Can Ohio State make a serious run at the top of the division without Braxton Miller? Can anyone other than Michigan State put up much of a challenge? Who knows. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the idea of Maryland and Rutgers in the Big Ten.
Big Ten East Preview
Indiana Hoosiers
Last year, coach Kevin Wilson played both of the top quarterbacks on his roster, with a third seeing time as well due to injury. Now two of them have transferred, meaning Nate Sudfeld will be the starter this season. Sudfeld put up decent numbers last season (2,523 yards and 21 touchdowns), but the top two receivers and the top tight end from 2013 are gone. The running game, however, should be excellent due to running back Tevin Coleman. Coleman scored 12 touchdowns and averaged a ridiculous 7.3 yards per carry a year ago, despite missing three games with a injured ankle. There are two new starters on the right side of the line, but if they can open holes for him, Coleman is definitely a player to watch.
No matter how good the offense is, if the defense allows 527.9 yards per game again this year, the Hoosiers won’t win very often. New defensive coordinator Brian Knorr has a big job ahead of him. The first thing he did was switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4. Ordinarily, I’d say Knorr was walking into a nice situation with nine starters returning, but given the defensive numbers last season, that’s questionable. Hoosier fans will have to hope that the scheme and position changes, plus a year of experience for the handful of 2013 freshmen, help substantially.
Indiana will have a new kicker this season, replacing Mitch Ewald. Senior Shane Wynn returns both punts and kicks capably.
Prediction: The offense may be less electric than usual due to the losses in the receiving corps, but it should still be solid. I expect the defense to take a step forward this season too, but I’m not sure one step will be enough to improve their record all that. The schedule is extremely tough, with road games at Missouri, Iowa, Michigan, and Ohio State, plus Michigan State at home. 4-8.
Maryland Terrapins
The Terps have had a lot of injuries over the past few seasons, but they have a respectable team when healthy. There’s a fair amount of inexperience on the offensive line, but C.J. Brown is a formidable quarterback if they can keep him upright and on the field. Junior receiver Stefon Diggs was the top recruit in the country coming out of high school, and senior Deon Long is back from injury. There are capable running backs on the roster, and Brown is a threat to take off himself. The only big question marks are on the line.
The defense has multiple starters returning at every position, with nine starters back in total. The defensive line should be very good, and there’s considerable experience and depth throughout the front seven. The secondary, too, has three returning starters; senior Jeremiah Johnson returns from an injury that cost him most of 2013, and he’ll likely be in the fourth spot.
The kicking game is very good. The punting game was good at times but could use more consistency. There are multiple options in the return game, so overall special teams are in good shape.
Prediction: The Terps have a truly brutal stretch in the second half- they host Ohio State and Iowa, followed by road games at Wisconsin and Penn State, home against Michigan State, and then a trip to Ann Arbor. It’s possible (though I don’t think likely) that they won’t win a game after September. 5-7.
Michigan Wolverines
Finishing 86th in the country in total offense is not acceptable in Ann Arbor. Period. Head coach Brady Hoke decided a change was needed and brought in offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier from Nick Saban’s staff. There are still big question marks on the offensive line, as that unit was less than stout a year ago and lost two of its best players to the NFL. Not surprisingly, the running game was inept last year as well, although freshman Derrick Green showed some potential. As for the passing game, senior quarterback Devin Gardner put up decent numbers last year in his first full season as a starter, throwing for 2,960 yards and 21 touchdowns. His decision-making could use a bit of work though, as he also threw 11 interceptions. The other Devin, Devin Funchess, was Gardiner’s top target last season. Funchess started his career at Michigan as a tight end and has evolved into a WR/TE hybrid type, although he’s listed on the depth chart as a receiver.
Eight starters return from a defense that started off well in 2013 but had fallen off by the end of the season. There are multiple backups who played well in spot duty, and getting linebacker Jake Ryan back from injury should give the unit a boost. The secondary has three starters returning, but the most exciting player may not be one of them. Cornerback Jabrill Peppers was the second-ranked overall recruit in the 2013 class. Landing him was huge for the Wolverines, and he’s in contention for a starting job.
There’s some shuffling of players on the special teams units. Will Hagerup was the conference’s best punter in 2012 before being suspended for unspecified rules violations last season. He’s back, and 2013 punter Matt Wile, who has kicked before, will likely more to kicker to replace Brendan Gibbons, who graduated.
Prediction: I don’t really know what to expect from this team, after they overachieved in 2011 and underachieved the last two seasons. I’m going to guess 7-5.
Michigan State Spartans
Several new starters dot Sparty’s offense this season. Just two full-time starters return on the offensive line, but they performed extremely well in 2013, and they’ll be blocking for experienced running backs in seniors Jeremy Langford and Nick Hill. Langford rushed for well over 1,000 yards and 18 touchdowns a year ago. Junior quarterback Connor Cook is back as well, in his first full season as the hands-down starter. The receiving corps is deep and experienced, despite just one returning full-time starter.
One of the top defenses in the country last season, the Spartans have just five starters back, and several of the players they lost were very, very good. However, they could take a step back, especially early, and still be above-average. Junior Shilique Calhoun was the conference Defensive Lineman of the Year last season, and he’ll likely bookend the front four with four-year starter Marcus Rush. The linebacker corps has some question marks, as only one starter returns and the team was experimenting with some inside and outside position changes in the spring. Senior Taiwan Jones will lead that unit. In the backfield, there are two returning starters and several underclassmen with some experience.
Punter Mike Sadler had surgery in the spring but should be 100% for the season opener. Kicker Michael Geiger was a Freshman All-American last season.
Prediction: This was shaping up to be a fun battle between the Spartans and the Buckeyes until the injury to Braxton Miller last week. I still think MSU will drop a game- maybe against Ohio State, maybe as early as September 6 at Oregon- but I think they go 11-1 and win the Big Ten East.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Even before quarterback Braxton Miller was lost for the season last week, the Buckeyes were replacing four starting offensive linemen, leading rusher Carlos Hyde, and leading receiver Philly Brown. Throw a redshirt freshman at the helm of that offense, and who knows what you’re going to get. But that’s exactly what head coach Urban Meyer did, bypassing Cardale Jones to hand the reins to J.T. Barrett. Obviously, this isn’t going to be the juggernaut is was last year; even with Miller healthy, that likely would have been the case with all the turnover at the skill position and on the line. The tight end spot will be interesting to watch, simply because there’s potential for both the line and the receiving group to have use for them.
The defense has fewer question marks. Up front in particular, the line returns three starters, all of them quite good. The linebacker position, outside of the two returning starters, features some untested but talented underclassmen. The biggest questions are in the secondary, where Doran Grant is the only returning starter from a pass defense that was not up to par last season. Grant is also the sole senior in the secondary.
The Buckeyes will be using a new kicker this season. Cameron Johnson is a dependable punter, and OSU always has enough athletes to have a decent return game.
Prediction: With all the turnover on both sides of the ball (but especially on offense), I feel like my Magic 8 ball could predict the Buckeyes’ record as well as I can. I’m going to go with 8-4, but nothing between six and 10 victories would surprise me.
Penn State Nittany Lions
The good news on offense in Happy Valley is that quarterback Christian Hackenberg is back. As a freshman, Hackenberg threw for 246.3 yards per game and broke multiple Penn State record. Last week, Hackenberg was named a captain by new head coach James Franklin, the first-ever sophomore captain at Penn State. Who will be catching his passes this season is somewhat unclear. Still dealing with sanctions from the Jerry Sandusky situation, including scholarship reductions, the Nittany Lions don’t have a single returning starter at the wideout position. Their leading returning receiver is tight end Jesse James, who caught 25 balls for 333 yards and three touchdowns a year ago. Two capable senior running backs return, but the offensive line has huge questions surrounding it. Left tackle Donovan Smith is a returning starter, but no other lineman on the depth chart has started a game. With just two juniors and no seniors on that unit, look for at least three freshmen and/or sophomores to start on the line.
The defense looks to be in somewhat better shape than the offense. Three of the top four defensive linemen have started at least some games (although they’ll miss DaQuan Jones in the middle), and junior Deion Barnes was the 2012 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. The secondary has a reasonable amount of skill and depth as well, with two returning starters and a handful of upperclassmen. The gray area of the Penn State defense is, ironically, at linebacker. Senior and returning starter Mike Hull is moving from the outside to the middle, and two sophomores, Nyeem Wartman and Brandon Bell, are the likely candidates to start on the outside. Beyond those three, the depth is reportedly questionable. New defensive coordinator Bob Shoop told Yahoo Sports that the team may use a 4-2-5 alignment at times to get different players on the field.
Senior Sam Ficken returns at kicker; Ficken can punt as well but it’s expected a walk-on will handle that role. Keep an eye on the return game, which was poor last season.
Prediction: Between some weak teams in the division and a weak non-conference schedule, Penn State could finish with a decent record this season. They play at Michigan, with Ohio State and Michigan State visiting Happy Valley. The non-conference slate includes Central Florida, Akron, and Temple. I don’t expect this to be a very good team, but looking at the schedule, I still think they could go 8-4 at least.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Quarterback Gary Nova partook in, and won, a competition over the spring and summer to keep his job. He’s one of nine starters returning on the Rutgers offense. The one position without returning starters is wide receiver, but junior Leonte Carroo gained considerable experience before getting injured late last season. Tight end Tyler Kroft is the team’s leading returning receiver. Last year’s impressive running back tandem is back, as is the entire offensive line. If Nova can be more consistent- stop me if you’ve heard this before- this offense could be pretty good.
The defense was record-breaking last year, but not in a good way. Rutgers allowed school-record numbers of both passing and total yards against. Not surprisingly, there’s a new defensive coordinator in town Joe Rossi. Five starters from last year remain, starting with two on the defensive line. The depth throughout is good and several players have at least some experience starting. At linebacker, the two returning starters have switched spots; senior Kevin Snyder will now start inside and sophomore Steve Longa outside. The secondary is very young, with the majority of players on the two-deep being sophomores. Several of them received a baptism by fire a year ago and with any luck will be better players for the experience. Senior Lorenzo Waters is the sole returning starter in the defensive backfield, and one of just two upperclassmen.
Kicker Kyle Federico was 12-of-18 on field goals last season. The return game was a bright spot for Rutgers; expect Janarion Grant to handle those duties again.
Prediction: This team may have to take a step back from last year’s 6-6 record before they can take a step forward. Remember, that 6-6 came in the AAC against much weaker competition that the Knights will face in the Big Ten. 5-7 is the best I can see them finishing.
Predicted Order Of Finish:
1. Michigan State
2. Penn State
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan
5. Maryland
6. Rutgers
7. Indiana
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