Most indispensable players: Ohio State

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

We're getting near the end of our series looking at the most indispensable players on each Big Ten team. Once again, this is not necessarily a listing of the best players on each team, but ones whose absence would be toughest to absorb because of their particular value or a lack of depth behind them. We're selecting two players from each Big Ten squad, usually one on offense and one on defense, but not always. Ohio State is on the clock: Braxton Miller, QB, Sophomore It's not just that Miller is the team's best playmaker and a seemingly perfect fit in Urban Meyer's spread offense.

Big Ten chat: today at noon ET

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

Just a quick reminder that we'll be chatting about all things Big Ten football today at noon ET. Let's discuss the news coming out of the Big Ten spring meetings in Chicago, how the Big Ten fits into college football's future playoff and anything else that's on your mind. See you at noon ET.

B1G quiet on expansion, watching terrain

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

CHICAGO -- Two years ago, Big Ten expansion dominated the discussion at league's spring meetings. This week, the subject barely came up when athletic directors and others got together. The Big Ten presidents and chancellors announced in August that the league "will not be actively engaged in conference expansion at this time, or at any time in the foreseeable future, barring a significant shift in the current intercollegiate athletic landscape.

B1G quiet on expansion, watching landcape

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

CHICAGO -- Two years ago, Big Ten expansion dominated the discussion at league's spring meetings. This week, the subject barely came up when athletic directors and others got together. The Big Ten presidents and chancellors announced in August that the league "will not be actively engaged in conference expansion at this time, or at any time in the foreseeable future, barring a significant shift in the current intercollegiate athletic landscape.

Spring breakout players in the Big Ten

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

Spring practice is a time when coaches install new schemes or just instill the fundamentals. The most exciting part of spring practice is potential new stars emerge, with newcomers or former reserves turning heads with their performances. Some of these guys will fade back into the shadows come fall. But others will be making major contributions on a field near you. Here's a list of some players who had breakout springs: Josh Ferguson, RB, Illinois: Redshirted last year after a hamstring injury, Ferguson blew up for 130 yards and caught six passes in the Illini spring game.

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Source: Yahoo! NCAAB

IVC’s Parr brothers have been recent mainstay for Illini baseball

Source: Peoria JournalStar by JOHN SUPINIE

His older brother, Josh, is already gone to minor league baseball, but first baseman Jordan Parr still has brother Justin with him in the Illinois baseball starting lineup.

There’s nothing like a bond between twins.

“It’s indescribable,” Jordan said. “He’s my best friend. He knows everything about me. I know everything about him.”

Illinois athletics brings its three new coaches to parade around Peoria

Source: Peoria JournalStar by JOHN SUPINIE

Standing among more than 200 Illinois fans stuffed into a Country Club of Peoria room overlooking the Illinois River on Wednesday, Illini safety Supo Sanni and defensive end Justin Staples held up their wrists to show off orange bracelets.

The ONE printed on the plastic, football coach Tim Beckman said, stands for Operation New Era. On the first stop on a nine-city caravan through the state, Illini athletics took the orange to the people as athletics director Mike Thomas introduced Beckman, basketball coach John Groce and women’s basketball coach Matt Bollant for up-close-and-personal time with boosters and fans.

Miller next addition to Groce's staff

Source: News-Gazette by digital.media

CHAMPAIGN — Former Ohio State assistant Brandon Miller will join John Groce's basketball staff at Illinois.

Miller's position likely will be assistant to the head coach — the position previously slated for Ramon Williams, who accepted an assistant coaching position at Virginia Tech. Miller arrived in C-U and was in the Illini basketball offices on Wednesday.

read more

M. Tennis. Abdelnour Earns Elite 89 Award for Highest GPA

Source: Illinois Official Site

Fighting Illini junior Bruno Abdelnour received the Elite 89 Award for NCAA Division I Men's Tennis for having the highest grade point average (3.96) among all sophomores, juniors and seniors competing in the NCAA round of 16.

Miller the next addition to Groce's staff

Source: News-Gazette by pklee

CHAMPAIGN — Former Ohio State assistant Brandon Miller will join John Groce’s basketball staff at Illinois.

Miller’s position likely will be assistant to the head coach — the position previously slated for Ramon Williams, who accepted an assistant coaching position at Virginia Tech. Miller arrived in C-U and was in the Illini basketball offices Wednesday.

read more

Miller added to Groce's staff

Source: News-Gazette by digital.media

CHAMPAIGN — Former Ohio State assistant Brandon Miller will join John Groce's basketball staff at Illinois.

Miller's position likely would be assistant to the head coach — the post previously slated for Ramon Williams, who accepted an assistant coaching position at Virginia Tech.

read more

Groce turns to Ohio State for aide

Source: News-Gazette by digital.media

CHAMPAIGN — Former Ohio State assistant Brandon Miller is expected to join John Groce's basketball staff at Illinois.

Miller's position likely would be assistant to the head coach — the post previously slated for Ramon Williams, who accepted an assistant coaching position at Virginia Tech.

read more

M. Tennis. #16 Illini Set to Face Top-Seeded USC in Round of 16

Source: Illinois Official Site

Illinois will head to Athens, Ga., to take on top-seeded USC in the round of 16 at the NCAA Championships Friday at 8 a.m. Complete Notes | Tournament Central | Live Stats |

Video: Wrapping up the Big Ten meetings

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

Adam Rittenberg wraps up the final day of the Big Ten spring meetings in Chicago

B1G launches concussion research initiative

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

CHICAGO -- The Big Ten is bringing together its brainpower to help gather more information about the effects of concussions in sports. Commissioner Jim Delany announced Wednesday that the league members will launch a research initiative about how head injuries affect athletes in all sports. The Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the Big Ten's internal academic consortium, which includes all 12 sports members and the University of Chicago, will manage the project and the research efforts.

Meyer reveals depth chart, talks leaders

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer met with the media Wednesday and unveiled a post-spring depth chart. It didn't contain a lot of surprises. Some of the most interesting items from the depth chart -- and Meyer's comments -- included: Doran Grant has risen to co-starter status with Travis Howard at cornerback. Spring game sensation Michael Thomas is listed as the backup to Devin Smith at receiver, with Corey Brown and Evan Spencer the other starters there.

B1G to tweak title game ticket sales strategy

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

CHICAGO -- When the Big Ten put 20,000 general public tickets on sale for the inaugural football title game in late July, they were gone within two hours. But many of those tickets -- bought by fans whose teams didn't qualify for the game in Indianapolis -- reappeared on websites like Stubhub.com days before the game, creating a soft secondary market. Some tickets were priced as low as $9 right before the game. Although the game sold out, there were several thousand empty seats at Lucas Oil Stadium when Wisconsin played Michigan State.

Big Ten Football Top 150 Players: No. 124, Darius Millines, Illinois WR

Source: Bleacher Report NCAAF

Darius Millines, No. 15, WR, Illinois
2011 Stats: 19 catches, 218 yards, one TD

 

Strengths

When Darius Millines is on the field, good things happen. He's small but shifty, and he's got open-field moves that can break a play open or at the very least keep the chains moving.

Those skills are also well-suited for the kick-return game, and we may see Millines return to that role in 2012.

 

Weaknesses

Millines has the talent to excel at this level, but he needs to be able to put together a full season. He lost four games to injury in 2011 and wasn't performing at his same level after getting back onto the field.

He was also taken off kick-return duty after injury. Millines doesn't have much in the way of size, either, so how Millines can adjust to press coverage will determine his level of success.

 

2012 Prediction

Illinois is going to miss A.J. Jenkins in 2012, but Millines is probably the closest thing the Illini have to a wide receiver in Jenkins' mold. He and Spencer Harris should prove to be a solid pair of leading wideouts, and something along the lines of 50 catches for 700 yards or so should be Millines' goal.

The injury concerns will be important, of course, but that's true for literally everybody in every sport, so, y'know.

Read more Illinois Fighting Illini Football news on BleacherReport.com

Video: Jim Delany on spring meetings

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany recaps the league's spring meetings with Adam Rittenberg.

Big Ten, Pac-12 pact moving forward

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

CHICAGO -- Despite a few speed bumps, the Big Ten/Pac-12 scheduling partnership is "a go," Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told his league's athletic directors this week. The details are still being worked out, which isn't a surprise when you have 24 major-conference programs with unique interests, scheduling philosophies and scheduling agreements. But Delany hopes to have a more specific idea of the scheduling models in the next few months. "We do want it all fit in," Delany said Wednesday.

B1G to discuss tie-in with Pinstripe Bowl

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

CHICAGO -- The Big Ten favors having a college football playoff within the existing bowls, which essentially pushes those games to warmer climates in the south and west. As Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said, "Let's say it is 5 degrees. Is that right for the game?" Apparently it's OK for lower-tier bowls. League commissioner Jim Delany said Wednesday that the Big Ten will have discussions with the Pinstripe Bowl, played outside in late December at New York's Yankee Stadium, about a potential future tie-in.

Big Ten Football Top 150 Players: No. 124: Darius Millines, Illinois WR

Source: Bleacher Report NCAAF

Darius Millines, No. 15, WR, Illinois
2011 Stats: 19 catches, 218 yards, one TD

 

Strengths

When Darius Millines is on the field, good things happen. He's small but shifty, and he's got open-field moves that can break a play open or at the very least keep the chains moving.

Those skills are also well-suited for the kick-return game, and we may see Millines return to that role in 2012.

 

Weaknesses

Millines has the talent to excel at this level, but he needs to be able to put together a full season. He lost four games to injury in 2011 and wasn't performing at his same level after getting back onto the field.

He was also taken off kick-return duty after injury. Millines doesn't have much in the way of size, either, so how Millines can adjust to press coverage will determine his level of success.

 

2012 Prediction

Illinois is going to miss A.J. Jenkins in 2012, but Millines is probably the closest thing the Illini have to a wide receiver in Jenkins' mold. He and Spencer Harris should prove to be a solid pair of leading wideouts, and something along the lines of 50 catches for 700 yards or so should be Millines' goal.

The injury concerns will be important, of course, but that's true for literally everybody in every sport, so, y'know.

Read more Illinois Fighting Illini Football news on BleacherReport.com

Big Ten to discuss tie-in with Pinstripe Bowl

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

CHICAGO -- The Big Ten favors having a college football playoff within the existing bowls, which essentially pushes those games to warmer climates in the south and west. As Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said, "Let's say it is 5 degrees. Is that right for the game?" Apparently it's OK for lower-tier bowls. League commissioner Jim Delany said Wednesday that the Big Ten will have discussions with the Pinstripe Bowl, played outside in late December at New York's Yankee Stadium, about a potential future tie-in.

Softball. Pair of Illini Honored by Big Ten Conference

Source: Illinois Official Site

The Big Ten Conference recognized junior Pepper Gay and senior Kelley Wedel with All-Big Ten Second Team and the Sportsmanship Award, respectively. 2012 All-Big Ten List |

Michigan's Lewan maturing into a leader

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan lost some invaluable leadership on the offensive line when center David Molk graduated. A somewhat unlikely figure is volunteering to fill that void. "I definitely see myself as a leader," junior left tackle Taylor Lewan told ESPN.com. "I want to be one of the main guys that really helps through all the successes and all the bad things. I want that to be put on myself. "I'm the left tackle, the blind side. They made a movie about it.

Jabari on the cover of SI

Source: News-Gazette by jrossow

Not many high school stars make the cover of Sports Illustrated. That's how good News-Gazette All-State Player of the Year Jabari Parker is ... in case anyone didn't know by now.

Check it out

20 Years Ago - Hawaii Warriors Earn First WAC Championship: A Fan’s Look Back (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! NCAAF

In 1992, inflation was 3%, a new home cost on average $122K, average monthly rent was $500 and gasoline was $1.00 a gallon. 20 years isn't that long ago and yet in some sense, it seems like ages ago.

Baseball. Illini Host Gophers in Final Big Ten Series

Source: Illinois Official Site

The Orange and Blue return home after a rough road trip to State College in which the Illini were swept by Penn State to host Minnesota in the final regular-season series of 2012. Printable Notes |

Big Ten lunchtime links

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

The league meetings in Chicago and playoffs (cue Jim Mora clip) dominate your hump day links: The Big Ten's love of the Rose Bowl is making it act irrationally and against the league's best interests, Dan Wetzel writes. There's no guarantee on how that Rose Bowl relationship will continue. The Big Ten won't be able to use geography as an excuse for bowl performance in the future, Drew Sharp says. The league is pushing for a seven-win minimum to make a bowl game even though that may hurt some of its own teams.

Campus sites: Did B1G give up too easily?

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

CHICAGO -- When the college football playoff push kicked off, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith planted himself in the campus-sites camp. Smith favored having the semifinals on the campuses of the higher-seeded teams. The setup would give Big Ten teams like Ohio State an advantage they've never enjoyed in the current BCS/bowl setup -- nationally significant games on Midwest soil in late December or early January. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany was among the first major college football figures to stump for campus sites this winter.

Most indispensable players: Penn State

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

It's time once again for our series looking at the most indispensable players on each Big Ten squad entering the 2012 season. All together now: this is not necessarily a listing of the best players on each team, but of those whose absence would cause the most pain because of their particular value or a lack of depth at their positions. Up now: Penn State. Silas Redd, RB, Junior Although Bill Belton had a nice spring, Penn State's backfield otherwise looked very thin.

Video: Big Ten spring meetings

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

Adam Rittenberg recaps the day at the Big Ten spring meetings, where the future postseason format and bowls were hot topics.

Big Ten chat moves to Thursday

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

I'll be covering the final day of the Big Ten spring meetings in Chicago, so my regular chat is moving from Wednesday to noon ET Thursday. Please join me then to recap the spring meetings, discuss the latest playoff developments and any other Big Ten issues that crop up. Again, noon ET Thursday. See you then.

Illini men's golf readying for regionals

Source: Peoria JournalStar by JOHN SUPINIE

Illinois senior Luke Guthrie joined some household names this spring.

When the Quincy native won the Big Ten Conference golf title for the second straight season, he was the league’s first back-to-back champ since Luke Donald in 2001 and Illinois’ first player to win in two consecutive conference crowns since Steve Stricker in 1989.

“It’s awesome to be put in the same sentence with those guys,” Guthrie said.

Mizzou's No. 2 QB is arrested

Source: STLtoday.com

Corbin Berkstresser was arrested early Tuesday for allegedly leaving the scene of an accident in Columbia.

Illini readying for regionals

Source: Peoria JournalStar by JOHN SUPINIE

Illinois senior Luke Guthrie joined some household names this spring.

When the Quincy native won the Big Ten Conference golf title for the second straight season, he was the league’s first back-to-back champ since Luke Donald in 2001 and Illinois’ first player to win in two consecutive conference crowns since Steve Stricker in 1989.

“It’s awesome to be put in the same sentence with those guys,” Guthrie said.

Ty Isaac chooses USC

Source: Hail to the Orange by U-God

All those slim hopes you were foolishly holding onto that Joliet Catholic Academy and second ranked RB Ty Isaac would for some reason choose to suit up for the Illini football team can be thrown out with today's garbage: young Mr. Isaac has decided to move to Los Angeles and play for the USC Trojans.


The news is a bummer, but not exactly unexpected. It would have been pretty neat seeing Isaac paired in the backfield with Josh Ferguson, another JCA product, but oh well. Time to ramp up the efforts to land other running backs.

And keep in mind, in no way is my desire to land another homerun threat RB a knock on Kendrick Foster, who has already

Delany discusses changing bowl landscape

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

CHICAGO -- Big Ten teams will be playing fewer bowl games in the future. And they'll likely be playing some of them in different locations. It's all part of a shifting bowl landscape that Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany discussed Tuesday at the league's spring meetings. Delany said there's a "very strong consensus" among the league's athletic directors that the bowl-eligibility requirement should increase from six wins to seven wins, a sentiment that's echoed nationally.

General News. Fighting Illini Caravan Kicks Off Wednesday in Peoria

Source: Illinois Official Site

The Fighting Illini caravan kicks off its nine-city tour by heading to Peoria on Wednesday. Coaches Tim Beckman, John Groce, Matt Bollant and Athletics Director Mike Thomas will host a reception at the Peoria Country Club from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

W. Basketball. Fighting Illini Caravan Kicks Off Wednesday in Peoria

Source: Illinois Official Site

The Fighting Illini caravan kicks off its nine-city tour by heading to Peoria on Wednesday. Coaches Tim Beckman, John Groce, Matt Bollant and Athletics Director Mike Thomas will host a reception at the Peoria Country Club from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Football. Fighting Illini Caravan Kicks Off Wednesday in Peoria

Source: Illinois Official Site

The Fighting Illini caravan kicks off its nine-city tour by heading to Peoria on Wednesday. Coaches Tim Beckman, John Groce, Matt Bollant and Athletics Director Mike Thomas will host a reception at the Peoria Country Club from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

M. Basketball. Fighting Illini Caravan Kicks Off Wednesday in Peoria

Source: Illinois Official Site

The Fighting Illini caravan kicks off its nine-city tour by heading to Peoria on Wednesday. Coaches Tim Beckman, John Groce, Matt Bollant and Athletics Director Mike Thomas will host a reception at the Peoria Country Club from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Delany: Playoff talk shifts from what to how

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

CHICAGO -- Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany didn't reveal the future college football playoff model Tuesday, but he made it clear the process is shifting from what the format will be to how it will be determined and who will participate. Although Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman recently told ESPN.com he and other presidents prefer a plus-one model, a true four-team playoff is much more likely. And the format almost certainly will take place within the existing bowls.

Video: Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany discusses the future of bowls and college football's postseason format at the league's spring meetings.

M. Cross Country; Track & Field. Riley Named Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year and Championships

Source: Illinois Official Site

After a stellar weekend at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, senior Andrew Riley earned a pair of laurels on Tuesday, as announced by the conference office.

Rule keeps Frazier, Pace out of HOF class

Source: Big Ten Football Blog

Had colleague Ivan Maisel not spelled out a little-known rule about the College Football Hall of Fame's induction procedures, there would likely be some righteous outrage in Lincoln, Neb., and Columbus, Ohio, today. Maisel wrote this morning that the Hall has a rule preventing the selection of players from the same school in back-to-back years. That must have been the only thing keeping Nebraska's Tommie Frazier and Ohio State's Orlando Pace from being elected this year.