B1G notes: Coaches share grouper sandwiches, history

INDIANAPOLIS — In the late 1980s, Kirk Ferentz served as Iowa's offensive line coach and Mark Dantonio coached Youngstown State's secondary for Jim Tressel. Both were sent to Florida on recruiting assignments and a quarter-century of battles were born near Tampa.

'I got in my rental car. I didn't know where I was going,' said Dantonio, now Michigan State's coach. 'No cellphones or GPS back then. I drove around behind the guy from Iowa, which was Kirk.

'I think we did that for almost two days. I got to know him at that point in time.'

Ferentz, who has led Iowa for 17 years, said he was on his first recruiting trip to the Tampa area, where he 'got introduced to grouper sandwiches.' Ferentz recalled how Dantonio was on a tight recruiting budget and palling around with Syracuse assistant Clarence Brooks to save money. A year later in 1990, Ferentz was on a shoestring budget himself as head coach at Maine, where he and Dantonio developed mutual respect.

'Funny how the world turns around sometimes,' Ferentz said. 'However many years later this is, here we are in Indianapolis. No grouper sandwiches this weekend, though.'

DOME SWEET DOME

Michigan State will have played in three of the Big Ten's five championship games, all of which took place in Indianapolis. The Spartans lost a 42-39 thriller to Wisconsin in the inaugural championship and then beat Ohio State 34-24 two years ago.

'Really to me I don't know if that gives us an edge other than maybe we've sort of been here,' Dantonio said. 'But it speaks to our program statement.'

Iowa makes its first appearance, which shows an experience gap for playing on this stage. The game's profile obviously is larger, but Ferentz downplayed the location. He did admit to watching all of the previous Big Ten title games from his home.

'I've watched the four games on the couch in front of the fireplace,' Ferentz said. 'Fun to watch. But it's more fun to be here, I can promise you that.'

INJURY TIME

Iowa linebacker Ben Niemann (concussion) practiced from the midweek on and should play on Saturday, Ferentz said. Defensive end Nate Meier (soft tissue injury) practiced on Friday and is likely to play.

'Just talked about a mentally tough guy in (quarterback) C.J. Beathard. Nate Meier is right there,' Ferentz said. 'He's going to play. So we'll see how effective he is, how long he goes, but he'll play. Same thing with Ben.'

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