Conference Realignment, Ryan Day’s Hot Seat, Brian Ferentz and the End of Big Ten Football (Podcast)

As promised yesterday, here we are at the very end of Off Talkle Empire, at least in its current form. We actually did the first two seasons on SoundCloud, paying out-of-pocket for hosting and just doing it for the love of the game, before we actually moved to the SB Nation podcast network (I believe in 2018). This meant free hosting and also ad-based royalty checks!

(They paid about ten cents per 100 ad impressions and also stopped showing up after like 8 months)

Nevertheless, over the total life of the Off Tackle Empire podcast, we’ve covered six football seasons and possibly as many basketball seasons (unsure of this). Scott Frost came and went. I moved twice. COVID-19 came (it never went). And in by far the craziest development, the podcast survived long enough to cover a good Illinois football team!

So we’re gonna look ahead. What’s the future look like beyond next year? When do the next moves get made and what’s the endgame for the Big Ten/SEC arms race?

The last ever season of Big Ten West football is upon us. Who’s gonna win it, and will they stay true to the ethos of the Big Ten West? I also shoehorned my Big Ten West Anthem (Punt It!) into this podcast.

You can look around the conference and say that perhaps we’re in a golden age of football coaching in the Big Ten! There are four coaches who are any degree of “embattled” and each has historically won things at their current school (though Greg Schiano has yet to succeed at Big Ten Rutgers). In theory, everyone could be happy! But that’s never how it works. Who will be disappointed?

(We didn’t make any pronouncements on Nebraska’s future with Matt Rhule, but do you, Nebraska fan, remember the last time we thought a Nebraska coach was going to succeed?)

Finally, we’re going to reflect on some of our all time best and of course all-time worst takes. Did we miss any? Please let us know!

Thanks for listening! You know where to find me.

Oh and for reference purposes, here’s Dom Capers’ ridiculous hair

This isn’t goodbye, though. I’m still around.