Every Big Ten Team's Biggest Question Mark Headed into 2016
With this year's recruiting cycle officially in the books, it's time to start looking ahead to the 2016 season, which should offer no shortage of intrigue within the Big Ten.
Coming off of a College Football Playoff appearance from Michigan State, a surprise breakout season for Iowa, the re-emergence of Michigan and another strong outing from Ohio State, the conference possesses plenty of teams to keep an eye on in the coming year.
But whether you're an expected playoff contender, a program looking to take the next step or one hoping to bounce back after a disappointing 2015, every team in the league has questions to answer in the upcoming season. Some answers will define the outcome of teams' seasons more than others and are surely already on the mind of each fanbase as spring practice approaches.
Ultimately, however, these questions won't be able to be truly answered until teams hit the field this fall. But it's never too early to start asking them, which is why we're exploring every Big Ten team's biggest question heading into 2016.
Illinois
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Biggest question: Can Bill Cubit get the most out of Wes Lunt?
All things considered, Illinois' 2015 campaign wasn't as bad as you'd think—at least not for a team that fired its head coach a week before the start of the season.
Accumulating a 5-7 record, the Fighting Illini were competitive under new head coach Bill Cubit, who had the interim tag removed from his title as head coach in November.
But in order to take the next step and accumulate more wins than losses, Cubit is going to need to get a big season out of senior quarterback Wes Lunt, who saw a slip in production from in his sophomore season in 2015. After posting a passer rating of 141.6 in 2014, Lunt's rating this past year dropped to 111.5 as he completed a lower percentage of passes and doubled his interception total from three to six while throwing the same number of touchdowns (14).
If Illinois is going to make some noise in a wide-open Big Ten West, Lunt is going to need to be a big reason why. Getting the most out of the 6'5", 225-pound senior is going to fall on his head coach, and his ability to do so could play a big role in shaping 2016 and beyond in the Cubit era in Champaign.
Indiana
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Biggest question: Can the Hoosiers maintain their momentum from 2015?
After starting his tenure in Bloomington with four consecutive losing seasons, Kevin Wilson nearly coached a winner in 2015, accumulating a 6-6 regular-season record before falling to Duke in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.
But make no mistake, last season was a step forward for an Indiana program that had failed to become bowl-eligible in any of its previous seven seasons.
And while Wilson was rewarded with a handsome contract extension—after perhaps entering 2015 on the hot seat—it's going to be difficult to replicate last season's success. Gone is record-setting quarterback Nate Sudfeld and leading rusher Jordan Howard, who declared early for the NFL draft after an impressive junior campaign.
If the Hoosiers are going to become a program that can win consistently under Wilson, the ability to replace key talent is going to be a big reason why. The coming year will offer Indiana a chance to prove it's capable of doing just that, but with the size of the voids left by Sudfeld and Howard, that's something that will certainly be easier said that done in Bloomington.
Iowa
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Biggest question: Was 2015 just a flash in the pan?
In 2015 alone, Iowa answered plenty.
Head coach Kirk Ferentz showed he's still got it, C.J. Beathard proved he's one of the Big Ten's best quarterbacks and cornerback Desmond King made his case for being one of the nation's top defensive players. Even if the season ended with consecutive postseason losses to Michigan State and Stanford, it'd be tough to view the Hawkeyes' 12-0 regular season as anything but a massive success.
But with 2015 now in the rearview mirror, none of that will ultimately matter as far as the 2016 campaign is concerned.
After finding itself one win away from the College Football Playoff, Iowa must now prove that last year can be a norm and not an outlier. With Beathard and King both returning, the Hawkeyes will be favored to win the Big Ten West, putting the program in the unfamiliar position of being a favorite instead of an underdog.
How Ferentz's team responds to its new role will not only shape Iowa's 2016 season, but how the program will be viewed moving forward.
Are the Hawkeyes a team that can be a perennial Big Ten title contender, or one that just happens to be good once every few years?
We're about to find out.
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Maryland
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Biggest question: How much of an impact can D.J. Durkin have in just one year?
Having started his career as a graduate assistant under Urban Meyer at Bowling Green and ending it as the defensive coordinator on Jim Harbaugh's first Michigan staff, D.J. Durkin is no stranger to quick turnarounds.
But as he prepares to be a rival of his two former mentors in the Big Ten East, the new Maryland head coach may have to accept that finding success in his first head coaching job might take a little more time than he's used to.
Inheriting a 3-9 team that fired its last head coach at the midway point of the 2015 season, Durkin has his work cut out for himself in College Park, especially with Big Ten rivals using the Terrapins' coaching turnover as an opportunity to raid what was once a promising 2016 recruiting class. More than that, the Big Ten East is one of college football's toughest divisions, and Durkin finds himself starting at the bottom in his first year on the job.
And while the former Wolverines defensive coordinator appears to have a promising future ahead as a head coach, it remains to be seen how much change he'll be able to institute at Maryland in just one year. Ultimately, the biggest strides he makes might not be seen in wins and losses, but rather the building of his program behind the scenes, which could make for at least one more long season on the field in College Park.
Michigan
5 of 14
Biggest question: Can John O'Korn pick up where Jake Rudock left off?
Of all the teams in the Big Ten, Michigan finds itself in one of the most interesting predicaments heading into 2016—an expected playoff contender which also doesn't know for certain who its starting quarterback will be.
The presumption in Ann Arbor is that it will be Houston transfer John O'Korn who will ultimately fill the void left by Jake Rudock, who closed his lone season as the Wolverines quarterback with an MVP outing in their Citrus Bowl blowout victory over Florida.
"Jake Rudock was fabulous on the money today," head coach Jim Harbaugh said following Rudock's 278-yard, three-touchdown pasting of the Gators. "I mean, darned near flawless."
And while Harbaugh should probably receive the benefit of the doubt when it comes to developing quarterbacks at this point, the reality remains that O'Korn is an unknown commodity—at least as far as his fit at Michigan is concerned. As a freshman with the Cougars in 2013, O'Korn completed 58.1 percent of his passes for 3,117 yards and 28 touchdowns before seeing a drop in his production during his final season at Houston in 2014.
If O'Korn doesn't win the Wolverines' starting job this spring or summer, it could be Alex Malzone, Wilton Speight, Shane Morris or even true freshman Brandon Peters behind center in Ann Arbor this fall. But right now, O'Korn is the favorite to win the job, which will come with no shortage of expectations attached in 2016.
Michigan State
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Biggest question: Can the Spartans overcome the departure of Connor Cook?
The last time Michigan State found itself having to replace an NFL-caliber quarterback came in 2012 after the eligibility of Kirk Cousins had expired the season prior.
The results in East Lansing weren't pretty, with the Spartans enduring a 6-6 regular season before picking up a win over TCU in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. It wasn't until midway through the following season that head coach Mark Dantonio found a full-time replacement for Cousins in Connor Cook, who would go on to become the most accomplished quarterback in Michigan State history.
But after helping lead the Spartans to a 36-5 record over the course of the past three seasons, including wins in two major bowl games and an appearance in last season's playoff, Cook's time on campus has now also come to an end. That leaves Dantonio with the unenviable task of trying to replace the three-year starter, with Tyler O'Connor, Damion Terry and freshman Messiah deWeaver competing for the right to be the Spartans' next starting signal-caller.
"I think who becomes the guy here will be based on who plays well in games, and certainly you have performances leading up to the game," Dantonio said. "They've got to be able to deliver, and that's the bottom line."
How Michigan State's quarterback conundrum plays out will ultimately set the ceiling for the Spartans' 2016 campaign. Dantonio, for one, is hopeful that he'll find the correct answer sooner rather than later this time around.
Minnesota
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Biggest question: Can the Golden Gophers build on their impressive Quick Lane Bowl?
Despite enduring a 5-7 regular season, Minnesota still managed to go bowling in 2015 due to a lack of postseason-eligible teams.
And while some questioned whether they were even worthy, the Golden Gophers took advantage of their opportunity, picking up a 21-14 win over Central Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl. The most impressive part of Minnesota's outing was the play of junior quarterback Mitch Leidner, who ended his 2015 on a high note with a 242-yard, two-touchdown performance which included rushing in the game-winning touchdown with under five minutes left.
"That’s leadership," Golden Gophers head coach Tracy Claeys said, per TwinCities.com's Andy Greder. "You get in ball games like that, it gets tight at the end, you’ve got to play to win, and your leaders do that. Mitch has stepped up and done that several times this year."
Entering his senior season, Leidner should have plenty of opportunities for repeat performances as he attempts to push Minnesota back into Big Ten West contention. Whether the Quick Lane Bowl was a sign of things to come or a result that stemmed from circumstances remains to be seen, but at the very least it will serve as a source of optimism in Minneapolis throughout the offseason.
Nebraska
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Biggest question: Is Mike Riley the right man for the job?
After firing Bo Pelini following seven consecutive seasons of accumulating at least nine wins, Nebraska appeared to make a mistake when it replaced him with Mike Riley, who went 5-7 in his first regular season in Lincoln.
But if the Foster Farms Bowl was any indication, maybe the Cornhuskers just needed to take a step backward before finally leaping forward. Beating UCLA by a score of 37-29, Nebraska looked like a team that finally fit the philosophy of its head coach, particularly in the case of quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr., who earned the bowl game's MVP award.
That, however, was just one game, and while a string of unlucky finishes contributed to the Cornhuskers' losing season, as the old saying goes, you are what your record says you are. That's why it will be imperative for Nebraska to put together a successful 2016 in order to prove that Riley is the fit that the school thought he was when it hired him.
In a wide-open Big Ten West, competing for a division title isn't out of the question. And with the standard Pelini set before him, that's exactly what Riley may need to accomplish in order to prove that his hiring was justified following a rough start in 2015.
Northwestern
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Biggest question: Who were the real Wildcats in 2015?
Will the real Northwestern Wildcats please stand up?
After accumulating a 10-2 regular-season record—which included a win over Stanford to start the year and a victory against Wisconsin—the Wildcats saw an otherwise dream season end with a nightmarish finish, falling to Tennessee by a score of 45-6 in the Outback Bowl.
The loss was particularly alarming in that it lent credence to the theory that Northwestern benefited from a relatively friendly conference schedule and left Pat Fitzgerald's squad facing no shortage of questions entering 2016.
With quarterback Clayton Thorson and running back Justin Jackson both returning, the Wildcats will have an opportunity to prove in 2016 that they are more the team that started the year 10-2 than the one that ended their season with a blowout defeat. With road games at Michigan State and Ohio State on its slate, Northwestern certainly has its work cut out for itself as it tries to build on all it accomplished in 2015.
So who are the real Wildcats?
The answer will likely prove to be somewhere between the two extremes we saw in Evanston last season. But that's still yet to be determined as Northwestern sets out with plenty to prove in the coming year.
Ohio State
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Biggest question: Can the Buckeyes survive their mass exodus of talent?
The best part about having an Urban Meyer-recruited roster is that you'll usually find the country's top players in your program.
The downside is that often sooner rather than later, those players find themselves heading to the NFL, leaving gaping holes on the depth chart behind them.
That's exactly the position Ohio State finds itself in at the moment, with nine underclassmen having declared for the NFL draft and 14 players set to participate in the upcoming NFL combine. As a result, the Buckeyes will return just three starters on each side of the ball in 2016, leaving their three-time national champion head coach in need of replenishing his depth chart.
"I call it the year of development here," Meyer said.
Having recruited as well as he has, it's certainly not out of the question that Ohio State will soon find itself with a plethora of new stars taking the field in scarlet and gray on Saturdays, and the return of star quarterback J.T. Barrett will help soften the blow of the Buckeyes' departures.
But until those players emerge, Ohio State will be left wondering whether or not they'll be capable of filling the shoes of a group responsible for a 50-4 run over the past four years.
Penn State
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Biggest question: Can Penn State still take a step forward with a new starting quarterback?
Let's be honest: Christian Hackenberg never seemed like a fit in James Franklin's offense. That was reflected in the quarterback's regression after an impressive freshman campaign under Bill O'Brien and Franklin's lackluster 14-12 record in his first two years in Happy Valley.
But while Hackenberg moving on to the NFL as soon as possible was in his own best interest, his departure may not be as kind to State College.
At the moment, Penn State is without a clear-cut starting quarterback, with former 3-star prospects Trace McSorley, Tommy Stevens and Jake Zembiec set to battle it out for the right to replace the former 5-star Hackenberg. But even with its signal-caller situation unsettled, the Nittany Lions will be expected to take a step forward in 2016—or else Franklin's seat could be warming up.
Elsewhere on offense, running back Saquon Barkley has proved reliable, and 5-star recruit Miles Sanders already possesses high expectations. Nevertheless, Penn State will need at least a consistent passing game to complement what could be the league's best ground attack.
Will fit ultimately matter more than talent at quarterback in Franklin's scheme? That remains to be seen. But it's one of many questions facing the Nittany Lions program heading into 2016.
Purdue
12 of 14
Biggest question: Will Darrell Hazell survive the season?
After accumulating a 6-30 record, including a 2-22 mark in Big Ten play, in his first three seasons at Purdue, head coach Darrell Hazell enters his fourth season in West Lafayette having yet to achieve any sort of tangible success.
As a result, he finds his seat the hottest of any head coach in the conference and may not ultimately make it to the end of the season if the Boilermakers get off to a slow start.
On the bright side for Hazell, Purdue's 2016 slate sets up favorably, with games against Eastern Kentucky, Cincinnati, Maryland and Illinois to start the season. The downside of that is if the Boilermakers falter, firing Hazell will only become more justified, especially if the powers that be at Purdue want to get a head start on what could be an inevitable offseason head coaching search.
It may seem like a negative approach to take into a season, but that's the reality of what happens when your record is as lopsided as Hazell's has been over the past three years. Recruiting hasn't been particularly impressive under his watch either, making results on the field in 2016 a necessity if the former Kent State head coach is going to save his job.
Rutgers
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Biggest question: Can Chris Laviano be counted on?
While new head coach Chris Ash certainly has his work cut out for himself taking over a 4-8 program that saw no shortage of off-field issues in 2015, perhaps his biggest question heading into his first year at Rutgers is whether or not he can rely on quarterback Chris Laviano.
After starting his sophomore season with a suspension for using a fake ID, Laviano enjoyed an up-and-down 2015 campaign, completing 60.9 percent of his passes for 2,247 yards, 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Now, Laviano will no longer have the security blanket that was Leonte Carroo, who was arguably the Big Ten's most talented wide receiver in each of the past two seasons.
That means Laviano will have to make a big leap forward in 2016 in order to prove that he can be trusted with Ash's offense. Rebuilding the Scarlet Knights will be a long-term process, but it will be one made much easier with a reliable quarterback behind center in Ash's first season in Piscataway.
Wisconsin
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Biggest question: Can Corey Clement's 2016 be what his 2015 was supposed to be?
When it comes to on-field results meeting preseason expectations, there may not have been a bigger disappointment in the Big Ten this past season than Corey Clement.
Projected to step in seamlessly for Melvin Gordon III in the Badgers backfield, Clement's junior campaign never amounted to what many thought it would be. First injuries, then off-field issues kept the talented Wisconsin running back off the field for the majority of the season, which saw him appear in four games and rush for just 221 yards and five touchdowns on 48 attempts.
As a result, the 5'11", 219-pounder opted to return to Madison for his senior season, where he'll get one last shot at becoming the Badgers' next great running back. Regardless of individual stats, Clement will play a key role in Wisconsin's attempt to reclaim the Big Ten West after accumulating a 10-3 record, including a Holiday Bowl win over USC, in 2015.
Last year may not have gone as expected for both Clement and the Badgers, but 2016 will give the Glassboro, New Jersey, native one last chance to shine as Wisconsin's lead back. If he can do that, the Badgers might be considered the favorites to not only win their division, but potentially the entire Big Ten.
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