BTN/BTN2Go aired five hours of live televised coverage of the 2012 Big Ten Media Day, including press conferences of all 12 head football coaches. Watch those conversations now and track all of the news in BTN.com’s special Big Ten Media Day section.

Athletes are notorious for being superstitious. Thanks to a YouTube video from GopherAthletics, we learned Minnesota quarterback MarQueis Gray is quite fond of his jersey number: No. 5. Like to the point that he considers the perfect glass of water to be one with five ice cubes. But truly, who knows if Gray is that particular, because the senior quarterback could have been trying to entertain while he was mic’d up for the fun Big Ten Media Days feature. Watch the full video in this post.

I spent most of Thursday listening to Big Ten coaches and officials address the upcoming season among other topics, then I filed these reports throughout the day. Here are a few extra notes from my notebook of Thursday’s Big Ten Media Day.

Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald is a smart man who calls himself the “youngest ‘old school’ coach” in the nation. But he had one of the most radical ideas today to deal with the perceived competitive imbalance between the Legends and Leaders Divisions.

We’re clipping video from all four hours of our BTN coverage of the Big Ten Media Day and posting it below, as well as in other posts. We posted all available video throughout Thursday and now present the entire collection to in this post. Don’t forget: Also Friday, BTN airs a 90-minute Big Ten Football Kickoff Luncheon Special at 8 p.m. ET, hosted by Dave Revsine, with analysis from BTN’s Gerry DiNardo and Howard Griffith. Watch it live on BTN/BTN2Go.

Like every other conference, the Big Ten is trying to catch the SEC. The Big Ten hasn’t won a national title since Ohio State claimed the crown in 2002. Before that, Michigan won a share of the 1997 championship. But since then, the Big Ten has come up empty with Ohio State losing the BCS title game in 2006 and 2007.

The first session of the 2012 Big Ten Football Media Days is in the books. Catch up on all the happenings from Thursday’s festivities at the Hyatt McCormick Place with my media day notebook in this post. Also, check out my interview with former Michigan walk-on and current standout Jordan Kovacs. And don’t forget that we’re back at it again Friday morning. Have a question you want me to ask you favorite Big Ten player or coach? Tweet it to me (@BTNBrentYarina).

With Illinois sending coaches to State College, Pa., to be available to talk to Penn State players interested in transferring out of the Nittany Lions program, there could be a growing rivalry between the schools. Does Beckman think things will be more intense than usual when Penn State plays at Illinois on Sept. 29?

Most coaches were asked about recruiting Penn State players after a recent report  that Illinois had assistant coaches at Penn State, presumably to recruit Nittany Lions who are eligible to transfer to any school and play immediately. Ohio State coach Urban Meyer isn’t doing it. Neither is Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema. But other Big Ten coaches are recruiting Nittany Lions—or wouldn’t be opposed to it.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer discussed what it’s like to come into his first year in the Big Ten among other topics during his press conference at Big Ten Media Day on Thursday. Find all of our Big Ten Media Day coverage.

The Leaders Division has a unique situation in that just four of the six teams will be eligible for the conference title with Ohio State and Penn State ineligible due to NCAA probation. Does that mean things will be easier for Wisconsin in its run to defend it division crown?

It can be argued that Wisconsin and Michigan State have become the top programs in the Big Ten. The teams met in the inaugural Big Ten championship game and have won a combined 44 games the last two seasons. No Big Ten schools can match that. Wisconsin has advanced to the last two Rose Bowls, while Michigan State has won 11 games each of the past two seasons and claimed a share of the 2010 title. So, is this a burgeoning rivalry?

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio discussed the rivalry with Michigan State among other topics during his press conference at Big Ten Media Day on Thursday. Find all of our Big Ten Media Day coverage.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz talked about what it was like to be the longest tenured Big Ten football coach among other topics during his press conference at Big Ten Media Day on Thursday. Find all of our Big Ten Media Day coverage.

Michigan coach Brady Hoke talked about the Wolverines’ offseason leadership program and Joran Kovacs (see video Q&A here)  among other topics during his press conference at Big Ten Media Day on Thursday. Find all of our Big Ten Media Day coverage.