Big Ten at Ten 8.1.12: MASSTRANSFERS

Dennis Dodd is a yellow journalist. He's a scandalmongering sensationalist who generates his own news for page hits and uses demagoguery to make his point. Often, he'll pick the more popular side of an argument and go to the mattresses for five or six weeks long after the controversy has passed. As an Hawkeye fan I've always known that Dodd has had it out for Kirk Ferentz and Iowa. Why? I cannot tell you. All I can tell you is that following the rhabdo incident, Dodd published an article (among many others) titled Mass transfers could be next stain for Ferentz, Iowa. It was a piece based on pure speculation and cited no evidence to support his conclusion that "mass transfers" could happen.

Sure enough, only a single Iowa player transferred as a result of the rhabdo incident, there were no "mass transfers", Dodd never answered any questions about his piece, #MASSTRANSFERS became a joke among Iowa fans and the world kept on spinning. Fortunately for Dodd, he had other sensational news to generate with Tresselgate and the Penn State scandal. It's good to be a "journalist" these days.

The Penn State Nittany Lions have lost a couple recruits and players over the past few days, or as Dennis Dodd would say: PENN STATE IS EXPERIENCING MASS TRANSFERS. Among the earliest players reported to be transferring was Anthony Fera, a kicker who supposedly made the move to the University of Texas. Of course, that report was premature and Fera is only considering transferring to Texas. It sounds like Fera could make a decision over the next 10 days.

Then there’s Rob Bolden, the former starting quarterback who asked to be released from his scholarship long before the NCAA sanctions were handed down. Bolden’s request had more to do with his realization that he couldn’t overtake Matt McGloin on the depth chart than the sanctions. Think about what I just said and you’ll LOL. He’ll join LSU in camp today and become the next hilariously ineffective quarterback to lead the Tigers to a BCS National Championship game. That’s right, SEC, tell me more about your superior offensive presence.

Everyone seems to forget about safety Tim Buckley, who transferred to North Carolina State on Monday. Buckley, who began his career as a preferred walk-on, was listed as a second-string safety on Penn State’s depth chart. He’s also a native of Raleigh and will be on scholarship for the Wolfpack.

Per ESPN and their sources (247Sports.com), junior tight end Kevin Haplea is transferring to Florida State. Haplea has three seasons of eligibility remaining if he decides to redshirt.

The biggest news is the departure of running back Silas Redd to USC. Redd, aka Penn State’s entire offense (seriously, McGloin is terrible), released the following statement:

This has obviously been a very busy, emotionally draining week for me and my family…As many of you know, playing football at Penn State has been a dream of mine since I was seven years old, and I will be forever grateful that this dream became a reality.

This is the reason that the decision I have made is so difficult for me: I will transfer to USC to complete my education and my college football career, beginning in the 2012-2013 year.

Penn State gave me a phenomenal opportunity to become part of a legendary football program. My teammates, my coaches — past and present — and the staff have provided me with a tremendous amount of guidance and support since I arrived on campus, and I can't thank them enough for their time, their advice, and their friendship. They have given me such a strong foundation from which I can continue to grow.

Some Penn State fans accepted that Redd had to make the best decision possible and wished him the best of luck. Others, like Twitter hardass James Bigelow, decided to call Redd names and use terrible grammar to insult him. The Tweet I’m looking for has since been deleted but fortunately, Mark Ennis quoted it in a Retweet:

He "traded" Penn State for USC. #nailedit RT @mcmxcs_kid: Silas Redd you're a trader. I hope you have a horrible next two years.

— Mark Ennis (@Mengus22) July 31, 2012

Brilliant. Keep up the good fight, Mr. Bigelow.

ED NOTE: Naturally, as I'm writing this, Jason Kirk and the mothership release the Penn State transfer tracker which makes this entire blurb pointless. That's life, huh?

Team Links:

• A Lion Eye profiles Illini punter Justin DuVernois.
• Indiana schools face QB issues, writes the Indy Star. How do they figure? Purdue has like 6 quarterbacks.
• The Crimson Quarry profiles Indiana's week 2 opponent: The UMASS Minutemen.
• Mike Hlas interviews Iowa senior cornerback Micah Hyde.
• Former Hawkeye Tyler Sash was suspended by the NFL for 4 games. He says he was taking prescribed adderall and he didn't know it was a banned substance. Ah, the old "I didn't know it was illegal" excuse.
• Ex-Wolverine Braylon Edwards has signed with the Seattle Seahawks. /drops 15 passes /gets cut from Seattle Seahawks.
• Taylor Lewan won't focus on Gholston's 2011 punch. Sidenote, there are a LOT of stories published by these Michigan newspapers about the Spartan/Wolverine rivalry. I didn't know it was so serious.
• New Spartan QB Andrew Maxwell introduces himself as an "everyman."
• ESPN B1G blog lists Marqueis Gray as the 24th best player in the Big Ten.
• Fringe Bowl Team has a collection of Gopher pictures.
• The Daily Gopher previews Minnesota's running backs.
• Apparently, I'm going to have to find a new source for Nebraska news.
• Sam McKewon believes the Huskers' recruiting key is getting local recruits.
  
• 10 reasons to be excited about Northwestern in 2012.
• Sippin on Purple continues its countdown with Mike Trumpy.
• Did you know Ohio State fans like Urban Meyer?
• Buckeye Empire looks back on Boom Herron's tenure at tOSU.
• BSD's Nittany Mountain for the 2000's. I see Daryll Clark isn't listed. Probably for this reason.
• BSD gives us a little background on the _______________. (SEE WHAT I DID THERE?)
  
• Hammer & Railes previews Purdue's multiple quarterbacks for 2012.
• Madtown Badgers takes a look at Wisky's tight ends.
• Montee Ball was assaulted last night. That is the definition of "not cool."

Conference Links:

• Eleven Warriors has an excellent piece on how Mark Emmert missed the mark with the Penn State sanctions.
• ESPN's latest B1G mailblog.
  
• Round 2 of the Big Ten writers' mock draft. LOL @ the StateCollege.com writer who drafted McGloin.
• Rounds 3 and 4 of the mock draft.
• Big Ten fall practice begins tommorrow! Actually, Indiana, who isn't a football team, starts tomorrow. Technically, fall practice starts on Friday. Sorry for the confusion everybody.
• ESPN continues their countdown of the best B1G non-conference games.

Finally: Notre Dame, Gary's independent team.