| The Future of the Big 10 |
Thanks to graduating classes of 50,000 and a total lack of
speed on the gridiron, the Big 10 remains both the most powerful and most
ridiculed Football Conference in the land. This year, with Ohio State once
again Bowl eligible, the Conference should be more respected thanks to a
potential National Championship contender in its ranks. Here are my 2013
Predictions for the Big 10:
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (2013 Projected: 12-0)
a.
Toughest Games: Wisconsin; @Northwestern;
@Michigan
b.
Key Returning Players: QB Braxton Miller; Tackle Jack Mewhort;
Linebacker Ryan Shazier; Cornerback Bradley Roby
c.
Key Question Marks: Will dual threat QB Braxton
Miller improve as a passer during the 2013 season? Will the losses in the
Defensive front seven be detrimental to the Buckeyes? Will the Buckeyes stumble amidst heady
expectations?
d.
Overall: This schedule is tailored for a
National Championship run. Seriously, the Buckeyes non-conference schedule is a
joke and their only difficult road games are at Northwestern and Michigan. As a
result, the Buckeyes will likely be a touchdown favorite in every game they
play. All the major playmakers on offense are back and the Buckeyes return
enough young defensive talent (Defensive End Noah Spence per example) to make
this team a no-brainer choice to win the Big 10. Also, Urban Meyer beat
Nick Saban’s first elite Alabama team in 2008. Keep that in mind all year long.
2. Michigan State Spartans (2013 Projected: 10-2)
a.
Toughest Games: @Notre Dame; Michigan; @Nebraska
b.
Key Returning Players: Defensive End Marcus
Rush; Linebacker Max Bullough; Safety Isaiah
Lewis
c.
Key Question Marks: Will QB Andrew Maxwell
remain the starting QB throughout the 2013 season? Do the Spartans have the
most complete Defense in the Big 10? How will the Sparty offense fare with the
departure of Le’Veon Bell?
d.
Overall: I might be a little too high on the
Spartans. However, they don’t have to play Ohio State and they play Michigan at
home. Additionally, they return most of their ninth ranked Defense from last
year. Of course, Andrew Maxwell isn’t exactly Kirk Cousins and he played awful down the
stretch last year. However, he kept his team competitive in every game they
played and the running game should hold steady. Book it-Sparty wins the Legends
division.
3. Nebraska Cornhuskers (2013 Projected: 10-2)
a.
Toughest Games: UCLA, @Michigan; Michigan State
b.
Key Returning Players: QB Taylor Martinez (Yes,
he’s still on the team. I know, it feels like he’s been in Lincoln for 10
years.) ; RB Ameer Abdullah; Guard Spencer Long
c.
Key Question Marks: Is dual threat Senior QB
Taylor Martinez poised for another great season? Will the Cornhuskers young
Defense be able to improve on an unremarkable 2012 season? Are the Cornhuskers
the best rushing team in the Big 10?
d.
Overall:
The Cornuskers return two 1,000 yard rushers in Taylor Martinez and Ameer
Adbullah. Also, the young Defense should be an upgrade on the 2012 Defense.
Still, I don’t trust Taylor Martinez in big spots and the defensive secondary is
just too inconsistent. They have a great shot at winning the Legends division
but I just don’t think they’ll do it.
4. Michigan Wolverines (2013 Projected: 9-3)
a.
Toughest Games: Notre Dame; @ Michigan State;
Ohio State
b.
Key Returning Players: Tackle Taylor Lewan; WR
Jeremy Gallon; QB Devin Gardner
c.
Key Question Marks: How will the Michigan
Offense look without Denard Robinson? Is the Michigan defensive line too young
to compete with Ohio State or Sparty? Will Freshman RB Derrick Green be able to
alleviate some pressure for QB Devin Gardner?
d.
Overall: Expectations are always a little too
high in Ann Arbor. Yes Brady Hoke is a good coach, but Devin Gardner isn’t an
elite Quarterback and this Defense allowed too many big plays last year. The
Wolverines are relevant, but they’re not beating Notre Dame, Michigan State or Ohio State.
5. Wisconsin Badgers (2013 Projected: 9-3)
a.
Toughest Games: @ Ohio State; Northwestern; Penn
State
b.
Key Returning Players: WR Jared Abbrederis;
Tight End Jacob Pedersen; Linebacker Chris Borland
c.
Key Question Marks: How will Head Coach Gary
Andersen fair in his first year at Wisconsin?
Will returning Qbs Joel Stave or Curt Phillips get the starting job
after unimpressive 2012 seasons or will newcomer Tanner McEvoy take the lead
under center? How will the Wisconsin running game fare with the departure of
Montee Ball?
d.
Overall: The Badgers will be able to run the
ball. Most of their offensive line returns from 2012, as well as James White who
averaged 6.4 yards per touch last season. Also, other than a game in Columbus,
the Badgers should be favored in every game they play this year. Nevertheless,
I still have questions about the Badgers passing attack and pass defense. With
that, I believe the Badgers will stumble a few times during the season and wind
up at 9-3.
6. Penn State Nittany Lions(2013 Projected: 7-5)
a.
Toughest Games: Michigan; @Ohio State;
@Wisconsin
b.
Key Returning Players: WR Allen Robinson;
Defensive End Deion Barnes; Linebacker Glen Carson
c.
Key Question Marks: Will five star recruit
Christain Hackenberg challenge Tyler Ferguson for the starting QB position?
Regardless of who plays quarterback, will the Nittany Lions offense take a
major step back without Matt McGloin under center? Is Penn State still
Linebacker U or is there a real concernregarding the lack of depth at that
position?
d.
Overall: I know it’s been said a million times
by now, but Bill O’Brien deserves a standing ovation for the job he did with
the Nittany Lions last year. Although O’Brien lost his highly efficient QB Matt
McGloin, the rushing game and Defensive line are so talent rich that the Lions
should probably improve on their 2012 season. However, I think expectations are
already way too high in Happy Valley and I expect these inexperienced
quarterbacks to make a lot of mistakes. Still, 7 wins is something to be proud
of.
7.
Northwestern Wildcats(2013 Projected 7-5)
a.
Toughest Games: Ohio State; @Nebraska; Michigan
b.
Key Returning Players: QB Kain Colter; Defensive
End Tyler Scott; Safety Ibraheim Campbell
c.
Key Question Marks: Will QB Kain Colter be able to stay healthy
throughout the 2013 season? Will the schedule be too difficult for the Wildcats
to manage? Is the 2013 Defense even better than the 2012 Defense?
d.
Overall: The Wildcats are going to have some
rushing attack in 2013. With Kain Colter at QB and Venrik Mark at RB, the
Wildcat pair may potentially put up more than 2,500 rushing yards. Add to that a
highly ranked Defense, and this should be the year the Wildcats finish 10-2 and
play in the Big 10 Championship. However, the 2012 Wildcats never beat a Top 25
team and the schedule gets a lot more difficult this year (see trap game at
Iowa, before consecutive games against Nebraska and Michigan.) I really wanted
to put this team higher on my list based on their talent, but I only see 7 wins
here.
8.
Iowa Hawkeyes: (2013 Projected: 6-6)
a.
Toughest Games: Michigan State; @Ohio State; @
Nebraska
b.
Key Returning Players: Tight End CJ Fiedorowicz;
Defensive Tackle Carl Davis; Linebacker James Morris
c.
Key Question Marks: Who will ultimately start at
QB: Jake Rudok; Cody Sokol; or CJ Beathard? Can Fullback Mark Weisman lead the
Hawkeyes rushing attack to at least respectability? Can the offense score
enough points to help the Hawkeyes finish the year at .500?
d.
Overall: The Hawkeyes return 14 starters from
the 2012 season. Whether or not that’s a good thing remains to be seen. The
Defense will be better than even the 33rd ranked Iowa Defense of
2012, but really it all comes down to the offense. Regardless of who plays
Quarterback, you have to be optimistic when you return Mark “The Size” Weisman
and Tight End CJ Fiedorowicz.
9. Purdue Boilermarkers: (2013 Projected 5-7)
a.
Toughest Games: Notre Dame; @ Michigan State;
Ohio State
b.
Key Returning Players: Defensive Tackle Bruce
Gaston; Cornerback Ricardo Allen; Punter Cody Webster
c.
Key Question Marks: Will QB Rob Henry be able to
establish some level of consistency at the Quarterback position? Will the
departure of Defensive End Kawann Short improve the Boilermakers rush Defense
while coincidently hurting their pass rush? Do the Boilermakers have any wide
receiver or tight end that can gain separation from an above average defensive
back?
d.
Overall:
Purdue, thanks mostly to running back Akeem Hunt
and Defensive Tackle Bruce Gaston, have talent on both sides of the ball.
Additionally, the team returns most of its defensive starters from last year.
Still, the team is slow and Quarterback Rob Henry remains a mystery. Purdue
will scrap by with what it has and manage a very difficult schedule to
eventually finish with 5 wins.
10.
Indiana Hoosiers: (2013 Projected: 5-7)
a.
Toughest Games: @Michigan State; @Michigan;
@Ohio State
b.
Key Returning Players: WR Cody Latimer; WR Kofi
Hughes; Safety Greg Heban
c.
Key Question Marks: Was 2012 the ceiling for QB
Cameron Coffman? With RB Stephen Houston returning, will the Hoosiers make an effort
to establish the run more frequently?
Can this Defense technically get any worse?
d.
Overall: Indiana has arguably the best receiving
corps in the Big 10. However, Cameron Coffman is no Braxton Miller. Still, he
threw the ball for a lot of yards last year and if the Hoosiers are able to
establish a running game, he’ll be able to limit turnovers. This of course
would put less pressure on the Defense, but still wouldn’t increase the talent
on the defensive side of the ball. They’ll win 2 in conference games and hover
just below .500
11.
Illinois Illini: (2013 Projected: 3-9)
a.
Toughest Games: @Nebraska; Wisconsin; Ohio
State
b.
Key Returning Players: Linebacker Jonathan
Brown; Linebacker Mason Monheim; Tight
End Ryan Lankford
c.
Key Question Marks: Is QB Nathan Scheelhaase
still the same player he was during his impressive freshman season? After going 2-10 last year, things have to go
better for second year Coach Tim Beckman, right? Is the Illini secondary simply
too young?
d.
Overall:
I don’t know who in the Football Department came up with this non-conference
schedule, but everyone of these games is potentially losable (Southern
Illinois, Cincinnati, Wash, Miami (OH)).
Also, even if the Illini can split their non-conference schedule, they
still don’t have the offensive talent to win more than one Big 10 game. Really,
the Illini are above average at Tight End and Linebacker, but terrible
everywhere else. My take: it’s going to be another long year for Tim Beckman.
12.
Minnesota Golden Gophers: (2013 Projected: 3-9)
a.
Toughest Games: @Michigan; Nebraska; @ Michigan
State
b.
Key Returning Players: Cornerback Derrick Wells;
Guard Zac Epping; RB Donnell Kirkwood
c.
Key Question Marks: Can Donnell Kirkwood build
on his impressive 2012 campaign? Will QB Phil Nelson be able to complete passes
on a consistent basis? Did the Golden Gophers keep enough talent on Defense to stay
bowl bound once again?
d.
Overall: The Golden Gophers started off 4-0 last
year (including a win over Syracuse). However, once their Big 10 schedule
started, they went 2-6 in their last 8 games and barely snuck into a bowl game.
In those last 8 games Phil Nelson was their quarterback, and he’s their current
starter today. Despite a solid running game and serviceable Defense, this
program still can’t compete in-conference on a regular basis. Phil Nelson won’t
change that.
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