Join The Best Damn Poll and CFN Bloggers Phil H. and Bart D. as they keep your B1G pulse going during the offseason. This week's topic? Random thoughts before spring. Because the only thing better than thinking about college football in the dead of winter...is playing golf. And one of those isn't going to happen.

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3 BIG TEN QUESTIONS IN THE OFF-SEASON THAT KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT

(i) What does all of this re-alignment do, if anything to the B1G Ten?

Phil:

At the present moment, not much. On the surface at least, the Big Ten has not even entertained any further thoughts of expansion. The Big Ten is still right there with the SEC in sustainability and relevancy at least in the terms of big business, so it’s not going anywhere. The stark reality is that the Big Ten will be invited to any championship table that gets assembled, and right now--that’s all that matters.

But don’t for one minute believe that the mad scientist Jim Delany is not--very quietly working some angles behind the scenes. If and when the re-alignment talk becomes a necessity rather than a knee-jerk reaction, he’ll be ready with some kind of deal that is more than likely already being plotted and planned. All that being said, to wrap this topic in a nice little bow, all that re-alignment currently means for the Big Ten is what new teams might surface as opponents in bowl games in the near future. Beyond that, we’ll take the wait and see approach.

Bart:

It does little other than make Mizzou fans more annoying when they club Illinois in future games. The B1G is in the enviable position of being one of maybe three conferences that everyone wants into, not out of. Remember, Mizzou was begging at the doorstep with a bottle of cheap wine and a dozen roses only a year ago wanting to be where Nebraska is. People will tell you that it means the B1G will have to expand, but it’s not necessarily the case. Jim Delany is the smartest man in college sports, and smart enough to know that you don’t invite inferior girls to the party just for the sake of having the house full. Re-alignment effects the B1G when it starts effecting the BCS rules, because in the event “super conferences” come to fruition, it means Notre Dame is going somewhere, and make no mistake...that’s Jim Delany’s final chess move. And he has no problem waiting.


(ii) Going into Spring Practice, who looks to be the conference’s best shot for the Heisman?

Phil:

The answer to that is as obvious as a Kirk Ferentz offensive game plan. Denard Robinson is far and away the most likely candidate from the Big Ten to win the Heisman. He already has a proven track record, is a bug of electricity on the field, and should get the benefit of a lot of wins this year--if all holds to form. Others in the mix will include Montee Ball of course, and perhaps a flash of Braxton Miller, but in both cases, the media will probably squash both of those.

If Money Ball didn’t win it with the jaw dropping stats he had last year, he’ll likely not get the votes in a year in which he’ll be keyed on a lot more with a new quarterback entering the fold. In Miller’s case, he’ll make some plays and have some highlight material under the Meyer spread attack, but a superstar on a team that has no shot at a post-season is already looked at with a different light (right Matt Barkley?). It’s not right or fair, but it’s as real as a surprise tax audit. At the end of it all, there’s a fair chance that the Heisman Trophy Trust could be toasting--”Here’s to you Mr. Robinson” in 2012.

Bart:

Shoelace, Shoelace, Shoelace. We’ve already seen Montee Ball’s ceiling, and no offense to him-- because he’s fantastic, but the national media will tell us (insert Alabama running back here) is much better. On top of that, Denard figures to be better his second year in Brady Hoke’s offensive scheme. His numbers were down across the board last year in just about every category...aside from interceptions (bad) and touchdowns (good). The first figures to go down, the second figures to go up. It’s important to note that even though his completion percentage struggled, he finished the regular season on the upswing. His final three games he had a completion percentage of 67.8%, which isn’t too shabby at all. Combined with his electric feet and improving mechanics, and with Michigan figuring to be the favorite in the B1G, it all could be a harbinger of a massive Heisman campaign to come.

(iii) Why has Jim Delany gotten behind a four team playoff now?

Phil:

Timing is everything. Until the ground swell of support from college presidents, BCS reps, and coaches take shape, there’s no reason to get behind a playoff. Simply put, it would be a wasted effort. Now however, with that support now coming, and with some form of a playoff simply a matter of time, Jim Delany and the conference suits are trying to position themselves to steer the BCS playoff truck between the guardrails.

On both sides of these guardrails are additional revenue in the form of the opportunity for home games, and the integrity and survival of the Rose Bowl. If Delany were to stand by and just let the stream of public opinion steer the ship of interests, the Big Ten model could run into some rapids. Delany, noticing this window of reality and opportunity is taking the paddles out and rowing frantically to a safe shore before all of the rapids hit. He has to act.

Bart:

Because as aforementined, he’s the smartest man in the room. Delany typically will sit and form his own plans while everyone else is dragging their opinions through the media and message boards like a tiger with a zebra carcass across the Sahara. Remember realignment and team addition? Everyone was prospecting from Mizzou to Pitt to Rutgers while Delany was cackling in the background formulating plans to bring football and academic heavyweight Nebraska into the fold. By the time the plans leaked out, they were already solid gold. That’s the way people like Delany work. You find out about the details months after the discussion has been started. Delany has sat back and watched the various opinions come and go, and instead of commenting just drew up a plan. Yes, it has major flaws but it’s by far more substance than anyone else has tossed out there. Oh, and then there’s the matter of an obviously rigged mythical national title game last year...but that’s for another time and place.


Follow Phil on Twitter @PhilHarrisonCFN and Bart @Bart_CFN