BIG Ten Media Days: What Will You Learn?

Andy Ketterson

“Can you hear?
Are we clear?
Cleared for lift off,
Takeoff”

This is the song I’ve been rocking on the highway when I think of the 2025 and it was definitely on the earbuds as the jet descended on Las Vegas.

It goes even better with NASA inserted in the video. Let’s gooo!

(Deep breath.)

As much as I love the event, I’ve learned not to expect too much from Big 10 Football Media Days.

It will be getting underway shortly and we will hang on every word we hear and believe anything is possible yet again. And

contrary to what you think, most every team’s fans will believe theirs has won the offseason, not just the Nebraska Cornhuskers’..

“For making reverberations
Are we affirmative?
No, negatory
Come in, come in
Radio, what’s your story?
Are you Oscar Kilo?”

For now, we’re ecstatic. But we must reel in expectations of groundbreaking info. If it’s being told to us this week, it’s what they want us to hear, not crucial nuggets unearthed.

The coaches for the most part will tell us what they can, which will consist of much optimism revealing little. If we’re lucky, we’ll get some P.J. Fleck type jackassery (“How are you feeling coach?” “Feeling elite!” Barf.) or, better yet, a Curt Cignetti rolling in as Indiana’s new man to inform everyone he doesn’t lose and doesn’t plan to start now.

And then he brought in a boatload of transfers, many from his former school James Madison, and did just that.

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Making a splash doesn’t begin to define Cignetti’s rookie year in the B1G.

On second thought, don’t expect a Cig repeat - there’s only one new Big 10 head coach and Barry Odom might be thrilled for Purdue to win five games.

Most B1G fans sure of great improvement will be wrong - and heed a Husker fan who says that because we’ve been making an art of overrating our springs and summers for over a decade. I get the excitement, I do. Before the transfer portal, the giant hope was the freshman 5-star recruit who was going to come in and change our world. Or the former 5-star recruit whose position had finally opened up and just what the hell was that idiot Coach Simpkins thinking keeping him on the bench??

Now? Recruiting takes a bit of a back seat. If Jimmy Ballgame hasn’t found himself some playing time by the end of his sophomore season, the portal will be combed for someone who does.

And that will be big-time news - plenty of questions there wanting to know how big a role the new fellas will play and c’mon coach, who’s starting??

Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images

OK, these two will start.

---

Which brings me to the purpose of this article - things you won’t learn this week. It’s gonna be made in lovely bullet point fashion for those of you who consider commode reading one of life’s small pleasures.

There will also be a couple observations about the event itself which was moved from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to the South Sea Ballroom of Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas - which has plusses and minuses.

• No one’s hitting BTFMD with a scandal this season which makes it about 47% less exciting than when David Braun came to town two years ago as the new head coach of that collection of perverts known as Northwestern’s “culture”, having received the job courtesy of being the only person new to Northwestern’s staff. Lucky for them, he came from NDSU and knew how to coach. No stories of that type arrived in Vegas ahead of the event this year.
• The Michigan cheating scandal is old news and punishments may be handed out before the season starts. Or maybe not. Tony Pettiti may reaffirm his belief that poor Michigan has suffered enough and giving Harbaugh 3 games for a multi-year cheating scheme is enough, but that’s not news since conference commissioners defend their members.
• Guys. Championships have been vacated for one dude taking cash. A coordinated illegal filming scheme, destroying evidence, etc…the Weasels alums will threaten horrible legal stuff, but they’re not getting away with time served on this.
• Although we hopefully get some rehab updates on the offseason surgeries for guys such as Carter Nelson and Gunner Gottula, we won’t learn starting lineups, offensive schemes, strategies, etc. Matt Rhule will interview himself to exhaustion, pump the tires and give some great quotes. Same with the players - they coach them in more than football.

Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

Please let the curse on Huskers highly rated tight end recruits come to a stop. Please?

• I think Mandalay Bay may not have been ready for the size of the event because only about half the press seating has power strips. Wouldn’t be surprised if a lackey is on their way to Office Depot to correct this for the next two days.
• Also, they used to have a buffet, but apparently got rid of it. Just an outrage. This is Vegas.
• That being said, everything else about MBay is excellent. And having to walk half a mile to get anywhere is appreciated, especially with all the sitting, typing and eating.
• That half a mile is all inside. Otherwise I would be feeling differently. I’ve already been to Baton Rouge this year and one weekend covered in a constant sheen of sweat was enough.
• Hey, there’s Kirk Ferentz. I feel like thanking him for doing his part to help Nebraska defeat Iowa by barely throwing the football and abhorring mobile quarterbacks in a run-heavy offense.
• Honestly, this losing streak is on us.
• It’s not tough to tell the difference between the scribes and the broadcast media. It’s the fashion show vs. the wrinkled business casual. I am proudly rocking Gap shorts, a henley, my trail runners and a Durango ball cap.
• Some of these folks are smashing it in those styled suits, though. And why weren’t Nikes considered suave with a suit while I was attending a high school with a uniform??
• At the of the day, roll with this week’s happiness from Rhule, Raiola and the boys. Live in the now, because none of it will be remembered when and if another one-score loss darkens a Saturday.

“The humanity, the calamity
The spilling blood, the gravity
We got the heavens, we got the Earth
And in between, we got big surf
Who could ask for more?
The only rule is to keep your cool”

Enjoy the the week and the promise of an offense which will not depend on the screen/dump.

Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

This fellow’s name will come up - if he stays on brand, optimism will be rewarded.

More from cornnation.com:

• Nebraska Football: Mike Riley’s Breakout Group Comments At Big Ten Media Days
• The 2007 Nebraska Football Season: Booing, Big Holes, and Broken Hopes
• Flakes: Auto Play Videos Should Be Banned
• Nebraska Football: Mike Riley’s Remarks At Big Ten Media Days
• Big Red Cobcast: Is it Time to Cheat?
• Shawn Eichorst: Nebraska Obliged To Do One Home Friday Night Football Game Every Third Year
• Wisconsin Badgers 2017 Football Preview