a win over UConn, a team Rutgers had an advantage over in nearly every category on paper.

But Rutgers put forth one of the most dispiriting efforts under Schiano, inexplicably losing 40-22. It was the best shot for a league title since 2006, and Rutgers looked as if it forgot how to actually play football.

Still, a rebound victory over Iowa State left Rutgers with the longest bowl winning streak in the nation (five) and with expectations to compete for a Big East title in 2012. Several sites have Rutgers in their way-too-early preseason Top 25.

Nearly everybody on a top-notch defense returns. Those who follow Rutgers believe this is the very best team the program has fielded since the Ray Rice days of 2006. Schiano talked at length earlier this month about the possibilities for this upcoming year.

"I’m encouraged by the direction the program’s headed, and I’m encouraged by the people in the program," Schiano said. "The coaching staff and players and support personnel. It takes a long time to build that kind of human capital in a place and I’m excited about it.”

He had to be excited about the impressive recruiting class coming together as well.

But an opportunity he probably thought might never open up presented itself. Schiano decided to jump at the challenge of coaching in the NFL after pouring 11 seasons of himself into his Rutgers job. The timing of his departure is terrible, no question about it. He is letting down a lot of young men, and a lot of fans.

That is a hazard that comes with coaching.

Now, though, we may get some answers about whether another coach can elevate this program further than Schiano did. The Rutgers athletic department is in dire financial straits, so the options for bringing in a dazzling head coach less than a week before signing day might be limited.

Whoever comes in must not only save what is shaping up to be an excellent recruiting class, he must also win immediately.

Scratch that.

He must win championships immediately.

That is the standard now.

With three losses in its past four games against Navy, Notre Dame has to be wary of the Midshipmen. Even with Navy at 2-5.

This isn't one of those "throw the records out the door" rivalries, but Notre Dame has to look past the fact Navy has a five-game losing streak and see what has caused Navy's bowl hopes to be in jeopardy with five games left in the season.

A missed field goal against East Carolina after a controversial no-touchdown call. A blocked field goal at Rutgers. Another missed field goal in overtime against Air Force.

Navy's triple option ran all over Notre Dame last year, and it will provide a stiff test for a depleted Irish defensive line. Still, the Notre Dame starters played fairly well against a much more versatile offense in Air Force's, and that was without Ethan Johnson, who will likely see some action for the first time since suffering a sprained right ankle suffered Oct. 1. Now it is Kapron Lewis-Moore who is out as the Irish look to avoid their second losing streak of the season.

Throw in the fact Navy has a quarterback who will be making his first career start, and the recent history between these two teams, and it's tough to see the Irish not taking out their frustrations from last week on their struggling guests.

I wouldn't expect any Air Force-esque numbers, but it should be an interesting one.

Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Navy 17

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Andrew Hendrix was running for the end zone, no question about it. He had completed every pass he threw Saturday, had just burst through the line and was seeing nothing but six points in front of him.

But he couldn't help but look back.

"If there was a video board I probably would've seen who was behind me," Hendrix said with a laugh. "But I was checking behind me to see who was behind me, whether I had to make a move on somebody or not, and I ended up losing my balance just at the right time to not get in.

"So it was a little embarrassing, but I'm all right with it."

The humble Hendrix had nothing to be ashamed of, as at that point -- up 33 in the fourth quarter -- the biggest question remaining in Notre Dame's 59-33 rout of Air Force was whether or not the sophomore quarterback would run out of gas during his 78-yard run.

He did, falling forward at the 2, before George Atkinson III punched it in three plays later for the Fighting Irish's final points during a historic day for Notre Dame's offense.

For much of the day, it was tough to figure out who was having the hardest time inside Notre Dame Stadium:

Air Force's defense, which gave up 560 total yards and 59 points, including touchdowns on Notre Dame's first six drives?

The group of high school prospects on hand, who had to wonder if this place was as beautiful every October as the 80-degree temperatures and day-long sunshine would have one believe?

Or Notre Dame's media relations staff, which issued historical reference after historical reference over the press box loudspeaker throughout the offensive showcase?

No Irish team had scored so many points since a 62-0 win over Rutgers in 1996, Lou Holtz's final game at Notre Dame Stadium. The same stadium had never seen as many as 92 total points scored, which the Irish and Falcons combined for Saturday.

And no Notre Dame quarterback had rushed for more than 100 yards since Carlyle Holiday did so in 2001 against Boston College.

Hendrix, seeing his first action this season after not playing his freshman season, entered the game in the first quarter and hit Michael Floyd for what amounted to minus-3 yards.

It was smooth sailing from there.

Hendrix finished the day 4-for-4 passing for 33 yards and, more importantly, rushed it six times for 111 yards.

Most of the heavy lifting came on that 78-yard run mid-way through the fourth quarter, the game no longer in doubt and everyone inside the stadium holding their collective breath before Hendrix finally gave out at the 2.

How sudden did that happen? The public address announcer inside the press box had to reiterate the "no cheering" rule, as reporters couldn't help but be stunned by what they saw.

The reaction on the home sideline was far more exciting.

"I did not see that happening," running back Jonas Gray confessed. "He did kind of break away from the guy, but I think he just kind of ran out of gas."

Gray, a senior, had a message for Hendrix as he came back to the sideline following the Irish's touchdown to end the drive.

"I told him to not get caught ever again," Gray quipped. "I've been through that situation. I told him to never look back, just believe in his speed."

This was supposed to be about how Notre Dame's defense would handle Air Force's vaunted attack, especially with starting end Ethan Johnson sidelined and two freshmen seeing extended playing time in Aaron Lynch and Stephon Tuitt.

Another freshman end, Chase Hounshell, made his Irish debut as well, but it was a moot point after Jamoris Slaughter forced a fumble on the Falcons' first play.

If Air Force was going to have any chance of hanging with Notre Dame, it could not afford to cough it up and play catch-up, because there was just nothing it could do defensively.

"We got two key turnovers by our defense that we were able to set up, and any time you get a chance to turn over Air Force and put points on the board, it allows you to extend away from them," Brian Kelly said. "And you need some extension from them sometimes in terms of points because they are so difficult to defend, and I think we saw that today."

The fact Air Force actually outgained Notre Dame, 565-560, shows the potential that was there on the other side.

But Kelly and Notre Dame know that means nothing if they cannot protect the ball, something the Irish accomplished by going a second straight week with no turnovers.

They have now put up better than 500 yards of total offense in four of their first six games, winning the last two of them. And they have now won four in a row after two straight defeats.

As Hendrix came out to line up in victory formation with 33 seconds to go Saturday, the student section couldn't help but look ahead.

"Beat-S-C," it chanted, referencing the Irish's battle with the Trojans in the two weeks.

Funny how things play out. Notre Dame kept beating itself to start the season. Now with the momentum going in the Irish's favor, their toughest opponent may be the bye week that comes a week from now.

1. Of the 14 defensive tackles drafted by the NFL in the first round in the past five years, six came from the SEC. That’s what made me take notice when Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips praised sophomore Donte Rumph this week. “He’s 325 pounds, really strong, explosive, understands how to come out of his hips, use his hands, get off blocks,” Phillips said. “He’s what we see every week. It’s a look we hadn’t seen here in a long time.” The Wildcats need Rumph on Thursday against Western Kentucky’s top running back, Bobby Rainey.

2. UConn postponed its opener scheduled for Thursday night against Fordham because the National Guard is using the Huskies’ home, Rentschler Field in East Hartford, as a staging area during the Hurricane Irene cleanup. UConn hopes to play over the weekend, either at Rentschler or somewhere nearby. A UConn athletic department official said the Yale Bowl, 45 minutes away, is the first option. Why consider giving up the home date and revenue? The Huskies and Rams don’t share an open week.

3. You can’t praise Rutgers enough for the way in which the university has embraced Eric LeGrand as he continues to rehab from the spinal injury he suffered last season. It’s not just the fundraising, which has been considerable. It’s keeping LeGrand engaged. Rutgers announced Tuesday that LeGrand will be a part of the radio team for the 2011 Scarlet Knights. I’m willing to bet that head coach Greg Schiano will dismiss any praise for the extraordinary effort as praising him for breathing. Don’t let him wave it off.

1. Does anyone recognize the Big East anymore? After Greg Schiano of Rutgers and Randy Edsall of UConn, there’s no head coach with more than two years at their school, and yes, I’m excluding West Virginia because I don’t know how to characterize the Bill Stewart-Dana Holgorsen marriage. Mountaineers athletic director Oliver Luck said he imported Holgorsen with the arrival of TCU in 2012 in mind. Here’s hoping the Horned Frogs make the Big East play up to their level, instead of the league dumbing them down.

2. Trivia question, courtesy of ESPN Stats & Info: how many times in the past eight seasons has the Southeastern Conference had the best bowl record? Zip. Zilch. Nada. The league has the best bowl record since 2002: 39-23 (.629) but has never won the ESPN Challenge Cup. What’s this mean? Not much, except as a way for you to win a free drink at your Christmas party. The Mountain West has won the most Cups (2004, 2007, 2009).

3. Five Northern Illinois freshmen players in Boise for the UDrove Humanitarian Bowl walked over to the Idaho State Capitol on Thursday afternoon during their free time to do some sightseeing. They strolled into the office of Gov. Butch Otter and asked his secretary if they could meet him. Not only did Otter emerge to greet them, he posed for pictures, asked about their trip to Boise and chatted them up about the Huskies' game Saturday against Fresno State. There's a bowl gift that none of those freshmen will forget.

1. Now that the Pac-12 has established its Mason-Dixon line as somewhere around Fresno, there’s something to like and dislike on either side. That makes it a good compromise. The best feature of the divisional format is putting the championship game in the stadium of the team with the best record. That raises the stakes of the regular season and should solve the attendance issues that annually plague the ACC.

2. As hard as it may be to believe, Rutgers defensive lineman Eric LeGrand isn’t the only college football player who suffered a severe spinal injury last Saturday. Division III Luther (Ia.) College freshman Chris Norton’s head collided with the leg of a Central (Ia.) College kick returner. Norton has moved to the Mayo Clinic and already has regained some movement in his arms. Here’s hoping that Norton keeps progressing -- and that LeGrand catches up to him.

3. The shooting death of Pace defensive back Danroy (D.J.) Henry by police outside of a Thornwood, N.Y., bar last weekend is being investigated. Jon Haskins, who resigned as Pace defensive coordinator shortly before the season, told me that Henry “worked his ass off and was personally accountable to the coaches and everyone he was around. He was far from a troublemaker. He was quite the opposite. ... He was a good kid, very respectful of authority and other teammates. Quiet and just worked.”

13-9. Jeremy Ito. 48 straight points.

Some losses are so painful that the mere mention of a name, phrase or score instantly brings back horrible memories. Today, as part of ESPN.com's House of Pain series, I'm going to list my nominees for the most painful loss in school history for each Big East team.

CINCINNATI: For years, Cincinnati wasn't good enough to have many painful losses. But one sticks out: Ty King returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown with 19 seconds left as rival Miami (Ohio) beat the Bearcats 23-16 in 1995.

CONNECTICUT: The 2009 season was full of heartache for the Huskies. No game hurt more than the loss to Rutgers. UConn had seemingly won the game in the final minute, but the Scarlet Knights scored on an 81-yard pass from Tom Savage to Tim Brown to ruin the Huskies' first home game since Jasper Howard' death.

LOUISVILLE: Cardinals fans still rue the 2006 loss to Rutgers that kept their team from a possible BCS title game appearance. Louisville led 25-7 in the first half but would not score again. Ito drilled the 28-yard game winner with 17 seconds left after William Gay jumped offside on the kicker's first, missed attempt.

PITTSBURGH: Pitt has never had a more talented team than the 1981 edition. The Panthers were undefeated and ranked No. 1 when they took a 14-0 lead over Penn State in the season finale. But the Nittany Lions then scored the final 48 points in a loss that still perplexes Pittsburgh fans.

RUTGERS: The Scarlet Knights just had to beat a Pat White-less West Virginia in the 2006 season finale to claim the Big East's BCS bid. Instead, backup Jarrett Brown led the Mountaineers to a 41-39, triple-overtime win that sent Rutgers to the Texas Bowl.

SOUTH FLORIDA: Bulls fans were beside themselves when the young program climbed to No. 2 in the polls in October 2007. It all came crashing down on a Thursday night in Piscataway, N.J., when Rutgers dashed South Florida's dream season with a 30-27 win, aided by a fake field goal for a touchdown.

SYRACUSE: The eighth-ranked Orange had a chance to knock off No. 1 Miami in 1992 for a Sugar Bowl berth. They trailed 16-10 and were threatening to score, but tight end Chris Gedney was tackled 2 yards short of the end zone as time expired.

WEST VIRGINIA: Do we even need to explain? West Virginia fans were booking their tickets to the BCS title game before the 2007 season finale. One problem: Pitt -- which entered the game with a 4-7 record -- pulled off a shocking 13-9 upset in Morgantown that changed the course of both programs.

Which losses are the most painful for you? Remember to send me your comments and memories to this link. I'll highlight the best entries in a post on Friday.

NEWPORT, R.I. -- Pittsburgh was the overwhelming choice to win the Big East title in the league's preseason media poll that was released Tuesday.

The Panthers received 22 out of a possible 24 first-place votes in the voting by media representatives from all eight Big East cities. Pitt was picked second on the two ballots in which it was not tabbed No. 1.

That makes Dave Wannstedt's team the heaviest favorite in the league's preseason poll since Louisville in 2005. Now it's up to the Panthers to win their first conference title under Wannstedt.

Cincinnati and West Virginia tied for second in the preseason poll. The Bearcats, who have won the league two straight years, did not receive any first-place votes, while West Virginia had one. The other first-place vote went to Connecticut, which finished fourth in the poll. That's the highest-ever preseason projection for the Huskies.

Here is the complete poll with the number of points each team received through the voting:

1. Pittsburgh (22 first-place votes) 190
2. Cincinnati 142
West Virginia (1) 142
4. Connecticut (1) 131
5. Rutgers 99
6. USF 79
7. Syracuse 41
8. Louisville 40

Brian Bennett compares quarterbacks B.J. Daniels of South Florida and Rutgers' Tom Savage and looks at who should have the better season in 2010.

We're only about a month away now from the start of preseason practice. Of course, players are already working hard on campus this summer getting ready. I had a chance to catch up with Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage this week to ask him how things were going in Piscataway. Here is a transcript of our conversation.

What's your schedule like right now?

Tom Savage: Right now, we've got summer classes to deal with, and the older guys are getting together throwing 7-on-7s and throwing against air. We're working hard. The whole team's really excited about this season.

Can you tell that there's improvement going on during the 7-on-7s and lighter pass drills?

TS: Yeah, I feel like there's improvement, and there's also a good connection going on. I'm really starting to understand the timing with the receivers. The good thing is, they're all young guys, so they're all going to be with me for the next three years. That's really exciting to watch and be a part of.

Several young guys emerged at receiver during the spring. How is that carrying over into the summer?

TS: I feel like all of them are starting to really understand the game. They're all really talented, but you can be talented and not understand the principles of our offense. I feel like everyone's starting to understand and get it all together.

How much film do you watch in the summer?

TS: We watch some film. The receivers and I get together. We prepare a little bit for Norfolk State [the Scarlet Knights' opening opponent] because we can't overlook them too much. But we've also got to keep watching ourselves from last season and learn what we can do better. We all get together and look at the timing and the routes last year, then we go outside and work on that.

You didn't really throw much in games to a lot of the younger receivers last year, so how do they incorporate the film study?

TS: The spring is really what they'll be watching a lot of. The good thing is, we've got all that stuff on tape, so we can see what we did and what we can improve on.

How about outside of working out -- how are you guys building chemistry off the field?

TS: Mohamed [Sanu] and I really buddy up. We hang out a lot. We spend time with all the receivers. We're really comfortable with each other, which is good because we know how to communicate with each other.

You went through your first spring practice this year. What did you learn from that?

TS: One thing I learned is how good our defense really is. I felt like the spring gave me a chance to really slow down and understand the meaning of the plays instead of just doing it. Last year, they would just tell me the play and I'd execute and do what I could. This year, I really understand the plays more and understand the game a lot better.

Coach Schiano said he didn't want to put too much on you as a true freshman last year. Do you feel like the playbook is more opened up to you this season?

TS: I've told them numerous times that I'm ready to expand and learn as much as I can. That's what I'm ready to do. To give the team the best opportunity to win, you've got to be able to throw everything at the guys, and I want to be the kind of guy who can understand everything and really be the manager of the offense.

When you look around at the team, you see a lot of young guys. Do you have enough talent to overcome some of that inexperience?

TS: Right now we don't have that much experience, but we do have a leadership core. I think the biggest thing being able to lead and talk through things to the younger guys. I mean, I'm a younger guy, but for the younger guys to be able to tell them how it works and how everything's going to go. Our leadership core, with older guys like Howard Barbieri, helps out a lot.

Speaking of Barbieri, he's going to be your new center, but he was hurt part of the spring. How is the chemistry between you two?

TS: We take snaps all the time. I'm really comfortable with him. I know he's really trying to get back out there, and the whole team is looking forward to that, too.

There were several injuries along the offensive line this spring. Are you looking forward to seeing what that unit can do when healthy this fall?

TS: Yeah, I know we've got plenty of depth at the O-line positions. We couldn't have had too many more guys go down this spring, and it seemed like we still managed it well. I'm excited to see what the whole offensive line crew can do.

John from Morgantown writes: Hey, Brian, what about a Big East look to that "three-headed monster" post on the Big Ten blog, the combo QB, RB and WR? I think -- it's hard to say it (or write it) -- Pitt wins this one because of Baldwin and Lewis, almost without counting the QB. But who's next? Could it be WV with Sanders, Devine and Smith?

Brian Bennett: John, I'm always glad to steal ideas from Rittenberg, since his league threatened to snatch up some Big East teams all spring. Anyway, let's take a look at the Big East's top "triplets," or combination of quarterback, running back and receiver. I'm going to use just one at each position for each group. Here's how I see the order:

1. Pittsburgh
QB: Tino Sunseri
RB: Dion Lewis
WR: Jonathan Baldwin
Rationale: I know, I know. Sunseri is a first-year starter. But Lewis and Baldwin are among the best players at their position in the entire country, and I think Sunseri is a talented guy who will get the job done. It's hard not to be productive when you have guys like Lewis and Baldwin around. Give Lewis at least 1,600 yards rushing this year and about 1,100 receiving yards should be the baseline for Baldwin.

2. Cincinnati
QB: Zach Collaros
RB: Isaiah Pead
WR: Armon Binns
Rationale: Collaros could put up enormous numbers from both passing and running combined in Butch Jones' very quarterback-friendly offense. Pead is ready to have a real breakout season after averaging 6.7 yards per carry last year. And Binns has developed into one of the nation's best receivers. Pead should go over 1,000 yards for the first time, as should Binns. Collaros should easily put up more than 3,000 yards in combined numbers, with a chance to go much higher.

3. West Virginia
QB: Geno Smith
RB: Noel Devine
WR: Jock Sanders
Rationale: Devine alone could almost propel this group to the top. Smith is entering his first year of starting, and he missed valuable spring practice time because of a foot injury. But all you have to do is spend a few minutes with this guy to tell he has the chance to be special. Sanders caught 72 balls last year but needs to become more of a big-play guy in the passing game (you could also substitute Brad Starks here if Starks becomes a consistent deep threat). Devine is a lock for 1,500 yards if healthy, Sanders has made 1,000 yards his goal and Smith can scoot out of the pocket along with his throwing ability.

4. Rutgers
QB: Tom Savage
RB: Joe Martinek
WR: Mohamed Sanu
Rationale: Sophomores Savage and Sanu have the chance to become the league's best 1-2 combo over the next couple of years, but they're not quite there yet. Martinek is a solid if not spectacular runner who came close to reaching 1,000 yards last season. I don't know if Sanu is ready to become a 1,000-yard receiver, but he can add running yards and even some passing yards to his production because of his incredible versatility.

5. Connecticut
QB: Zach Frazer
RB: Jordan Todman
WR: Kashif Moore
Rationale: Todman is a proven 1,000-yard back who could push his numbers even higher this year with more carries. The light went on for Frazer at the end of last season, and he looked great this spring. He should be much better this year with a full season of running Joe Moorhead's offense in his noggin. The question is at receiver, and who will take over for Marcus Easley as the go-to guy. Moore looked ready to fulfill that role this spring. While he's not built like a classic No. 1 receiver, Moore has plenty of speed and great hands, as he showed in the Papajohns.com Bowl with a one-handed, highlight-reel catch.

Strength coaches have become some of the most valuable men in a college football program, often spending more time with the players than any other coach on staff.

So who are the guys who condition the players in the Big East and supervise them in the offseason? Let's take a look:

Cincinnati: Dave Lawson came aboard with Butch Jones' new staff in January after spending three years with Jones at Central Michigan. Before that, Lawson oversaw the strength and conditioning programs for all of Eastern Michigan's sports teams. He was an assistant strength coach at West Virginia.

Connecticut: Jerry Martin oversees workout activities for all of UConn's varsity teams and works closely with the football team. He has spent the past 20 years at the school. He played for Syracuse in the 1980s, where he was a teammate of Huskies coach Randy Edsall.

Louisville: Pat Moorer is in his first year with the Cardinals, joining Charlie Strong's new staff. Moorer spent the previous seven seasons as the strength and conditioning coach for South Carolina. Before that, he was the strength coach at Illinois and Florida. He crossed paths with Strong at both Florida and South Carolina. Moorer was also once the personal trainer for NFL rushing champion Emmitt Smith.

Pittsburgh: Buddy Morris is in his third different stint as the Panthers' strength coach. Dave Wannstedt hired him back in December 2006. Before that, Morris was the school's strength coach from 1980-89 and 1997-2001. He also graduated from the school and served as the Cleveland Browns' strength coach under Butch Davis.

Rutgers: Jay Butler holds the title of assistant athletic director for strength and conditioning. He is entering his 10th year of overseeing the Scarlet Knights' football team, spending all of Greg Schiano's tenure in that role. Butler designed the 15,000-square foot strength and conditioning facility in the team's Hale Center complex.

South Florida: Ron McKeefery stayed on board for the Bulls during the transition from Jim Leavitt to Skip Holtz. He's entering his 11th season at South Florida and has worked for the Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and an NFL Europe team. He was an all-conference performer in both football and track at Ottawa (Kan.) University.

Syracuse: William Hicks' official title is assistant athletic director for athletic performance, and he's been at Syracuse since 2000. Before that, he coordinated the conditioning program for NC State, where he was named ACC strength coach of the year in 1999.

West Virginia: Mike Joseph is in his second year as the Mountaineers' strength coach, coming to Morgantown after five years as an assistant at Notre Dame. He earned his master's degree from West Virginia and served as a graduate assistant there. He was a three-year captain on the Fairmont State football team, earning conference player of the year honors in 1996.

Let it be known that I'll have no objections if the Big Ten ends its expansion study tomorrow.

The Big Ten already improved itself with the addition of Nebraska, and a 12-team structure provides the chance to have a championship game while maintaining the intimacy of a league built on long-standing rivalries. If commissioner Jim Delany and the Big Ten presidents and chancellors decide 12 is enough, so be it. I'll go back to blogging about actual football, and we'll all survive.

But the Big Ten says it will continue to examine expansion for the next year or so, and Delany could "act and act again," he said earlier this month.

So here's some advice to the league: If Phase 2 of expansion becomes a reality, make recruiting a top priority.

Nebraska adds a lot to the Big Ten: great football tradition, great fans, a program that matters nationally. But what Nebraska doesn't bring is a new area rife with recruits. According to an in-depth study by SI.com, the state of Nebraska produced only 43 BCS-conference players between 2004-08.

The Big Ten's recent recruiting challenges have been well documented, and Delany has listed the shifting population to the south as a driving force for the expansion push. The Big Ten wants alums, but more importantly, it wants access to recruits.

Texas obviously would have been a great addition for recruiting. Every Big Ten team spends some time in the Lone Star State looking for prospects. But the Longhorns aren't leaving the Big 12.

So where should the Big Ten look to improve its recruiting? Here are two possibilities:

Rutgers: Besides its location near the nation's top media market -- a potential huge boost for the Big Ten Network -- Rutgers would help the Big Ten get a better foothold in New Jersey, a very good state for high school prospects. Plenty of Big Ten programs already recruit in New Jersey, including Penn State and Wisconsin (primarily during Barry Alvarez's tenure). Having a permanent presence in the Garden State would boost Big Ten recruiting efforts there.

Maryland: The Washington D.C. and Baltimore markets appeal to the Big Ten Network, but the real benefit here could come in recruiting. Penn State has plucked top prospects from Maryland for many years, and Illinois built its recruiting success in 2006 and 2007 on a pipeline to Washington D.C. that landed players like Arrelious Benn and Vontae Davis. By adding the University of Maryland, the Big Ten would have a greater chance to reel in recruits from the state and the Beltway.

Again, the Big Ten doesn't need to add any more teams. But if there's a move to be made, it must be strategic and keep recruiting very much in mind.