[NU Sports] Big Ten heirarchy (was: signing day)

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> I mostly agree, but PSU should be moved down to tier 2. 
> They have not been that good, excluding this year, sugar
> bowl year, and 1994.

Don't forget, they were in the MNC hunt in 1997 and 1999 until late season losses to Michigan and Minnesota. I think they had a blip of a downturn in the early 2000s, but have roared back (2 titles in the past 4 years).

I think PSU is up there for now -- as for when JoePa leaves, that's another question. Though they certainly won't be down for long if they slip post-JoePA with their facilities, rep and pipeline of PA, Ohio and East Coast talent.

> any success from the subsequent 5 coaches.  Forcing out
> Tiller could be death of Purdue football.

I sure hope so -- they've stung NU too many times during the Tiller era.

> Even Wisconsin might just now be seeing the long-term
> effects of Alvarez moving upstairs.

Definitely - my friends in Madison are giving Bielama one more year unless he cuts down on the stupid mistakes.

Like Mike said, it's a pretty darn elite club. NU alum Stewart Mandel (who aside from his support of the BCS is a pretty darn good writer :) ) had an interesting article awhile back on college "royalty" and it was a pretty exclusive list. I think the only team he moved up into the top echelon in the past 10-20 years was LSU.

The big test, as Mike said, is maintaining the leap forward after the miracle worker coach leaves. KSU slipped back after Snyder. VaTech has stayed up there, but only because Beamer stayed. We'll see what happens afterwards. What we've done at NU since 1995 is remarkable as we've moved up light years from the pre-Barnett days AND managed to maintain most of it through three different coaches.

> OSU/PSU/Michigan (not this year, of course) - expected to
> contend for the title every year
> 
> MSU/Iowa/NU/Wisc - sometimes challenge for first,
> consistently make a bowl
> 
> IU/PU/Minny/Illinois - inconsistent bowl teams
> 
> I think it is amazing that we are kinda/sorta gaining
> membership in tier 2

Exactly. Think how long Iowa's been fighting to crack that top tier. And how Illinois has bounced up and down so often but never maintained it.

Fitz is the man to lead us as we keep climbing in the Big Ten status standings ... and he's doing it the right way. I'll keep trusting in Fitz.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT