Big Ten Football: Holiday Wish List for Every Team
Will the Big Ten end up on Santa's naughty or nice list this year?
We all have Christmas wishes we'd love to have fulfilled, and you can bet there are more than a few wish lists floating through the heads of coaches and athletic directors around the Big Ten.
With just a few shopping days left before Christmas, there isn't much time left to make sure all your loved ones' wishes will come true this year. We all love seeing the joy that comes with torn wrapping paper, opened packages and mountains of batteries.
And let's face it: We all love getting gifts, too.
The Big Ten was already rewarded when Ohio State earned a spot in the first-ever College Football Playoff and Michigan State earned a trip to the CFP-affiliated Cotton Bowl Classic. But that's just two teams that received an early present.
What about the rest of the conference?
What is—or, at least, should be—on the Big Ten's wish list this holiday season?
Illinois
1 of 14
Any Illinois fan can tell you the Tim Beckman years haven't been without some bumps in the road. The Illini are just 12-24 under the third-year head coach, but Illinois is back in a bowl game—so at least there's that.
So, yeah, a bowl win is obviously on the wish list, but there's quite a bit more than that.
A bowl win might give Beckman some momentum heading into 2015, although it's probably not enough to get him completely off the hot seat. Illinois still needs to progress, and some big recruiting victories this offseason would help. A lot.
And while we're wishing for stuff, let's wish for a little more common sense for Beckman.
He hasn't been the best public face of the University of Illinois during his tenure, with transgressions ranging from using chewing tobacco during a game to a lack of PR tact when it comes to dealing with the media.
Indiana
2 of 14
Indiana fans have become keenly aware the game of football is played on two sides of the ball, and their Hoosiers only do it well on one of those sides.
Indiana, when it has the football, can be one of the most entertaining teams in the nation. The Hoosiers can score points in boatloads, and they look pretty good doing it, too.
The defensive side of the football, however, is where things get pretty ugly.
Indiana gave up nearly 33 points per game this season, which ranked 102nd in the nation. That's not the kind of defense that wins championships. Heck, it's not even the kind of defense that wins games (Indiana finished 4-8 this season, as was dead last in the East Division).
The Hoosiers' biggest weakness is against the pass. This year, Indiana was last in the Big Ten (and 98th in the FBS) in pass defense, giving up better than 251 passing yards per game.
With the kind of quarterbacks in the Big Ten these days, that kind of porous secondary is just begging to be picked apart every week.
Head coach Kevin Wilson has done a fine job with his program's offense, but if Indiana's defensive woes aren't solved soon, he might find his offensive prowess won't be enough to save his job.
Iowa
3 of 14
Let's get this out of the way first: If we're wishing for things, Iowa fans are probably wishing there was some way Brandon Scherff could stay at Iowa. He can't, but it's fun to pretend, isn't it?
Now back to reality.
Iowa drew the TaxSlayer (formerly the Gator) Bowl this season and will face Tennessee, who, like Iowa, finished with a middle-of-the-road record. Both teams were fourth-place finishers in their respective conference divisions, and that bodes well for Iowa.
The SEC East isn't, after all, what anyone other than an SEC apologist would call a "power division"—keep in mind the SEC East champion, Missouri, lost at home to Indiana.
Iowa, on the other hand, comes out of the rough-and-tumble Big Ten West and should be well prepared to face the Vols.
But the wish list goes well beyond the TaxSlayer Bowl.
Recruiting season is just around the corner, and the Hawkeyes will need to improve upon its current status as having the No. 10 recruiting class in the Big Ten, according to 247Sports.com.
There are plenty of holes for Kirk Ferentz to fill for next season, but the offense will need to get a lot better than it was this year if Iowa truly hopes to compete with the likes of Wisconsin and Nebraska for future division titles.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Maryland
4 of 14
If you're Randy Edsall right now, you have to be pretty pleased about how your program performed under the pressure of its first Big Ten season. The Terrapins are headed to the Foster Farms Bowl to take on Stanford after a 7-5 season.
The Terps also finished in third place in the East behind heavyweights Ohio State and Michigan State—not too shabby, all things considered.
But there's plenty of room for improvement, and a big leap in the passing game has to be on the wish list for 2015.
Despite weapons like wide receiver Stefon Diggs and a quarterback who has seemingly been on campus since the Reagan Administration, Maryland finished the season with just the 12th-best passing offense in the Big Ten.
If the Terps hope to make the leap from a second-tier team to a conference-championship contender, they'll need to improve dramatically.
Jahrvis Davenport, a 3-star wide receiver out of Tampa, Florida, is (thus far) the highest-rated recruit for the class of 2015 that could make an impact for Maryland. While Davenport has the ability to develop into a playmaker for Maryland, Terps fans need to hope Edsall will be able to add some more blue-chip and game-ready recruits quickly—or that Davenport is truly a diamond in the rough.
It would also help if Diggs (provided he returns) and Marcus Leak can step up next season with Caleb Rowe projected to start under center.
Michigan
5 of 14
This one has got to be pretty simple: Michigan's wish list begins and ends with Jim Harbaugh.
Why else would the Maize and Blue offer a monster sum to attract the former Wolverines standout to come back to his alma mater and do what he's done at Stanford and with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers?
Harbaugh, should he decide to accept the contract, would instantly become the nation's highest-paid coach, outdistancing Alabama's Nick Saban (the current top money-getter) by one million dollars per season. He'd also bring a sense of urgency to Ann Arbor—something that has been lacking since the 1990s when Lloyd Carr and Co. were chasing down Big Ten and national championships.
A name like Harbaugh could also put an immediate end to the recruiting hemorrhaging that's been going on throughout the year.
Once considered a contender to put together one of 2015's top recruiting classes—not only in the Big Ten but also in the nation—Michigan has dropped like a stone with decommit after decommit. The Wolverines now sit at the very bottom of 247Sports.com's Big Ten recruiting rankings for the class of 2015.
Michigan State
6 of 14
It might be a bit of a simplistic wish to say, "Win the Cotton Bowl Classic," but that's what we're going with—and for an important reason.
Michigan State has long sought a sense of national respectability.
It's been a long time since MSU was putting together a string of Big Ten titles and national championship runs (yes, folks, the Spartans were once a national powerhouse—go ask your grandfather).
Since that time, the Spartans have had to endure decades of being viewed not only as Michigan's "little brother," but also as an afterthought in the Big Ten. Part of that down-trodden mentality in East Lansing could be blamed on the Spartans themselves.
In his 2007 remarks, former Michigan running back Mike Hart made an important point that nobody seems to remember.
Hart was asked, "Do you think of Michigan State as your little brother?"
"Yep. That's what they think so that's what I think. So what can I say? If they think that, I'm gonna think that," Hart said.
And, arguably, that was pretty true.
MSU had for so many decades been playing catch-up to Michigan. The Spartans' season was, each year, essentially defined by that one, lone game in October.
Notice all of the past tense in that paragraph, folks. The Spartans look to be back as a legit, perennial power in the Big Ten.
After beating Michigan six of the last seven meetings, only blind fools can't see that MSU has—for the moment, anyhow—surpassed Michigan in terms of success and relevance. And for Michigan State, it's been pretty cathartic.
Except for one thing: MSU is still struggling to gain national respect.
Losing to Oregon didn't help matters, and losing to Ohio State was a further setback. But the pollsters—and the College Football Playoff committee—still kept MSU in a position to earn a second-consecutive major bowl berth.
Now, if MSU can win a second consecutive major bowl—this time against a highly touted Baylor team that probably should have earned a spot in the playoff—the nation will be forced to take notice of the guys from East Lansing.
Minnesota
7 of 14
Of the 14 regular, full-time quarterbacks in the Big Ten in 2014, none had fewer pass attempts this season than Minnesota's Mitch Leidner.
Minnesota attempted a conference-low 221 passes, and as a team accounted for just 1,577 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air. To put that in perspective, Michigan State's Tony Lippett had 1,124 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns all by himself.
So what is Minnesota wishing for heading into its Citrus Bowl showdown with Missouri? An atypically dynamic passing performance.
OK, wishing for the Gophers to suddenly be able to gain big chunks by throwing the ball downfield might be like wishing for a white Christmas if you live in Miami.
But it's not too much to hope for in 2015, is it?
After all, it might be the only way Minnesota can get over the hump and finally put itself in a position to win a division title in the Big Ten.
Nebraska
8 of 14
We suppose it depends on your outlook as to whether you agree with Nebraska's decision to fire Bo Pelini.
On the one hand, the Cornhuskers won at least at least nine games every season under Pelini. On the other, Nebraska lost four games every season under Pelini—except this year, when the Huskers lost three. (But they still have the potential to lose four with the upcoming bowl game against Southern Cal.)
Nebraska also never won a conference championship under Pelini, either in the Big 12 or the Big Ten.
So if you're looking at win totals, this might be a head-scratcher. But if you're looking for trophies and a general sense of progression, you might begin to see the logic behind the firing.
And we didn't even mention anything that happened away from the field, either.
Either way, Pelini's gone, and it now falls to Mike Riley, a coach who is 93-80 overall (including a 58-63 mark in the Pac-12) to take over the storied program in Lincoln.
So what should be on Huskers' fans wish list this Christmas?
A lot.
We'll mention as a side note that Riley does have some championship credentials—if you want to call them that—with two Grey Cup wins as champions of the Canadian Football League during his four-year stint as head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1987-1990.
At Nebraska, Riley will have to keep a fractured team together in the wake of a wholesale coaching change. He'll also need to prove he can win when given the resources that Nebraska has (compared to those at Oregon State).
Riley will need to rebuild an offense that loses its leading rusher in Ameer Abdullah and leading receiver in Kenny Bell.
And, last but not least, Riley will need to win championships. Sooner rather than later.
Northwestern
9 of 14
Are the good days waning at Northwestern?
Wildcats fans are hoping the answer is a resounding "no," but given the recent downward trend in Evanston, signs might be pointing to "yes."
The Wildcats have won just 10 games over the previous two seasons—and on the heels of a 10-win season in 2012, too. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald will look to reverse that trend in 2015, despite losing quarterback Trevor Siemian (who was also second on the team in 2014 in rushing yards) and leading receiver Kyle Prater.
Northwestern fans should also be wishing for rejection of the football players union when the case is eventually decided.
Regardless of where you come down on the issue, there's little doubt the ability of students to declare themselves employees of a university would cause big changes for college athletics (that would extend far beyond football).
With a massive expense added to the budgets of FBS institutions, it's schools like Northwestern—small, private and with a high level of academic rigor—that might eventually go the way of the University of Chicago by deciding that athletics (at the D-I level) are too expensive and contrary to the goals of a college education to continue to support.
Ohio State
10 of 14
What are the chances Ohio State's third quarterback is as good as the first two? If you're an Alabama fan, you might be thinking "not good." Or, at least that's what Tide fans are hoping.
For Ohio State, we've already seen glimpses of greatness from Cardale Jones, backup to J.T. Barrett (who himself was a backup to Braxton Miller). And Ohio State's 59-0 dismantling of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game should strike fear into the hearts of Alabama fans everywhere.
And it's not only Ohio State fans wishing for another dominating performance from the Buckeyes.
For so long, the rest of the nation has been subjected to the almost relentless indoctrination of the college football world with endless propaganda about the supremacy of the SEC. Last season, Florida State did its best to chip away at that belief by knocking off Auburn in the last BCS National Championship Game.
Now, Ohio State could deal a death-blow to the aura of the almighty SEC with a victory over Alabama.
Beyond that, the future looks so bright for Ohio State that Buckeyes fans are just hoping Urban Meyer can figure out some way to fit both Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett into the lineup next season when both return from season-ending injuries.
Penn State
11 of 14
Penn State languished through a few years (less than expected) of NCAA sanctions, but the light at the end of the tunnel seems closer than ever for a Nittany Lions team that will be allowed to play in a bowl game for the first time since 2011.
But perhaps more important to the program's long-term health is the reinstatement of the full slate of scholarships for 2015.
Penn State's James Franklin won't be hampered by scholarship limitations in his first recruiting class, and the Nittany Lions are already putting together an impressive haul with the current No. 2 class in the Big Ten, according to 247Sports.com.
A bowl victory will only help Penn State's case, and landing a 5-star recruit (or two) has to be on the top of every Penn State fan's wish list heading toward national signing day.
Purdue
12 of 14
Sure, Purdue improved slightly over an abysmal performance in 2013, but it wasn't enough of an improvement to keep the Boilermakers out of the divisional cellar.
Purdue again finished dead last in the division this season, with a 1-7 mark in conference play.
We're perfectly willing to give Darrell Hazell time to rebuild a program that has fallen on whatever is worse than hard times, but sooner or later, people are going to expect results.
Hazell came into the job at Purdue with just two years of head-coaching experience, and his record at Kent State stood at just 16-10. So what's next for the Boilers after two less-than-exciting seasons under Hazell?
The first step to any rebuilding process is to land a big-name recruit or two.
As Purdue won't be participating in a bowl game, you might think Hazell could get a jump on building his class of 2015. Unfortunately, to this point, Purdue's list of commits reads likes a who's who list of Joe Average.
Not a single 4-star—to say nothing of a 5-star—recruit has shown much interest in Purdue, and unless something unexpected happens, Purdue fans are going to be left wishing for a remarkable find by Hazell and his recruiting staff that somehow slipped in beneath the radar.
Rutgers
13 of 14
Rutgers has already improved year to year, so Scarlet Knights fans can check that off of their lists. Next up, a meeting with UNC in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit.
Win or lose, Rutgers should take some stock in its season's successes, particularly with how the Knights were competitive in their first Big Ten season in the rough-and-tumble East.
A win, however, would do wonders for Rutgers down the road.
Head coach Kyle Flood always talks about recruiting "the state of Rutgers." The nice thing about that is there aren't any defined boarders to that state, and it can expand depending on Rutgers' exposure and success.
The new Quick Lane Bowl provides a perfect opportunity for Flood to introduce himself to some of those coveted Midwest Big Ten recruits. A nationally televised game against a program from a Power Five conference is going to up Rutgers' street cred through the rest of Big Ten country, and it will now fall on Flood to translate that exposure into recruiting success.
Currently, the Knights are languishing in the Big Ten recruiting race, ranking 13th in the conference by 247Sports.com. Rutgers fans everywhere are wishful for the massive change in that department that could come with a bowl victory.
Wisconsin
14 of 14
Criticizing Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin is a little like bad-mouthing Bo Schembechler in Ann Arbor or criticizing Woody Hayes in Columbus. But we're willing to endure the wrath of Wisconsin fans to get a point across.
Something is wrong at Wisconsin. The Badgers are one of the more successful Big Ten programs over the past decade or so. They won a trio of Big Ten titles under Bret Bielema and a West Division title this past season under Gary Andersen, but both coaches bolted the program under pretty circumstances that were less than cordial.
So what gives?
You might argue that Bielema wanted a new challenge by heading off to Arkansas and the SEC. But is anyone really buying that? Now Gary Andersen, who by all accounts was doing a fine job of continuing the Badgers' winning tradition, takes off for a less-prestigious program with fewer resources (and likely a lower paycheck).
Yahoo Sports' Pat Forde brings up a valid concern all Wisconsin fans should have at this point: Is athletic director (and former legendary Wisconsin football coach) Barry Alvarez too involved in the football program?
Forde outlines Andersen telling the media about an injury to Melvin Gordon earlier this season, and the coach's allusion to the fact that Alvarez ordered him to inform the media about something no coach wants to talk about: injury specifics.
"From that anecdote, plus the chatter about Alvarez being the capo di tutti capi of the College Football Playoff selection committee, it’s fair to wonder how bossy the boss is. Given Alvarez’s willingness to again appoint himself bowl coach of the Badgers (he did it two years ago, in a loss to Stanford in the Rose Bowl), it’s fair to wonder how big Barry’s ego is. And there might be reason to wonder how cheap he is, too.
"
Can you just imagine the pressure Andresen might be under after a 59-0 loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game? Picture Alvarez walking into Andersen's office (or more likely, Alvarez summoning Andersen to his). We imagine Alvarez starting the conversation off a little something like this: "You know, Gary, back when I was winning Rose Bowls..."
Bielema surprisingly left for what seemed like an excuse of a reason. Andersen did the same just two years later. The common denominator? Barry Alvarez.
Maybe Wisconsin fans should be wishing for a new athletic director.
Follow Bleacher Report's National College Football Featured Columnist David Luther on Twitter.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
