Big Ten Football: A Premature Look at the Big Ten in 2011
2011 looks to be a bit of a down year in the Big Ten. Actually, it looks to be a down year in that there are not two or three teams that are set up to be heads-and-tails above the rest and in contention for national honors.
However, the conference does project to be extremely competitive.
I would call all but one of the 12 teams competitive and potentially bowl eligible.
Moreover, as things stand right now, I wouldn't be at all surprised if any of nine teams won their respective divisions. On the other hand, I don't foresee any Big Ten teams going undefeated. In fact, I don't foresee any Big Ten teams going undefeated in conference play.
My guess is there will be one-two teams at the bottom, and a whole slew of teams between 3-5 and 6-2.
Of course, the key there is "as things stand right now." Between now and next September, plenty of things could change. Players could transfer or get injured or suspended. Between now and January 15, a key defensive end could declare for the NFL Draft.
Things happen and things change. We know that.
Nevertheless, this is something of a cursory look at the Big Ten next year. It is not terribly in depth; at least, it is not what I would describe as "in depth," which means hours wasted pouring over statistics.
Also, I have not gone over the schedules to see what is mathematically possible.
Regardless, to me, it looks like next year could be full of plenty of surprises. Kings may fall, and new kings may be crowned. And where will Nebraska, the new red-headed stepchild, fit into all of it?
It's been a great year of football. Only nine more months until the next season.
A Few Clarifications
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Incidentally, I refuse to call the two divisions "Leaders" and "Legends."
This is not because I find the particular names to be disagreeable—I do—but because I don't care to sound like I'm writing about a Disney movie when I write about Big Ten football.
Consequently, I will avoid being cute or smarmy and simply call the divisions Big Ten West and Big Ten East. The Western Division has the westernmost university—Nebraska—while the Eastern Division has the easternmost school—Penn State.
Furthermore an * next to a players' name means that he was first team all-conference.
*** means that he was consensus All American.
# means that he will be leaving his team with eligibility remaining.
Finally, in order for a player to be considered a returning "starter," he had to start at least four games. I realize there are plenty of players with plenty of experience that haven't started, but as I said, this is not as in depth as it might be.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Record This Season: 10-4
Starters Returning on Defense: Seven
Starters Returning on Offense: Six
Specialists Returning: Neither
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: Jared Crick DT*
Key Players Lost: Roy Helu IB, Niles Paul WR, Keith Williams OG, Ricky Henry OG*, D.J. Jones OT, Pierre Allen DE*, Eric Hagg NB*, Prince Amukamara CB***, Rickey Thenarse SS, DeJon Gomes FS, Alex Henery K/P
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/17: Washington, 10/01: At Wisconsin, 10/08: Ohio State, 10/29: Michigan State, 10/12: At Penn State, 10/19: At Michigan, 10/26: Iowa
Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Biggest Questions: The Huskers will have to overhaul their offensive line. It remains to be seen just how much magic true sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez can come up with if he is running for his life.
Complicating that, Nebraska doesn't pass much—109th nationally in passing attempts—but when they do, they need a big play receiver. At the moment, they don't appear to have any.
Furthermore, one of 2010's best secondaries will also need a substantial facelift. If Crick opts for the NFL that will also take away the biggest element of the Blackshirts' pass rush.
Over the last four seasons, Alex Henery has made 89.4 percent of his field goals. He hasn't missed an extra point since 2008. He has been the punter for the last two seasons and averaged 42.25 yards per punt. Think Nebraska won't miss him?
Finally, it is evident that the Big Ten chose to throw the works at Nebraska in their first year in the conference.
Strengths: T-Magic was a freshman last season. He was going to make mistakes. He was going to mess up. Heading into the 2011 offseason, he has expressed his full commitment to Bo Pellini and the Huskers. Expect his play and leadership abilities to make huge gains this season.
Losing Helu should not be a major issue. Junior Rex Burkhead should be ready to step in.
If Crick retains his amateur status for another year, Nebraska will have one of the three best defensive lines in the conference.
Lastly, linebacker will be a strength for this team. Lavonte David will be one of the best in the Big Ten in 2011.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: First Place, Big Ten West
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Northwestern Wildcats
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Record This Season: 7-6
Starters Returning on Defense: Seven
Starters Returning on Offense: Nine
Specialists Returning: Punter
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: None
Key Players Lost: Sidney Stewart WR, Keegan Grant OG, Stefan Demos K, Corbin Bryant DT, Quentin Davie OLB, Nate Williams MLB, Justan Vaughn CB
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/03: At Boston College, 10/01: At Illinois, 10/08: Michigan, 10/15: At Iowa, 10/22: Penn State, 11/05: At Nebraska, 11/26: Michigan State
Northwestern Wildcats
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Biggest Questions: Four of NU's offensive linemen will return. On the surface that is a good thing, but for the second year in a row, the Cats struggled moving the ball on the ground. The second leading rusher was QB Dan Persa, who had only 11 yards less than the leading rusher, RB Mike Trumpy.
Moreover, the Cats gave up the most sacks in the Big Ten, and it wasn't even close. That says quite a lot when you consider that Persa is a very slippery quarterback, and the Northwestern offense is predicated on quick-release passes.
Linebacker will definitely be an issue. It seems like Quentin Davie and Nate Williams have been in Evanston forever. Their experience will be difficult to replace.
Lastly, unlike last season, where the schedule did NU quite a few favors, it won't be so kind this season. October should be brutal, and by the time November rolls around, the Cats will be well-tested.
Strengths: Here is a little known and well-kept secret in the Big Ten: Awards be damned, Dan Persa was the best and most dangerous all-around quarterback in the conference. Furthermore, Jeremy Ebert was one of the best receivers in the Big Ten in 2010. Both will be back, as will four of Northwestern's top five pass catchers.
Last year's defense ranked seventh in total scoring. That's not too bad, considering the Cats were replacing much of their line and secondary. This year, the line and secondary should be a positive.
Particularly notable are DE Vince Browne and FS Brian Peters. Browne tied for second in sacks in the conference, while Peters snagged three interceptions.
Rumors are that head coach Pat Fitzgerald's name was mentioned for the Michigan job, and he had no interest. In other words, his dedication to and belief in his Cats is arguably unmatched by any coach in FBS football. His players are cognizant of that, and it shows in their play.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: Tied for third place, Big Ten West
Michigan State Spartans
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Record This Season: 11-2
Starters Returning on Defense: Six
Starters Returning on Offense: Seven
Specialists Returning: Kicker
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: None
Key Players Lost: Nick Bendzuck FB, Mark Dell WR, Charlie Gantt TE, D.J. Young OT, John Stipek C, J'Michael Deane OT, Colin Neely DE, Eric Gordon SLB, Greg Jones MLB***, Chris L. Rucker CB, Marcus Hyde SS, Aaron Bates P*
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/17: At Notre Dame, 10/01: At Ohio State, 10/15: Michigan, 10/22: Wisconsin, 10/29: At Nebraska, 11/12: At Iowa, 11/26: Northwestern
Michigan State Spartans
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Biggest Questions: The offense line will have to be reworked. This is the third year in a row this will need to be done. In 2009, the results weren't great. In 2010, it went very well. We'll see how it goes this season.
You can't just replace a player like Greg Jones. Tangibly, he has led the Spartans in tackles four years in a row. Intangibly, he has been the heart and soul of this defense since Mark Dantonio became the head coach.
Furthermore, his lesser known and lesser heralded partner-in-crime, Eric Gordon, is gone. The cupboard may not be bare, but those players are irreplaceable.
MSU went 11-2 last year. However, a bowl blowout combined with a fairly soft schedule and a number of fortunate breaks, leaves one to wonder just how good the Spartans were in 2010. And if they indeed weren't quite 11-wins good, it is reasonable to expect that any luck they may have had won't carry over to a new season.
Strengths: MSU has one of the best groups of skill position players in the Big Ten.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins is a senior and will be one of the best signal callers in the conference. The Spartans have the best group of running backs in the conference and among the best in the country. Finally, Michigan State has a dangerous and deep group of receivers and tight ends.
The defensive line is a strength and should help ease the losses at linebacker. DT Jerel Worthy will vie for all-conference honors.
Lastly, even though the Spartans lost their all-conference punter, they have arguably the best kicker and return man in the conference. In effect, special teams should still be a strength.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: Tied for third place, Big Ten West
Iowa Hawkeyes
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Record This Season: 8-5
Starters Returning on Defense: Six
Starters Returning on Offense: Five
Specialists Returning: Kicker
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: Tyler Sash SS*, Marvin McNutt WR, Shaun Prater CB*
Key Players Lost: Ricky Stanzi QB, Adam Robinson RB#, Brett Morse FB, Darrell Johnson-Koulianos WR*, Allen Reisner TE, Julian Vandervelde OG, Adrian Clayborn DE***, Karl Klug DT, Christian Ballard DL, Jeff Tarpinian LB, Jeremiah Hunter WLB, Brett Greenwood FS, Ryan Donahue P
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/10: At Iowa State, 09/17: Pittsburgh, 10/08: At Penn State, 10/15: Northwestern, 11/05: Michigan, 11/12: Michigan State, 11/26: At Nebraska
Iowa Hawkeyes
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Biggest Questions: DJK may have ended his Hawkeye career on a particularly ugly note, but there is no getting around the fact that his productivity will be very difficult to replace.
James Vandenberg has had plenty of time to learn behind Ricky Stanzi. Now, he will have to take center stage.
2010's Hawkeye linebackers were obliterated by graduations and injuries. Their play reflected this. This has to improve in such a linebacker-dependent defensive scheme. Moreover, although the defensive line didn't quite live up to the hype that preceded it, three very experienced and productive linemen are gone.
Special teams were a mess, and arguably led directly to two of Iowa's losses. Without better special teams, it is highly unlikely that Iowa will regain the heights it has experienced in the past under Kirk Ferentz.
With the attrition at running back over the last few years, the only experienced backs left are Marcus Coker and...Marcus Coker.
Strengths: Iowa will return five offensive linemen with experience. The most successful Hawkeye offenses under Kirk Ferentz have always been the ones with the most experienced offensive line. Couple that with a running back that looks to have a very bright future, and there should be a lot less pressure on the shoulders of the Hawks' new quarterback.
Iowa will be bringing back two All-Conference players in their secondary, as well as one other starting cornerback. This should help a pass defense that ranked sixth in the Big Ten.
All of the injuries on last year's defense have developed a nice wealth of depth in the back seven. Furthermore, though Iowa graduated a huge 25-person class in 2010, this is still a veteran team. As of now, most of the starters should be juniors or seniors. Furthermore, the prospective starting underclassmen are there because they beat out upperclassmen.
Finally, the Hawks have what looks to be the softest in-conference schedule of the Big Ten West.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: Tied for third place, Big Ten West
Michigan Wolverines
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Record This Season: 7-6
Starters Returning on Defense: Eight
Starters Returning on Offense: Ten
Specialists Returning: Both
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: None
Key Players Lost: Stephen Schilling OG, Perry Dorrestein OT, Greg Banks DT, Obi Ezeh MLB, Jonas Mouton WLB, James Rogers CB
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/10: Notre Dame, 09/24: San Diego State, 10/15: At Michigan State, 11/05: At Iowa, 11/12: At Illinois, 11/19: Nebraska, 11/26: Ohio State
Michigan Wolverines
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Biggest Questions: Let's start with the coaching situation. It's somewhat late in the game. Harbaugh is out, Miles might be out. Who are the Wolverines going to hire and how many more transitional years will be needed?
Yes, UM has plenty of weapons on offense, and they get plenty of yards. They also came dead last in conference turnover margin for the second year in a row. Furthermore, for the second year in a row, their turnover margin in conference play was over minus-1.5.
Speaking of conference play, Denard Robinson wilted as the year went on. He left multiple games with multiple minor injuries. The fact is, his workload was just not sustainable. Moreover, he is not and probably never will be an elite passer. It seems entirely possible that a new coaching staff and a new offensive scheme could cause yet another quarterback controversy.
The Wolverines haven't had a running back run for over 588 yards since Lloyd Carr left. They will need more production from this unit.
What is there to say about the Michigan defense? For three years in a row they have stunk, and for three years in a row, there has been a new excuse. Though there is talent in this group, this is a dejected unit that has picked up a number of sloppy habits. It will take more than a new coach to get them playing in the tradition of past Wolverine teams. It will take time.
Finally, Wolverine field goal kickers made 30.8 percent of their attempts in 2010. That is laughable and was dead last in the country. Also, they didn't improve as the year progressed.
Strengths: This is Michigan. Though Rich Rod recruited specifically for his offense, he did bring a good deal of talent in. There should be plenty of players for the new coach to work with.
Starting at quarterback, Forcier and Robinson are two very different types of quarterbacks that could run very different types of offenses. Between the two of them, the new coach should be able to find a signal caller that at least reasonably fits his style, whatever that style might be.
On top of that, Michigan might boast the best group of receivers in the Big Ten in 2011. In the right scheme, Stonum, Roundtree, and Hemingway could all vie for all-conference honors.
There is a lot of experience returning on the offensive line. Yes, they were recruited and trained to play in Rodriguez's offense, but they are big bodies that have seen a lot of action.
Will Hagerup was struggling with his punts early in the year. Nevertheless, by his final six games, he was regularly averaging 45 yards per kick.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: Fifth place, Big Ten West
Minnesota Golden Gophers
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Record This Season: 3-9
Starters Returning on Defense: Nine
Starters Returning on Offense: Six
Specialists Returning: Punter
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: Da'Jon McKnight WR
Key Players Lost: Adam Weber QB, Jeff Willis OT, Matt Carufel OG, D.J. Burris C, Jon Hoese FB, Eric Ellestad K, Ryan Collado CB, Kyle Theret FS,
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/03: At Southern Cal, 09/17: Miami (OH), 10/01: At Michigan, 10/22: Nebraska, 10/29: Iowa, 11/05: At Michigan State, 11/12: Wisconsin, 11/19: Northwestern, 11/26: At Illinois
Minnesota Golden Gophers
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Biggest Questions: New coach, new system, new questions.
Though Adam Weber faced his share of criticism over the years, he is Minnesota's all-time career passing leader and has been the starter for four years. He won't be easy to replace.
The transition won't be made any easier by a retooled offensive line.
The Gophers 2010 run defense looked more like a sieve than anything else. If the defense is to have any success, that will have to change.
Strengths: With the entire defensive front seven returning, the ingredients should be there for a substantial turnaround. The secondary might need some work. However, due to injuries, the Gophers built up some depth at the cornerback and safety positions.
Luckily, the transition to Jerry Kill's system shouldn't be as tumultuous as was the move from Glen Mason to Tim Brewster. Kill runs a run-first offense that likes to feature a mobile quarterback. It's not entirely unlikely that MarQueis Gray could move back to quarterback after a year spent primarily at receiver.
And speaking of receivers, Da'Jon McKnight is a weapon and should be one of the best pass catchers in the Big Ten this season.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: Last place, Big Ten West
Illinois Illini
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Record This Season: 7-6
Starters Returning on Defense: Eight
Starters Returning on Offense: Eight
Specialists Returning: Kicker
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: Mikel Leshoure RB*, MLB Martez Wilson*, Corey Liuget DT
Key Players Lost: Eddie McGee WR, Jarred Fayson WR, Randall Hunt OG, Ryan Palmer OT, Clay Nurse DE, Nate Bussey SLB, Travon Bellamy CB, Anthony Santella P*
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/17: Arizona State, 10/01: Northwestern, 10/15: Ohio State, 10/29: At Penn State, 11/12: Michigan, 11/19: Wisconsin
Illinois Illini
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Biggest Questions: Ron Zook has a track record of succeeding when others don't expect it and of falling on his face when he is expected to do well. This was both during his tenure at Florida and at Illinois.
Last season, I think a lot of people wrote him off as a lame duck coach. However, six wins plus a bowl win saved his job—for now. The spotlight is back on him. He has a lot of returning players and will be expected to play better than .500 ball.
Another problem the Zooker has had has been developing young quarterbacks. Last year, redshirt freshman Nathan Sheelhaase led the offense. He struggled at first but improved considerably as the season went along.
He will be expected to make great strides in his third year in the program, much like Juice Williams and Chris Leak—two young quarterbacks that never really developed under Zook.
Don't underestimate the loss of Anthony Santella. His 45 yards per punt average had a good deal to do with the success of Illinois' defense.
Strengths: Mikel Leshoure is one of the best running backs in the country. Moreover, he is backed up by another talented junior in Jason Ford. Along with Sheelhaase, the three of them combined for well over 2,500 yards on the ground. This was good enough for the third best rushing attack in the conference, and they did it without the help of an especially potent passing game.
Martez Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the conference in 2010. In 2011, he will arguably be one of the best in the country. Wilson along with Ian Thomas should be the heart of one of the three best linebacking corps in the Big Ten.
Illinois will get back two talented defensive backs in Terry Hawthorne and Supo Sanni. Sanni missed the entire year with injuries, while Hawthorne missed about half of it. Heading into 2010, both had been projected to start.
Finally, the Illini may have the easiest in-conference schedule in the Big Ten in 2011.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: First Place, Big Ten East
Ohio State Buckeyes
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Record This Season: 12-1
Starters Returning on Defense: Four
Starters Returning on Offense: Eight (four would-be starters will be suspended for five games)
Specialists Returning: Punter
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: Terrelle Pryor QB, Devier Posey WR, Dan Herron TB, Mike Adams OT*
Key Players Lost: Brandon Saine TB, Dane Sanzenbacher WR*, Justin Boren OG*, Bryant Browning OG, Devin Barclay K, Cameron Heyward DE*, Dexter Larimore DT, Ross Homan WLB*, Brian Rolle MLB*, Chimdi Chekwa CB*, Devin Torrence CB, Jermale Hines FS*
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/17: At Miami (FL), 10/01: Michigan State, 10/08: At Nebraska, 10/15: At Illinois, 10/29: Wisconsin, 11/19: Penn State, 11/26: At Michigan
Ohio State Buckeyes
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Biggest Questions: The suspensions are going to put the OSU offense behind the eight ball. It seems more than likely that at least some of the suspended players—all but one of whom will be a senior—will forgo their senior season, though the entire group insists otherwise.
However, even if they don't leave, the time they will miss will not only leave the offense shorthanded for five games; it will also mean that the O will never really have a chance to develop chemistry and cohesion with one unit.
On top of that, the Bucks only return four players from the Big Ten's best defense. OSU typically reloads on defense, so that might not be too big an issue. Still, with the offensive woes the team is likely to have, the defense will have to be lights out from the first snap.
Strengths: The other suspended players will hurt Ohio State, but the only lost player that could cripple the Bucks is Terrelle Pryor.
Jamaal Berry should be able to step right in for RB Dan Herron. WR Posey's loss will hurt, but the Bucks have receivers.
Furthermore, though OSU lost a number of big-time playmakers on defense, they've still got plenty of experience coming back on the line. Dorian Bell should ease into the linebacker spot vacated by Homan.
Finally, safety Tyler Moeller has been granted a sixth year of eligibility. That will go a long way towards stabilizing a depleted secondary.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: Second place, Big Ten East
Wisconsin Badgers
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Record This Season: 11-2
Starters Returning on Defense: Seven
Starters Returning on Offense: Five
Specialists Returning: Both
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants:
Key Players Lost: Scott Tolzien QB, John Clay RB#, David Gilreath WR, Isaac Anderson WR, Lance Kendricks TE*, Gabe Carimi OT***, John Moffitt OL*, J.J. Watt DE*#, Blake Sorensen OLB, Culmer St. Jean MLB, Niles Brinkley CB, Jay Valai SS
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/10: Oregon State, 10/01: Nebraska, 10/22: At Michigan State, 10/29: At Ohio State, 11/19: At Illinois, 11/26: Penn State
Wisconsin Badgers
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Biggest Questions: Quarterback. He wasn't glitzy, but Scott Tolzien was the glue that held the 2010 offense together.
Probable backup for 2010, Curt Phillips, missed this season due to an ACL tear. The practice reps and garbage time he would have gotten would have furthered his development tremendously. It remains to be seen if he will be able to come back and beat out this season's backup, redshirt freshman Jon Budmayr.
While Wisconsin still has some good players returning on the O-line, losing players the caliber of Carimi and Moffitt will take a toll.
Moreover, the Badgers lose three of their top five receivers, as well as their top three tacklers.
Finally, J.J. Watt is irreplaceable. The Badgers would have been exponentially better had he returned.
The assistant coaches and coordinators have undergone something of a tumultuous offseason. Is that a price of success or a sign of dissension?
Strengths: Losing John Clay should not hurt that much. In fact, it might not even phase the Badgers. Furthermore, getting Chris Borland back from injury will actually be a step up in the linebacking corps.
The cupboard is hardly bare on the offensive line, as center Peter Konz could be an All-American before his career is over.
On top of that, their young quarterback and offensive line should get some time to figure things out before their first big test comes against Nebraska.
Finally, the rest of the offense's job will be made much easier by the one-two punch of Montee Ball and James White.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: Third Place, Big Ten East
Penn State Nittany Lions
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Record This Season: 7-6
Starters Returning on Defense: Eight
Starters Returning on Offense: Eight
Specialists Returning: Punter
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: None
Key Players Lost: Evan Royster RB, Brett Brackett HB, Doug Klopacz C, Stephan Wisniewski OG*, Lou Eliades OL, Colin Wagner K, Ollie Ogbu DT, Chris Colasanti MLB, Bani Gbadyu OLB
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/10: Alabama, 10/08: Iowa, 10/29: Illinois, 11/12: Nebraska, 11/19: At Ohio State, 11/26: At Wisconsin
Penn State Nittany Lions
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Biggest Questions: The offensive line will need major retooling. Of course, as the line has been something of a mess for the last two seasons, it remains to be seen how much further it could fall.
Although Evan Royster has faced his share of criticism, he is still the all-time leading rusher at the university that has produced Larry Johnson, Franco Harris, and John Cappelletti. He will not be easy to replace.
The Rob Bolden situation could be a big problem for PSU. If he goes, I think a Matt McGloin-led Penn State has an eight-win ceiling. If Bolden stays, will he be happy?
Furthermore, if he stays, I worry that it could turn into a Zach Mills-Michael Robinson situation. That is, the better player will wait in the wings while the upperclassman flounders in mediocrity.
Finally, the Penn State defense let up an average of more than 20 points a game for the first time since 2003. This proud unit will have to rebound against a schedule that is decidedly backloaded.
It could be a huge blow to PSU if long-time DC Tom Bradley leaves Happy Valley to become the head coach at Pitt.
Overall, there is a lot of drama and a lot of questions surrounding a program known for its steadiness and consistency.
Strengths: For the first time in as long as I can remember, the PSU linebackers were less than spectacular in 2010. Expect that to improve in 2011.
Moreover, Penn State only had 16 sacks last season. That is quite a letdown for a team that averaged 39.5 sacks over the previous four years.
This year, there will be plenty of experience on the line. Complementing that will be one of the best secondaries in the conference. Given the number of graduating quarterbacks in 2011's Big Ten, the Lions will get a lot of coverage sacks.
If the Lions can get the Rob Bolden situation straightened out—that is, if they can get him back into a Penn State uniform and happy about it—and he becomes the starter, things could turn out fairly well.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: Tied for fourth place, Big Ten East
Purdue Boilermakers
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Record This Season: 4-8
Starters Returning on Defense: Nine
Starters Returning on Offense: Seven-Eight (depending upon Keith Smith)
Specialists Returning: Both
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: None
Key Players Lost: Justin Pierce OG, Kyle Adams TE, Cortez Smith WR, Keith Smith WR (currently petitioning for sixth year of eligibility), Dan Dierking FB, Ryan Kerrigan DE***, Jason Werner SLB
Key Dates on Schedule: 10/01: Notre Dame, 10/15: At Penn State, 10/22: Illinois, 10/29: At Michigan, 11/05: At Wisconsin, 11/12: Ohio State, 11/19: Iowa
Purdue Boilermakers
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Biggest Questions: Plenty of players returning on defense, but one that will be missing will leave a humongous void. Specifically, Ryan Kerrigan. Consider that Kerrigan was double and triple teamed against every team the Boilers played. He was game planned against.
He still picked up 12.5 sacks. Furthermore, the rest of the starters on the line only picked up 6.5 sacks combined. This was despite the favorable matchups they gained due to the attention paid to Kerrigan.
Despite Kerrigan's presence in the pass rush, Purdue still had the ninth ranked pass defense in the Big Ten. This brings a fully-returning secondary into question.
On offense, the Boilers hardly looked effective even before QB Robert Marve and Keith Smith went down with injuries. Against Notre Dame and Western Illinois (FCS), Purdue only averaged 21.5 points per game.
Finally, if Smith is not granted a sixth year, the Boilers will find themselves short on established pass catchers, having graduated four of their top six (including K. Smith).
Strengths: The Boilers will get Ralph Bolden back, after the junior sat out 2010 with an ACL tear. Bolden, a second-team all-conference player in 2009, will immediately improve Purdue's rushing attack.
If Purdue also gets Keith Smith back, that will give them one of the best receiver-running back tandems in the conference. If the Boilermakers can then get the quarterback situation straightened out, they should have an extremely potent offense.
Purdue started five freshmen or sophomores on last year's defense. Despite the loss of Kerrigan, there is a lot of room to grow with this bunch.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: Tied for fourth Place, Big Ten East
Indiana Hoosiers
24 of 25
Record This Season: 5-7
Starters Returning on Defense: Eight
Starters Returning on Offense: Eight
Specialists Returning: Both
Possible Early NFL Draft Entrants: Damarlo Belcher WR
Key Players Lost: Ben Chappell QB, Tandon Doss WR*#, James Brewer OT, Terrance Turner WR, Trea Burgess RB, Terrance Thomas DE, Tyler Repogle SLB, Mitchell Evans SS, Adrian Burks CB
Key Dates on Schedule: 09/10: Virginia, 10/01: Penn State, 10/08: Illinois, 10/15: At Wisconsin, 10/22: At Iowa, 10/29: Northwestern, 11/05: At Ohio State, 11/19: At Michigan State, 11/26: Purdue
Indiana Hoosiers
25 of 25
Biggest Questions: New coach, new system, new questions.
The biggest issue is the same issue Indiana coaches have faced for over half a century: How do you take a perennial doormat team and make them believe in themselves and believe they can beat anybody? Maybe two coaches have done it in my lifetime—Terry Hoeppner and Bill Mallory.
Last season's defense was the worst in the Big Ten. Of course, with four returning starters it was understandable. With plenty of starters returning this season, it won't be excusable.
Replacing Ben Chappell will be a challenge. Chappell had his bad moments, but he was a good system quarterback.
Doss's absence will not only be felt in the passing game but also in the return game.
Strengths: While losing Doss hurts, IU still has Belcher as well as a few other talented, though inexperienced, receivers waiting in the wings.
Darius Willis missed most of 2010 with injuries. He will step right back into a starting role at tailback.
Offensively, Indiana shouldn't have too huge an adjustment from Bill Lynch to new coach Kevin Wilson. They both run similar pass-heavy schemes. Moreover, Wilson has Indiana connections. He worked with Terry Hoeppner at Miami (OH), and his former boss and mentor—the late Randy Walker—played for Bill Mallory.
With four offensive linemen returning, a nice foundation is there for a solid running game.
A Premature Chance For Me To Look Stupid: Last Place, Big Ten East
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
