Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, February 8, 2016

It was a tough weekend for Indiana. First, the Hoosiers got dumped at Penn State on Saturday, with Iowa and Michigan State on deck. Then, IU sees Bob Knight speak at a Purdue function in Indianapolis after not attending the Hoosiers? celebration of their 1976 team.

It was weird to see this story unfold, as Knight even wore what looked like a gold sweater while feting Gene Keady.

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Yes, Iowa is playing well. But so is Indiana-before the PSU loss. And the big reason for the Hoosiers? push up the standings is defense. Yogi Ferrell, however, is the straw that stirs the drink in Bloomington. And he may be the top point man in the nation.

?He figures out the game, he makes adjustments, he listens, and he brings his teammates with him,? Tom Crean said.

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It goes without saying the this has been a tough year for Richard Pitino and Minnesota. The Gophers (6-17, 0-11), who play host to Michigan on Wednesday, are off to their worst conference start since 1922-23. Next year should be better, and Pitino has the backing of the chairman of the school?s board of regents.

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Michigan has gone from being a hot commodity to being a team in search for answers after losing two big home games last week.

The defense is hurting the Wolverines. MSU hit 14 of 22 3-pointers on Saturday.

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Did Penn State have an usual number of decommitments?

Pennlive.com says ?no.? Penn State did lose six players that were once committed to it in the class of 2016, but consider a few other examples: Michigan saw 11 decommit, and Rutgers 14. Miami had a whopping 24 decommitments in the class of 2016.

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Much has been made of the fertile recruiting turf in New Jersey. Well, which programs have signed the most N.J. recruits over the last four years?

RU has inked 30 from its home state.

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Michigan earned a lot of fanfare for its Signing Day gala. Should Ohio State have a similar event?

"We certainly monitor everything. Not just them but the Eastern side (of the Big Ten) is one of the most competitive conference divisions in college football. So we know everything that everybody's doing," Urban Meyer said last week. "We monitor the best recruiting schools in the country and see what they do. I made the comment we're going to look at mailings, graphics. However we have to remain true to ourselves and who are we and who I am."

I don?t think we?ll see Ohio State hold a similar event.

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Nebraska will have a new defensive line coach next year, as Hank Hughes won?t be back.

Omaha.com says the Husker defensive line showed some drop-off by various measurements in 2015. According to Nebraska?s official statistics, the D-line went from 22.5 sacks and 46 hurries in 2014 to 20 sacks and 25 hurries in 2015 despite facing 34 more pass attempts last season. The overall defense went from 29 sacks and 61 hurries in 2014 to 24 sacks and 35 hurries in 2015.

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Purdue has solidified its staff with the hiring of offensive line coach Darrell Funk.

He was at Akron last year but before that coached the o-line at Michigan under Brady Hoke. While at Michigan, Funk coached two Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year players, David Molk and Taylor Lewan. Lewan, who plays in the NFL with the Titans, has had high praise for Funk in the past.

?Coach Funk's one of the best coaches I've had, personally," Lewan told MLive.com in 2013. "And he sticks on those guys, he knows how to coach those guys. He knows how to get them fired up, when to get on them, when not to get on them.?

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