Big Ten Announces Division Alignment

Big Ten division winners to meet in inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game

Park Ridge, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference office announced football division alignments beginning with the 2011 season as recommended by conference directors of athletics and reviewed and supported by the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors. Nebraska will officially begin conference competition in 2011, giving the Big Ten 12 football programs for the first time in conference history.

The winner of each Big Ten division will meet in the inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game, to be played December 3, 2011, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The championship game will determine the Big Ten Champion and the conference’s participant in the Rose Bowl Game or Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game.

The Big Ten football division alignments will include a division featuring Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State,

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Big Ten Announces Division Alignment

Big Ten division winners to meet in inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game

Park Ridge, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference office announced football division alignments beginning with the 2011 season as recommended by conference directors of athletics and reviewed and supported by the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors. Nebraska will officially begin conference competition in 2011, giving the Big Ten 12 football programs for the first time in conference history.

The winner of each Big Ten division will meet in the inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game, to be played December 3, 2011, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The championship game will determine the Big Ten Champion and the conference’s participant in the Rose Bowl Game or Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game.

The Big Ten football division alignments will include a division featuring Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State,

Read more…

Paterno Tabs Bolden To Start Opener

Multiple quarterbacks expected to see action in Saturday’s opener

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Sept. 1, 2010 – Penn State coach Joe Paterno has named true-freshman Robert Bolden (Orchard Lake, Mich.) as the Nittany Lions’ game one starter Saturday when Penn State takes on Youngstown State in a 12:00 p.m. kickoff at Beaver Stadium. Paterno expects multiple quarterbacks to see action in the game that will air live on the Big Ten Network.

“Based on what we have seen to this point, Bolden has a slight edge right now, but we are confident all three quarterbacks are ready to go and hope to give them an opportunity to play until we settle on the one that gives us the best chance to win,” Paterno said.

Paterno said his three young quarterbacks: Bolden, sophomore Matt McGloin (Scranton, Pa.) and sophomore Kevin Newsome (Portsmouth, Va.), would be listed 1A, 1B and

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Paterno Tabs Bolden To Start Opener

Multiple quarterbacks expected to see action in Saturday’s opener

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Sept. 1, 2010 – Penn State coach Joe Paterno has named true-freshman Robert Bolden (Orchard Lake, Mich.) as the Nittany Lions’ game one starter Saturday when Penn State takes on Youngstown State in a 12:00 p.m. kickoff at Beaver Stadium. Paterno expects multiple quarterbacks to see action in the game that will air live on the Big Ten Network.

“Based on what we have seen to this point, Bolden has a slight edge right now, but we are confident all three quarterbacks are ready to go and hope to give them an opportunity to play until we settle on the one that gives us the best chance to win,” Paterno said.

Paterno said his three young quarterbacks: Bolden, sophomore Matt McGloin (Scranton, Pa.) and sophomore Kevin Newsome (Portsmouth, Va.), would be listed 1A, 1B and

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Marvin Austin Suspended Indefinitely

University of North Carolina head coach Butch Davis has suspended defensive tackle Marvin Austin indefinitely.

Mancini’s Take: Interestingly, coach Butch Davis maintained that the defensive tackle wasn’t suspended for allegedly making improper contact with an agent. Instead, he indicated that Austin was disciplined for violating team rules and neglecting his responsibilities to the team. In addition, the junior defender is still under investigation by the NCAA. There are a ton of rumors out there about Austin and how he accepted all sorts of gifts/money from ex-teammates and others. I’m not quite sure how much of the stories out there are true, but Austin’s Twitter messages are out for everyone to see and I think it’s safe to say that the young man is definitely immature. College players are continually instructed on the types of people and activities to steer clear from, but the big man took the selfish route. He

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Marvin Austin Suspended Indefinitely

University of North Carolina head coach Butch Davis has suspended defensive tackle Marvin Austin indefinitely.

Mancini’s Take: Interestingly, coach Butch Davis maintained that the defensive tackle wasn’t suspended for allegedly making improper contact with an agent. Instead, he indicated that Austin was disciplined for violating team rules and neglecting his responsibilities to the team. In addition, the junior defender is still under investigation by the NCAA. There are a ton of rumors out there about Austin and how he accepted all sorts of gifts/money from ex-teammates and others. I’m not quite sure how much of the stories out there are true, but Austin’s Twitter messages are out for everyone to see and I think it’s safe to say that the young man is definitely immature. College players are continually instructed on the types of people and activities to steer clear from, but the big man took the selfish route. He

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Top Draft Eligible CB Prospects In The Nation

The NFL Draft Bible big board rankings are based on the accumulation of BLESTO and NATIONAL reports, in addition to feedback from NFL personnel, college football coaches and internal scouting department:

QB RB FB WR TE OT OG C DT DE OLB ILB CB SS FS ST

TOP DRAFT ELIGIBLE CORNERBACKS
# FIRST NAME LAST NAME SCHOOL HT WT 40 INFO
1 Patrick Peterson* LSU 6010 210 4.40 <a

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NFL Team Capsules: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Studs: TE Kellen Winslow, CB Rhonde Barber

Duds: RB Derrick Ward (cut), WR Michael Clayton

Sleepers: RB Kareem Huggins, WR Mike Williams

X-Factor: Will year two of the rebuilding process improve or take a step backwards?

Synopsis: There’s good news and bad news in sunny Tampa Bay. The good news is that as many as eight of the nine draft picks the Buccaneers accumulated in this year’s draft has a chance to start this season. The bad news is, that speaks volumes to where this talent-starved roster stands in year two of the Raheem Morris Era. After allowing a whopping 400 points a season ago, Morris has taken over the defensive play-calling duties. Add to that, the Bucs addressed their defensive needs by selecting players on that side of the ball with three of

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NFL Team Capsules: Carolina Panthers

Studs: RB DeAngelo Williams, RB Jonathan Stewart, WR Steve Smith, LB Jon Beason

Duds: WR Dwayne Jarrett

Sleepers: WR Brandon LaFell, DE Greg Hardy

X-Factor: Will the real Matt Moore please stand up…what is his true identity?

Synopsis: Lots of question marks surround this team, beginning up top with head coach John Fox who enters the final year of his contract and is viewed to be on lame duck status, which could create problems inside the locker room should the Panthers get off to a slow start. QB Jake Delhomme, who once guided Carolina to the Super Bowl was shown the door in favor of incumbent QB Matt Moore. How confident the team remains in their new signal-caller remains questionable, considering they used one of their top picks on former Notre Dame QB Jimmy

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NFL Team Capsules: Atlanta Falcons

Studs: QB Matt Ryan, RB Michael Turner, WR Roddy White, LB Curtis Lofton

Duds: RB Jerious Norwood, DE Jamaal Anderson

Sleepers: RB Jason Snelling, WR Harry Douglas

X-Factor: Is this young nucleus ready to step up and become grizzled veterans?

Synopsis: Expectations have simmered after the Falcons had a somewhat disappointing season a year ago. While the team finished 9-7, they failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Patching the defense was a top priority during the offseason after the team had focused extensively on building up the offense side of the ball in years past. Free agent CB Dunta Robinson was signed to help repair the secondary while Atlanta used their first round pick on Missouri LB Sean Weatherpsoon to pair with LB Curtis Lofton. The duo of Lofton

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