Around the Big Ten

[The Oracle]

And Central is the worst out of all the MAC teams to win. Wow.

[The Oracle]

And going into the BT, I'd think Michigan is the favorite right now. Wow.

[Clashmore Mike]

Dantonio was less than pleased this evening...

http://www.banksoftheredcedar.com/mark-dantonios-post-game-interview/

[Wild Hoss]

I am rather befuddled as to how this conference has tanked in recent years, and somehow manages to get worse. My gut feeling is that the league does not lack speed and athleticism as many say, but rather a will to implement it. Big Ten teams don't play fast, and they don't play mean. Most everybody else, including the MAC, tries to. As a result we tend to take punches before delivering them.

[WM Wolverine]

I saw the conference sinking but nowhere near this far. I had pegged Iowa's talent as at its lowest levels in years. Wisky graduated a lot last year as did PSU. Those three should make up the top 3 - 6 programs in the B10; all of them are well, well below that without anyone stepping up...

For the next two weeks a lot will be made about M falling but their only losses are to two top 10 teams.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Hoss has a point there. Which is why Martin wasn't as stupid as it appears he was in hiring Rodriquez and why osu, at some point, with ufm, may dominate the B1G.

But it takes different kinds of athletes to run these "fast and angry" offenses that are in vogue. Bama, as it is coached by Saban, clearly the top college football team in the nation, is a pro- set hybrid offense that incorporates aspects of both the speedy spread and man ball.

I see that kind of team emerging at programs that have the capacity to recruit at a high level creating a widening gap between programs that can't do that and programs that can. Michigan probably can do that but it's up against climate and demography when competing with the SEC and schools of the south region PAC12. The rest of the B1G? Outside of osu, I don't see it. Without making it easier to spread top recruits around, akin to some of the steps the pro sports have done to keep clubs competitive top to bottom of the leagues, the disparity between the haves and have nots is going to increase. But I don't see that ever happening and it probably shouldn't.

[WM Wolverine]

Bama has NFL quality OL, RB's. They can overpower pretty much anyone as long as they are some threat to throw. Only a few programs can recruit at such a level; USC, Texas, FSU with M probably being a tier below along with programs like LSU, Oklahoma, Ohio, Florida, Georgia and maybe Notre Dame.

[Rocky Bleier]

Who has really recruited well in the BIG the last 5 years besides osu? MSU, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska are never in the top 20 recruiting classes, but managed to be competitive by developing players. Michigan's classes have been overrated, and/or have lost a lot of players to attrition. Thanks, Rich! The lack of recruiting success has caught up to the BIG.

[Wild Hoss]

Bama has NFL quality OL, RB's. They can overpower pretty much anyone as long as they are some threat to throw. Only a few programs can recruit at such a level; USC, Texas, FSU with M probably being a tier below along with programs like LSU, Oklahoma, Ohio, Florida, Georgia and maybe Notre Dame.

Nebraska did this for decades, and we are hardly a recruiting powerhouse. It takes great OL coaching, and committement. The latter is in short supply in the "spread era".

[WM Wolverine]

I know you want a return of Osborne's teams of the 90's but I can't see that happening in this environment. You'd need the perfect coach, running the perfect system for that to happen at Nebraska.

[Hannibal]

Who has really recruited well in the BIG the last 5 years besides osu? MSU, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska are never in the top 20 recruiting classes, but managed to be competitive by developing players. Michigan's classes have been overrated, and/or have lost a lot of players to attrition. Thanks, Rich! The lack of recruiting success has caught up to the BIG.

Exactafriggin-mundo. Michigan's poor class of 2010 was ranked something like second in the Big Ten on rivals. At around that time, Wisky and Iowa pulled in some horribly ranked classes, and people were pooh-poing the rankings, saying that they don't mean anything. The pigeons are coming home to roost, big time.

[iam416]

Shockingly, recruiting matters.

The B10's biggest problem this season is that the conference is way, way down. OSU is rebuilding; M is still getting over RichGOD and Penn State is in the shitter. Those are your benchmark programs and for the B10 to be really good, they need at least 2 of those programs to be really good. OSU will probably get close to that next season while M is probably getting there by 2014.

I think OSU and M will get back to being legitimate national teams soon. Then good UNL, Wisky and MSU teams give the league some nice depth. But without a strong top, you dive right into mediocre to good.

I also think Ferentz is shit. I also think Beckman will do a good job at Illinois.

[lineygoblue]

ye gads .... I agree with talent ...

[THE_WIZARD_]

I do also...but I think M, tOSU AND UNL should be in the same upper group...Wisky is sliding...MSU will be solid for years and nFw will be a thorn in the side for awhile...and Purdue is solid albeit could be a one year wonder. PSU is in the shitter for a decade I think. Iowa is just God f'ing awful right now...and we all know Indiana and Minny suck balls. The mystery is why Illinois is so fucking bad.

But until you get an elite team or 2 or 3...you are right Schneider...this conference is just fucking horrible right now. It's a four team race and one of those can't play in the CCG...which means that Purdue will be the 5th best team in the conference...and will play in the CCG. Horrible. MSU, M and UNL will beat up on each other...5-3 could win it...probably come down to tiebreakers...

[Wild Hoss]

I know you want a return of Osborne's teams of the 90's but I can't see that happening in this environment. You'd need the perfect coach, running the perfect system for that to happen at Nebraska.

I would say those criteria exist for most school that wished to reach that level, but yes, we will need somebody else to get us there. Bo ain't that guy.

Now, my expectations are not Osborne's 90s...but even if we were able to match the program he fielded in the 80s- which is entirely possible- we would still be top tier in the B1G. We need to get back to playing Nebraska Football first, and this group of coaches are not the ones who will get us there. Too finesse-reliant, not committed to recruiting, not sufficiently detail-orientated...and frankly, too accepting of mediocrity. There is not much room for error at NU, and Bo gets too many of the little things wrong while being over-infatuated with his defensive schemes. But then, that is what I anticpated from Day One.