Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast · Richard Johnson and Alex Kirshner

Big Ten Offseason Vibe Check: Ohio State's President Makes It Weird

·1 hr 19 min·5 clips

Indiana football, after a historic season, now faces the challenge of adjusting to life as a normal, rich program.

This episode of Split Zone Duo is a Big Ten offseason "vibe check," hosted by college football analysts Alex Kirshner and Richard. They assess the current state of various programs, focusing on coaching changes, portal activity, and roster outlooks for the upcoming season. The hosts begin by explaining their offseason tradition of examining teams through specific categories like end-of-season results, coaching carousel, portal movement, and a "weird stuff" bucket. Ohio State is immediately placed in the "weird stuff" category due to its university president search, though the hosts note they will discuss that later. Indiana is analyzed first, with the hosts noting its national championship season and the departure of key James Madison transfers like Elijah Satterfield and Aiden Fisher. The hosts state Indiana's roster spending is projected to exceed $30 million, and the program is transitioning from a "Cinderella story" to a normal, well-financed operation. Iowa is briefly covered as a consistent program, coming off a 9-4 season and a close loss to Oregon, with its offensive improvement under coordinator Tim Lester noted. Oregon's offseason is highlighted by the coordinator losses of Tosh Lupoi and Will Stein, with internal promotions of Chris Hampton and Drew Mehringer to replace them. The hosts mention Oregon's portal additions, like safety Coy Parrish from Minnesota and quarterback Dylan Raiola, who is expected to sit for a year. Rutgers is discussed for its running game led by Antwain Raymond and the hiring of defensive coordinator Travis Johansen from South Dakota. Illinois hired former Montana head coach Bobby Hauck to run a 3-3-5 defense, aiming to recapture past defensive success with players like Devon Witherspoon. Penn State's coaching change from James Franklin to Matt Campbell leads to a significant roster overhaul, with many players like quarterback Rocco Becht following Campbell from Iowa State. Michigan State's hire of Pat Fitzgerald is described as controversial, given his past at Northwestern and a hazing scandal, though a $290 million donation and the hiring of assistant LeVar Woods are noted positives. Michigan's surprise coaching change to Kyle Whittingham is mentioned, with focus on developing quarterback Bryce Underwood and the offensive fit under coordinator Andy Ludwig. Purdue's portal activity includes additions like running back Jerrick Gibson from Texas, but the hosts emphasize the ongoing difficulty of the job after a 2-10 season. UCLA's massive influx of about 40 transfers under new coach Bob Chesney is highlighted, specifically defensive end Trey West from James Madison and linebacker Sammy Omosigho from Oklahoma. Nebraska's situation is compared to Christian Hackenberg's at Penn State, focusing on the offensive line's failure to support quarterback Dylan Raiola. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending insider reporting with casual discussion between two knowledgeable hosts. This episode is ideal for Big Ten fans seeking detailed, team-by-team offseason updates and program trajectory analysis. Listeners looking for game breakdowns or national storylines outside the Big Ten might find it less relevant.

As heard by us

A spring check-in that treats offseason noise as a real football argument.

Split Zone Duo uses a spring check-in to do more than kill time. The hosts bring back their vibe-check ritual, and the result feels tied to the season without pretending the sport has slowed down much. It is an easy conversation to follow, but not a lazy one.

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Why you'd press play

When the off-season vibe check turns into Michigan roster questions and Bryce Underwood talk.

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