Prokop's Big Ten Preview: Ranking the Big Ten Quarterbacks

Scott Prokop's Big Ten Quarterback Unit Rankings:

1. Denard Robinson, Michigan
Robinson was the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the year last season rushing for 1,702 yards.  The problem is he missed time in 10 of Michigan's 13 games due to taking a lot of hits.  The back-up this year is Davin Gardner.

2. Dan Persa, Northwestern
Persa set a Big Ten record for completion percentage before his season ending torn Achilles.  He also set a team record for pass efficiency and had 519 rushing yards. 

3. Russell Wilson, Wisconsin
As a 3-year starter at NC State, Wilson threw for 8,500 yards and 76 TD's and ran for 1,000 yards and 11 TD's.  He tends to throw a lot of interceptions and make too many mistakes.

4. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State
Kirk Cousins is one of the few pocket-passing QB's in the Big Ten.  He is Michigan State's all-time leader in completion percentage.  Last season he threw for 20 TD's and 10 INTs. 
5. Taylor Martinez, Nebraska
Martinez had a tale of two season's last year.  In his first seven games he had 870 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns and in his final seven games he rushed for only 95 yards and 0 TD's.  The sophomore needs to develop as a passer.

6. Nathan Scheelhaase, Illiniois
Sheelhaase had the best year of any freshman QB in Illinois history, setting a school record for rushing yards at the position.  He also had a 17-8 TD to INT ratio. 

7. James Vandenberg, Iowa
Vandenberg played great for three quarters against Ohio State in 2009 before throwing a couple interceptions in the 4th quarter.  Iowa folk-hero Ricky Stanzi has graduated on to the NFL, and it is Vandenberg's turn to lead the Hawkeyes. A heady player with good size at 6"3, 210.

8. Matt McGloin/Rob Bolden, Penn State
Penn State has a two-way QB battle with co-starters Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin battling for the starting job. Bolden performed well in the start of 2010 but was injured and nearly transferred. McGloin is a former-walk-on who performed well at times but struggled immensely down the stretch.

9. Joe Bauserman/Braxton Miller/Kenny Guiten/Taylor Graham, Ohio State
Ohio State has a four-way battle at the QB position after the departure of Pryor.  The leading candidates are senior Joe Bauserman and freshman Braxton Miller. 

10. MarQueis Gray, Minnesota
MarQueis Gray was a talented wide receiver for the Gophers his first two seasons.  Gray was a highly rated QB recruit and has great legs, but must prove he has the arm for the job. 

11. Robert Marve/Rob Henry, Purdue
Robert Marve tore his ACL in Game 4 last season.  Henry moved in as the started.  Henry is a fast and dynamic athlete who rushed for 547 yards last season.  Marve has a strong arm and is accurate.

12. Tre Roberson/Dusty Kiel/Edward Wright-Baker, Indiana
At Indiana, new Head Coach Kevin Wilson has yet to name a starting QB, though Dusty Kiel and Edwin-Wright Baker will both have a legitimate shot.

Chris Jent, Coach Matta's Biggest Recruit?

One of my first memories of Ohio State basketball was back in the early 90's  (1992 to be exact) when Chris Jent and Jim Jackson led the Buckeyes to the Elite 8 before falling to Michigan.  I loved watching Chris Jent because he was never afraid to dive after a ball and make a hustle play.  If I were to compare him to someone on the current team I would say Aaron Craft. 

Jent will join Thad Matta's staff as an assistant coach after Brandon Miller left the team for family reasons on June 16.  Jent was a volunteer on Ohio State's staff in 2005-2006 and has since been an assistant in the NBA.  Most NBA fans know him for helping the development of Lebron James as a Cavs assistant. 

Everyone knows that Thad Matta is a beast of a recruiter.  He has called this, "the biggest recruit I have gone after."  Only Thad Matta could convince a happy NBA coach to comeback and be an assistant coach in college.  While there are many reasons to love this hire, to me it is great to see a former Buckeye player on the coaching staff.  You look at Duke assistants and you see former players.  It's easy to sell a recruit if you played at the school (not that Matta has any trouble selling a recruit). 

Chris Jent will be a fantastic addition to the Ohio State coaching staff.  It's ironic, Ohio State basketball fans have suffered from seeing players leave early for the NBA, and this year it's about a assistant that leaves the NBA for college and a star freshman who stays in college instead of head to the league.

 

Wimbledon Week 2 Predictions

The Championships at Wimbledon are entering the second week and we are down to the final 16 players.  NBC would love to see a Nadal-Federer final, but I predict they will be disappointed.  Check out my picks below.


Nadal
Del Potro           Nadal
                                                      Nadal
Fish
Berdych             Berdych
                                                                                 Murray
Murray
Gasquet             Murray
                                                      Murray
Kubot
Lopez                 Lopez
                                                                                      WINNER: Novak Djokovic
Ferrer
Tsonga               Ferrer

Youzhny                                         Federer
Federer              Federer
                                                      
Tomic                                                                       Djokovic
Malisse               Malisse

Llodra                                             Djokovic
Djokovic             Djokovic

Buckeyes feeling a Draft

Tonight marks the 2011 NBA Draft and there are three Buckeyes hoping to have their names called.  Jon Diebler, Dallas Lauderdale and David Lighty all graduated and have been working out for NBA teams.  None of them are guaranteed picks, but all three have a chance to hear their name in the second round.  If you think second rounders never succeed look at Michael Redd.  In anticipation of tonight's draft, let's take a look at the Ohio State basketball players and where they were drafted.

2010
Evan Turner Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (2nd pick, 2nd overall), 2010 NBA Draft

2009
B.J. Mullins Draft: Dallas Mavericks, 1st round (24th pick, 24th overall), 2009 NBA Draft
2008
Kosta Koufos Draft: Utah Jazz, 1st round (23rd pick, 23rd overall), 2008 NBA Draft
2007
Greg Oden Draft: Portland Trail Blazers, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 2007 NBA Draft
Mike Conley Draft: Memphis Grizzlies, 1st round (4th pick, 4th overall), 2007 NBA Draft
Daequan Cook Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (21st pick, 21st overall), 2007 NBA Draft

2001
Ken Johnson Draft: Miami Heat, 2nd round (20th pick, 48th overall), 2001 NBA Draft
2000
Michael Redd Draft: Milwaukee Bucks, 2nd round (14th pick, 43rd overall), 2000 NBA Draft

Quick Hits...

Here are some sports stories this week that you do not want to miss, and of course I throw in my quick take!

Four Conference Commissioners are making more than $1 Million
If you had to guess who made more money, the President of a University or a Conference Commissioner, who would you guess?  The answer is the Conference Commissioner, by a lot.  Jim Delaney, the Big Ten Commissioner made $1.6 million in 2009.  Is it just me or is it insane that the NCAA punishes athletes for selling their own memorabilia, but allows everyone else to cash in?  I am not for paying college athletes, but let's change some of the incomprehensible rules.

Golf is a Frustrating Sport, even for the Professionals
So I played Golf last week and was pretty excited after starting out with a solid par on Hole 1.  Of course it was downhill from there, ending with back-to-back 8's on the finishing par 4's.  I wasn't the only frustrated golfer this weekend.  Check out Henrik Stenson as he injures himself during the U.S. Open after breaking his club.

Venus in a.....Toga?
Wimbledon is underway this week in London.  Of course one of the rules at the All England Club is that the players have to wear white.  Can there be a new rule, Venus cannot dress herself?  She decided to wear a Toga.  She described the outfit as "now."  If that is in the "now," please get me to the future or the past. 

Ohio motor bureau: No wrongdoing in Ohio State car purchases

While the consensus in the media seems to be that Ohio State is guilty of everything, including killing puppy's and stealing Christmas, it looks like they may not be guilty in cargate.  The recent buzz that Ohio State football players have been getting free or reduced-priced cars has been investigated by the BMV and the findings show no wrongdoing.  I think Ohio State should still be blamed for the slow to recover economy and for Venus Williams' outfit. 

College Rivalry Games that Need to Happen EVERY YEAR!

This last week it was announced that Pittsburgh and Penn State will renew their football rivalry with a Home-and-Home series in 2016 and 2017.  To read more on this click here.  I have little doubt that Joe Paterno will somehow still be on the sidelines for these games.  Pittsburgh and Penn State is a good rivalry that should be played every single year.  Speaking of rivalries that are not played enough (or at all) below I have listed games that should be played every year. 

1. Ohio State and Cincinnati in Basketball 
Both of these schools are routinely in the top 25 and there is a mere 2 hour drive between the two campuses.  In my lifetime they have played just once, in 2006.  Ohio State creamed Cincinnati, and they went on to make it to the National Championship game.  That game wasn't even played in the state of Ohio!  For crying out loud it was in Indiana!  Unbelievable.  Could you imagine the passion and intensity that this rivalry game would bring?  Supposedly Cincinnati has been interested in trying to get the game every year, but Ohio State prefers to keep it's marquee games against out of state opponents.  Not only will Ohio State not schedule Cincinnati, but they also prefer to keep Xavier and Dayton off the schedule.  Click here for a great article detailing this missing rivalry. 

2. Oklahoma and Nebraska in Football
With the departure of Nebraska from the Big 12 conference, this rivalry game will no longer be played.  It does seem fitting that the last game Nebraska played in the Big 12 was in the championship game to Oklahoma on December 4, 2010.  What was one of the best rivalry games in college football lost its buzz when the Big 12 conference was created in 1996.  Hopefully these two schools can get together and create a new non-conference rivalry game with each other similar to Florida and Florida State. 

3. Notre Dame and Ohio State in Football
The history and tradition at Ohio State and Notre Dame is unbelievable.  It is also unbelievable that the two schools don't get together more often on the field.  Columbus and South Bend nearly shut-down for a home-and-home series in 1995 and 1996.  The two teams have only gotten together once since then and that was the 2006 Fiesta Bowl.  Scheduling-wise the only way that this rivalry could be played every year is if Notre Dame were to join the Big Ten.  Just think of an Ohio State schedule with Nebraska, Notre Dame and Michigan on it every year.  Now that would make for some exciting fall Saturdays!

4. Miami and Florida in Football
Some of the best rivalry games every year are Miami -Florida State and Florida-Florida State .  Why leave out a match-up between the Hurricanes and the Gators?  Unfortunately with the scheduling the way it is in college athletics it is nearly impossible for this rivalry to happen every year.  It will happen again in 2013. 

5. Maryland and Georgetown in Basketball
There are rumors that the Maryland-Georgetown basketball rivalry might be renewed in the near future.  The two dominant basketball teams in the Nations Capital have met just three times in the last 30 years.  Two of those times were in the NCAA Tournament.  It makes no sense that these basketball rivalries don't happen.  In college football teams run into scheduling conflicts with only 12 total games.

Sports Theme Music...Where did it go?

Anyone else get goosebumps when the "One Shining Moment" theme plays for the first time before the tip off of the NCAA Tournament?  There is not one day that goes by that I don't hum that little theme.  What's sad is that there used to be a goosebumping moment with just about every sports opening theme.  Today I list the top 10 sports music themes of all time. 

1. CBS College Basketball - "One Shining Moment"

Without a doubt my favorite theme of all time.  It marks the beginning of the best time of the year!

2. ESPN SportsCenter - Early 90's Edition

I miss the days of waking up to Dan Patrick, Keith Olbermann, Craig Kilborn and Rich Eisen.

3. NBA on NBC

Something about the phrase "NBA on NBC" during the Michael Jordan era made this theme special.

4.   Monday Night Football on ABC
Are You Ready For Some Football?  Hank Williams Monday Night Football got me pumped every single week.

5. Golf on NBC - US Open Theme
Might take some flack for this one...but every year for the US Open this theme music gets me ready for the best golf tournament of the year.  I may be underrating this one.

6. Fox NFL Theme
If you have ever played a John Madden Football video game this song has been stuck in your head.

7. ESPN College Basketball (1995-2001)
I may be biased in the Top 10 to my favorite sport, college basketball.

8. NFL Films Music
About 10 seconds into this clip I am waiting for John Facenda to talk about "Men of the Gridiron on an Autumn Sunday."

9. ESPN Baseball Tonight Theme

A baseball theme finally makes the list. 

10. USA US Open Tennis Theme
A late summer night means US Open Tennis.  I get chills thinking about this old USA Network theme.