2011 Big Ten Football Spring Power Rankings: Buckeyes and Cornhuskers on Top
With the addition of Nebraska to the Big Ten conference, the football season in the Midwest and Great Lakes will have an entirely different feel in 2011. Nebraska will be competing yearly with Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern in the Legends Division. And if that lineup were not daunting enough, Nebraska's three cross-division games in 2011 and 2012 include Wisconsin, Ohio State and Penn State, which collectively have accounted for every Big Ten title since 2004 (Michigan State also won a shared championship in 2010). "Welcome" to the Big Ten, Cornhusker fans.
Meanwhile in the Leaders Division, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State are joined by Indiana, Illinois and Purdue. Much of the pre-spring focus has been on non-football issues, such as the names and compositions of these divisions and scandals at Ohio State and Iowa. However, spring football has arrived and all 12 teams are wrapping up in the next two weeks. Coming out of spring ball, let's take a look at how the teams stack up in their respective divisions.
We'll start with the Legends Division and then turn to the Leaders Division.
6. Minnesota
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The Jerry Kill era has now officially begun in Minneapolis as the Golden Gophers take the field for spring ball. Although few quality starters return from a 3-9 season, Kill is using this opportunity to convert Minnesota into a stronger running team, trying to recapture the magic from the past few seasons at Northern Illinois.
Despite spending the past two seasons splitting time between receiver and quarterback, junior QB MarQueis Gray is now the full-time starter. Kill is trying to develop Gray into a better pocket passer rather than an athlete this spring. However, four new starters on the offensive line will likely struggle and force Gray to make plays with his legs this season.
Kill wants to establish a power running game to take the focus off Gray, but the running backs are just as inexperienced as the offensive line. DeLeon Eskridge is the frontrunner to start at running back. Donnell Kirkwood may see some significant playing time behind Eskridge based on the amount of reps each player is receiving in spring practices.
Minnesota put the worst defense in the conference on the field last season, but the 10 new starters from a year ago will be joined by sixth-year senior safety Kim Royston to produce the most experienced defense in the Legends Division. The linebackers are actually a strong unit that will excel in conference play as long as the defensive line and defensive backfield improves dramatically from 2010.
Although Minnesota will almost certainly spend at least one more season at the basement of the conference, Kill will lay a foundation for future success this year with many young players receiving more playing time than usual. Plus, limited beer sales will be available in TCF Bank Stadium this season, so at least the fans will have that to look forward to.
Bottom Line: Minnesota will spend the first half of the season figuring out new play schemes and the second half of the season playing catch-up to the rest of the division. If the young players step up, the Golden Gophers may surprise one or two teams this season.
5. Michigan
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The biggest storyline from Ann Arbor is the hiring of new coach Brady Hoke from San Diego State and the installation of pro-style offense and defense to replace the failed Rich Rodriguez tenure. Although Hoke will need two or three years to stock the shelves with his style of players, the athletic crew left by Rodriguez may begin turning the tide right away.
Having seen Denard Robinson's heroics in South Bend and early last season, casual fans may wonder what the dual-threat quarterback will do next. If spring practice is any indication, become a pocket passer is on the top of Robinson's to-do list from Hoke. Robinson has shown enough talent throwing the ball to expect that this change of offense will come naturally this fall.
The key to Michigan becoming a powerhouse again is having a better running game to keep the defense rested and off the field. RB Fitzgerald Toussaint has been tearing up the Michigan defenders in spring workouts, but nobody will know if these performances are caused more by the weakness of the defense until Michigan plays against live competition in September. Nonetheless, the Wolverines will focus on power running again.
Michigan could never figure out defense in the Big Ten under Rich Rodriguez, but Hoke is sending all the right messages by focusing on defensive line, which is his specialty. Michigan will return to a 4-3 defense after three years in the 3-4, so a fierce competition is underway for starting spots on the defensive line.
Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison was hired from the Baltimore Ravens. After coaching the likes of Ray Lewis for the past few seasons, Mattison will not accept mediocrity and 400 yards per game surrendered by the Maize and Blue. The road back on defense may not take as long as expected with the tremendous defensive-oriented coaching staff now in Ann Arbor.
Bottom Line: Michigan will likely not compete for a division title in Brady Hoke's first season, but a shocker against Ohio State is not out of the question. At a minimum, Michigan will be back to the bowls once again this season.
4. Northwestern
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The best news Wildcats fans can receive is that the rehabilitation of quarterback Dan Persa is on track and progressing well. Despite playing tough against Michigan State and Texas Tech to end 2010, Northwestern lost their last four games largely because Persa was lost for the season. But Persa is not the only important Wildcat coming back for 2011.
Northwestern returns 16 starters, including nine on offense. Just like Kirk Cousins at Michigan State, Persa will enjoy a deep stable of wide receivers extending beyond the three starters from 2010. Joining those starters will be former DB Mike Jensen and senior Charles Brown.
Coach Pat Fitzgerald has struggled to find a consistent running game in his five seasons at Evanston, and he knows better than anyone that a dominant running game can make all the difference in a Big Ten championship run. Junior Arby Fields will look to improve from last year, especially considering the heavy focus opposing defenses must pay to the receivers and Persa. Fields also needs to do well to limit wear and tear on Persa.
The defensive backfield struggled at times in 2010. However, seniors Brian Peters and Jordan Maybin have performed well in spring practice and may lock down opposing passing games better this season.
The biggest holes to fill from 2010 is the front seven on defense. Although some young players have looked promising in early spring practices, most of the linebacker and defensive line positions are still not determined. Look for Northwestern to focus on these holes for the rest of the offseason to hopefully avoid being dominated by strong offensive lines and running games.
Bottom Line: The Wildcat offense is on par with Michigan State, but the defense turnover will keep Northwestern out of the top three in the Legends Division.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
3. Iowa
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The story of the offseason for the Hawkeyes was an intense January weight room workout that led to 13 players being hospitalized for rhabdomyolysis. However, all 13 players are fully recovered, and all but DB Willie Lowe have joined the team in spring practice to put the focus back on the football field.
The Rhabdo outbreak overshadowed a critical quarterback battle to take over for Ricky Stanzi. The Hawkeyes need a game manager like Stanzi to be competitive in the Legends Division. Junior James Vandenberg has already distanced himself from the other competitors for the starting spot and has already proven himself on the field in the 2009 de facto Big Ten Championship at Ohio State (Stanzi was injured).
The Hawkeyes will likely have a good offense even with a new quarterback, thanks to returning key running backs Adam Robinson and Marcus Coker as well as top receiver Marvin McNutt. There will be some new faces on the offensive line rotation, but early reports from spring practice indicate that the Hawkeyes have a solid core of young players ready to step up immediately this season.
Coach Ferentz's defense will need to reload with the loss of three linemen, including Adrian Clayborn. Senior DE Broderick Binns will be the new star of the line, but fellow seniors Mike Daniels and LeBron Daniels will be unknown quantities stepping in to stop opposing offensive lines.
Despite Iowa's inexperience on defense, the Hawkeyes typically reload on that side of the ball. Thus, do not expect much drop off from one of the best defenses in the Big Ten in 2010.
Bottom Line: Iowa must replace a lot of starters, but Michigan State and Nebraska are not likely to run away with this division. Iowa should be right in the mix for the division championship in 2011.
2. Michigan State
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Although the story of the early offseason was focused on trying to figure out what happened to the best Spartans team in over a decade against Alabama, the focus has quickly turned to next season with spring practices underway. Also, cancer survivor Arthur Ray is back in practice after two years away from football, which may bring an emotional lift to this team.
The majority of the skill position players on offense return, including senior QB Kirk Cousins. Cousins and Northwestern QB Dan Persa will compete for the mantle of best quarterback in the league this season. Expect Cousins and his trio of senior receivers Keshawn Martin, Keith Nichol and BJ Cunningham will stretch defenses and likely open up lots of running opportunities.
Coach Dantonio's largest challenge in defending the Big Ten championship is replacing at least three of the five offensive linemen. The most critical replacement will be at center, where Ethan Ruhland is leading the charge to start this fall. Another interesting twist to the Spartans offense may present itself, as Keith Nichol is taking snaps as a backup quarterback, which opens up options for wide receiver throws and trick plays this season.
Even though all-conference performer Greg Jones is gone from the defense, the Spartans return a significant number of role players and experienced backups from 2010. Redshirt freshman Tony Lippett is creating buzz by trying to become the first regular two-way player (receiver and cornerback) since Chris Gamble, who was at Ohio State when Coach Dantonio was in Columbus. Lippett may actually see more chances at defense because the Spartans are simply too stacked at receiver.
The two teams that continuously hold the Spartans back from competing in the Big Ten are Ohio State and Iowa, each of which are on the schedule this season. Both of those teams (and Alabama last season) dominated the Spartans by running with athletic backs, so Michigan State will need to stop this weakness to overcome those teams and Nebraska for a repeat Big Ten championship.
Bottom Line: As long as Kirk Cousins has adequate time to throw the ball, Michigan State will score a ton of points in 2011. The defense should be good enough to keep the Spartans competitive against the upper echelon of the league.
1. Nebraska
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Despite the excitement of joining the Big Ten this season, the pulse in Lincoln is concern regarding the Huskers offense after falling apart without QB Taylor Martinez at the end of 2010. Nebraska will actually see more teams similar to their own play style in the Big Ten, so it will be fascinating to see if any adjustments are made in the Huskers identity going forward.
Sophomore QB Taylor Martinez does not have to worry about winning the starting spot this year, and that should benefit him greatly. However, seven new starters must be inserted on the offense, along with a new offensive scheme from new coordinator Tim Beck. Beck was the running backs coach prior to ascending to offensive coordinator, so an up-tempo run-driven offense is likely to be the focus in 2011.
In view of the suspected offensive focus under Pelini and Beck, RB Rex Burkhead could be carrying the ball over 200 times this season if he stays healthy. Burkhead is more of a speedy running back than what is normally associated with Nebraska, but Burkhead has bulked up a bit this offseason to prepare for the tough grind of Big Ten play.
The Blackshirts defense has quickly become one of the most consistent top defenses in the country in Pelini's three seasons. Even with four seniors leaving the program, there are few worries about Nebraska doing well again on this side of the ball. The only real problem may be adjusting to all the new schemes and personnel of all the new conference opponents, but Nebraska's offense will also have that advantage.
Defensive lineman Baker Steinkuhler is ready to have a breakout junior season and may be the next Ndamakong Suh up front. The defensive front will need to force pressure against the quartet of highly experienced and talented quarterbacks they face in conference this season (Dan Persa, Kirk Cousins, Denard Robinson, and Terrelle Pryor). The only potential weakness may be Nebraska's defensive backfield, with two new starters.
Bottom Line: Nebraska will continue the streak of championship game appearances, but this time in a different setting in Indianapolis. The defense should remain dominant enough to carry the offense through the first Big Ten campaign.
6. Indiana
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There's only one new coach in the Leaders Division, and that is Kevin Wilson. Wilson has had some strong criticism of his team both before and during spring practice, and it is clear that nobody's job is safe in this rebuilding program.
First and foremost, a new quarterback must replace multi-year starter Ben Chappell. Two sophomores, Dusty Kiel and Edward Wright-Baker, have a leg up on incoming freshmen thanks to spring practice and summer conditioning, but neither can feel safe with the tough-talking Wilson at the helm. Not much is known about the progress of either quarterback, because Indiana conducts completely closed spring practices.
Wilson called a lot of imaginative offensive plays in his time at Oklahoma, so expect a fair number of trick plays and misdirection out of the Hoosiers this season. One focus will be the toughness of the offensive line, which may have up to three senior starters. However, Indiana absolutely must perform better in third and fourth down short yardage conversions to stay competitive with all the teams in the Leaders Division.
Although Wilson will certainly have a big hand in revamping the Indiana offense, his most pressing concern needs to be the defense. Indiana has not had a defense in the top 75 nationally in almost a decade. Even with seven starters returning, improvement is not guaranteed without significant attitude and effort changes.
The strongest part of the Hoosier defense should be the defensive line, anchored by third-year starting juniors Adam Replogle and Larry Black. If the defensive line can bring some pressure on opposing quarterbacks and running games, then the remainder of the defense may have an opportunity to come together in Wilson's first season with better effort and better results.
Bottom Line: Even if Kevin Wilson instills a winning attitude in these Hoosiers, Indiana remains two or three seasons away from being competitive in the Leaders Division.
5. Illinois
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The offseason was relatively quiet in Champaign, outside of two junior defensive stars leaving school early in Corey Liuget and Martez Wilson, along with RB Mikel Leshoure. Ron Zook continues to keep his job despite a losing record overall at Illinois, but this will be a crucial season with a lot of replacements coming in and a favorable conference schedule.
Four starters return to an offensive line that dominated in opening up running lanes for Leshoure last season. Jeff Allen and Graham Pocic should provide the best forward push. The only aspect to work on with this offensive line is providing more time for Nathan Scheelhaase to throw from the pocket instead of creating with his feet.
Scheelhaase will have a lot more focus directed his way in this sophomore season now that a new running back will be taking over. Scheelhaase showed some true talent and toughness in close games against Ohio State and Michigan, but he must eliminate the mistakes that lost those games in 2010. RB Jason Ford will look to fill the big hole at running back, but there are four other young backs also vying for playing time in spring ball.
The Illini may struggle on defense early in 2011 as five new starters join the line and linebackers. Expect sophomore Akeem Spence to be a disruptive force on the inside of the defensive line. LB Ian Thomas may be the only senior starter in the defensive front and will have to step into a leadership role.
Despite the heavy losses on defense, the Illini should be competitive for a bowl berth thanks to missing Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska on the schedule. Ron Zook always produces a good team when the least is expected of him, so Illinois may actually compete for a Leaders Division title.
Bottom Line: The 2011 Illini will go as far as sophomore QB Nathan Scheelhaase can take them. Expect a step back in defense and the running game.
4. Purdue
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Coach Danny Hope brought in another recruiting class filled with speed in this offseason, and he hopes that team speed will help Purdue return to the glory of the Joe Tiller days. For now, Purdue has their sights set on bowl eligibility with a solid core coming back from 2010.
Despite Robert Marve transferring into what seemed like a good position to start at quarterback last year, Rob Henry ended up benefiting from injuries and stealing the show. Henry has locked up the starting job in spring practice with accurate passing and better decision making. Henry should have a ton of time to find open receivers this season with an entire offensive line coming back from starting a year ago. One side effect of dealing with so many injuries in 2010 is that Purdue has the most returning experience in 2011.
One big question mark will be the running game. Akeem Shavers received most of the first-team reps in spring practice, but Ralph Bolden is still likely the top candidate for starting in the fall. Purdue could end up using both backs to change the pace against opposing defenses.
The Boilermakers return nine starters on defense, which will lessen the blow of losing all-conference DE Ryan Kerrigan. At defensive end, Robert Maci and Ryan Russell will need to step up to help strong defensive tackles Kawann Short and Bruce Gaston continue to ruin opposing Big Ten quarterbacks.
The defensive backfield is absolutely loaded in 2011. In addition to four returning starters, CB Ricardo Allen displays much of the speed Coach Hope wants to bring to the team. Allen should be able to make a ton of tackles just by quickly responding to plays and being in good position.
Bottom Line: With the top of the Leaders Division looking vulnerable, the strong Boilermaker defense should carry Purdue back to a bowl game. Expect a surprise win or two in league play.
3. Penn State
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It would not be an offseason in Happy Valley without speculation about whether Joe Paterno will be finished with coaching after this season. Paterno enters his 46th season at the helm and the final year of his contract with a team at the crossroads of competing for conference titles and mediocrity.
Penn State had one of the more intriguing quarterback competitions last season between Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin, and that competition is still dead-even in spring practice. Expect Bolden to return to the starting role like the beginning of last season, but McGloin will be ready if another injury or poor play results.
No matter who is leading the offense, the team will need better play from the offensive line. Silas Redd could be the next star running back for the Nittany Lions, but a senior-laden line will be key to his continued success. If any injuries happen on the line, only unproven underclassmen are available to fill out the ranks. That makes for a troubling situation in Happy Valley.
The defensive line is also a big area for improvement in 2011, but injuries in the offseason and spring practices have prevented development of new starters, especially at defensive end. Devon Still may be expected to produce more pass rush from the middle of the line than he did in his junior season.
The defensive back seven returns nearly every player who played significant minutes in 2010. Expect CB D'Anton Lynn and SS Nick Sukay to produce some crucial turnovers this season. If the defensive line can be patched together, the Nittany Lions may have one of the best defenses in the conference.
Bottom Line: It will not be surprising if Penn State is in Indianapolis in early December, playing for a Big Ten title. Unfortunately, enough question marks remain that will make it unsurprising if Penn State finishes well behind the Badgers and Buckeyes in the standings.
2. Wisconsin
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In his fifth year at the helm, Bret Bielema took the Badgers to their sixth consecutive New Year's Day Bowl and finally broke through to his first Rose Bowl. Although the bowl did not go as Badger Nation hoped it would, Wisconsin returns enough starters to make another title run in 2011.
On the offensive side of the ball, new starting quarterback John Budmayr will take over without much in-game experience as a redshirt sophomore. Budmayr will not be helped by a highly inexperienced receiver and tight end complement compared to the past three seasons. Senior WR Nick Toon and TE Jacob Pedersen will need to step up and run good routes in order to give young Budmayr enough time to find an open receiver.
Budmayr will be helped by a strong offensive line, which will continue to open holes for RB Montee Ball and RB James White. White and Ball split carries with John Clay last season but will continue to have success behind the Badgers' offensive line. Budmayr will need to prove he is a threat in the passing game to make opponents respect the running game, but even great defenses like TCU and Ohio State cannot always stop Wisconsin when they know the run is coming. Expect that trend to continue.
Despite losing DE JJ Watt and SS Jay Valai, the Badger defense will be as strong as usual. Although FS Aaron Henry was involved in a on-field scuffle this week in practice with Montee Ball (Henry is stepping up to be the vocal leader of the defensive backfield). Much like Valai last year, Henry has the skills to back up his talk and will be the anchor against opposing receivers.
Wisconsin is trying out a high number of candidates for defensive end, but the defensive tackles appear to be locked for the fall. Patrick Butrym and Jordan Kahout will slow any running attack up the middle and may provide some replacement pass rush for the departed JJ Watt. Wisconsin has built a program on good line play, and this will continue in 2011.
Bottom Line: If Ohio State stumbles in any manner, Wisconsin will be ready to punish them and take the first Leaders Division championship. More defense and running game incoming from Bret Bielema's crew.
1. Ohio State
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The story of the offseason for the league as a whole and Ohio State is the transgressions and suspensions of five star players and coach Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes have dominated this conference, winning at least a share of the past six championships, but that may all change thanks to offseason problems.
QB Terrelle Pryor is among the suspended for five games, which automatically creates a highly compelling quarterback competition for the first half of the season. Early in spring practices, the two highly-touted freshmen Taylor Graham and Braxton Miller have not shown enough to warrant serious consideration. Thus, the quarterback will either be senior Joe Bauserman, a quintessential pocket-passing backup, and sophomore Kenny Guiton, who will remind Buckeye fans of Pryor. Expect Bauserman to win the job.
No matter who is taking snaps in September, a massive problem will be figuring out who to throw the ball to. With DeVier Posey's suspension, only two unproven sophomores, Chris Fields and Corey Brown, and two incoming freshmen, James Louis and T.Y. Williams, will be the targets. For a team known for good receiver depth, this is an incredibly shallow pool. Losing Mike Adams on the line and Dan Herron at running back will also hurt the offense, but Ohio State appears to have adequate replacements at those positions.
The defensive line loses Cameron Heyward to graduation and Soloman Thomas to suspension, but DE Nathan Simon and DT John Simon should be able to cover the ends until Thomas returns. Johnathan "Big Hank" Hankins played well last season and will be a force on the inside of the Buckeye defensive front.
The linebackers and defensive backfield lost four senior starters, but hot competition for these spots in spring practice shows that the Buckeyes are deep enough to reload this portion of the defense. The competition at cornerback is especially strong with Florida State transfer Dionte Allen competing with Travis Howard and Dominic Clarke, each of whom played significant minutes as backups last season. Ohio State's defense is not invincible, but it should be good enough to give the offense (with or without Pryor) a chance to win every game.
Bottom Line: The Buckeyes have a lot of holes, especially in the first five games of the season. However, this looks like a down year in the Leaders Division, which keeps Ohio State as the favorite.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
