Big Ten: Purdue Boilermakers
CHICAGO -- Despite a few speed bumps, the Big Ten/Pac-12 scheduling partnership is "a go," Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told his league's athletic directors this week.
The details are still being worked out, which isn't a surprise when you have 24 major-conference programs with unique interests, scheduling philosophies and scheduling agreements. But Delany hopes to have a more specific idea of the scheduling models in the next few months.
"We do want it all fit in," Delany said Wednesday. "Whether that means you have 12 games or 11 games or 10 games in the first cycle ... we're going to want 12 games ASAP. A lot of scheduling has been done in other nonconference areas that's reliant on this."
The original goal was to have a full round-robin schedule by 2017, but it could be wishful thinking. Ohio State, for example, has games scheduled with both Oklahoma and North Carolina, and athletic director Gene Smith told ESPN.com last month that he wouldn't add a Pac-12 opponent to the slate in 2017. Pac-12 teams have their own issues, namely a nine-game conference schedule -- as opposed to eight in the Big Ten -- and long-term agreements with teams like Notre Dame (USC, Stanford).
The partnership eventually will feature six home-and-home series, but it might not be complete until after 2017.
The scheduling process will be a "hybrid" effort between the schools and the two league offices. Big Ten and Pac-12 teams are facing one another with more frequency in the coming years -- three matchups take place this fall -- and some series are already set for 2017 and beyond. Northwestern and Stanford, for example, have a four-game series set for 2019-22.
Big Ten senior associate commissioner for television administration Mark Rudner and Pac-12 deputy commissioner Kevin Weiberg, are overseeing the scheduling elements.
"We may have to do less," Delany said, referring to the league. "In other words, if there are three or four games [set] in '17, '18, '19 and '20, maybe the conference will only have to come in and pick seven or eight other games."
Before announcing the Pac-12 partnership, the Big Ten had approved a nine-game conference schedule, supporting Delany's frequent statement that league teams should play one another more, not less. But the Big Ten decided to stay at eight league games because of the Pac-12 agreement.
"On balance, it's a close call," Delany said. "But in the nine-game conference schedule, who you don't play was one factor, but the other fact was five home games, four away. If you can create a situation where you improve your schedules, you improve the fan experience, you improve the games that are going on television without affecting the home/away segment inside of the conference, [it] was the preferred method. If we hadn't done the collaboration, we'd do nine [league games]. If we do the collaboration, we'll do eight.
"We're able to attract a higher-quality of game."
One potential concern is how the scheduling partnership will impact teams' other nonconference agreements. Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke has made it clear he wants to keep the annual Notre Dame series going as long as possible, and added that the Boilers have played Notre Dame and a Pac-12 team (Oregon, Arizona) in the same season before.
"It adds some name recognition to your schedules in September," Burke said. "Working together, we can try to get the programs in comparable stages of development, to compete against one another so we don't have an imbalance. It's not easy to do that, but that's something to work toward."
The details are still being worked out, which isn't a surprise when you have 24 major-conference programs with unique interests, scheduling philosophies and scheduling agreements. But Delany hopes to have a more specific idea of the scheduling models in the next few months.
"We do want it all fit in," Delany said Wednesday. "Whether that means you have 12 games or 11 games or 10 games in the first cycle ... we're going to want 12 games ASAP. A lot of scheduling has been done in other nonconference areas that's reliant on this."
The original goal was to have a full round-robin schedule by 2017, but it could be wishful thinking. Ohio State, for example, has games scheduled with both Oklahoma and North Carolina, and athletic director Gene Smith told ESPN.com last month that he wouldn't add a Pac-12 opponent to the slate in 2017. Pac-12 teams have their own issues, namely a nine-game conference schedule -- as opposed to eight in the Big Ten -- and long-term agreements with teams like Notre Dame (USC, Stanford).
The partnership eventually will feature six home-and-home series, but it might not be complete until after 2017.
The scheduling process will be a "hybrid" effort between the schools and the two league offices. Big Ten and Pac-12 teams are facing one another with more frequency in the coming years -- three matchups take place this fall -- and some series are already set for 2017 and beyond. Northwestern and Stanford, for example, have a four-game series set for 2019-22.
Big Ten senior associate commissioner for television administration Mark Rudner and Pac-12 deputy commissioner Kevin Weiberg, are overseeing the scheduling elements.
"We may have to do less," Delany said, referring to the league. "In other words, if there are three or four games [set] in '17, '18, '19 and '20, maybe the conference will only have to come in and pick seven or eight other games."
Before announcing the Pac-12 partnership, the Big Ten had approved a nine-game conference schedule, supporting Delany's frequent statement that league teams should play one another more, not less. But the Big Ten decided to stay at eight league games because of the Pac-12 agreement.
"On balance, it's a close call," Delany said. "But in the nine-game conference schedule, who you don't play was one factor, but the other fact was five home games, four away. If you can create a situation where you improve your schedules, you improve the fan experience, you improve the games that are going on television without affecting the home/away segment inside of the conference, [it] was the preferred method. If we hadn't done the collaboration, we'd do nine [league games]. If we do the collaboration, we'll do eight.
"We're able to attract a higher-quality of game."
One potential concern is how the scheduling partnership will impact teams' other nonconference agreements. Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke has made it clear he wants to keep the annual Notre Dame series going as long as possible, and added that the Boilers have played Notre Dame and a Pac-12 team (Oregon, Arizona) in the same season before.
"It adds some name recognition to your schedules in September," Burke said. "Working together, we can try to get the programs in comparable stages of development, to compete against one another so we don't have an imbalance. It's not easy to do that, but that's something to work toward."
The league meetings in Chicago and playoffs (cue Jim Mora clip) dominate your hump day links:
- The Big Ten's love of the Rose Bowl is making it act irrationally and against the league's best interests, Dan Wetzel writes.
- There's no guarantee on how that Rose Bowl relationship will continue.
- The Big Ten won't be able to use geography as an excuse for bowl performance in the future, Drew Sharp says.
- The league is pushing for a seven-win minimum to make a bowl game even though that may hurt some of its own teams.
- A selection committee is the best way to go to pick playoff teams, Andy Staples writes.
- Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas envisions playing a game in Chicago every other year.
- Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis said he would welcome a night game against Michigan.
- Indiana AD Fred Glass says his athletic program is self-sustaining (subscription required).
- Brady Hoke talked about the need for leadership from his seniors during a speech to fans. Michigan missed out on Ty Isaac but has other options at running back.
- Athlon ranks Nebraska No. 14 and previews its season, while asking if Taylor Martinez is one of the league's top quarterbacks. A 92-yard romp through Yankee Stadium makes the list of most memorable Huskers touchdowns.
- Curt Warner's son hopes to follow in dad's footsteps at Penn State. Bill O'Brien will adjust his offense to fit his current players. Quarterbacks coach Charlie Fisher says Matt McGloin leads in the QB race.
- Purdue's Otis Armstrong once heard he was too small to be a running back. Now, he's headed to the College Football Hall of Fame.
- Ohio State AD Gene Smith said the tattoo scandal hurt him and his family.
- Former Wisconsin athletic director Pat Richter earned an honor. Wisconsin spent about $44,000 investigating sexual impropriety allegations against former athletics administrator John Chadima.
- Maize N Brew asks what will be good enough for Minnesota.
Before Purdue cemented itself as the "Cradle of Quarterbacks," the Boilers produced several superstar running backs, and Otis Armstrong might have been the best of the bunch.
Armstrong succeeded another Boilers' ball-carrying standout, Leroy Keyes, and starred for Purdue from 1970-72. Unlike Keyes, Armstrong played on mostly weak teams under Bob DeMoss, which made his accomplishments fly under the national radar. But Armstrong got his due Tuesday as the Big Ten's only member of the 2012 College Football Hall of Fame class.
A Chicago native, Armstrong arrived at Purdue in 1969 and, like all freshmen, sat out the season. He announced himself the following fall with 1,009 rush yards on 213 carries, becoming just the second Purdue back (Keyes being the other) to eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground. After a solid junior campaign, Armstrong sizzled as a senior, racking up 1,361 rush yards and nine touchdowns en route to earning consensus All-America honors. He finished his career with a flourish, piling up 276 yards against archrival Indiana, a single-game team record that stands to this day.
Armstrong still holds Purdue's record for career rushing attempts (671), and his career rush yards mark (3,315) is third behind two players (Mike Alstott and Kory Sheets) who played four seasons. He twice recorded five 100-yard rush games in a season (1970, 1970) and trails only Alstott for most career 100-yard rush performances at Purdue (13 in 31 career games).
Armstrong also stood out as a kick returner, averaging 30.1 yards per runback with two touchdowns in 1972. He added five receiving touchdowns on 36 career receptions.
Although Purdue went just 13-17 during Armstrong's career, his accomplishments didn't go unnoticed and he was selected No. 9 overall by Denver in the 1973 NFL draft. Armstrong played eight seasons with the Broncos, earning two Pro Bowl selections and rushing for 4,453 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Armstrong succeeded another Boilers' ball-carrying standout, Leroy Keyes, and starred for Purdue from 1970-72. Unlike Keyes, Armstrong played on mostly weak teams under Bob DeMoss, which made his accomplishments fly under the national radar. But Armstrong got his due Tuesday as the Big Ten's only member of the 2012 College Football Hall of Fame class.
A Chicago native, Armstrong arrived at Purdue in 1969 and, like all freshmen, sat out the season. He announced himself the following fall with 1,009 rush yards on 213 carries, becoming just the second Purdue back (Keyes being the other) to eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground. After a solid junior campaign, Armstrong sizzled as a senior, racking up 1,361 rush yards and nine touchdowns en route to earning consensus All-America honors. He finished his career with a flourish, piling up 276 yards against archrival Indiana, a single-game team record that stands to this day.
Armstrong still holds Purdue's record for career rushing attempts (671), and his career rush yards mark (3,315) is third behind two players (Mike Alstott and Kory Sheets) who played four seasons. He twice recorded five 100-yard rush games in a season (1970, 1970) and trails only Alstott for most career 100-yard rush performances at Purdue (13 in 31 career games).
Armstrong also stood out as a kick returner, averaging 30.1 yards per runback with two touchdowns in 1972. He added five receiving touchdowns on 36 career receptions.
Although Purdue went just 13-17 during Armstrong's career, his accomplishments didn't go unnoticed and he was selected No. 9 overall by Denver in the 1973 NFL draft. Armstrong played eight seasons with the Broncos, earning two Pro Bowl selections and rushing for 4,453 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Here are your lunchtime -- wait for it -- links.
- Playoffs are on the minds of Big Ten leaders as they gather in Chicago today.
- Penn State coach Bill O'Brien says he'd like to play Pitt on an annual basis, but the schedule may not allow it to happen. A decision on the Lions' starting quarterback should be coming soon. Penn State has gone to great lengths to help restore its reputation.
- Michigan receiver Jerald Robinson had his hearing on a misdemeanor charge postponed. A one-time Wolverines recruiting target says Michigan doesn't pressure prospects into committing. Tate Forcier signed with a CFL team.
- Le'Veon Bell is earning some high praise at Michigan State.
- Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke wants to preserve the Rose Bowl tradition.
- Concussions caused Ohio State's Andrew Sweat to walk away from football. Tom Dienhart analyzes the Buckeyes' schedule.
- Indiana's Kevin Wilson won't follow Tom Crean's lead and start recruiting eight- or ninth-graders.
- Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald was asked about the debate over compensating players in a talk with students.
- Versatility will be key as former Gopher fullback Jon Hoese tries to make the Green Bay Packers.
- An Ohio linebacker has taken notice of Illinois and Tim Beckman.
- The married life suits Bret Bielema just fine.
- Kirk Ferentz went on the road to talk about what's happening with Iowa football.
- Nebraska's nutritionist talks about how to feed a bunch of hungry Huskers. The Lincoln Journal Star's countdown of the Cornhuskers' top 100 most memorable touchdowns takes a look at the beginning of the Triplets.
This isn't exactly surprising news, but Big Ten schools are among the biggest spenders -- and earners -- in all of college athletics, according to a new database compiled by USA Today.
The newspaper collected the expenses and revenues for Division I athletic programs in 2010-2011, the most recent year for which public schools' filings with the NCAA were available. The study showed that everything is bigger in Texas, including sports spending; the Longhorns outpaced every other school with a $133.7 million budget and more than $150 million in revenue.
But Big Ten schools also ranked high among the biggest spenders, with seven teams in the top 16 nationally. Here is how they stacked up nationally in operating expenses:
2. Ohio State: $122.3 million
3. Michigan: $111.8 million
6. Penn State: $101.3 million
9. Wisconsin: $95.6 million
12. Iowa: $93.4 million
14. Michigan State: $84.5 million
16. Nebraska: $83.7 million
22. Minnesota: $78.9 million
26. Illinois: $77.7 million
29. Indiana: $71 million
41. Purdue: $66.2 million
(Note: Information for Northwestern, which is a private school, was not available).
Only the SEC -- another surprise, right? -- has more big spenders than the Big Ten, with eight schools reporting more than $80 million in expenses
The USA Today report also said that only 22 athletic programs turned a profit in 2010-11, but 10 of the 11 Big Ten schools surveyed were in the black, while Minnesota broke even (Thanks, Big Ten Network). Penn State had the biggest profit, at nearly $15 million, while Michigan and Ohio State each reported revenue of about $11 million more than their expenses.
Another interesting part of the report is how much subsidy each athletic program receives from its school, in the form of student fees and other university support. Four Big Ten athletic programs -- Ohio State, Nebraska, Penn State and Purdue -- receive no school subsidy, something only seven Division I programs can claim. Meanwhile, Michigan ($272,000) and Iowa ($564,000) get less than a million, ranking in the bottom 10 nationally for subsidy support.
Here's a look at the subsidies other league programs receive:
Minnesota: $7.8 million in subsidies (9.9 percent of total operating budget)
Wisconsin: $7.2 million (7.5 percent)
Illinois: $4 million (5.1 percent)
Michigan State: $3.7 million (4.3 percent)
Indiana: $2.7 million (3.8 percent)
The USA Today report paints a picture of the haves and have-nots in college athletics and even suggests that the wild disparity between the upper echelon and the bottom schools could lead to a split in college football.
But while many schools' athletic programs are struggling to make ends meet or need vast support from their universities to keep the lights on, the Big Ten looks extremely healthy in its finances.
The newspaper collected the expenses and revenues for Division I athletic programs in 2010-2011, the most recent year for which public schools' filings with the NCAA were available. The study showed that everything is bigger in Texas, including sports spending; the Longhorns outpaced every other school with a $133.7 million budget and more than $150 million in revenue.
But Big Ten schools also ranked high among the biggest spenders, with seven teams in the top 16 nationally. Here is how they stacked up nationally in operating expenses:
2. Ohio State: $122.3 million
3. Michigan: $111.8 million
6. Penn State: $101.3 million
9. Wisconsin: $95.6 million
12. Iowa: $93.4 million
14. Michigan State: $84.5 million
16. Nebraska: $83.7 million
22. Minnesota: $78.9 million
26. Illinois: $77.7 million
29. Indiana: $71 million
41. Purdue: $66.2 million
(Note: Information for Northwestern, which is a private school, was not available).
Only the SEC -- another surprise, right? -- has more big spenders than the Big Ten, with eight schools reporting more than $80 million in expenses
The USA Today report also said that only 22 athletic programs turned a profit in 2010-11, but 10 of the 11 Big Ten schools surveyed were in the black, while Minnesota broke even (Thanks, Big Ten Network). Penn State had the biggest profit, at nearly $15 million, while Michigan and Ohio State each reported revenue of about $11 million more than their expenses.
Another interesting part of the report is how much subsidy each athletic program receives from its school, in the form of student fees and other university support. Four Big Ten athletic programs -- Ohio State, Nebraska, Penn State and Purdue -- receive no school subsidy, something only seven Division I programs can claim. Meanwhile, Michigan ($272,000) and Iowa ($564,000) get less than a million, ranking in the bottom 10 nationally for subsidy support.
Here's a look at the subsidies other league programs receive:
Minnesota: $7.8 million in subsidies (9.9 percent of total operating budget)
Wisconsin: $7.2 million (7.5 percent)
Illinois: $4 million (5.1 percent)
Michigan State: $3.7 million (4.3 percent)
Indiana: $2.7 million (3.8 percent)
The USA Today report paints a picture of the haves and have-nots in college athletics and even suggests that the wild disparity between the upper echelon and the bottom schools could lead to a split in college football.
But while many schools' athletic programs are struggling to make ends meet or need vast support from their universities to keep the lights on, the Big Ten looks extremely healthy in its finances.
E-mail exchange: Leaders spring wrap-up
May, 14, 2012
May 14
3:45
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett and
Adam Rittenberg | ESPN.com
During the course of spring practice, Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett visited 11 of the 12 league schools, getting an up-close look at the players and coaches who will shape the 2012 season.
Now it's time for them to share their thoughts on what they saw and learned this spring, and you can follow along as they exchange e-mails. First, they'll discuss the teams in the Leaders Division. A Legends Division e-mail exchange will arrive in the near future.
Brian Bennett: Adam, I guess the biggest story in the Big Ten this spring was the culture change at both Penn State and Ohio State. You went to both places. What was your sense of how different things are there now, compared to your previous visits to State College and Columbus?
Adam Rittenberg: There's definitely a new energy in both football complexes, Brian. Change can be tough on fans, especially at a place like Penn State where they've only known their program under Joe Paterno's watch, but the players seem to be excited about the new ways things are operating. At Penn State, they're excited to play for a coach (Bill O'Brien) who comes straight from the NFL and has made some much-needed modernizations to certain areas of the program (strength program, offensive philosophy). The enthusiasm about strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald and his philosophy really stood out to me at Penn State. I was also impressed by some of the younger players like freshman tight end Jesse James and redshirt freshman defensive end Deion Barnes.
The changes aren't as dramatic at Ohio State because Urban Meyer retained so many assistants from the previous staff. On the other hand, the thought of Ohio State running a true no-huddle, spread offense amazes players as much as it does the rest of us after so many years of TresselBall. One welcome change with both programs is greater accessibility for the media (and, through us, the fans). I had to pinch myself a few times while watching a Penn State practice.
You made your first visit to Madison, where, judging by the pictures you posted on Twitter, you likely gained 15 pounds and lost that Kentucky twang. What stood out about your time in Mad-city?
Brian Bennett: I'm just now shedding the last of those cheese curds from my system. Change was not really a buzzword with the Badgers, even with a slew of new assistant coaches and some turnover at key positions. This program has a system it believes in and will continue to do the same things year in, year out with new faces.
Wisconsin is still all about running the ball, and Montee Ball looked terrific during the practice he participated in while I was there. If possible, he's even a step faster, and backup Melvin Gordon is going to be a star someday as well. The quarterbacks and receivers weren't nearly as impressive or consistent, but Danny O'Brien wasn't there and Jared Abbrederis was out with his foot injury. I am intrigued by the size of some of the Badgers wideouts, like Marquis Mason (6-foot-4) and Chase Hammond (6-5). The Badgers could be effective throwing some jump balls to those guys, and with their tight ends and offensive line, their offense is going to be just fine.
There are more questions on the defense, but I liked what I saw from the defensive tackles and the secondary, which looks a little more athletic. We know the linebackers will be good with Chris Borland and Mike Taylor. If David Gilbert or someone else can come back and give them a pass rusher from the defensive end spot, this team should be loaded for a run at repeating in the Leaders Division.
I see Illinois as a bit of a mystery team in the division, with a new coach and a new system. How much progress did the Illini make in learning the spread under Tim Beckman, and do they have enough offensive playmakers to run it?
Adam Rittenberg: I don't think they do, although running back Josh Ferguson's performance in the spring game raises hope. Illinois also has some versatile players in cornerback Terry Hawthorne and quarterback Miles Osei who can fill in at receiver and/or running back if need be. But Beckman has been candid about the lack of depth at running back, and we both saw how that offense fared after opposing teams limited A.J. Jenkins' effectiveness. I do think quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase could end up being a good fit for the spread. He obviously has the mobility you need at that position, and while his arm strength is a question mark, he should be able to spread the ball around if enough weapons emerge. I think it's critical for receiver Darius Millines to stay healthy. He really had stood out in practices, but he just can't stay on the field.
I liked what co-offensive coordinator Chris Beatty said about the offense needing to regain its swagger. It's still hard to pinpoint exactly what happened to the unit last year, but I know when a spread offense establishes a nice tempo, it's awfully hard to stop. But here's the thing with Illinois: it might only need to score 20-24 points a game. The defense should be really, really good, and potentially better than last year's crew. The coaches are really excited about Michael Buchanan at end, and the front seven could be the best in the Big Ten.
You also spent some time in the Hoosier State this spring. Purdue coach Danny Hope feels this is his best team. Things couldn't get much worse for Kevin Wilson at Indiana after a 1-11 clunker in 2011. What sense did you get from being in West Lafayette and Bloomington?
Brian Bennett: I sensed quite a bit of confidence coming out of Purdue's camp. That will happen when you have 18 starters back, three healthy quarterbacks and are coming off a bowl win (granted, only against Western Michigan, but it beats the alternative).
The Boilermakers didn't let reporters watch any meaningful parts of spring practice because they're installing Tim Tibesar's new defensive system, so I didn't learn as much about them as I'd like. Still, it's clear this team has experience and some major talent with guys like Kawann Short and Ricardo Allen on defense. I think Purdue is very much a sleeper in the division, though we're going to need to see this team cut down some of its mental mistakes and play with far greater consistency than it has in the Danny Hope era.
The best thing I saw from Indiana was competency on defense. Wilson played so many freshmen last year, and the benefit is that those guys are now a year older and know the system. They were able to execute it much better this spring, and the juco kids will help a lot. The Hoosiers have some nice players on offense, like young quarterback Tre Roberson, running backs Stephen Houston and Isaiah Roundtree and tight end Ted Bolser, and I think Seth Littrell's system will play well to their strengths. Yet you look at the roster and compare it to the upper echelon of the Big Ten, and it's clear that Indiana has a long way to go to catch up and be any sort of factor in the league race.
I came away from the spring still thinking Wisconsin will win this division, but I also believe it will be a tight race and that Penn State could very well take it. Ohio State might end up being the best team in the Leaders but can't play for the league title. Did your spring visits make you feel any differently about the division?
Adam Rittenberg: I agree that Wisconsin remains the team to beat, but I came away thinking the division could have greater depth. The Legends still looks stronger with Michigan State, Michigan and Nebraska up top, and every Leaders Division team has some flaws. But Wisconsin knows how to win, returns a nice core and added a key piece in O'Brien. Ohio State will be a better defensive football team -- end John Simon is poised for an enormous senior season, and hopes are high for tackle Johnathan Hankins, too -- and while there will be some growing pains on offense, it's not as if the Buckeyes set an impressive benchmark in 2011. They were mostly awful.
Penn State and Illinois are very similar teams to me. Both have new coaches whose hiring elicited some skepticism. Both look extremely strong in the defensive front seven. Both retained excellent D-line coaches from the previous staff (Larry Johnson, Keith Gilmore). Both have standout linebackers (Gerald Hodges, Jonathan Brown) and stout defensive tackles (Jordan Hill, Akeem Spence). And both have major question marks on offense: Penn State more so at quarterback, Illinois more so at running back/receiver. Still, if the defenses perform to their capability, Penn State and/or Illinois could really make some noise in a wide-open division.
Now it's time for them to share their thoughts on what they saw and learned this spring, and you can follow along as they exchange e-mails. First, they'll discuss the teams in the Leaders Division. A Legends Division e-mail exchange will arrive in the near future.
Brian Bennett: Adam, I guess the biggest story in the Big Ten this spring was the culture change at both Penn State and Ohio State. You went to both places. What was your sense of how different things are there now, compared to your previous visits to State College and Columbus?
Adam Rittenberg: There's definitely a new energy in both football complexes, Brian. Change can be tough on fans, especially at a place like Penn State where they've only known their program under Joe Paterno's watch, but the players seem to be excited about the new ways things are operating. At Penn State, they're excited to play for a coach (Bill O'Brien) who comes straight from the NFL and has made some much-needed modernizations to certain areas of the program (strength program, offensive philosophy). The enthusiasm about strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald and his philosophy really stood out to me at Penn State. I was also impressed by some of the younger players like freshman tight end Jesse James and redshirt freshman defensive end Deion Barnes.
[+] Enlarge
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesWisconsin is one of the teams to beat in the Big Ten, thanks in part to running back Montee Ball returning for another season.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesWisconsin is one of the teams to beat in the Big Ten, thanks in part to running back Montee Ball returning for another season.You made your first visit to Madison, where, judging by the pictures you posted on Twitter, you likely gained 15 pounds and lost that Kentucky twang. What stood out about your time in Mad-city?
Brian Bennett: I'm just now shedding the last of those cheese curds from my system. Change was not really a buzzword with the Badgers, even with a slew of new assistant coaches and some turnover at key positions. This program has a system it believes in and will continue to do the same things year in, year out with new faces.
Wisconsin is still all about running the ball, and Montee Ball looked terrific during the practice he participated in while I was there. If possible, he's even a step faster, and backup Melvin Gordon is going to be a star someday as well. The quarterbacks and receivers weren't nearly as impressive or consistent, but Danny O'Brien wasn't there and Jared Abbrederis was out with his foot injury. I am intrigued by the size of some of the Badgers wideouts, like Marquis Mason (6-foot-4) and Chase Hammond (6-5). The Badgers could be effective throwing some jump balls to those guys, and with their tight ends and offensive line, their offense is going to be just fine.
There are more questions on the defense, but I liked what I saw from the defensive tackles and the secondary, which looks a little more athletic. We know the linebackers will be good with Chris Borland and Mike Taylor. If David Gilbert or someone else can come back and give them a pass rusher from the defensive end spot, this team should be loaded for a run at repeating in the Leaders Division.
I see Illinois as a bit of a mystery team in the division, with a new coach and a new system. How much progress did the Illini make in learning the spread under Tim Beckman, and do they have enough offensive playmakers to run it?
Adam Rittenberg: I don't think they do, although running back Josh Ferguson's performance in the spring game raises hope. Illinois also has some versatile players in cornerback Terry Hawthorne and quarterback Miles Osei who can fill in at receiver and/or running back if need be. But Beckman has been candid about the lack of depth at running back, and we both saw how that offense fared after opposing teams limited A.J. Jenkins' effectiveness. I do think quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase could end up being a good fit for the spread. He obviously has the mobility you need at that position, and while his arm strength is a question mark, he should be able to spread the ball around if enough weapons emerge. I think it's critical for receiver Darius Millines to stay healthy. He really had stood out in practices, but he just can't stay on the field.
I liked what co-offensive coordinator Chris Beatty said about the offense needing to regain its swagger. It's still hard to pinpoint exactly what happened to the unit last year, but I know when a spread offense establishes a nice tempo, it's awfully hard to stop. But here's the thing with Illinois: it might only need to score 20-24 points a game. The defense should be really, really good, and potentially better than last year's crew. The coaches are really excited about Michael Buchanan at end, and the front seven could be the best in the Big Ten.
You also spent some time in the Hoosier State this spring. Purdue coach Danny Hope feels this is his best team. Things couldn't get much worse for Kevin Wilson at Indiana after a 1-11 clunker in 2011. What sense did you get from being in West Lafayette and Bloomington?
Brian Bennett: I sensed quite a bit of confidence coming out of Purdue's camp. That will happen when you have 18 starters back, three healthy quarterbacks and are coming off a bowl win (granted, only against Western Michigan, but it beats the alternative).
The Boilermakers didn't let reporters watch any meaningful parts of spring practice because they're installing Tim Tibesar's new defensive system, so I didn't learn as much about them as I'd like. Still, it's clear this team has experience and some major talent with guys like Kawann Short and Ricardo Allen on defense. I think Purdue is very much a sleeper in the division, though we're going to need to see this team cut down some of its mental mistakes and play with far greater consistency than it has in the Danny Hope era.
The best thing I saw from Indiana was competency on defense. Wilson played so many freshmen last year, and the benefit is that those guys are now a year older and know the system. They were able to execute it much better this spring, and the juco kids will help a lot. The Hoosiers have some nice players on offense, like young quarterback Tre Roberson, running backs Stephen Houston and Isaiah Roundtree and tight end Ted Bolser, and I think Seth Littrell's system will play well to their strengths. Yet you look at the roster and compare it to the upper echelon of the Big Ten, and it's clear that Indiana has a long way to go to catch up and be any sort of factor in the league race.
I came away from the spring still thinking Wisconsin will win this division, but I also believe it will be a tight race and that Penn State could very well take it. Ohio State might end up being the best team in the Leaders but can't play for the league title. Did your spring visits make you feel any differently about the division?
Adam Rittenberg: I agree that Wisconsin remains the team to beat, but I came away thinking the division could have greater depth. The Legends still looks stronger with Michigan State, Michigan and Nebraska up top, and every Leaders Division team has some flaws. But Wisconsin knows how to win, returns a nice core and added a key piece in O'Brien. Ohio State will be a better defensive football team -- end John Simon is poised for an enormous senior season, and hopes are high for tackle Johnathan Hankins, too -- and while there will be some growing pains on offense, it's not as if the Buckeyes set an impressive benchmark in 2011. They were mostly awful.
Penn State and Illinois are very similar teams to me. Both have new coaches whose hiring elicited some skepticism. Both look extremely strong in the defensive front seven. Both retained excellent D-line coaches from the previous staff (Larry Johnson, Keith Gilmore). Both have standout linebackers (Gerald Hodges, Jonathan Brown) and stout defensive tackles (Jordan Hill, Akeem Spence). And both have major question marks on offense: Penn State more so at quarterback, Illinois more so at running back/receiver. Still, if the defenses perform to their capability, Penn State and/or Illinois could really make some noise in a wide-open division.
Spring (practice) has sprung in the Big Ten. So let's look back and review the highlights:
Best debut by a player: Ohio State true freshman Michael Thomas introduced himself to Buckeyes fans with 12 catches for 131 yards in the spring game. No Buckeyes player had more than 14 catches all season in 2011. Don't expect Thomas to replicate that performance every week in the fall, and Ohio State was throwing the ball all over the place in its spring game. Still, for an offense that was desperately seeking playmakers to surround Braxton Miller, Thomas's performance was very encouraging.
Best debut by a coach: (Tie) Urban Meyer and Bill O'Brien. The new coaches at Ohio State and Penn State didn't take long to endear themselves to their constituents. Already wildly popular among Buckeyes fans, Meyer brought the team and the student body a little closer by inviting students to watch a practice, even allowing them on the field during a kicking drill. O'Brien made Penn State's practices more open to public scrutiny, and then went around the state and area to meet and greet fans on a caravan tour. No wonder that the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions ranked first and third nationally in spring game attendance.
Best debut by a mascot: Mark Dantonio livened up Michigan State's spring game by putting Sparty -- the school mascot -- in for a running play. Sparty hardly looked like a warrior, getting stuffed immediately on the play and then fumbling, but Dantonio bailed him out by ruling that the defense was offside. There was no more entertaining sequence in any spring game in the country than that one.
Best fill-in for a Heisman finalist: Wisconsin, like a lot of teams, saw no reason to put its star players at risk in the spring game. So 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist Montee Ball watched from the sidelines as redshirt freshman Melvin Gordon ran 30 times for 159 yards and a touchdown. Gordon is stuck behind Ball and James White, but head coach Bret Bielema told ESPN.com that Gordon "might have the most talent of any kid ever I've signed at that position."
Best overhyped position move: A massive fan base and closed spring practices combined to have Michigan fans rampantly speculating about backup quarterback Devin Gardner moving to receiver. A Facebook update supposedly confirmed the move -- until it was later revealed as a fake. Bottom line: Gardner spent some time working at wideout, but is a long way from being an impact player there. And he's still the backup quarterback.
Best spring break: It's hard to question Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez's desire to get better. When the Huskers let their players loose for spring break in the middle of their practice session, Martinez eschewed the beach or the ski slopes. Instead, he went to California to work on his footwork with quarterback instructor Steve Calhoun. The word around Lincoln this spring was that Martinez's fundamentals and passing were much improved. If that's the case this fall, Nebraska's offense should be awfully dangerous.
Best big score: Thanks to a modified scoring system, Northwestern defensive tackle Chance Carter earned 17 points for his team when he returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown. "It should be a pick-17 every time -- especially for a defensive tackle," Carter later joked. The play by the defense and the front four in particular (four sacks, plus that pick) provided some optimism for a team that struggled to stop anybody last season.
Best Food Network Challenge: New Illinois coach Tim Beckman knows the way to his players' hearts is through their stomachs. Illini team members who missed team meetings were forced to eat porridge for breakfast this offseason, while those who met their requirements received steak and eggs. The same was true at the spring game, with the losing Orange squad getting a postgame meal of beans and weenies instead of the steaks for the victorious Blue squad. We'll see if this motivational technique makes Illinois hungry enough to contend for a Big Ten title this fall.
Best hair: Spring is a time for experimenting, and that includes hairdos. Purdue defensive end Ryan Russell dyed his hair bright red and cut it into a mohawk. He also tested out some other colors during the Boilermakers' spring practice. "It's just a spring thing," he said. "I might change it up and do something different for the season."
Best quote: Dantonio didn't mince words when ESPN.com asked him about the challenges Michigan might present in the future with the Wolverines' strong recruiting efforts. "We're laying in the weeds," he said. "We've beat Michigan the last four years. So where's the threat?" Michigan State fans loved the quote, while Michigan fans despised it. But the Spartans have earned bragging rights. They'll try to keep them when they visit the Big House on Oct. 20
Best debut by a player: Ohio State true freshman Michael Thomas introduced himself to Buckeyes fans with 12 catches for 131 yards in the spring game. No Buckeyes player had more than 14 catches all season in 2011. Don't expect Thomas to replicate that performance every week in the fall, and Ohio State was throwing the ball all over the place in its spring game. Still, for an offense that was desperately seeking playmakers to surround Braxton Miller, Thomas's performance was very encouraging.
Best debut by a coach: (Tie) Urban Meyer and Bill O'Brien. The new coaches at Ohio State and Penn State didn't take long to endear themselves to their constituents. Already wildly popular among Buckeyes fans, Meyer brought the team and the student body a little closer by inviting students to watch a practice, even allowing them on the field during a kicking drill. O'Brien made Penn State's practices more open to public scrutiny, and then went around the state and area to meet and greet fans on a caravan tour. No wonder that the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions ranked first and third nationally in spring game attendance.
Best debut by a mascot: Mark Dantonio livened up Michigan State's spring game by putting Sparty -- the school mascot -- in for a running play. Sparty hardly looked like a warrior, getting stuffed immediately on the play and then fumbling, but Dantonio bailed him out by ruling that the defense was offside. There was no more entertaining sequence in any spring game in the country than that one.
Best fill-in for a Heisman finalist: Wisconsin, like a lot of teams, saw no reason to put its star players at risk in the spring game. So 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist Montee Ball watched from the sidelines as redshirt freshman Melvin Gordon ran 30 times for 159 yards and a touchdown. Gordon is stuck behind Ball and James White, but head coach Bret Bielema told ESPN.com that Gordon "might have the most talent of any kid ever I've signed at that position."
Best overhyped position move: A massive fan base and closed spring practices combined to have Michigan fans rampantly speculating about backup quarterback Devin Gardner moving to receiver. A Facebook update supposedly confirmed the move -- until it was later revealed as a fake. Bottom line: Gardner spent some time working at wideout, but is a long way from being an impact player there. And he's still the backup quarterback.
Best spring break: It's hard to question Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez's desire to get better. When the Huskers let their players loose for spring break in the middle of their practice session, Martinez eschewed the beach or the ski slopes. Instead, he went to California to work on his footwork with quarterback instructor Steve Calhoun. The word around Lincoln this spring was that Martinez's fundamentals and passing were much improved. If that's the case this fall, Nebraska's offense should be awfully dangerous.
Best big score: Thanks to a modified scoring system, Northwestern defensive tackle Chance Carter earned 17 points for his team when he returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown. "It should be a pick-17 every time -- especially for a defensive tackle," Carter later joked. The play by the defense and the front four in particular (four sacks, plus that pick) provided some optimism for a team that struggled to stop anybody last season.
Best Food Network Challenge: New Illinois coach Tim Beckman knows the way to his players' hearts is through their stomachs. Illini team members who missed team meetings were forced to eat porridge for breakfast this offseason, while those who met their requirements received steak and eggs. The same was true at the spring game, with the losing Orange squad getting a postgame meal of beans and weenies instead of the steaks for the victorious Blue squad. We'll see if this motivational technique makes Illinois hungry enough to contend for a Big Ten title this fall.
Best hair: Spring is a time for experimenting, and that includes hairdos. Purdue defensive end Ryan Russell dyed his hair bright red and cut it into a mohawk. He also tested out some other colors during the Boilermakers' spring practice. "It's just a spring thing," he said. "I might change it up and do something different for the season."
Best quote: Dantonio didn't mince words when ESPN.com asked him about the challenges Michigan might present in the future with the Wolverines' strong recruiting efforts. "We're laying in the weeds," he said. "We've beat Michigan the last four years. So where's the threat?" Michigan State fans loved the quote, while Michigan fans despised it. But the Spartans have earned bragging rights. They'll try to keep them when they visit the Big House on Oct. 20
Clear alcohols are for rich women on diets.
- The Wall Street Journal's Rachel Bachman argues the Big Ten and Pac-12 should secede from the college football playoff and just stick with the Rose Bowl. Alabama coach Nick Saban doesn't exactly endorse Jim Delany's latest playoff proposal (something along the lines of "Hell no!").
- The Sporting News ranked 124 college football head coaches, with Urban Meyer (No. 3) topping the Big Ten contingent. Bret Bielema (No. 12) and Mark Dantonio (No. 13) were next in line.
- Defensive lineman Chris Rock (not that one) has left Michigan. Well, there go all the Chris Rock jokes I had holstered. Brady Hoke is already looking forward to the opener against Alabama.
- Evaluating the Michigan State receiver position in the wake of the DeAnthony Arnett news.
- Minnesota could get a $3 million bump from having the Vikings play in TCF Bank Stadium. The parents of the late Gary Tinsley received the degree he was scheduled to earn.
- Could Alex Anzalone still end up at Ohio State despite one of the weirdest recruiting flaps of all time?
- Bill O'Brien has a good idea who his quarterback will be, and that's likely Matt McGloin, Dustin Hockensmith writes. O'Brien says the Nittany Lions have big-play capability.
- Defensive end/linebacker Randy Gregory is still going to be a Purdue Boilermaker, just after a little detour.
- Athlon previews Wisconsin's 2012 season.
- The top recruit in the state of Iowa committed to Missouri. The Hawkeyes' new indoor practice facility should be up and running by the start of fall camp.
- Nebraska cornerback Charles Jackson didn't let an eligibility problem keep him down.
- Illinois appears ahead of its normal pace in recruiting.
- Maize N Brew offers an assessment of Kevin Wilson's challenges at Indiana.
- Off Tackle Empire lists some reasons to dislike Northwestern.
I haven't been judged by this many people since I forgot my canvas bags at Whole Foods.
- Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany is talking about the postseason again, and this time he doesn't want division winners in the playoff.
- A ranking of the Big Ten's backup quarterbacks in 2012.
- The mother of the late Minnesota player Gary Tinsley will accept her son's diploma today at commencement.
- An interesting piece from Mike Hlas on how Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz is the Big Ten's youngest elder statesman (among coaches) since another Iowa boss (Hayden Fry).
- Several Big Ten games appear on this list of top contests in the first month of the 2012 season.
- Wisconsin's Bret Bielema, Michigan State's Mark Dantonio and Michigan's Brady Hoke appear on the Sporting News' latest installment of the FBS coaches' rankings.
- Athlon Sports ranks Michigan State at No. 18 on its preseason countdown and has plenty of coverage here and here and here.
- Bill O'Brien sees "sunny days and blue skies" at Penn State. If you need more evidence that things are changing at Penn State, check out the video system O'Brien is using to break down games. The Lions could be adding a second quarterback recruit to their 2013 class.
- Michigan offensive coordinator Al Borges is already preparing for the Alabama game. Former Wolverine star Marcus Ray turns his life around after battling depression.
- Nebraska makes an offer to a prep QB from the Atlanta area. It has been 15 years since former Nebraska coach and AD Bob Devaney passed away.
- Standout recruit Ifeadi Odenigbo hopes to build football tradition at Northwestern.
- Ohio State's spring game attendance shows that the sky is no longer falling in Columbus.
- Illinois picks up yet another recruit for 2013, but Kenton Gibbs still will take visits elsewhere
. - Purdue tackle Dennis Kelly signs with the Philadelphia Eagles.
White Fang-ing these links.
- The Alex Anzalone case at Ohio State shows the dangers of social media for athletes, Rob Oller writes. The Buckeyes' John Simon made former colleague Bruce Feldman's annual "Freaks" list.
- The versatile Bill Belton could be a huge weapon in Bill O'Brien's Penn State offense. O'Brien says only about a third of the team's starters have been identified so far.
- Grantland's Charles P. Pierce tackles the Ron Brown issue and what he sees as the looming end of homophobia in sports.
- Purdue's Antavian Edison has used Twitter to declare his innocence on gun charges. The Boilermakers picked up a junior-college defensive end.
- Barry Alvarez favors a selection committee for picking the four teams involved in the coming playoff. Former Wisconsin fullback Bradie Ewing had his path cleared toward playing for the Falcons.
- Former Michigan State star T.J. Duckett has made life after football all about community service. Keith Nichol is trying to catch on with the Redskins. Denicos Allen is looking to get better on his fundamentals after a breakthrough year.
- Jordan Kovacs is looking forward to Michigan's night games this season. Kevin Koger is staying upbeat despite a devastating injury that killed his draft chances.
- Kirk Ferentz is hoping his young team can make some fast improvements.
- Illinois is keeping tabs on a pair of Indiana high school teammates.
- Former Minnesota defensive lineman Anthony Jacobs signed with the Vikings. A local kicker is headed to the Gophers.
- Off Tackle Empire examines Northwestern's prospects.
And the wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws.
RIP, Maurice Sendak.
RIP, Maurice Sendak.
- The date of the alleged locker-room shower incident involving Jerry Sandusky has changed, which could help two former Penn State officials in their perjury case.
- Recruit Alex Anzalone hasn't ruled out Ohio State after decommitting from the Buckeyes last week. The sex offender who posted pictures of himself and Anzalone on the Web was arrested Monday.
- Spring football accelerated the healing process at both Penn State and Ohio State, colleague Gene Wojciechowski writes.
- Northwestern might be a long shot to bring ESPN's "College GameDay" to campus, but coach Pat Fitzgerald is taking the challenge head on. Matt Micucci starred as a prep quarterback, but he'll walk on as a kicker/punter at Northwestern.
- Several former Illinois players gear up for NFL camps, John Supinie writes. A look back at the year for Illinois football.
- There's a chance Iowa's season opener at Soldier Field might not be televised. The Hawkeyes roll out the welcome mat for folks from Camp Courageous.
- Here's the latest on the arrest of Purdue wide receiver Antavian Edison. Former Purdue star Matt Light has announced his retirement from the NFL's New England Patriots.
- Michigan safety Jordan Kovacs steps into a primary leadership role. Soon-to-be baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin talks about how he told Bo Schembechler he was quitting football at Michigan.
- Dirk Chatelain has a very personal take on the controversy surrounding Nebraska assistant Ron Brown.
- Wisconsin's coaches need to make a stronger effort to ensure their athletes avoid bad choices. Montee Ball wasn't the only elite athlete on Mifflin Street -- oh, Kaner.
- BTN.com's Tom Dienhart ranks his top Big Ten tandems.
- Bill O'Brien is aware of the expectations he faces at Penn State. The Beaver Stadium scoreboard makeover won't be complete until 2014.
- Several former Minnesota players are chasing their NFL dreams with the Vikings.
- A defensive recruit from Florida lands his first scholarship offer from Indiana.
- The Football Writers Association of America gives some well-deserved recognition to Michigan State's athletic communications staff.
- The Naples News' David Moulton favors Jim Delany's proposal for a college football playoff.
Hoping you have a great weekend.
Ryan from Maryville, Mo., writes: I keep hearing various media pundits claiming that home sites for a college playoff wouldn't work. Shouldn't these people, conference presidents, commisioners, and media members be focusing more on the benefits associated with home sites? The stadium size argument is moot, the need for guaranteed ticket sales would be eliminated, travel costs for fans and teams would be less, almost every stadium now has luxury boxes, tv revenue is a non factor, and the atmosphere would be amazing. I don't get it, why not? Sure there's bound to be some minor logistical hurdles but nothing impossible.
Adam Rittenberg: You're preaching to the choir, Ryan. And you're absolutely right that the drumbeat should be louder for some of these games to take place on campus. Yes, there are some facilities that would provide challenges, including TV production (not as much space for as many cameras). That's quite significant, given the dollars TV puts up to broadcasts these events. But from the fan perspective, on-campus sites are infinitely better. And in most cases, there's plenty of room to hold the supplementary events. The media contingent would make do. We have done that for years, and finding enough room for us shouldn't be a significant factor at all. Yes, a playoff game at TCU might be a bit tough. But how often is that going to happen? Maybe once every six years? In most cases, the host venues would be more than capable of hosting these events. I was a bit surprised to hear Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman say a playoff will be "kind of a corporate event, rather than a school event," and then not advocate more for on-campus games.
The Roaming Badger from South Bend writes: Hi Adam, I've been thinking about your blog post about leveraging draft success into recruiting success. I know every team wants more superstars, but I feel the Badgers problem isn't necessarily a lack of stars, but a lack of depth. Do you think the Badgers would be better off bringing up the top of the class by spending their energy to add a couple of 5 star recruits every year or focusing on bringing up the bottom of the class and signing more 3/4 star recruits than 2 star guys?
Adam Rittenberg: This is a really good point, Badger. You can say Wisconsin's three losses stemmed from a lack of depth in areas like special teams and the secondary. Wisconsin would really be helped by adding more top-line defensive backs in the coming years, but you always want to build greater depth so there's not such a drop-off in the kicking game. The lack of depth undoubtedly shows up in the all-important third phase for UW. So my answer is both: aim for more elite prospects, but also make sure the overall depth is improving. Not sure it's a question of prioritizing one over the other. You can do both.
Steven from Colorado Springs, Colo., writes: With Urban Meyer and Ohio State running a more spread/speed oriented offense. Do you think this will change how other Big Ten teams recruit? For instance more hybrid linebackers like Nebraska recruited before this year.
Adam Rittenberg: I don't think so, Steven. There's a belief that the spread is now just coming to the Big Ten. Teams like Purdue and Northwestern have used it for more than a decade. And the majority of teams now run some version of the spread. But you still have power teams like Wisconsin, Michigan State and Iowa, and Penn State will be a pro-style offense under Bill O'Brien. Nebraska's coaches have been open about the need to recruit more linebackers in the coming years. If they felt they could keep their previous defensive structure in the Big Ten, they would. But they know they need to change it up. Big Ten defenses need speed, but they'll always need size, too. So, I don't think you'll see a fundamental shift in how teams recruit.
Greg from Norristown, Pa., writes: Hey Adam, you keep saying that MSU will most likely be the best defense in the league this year. But in your recent post about Mauti and Massaro you say PSU's front seven might be the best in the league this year. Is PSU's secondary the only thing holding it back from stealing that "best defense" title from MSU? The starters in the secondary actually look fairly good, but I totally get the lack of depth back there, especially at safety, causing people to have a lack of confidence in PSU's overall defensive potential.
Adam Rittenberg: Yes, Greg, Michigan State's strength in the secondary is the difference between those teams. The Spartans have the most dynamic lineman of the two squads in end William Gholston, but Penn State has an edge at linebacker with Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti leading the way. Michigan State's secondary, led by cornerback Johnny Adams, gives it an edge. Michigan State has recruited and developed defensive backs extremely well under head coach Mark Dantonio. Players like safety Isaiah Lewis and corner Darqueze Dennard could have big years this fall. Penn State has some nice pieces in Malcolm Willis and Stephon Morris, but the overall depth is a concern.
Fake Harry Husker writes: Adam, I challenge the vast and far reaching tentacles of the mothership at ESPN to find just ONE former or current player from Nebraska that feels that they were mistreated in any fashion by Ron Brown due to his religious views. Have any of the kids that he has coached thru the years actually been impacted in a negative manner by Ron Brown? Does Ron Brown actually discriminate on the basis of a players sexual orientation? I challenge Wojo or any pundit at ESPN to sit down and interview former or current players to find out if Ron Brown is actually a "bigot" that forced his beliefs down their throats. As with any story, there are two sides that need to be told. It is unfair and frankly untolerable that ESPN continues to only tell one side of the Ron Brown story. Take the challenge, Adam, and interview those former and current players and provide the quotes that detail the terrible bigoted ogre that is Ron Brown.
Adam Rittenberg: Harry, I don't think the issue is whether Brown discriminates against his players. From what I know, his players love him and regard him as an excellent figure in their lives. It's not about them. The question is whether Brown, as an employee of a state institution and a member of a high-profile football program, should be using his position to trumpet his views on a controversial topic as much as he does. No one cares if Brown is in the private sector and wants to voice his views. But the reason he gets all these opportunities to voice his opinion is because he's a longtime Nebraska football assistant coach, plain and simple. There's definitely a question about whether he's abusing that position.
Wes from Indianapolis writes: Do you agree with my thinking that Indiana can be a much improved team and still not win a B1G game again this season? It would appear that their "talent equal" opponents are all road games this season (NW, Illy, and Purdont, with the possible exception of Iowa) and all the "only talent equal would be those carrying the water bucket" opponents are all home games (Sparty, Bucky, and Wisky) Do you concur or have I suffered through too many bad seasons? Thank you for all your good work.
Adam Rittenberg: Wes, while another winless Big Ten campaign is possible, I think the Hoosiers break through this year. It's never easy to win on the road, but Evanston, Champaign and West Lafayette aren't the most hostile venues in the Big Ten. Indiana will put up points this year. The question, as always, is whether the Hoosiers can stop anyone on defense. If the defense takes just a few steps toward respectability, Indiana should be able to get over the hump in one or more of those games. That said, the home schedule looks challenging, especially if Iowa improves on its performance from 2011. Remember that Indiana came very close to beating Iowa in 2010 in Bloomington, and Wisconsin wasn't overly dominant in its last trip to Memorial Stadium.
Steve from Washington D.C. writes: Hey Adam, I have a proposal for the playoff system that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet. Why can't the two semifinals be played the week after the conference championships, and before the bowls are selected? That way the losers of the semifinals could still be selected for BCS bowls, and the winners would play in a real national championship game. I just think this would preserve the tradition of having every top team in a bowl, while having a true national champion selected by a playoff system. It would also preserve the B1G/Pac-12 Rose bowl if neither has a team in the national championship. What do you think?
Adam Rittenberg: Steve, while this would be great, I think the push back would be conflicts with final exams. I know some schools on the quarter system have finals the second week of December, and there's no way the presidents would approve a plan that would have football teams practicing during finals week. It wouldn't be as big an issue for schools on the semester system, but because you have finals taking place anywhere between, say, Dec. 7 and Dec. 23, depending on the school, it really takes that time frame out of consideration. We can roll our eyes and say the academics excuse is merely convenient for the presidents to protect their beloved bowls, but the reality is they will never go for something where teams are practicing during finals week.
Ryan from Maryville, Mo., writes: I keep hearing various media pundits claiming that home sites for a college playoff wouldn't work. Shouldn't these people, conference presidents, commisioners, and media members be focusing more on the benefits associated with home sites? The stadium size argument is moot, the need for guaranteed ticket sales would be eliminated, travel costs for fans and teams would be less, almost every stadium now has luxury boxes, tv revenue is a non factor, and the atmosphere would be amazing. I don't get it, why not? Sure there's bound to be some minor logistical hurdles but nothing impossible.
Adam Rittenberg: You're preaching to the choir, Ryan. And you're absolutely right that the drumbeat should be louder for some of these games to take place on campus. Yes, there are some facilities that would provide challenges, including TV production (not as much space for as many cameras). That's quite significant, given the dollars TV puts up to broadcasts these events. But from the fan perspective, on-campus sites are infinitely better. And in most cases, there's plenty of room to hold the supplementary events. The media contingent would make do. We have done that for years, and finding enough room for us shouldn't be a significant factor at all. Yes, a playoff game at TCU might be a bit tough. But how often is that going to happen? Maybe once every six years? In most cases, the host venues would be more than capable of hosting these events. I was a bit surprised to hear Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman say a playoff will be "kind of a corporate event, rather than a school event," and then not advocate more for on-campus games.
The Roaming Badger from South Bend writes: Hi Adam, I've been thinking about your blog post about leveraging draft success into recruiting success. I know every team wants more superstars, but I feel the Badgers problem isn't necessarily a lack of stars, but a lack of depth. Do you think the Badgers would be better off bringing up the top of the class by spending their energy to add a couple of 5 star recruits every year or focusing on bringing up the bottom of the class and signing more 3/4 star recruits than 2 star guys?
Adam Rittenberg: This is a really good point, Badger. You can say Wisconsin's three losses stemmed from a lack of depth in areas like special teams and the secondary. Wisconsin would really be helped by adding more top-line defensive backs in the coming years, but you always want to build greater depth so there's not such a drop-off in the kicking game. The lack of depth undoubtedly shows up in the all-important third phase for UW. So my answer is both: aim for more elite prospects, but also make sure the overall depth is improving. Not sure it's a question of prioritizing one over the other. You can do both.
Steven from Colorado Springs, Colo., writes: With Urban Meyer and Ohio State running a more spread/speed oriented offense. Do you think this will change how other Big Ten teams recruit? For instance more hybrid linebackers like Nebraska recruited before this year.
Adam Rittenberg: I don't think so, Steven. There's a belief that the spread is now just coming to the Big Ten. Teams like Purdue and Northwestern have used it for more than a decade. And the majority of teams now run some version of the spread. But you still have power teams like Wisconsin, Michigan State and Iowa, and Penn State will be a pro-style offense under Bill O'Brien. Nebraska's coaches have been open about the need to recruit more linebackers in the coming years. If they felt they could keep their previous defensive structure in the Big Ten, they would. But they know they need to change it up. Big Ten defenses need speed, but they'll always need size, too. So, I don't think you'll see a fundamental shift in how teams recruit.
Greg from Norristown, Pa., writes: Hey Adam, you keep saying that MSU will most likely be the best defense in the league this year. But in your recent post about Mauti and Massaro you say PSU's front seven might be the best in the league this year. Is PSU's secondary the only thing holding it back from stealing that "best defense" title from MSU? The starters in the secondary actually look fairly good, but I totally get the lack of depth back there, especially at safety, causing people to have a lack of confidence in PSU's overall defensive potential.
Adam Rittenberg: Yes, Greg, Michigan State's strength in the secondary is the difference between those teams. The Spartans have the most dynamic lineman of the two squads in end William Gholston, but Penn State has an edge at linebacker with Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti leading the way. Michigan State's secondary, led by cornerback Johnny Adams, gives it an edge. Michigan State has recruited and developed defensive backs extremely well under head coach Mark Dantonio. Players like safety Isaiah Lewis and corner Darqueze Dennard could have big years this fall. Penn State has some nice pieces in Malcolm Willis and Stephon Morris, but the overall depth is a concern.
Fake Harry Husker writes: Adam, I challenge the vast and far reaching tentacles of the mothership at ESPN to find just ONE former or current player from Nebraska that feels that they were mistreated in any fashion by Ron Brown due to his religious views. Have any of the kids that he has coached thru the years actually been impacted in a negative manner by Ron Brown? Does Ron Brown actually discriminate on the basis of a players sexual orientation? I challenge Wojo or any pundit at ESPN to sit down and interview former or current players to find out if Ron Brown is actually a "bigot" that forced his beliefs down their throats. As with any story, there are two sides that need to be told. It is unfair and frankly untolerable that ESPN continues to only tell one side of the Ron Brown story. Take the challenge, Adam, and interview those former and current players and provide the quotes that detail the terrible bigoted ogre that is Ron Brown.
Adam Rittenberg: Harry, I don't think the issue is whether Brown discriminates against his players. From what I know, his players love him and regard him as an excellent figure in their lives. It's not about them. The question is whether Brown, as an employee of a state institution and a member of a high-profile football program, should be using his position to trumpet his views on a controversial topic as much as he does. No one cares if Brown is in the private sector and wants to voice his views. But the reason he gets all these opportunities to voice his opinion is because he's a longtime Nebraska football assistant coach, plain and simple. There's definitely a question about whether he's abusing that position.
Wes from Indianapolis writes: Do you agree with my thinking that Indiana can be a much improved team and still not win a B1G game again this season? It would appear that their "talent equal" opponents are all road games this season (NW, Illy, and Purdont, with the possible exception of Iowa) and all the "only talent equal would be those carrying the water bucket" opponents are all home games (Sparty, Bucky, and Wisky) Do you concur or have I suffered through too many bad seasons? Thank you for all your good work.
Adam Rittenberg: Wes, while another winless Big Ten campaign is possible, I think the Hoosiers break through this year. It's never easy to win on the road, but Evanston, Champaign and West Lafayette aren't the most hostile venues in the Big Ten. Indiana will put up points this year. The question, as always, is whether the Hoosiers can stop anyone on defense. If the defense takes just a few steps toward respectability, Indiana should be able to get over the hump in one or more of those games. That said, the home schedule looks challenging, especially if Iowa improves on its performance from 2011. Remember that Indiana came very close to beating Iowa in 2010 in Bloomington, and Wisconsin wasn't overly dominant in its last trip to Memorial Stadium.
Steve from Washington D.C. writes: Hey Adam, I have a proposal for the playoff system that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet. Why can't the two semifinals be played the week after the conference championships, and before the bowls are selected? That way the losers of the semifinals could still be selected for BCS bowls, and the winners would play in a real national championship game. I just think this would preserve the tradition of having every top team in a bowl, while having a true national champion selected by a playoff system. It would also preserve the B1G/Pac-12 Rose bowl if neither has a team in the national championship. What do you think?
Adam Rittenberg: Steve, while this would be great, I think the push back would be conflicts with final exams. I know some schools on the quarter system have finals the second week of December, and there's no way the presidents would approve a plan that would have football teams practicing during finals week. It wouldn't be as big an issue for schools on the semester system, but because you have finals taking place anywhere between, say, Dec. 7 and Dec. 23, depending on the school, it really takes that time frame out of consideration. We can roll our eyes and say the academics excuse is merely convenient for the presidents to protect their beloved bowls, but the reality is they will never go for something where teams are practicing during finals week.
I don't like the sound of that. A lot of amenities disappear when an H turns into an M.
- With no postseason in the picture, Ohio State puts The Game on an even bigger pedestal, colleague Mark Schlabach writes.
- Kirk Ferentz on Twitter? It actually might happen. Top recruit Orlando Brown is a big fan of Iowa's head coach.
- Mike Poorman runs through Bill O'Brien's 10 commandments for Penn State's next starting quarterback. Tight end Jesse James tops this list of Penn State freshmen who could play big roles this fall (totally agree on James, by the way).
- New Minnesota AD Norwood Teague must sell hope to the fan base, Jim Souhan writes. An injury will keep Gophers safety Kim Royston from participating in Vikings rookie minicamp.
- Missed this from earlier in the week: Sporting News ranks the Big Ten head coaches. BTN.com's Tom Dienhart assembles his dream Big Ten coaching staff (defensive backs choice is a head-scratcher).
- Spartan Stadium is getting a makeover, and Michigan State's season-ticket sales are going so well the school has suspended them until June. Some Spartans recruiting notes.
- Are Michigan officials on a different page than the Big Ten when it comes to college football's postseason? The Wolverines are in the mix for a two-way recruit.
- Wisconsin has created quite a pipeline to the Brookfield area. Camp Randall Stadium is getting a new field.
- Purdue is eying a defensive tackle from the junior college ranks.
- A breakdown of Indiana's 2012 schedule.
- Two Big Ten strength coaches, Nebraska's James Dobson and Iowa's Chris Doyle, have been named masters of their profession.
- Some good thoughts from Scott Dochterman on future Big Ten schedules.
Here's your Thursday linkage.
- Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany reveals a proposal that would create playoff access for the best conference champs. It's important for the Big Ten to protect its Rose Bowl partnership.
- Athletic directors Dave Brandon (Michigan) and Mark Hollis (Michigan State) weigh in on the playoff issues.
- Penn State is moving defensive lineman Kyle Baublitz from end to tackle. Lions coach Bill O'Brien has "a pretty good idea" of how the team's quarterback situation will shake out. O'Brien understands the challenges he faces at Penn State.
- Take it from Minnesota coach Jerry Kill: "You hang around with turds, you'll finish third."
- Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio likens Le'Veon Bell to former Ohio State great Keith Byars. The Kirk Cousins-Keith Nichol connection could continue with the NFL's Washington Redskins.
- Tom Mulhern projects what Wisconsin's depth chart looks like coming out of the spring. The Badgers pick up a verbal commit for 2013.
- Kawann Short's decision to stay at Purdue could pay off for the standout defensive tackle.
- The Big Ten can embrace both the Rose Bowl and the national title, Tom Shatel writes.
- Iowa is paying lower guarantees for nonconference games this season. Like Iowa's other receivers, Kevonte Martin-Manley could see his production surge in the new offense this fall.
- A breakdown of Illinois' 2012 schedule.
- Assistant Ron Brown's remarks shouldn't be tolerated at a public institution like Nebraska, Blair Kerkhoff writes.
- Ohio State assistant Kerry Coombs has settled in well to his new role.
- A look inside draft night for Michigan's Mike Martin.
- Indiana linebacker Jeff Thomas gets a tryout with the Buffalo Bills (subscription required).
Catching up on the mail. You can always reach me with questions or comments here.
Matt from Dallas writes: Adam, good article on whether players benefited from jumping early to the draft, can you do a similar article about players who were hurt this year by waiting to enter the draft then going last year. Being a Husker fan I believe Dennard and Crick were hurt significantly, just curious on your thoughts about other teams and players in the Big 10.
Adam Rittenberg: Matt, not sure if I'll do another post, but I can definitely discuss some of those players here. It would have been interesting to see where Crick would have been drafted had he come out after the 2010 season. He almost certainly would have gone higher than the fourth round. Missing half the 2011 season didn't help Crick, and there seemed to be some questions about him even before he suffered the pectoral injury. Dennard is a different case. He didn't hurt his draft stock much during the regular season and arguably helped it with performances like the ones against Michigan State and Iowa. His problems seemed to surface in predraft events, which could have happened after the 2010 season as well, and the arrest on the weekend before the draft.
One player who certainly should have come out after 2010 is Ohio State center Mike Brewster, who didn't hear his name called at all last weekend. Brewster wasn't part of the infamous Tat-5, but he was hurt by their actions, as Ohio State's offense went from potentially elite to one of the nation's weakest. Penn State receiver Derek Moye is another undrafted player who might have fared better had he come out after 2010. An extra year in State College with shaky quarterbacks didn't help his stock.
Hunter from Jackson, Mich., writes: I've heard several analysts saying that this may be Michigan's year to run the table and win the National Championship. But why are the Spartans left out? Though their offense may be hard to predict right now, they are returning 10 of 12 starters from one of the nation's best defenses last season. They also have very winnable games at home in ND, OSU, and NEB. If the offense can work out its kinks by the time conference play begins, and if they can pull out two winnable games in Madison and Ann Arbor, why not us?
Adam Rittenberg: Who is saying Michigan will run the table? Have you seen that schedule? Alabama (neutral but basically road), Notre Dame (road), Nebraska (road), Ohio State (road) and Michigan State (home). While I see more folks predicting Michigan to win the Big Ten, it's a stretch to see the Wolverines making the national title game with such a tough slate. That said, you're right about people overlooking Michigan State. There's too much attention paid to who leaves on offense and not enough to who comes back on defense. The Spartans might need to win a lot of games 17-14 this season, but I don't expect many teams to put up points against William Gholston, Denicos Allen, Johnny Adams & Co. As far as the national title, I don't put Michigan State in the mix, largely for the same reason as Michigan. The schedule isn't easy, despite more marquee games at home than the Wolverines. It will be very tough to win in both Ann Arbor and Madison.
Bottom line: Michigan State and Michigan are both Big Ten title contenders, not national title contenders. And not much separates the teams.
Andrew from Indianapolis writes: You mentioned how Iowa and Wisconsin placed so many players in the NFL, and how programs that develop NFL talent resonate with potential recruits. Given that, wouldn't Denard Robinson's best shot at the NFL be at a position other than QB? And might recruits look at Hoke's decision to keep him at QB as hindering, not helping his chances to get to the next level?
Adam Rittenberg: No, I don't think that'd be the case, Andrew. Robinson wants to be a quarterback, and he gives Michigan the best chance to win by playing quarterback right now. NFL scouts see him run around and make defenders look terrible each week for the Wolverines. It's not a stretch for them to envision him catching passes at wide receiver, where he'll likely play at the next level. Robinson certainly will have to show he can play a different spot in the predraft workouts, but I don't think Brady Hoke is holding him back at Michigan. It might be a different situation if Hoke was forcing Robinson to play quarterback, which isn't the case at all.
David from State College, Pa., writes: With a playoff basically coming the last real thing I see that is being looked at is the location of the Semifinals. 1 and 2 seed's hosting the sites on their campus seems to rub people the wrong way because they say some college stadiums are small or the town cant deal with the influx of people. Why not allow each conference (All not just the power six) choose a site for there semi if they have a team hosting a semi? Just as an example the B1G could choose Indy and no matter what B1G team ended up 1 or 2 Indy would be the location. This would also lessen the travel burden on fans if chosen correctly by the conferences.
Adam Rittenberg: David, I like the idea, but it would be tough to execute. The challenge would be the relatively short time to prepare between championship weekend and the semifinal games. Would Lucas Oil Stadium be willing to keep a date open for a possible semifinal? That's a bit of a gamble, and the venue could end up losing a lot of money. The proposal being considered that includes "anchor" bowls gives leagues a bit of freedom, like the Big Ten ensuring the Rose Bowl is a semifinal if it has a team in the top 2. The Rose Bowl is going to have a game no matter what, so advance planning isn't an issue. The plan I advocate, the one that truly benefits the fans, is to have these games on campus. The campus venues will be available, and the travel burden would be minimal for most of the fans attending the games.
Stephen from Chicago writes: Hi Adam, I'm sure you saw that Purdue recently unveiled a new train logo that Nike designed because they thought our old logo was too hard to work with on apparel. (Despite working for so many years...) Well, like most Boilermakers, I was none too pleased with the new logo as it takes away a lot of the dynamic, aggressiveness, and uniqueness of our original Boilermaker Special logo. So being a graduate of Purdue's industrial design program, I designed my own interpretation of a new logo, merging the old logo with the new one. I kept it symmetrical as that was one of Nike's biggest complaints, but added in the things they took away, like the block P, the angled smokestack, the two-toned Purdue text, and the old gold (which is our official school color; not that pale yellow). I also simplified the smoke, and only used 4 colors like the old logo, rather than the 5 of the newer one. So you can check it out here. Let me know what you think! I'm just trying to keep my fellow Purdue fans excited about our athletics program despite the changes the administration keeps making that deflates fans' enthusiasm. Thanks for reading and looking. Boiler up!
Adam Rittenberg: Thanks for the note, Stephen, and well done on the design. I like it. The block P in the train logo is definitely a nice touch, and the old gold is definitely preferable to what I saw with the new logo, which looks a bit cartoonish to me. There's always going to some disagreement when schools change their logos, and I understand the reasons (Nike, $$$) why Purdue needed to make a switch. It's always good, however, to see some different views, so thanks for providing one.
Adam from Chicago writes: At a totally unscientifically random point in the 3rd round of the NFL draft, the Big Ten has had 14 players taken (out of 94, which isn't so bad at all). But look at these breakdowns: 9 are down linemen, 1 is a quarterback (this will soon be 2 as the excellent Kirk Cousins goes somewhere), and 4 play all the other positions combined. The Big Ten is clearly one of or the preeminent producer of professional linemen among the conferences. I would argue 2 drafted QBs is solid, and I don't think it's fair to call Big Ten QB play poor lately. Clearly though, it's the other positions that are increasingly dreadful in the Big Ten. This is an often discussed topic, but is there any hope for better Big Ten skill players?
Adam Rittenberg: Adam, it's definitely a problem in the Big Ten, especially compared against leagues like the SEC and Big 12. The Big Ten had a lot of good wide receivers in 2011, but only one, Illinois' A.J. Jenkins, went in the first two rounds. Ohio State's DeVier Posey, who only played in three games last year, was the next Big Ten wideout off of the board in the third round. This trend needs to change going forward, and it's hard to pinpoint the solution, whether it's recruiting differently or placing a greater premium on developing receivers. The quarterback position also needs to be upgraded, as the Big Ten hasn't had a signal caller drafted in the first round since Penn State's Kerry Collins in 1995! That's horrible. I also think cornerback is a spot where the Big Ten needs more elite-level prospects to emerge. Again, a lot of it is recruiting, but it's also developing players into stars who appeal to NFL teams.
Matt from Dallas writes: Adam, good article on whether players benefited from jumping early to the draft, can you do a similar article about players who were hurt this year by waiting to enter the draft then going last year. Being a Husker fan I believe Dennard and Crick were hurt significantly, just curious on your thoughts about other teams and players in the Big 10.
Adam Rittenberg: Matt, not sure if I'll do another post, but I can definitely discuss some of those players here. It would have been interesting to see where Crick would have been drafted had he come out after the 2010 season. He almost certainly would have gone higher than the fourth round. Missing half the 2011 season didn't help Crick, and there seemed to be some questions about him even before he suffered the pectoral injury. Dennard is a different case. He didn't hurt his draft stock much during the regular season and arguably helped it with performances like the ones against Michigan State and Iowa. His problems seemed to surface in predraft events, which could have happened after the 2010 season as well, and the arrest on the weekend before the draft.
One player who certainly should have come out after 2010 is Ohio State center Mike Brewster, who didn't hear his name called at all last weekend. Brewster wasn't part of the infamous Tat-5, but he was hurt by their actions, as Ohio State's offense went from potentially elite to one of the nation's weakest. Penn State receiver Derek Moye is another undrafted player who might have fared better had he come out after 2010. An extra year in State College with shaky quarterbacks didn't help his stock.
Hunter from Jackson, Mich., writes: I've heard several analysts saying that this may be Michigan's year to run the table and win the National Championship. But why are the Spartans left out? Though their offense may be hard to predict right now, they are returning 10 of 12 starters from one of the nation's best defenses last season. They also have very winnable games at home in ND, OSU, and NEB. If the offense can work out its kinks by the time conference play begins, and if they can pull out two winnable games in Madison and Ann Arbor, why not us?
Adam Rittenberg: Who is saying Michigan will run the table? Have you seen that schedule? Alabama (neutral but basically road), Notre Dame (road), Nebraska (road), Ohio State (road) and Michigan State (home). While I see more folks predicting Michigan to win the Big Ten, it's a stretch to see the Wolverines making the national title game with such a tough slate. That said, you're right about people overlooking Michigan State. There's too much attention paid to who leaves on offense and not enough to who comes back on defense. The Spartans might need to win a lot of games 17-14 this season, but I don't expect many teams to put up points against William Gholston, Denicos Allen, Johnny Adams & Co. As far as the national title, I don't put Michigan State in the mix, largely for the same reason as Michigan. The schedule isn't easy, despite more marquee games at home than the Wolverines. It will be very tough to win in both Ann Arbor and Madison.
Bottom line: Michigan State and Michigan are both Big Ten title contenders, not national title contenders. And not much separates the teams.
Andrew from Indianapolis writes: You mentioned how Iowa and Wisconsin placed so many players in the NFL, and how programs that develop NFL talent resonate with potential recruits. Given that, wouldn't Denard Robinson's best shot at the NFL be at a position other than QB? And might recruits look at Hoke's decision to keep him at QB as hindering, not helping his chances to get to the next level?
Adam Rittenberg: No, I don't think that'd be the case, Andrew. Robinson wants to be a quarterback, and he gives Michigan the best chance to win by playing quarterback right now. NFL scouts see him run around and make defenders look terrible each week for the Wolverines. It's not a stretch for them to envision him catching passes at wide receiver, where he'll likely play at the next level. Robinson certainly will have to show he can play a different spot in the predraft workouts, but I don't think Brady Hoke is holding him back at Michigan. It might be a different situation if Hoke was forcing Robinson to play quarterback, which isn't the case at all.
David from State College, Pa., writes: With a playoff basically coming the last real thing I see that is being looked at is the location of the Semifinals. 1 and 2 seed's hosting the sites on their campus seems to rub people the wrong way because they say some college stadiums are small or the town cant deal with the influx of people. Why not allow each conference (All not just the power six) choose a site for there semi if they have a team hosting a semi? Just as an example the B1G could choose Indy and no matter what B1G team ended up 1 or 2 Indy would be the location. This would also lessen the travel burden on fans if chosen correctly by the conferences.
Adam Rittenberg: David, I like the idea, but it would be tough to execute. The challenge would be the relatively short time to prepare between championship weekend and the semifinal games. Would Lucas Oil Stadium be willing to keep a date open for a possible semifinal? That's a bit of a gamble, and the venue could end up losing a lot of money. The proposal being considered that includes "anchor" bowls gives leagues a bit of freedom, like the Big Ten ensuring the Rose Bowl is a semifinal if it has a team in the top 2. The Rose Bowl is going to have a game no matter what, so advance planning isn't an issue. The plan I advocate, the one that truly benefits the fans, is to have these games on campus. The campus venues will be available, and the travel burden would be minimal for most of the fans attending the games.
Stephen from Chicago writes: Hi Adam, I'm sure you saw that Purdue recently unveiled a new train logo that Nike designed because they thought our old logo was too hard to work with on apparel. (Despite working for so many years...) Well, like most Boilermakers, I was none too pleased with the new logo as it takes away a lot of the dynamic, aggressiveness, and uniqueness of our original Boilermaker Special logo. So being a graduate of Purdue's industrial design program, I designed my own interpretation of a new logo, merging the old logo with the new one. I kept it symmetrical as that was one of Nike's biggest complaints, but added in the things they took away, like the block P, the angled smokestack, the two-toned Purdue text, and the old gold (which is our official school color; not that pale yellow). I also simplified the smoke, and only used 4 colors like the old logo, rather than the 5 of the newer one. So you can check it out here. Let me know what you think! I'm just trying to keep my fellow Purdue fans excited about our athletics program despite the changes the administration keeps making that deflates fans' enthusiasm. Thanks for reading and looking. Boiler up!
Adam Rittenberg: Thanks for the note, Stephen, and well done on the design. I like it. The block P in the train logo is definitely a nice touch, and the old gold is definitely preferable to what I saw with the new logo, which looks a bit cartoonish to me. There's always going to some disagreement when schools change their logos, and I understand the reasons (Nike, $$$) why Purdue needed to make a switch. It's always good, however, to see some different views, so thanks for providing one.
Adam from Chicago writes: At a totally unscientifically random point in the 3rd round of the NFL draft, the Big Ten has had 14 players taken (out of 94, which isn't so bad at all). But look at these breakdowns: 9 are down linemen, 1 is a quarterback (this will soon be 2 as the excellent Kirk Cousins goes somewhere), and 4 play all the other positions combined. The Big Ten is clearly one of or the preeminent producer of professional linemen among the conferences. I would argue 2 drafted QBs is solid, and I don't think it's fair to call Big Ten QB play poor lately. Clearly though, it's the other positions that are increasingly dreadful in the Big Ten. This is an often discussed topic, but is there any hope for better Big Ten skill players?
Adam Rittenberg: Adam, it's definitely a problem in the Big Ten, especially compared against leagues like the SEC and Big 12. The Big Ten had a lot of good wide receivers in 2011, but only one, Illinois' A.J. Jenkins, went in the first two rounds. Ohio State's DeVier Posey, who only played in three games last year, was the next Big Ten wideout off of the board in the third round. This trend needs to change going forward, and it's hard to pinpoint the solution, whether it's recruiting differently or placing a greater premium on developing receivers. The quarterback position also needs to be upgraded, as the Big Ten hasn't had a signal caller drafted in the first round since Penn State's Kerry Collins in 1995! That's horrible. I also think cornerback is a spot where the Big Ten needs more elite-level prospects to emerge. Again, a lot of it is recruiting, but it's also developing players into stars who appeal to NFL teams.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Adam Rittenberg
Rittenberg joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four years at the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, where he covered sports at Notre Dame, Northwestern, DePaul and several other colleges. He lives in Chicago.
Brian Bennett
Bennett joined ESPN.com in August 2008 after nine years at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., where he covered college sports and the University of Louisville beat. He lives in Louisville.
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