Mitch Sherman, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Big Ten morning links

Let’s talk about your new favorite subject and mine: autonomy.

What, you don’t even fully understand the ramifications of the decision last week by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors that grants power to the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 to create policy on a wide range of legislative topics designed to enhance the student-athlete experience?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Coaches at many schools in the Power Five conferences appear to remain in the dark about what’s to come next year and beyond.

Really, most of us are waiting with curiosity. I talked to several Big Ten coaches about the subject last month in Chicago and came away unsure if they knew what was really afoot, beyond the primary talking points.

We know the cost-of-attendance topic -- basically a stipend for student-athletes at the Power Five schools -- is atop the agenda.

From there, it gets a bit murky. All of it, though, stands to positively impact the Big Ten, with its many rich athletic departments funded by football programs with giant stadiums and fruitful TV contracts.

Predictably, the cries have already begun that autonomy will simply serve as a tool for the power players to push their agenda.

Colleague Jeremy Crabtree wrote this week of a Big 12 recruiting coordinator who said he feared that the autonomy vote would open “Pandora’s box” for biggest schools to reshape rules in their favor.

Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen told me at Big Ten media days that he hoped autonomy would lead to official recruiting visits in the summer, currently off limits. But Andersen said more.

“Let’s just throw it out there,” he said. “I’ll be the guy to say it, that’s fine. Certain people don’t want recruiting trips to take place to the Big Ten in the summer -- certain conferences.”

Newsflash: He’s talking about the SEC. They’re all talking about the SEC. If they’re not talking about the SEC, they’re at least thinking about the SEC.

How long before a coach or administrator flat-out blames the SEC for all that could potentially go wrong with this first go-round of autonomy? It’ll happen before Oct. 1, when potential rule changes must be submitted for vote at the NCAA Convention in January.

And what are the chances that coach or administrator resides in the Big Ten?

Look, the SEC can’t change college football alone. The rules of autonomy require a 60 percent majority of the 80-member voting panel -- which includes 15 student-athletes -- and approval from three of the Power Five leagues, or a simple majority of the panel and approval from four of the five league.

So what the SEC wants, the SEC can’t get without help from other leagues.

Remember that if you hear someone from the Big Ten complain over the next six weeks about who’s running football. The vote last week ensures that the Big Ten and others in the Power Five are offered the same opportunity as that league down south to initiate and steer change.

Around the league ...

East Division

  • Seriously, first-year offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier does not feel added pressure to fix Michigan’s offense?

  • The BTN crew weighs in on Michigan State’s talent.

  • Is everyone overlooking Penn State wideout DaeSean Hamilton?

  • Ohio State’s walkout ‘backer.

  • An Iowa perspective on Indiana.

  • Rutgers’ new director of recruiting opens up about the 2015 class.

  • Maryland will implement fullback Kenneth Goins into its 2014 plan.

West Division

  • Northwestern’s Venric Mark aims to find a positive in his two-game suspension.

  • Purdue safety Taylor Richards is suspended, too, and he’s far from absent.

  • Minnesota’s secondary is coming of age.

  • QB Wes Lunt continues to progress well in camp at Illinois.

  • Iowa defensive end Drew Ott is a champion hay-bale thrower.

  • The kindness of strangers toward his family has moved Wisconsin offensive guard Kyle Costigan.

  • Assessing the Nebraska offense through one week of practice.

Overtime

  • This might have something to do with what got Michigan receiver Csont'e York suspended indefinitely.

  • The gas leak that forced MSU to relocate its Tuesday practice has been fixed.

  • Brandon Scherff returns a punt, because he’s Brandon Scherff.

Last link . . .

  • Here’s a real student-athlete.

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