Big Ten spring storylines

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Thanks in large part to the biggest “free-agent signing” in college last year, Wisconsin staked its claim to a win in the first-ever Big Ten championship game.  With Russell Wilson one-and-done in Madison, however, the conference generally and the Leaders (chuckle) division specifically are up for grabs yet again.

The only certainty for the 2012 race to Indianapolis?  Ohio State won’t be involved, thanks to its well-publicized NCAA issues.

The story of the conference headed into the spring is, of course, a pair of newcomers.  Bill O’Brien takes over a Penn State football program tainted by the Jerry Sandusky child-sex abuse scandal, while Urban Meyer returns to his home-state Buckeyes after hitting the pause button on his coaching career following the 2010 season.

Below are a handful of Big Ten storylines we’ll pay at least some attention to this spring:

Leg up in the Legends?
While Michigan State claimed the division’s spot in the first Big Ten title game, it will likely be its in-state rival that will carry the frontrunner tag heading into the upcoming season.  And why not?  All Brady Hoke did in his first year at Michigan was lead the Wolverines to the most wins (11) since 2006, taking an immense first step in erasing the stench left behind by the RichRod regime.  Beginning in the spring, though, Hoke must find and identify new playmakers at the wide receiver position.  Additionally, Denard Robinson must find a way to reduce his turnovers, although a second year in the same system could very well alleviate that issue on its own.  Fortunately — and by “fortunately” I mean “get down and thank the Good Lord Greg Robinson is not around” — the defense is in the very capable hands of Greg Mattison and, even with some attrition in the trenches, should be a strength of the 2012 edition of the Wolverines.

Monumental change in Happy Valley
For the first time since Lyndon Baines Johnson was sitting in Oval Office, a head coach not named Joe Paterno will direct the Nittany Lions football program through spring drills.  Charged with the task of replacing a coaching legend is Bill O’Brien, who will not only be taking over a program rocked by scandal over the past several months, but will be a head coach for the first time at any level of football.  With O’Brien at the helm, one will actually watch the Nittany Lions field a (gasp!) modern style of offense, replete with passing and excitement and the like.  While keeping some continuity on the defensive side of the ball by retaining Larry Johnson Sr. cannot be understated, all eyes in the spring will be on the number of footballs piercing the Happy Valley air.  Just who will be doing the majority of the flinging remains to be seen; Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden will once again battle for the starting job, with Paul Jones possibly getting himself into the mix as well.  While that crucial battle will begin in the spring, it likely won’t be finished until deep into summer camp.

(Insert “Urban development/renewal” pun here)
Penn State’s not the only Big Ten school preparing to cannonball into 21st century offensive football.  Urban Meyer will bring his version of the spread offense to the Buckeyes, implementing the new system after bringing an SEC mindset to the recruiting game.  Unlike the Nittany Lions, however, there is no question who will be the new offense’s triggerman as true sophomore-to-be Braxton Miller has all of the tools to flourish under the tutelage of Meyer and his offensive coaching staff.  Certainly there are other questions that need answered — filling holes on the offensive line chief among them — and there’s no postseason to play for, but the foundation laid by Meyer & Company this spring will certainly benefit the program in 2013 and beyond.  Provided another sabbatical is not in the offing, of course.

Uncertainty under center
Just because Wisconsin and Michigan State met in the first Big Ten title doesn’t make them the favorites for a return engagement in the second.  A big reason why?  Replacing the talent and experience lost at the quarterback position.  The Badgers, of course, will be looking for a replacement for Russell Wilson, and could very well turn its attention to the East Coast yet again for a QB solution; UW is reportedly one of the handful of schools Danny O’Brien is considering as he transfers from Maryland.  The Spartans, on the other hand, will definitely look from within for a replacement for Kirk Cousins, who started the past three seasons and was widely considered MSU’s heart and soul.  Barring an unexpected development, Andrew Maxwell,  a four-star member of the Spartans’ 2009 recruiting class, is Cousins’ heir apparent.  Whether he’s ready for his new, more visible role remains to be seen.

AP

Earlier this month, Miami football player Dyron Dye filed an incident report with the Coral Gables police department in which it was alleged that an NCAA investigator had “coerced” Dye into making statements that benefited The Association’s case against the Hurricanes.

In the end, Dye’s attempt to hold the NCAA accountable for alleged shady investigative tactics fell short.

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, no felony charges will be brought against former NCAA investigator Rich Johanningmeier.  The paper writes that “Coral Gables police referred the case to the Miami-Dade State Attorney office without attaching any felony charges.”

Dye could still pursue misdemeanor charges against Johanningmeier, with the player’s attorney, Darren Heitner, telling the Sun Sentinel that they “will discuss internally and make a calculated decision” on their next legal step.

In the original police report, Dye had alleged that he felt coerced by Johanningmeier “into providing favorable answers for his investigation” into the Nevin Shapiro allegations that landed UM in front of the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions late last week.  A decision on any penalties on the football program in addition to the self-imposed two-year bowl ban is expected no later than eight weeks from last Friday.

Dye was suspended for the first  four games of the 2011 season in connection to his involvement in the Shapiro scandal.  It was shown by the NCAA in August of that year that Dye received from Shapiro and “UM athletics personnel” $738 in impermissible benefits during a recruitment that led to the player signing on as part of the Hurricanes’ 2009 recruiting class.  Those benefits included five nights of impermissible lodging from institutional staff during their unofficial visits — an allegation directly tied to former UM assistant Aubry Hill — transportation, multiple meals and entertainment at a gentleman’s club.

With the suspension served and monetary restitution made, Dye returned to play in six games in what was his redshirt sophomore season after making the switch from the defensive line to tight end.  He then played 12 games at that position in 2012.

Dye moved back to the line following the 2012 season.  He suffered an Achilles injury during the first scrimmage this past spring and is out indefinitely, leaving his status for the 2013 season up in the air even prior to his remaining eligibility allegedly being threatened by a then-member of the NCAA’s investigative arm.

Forget about venues or rotations or anything of that sort.

The single most important decision the new College Football Playoff officials will make is finalizing a selection committee, and how said committee will determine the four teams who will fill the four-team field for the new system that will be implemented following the 2014 regular season.  Unfortunately, a decision on that critically-important facet of the new system is still far off on the horizon.

Following yet another series of meetings, the College Football Playoff released a statement Tuesday evening that shed little new light, save for the revelation that college football fans are still likely “several months” away from learning the composition of the all-important selection committee.

Here’s the text of the release, in its entirety:

“The makeup and operation of the selection committee is one of the most important decisions we have to make,” executive director of the College Football Playoff, Bill Hancock, said. “Our first season is more than a year away so there is no rush to get this done, but we’re pleased with the progress we’re making.  We will continue to proceed in a deliberate, thoughtful, and thorough way.

“Nothing is final until everything is final and we anticipate additional work on this issue for the next several months.”

Hancock did note that more than 100 names were submitted for consideration for inclusion on the committee.  Ultimately, the committee is expected to consist of 12-18 individuals, and is expected to be composed of a mix of former administrators, coaches and, perhaps, media members.

Suffice to say, the names of those being considered have yet to be released.

Cowboys Stadium in Dallas will host the first College Football Playoff championship game, scheduled for Jan. 12, 2015.  The two semifinal games leading up to the championship will be played at the hosts sites of the Sugar and Rose bowls 11 days earlier on New Year’s Day.

AP

And there you have it.

Shortly after posting on Mike Gundy (eventually) lifting some of the transfer restrictions off Wes Lunt, Illinois announced what had previously been reported, that the quarterback has signed a tender of financial aid and will play football for the Illini.  Again, Lunt will have to sit out the 2013 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules and will have three years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2014.

“We’re thrilled that Wes has decided to come back home to the state of Illinois to play for the Fighting Illini,” head coach Tim Beckman said in a statement. “As he showed last season starting as a true-freshman for Oklahoma State, he’s an exceptional talent and an exceptional person. He’ll have a year to work with offensive coordinator Bill Cubit, our coaching staff and his teammates learning the offense before competing for the starting job in 2014.”

Lunt was named Oklahoma State’s starting quarterback after spring practice last year as an early enrollee true freshman and started the first three games of the season before being sidelined with an injury.  He came back to start two more games before another injury sidelined him again.

Following a spring practice this year when he had apparently slipped down the depth chart, Lunt decided to transfer from the Cowboys.

AP

Quite the public pot was stirred when, shortly after Wes Lunt announced he was transferring from Oklahoma State, word surfaced that head coach Mike Gundy had severe restrictions on where the quarterback could move.

In addition to the Big 12, Lunt was not permitted, without paying his own way the first year, to transfer to a Pac-12 or SEC school (possibility of meeting in a bowl game); Southern Miss (former OSU offensive coordinator Todd Monken is now the head coach there); and Central Michigan (a future opponent in 2015 and 2016).  As it turns out, though, Gundy had a change of heart, albeit a little too little, too late.

Lunt told Channel 1450 in Illinois Monday that Gundy had called his former high school coach to inform him that some of the restrictions — likely not the Big 12, however — had been lifted.  Originally embarking on the search for a new collegiate destination with a list of five preferred schools, Gundy’s restrictions prevented Lunt from pursuing Southern Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, ultimately settling for a final two of Illinois and Louisville.

According to Lunt, by the time Gundy lifted the restrictions “he’d already lost contact with coaches at other schools in his top five.”

Monday, it was reported that Lunt would be transferring to his home-state Illini.  That school has yet to officially announce the player being added to the program.

Despite ending up where he likely would’ve landed sans the restrictions, Lunt still — and justifiably — appears slightly upset over Gundy’s actions in the immediate aftermath of his departure.

“It was difficult. I didn’t understand the process, so when they were blocked, I knew I could appeal but it was going to take awhile,” Lunt said. “It was frustrating. I understand the Big 12 . That’s obvious. The others, it was a little frustrating, but that’s part of it and I understand it. It’s all good.”

After sitting out the 2013 season, Lunt will have three years of eligibility remaining.

(Tip O’ the Cap: ESPN.com’s Big 12 blog)

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Meandering our way through the offseason, a single one-liner at a time…

– A waterfall (not pictured) is coming to the football locker rooms of the Mal Moore Athletic Facility as part of a $9 million renovation.

– The Anderson Independent Mail writes that Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins is poised for a record-breaking season.

– The Daily Oklahoman takes a look at the players who have benefited from the graduation exception to the NCAA transfer rule.

– The Gainesville Sun lists the five freshman who could emerge for Florida in 2013.

– Rich Rodriguez and his Arizona coaching staff dressed up in Western gear?  Rich Rodriguez and his Arizona coaching staff dressed up in Western gear.

– As is the case with most major college football programs, vacations are over for Colorado State players.

– Michigan’s Allen Grant has been moved from defensive back to strongside linebacker.

– In coaching weight loss news, Texas head coach Mack Brown has lost 20 pounds this offseason.

– The Big Ten Network‘s Tom Dienhart has Ohio Stadium as the best football venue in the conference.

– The installation of a new playing surface at Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium has begun.

– Wisconsin sells out its allotment of student tickets for the 2013 season in less than two hours.

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With little hope of moving any further up the depth chart, an Oregon State quarterback has decided to ply his football wares at a lower level.

In a tweet posted to his Twitter account, Richie Harrington announced that he is leaving the Beavers football program.  Harrington will be transferring to Southern Utah, an FCS-level program.

As he’s transferring down a level, Harrington will be eligible to play in 2013 and will have three years of eligibility remaining.

“Ready for a new chapter,” the player wrote in the tweet.

Coming out of Oaks Christian (Calif.), the 6-1, 224-pound Harrington walked on to the Beavers in 2011 and appeared in three games in 2012.  He completed six-of-nine passes for 66 yards last season.

Following practice this spring, Harrington remained behind the well-seasoned Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz at the quarterback position.

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On the same day he “parted ways” with Missouri, it appears Torey Boozer already has another collegiate destination in mind.

First, the negative: according to Terez Paylor (no relation) of the Kansas City Star, the linebacker has been dismissed from the Tigers football program by head coach Gary Pinkel.  ”Undisclosed disciplinary reasons” was all that was said in regards to the dismissal.

Boozer subsequently tweeted that he will be moving on to SMU, although that school has yet to confirm the addition.

Boozer, who exited spring this year No. 3 on the depth chart, was arrested and charged in early October for marijuana possession.  Even as he took a redshirt for his true freshman season, Boozer was “suspended” for one game because of the off-field incident.

A three-star member of Mizzou’s 2012 recruiting class, Boozer was rated as the No. 46 safety in the country.

An alleged sexual assault last year will leave the playing careers — and freedom — of two Navy football players very much up in the air.

In a statement Monday afternoon, the U.S. Naval Academy announced that three unnamed Navy current and former football players will be charged with rape.  The military academy’s superintendent, Michael Miller, “has chosen to send the case to Article 32 proceedings” wrote Military.com.

An official charge sheet has yet to be completed, which is why the names of the three suspects have not been released.  Two of the suspects are current Navy football players, while the third was set to graduate in May but was denied the opportunity because of the criminal case.

All three players were permitted to play football for the Midshipmen as the investigation into the alleged rape continued.

From the website, here’s a description of the alleged attack:

The female midshipman who reported the sexual assault attended a party at an off-campus property known as the “football house” in Annapolis in April 2012, according to a statement from her lawyer, Susan Burke. …

The midshipman woke up at the football house the next morning “with little recall of what had occurred,” according to the statement. She later found out through friends and social media that three football players had “sexual intercourse with her while she was incapacitated,” according to the statement.

The female midshipman reported the incident to NCIS, saying she was intoxicated and didn’t remember much from the night. NCIS started an investigation in April 2012 that continued throughout the summer and into the fall.

The investigation was closed in November, but was reopened two months later after the alleged victim’s attorney spoke to NCIS.  In February, the investigation was reopened.

(Photo credit: MilitaryTimes.com)

AP

For the third time in less than three years, Chris Martin‘s time at an FBS football program has come to an early and abrupt end.

Kansas head coach Charlie Weis announced Monday that the defensive end has been dismissed from the Jayhawks.  The decision comes three weeks after Martin was one of three men arrested in connection to an armed robbery.  Martin and two former KU players were charged after allegedly robbing cash and marijuana from victims at gunpoint at a house on May 13.

Despite the serious nature of the charges, the door was still open for Martin’s return to the Jayhawks.  Weis, though, intimated in his statement on the dismissal that another misstep may have been involved.

“Due to recent incidents Chris Martin was involved with, he was given a list of stipulations he was required to meet for him to remain a member of the Kansas Football team,” Weis said in the release. “Because he did not follow some of those stipulations we have dismissed him from the team.”

Martin was a five-star member of Cal’s 2010′s recruiting class, but transferred to Florida five months later.  Less than a year later, he left Florida following an arrest for marijuana possession.

He spent 2011 and 2012 at the JUCO level before transferring to the Jayhawks and Weis, who Martin had committed to when he was the head coach at Notre Dame.

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One of the more gruesome injuries in recent memory occurred in late October, with South Carolina running back suffering a severe and devastating knee injury.

The Gamecocks reaction to their fallen teammate was typical as the entire squad gathered around the running back, who had just suffered the second serious knee injury of his career.  The reaction of the Gamecocks’ opponents, the Tennessee Volunteers, was somewhat atypical, though; the Vols, like their SEC foes, gathered around Lattimore as well as the back was being tended to by USC medical personnel and loaded onto a cart for further treatment.

For the reaction on both fronts, the SEC announced Monday, the Vols and Gamecocks were named, along with Georgia tennis player Maho Kowase, the recipients of the conference’s 2013 Sportsmanship Award.

“Sportsmanship, civility and societal responsibility are things that will lead to victories throughout the course of life,” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said in a statement. “I congratulate Maho and the University of South Carolina and University of Tennessee football teams for this prestigious honor, and for being committed to athletic excellence and overall excellence.”

The release went on to state that “[d]espite being engaged in a heated conference game, both teams set aside their battle to show support for a football player, regardless of which uniform he wore. The act displayed both great sportsmanship by the teams gathered as one support unit as well as the impact that Lattimore had on his sport.”

Below is a well-produced UT video of the immediate aftermath of Lattimore’s injury:

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Nearly six weeks after moving on from Oklahoma State, Wes Lunt is moving back to an area with which he’s very familiar.  Reportedly.

While the school has yet to officially announce it, Channel1450.com sports director Zach Kerker and ESPN.com’s Joe Schad, among others, are both reporting that the quarterback will transfer to Illinois to continue his playing career.  Lunt chose the Illini over Louisville, two of the five schools on his original transfer wish list.

The other three schools — Southern Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt — were infamously blocked by Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy.  In a controversial move, Gundy barred Lunt from attending — at least on scholarship — schools from the Big 12, the Pac-12, SEC along with Central Michigan (on OSU’s schedule in 2015 & 2016).

The reason for the latter two conferences being on the no-no list?  Oklahoma State might face a school from those leagues in a bowl game, Lunt’s Illinois high school coach said in mid-May.

Lunt will be forced to sit out the 2013 season and will have three years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2014.

AP

Earlier this month, Syracuse received good news on the injury front regarding one of its defensive starters.  A couple weeks later, there’s additional good news on that side of the ball as well.

Clark Lea, the Orange’s linebackers coach, confirmed to the Syracuse Post-Standard that Dyshawn Davis is healthy and will be ready for the start of summer camp in early August.  Davis underwent shoulder surgery this past January and, as a result, did not participate in spring practice.

Despite that, Davis exited spring atop the depth chart, and left the first-year position coach anxious to see what the linebacker is capable of in Scott Shafer’s defense.

“I’ve got high expectations for Dyshawn when you see what he’s done in the past,” Lea said. “I got to see a little bit of his athleticism just in some of the movement work we did and was impressed by that.”

In 2012, Davis was second in tackles for loss (14) and third in tackles (69).  He added two fumble recoveries, one sack and one interception as a sophomore.

AP

Meandering our way through the offseason, a single one-liner at a time…

– Gina Mizell of the Daily Oklahoman takes a look at what Mike Gundy looks for when filling coaching vacancies.

– In a rather significant move for Vol Nation, ex-Tennessee great Eric Berry signs off on Butch Jones‘ approach on Rocky Top.

– The Anderson Independent Mail sizes up the state of the quarterback position in the ACC.

– In the ever-changing world of college football, BYU must find some way to secure bowl alliances on its own.

– The Dallas Morning News looks at TCU’s five biggest departures, and the players who should replace them.

– Daily Oklahoman: New assistant Bill Bedenbaugh discusses the state of Oklahoma’s offensive line

AP

Allegedly.

Following an incident early Sunday, and according to multiple media outlets, Florida’s Antonio Morrison was arrested and charged with first-degree simple battery (a misdemeanor) after allegedly punching a bouncing at a Gainesville drinking establishment.  The incident that landed the linebacker in legal hot water occurred after said drinking establishment had the audacity to ask Morrison to pay the cover charge.

To punctuate the incident, Morrison pulled the tried and true “Do you know who I am? I am a UF football player” card before allegedly punching the bouncer and leaving the scene.  GatorCountry.com, citing a police report on the incident, writes that didn’t remember much of the incident because he was intoxicated at the time.

UF has yet to comment on the situation and what if any punishment Morrison may be facing.

Morrison started three games last season as a true freshman and will be the starting middle linebacker entering summer camp.  He was a four-star member of the Gators’ 2012 recruiting class.

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Meandering our way through the offseason, a single one-liner at a time…

– Urban Meyer understands his Ohio State offense must change and adapt to stay ahead of today’s defenses.

– PennLive.com: Fatherhood adds perspective, strengthens drive for Penn State’s Malcolm Willis.

– Arizona State’s Todd Graham making an impact on the lives of his fatherless players.

– Charleston Post & Courier: Clemson, Carolina fans alike hope Howard’s Rock vandal wasn’t taking rivalry a step too far.

– The State takes a look at the quarterbacks South Carolina will face this fall.

– Iowa’s opener against Northern Illinois will set the tone for the 2013 season, the Iowa City Press-Citizen writes.

– Tennessee following a national trend of NFL-style recruiting focus.

– Jackson Clarion-Ledger: ‘Nkemdiche effect’ still pushes Ole Miss on recruiting trail.

– Arizona’s new $74 million practice facility is nearing completion.