As I went over yesterday, splitting the Big Ten into two divisions is going to be a headache for whoever is saddled with the task of actually doing it. The simplest answer is to do it geographically, be it north/south or east/west. I don’t like that plan though because I think it’s imperative to break up Ohio State and Michigan from Penn State.
Though Adam Jacobi did a pretty good job realigning the conference and keeping those three together over at Black Heart Gold Pants.
Still, I don’t like the idea, even though his plans on splitting up Michigan and Michigan State and instituting protected rivalry games does make each division a bit more balanced.
But as former Purdue head coach Joe Tiller talked about on Tuesday, whoever ends up in that division with Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State is getting royally shafted.
“If they break up the Big Ten geographically, there will be so much screaming that I’ll be able to hear it all the way out here in Wyoming,” Tiller told the Indianapolis Star. “If you were Indiana and Purdue, and you had to play those same teams year in and year out, it would be pretty depressing, quite frankly.
“You can’t have Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State all in the same division. I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I would bet that Indiana and Purdue are looking at the number five and six spots in that division year in and year out, more often than not.”
While I agree with Tiller on this, damn, coach. Way to have some faith in your former team there.
Tiller even went on to say that the only reason his team experienced success in his first two seasons in West Lafayette back in 1997 and 1998 was because they didn’t have to play Michigan or Ohio State in those seasons. To be fair, the one year Tiller split the conference title in 200o, he only missed Michigan, and beat Ohio State.
Still, if Tiller’s opinion of Purdue is that they’d have no chance in hell, I’d have loved to have heard some of his inspirational halftime speeches.
“Well, boys. We’re screwed. Let’s just try not to get killed out there. Clear eyes, full hearts, LET’S LOSE!”