Big Ten Football Media Days Live Blog
The Big Ten Football Media Days are underway from Indianapolis, where conference coaches and players are spending two days previewing the upcoming college football season.
Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren kicks off the event, followed by the coaches' individual press conferences and podium sessions. Penn State appears Wednesday, with head coach James Franklin joining quarterback Sean Clifford, defensive tackle PJ Mustipher and safety Ji'Ayir Brown.
One important topic will be the recent meeting at Penn State where players discussed the possibility of unionization with the head of the College Football Players Association.
Follow along throughout Tuesday and Wednesday as we provide live updates from the Big Ten press conferences being held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Jim Harbaugh fuels quarterback competition at Michigan
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh made clear that he's unclear who his starting quarterback will be this season. Cade McNamara returns after throwing for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns, while sophomore J.J. McCarthy told 247Sports that he's "pretty much 100 percent" following an offseason shoulder injury.
"Cade McNamara is going to be really tough to beat out for the starting quarterback job," Harbaugh said Tuesday. "J.J. McCarthy is going to be really tough to beat out for the starting quarterback job."
Harbaugh likely will choose to play both again, as he did during Michigan's Big Ten-title season of 2021. McNamara produced points on 50 percent of his drives last season, while McCarthy forged some electric moments as a freshman. It will be among the most-watched position battles in the Big Ten.
Michigan also has new offensive and defensive coordinators, with co-coordinators Matt Weiss and Sherrone Moore replacing Josh Gattis on offense. Harbaugh said that he and Weiss make the "perfect blend" offensively, while Moore represents the "living embodiment" of the two. Moore coaches Michigan's offensive line as well.
And asked about his goal this season, Harbaugh got specific.
"Our goals would be to beat Ohio State and Michigan State in the same year, win the Big Ten championship and win the national championship," Harbaugh said. "Those are our four goals."
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Maryland coach Mike Locksley on the 'underrated' Taulia Tagovailoa
Penn State hosts Maryland on Nov. 12, when it will see quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa once more. Tagovailoa had a huge statistical game against the Lions last year (41 for 57, 371 yards, one touchdown) but made several mistakes in a 31-14 loss.
At Big Ten media days, Locksley said the program has high expectations for Tagovailoa, who has high personal expectations as well.
"Tualia returns for his third season, and I don't think there's a more underrated player in the country," Locksley said.
The Maryland coach added that he expects receiver Dontay Demus, Jr., who sustained a season-ending injury in early October, to be ready for the Terrapins' opener against Buffalo on Sept. 3. Locksley added that his offensive line returns all five starters and is "the most improved unit on our team."
Minnesota bringing the 'Encore Four' to Penn State
Minnesota will visit Penn State for the Oct. 22 Whiteout, bringing with it sixth-year quarterback Tanner Morgan, who has a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree and got married during the offseason.
In fact, the Gophers have four sixth-year players who call themselves the "Encore Four:" Morgan, center John Michael Schmitz, running back Mohamed Ibrahim and receiver Chris Autman-Bell. Ibrahim is the unique unknown of the group, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher who sustained a sesaon-ending injury after rushing for 163 yards in the 2021 opener.
"Mo could have gone to the National Football League, because as he would say, '5-8 is 5-8.' He's not going to get any taller," Fleck said. "He did it for the team and he did it to put a different ending on what happened."
It's also important to note that Minnesota brought back offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, who spent the 2020 season with Penn State. Fleck said that Ciarrocca addressed his departure and return "head-on" during his first team meeting back.
"A lot of people asked me, 'Were you hurt when Kirk left?' I said no. Besides letting me know on Christmas morning [in 2019], there really wasn't anything that I was mad about," Fleck said. "That's not what loyalty's about, staying with somebody forever. Loyalty's giving 100 percent committed job effort at that particular time while you work with that person.
"I'm not sure I wouldn't have done the same thing Kirk did. He took an opportunity, he's from Pennsylvania, he had family things going on, especially with his dad back home, and it was a great opportunity for him, especially financially, an I supported him 100 percent. ... But when the opportunity came back to hire him, for him and I it was easy. What I respect about Kirk was, Kirk wanted to know how that would affect the kids."
Who is Indiana's starting quarterback?
Penn State makes its second 2022 trip to the state of Indiana, visiting the Hoosiers in November. One notable player the Lions won't see is quarterback Michael Penix, Jr., who transferred to Washington.
After a disappointing 2021, coach Tom Allen has brought in several notable transfers, including quarterback Connor Bazelak from Missouri, to compete with Jack Tuttle and others for the starting spot. However, Indiana enters training camp without a clear starter.
"Once that person is named, he'll be the starter," Allen said.
"I'm not expecting a dual situation. But at the same time, as we saw last year and we learned up close and personal that things happen and you have to have more than one guy."
Allen added that former quarterback Donaven McCulley, who moved to receiver this offseason, will retain some packages at the quarterback position.
Northwestern wants to compete again 'very quickly'
Penn State is playing Northwestern for the first time in five year, and James Franklin might not want the series to return. He's 1-4 as a head coach against the Wildcats, including a 1-2 record at Penn State.
Northwestern, which visits Penn State on Oct. 1, is coming off a 3-9 season but won the Big Ten West in two of the last four years. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald said Northwestern will benefit from an experienced roster similar to those that reached the Big Ten title game.
"We're back to that experience level, with about 65 percent of our production if you take the quarterback position out of it," Fitzgerald said. "So a lot coming back, and we need to draw upon that experience. Fundamentally, we have to be better at just the basics of the execution of our offense, defense, and kicking and get back to playing at that championship level.
"We have enough veterans who have been part of both types of seasons that we need to lean on that type of experience to getting back to bowl eligibility and competing for championships. We expect to do that very quickly."
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
