Posted by: Chris Vannini on June 19, 2013

Big Ten Network analyst and former coach Gerry Dinardo believes Ohio State offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach Tom Herman could land a head-coaching job soon.

Expectations are high for the 2013 Buckeyes offense, in the second year under head coach Urban Meyer and with a load of playmakers returning. With so much talent and experience, it allows Herman to toy with some new ideas.

One of those ideas is a diamond formation. Herman talked with BTN's Tom Dienhart about the formation and where it came form.

"It's kind of an inverted Wishbone," he said. "Dana Holgorsen did a good job with it a few years back at Oklahoma State when he had (Brandon) Weeden and (Justin) Blackmon. He was getting into it to get single coverage on Blackmon. He would put three backs in the game, or two backs with a fullback/tight end guy. And Dana would have a two-play check to where if defenses double Blackmon, they were going to run it. And if they didn't, they were going to throw it to Blackmon. I have been studying it for a couple of years.

"It has evolved a little bit to where guys are running a lot more plays out of the formation. It has been fun. It has been fun for our guys because we are pretty deep at tailback. ... But we don't want to stray too far from what we are. But at the same time, if we have the opportunity to get some of our better players on the field and have a compact four- or five-play package we all feel good we can execute, I think it's worth the investment."

Herman said he'd like to be able to use it for a few plays each game and see how defenses align, but it will be determined by several factors. Herman spoke with 49ers coaches on the phone about how they used Colin Kapernick and got tape. Herman said it's hard for coaches to hide anything anymore with digital video, but emphasized that, while new formations focus on the skill positions, it has to work with the offensive line, too.

You can read the entire Q&A by clicking here.

Chris Vannini is the lead writer for CoachingSearch.com and has covered Michigan State sports for The State News, The Oakland Press and MLive.com. He writes a weekly column for the Detroit Free Press on behalf of SB Nation. Vannini lives in Big Ten country, so his foot speed is far from SEC caliber, but his pulse on coaches is hard to match. Be sure to follow @CoachingBuzz on twitter and send your feedback to chris@coachingsearch.com

Posted by: Chris Vannini on June 19, 2013

Brady Hoke has a lot of pride in Michigan, but that goes for the Big Ten as well.

Hoke joined 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland and was asked about Big Ten perception. Specifically, if it's better for the conference when Michigan and Ohio State are near the top.

Hoke replied by saying he wants everyone in the conference to do well.

"We all have that pride in the conference we represent," he said. "You look at Bo Pelini and Nebraska over the last three years, Wisconsin, what they've done over the course of some time, Penn State is a team I have the utmost respect for Bill O'Brien as a man and as a football coach. All the teams are working hard. Northwestern and Iowa in our division are always a problem for us. Obviously Mark Dantonio and what they've done at Michigan State.

"When you look at the conference, I think people get a little overly zealous when they think the SEC is where they play football. When you look at the track record of the Big Ten, they play awfully good football."

When talking about the future of the Big Ten, people point to recruiting rankings, where a great class nationally doesn't necessarily mean it's great relative to the rest of the SEC. A few months ago, we looked at where first-round picks are coming from, and it's not a surprise most are coming from the South.

The Big Ten is at a disadvantage by not having fertile recruiting grounds, but Hoke still thinks conference schools are doing well with what they have and what they're looking for.

"I really believe in this conference, and everyone has to recruit the way they need to recruit for their school," he said. "It's all different. There are some that may have some things that they're very proud of and may be a little better in some people's eyes. But you look at the recruiting that Minnesota, Jerry Kill and his staff have done. It's an amazing conference of coaches that work awfully hard."

You can listen to Hoke's interview by clicking here.

Chris Vannini is the lead writer for CoachingSearch.com and has covered Michigan State sports for The State News, The Oakland Press and MLive.com. He writes a weekly column for the Detroit Free Press on behalf of SB Nation. Vannini lives in Big Ten country, so his foot speed is far from SEC caliber, but his pulse on coaches is hard to match. Be sure to follow @CoachingBuzz on twitter and send your feedback to chris@coachingsearch.com

Posted by: Chris Vannini on June 19, 2013

Tuesday night's Game 6 of the NBA Finals may have been the most-exciting finish to a game in Finals history.

The San Antonio Spurs led by four with 28 seconds left and shooting free throws. The championship was in the bag. But missed free throws, missed rebounds and two Miami Heat three-pointers sent the game to OT, where the Heat forced a Game 7.

After the game, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra provided some good perspective. For three years, the Heat have been favorites to win it all. They lost in the 2011 Finals and won it all last year. The 2013 series has been back and forth, but Spoelstra has always done a good job of appreciating the moments.

"Look, if you said Sept. 29th when we started on our trip going to China if we could decide this season with a Game 7 in our building, every single one of us take it," he said. "You know, they're the best two words in team sports, "Game 7."

He was asked if the Heat felt lucky to be reaching a Game 7, but again turned it around to appreciating the competition.

"I'm not sure what you mean by that," Spoelstra said to the reporter. "But absolutely, we feel very grateful we have an opportunity to play for a title in a Game 7. Our guys aren't looking for games that are less meaningful. We're looking for games that are more meaningful. And there's nothing bigger than a Game 7. But look, to say that it's been all us really is a discredit to the competition. We're facing an equal rival right now, and that's competition at its best."

A large amount of fans actually began to leave the arena in the final seconds and the championship trophy was being pulled out. Spoelstra was asked if the Heat noticed that.

"Come on. At that time I don't think anybody noticed," he said. "That's probably the best way to live in life is in the moment, and that will guarantee you're in the moment."

If you were wondering about Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, he used fewer words in responding to questions than the media did in asking them.

And those fans that left the arena were not allowed back in. Maybe they learned their lesson.

Chris Vannini is the lead writer for CoachingSearch.com and has covered Michigan State sports for The State News, The Oakland Press and MLive.com. He writes a weekly column for the Detroit Free Press on behalf of SB Nation. Vannini lives in Big Ten country, so his foot speed is far from SEC caliber, but his pulse on coaches is hard to match. Be sure to follow @CoachingBuzz on twitter and send your feedback to chris@coachingsearch.com