Big Ten's most irreplaceable coach

We are squarely in the horse latitudes, that time of year where the shore is a spectre on the horizon and the drift has us in its clench.

That's the Writer's Workshop way of saying college football is still pretty darn far away.

We college football writers cling to every oasis. ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg has a pretty sweet stop to quench your college football thirst and probably spark debate on his blog today.

You might've heard Jim Tressel is no longer the coach at Ohio State. Rittenberg asks the blog question who now is the Big Ten's most irreplaceable coach.

Here's the link.

Right now, Kirk Ferentz leads with 30 percent, but Nebraska's Bo Pelini is closing. No Bret Bielema on the list. Here are the other choices: MSU's Mark Dantonio, Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald and other. One rascal Michigan fan wrote that Rich Rodriguez was the most important coach, because Michigan couldn't resume being a football school with him around.

Anyway, horse latitudes.