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Big Ten Media Days: Standing ovation for Khari Willis

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position

CHICAGO – Day Two saw the commencement of Big Ten Media Days and also brought several big topics to the forefront. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer addressed a late shake-up on his coaching staff, while the Big Ten Network made a frantic appeal to help them maintain viewership.

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MEYER ADDRESSES DISMISSAL OF WR COACH

Urban Meyer
Urban Meyer

The biggest news that broke during the course of Big Ten Media Days happened Monday night when the Ohio State University and head coach Urban Meyer announced the dismissal of wide receiver coach Zach Smith after Smith’s ex-wife had filed a domestic violence protection order against the long-time Buckeye assistant coach a few days earlier.

Meyer led off his opening comments acknowledging the move and said he may answer a few questions, but wanted to focus on his team. The questions came immediately and Meyer was asked to address the timing and motivation of Monday’s firing. Smith had been arrested in 2009 on similar charges, and was again involved in an incident in 2015. Meyer addressed both instances, saying he found no truth to the 2015 allegation and the 2009 situation – for which Smith’s then-wife declined to press charges – had been mischaracterized.

“It came back to me that what was reported wasn't actually what happened,” Meyer said. “And Shelley (Meyer, his wife) and I actually both got involved because of our relationship with that family and advised for counseling and wanted to help as we moved forward.”

Smith has tutored the likes of Michael Thomas, Devin Smith and Curtis Samuel during his tenure at Ohio State, but was also the Buckeyes' recruiting coordinator and one of their top recruiting assistants. Rumors had begun that Brian Hartline, an offensive quality control coach and former Ohio State wide receiver, would take over Smith’s duties with wide receivers in the near future, but Meyer said that was speculative. He has not had discussions with his staff as a whole regarding the changes, and expects that to be addressed later in the week.

COMCAST EXPECTED TO DROP BIG TEN NETWORK

Jim Delaney
Jim Delaney

Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman used his annual address to sound the alarm that Comcast, the largest cable provider in the country, is expected to drop the Big Ten Network from its offerings, and has already started doing so outside of the Big Ten footprint. After listing a few of the network’s accomplishments over the past year, Silverman relayed the news that their 10-year deal with Comcast was coming to an end in August, and

“BTN and FS1 have made proposal(s) to Comcast dating back to February, and we've had no substantive response at all,” Silverman said. “As a result, we believe BTN and those Big Ten games that are on FS1 are in danger of not being carried on Comcast this coming season.”

According to Silverman, the non-renewal of the agreement between the Big Ten Network and Comcast would also impact those Big Ten games scheduled to air on Fox Sports 1. The combination of those two channels carry better than 60 percent of Big Ten games during the course of the season.

The importance the Big Ten Conference put on this appearance by Silverman was highlighted by the placement of Silverman’s speech. Last year Silverman appeared very early in the session, a half hour before the first head coach took the stage. This year, though, Silverman’s appearance was wedged between Wisconsin’s Paul Chryst and Ohio State’s Urban Meyer, the head coaches of the two teams that appeared in last year’s Big Ten Football Championship.

The tone and content of Silverman’s appearance makes it clear the Big Ten Network has exhausted other avenues and were throwing up a last minute Hail Mary to try and force Comcast to the bargaining table before the season starts. That outcome appears unlikely, and the Network likely will have to wait until the season starts and see what kind of uprising Comcast customers mount when they stop being able to watch their teams’ contests on their cable.

KHARI WILLIS RECEIVES STANDING OVATIONS

Khari Willis
Khari Willis

When he was selected to represent his fellow football student-athletes at the Big Ten Day Kickoff Luncheon, Michigan State defensive back Khari Willis admitted he was initially nervous. After all, former Spartan quarterback Kirk Cousins’ speech at this same luncheon in 2011 is still regarded as one of the best speeches at this event of all time, so Willis had big shoes to fill. But the Spartan senior knew he had his own story to tell and it was one people needed to hear.

“I hope the crowd and people who were watching got a sense of what it was like for inner city kids and the struggle that they face,” Willis said after his speech. “I hope they got a solution out of it – that as student-athletes we can use our platform to be lights in our community. I feel like something as simple as that can go a long way for multiple, multiple kids in those communities.”

Willis’ speech began talking about his childhood in Jackson, Mich., as one of 10 kids, with a God-fearing mother and an encouraging father. He talked about the attraction he saw in college football and he talked about the trials he has faced once he arrived to that scene and found some early successes and failures.

But the crux of Willis’ speech was about the crisis of hope in many inner city communities, and the solutions that can be pursued. One solution Willis learned at Michigan State was healing, and how to help others heal. He challenged his fellow student-athletes to return to their communities, spread hope and impart the lessons they have learned at university in everything from how to interact with people from different backgrounds to how you should treat women.

When Willis had finished his speech he walked off to a standing ovation. Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney shook his hand and a line of head coaches from the conference congratulated him on an impactful speech. Although his first reaction to the news that he would be delivering the player speech was nerves, he also wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. That objective was certainly achieved.

PARITY, GAMBLING AMONG POPULAR TOPICS

Pat Fitzgerald
Pat Fitzgerald

Among the most-asked questions during the two-day session had to do with the perceived disparity in competitiveness between the Big Ten’s East and West Divisions, and how the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn PASPA, which essentially had made sports wagering illegal in almost every state, would impact the game.

With regards to the perceived unequal strength of the two divisions, head coaches from programs in the East appeared more concerned than those in the West. Penn State’s James Franklin suggested the alignment should be re-considered and certain schools being traditionally stronger than others in the conference should be taken into consideration and segregated accordingly. Others, however, like Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz did not seem as concerned about the current structure of the conference.

“There was a time I think in the '80s where there were a couple of programs typically at the bottom that really had a hard time competing,” Ferentz said. “But it's interesting, you know, in my mind, at least, over the last 15, 20 years, it's been extremely competitive.”

On the topic of increased sports wagering. Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald summed up the debate probably most candidly, saying that the concerns currently held are mostly being afraid of the unknown. A tangible byproduct of the discussion that has a lot of momentum and appears likely is the creation of a conference-wide eligibility report, which was widely supported by the head coaches who addressed the topic.

“You know, we have an injury report at Northwestern that we've done for a number of years,” Fitzgerald commented. “But if we move forward to where we have to have a fully transparent conference-wide or national one, I'd have no problem with that, as long as we adhere to it.”

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney noted in his opening remarks that he does not believe student-athletes are any more vulnerable now than they were when PASPA was in effect. Sports wagering has already been legal in within the borders of the United States and the increased awareness now generated with more states legalizing it is casting a brighter light on the scene, making efforts to illegally alter outcomes of sporting events more risky.

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