Reported by scout.com and John Decker: Link
Bloomington – A pair of players won’t be returning to the IU football program this fall. Indiana officials announced Wednesday that sophomore Shane Covington and senior Jarrod Smith won’t be with the team in the fall. Covington has decided to transfer, while a history of back injuries has brought an end to Smith’s collegiate career. A native of Milwaukee, Covington played sparingly during his two seasons in Bloomington. After redshirting in 2008 Covington saw action in five games last fall, all on special teams. Indiana’s depth at wide receiver prompted him to switch from wideout to safety this spring, but he didn’t make a dent on Indiana’s two-deep and appeared unlikely to play a significant role on IU’s defense this fall.
The 6’4”, 310-pound Smith, meanwhile, has been saddled with back injuries throughout his four seasons in Bloomington. He arrived at IU as one of the “Seven Blocks of Limestone” in 2006, and after a redshirt season saw action in 13 games from 2007-08, including a pair of starts. He moved to defensive tackle prior to the 2009 season and started the season opener against Eastern Kentucky, but finished the year with only two tackles and missed games with the back injury. While Smith’s departure have an impact on the available scholarships for the currently 2011 recruiting class, Covington’s departure does open an additional slot. Indiana has already secured 18 verbal commitments, putting them very close to the 85-man limit based on projected departures at season’s end.
Thoughts?
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
A look at the Big Ten's 3-headed monsters
Per Adam Rittenberg and ESPN Big Ten Blog:
A few weeks ago, Rivals.com took a look at the nation's top triplets: the best quarterback/running back/wide receiver combos. In ranking college football's top 15 triplets, Rivals singled out both Ohio State (No. 7) and Wisconsin (No. 9) from the Big Ten. The Badgers' triple threat of quarterback Scott Tolzien, running back John Clay and wide receiver Nick Toon "isn't as flashy as some others on this list but ... get the job done." For Ohio State, Rivals lists Terrelle Pryor, Dan Herron and DeVier Posey, noting that Pryor could be a Heisman candidate and Posey "has big-time speed and is a top-flight deep threat." Whether Herron or Brandon Saine is the running back, the Buckeyes' offensive combo has the potential to be dangerous. Both groups are deserving, although I'd probably put Wisconsin's group ahead of Ohio State's, mainly because of Clay. Who are some other notable three-headed monsters in the Big Ten? I came up with a few. Note: I only considered teams that had quarterbacks with Big Ten experience and weren't significantly lacking at one of the positions.
INDIANA QB: Ben Chappell RB: Darius Willis WR: Tandon Doss Rationale: I really, really like this group, especially if Willis can stay healthy. Chappell passed for 2,941 yards last season, and Doss averaged 12.5 yards per catch while ranking third in the league in receptions. Willis has home-run ability, as he showed against Michigan, Northwestern and others, and if he can develop some consistency, Indiana's combination should be very dangerous.
IOWA QB: Ricky Stanzi RB: Adam Robinson or Jewel Hampton or Brandon Wegher WR: Marvin McNutt or Derrell Johnson-Koulianos Rationale: Stanzi can be criticized for his interceptions, but he also made a ton of big plays for the Hawkeyes last season. Both McNutt and DJK can really stretch the field -- McNutt averaged 19.8 yards a catch, DJK averaged 16.7 yards a catch -- and all three running backs have proven themselves to varying degrees in big games. If pressed to choose a big-play running back and wide receiver, I'd probably go with Hampton and McNutt.
MICHIGAN STATE QB: Kirk Cousins RB: Larry Caper or Edwin Baker WR: Keshawn Martin or Mark Dell or B.J. Cunningham or Keith Nichol Rationale: Michigan State might have more overall depth at these three positions than any team in the Big Ten. Cousins passed for 2,680 yards last season, and Martin has the potential to be a major big-play receiver this fall. Both Caper and Baker showed flashes as true freshmen. If pressed to choose a running back and a receiver, I'd go with Caper and Martin.
MICHIGAN QB: Tate Forcier or Denard Robinson RB: Vincent Smith WR: Roy Roundtree Rationale: Forcier and Robinson both showcased big-play ability in 2009, the former with his arm and legs and the latter mostly with his legs. Michigan obviously has several running backs competing for playing time, but Smith boasts a lot of potential after averaging 5.8 yards a carry in limited work in 2009. Roundtree averaged 13.6 yards a catch last fall and hauled in a 97-yard touchdown from Robinson in the spring game. If I had to decide a QB, I'd go with Forcier, although both are good big-play options.
IU with another rapid recruiting start
Per Adam Rittenberg and the Big Ten Blog:
It's no longer a coincidence. Indiana's approach to recruiting can now be labeled a strategy, and it appears to be paying off. Of the 25 players Indiana signed in February, 21 made verbal commitments before the 2009 season kicked off. Head coach Bill Lynch and his staff received six commitments last June and a whopping 11 commits last July. Tight end Paul Phillips was the only Hoosiers recruit to say yes after the calendar flipped to 2010. And Indiana's total doesn't even include players like Jibreel Black, a decorated defensive end who committed to IU in June before re-opening his recruitment and eventually landing at Michigan. The Hoosiers once again have started extremely fast for 2011 recruiting, landing their 17th verbal commitment Tuesday from offensive lineman Jalen Schlachter, who had offers from Wisconsin and Missouri, among others. Indiana has surged past Ohio State (15 verbals) for the most in the conference. The Hoosiers have more commits than Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Penn State combined. They have 16 more verbals than the Nittany Lions (1). Does a bunch of early verbals equate to a great recruiting class? No. But Indiana seems to be doing a job of not only targeting solid prospects, but ones who will say yes early in the process. The Hoosiers also have covered themselves if a few commits decide to sign elsewhere. Colleague Bill Kurelic writes:
Other than Schlachter, Lynch's other big commitments include one of the top athletes in the state of Michigan in defensive back Raymon Taylor (Highland Park, Mich./Highland Park) who picked Indiana over Wisconsin and Illinois, linebacker Max Pirman (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville) who turned down offers from Nebraska and Kansas, as well as in-state prospects quarterback Tre Roberson (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central), defensive back Ken Mullen (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Luers), tight end Jake Reed (Columbus, Ind./North) and defensive back Nick Stoner (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove). Lynch and the Indiana staff have a very solid base of commitments. They can now hone in on prospects to fill their remaining open spots and have plenty of time remaining to do so.The (Bloomington) Herald-Times' Chris Korman further explains Indiana's approach (subscription required):
Five years into the post-Gerry DiNardo era -- and those years, of course, were not stable due to the illness and death of Terry Hoeppner -- this staff has established strong roots in the area around Detroit. It has mined Ohio heavily, and especially the smaller schools; several of IU’s coaches played college ball in the state and most of them coached there. That they have an intimate knowledge of parts of the state that aren't tread upon regularly by other major programs has become quite apparent.The final verdict on Indiana's recruiting class won't be known until February. But you have to like the aggressive approach and early scouting from a program that doesn't have the luxury to sit back and wait for prospects to come knocking on its door.
It's no longer a coincidence. Indiana's approach to recruiting can now be labeled a strategy, and it appears to be paying off. Of the 25 players Indiana signed in February, 21 made verbal commitments before the 2009 season kicked off. Head coach Bill Lynch and his staff received six commitments last June and a whopping 11 commits last July. Tight end Paul Phillips was the only Hoosiers recruit to say yes after the calendar flipped to 2010. And Indiana's total doesn't even include players like Jibreel Black, a decorated defensive end who committed to IU in June before re-opening his recruitment and eventually landing at Michigan. The Hoosiers once again have started extremely fast for 2011 recruiting, landing their 17th verbal commitment Tuesday from offensive lineman Jalen Schlachter, who had offers from Wisconsin and Missouri, among others. Indiana has surged past Ohio State (15 verbals) for the most in the conference. The Hoosiers have more commits than Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Penn State combined. They have 16 more verbals than the Nittany Lions (1). Does a bunch of early verbals equate to a great recruiting class? No. But Indiana seems to be doing a job of not only targeting solid prospects, but ones who will say yes early in the process. The Hoosiers also have covered themselves if a few commits decide to sign elsewhere. Colleague Bill Kurelic writes:
Other than Schlachter, Lynch's other big commitments include one of the top athletes in the state of Michigan in defensive back Raymon Taylor (Highland Park, Mich./Highland Park) who picked Indiana over Wisconsin and Illinois, linebacker Max Pirman (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville) who turned down offers from Nebraska and Kansas, as well as in-state prospects quarterback Tre Roberson (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central), defensive back Ken Mullen (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Luers), tight end Jake Reed (Columbus, Ind./North) and defensive back Nick Stoner (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove). Lynch and the Indiana staff have a very solid base of commitments. They can now hone in on prospects to fill their remaining open spots and have plenty of time remaining to do so.The (Bloomington) Herald-Times' Chris Korman further explains Indiana's approach (subscription required):
Five years into the post-Gerry DiNardo era -- and those years, of course, were not stable due to the illness and death of Terry Hoeppner -- this staff has established strong roots in the area around Detroit. It has mined Ohio heavily, and especially the smaller schools; several of IU’s coaches played college ball in the state and most of them coached there. That they have an intimate knowledge of parts of the state that aren't tread upon regularly by other major programs has become quite apparent.The final verdict on Indiana's recruiting class won't be known until February. But you have to like the aggressive approach and early scouting from a program that doesn't have the luxury to sit back and wait for prospects to come knocking on its door.
Hoosiers Add WR
Per the Hoosier Scoop: Video Link
It’s been apparent for most of the offseason that Indiana has been focusing its recruiting efforts on defense and the offensive line, essentially anywhere but the offensive skill positions.
Through Tuesday night when word of offensive lineman Jalen Schlachter’s commitment broke, the Hoosiers had 17 recruits for the Class of 2011 and only two of them were in an offensive skill position — Lawrence Central quarterback Tre Roberson and Columbus North tight end Jake Reed, expected by many to serve as a blocking tight end.
But on Wednesday afternoon, word surfaced that IU had also received a commitment Tuesday night from Jay McCants, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound wide receiver from Princeton High School in Cincinnati. He’s the first player the Hoosiers have added in more than two months who will be getting the ball in his hand by design.
“He’s a big possession receiver,” Princeton coach Bill Leach said. “So we just split him out wide and forced teams to match up. He’s got the speed to stretch the field, and he’s a big physical target to. Most of the time, we split hm out by himself, but sometimes we would bring him in and put him in different places to get mismatches. We would move him around and create problems.”
McCants was the primary target for Spencer Ware, a dual-threat quarterback who signed with Louisiana State for the 2010 class and will play running back for the Tigers. McCants had 29 receptions for 446 yards and a touchdown in Princeton’s spread offense.
“We can line him up on the boundary right now, and just run a 7-yard hitch to him until they come up on it or drop somebody underneath,” Leach said. “And if they cheat, we can just have him run a go route. … We can just throw it up to him and have him go get it. He’s a great athlete.”
McCants reportedly had an offer from Buffalo and interest from Michigan State, Illinois, Wisconsin, Purdue, Cincinnati, Louisville and West Virginia.
It’s been apparent for most of the offseason that Indiana has been focusing its recruiting efforts on defense and the offensive line, essentially anywhere but the offensive skill positions.
Through Tuesday night when word of offensive lineman Jalen Schlachter’s commitment broke, the Hoosiers had 17 recruits for the Class of 2011 and only two of them were in an offensive skill position — Lawrence Central quarterback Tre Roberson and Columbus North tight end Jake Reed, expected by many to serve as a blocking tight end.
But on Wednesday afternoon, word surfaced that IU had also received a commitment Tuesday night from Jay McCants, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound wide receiver from Princeton High School in Cincinnati. He’s the first player the Hoosiers have added in more than two months who will be getting the ball in his hand by design.
“He’s a big possession receiver,” Princeton coach Bill Leach said. “So we just split him out wide and forced teams to match up. He’s got the speed to stretch the field, and he’s a big physical target to. Most of the time, we split hm out by himself, but sometimes we would bring him in and put him in different places to get mismatches. We would move him around and create problems.”
McCants was the primary target for Spencer Ware, a dual-threat quarterback who signed with Louisiana State for the 2010 class and will play running back for the Tigers. McCants had 29 receptions for 446 yards and a touchdown in Princeton’s spread offense.
“We can line him up on the boundary right now, and just run a 7-yard hitch to him until they come up on it or drop somebody underneath,” Leach said. “And if they cheat, we can just have him run a go route. … We can just throw it up to him and have him go get it. He’s a great athlete.”
McCants reportedly had an offer from Buffalo and interest from Michigan State, Illinois, Wisconsin, Purdue, Cincinnati, Louisville and West Virginia.
Schlachter Gives IU Another
Per Scout.com: A video is posted on the site.
Corunna (Mich.) offensive tackle Jalen Schlachter committed to Indiana today. The 6'6, and now 300-lb senior to be told Scout.com the news.
"I committed just a little bit ago. The coaches are really excited." he reported.
At the recent Sound Mind, Sound Body camp, Schlacther pointed to the coaching staff and the campus as major pluses for the Hoosiers. He chose them over offers from Central Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
Schlachter recently camped at Michigan State, and although he was not offered, it was possible that he could have earned one down the line. Still, he decided that he had found the right place for him in Indiana.
"No hard feelings to MSU. I still have a lot of respect for them and wish them the best."
Scout's Take: Indiana now has three commits from Michigan with Raymon Taylor and Shafer Johnson as the others, and all three can play. Schlachter is getting bigger and bigger. The more I see him, and the more he grows, the more I think he could play guard too. He's a strong kid who does well in track and field, and I think the work he has put in to get stronger and add weight this off-season has made him more college ready. He's also a great kid who will fit in well and be a positive locker room presence in Indiana.
Corunna (Mich.) offensive tackle Jalen Schlachter committed to Indiana today. The 6'6, and now 300-lb senior to be told Scout.com the news.
"I committed just a little bit ago. The coaches are really excited." he reported.
At the recent Sound Mind, Sound Body camp, Schlacther pointed to the coaching staff and the campus as major pluses for the Hoosiers. He chose them over offers from Central Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
Schlachter recently camped at Michigan State, and although he was not offered, it was possible that he could have earned one down the line. Still, he decided that he had found the right place for him in Indiana.
"No hard feelings to MSU. I still have a lot of respect for them and wish them the best."
Scout's Take: Indiana now has three commits from Michigan with Raymon Taylor and Shafer Johnson as the others, and all three can play. Schlachter is getting bigger and bigger. The more I see him, and the more he grows, the more I think he could play guard too. He's a strong kid who does well in track and field, and I think the work he has put in to get stronger and add weight this off-season has made him more college ready. He's also a great kid who will fit in well and be a positive locker room presence in Indiana.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Commits Keep Rolling
The Hoosier got another commitment today from offensive lineman Jalen Schlachter. He is listed at 6'6 and 273 lbs from Corunna (MI). He had offers from Wisconsin, Missouri and Central Michigan. So far, the coaching staff is putting together a very impressive class. If we can hold on to everyone, the coaching staff will have a very talented group coming into the program. He is a 3 star recruit and rated the 16th best prospect in the state of Michigan according to rivals.com.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
4 Star Commits to Hoosiers
4 star defensive back Raymon Taylor from Highland Park H.S. in Detroit announced his commitment to the Hoosiers earlier today. He is listed at 5'10 and 167 lbs. He had offers from Wisconsin, Illinois and Cincinnati among others. The Hoosiers now have 16 commits to there recruiting class. Here is the breakdown by stars so far.
4 Stars- 2
3 Stars- 9
2 Stars- 3
2 players have yet to be rated.
This class is shaping up to be a very good one. The staff has done a great job attracting solid talent to the 2011 class despite the recent struggles on the field. Everything is set in place to move this program forward. All that is left to do is to prove it on the field next season with victories.
4 Stars- 2
3 Stars- 9
2 Stars- 3
2 players have yet to be rated.
This class is shaping up to be a very good one. The staff has done a great job attracting solid talent to the 2011 class despite the recent struggles on the field. Everything is set in place to move this program forward. All that is left to do is to prove it on the field next season with victories.
Hoosiers Class up to 15
If you blinked... you probably missed a Hoosier commit. The Hoosiers got 3 more verbals this week. The Hoosiers grabbed 2 more players for the secondary and defensive end/offensive lineman. DB Mark Murphy is listed at 6'2 195 lbs and a 3 star from rivals.com. He also attends St. Vincent-St. Mary, which couldn't be a bad thing with a certain someone as an alumni. He also had offers from Arizona, Kent State and Air Force. The other defensive back is Kenny Mullen from Bishop Luers High School in Indiana. The Hoosiers currently have DB Lawrence Barnett from the same school. He is a bit undersized at 5'10 158 lbs but looks to be very quick and has time to put on some weight before he sees the field. The last Hoosier commit for the week is defensive end/offensive lineman CJ Robbins from LaSalle Peru High School in Illinois. He is 6'4 240 lbs and also a 3 star recruit on rivals.com. He had 6 other offers from mostly MAC schools. I will upload some video on the recruits shortly.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tandon Doss Ranked #14
in the Big Ten for the 2009 season according to Adam Rittenberg and the ESPN Big Ten Blog:
The Big Ten preseason player rankings, based on past performance and 2010 potential, continue with ... No. 14: Tandon Doss, WR, Indiana, Jr., 6-3, 195 2009 numbers: Finished second in the Big Ten in receiving average (80.2 ypg) and third in receptions per game (6.42); his 962 receiving yards ranked ninth nationally among underclassmen; eclipsed 100 all-purpose yards in eight games, including seven of Indiana's last nine contests. Most recent ranking: Unranked in the 2009 postseason player rankings. Making the case for Doss: My hope is that the preseason rankings are somewhat educational for those who don't closely follow the entire league. Here's another name you need to get to know right now. Doss came out of nowhere to record an extremely impressive sophomore season, and he should be even better in 2010. He finished just two receptions short of James Hardy's single-season team record and recorded five or more receptions in 11 of Indiana's 12 games. Doss earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media and drew some attention from NFL personnel evaluators, who want to see how he can build off the 2009 season. Indiana will throw the ball a ton this fall, and Doss will be Ben Chappell's No. 1 target after turning in a very impressive spring. The Hoosiers are making red zone offense a focal point after struggling near the goal line last year, and Doss' size and skills should provide a boost for Chappell.
The Big Ten preseason player rankings, based on past performance and 2010 potential, continue with ... No. 14: Tandon Doss, WR, Indiana, Jr., 6-3, 195 2009 numbers: Finished second in the Big Ten in receiving average (80.2 ypg) and third in receptions per game (6.42); his 962 receiving yards ranked ninth nationally among underclassmen; eclipsed 100 all-purpose yards in eight games, including seven of Indiana's last nine contests. Most recent ranking: Unranked in the 2009 postseason player rankings. Making the case for Doss: My hope is that the preseason rankings are somewhat educational for those who don't closely follow the entire league. Here's another name you need to get to know right now. Doss came out of nowhere to record an extremely impressive sophomore season, and he should be even better in 2010. He finished just two receptions short of James Hardy's single-season team record and recorded five or more receptions in 11 of Indiana's 12 games. Doss earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media and drew some attention from NFL personnel evaluators, who want to see how he can build off the 2009 season. Indiana will throw the ball a ton this fall, and Doss will be Ben Chappell's No. 1 target after turning in a very impressive spring. The Hoosiers are making red zone offense a focal point after struggling near the goal line last year, and Doss' size and skills should provide a boost for Chappell.
Big Ten Schedule Realignment
Per Adam Rittenberg and the ESPN Blog
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Big Ten had neatly drawn up its football schedules for the next three seasons before Nebraska joined the conference.
Now those dates and travel plans have all been tossed to the wind.
When conference officials and member athletic directors meet in late July or early August, they'll face a thicket of questions in a brave new world for the Big Ten.
With Nebraska on board as the Big Ten's 12th member, most likely starting in 2011, what will be the divisions in football? How should the conference schedule be set up? Where will the football championship game be played? Will there be different divisional alignments to balance other sports?
"We'll meet, talk about divisions, try to figure that piece out and talk about a process for a championship game and a location process," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said Wednesday. "There'll probably be other opinions in the room."
No doubt. Some will want the divisions based on geography. Others favor a balance of power.
"I honestly think it will be amenable," Minnesota AD Joel Maturi said. "We have a great group of AD's who see the big picture and get along. It may not be easy, but that is only because it is difficult and challenging. I really have no strong preference except the hope to continue some of our strong relationships/rivalries."
Even once a consensus is reached on a divisional setup, there are a multitude of other considerations.
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany acknowledged that just bringing Nebraska into the fold was only the first step.
"Making the integration successful, smooth and quick is the second," he said in announcing the expansion.
Conference officials and ADs are trying to set up a workable date to meet and discuss the concerns.
For instance, how many games will teams play within and outside their divisions?
"Really, it's probably our major focus," Smith said.
The general assumption is that the Big Ten will follow other conference models, splitting into two six-team divisions, with teams playing each of the other five teams in their division and then three teams in the other division on a rotating basis.
There is also some talk that football teams might eventually play a nine-game Big Ten schedule, five in the division and four out.
Even arriving at names for the divisions could be contentious -- North and South? East and West? Bo and Woody? Paterno and Osborne?
No matter how the schedules are drawn up, some schools likely will grumble quietly. The conference will try to preserve old rivalries, but there are no guarantees that all will be played annually. There's no question that new ones will be created.
"Rivalries grow up over time," said Tom Osborne, Nebraska's AD and the former coach of the football Cornhuskers.
Because they are in different conferences now, the enmity between Nebraska and Oklahoma may dim. Perhaps neighboring Iowa will offer a bit of bad blood for the Huskers.
"As time goes forward, because of proximity, because they're a very fine program, I would imagine it could grow into a rivalry of some kind," he said. "We've only played each other four times in the last 25 years or so, so there isn't quite the history, but we're looking forward to playing them, and there will be a lot of interest in those games."
Detroit, Chicago and Indianapolis already have expressed interest in hosting the Big Ten football championship.
After all the problems in football have been resolved, the ADs will address what to do with the 24 other Big Ten sports. The divisions set up for football might not work for women's volleyball or baseball.
"Just because it works for football doesn't mean it's going to work that way for everybody else," Smith said.
And there's always the possibility the conference could expand to 14, 16 or even more schools, creating a whole new stadium full of questions.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Big Ten had neatly drawn up its football schedules for the next three seasons before Nebraska joined the conference.
Now those dates and travel plans have all been tossed to the wind.
When conference officials and member athletic directors meet in late July or early August, they'll face a thicket of questions in a brave new world for the Big Ten.
With Nebraska on board as the Big Ten's 12th member, most likely starting in 2011, what will be the divisions in football? How should the conference schedule be set up? Where will the football championship game be played? Will there be different divisional alignments to balance other sports?
"We'll meet, talk about divisions, try to figure that piece out and talk about a process for a championship game and a location process," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said Wednesday. "There'll probably be other opinions in the room."
No doubt. Some will want the divisions based on geography. Others favor a balance of power.
"I honestly think it will be amenable," Minnesota AD Joel Maturi said. "We have a great group of AD's who see the big picture and get along. It may not be easy, but that is only because it is difficult and challenging. I really have no strong preference except the hope to continue some of our strong relationships/rivalries."
Even once a consensus is reached on a divisional setup, there are a multitude of other considerations.
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany acknowledged that just bringing Nebraska into the fold was only the first step.
"Making the integration successful, smooth and quick is the second," he said in announcing the expansion.
Conference officials and ADs are trying to set up a workable date to meet and discuss the concerns.
For instance, how many games will teams play within and outside their divisions?
"Really, it's probably our major focus," Smith said.
The general assumption is that the Big Ten will follow other conference models, splitting into two six-team divisions, with teams playing each of the other five teams in their division and then three teams in the other division on a rotating basis.
There is also some talk that football teams might eventually play a nine-game Big Ten schedule, five in the division and four out.
Even arriving at names for the divisions could be contentious -- North and South? East and West? Bo and Woody? Paterno and Osborne?
No matter how the schedules are drawn up, some schools likely will grumble quietly. The conference will try to preserve old rivalries, but there are no guarantees that all will be played annually. There's no question that new ones will be created.
"Rivalries grow up over time," said Tom Osborne, Nebraska's AD and the former coach of the football Cornhuskers.
Because they are in different conferences now, the enmity between Nebraska and Oklahoma may dim. Perhaps neighboring Iowa will offer a bit of bad blood for the Huskers.
"As time goes forward, because of proximity, because they're a very fine program, I would imagine it could grow into a rivalry of some kind," he said. "We've only played each other four times in the last 25 years or so, so there isn't quite the history, but we're looking forward to playing them, and there will be a lot of interest in those games."
Detroit, Chicago and Indianapolis already have expressed interest in hosting the Big Ten football championship.
After all the problems in football have been resolved, the ADs will address what to do with the 24 other Big Ten sports. The divisions set up for football might not work for women's volleyball or baseball.
"Just because it works for football doesn't mean it's going to work that way for everybody else," Smith said.
And there's always the possibility the conference could expand to 14, 16 or even more schools, creating a whole new stadium full of questions.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Big 12 Conference Survives
Per espn.com
The Big 12 is alive and kicking.
The University of Texas on Monday said it was staying in the Big 12, followed moments later by pledges from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M to remain in a league that had seemed to be falling apart last week when Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-10) decided to leave over the next two years.
The Texas announcement came shortly after Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott confirmed that Texas had declined an invitation to become the 12th member of his conference.
"University of Texas President Bill Powers has informed us that the 10 remaining schools in the Big 12 Conference intend to stay together," Scott said in a statement. "We are excited about the future of the Pac-10 Conference and we will continue to evaluate future expansion opportunities under the guidelines previously set forth by our Presidents and Chancellors."
Powers wouldn't give any details about why the school decided to stay put when asked by the AP. The school has scheduled a news conference for Tuesday morning.
Now the Big 12 its back, though there are still questions about how it will conduct its business.
Among those that still need to be answered by Big 12 commissioner Don Beebe is how and why the Big 12 will be more lucrative now, especially when it cannot hold a conference title game with only 10 members.
Beebe did not return phone messages Monday, but plans to hold a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.
Texas had a meeting Monday with the other remaining nine schools in the Big 12 about a TV deal included in a plan put together by Beebe that would keep the league intact with its current programs, according to multiple reports. The Dallas Morning News reported the cable TV deal is with Fox Sports.
Based on a TV deal in the works that could pay upwards of $25 million per year, Texas leaned toward staying in a 10-team Big 12 for the foreseeable future, Orangebloods.com reported, citing sources familiar with negotiations.
Texas stands to earn between $20 million and $25 million annually in television revenue in the reworked deal, including money from its own network, according to Orangebloods.com.
Millions of Reasons
Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma would reportedly each receive at least $20 million annually from a new Big 12 TV contract, comparable with what the top conference deals pay now.
BCS conference
Amount of contract
Big Ten
$242 million
SEC
$205 million
Big 12
$78 million
ACC
$67 million
Pacific-10
$58 million
Big East
$33 million
The Longhorns' network figures to generate between $3 million and $5 million, according to the Orangebloods.com report. Because the Big 12 has unequal revenue sharing, the deal will mean more money for Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, who all would receive at least $20 million annually from the new deal.
The other seven schools in the Big 12 would make between $14 million and $17 million, doubling what they currently receive in TV revenue.
Big 12 officials told member schools that the loss of the Denver television market and Nebraska would not weaken the league's negotiating position with TV networks as much as feared, a person with direct knowledge of discussions told The Associated Press.
Last year, Big 12 schools divided between $7 million and $10 million each depending on how many appearances they made on regional and national TV. At Big 12 meetings earlier this month, Beebe said he expected huge increases in rights fees from both Fox and ESPN.
The more lucrative contract with ESPN runs through the 2015-16 academic year, while the Fox deal is reportedly in its final two years.
The Big 12 has increased the financial reward for every one of its members since it began play in 1996. The Big 12 distributed $139 million to its members this past fiscal year, more than ever.
The news about the Longhorns, Sooners and the rest of the Big 12 South powers staying put was especially good for Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, Iowa State and Missouri -- the five schools in danger of being left homeless if the conference dissolved.
Baylor football coach Art Briles, a Texas native who has spent his entire career in the Long Star state, put it this way: "I got resuscitated. You can take your hands off my chest. ... I'm extremely excited, it's like being given new life."
As for the Pac-10 and Scott, who was trying to pull off a bold move that would have dramatically changed the landscape of college sports, they are left looking for at least one more member to get to 12 by 2012 when Colorado is set to join.
Scott's next target? Utah from the Mountain West Conference would seem a likely candidate.
Scott's plan was to add Texas (with Notre Dame the big prize in the conference expansion game) along with its main Big 12 South rivals -- Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.
Because Texas is the richest and most powerful of the Big 12 schools, the Longhorns were seen as the lynchpin to the deal. Wherever Texas decided to place its cash cow football program, the rest of the schools would seemingly fall in line.
But Texas A&M had represented a wild card, with school officials meeting with Pac-10 and SEC officials in recent days. If the Aggies were serious about leaving for the Southeastern Conference, no matter what Texas did, it was unclear whether that would have prompted the Longhorns, Sooners and the rest to decide the Big 12 was not worth saving with only nine members.
But that SEC flirtation turned out to be nothing more.
"Texas A&M is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference and will continue to be affiliated with the conference in the future," school president R. Bowen Loftin said in a statement.
Officials at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma issued similar statements, with OSU president Burns Hargis singling out Beebe for his "bold moves and intense efforts."
"The decision to stay in the Big 12 represents a consensus position which resulted from a collaborative effort with our colleagues in the conference," Oklahoma president David L. Boren and vice president and director of athletics Joe Castiglione said in a joint statement. "We value the strong working relationship that has been reaffirmed during this process among the conference members. We intend to work very hard to make the conference as lasting and dynamic as possible. We appreciate the respect and interest that has been shown to OU during this process."
The news that the Big 12 survived spread quickly.
"That's great news," said Scott Drew, whose Baylor men's basketball team advanced to the South regional final in the NCAA tournament a few months ago. "Obviously, we're very excited and pleased about the 10 schools staying together. It will be great to continue the rivalries and traditions."
Earlier Monday, ESPN reported the departure of Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to the Pac-10 was "imminent," citing four sources within the Big 12.
A source told ESPN's Joe Schad that Powers was taking a "global view" of the landscape, excited about the importance of aligning his school with research opportunities and academic reputations of schools in the Pac-10.
But clearly being able to come at least close to the Pac-10 financial projections, while being able to still launch a network, may have swayed Powers to change his mind.
The Big 12 is alive and kicking.
The University of Texas on Monday said it was staying in the Big 12, followed moments later by pledges from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M to remain in a league that had seemed to be falling apart last week when Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-10) decided to leave over the next two years.
The Texas announcement came shortly after Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott confirmed that Texas had declined an invitation to become the 12th member of his conference.
"University of Texas President Bill Powers has informed us that the 10 remaining schools in the Big 12 Conference intend to stay together," Scott said in a statement. "We are excited about the future of the Pac-10 Conference and we will continue to evaluate future expansion opportunities under the guidelines previously set forth by our Presidents and Chancellors."
Powers wouldn't give any details about why the school decided to stay put when asked by the AP. The school has scheduled a news conference for Tuesday morning.
Now the Big 12 its back, though there are still questions about how it will conduct its business.
Among those that still need to be answered by Big 12 commissioner Don Beebe is how and why the Big 12 will be more lucrative now, especially when it cannot hold a conference title game with only 10 members.
Beebe did not return phone messages Monday, but plans to hold a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.
Texas had a meeting Monday with the other remaining nine schools in the Big 12 about a TV deal included in a plan put together by Beebe that would keep the league intact with its current programs, according to multiple reports. The Dallas Morning News reported the cable TV deal is with Fox Sports.
Based on a TV deal in the works that could pay upwards of $25 million per year, Texas leaned toward staying in a 10-team Big 12 for the foreseeable future, Orangebloods.com reported, citing sources familiar with negotiations.
Texas stands to earn between $20 million and $25 million annually in television revenue in the reworked deal, including money from its own network, according to Orangebloods.com.
Millions of Reasons
Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma would reportedly each receive at least $20 million annually from a new Big 12 TV contract, comparable with what the top conference deals pay now.
BCS conference
Amount of contract
Big Ten
$242 million
SEC
$205 million
Big 12
$78 million
ACC
$67 million
Pacific-10
$58 million
Big East
$33 million
The Longhorns' network figures to generate between $3 million and $5 million, according to the Orangebloods.com report. Because the Big 12 has unequal revenue sharing, the deal will mean more money for Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, who all would receive at least $20 million annually from the new deal.
The other seven schools in the Big 12 would make between $14 million and $17 million, doubling what they currently receive in TV revenue.
Big 12 officials told member schools that the loss of the Denver television market and Nebraska would not weaken the league's negotiating position with TV networks as much as feared, a person with direct knowledge of discussions told The Associated Press.
Last year, Big 12 schools divided between $7 million and $10 million each depending on how many appearances they made on regional and national TV. At Big 12 meetings earlier this month, Beebe said he expected huge increases in rights fees from both Fox and ESPN.
The more lucrative contract with ESPN runs through the 2015-16 academic year, while the Fox deal is reportedly in its final two years.
The Big 12 has increased the financial reward for every one of its members since it began play in 1996. The Big 12 distributed $139 million to its members this past fiscal year, more than ever.
The news about the Longhorns, Sooners and the rest of the Big 12 South powers staying put was especially good for Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, Iowa State and Missouri -- the five schools in danger of being left homeless if the conference dissolved.
Baylor football coach Art Briles, a Texas native who has spent his entire career in the Long Star state, put it this way: "I got resuscitated. You can take your hands off my chest. ... I'm extremely excited, it's like being given new life."
As for the Pac-10 and Scott, who was trying to pull off a bold move that would have dramatically changed the landscape of college sports, they are left looking for at least one more member to get to 12 by 2012 when Colorado is set to join.
Scott's next target? Utah from the Mountain West Conference would seem a likely candidate.
Scott's plan was to add Texas (with Notre Dame the big prize in the conference expansion game) along with its main Big 12 South rivals -- Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.
Because Texas is the richest and most powerful of the Big 12 schools, the Longhorns were seen as the lynchpin to the deal. Wherever Texas decided to place its cash cow football program, the rest of the schools would seemingly fall in line.
But Texas A&M had represented a wild card, with school officials meeting with Pac-10 and SEC officials in recent days. If the Aggies were serious about leaving for the Southeastern Conference, no matter what Texas did, it was unclear whether that would have prompted the Longhorns, Sooners and the rest to decide the Big 12 was not worth saving with only nine members.
But that SEC flirtation turned out to be nothing more.
"Texas A&M is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference and will continue to be affiliated with the conference in the future," school president R. Bowen Loftin said in a statement.
Officials at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma issued similar statements, with OSU president Burns Hargis singling out Beebe for his "bold moves and intense efforts."
"The decision to stay in the Big 12 represents a consensus position which resulted from a collaborative effort with our colleagues in the conference," Oklahoma president David L. Boren and vice president and director of athletics Joe Castiglione said in a joint statement. "We value the strong working relationship that has been reaffirmed during this process among the conference members. We intend to work very hard to make the conference as lasting and dynamic as possible. We appreciate the respect and interest that has been shown to OU during this process."
The news that the Big 12 survived spread quickly.
"That's great news," said Scott Drew, whose Baylor men's basketball team advanced to the South regional final in the NCAA tournament a few months ago. "Obviously, we're very excited and pleased about the 10 schools staying together. It will be great to continue the rivalries and traditions."
Earlier Monday, ESPN reported the departure of Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to the Pac-10 was "imminent," citing four sources within the Big 12.
A source told ESPN's Joe Schad that Powers was taking a "global view" of the landscape, excited about the importance of aligning his school with research opportunities and academic reputations of schools in the Pac-10.
But clearly being able to come at least close to the Pac-10 financial projections, while being able to still launch a network, may have swayed Powers to change his mind.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Donte' Phillips 2011 DL: 09 Jr Highlights
It has just been announced that Wisconsin DT Donte' Phillips has just committed to Hoosiers. Check back later for more info on him.
Nebraska a Phenomenal Fit
Link
They met last month at a secret location to exchange materials on mission and branding and culture and finances — all those athletic-department buzzwords that make you want to flip the channel.But what struck Jim Delany, the Big Ten's buttoned-down commissioner, was something more emotional, something that led him Friday to call Nebraska a "phenomenal fit."Delany recalled Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne telling him about how Cornhuskers fans gave Texas' Ricky Williams a standing ovation after he rushed for 150 yards in a 1998 game — a 20-16 Longhorns victory.
"I thought: 'Wow, that's special. They get it,' " Delany said. "When you are proud of something like that, it's a distinguishing characteristic."It's not (about) dollars or cents or television or even academics. It's about culture and values. They thought a lot like we did in what we are trying to achieve in our venues."
So there you have it: Delany was turned on by Nebraska's sportsmanship. Probably didn't hurt that Nebraska has some of the nation's richest football tradition, has sold out 304 consecutive games at 81,067-seat Memorial Stadium, is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and resides in the Midwest.All those factors contributed to Nebraska's joining the league of Bo and Woody on Friday — the Big Ten's first addition since Penn State in 1990.And the Big Ten might not stop at 12, instead following Delany's "act and act again" model/forecast from one week ago.Delany called this period "a pause … a deep breath" and said the conference could take another six to 12 months before deciding whether to add more schools."We're back to the 'slower-tempo' sort of game," he said. "We will continue to study. If an opportunity presents itself, (we will) seize it. But it's very hard to predict the unpredictable. That's the environment we find ourselves in."Missouri is all but out of the picture, a victim of apparent Big Ten ambivalence.
"My understanding," Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe said Friday, "is there aren't any other conference members (that will be) considered by the Big Ten."Texas appears headed to the Pac-10 (along with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and possibly Texas A&M), but Longhorns officials won't make that announcement until Tuesday at the earliest.Notre Dame also remains a pipe dream, with athletic director Jack Swarbrick telling the Tribune the school has had "no substantive discussions" with the Big Ten.Sources say the Big Ten remains interested in not only Rutgers, but also Maryland, a school that has not received much attention from expansion observers.Maryland is a large public research institution in a Big Ten border state with two substantial TV markets (Washington and Baltimore) and a decent athletic history.Maryland is an AAU member and ranks 53rd nationally among public universities (tied with Ohio State and ahead of Purdue, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan State, Iowa and Nebraska) but has struggled to graduate its football and men's basketball players, producing weak Academic Progress Rate numbers.
But go back to Nebraska. Chancellor Harvey Perlman said a major attraction of the Big Ten was stability "that the Big 12 simply cannot offer."Not only that, but there's a promise of increased revenue once Nebraska becomes an equal member. The Big 12 paid out about $10 million to Nebraska in 2009, half of what Big Ten schools received.Perlman and Osborne also talked about fit."We don't feel like we're walking into a room of strangers," Perlman said.Added Osborne: "We feel we share a lot of common values with what we know of Big Ten institutions."
A few other keys:
•Nebraska will join the conference on July 1, 2011. "A quick turnaround," Delany called it. But not soon enough for Osborne. "Once you make the change, you'd like to do it tomorrow," he said.
•In determining how to break up the 12 (or 14 or 16) teams into divisions, Delany said the first priority will be "competitive fairness." Second is maintaining rivalries. Third is geography.
•Delany said he is "presuming" there will be a conference title game in 2011 and will consult former SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer on the logistics. Delany said the conference has not looked into possible venues.
•The vote among presidents and chancellors in favor of Nebraska was unanimous.
•Nebraska has been particularly strong in women's basketball, women's volleyball and baseball. Oh, and the women's bowling team is pretty decent. The men's basketball team, meanwhile, never has won an NCAA tournament game.
They met last month at a secret location to exchange materials on mission and branding and culture and finances — all those athletic-department buzzwords that make you want to flip the channel.But what struck Jim Delany, the Big Ten's buttoned-down commissioner, was something more emotional, something that led him Friday to call Nebraska a "phenomenal fit."Delany recalled Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne telling him about how Cornhuskers fans gave Texas' Ricky Williams a standing ovation after he rushed for 150 yards in a 1998 game — a 20-16 Longhorns victory.
"I thought: 'Wow, that's special. They get it,' " Delany said. "When you are proud of something like that, it's a distinguishing characteristic."It's not (about) dollars or cents or television or even academics. It's about culture and values. They thought a lot like we did in what we are trying to achieve in our venues."
So there you have it: Delany was turned on by Nebraska's sportsmanship. Probably didn't hurt that Nebraska has some of the nation's richest football tradition, has sold out 304 consecutive games at 81,067-seat Memorial Stadium, is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and resides in the Midwest.All those factors contributed to Nebraska's joining the league of Bo and Woody on Friday — the Big Ten's first addition since Penn State in 1990.And the Big Ten might not stop at 12, instead following Delany's "act and act again" model/forecast from one week ago.Delany called this period "a pause … a deep breath" and said the conference could take another six to 12 months before deciding whether to add more schools."We're back to the 'slower-tempo' sort of game," he said. "We will continue to study. If an opportunity presents itself, (we will) seize it. But it's very hard to predict the unpredictable. That's the environment we find ourselves in."Missouri is all but out of the picture, a victim of apparent Big Ten ambivalence.
"My understanding," Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe said Friday, "is there aren't any other conference members (that will be) considered by the Big Ten."Texas appears headed to the Pac-10 (along with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and possibly Texas A&M), but Longhorns officials won't make that announcement until Tuesday at the earliest.Notre Dame also remains a pipe dream, with athletic director Jack Swarbrick telling the Tribune the school has had "no substantive discussions" with the Big Ten.Sources say the Big Ten remains interested in not only Rutgers, but also Maryland, a school that has not received much attention from expansion observers.Maryland is a large public research institution in a Big Ten border state with two substantial TV markets (Washington and Baltimore) and a decent athletic history.Maryland is an AAU member and ranks 53rd nationally among public universities (tied with Ohio State and ahead of Purdue, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan State, Iowa and Nebraska) but has struggled to graduate its football and men's basketball players, producing weak Academic Progress Rate numbers.
But go back to Nebraska. Chancellor Harvey Perlman said a major attraction of the Big Ten was stability "that the Big 12 simply cannot offer."Not only that, but there's a promise of increased revenue once Nebraska becomes an equal member. The Big 12 paid out about $10 million to Nebraska in 2009, half of what Big Ten schools received.Perlman and Osborne also talked about fit."We don't feel like we're walking into a room of strangers," Perlman said.Added Osborne: "We feel we share a lot of common values with what we know of Big Ten institutions."
A few other keys:
•Nebraska will join the conference on July 1, 2011. "A quick turnaround," Delany called it. But not soon enough for Osborne. "Once you make the change, you'd like to do it tomorrow," he said.
•In determining how to break up the 12 (or 14 or 16) teams into divisions, Delany said the first priority will be "competitive fairness." Second is maintaining rivalries. Third is geography.
•Delany said he is "presuming" there will be a conference title game in 2011 and will consult former SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer on the logistics. Delany said the conference has not looked into possible venues.
•The vote among presidents and chancellors in favor of Nebraska was unanimous.
•Nebraska has been particularly strong in women's basketball, women's volleyball and baseball. Oh, and the women's bowling team is pretty decent. The men's basketball team, meanwhile, never has won an NCAA tournament game.
Big Ten appears to close the door on Mizzou
Link
Missouri’s chance of receiving an offer from the Big Ten Conference appeared to slam shut this afternoon when Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said there weren’t any other Big 12 members “being pursued by the Big Ten at this time.”
But MU athletic director Mike Alden told The Star that he is not ready to close the door on the Big Ten.
“We don’t have knowledge of that,” Alden said. “To me that certainly is speculative, that deal. I appreciate the commissioner saying what he said. But we don’t know that to be accurate or not.”
Beebe made his comments on a national teleconference after Nebraska announced it was joining the Big Ten. Beebe said he spoke earlier in the day with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany and Beebe said he believed the Big Ten was done shopping in the Big 12.
Delany, speaking later in the afternoon at a news conference in Lincoln, Neb., said the Big Ten will adhere to its original timetable when it comes to further expansion possibilities.
“We’re going to pause,” Delany said as he was welcoming the University of Nebraska to his conference on Friday.
In December, the conference said the process would take 12-to-18 months, but the Cornhuskers were fast-tracked.
The Big Ten may not be finished growing after adding the Cornhuskers as its 12th member. Delany said his conference won’t sit idly by if there are other changes in the college sports landscape.
“We’re still open, we’re aware of what’s going on,” Delany said. “Change won’t abate anytime soon.
“But we’re in a great place. We’re stronger today than we were yesterday.”
Earlier in the day, University of Missouri system president Gary Forsee increased his level of rhetoric in assuring that Missouri will not be left without an equitable position in the changing landscape of major college athletics.
Forsee and other MU officials also took issue with the notion — as one questioner put it — that Mizzou may have “started the hillside on fire” in so quickly responding to the Big Ten’s expansion announcement last December.
“I don’t think that would be accurate,” Forsee said during a news briefing at which he and Board of Curators chairperson Judy Haggard fielded questions.
“Trace chapter and verse. That would be very inaccurate.
“The match was the Big Ten talking about expansion. What’s happened since that period of time, if you go back and look at comments made by us or anybody else, we were only doing what you would expect any institution — whether you’re sitting here or in Lawrence, Kansas, or Waco, Texas.
“Did we contribute more or less than any other institution in the Big 12 or nationally? No. I think we’ve all been caught up in now this national discussion that certainly has spread beyond the Big Ten, and the Big 12 is certainly in the middle of that.”
After Nebraska’s exit to the Big Ten was on, Nebraska president Harvey Perlman reminded his regents that Nebraska wasn’t the first to be associated with Big Ten expansion, pointing out Missouri and Colorado.
“Early on, after the Big Ten announced it was considering expansion, officials at Missouri said they wanted to go to the Big Ten, including statements by their governor with comments that were not clearly supportive of the Big 12,” Perlman said. “Colorado has always been mentioned as poised between the Pac-10 and the Big 12."
Alden, aware of Perlman’s comments, later spoke even more forcefully to that issue in terms of Missouri’s expansion stance causing rifts within the Big 12.
“I’ve heard that suggestion out there,” Alden said. “And I would tell you, that’s ridiculous. That is silly.”
Missouri’s chance of receiving an offer from the Big Ten Conference appeared to slam shut this afternoon when Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said there weren’t any other Big 12 members “being pursued by the Big Ten at this time.”
But MU athletic director Mike Alden told The Star that he is not ready to close the door on the Big Ten.
“We don’t have knowledge of that,” Alden said. “To me that certainly is speculative, that deal. I appreciate the commissioner saying what he said. But we don’t know that to be accurate or not.”
Beebe made his comments on a national teleconference after Nebraska announced it was joining the Big Ten. Beebe said he spoke earlier in the day with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany and Beebe said he believed the Big Ten was done shopping in the Big 12.
Delany, speaking later in the afternoon at a news conference in Lincoln, Neb., said the Big Ten will adhere to its original timetable when it comes to further expansion possibilities.
“We’re going to pause,” Delany said as he was welcoming the University of Nebraska to his conference on Friday.
In December, the conference said the process would take 12-to-18 months, but the Cornhuskers were fast-tracked.
The Big Ten may not be finished growing after adding the Cornhuskers as its 12th member. Delany said his conference won’t sit idly by if there are other changes in the college sports landscape.
“We’re still open, we’re aware of what’s going on,” Delany said. “Change won’t abate anytime soon.
“But we’re in a great place. We’re stronger today than we were yesterday.”
Earlier in the day, University of Missouri system president Gary Forsee increased his level of rhetoric in assuring that Missouri will not be left without an equitable position in the changing landscape of major college athletics.
Forsee and other MU officials also took issue with the notion — as one questioner put it — that Mizzou may have “started the hillside on fire” in so quickly responding to the Big Ten’s expansion announcement last December.
“I don’t think that would be accurate,” Forsee said during a news briefing at which he and Board of Curators chairperson Judy Haggard fielded questions.
“Trace chapter and verse. That would be very inaccurate.
“The match was the Big Ten talking about expansion. What’s happened since that period of time, if you go back and look at comments made by us or anybody else, we were only doing what you would expect any institution — whether you’re sitting here or in Lawrence, Kansas, or Waco, Texas.
“Did we contribute more or less than any other institution in the Big 12 or nationally? No. I think we’ve all been caught up in now this national discussion that certainly has spread beyond the Big Ten, and the Big 12 is certainly in the middle of that.”
After Nebraska’s exit to the Big Ten was on, Nebraska president Harvey Perlman reminded his regents that Nebraska wasn’t the first to be associated with Big Ten expansion, pointing out Missouri and Colorado.
“Early on, after the Big Ten announced it was considering expansion, officials at Missouri said they wanted to go to the Big Ten, including statements by their governor with comments that were not clearly supportive of the Big 12,” Perlman said. “Colorado has always been mentioned as poised between the Pac-10 and the Big 12."
Alden, aware of Perlman’s comments, later spoke even more forcefully to that issue in terms of Missouri’s expansion stance causing rifts within the Big 12.
“I’ve heard that suggestion out there,” Alden said. “And I would tell you, that’s ridiculous. That is silly.”
It's Official
Bo Pelini's answer came as no surprise. He's focused on the here and now. So even though the plan is for Nebraska to begin competing in the Big Ten in 2011, Pelini is looking no further than the upcoming season, the Cornhuskers' last in the Big 12.That was his response to a question during Friday's news conference to announce Nebraska's move to the Big Ten. He also was asked his feelings about setting traditions aside."I'm not a real emotional guy," Pelini said with a smile and a nod.Not "emotional?" Then why the laughter as he walked from the podium? Maybe "not sentimental" was what he meant. Who better to address the issue of Nebraska's joining the Big Ten than Pelini, a Youngstown, Ohio, native and Ohio State grad, Class of 1990? Oh yes, he also got his coaching start as a graduate assistant at Iowa.
Of course, he's been at Nebraska for only three football seasons, the first as defensive coordinator and the last two as head coach. So setting aside tradition isn't as big of a deal to him.The situation is different for Athletic Director Tom Osborne, however. He grew up in the state and was a graduate assistant on Bob Devaney's first staff in 1962. "There's a little bit of nostalgia because you realize some of the history's going by the wayside," said Osborne. "But for the long-term trajectory of the athletic program and the university, this is really an important day."Tradition or not, Nebraska had to look out for its own interests in the context of unmistakable uncertainty regarding the long-term viability of the Big 12 Conference. "Life goes on," Osborne said. "It isn't that we weren't sensitive (to tradition). Believe me, I agonized about this."But he and Chancellor Harvey Perlman concluded "this probably wasn't going to hold together."
The truth is the Big 12 had become dysfunctional, if it ever had the cohesion, the shared culture among its members, necessary for the conference to survive, much less thrive. Osborne and Perlman never said that. Their comments about the Big 12 were complimentary, devoid of animosity. Their decision to leave for the Big Ten was practical not personal.Nebraska definitely will fit the Big Ten culture. "That's one thing I mentioned quite often was culture today when I was talking, and I just think that it's a comfortable fit," Osborne said. "It doesn't mean that we're going to agree 100 percent of the time, but I do think that there's a lot of similarity, an emphasis on work ethic, a lot of people are fairly blue-collar, pretty good values throughout the Midwest. So I think that's going to help."The Big Ten did its due diligence before accepting Nebraska."I think (Commissioner) Jim Delany is a really bright guy, and when we met with him a week or so ago, I was impressed by the fact he said, 'You know, we've seen so many conferences just kind of get smashed together without any preparatory work, any idea of how you're going to merge these cultures or these philosophies,' " said Osborne. "And he said, 'This is a big deal, and the reason some of these don't work so well is because that forethought and that preparation didn't occur.'"So he's sincere. He wants to make sure our fans and our people really get to know more about him, get to know more about the Big Ten, and he's going to try to make it work."Delany was right, said Osborne, "that sometimes the reason conferences come apart is you assume everybody understands each other and you assume the culture's common, and all of sudden you get thrust together and you realize it really isn't the way you thought."
Delany came to Lincoln for Friday's announcement. And he was impressive, all right. He had a block-N pin on his lapel. He wore a red and white striped tie. And he was conversant with Cornhusker football history. He also was focused on the here and now."Fit is very important," he said.Nebraska is a good fit for the Big Ten, whether or not the move elicits emotion from Pelini."You would've got the same response if we joined the NFL," said Perlman.
Of course, he's been at Nebraska for only three football seasons, the first as defensive coordinator and the last two as head coach. So setting aside tradition isn't as big of a deal to him.The situation is different for Athletic Director Tom Osborne, however. He grew up in the state and was a graduate assistant on Bob Devaney's first staff in 1962. "There's a little bit of nostalgia because you realize some of the history's going by the wayside," said Osborne. "But for the long-term trajectory of the athletic program and the university, this is really an important day."Tradition or not, Nebraska had to look out for its own interests in the context of unmistakable uncertainty regarding the long-term viability of the Big 12 Conference. "Life goes on," Osborne said. "It isn't that we weren't sensitive (to tradition). Believe me, I agonized about this."But he and Chancellor Harvey Perlman concluded "this probably wasn't going to hold together."
The truth is the Big 12 had become dysfunctional, if it ever had the cohesion, the shared culture among its members, necessary for the conference to survive, much less thrive. Osborne and Perlman never said that. Their comments about the Big 12 were complimentary, devoid of animosity. Their decision to leave for the Big Ten was practical not personal.Nebraska definitely will fit the Big Ten culture. "That's one thing I mentioned quite often was culture today when I was talking, and I just think that it's a comfortable fit," Osborne said. "It doesn't mean that we're going to agree 100 percent of the time, but I do think that there's a lot of similarity, an emphasis on work ethic, a lot of people are fairly blue-collar, pretty good values throughout the Midwest. So I think that's going to help."The Big Ten did its due diligence before accepting Nebraska."I think (Commissioner) Jim Delany is a really bright guy, and when we met with him a week or so ago, I was impressed by the fact he said, 'You know, we've seen so many conferences just kind of get smashed together without any preparatory work, any idea of how you're going to merge these cultures or these philosophies,' " said Osborne. "And he said, 'This is a big deal, and the reason some of these don't work so well is because that forethought and that preparation didn't occur.'"So he's sincere. He wants to make sure our fans and our people really get to know more about him, get to know more about the Big Ten, and he's going to try to make it work."Delany was right, said Osborne, "that sometimes the reason conferences come apart is you assume everybody understands each other and you assume the culture's common, and all of sudden you get thrust together and you realize it really isn't the way you thought."
Delany came to Lincoln for Friday's announcement. And he was impressive, all right. He had a block-N pin on his lapel. He wore a red and white striped tie. And he was conversant with Cornhusker football history. He also was focused on the here and now."Fit is very important," he said.Nebraska is a good fit for the Big Ten, whether or not the move elicits emotion from Pelini."You would've got the same response if we joined the NFL," said Perlman.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
More on Vanhoose
More info:#7 / Graham / Nick Vanhoose / CB & TB / 6' 1" / 188# / Jr-2011 / 4.36-40 /***2009 - 10 games 186 carries for 1,877 yards & 25 TD's on the ground, 6 catches for 50 yards receiving. Vanhoose had 5 games of 200+ yards rushing and broke 2 school season records. As a corner he had 5 INT's and 12 PBU's. Special player that stands out once th tape starts rolling, Vanhoose lights up all the camps coming out on top of the DI & DII Blue Chippers! Vanhoose is also the Falcons place Kicker, #7 is a legitimate candidate for Mr. Ohio Football if Grahams has another good season, can you say 4K yards & 50 TD's in 2 years & he is a legit DI corner. Basketball Nick was the conference player of the year, district 9 player of the year. Nick led the league in steals and broke single game school record for steals in a game with 10. Graham basketball team played top competition this year with games vs. Akron St. Vincent St. Mary and St. Edward Nick had a fast steal into a fast break dunk against St. Edward to get us within 5 late in the game.
*****Nick ran a 4.36 @ Bowling Green football camp June 2010! "Nick is extremely motivated, comes from a blue collar family, works on his own and does extra whenever possible to make himself better, he is a pleasure to coach because he is so self motivated & ultra competitive. He has a 3.5 GPA and a steal to whoever offers him". Nic Black, HC Graham High School. Offensive Player of the Year CBC in 2009 & 2nd Team All State. ***DI Offers - Ball State U & Indiana!
http://www.swohiofootball.com/...4_2011-SWOF-100
Look out for St. Paris Graham RB/WR/DB Nick VanHoose. He is a gifted athlete at 6'2 170 lbs. and he can flat out fly. I'm trying to get a 40 time but he was just severely under-utilized the past couple seasons and he is finally getting the ball. He had 280 yards and 3 TD's against Tipp City last weekend on 37 carries. I'm going to watch him tomorrow night and I will give a report. The area has fairly weak competition that will produce a D1 player here and there, but I think his talent will be difficult to ignore. He is fast but he doesn't lose speed off his cuts and gets upfield in a hurry. He can also catch the ball and has pretty loose hips in the secondary. He is rail thin but he can put on some good weight when he focuses on lifting in the offseason. He will get some D1 offers imo and he may just end up getting looked at by OSU .I got to see VanHoose last night and man is he a talent. I see a Big 10 caliber player at least, though his name is just starting to surface. He is a toothpick but he'll put on weight in college when he settles on football (he plays bball as well). His acceleration and ability to find the seam and hit full boar is something else. The only question mark may be his position, as he isn't likely going to be an every down back but I think he would make a heck of a slot receiver, as he has good hands.
VanHoose Commits to Hoosiers
per scout.com
Bloomington – Indiana is getting a little bit of everything in Nick VanHoose. VanHoose, meanwhile, is getting exactly what he wanted. The 6’1”, 180-pounder from Graham H.S. in St. Paris, Ohio, verbally committed to the Hoosier football program Wednesday, becoming the ninth member of Bill Lynch’s 2011 recruiting class.
VanHoose has been a do-it-all player at Graham H.S., starring on both sides of the ball. As a junior he rushed for 1,877 yards and 25 touchdowns on offense, while adding five interceptions and 12 passes broken up as a cornerback on defense. He also handled the team’s kicking and return duties for good measure.
VanHoose’s skills aren’t limited to the football field. He’s also a gifted basketball player, averaging a team-high 15.8 points, 3.3 assists and 3.4 steals while earning Area Player of the Year honors this past spring after leading his team to a 20-4 mark.
“He’s one of the highest quality kids they could get,” Graham H.S. Football Coach Nic Black said. “He’s extremely explosive and sudden athletically. He does it all for us, and if we have another good year next fall I think he’s a legitimate candidate for Mr. Football.
“I thought all along he’d be a steal for any program.”
That program is Indiana, a school that isn’t necessarily used to going into Ohio and luring potential players of the year out of the Buckeye state. But a pre-existing relationship helped open the door for the Hoosiers, and a subsequent trip to Bloomington sealed the deal.
IU assistant coach Brian George, a fellow Graham H.S. product, is VanHoose’s recruiter. Black said George’s family has known the VanHooses for years, and the IU assistant coach has known Nick since he was a youngster. That familiarity was big in convincing VanHoose that IU was the right fit.
“Nick said he didn’t want to go more than four hours away, so home is important to him, and having a comfort level is important to him,” Black said. “He had that comfort level with IU, Coach George and Coach (Bill) Lynch. That sold him.”
Another big selling point was a spring trip to Bloomington. That provided VanHoose with an opportunity to see Indiana’s new football facilities, which provided further evidence that it was a good fit.
“When he visited in the spring, the facilities blew him away,” Black said. “I think after that trip that he felt that if IU offered, he was going.
“For him, getting an IU offer wasn’t a bargaining chip for Ohio State or another program. He had a dream in mind, and if he got a chance, he was going to take it.”
That’s good news for Indiana, which is getting a player than ran a 4.36 in the 40 at a recent workout at Bowling Green. While Indiana was one of the first to offer a scholarship to the small school star, Black has little doubt about the number of scholarships VanHoose could have received if he’d opted to wait longer, or about the prospects for him making a major impact at Indiana.
“He’s not a kid who wanted to let it go on and on,” Black said. “He went to Indiana in the spring and fell in love with the whole thing, the atmosphere. Had he not committed when he did, we’d be talking about a kid with 15 offers. I think he was ready for himself to be settled and know where he’s going.”
Bloomington – Indiana is getting a little bit of everything in Nick VanHoose. VanHoose, meanwhile, is getting exactly what he wanted. The 6’1”, 180-pounder from Graham H.S. in St. Paris, Ohio, verbally committed to the Hoosier football program Wednesday, becoming the ninth member of Bill Lynch’s 2011 recruiting class.
VanHoose has been a do-it-all player at Graham H.S., starring on both sides of the ball. As a junior he rushed for 1,877 yards and 25 touchdowns on offense, while adding five interceptions and 12 passes broken up as a cornerback on defense. He also handled the team’s kicking and return duties for good measure.
VanHoose’s skills aren’t limited to the football field. He’s also a gifted basketball player, averaging a team-high 15.8 points, 3.3 assists and 3.4 steals while earning Area Player of the Year honors this past spring after leading his team to a 20-4 mark.
“He’s one of the highest quality kids they could get,” Graham H.S. Football Coach Nic Black said. “He’s extremely explosive and sudden athletically. He does it all for us, and if we have another good year next fall I think he’s a legitimate candidate for Mr. Football.
“I thought all along he’d be a steal for any program.”
That program is Indiana, a school that isn’t necessarily used to going into Ohio and luring potential players of the year out of the Buckeye state. But a pre-existing relationship helped open the door for the Hoosiers, and a subsequent trip to Bloomington sealed the deal.
IU assistant coach Brian George, a fellow Graham H.S. product, is VanHoose’s recruiter. Black said George’s family has known the VanHooses for years, and the IU assistant coach has known Nick since he was a youngster. That familiarity was big in convincing VanHoose that IU was the right fit.
“Nick said he didn’t want to go more than four hours away, so home is important to him, and having a comfort level is important to him,” Black said. “He had that comfort level with IU, Coach George and Coach (Bill) Lynch. That sold him.”
Another big selling point was a spring trip to Bloomington. That provided VanHoose with an opportunity to see Indiana’s new football facilities, which provided further evidence that it was a good fit.
“When he visited in the spring, the facilities blew him away,” Black said. “I think after that trip that he felt that if IU offered, he was going.
“For him, getting an IU offer wasn’t a bargaining chip for Ohio State or another program. He had a dream in mind, and if he got a chance, he was going to take it.”
That’s good news for Indiana, which is getting a player than ran a 4.36 in the 40 at a recent workout at Bowling Green. While Indiana was one of the first to offer a scholarship to the small school star, Black has little doubt about the number of scholarships VanHoose could have received if he’d opted to wait longer, or about the prospects for him making a major impact at Indiana.
“He’s not a kid who wanted to let it go on and on,” Black said. “He went to Indiana in the spring and fell in love with the whole thing, the atmosphere. Had he not committed when he did, we’d be talking about a kid with 15 offers. I think he was ready for himself to be settled and know where he’s going.”
Colordo to Pac 10?
Link
Pac-10 officials said Thursday that Colorado will be joining their conference, marking what might be the first in a wave of defections from the Big 12 Conference.
An announcement appeared Thursday morning on the Pac 10 website: "The Pacific-10 Conference announced today that the University of Colorado at Boulder has accepted an invitation to join the Conference as it's 11th member, the first new member since July 1, 1978."
The Denver Post reported that the expanded Pac-10 -- possibly the Pac-16 -- conference might be ready by the 2012 football season.
"This is an historic moment for the Conference, as the Pac-10 is poised for tremendous growth," said Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott. "The University of Colorado is a great fit for the Conference both academically and athletically and we are incredibly excited to welcome Colorado to the Pac-10."
Pac-10 officials said Thursday that Colorado will be joining their conference, marking what might be the first in a wave of defections from the Big 12 Conference.
An announcement appeared Thursday morning on the Pac 10 website: "The Pacific-10 Conference announced today that the University of Colorado at Boulder has accepted an invitation to join the Conference as it's 11th member, the first new member since July 1, 1978."
The Denver Post reported that the expanded Pac-10 -- possibly the Pac-16 -- conference might be ready by the 2012 football season.
"This is an historic moment for the Conference, as the Pac-10 is poised for tremendous growth," said Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott. "The University of Colorado is a great fit for the Conference both academically and athletically and we are incredibly excited to welcome Colorado to the Pac-10."
DT Commits to Hoosiers
It has been announced that defensive tackle Shafer Johnson has committed to the Hoosiers. Johnson is listed at 6'1 and 300 pounds and had interest from Syracuse, Michigan State and Illinois among others. More to come.
Nebraska to make the call?
According to espn.com Nebraska might beep joining the Big Ten. Keep an eye out for a possible ripple effect of others getting close to making a decision and what the Pac 10 might do. Sources said they might be reaching out to a number of Big 12 teams.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
A 3 Star for the Hoosiers
Rivals.com has now listed Hoosier commit Tre Roberson a 3 star recruit. Tre is listed as an athlete but currently plays QB for his high school team.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Middleton Drafted in UFL Draft
Greg Middleton has been drafted by Florida in the 11st round of the UFL Draft. The draft consisted of college players and former NFL veterans. Ex-Bengal receiver Antonio Chatman was drafted #28 overall, ex-Oakland receiver Ronald Curry #26, and Chike Okeafor #6. To see the full list click here.
Hoosier Commit Ranked 4 Star
Slowly but surely the 2011 class is starting to get evaluated. Hoosier linebacker commit Zack Shaw has been listed as a 4 star recruit on rivals.com. He also made the Rivals 250 being ranked 243. Zack is listed as 6'3 220 lbs and had 228 tackles last season.
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