Big Ten Media Days 2012: Top Storylines to Follow Heading into Friday's Action

There couldn't be a worse time for certain members of the Big Ten to face the world.

Just days after the NCAA slapped colossal sanctions on Penn State, the conference kicked off its media days, which began with a day full of 15-minute press conferences on Thursday.

That was the easy part. Friday is the big day, when each coach and a select few players will participate in two-hour sessions with the media, according to AnnArbor.com. That's when brand-new Penn State boss Bill O'Brien, and the rest of the Big Ten coaches, will really have to face the music.

Here are the top storylines to follow heading into the second of the conference's two media days. 

Silas Redd and the Penn State Insanity

There isn't a team in a more devastating state of limbo than Penn State.

Despite the fact that a handful of players pledged their allegiance to the program on Wednesday, all of them still have the freedom to jump ship without facing any penalties from the NCAA. Anyone who wants to leave can leave without having to sit out a year.

This means that Bill O'Brien, in his first media day experience as the head coach of the Nittany Lions, will certainly be answering a lot of questions about Silas Redd's future plans.

The star running back has been mum on whether he plans to stick around in State College or transfer to a program that can actually give him the opportunity to win before he graduates.

A program such as USC, perhaps.

Don't expect O'Brien to give anything away. He, after all, probably knows as little as we do. That being said, there's no one facing more uncertainty than he is at the moment. He has no idea who will be on his team come September. Friday won't be an easy day for him. 

Can Ohio State Rebound?

Last year was a strange year for the Big Ten. The Buckeyes and the Wolverines, traditionally two of the strongest programs in the conference, were about as intimidating as the Cleveland Browns.

Furthermore, as far as the Buckeyes are concerned, a second straight year with a losing record just isn't going to cut it.

It's a big year for Ohio State, not only because it can't afford to spend another year dwelling in fourth place in the Leaders Division, but also because it's Urban Meyer's chance to restore the Buckeyes to glory.

Think back to when Charlie Weis took over at Notre Dame way back in 2005. This is going to be like that, except a thousand times more intense.

Now that Penn State is all but officially out of the running in the division, it would seem that only Wisconsin is standing in the Buckeyes' way of the division title. Meyer's work is cut out for him, and the pressure is on. 

Can Wisconsin Do It Again?

As Ohio State and Penn State have failed to get the job done over the last couple of years, Wisconsin has stepped into the void and established itself as the team to beat in the Leaders Division.

However, with a retooled Ohio State debuting in 2012, defending its title just got a lot more challenging for the Badgers. 

For two straight years, Wisconsin has been the Big Ten's contender in the Rose Bowl. Despite the fact that this team will have to fend off Ohio State and Michigan to get back there again, it certainly helps that Montee Ball and James White will be around to help fight for the cause.

In 2011, the explosive rushing tandem combined for 2,636 yards and 39 touchdowns, and Ball led all NCAA running backs with an unbelievable 33 scores. That's almost double what the second-best back, LaMichael James, managed to put up.

Once again, he bodes to be the key to the Badgers' season.