It's coming... We know you're starved for football content, and we're pleased to announce that Off Tackle Empire will soon return from its editorial hibernation with the debut of B1G // 2012, our conference preview extravaganza. Prepare yourself for 13 spectacular weeks of previews, potlucks, and good old-fashioned hate, starting this Monday, April 2nd.

Fun With Someecards - Minnesota Edition Enjoy!

I suppose there's no point to studying business at Michigan since all of the companies in the state went bankrupt in 2008...

Is this the new Iowa Defensive Coordinator? Last night Jaleel Johnson, an incoming defensive line recruit, tweeted that "The Iowa hawkeyes will be gettin a new defensive coordinator….the LB coach from the NEW YORK GIANTS!!!!" That name may be familiar to B1G fans as well. Before heading to the NFL, Jim Herrmann was the Defensive Coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines - during a run that included their 1997 National Championship. Two good thoughts: 1) It's always nice to have a coach walk in a living room of a recruit with a National Championship and a Super Bowl ring. 2) He has shown a mastery for beating the offense that Penn State will be running next year. One bad thought: Michigan fans weren't all that sad to see him go. I'm sure there are reasons for that.

We showed the new Gopher uniforms as they were unveiled. We'll do the same thing with Illinois, as they have decided that they want to purge not just Zook, but also the Zook-look from their future. These are things that have been on display for recruits and at various alumni events. Personally, I think that Illinois belongs in orange helmets, but I do like the blue text.

Saw this on the interwebs today, and thought that it was a pretty nice way of graphically representing a rivalry. I don't know if there are similar examples for some of the other games. Click here to go to full size.

Beamer Ball Backfires Badly. (Ted--This pretty much encapsulates the Sugar Bowl, doesn't it?)

So...Northwestern lost another bowl game. Ho-hum. What does this mean? Northwestern has now lost nine straight bowl games, tying Notre Dame's all-time record of futility. Northwestern hasn't won a bowl game since 1948, easily the longest drought in the world's history. Northwestern has spread it's losses around very well. In the streak, it lost in every bowl of the B1G's early '00s lineup (Rose, CapitalOne, Outback, Alamo, Sun, Motor City). With the losses in the Texas and TicketCity bowls, the Wildcats have the chance of completing the current series sweep if they can reach the Gator and Insight in the next two seasons. Northwestern is still the only B1G team to lose to a MAC team in a bowl game. Welcome to 2012. Are you going to change anything, Wildcats, or will I get to do this again in 12 months?

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are rolling out new uniforms, and this is their new helmet.

Urban Meyer is rolling through the B1G like a summer storm. He has flipped two 4 or 5 star recruits, depending on which recruiting service you want to believe. DT Tommy Schutt was going to go to Penn State, until the Sandusky scandal turned Happy Valley into Chernobyl. Schutt committed to OSU yesterday. As did Se'von Pittman, a defensive end that had committed to Michigan State. Pittman was a guy that wanted to go to OSU, but waited to see how the whole 'hey, let's sell shit for free ink' stuff came out. And Meyer also held serve on big time recruit RB Brionte Dunn. He has been a Buckeye commit, but was being wooed hard by Brady Hoke and Michigan. He's staying home.