Boilermakings Is Talking Big Ten Football Coaches Meetings

The Big Ten football coaches meetings wrapped up yesterday and there were two major points brought up. First, the coaches are taking offense at the NCAA disregarding the Kelvin Sampson rule. The way I gather, it will soon be legal to talk, tweet, or text as much as you want to a player, making the conflagration that Sampson started at Indiana all but null and void. Sure, it is virtually impossible to monitor that stuff anyway, but don't tell the Big Ten coaches that. I'd imagine it comes from the perspective that Big Ten coaches are busy enough as it is. Now they have to constantly be on Twitter or texting recruits.

The second was the expansion of the Big Ten football schedule to nine or even ten games. This is going to happen no matter what. Delaney has already asked the schools to not schedule more than a certain amount of non-conference game through the rest of the decade. With Maryland and Rutgers jumping in that makes six divisional games before you even get to the crossover games.

If the Big Ten goes to a ten game schedule it allows for a near perfect breakdown. Everyone gets five home and five away conference games. You get your six divisional opponents, a crossover protected rivalry, and rotate the other crossover teams of three for two years, and the other three for the next two years. It assures everyone plays everyone else in the conference at least twice in a four year period, so the Big Ten at least feels like a conference as opposed to a bloated money grab (which it will be with Maryland and Rutgers).

Now, onto the links:

OTE Interview WIth Gerry DiNardo, Part 2 - Off Tackle Empire
Gerry DiNardo on why the Rose Bowl doesn't matter if it's not the national championship and how to get back to being the best football conference in America, conference realignment, and why oversigning is a good thing.

B1G Meetings Roundup - Off Tackle Empire
Coaches come out against new recruiting rules, in support of a 9/10 game conference schedule, and lo and behold, Urban Meyer didn't lecture anyone

A Nine or Ten Game Conference Football Schedule? A B1G, Bad Idea - Corn Nation
Some think that adding more conference games will improve football schedules. The financial realities indicate otherwise. If anything, it might mean even worse schedules.

Big Ten Power Rankings: Indiana Still Up Top, Wisconsin Continues Climb - Bucky's 5th Quarter
The past week was just another typical seven days in the Big Ten with overtimes, buzzer-beaters and upsets galore. Indiana continued the trend of dropping the No. 1 ranking like a bad habit, Michigan is still hoping its trip to Madison was a dream.

Recap: Hitting the easy button - The Only Colors
Michigan State cruises by Purdue 78-65, setting up a top ten showdown between intrastate rivals Tuesday night

Big Ten Meetings: Four Things You Should Know About - Black Shoe Diaries
The coaches and athletic directors of the Big Ten met yesterday. Here are the four big things that made news from the meetings.

18 Named to 2013 Men's Silver Anniversary Team | Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
Former Boilers Woody Austin and Craig Riley made the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary team.

Big Ten Hoops Weekly - Volume 4 - Black Shoe Diaries
Ben Brust's miracle heave kept the Badgers in the hunt.

Scout.com: Scouting Basil Smotherman
Three-star Purdue commitment Basil Smotherman has had an excellent senior season. Here is an in-depth breakdown of his game.

Did You See This? Purdue retires Hummel’s number " Big Ten Network
The halftime ceremony for Robbie Hummel on Saturday.