You’ve got to hand it to Tim Curley and the athletics department,  Faced with the adversity of four coaching vacancies in one offseason, they remain unfazed and simply replace the departing coaching legends with another.

The track record speaks for itself. Wrestling legend Cael Sanderson was snatched away from powerhouse Iowa State to to take over the wrestling program, Bob Warming was hired from his successful stint at Creighton to replace legendary Barry Gorman and now Penn State has lured Jeff Tambroni away from Cornell, member of the lacrosse powerhouse conference that is the Ivy league. In fact, the Ivy league has been represented in 9 of the last 18 championship games, returning with the title 6 times.

Even in the highly competitive league, Tambroni has led the Cornell Big Red to 8 consecutive Ivy league championships and 8 NCAA appearances including 3 quarterfinal, 2 semifinal and 1 title game appearance in just 10 seasons. Promising numbers for Penn State lacrosse fans who watched the program struggle in recent years under departed head coach Glenn Thiel. Thiel only managed to lead the Lions to 2 NCAA appearances in 33 seasons never making it past the first round.

Jeff Tambroni currently sits 5th among active Division I coaches in winning percentages (109-40 for .732) and is the 10th fastest coach to reach the 100-win milestone in just 134 games. His players have earned a combined 39 All-American honors

Despite his sparkling resume, it is his dedication to his player’s performance in the classroom that makes Tambroni the perfect fit at Penn State. In 10 seasons at Cornell, his players have accounted for 5 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District honors, 3 Academic All-America second-team recipients, 2 Academic All-America first-team honorees and 2 Lowe’s Senior Class award, an honor that is given on the merits of classroom, competition, community and character.

Tambroni’s hire almost did not happen when Penn State originally targeted current Brown coach and past Penn State assistant coach, Lars Tiffany who eventually turned down the opportunity. Although Tiffany’s ties to the Nittany Lions makes him a good candidate to replace Glenn Thiel, he has since compiled a 38-20 record (.655) since 2007 at Brown including 2 shared Ivy league titles (with Cornell) and 1 NCAA berth. Jeff Tambroni however has led the Big Red to 9 consecutive seasons with 9 or more wins including a 73-21 (.776) record in the past 6 seasons and 51-15 (.773) since 2007. Tambroni was also a candidate for the Maryland vacancy before Penn State hired him. It may seem Tiffany’s rejection could very well be a blessing in disguise.

We look forward to welcoming Jeff Tambroni to the Penn State family and eagerly anticipate the heights he might elevate Penn State lacrosse to.

Related Posts:

1. Success with Honor: Creighton’s Bob Warming declared Penn State’s soccer coach
2. Farewell to Penn State Women’s LAX coach
3. Farewell to Penn State Women’s Gymnastics coach

Make that four.

First it was men’s soccer, followed by men’s lacrosse, then women’s lacrosse suffered the same fate, now Steve Shephard, the head coach of the women’s gymnastics program has resigned to pursue other career opportunities. He marks the 8th coach in Penn State women’s gymnastics history.

“I have decided to retire from coaching after a 30 year career in gymnastics, to pursue other career opportunities,” said Shephard. “It has been my great honor, and privilege, to work with all of the gifted young people associated with this program over the last 21 years. I would like to thank Tim Curley, and all the great people at Penn State, for providing me with the wonderful opportunity to represent this great university. I wish all of the current, and future team members at PSU nothing but the best, and I hope for a healthy, and successful future in the years ahead.”

During his 18 year stint at Penn State, Steve amassed a 256-144-2 record including 8 national championship appearances, most recently in 2009. Last season however, ended in disappointment for the Lions who failed to qualify for nationals when they finished 3rd in regionals despite competing in the friendly confines of Rec Hall.

But it wasn’t just the success on the field that solidified Gorman’s place in Nittany Lions lore. It was his dedication to winning the Penn State Way, emphasizing the student aspect to his student-athletes that earned the coach 3 Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. 122 academic All-Big Ten recipients and 70 NACGC/W Scholar Athlete honors is proof that Gormans’ players excelled both on the field and in the classroom. In fact, his teams have ranked in the Top 35 in the nation academically since 2001.

Shephard’s resignation marks the fourth head coaching vacancy since April and that should worry Penn State fans. It is a disturbing trend for a university that has a collection of head coaches who have been around for a long time with tenure-like status.

Although Shephard told the team he wants to continue to work at Penn State when he announced his resignation, assistant coach Jessica Bastardi will be the interim head coach until Shephard’s successor is found.

Penn State would be remiss not to contact women’s gymnastics coaching legend Suzanne Yoculan who coached the Georgia Gym Dogs to 10 national titles in 26 years, including 5 straight from 2005 up until her final season in 2009.

Her strong ties to Penn State that makes her the perfect candidate to replace Shephard. Youclan competed for the Nittany Lions and graduated from Penn State in 1975 with a B.S. in therapeutic recreation with a dance emphasis. She will be the long shot candidate for the job though considering she announced her retirement in 2009 from Georgia. It would take a heck of a recruiting pitch to convince Yoculan to come out of retirement when she clearly has very little left to prove.

Related Posts:

1. Farewell to Penn State Women’s LAX coach
2. Farewell to a lacrosse coaching legend
3. Success with Honor: Creighton’s Bob Warming declared Penn State’s soccer coach

Today alone, there have probably been a million words written on Nebraska’s move to the Big Ten. We here at NittanyWhiteOut are responsible for about 2000 of those. But what’s more important than our reactions, our speculations, and our trepidations are the comments from those who helped make this decision happen, and who it affects directly:

Jim Delany, Big Ten President:

“We’re in a great place. We’re stronger today than we were yesterday as a result of Nebraska’s acceptance into the Big Ten.”

Tom Osborne, Nebraska Athletic Director:

“The Big Ten Conference has much to offer. This is a tribute to our athletic programs, our academic programs and our fans. This is the right move at the right time. This is a rare opportunity that may not have been an option for us in the future. It’s the right thing to do for Nebraska.”

Lou Anna Simon, Michigan State President and Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors:

“The Big Ten Presidents and Chancellors are pleased to welcome the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to the Big Ten Conference. We believe Nebraska is an extraordinary fit, reflecting the criteria we established at the beginning of the process – high academic quality, competitiveness, cultural compatibility and fiscal responsibility.”

Harvey Perlman, Nebraska President:

“We are pleased that the presidents and chancellors of the Big Ten schools agree that the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a proper partner,” Perlman said. “From both an academics standpoint and an athletics perspective, this makes sense for the future of our university.”

Kirk Ferentz, Iowa Football Head Coach:

“The addition of the University of Nebraska to the Big Ten appears to be a very positive and an exciting development – much like when Penn State joined the conference years ago. From my vantage point, Nebraska is a natural and positive fit in all regards and this announcement is a real credit to all of those involved in providing leadership in the Big Ten.”

Graham Spanier, Penn State President:

“Nebraska is a tremendous addition to the Big Ten.  Nebraska has a rich tradition of academic excellence. It has been a valued institutional partner in the Association of American Universities for decades, and we look forward to enhanced relationships through the academic alliance that surrounds the Big Ten,”

Bo Pelini, Nebraska Football Head Coach:

“Obviously, I have a connection with the Big Ten having played in the conference (for Ohio State), and also getting my start in coaching in that conference.  The Big Ten is a great conference, and it will be an exciting opportunity for our football program and all of our teams at Nebraska”

Ron Guenther, Illinois Athletic Director:

“Nebraska is a special brand and is a very good fit for the Big Ten. They have a broad-based program including a nationally recognized football team. Nebraska is a good academic and geographic fit for the conference and I believe the culture is very similar to existing members in the Big Ten.”

Matt Painter, Purdue Basketball Head Coach:

“The world of college athletics is constantly changing, and today’s announcement marks the beginning of a new chapter. As an institution, Nebraska fits in well with the other schools in the Big Ten Conference and should be a great addition to our league.”

Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin Athletic Director:

“I was fortunate enough to have been a student-athlete in Nebraska’s storied football program and I realize the magnitude and brand identity of their athletic program. Nebraska’s fan base is as enthusiastic and passionate as any in the country and is similar to that of many Big Ten schools. Nebraska is a tremendous university, an AAU institution that brings quality academics and athletics to the Big Ten. On behalf of our athletic department, we want to welcome Nebraska to the Big Ten.”

Related Posts:

1. Qualified Applicants Need Apply: Nebraska will join Big Ten in 2011
2. Nebraska to Join the Big Ten: Alea Iacta Est
3. Adding Texas: The Texas Tech Dilemma

As Julius Caesar returned from his Gallic conquests, and arrived at the Rubicon, he had a choice to make.  Crassus had died, and Pompey had taken over Rome, dissolving the triumvirate, and forbidding Caesar from maintaining his position in absentia. To cross that river with his sole legion meant to ignite a civil war, to create a new Rome where Caesar could be emperor. Caesar knew what he had to do.  He had to regain his power. Alea iacta est, he said. The die is cast. He had passed the point of no return.

I imagine a similar dialogue took place this afternoon in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Faced with the conundrum of staying in a shaky Big XII or crossing over to the Big Ten, Chancellor Harvey Perlman and Athletic Director Tom Osborne did what they had to do. Knowing full well that Texas, and their merry band in the Big XII south were ready to bolt at the slightest provocation, that once the Pac-10 expanded to 16 teams that the SEC and Big Ten were sure to follow, that college football and college sports would never be the same, Perlman and Osborne presumably took a deep breath.  Alea iacta est, I imagine they said. The die is cast.

In this fast-moving, information-laden world, everyone surely knows by now that earlier today, it was reported, by just about every reputable outlet, that Nebraska would join the Big Ten.  The formal announcement from the board of regents is expected Friday.  Though I’m just a few hours late, this might as well be yesterday’s news.  It’s also become apparent that this move is just the first, that Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Colorado are about to desert the rapidly imploding Big XII and head west, to the greener pastures of the Pac-10.  After months of speculation, well, this is it.  And this is just the start.   Now, the rest of the dominos start to fall.  What will happen to Missouri, to Kansas, to Kansas State?  Will the SEC or the Big Ten or the ACC blink first?  Will Notre Dame be forced to give up their status, as college football’s lone relevant independent team?  Soon enough, we’ll find out.

In Nebraska, the Big Ten moves in a direction few saw coming.  Though Missouri had embraced a potential invitation from college football’s oldest conference, they have been left out in the cold on expansion’s first day.  And though so many expected the Big Ten’s decision to come down to academics, demographics, and expanding the Big Ten Network’s footprint, Jim Delany has gone in the exact opposite direction, adding a school with ample tradition, with an instantly recognizable and familiar name–and a cash cow considered one of the most valuable programs in college sports–but without much of a built-in audience.

The state of Nebraska has a population of less than 2 million people, making it roughly as large as the Detroit or Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan areas.  Though a member of the Association of American Universities since 1909, and thus a major research institution, the University of Nebraska ranks 96th in the US News & World Report’s listing of the nation’s best colleges, placing it on an equal level as Alabama, and Stony Brook, and just ahead of Florida State.  And despite its cushy spot in the weakest division in college football, amongst competition they were expected to squash on a yearly basis, Nebraska has been merely good, having won the Big XII North just twice since 1999.  And in basketball, they’re one of just three power-conference schools to have never won an NCAA men’s tournament game (Northwestern and South Florida are the others).

But now, for better or for worse, they are a member of the Big Ten.  It will not be hard to develop a hatred of the Cornhuskers amongst Nittany Lions fans, since Tom Osborne helped to cheat Penn State out of a title in 1994, though that one’s as much on the AP voters as anything. And for Nebraska, it ensures that they’ll have a home after the dust settles, and one that comes with a built in revenue stream in excess of $22 million dollars.

As for me, well, I’m still waiting in anticipation to see where all the pieces fall.  When Texas and its cabal announce their move west, and the Big XII formally disbands, it will become official, that we are all witnesses to the reformation of college football as we know it.  The Rose Bowl, come 2012, may well be a matchup between Texas and Nebraska, or Notre Dame, or Rutgers.  I can’t wait to find out.

This is no longer our father’s Big Ten, and soon enough, nor will it be his Pac-10, his SEC, or his ACC.  In a few months’ time, we’ll know exactly what the future brings, but for now, it’ll just be more idle speculation.

But thanks to Nebraska, the die has been cast. Alea iacta est.  College football has passed the point of no return.

Related Posts:

1. Qualified Applicants Need Apply: Nebraska will join Big Ten in 2011
2. Now it’s Official: A Look from the Nebraska Sidelines
3. Now, an Accelerated Timetable for the Big Ten

It’s decision time for Jim Delany and the Big Ten

Where there was smoke, fire has indeed emerged.  Chip Brown’s report, on Orangebloods.com has been verified, and it seems that Larry Scott, the Pac-10′s commissioner, is set to recommend expansion of six Big XII schools–Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and either Colorado or Baylor–during today’s conference meetings.

Whether all six of those schools are officially invited, and accepted into the conference remains to be seen, but the Big XII has gone on the defensive, reportedly issuing an ultimatum to Nebraska and Missouri, though officials from either schools are yet to confirm reports.

Missouri and Nebraska officials neither are confirming nor denying reports from Texas that the Tigers and Cornhuskers face a ultimatum to pledge allegiance to the Big 12 Conference or risk half the league taking a reported expected offer to join the Pac 10 Conference.

“Right now there’s nothing else we can say than what we’ve told you before,” said a University of Missouri news bureau spokesman speaking on behalf of UMC Chancellor Brady Deaton. “We’re a proud member of the Big 12 Conference.”

That didn’t answer the question of whether a deadline of next Friday — or possibly as late as June 15 — had been issued, as was reported by the Austin-American Statesman late Saturday night.

The Pac-10′s pursuit of, pretty much, the entire Big XII south has had obvious side effects.  Namely, they’ve sped up the Big Ten’s expansion process.  Even during April’s BCS meetings, Jim Delany dispelled rumors of an “accelerated timetable” to see the conference add one, or three, or even five new members, claiming that the evaluation process was still ongoing.  We weren’t to expect any concrete news for up to a year.

But now? The Pac-10 has set into motion a plan that has the Big Ten reeling.  Delany’s plan had been to strike the first domino, but now, they have to make a decision 10 months, or more, before schedule.  Would Nebraska or Missouri constitute a “home run” for the conference, or were they merely a smokescreen, for the conference’s pursuit of other, bigger, fish?  Either way, Jim Delany now has less than two weeks, maybe as little as just four days, to decide whether those schools are worthy of inclusion in the conference.

The Big Ten had been rumored of going in so many different directions–first, and most obviously, adding Notre Dame, or splitting apart the Big East by adding Syracuse, Pitt, and Rutgers; securing the New York market by adding Rutgers or Connecticut; and then looking south, or even trying to expand into the D.C. market by snagging Maryland.  Missouri had been one of the few schools to openly lobby for an invitation into the conference–even Governor Jay Nixon sought to “explore” entrance into the Big Ten, but during those meetings in April, Jim Delany had expressed an interest in moving to the south and west, with such unlikely names as Vanderbilt entering the mix, and Texas emerging as a top target. Missouri had been as much a fall-back plan as anything, and Nebraska, well, had been a bit of an enigma.  Not delivering too many TV markets, but plenty of tradition, Nebraska might have gone against everything we thought we knew the Big Ten sought in an expansion candidate.  In short, they were–and are–worth more to the Big XII, with its rivalries in place with Oklahoma and even Colorado–than to the Big Ten, though the allure of Big Ten money could sway the Huskers to the North.

Yet now, the Big Ten must choose whether it’s better to act now, or to hope that the pieces will fall into place.  And that decision will set the others into motion.  Should the Big Ten choose to wait things out, maybe counting on the SEC and ACC to pick apart the Big East, and letting Notre Dame fall right into their laps–Nebraska and Missouri would stick it out, and Texas would have a reason to stay in the Big XII.  In the end, the decisions of the Oklahoma schools, A&M, Texas Tech, and either Baylor or Colorado are almost certainly tied to the fate of Texas.  If Texas decides to bolt for the Pac-10, they all will.  Should the powers that be decide that maintaining the status quo is worth it? Dan Beebe, Big XII commissioner, will finally be able to exhale.  And that’s all dependent on what happens in Chicago, Lincoln and Columbia.

And yet, we’re still operating on the assumption that the Pac-10 will, indeed, extend offers to those six schools.  Larry Scott pulled off a brilliant maneuver, by recommending at least three of the Texas schools, because the state legislature would’ve put up bureaucratic red tape preventing either Texas or Texas A&M from joining the conference on their own.  But the Pac-10 rules require unanimous consent from all parties when voting on conference expansion.  For a school like Stanford, or Cal-Berkley, or even USC–schools with excellent academic reputations and remarkably strong athletic programs (all finished in the top 7 of last year’s Director’s Cup standings), would it be worth taking a flyer on schools like Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, who offer neither, even if it would mean losing out on Texas, and all of its programs and revenue streams?

In short, nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen.  There are so many moving parts that next Friday’s deadline for Nebraska and Missouri may come and go with a whimper, if indeed such a deadline exists.  Or, alternatively, we might have our first two members of the new Big Ten (the Big Fourteen? Sixteen?).  But the wheels of change have been set into motion, and we will know, soon enough, whether the landscape of college football as we know it is eroding rapidly beneath us.

Remember the uproar when the NCAA seemed set to expand the NCAA tournament to 96 teams?  The ripple waves that will begin with Nebraska and Missouri’s decisions next week may well make that change seem as benign as the inclusion of a 65th team to the tournament.

Related Posts:

1. Adding Texas: The Texas Tech Dilemma
2. Nebraska to Join the Big Ten: Alea Iacta Est
3. The Pac-10 Comes Out Swinging, but Texas to the Big Ten Emerges

Yesterday, we heard news that basically signaled the impending destruction of the Big XII.  The Pac-10 was “on the verge” of issuing invitations to Colorado, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech, creating the first 16-team superconference, and getting out ahead of the Big Ten in expansion.

And in response, I wrote why Texas wouldn’t be like to take them up on that offer.  There have been consistent rumors swirling of Texas getting an invitation to the Big Ten–not quite as strong as the whispers linking Nebraska or Missouri or Rutgers, but the general consensus is that the Big Ten would love to land arguable the biggest fish in the pond. And for Texas, well, there are about 15 million reasons why the Big Ten offers a better package than the Pac-10

But now, it seems the biggest player in Texas-to-the-Big-Ten isn’t Texas. It’s not Jim Delany, either. No, not Joe Paterno, who presumably still wants that eastern rival.  It’s the Texas state legislature.  Lost yet?  Let me explain:

Last night, the Columbus Dispatch, citing “right-to-know” laws, managed to get their hands on a series of emails exchanged between Ohio State’s president, E. Gordon Gee, and the Big Ten Commissioner, Jim Delany.  As I suggested yesterday, they echo a willingness for Texas to join the Big Ten, and the Big Ten’s desire to hit a home run in expansion.

“We are fast-tracking it but need to know the $ and observe contracts,” Delany wrote. “Also need to make sure we leverage this to increase chances of hr additions. Finally double chess # of moving parts including not harming brand as we executy.”

And what would harm the Big Ten about adding Texas?  Having to bring along their red-headed stepbrother, Texas Tech.

Don Hale, Texas’ vice president for public affairs, said he did not think the three Texas schools had a legal commitment to be in the same conference. But he said the Texas Legislature may apply pressure for that to happen.

“I think it’s a political issue,” he said today. “Because they’re state institutions, I think the concern is that one can’t move without the others.”

In another email, the Ohio State president wrote that Texas would love to hear from the Big Ten, but that the albatross of Texas Tech looms large:

“I did speak with Bill Powers [the President] at Texas, who would welcome a call [but] say they have a ‘Tech’ problem,” Gee wrote in an e-mail

It’s not too hard to decipher that comment.  If indeed Texas Tech is tied to A&M and Texas, the Big Ten would likely give up their pursuit of the Longhorns.

Be sure to note: the problem is not adding Texas A&M.  The Aggies offer a strong academic profile–they’re ranked #61 in US News & World Report’s ranking of the nation’s top universities, tied with Minnesota and a just notch below Ohio State, and would surely welcome an invitation to the CIC.  They also have strong programs in a number of sports, and have finished in the top 20 of the Director’s Cup standings the last three years.  Sure, the football team hasn’t finished the season ranked since 1999, but they’ve reached both the NCAA Men’s and Women’s basketball tournament in each of the last five years.  They’re a baseball powerhouse, and have strong track and field, softball, and golf programs.  Sure, Texas A&M wouldn’t bring in much that Texas didn’t–but if those two are a package deal, it’s one that Big Ten has to take.  Hell, on their own, A&M offers enough that they’d be worth adding for the SEC or Big Ten.

So it all comes down to whether the Big Ten would jump on the Texas Tech grenade.  Unfortunately, there is very little to like about that school, from our conference’s perspective.  I’m sure I’ll get some angry TTU students complaining, but academically, they don’t compare to the rest of the conference.  Ranked a “Tier 3″ school, Texas Tech does not boast a strong academic profile.  Unlike the other two big state schools, they’re not a member of the Association of American Universities, which indicates a college with strong research programs.  Already, they don’t fit in to the Big Ten brand.

And they don’t exactly boast the kind of athletics that would blow you away.  Other than women’s cross country and men’s outdoor track, Texas Tech hasn’t won a single Big XII championship in any sport since 2000, and boast one NCAA championship, women’s basketball in 1993, in their entire athletic history.  Though the football program had a couple nice seasons under Mike Leach, they don’t exactly boast a superior track record.  In basketball, they’ve made the NCAA tournament twice in the past decade, but haven’t continued that success since Bob Knight retired.

Texas Tech wouldn’t have made the Big XII if it wasn’t for political pressure, and, well, there’s a reason why.  It’s the very inclusion of Texas Tech in this discussion that makes these rumors so palpable: not having to take this to the Texas legislature speeds up the process considerably.

In short, there isn’t a single redeeming quality about Texas Tech.  And for the Big Ten, adding Texas simply isn’t worth ruining their academic reputation if they have to bring along Tech.  The Pac-10 can afford to bring along a school like Tech, since they don’t offer the academic consortium as the Big Ten.  Though schools like Stanford, Cal, UCLA, USC, and Washington are among the top 50 in the country, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, and Washington all rank in the 100s.  Oregon State, like Texas Tech, is a tier three university.  In short, they’re not harming their brand at all.  That’s proven by the fact that they’re also reportedly set to offer Oklahoma State (tier 3) and Oklahoma (#102) in this batch of potential expansion.

So in the and, we’re left with three question.

Is the Pac-10′s offer to Texas Tech conditional on bringing along Texas and A&M?

If indeed those three are the package deal as described earlier, it makes sense to offer all three at the same time.  But what if Texas and A&M are going to play it slow?  There are rumors of SEC showing interest in Texas A&M, and that the university is reciprocating.  Texas has, obviously, been courted by the Big Ten.  If it all fell through, and the state of Texas was to let those three schools split up, would the Pac-10 be willing to find themselves stuck with one ugly consolation prize just to say that they’d expanded into Texas?  Or would all 6 of these schools need to “sign on” before the invitations are officially offered?

Will the State of Texas let it happen?

We’ve thought of this expansion in terms of football, conference commissioners, and university presidents, but state governments have a role to play as well, especially as it concerns Texas.  Looking at the potential revenue that would go to its flagship university, can the state pass up on $25 million–roughly the difference in television revenue between what Texas makes now and what it could, by 2015, if it joins the Big Ten?  A&M would be set to pick up close to $15 million by joining the SEC, as well.  Lastly, we can all joke about the backwards culture in Texas, too, but the research opportunities that the state would open up by Texas and A&M joining the CIC could be substantial as well.

If those three don’t split up, can the Big XII be salvaged?

If Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech are indeed a package deal, them joining the Pac-10 is no done deal.  If the proposed Pac-16 becomes just the potential Pac-13, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine Oklahoma and Oklahoma State passing up on the invitation.  For Colorado, it would seem that the Pac-10 is where they truly belong, but for the Oklahoma schools, staying put might make the most sense.  Even if the Big Ten snags Nebraska and Missouri, the Big XII could jump on TCU and get back to 10 teams.

Related Posts:

1. The Pac-10 Comes Out Swinging, but Texas to the Big Ten Emerges
2. Now, an Accelerated Timetable for the Big Ten
3. Nebraska to Join the Big Ten: Alea Iacta Est

If Texas is on the move, the Big Ten is its logical destination

The huge news today, regarding conference expansion, didn’t involve the Big Ten.  No, Rivals reported that the Pac-10 conference, which had largely considered to be patiently waiting to see where the dominoes might fall, sent out invitations to six of the marquee teams from the Big XII.

Citing the standard “multiple sources close to the situation,” as it seems every newspaper, radio station, television outlet or blog has over the past few months, Chip Brown writes:

[I]t appears the Pac-10, which has its meetings in San Francisco starting this weekend, is prepared to make a bold move and invite Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado to join its league…

The six teams from the Big 12 would be in an eight-team division with Arizona and Arizona State. The other eight-team division would consist of USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State.

Now, we’re obviously not going to accept this report on face value. If every unverified column were true, the Big Ten would’ve already added UConn, and also Missouri, Nebraska, Syracuse, Rutgers, and Pittsburgh. Or maybe just Rutgers, Missouri and Nebraska. And maybe Notre Dame.  The Pac-10 would’ve welcomed Utah and Colorado, not the above listed 6.  In short, we’ve seen this movie before, Chip, and we’re going to take some convincing.

The thought is the Big 16 (or whatever they decide for the name) would start its own television network that could command premium subscriber dollars from cable providers on par with the Big Ten Network and pay out upwards of $20 million to each of the 16 schools in TV revenue.

Now, all indications are pointing to this being more than just mere fluff.  Colorado’s AD, Mike Bohn, hinted that this was more a probability than a done deal, but even so, the ramifications throughout the landscape of college football are evident.

Still, Charlie just wrote about the hurdles a potential Pac-10 Network would face, which begs the question: if Texas is going to move, wouldn’t it be to the Big Ten?

The Big Ten already has their Network up and running, and paying out more than $20 million dollars to each school based not just on BTN revenues, but also its hefty contract with ESPN.  If Big Ten expansion hits home runs rather than singles, and adding Texas would be a grand slam, that revenue would skyrocket.  The Pac-10 is hoping to pay out $20 million to each school, the Big Ten already does!  The BTN wasn’t financially successful until Comcast struck a deal with the Network, and that didn’t happen for more than a year.  Even today, not all cable carriers in the state of Pennsylvania carry the network, and I’m sure there’s more demand for Penn State than for Washington State or Arizona in their respective states.  Yes, it has been the trailblazer for future conference-run TV networks, but the fact is that demand isn’t there right now for a Pac-10 Network to be an immediately viable money maker.  And even if there was, the rocky path to a financial windfall would ensure that it would take years before any Pac-10 team could see $20 million from TV revenue.

But for the BTN?  Bringing in a Texas, and a Texas alone would mean at least another 2 million per school.  Considering Texas’ population (approximately 25 million), the school’s overwhelming popularity, and the fact that the Big Ten Network receives 88 cents per subscriber of states within the Big Ten footprint, the conference could stand to bring in over $20 million by adding Texas alone.  Add Rutgers, and you’ve got the New York City market cornered: another $20 million for the conference.  Throw in Nebraska to make things even, and you’ve got a superconference that dwarfs even the new Pac-15, not just in TV revenue, but in talent.

Even before expansion talk hit, conference officials expected Big Ten Network revenues to double over the next decade.  Sure, the Pac-10 might be able to offer $20 million–maybe, in a few years, down the road–but by joining the Big Ten, Texas could be looking at more than $40 a year by 2016!

That’s not even considering the college football fans all across the country who would buy in to the BTN just for the opportunity to watch the titans of the sport play on a weekly basis.  And once you’ve got close to 100 million households nationwide on the BTN, the Big Ten would have the chance to force even more money out of ESPN.  And if you’re ESPN, how could you pass up on the chance to broadcast some epic matchups? Texas-Ohio State is a national championship game, not a 3:30 start.  But in this scenario, it’s happening every week.  Penn State-Nebraska.  Rutgers-Michigan.  My pants just got tight imaging that.  Well, maybe not that last one.

Texas had been talking of starting up their own network–Longhorn TV–long before this revelation, because even though they’d earned the lions’ share of television revenue from the Big XII in its weighted sharing system, it still amounts to just over $10 million dollars.  Why go through the hassle when you’ve got the BTN waiting for you?  The same conundrum arises with this proposed Pac-10 Network–there’s a lot of heavy lifting to be done, and, should things fall through, the members of the conference are only making between $8 and $10 million on their current TV deals.  Sure, adding all these teams would provide a boost, but not one as influential to any school’s bottom line as joining the Big Ten.

So what would Texas even have to lose?  Sure, they’re a team that likes to schedule soft, and since they’d undoubtedly want to keep their rivalries going with Oklahoma and Texas A&M, it would mean sacrificing two out-of-conference matchups to keep the Red River Shootout a yearly tradition.  It’s also possible that the Big Ten would be forced, by the state of Texas, to bring A&M along for the ride.  Either way, Texas still comes out ahead by joining the Big Ten.

Or maybe Texas would just have to lose a rivalry–it happens.  I hate to bring up the example, but Penn State hasn’t played Pitt in a decade, and the world has gone on.  In the above article, it was suggested that Texas A&M had been approached by the SEC, which would, in effect, force Texas into the exact same boat they’d be in by joining the Big Ten.  So if you want to make the case that Texas would sacrifice the opportunity to be in the Big Ten because it would mean losing their in-state rivals, I wouldn’t be so sure.

Texas has always dodged SEC rumors by claiming the importance of academics. The US News and World Review ranks UT-Austin 47th, tied with our humble college in that regard.  While the Pac-10 boasts some solid institutions, in Stanford, as well as Cal, UCLA, and USC, the fact is that no other athletic conference operates such a powerful academic consortium as the Big Ten.  The Committee on Institutional Cooperation not only includes the Big Ten, with such prestigious universities as Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin, but the University of Chicago as well, and the ability to share resources would open up Texas to even greater research opportunities.

Now, this rumor may well have legs.  The Big XII Commissioner, Dan Beebe, canceled his scheduled press conference at this week’s conference meeting,  probably so that he can verify these rumors before taking questions about them.  The Pac-10 may well have made the first move in conference expansion, and there’s no doubt they came out swinging.  They wanted to “revolutionize college athletics” and should this punch land, they’ll have done just that.   And we’d see the Big Ten picking at the remnants–Missouri, Nebraska, rather than devouring the Big East whole.

But when it comes to Texas, well, they’re just as likely to whiff.  If Texas is going anywhere, it should be North, not West.

Related Posts:

1. Adding Texas: The Texas Tech Dilemma
2. Nebraska to Join the Big Ten: Alea Iacta Est
3. Now, an Accelerated Timetable for the Big Ten

First it was men’s soccer, then came men’s lacrosse, now Suzanne Isidor is resigning as the head coach for the women’s lacrosse program after 10 years for personal reasons. She marks the 8th coach in Penn State women’s lacrosse history.

“It has been my honor and privilege to serve as the head coach at Penn State,” Isidor said in the press release. “Penn State is a special place and I am grateful to have been able to coach not only great players but great people during my tenure. I want to thank Tim Curley and Sue Scheetz for the opportunity to coach at my alma mater and for their constant help and support. I will always cherish the friendships and relationships I have made while in Happy Valley and leave with nothing but fond memories of my time here.”

Although she was a wildly successful 4 time letterwinner for the Nittany Lions leading her team to 3 NCAA Tournaments including the semifinals her senior year, she was a lackluster head coach for Penn State. Heading into her 9th season last year, her overall record stood at 74-79, a losing one. Suzanne Isidor wasn’t any more successful in what turned out to be her final season, going a lackluster 10-7 (a dismal 1-4 in the ALC) with a 15-9 loss to #2 Northwestern in the American Lacrosse Conference tournament solidifying her final record with Penn State at 84-86, still under .500.

During her 10 seasons, she only managed to lead the Nittany Lions to 2 NCAA tournaments and 1 American Lacrosse Conference title game appearance. For a program that is tied for 5th in the nation with 2 national titles in 1987 and 1989, it just wasn’t good enough.

Even though she wasn’t as successful on the field as most fans would have liked, she embodied the Penn State Way, stressing the student aspect in her student-athletes. Her players received recognition by the IWLCA on its honor roll or as scholar athletes 16 times and one was honored as a First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American. Nittany Lions have also earned Academic All-ALC honors on a remarkable 144 occasions since 2002, not including the class of 2010, which has yet to be released.

Her biggest mark with the Penn State women’s lacrosse program was with the creation of the American Lacrosse Conference in 2001. She presided over the Nittany Lions in 2002 as they competed in their first season as one of 7 charter members of the lacrosse only conference. The American Lacrosse Conference, which comprises of Florida, John Hopkins, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Vanderbilt has emerged as one of the toughest conferences in the nation for lacrosse. In fact Northwestern, a member of the ALC has participated in the last 6 NCAA women’s lacrosse championship games winning 5 titles.

It is always a shame to see one of our own move on from our coaching ranks, but this provides Penn State with a great opportunity to bring in a proven winner much like they have done with recent wrestling and men’s soccer hires.  Might I be so bold as to suggest Kelly Amonte Hiller who just led Northwestern to 6 consecutive NCAA women’s lacrosse championship games winning 5 titles along the way?

Penn State will surely involve current associate Athletic Director Susan Delaney-Scheetz to be part of the national search for Isidor’s replacement. Susan Delaney-Scheetz coached the women’s lacrosse program for 4 seasons (67-9, 88.1% winning percentage) from 1986 – 1989 leading the Nittany Lions to their only 2 national titles in 87′ and 89′ before she was promoted to associate AD in 2002. It would almost be irresponsible for Penn State to ignore her impeccable lacrosse background when she is so well connected to the women’s lacrosse coaching fraternity.

We wish Suzanne Isidor the best in her future endeavors.

Related Posts:

1. Farewell to a lacrosse coaching legend
2. Success with Honor: Creighton’s Bob Warming declared Penn State’s soccer coach
3. Farewell to a Soccer Coaching legend

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day

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Penn State’s first commit back last autumn for the upcoming class of 2011, Trey Burke from Columbus (OH) Northland High School has officially re-opened his recruitment. His father Alfonso “Benji” Burke confirmed the news yesterday.

“Yes, he opened it up yesterday. He wanted to finish out his last summer uncommitted.”

The potential loss of the 5′11″, 160 lb point guard from the same home town as Jamelle Cornley is a huge blow to Ed DeChellis’ program that has already seen 2 defections earlier this offseason by Chris Babb and Bill Edwards.

The reasons given by his father however, Alfonso is more scathing to the DeChellis program than any winless records he will ever set.

“Of course, we want to win, play at a Big Ten level, and get a great education. Trey felt he had all but one of those at Penn State.”

Now even the casual observe has to know exactly which one aspect was missing from the three his father listed.

According to Alfonso, he just wasn’t sure either that Penn State can win or that his prime recruiter, assistant Lewis Preston will be around when Burke arrived in the Fall of 2011.

“To be honest with you, I love Penn State and I wanted him to stick it out,” said Mr. Burke. ”I think, the way he’s playing, he can go in and play right away and be better than [PSU point guard] Talor Battle. And get a great education.

“On the flip side, he was concerned if the staff would be there when he arrives. And then, the ability of getting some guys to come in there with him.

“It was really tough to tell those guys he was re-opening his recruitment. But he did it.”

Penn State originally beat out 2010 national runner-up Butler, Akron, and Stephen F. Austin among other MAC and Horizon League schools for his verbal. But with a year and a half to go before he would actually join a team by the time of his commitment, big time programs still had plenty of time to offer the #117 ranked player in the Class of 2010 a scholarship.

And now with Burke officially re-opening his recruitment, the sharks are circling.

According to Mr. Burke and Northland High coach Satch Sullinger, high-majors such as Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Arizona and Wake Forest are beginning to show serious interest. Mr Burke said: “Butler just e-mailed me and said they would love to get him back down there.”

You really can’t blame a kid who wants to not only play, but win at the highest level to be weary of Ed DeChellis and his Penn State program. But if a 16 year old kid and his dad can see the obvious deficiencies of the DeChellis program, what will it take for Tim Curley to notice it too.

We wish Trey Burke the best in his endeavors. He will actually be in Los Angeles this weekend with his All-Ohio Red teammates for the third leg of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.

Related Posts:

1. Houston, We Have a [basketball] Recruit: Trey Burke
2. Tim Curley Could Learn From DePaul
3. Ed DeChellis Signs Contract Extension

It seems as if Penn State will be replacing one soccer coaching legend with another.

Penn State announced that Creighton’s Bob Warming will become Penn State soccer’s 11th head coach. This news should delight fans of the soccer program at Penn State.

Bob Warming currently sits 6th among active Division I head coaches and 15th all-time with 383 victories over 32 years. He is also one of two coaches ever to coach 2 different programs to the College Cup.

In essence, Bob Warming is Creighton soccer. In just 3 short years, Bob Warming led the Creighton Blue Jays to a perfect 19-0-0 record and the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament. During his cumulative 14 seasons with the Blue Jays, he compiled a 190-61-34 record (.726) including 7 Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships and led 11 of those teams to the NCAA tournament.

He also helped plan and develop Michael G. Morrison Stadium, a $13 million, 6,000 seater venue, arguably one of the finest soccer facilities in the nation. It is no coincidence that Creighton rank among national attendance leaders annually with their state of the art facility and an impeccable 107-18-15 home record.

In spite of his glowing resume, Bob Warming greatest achievement as coach has to be the consistent development of his players. Although he began his stint at Creighton in 1990, he left the program for St Louis University in 1994 before returning to Omaha in 2001. Since his return, Warming has had at least one player selected in each MLS Draft. Warming’s Creighton is the only college program in the nation to have a player selected in every MLS Draft ever held accounting for 42 former Bluejays that have gone on to play professionally since ‘93. How could you compete with that stat line when recruiting the top players in the nation?

Penn State soccer fans should be thrilled with the selection of Bob Warming as the school’s next head coach. He has a proven track record both on and off the field. In addition to success on the field, he was pivotal in the construction and upgrades of soccer facilities at both Creighton and St. Louis University. One would expect any deal to lure him away from Creighton involved promises to upgrade existing facilities at Penn State. Almost a requirement if you have ever attended a soccer game at Jeffery Field. It is desperately in need of upgrades especially when you compare it to Morrison Stadium Bob Warming just left behind.

It is nice to see Penn State show a commitment to excellence in sports other than football and the administration’s recent track record with Cael Sanderson and Bob Warming should have fans excited that the school is actually looking outside the Penn State family for quality head coaches.

Related Posts:

1. Farewell to Penn State Women’s LAX coach
2. Farewell to a Soccer Coaching legend
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Remember, last summer, when the Detroit Free Press came out with a damning article, alleging a myriad of practice violations on the part of Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan coaching staff?   Maybe this will jog your memory:

Several players said that on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the past two off-seasons, they were expected to be in the weight room for three to four hours, followed by a run of 45 minutes to an hour.

Players said that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they were expected to spend two to three hours working on speed and agility. That brings the total time commitment to 15-21 hours a week — more than the NCAA’s weekly 8-hour limit, which includes time spent watching film.

Yeah, sounds like a pretty big deal. Wait, there’s more?  Something about exceeding practice limits during the regular season, too?

Rodriguez required his players to arrive at Schembechler Hall by noon the day after games. They would then go through a full weight-lifting session, followed by individual position meetings and a full-team meeting. Then, at night, they would hold a full practice. Often, they would not leave the practice facility until after 10 p.m.

In September 2008, three weeks into Rodriguez’s first season, senior defensive tackle Terrance Taylor talked about his previous Sunday.

“It was, like, 10 hours,” Taylor said. “Everybody was like, ‘Where were you at?’ ‘I was at practice all day.’ My parents were still here. They were like, ‘Where were you at?’ I was like, ‘I was at the building all day.’ ”

The NCAA limit is 4 hours a day for required activities.

During the last few months, we’ve seen the debate take form.  Did Rich Rodriguez and his staff knowingly violate the rules? Probably.  Would Michigan be convicted by the NCAA? Who knows, given the USC situation.

The main question was whether this cheating gave Michigan a “competitive advantage.”  Let’s see what Rich Rodriguez had to say about the practice regimen?

Rodriguez has posted a big sign above the entrance to the team’s weight room that says, “Through these doors walks the best conditioned, most disciplined, and hardest working football team in America.”

It would seem to reason that Michigan would be the best conditioned team if they got to work out more than anyone else, wouldn’t it?  And as for hardest working?  Seems RichRod’s hoist with his own petard.

Fast forward to one year later, and Dave Brandon is backtracking:

“We clearly did not break any rules that created an unfair competitive advantage. We did not get involved in anything like academic fraud or gambling that would have warranted that type of punishment.”

I’d like to know what world it is that Dave Brandon lives in, if having extra practice time doesn’t give you an unfair advantage? Every coach wishes they could have their players on an NFL-like regimen, with two-a-days throughout the summer, and entire weekends in the film room.  But you can’t.  Michigan, like so many other schools, used to treat their football players like student athletes, and under Lloyd Carr, this wouldn’t have happened.  But Rich Rodriguez brought in a controversial figure in Mike Barwis, the Wolverines’ strength and conditioning coach, who has demanded more from his players than he has any right to.

I really need somebody to explain to me how this doesn’t, in Brandon’s words, create an unfair advantage in the favor of Michigan?  If you have two teams, and one got more practice time, spent more time in the film room, and had an offseason of practices monitored by the coaching staff, you’d be hard pressed to say that team wasn’t going to better prepared.  Hell, I consider this an even greater violation of competitive spirit of the NCAA than U$C’s various transgressions.  At the least, this one actually made an impact on the field.

Perhaps Brandon simply can’t fathom just how bad his football team actually is.  After all, this is a 5-7 team, one that went 1-7 in Big Ten play, and lost their final 5 games of the season to miss out on a bowl game for the second straight year.  In 2008, the first year of Rodriguez’s tenure, Michigan was a 3-9 team.  Imagine how much worse they’d be if they weren’t cheating!

Related Posts:

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2. Failure is just a state of mind
3. Behind Enemy Lines: Wolverines Part 2

Earlier this week, we talked about the three Pennsylvania cable providers who have not yet reached a deal with the Big Ten Network.  We cited the 34,000 Penn State alums who live in the areas serviced by those providers, and the thousands of fans who similarly are not able to watch their favorite team on a weekly basis.  But, as the saying goes, pictures speak louder than words. And also, they’re worth a thousand words.  So after the jump, there’s a nice graphical interpretation of what exactly this all means.

If you live in the blue, congratulations. You get to enjoy all the benefits that the BTN provides. Your cable provider understands the demand for Penn State fans to watch Penn State sports.  And, since most of the state is colored in, well, you probably get the Big Ten network.  And you know just how great it is.  And you sure wouldn’t want to give it up.

But if you live in the areas colored white, it means your local cable provider is either Metrocast, Blue Ridge, or Armstrong. It means you don’t get to watch every Penn State football game, and countless basketball games, baseball games, wrestling matches, and competitions in as many other sports as you can imagine.

60 out of 67 counties are lucky enough to have a cable provider that gets it. Once Comcast agreed to carry the Big Ten Network two years ago, we thought the fight was over, that the rest of the state would follow.  Unfortunately, the obstinance of three companies is preventing all Pennsylvanians, and all Nittany Lion fans, from achieving that goal, of universal BTN coverage.

Again, we must act.  If you’re unlucky enough to live in one of those counties, write to your provider. Or, switch to DirectTV or Dish Network. Just be sure to do it before September 4th, since I doubt ESPN will pick up the Youngstown State game, and I don’t think you’ll want to miss Game 1 of the Kevin Newsome (or Paul Jones) Era.

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3. Big Ten Basketball Schedule Released

As we’ve examined Big Ten expansion, a common theme has been what the proposed schools would bring to the conference.  More specifically, what media market they would offer, so that the Big Ten Network would reach more viewers.  It’s why Pittsburgh isn’t much of a viable option, and why Rutgers seems to be ideal.

As Penn State fans, we know what a great addition to our fanhood the network has been.  Not only is every football game guaranteed to be aired, but we’re now able to keep tabs on Penn State basketball, too.  Just a few years ago, you had to go to the Bryce Jordan Center to watch more than 2 or 3 Penn State basketball games a season. Now, thanks to the Big Ten Network, virtually every game is televised.

We’ve even had the chance to watch the wrestling team on a regular basis, and seen those volleyball matches and baseball games that we never would’ve had the chance to before.  In total, more than 100 distinct events featuring 24 different Penn State teams were featured last year alone on the Big Ten Network, to go along with another 14 Big Ten championships the network aired.  And heck, how many of us haven’t spent afternoons reliving the greatness of years past, watching the Nittany Lions in the 1995 Rose Bowl or the 1983 Sugar Bowl as part of the “Big Ten’s Greatest Games” program.

In short, the Big Ten Network has transformed the fan experience for all things Nittany Lion.

But as has come to the attention of NittanyWhiteOut, before the BTN is distributed to New Jerseyites or Missourians, we need to make sure that there are no holes in the coverage within our own state.

Just 83% of Pennsylvania residents have television access to the Big Ten Network, easily the lowest percentage of any Big Ten state’s residents.  More than 90% of households in the Big Ten footprint carry the network, a number that dwarfs Pennsylvania’s coverage.

Though most major carriers have included the network in their basic or expanded packages, three cable providers, in particular, have refused to broadcast the channel.

Even worse, among that 17% is approximately 34,000 Penn State alumni, who have no choice but to subscribe to one of those three providers, because they live in a neighborhood serviced by either Blue Ridge, Armstrong or Metrocast Cable.  And given how Penn State pride has permeated into every corner of the state, there are undoubtedly countless other Nittany Lion fans who are denied the opportunity the rest of us have, to cheer on our school on a daily basis, in as many sports we can name.

If you happen to be among that unlucky percentage, don’t be afraid to act.  Though you might not be able to change cable providers, you can switch to DirecTV or Dish Network, each of which will offer you the same opportunity to watch the Big Ten Network as the rest of the state.  If that’s too complicated, challenge your cable provider. Make it known to them just how important the BTN is to you, as a customer, and try and find other Penn State alums and fans who can back you up.  Other providers have caved.  As far east as Long Island, my cable provider, Cablevision, recently offered the capability to purchase and watch the Big Ten Network.  So too does BrightHouse Network, down in Florida.  For those just a stone’s throw from State College to be denied the same ability to watch their team is shameful.

If you’re a true Penn State fan, you can’t go without the Big Ten Network.  I know, this sounds like an advertisement for the channel, but it’s really true.  I never would’ve imagined that I’d be watching the Big Ten Network more than ESPN, or

Plus, they’ve got Charissa Thompson

how much I’d miss a television channel during Winter or Spring break.  Those of you who don’t get access to the BTN don’t even know what you’re missing out on.

There are still about three months before Penn State football takes the field once again.  For the 110,000 inside Beaver Stadium, and the millions around the state who receive the Big Ten Network, it will be a return to our cherished fall traditions.  But for the 17% of Pennsylvania residents, blacked out by their cable provider? It’s a reminder that you need to act.  Whether it’s switching providers or simply writing a letter or making a phone call to your cable company, do something.

And for those of us fortunate enough to get the Big Ten Network? That doesn’t mean we should be silent, either.  We speak loudest in numbers, and the only way to right this wrong is through mass action.  Attached, you can find the contact information for Metrocast, Armstrong, and Blue Ridge cable.  Do your friends a favor, and make the call.

Maybe then, every Penn State fan and alumnus will have the same access to their favorite team as they deserve.

Armstrong Cable

Metrocast

Blue Ridge

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Jonathan Graham commmited to Penn State Thursday

Yes, these are indeed strange times in Penn State.  While Joe Paterno and his staff are yet to secure a single commitment in next year’s class, for the second time in a matter of weeks, Ed DeChellis and crew have added a player as part of the late signing period, according to the Baltimore Sun.

I guess you can actually promise these guys immediate playing time when there are only 8 scholarship players held over from last year’s team, only one of whom has actually distinguished himself as a legitimate starter.

Jonathan Graham is a 6′8, 215-pound power forward who should immediately challenge rising sophomores Sasa Borovnjak and Billy Oliver for the role of backup forward to Jeff Brooks and Andrew Jones.  Scout gives 3 stars, and ranks him the #40 power forward in the nation.  Rivals offers three stars, and ESPN’s Scouts, Inc. grades Graham an 86, grading out the same as Tre Bowman, Penn State’s other late-period signee.

Though the recruiting services roughly agree on his skillset, they are very inconsistent in listing the other offers Graham received.  Scout cites scholarships from VCU and Seton Hall, Rivals lists “interest” from such schools as Florida State and Davidson, and ESPN reported that among Graham’s top choices were Rhode Island, Wright State, and UAB.  Meanwhile, the Sun article claimed that Graham selected Penn State over, primarily, Duquesne.

So here’s what we know about the Baltimore, Maryland native:

His father is something of a legend at Maryland, so he may have some mixed emotions when Penn State takes the floor against the Terps this fall.  He failed to gain the same notoriety as his father did, as Ernie Graham was a high school wunderkind before moving on to the college game.  Still, he was the standout performer on a 21-7 team that won the Baltimore Catholic League championship, averaging 17 points and 9.9 rebounds a game in his senior season.  Perhaps most importantly for the Penn State team he’s set to join in the fall, Graham averaged 3.4 blocks per game, which is, shall we say, a smidge more than the .5 blocks per game that Jeff Brooks had to pace the Lions in the 2009-10 campaign.

Here’s a nice read about Graham, from ESPN. Admittedly, it comes from a biased source (his high school coach), but it should at least describe the kind of kid we’re getting:

“Schools are concerned with his lateral movement, but they love his demeanor and attitude,” coach John Bauersfeld says of the 6-8, 225-pound forward.

Graham, a late bloomer, could push out an additional 2 inches, Bauersfeld says. Graham also is fundamentally sound, can put the ball on the floor, can defend the post and shoots a hook shot with both hands.

The article went on to list interest from such schools as St. Joseph’s, Temple, South Florida, and the aforementioned Maryland, each of whom was taking their time before offering a scholarship.

Those skills are similar strengths to those described by Scout, who offers up such positives as “post play,” “rebounding,” and “low post scorer,” while taking points off for his “explosiveness” and for “playing below the rim.”

Named an all-league performer in a league that has graduated such standouts as Juan Dixon, Rudy Gay and Donte Green, Graham is a good get for Penn State.  Sure, he wasn’t the coaching staff’s top choice, but he has the potential to be a starting big man on a competitive team, which is more than you can say about some of the forwards on Penn State’s roster over the past few years.

Earlier today, Eric over at BattleDoesItAgain laid out a recruiting update, and until today, things hadn’t been pretty for Ed DeChellis this offseason.  For him to pick up a player in Graham is a significant acheivement.  Sure, Seton Hall might not be a powerhouse, and it may just be baby steps, but over the past few months, we’ve seen players spurn Penn State for such schools as TCU, Central Florida, and Iowa State.  Graham was a player who received some significant attention in the recruiting game, and who will almost assuredly see playing time as a true freshman.

For now, I’ll save the Ed-bashing.  Graham isn’t a player who will take Penn State to the next level on his own, but given the constraints of 4 transferring players, with little notice, the coaching staff has done a solid job identifying and securing players who can do more than fill out a roster.

Welcome to Penn State, Jonathan. Good luck.

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To those of you who aren’t Seinfeld fans, you probably have no idea what I’m talking about.  Here’s a refresher course.

But for those of you who know exactly what I’m talking about, you’re in for a treat.  Here at NittanyWhiteOut HQ, we’ve got our Festivus pole up, we’re preparing the Festivus dinner, and while we await the Festivus miracles and the feats of strength, we’ll take advantage of another Festivus tradition, the airing of greivances, and address some of the problems we have with some of Penn State’s decision-making in the past year.  Here it is everybody, how the following people have disappointed us in the past year:

• Hey, Tim Curley–do we really need to play 7.5 home games a year?  I’m pretty sure most other schools sponsor the same number of sports as Penn State does, and yet the vast majority of them aren’t afraid to play a marquee game every year.  So what the hell were you thinking when you asked Penn State fans to pay full price to watch games against such great opponents as Temple, Akron, and Eastern Illinois?  One of those games is fine, and two is acceptable, but when Syracuse is a stinker, and Temple ends up being your best non-conference opponent, somebody’s failed in the scheduling department.  Next year will be even better, with Alabama an away game, you’ll be treating fans to a lineup of Temple, Kent State, and Youngstown State, and a Big Ten slate devoid of any of the marquee teams in the conference means Northwestern might well be our best home game in 2010.  But that’s not all–implementing a new ticket policy for students which made it damn near impossible to even give your tickets away, much less sell them?  You deserve all the blame for the empty seats this year, not anyone else.  Now, we find out that you’re taking away our sideline seats and throwing all the students in the end zone? Do I need to remind you that the team is PENN STATE’s team and that we, as PENN STATE students, shouldn’t be tossed aside like an afterthought?  Shame on you, Mr. Curley, for selling out so brutally, and turning what actually once might have been “The Best Show in College Football” into a corporate farce of marketing.  Now, all fans will have to pay what amount to PSLs and you’re increasing prices across the board?  I can only hope that you, and Guido D’Elia get called out over and over again, especially when people look at the half empty student section for games like the aforementioned jokes and even against Minnesota in the snow.  You’ve ruined Paternoville, you’ve ruined tailgating, you’ve taken away all the beauty of college football-the marching bands, the tradition, in favor of cheesy pumped-in arena rock songs and corporate sponsorship.
• Hey, Joe Paterno–I’m not going to complain, as some “fans” have, that you should be forced out, that a 10-2 season is a disaster, that you’ve clearly lost touch with your players, because even if that was true, you’ve earned the right to go out on your own terms.  But after all these years, would it kill you to hire a special teams coach?  This year’s unit couldn’t have been worse, with Collin Wagner physically unable to kick a field goal of more than 40 or so yards and spotty on anything closer, with a punter who was solid but coverage that was a sieve, with a kick and punt return unit that put the ball on the floor more often than they broke a big one and a kick coverage unit that ranked among the worst in the country.  Take a look at Frank Beamer, and see what an advantage his teams have by dominating that area of the game. They’ve consistently created more scoring chances for themselves with big returns and key blocked kicks when they need them.  Now look at your team, and see that a blocked punt doomed us against Iowa and a long punt return against set the tone in the Ohio State game, and maybe, if our special teams were merely mediocre, we’d have won one of those games.  I know, not all schools have a special teams coordinator, but why wouldn’t you want to give your team the absolute best chance to compete?
• Hey, Darryl Clark–stop complaining.  Look, I like you, you were a good leader for this team, and whenever you’ve got a quarterback who’s a two-time All-Conference selection, you can’t argue about the production on the field.  That’s right Daryll, against the Michigan States and Illinoises and even the Michigans of the world you cleaned up.  But against Iowa, you were horrendous, twice, though your offensive line certainly wasn’t doing you any favors.  Against Ohio State this year, you couldn’t complete a pass of more than 5 yards.  And even though the Lions beat the Buckeyes last year in Columbus, you were on the bench while your backup scored the winning touchdown.  That’s why I take umbrage with a recent Twitter post you put up.  Sorry, Daryll, but I thought your legacy was on the line against Ohio State this year, and, well, we both know how that turned out.  You were a great quarterback for us, but no matter what happens on New Year’s Day, you’ll be remembered as the QB who couldn’t win the big one.  So don’t worry, Daryll, your legacy isn’t on the line, it’s already been determined.  Just not the way you’d like.  That’s not to say I’d take these years back, that’s not to say I’d prefer Pat Devlin, that’s not to say I don’t appreciate and respect all you’ve done for this team.  Your legacy will always be as a great leader, as someone who put the Anthony Morelli years firmly in the rearview mirror, and who excelled in the vast majority of his games.  This grievance is just to beg you not to be indignant when you had the chance to leave your mark. Sorry, Daryll, but you’re no Michael Robinson.

Hat tip to BSD

• Hey, Cael Sanderson–I get it, you’re quite possibly the greatest wrestler of all time, you’re an Olympic legend, and you’re a hell of a wrestling coach.  We were all thrilled when you came here, and early returns, both on the mat and in wrestling recruiting, have been sparkling.  You’re certainly earning the record contract that you signed, even though some (me) might argue that the money would be better spent on bringing in some marquee opponents for the football team.  But this isn’t about that.  This is about your dictator-like tendencies to suspend a wrestler for having a beer on his 21st birthday.  You made it a team rule that wrestlers couldn’t drink any alcohol during the wrestling season, and I really don’t like that rule.  These wrestlers are just kids, college students, and it’s not fair to hold your athletes to that high of a standard.  I’m not suggesting that these student-athletes should be going out and getting drunk every weekend, but how about a little trust in your kids to be responsible?  One beer on his 21st birthday isn’t taking this wrestler out of his game, it’s not making him out of shape, and that rule serves no purpose other than to assert your dominance, Mr. Sanderson, over a bunch of college students.  I know, you want your wrestlers to be at their peak physical condition, but why can’t we just let kids be kids, and athletes second?
• Hey, Floyd Mayweather–man up and fight Manny Pacquiao.
• Hey, Phillies fans–realize that you got completely fleeced in the Roy Halladay trade.
• Hey, anybody on the Penn State basketball team other than Talor Battle–please, help that man out. He can’t do it all on his own, okay?
• Hey, Ed DeChellis–you should have a play that doesn’t involve dicking around until there are 5 seconds left on the shot clock and then having Talor Battle throw up an off-balance three.
• Hey, readers–thanks for your support of NittanyWhiteOut over the past year, have a Merry Christmas, Joyous Kwanzaa, for those of you who celebrated a Chappy Chanukah last week, I hope your candles burned bright, and to all: May your 2010s be better than your 2009s!

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1. Happy birthday Joe Paterno!
2. Scoping out the Secondary Market
3. Is Greg Paulus coming to Happy Valley?

To celebrate the upcoming new year, and new decade, we’ll be offering a retrospective here at NittanyWhiteOut. Over the next two weeks, we’ll reveal all the members of NittanyWhiteOut’s All-Decade team, comprising of the best Penn Staters from 2000-2009. Don’t agree with our picks? Let your voice be heard in the comments! We continue today with a look back at Penn State’s best defensive tackles of the past decade.

Defensive tackle isn’t always the most glorious position to play. While defensive ends are tasked with getting after the quarterback, and linebackers have the duty to tackle the ball carrier, the defensive tackles make it all possible by clogging running lanes and eating up blockers. The best mark of a defensive tackle doing his job is the superior play of everyone around him, and our choices below went above and beyond just that. They pressured the quarterback, pushing back blockers and penetrating beyond the line of scrimmage. They swallowed up ball carriers, not even letting them get to the next level. Their superior play bolstered tremendous defensive performances, and as such, they make the NittanyWhiteOut All-Decade team.

Jimmy Kennedy (1999-2002) stood out in an era in which not too many Nittany Lions excelled. While stories of Kennedy’s girth are legendary–the commonly repeated story is that he came into Penn State weighing close to 400 pounds, his play on the field was perhaps just as epic. A four-year starter for Penn State, Kennedy made an immediate impact on a struggling program, being named an all-Big Ten honorable mention player in his sophomore season and an first-team all-conference player in his junior seasons, despite the abject failure of the rest of the team around him. With Penn State struggling, Kennedy weighed heavily a decision to enter the NFL a year early, but chose to return to Penn State for his senior year, a move that paid obvious dividends, as Kennedy experienced a metamorphosis, from a solid tackle to one of the best linemen in the country. As a senior, Kennedy racked up 87 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and even knocked down 3 passes at the line, en route to a spot on the All-America team. A finalist for all sorts of post-season awards, Kennedy found himself a first-round draft pick, 12th overall, and one of 4 Nittany Lions drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft, though he has failed to find the same success in the NFL that he did during his Penn State playing days.

Jared Odrick (2006-2009) came to Penn State with considerable fanfare, a consensus All-American, and lived up to that promise almost immediately. Though he saw the field very little as a freshman, by his sophomore season Odrick was making a big impact on the Lions defense, playing both defensive end and tackle. Going into his junior season, Odrick was firmly entrenched as a starter at defensive tackle, and following the dismissals of Chris Baker and Phil Taylor before the season, and exacerbated by the mid-season legal issues of Abe Koroma, Odrick was thrust into an every-down role. Jared wouldn’t be on this list if he didn’t rise to the occasion, and, after a 4.5-sack, 10-TFL season, Odrick was named to the all-Big Ten first team. Odrick was even better in his senior season, coming through with 6 sacks and countless pressures despite constant double-teaming. Though the Big Ten media listed Odrick as merely a second-team player, the coaches not only voted him as the best defensive lineman, but as their conference player of the year, perhaps the ultimate form of respect. Odrick was also named to the CBS All-America team and the AFCA All-America team, as voted on by the coaches of the NCAA.

Honorable Mentions: Jay Alford, Anthony Adams

Related Posts:

1. The Penn State All-Decade Team: Defensive Ends
2. The Penn State All-Decade Team: Offensive Tackles
3. The Penn State All-Decade Team: Safety