Michigan Football: The Big House Blog Hugs a Tree on Earth Day

Michigan is expected to have less then 20 spots available for their 2010 recruiting class.

They already have nine committed players, which leaves 11 spots left.

So how many scholarship offers to you think Michigan has out right now? 20, 30, maybe 40 for the 11 spots?

Nope, Michigan has over 100 scholarship offers on the street right now. That seems like a lot for 11 spots, but I’m sure RR and…
Continue reading at Bleacher Report – Big Ten Football

Juice shaky, running backs shine at Illini practice

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Last season, Illinois fans got a taste of good Juice (total offense records in three stadiums, including the Big House) and bad Juice (nine interceptions in the last five games).
Those in attendance Wednesday at a blustery Memorial Stadium for Illinois' full-pads scrimmage saw both sides of Juice Williams but left with a slightly…
Continue reading at ESPN.com – Big Ten – Blog

The Big House Boys: Michigan’s All Time Best

There’s no topic more hotly debated among fans of the same team than an “all-time” list. Fifty-year reunion alums don’t agree with the student section on the soundtrack choices at the stadium let alone a multi-generational squad of gridiron all-stars.
With a football tradition as rich as there exists at the University of Michigan, there are easily thousands of “top-ten” player combinations. …
Continue reading at Bleacher Report – Big Ten Football

Early schedule snapshot: Ohio State

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

In what has become a trend, Ohio State once again will play the Big Ten's premier nonconference game this season as USC visits Columbus on Sept. 12. Here's a look at the Buckeyes' full 2009 slate. 

NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Sept. 5 Navy

Sept. 12 USC

Sept. 19 Toledo (at Cleveland)

Oct. 31 New Mexico State

My take: The Buckeyes' philosophy of scheduling one national showcase game and three revenue-generating contests holds true again this season. USC provides an excellent barometer for a young Ohio State team trying to regain its swagger in big games. A win against the Trojans could put the Buckeyes in the BCS title mix. A home loss, and especially a lopsided one, would reinforce the perception about Ohio State and the Big Ten. So there's definitely risks and rewards with the game, which makes it more exciting for players, coaches and fans. Navy is a well-respected team that should provide Ohio State a nice Week 1 test. The Buckeyes won't have any trouble with Toledo or New Mexico State.

BIG TEN SCHEDULE

Sept. 26 Illinois

Oct. 3 at Indiana

Oct. 10 Wisconsin

Oct. 17 at Purdue

Oct. 24 Minnesota

Nov. 7 at Penn State

Nov. 14 Iowa

Nov. 21 at Michigan

Byes: Michigan State, Northwestern

My take: Aside from the trip to Beaver Stadium — the last place Ohio State lost a Big Ten road game (2005) — the schedule favors Jim Tressel's squad. The Buckeyes open with three of five at home and make trips to arguably the league's two worst teams in Indiana and Purdue. Should Ohio State knock off USC, it could be 8-0 heading to Happy Valley. November won't be easy with games against Penn State, Iowa and archrival Michigan, which should be much improved by the time Ohio State visits the Big House. So it's important the Buckeyes avoid October stumbles. Though the Buckeyes have dominated Michigan State this decade and Northwestern for several decades, they won't mind having two teams that finished in the league's upper half off of the 2009 slate.

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Early schedule snapshot: Michigan

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Michigan finalized its 2009 schedule last week with the addition of Delaware State. Here's a look at what the Wolverines face this fall. 

NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Sept. 5 Western Michigan

Sept. 12 Notre Dame

Sept. 19 Eastern Michigan

Oct. 17 Delaware State

My take: Not to dwell on the obvious, but this isn't the most challenging slate. Michigan faces two MAC teams, a middling FCS squad and Notre Dame, which could enter the season in the Top 25 but hasn't been able to run the ball since 2006. Though the group might not excite Michigan fans, it provides a team still transitioning to a new regime the opportunity to gain some confidence. Western Michigan beat Illinois last year and should provide a good test in Week 1. If Michigan wins its first season opener since 2006 and knocks off Notre Dame the following week, it should be in good shape for a bowl game. Given the question marks that remain after a 3-9 season, the Wolverines should benefit from this type of schedule.

BIG TEN SCHEDULE

Sept. 26 Indiana

Oct. 3 at Michigan State

Oct. 10 at Iowa

Oct. 24 Penn State

Oct. 31 at Illinois

Nov. 7 Purdue

Nov. 14 at Wisconsin

Nov. 21 Ohio State

Byes: Northwestern, Minnesota

My take: Michigan must defend the Big House this season, both in nonconference play and during the Big Ten slate. Indiana and Purdue both are must-wins for the Wolverines, who will have a rough time with defending Big Ten co-champs Ohio State and Penn State. The road schedule isn't easy, but Michigan has won nine consecutive games at Illinois (last loss came in 1983) and three straight against in-state rival Michigan State. October won't be easy, but if the Wolverines pull out a win or two, they should be in position for a bowl game. 

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Early schedule snapshot: Indiana

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

After a look at Illinois' near-complete schedule, it's time to examine Indiana, the only other Big Ten team without a finalized 2009 slate. 

Here's what we know at this point about the Hoosiers:

NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Sept. 5 Eastern Kentucky

Sept. 12 Western Michigan

Sept. 19 at Akron

Oct. 10 ??? 

My take: Indiana's non-league slate lost some flavor after South Florida rescheduled a 2009 trip to Bloomington for 2015 so it could face Florida State in Tallahassee this fall. Then again, the Hoosiers lost to two MAC teams (Ball State and Central Michigan) in 2008 and will have their hands full with Western Michigan and a trip to Akron. Last year's soft slate was set up for Indiana to return to a bowl game, but an easy opening stretch seemed to leave the team poorly prepared for Ball State in Week 3. Eastern Kentucky is a solid FCS program that produced new Purdue head coach Danny Hope and was knocked out of the playoffs last season by eventual national champion Richmond. It would be nice to see Indiana fill its final spot with a BCS program, but it could be tough at this late date. 

BIG TEN SCHEDULE

Sept. 26 at Michigan

Oct. 3 Ohio State

Oct. 17 Illinois

Oct. 24 at Northwestern

Oct. 31 at Iowa

Nov. 7 Wisconsin

Nov. 14 at Penn State

Nov. 21 Purdue 

Byes: Michigan State, Minnesota

My take: The road schedule is simply brutal, and Indiana has dropped eight consecutive games away from Memorial Stadium (7 road, 1 bowl), stretching back to Sept. 29, 2007. Indiana does catch Michigan fairly early on, and if the Wolverines are still finding their way, the Hoosiers could hang around in the Big House. The Hoosiers travel to Happy Valley for the second straight year, and they also visit an improved Iowa team and a Northwestern squad that won't take them lightly after last year's upset in Bloomington. The key is to survive September and October with something to play for and then take advantage of the November home games. 

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Michigan fills final game with Delaware State

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Michigan's 2009 football schedule is now complete, as the Wolverines added FCS-member Delaware State to the slate on Oct. 17 in the Big House. 

Coming off a 3-9 season, Michigan will play all four of its nonconference games at home, opening with Western Michigan (Sept. 5), Notre Dame (Sept. 12) and Eastern Michigan (Sept. 19). The Wolverines begin Big Ten play with Indiana, Michigan State and Iowa before welcoming Delaware State, a historically black college that went 5-6 last season, to Ann Arbor. 

Some Wolverines fans surely will be disappointed not to see another marquee opponent on the 2009 slate, but Michigan's schedule sets up well for a return to the postseason. Michigan plays a tough road schedule (Michigan State, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin) but should benefit from eight home contests. 

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Putting a bow on the Big Ten season

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The end result wasn't what most Big Ten fans had in mind, but 2008 still brought plenty of intrigue around the league. Before putting the season to bed, here are some moments that stick out in my mind.

Terrelle Pryor takes over — Pryor came to Ohio State with unparalleled hype as the nation's No. 1 recruit, but most expected him to sit out most of the season. Everything changed after the USC loss, and Jim Tressel's decision to start Pryor in Week 4 marked a significant shift for a program that usually sticks with its seniors. Pryor had some growing pains along the way, but he also showcased incredible talent and the potential to take Ohio State a long way in the years to come.

Joe Paterno keeps on winning — Despite a bum hip that needed to be surgically replaced in November, Paterno gutted his way through the season and proved once again that he knows exactly what he's doing. Despite spending the final nine games in the press box, including the Rose Bowl, Paterno helped Penn State to a co-Big Ten title and won Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. The 82-year-old signed a three-year contract after the season and will be back in 2009.

Holy Toledo — Michigan had never lost to a MAC team in 24 tries, but this season was anything but ordinary in Ann Arbor. The low point for Rich Rodriguez and the Wolverines undoubtedly arrived Oct. 11, when a subpar Toledo team came into the Big House and beat Michigan 13-10. Michigan went on to lose a school-record nine games, posted a losing season for the first time since 1967 and missed a bowl for the first time since 1974.

The collapse at the Coliseum — The most anticipated game of the season turned into a disaster for the Big Ten and Ohio State, which got steamrolled 35-3 by USC. Ohio State couldn't stop Mark Sanchez, committed uncharacteristic errors and didn't score a touchdown for the first time since 1996. The loss reinforced the perception that Ohio State struggles in big games, a reputation the Buckeyes helped restore in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Murray kicks Penn State out of title game — Penn State seemed destined for a date in the BCS Championship Game until it ran into an inspired Iowa team on Nov. 8 at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes rallied from a 9-point fourth-quarter deficit and won the game in the final seconds on a 31-yard field goal by Daniel Murray, an Iowa City native who had lost his starting job seven weeks earlier. Head coach Kirk Ferentz went back to Murray in the clutch, a decision that paid off.

Coordinators take off — The Big Ten had no head-coaching changes this year, but several of the league's top assistants left following the season. Illinois offensive coordinator and chief recruiter Mike Locksley left to become New Mexico's head coach. Minnesota lost both of its coordinators, as Mike Dunbar stepped down and Ted Roof left for the defensive coordinator spot at Auburn. Michigan defensive coordinator Scott Shafer resigned after only one season.

Another bowl flop — The league needed a boost in the postseason after dropping four consecutive BCS games and four Rose Bowls. Instead, the Big Ten's national perception took another blow as the conference went 1-6 in bowl games. Despite a dominant Outback Bowl win by Iowa and encouraging performances from Ohio State and Northwestern, the Big Ten lost two more BCS games and another Rose Bowl.

Rodriguez sounds off — His comments were largely misrepresented, but Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez didn't do himself any favors during a Nov. 17 news conference. Speaking about outlandish comments on fan message boards, Rodriguez said, "You almost want to tell them, 'Get a life.' There's a whole lot bigger problems. Look at the economy." Though the comments weren't directed at Michigan's fan base, they made headlines around the Big Ten and added to the woes for the first-year coach.

Northwestern's Smith stuns Minnesota — No play symbolized Northwestern's renaissance on defense more than Brendan Smith's 48-yard interception return for a touchdown with 12 seconds left to beat Minnesota 24-17 on Nov. 1. Defense was the story for Northwestern during a 9-4 season, as first-year coordinator Mike Hankwitz revolutionized one of the conference's worst units. Smith's return also signaled the beginning of the end for Minnesota, which dropped its final five games after a 7-1 start.

Dantonio gets rewarded with new deal — Mark Dantonio's stock is on the rise at Michigan State, and the university rewarded him before the Capital One Bowl with a restructured contract. Dantonio's salary raise puts him on par with other Big Ten coaches, and he will receive a million bonus if he's still coaching Michigan State on Jan. 15, 2016. The Spartans have made upgrades in facilities and recruiting, and if they can keep Dantonio, they'll consistently be in the mix for league titles.

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Michigan’s struggles hurt Utah’s bid for No. 1

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The Utah Utes finished the season with the strongest résumé for a non-BCS program in recent times.

• Utah (13-0) was the only undefeated FBS team.
• The Utes swept through the Mountain West Conference, which reached a new level for a non-BCS league.
• They beat TCU and BYU.
• They beat an Oregon State team that knocked off No. 1 USC the week before.
• And they topped it off with quite possibly the most impressive win of the bowl season, a 31-17 triumph against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

Sure, USC looked impressive against Penn State, but the Rose Bowl is a virtual home game for the Trojans. Utah essentially beat Alabama in the Crimson Tide's backyard.

And the amazing thing is, Utah's profile could have been a lot better.

Remember who the Utes beat in the season opener Aug. 30? Michigan. Utah outlasted the Wolverines 25-23 to kick off a very special season. 

Now imagine Michigan was Michigan, not the rudderless 3-9 product we saw this fall.

What if this was a standard Michigan team, one that finished the season ranked in the top 20? How much better would Utah look with a win in the Big House against a solid Wolverines squad from a solid Big Ten?

I'm not saying it would have put Utah ahead of Florida in the final polls. But as someone who voted the Utes at No. 2 in the ESPN.com final Power Rankings, I would have given a lot of thought to putting Utah on the top line. 

As it turned out, Michigan was one of Utah's least impressive victories. Only San Diego State (2-10) had a worse record. The Wolverines are barely mentioned when Utah's résumé is discussed. 

Many teams saw this as a good season to play Michigan. But for Utah, the game in Ann Arbor didn't really help.

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Michigan spring game back to Big House

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

The renovation of Michigan Stadium won’t be completed until August 2010, but the Big House will play host to the football team’s annual spring game April 11. 

Construction forced last year’s spring game to be moved to nearby Saline High School, but head coach Rich Rodriguez announced Wednesday that the event will be back in the stadium. The Wolverines open spring drills March 14.

“We appreciate the effort of the construction crew to make the facility available to us and we hope that a large crowd will be able to attend,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “The opportunity to practice at the stadium and in front of fans is extremely valuable for our players.” 

Purdue also announced its spring game, which will be played April 18 at Ross-Ade Stadium. The Black & Gold game culminates Purdue’s first spring practice session, which kicks off March 25, under new head coach Danny Hope. 

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