Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany urges widespread reforms

CHICAGO - The Big Ten has yet to establish a precedent for ineligibility in its inaugural football championship, but Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany recommends banning any team if it is unable to compete in the postseason.

"My sense is you would have to be eligible for that game in order to play in our championship game," Delany said Thursday at Big Ten Media Day. "Because simply that's the reason we have the game, is to identify a champion and a representative into the postseason play.

"That would be after discussion with ADs and a recommendation to presidents."

Delany answered the hypothetical question because perennial league power Ohio State meets with the NCAA's committee on infractions on Aug. 12. It's possible the Buckeyes could receive a bowl ban after several football players received extra benefits from local boosters. Former Coach Jim Tressel was aware of the infractions but hid them from his compliance office and lied to NCAA investigators. Tressel resigned May 30 and Ohio State forfeited its 12 wins from last year.

Delany chided both Ohio State and Michigan, which dealt with NCAA sanctions last summer for extended workouts. He met separately with the league's 12 football coaches Thursday and urged them to comply with NCAA regulations.

"Coach Tressel made a mistake, and he paid dearly for that mistake," Delany said. "The University of Michigan had a problem with out-of-season practice, that was an embarrassment. This year we have Ohio State getting ready to go in front of the infractions committee on August 12. That's embarrassing.

"Neither one of those institutions have a history of being in that situation. It not only has reflected poorly on them, it's reflected poorly on us. ... People do make mistakes, but it's how those mistakes are managed and how people address those that's more important than the underlying mistake."

Delany spent time in his news conference talking about upgrading and revamping college athletics. That includes redefining scholarships to cover the cost of education, increasing eligibility standards for incoming freshmen, strengthening the NCAA's enforcement process and modernizing recruiting governance.

Delany's parallel those made last week by Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive about those core areas.

"I read with a lot of interest Mike Slive's comments. I think he laid out a number of areas that I have no disagreement with at all," Delany said. "I read (ACC Commissioner) John Swofford's comments. John called it a tipping point. Mike said we've lost trust. I agree with that.

"We compete with the Big 12, the Pac-10 and SEC on the field. This is not a time for competition. This is a time for collaboration."

Delany said the league-owned Big Ten Network won't air high school football games "for at least a couple of years." The University of Texas' Longhorn Network - a joint partnership with ESPN - has considered broadcasting high school events, causing a rift between Texas and the Big 12's other members.

"In my view it's not time for the Big Ten Network to engage in the coverage of high school sports," Delany said. "Maybe it's a recruiting advantage, maybe it's not. But that's not why that network was created."