2011 is a season that brings a lot of change to the Big Ten Conference. Some changes were intentional and beneficial, such as the addition of Nebraska to the conference, and the new Big Ten Championship Game. The former was necessary before the conference could consider the latter, and most fans view these developments in a positive light.
Creepy. But a solid football program.
On the other hand, there are other changes which were brought about by mistakes and failures both on the field and off. The result: there are 4 new head coaches in the ranks of the B1G this season. After last season Michigan, Indiana and Minnesota fired their coaches. And of course, the events of this spring brought about the resignation of Jim Tressel as head coach at Ohio State.
All of this took place while the conference was attempting to remake its image with new divisions, new awards, and fancy new logos. The conference made a big splash in the media when all of these things were announced, only to endure negative publicity later when a series of events (Michigan's scandals, Gordon Gee's remarks about TCU and Boise State, a poor performance in bowl season, and OSU's scandals) shined an unfavorable light on various conference programs.
Obviously, Jim Delaney and company are more than delighted to see the calendar move close to the start of real football season. Conference officials undoubtedly are hoping the 2011 season will make fans and the media forget about all that transpired in the spring.
The following is an outline of the most significant changes to take place and how they might affect the conference in general and Ohio State in particular (if applicable).
NEBRASKA ARRIVES
In many ways, the Cornhuskers are a perfect fit for the Big Ten. Their location is not far from the Western schools of the conference and makes it likely that some geographical rivalries will form. In fact, Nebraska and Iowa have already declared that their game every year will be call the "Heroes Game" and will feature a new yet-to-be-unveiled trophy for the winner. One can easily see similar rivalries with the likes of Wisconsin and Minnesota (assuming the Gophers get their act together at some point).
Nebraska's success on the field is comparable to that of Big Ten powers Ohio State and Michigan. The Huskers sport an all-time record of 837-344-40, good enough for 4th overall on the all-time victory list. In the last 50 years, Nebraska is tops among all FBS teams in both winning percentage and total victories. And the way they have won, with a strong running game and tough defense, will no doubt earn the respect of their new rivals in Columbus and Ann Arbor.
In a similar vein, former coach and current athletic director Tom Osborne enjoys a legendary status comparable to Big Ten legends Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler. Osborne coached for 25 years at Nebraska, compiling a record of 255-49-3. He also collected 13 conference crowns and 3 national championships (1994, 1995, 1997). Nebraska's athletic complex on the North side of their football stadium is named after Osborne and his wife and there is a bronze statue of Osborne and player Brook Berringer near the front door of the complex.
What it means to add Nebraska to the conference is obvious: another marquee name added to an already strong conference, more television revenue and probably more bowl game revenue. From OSU's perspective, the change means one additional tough game every year, which might just lead to fewer tough out-of-conference games like this season's trip to Miami. Overall, it just adds to the luster of the conference and is a win-win situation as Nebraska benefits from additional revenues and getting out of the shadow of Texas and their domination of Big-12 politics.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Adding a 12th team made the Big Ten eligible for a conference championship game, and the conference wasted no time creating two divisions and lining up a venue where the game could be played every season. Fortunately, the region has several NFL teams with new or renovated stadiums that would be excellent candidates for the game. The conference settled on Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, home of the Indianapolis Colts.
The venue for the B1G Championship Game.
To put it mildly, they made a great choice. As the official web site of the stadium puts it:
Lucas Oil Stadium is a seven-level facility that seats 63,000 for football up to 70,000 for basketball, conventions and concerts. It covers 1.8 million square feet, features 137 corporate suites, two club lounges, meeting rooms, and two exhibit halls.
For several years, the Big Ten has suffered in comparison with other conferences that have championship games, especially the SEC. What this will do, besides get the conference some more TV time, is make it so that an early conference loss will not necessarily ruin the chance of playing in the BCS title game.
Let me explain with an example. After a victory in the SEC championship game in 2007, LSU rose from 7th to 2nd in the national rankings despite having TWO conference losses. 2007 was an unusual year, but the point is that a championship game victory can erase earlier stumbles. From OSU's perspective, it will make it so that the team could redeem themselves from the kind of situation that happened in 1996 and 1998, when a late loss to an inferior team cost the Buckeyes a shot at the national title.
The effect of this might not be seen right away, but in the long run I believe it will cause teams to spend more time preparing for teams inside their divisions and focus more on those games, to the extent that we might ultimately see something like what we have seen in the NFL, where teams that already have at least one loss will sit key players during meaningless late-season games when their spot in the playoffs is not on the line. In this case, it will be a spot in the conference championship game that is paramount, unless a team is undefeated and gunning for a berth in the BCS championship game.
NEW MEN AT THE HELM
A lot has been written about the change at OSU where Luke Fickell takes over for future CFB Hall of Famer Jim Tressel. Unlike the other new coaches in the Big Ten, Fickell is labeled as an "interim" coach, with the thought that he will coach one full season before the administration gets serious about searching for a permanent successor to Tressel. For a more detailed look at Fickell, check this space tomorrow around the same time.
My thought has always been that Fickell can make himself the prime candidate for the job by winning 10 to 11 games this season. Indeed, if he manages to get to double-digit victories and a BCS bowl berth, he will have accomplished quite a bit when you consider the numerous obstacles in his path. In the event of a 6 to 9 win season, I think the red carpet will be rolled out for the likes of Meyer, Gruden, and others who might be interested in the job.
We have also covered UM's new coach in some detail. I don't have a lot to add except to say that the rivalry should be more interesting now than it has been for the past three seasons. Not only that, but there will be less room on the Michigan sideline.
Over at Indiana, former Oklahoma assistant Kevin Wilson takes over a program that has been down in the dumps for some time. The IU faithful have some reasons to be optimistic, as this is not the usual second-rate hire we have come to expect from them. Wilson won the Frank Broyles award in 2008, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach. Learning the ropes from Bob Stoops is about as solid a preparation for the head coach job as I can imagine, and so I think we can expect improvement from the Hoosiers in the near future, if not sooner (judging by his early success in recruiting).
Finally, Minnesota has brought in Jerry Kill to replace Tim Brewster, and Kill has the unenviable task of trying to rebuild the beleaguered Gophers program. Not only that, but fans are aware that he was not the school's first choice, after they publicly courted the likes of Tony Dungy and Barry Alvarez before settling on him. Nevertheless, Kill believes his approach of instilling toughness and a strong work ethic is what it takes to turn the Gophers' fortunes around.
As an aside, I'd have to say that I think they should never have let Glen Mason go. For one thing, the program was more competitive during Mason's tenure than they have been at any time in the last 30 years. For another, the fact that he no longer coaches at Minnesota means we have to endure his hyperbolic commentary on BTN football broadcasts. Call it a lose-lose situation.
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There should be a certain freshness to this Big Ten season, especially considering the sour notes left over from the off-season. The league should be more competitive than ever, and the new division structures and championship game should increase the spark for some of the teams that have traditionally dwelt in the cellar. Expect the unexpected as the season unfolds, as the plethora of new coaches will undoubtedly bring some surprises. It's all only a couple of weeks away, and then we can all buckle up and enjoy the ride.
