Big 10 News (Merged)

[BuckeyeTillIDie]

I still do not think Iowa will be that good..

 

[buckeyeboy]

CFN has us losing at Iowa and at UT. I agree that those will be our toughest two games, but there's no way we'll lose them both. We'll win at least one of the two.

 

[buckeye247]

CFN has us losing at Iowa and at UT. I agree that those will be our toughest two games, but there's no way we'll lose them both. We'll win at least one of the two.

we will win both!

 

[Bucklion]

I still do not think Iowa will be that good..

Everyone wants Iowa to be that good, because they all want to believe Ferentz is the best coach in the country (next to Weis of course). While I respect the Iowa coach, I think the days of contending for BCS bids year after year at Iowa are over...I expect a lot more Alamo Bowls.

 

[Bucklion]

My other question is now that the Sun Bowl is no longer locked to the Big Ten, where will Minnesota and Purdue go every year?

 

[Dryden]

Everyone wants Iowa to be that good, because they all want to believe Ferentz is the best coach in the country (next to Weis of course). While I respect the Iowa coach, I think the days of contending for BCS bids year after year at Iowa are over...I expect a lot more Alamo Bowls.

Iowa lost a ton of senior leaders. Their back seven is just as gutted as OSUs aside from the safties, but there isn't the same top shelf talent waiting in the wings. They also lost all three top WRs, and have holes on the O-Line and young tackles on the D-Line.

A lot of people are forgetting they went 7-5 last year, and were simply not competitive in two of their games (Ohio State and Iowa State).

Iowa could be a really good team by the end of the year, but I think the inexperience will hold Tate and Young back through September.

I admit, I bought into the Ferentz hype a little bit too, expecting the Hawkeyes to be dangerous this year, but the more I read about them the less concerned I am, especially with the drop off at CB and WR. I think the Bucks can outscore them easily, even on the road, and our secondary will be far ahead of their passing attack by the end of September.

 

[Thump]

Yahoo Big 10 Preview

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=yspsctnhdln>Big Ten breakdown</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER width="1" height="1" type="block"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>By Olin Buchanan, Rivals.com College Football Senior Writer
<TABLE id=ysparticleheadshot cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 align=left border=0 vspace="5" hspace="5"><TBODY><TR><TD class=ysptblbdr2><TABLE class=yspwhitebg cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE class=yspwhitebg cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--START SIDE-->
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=200 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#896d45>How they'll finish </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>1. Ohio State </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>2. Michigan </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>3. Iowa </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>4. Penn State </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>5. Michigan State </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>6. Wisconsin </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>7. Northwestern </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>8. Purdue </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>9. Minnesota </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>10. Illinois </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>11. Indiana </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!--END SIDE-->An inside look at what to expect in the Big Ten this season:
Best offensive player: Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State: Perhaps this year's version of Vince Young, Smith could be the most dangerous player in college football. He's a threat as a runner and a passer, having rushed for 611 yards, passed for 2,282 and accounted for 27 touchdowns in leading the Buckeyes to seven consecutive victories to close out last season.
Best defensive player: Paul Posluszny, LB, Penn State: He's one of the best linebackers in Penn State history. That is all that needs to be said, but we'll say more. The recipient of the Bednarik and Butkus awards, he racked up 116 tackles last season, including 11 for losses.
Best player you don't know yet: Javon Ringer, Michigan State: After posting the second best rushing total for a true freshman in Spartan history with 817 yards, Ringer figures to do much more this season. He averaged 6.7 yards per carry but averaged only 11 attempts per game. Look for that total to rise. He's also an effective receiver.
<!--Start Image--><!-- End Image-->Impact newcomer: Chris Wells, Ohio State: The nation's top-ranked running back recruit won't be the featured back, but will carry the ball often enough to command attention.
Sleeper recruit: Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Iowa: A late academic qualifier who signed in June, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound three-star recruit out of Campbell, Ohio has 4.5 speed. He could see immediate playing time with the Hawkeyes this season, who are thin at receiver.
Assistant coach on the rise: Ron English, Michigan: English turned down the NFL to accept the promotion from Michigan's secondary coach to defensive coordinator. He promises a more aggressive style of play, which should force more turnovers. As a secondary coach he tutored five all-conference defensive backs from 2003-05. If he can improve the Wolverines' overall tackling he could establish himself as one of the Big Ten's best defensive coaches immediately.
Assistant coach on the hot seat: Andy Moeller, Michigan: The offensive line could be Michigan's weakness, and that is a concern for the offensive line coach. Jake Long is a stalwart at tackle, but the Wolverines have been moving personnel around all spring to plug leaks in the line. The players have also been asked to lose weight to become quicker and more athletic and have reportedly responded. How they respond on the field may determine whether the Wolverines bounce back from a 7-5 season and challenge for the Big Ten championship, or endure another disappointing year. <!--START SIDE-->
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=250 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#896d45 colSpan=2>The Big Ten's best ... </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>Quarterbacks: </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>Ohio State </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>Running backs: </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>Ohio State </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>Wide receivers: </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>Ohio State </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>Tight ends: </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>Minnesota </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>Offensive line: </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>Ohio State </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>Defensive line: </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>Michigan </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>Linebackers: </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>Penn State </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>Defensive backs: </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>Michigan </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>Kickers/punters: </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dbcfc7>Wisconsin </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>Special teams: </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#ebe6e3>Ohio State </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!--END SIDE-->Best offensive coordinator: Dave Baldwin, Michigan State
Best defensive coordinator: Tom Bradley, Penn State Etc.: Pat Fitzgerald, at 31 the youngest coach in Division I, faces a tough decision right away in deciding on a starting quarterback among C.J. Bracher, Mike Kafka and Andrew Brewer. Kafka and Brewer are both redshirt freshman and Bracher is a sophomore who completed six of 15 passes for 59 yards last season as the backup to Brett Basanez. … If Northwestern manages at least six victories this season it will mark the first time in more than a century – since 1905 – the Wildcats will have posted at least six wins in four consecutive seasons. … Ohio State is the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten largely because quarterback Troy Smith has established himself as the starter. The Buckeyes are 13-2 with Smith as the starter, including a seven-game winning streak to close last season. OSU has never lost a game Smith started at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes' losses with Smith at the helm were 17-10 at Penn State last season and 24-17 at Purdue in 2004. This season the Buckeyes play Penn State and Michigan in Columbus. … Speaking of quarterbacks, one of the more interesting competitions will be at Illinois where freshman Isiah Williams, a high school All-American, could challenge incumbent starter Tim Brasic. …. Penn State has the nation's best set of linebackers in Paul Posluszny, Tim Shaw and Dan Connor, but also has three new starters in the defensive line. That could limit the linebackers' effectiveness. … Iowa senior quarterback Drew Tate has passed for 5,669 yards in his career, but he is without Ed Hinkle and Clinton Solomon, the leading receivers from last season. His most productive returning receiver is junior Herb Grisgby, who had 25 catches in 2005. ... Wisconsin has one of the nation's least demanding non-conference schedules. The Badgers, who do not play a non-conference opponent from a BCS conference, travel to Bowling Green and face Division I-AA Western Illinois, San Diego State and Buffalo outside the Big Ten.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[korchiki]

kidna hurts seeing derrell johnson as the sleeper for iowa...but o well

 

[Oh8ch]

Talk about RB talent out of Ohio.

Sutton lead the Big Ten in rushing last season.

Ringer is the 'Best Player you don't know about'.

And Wells is the impact newcomer even though we all agree he will have a battle on his hands to take carries away from Pittman.

Oh for the days of Woody Hayes when we could have had them all.

 

[NightmaresDad]

scUM has the best D-Line? Really?
Besides, Woodley, we are better at every other D-line position.
We will have the second-best (barely) group of LBs in the conference, and one of the most athletic secondaries anywhere.
I for one am very much looking forward to watching this defense play this year. If the secondary has it together by the Iowa game, we should run the table from there.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Big Ten season doesn't add up
11-team field causes headaches, uneven strength of schedule
<table align="right" bgcolor="white" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="200"> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
<center></center>
For the Big Ten, which is actually 11, there is a simple numbers problem every year. Making all sides equal with the conference schedule is a mathematical nightmare.
<center></center> There is no balancing the equation in this league, the only place where 10 is not an even number.<center></center> So the solution formulated some time ago is to subtract two opponents off the top and have each team play just eight league games every season. A clause in the schedule formula protects traditional rivalries, meaning games such as Ohio State-Michigan will never be factored out.<center></center> Add it all up and this makes for sum interesting results.<center></center> The current rotation has Ohio State chasing a second straight Big Ten championship without playing Purdue or Wisconsin, two teams that could end up in the upper half of the league when Thanksgiving arrives.<center></center> Michigan, trying to rebound from its worst season in two decades, will not face the league's reigning bottom feeder Illinois and Purdue, likely the conference's biggest disappointment in 2005 when it went just 5-6 overall. The Boilermakers are in the second year of the schedule formula that lets them play for the title without facing either the Buckeyes or the Wolverines.<center></center> "A lot was made out of that last year, and we still struggled," Purdue coach Jim Tiller said recently as the Big Ten's coaches and top players met in Chicago to launch the 2006 season.<center></center> "No question, those are traditionally very strong programs, but year after year, top to bottom, this league is very strong, no matter who's on your schedule. You can't look at the schedule and assume anything."<center></center> Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr will play everybody that finished in the top seven in the conference a year ago, plus face recently rejuvenated powerhouse Notre Dame outside the league. In the Big Ten, the Wolverines face three teams in the preseason top 20 - Ohio State, Iowa, and Penn State.<center></center> "Some mountains are higher than others," Carr said. "We've always played a challenging schedule, and this one is no different. The great rivalries are there, and we expect to be tested every time we take the field."<center></center> Ohio State, a preseason No. 1 nationally in some polls, will not engage the Boilermakers or the Badgers in Big Ten play this season, but does face Iowa, Penn State, and Michigan - all ranked in the preseason top 20. Buckeyes head coach Jim Tressel said the size of the league dictates some scheduling problems that can't be easily solved.<center></center> "With 11 teams, there are going to be scheduling issues built in, but the Big Ten has come up with a workable method to address that," he said. "All you can do is prepare for the teams that are on your schedule this season. I think history has demonstrated that in the Big Ten it doesn't matter - they're all tough games."<center></center> The Buckeyes open with Mid-American Conference favorite Northern Illinois and then face defending national champion and preseason No. 2 Texas on the road in Austin. Tressel and Ohio State also have Iowa and Michigan State on the road.<center></center> "Everybody talks about how difficult the Big Ten schedule will be, and it certainly is a tremendous challenge, but before we even get to that we obviously have our hands full," Tressel said. "Northern Illinois is going to be a physical, tough football team from a strong program. And then you've got all that great talent and tradition in Texas. The schedule is demanding, and very challenging."<center></center> Tiller, the Toledo native entering his 10th season at Purdue, is not pleased with the way the schedule is arranged, following the addition of a 12th game this year for most teams. Since it plays at Hawaii, Purdue has 13 regular season games.<center></center> The Big Ten coaches wanted no part of additional conference games, so that means Big Ten teams will jump back out of conference play once late in the season, instead of splitting the schedule cleanly between the early nonconference section, and then a steady run of league opponents.<center></center> Purdue opens Big Ten play against Minnesota, faces Notre Dame the next week, then plays seven straight league games before saying "Aloha".<center></center> "I don't like that at all," Tiller said. "I think that's really hard on your program. We've always maintained our focus on the conference, but Notre Dame is a big game at Purdue. The idea of playing a critical Big Ten game before we face Notre Dame is a very challenging situation."<center></center> Following its first two Big Ten games, Ohio State will play Bowling Green, while Michigan hosts Ball State just two weeks before its traditional season finale against the Buckeyes.<center></center> The schedule issues only intensify next year, when Iowa starts a two-year period of not facing either Ohio State or Michigan.

 

[Dryden]

The schedule issues only intensify next year, when Iowa starts a two-year period of not facing either Ohio State or Michigan.

*cough* BULLSHIT! *cough*

Allow me to be the first to congratulate Kirk Ferentz on his 2007 & 2008 Big Ten Championship Titles.

 

[rocketman]

What you meant to say was we should be grateful that we are not facing the Kirk Ferentz coached powerhouse 7-5 Iowa teams. We have been spared.

 

[OSUBuckeye4Life]

August 9th, 2006

E$PN

Bruce Feldman ranks Ohio State's schedule the 7th toughest "to the title."

 

[BB73]

We don't play Wiscy this year - but this could certainly impact the Big 10 race.

si.com
Stocco has surgery, may miss time

Posted: Friday August 11, 2006 5:05PM; Updated: Friday August 11, 2006 5:11PM

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin senior quarterback John Stocco could miss time this season following surgery Friday on his right knee.

Stocco, who aggravated a 2003 injury, set school records for passing yards (2,920), touchdown passes (21), pass completions (197) and total offensive yards (2,888) last season.
<!--startclickprintexclude-->

"We're hopeful to have John available to us for most, if not all, of our games this season," head coach Bret Bielema said in a statement.

Wisconsin opens its season on Sept. 2 against Bowling Green at Cleveland Browns Stadium.