The Big Ten isn't that far away from Central Catholic for Oregon's Emar'rion Winston

The Ducks linebacker is ready to face the big boys.

(GoDucks.com photo)

EUGENE — The Pac-12 was the league of the quarterbacks. 

It’s where teams spread their players out and offenses let it rip. 

It was a fun, goofy and affable conference whose front runners often dealt with the perception of being flashy. 

Good luck playing that fancy football against the grit and grime of those corn-fed folks out in America’s heartland. In the Big Ten they play tough football. They’ll run it up the gut over and over and over again. 

Ducks linebacker Emar’rion Winston knows the type.