Rittenberg chat for 5/11

[GSG]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/38349/ncaa-fb-with-rittenberg

 

Husker related:

 

Spiegs (Huskerland)

 

Love the blog, Mr. Rittenberg. Nebraska has been searching for a deep threat since Nate Swift and Todd Peterson shipped out. Niles was fast, but he couldn't catch a cold. Having said that, who's most likely to emerge as a true deep threat? I think McNeill should move back to TE and Kyler Reed could transiton well to WR.

 

Adam Rittenberg (12:06 PM)

 

Spiegs, this is a concern, but I heard a lot about the speed Nebraska will have at wide receiver this spring. Players like Kenny Bell and Jamal Turner, while young, have the ability to stretch the field. Same with Stanley Jean-Baptiste. Kyler Reed seems to be thriving in his current role, so I'd have him stay put.

 

Alex (Iowa)

 

How much of a hit has the B1G's reputation taken with Nebraska dropping out of the AAU and all of OSU's trouble.

 

Adam Rittenberg (12:10 PM)

 

The Nebraska/AAU situation only matters to the Big Ten's top academics (school presidents, provosts, etc.). I don't think most Big Ten football fans care that much, and they see the value Nebraska brings to the conference on the field. ... The Ohio State situation is different and could really hurt the league's reputation because Ohio State has been the face of the Big Ten throughout Jim Tressel's tenure. If the hammer drops on the Buckeyes, it'll look bad for the conference.

 

Tom (Milwaukee)

 

If you could choose one B1G running back to be on your team for next year, who would you take? As a WI alum it would be a very tough choice between Ball and White from the Badgers alone.

 

Adam Rittenberg (12:13 PM)

 

Tom, it's hard not to take one of Wisconsin's backs as my building block. Ball and White both are fantastic players. Other backs I'd consider are Nebraska's Rex Burkhead and Michigan State's Edwin Baker. I'm also really interested to see how Iowa's Marcus Coker and Penn State's Silas Redd develop in their sophomore seasons.

 

Aaron (Lincoln, NE)

 

Adams, it really does sound like Bubba Starling has no idea what he'll do yet. It all sounds honorable to say that his heart is at Nebraska and all of that, but can an 18 year old really pass up what would almost certainly be a longer, more lucrative career? What do you think his chances of being on the roster in the fall are?

 

Adam Rittenberg (12:17 PM)

 

Aaron, it has been interesting to read his recent comments to the Nebraska papers. There does seem to be some momentum -- whether it's from Starling's parents or elsewhere -- for him to suit up for the Huskers. But I tend to agree with you about the baseball situation. Great baseball players can make a lot more money and play a lot longer with fewer significant injury risks than great football players. If I have a son who excels in both sports -- highly unlikely, given my gene pool -- I'd push him toward baseball.

 

TG (Lincoln)

 

Who are your Top 5 candidates for the Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year ?

 

Adam Rittenberg (12:35 PM)

 

I'll tackle both of these questions in the coming days on the blog. For Offensive POY, I'd look at Persa, Robinson, Cousins, Ball, White and maybe Edwin Baker. For Defensive POY, the Nebraska guys (Crick, David, maybe Dennard) should be in the mix. Michigan State DT Jerel Worthy could be a force this fall. I also love what Ricardo Allen from Purdue brings to the table as a playmaker.

 

Dave (Omaha)

 

Do you think Taylor Martinez can regain his explosiveness he had the first part of the year last year? Can he be the B1G player of the year or be considered a heisman candidate?

 

Adam Rittenberg (12:41 PM)

 

Dave, I wouldn't worry about Big Ten Player of the Year or Heisman regarding Martinez. Just hope that he stays healthy for the entire season because he can be dangerous when he's at or near 100 percent. On the flip side, I don't think Martinez is the type of player who can maintain anywhere near the same effectiveness when he's injured.

 

Johnson (ville)

 

Adam, do you think Nebraska learned a lesson from Rich Rodriguez's persistent use of Denard Robinson in the BIG? I think if Nebby looks to use Taylor Martinez in the BIG like they used him in the BIG 12, then they seriously risk injuring him. Do you foresee a change in Nebby's offense to accommodate that?

 

Adam Rittenberg (12:51 PM)

 

Johnson, it's something the Nebraska coaches must consider, especially considering that Martinez got banged up in the Big 12 last season. You don't want to take away his running ability, but you want to limit the pounding he takes, especially in a league like the Big Ten. Martinez's ability to get through the season without major injury could be pivotal for the Huskers.

 

Dave (Omaha)

 

They say defense wins championships. Who do you think in the Big 10 will have best overall defense this year?

 

Adam Rittenberg (12:58 PM)

 

Dave, I actually think the Big Ten could be more of an offense-driven league in 2011. The league loses quite a few defensive standouts, including five linemen drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. Nebraska's defense stands out as a championship-level unit, and Ohio State's track record on defense speaks for itself. But how many other Big Ten teams will boast elite defenses? Hard to say right now.

 

Douchey Iowa fan for the day :

 

Hawkeye Steve (Des Moines, IA)

 

What is your prediction for the Iowa Hawkeyes' record in 2011? I say 11-1 with the only loss coming to Northwestern, and a beatdown of Nebraska to end the season.

 

Adam Rittenberg (12:52 PM)

 

Ha, like the optimism, Steve. I'm sure Hawkeyes fans would love to see the team get over the hump against Northwestern. I can't foresee a Nebraska beatdown on the road, but the schedule sets up well for Iowa to make some noise, especially if it can start off strong and pick up another win in Happy Valley on Oct. 8.

 

 

And a huge to the Husker fan that believes McNeill is still on the team.

[NUance]

I wonder if Rittenberg answers all these himself, real time, or if he has a couple of staff guys doing research and feeding him answers. If it's all him then he has a pretty incredible grasp of the B1G. Fast with the answers too. He's knocking these questions back at a pretty good clip--like one question every minute or two.

[Scarlet Overkill]

It's so nice to have a real blogger (and one with a neck) for our conference-related news!

[zoogs]

Nebraska has been searching for a deep threat since Nate Swift and Todd Peterson shipped out.

 

Wow, really?

[Enhance]

Nebraska has been searching for a deep threat since Nate Swift and Todd Peterson shipped out.

 

Wow, really?

Peterson was anything but a deep threat and Swift, well, I'm pretty sure if you look back through his career here you wouldn't find many receptions that would classify him as a "deep threat". I chuckled at this proclamation.

 

And I agree with you, OP. Major facepalm at the McNeil comment.