A run-down of sporting stories from yesterday covering Nebraska athletics, the Big Ten and around the world.
The LJS mistakes Nebraska for Northwestern, Urban Meyer is NOT actively recruiting Penn State and Kevin Wilson realizes that Indiana is a basketball school for a reason. Those stories and more below.
36 days to kickoff!
Football
Burkhead Named to Big Ten Preseason List - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
Of course he was.
Huskers talk alternate uniforms in Chicago : Husker Extra
- I'm tempting fate posting this one
- they call Nebraska "NU". BAD JUJU. NO NO NO.
- I bet the prototype had horizontal stripes.
- Purdue doesn't have a QB. (If QBs used > 1, # of QBs = 0)
- And Urbz suggesting a lack of athleticism at Ohio State means we're all doomed.
Nuts and bolts from Pelini : Husker Extra
Pelini said it's always an adjustment for young players when coming to college. "I tell kids when we recruit them from the very beginning, 'This is how it is.' And we're not going to change that for anybody or any thing."
It's a refreshing take on recruiting.
More Nebraska football stories and Big Ten Media Days coverage after the Jump!
Nebraska looks to settle in at top in second year - chicagotribune.com
"(We’ll have) a year under our belt, having some familiarity with the conference, with the teams, with the style of offenses and defenses," Pelini said. "It’s one thing seeing it on film; it’s another thing living it and seeing it first-hand. I think it will help us going into year two. It’s not going to win any football games for us, but it will be a little bit easier."
Here's to hoping you're right, Coach. We'd like to not lose by more than a touchdown if we have to lose this season.
Huskers on league title drought: 'It's time' - College Football Nation Blog - ESPN
And cue the complaints that team is aiming too low. But frankly, I like it. And I like that Pelini is getting frustrated.
Unit Rankings: 2012 Big Ten Linebackers | AthlonSports.com
8. Nebraska – Lavonte David was a special talent who cannot be replaced. Yet, that is exactly what Will Compton has been charged with doing in 2012. He is now the leader of this set of tacklers from his middle backer position. Alonzo Whaley will get the first chance at filling David’s weakside spot while Sean Fisher brings senior experience to the strongside. Two possibly contributors will be fellow redshirt freshmen David Santos and Max Pirman. Santos was poised to play a year ago before an injury forced Bo Pelini’s hand. Both could play significant minutes now that David is gone.
Ouchies. Gotta fix this if we want to take the division from Michigan State.
21 yards: Crouch's statement run
BOOM. Would love to see Martinez do this.
Youtube : Video: Eric Crouch punishes Iowa DB
Eric Crouch runs for the touchdown against Iowa in 1999, putting an Iowa defensive back on his back on the way to the end zone.
Huskers at Big Ten media days (Photos)-- 07/26/2012 – HuskerMax™
Fancy!
Big Ten media days video – HuskerMax™
Embedded videos from the OWH, LJS, Huskers.com and BTN.
BIG TEN MEDIA DAYS
Big Ten coaches differ on recruiting Penn St. players : Husker Extra
Brett Bielema appears to be the only one in this "gentlemen's club". He brought up the same thing when URBZ was stealing recruits or whatever. (They're BFFs now, according to Meyer.)
Anyway, so far it seems the following is the standing of the various Big Ten teams:
* Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern and Minnesota: Will not be taking transfers.
*Michigan State, Indiana and Nebraska: If a player is interested in transfer, school will listen.
*Ohio State: Will accept transfers, looking into the rules on recruiting.
*Iowa and Purdue: Will be recruiting players
*Illinois: Won't admit they're camping outside but we can confidently guess they're recruiting.
Big Ten's Delany wary of recruitment of Penn State players - chicagotribune.com
Delany said he was overruled, noting the presidents responded by saying, "This is not about competition between and among schools, it’s about the student-athletes having a full spectrum of opportunities."
Can't say I argue with giving the student athlete some power. But the Big Ten should've made it clear that Big Ten schools could only recruit IF contacted by the recruit. Would've stop Illinois from camping out in State College.
Ohio State
Next, Meyer was pressed to elaborate on what it would take for the Big Ten as a conference to reach the level of the SEC:
They have to win. They have to go win some bowl games. The bottom line is go win. However, how far are we from doing that? Coaches that have been in the conference for a while will know better than I do. When you ask me at this time next year, I'll know a lot better. I know one thing, I know there are some very, very good teams in this conference, so I anticipate winning is not that far off.
Can't argue with that. Maybe URBZ will be a positive for the conference.
Bowl ban concerns OSU's Meyer in 2012 -- and '13 - chicagotribune.com
An interesting concern - hopefully not a problem for Nebraska any time soon.
NU
Northwestern Now Leads Nation In Stripes - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
I kind of like it. Can Nebraska do this in red?
**I didn't link to anything for Fitzgerald. My reviews indicate that most questions concerned Penn State.
PSA: Please remember that when you are referring to Nebraska and Northwestern by abbreviations, NU is Northwestern, not Nebraska. Nebraska may be referred to as NEB or UNL.
Illinois
Illinois football: Illinois doesn't back off from recruiting Penn State players - chicagotribune.com
"To me there are so many more reasons to stay than to leave," O'Brien said.
Well, for one, I'm guessing there is more to do in State College than Champaign-Urbana.
Mitten State
Dantonio: Michigan an underdog in MSU locker room - chicagotribune.com
The West Division is SO much more interesting than the Big 12 North.
Black Hole
Iowa's Ferentz feels fortunate as Big Ten coaching dean - chicagotribune.com
Well...let's be clear here. Ferentz isn't still coach at Iowa because it's Iowa. He's still at Iowa because he's kept his nose clean and fielded one of the more consistent teams over the last decade. Which is good, but let's not make Iowa anything other than what it is.
The Mitten
Hoke not moved by Michigan's favored status - chicagotribune.com
Hoke may not care but we can all hope his players buy into the favored status curse.
Land of 10,000 Lakes and Somehow the Vikings
Minnesota's Kill on Penn State: 'We've got enough problems of our own' - chicagotribune.com
Kill, who has dealt with a series of personal health problems for several years and suffered a seizure along the sideline during a game last season, said Thursday at the Big Ten media day, "I’m doing fantastic, thanks for asking."
Someone asked that? During open questions? Seriously?
Purdue?
Full of Hope: Depth boosts Purdue - chicagotribune.com
"This is the first time since I’ve been the coach at Purdue that we potentially have a very good football team coming back," said Hope, the Boilermakers’ fourth-year coach.
Well...that's a promising statement.
Indiana
Wilson 'embarrassed' by first Indiana showing - chicagotribune.com
Well, he shouldn't be THAT embarrassed. Wisconsin didn't score near as many points as last season.
And a feel-good story that reminds us that there is still good in the world, even in the NFL:
Eric LeGrand Retires From The NFL - SBNation.com
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That's all for today. Join me every morning Monday to Friday for a round-up of the day's stories. Comments, rants and cat pictures are welcome below! (Not a member of CornNation? Join today and take part in the conversation!)
Have a great weekend and enjoy the Olympics!
-Salt Creek and Stadium