FanHouse Wisconsin Football

FanHouse is counting down the ten best, ten worst, and ten weirdest moments in the history of Big Ten football.

Of all the ephemera associated with college football, probably the worst is that dreadful institution, the coach's TV show. While I can hardly claim to have seen them all, the ones I have seen have been (a) pretty much all the same, and (b) terrible. The production values are just a notch above something you'd see on the public access channel. The game film is nothing but the highlights your local news showed the night of the game. The commentary from the coach is usually empty of any non-obvious content. And you just know they only pick the fat, juicy hanging curveballs for the "Ask the Coach" segment. The shows are just a way to generate some additional income for the coach, because as we all know, college football coaches at the Division I-A Football Bowl Subdivision level don't get paid very well.

So today we turn our attention to what might be the only interesting moment in the entire history of these wretched programs. It involves a coach who ... well, he made a rather curious decision about how to remind people that the season wasn't over yet.

FanHouse is counting down the ten best, ten worst, and ten weirdest moments in Big Ten football history.

It was a stupid rule, and everybody knew it was a stupid rule.

Rule 3-2-5-e went into effect for the 2006 college football season. The rule required that, on kickoffs, the game clock would start when the kicker made contact with the ball. (The old rule was that the clock started when the receiver touched the ball; on touchbacks, the clock didn't move at all.) The whole point of this rule was to speed up college football games, because as we all know, the biggest problem with college football is that the games just aren't over soon enough. That's why tens of thousands gather in stadiums and millions watch on TV, just so they can all share the same thought: Hurry up.

The rule was a blatant sop to the real power in college football: the television rights holders. They're the ones who want the games to fit into neat timeslots, lest they have to give money back to the advertisers because the commercials for the new Bacon-Looped Cheesy Ranch Chicken Meatball Wrap aired during the fourth quarter of the East Carolina-Duke game instead of the first quarter of Auburn-LSU, like the account executive promised.

Fortunately, Bret Bielema was there to save college football from itself.

FanHouse is counting down the 10 best, 10 worst, and 10 weirdest moments in Big Ten football history.

There are a lot of firsts and onlys on this list, but this one surprised even me. Only one Big Ten team has ever won back-to-back Rose Bowls, and it didn't happen way back in the 1950s. In fact, it happened less than ten years ago. When the Wisconsin Badgers won in 1999 and 2000, they became the first and so far only Big Ten team to do so.

Now, it's important to remember that prior to the early 1970s the Big Ten had a rule forbidding any team from going to the Rose Bowl in two consecutive seasons. Once that rule was lifted, Ohio State went to Pasadena four straight years (1973 through 1976) but only won once, in 1974. Not to be outdone, Michigan then went to, and lost, three straight Rose Bowls themselves. Throughout the 1980s no Big Ten team would make consecutive West Coast swings. Michigan split their 1993 and 1994 Rose Bowls, but it looked as if no Big Ten team would ever win the thing in back-to-back years

But they didn't count on ... one man.

When it comes to most of the starting positions, there's been little drama in Madison as the Wisconsin Badgers football team completes workouts with Saturday's spring game.

There are two positions of much interest, however. Both are in the offensive backfield, which might not necessarily bode well for Wisconsin's Big Ten title chances.

At quarterback, the battle is on to replace one-year starter Tyler Donovan, who didn't overwhelm but certainly proved his toughness and leadership last year. He's moved on to the CFL now, and the job for 2008 is down to two guys. Senior Allan Evridge waited his turn after transferring from Kansas State, sitting out a year, and then serving as Donovan's backup last year. He's up against fourth-year junior Dustin Sherer, who has appeared in just three games over his first two years.

On the surface, Evridge has to have an edge, if for no other reason than the fact that he started six games at Kansas State in his freshman year. However, since that point, he has left KSU, sat out a season, and then he threw 12 passes last year at UW. Sherer has patiently waited for a shot at this job, and Wisconsin coaches are saying (at least publicly) that nothing is decided.

The situation is also interesting at running back. P.J. Hill returns off a second injury-plagued season, and he has company in the backfield. Sophomore Zach Brown ran for 250 yards in UW's win at Minnesota, and he averaged nearly 100 per game over the last five. Junior Lance Smith was suspended for road games because of cab fare issues, but he managed to average six yards per carry. Mix in redshirt freshman John Clay, and you have a full house. Expect to see Smith used as a hybrid runner/receiver to maximize his playing time.

We should know more about the running back situation after Saturday, but the quarterback race will probably not be decided until fall practice unless something unexpected happens.

Oh, Wisconsin, truly your nonconference scheduling is to be mocked:

The University of Wisconsin's 2008 football schedule, released Friday, reveals that UW replaced an early season non-conference game against powerful Virginia Tech with a regular-season finale against Cal Poly, a Football Championship Subdivision program.

Wisconsin's nonconference schedule is now Cal Poly, Akron, Marshall, and Fresno State. Last year's schedule: Washington State, UNLV, the Citadel, and Northern Illinois. The year before: Bowling Green, Western Illinois, San Diego State, Buffalo.

That's one BCS opponent in three years, and that opponent was Washington State. That might be understandable if Wisconsin was struggling to pick up Motor City Bowl bids, but UW is among the second-tier Big Ten powers and should be scheduling... I dunno, anyone, especially since UW returns the vast majority of a team that won* played in a New Year's Day bowl.

What's the common thread here? Bret Bielema, who evidently learned from the master of puff scheduling as Bill Snyder's defensive coordinator at Kansas State.

(Via the Wizard of Odds, and *correction.)

We've already chronicled for you the decision of Wisconsin cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu to enter the 2008 NFL Draft.

Back in November, I said that Ikegwuonu would have a tough decision to make. In the end, I thought he would stay in school and try to prove himself a better player, person, and draft prospect. Our own Michael David Smith agreed, saying Ikegwuonu needed to show more consistency and better define what his best position would be in the NFL. That said, Ikegwuonu decided to turn pro, anyway.

Now, he's probably second-guessing that decision a bit.

Ikegwuonu suffered tears of both his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments as well as damage to his kneecap, according to a source close to the situation, and will need reconstructive knee surgery.

He was working out at Perfect Competition, a training facility in Davie, Fla., when the incident occurred. Ikegwuonu, who earlier in the month decided to leave UW a year early, was pulling a sled designed to improve his speed when the injury occurred. He exploded out of a start, planted his leg and the knee buckled.

The injury will all but eliminate Ikegwuonu's chances of being selected April 26-27 in the National Football League draft. It's possible a team might take him in a late round and bring along for 2009.

In Bob McGinn's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel update, he quotes a scout as saying Ikegwuonu is "screwed". Among the concerns scouts had were his on-field production and character. There's no questioning his measurables, but six interceptions in three years isn't impressive for anyone trying to call themselves an elite college player.

When Ikegwuonu turned pro, he signed with agent Drew Rosenhaus. Super Agent will probably go on ESPN next week and proclaim Ikegwuonu worthy of a first-round pick in the draft.

Tuesday was the deadline for underclassmen to declare their entry into the NFL Draft. Below, a look at the damage done across the Big Ten in the NFL Damage Report. Yes, the NFL is still interested in the occasional Big Ten player.

Ohio State
Gone	DE Vernon Gholston
Back	WR Brian Robiskie, LB James Laurinaitis, LB Marcus Freeman CB Malcolm Jenkins, OT Alex Boone
Damage	Gholston will be a major loss. The Detroit junior was a terror all year long -- if OSU hadn't busted three coverages at the wrong time he would have made an enormous impact on the national title game -- and perhaps the best defensive end in the Big Ten since Simeon Rice. OSU has a lot of talent, but guys like Gholston are rare no matter how many hyped recruits you've reeled in. But the unfortunate reality for Big Ten fans is that OSU got off easier than everyone expected. Jenkins and Laurinaitis have been projected in the top half of the first round by most draft services, but elected to return. A few likely first-day picks in Robiskie, Freeman, and Boone elected to stick around, as well. Despite the loss of Gholston OSU is a big winner here.

Michigan
Gone	WR Mario Manningham, WR Adrian Arrington, QB Ryan Mallett (transfer)
Back	DT Terrance Taylor, DE Tim Jamison
Damage	Manningham's departure was assumed from last summer, but Adrian Arrington's dynamite Citrus Bowl might have been the decisive factor in his decision to enter early; both departing leaves Michigan thin and young at wideout. Third WR Greg Mathews comes back, but he seems a steady possession type in the mold of Jason Avant, not a gamebreaker like Manningham was and Arrington was developing into. Mallett's departure will mean little to Michigan fans if Rich Rodriguez can reel in uberrecruit Terrelle Pryor. Meanwhile, a couple defensive linemen who could have gone somewhere on the first day return; Michigan brings back every contributor from a pretty decent defensive line from a year ago. They'll have to make their returns count for Michigan's defense to keep what looks like a shaky-at-best offense in games.

Earlier this week I wrote about reports that Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke had been interviewing potential replacements for Joe Tiller. More specifically Wisconsin's offensive coordinator, Paul Chryst.

Well, Bret Bielema can breathe a little easier now, because Chryst isn't going to Purdue.

According to sources, offensive coordinator Paul Chryst will not be leaving UW to replace Joe Tiller at Big Ten Conference rival Purdue. The sources added that although Chryst was on the list of potential candidates, he never received an offer.

Still, this isn't good news for Tiller because Purdue isn't done looking for his replacement. The newest name to come up is Eastern Kentucky's head coach Danny Hope. Hope has coached under Tiller twice in his career, in Wyoming in 1996, and at Purdue from 1997-2001.

If Hope were to take an offer from Purdue, should they make one, he would serve as an assistant to Tiller in 2008 before taking over the program himself in 2009.

Of course, it's important to keep in mind that Joe Tiller isn't exactly behind this plan and has made no mention of retirement that I know of. So it's still entirely possible that if Hope does go to Purdue, he won't have to spend a year as Tiller's assistant. "5-0 Joe" may just quit.

(Via Wizard of Odds)

The weak Big Ten just got a tiny bit weaker yesterday, and I'm not talking about Ohio State's loss to LSU. Wisconsin junior cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu announced that he'd be skipping his senior season in Madison, and is entering the NFL draft.

Wisconsin cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu, a two-time All-Big 10 defender who is projected by scouts as a high-round selection, will forego his final season of college eligibility to enter the 2008 NFL draft, ESPN.com has learned.

Ikegwuonu, who turned 22 on Monday, has filed the appropriate paperwork with the league office for entry into the lottery.

Ikegwuonu was considered a top NFL prospect before the season started, but a slow start to his season at Wisconsin tempered a lot of scouts takes on his overall ability. Thankfully, Jack's play to finish the season re-established him as one of the better corners in the country.

I did notice at times during the season that Ikegwuonu seemed to play better when he was matched up against the Big Ten's better receivers like Mario Manningham than he did against the lesser knowns of the conference. So maybe motivation is something he's going to have to work on in the NFL.

Whatever the case may be for Jack's slow start to the season, the fact that this years class of corners entering the NFL draft isn't as deep as we've grown accustomed to seeing means it's a good a time as any for Ikegwuonu to leave school for the NFL. Staying at Wisconsin for another year may have ended up costing him a few million dollars based on draft position.

Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema wasn't the happiest man in the world after Wisconsin lost to Tennessee 21-17 in the Outback Bowl on Tuesday. Bielema was of the opinion that there were quite a few missed calls, and some plain bad ones as well during the game that cost his team a chance.

He wasn't shy about his feelings after the game, either.

"You guys in the offseason are going to give me some questions about scheduling and different things like that," Bielema said. "I guarantee you I'm never going to schedule a game that's officiated by WAC officials, that's for sure."

Well, coach, that's fine if you truly feel that way, but I feel the need to tell you that those weren't WAC officials out there. They were from the Mountain West Conference.

I find it pretty annoying when coaches start blaming the officials for everything. One of Bielema's biggest complaints about the officiating came on plays that had no outcome on the game. There was an illegal shift called against the Badgers when they had a 3rd and goal from the 1-yard line to move them back five yards. Bielema came running out onto the field to yell at officials about that call. Then on the very next play when Tyler Donovan scored on a six-yard run, which made the illegal shift a moot point, Bielema was ticked off there was no call for helmet to helmet contact on Donovan as he crossed the goal line.

There was also an overturned call on a fumble late in the game that pretty much sealed things for Tennessee, but I don't think Bielema could have too much of a problem with that call, as I'm pretty sure the refs got that one right.

Maybe instead of being mad at the officials on Tuesday, Bielema should take out some of that frustration on his players, coaches, and himself. After all, they had a lot more to do with Wisconsin's loss than any official did.