The media asked and the coaches answered.
Here are some snippets from around the conference.
Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald on Penn State and Ohio State's conference dominance:
"At the end of the day, I think we're all competing to improve. We're proud of the fact that we've won three Big Ten Championships since '95. That's third-best in the league in that time period. ...I know we're an improving program on the rise, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to get back with the guys here in about 13 days."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-fitzgerald
Illinois coach Ron Zook on the difference between the Big Ten and the SEC:
"I know they look at the number of people drafted from one conference or another conference. In my opinion...there's teams in this league that can play in any league in this country, and it still comes down to- you have to play every Saturday."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-zook
Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema on the transition between a traditional and spread offense:
"One of the things that jumped out at me my first year was every coach talked about the difficulties in preparing and playing against a Wisconsin offense, because there's a fullback in the game, there might be two tight ends. It's very unique, because a lot of schools we play against don't even have a fullback.
Last year we had two guys 240-plus playing fullback and it's hard to get one guy to do that, let alone two guys."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-bielema
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez on the leaving of players from his team:
"I think my team is fine. We only worry about the guys that play for us. I think you probably lose a few more players in a transition year... and that was the case in the last places I've coached, and talking, some other coaches have been through it.
But you don't really worry about them, even though you wish everybody was doing all the right things and you could move forward. But inevitably when you come, sometimes not everybody fits, either fits the University profile or fits your program and what you want to do, and so you move forward with the ones you have."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-rodriguez
Purdue coach Danny Hope on the Old Oaken Bucket Rivalry:
"It's a great rivalry. It's one of the great rivalries in college football. I had a lot of fun with that rivalry when I was here last time coaching at Purdue. I don't expect it to change a whole lot. Look forward to playing them again this year. It'll be an exciting game. It always is."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-hope
Minnesota coach Tim Brewster about his rising program:
"The only thing that matters for the University of Minnesota football program is on September the 5th at about 5:00 being 1 and 0. That's the only thing we're concerned about. That's our sole focus. We're pouring a lot of energy and preparation-- and its hard because there's unknown there with Syracuse."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-brewster
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel on Buckeyes formations being copied around the conference:
"You know, there are only so many ways you can line up 11 guys. Defenses around the country, I think, are doing them all, just about anything that you can possibly do. Offensively you have to have five of them. They're at No. 50 through 79. So there's only so many ways you can line up the other six.
I think the secret to all the good teams is that they find out the things that their guys can do the best. Sometimes it's simply by their design and their experimenting and so forth, and sometimes it's by, ooh, look what this group is doing."
(no link was provided for the full interview as of posting time)
IU coach Bill Lynch on the changes from offense to defense for some of his players and whether the transition was smooth or bumpy:
"A little of both. That's the great thing about college football. It's different in the NFL where you can go pick up free agents or make trades or draft. We have to make it work within the context of the guys we have in the program. I think it's important that you find the right fit for the kid.
And I think the other thing that I like about this team is they're all about understanding their role. I think it's a unique group that whatever they can do to help the football team they're going to do, and I think Ray Fisher is a perfect example."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-lynch
Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio on his teams high hopes at the start of their season:
"...Every college football team in the Big Ten Conference I'm sure puts their hands in a group right now and they break and say, one, two, three Big Ten champs. Most of us do. I would think everybody has those same aspirations as they move into this year."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-dantonio
Penn State coach Joe Paterno on his team's nonconference schedule:
"Look at what's happened the last couple years with people in their opening games, that they've gotten licked because somebody thought that the team that they were playing wasn't very good. I don't know how good anybody else is. I don't know how good we are right now. We haven't played a game. I haven't seen these guys play a game yet. So for me to get up here and worry about what people think about our nonconference schedule, hey, you guys have got to talk about something. The fans have got to put something on those -- what do you guys call those things? Twittle-do, Twittle dee (referring to Twitter)? I haven't got the slightest idea what you're looking at either."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-dantonio
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz on his perspective of the difference between the SEC and the Big Ten conference:
"You know, they've got a tremendous conference. ...Whether you talk about what you see on the football field, you look at the combine, you study the draft, and I think you can say the same about most of the BCS conferences. You see some good football and you see some bad football at times, as well."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-ferentz
Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman also spoke. Silverman spoke on the network and its multiple awards in the cable industry. But Silverman said the Big Ten network is "more than just a television network."
"We're well on our way to becoming a global media company, which creates uniquely branded content. We manage multimedia platform revenue streams. We've launched numerous new media initiatives, and we leverage a worldwide distribution network."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-silverman
Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney spoke about the conference's strong attendance, which brought up the topic of expansion in the Big Ten:
"Any kind of expansion always has profound effect on competitive structures and who you play and where you play and when you play. Ultimately it's always been a presidential decision. It always will be."
http://www.bigten.org/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/727-delany
