We all knew the arrival of Urban Meyer would help boost the Big Ten’s profile in the college football landscape. We knew he would help to pick the Buckeyes up after tattoos and NCAA sanctions had pulled them down. We knew he could recruit better athletes to the Midwest. And we knew he would keep every other coach on their toes.
But who knew Meyer would bring so much drama?
Moments after the Buckeyes bested the Spartans on Saturday, Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi suggested Ohio State had been difficult to prepare for because the game film they had provided had been re-cut to remove pre-snap movement. Any coach will tell you they study as much of what comes before the snap as what comes after it. And when Narduzzi compared notes with other Ohio State opponents, the claim was that other schools had received different versions of the film.
Michigan State’s accusation that Ohio State doctored game footage is a serious charge, even if not an NCAA or Big Ten violation. It suggests Ohio State bent the rules to obtain a competitive advantage.
Representatives for Michigan State and Ohio State did their best to quash the story, telling reporters the matter had been handled between the schools. And the conference downplayed the claims, as well. Said Big Ten Senior Associate Commissioner Mark Rudner: “There has been football video exchanged for, probably, over 60 years, so this is not anything that’s new. It’s certainly not the first time that one institution may have had an issue with another that was resolved between the institutions, which is how we always like to see these kinds of issues and related issues resolved.”
Only this is not the first time Meyer has been accused of ethical misconduct; earlier this year, Badgers coach Bret Bielema accused Meyer of attempting to poach recruits tied to other schools. Most wrote it off as sour grapes on Bielema’s part, but one must wonder now whether Bielema was right in raising his objections.
There is no question Meyer has been everything he was sold to be. The Buckeyes appear back on track and Columbus is a hot zone for the nation’s most desirable high school prospects. But maybe Meyer’s greatest contribution has been to feed the Big Ten what it has craved more than anything else: headlines.
Drama generates news, it helps to grow rivalries, and, ultimately, it feeds all of the schools in the conference. Nothing wrong with that.
— Big Ten Notes —
• Does Northwestern belong in the Top 25? Hard to say. This team will always overachieve with Pat Fitzgerald at the helm, and there is enough talent in Evanston to keep things interesting. But perhaps the Wildcats can collect a little respect with a win over a Penn State team they have not beaten since 2004. Penn State is just finding itself, and could prove more difficult for Northwestern this week than most expect.
• It’s become clear how valuable Jared Abbrederis is to the Wisconsin offense. He leads the Big Ten in receiving yards per start (99.8) and is averaging 20.0 yards per reception. He extends the chains and makes plays downfield. Without him in the lineup, the Badgers have trouble keeping defenses honest.
• Who says time of possession is an indicator for success? Ohio State ranks dead last among Big Ten teams in the category (29:12), while Minnesota (33:08), Illinois (32:50) and Purdue (31:14) are among the top 5.
— This week’s schedule —
Saturday, Oct. 6
Michigan State at Indiana, 11 a.m.
Northwestern at Penn State, 11 a.m.
Illinois at Wisconsin, 2:30 p.m.
Michigan at Purdue, 3 p.m.
Nebraska at Ohio State, 7 p.m.
**all times CT
–– Spotlight —
QB Taylor Martinez, Nebraska
Martinez gained 107 yards rushing and threw a pair of touchdown passes to help Nebraska rally last week against Wisconsin. He’ll need to dig out a few more tricks this week against a Buckeyes defense that allows just 3.6 yards per carry. Ohio State is battle tested – something that was not true of either Wisconsin or Nebraska prior to last week – and will make Martinez the focal point of their attack.
— He Said It (quote of the week) —
Nebraska coach Bo Pelini addressing the media after the Cornhuskers held Wisconsin to 56 net yards rushing:
“Contrary to what you guys think, I haven’t forgotten how to coach defense and how to stop the run.”
— Big Ten Mailbag —
Kent from Iowa: MSU-OSU was supposed to be the biggest Big Ten game of the season. Disappointment! Give me a game we should be anticipating the rest of the year.
Well, actually, this summer most pointed to Michigan-Michigan State as the season’s can’t-miss contest. The Wolverines have not met expectations, so the hype for that game (Oct. 20) has dwindled a bit, but it still could help to shape the Legends race. If not, the meetings between Nebraska and Michigan/Michigan State the following two weeks will. And, of course, Ohio State-Michigan is always worth watching …
Tweet your questions to Mike Beacom @mikebeacom, or email him at [email protected]. Each week one question will be selected for this column. Be sure to include your first name and city/state.
Mike Beacom is the Big Ten football editor for Lindy’s. Follow him on Twitter @mikebeacom