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Hammerin’ the B1G: Boldness abounds on Day 3 of Big Ten Media Days
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Welcome, one and all, to the third and final day of Big Ten Media Days! This year was the first for the event spanning 3 days with the arrival of 4 new teams bringing the league’s total to 18.
The first couple of days provided plenty of noteworthy comments and interesting storylines. But if anyone was looking for true fireworks, they came on Day 3 inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
The full lineup of speakers consisted of 6 coaches, but a trio of headlines undeniably took the cake from the main podium. With all due respect to the others that were on hand, the 3 coaches mentioned below provided the spotlight of the day.
Let’s dive in:
Dan Lanning arrives with plenty of charisma
Oregon makes its arrival to the Big Ten this fall with every expectation of competing for the title. The Ducks are still among the favorites in the Big Ten Championship Game odds, and Dan Lanning spoke like a coach who expects to be there at the end of the season.
While Lanning faced the challenges of a new league rich in talent and history, he proudly proclaimed the B1G needs to know Oregon is “mighty different. Mighty different in a lot of ways.” Old-school B1G fans might find that a touch overzealous, but Lanning might have a case.
The Ducks were quickly rebuilt under Lanning’s tutelage into a roster designed to compete with the upper echelon teams around the country. After replacing their biggest hole at QB with the Heisman Trophy favorite in Dillon Gabriel, Oregon has every reason to stand tall and charge ahead into a brand-new landscape.
Curt Cignetti is bold — or insane. Time will tell
Curt Cignetti made his inaugural B1G Media Days appearance on Thursday, and he paid close attention to the preseason B1G poll that came out to open the week. The Hoosiers were predicted to finish 17th in the new 18-team B1G, slightly edging out Purdue’s spot for the cellar spot in the new poll.
While Cignetti admitted he doesn’t get into predictions, he did lay out some “historical facts” about those who have doubted his teams in the past.
“Now I can tell you, normally at these things I stand up here and we’re picked to win the league. It’s just usually how it’s been,” Cignetti proclaimed. “I have been picked next to last twice — which we’re picked 17th out of 18 teams, and I get it. The two times we were picked next to last: In 2022 we won the conference championship, and in 2017 we inherited an 8-45 team and won 8 in a row and played JMU for the conference championship.
“I know you guys have been waiting for me to say something crazy. That wasn’t quite crazy.”
Cignetti also pushed back on the idea that he should somehow lower his expectations in Bloomington. He dropped an expletive to hammer home his goals are indeed to turn things around and produce a winner out of the Hoosiers.
“Somebody asked me how do you define success at Indiana? I was like well, we want to be the best,” Cignetti explained. “I mean, you don’t bring your kids up — ‘Johnny, I want you to be 4th-best. I want you to be 10th-best.’
“Bullshit. We want to be the best! So when I talk about no self-imposed limitations, that’s what I’m talking about.”
While Cignetti can maintain those goals, the preseason win total for his first season with IU has been set at 5.5. ESPN Bet is offering identical -115 odds on the over and under number, and it will be an interesting season, to say the least. (And be sure to use Tradition’s sports betting apps in Ohio for all the best odds and offers.)
Sherrone Moore isn’t shifting Michigan’s goals
Michigan is replacing some massive holes from the 2023 national championship team, and none is bigger than head coach Jim Harbaugh who is back in the NFL. Add in a roster that was depleted by the NFL Draft and some analysts have lowered the expectations for Michigan’s results this season.
However, no one told Sherrone Moore expectations are supposed to drop this fall. In his first media days appearance as the head coach of the Wolverines, Moore laid out what he expects the program to be able to accomplish.
“Win the big games, beat our rivals, beat Ohio State,” said Moore. “Win the Big Ten, go to the College Football Playoff — and win it. Of course that’s something we strive to do.
“We’re going to do everything we can to strive for perfection. Everything we do every day is a process, and we’ll continue to strive to do that and we’ll continue to do that with a contagious enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”
To Moore’s credit, that’s not just some lip service to his roster. Michigan still has the 4th-best odds to win the B1G and a 28.5% chance to reach the new 12-team Playoff according to ESPN’s FPI.
There are some issues to be sorted out. Mainly Michigan’s QB battle and the pecking order for a young receiving room, but another elite defense should keep the Wolverines in the mix for every game on the schedule.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.