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With the season coming into view, let's take a look at what we learned in the Big East this spring.

1. Running backs have to prove themselves. Isaiah Pead is gone. Antwon Bailey is gone. Ray Graham is coming off a serious knee injury. There are some major question marks at virtually every Big East school at this position headed into the fall. Chief among them -- how does Graham do a year removed from ACL surgery? How do Cincinnati, Syracuse and Louisville spread the ball to their various running backs? How does Temple replace the production of Bernard Pierce? Does Savon Huggins improve on his injury-shortened freshman season at Rutgers? How is Lindsey Lamar used in the backfield at USF? Can Lyle McCombs repeat as a 1,000-yard rusher for UConn?

2. Next sack leader? The Big East generally has some of the top leaders in sacks in the country. Last year, it was Trevardo Williams and Aaron Donald who emerged to finish in the Top 10. The year before, it was first-year Big East player Bruce Irvin. So who is the next Big East player to lead the charge? USF defensive end Ryne Giddins, Cincinnati defensive end Walter Stewart and UConn tackle Ryan Wirth all had terrific springs so keep those names in mind as the season begins.

3. Earth to offense. We had an inkling that the Big East defenses would be way ahead of the offenses this spring, and that all came to fruition once the spring games were played. Defenses essentially dominated at nearly every school. Syracuse did not score a point on offense; UConn had two total offensive touchdowns; USF quarterback B.J. Daniels went 9-of-26 for 88 yards in the Bulls' spring game; Chris Coyer and his receivers struggled in the Temple spring game; and the Pitt passing game was just so-so in its final scrimmage. While it is true defenses are usually ahead of the offenses in the early going of practices, it is obvious most every offensive unit needs to get much better this offseason.

4. Bridgewater: Rising star. It was apparent that Louisville had a special player in Teddy Bridgewater last season. But worries about a potential "sophomore slump" have been temporarily put to rest after the spring he had. Bridgewater was stellar in the spring game, going 19-of-21 for 257 yards and three touchdowns. Afterward, offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said that Bridgewater completed about 70 percent of his passes in the spring. "I know he's been lights out," Watson said. "He's really played very well. I challenged him with the things he needed to get better with and use all the tools he has available to him. As a young player, he didn't quite get it. Now he's getting it. You're seeing a lot more completions now. He's worked hard. He's doing a lot of good things with his eyes and playing well."

5. Athletes (almost) everywhere. One trend to watch is the conversion of quarterbacks to running backs/receivers. Cincinnati moved Jordan Luallen to receiver, and he is expected to see time as a Wildcat quarterback as well. Ashton Broyld has been moved to running back, though he also played receiver in the spring game. Louisville converted quarterback Dominique Brown to running back last fall, and he is in contention to win the starting job. Temple running back Jalen Fitzpatrick was recruited as a quarterback out of high school. Those four players have the potential to be huge assets to their team. There were a few other notable position switches as well -- Lindsey Lamar is now at running back at USF; and Jeremy Deering is now a receiver at Rutgers.

LINCOLN, Neb. -- After the way Taylor Martinez introduced himself to the college football world in 2010, footwork would seem like the last thing he'd need to significantly upgrade.

The Nebraska quarterback has little trouble moving forward or sideways, consistently wrong-footing defenders or simply outrunning them with his superb speed. Some signal-callers might offer their non-throwing arms to replicate what T-Magic does in the open field.

It's moving backward, however, when Martinez gets into trouble. Most people cite an awkward, shot-put-like throwing motion as his biggest problem, but his mechanical issues begin with his first step toward the pocket.

So while many of his teammates spent spring break doing the things normal college students do, Martinez returned to his native California and worked with noted quarterbacks guru Steve Calhoun. Their sole mission: footwork.

"At first, if I took the left foot back, my body would lean back," Martinez told ESPN.com. "That's what caused me to maybe throw an awkward way. Now if I take my right foot back, my shoulders are more even, the way they're supposed to be.

"I feel a lot different. A lot more balanced."

Martinez might finally be striking a balance at Nebraska after two seasons of extremes.

He burst onto the national radar as a redshirt freshman in 2010 before toe and ankle injuries slowed his progress and production. Six weeks after a national coming-out party at Kansas State, Martinez endured a night at Texas A&M that he, coach Bo Pelini and all who love Nebraska football would just as soon forget.

He rode the roller coaster again in 2011, bouncing back from a three-interception disaster at Wisconsin to lead the biggest comeback in team history two weeks later against Ohio State. He had a solid stretch midway through the season but backslid against Michigan and in the Capital One Bowl. Martinez completed just 56.3 percent of his passes for the season, tossing 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

No player triggers more debate in this football-obsessed state than Martinez, whose play on the field and words off it, no matter how few of them, are constantly scrutinized. He once went months without talking to reporters, during which his father shot down transfer talk, and although he's gradually warming up to the spotlight, he remains guarded. In a bizarre news conference after the win over Ohio State, Pelini came to his defense, lashing out at a columnist who had criticized the quarterback. Although it has been a quiet spring for Martinez, he made waves by saying anything shy of a national championship would be a disappointment for Nebraska in 2012.

Martinez, by the way, is only halfway through his Huskers career.

"It seems like he's been around five years," Pelini said. "He's still a young guy. He's still got two years left, so he's got a lot of football left to play."

A lot of potentially great football, according to Pelini. Beginning this season.

"He's a better football player," Pelini said. "He's a lot more comfortable. His technique's better, his fundamentals are better. And if that continues, he has a chance to really make big strides. "

After the bowl game, offensive coordinator Tim Beck and Martinez identified five or six areas Martinez needed to improve during the offseason. Footwork topped the list, and on advice of his father, Casey, Martinez went to Calhoun's Armed & Dangerous camp last month.

They worked on dropping back with his right foot rather than his left and squaring his shoulders on throws. Martinez compared Calhoun's tips with what he heard from Nebraska’s coaches, and was relieved to see they were "on the same path."

"There were some things techniquewise we identified and tried to fix," Beck said. "It's like a golf swing. You open your stance or loosen your grip, whatever, to offset your deficiency. This year, we've had the opportunity through spring to fix it. Footwork was one of the biggest issues with him."

It's not the only reason to believe Martinez will be improved this season. For the first time in his college or high school career, he will play in the same offense in back-to-back seasons.

Martinez attended three high schools, playing primarily quarterback at the final two. After playing under coordinator Shawn Watson at Nebraska in 2010, he had to absorb Beck's system last season, which also marked Nebraska's first in the Big Ten.

"That's going to be a big advantage for him," Pelini said. "He's been so caught up in what to do, but he hasn't necessarily been able to address some of the fine points that are going to make him a better football player -- the how and the why."

Martinez has seen a "huge difference" since the bowl game, whether it's reading blitzes, checking out of certain plays and into better ones or knowing where his weapons will be in an offense that gives route-runners additional flexibility. It doesn't hurt that Nebraska returns eight starters on offense, including seven of its top eight pass-catchers from 2011.

"You can just tell," running back Rex Burkhead said. "When he drops back to pass, he's not really missing that many reads. He's not looking around or rethinking a play. He knows exactly what to do before the play even starts."

Nebraska has had a top-15 rushing attack in each of the past two seasons and looks very strong in the backfield with Burkhead leading the way. Martinez, who had more rush yards as a freshman (965) than a sophomore (874), also could see an increased role as a ball carrier.

Beck admittedly took a cautious approach with Martinez last season, but he has more confidence in backup Brion Carnes. And while Martinez didn't miss any time in 2011, he said he hasn't felt this healthy since the 2010 game against Missouri, when he first injured his ankle.

"I think they'll be running me a little bit more this year," he said. "I'm really excited for that."

Although Martinez might be on the move more, Nebraska won't be going back to its 2010 offense.

Beck wants to push the pass more with a seemingly more confident Martinez and a more mature crop of receivers. Nebraska has finished 104th, 113th and 101st nationally in passing the past three seasons.

"We still believe in running the football to control the game," Beck said, "but I still think to win them, you've got to be able to throw it. So we've put more emphasis there."

Huskers coaches and players also have seen growth in Martinez as a leader. Pelini said being Nebraska's starting quarterback is impossible to prepare for until you've lived it. And for the past two years, through the ups and downs, Martinez has lived the life.

Martinez still has to win over a large portion of Huskers fans, but those inside the Osborne Athletic Complex have found reasons to believe.

"A lot of people agree, a lot of people disagree with the things he does or he says, but Taylor has always been good at blocking all the distractions out, whether it be good or bad," tight end Ben Cotton said. "He's obviously a quiet guy; people can see that. But he's done a great job of being a more positive vocal leader, not only for this offense but for this entire team.

"To see where he has come from, he's definitely grown up quite a bit."

A more balanced Martinez, in mind and in body, could help Nebraska take the next step in 2012.

To have a workhorse back or to split reps? That is the question.

And it certainly is a question on the minds of Big East coaches around the league. With five starters gone headed into 2012, and Ray Graham coming off ACL surgery, this is a position of intrigue during the spring. The ultimate decision has to be made about whether to rely on one back a lion's share of the time, or whether to get a nice rotation going to provide yourself some depth and versatility.

Two league coaches offered their opinions recently on the matter, and both are in favor of finding a workhorse back. Louisville offensive coordinator Shawn Watson pointed to 2010, when Bilal Powell had 229 carries and 1,405 yards. Victor Anderson had the next-highest carries total with 64. Last season, the Cardinals distributed the ball more evenly among its backs -- Anderson and Dominique Brown each had over 100 carries -- and did not fare as well in the ground game.

But it is important to keep in mind the offensive line had its share of struggles as well.

Still, Watson said he wants to find a go-to guy among the four players competing for the starting running back position. “We need someone to be the war daddy at that position, like Bilal Powell was in (Charlie) Strong’s first season,” said Watson. “Biggest thing we look back at is not having a go-to guy. We have to find a go-to-guy. That creates competition in the room and makes everyone better.”

At UConn, Lyle McCombs returns after putting up 1,000 yards his freshman season, but there is some nice competition at the position this spring with D.J. Shoemate returning from injury, in addition to Joe Williams, Martin Hyppolite and Max DeLorenzo. But coach Paul Pasqualoni wants one go-to guy as well.

“I don’t want a guy that’s got to come out of the game," Pasqualoni told reporters in Connecticut. "I don’t want a guy that’s saying I’m tired, take me out. I don’t want a Jaguar. Do you know what a Jaguar is? The Jaguar is always in the shop, always breaking down so I don’t want a Jaguar. I want a durable guy and if we put him in the game he stays in the game and he stays in the game. We’re trying to develop the depth we have but I’m all for one guy staying out there. Now we’re going to use the talents and ability we have but I want them all to be able to do it if you know what I mean.”

Last season, four running backs had over 200 carries. Had Graham been healthy, that number would have been five. Rutgers and Cincinnati also went with one back primarily. This season, that may not be the case. Rutgers coach Kyle Flood already has talked about the value of having more than one back consistently produce, while coach Butch Jones has talked about trying to get more backs involved to make up for the loss of Big East Offensive Player of the Year Isaiah Pead.

USF had three players with over 100 carries last season. The last time USF had a back with over 200 carries was Andre Hall in 2005, but even then the Bulls had another player with over 100 carries as well.

Pitt coach Paul Chryst has shown a proclivity to get multiple backs involved as well, but some of his offenses at Wisconsin did rely on one workhorse. If Graham returns on schedule, one would expect him to get the majority of the carries, but Isaac Bennett has had a nice spring game, and freshman Rushell Shell arrives in the summer.

As for Temple, the Owls relied on Bernard Pierce in recent years, though Matt Brown got his share of the carries. That load falls to him this season, with the hope that other backs can get involved as well.

Louisville was supposed to be too young.

Rutgers was supposed to be overmatched in the trenches.

That is the most basic explanation for why the Cardinals were picked to finish No. 7 and Rutgers No. 8 in the Big East preseason poll back in August. Yet here they are, headed into the final two weeks of the regular season, and each has a chance to clinch a share of the conference title, and even a spot in the BCS.

If Rutgers wins at UConn and Louisville wins at USF, both finish atop the league standings with a 5-2 record. Of course, several other teams have a shot to finish 5-2 as well. To help their chances of getting into a BCS game, Rutgers needs Louisville and West Virginia to lose; Louisville needs Cincinnati and Pitt to lose.

Nobody knows how the final two weeks will play out, but everybody knows that the preseason poll has turned out to be dead wrong. The biggest reason has been the unbelievable coaching jobs Charlie Strong and Greg Schiano have done this season.

Let's consider Rutgers first. After finishing 4-8 last season -- including 1-6 in league play -- not many had high hopes for Rutgers. But the improvement has been stark. Schiano took charge of the defense this season, calling all the plays and shifting several players to different positions to make his unit faster. The result -- Rutgers leads the league in total defense (316.6 ypg), scoring defense (16.8 ppg), pass defense (173.45 ypg) and interceptions (17). The Scarlet Knights are in the Top 10 in the nation in three of those categories (No. 9 scoring defense, No. 9 pass defense, tied for No. 4 in interceptions).

Last season, Rutgers ranked No. 65 in total defense and No. 62 in scoring defense (26.5). Linebacker Khaseem Greene, a safety last season, is the leading candidate to win Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors. He leads the league with 114 tackles. Meanwhile, the play on both lines has been better. A year after allowing 61 sacks, Rutgers has given up just 24. Rutgers had 17 sacks last season. That number has nearly doubled to 33.

Criticize Schiano if you want for his handling of his quarterbacks this season, switching from Chas Dodd to true freshman Gary Nova, back to Dodd. But Schiano did the right thing in going back to Dodd when it was clear Nova was struggling. Since he made the change in the fourth quarter against USF, Rutgers has won three straight.

Now Rutgers (8-3) is in position to be the first team in Big East history to go from worst to first. Keep in mind, Rutgers has never won a Big East title in football.

"Sometimes things get blown out of proportion. We were a pretty decent football team last year at the midway point and then things happened where the wheels fell off," Schiano said Monday. "Our guys are very aware of what they have to do this week, and it's about playing Connecticut. All that other stuff will take care of itself down the road. I'm not naive to the fact that young people get easily distracted. That's my job this week to make sure everybody is 100 percent locked into the process."

As for Louisville, the Cardinals were on the brink of collapse after a 2-4 start, including losses to FIU and Marshall. The Cardinals couldn't run; they couldn't block on the offensive line; and their defense was giving up way too many big plays. Coaching one of the youngest teams in the country, Strong could have very easily lost his team.

Instead, the Cardinals have won four of their last five games, with wins over Rutgers and West Virginia. How have they done it? For one, their young team is growing up. Louisville has started 11 true freshmen this season -- including quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. There are 28 freshmen and sophomores on the two-deep, and just six senior starters.

For another, they have figured out how to run the football effectively, and also have done a nice job switching player positions to great effect. Dominique Brown moved from quarterback to running back. Lorenzo Mauldin switched from tight end to defensive end and started last week against UConn. Josh Bellamy has played cornerback this year as well. Changing coordinators from Mike Sanford to Shawn Watson midseason also has helped the offense improve.

Louisville (6-5) is averaging 28.5 points in its last four contests, compared to 16.3 in its first seven. Now the Cardinals have four wins in Big East play for the first time since 2006.

"We have sputtered along the way," Strong said Monday. "I don't know how good we are. I know we need to get better, but our coaching staff has done a tremendous job each week of getting these players ready. To see our guys go out and fight ... it just speaks volumes for how hard they want to win."

This is all you need to know about why Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is a star in the making.

"In my life right now he's really a cornerstone, a foundation for not only me but for our staff and our program," said Shawn Watson, quarterbacks coach and acting offensive coordinator. "Everybody has learned they can count on Teddy. We never have to worry about him. He competes in the classroom, takes care of his teammates. As a freshman, he stands up and leads our team, and he does it from his heart. It's not phony. His words are humble. When he says something, everybody stops and listens. He's got that 'it' factor."

Imagine that. An 18-year-old freshman everyone can depend on, no matter what. Most 18-year-olds have a hard time remembering to do laundry. Bridgewater is leading his team to an improbable turnaround season. A win over Pitt on Saturday gets the Cardinals bowl eligible and extends their winning streak to four.

What has allowed Louisville to turn its season around has been the development of Bridgewater, one of the more highly touted quarterbacks in the nation last season. He arrived on campus in the spring, and expectations went sky high because of all his talent and potential. He did not start the season, but played in a few series behind Will Stein in the opening games. Those series did not go so well.

But after Stein went down with a shoulder injury against Kentucky, Bridgewater coolly stepped in and led the Cardinals to the all-important win. His poise was evident. But the Cardinals lost their next three games. Coach Charlie Strong made a change at offensive coordinator, handing play-calling duties over to Watson for the North Carolina game.

Louisville went through some growing pains with the transition, but the Cardinals are finally finding their groove. Several factors have helped Bridgewater grow. The offensive line is much better. The running game is much better. Bridgewater is now playing without inhibitions. So he can play much, much faster and that helps with rhythm and having a command of the offense.

In the past two victories, he is completing over 70 percent of his passes, with three touchdowns to one interception. Against Syracuse he started with seven straight completions. Against West Virginia, with 10 straight completions.

"It's all about trusting the system and buying into what the coaches say," Bridgewater said in a phone interview. "That right there gives you the confidence. The biggest thing is slow down and let the game come to you and don't think too much."

It's helped that Watson -- his position coach -- is calling the plays, and the two have developed a close relationship.

"What I do is I call the game through his eyes," Watson said. "I know what he knows because of our relationship. I dig into that and I know when he's comfortable and not comfortable, and I know what he likes and doesn't like. I don't try to make him me. We do what we knows and what he has a feel and comfort for."

Watson said the way Bridgewater studies film has been impressive for a young player, on top of all the other attributes that have made him so special. Anybody can see the potential he brings to this program in the years to come.

"I've never had a freshman like him, and I've done this 30 years now," Watson said. "He is just wired that way. It all begins with at home.I know his mom is an awesome lady, and she has raised him as a very humble person. She raised him to be a man of character. He's that. He understands that people rely on him. He desperately wants to be a great player. He'll will himself there because of his work ethic. His character is going to allow him to get there. He's not spoiled by the process. He embraces the tough parts. His future's very bright."

I don't think anybody but Rutgers fans saw the Scarlet Knights' upset over Pitt coming. I sure didn't, and that game saddled me with my lone loss of the week. After going 3-1, I am now 33-8 on the season. On to the picks:

Louisville at Cincinnati, noon ET. To say the Cardinals have not had much success on offense would be an understatement. They cannot run, and that has put way too much pressure on true freshman Teddy Bridgewater to make things happen. This might not be the game to jump-start the run game. Cincinnati has held its past two opponents to negative yards on the ground. This game also features one of the worst teams in the country in turnover margin (Louisville, minus-4) against one of the best (Cincinnati, plus-12). Will Stein will be a game-time decision, and Shawn Watson will call the plays for a second straight week. But with a shaky offensive line and no consistency, Louisville faces a tough task. Cincinnati 30, Louisville 14.

Utah at Pittsburgh, noon. Talk about two teams that are coming off disappointing losses. The Panthers lost to Rutgers 34-10; Utah lost to Arizona State 35-14. The Utes have lost starting quarterback Jordan Wynn for the season and are struggling on offense as much as the Panthers. Utah has won both previous meetings but is 6-12 in games played in the Eastern time zone. Do not underestimate that early start time for a team that plays in the Mountain time zone. I think Todd Graham will have his team ready to play after the embarrassment of last week. Pitt 24, Utah 20.

Navy at Rutgers, 2 p.m. Navy has lost three straight, but the Midshipmen should not be overlooked. Their offense will present a huge challenge for a surging defense that prides itself on taking the ball away and being able to stop the run. Navy has the No. 1 rush offense in the nation, and fullback Alexander Teich will be back in the lineup. The Midshipmen do not hurt themselves with mistakes, either -- they have given up the ball only six times and are the least penalized team in the nation. This has the feel of a letdown game for Rutgers after the big win last week, but I think the Scarlet Knights will just eke this one out. Rutgers 23, Navy 20.

USF at UConn, 3:30 p.m. The Bulls have had a good, long time to think about their loss to Pitt and are going to take all their frustrations out on UConn. The Huskies have been able to win the past two games over USF with last-minute field goals from Dave Teggart, but I do not think this one is going to be close. With the way teams have been passing on UConn, B.J. Daniels should have a good day, and the defense should be able to stop an offense that has failed to do anything consistently. USF 33, UConn 17.

What did we learn in Week 6?

1. Rutgers off to fast start. We saw the defense starting to come together, but back-to-back dominating performances in Big East play cement what we thought we knew: This unit is one of the best in the league. The Scarlet Knights have been aggressive all season, and that was no different in a 34-10 win over Pitt. They had six sacks, six quarterback hurries and four forced turnovers. Rutgers has 20 sacks and 24 takeaways this season, after registering 17 sacks and 22 takeaways in all of 2010. The Scarlet Knights have now matched their win total from last season (four). More importantly, they are 2-0 in Big East play for just the second time in 21 seasons. The only other time Rutgers started 2-0 in league play was in 2006, when the Scarlet Knights finished tied for second at 5-2.

2. Pitt is ...Can we really say what we learned about Pitt? The Panthers remain perhaps the most confounding team in the Big East. One week after destroying USF 44-17, they mustered a season-low 10 points against Rutgers and had major problems on the offensive line and at quarterback once again. "That is my job to get them ready to play and we absolutely played our worst game," coach Todd Graham said afterward. "That is embarrassing to me, and we have to go work to make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Pitt has now given up a whopping 27 sacks on the season, worst in the Big East.

3. New coordinator for Louisville. The Cardinals left offensive coordinator Mike Sanford at home and handed play-calling duties over to quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson against North Carolina. The switch did not exactly jump-start the offense, as Louisville managed season lows for points and total yards (273) in a 14-7 loss. Louisville now has had back-to-back games with fewer than 300 yards of offense, and has had only one game without turning the ball over. Coach Charlie Strong said Sanford was still on staff, but unsure of his role. You have to wonder whether it makes much difference on a team with a shaky offensive line and true freshman quarterback.

4. West Virginia plays in spurts.The Mountaineers ended up dominating UConn 43-16, but that was only after scoring 23 points in the third quarter. West Virginia scored 10 in the first half. It has been a team that has played in spurts this season, and coach Dana Holgorsen is still waiting on this team to play a complete game from start to finish.

5. Syracuse pass D needs help. The Orange have plenty of youth in their secondary, and have been banged up, too. But still, there should be no excuses in giving up 320 yards to Tulane and quarterback Ryan Griffin. Consider that was his first 300-yard game of the season, and he threw for just 74 yards last week against Army. Syracuse has given up four 300-yard games in its six contests so far, and nearly gave up 300 last week to Rutgers (297). The Orange are going to have to make adjustments in the bye as they get ready for West Virginia in a Friday night game Oct. 21.

For Will Stein, any lingering questions about his stature are simply the height of stupidity.

The redshirt junior is taking the starter's reps at quarterback this spring for Louisville. Even if he may not look like your average BCS quarterback -- Stein is listed at 5-foot-10 -- Stein doesn't see that as an issue any longer.

"If the only thing people have on me is my height, then I think I'm doing some things right," he said. "My teammates don't give a crap if I'm short -- they just want production out of the quarterback position. I've seen plenty of tall guys who can't throw at all, and plenty of short guys who have succeeded."

Head coach Charlie Strong said earlier this month that he would feel good opening the season with Stein as his starter. New quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson compared Stein to other successful signalcallers he has coached like Joe Klatt and Mike Moschetti at Colorado and Joe Ganz at Nebraska.

"I don't think anybody here is bothered by [Stein's height] at all," Watson said. "I'm surely not. It really comes down to so many other factors that weigh into being a championship quarterback, and height is not one of them."

The Cardinals have seen Stein in action and know what he brings to the table. He started two games in 2009 and came on in relief of Justin Burke in the Rutgers game last year. He won a state championship in high school before walking on to Louisville, where he was stuck behind several other quarterbacks. Stein said he thought about transferring after his first semester, but the high price of the likely smaller private school he would have gone to helped discourage him.

He's glad he stayed. Strong gave him a scholarship, and other quarterbacks like Matt Simms and Zack Stoudt transferred. Last year's two senior starters, Burke and Adam Froman, are gone, leaving him as the most experienced player at the position.

"The universe has worked out in my favor," he said.

Stein still must hold off two other quarterbacks, including prized recruit and early enrollee Teddy Bridgewater, who at 6-foot-3 looks an awful lot more like the model for the position. But Bridgewater has a long way to go.

"He's in China right now," Watson said. "He's learning to speak a new language. He told me after practice, 'Everything is going really fast and it's really different.' It's a process, but he has football intelligence and a real confident, poised demeanor. He will fight his way through the learning curve."

Stein is making sure to help Bridegwater and sophomore Dominique Brown learn the position this spring while trying to beat them out. It's the first time in his four years with the team that he's had the same offensive coordinator for a second straight year, so he feels much more knowledgeable than ever with the offense and the system. Still, as a former walk-on, he knows not to assume too much.

"The way I see it, I'm not anything right now," he said. "I've got to earn it, and I've got to earn the respect of my teammates."

Stein has already gained the respect. How do we know? Because hardly anybody talks about his height anymore.

As spring practice kicks into high gear around the Big East, here's your handy-dandy guide to all of the offseason coaching moves around the league. Clip and save: (Oh, wait. This is a blog. Do not clip your computer screen.)

Cincinnati

No changes

Connecticut

Out:

Randy Edsall, head coach (to Maryland)
Todd Orlando, defensive coordinator/inside linebackers (to Florida International)
Lyndon Johnson, outside linebackers/special teams coordinator (to Maryland)
Terry Richardson, running backs (to Miami)

In:

Paul Pasqualoni, head coach
George DeLeone, offensive coordinator
Don Brown, defensive coordinator
Clayton White, special team coordinator/running backs

Internal moves:

Former offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead is now quarterbacks coach

Quick take:

Pasqualoni, the Connecticut native, comes aboard with two new coordinators (three if you count special teams). But the rest of the staff stayed intact. Edsall took only one assistant with him to Maryland, which is strange. There should be more continuity in this coaching change than most. The trick will be getting the old and the new styles to mesh.

Louisville

Out:

Mike Groh, quarterbacks (to Alabama)

In:

Shawn Watson, quarterbacks

Quick take:

Charlie Strong scored a victory by keeping his staff almost fully together after a successful first year. Watson, the former Nebraska offensive coordinator, looks like a great addition to coach a position in flux.

Pittsburgh

Out:

Dave Wannstedt, head coach (forced resignation)
All of Wannstedt's assistants

In:

Todd Graham, head coach
Paul Randolph, executive associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator/defensive line
Calvin Magee, assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator/running backs
Mike Norvell, co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers/director of recruiting
Keith Patterson, defensive coordinator/linebackers
Tony Dews, tight ends
Todd Dodge, quarterbacks
Tony Gibson, cornerbacks,/recruiting coordinator
Spencer Leftwich, offensive line
Randall McCray, safeties/special teams coordinator

Quick take:

It's certainly a sea change at Pitt, with an new staff and a whole new philosophy. The presence of several West Virginia assistants lends a little more spice to the Backyard Brawl, as well. Graham has done a good job of building some excitement after the whole Wannstedt/Mike Haywood mess.

Rutgers

Out:

Kyle Ciarrocca, co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks (not retained)
Randy Melvin, defensive line (not retained)
Ed Pinkham, co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs (to Elon)

In:

Frank Cignetti Jr., offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Brian Angelichio, tight ends
Jeff Hafley, defensive backs

Internal moves:

Phil Galiano moves from tight ends to defensive line
Robb Smith will coach linebackers as well as special teams

Quick take:

After a 4-8 season, Rutgers needed to make some major changes. Head coach Greg Schiano took advantage of the Pitt staff turnover to hire three former Panthers assistants. Hafley's ties in New Jersey already helped in recruiting. Cignetti will be charged with fixing a stale offense.

South Florida

No changes

Syracuse

Out:

Bob Casullo, assistant head coach/special teams (parted ways)

In:

Tim Daoust, defensive end

Internal moves:

Nathanial Hackett was promoted to offensive coordinator
John Anselmo becomes assistant head coach and will work with linebackers
Dan Conley will concentrate on inside linebackers
Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer will work with defensive backs
Jimmy Brumbaugh will coach defensive tackles
Special teams will be divided among the staff

Quick take:

Casullo left before last season ended, so Syracuse had already moved on. The changes in responsibilities reflect the areas of concentration for the Orange this summer, as they have many young players who need tutoring.

West Virginia

Out:

Jeff Mullen, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks (not retained)
Lonnie Galloway, receivers (to Wake Forest)
Dave Johnson, offensive line (not retained)
Chris Beatty, running backs/slot receivers (not retained)
Dave McMichael, tight ends/special teams (not retained)

In:

Dana Holgorsen, offensive coordinator/head coach in waiting
Shannon Dawson, receivers
Bill Bedenbaugh, offensive line
Robert Gillespie, running backs

Quick take:

The entire offensive staff was let go except for Galloway, who left for Wake Forest a couple of weeks ago. West Virginia hasn't named a replacement for Galloway yet, but Dawson and Holgorsen will likely coach the receivers, with someone coming on board for special teams. The defensive staff remains intact, and Bill Stewart will coach his final year before handing the reins to Holgorsen. It will be a fascinating chemistry test.

Nebraska is officially part of the Big Ten blog, and the welcome wagon hasn't stopped rolling.

To help us learn more about the Huskers, I've reached out to colleague David Ubben from the Big 12 blog. David knows all about Big Red and covered Nebraska during its transition from the Big 12 to the Big Ten. After being nice enough to hand off the Huskers -- actually, I had to pry them from his hands -- Ubben took some time to talk about the Big Ten's newest member.

Let's go back to June 11. What was your initial reaction to Nebraska leaving the Big 12 for the Big Ten?

David Ubben: Ha, well it was certainly an unpopular one among the Nebraska supporters. I thought it was a great move for the university and the football program, but a huge, huge blow to the future stability of the Big 12.

In short, I equated Nebraska leaving to pulling the pin on the Texas Grenade that would blow up the Big 12.

Obviously, that's not what ended up happening, and for a fan base that since June has despised all things Big 12, I was surprised at how much the Huskers didn't want to be blamed for the Big 12's demise. One would think they would relish in it.

At the core, I think there was some fear from fans that their Huskers might be villainized as a program for the self-serving move, but that's not at all what happened to Arkansas, who certainly did much of the same thing to the Southwest Conference when it left for the SEC.

Back to your original question, though, Nebraska leaving definitely meant a weaker Big 12 if it continued to exist moving forward, and anyone who wants to try to argue otherwise is kidding themselves. Nebraska did what it needed to do: secure infinitely more stability and a good amount of cash with a move to the Big Ten, as well as the academic prestige that comes with, to borrow a phrase from deservedly maligned Missouri governor Jay Nixon, aligning themselves with Northwestern and Wisconsin rather than Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.

Yeah, anytime a school wants to upgrade its league, it should remember Mizzou and do exactly the opposite. But back to Nebraska. People know about the national championships, Dr. Tom and the option offense. What should Big Ten fans know about the current Nebraska program and its fan base as the Huskers transition to the conference?

DU: Nebraska's biggest asset is its fan base. People like to knock Huskers fans for being a bit full of themselves, but they have reason to be. They're going to rival any team in the Big Ten when it comes to traveling for road games. Prepare yourselves for a sea of red in your stadiums when Nebraska comes.

One big reason? It might be tougher to get a ticket to see the Huskers in Lincoln. Every single home game has been sold out since Nov. 3, 1962, a streak of 311 games. That's an NCAA record, of course. The ones who do make it into Memorial Stadium on fall Saturdays enter under permanent signs that read "Through these gates pass the Greatest Fans in College Football."

Is it obnoxious? Yes. Will it turn off a few opposing fans? Most definitely.

But I would argue that it's not inaccurate.

Husker fans are voracious supporters. They love their team. They know their team. They read about and are opinionated about their team. They spend money on their team. Any other fan base should admire at least that much. Because of that devotion, among other things, the program is one of college football's blue bloods and is able to make a big move that will benefit the program tremendously.

Let's talk about the team itself. Bo Pelini is an Ohio guy, and his track record on defense speaks for itself. Nebraska has seemed more up and down on the offensive side. How do you see the Huskers' style translating to the Big Ten?

DU: That's presuming Nebraska has an offensive style. Nebraska was all about the run early in the year, and ran over and around just about everybody in the first half of the season. Since no one could stop it, they didn't have to throw much, and when they did, they were so, so dangerous.

But the offense slowed late in the season, and I thought they relied on Taylor Martinez to simply drop back and pass way too often and didn't run the zone read enough.

The latest word from Nebraska's recruits is they want an offense that most closely resembles Oregon's, likely minus the dizzying tempo. Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson would describe his offense as a bit of a hybrid between Oregon's offense and the West Coast passing attack, but he looks like he's on his way out.

I'm a big believer that you have to do what suits your personnel, and with a zone-read whiz like Martinez and quality running backs like Nebraska has, it would seem that's a good fit.

On the whole, though, Martinez has to continue to develop as a passer to really give the best defenses trouble. How much of that happens over the next three years will determine how successful they ultimately are. If he can't do it, there's nothing saying he's guaranteed to be the starter above incoming freshmen Bubba Starling (if he stays with football and doesn't sign an MLB contract) and Jamal Turner. Even Cody Green, who played when Martinez was injured this year, could earn some quality snaps if Martinez struggles as a sophomore.

Wow, sounds like we could soon have a QB controversy. Interesting. What do you think will be the biggest adjustments for Nebraska in transitioning from the Big 12 to the Big Ten?

DU: I'm a big believer in Pelini as a defensive coach, so I think they'll be able to make these adjustments eventually, but they're going to have to change the type of players they recruit defensively. You need so many defensive backs (and good ones) to have success in the Big 12, and winning the line of scrimmage will put you over the top, but teams like Missouri and Texas Tech have had success in the league without doing it on a consistent basis.

The Big Ten is all about the beef up front. The Huskers are big and fast on the defensive line with guys like Jared Crick and Baker Steinkuhler. I don't see many problems there.

Nebraska's best linebacker this year, Lavonte David, made a Big 12-best 152 tackles. He also happens to be 210 pounds. Players like him, while they're incredibly valuable in the Big 12 for their ability to make plays in coverage and provide a speed rush, will be marginalized in Nebraska's future for bigger, run-stopping linebackers.

There will be all kinds of things that will have to change, but the type of defensive personnel will be No. 1 on the list. Specifically, Nebraska will need more, bigger linebackers and fewer defensive backs.

Nebraska always has recruited so well in the state of Texas. How do you think the move to the Big Ten will impact Nebraska's recruiting strategy?

DU: Oh, what a contentious question. So, so much disagreement on this issue.

I don't think there will be a time when Nebraska just has no one from Texas, but their success in the state will take a considerable hit with the move. I do believe the Huskers should continue to recruit the state, but I also think they need to take some of those efforts and resources previously allocated toward Texas and use them to start scraping the Rust Belt and compete with their new conference mates, rather than their old ones.

Pelini knows the area well, and I think the Huskers will have some success doing it. They had a huge year in 2011 in Texas, getting three top-tier, ESPNU 150 players in ATH/QB Jamal Turner, RB Aaron Green and CB Charles Jackson.

I do believe they can keep getting some talent like that in 2012 and 2013, but as recruits and their families really realize what life is like as a parent of a Texas kid playing in the Big Ten, they'll realize why so few Texas recruits elect to play in the Big Ten. I talked with Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville about this issue last week actually, and he said for most families, it's a huge deal. Watching on TV simply isn't the same thing as going to games, home or away. And the facts are, a lot of families can't afford to fly to a ton of games.

Nebraska traditionally only played one or two games in Texas during a season, three if they made the Big 12 title game and it was in Texas. That doesn't sound like many, but look at it this way, unless you can pay for a flight or make a ridiculously long drive, you're talking about going four or five months without seeing your son versus around two or fewer if they play games in Texas.

So in short, I don't think there will be a time when Nebraska absolutely can't recruit in Texas, but they need to take advantage of their new opportunities in Ohio and Michigan, too, as compensation for the guys who won't want to play up North.

OK, you're on the spot. How do the Huskers fare in Year 1 in the Big Ten, which has already branded them a legendary team in the Legends division?

DU: The Big Ten certainly didn't do them any favors with their first-year schedule, booking them for trips to Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan. Hosting Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State is going to be tough, and they have to play the Buckeyes in the first game with their five suspended players back. Who knows what happens there?

With a still-maturing passer who won't have a ton of help at receiver, they'll have some struggles offensively, but they should be solid again on the defensive end.

I'll say 9-3 or 8-4. Short of what you might call a Legendary season, but certainly a good one.

Thanks to David for his time, and stay tuned as we'll both have more on Nebraska's move to the Big Ten.

I first (briefly) stated my argument on Twitter: No team in college football was more interesting on and off the field for more reasons in the last year than Nebraska.

A lot of those reasons for interest were positive for the program. Others were negative. But I would argue that no team had more headline-worthy happenings on campus than the Huskers in the past year.

I hear the arguments for USC (coaching change, sanctions), Notre Dame (coaching change, student death, anticlimactic realignment) and Florida (Urban Meyer postseason flip-flop, "You're a bad guy" media incident, offensive collapse, coaching change).

I disagree.

A refresher course on the past 12 months in Nebraska football, for those who have forgotten:

Spring 2010: Starting quarterback Zac Lee is forced to sit out spring practice, and rumors about the progress of a redshirt freshman, Taylor Martinez, start to emerge. Martinez validates those rumors with a memorable spring game performance that leaves fans buzzing.

May-June 2010: Realignment rumors build into reality, and days after Big 12 spring meetings close, Nebraska leaves the Big 12 for the Big Ten, by far the biggest move of the summer's realignment. It becomes official on July 1, 2011.

August 2010: During fall camp, linebacker Sean Fisher (broken leg) and cornerback Anthony Blue (torn ACL) were injured during a closed practice, and rumors of their injuries leaked onto message boards. As a result, media members tried to reach family members, at one point, while Fisher was undergoing surgery. As a result, coach Bo Pelini banned the media from accessing his team for three days.

Sept. 4, 2010: No starter was officially announced before the season opener against Western Kentucky, but the speedy Martinez was announced during starting lineups to a raucous reception from the fans. He becomes the first freshman to start a season opener in Nebraska history. On his first career career carry, he runs for a 46-yard touchdown. Nebraska wins 49-10.

Oct. 7, 2010: Martinez had considerable buzz after rushing for 496 yards and eight scores in his first four games, but his coming out party was a nationally-televised, Thursday night game against Kansas State. He ran for four touchdowns, 241 yards and led the Huskers to a 48-13 road conference win over the bowl-bound Wildcats. That's Heisman-type stuff, and for the first time, he realistically threw his name into the Heisman race (alongside shoo-in Heisman winner Denard Robinson) and then-No. 5 Nebraska was looking like a very real national championship contender. Martinez would not score another rushing touchdown the rest of the season.

Oct. 16, 2010: Nine days later, they hit the first of many speed bumps. Texas' free fall lessened the impact of what looked like the biggest game of the year, but the Longhorns, who finished 5-7, were still able to remind Nebraska of the mysterious mojo they have over the Huskers. Martinez struggled, was benched in the fourth quarter and Nebraska suffered its first loss, 20-13, at home, in a shocker. The loss moved Nebraska to 1-9 against Texas since the Big 12 began in 1996.

Oct. 30, 2010: Roy Helu Jr. runs for 307 yards to help beat Missouri and gives the Huskers control of the Big 12 North. Martinez suffers a sprained ankle late in the first half and doesn't play in the second half. It eventually proves as one of the biggest moments of Nebraska's season.

Nov. 6, 2010: Martinez sits against Iowa State with an injured ankle, and the Cyclones erase a 24-10 lead to send the game into overtime. The Huskers score first, but intercept a wobbly pass on a fake punt to win the game, 31-30, and maintain control of the Big 12 North, which they eventually win.

Nov. 20, 2010: Nebraska is flagged a school-record 16 times, compared to Texas A&M's two. The worst of the 16 flags is a phantom roughing the passer call that extends Texas A&M's game-winning drive in the 9-6 win.

The biggest news, though, has little to do with the on-field action that resulted in a second loss.

Martinez starts, but re-injures the ankle early and heads to the locker room. There, he returns a call from his father in violation of team rules. Upon learning this information, Pelini screams inches away from a stone-faced Martinez while jabbing his chest with a finger. ESPN's cameras catch the controversial interaction, which re-airs countless times over the following days.

After the game, Pelini chases an official off the field while screaming inches away from his face as well, a scene seen on the sideline during the game. As Texas A&M fans storm the field, his brother, defensive coordinator Carl Pelini, throws down a cameraman's camera, breaking off a few detachable pieces, but doing no permanent damage to the equipment.

After the game, Pelini makes his players off-limits and briefly addresses media.

Nov. 21, 2010: Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman publicly criticizes Pelini's actions during the game. Pelini later apologizes, saying he "let it get personal" toward officials.

Throughout the day, rumors that Martinez planned transfer swirl after the freshman misses a team workout. Later, it's revealed that Martinez also suffered turf toe on his left foot to pair with his sprained right ankle. Pelini denies rumors that Martinez planned to transfer.

Nov. 23, 2010: Top receiver/kick returner Niles Paul suffers a broken foot in practice. He misses the season-ending, Big 12 North-clinching win over Colorado and the Big 12 title game but returns for the bowl game. (That's a wholly terrible four-day stretch, no?)

Dec. 4, 2010: Nebraska closes its run in the Big 12 by reviving one of the league's great rivalries, one final game against Oklahoma. The Huskers' early 17-0 lead is erased, Martinez takes seven sacks and the Huskers lose, 23-20, to land in the Holiday Bowl for the second consecutive season against Washington, a team it beat in Seattle 56-21 in September.

Dec. 30, 2010: Nebraska, 17-point favorites, suffers a shocking loss to Washington, 19-7. They finish 10-4, and lose three of their final four games.

Jan 5, 2011: Martinez's father, Casey Martinez, confirms to ESPN.com that Taylor will return to Nebraska for the 2011 winter semester, ending rumors of a transfer.

Jan. 11, 2011: Defensive tackle Jared Crick announces he'll return to Nebraska for his senior season.

Jan 26, 2011: Nebraska ends its licensing agreement with Corn Fed, Inc., Casey Martinez's apparel company. The deal paid Nebraska 10 percent royalties on all merchandise sold and began in June 2007.

Feb. 3, 2011: In Indiana, new Hoosiers coach Kevin Wilson announces that his assistant, Corey Raymond, is leaving for Nebraska to coach the secondary. Huskers secondary coach Marvin Sanders is still employed.

Pelini hasn't spoken with the media in five weeks.

Later, during his signing day teleconference, Pelini refuses to answer any questions about his staff, and says no staff members have been hired or fired yet.

Nebraska signs 20 players and four ESPNU recruits for the nation's No. 14 recruiting class, which ranks No. 3 in the Big 12 and No. 2 in the Big Ten.

Later that night, Sanders, receivers coach Ted Gilmore and offensive coordinator Shawn Watson are absent from an Omaha recruiting dinner.

Feb. 4, 2011: Sanders announces his resignation for "family and personal reasons" amid reports of possible disciplinary action toward the coach for a nonfootball issue.

Feb. 5, 2011: Charles Jackson, Nebraska's only cornerback signee, tells the Omaha World-Herald he found out about Sanders' departure from a stranger via Facebook, and expresses discontent at not being notified that any moves had occurred or that they would follow his signing. He also adds he probably would have signed with Nebraska if he had been told.

Later in the day, his father goes on Omaha radio to diffuse the situation, and says his son is content and excited to start his career.

Feb. 7, 2011: Former Huskers star Scott Frost elects to stay at Oregon as receivers coach, rather than join his alma mater, who was reportedly unwilling to offer him playcalling duties.

Today: Gilmore and Watson are still employed, and Pelini says he knew nothing of an ad posted on Nebraska's website last week looking for an offensive assistant.

Now that, folks is a whole lot of stuff that's happened in the last year. We can only assume 2011 will offer plenty more headlines in the Big Ten.

Can anybody top that? I say absolutely no way.

Several Big Ten teams are still filling out their staffs for 2011, and we'll hear an official announcement or two later Monday.

Here's a roundup of what's been happening the last few days:

INDIANA

The Hoosiers on Friday announced the hiring of Brandon Shelby as cornerbacks coach. Shelby, who previously held the same position at Louisiana-Monroe, starred as a defensive back at Oklahoma during IU coach Kevin Wilson's time there and also served as a Sooners' defensive assistant in 2006. Shelby replaces Corey Raymond, who left Indiana to take a position at Nebraska. Although Nebraska hasn't made an official announcement about Raymond, he's expected to replace secondary coach Marvin Sanders, who resigned Thursday.

Indiana also last week hired Nebraska defensive assistant Brett Diersen as defensive tackles coach and Air Force running backs coach Jemal Singleton to the same position. Diersen replaces Jerry Montgomery, who Wilson said left for a position at Michigan.

These appointments complete Wilson's staff for 2011.

NEBRASKA

So far, Sanders' resignation is the only official announcement Bo Pelini has made about his staff. But Wilson said Raymond is on his way to Lincoln, and all signs point to offensive coordinator Shawn Watson and receivers coach Ted Gilmore being on their way out. Nebraska's offensive production dipped toward the end of the 2010 season, and the Huskers' receivers had an up-and-down year.

Multiple media reports from Nebraska state that Pelini might be targeting Oregon receivers coach Scott Frost, the former Huskers' star quarterback, and Notre Dame offensive line coach Ed Warinner as replacements. Warinner served as Kansas' offensive coordinator from 2007-09 and spent time in the Big Ten as Illinois' offensive line coach and run game coordinator from 2005-06.

The interesting part of this is Pelini reportedly will hand over play-calling duties to running backs coach Tim Beck. The Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald both report that Frost might not leave Oregon unless it's for a job as a play-caller elsewhere.

Pelini seems to be reshaping his staff before Nebraska's jump to the Big Ten. It will be fascinating to see how things play out in Lincoln.

MICHIGAN

Coach Brady Hoke will finalize his staff Monday and announce the defensive assistants to join coordinator Greg Mattison.

Montgomery is on his way to Ann Arbor, and he'll reportedly be joined by Akron defensive coordinator Curt Mallory on the Michigan staff. Expect Mallory to coach the Wolverines' secondary, while Montgomery will work with the defensive line. Mallory played at Michigan and has spent his entire coaching career in the Midwest, serving as Illinois' secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator from 2007-09. Montgomery played at Iowa and most recently served as Wyoming's defensive line coach.

MICHIGAN STATE

After promoting Dan Roushar to offensive coordinator last week, Mark Dantonio reportedly has found the final member of his staff.

According to The (Mount Pleasant) Morning Sun, Central Michigan receivers coach Terry Samuel has left to take the same position on Michigan State's staff. Samuel, who played wide receiver at Purdue, worked his way up through the FCS ranks before joining former Dantonio assistant Dan Enos at Central Michigan last year.

He'll coach the position group that previous Michigan State offensive coordinator Don Treadwell oversaw. Samuel inherits a deep and talented receiving corps led by B.J. Cunningham and Keshawn Martin.

WISCONSIN

The Badgers lost a key assistant over the weekend as running backs coach John Settle departed for the same position with the Carolina Panthers. Settle did an outstanding job with Wisconsin's running backs, helping to mold standout players like P.J. Hill, John Clay, James White and Montee Ball.

Although Wisconsin always recruits talented backs, Settle leaves some big shoes to fill. It will be interesting to see who coach Bret Bielema hires as his replacement.

So far, Nebraska has announced only one departure from Bo Pelini's staff, as secondary coach Marvin Sanders resigned Thursday.

But it appears the staff changes aren't done yet.

A posting for an assistant football coach appeared Friday on the University of Nebraska's jobs Web site.

Description of work: "Responsible for offensive game preparation, on-field strategies and game tactics. Conduct student-athlete recruiting, monitor academic progress of current student athletes and provide instruction to team in the execution of offensive schemes and techniques."

Minimum qualifications: "Bachelor's plus three years successful collegiate coaching experience required; equivalency. Demonstrated ability to recruit national-level student athletes necessary. Must have knowledge and commitment to NCAA, Conference, and University regulations. Excellent interpersonal/organizational skills essential."

There has been a lot of buzz that two offensive assistants, coordinator Shawn Watson and receivers coach/recruiting coordinator Ted Gilmore, are on their way out. Watson, Gilmore and Sanders all were absent from a fan recruiting event Wednesday night in Omaha.

Watson's future with Nebraska has been a popular topic the past two months. He was a candidate for several head-coaching vacancies but didn't get them, and thus far, Nebraska hasn't announced any changes.

So if you're qualified and interested, send in your application by Feb. 17.

And stay tuned for more information.

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini declined to answer questions about his staff during his signing day teleconference on Wednesday, but on Thursday, he announced in a release that Marvin Sanders had resigned for "personal and family reasons."

Questions first arose on Wednesday after Indiana coach Kevin Wilson announced that his assistant, Corey Raymond, was leaving to coach the secondary at Nebraska.

Nebraska, however, still employed Sanders at the time. Now, presumably, Raymond might soon be announced as Sanders' replacement.

Pelini declined to answer questions about Sanders' status on Wednesday, but the Lincoln Journal Star reported later in the day that Sanders "may face disciplinary action by the school for a nonfootball issue."

For Nebraska, Sanders might only be the first of a few assistants to leave Pelini's staff after signing 20 recruits on Wednesday.

Sanders, along with offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, receivers coach Ted Gilmore and Pelini, did not make their annual appearance at a recruiting dinner in Omaha on Wednesday night.

It should be a very interesting few weeks before spring practice begins in Lincoln.

Michigan State will be sad to see Don Treadwell go, but few Big Ten assistants are more deserving of a head-coaching position than Treadwell.

After four years as Spartans' offensive coordinator, Treadwell has accepted the head-coaching position at Miami (Ohio), his alma mater. He's the second Michigan State assistant to leave for a MAC job in as many seasons; running backs coach Dan Enos went to Central Michigan after last season. Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson and Ohio State co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Luke Fickell also were in the mix at Miami.

Treadwell's highlight as a Spartans' assistant came this season as he ran the program during Mark Dantonio's health-related absence. He made several gutsy play calls in Michigan State's biggest win of the season, a 34-24 triumph against Wisconsin on Oct. 2 that proved to be the Badgers' only loss.

Arguably no assistant in America played a bigger role in a signature win than Treadwell. He figured to land a top job soon, and Miami (Ohio) is a good spot for him.

Treadwell will coach his last game for Michigan State on Saturday in the Capital One Bowl before moving onto his new gig.

It will be interesting to see where Dantonio turns for a successor. Offensive assistants Dave Warner (quarterbacks), Dan Roushar (offensive line) and Mark Staten (tight ends, recruiting coordinator) all have been with Dantonio for a while, so there's certainly a chance he'll promote one to the coordinator spot.

Michigan State undoubtedly will stick with the pro-style offense that has worked well this season under Treadwell's leadership.

Staff continuity had been a hallmark for Dantonio, so Treadwell's departure presents a bit of a challenge. But I'm sure Dantonio is thrilled to see a top assistant get his shot to run a program.