football

Pat Flavin is a 6-foot-7, 260-pound offensive tackle prospect from Benet Academy in Illinois. He was at Michigan's one day camp today working out, and trying to earn an offer from the Wolverines. I caught up with him once he took off, here's what he had to say.

TOM: Tell me about the day, how did it go?

PAT: I was a little dehydrated in the beginning, I've been working out a lot lately, but haven't really done a lot of actual football stuff. The morning was kind of shaking the rust off for me, and getting myself situated. Once I get everything under control, I performed a lot better. There were two sessions; the morning was more agility and run blocking stuff. I've done most of that before, but Coach Frey gave us great perspective on everything, and taught us a lot. The second session was mostly pass set. The one thing I need to work on, and that they were helping me with, is my punch, so we worked on that a lot. I worked on the left tackle spot mostly, but also worked some in the guard position.

TOM: You mention Coach Frey helping out, what is your relationship with him like?

PAT: I really like Coach Frey. I first met him in December, and then he came to my school in May. He's a really good guy, he's kind of younger, so he relates really well to everyone. I like his attitude, and how he gets everyone to work.

TOM: Getting to know him as a person, is different than him as a coach. Did this give you a better perspective of how he'd coach you at Michigan?

PAT: Definitely. That was the one thing I was anxious to see, and the best part for me. I got to see how he coaches, and what kind of style he uses. I really like his approach, and the way he teaches. He doesn't yell too much, and gets you going positively. 

TOM: Were there any other athletes out there that impressed you, or that you noticed?

PAT: I don't really remember names that well, but yeah there were a lot of good players out there. I've seen the guys from Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio because they're local, too. There was a guy from Chicago, Michael Rouse (EDIT:TOM: Keep an eye on him</edit>Homewood Flossmoor, 6'4, 315 lb. DT). Donte Phillips (DT, Wisconsin) did really well, too. He's quick off the edge. There were a ton of good defensive ends there. It was great to go up against some guys like that.

TOM: Where does Michigan stand with you right now, and what did the coaches say about what's next for you?

PAT: They videotaped everyone, so they said they're going to go back and watch the film, then they'll go from there with handing out offers. I guess I should know in a couple days. This was my third time up to Michigan, though. They have the best facilities of anywhere I've been, The indoor facilities, the weight room, the Big house, everything is just awesome. I don't have a list yet, but Michigan would definitely be right up there. I'm hoping they offer me, and I am very high on them. I know the coaches are going to do a great job, and they're going to start taking off soon.

TOM: When do you want to start narrowing a list down then?

PAT: I'll probably narrow it down at the end of June. I'm still waiting to hear from some schools, like I am with Michigan. I'm hoping I get offers from Notre Dame and Miami. I really like UCLA and Cal. It's a different culture out there in the Pac 10, so that would be pretty cool. Illinois is also a school, being in my home state, that grabs my attention. I have a lot of familiarity there, so they would be in there. Once the end of June comes around, I should know more.

There have been plenty of rumors and guesses about Big Ten expansion, ever since commissioner Jim Delaney announced that the conference was studying the issue. But this week offered the first concrete clues from school officials who are actually in the position to know.

First was the rumor first floated on the University of Texas rivals.com site, that the Pac 10 was prepared to offer invitations to Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Colorado. The Colorado athletic director later said that he believed the report was true.

Second was an email from Ohio State University president Gordon Gee, in which he encouraged Delaney to get in touch with Texas president Bill Powers, “who would welcome a call to say they have a ‘Tech’ problem.” The email was among several obtained by the Columbus Dispatch in a freedom-of-information request, and Gee acknowledged it was genuine.

Gee wouldn't say what he meant by a “‘Tech’ problem,” and several newspapers were at a loss to explain it, but it is not difficult to figure out. ‘Tech’ clearly refers to Texas Tech, the “little sister” of three Texas state schools in the Big XII—Texas and Texas A&M being the other two. Naturally, all three play each other in football every year.

It is likely that wherever Texas goes, A&M will go with it. The Longhorns have played A&M in football every year since 1915. They've also played Oklahoma nearly every year since 1902 (they skipped a few seasons in the early party of the 20th century). It is highly doubtful that Texas would want to give up either rivalry. But it is equally doubtful that the Longhorns would agree to play in another conference, while being locked into two annual rivalry games with BCS-level opponents. If the Longhorns and the Aggies move together, presumably that would leave the Sooners as their only annually contested non-conference rivalry.

The Texas–Texas Tech rivalry does not have the same pedigree as the others. The two schools have played annually only since 1960. It is also a lopsided rivalry, with the Longhorns winning nearly 75 percent of the time.

So, what is the “‘Tech’ problem”? If Texas and Texas A&M join the Big Ten, it would probably spell the end of the Bix XII as we have known it. The more prominent football schools in the conference would not have trouble finding homes elsewhere. Nebraska and Missouri, for instance, could very well join the Big Ten, as well; the Pac Ten would probably take Oklahoma and Colorado. But “little sister” Tech would likely find itself in a non-BCS league, like Conference USA. That wouldn't sit well with Texas politicians, especially if Tech had the double blow of losing its annual rivalry games with both the Longhorns and the Aggies.

Here, then, is the significance of the Pac Ten's allegedly forthcoming invitation to six schools, including Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, which has a similar “little sister” status in its home state. It's a scenario that would make Texas and Oklahoma politicians smile, as in any other plausible expansion scenario, both would be at risk of finding themselves in lesser conferences. But would the notoriously conservative Pac Ten, which treasures its academic reputation and requires unanimous agreement to add a new member, really welcome all six of these institutions? Several of them, particularly Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, are not in the same academic league as the rest of the Pac Ten.

But if the Big Ten is willing to at least entertain adding Texas and Texas A&M, both of which are in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), it would under no circumstances accept Texas Tech, which is not. That, in a nutshell, is Bill Powers’s “‘Tech’ problem.”

Most schools claim publicly they are loyal to the conference they are in—whatever they may be saying behind the scenes. But when the University of Texas says it is committed to the Big XII, they just might mean it. The Longhorns have been toying with the idea of creating their own cable television network. They are, perhaps, the only school in the nation that could do this. With their own network, plus the disproportionate share of Big XII television revenue that they already get, the Longhorns would be sitting pretty. But if the Big Ten nabs Nebraska and Missouri, and Colorado goes to the Pac Ten (with or without Oklahoma), Big XII membership might be a lot less attractive.

Among the three conferences the Longhorns could plausibly join, the Big Ten is the most attractive. The average Big Ten school is 1,022 miles from Austin, whereas the average Pac Ten school is 1,377 miles away. Six Pac ten schools are farther than any in the Big Ten. Except for Penn State, every Big Ten school is under 1,200 miles from Austin. Except for the two Arizona schools, every Pac Ten institution is over 1,200 miles and two time zones away. While the SEC might be closer geographically for the Longhorns, the SEC does not have the academic reputation of either the Big Ten or the Pac Ten.

I think there is very little doubt that Texas is the big fish that Jim Delaney and Gordon Gee would love to hook. Whether they can depends on how big a “problem” the “‘Tech’ problem” really is.

Does anyone know how to access handicap tickets? My friend was involved in an accident last year and can no longer use his legs. However, I would still like to take him to the game if possible.  Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time. 

I just read that today Michigan has 65 kids at its camp. I was wondering if anyone knew if any big names were there?

I play against this guy online all the time and he constantly chews clock (plays with Tenn) and runs the ball down my throat the whole game. I'll stack the box to stop it and he'll still keep doing it. I'll stop him for 2 or 3 plays in a row and then he'll hit me with his outside reciever on a slant. Any advice on getting him out of running the whole game or stopping him from that slant pass? Any help is greatly appreciated thanks!

Oh man, the BTN is feeding my appetite today with the last fall's ND game on right now.

There is a 1st and 10 right on the 50 with about 2:00 left in 2Q.    Denard doesn't even think about passing, scoots right , kinda shuffles to about 2 yds behind the line of scrimmage, and then just blasts straight ahead for the quickest 15 yards of the game.    I know we have been talking about that aspect of things for months and months and months, but when they need to respect his arm, this could get silly.

I can't wait til September.