SB Nation - Maryland Terrapins

Big Ten exapansion talk...again?

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:54:24 -0000

As I mentioned in yesterday's headlines post, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez reopened expansion discussion with these comments:

Speaking to Wisconsin's athletic board on Friday, Alvarez, the former longtime Badgers football coach, said the conference already has investigated possibilities for expansion "from all over the country." And though he places no timetable on the search, Alvarez thinks conference commissioner Jim Delany will respond to a group of athletic directors and coaches who want expansion. "I have a sense he is going to take this year to really be more aggressive about it," Alvarez told the board. "I just think everybody feels [expansion] is the direction to go, coaches and administrators."

Expansion is not something that the Big Ten undertakes lightly. Penn State joined in 1990. Michigan State joined in 1950. Before that, the last new members to join were Indiana and Iowa in 1899. The University of Chicago is the only school to leave the Big Ten permanently (per Wikipedia, Michigan left the conference from 1907-1916, but was a charter member when the conference was formed in 1896). All current and former members of the Big Ten are major research institutions ranked in the top 100 by US News & World Report and are members of the Association of American Universities. The Big Ten cares about its brand, academically and athletically.

Certainly, expansion isn't a new topic around here. In this post, nearly two and a half years ago, after comments by Jim Delany about expanding the geographic borders of the conference, I discussed the various possible members in states that border the current Big Ten footprint (but not schools within the footprint. Last May, I mentioned Joe Paterno's East Coast expansion dreams. So, here's a rundown of the candidates.

One issue that I don't think matters to the discussion is the Notre Dame issue. While it's an interesting issue, it doesn't add much to the expansion discussion because 1) Notre Dame is extremely unlikely to join the Big Ten; and 2) if #1 ceases to be true, then Notre Dame is an obvious fit as the 12th school and no further discussion is required. This post will focus on the other schools both inside and outside the footprint that might be plausible candidates. My inclusion of any school in this list should not be considered any sort of an endorsement. I will list every school in or adjacent to Big Ten territory that has anything approaching a big time athletic program.

INSIDE THE FOOTPRINT (from east to west)

University of Pittsburgh

Football: The Panthers have a strong history and have won multiple national championships, but most recently in 1976. The Panthers' fan support pales in comparison to that of Penn State, but in recent years have been reasonably respectable. It has been a generation since Pitt could legitimately be considered a football power, but the Panthers certainly wouldn't be a stretch for Big Ten membership in this regard.
Basketball: Historically, Pitt has been an afterthought, but thanks to the accomplishments of former coach Ben Howland and current coach Jamie Dixon, the Panthers have transformed into one of the best programs in the country. In the late 1990s, Pitt tore down its football stadium, became a tenant of the Steelers at then-new Heinz Field, and built a state-of-the-art basketball arena where the football stadium once stood. Pitt seems to have staying power as a basketball power.
US News Ranking: 56 (five current Big Ten members are ranked lower).
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit/Big Ten interest: Pitt, as a large research university within the Big Ten footprint, has much in common with Big Ten schools, and would have been a good fit at any point over the last few decades. Still, the Panthers plow no new ground. The Big Ten, thanks to Penn State, already has a strong presence in Pittsburgh. The Panthers, even during an excellent 2009 season, averaged only 53,000 in attendance at a stadium with a capacity of over 65,000. Would Pitt, plus the addition of a championship game, result in a net revenue gain for the conference? I have my doubts.
Likelihood of interest:I suspect that from a financial perspective, membership would be tough to decline for Pitt. The Big East, however competitive, provides a fraction of the football revenue. In 2007-08, Pitt ranked #61 in Division I-A with $39 million in revenue. Northwestern was last in the Big Ten with $41 million in revenue that year, and Indiana was next-to-last with $56 million, nearly 20 million more than one of the most prominent programs in the Big East. Also, it would be an academic boon for Pitt. The interesting question would be to what degree Jamie Dixon and his East Coast recruiting would play a role. My guess is that Dixon would be opposed, but my further guess is that his opposition wouldn't be enough.

University of Cincinnati

Football: Barely more than a decade ago, Cincinnati was on IU's schedule as a MAC-style warmup game. In 2009, the Bearcats were a missed Texas field goal away from playing for the national championship. Still, Cincy plays in a 35,000 seat stadium, and Brian Kelly's decision to head to Notre Dame seems to confirm that the Bearcats have nowhere to go but down.
Basketball: Cincinnati is a legitimate historical power. The Bearcats won two NCAA titles in the 1960s and were excellent under Bob Huggins in the 1990s and 2000s.
US News Ranking: Tier 3 (all Big Ten schools are Tier 1)
AAU member?: No.
Fit: It's really pointless to debate Cincinnati's athletic merits, whether Ohio State would oppose it, or anything else. A tier 3 commuter school like Cincinnati never will garner the support the Big Ten's presidents.
Likelihood of interest: Cincinnati is a Big East school with no long history in the conference and located in the heart of Big Ten territory. I presume Cincinnati would jump at the chance in the unlikely event it were offered.

Iowa State University

Football: Other than some recent wins over dramatically more talented Iowa teams, not much to write home about. Iowa State ranks #103 in all-time winning percentage among current Division I-A members. Only Northwestern and IU rank lower. Unlike even Northwestern and IU, Iowa State has never played in one of the current BCS bowls.
Basketball: A bit better than football, but not much. Iowa State hasn't been to the Final Four since 1944 and has only 13 NCAA Tournament appearances.
US News Ranking: 88, below all Big Ten schools, but Tier 1.
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit/Big Ten interest: This is a school that is often mentioned in discussions on Big Ten expansion, and the appeal is completely lost on me. The Cyclones have a lackluster history in both sports, the Big Ten already has representation in Iowa, which is a fairly small state with no major media markets. Unless the creation of a championship game is some sort of cure-all, I can't imagine how anyone could argue that adding Iowa State would make the Big Ten a better conference.
Likelihood of interest: I sincerely have no idea. I have no read on Iowa State fans. I don't know if they prefer to be in a different conference from their rival Hawkeyes or if they would rather go toe-to-toe with Iowa in the Big Ten. I presume, perhaps unfairly, that most Big East teams would make the leap. It's a tougher read when the prospective team has a generations-long connection to a prominent conference. Iowa State ranked #63 in football revenue in 2007-08, and the Big 12 has inbalanced revenue distribution.

OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT

Rutgers University

Football: The Scarlet Knights played in the first-ever college football game but haven't done much to distinguish themselves since then. Rutgers has parlayed some success under Greg Schiano into strong attendance, stadium expansion, and the like, but would it be appealing for Rutgers to leave an eastern conference that it theoretically can dominate to join a conference where it must compete with Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State? Rutgers has won 50 percent of its games (#78 in I-A) and has never played in a New Year's Day bowl or in one of the current BCS bowls.
Basketball: The Scarlet Knights have been to the NCAA Tournament six times in school history, most recently in 1991. Rutgers plays its home games in the RAC, and 8,000 bandbox.
US News Ranking: 66, within the range of Big Ten schools.
AAU member?: Yes.

Fit: Academically, fine. Athletically, the Scarlet Knights are well below average in the two sports that matter. Rutgers is a popular hobby horse for Joe Paterno and others, usually based on Rutgers's presence in the greater New York metro area/media market. This strikes me as overblown. If being in such an area matters, then why does Rutgers play in a 8,000 seat basketball arena? Why was the football stadium only recently expanded from 41,000? This would be a nice addition for Big Ten alumni who live in New York, but letting Rutgers in wouldn't turn NYC into a Big Ten town.
Likelihood of interest: Rutgers is one of the more profitable Big East football programs with 2007-08 revenue of $50 million. I presume the academic pull would be strong, but I can imagine some reticence about the idea of New Jersey's state university joining such a distinctly midwestern institution.

Syracuse University

Football: The Orange have been down for several years, but they are a traditional football power. Historically, if not recently, the football program would be a reasonable addition to the Big Ten.
Basketball: Under the leadership of Jim Boeheim, Syracuse has been one of the most successful programs of the last 25 years, winning the 2003 NCAA title and finishing second twice (wouldn't the "Keith Smart, Keith Smart!" chant be fun?). Of course, Syracuse was a charter member of the Big East and is highly identified with that conference.
US News Ranking: 58, pretty average for the Big Ten.
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit: Syracuse would constitute an expansion far northeast of ithe current footprint. While one can argue whether western New york and western Pennsylvania have more in common with the midwest or the east coast, my less-than-knowledgeable impression is that as a university, Syracuse is very tied in to New York City and draws much of its student body from metro New York despite the geographic distance. Syracuse is as far east as Baltimore. Still, Penn State was an eastern power before joining the Big Ten, so Syracuse doesn't seem like much of a departure. Academically, although a private school and a bit smaller than most Big Ten schools, SU would fit just fine.
Likelihood of interest: I really don't know. In terms of revenue, it would seem to be a solid move for Syracuse. On the other hand, Syracuse is one of the more tradition-rich football programs in the Big East. It's possible to picture Syracuse dominating the Big East in football. The Big Ten? Not so much. Basketball, it seems to me, would be the major stumbling block. My guess is that Jim Boeheim wields a lot of influence at Syracuse, and my further guess is that he wouldn't be interested in such a major idenity shift for his program.

University of Maryland

Football: A solid but not overwhelming history in the ACC. Maryland has had a BCS appearance in the last ten years.
Basketball: Maryland is a basketball school in a basketball conference, and has won the NCAA Tournament in the last ten years.
US News Ranking: 53, solidly in the middle of the Big Ten.
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit: Certainly, Maryland's academics and athletics are up to snuff. Of course, like Syracuse, adding Maryland would be a major move eastward. On the other hand, Maryland is located in the suburbs of the major media market of Washington DC, and as far as I can tell as an outsider, seems to be more a part of the region's consciousness than Rutgers is in New York City. If Maryland were interested, I would think they would be a reasonably strong candidate.
Likelihood of interest: It strikes me as unlikely that Maryland would be interested. Despite recent strides in football, Maryland is a basketball school, and currently is one of the better programs in college basketball's most prestigious conference. My guess is that fan and alumni resistance would be strong.

West Virginia University

Football: The Mountaineers are an above average football program with a nearly .600 winning percentage and five top ten finishes in the last 22 seasons. WVU would be a worthy addition in football.
Basketball: The alma mater of Jerry West has a long and decent NCAA Tournament history and has qualified for the Sweet 16 three times in the last five years. WVU is no powerhouse, but has a solid basketball program.
US News Ranking: Tier 3. That's pretty bad for a state's flagship public university (all Big Ten schools are in Tier 1, roughly the top 100).
AAU member?: No.
Fit: I suspect that for Big Ten presidents, academics might be the dealbreaker. In academic prestige, WVU has more in common with Cincinnati and Louisville than with Big Ten schools. Also, WVU adds no major media markets. It's a shame, because I don't think WVU would be a bad fit athletically.
Likelihood of interest: I presume, with no real knowledge of the institution, that there would be interest. Obviously, part of that interest would be based on revenue and prestige, but as a state, West Virginia strikes me as something of a region of its own. It's not really southern, eastern, or midwestern, and certainly isn't tied to the east coast the way Rutgers and Syracuse are. I presume WVU would be game if the Big Ten were.

University of Kentucky

Football: UK has a solid program, but the Wildcats are an afterthought in the extremely competitive SEC East. As IU fans will recall from the longtime football series between IU and UK, the Wildcats have impressive fan support for a team with a below average record.
Basketball: Obviously, the Wildcats are one of the most accomplished programs in the history of college basketball. This addition would dramatically increase the prestige of the Big Ten. Imagine: IU-UK, MSU-UK, Purdue-UK, Ohio State-UK, Illinois-UK, every year, usually twice a year.
US News Ranking: 128. Lower than all current Big Ten schools, but not dramatically so.
AAU member?: No.
Fit: Obviously, basketball would be awesome. Football? Well, Kentucky has good fan support, but generally is considered a have-not. I'm not sure how the revenue picture would look. Kentucky would add the Lexington market and would enhance the Big Ten's presence in the Louisville and Cincinnati markets.
Likelihood of interest: I really don't know. Kentucky strikes me as a state that despite its central geography really treasures its southern identity. Leaving a southern conference to join a midwestern conference might clash with that. Academically, it seems to me it would be a great move for a school that is not currently Big Ten caliber but is within striking distance. In football, UK would be leaving a long history in the SEC, but might be convinced that it has a better chance of competing in the Big Ten. In basketball, UK has owned the SEC, but of its three biggest rivals (Louisville, Indiana, and Tennessee) two are non-conference. It's an intriguing question.

University of Louisville

Football: The Cardinals had a brief moment in the spotlight earlier this decade, but aren't a traditional football power by any stretch.
Basketball: The Cardinals have won two NCAA titles and are a top 10 basketball program historically, or top 15 at least.
US News Ranking: Tier 3 (all current Big Ten schools are Tier 1).
AAU member?: No.
Fit: Louisville would be a decent fit athletically and geographically, but my guess is that academics would be a dealbreaker.
Likelihood of interest: I presume that the opportunity to move into a more lucrative conference, particularly for football, would be attractive. Louisville's history in the Big East is relatively short, and the Metro/Great Midwest/Conference USA were constantly adding and losing members. This wouldn't be like Kentucky leaving the SEC after generations of membership, for instance. My guess is that UL would move, but it's academic.

University of Missouri

Football: An average program historically but currently on the upswing.
Basketball: Thanks to Maryland's recent tournament success, Missouri probably now owns the dubious distinction of "best basketball program without a Final Four appearance." Still, Mizzou has a solid basketball program.
US News Ranking: 102. Below all Big Ten schools but not dramatically so.
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit: Missouri would be an expansion of the conference's borders but into a midwestern portion of the country. bordered by Illinois and Iowa Missouri has good programs in both major sports, is the flagship university in its state, and would add the Kansas City media market and would solidify the Big Ten's presence in the St. Louis market. Again, I don't have a good enough handle on the numbers to know how they would work.
Likelihood of interest: Well, check out this thread on Rock M Nation. Some Mizzou fans are in favor, others are adamantly against the move. Mizzou has a long history in the Big 12 and its predecessors, but also some discontent with the current (in their view) Texas-dominated Big 12. The Big 12 has a less even revenue distribution formula than the Big Ten. I suspect that academics might carry the day if Mizzou were invited.

University of Nebraska

Football: While the last few years haven't been kind to the Huskers, they are an elite program.
Basketball: Nothing special, but neither was Penn State basketball.
US News Ranking: 96, slightly below the tail end of the Big Ten.
AAU member?: Yes.
Fit: Nebraska borders the Big Ten by virtue of a short border with Iowa, and would be quite a western expansion. Nebraska adds no major media markets, but particularly in football, the Huskers are the only show in town. Academically, NU is good enough.
Likelihood of interest: I really have no idea. Given the significance of Nebraska football, the long history in the Big 8/Big 12, and the fact that a Nebraska program playing to its potentional should own the Big Ten North, my guess is that there would be little interest.

Well, those are the candidates, both within and adjacent to the footprint. What do you think? Who do you prefer? Did I miss anyone? I welcome all comments.

Maryland Minute 12.13.09 - The Return to Terrence Ross News

Ben Broman — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:59:50 -0000

Dave Telep: Ross "Way Underrated"
Oi. Oh, and he also say "T Ross! Wow!" in a later tweet.

Terrence Ross Highlights
Okay, so it's really Montrose Christian highlights in general, but TRoss puts away about 5 3s in this video. He's #32.

Of course this would happen as soon as he starts having doubts.

Greivis Vasquez is Nutty
Sounds like he's getting back. Definitely ironic that a missed shootaround held the key to the season for him.

"It was all mental," Vasquez said. "This was a great game for me just to sit down on the bench and see everything from the outside in and get back to what I am. I'm the crazy guy who plays at Maryland and tries to make plays. That's who I am, and I'm going to be myself from now on."

High School Hoops Festival Report - NBE
Linked to it for the TRoss stuff, but there's a lot of goodies here from NBE from the Hoops Festival, which was, by the way, held in Upper Marlboro. The best stuff:

Justin Anderson, 2012, Montrose Christian: The athletic lefty is one of the top prospects in the class of 2012, and he showed why against St. Mary’s Ryken on Saturday. Anderson is a menace at both ends of the floor, picking up steals and deflections consistently on defense, and getting plenty of offensive rebounds at the other end. He has yet to demonstrate a consistent outside jumper, but he knocked down a couple of mid-range jumpers and had several tip-ins at the rim. Anderson has outstanding leaping ability and gets off the floor very quickly, enabling him to outrebound bigger players. He also passed the ball well, both in the halfcourt but especially in transition.

Michael Gbinije, 2011, Benedictine: Gbinije started off slowly, but really came alive once Benedictine got down early. Despite being hounded by Victor Oladipo, Gbinije dominated stretches of the game, hitting multiple threes, several mid-range jumpers and blocking shots on consecutive possessions. Furthermore, he went baseline for several solid baskets, including a finish over Hopkins. Gbinije has a very smooth offensive game, and he is extremely difficult to stop. When he gets going, he can be an absolutely dominant offensive performer. It’s also no surprise that Benedictine was down 9-0 when Gbinije was slowed by Oladipo, but came back once he came alive.

- Furthermore, Jones said that 2012 prospect James Robinson has an offer from Notre Dame and interest from Georgetown, Maryland, Texas and NC State.
...

- Mikael Hopkins: Maryland, Georgetown, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Florida, Florida State, Villanova and Pittsburgh.

C.J. Leslie Mixtape
Might as well keep posting these while the Terps are still being listed. The kid is absolutely ridiculous. Looks like an unpolished Kevin Garnett. - Ben G.

My Take: C.J.'s amazing, but Bishop Daniels is just as amazing. If Bello falls through, I wouldn't mind landing him, either.

Boston College Loses Again, This Time to Rhode Island
Wow. Just wow. BC is having a rough go of it right now.

Roy Williams: Big Baby
He apparently kicked out a Presbyterian fan (yes, Presbyterian) for yelling "Hey Deon, don't miss it" while Tarheel Deon Thompson was shooting a free throw. Could you ever see Gary ordering security to take away an opposing team's fans in the middle of a game? - Ben G.

My Take: Well...this is...strangely timely.

James Padgett's Strange Disappearance: Cliff Tucker Part Deux In the Making?

Ben Broman — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:30:10 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

14 days ago: Indiana forward Derek Elston, right, is fouled by Maryland forward James Padgett as he goes up for a shot during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Bloomington, Ind., Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Browse more photos »

Enter Dino Gregory. Exit James Padgett.

In Gregory's first game back after the eight game suspension, he ate up a rather outrageous 33 minutes. Jordan Williams saw his playing time shrink to just nine minutes as a result, but the real curiosity came in James Padgett's playing time; which is to say, the fact that he got none.

Yes, Padgett played a grand total of 0 minutes despite Gregory looking average at best and rather rusty. Gary likely wanted him out there because he's shorter and quicker, allowing him to better guard the players on the perimeter. But offensively he was average and he was a liablility on the boards - in 33 minutes, he had just 3 rebounds. Jordan had 5 in 9. Also, when Padgett was in, EKU switched up the offense and started attacking the middle, which was empty when Dino was present.

On the other side of that coin, when Williams was in they'd start attacking from outside, and he'd be a liability then.

So, the question is, why not use James Padgett? He's a good middle man between the size and strength of Williams and the speed of Gregory. He'd be able to stay with people on the perimeter and still provide a defensive presence on the inside if he needed to. He's a better rebounder than Gregory, and he hasn't looked lost at all.

Oh, and even Jin Soo Choi saw playing time. Yes, Choi was on the floor more than Padgett. I'll let that sink in.

Is Padgett slowly turning into Cliff Tucker? That's a snap judgement definitely - it was just one game. But it's something to keep track of as the season goes on. Maryland should use him and utilize their depth, not keep him on the bench.

Any thoughts on Padgett's lack of run yesterday?

Maryland Football Season Review: The Forgotten Terps

Ben Broman — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:51:48 -0000

Remember these guys? There's more than a few guys that, after putting together solid seasons in the past or being lined up for major playing time in the spring or fall practice, suddenly fell off the face of the earth, even though Maryland might've needed them at their position.

This is their story.

Morgan Green, RB

Ah, the curse of Steve Slaton returneth. Morgan is a big, powerful, physical guy with breakaway ability, as he should against Nevada in the bowl game last year; why, then, didn't he play? There were the opportunities to do it, particularly after Da'Rel Scott got injured, and could've saved a redshirt. It got so bad that D.J. Adams - another true freshman - passed him on the travel squad team and knocked him down to the practice squad. Consider that: they'd rather burn a freshman's redshirt late in the year in a lost season than play Green.

Perhaps it stems from practice, which Ralph preaches oh so heavily. Green's been rumored to be average at best in practice. He's also been rumored to be less than tough, which Ralph also doesn't particularly like. His case is a strange one indeed, considering who he replaced.

Lansford Watson, TE

The biggest missing link, in my opinion, Watson's absence was as cryptic as it could be. A one-time five star WR, Watson was placed behind the good but unspectacular Tommy Galt on the depth chart, and seemed to be behind Devonte Campbell before long, too. Despite never being injured and being a huge threat in the passing game, he couldn't get on the field.

One big reason for that is Maryland's inability to either pass or run block, which made Galt's pass blocking a necessity. Still, Maryland needed his big plays, and him seeing the field more would've been a very welcome sight.

Emani Lee-Odai, WR

It wasn't too long ago that ELO was slated to take over a starting WR spot across from Torrey Smith and Adrian Cannon. Then an ankle injury struck, and, despite solid output even when injured, he dropped down the depth chart like a rock. He ended up at the very bottom, surpassed by Kevin Dorsey and Kerry Boykins.

Why did ELO disappear? Probably the injuries. His lower body seemed to be made of glass, and even though he was never officially on the injury report, he was damn close several times. His inability to be at 100% meant he was always below full-strength and, thus, less effective than others. I wonder if he'll be able to find his way into the lineup next year, when healthy.

Haroon Brown, FB

It's not like Maryland used a ton of fullbacks anyway, but Brown really did just drop off the face of the earth. He went from being Cory Jackson's primary backup to basically no one. He couldn't get on the field anywhere, and the explanations for his absence were weird. At least he could've been used on special teams to save one of the many wasted redshirts.

With Jackson gone next year, Brown could have a shot to actually start. That'll be an interesting battle, though I expect the FB to get less and less use as Maryland goes away from the Power I use.

Matt Furstenburg, TE

Furst scored a TE in Maryland's first game that would be recalled on a hold. After that, it seemed his playing time was recalled, too. Although he was on the injury report for a week or two, he was healthy the majority of the year, but was surpassed quickly by Devonte Campbell, and couldn't find the field after that. He was listed as receiving time in every game he was healthy in, but that was mostly on special teams, as he had only one catch on the year.

I liked Furstenburg and thought he could turn into a very good receiving TE. Devonte Campbell didn't blow the doors off the place, so I'm a little confused about his absence.

The NFL Draft says, "ACC > Big 10!"

BirdGT — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:00:17 -0000

A lot of the Big 10 talking heads have flooded our humble abode since the Orange Bowl announcement. They have denounced, degraded, and mocked the ACC's defensive state of affairs. One thing they fail to bring is facts. I like facts. I like facts that are numbers. Here are two numbers for Big 10 fans: 19 and 3. The ACC has had 19 defensive players taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since full expansion in the 2005 season. The Big 10 has had 11. The ACC has had 3 Pro Bowlers emerge from those 19 1st rounders (Beason, Mario, and Cromartie). The Big 10 has had 0. Those are some interesting facts for Big 10 fans to mull over. Here are 5 more interesting facts about ACC/Big 10 defensive players taken in the 2006-2009 NFL Drafts:

5. Georgia Tech has had 6 defensive draft picks since 2006. That's more than Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.

4. Duke hasn't had a player taken in the NFL Draft since 2005.

3. The Big 10's highest Draft Pick since 2006 was A.J. Hawk, the fifth overall pick. He was four picks after Mario Williams.

2. All four Drafts saw more ACC defensive players taken than Big 10 players.

1. The ACC has had 81 defensive players drafted since the 2006 NFL Draft, which is 6.75 players drafted per team. The Big 10 has only had 62, which is 5.63.

Really when you factor Ohio State and Penn State out of the Big 10, there's not much talent going to the NFL. It's the definition of a blue collar conference. Good defensive coaching is what keeps them afloat in major out of conference match ups. I kinda believe they play the isolationism game and simply avoid major OOC games until bowl season. The ACC and Big 10 have met only 9 times since full expansion. The ACC holds a 6-3 edge over the Big 10 in that time span.

What do you think about the Big 10 talent level? Do you think the Big 10 hides behind their conference schedule? Let me know your thoughts.

BC Set To Open 2010 Season Against ...

Brian @ BCI — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:54:50 -0000

More photos » by Andy Carpenean - AP

3 months ago: Wyoming free safety Chris Pprosinski (24) makes an open field tackle on Weber State wide receiver Joe Collins during the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009 in Laramie, Wyo. (AP Photo/Laramie Boomerang, Andy Carpenean)

Browse more photos »

... Weber State?

Like I said, I don't fault the Athletics Department for going the I-AA route, but could we have found a I-AA school a little closer than Utah? (Yes, Weber State is located in Utah. And yes, I had to look this up. I'm just not up on my Big Sky geography like I used to be.) Weber State reportedly reached out to the Athletics Department and was happy scheduling the one-off game.

The Weber State Wildcats are an FCS team from the Big Sky Conference. This past season, the Wildcats went 7-5 and lost to William & Mary 38-0 in the FCS playoffs. Weber State played Division I-A opponents Wyoming and Colorado State this year, losing both in close games.

The 2010 non-conference schedule appears to be finalized now. BC gets Weber State (Sept. 4), Kent State (Sept. 11) and Notre Dame (Oct. 2) at home, and travels to Syracuse on Thanksgiving weekend (likely Nov. 27). The Eagles' ACC schedule includes Virginia Tech, Clemson, Maryland and Virginia at home, and Wake Forest, Florida State, NC State and Duke on the road.

It appears that Jeff's dream of a Boston College-UConn football game will have to wait at least another decade or so.

Maryland Football Season Review: Linebackers

Ben Broman — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:00:28 -0000

by Nick Wass - AP

about 1 month ago: Virginia fullback Rashawn Jackson, left, rushes against Maryland linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield (59) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, in College Park, Md. Virginia won 20-9. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

View full size photo »

Behind Penn State and Miami, Maryland has very quietly become a legitimate Linebacker U (they also have earned the title of Punter U, but that's not quite so good). Ever since the great E.J. himself, Maryland has had a history of solid linebackers who would be great in college and/or the pros: Leon Joe, Shawne Merriman, D'Qwell Jackson, Erin Henderson, and Dave Philistin have all graced Byrd stadium the past decade.

This year was little different. Despite having a nonexistent defensive line in front of them and an average secondary behind them, the linebackers were still the strong point of the defense and a new name might be entering that pantheon mentioned earlier: Alex Wujciak.

Alex Wujciak

131 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INT

I've always held that Wujciak isn't quite as good as his stats indicate because he's able to rack up tackles thanks to a poor defensive line that allows running backs to get to the second level. While I still believe that he becomes vulnerable in space and can give up big plays against the pass, you'd be a fool not to recognize that he's the best defender Maryland has against the run and is one of the best run support linebackers in the country. Even though he hurt Maryland at times, he helped far more and was key in keeping them in most games they were able to stay in.

Thankfully, Wujciak will almost certainly return next year. His starting spot is secured and he'll be an award contender.

Demetrius Hartsfield

63 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks

I saw a tweet from Hartsfield today (on his awesomely named CinquanteNeuf Twitter account) that told Shawne Merriman he'd be the best LB ever to come out of Maryland. As strange as it sounds, he's got a shot.

Hartsfield started from day one his redshirt freshman season, and was no question the starter every single week until injury. Although he showed some problems early on, he was one of the best players on Maryland's defense before too long and was absolutely instrumental in the Clemson win. Similar to Wujciak, he has a nose for the ball, but has above-average physical tools. Some of the issues - focus, finishing plays - will work themselves out, and when they do, Maryland will have a very good linebacker on their hands.

Like Wujciak, he'll be back next year to make for an exciting corps.

Adrian Moten

68 tackles, 9 TFL, 6 sacks

The most entertaining of the group, Adrian Moten is the edge pass rusher of the bunch. He wasn't as spectacular and consistent as I remember him being in his freshman and sophomore years, but, then again, this was his first year as a full starter. He was solid against the pass when in coverage and was easily Maryland's most effective rusher - it's a wonder he wasn't placed as DE in obvious passing situations more often.

Against the run, he was rather quiet. He's not a big guy and that did hurt, but his quickness made up for it. Like Wujciak, he had a hole in his game, but an outstanding stat - this time, 6 sacks on a team that had trouble getting pressure from the front four - outweighed it.

Moten will come back and join Wujciak and Hartsfield as a starter to complete the trifecta. The defensive second level will be extremely tough next year - if the line comes together, the defense could be very good.

Ben Pooler

5 starts, 43 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3 sacks

Pooler replaced Hartsfield when he went out with an arm injury for several weeks, and was pretty darn impressive doing it. I was never as comfortable with him back there as I was with Demetrius, but he might've been more productive in less time.

Returning from a leg injury that kept him out all of last season, Pooler was a question mark. He made his living rushing the passer and clogging the running lanes admirably - he was mighty impressive for being thrown in on short notice. Like the rest, he wasn't perfect - he was easily beaten on crossing routes when in zone and got called for two PIs, I believe - but he was unexpectedly good.

Here's a shocker: he'll return too. He should man the primary backup role at all three spots.

Darin Drakeford

18 tackles, 1 TFL

At the outset of the season, most people believed that Drakeford's redshirt would have to be burned for special teams and backup purposes. While he was out there a decent amount on ST, the backup PT wasn't quite as plentiful. He saw about four plays a game, generously, and some (me, for instance) question the redshirt.

Actually, it stings because you realize Drakeford has the potential to be special. In his most memorable play in the final game of the year, he showcased his speed, instincts, and strength by leveling Montel Harris on a 3rd and short. Playing time will be difficult to come by next year, unfortunately - or, at least, I hope it will be - but Drakeford will see an increased role his junior season.

Avery Murray

7 tackles

See above. Murray, like Drakeford, burnt his redshirt in the first game - I don't really understand why both of them did - and spent the entire season almost exclusively on special teams. Irresponsible policy aside, Murray rarely saw the field on defense, despite bringing in solid strength and speed. Like Drakeford, he'll be competing for a spot by his junior year.

Ryan Donohue

4 tackles

See above, again, only this time less sensible. Another freshman burning, Donohue lost his shirt rather inexplicably in the middle of the year on special teams. I only remember one play on regular defense, and he was relatively quiet then, too.

Basically a Wujciak clone, Donohue is slower and bigger than you might like, but instinctive and tough. He'll wrack up tackles if he replaces Wujciak instead of Murray or Drakeford.

The Future

Much like the wide receiver spot across the line, all of Maryland's LBs return for another season, and all of them should be greatly improved. You can throw in redshirt freshmen Bradley Johnson and Marcus Whitfield, too. Needless to say, linebackers will be stocked well, and the talent runs deep.

The key will be the performance of the DL. If they can just reach average, running on these Terps will be a tough proposition. The 'backers are evenly distributed, too: a run stuffer in Wujciak, a more pass-oriented guy in Moten, and the coverage/balance man in Hartsfield. Can't ask for much more.

Penn State can take the name, but Maryland just may be Linebacker U, too.

Maryland Minute 12.09.09 - Post Season Accolades

Ben Goldstein — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:33:11 -0000

All-ACC team - ESPN

Alex Wujciak is the team's lone representative. Can't really argue with that.

Coleman named to All-Star game - MdVarsity.com

If Maryland can land Brandon Coleman they'll have at least one player in the Under Armor All-Star game. - Ben B.

Terps Women's Soccer Finishes 11th

Not too shabby for a team that finished last season with a losing record. Also, sophomore forward Jasmyne Spencer earned first team All-Southeast Region honors while sophomore defender Mallory Baker cracked the third team.

Mosley has made noticeable progress - The Diamondback

This guy's quickly becoming my favorite Terp.

Season wrap-up: Maryland - Dinich

We know it all already (we lived it, after all), but it's whatever. Torrey's the offensive MVP, and Wujciak the defensive MVP. No sign of Nick Ferrara. - Ben B.

Recruiting Report: Season recap: Matt Robinson
Sounds good.

His intangibles are what is going to make him, I think, good in college. His size is solid, his speed is good, his strength is good and it will continue to get better. But the intangibles that Matt brings are what helped us."

I've slowly become a Robinson fan. His senior season has been great and he's grown on me. For what it's worth, the early guess on him as playing at safety. - Ben B.

Towson Hopes to "Pack the House" vs. Lady Terps Tomorrow Night

Its the 15th time these two teams will meet, with the Terps leading the series 10-4. It'd be nice if the guys team could do something like this too. Who wouldn't love to see a Jordan Williams vs. Braxton Dupree matchup?

First Look at Eastern Kentucky-Maryland

Ben Broman — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:32:02 -0000

More photos » by Keith Srakocic - AP

26 days ago: Pittsburgh's Dante Taylor, left, and Eastern Kentucky's Spencer Perrin battle for a rebound in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

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Crowdsourcing: that's my type of thing. Reader jellisjenius already gave a quick preview of Eastern Kentucky, so if you want it short and sweet, I'd suggest you check that out.

To rehash some of his points, Eastern Kentucky does one thing well, and they do it extremely well: shoot the ball. One of the best teams from 3 in the nation, EKU has plenty of shooters: four of their starters shoot above 40% from beyond the arc. They're seventh in the entire country in eFG%, and shoot above 40% from 3 as a team.

They're also a slow-down team, with one of the slowest tempos in the country. As a mid-major, that makes sense: time and the 3-pointer are both talent equalizers. Make the game shorter and make your baskets worth more, and you have a chance.

They're yet to get down an impressive win and lost to both Pittsburgh and Murray State, but their shooting makes them a dangerous team. They tend to take care of the ball, too, and their offensive efficiency would be good for a high-major, let alone a mid-major. Offensively, they could be dangerous.

Maryland will probably go man-to-man or use an extended zone to bother EKU's shooters. Unlike Villanova, however, the zone probably won't kill Maryland in rebounding: EKU's 314th in the nation in offensive rebounding %, and even worse defensively. Much of that can be attributed to their size, or lack thereof - they have big guards but very small forwards, and most everyone falls into a 6-4 to 6-7 range. Jordan Williams may feast.

Aside from terrible rebounding on both ends, they're at best average defensively. As long as they don't make all their ridiculous shots - which would be plenty surprising - Maryland should be able to win comfortably.

I do, however, have an interesting tidbit about Eastern Kentucky's mascot: they're the Colonels. As in, Colonel Sanders. The logo bears a striking resemblance to Harland himself, and when the name was instituted - 1963 - KFC was at the top of its game. If there's an Eastern Kentuckian that would set us straight here, I'd really appreciate it, because I'm pretty sure that EKU named their university's mascot after this guy.

Or, of course, it could be a more general reference to the "Kentucky Colonel" title, but then why make him look like Sanders?

Regardless, if I were forced to make a wager, I'd bet three wings that Maryland wins by at least double-digits and Jordan Williams earns his second double-double on the year.

Comparing Jordan Williams to Other Freshmen: Surprising Start

Ben Broman — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:27:56 -0000

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Jordan Williams' freshman campaign - through, admittedly, just eight games - has been rather impressive so far. It was hard not to come away impressed after his double-double over Villanova, and most Maryland fans are encouraged by his play.

For fear of overrating him, I decided to look around to see what the rest of the ACC's freshmen were doing, and the results were pretty surprising.

No freshman - not even Derrick Favors - is averaging more rebounds per game than Williams is in the ACC. Nobody. He's fifth in the ACC freshmen in points, behind only Favors, Mfon Udofia, C.J. Harris, and Andre Dawkins. Only Dawkins, Udofia, and Durand Scott have put up a point total to surpass his 19 against Villanova, and none did it against competition as good as Villanova. Favors is the only other ACC freshman to record a double-double so far this year, though he's done it twice: once against USC, again against Boston University.

Pretty favorable comparisons there, especially considering every other name I mentioned there except Harris was ranked above Williams by a decent amount. If he continues at this pace, he'll be a contender for the All-Freshman team.

It's just as impressive when you go national to compare. He's fifth in the nation among freshmen in rebounds per game - actually, third for high-major freshmen. Of those above him, two were top 20 players (one of which is entirely ineffectual offensively), one plays for Fordham and is yet to play a high-major team, and another is almost 21 years old already.

How about just Maryland? Only Joe Smith had as many rebounds as Jordan has through eight games, and only Smith, Keith Booth, Exree Hipp, and Johnny Rhodes had scored as many points. That's pretty impressive company.

Obviously, Williams was forced into this situation and hasn't always been as impressive as his stats indicate. Then again, not many freshmen are. He's been good, and this time has served him well in terms of experience. Those stats will decrease when he plays ACC teams every night and Dino Gregory steals some of his minutes, but it's impressive nonetheless. The Villanova game should've given him a ton of confidence, usually good for freshmen. Hopefully that gives him enough incentive to start throwing it down every once in awhile.

Williams and Sean Mosley (more on him may be coming, not sure) have been outstanding this year. Big, impressive surprises to an otherwise average start.