Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, April 20, 2016

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany is at it again, as reports indicate he is beginning to assemble new boffo TV deal, with the first part being a six-year deal with FOX. Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com thinks the truncated agreement makes sense.

Dobbs says evidence that the Big Ten signed a shorter-term deal hoping to cash in sooner next decade: The reported deal would expire before the existing agreements of the four other Power Five conferences. The Big 12's contracts with ESPN and Fox expire after the 2024-25 season. The Pac-12 deal expires in 2023-24. The SEC and ACC have agreements that go into the 2030s.

The Big Ten is at the end of a 10-year football deal with ESPN and a six-year basketball-only deal with CBS.

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This is pretty cool: Rivals.com looks at the top football recruit from each Big Ten school in the rivals.com era. Lots of busts in this group. So, let that be a word of warning to you.

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Nigel Hayes has declared for the NBA draft. But, he can still return to school.

I have to think Hayes will return. If he doesn?t, the Badgers still will be good ? but I don?t think they will be as legit Big Ten contenders as Michigan State and Indiana.

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Big blow for Michigan State, which has parted ways with defensive tackle Craig Evans and defensive end Montez Sweat.

Mike Griffith of Mlive.com says the projected starting front four remains the same, with preseason All-American candidate Malik McDowell and sixth-year senior Damon Knox at defensive tackles, and junior Demetrius Cooper and senior Evan Jones at the ends. But depth takes a hit without Evans and Sweat.

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Penn State has announced its game themes for 2016.

The program's annual White Out game will take place on Oct. 22, when Ohio State comes to Beaver Stadium. The last time the Buckeyes played at Penn State was Oct. 2014, when the Lions fell 31-24 to Urban Meyer. OSU has won four of the last five contests between the schools; Penn State hasn't beaten the Buckeyes since 2010, when it won 20-14 in Columbus. OSU leads the all-time series, 17-13.

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Spike Albrecht at Purdue or Indiana? Maybe.

Albrecht averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 assists last season before lingering pain forced him to shut down his senior season. His season was derailed by a prolonged recovery from offseason hip surgery a year ago. At last week's Michigan awards banquet, Albrecht told reporters he is scheduled to see a doctor and review new X-rays of his hips to see if he's still on track to be healthy for 2016-17. He would be a nice addition to whatever school he landed at. I?d want him.

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Iowa is down one top cornerback reserve, as Maurice Fleming is transferring. The Hawkeye secondary already was thin. Now, it?s thinner. Not good.

With Fleming gone, the top four corners are Desmond King, Greg Mabin, Joshua Jackson and freshman Michael Ojemudia (who impressed coaches in the fall, but redshirted). It's possible that Fleming's departure could help free up a scholarship this summer for walk-on starting free safety Brandon Snyder.

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The excitement continues to build for incoming Minnesota hoopster Amir Coffey-son of Richard.

?He?s got phenomenal potential,? Richard Pitino said recently. ?At 6-foot-7, to pass like he can pass, to handle (the ball) like he can handle it, he?s going to have to make an impact right away for us. I know he?s excited about that. When I watch him play, the things he can do from an offensive standpoint really excite me.

?Freshmen are always going to have their issues with defense, like all guys do. But I just think he puts a lot of people in a lot of binds in what we want to do. We do a lot of pick-and-roll motion. He can see over the top of guys, so that really excites me.?

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Cleveland.com has a good look at the Buckeyes? 2016-17 non-league men's basketball foes.

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