While we noted below that there seems to be some maneuvering in the Gophers' quarterback depth chart, at least it's not at the top.

Other Big Ten schools aren't so lucky. Quarterback battles (or at least headaches) are commonplace in college football, and the Big Ten is no different this year.

For instance, the Hoosiers and Wolverines tabbies are still in quarterback compeition mode.

If you're like me and you are excited to eventually see Marqueis Gray in action, taking things slow (possibly redshirting him)  shouldn't be a surprise. The Ohio State Buckeyes are doing the same thing with uber-recruit Terrelle Pryor. The Columbus Post-Dispatch says Pryor will likely be third on the depth chart behind Todd Boeckman and Joe Bauserman and will possibly be used in change-of-pace scenarios.

• Nothing resemblilng QB competition in Illinois. Ron Zook says Juice Williams is much improved
• The Star Tribune's Kent Youngblood reports that practices following Saturday's scrimmage will be less physical.
• From the take it with a grain of salt department, Charley Walters of the PiPress suggests Sunday that the "Gophers 6-10 freshman Cole Iverson appears to be more ready to play physically in the Big Ten Conference this season than teammate Ralph Sampson III, a 6-11 freshman."
• Rivals' Bob McClellan says Tubby Smith's Gophers are the 63rd best team in the country heading into '08. That should mean NCAA Touranment bound!
• Hopkins forward Mike Broghammer made an unofficial visit to see Tubby Smith last weekend. The Gophers haven't offered Broghammer yet, but according to Rivals (subscription), some high-majors--including Penn State and Notre Dame--have started to increase their interest in him.
• The Gonzaga blog The Kennel Report says Osseo big Sam Dower "Is a favorite to become a Zag for the next four years." We shall see about that. Dower visited with Tubby last week. But his comments to the Pioneer Press recently were rather odd. "Tubby's a real good coach," he said. "He did some good things at Kentucky. I know he's going to do something good at Minnesota, so I wouldn't mind him being my coach."  If he wouldn't mind playing for Tubby, he's probably totally indifferent to Mark Few! Rivals reports five programs have offered the 3-star power forward (#35 in the country). They are Minnesota, Gonzaga, George Mason, Marquette and California.
• Fluff piece here from the STrib on tight end Jack Simmons. Looks like he'll be wearing #15 this year in honor of his father, Terry Simmons, who played for the Gophers in the '70s. Ahhhhhhh.
• Speaking of tight ends, Indiana's redshirt freshman Max Dedmond is receiving rave reviews out of Hoosiers camp. At 6'5, 240 pounds, Dedmond is lining up in the slot during camp and is being compared to the Indianapolis Colts' multi-purpose tight end Dallas Clark, so says the Indy Star.
• From the Des Moines Register's Hawkeye Insider we learn that Kirk Ferentz is not a very happy camper.  “If you take the top 46 guys, probably a third I can put in ink as to where they’re going to be, so that leaves a lot of wiggle room. I would have liked to have been a little further along in the evaluation process.” But as the coach said: “At least it was a beautiful day, weather-wise." Hahahaha.