Barry Alvarez got a phone call earlier this year from an old rival. On the other end was former Ohio State football coach John Cooper.
Cooper, who was scouting for Cincinnati, spoke with concern about talent in the Big Ten Conference.
"He was going through the league," said Alvarez, Wisconsin's athletics director and former football coach. "And he felt there was a heck of a drop-off in talent (in the Big Ten).
"I mean, look at all the years where you would have six, seven, eight, 10 guys from the league taken in the first round (of the NFL Draft). This year we had our guy (Wisconsin's Travis Frederick), and that's the only one. That's not normal for our league."
When Frederick was the 31st player selected in April's draft, 11 players from the Southeastern Conference had already been snapped up by NFL teams.
That is one big reason Big Ten football stands in the SEC's shadow these days — and outside the national spotlight. Plain and simple, Alvarez said: "We've got to recruit better."
Big Ten vs. SEC
Ohio State won the Big Ten's last national championship, in 2002. The SEC has won eight since then, including the last seven. This has come at a time when the Big Ten's talent level has eroded, if you believe the NFL Draft paints an accurate picture.
The Big Ten had six first-round picks in 2011, four in 2012 and one this year. The SEC had 10 in 2011, nine in 2012 and 12 in 2013.
Two of those SEC national titles, in 2006 and 2008, were won by Urban Meyer at Florida. He's now the coach at Ohio State. Appearing on a Columbus, Ohio, radio station right before signing day in February, Meyer said the Big Ten needed to step it up in recruiting.
"It's not only important, it's essential," Meyer said.
Asked last week about his challenge to other Big Ten coaches to recruit better, Meyer took exception.
"There was never a challenge," Meyer said. "I was asked a question about recruiting and what the SEC has over the Big Ten. I simply said they had great players. What's the answer? We have to start winning bowl games."
The Big Ten was 2-5 in bowls last season. Winning bowls starts with winning recruiting battles. Ohio State had the second-ranked recruiting class in 2013, according to Rivals.com. Michigan was ranked fifth and Nebraska 17th. Six of the top 10 schools were from the SEC, with Alabama No. 1.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who has had great success developing players who are not on top-100 lists, said Meyer's words didn't bring a rush of motivation.
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"We're all trying our best to win," Ferentz said. "I think it's been that way for a long time."
Asked how the Big Ten can become a powerful force again, Ferentz pointed to football's cyclical nature.
"Nobody is going to argue right now that the SEC has played outstanding football, the teams that have won national championships," Ferentz said. "That Alabama outfit last year was fairly impressive. That's happened in history, too."
Ferentz pointed to Southern California, which appeared to have a dynasty in place a few years back. The Trojans, ranked No. 1 in the 2012 Associated Press preseason poll, lost five of their final six games to finish 7-6.
"My point is five years ago everyone was saying, 'Who is ever going to beat Southern Cal?' " Ferentz said. "Well, a lot of teams beat them last year. And I don't mean that disrespectfully to them. Right now the question is, 'Who is going to beat Alabama?' "
Hoops comparison
Alvarez brought up another sport to make a point about the revolving landscape of college football.
"A few years ago we had this same discussion about basketball as athletic directors, and we had to make the nonconference schedule stronger," Alvarez said. "We got good coaches in this league, and you see what happened."
The Big Ten was considered the best basketball conference in the nation last season. Michigan was the national runner-up. Ohio State also reached the Elite Eight, and Indiana was a No. 1 seed and reached the Sweet 16. The league's seven qualifying teams had a 14-7 record in the NCAA Tournament.
In the Big Ten, football is trying to make a similar turnaround following coaching changes at major programs.
"You put Urban in the league, and I think we have good coaches in here now," Alvarez said. "(Brady) Hoke has done a nice job of resurrecting that program (Michigan). (Bill) O'Brien has done a heck of a job in a short time (at Penn State). I'm sure my guy (Gary Andersen) will do a good job. Kirk has always been a good coach. I think it looks like we've got strong coaching again."
Michigan's swoon under Rich Rodriguez, Ohio State's bowl ban last season and Penn State's multi-year postseason ban are several factors in the Big Ten's national dip in stature. To many, the Big Ten is Ohio State and Michigan. Both look poised to make a run at national prominence again.
"I think that's always the perception here," Alvarez said. "As long as I've been here, who is the preseason pick? Ohio State and Michigan. We've just won three in a row. But it doesn't make any difference. They have good players, and they'll always have good players. But good players don't always win."
Ferentz, who beat SEC teams in bowl games in 2004 (Florida), 2005 (LSU) and 2009 (South Carolina), said Big Ten coaches met with commissioner Jim Delany last week. One subject discussed was how to get Big Ten football back in the fast lane.
"Those are topics we talk about, but I think we've all been trying to win since Day 1," Ferentz said.
Rick Brown also writes for The Des Moines Register, a Gannett company.
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