(Photo by Domenic Centofanti/Getty Images)

I was stunned when I logged on to my Twitter feed and saw that Dr. Myles Brand, NCAA President, had died from pancreatic cancer. He was 67.

Brand was known mostly for being the Indiana University President who fired Bob Knight.

When Dr. Brand took over the NCAA a few years later he was the first academic to lead the organization.

While I didn’t always agree with certain elements of how the NCAA functions (and I still don’t), I do believe that Dr. Brand’s commitment to making sure that the focus was on the student athlete was always the proper approach.

As someone who works in higher education, I think that the idea of trying to ensure that student athletes are making proper academic progress to degree completion is a noble thing—and in my mind is the right thing to do.

I am also a believer in Brand’s mission to make sure that athletics are better integrated into the missions of institutions of higher education.

His background as an academic and as president at two BCS institutions played a big role in his ability to try and move the NCAA in a better direction—one that was more responsive to the needs of the member institutions and also focused on the concept of the holistic student athlete.

It’s a shame that he will not be around to further move the NCAA in the right direction.

With that said, let’s line up for Four Downs:

1) Freshmen Quarterback Play

To start discussing Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier and USC quarterback Matt Barkley, I need to steal from the PGA Tour’s advertisements:

These guys are good.

Barkley’s raw numbers were not great on Saturday night, but when he needed to be centered, controlled, and focused leading the final drive, he was not rattled at all.

Yes, it helps to have Joe McKnight and Stafon Johnson in the backfield (and McKnight did much of the heavy lifting on the drive). But the 26-yard-pass to tight end Anthony McCoy looked gorgeous and showed me that he will be ready to have the weight on his shoulders sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, in Ann Arbor Forcier went 5-for-7 for 56 yards and a winning touchdown pass running the two minute drill for the Wolverines. While it may still be a bit early to say that the Wolverines have turned the corner, this football team looks much improved over the squad that they fielded last season.

2) Questionable Play Calling

I don’t want to detract from the stories that are being woven about these two freshmen quarterbacks, but I found the play-calling by the Buckeyes and the Fighting Irish to be odd.

Odd may not be the right word.

Confusing might be more apropos.

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