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Hoosier Headlines for June 16, 2010: Big Ten divisional alignment, basketball recruiting, and more.

By John M. IU

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Well, after months of speculation about superconferences, the dust, at least temporarily, has settled, and the college football landscape looks much like it did at the end of the 2009 season.  The Big Ten, after years of speculation, added Nebraska, a school with an athletic department that is a western clone of Penn State (great football tradition, nearly nonexistent basketball tradition).  Colorado moved to the Pac-10, and that move had been rumored for years.  The Big 12 is a little weaker, and Texas is a lot richer. Notre Dame remains independent.   I don't envy the remaining Big 12 north schools, but in general, this is good for college football.  This whole saga is highly reminiscent of the near-expansion of the NCAA basketball tournament to 96 teams.  It's as if the decisionmakers reached the edge of the cliff and finally realized, "wow, in chasing the almighty dollar, we could ruin everything!"  In any event:

  • Big 10 Divisional Splits - How Is It Going To Work? (Corn Nation)
    Welcome to Jon Johnston of Corn Nation, SB Nation's Nebraska site. Although the Huskers are over a year away from beginning to play a Big Ten schedule, as of today you will begin to see CN's work in the Big Ten Bloggers feed on the sidebar. Jon discusses various proposals for divisions. Jim Delany has made clear that geography will not be the overriding consideration, which makes sense. An east division that includes the current Big Three probably doesn't make much sense, but I'm also not sold on Dr. Saturday's proposal, which lumps Penn State in with a bunch of teams from the western reaches of the conference. I do agree that it makes the most sense to have one division anchored by Ohio State and Michigan and another anchored by Penn State and Nebraska. Beyond that, I'm struggling.

  • Here's a Column From a Corn-Fed Dumbass (Boiled Sports) Once you get past the irony of a Boilermaker calling someone else a corn-fed dumbass, this is a really funny post. Worth the read.

  • Big Ten adds Nebraska, hoops also-ran (College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN)
    Come on, Eammmonnnn. "The Penn States, Indianas and Northwesterns of the world will be happy -- Nebraska could become the Big Ten's favorite new punching bag." Indiana is not among the Penn States and Northwesterns of the world. With friends like this...

  • Recruiting Insider (The Courier-Journal)
    Indiana football coach Bill Lynch picked up three Class of 2011 commitments last week, bringing the total to 11. Mequon (Wis.) Homestead defensive lineman Donte Phillips (6-2, 255) also had an offer from North Dakota and was getting interest from Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Louisville, Wisconsin and Virginia. Southfield (Mich.) Christian defensive tackle Shafer Johnson (6-1, 300) picked IU over Michigan State, Illinois, Syracuse, Bowling Green and Arkansas State. St. Paris (Ohio) Graham defensive back Nick VanHoose had an offer from Ball State.

  • Keeping his promise; Austin Etherington is confident Coach Crean can rebuild Hoosiers (The News-Sentinel - Fort Wayne IN)
    It wasn't an easy choice. Across the dinner table every night sat former Butler player Brett Etherington, Austin's father. But Austin made his own decision and chose the Hoosiers over Butler, New Mexico, Notre Dame, Xavier and Oklahoma State. "I get the Butler (questions) all of the time," Etherington said. "I'm going to IU."

  • Crean needs to start getting in-state talent (The Indianapolis Star)
    Not enough energy to respond. Terone Johnson is very good. I can't get worked up about the other guys.

  • Crean focuses on IU turnaround (The Journal Gazette | Fort Wayne, IN)
    "I want to be at Indiana. That’s why we chose to come here," Crean said. "We gave up a phenomenal job with a team that would have had Final Four qualities in it (at Marquette). We’re excited about it. "You don’t come to Indiana to leave Indiana. You come to Indiana to build it and build on and into the great tradition that is there."

  • Trio of 2013 talents grab early offers from IU (Inside the Hall)
    A trio of AAU teammates — Hamilton Southeastern’s Zak Irvin, Heritage Christian’s Basil Smotherman and Warren Central’s Devin Davis (pictured) — have been offered scholarships by Indiana. "No one can say that Coach Crean isn’t putting the emphasis on Indiana kids now," Matt Green, who coaches the group on the Eric Gordon All-Stars, told Inside the Hall. "He’s going after the top kids in that class."

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