Big Ten will have four "availability reports" per week

As sports betting continues to proliferate, college football is taking more steps aimed at minimizing inside information.

Via the Associated Press, the Big Ten announced on Friday that it will expand its requirement to submit player availability reports from one per week to four.

The rule, which applies only to in-conference games, mandates the submission of a report on each of the three days before a game, with a final report provided on game day.

The midweek reports require teams to identify players as probable, questionable, doubtful, out, or out for the first half. On game day, the categories will be game-time decision, out, or out for the first half.

The existence, and misuse, of inside information regarding player injuries continues to be one of the biggest potential sources of betting scandals. With more information provided to the public, less information will be private — and less information will be available to provide the basis for wagering by those who have access to it.

All conferences should have similar rules. All programs should strive to ensure that the inside information is kept to a minimum. For most coaches, however, the sacrifice of a strategic edge arising from misinformation outweighs the risk that someone will share the inside information (possibly for a fee) with someone who will try to turn it into a tidy profit.