Big Ten Football: Each Team's Weakest Position Group for 2015

Every team has its weakness. Even a Big Ten monolith like Ohio State, which seems so indestructible from the outside, has a thermal exhaust port hiding somewhere.

The key is being able to exploit it.

The following list considers both 2014 performance and 2015 roster composition. Returning players weighed more heavily than incoming players, but incoming players were obviously considered.

Freshmen cannot be discounted after a season in which J.T. Barrett, Ohio State's first-year quarterback, won Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Mikey Dudek, Illinois' first-year receiver, finished No. 3 in the conference in receiving yards.

Sound off below and let us know where you agree/disagree.

Note: All recruiting info refers to the 247Sports composite rankings.

Illinois: Linebackers

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Top Returning Players

• WLB Mason Monheim
• MLB T.J. Neal
• LEO Dawuane Smoot
• STAR Eric Finney

Key Losses

• STAR Earnest Thomas III
• LEO DeJazz Woods

Mason Monheim is as great as his stats (111 tackles) indicate, and T.J. Neal (98 tackles) is solid. But the "Leo" and "Star" spots, which in theory should make plays in the backfield, lose both starters from a unit that did not make plays in the backfield. Dawuane Smoot is a rising junior who had 1.5 tackles for loss in the Heart of Dallas Bowl; if he can make the leap this offseason, it would be a much-needed boon.

Indiana: Defensive Backs

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Top Returning Players

• FS Antonio Allen
• CB Michael Hunter
• SS Chase Dutra
• CB Rashard Fant

Key Losses

• CB Tim Bennett
• SS Mark Murphy

Indiana's pass defense, which already ranked last in the Big Ten in yards per game, will next year lose its best cornerback, Tim Bennett, and its starting strong safety, Mark Murphy. Antonio Allen was an All-Big Ten honorable mention at free safety, and he'll do his best to hold this group together. But that might be above his pay grade.

Iowa: Wide Receivers

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Top Returning Players

• Tevaun Smith
• Jake Duzey (TE)
• Matt VandeBerg
• Jacob Hillyer
• Andrew Stone

Key Losses

• Kevonte Martin-Manley
• Damond Powell

It's a tossup between running backs and wide receivers, both of which feature one dependable player (RB Jordan Canzeri; WR Tevaun Smith) and little else. But you need more receivers than running backs, and Matt VandeBerg and Jacob Hillyer are a notable drop-off from Kevonte Martin-Manley and Damon Powell. Smith and tight end Jake Duzey will have to carry the load next season.

Maryland: Linebackers

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Top Returning Players

• OLB Yannick Ngakoue
• ILB Jermaine Carter
• OLB Jalen Brooks
• OLB Jesse Aniebonam

Key Losses

• ILB Cole Farrand
• ILB L.A. Goree
• OLB Matt Robinson
• OLB Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil

Maryland loses five of its top six linebackers, turning a position of strength into one of weakness. Yannick Ngakoue was an All-Big Ten honorable mention, and true freshman Jesse Aniebonam, a Top 130 player in the 2014 recruiting class, showed hints of future stardom. But the inside losses of L.A. Goree and (especially) Cole Farrand will be hard to overcome in run defense.

Michigan: Quarterbacks

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Top Returning Players

• Shane Morris
• Russell Bellomy
• Wilton Speight
• Alex Malzone*

Key Losses

• Devin Gardner

Michigan has holes throughout the roster, but none are more important (nor so glaring) as the one at quarterback. Yes, he was put into a bad position, but Shane Morris still completed 14-of-40 passes for 128 yards and three interceptions last season. Redshirt freshman Wilton Speight has a big arm, and incoming freshman Alex Malzone has a chance to turn some heads in camp. But none of these guys are Colin Kapernick or Andrew Luck.

*True freshman

Michigan State: Defensive Backs

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Top Returning Players

• SS RJ Williamson
• SS Montae Nicholson
• CB Darian Hicks
• FS Demetrious Cox

Key Losses

• CB Trae Waynes
• FS Kurtis Drummond

Pour one out for the No Fly Zone; it's officially a thing of the past. Michigan State gave up 24 passing plays of 30-plus yards last season, tied for No. 110 in the country, and now the Spartans lose their top two defensive backs. Darian Hicks was…meh opposite Trae Waynes at cornerback, and a revolving door of safeties played next to Kurtis Drummond. True freshman Montae Nicholson showed potential, but there is a serious lack of star power in this secondary.

Minnesota: Receivers

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Top Returning Players

• KJ Maye
• Donovahn Jones
• Drew Wolitarsky

Key Losses

• Maxx Williams (TE)
• Isaac Fruechte

Losing All-Big Ten tight end Maxx Williams, who declared for the NFL draft, was a crippling blow for this offense. KJ Maye and Donovahn Jones combined for just 27 catches last season, although they did make the most of those catches by stretching the field (20.4 yards per catch). The Gophers need Drew Wolitarksy, who missed most of the season with an injury, to come back healthy and replace some of Williams' numbers as a possession receiver.

Nebraska: Quarterbacks

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Key Returning Players

• Tommy Armstrong
• Ryker Fyfe
• Johnny Stanton

There are pieces in place to take over for Ameer Abdullah, Kenny Bell and Randy Gregory. The drop-off from them to their replacements, however, means the Huskers need an upgrade at quarterback. Tommy Armstrong has been perfectly average (i.e., not good enough), and Johnny Stanton and Ryker Fyfe have been practice-field-only darlings.

"[We] need to look at our roster, have a clean slate and make sure we're playing the best guy," new offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf told Sam McKewon of The Omaha World-Herald.

At what point does one of the backups see the field?

Northwestern: Quarterbacks

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Key Returning Players

• Zack Oliver
• Matt Alviti
• Clayton Thorson

Key Losses

• Trevor Siemian

Zack Oliver started the biggest game of Northwestern's season. Beat Illinois at home, and the Wildcats would make a bowl game. Instead, Oliver threw three interceptions, lost a fumble and probably cost himself the starting job in 2015. Redshirt sophomore Matt Alviti and redshirt freshman Clayton Thorson were both 4-star recruits, so the potential exists for one of them to play well (in what has always been a QB-friendly system). Until they do, this choice is easy.

Ohio State: Defensive Backs

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Key Returning Players

• S Vonn Bell
• S Tyvis Powell
• CB Armani Reeves
• CB Eli Apple

Key Losses

• CB Doran Grant

It's hard to find a weakness on a team with no real weakness, but comparatively, the defensive backs stick out. Doran Grant made huge strides in 2014, becoming an All-Big Ten cornerback after struggling as a junior, and his absence could throw a wrench into the system. Not because the roster lacks talent—OSU has recruited cornerbacks better than any other position—but simply because change is change. And really...because what else am I supposed to say?

Penn State: Offensive Line

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Top Returning Players

• OC Angelo Mangiro
• OT Andrew Nelson
• OG Brian Gaia
• OB Brendan Mahon
• OT Paris Palmer*

Key Losses

• OT Donovan Smith
• OG Miles Dieffenbach

Penn State had the worst offensive line in the Big Ten—and possibly in any power conference—last season. It finished No. 111 in adjusted line yards (run blocking) and No. 101 in adjusted sack rate (pass blocking), per Football Outsiders, and now loses two of its three best players in Donovan Smith and Miles Dieffenbach. Andrew Nelson had a promising freshman season, and Paris Palmer comes from JUCO with high expectations, but this group as a whole is still lacking.

*JUCO transfer in 2015

Purdue: Running Back

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Top Returning Players

• Keyante Green

Key Losses

• Akeem Hunt
• Raheem Mostert
• Brandon Cottom

Akeem Hunt (949 rushing yards) and Raheem Mostert (529 rushing yards) formed a solid one-two running back combo, but both were seniors in 2014. Keyante Green (199 rushing yards) is the only "experienced" player returning; behind him, there is potential but no live reps. Former backup Dalyn Dawkins transferred to Colorado State in May, throwing off the Boilermakers' intended succession plan.

Rutgers: Quarterbacks

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Top Returning Players

• Hayden Rettig*
• Chris Laviano
• Giovanni Rescigno

Key Losses

• Gary Nova

Hayden Rettig is a former 4-star recruit who sat out last season after transferring from LSU (*cough* because he couldn't beat out Anthony Jennings). He is the presumed favorite to start after Chris Laviano, last year's backup, finished his freshman season with a 39.3 percent completion rate. The Penn State game notwithstanding, Gary Nova played pretty well his senior season—and Rutgers' entire offense followed suit. Replacing him will not be so easy, although the return of All-Big Ten receiver Leonte Carroo will help.

*Transfer from LSU

Wisconsin: Wide Receivers

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Top Returning Players

• Alex Erickson
• Troy Fumagalli (TE)
• Jordan Fredrick

Key Losses

• Sam Arneson (TE)
• Kenzel Doe

Alex Erickson was a serviceable replacement for Jared Abbrederis and should have another strong year in 2015. But after him there is…not a lot to work with. Wisconsin's offense is tight end-dominant, and the loss of Sam Arneson (after 2014) and Jacob Pedersen (after 2013) has stripped this depth chart thin. Kenzel Doe was last year's No. 3 pass-catcher; his loss puts even more strain on Erickson.