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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.

Let's check that May mail.

Matt from Sidney, Neb., writes: Adam,Total speculation here, but your article with playoff possibilities had the "Top 6" set-up been in place got me thinking of Delany's possible ulterior motive for his proposal (he wouldn't propose it if it didn't offer the B1G an advantage). Wouldn't this scenario put Notre Dame at a disadvantage for being independent? With that set up, a top 4 ND team would be left out if a conference champ was in the top 6 (if the other 3 in the top were champs). So...Top 4 = ND + 3 conference champs;#5 or 6 is a conference champ;ND is left out.So the whole point: a disadvantaged ND has more incentive to join a conference, with the assumed destination being the B1G. Lots of speculation, but that Delany fella is wiley. Thoughts?

Adam Rittenberg: Matt, I think the details still would need to be worked out on access for independents like Notre Dame, and it's really interesting to think about how much power, if any, Notre Dame has at this stage in terms of playoff access. That said, I think the Notre Dame-to-Big-Ten ship has sailed, as far as Delany is concerned. Has he totally written it off? No. He can't do that. But the growing sentiment is if Notre Dame joins a league, it will be the ACC, not the Big Ten. And Notre Dame's preference is to remain independent in football. From talking to folks in the Big Ten, it's clear to me that the Big Ten won't actively pursue Notre Dame again. If the Irish want to be part of the B1G, they need to do the courting this time.

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Mike from Boston writes: Now that you've seen the new upgrades to PSU's strength program, how do you think it compares to the best programs in the Big Ten like Iowa?

Adam Rittenberg: Penn State is undoubtedly moving closer to the cream of the crop in the Big Ten. It's clear the strength program needed to be modernized, and Craig Fitzgerald has been an excellent addition in State College. The new approach already has yielded positive results, particularly with the offensive linemen. It's hard to say this strength program is better than that one, but I think it's safe to say Penn State is more on par with the programs throughout the Big Ten than it was before.

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Todd from Peoria, Ill., writes: Adam,I like your analysis of Jim Delany's proposed playoff format. I would suggest one change and am interested in your thoughts. If a team that didn't win their conference, or even their division falls in the top two, they should still get in ahead of a conference champion ranked 5 or 6. That would ensure you would always have the top two in the playoff while rewarding conference champions over others to fill the remaining two spots, as long as they are in the top six.What do you think?

Adam Rittenberg: Todd, I like your idea. As I pointed out in Monday's post, there would be a lot less outcry about a No. 5 conference champ replacing a No. 4 than a No. 6 league champ leapfrogging a No. 2 non-champion (league or division) like Alabama in 2011 or Nebraska in 2001. I can't see a system being approved that would potentially leave a team like last year's Alabama squad out of the playoffs. The discussions remain fluid and the selection procedures likely will be the trickiest part going forward now that a four-team model seems fairly set.

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Carlton from Chicago writes: Agree with your sentiments that Michigan will not have as dominant of a D-line this year, but don't you think Michigan has enough excellent coaching to put them in the right spots this year? It seems that Hoke and Old Man Mattison were excellent in doing this last year. Can that cover for the majority of the weaknesses the line has shown?

Adam Rittenberg: It's very possible, Carlton. Michigan has no shortage of expertise in defensive line coaching, and Brady Hoke, Greg Mattison and Jerry Montgomery know what it takes to develop players. It wouldn't surprise me to see a star develop from the D-line this fall. I'm very interesting to see how a bulked-up Craig Roh performs at the strongside defensive end spot. And there's always the Will Campbell watch.

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Boston Bucky from Jamaica Plain, Mass., writes: I'm a life-long Badger fan with a family that has season tix to the UW slate. I pick one game to go back for every year. It has been pretty easy to pick which game in the last few years (Nebraska's Big 10 debut last year was a no-brainer).Should I attend the MSU game on Halloween weekend or the OSU game just before Thanksgiving?MSU has become the most relevant rival over the past two years, but this off-season recruiting beef has certainly spiced up things with OSU.I'm leaning one way right now, but would love your opinion.

Adam Rittenberg: Both good choices, Bucky, but I'd pick the Ohio State game and have no regrets. While it'd be great to be in Mad-city for Halloween weekend, the Ohio State game carries more excitement in my view. It's a division home game against a Buckeyes team that will be improved under Urban Meyer. You have the Meyer-Bret Bielema subplot after the recruiting spat. You have the two teams that have won the past seven league titles. While Michigan State should be a fun one too, I think the Ohio State game will mean more for the Badgers in their quest to repeat as division champs.

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John from Austin, Texas, writes: Adam,I think I'm lost on the whole "That team" comment. Am I lost or do those of us that live in the South just perhaps miss the finer points of the English language. Granted, I didn't see the actual question before his statement, but it looks to me like someone asked him about "non-conference winner" or division, or something like that and he then used "that team" referencing the non-conf winner. To read "Alabama" out of a reference to "non-conf winner" seems like Washington politics more than anything else.

Adam Rittenberg: John, I definitely see your point, and while I could make some snide remarks about southerners, I'll resist. I think by using the phrase "that team," months after a team fitting the description captured the national championship -- a team from the Big Ten's rival conference, no less -- Delany made it easy for folks to form the link to Alabama. Had he used the phrase "those teams," and mentioned several of them, like Stanford from 2011, the backlash wouldn't have been so severe. But it was a poor choice of phrase, given the timing, and Delany paid the price.

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Brandon from Ann Arbor, Mich., writes: Hi Adam, the link Brian posted about abandoning the National Championship in favor of the Rose Bowl piqued my interest. Personally, I think it's a terrible idea, and will only further the perception that the Big Ten is falling behind in college football. Incoming players want to play for championships, and the Rose Bowl just doesn't have the pull that it used to. More and more players will decide not to play in the B1G or the P12 because of this. My question is, what percentage of B1G fans agree with abandoning the National Championship? Perhaps you could set up one of those nifty polls.

Adam Rittenberg: Brandon, this is a great question/topic to discuss, given the shifting environment in college sports. There's a portion of Big Ten fans I talk to who remain traditionalists. They love the Rose Bowl, want the Big Ten championship in Pasadena every year and don't really care about the SEC and its national championship streak. But the younger generation of Big Ten fans seems more championship-focused and less obsessed with the Rose Bowl and the history. They're ticked off by the SEC's bluster and want to see Big Ten teams start raising the crystal football again. Many of the Big Ten players also fit into this category. Will it mean more Big Ten teams enter that mix for national titles? We'll see. But that's the key, for the Big Ten's depth at the top to get closer to what the SEC has right now.

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Matt from Dallas writes: What is with all this faith in Mich St? I cannot see them beating Michigan or Nebraska this year. In fact Mich St has never beat Nebraska and this year I would argue Nebraska will be better than they were last year and Mich St will not be as good as last year when Nebraska handled them. Where is the logic????

Adam Rittenberg: It's all about the Spartans defense, Matt. Right now, the Michigan State D looks like the single best unit in the Big Ten entering the season. Michigan State has All-Big Ten candidates in all three levels of the defense and should be extremely stingy this fall. The Michigan game will be tough for the Spartans, but Michigan State has won four straight in the series. While Nebraska handled the Spartans easily last year, remember where that game fell for MSU: at the end of a stretch featuring Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin. It's not a shock that Michigan State had a letdown in Lincoln. And Nebraska failed miserably in its two marquee Big Ten road games last year (Michigan, Wisconsin). While both the Wolverines and the Huskers could win the division, Michigan State is my favorite entering the season.

Let's plop back into our series looking at the most indispensable players on each Big Ten squad entering the 2012 season.

We remind you again that this is not necessarily a listing of the best players on each team, but of those whose absence would cause the most pain because of their particular value or a lack of depth at their positions. The Wisconsin Badgers go under the microscope today.

Jared Abbrederis, WR, Jr.

It's been quite a journey for Abbrederis, going from walk-on to indispensable player. But on offense, he is without peer right now. Yes, Montee Ball is the superstar and a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite. But Wisconsin would be able to run the ball without him, thanks to James White and Melvin Gordon. Ricky Wagner and Travis Frederick are extremely valuable on the offensive line, but we've seen over and over again how the Badgers can replace offensive linemen with virtually no dropoff. With Nick Toon graduated, there are no receivers on the roster with nearly as much experience or proven production as Abbrederis, who led the team with 933 receiving yards a year ago. He also was the nation's best punt returner in 2011. Abbrederis' absence from spring practice because of a foot injury exposed the youth and inconsistency of the wideout corps; any extended time missed in the fall would severely hurt the Badgers' chances of repeating as Big Ten champions.

Chris Borland, MLB, Jr.

You could pick Borland or outside linebacker Mike Taylor for this spot, since both are among the best in college football at the position. We're going with Borland because of what he means to the defense as the middle linebacker. He had 143 tackles last year in his first year of playing in the middle and should be better for the experience this season. Head coach Bret Bielema, a former linebacker coach himself, says Borland might be the best middle linebacker he's ever coached. Wisconsin managed to make the Rose Bowl two years ago when Borland missed the season with an injury, but the talent dropoff from him to the next guy in would make it tough for the Badgers to do the same in 2012.

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.

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.

There are football guys, and there are track guys. It takes more than just speed to be good at football, which is why some coaches will dismissively call players "track guys."

But football guys sometimes give track a shot, too, like during this past weekend's Big Ten outdoor track and field championships in Madison, Wisc.

A few recognizable names from the league's gridiron competed in the event. Here's a look at how they did:

• Indiana wide receiver Nick Stoner was part of the 4X100 relay team that finished second and the 4X200 relay team that placed third. He was also 18th in the 200-meter dash prelims with a time of 21.61 seconds. Stoner played cornerback and wide receiver as a freshman for the Hoosiers last year but was known more for his special teams play.
• Ohio State's Devin Smith -- best known for catching the 40-yard touchdown pass to beat Wisconsin last season -- finished 12th in the high jump at 6 feet, nine inches. He was also 19th in the 100-meter dash prelims, with a time of 10.88 seconds. He could be a key part of the Buckeyes' offense this season.
• How versatile is Illinois' Ryan Lankford? He played wide receiver and punter last year to pull off that rare double. Lankford also finished 19th in the long jump, going 22 feet, seven inches.
• Kyle Jefferson, a former Wisconsin receiver, finished sixth in both the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes and was on the 4X400 relay team that placed second. That second-place finish clinched the overall men's title for the Badgers.

Doing well in one sport is hard enough. Congrats to these guys for succeeding in two.

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

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.

2011 record: 11-3

2011 conference record: 6-2 (Big Ten champions)

Returning starters:

Offense: 5; Defense: 6; kicker/punter: 0

Top returners:

RB Montee Ball, LT Ricky Wagner, OL Travis Frederick, WR Jared Abbrederis, RB James White, TE Jacob Pedersen, LB Chris Borland, LB Mike Taylor, CB Marcus Cromartie

Key losses:

QB Russell Wilson, OG Kevin Zeitler, C Peter Konz, WR Nick Toon, DT Patrick Butrym, S Aaron Henry, CB Antonio Fenelus

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Montee Ball* (1,923 yards)

Passing: Russell Wilson (3,175 yards)

Receiving: Jared Abbrederis* (933 yards)

Tackles: Mike Taylor* (150)

Sacks: Beau Allen* (4)

Interceptions: Shelton Johnson*, Aaron Henry and Antonio Fenelus (4)

Spring answers

1. Keep on running: The Badgers are enjoying the luxury of returning last year's Heisman finalist and record-breaking running back Montee Ball, who somehow managed to look a step faster this spring. They also still have the very capable James White, who produced 713 rushing yards a year ago. And while both sat out the spring game -- Ball as a precaution, White with a minor injury -- redshirt freshman Melvin Gordon stepped in and showed he could be the next star tailback in Madison. The Badgers can always run the ball, and this year could be a special season for the ground game.

2. Secondary matters: All-conference performers Aaron Henry and Antonio Fenelus are gone from the secondary, but Wisconsin was feeling good about its defensive backs this spring. Head coach Bret Bielema said Dezmen Southward and Shelton Johnson could be the best safety duo he's had during his tenure. Devin Smith is coming back from a foot injury and should fare well as a fifth-year senior starting cornerback. With fifth-year senior Marcus Cromartie also returning at corner, this is an experienced group that is looking to atone for a couple of late breakdowns last season.

3. Strong in the middle: Despite a few snapping problems in a late spring scrimmage, Travis Frederick looked good in replacing star center Peter Konz this spring. Ryan Groy appears ready to become an all-conference type player at left guard. Across from them lies the strength of the defensive line, with Beau Allen, Ethan Hemer and the developing Warren Herring looming as potentially disruptive defensive tackles. If football is won in the middle of the trenches, then Wisconsin is well set up to defend its Big Ten title.

Fall questions

1. O'Brien to the rescue: The Badgers' passing game had its share of struggles this spring, with only Joe Brennan and walk-on redshirt freshman Joel Stave healthy at quarterback. Stave moved ahead of Brennan by the end of spring, but neither showed great consistency. Of course, Maryland transfer Danny O'Brien is on the way, hoping to replicate the success of Russell Wilson. That's far from guaranteed, though, and O'Brien will have to play more like he did as a freshman for the Terps than as a sophomore to make Wisconsin's passing game a true threat.

2. Who else at receiver? Abbrederis missed the spring with a foot injury, giving the coaching staff a long look at the possible contenders to complement him in the receiving corps. It was a very young and inexperienced group that had its ups and downs. Players like Marquis Mason and Chase Hammond have good size and ability but need to learn how to compete every down. Isaiah Williams showed some potential late in the spring. Having good tight ends and excellent pass-catchers out of the backfield should help, but the receiving group remains very much a work in progress.

3. Living on the edge: Wisconsin's defensive line was stout in the middle this spring but lacked a dynamic pass rusher on the edge. The coaching staff hopes that junior David Gilbert can fill that role, but he was out all spring with a foot injury that cut his 2011 season short. If Gilbert isn't all the way healthy or falls short of expectations, there aren't a lot of other candidates. The Badgers' defense is going to be solid with an experienced secondary and two stars at linebacker in Mike Taylor and Chris Borland, but it only reaches the elite level if someone can consistently get to the quarterback.

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.

Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett will occasionally give their takes on a burning question facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide which blogger is right.

Given all the recent talk about a college football playoff, today's Take Two topic is this: Which Big Ten program is best equipped to win a national title in the next five years?

Take 1: Adam Rittenberg

As we've both written, the Big Ten doesn't appear to have a national title contender in 2012. Michigan and Michigan State might have the best teams to do it, but the Wolverines face one of the nation's toughest schedules, and Michigan State is replacing much of its offensive firepower from last year's Legends division championship squad. So we're looking at 2013 at the earliest. Ohio State likely will be a popular pick, as Urban Meyer will be in his second year at the helm and players will be used to his offensive system. The Buckeyes certainly have shown they can get to the title game. But I'm going with Michigan here.

Why Michigan? Because I love the consistent vision Brady Hoke and his staff have for the program. They know exactly where they're going -- as evidenced by the recruiting success so early in the calendar -- and they're taking steps to get there despite inheriting a roster that doesn't exactly fit what they want to do. By 2013, Michigan should have more of Hoke's top-level recruits in position to make a difference. Sure, quarterback Denard Robinson no longer will be wearing a winged helmet, but his presence, in a sense, is delaying Michigan from running the type of offense that Hoke, coordinator Al Borges and the rest of the staff envision. The Wolverines will be more of a true pro-style offensive team, and I see no reason why the defense won't continue to make strides with this staff in place. Does that mean Michigan will compete for a national title in 2013? Not necessarily, but the Wolverines will be closer to that point in 2013 and beyond.

You certainly can make a strong case for Ohio State as well. And Michigan State has favorable schedules in both 2013 and 2014. I wouldn't be shocked if the Spartans, who are rolling by the way, make a run one of those years. Nebraska has national championship aspirations, and Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema loves the team he'll have in 2013. But Michigan isn't far away, even if the Wolverines don't win 11 games again this fall because of the brutal schedule. While Michigan hasn't played for a crystal football in the BCS era, the wait could end soon.

Take 2: Brian Bennett

It may sound strange since they're ineligible for postseason play this season, but I believe the Ohio State Buckeyes are still the league's best bet to win a national title in the near future. This is a program that has never lacked for talent and has a lot of good young players in the system right now, plus some future studs at key positions on both lines coming in. Meyer knows how to win national championships; he has two more than every other Big Ten coach right now. Ohio State has everything in place to compete at the highest level, as evidenced by its three BCS title game appearances since 2003. Nebraska (2002) is the only other program in the league to make the championship game in the BCS era.

Meyer still has work to do to get the Buckeyes back among the nation's elite. Specifically, he has to recruit world-class athletes at the skill positions to run his offense effectively. But those players are easier to find than dominating defensive linemen, several of which he has already scooped up, and they can be plugged into the starting lineup more quickly than the guys in the trenches. That's why I believe Ohio State can contend for a title as soon as 2013, and definitely by 2014. The biggest difference for me between Ohio State and Michigan is that the Buckeyes will have an established veteran quarterback for the next three years in Braxton Miller, while the Wolverines will have to break in a new starter for Robinson next season.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Michigan State or Wisconsin break through and play for -- and possibly win -- a national championship in the next five years. But if I'm picking one program to do it, I'll take Ohio State.

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.

We always say around here that spring games are overrated from an information-gathering standpoint. Still, you can't blame fans for wanting to see their team in action, and those whose schools have new coaches were especially curious to see what things were looking like this spring.

That's one reason it's no surprise that Ohio State and Penn State had two of the three largest spring game crowds in the nation this year, according to Sports Business Daily.

The Buckeyes led the country in spring game attendance, with 81,112 coming out to get a glimpse of the new Urban Meyer regime. No one should be surprised by the passion for the Scarlet and Grey; Ohio State claims the all-time spring game record, with more than 95,000 showing up for the 2009 event.

Defending national champion Alabama was second with 78,526, followed by Penn State at 60,000. The Nittany Lions got a large turnout for Bill O'Brien's Beaver Stadium debut and the first spring game without Joe Paterno in half a century.

Spring game attendance is often largely dependent on the weather, and it must be said that weather conditions were truly terrible throughout most of the Big Ten for spring games. Rain and chilly temperatures were the norm, holding down crowds at places like Michigan and Michigan State. Storms canceled the Nebraska spring game, which surely would have been packed since the Huskers drew more than 66,000 last year and better than 77,000 the previous two spring games. Indiana and Purdue both moved their events indoors and mostly kept fans away to escape lightning.

So the numbers were lower than they should have been, but here is how other Big Ten schools ranked nationally in spring game attendance:

17. Michigan: 25,000
20: Michigan State: 20,000
31: Iowa: 15,000
36: Wisconsin: 10,479
53. Minnesota: 3,500
55. Illinois: 3,000

Note: Northwestern did not report its attendance for the spring game.

You can tell from this 2011 chart that the numbers were down from their averages in a lot of places. Let's hope for better weather next spring.

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.

• 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.