Paterno to coach from press box in Rose Bowl

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

My apologies for posting this a little late, but Penn State head coach Joe Paterno will be in the press box for the Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi (ABC, 5 p.m. ET). It will mark Paterno’s eighth consecutive game in the box after his last sideline appearance Sept. 27 against Illinois. 

Though Paterno is moving around much better since undergoing hip-replacement surgery Nov. 23, he isn’t sure he can handle spending a whole game on his feet. Seems like a smart choice, and one that should help the 82-year-old return to the sideline for the 2009 opener on Sept. 5. 

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Overmatched Gophers still a work in progress

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

The first eight games showed how far Minnesota has come from its 1-11 disaster in 2007.

The last five games showed how far the Golden Gophers still need to go.

Minnesota’s 42-21 loss to Kansas in the Insight Bowl capped a five-game slide to close a season that began with so much promise. This looked like a mismatch heading in, and unfortunately for the Gophers, it was. A seasoned Kansas team led by do-it-all quarterback Todd Reesing overwhelmed Tim Brewster’s squad.

To have any shot at an upset, Minnesota’s defense had to force turnovers, something it did better than any Big Ten team this season. Either the defensive line or the secondary needed to disrupt Reesing’s rhythm, and both units could not get it done. Jayhawks wideout Dezmon Briscoe torced the Gophers for 201 receiving yards and three touchdowns, and teammate Kerry Meier added 113 receiving yards and a touchdown. Meier also threw a touchdown to Briscoe.

First-year Gophers defensive coordinator Ted Roof did a nice job with a revamped unit for two-thirds of the season, but Minnesota (7-6) looked more like last year’s defense down the stretch, allowing 97 points in the final two games. Though rush end Willie VanDeSteeg is a key loss, most of the defense returns for 2009 and should be improved.

As expected, Minnesota emphasized the power run game after bringing in new offensive line coach Tim Davis in late November. The Gophers had some early success and took a 14-7 lead on two touchdown plunges by new fullback Jon Hoese. Brewster clearly has the right idea in restoring Minnesota’s traditional run game, but it will take more time for the system to fully take shape.

With Reesing and his receivers doing whatever they pleased, Minnesota was forced to pass to stay in the game. Gophers wideout Eric Decker had a big night (149 receiving yards), but Minnesota simply doesn’t have enough weapons to win an offensive shootout right now.

Despite a very disappointing finish, Minnesota still has some positive momentum after a six-win improvement from 2007 and TCF Bank Stadium opening in September. Brewster is recruiting well and brings the enthusiasm and high expectations this program needs. Led by quarterback Adam Weber, he nucleus is back for 2009.

But make no mistake — the Gophers aren’t there yet. Late-season collapses are far too common for this program, and Brewster has to end the trend immediately.

As for the Big Ten, yuck. Aside from Northwestern’s impressive effort Monday, the bowl season has been a disaster. The Big Ten is the only BCS conference without a win, while other leagues, particularly the Pac-10, have made major strides. Perhaps the new year will bring better outcomes for the league.

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No. 24 Buckeyes hang on to beat Iowa, 68-65

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jon Diebler scored a career-high 27 points and Evan Turner hit three late fre…
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Where Are They Now? 1981 coaching staff edition

Admittedly, I’m struggling for content as my vacation winds down.  The bowl games themselves don’t merit anything other than a passing comment in the delicious.com feed and I don’t get the Big Ten Network, prohibiting me from making serious observations about the men’s basketball team.  To compensate, I decided I’d go…
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Buckeyes Bring In New Year With A Win

On New Year’s Eve Day, the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 68-65, in a game that was too close for comfort.
After opening the game with an 11-0 lead, and holding a lead as large as fifteen, the Buckeyes trailed the Iowa Hawkeyes midway through the second half. Jon Diebler would…
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Heading to the desert

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

I’m about to leave home for the airport, where I’ll board a flight to Phoenix. Posting will be light the rest of the day, though I’ll have a wrap of the Insight Bowl (I’m scheduled to land midway through the first half). Thursday is a huge day for the Big Ten, and I’ll have updates on all the games. 

Happy New Year to all! Given the temperatures here in Chicago, I’m sure I’ll find a way to survive in the desert this week. Real tough assignment.

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Iowa’s offensive line restores tradition

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Iowa’s offensive line allowed countless defenders to penetrate the backfield last season, leading to a Big Ten-worst 46 sacks surrendered.

The Hawkeyes also allowed a major part of their program’s identity to disappear.

They’ve spent this fall getting it back.

“Upholding a tradition that’s been here, with guys like Robert Gallery and Marshal Yanda and other guys we’re trying to follow,” senior center Rob Bruggeman said, “we’re trying to make sure we don’t let the legacy drop off like that. We’re making sure we follow in that tradition.”

Despite some youth and injury losses, Iowa regained its trademark edge on the offensive line this fall. The Hawkeyes reduced their sacks allowed total by 20 and finished second in the Big Ten in both scoring (30.2 points per game) and yards per rush (4.9).

Four Iowa offensive linemen earned All-Big Ten honors, including Bruggeman and sophomore left tackle Bryan Bulaga, both first-year starters at their respective positions (Bulaga started five games at guard in 2007). Bruggeman said the group, which features a mix of seniors and younger players, came together during the offseason and survived some instability at quarterback early on this fall.

“We’ve also got a pretty good running back who makes us look a little better,” Bruggeman said. “That probably has something to do with how we block out there.”

Gee, ya think?

Shonn Greene is the biggest reason why the Hawkeyes rebounded from three underwhelming seasons to reach Thursday’s Outback Bowl, where they will take on South Carolina (ESPN, 11 a.m. ET). Greene set a single-season school rushing mark (1,729 yards), eclipsed 100 rushing yards in all 12 games and captured the Doak Walker Award.

With a downhill, no-nonsense running style, Greene is a lineman’s dream.

“His physical running style gives us motivation and gives us the confidence to block,” Bruggeman said. “We know if we’re blocking for him, he’ll do the rest for us. So we just try to give him a seam.”

Creating seams in a solid South Carolina defense won’t be easy. The Gamecocks rank 12th nationally in total defense, though they’ve been susceptible to the run at times.

“We’re trying to do the best we can to match that SEC speed,” Bruggeman said.

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Iowa offensive line restores tradition

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Iowa’s offensive line not only allowed countless defenders to penetrate the backfield last season, leading to a Big Ten-worst 46 sacks surrendered. 

The Hawkeyes also allowed a major part of their program’s identity to disappear.

They’ve spent this fall getting it back.

“Upholding a tradition that’s been here, with guys like Robert Gallery and Marshal Yanda and other guys we’re trying to follow,” senior center Rob Bruggeman said, “we’re trying to make sure we don’t let the legacy drop off like that. We’re making sure we follow in that tradition.”

Despite some youth and injury losses, Iowa regained its trademark edge on the offensive line this fall. The Hawkeyes reduced their sacks allowed total by 20 and finished second in the Big Ten in both scoring (30.2 ppg) and yards per rush (4.9).

Four Iowa offensive linemen earned All-Big Ten honors, including Bruggeman and sophomore left tackle Bryan Bulaga, both first-year starters  at their respective positions (Bulaga started five games at guard in 2007). Bruggeman said the group, which features a mix of seniors and younger players, came together during the offseason and survived some instability at quarterback early on this fall.

“We’ve also got a pretty good running back who makes us look a little better,” Bruggeman said. “That probably has something to do with how we block out there.” 

Gee, ya think?

Shonn Greene is the biggest reason why the Hawkeyes rebounded from three underwhelming seasons to reach Thursday’s Outback Bowl, where they will take on South Carolina (ESPN, 11 a.m. ET). Greene set a single-season school rushing mark (1,729 yards), eclipsed 100 rushing yards in all 12 games and captured the Doak Walker Award. 

With a downhill, no-nonsense running style, Greene is a lineman’s dream. 

“His physical running style gives us motivation and gives us the confidence to block,” Bruggeman said. “We know if we’re blocking for him, he’ll do the rest for us. So we just try to give him a seam.”

Creating seams in a solid South Carolina defense won’t be easy. The Gamecocks rank 12th nationally in total defense, though they’ve been susceptible to the run at times. 

“We’re trying to do the best we can to match that SEC speed,” Bruggeman said.  

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Big Ten lunch links: Tressel, Ferentz stiff-arm NFL

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Here’s your final helping of links for 2008. Don’t let them get cold. 

• USC’s Rose Bowl readiness is once again being questioned, and the Los Angeles Times’ Bill Plaschke doesn’t seem to think too much of Penn State.  

“‘Hey, from what I’ve seen, Penn State is pretty good,’ protested defensive end Kyle Moore.

This means the Trojans have watched the films. This means that they’ve surely seen how, athletically and strategically, USC is clearly better. The writers were able to compare the players in person Tuesday, and the differences were obvious.

USC looked like Humvees. Penn State looked like jayvees.”

• Jim Tressel doesn’t think he’d be a good fit in the NFL, but he hopes having two quarterbacks on the field together fits against Texas, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.  
• Kirk Ferentz doesn’t sound like he’s planning to leave Iowa, and school officials want to keep the well-paid coach in place, Randy Peterson writes in the Des Moines Register. Oft-injured Hawkeyes offensive tackle Dace Richardson plans to return in 2009, Andy Hamilton writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.  
• Maurice Evans entered the fall as a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but the Penn State defensive end never got on track after a drug charge in September, Ron Musselman writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 
• Minnesota’s late-season collapse hasn’t made head coach Tim Brewster any less optimistic about his team’s progress, Tom Powers writes in the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. 

“Look, when we were 7-1, I knew we had some issues,” he said. “We didn’t have much depth, guys got injured. I knew the potential was there for something like this happening. But I also know that the people of Minnesota respect our team. They know how hard we work. They are proud that we made the jump to being respectable again.”

• The Danny Hope era is under way at Purdue, and the new head coach plans to find his next defensive coordinator at the coaches’ convention in January, Mike Carmin writes in The Journal and Courier. 

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What to watch in the final four Big Ten bowls

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

The final 2008 edition of What to Watch examines the four remaining Big Ten bowl games: Outback, Capital One, Rose and Fiesta. The Big Ten is winless so far in the bowl season and is favored in only one bowl (Iowa, Outback).

Here are some subplots to watch as you watch the games (in order of kickoff time).

1. Iowa running back Shonn Greene — Big Ten fans should be somewhat familiar with Greene, but most of the country will get its first glimpse of the Hawkeyes’ superstar on Thursday against South Carolina. The Doak Walker Award winner has eclipsed 100 rushing yards in all 12 regular-season games but faces a stout South Carolina defense. This likely will be Greene’s final collegiate game, so get a good look while you can.

2. The Hawkeyes’ back seven vs. Stephen Garcia — Garcia gets the start at quarterback for South Carolina and hopes to provide some stability under center. The redshirt freshman has six touchdown passes and five interceptions on the season, and he’ll need to limit mistakes against an Iowa defense that forces plenty of them. Iowa led the Big Ten with 20 interceptions, with five players collecting multiple picks.

3. Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer — His last bowl appearance was a disaster, as he committed five turnovers (4 INTs, fumble) in a loss to Boston College. Georgia undoubtedly will load up to stop Javon Ringer and make Hoyer win the game for Michigan State. Though Hoyer’s numbers this season won’t blow anyone away, he has made clutch throws and found ways to win games. If he can stretch the field with Blair White, rushing lanes should open for Ringer.

4. Michigan State’s defensive line vs. Georgia’s offensive line — If the Spartans manage to slow down Georgia, it has to start up front. Michigan State’s defensive line has more experience and must find ways to exploit Georgia’s front five. Rush end Trevor Anderson finished the year with eight sacks and Brandon Long and Justin Kershaw combined for seven more. If Matthew Stafford has time in the pocket, Michigan State will be in big trouble.

5. Joe Paterno’s whereabouts — It doesn’t really matter where Paterno watches the Rose Bowl, but his potential return to the sideline after seven consecutive games in the press box might give Penn State an emotional lift. Paterno admits he sees the field better from up top, but the 82-year-old is itching to get back to where he belongs. His location likely will be a game-time decision, and the officiating crew better be on its toes if JoePa returns to the sideline.

6. Quarterback Daryll Clark and Penn State’s offensive strategy — Clark got his swagger back in the regular-season finale against Michigan State and enters the Rose Bowl stocked with confidence. But he goes up against quite possibly the best defense in recent college history. Though Clark has been smart and efficient all season (four interceptions in 285 pass attempts), Penn State likely needs to challenge USC down the field. A passive approach simply won’t work in this game, and play-callers Galen Hall and Jay Paterno need to go right at USC’s strength.

7. Penn State’s special teams — These two defenses could easily cancel one another out — Penn State can play some ‘D’, too — and the Rose Bowl might come down to special teams. Penn State senior return man Derrick Williams has been outstanding this season and needs another huge performance against USC. If Williams can give Penn State short fields and Kevin Kelly converts his field goal attempts, the Lions could outlast the Trojans. Punter Jeremy Boone also could play a big role in this one, and Penn State must contain the Johnsons (Ronald and Stafon) on USC’s returns.