News and notes from the Big Ten coaches’ teleconference.
By Ryan Rodriguez
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Coaches from around the Big Ten spoke to members of the media Tuesday via teleconference to discuss their teams and the upcoming Big Ten Season.
With the season fewer than three days away for some teams, football season is upon us once again, and the Big Ten is shaping up to become one of the most interesting conferences in all of college football.
Riley ready to make an impact at Nebraska:
Nebraska made waves this winter after it fired longtime head coach Bo Pelini and some of his staff, deciding a change of scenery was needed. Former Oregon State coach Mike Reilly was tapped as the man to replace him.
A change of scenery is a bit of an understatement. In more ways than one, Riley is the opposite of what Pelini was, both as a coach and as a personality. They don’t call him the nicest guy in college football for nothing.
Nevertheless, Riley sees immediate success at Nebraska as a real possibility for his first season with Big Red.
“I like that feeling, the anticipation for the first game is always big,” he said. “I think we’re looking for a team that plays hard and plays disciplined football. I think the efficiency of the game is so important. . . the growth to that will be crucial to our success throughout the year.”
The Huskers will open the season against BYU in Lincoln.
Harbaugh mum on starting QB:
In the first of what will most likely be numerous and frequent tête-a-tête’s with his team, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said he knows who will start for Michigan on Thursday against Utah.
He’s just not saying who.
“They know,” Harbaugh said. “We know who’s going to start. We know who’s going in second or who’s going to go in next. I want them both to prepare like they’re going to be the starter. I don’t know how to make it any more clear than that.”
Harbaugh must choose between junior Shane Morris and Iowa transfer Jake Rudock, a senior.
“I want both of them to go into this game with a mindset that they’re one play away or they’re starting,” Harbaugh said. “It’s the mindset I always want our quarterback and our backup quarterback to go into the game with.”
Beckman puts Illinois in limbo:
Perhaps the biggest news in the Big Ten this week comes courtesy of Illinois, which fired head coach Tim Beckman with little more than a week left until the season amid claims from former players that Beckman was abusive and uncaring when dealing with his injured players.
“I’m just going to be myself. … Some things have changed, and I think a lot of things have been welcomed by our players,” interim head coach Bill Cubit said. “An unusual set of circumstances that occurred last week, but our kids are excited about the season.”
The firing came at an awkward time for the Illini, who some had pegged to have a breakout year in 2015. Nevertheless, it’s still business as usual in the minds of the players.
“They’re [the players] adjusting really well,” Cubit said. You ask them to do anything, and they’ll try their best to go get the thing done.”
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