Another year of college football is in the books. Mark down more jersey combinations for the University of Oregon, another Rose Bowl loss for the Big Ten and another NCAA Championship going to the bully Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Mark down a turnaround for the University of Michigan, disappointments for the Ohio State University and for the University of Notre Dame, and another year of sanctions for the University of Southern California. Mark down another year of BCS questions, another quarterback Heisman winner and four wins for your Miami University RedHawks.
This all seems like the typical college football season, but 2011 also brought some unpleasant memories that will live in the minds of college football fans for a long time to come. The second edition of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly looks at the year that was college football.
The good — The story of Eric LeGrand: Every college football season has its fair share of these so-called "feel good stories," but one moment in 2011 took everyone's breath away. In a game during Oct. 2010 against Army, Rutgers University defensive tackle Eric LeGrand was at the bottom of a pile after a collision on special teams.
When the pile lifted, LeGrand was left on the ground unable to move. Doctors told him that he would be a quadriplegic for life, or lucky to walk again or have any use of body parts below his neck. But now, here we are a year later and LeGrand is making more progress than anyone expected.
After getting a Twitter over the summer, LeGrand started to tweet pictures of himself as he recovered. By the end of the summer, he had over 12,000 followers.
At a Rutgers game this past October, LeGrand led his teammates out on the field for their game against West Virginia University. Talk about a feel-good moment.
LeGrand is a reminder for everyone of the dangers that exist in this game. There is no doubt in my mind that the story of Eric LeGrand and his recovery is the story of the year in college football. Forget the Penn State scandal or the BCS Championship re-match; Eric LeGrand takes the crown without a question.
The Bad — Conference Realignment: Somebody please tell me what the Big East is doing. Oh wait, I think I've got it. They are hitting the panic button.
That is what happened when the Big East added the Naval Academy, Air Force, Southern Methodist University (SMU), Boise State University, the University of Central Florida (UCF) and San Diego State University.
After losing West Virginia University, the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University to other conferences, the Big East decided to forgo geographic locations and add a few schools that don't make sense whatsoever.
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The addition of Texas Christian University (TCU) last year didn't make much sense for the conference and it obviously didn't either for TCU, who left the Big East before they even participated in it.
Schools like UCF and Navy make sense for the Big East geographically, but SMU, Air Force, Boise State and San Diego State don't.
Non-conference games are some of the most anticipated and exciting games on any team's schedule year after year, but games in conference play are where rivalries begin. I just can't see the Big East being a conference like this, because let's be honest, none of these teams playing each other is an intriguing match-up to watch.
The Ugly — Following the Money: The ugly crown for this college football season goes to, surprise, surprise, Penn State. But not in the way that you might think.
It's no secret that everything in college football is about money, but that's not the way it should be.
Sadly though, it has evolved into much more than that, and the Penn State scandal is just another example of this.
It's all about money. Just ask the University of Texas or the University of Nebraska. A year after Nebraska jumped ship for the Big Ten because the Big 12 didn't have their own television network, the Longhorns created their own sports network for all of their athletic events.
As a result of this, Texas A&M University and the University of Missouri left the Big 12 because they wouldn't be able to compete with Texas in coverage and in securing the big-time recruit.
These two schools aren't the only ones who are guilty of "following the money."
Ohio State has done the same thing. In last winter's Sugar Bowl, the Buckeyes allowed some of their star players to play in the game after they had been caught in what some like to call "Tattoo-Gate." Whether or not that rule should be in place in the NCAA, it is, and some of the Buckeye players knowingly, and I mean knowingly, broke that rule.
But when you win a bowl game, especially a big BCS bowl, you get more money than you do for participating. Once again, it is all about the money.
No one needs an explanation as to what happened to Penn State this year after the scandal of Jerry Sandusky came to light. But unfortunately, there were some things that the university should have done post-scandal.
First of all, the game against Nebraska the week after the Sandusky incident came to light should NOT have been played. I understand the players on the field had nothing to do with what happened in this past, but unfortunately, college football isn't about the fans or the players, it's all about the money.
Even Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini came out earlier in the week and said he couldn't believe the game was still on.
Finally, at the end of the season, Penn State should have forfeited their right to play in a bowl game. It sent the wrong message to parents, the Penn State community and the college football world, since Penn State made money off of their bowl game appearance.
This game has become more than "pure" football. It has become a game based on nothing but "following the money trail."
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