Welcome to the latest edition of the HuskieWire.com Q&A.
Every Thursday, I'll answer your NIU and MAC-related questions right here. Do you have a question about NIU or the MAC? E-mail your questions to me at jsahly@daily-chronicle.com and I'll answer them next Thursday.
Here are this week's questions and answers:
Dave S. asked: I watched the game live on the Big Ten Network. Two questions: did anything further come of: 1. The bad call on the backwards lateral (even the Big 10 Network announcers acknowledge that Coach Kill had a legitimate beef and the game should be over...)?
2. The blatant unsportsmanlike act on the final play after we slid to the ground to end the game? I believe a flag was thrown but it had no impact since the game had ended- but the player should be suspended.
John Sahly: Dave, thank you for your questions. Yes, after watching the replay, I don't know how it's possible that the lateral could have been called an incomplete pass first. The receiver caught it and made a football move. Generally, teams will send the game tape into the conference office to let the conference know that whatever may have happened was wrong. Occasionally the conference commissioner will get involved as well. A lot of this stuff gets handled internally but I would find it hard to believe a few people in the Big Ten office didn't take a look at the tape from that game.
In regards to your second question, as you've probably heard by now, Purdue guard Zach Reckman was suspended for one game by the Big Ten for the late hit.
C Cmfp asked: How's Joe Pawlak? Will he be able to play this week?
JS: He is questionable this week and that decision will likely be made late in the week. If he doesn't play, Panan Tense will go in his place.
C Cmfp: Who will do the punting this week?
JS: That's also a decision that won't be made until late this week. Jerry Kill has said that he doesn't want to have Mike Salerno punt, but if the coaching staff feels it's necessary, Salerno will be back there. I can tell you at Tuesday's practice that Salerno, Josh Wilber and Ryan Neir all spent plenty of time punting.
C Cmfp: How's Mike Kritikos doing with his rehab? Is he practicing yet?
JS: As we reported on Tuesday, Kritikos was back at practice, but any his status for the rest of the season is still unknown. I wouldn't rule him out at this point.
C Cmfp: Will Willie Clark be back in the lineup this week?
JS: I believe he will be.
C Cmfp: I didn't see John Tranchitella in the game participation report. Is he OK?
JS: Tuesday, Jerry Kill said Tranchitella will be out this week because of a knee injury. NIU hopes to have him back next week.
Go Huskies asked: Regarding the scheduling agreement between the Big 10 and the MAC: 1. What is being done to get MAC teams more home games against the Big 10?
JS: I think there are always going to be efforts to do that, but Big Ten teams need some sort of motivation to come play at a MAC school. They need to have a financial reason to come, and the big brother helping out little brother argument I've heard from some lacks any sort of logic. That's how BCS coaches and athletic directors lose jobs.
In Michigan, it's apparently three games at Michigan State for one game at Central, Western and Eastern Michigan, which is one road game too many for the MAC teams in my opinion. Although for the sake of things in Michigan, this was a good deal for the state economy.
The bottom line is that Big Ten teams need either money or at least two home games in return for showing up on a MAC team's campus. Otherwise there is no reason to come. I think one of the biggest reasons why is because MAC teams do compete with Big Ten teams for some recruits and a loss for a Big Ten school to a MAC school does more damage in recruiting than, say, a loss to a Conference USA or WAC opponent. So why increase your chances for a loss by going on the road?
That's why Big Ten teams showing up at MAC schools are unlikely. MAC teams probably have a better shot at scheduling a home-and-home series with a Big 12/Big East/ACC team because that same threat in recruiting isn't there. Look at the MAC this year already, Colorado came to Toledo, Iowa State came to Kent State, Pittsburgh came to Buffalo and NIU scheduled a home-and-home with Kansas. I saw a stat this morning that said 24 of 65 BCS schools are playing road games at non-BCS schools in 2009. So it can be done, but it might be tougher to get a Big Ten team.
Go Huskies: Can we get referees from both conferences to work together and cover the games instead of all Big 10 referees?
JS: If you can do that, there are probably a few spots in the world that could use your help. Might I suggest starting with Congress.
