Huge Ten spring preview: Can Ohio State knock off Michigan,

8:00 AM ET Blake

Baumgartner Tom VanHaaren Close

  • Tom VanHaaren ESPN Personnel Author ESPN staff writer Joined ESPN in 2011 Finished from Central Michigan
  • For the very first time in the College Football Playoff period, the Big 10 had multiple groups picked, with Michigan and Ohio State making it in 2022. This fall, Michigan and Ohio State might be joined by Penn State as top-10 teams in the preseason and all 3 must can making a run at the CFP.That’s not even including a possible undefeated group from the Big 10 West, with your 3 crossovers constantly critical. Iowa and Illinois do not face either Ohio State or Michigan while Wisconsin misses out on Michigan but hosts Ohio State. Minnesota, however, plays at Ohio State and hosts Michigan.As the league

    gets ready for one last year at 14 schools prior to USC and UCLA originate from the Pac-12 prior to the 2024 season, brand-new coaches at Wisconsin (Luke Fickell), Nebraska (Matt Rhule) and Purdue (Ryan Walters) ought to stimulate the Big Ten West race. In the Big 10 East, brand-new quarterbacks at both Ohio State (Kyle McCord) and Penn State (Drew Allar) will be 2 of the most popular positions to view while Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is perhaps the most knowledgeable signal-caller returning in the conference.– Baumgartner

    EAST DEPARTMENT Leading story: The Hoosiers had 17 players go into the transfer portal this offseason, consisting of freshman linebacker Dasan McCullough, tight end A.J. Barner and quarterbacks Connor Bazelak and Jack Tuttle. That’s a great deal of production to replace in one offseason, especially at quarterback. Bazelak was the starter in 2022 after transferring in from Missouri with Tuttle as one of the backups. The personnel had the ability to get Tennessee move Tayven Jackson, however he was a freshman last season, attempted 4 passes for the Vols and does not have much experience at the college level. There are a ton of brand-new faces on the lineup, and integrated with new training works with on the staff, Indiana has a great deal of change in one offseason to try to turn things around.Newcomer to view

    : Quarterback Dexter Williams hurt his knee in November, and with Bazelak and Tuttle moving, all eyes will be on Jackson. He was a freshman last season for Tennessee and by all accounts could be Indiana’s starter in the 2023 season.– VanHaaren play 0:33 Taulia scampers to make extraordinary

    play for Maryland TD Taulia Tagovailoa breaks out of the pocket

    and discovers Jeshaun Jones for a touchdown.Top storyline: Tagovailoa is back for his final season, which offers the Terps an excellent possibility at improving on their 8-5 record from last season. Tagovailoa ended up the 2022 season with 3,008 passing backyards, 18 touchdowns and 8 interceptions while also rushing for 4 touchdowns. He is losing receivers Rakim Jarrett and Jacob Copeland to the NFL, in addition to tight end CJ Dippre, who transferred to Alabama. The personnel generated West Virginia receiver transfer Kaden Prather, in addition to FIU transfer Tyrese Chambers, to help change those losses. If Tagovailoa can take another action up and enhance on last season, Maryland ought to be in line for another winning season.Newcomers to view: Chambers and Prather are both players to enjoy. They had comparable numbers for their particular teams

    last season with Chambers hauling in 544 yards and four goals and Prather 501 lawns and 3 goals. They must be huge additions to the offense.– VanHaaren Top story: With star running back Blake Corum(1,463 backyards, 18 goals)working his method back from the knee injury he suffered in late November, structure and maintaining depth at that position will be essential. Donovan Edwards (991 backyards, seven TDs) is also back after suffering a bone fracture on his right hand in mid-November. The trio of C.J. Stokes, Isaiah Gash and Tavierre Dunlap all received minimal time last year and integrated for 420 backyards and 3 touchdowns. They ought to get adequate associates this spring as Corum and Edwards continue their respective rehabs. It assists to have a sound offending line, which will be aiming to keep the momentum pursuing balancing 238.9 rushing lawns in 2022– fifth in the FBS.Newcomer to see: ESPN 300 running back Cole Cabana(No. 116 overall)might certainly factor into the competition behind Corum and Edwards. Cabana, who had 1,518 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior for Dexter( Michigan )High School, is the Wolverines’3rd ESPN 300 running back over the previous four recruiting cycles.– Baumgartner Leading story: Michigan State fell from 11 wins and a Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl triumph in 2021 to just five wins in 2022. An absence of a consistent running

    game (113 yards per game), which ranked 12th in the Big 10, was a nagging concern throughout last fall and was a huge factor for the offense’s troubles. Jalen Berger(683 yards, six touchdowns )is the group’s leading returning running back, with Elijah Collins (Oklahoma State) and Jarek Broussard (NFL draft)having both moved on. Head coach Mel Tucker and offensive coordinator Jay Johnson will require to discover a way to get more production on the ground to help quarterback Payton Thorne. Thorne tossed for 3,233 backyards and a program-record 27 touchdown passes 2 years ago and will be aiming to get back on track in 2023 with the aid of an enhanced running game and an emerging danger at wide receiver in Keon Coleman.Newcomer to view: Running back Nate Carter(983 profession lawns, three goals)comes to East Lansing to attempt to offer a lift to the Spartans’ offense after spending his first two years at UConn.

    He played in only 4 games last season because of a shoulder injury.– Baumgartner Leading storyline: The Buckeyes ‘offense has been a well-oiled device in the Urban Meyer and Ryan Day

    eras. With C.J. Stroud now off to the NFL, Kyle McCord will be in the spotlight as Ohio State looks to get back atop the Big Ten after two straight losses to Michigan. The 31st-best player in the 2021 class, McCord (190 passing lawns, one TD in seven games in 2022) saw limited snaps behind Stroud, the two-time Big Ten Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year. Getting McCord, who has just 58 career pass efforts, up to speed this spring is essential as the Buckeyes attempt to restore some order to their competition with the Wolverines and return to the College Football Playoff.Newcomer to see: Pass receiver Brandon Inniss(No. 34 total) is one of 3 ESPN 300 receivers to matriculate to Columbus this fall. In Addition To Noah Rogers and Carnell Tate, Inniss figures to include depth behind established wideouts Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka.– Baumgartner Sophomore quarterback Drew Allar has big shoes to fill, taking over for Sean Clifford at Penn State. John Jones/Icon Sportswire

    Leading story: All eyes will be on sophomore quarterback Drew Allar as he appears all set to take the reins from Sean Clifford, who reworded the program record book. Allar, the second-best pocket passer in the 2022 class, was the first ESPN 300 QB for James Franklin’s team because 2020. How quickly Allar (344 passing yards and 4 touchdowns as a freshman) adapts to being the guy under center might figure out the Nittany Lions’ possible Huge 10 title and CFP goals. Sophomores Nicholas Singleton (1,061 backyards, 12 TDs) and Kaytron Allen (867 backyards, 10 TDs) both starred in the backfield, and building depth behind them is vital. The return of offensive deal with Olu Fashanu, who would have been a possible top-15 NFL pick this April, is huge and should help Allar’s transition.Newcomer to view: Incoming freshman London Montgomery(No. 233 overall )is the third ESPN 300 running back to sign with Penn State in the past two cycles. If Singleton or Allen gets hurt, Montgomery could supply some much-needed insurance.– Baumgartner Top story: Rutgers went 4-8 in 2022, and if the group is going to seek to make a turnaround in 2023, it needs to figure out the quarterback position. Both Evan Simon and Gavin Wimsatt played in 2022, however they combined for 9 goals and 13 interceptions. The personnel didn’t include any quarterbacks through the transfer portal, so it’s likely going to be a battle in between Simon and Wimsatt for the starting task in 2023. Beginner to see: Without any transfer quarterbacks can be found in, 2023 three-star hire Ajani Sheppard is a name to enjoy.

    It isn’t likely he’ll play right now, but the team needs more competitors at the position.– VanHaaren WEST DEPARTMENT

    Illinois will be depending on Reggie Love to assist lead the running game. Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire Top story: How do you change the production of among the very best running backs in program history? Bret Bielema and the Fighting Illini begin life after Chase Brown (1,643 lawns, 10 TDs) this fall. Reggie Love (329 backyards, 2 TDs) and Josh McCray (56 backyards) are the group’s two leading returning rushes, while 2 openings on the offensive line (center and right deal with) remain up for grabs as the running game (166.2 yards per game) aims to stay a centerpiece of the offense. Aidan Laughery, Nick Fedanzo and Jordan Anderson are the other running backs on the roster and could get some associates this spring and in fall camp. For the second straight year, Illinois will be depending on a transfer quarterback and hopes Ole Miss import Luke Altmyer can be just as successful as Tommy DeVito wanted coming from Syracuse.Newcomer to watch: New protective planner Aaron Henry, the youngest organizer in the Big Ten, takes over from Ryan Walters, who delegated take the Purdue head coaching job. Henry will be charged with keeping among the country’s finest defenses(12.7 PPG, 273.5 YPG) from last season humming.– Baumgartner Top storyline: After averaging just 251.6 overall lawns on offense in 2015, things can just get better for the Hawkeyes. In particular, the death game struggled(156.7 YPG)and Cade McNamara, who transferred from Michigan, will succeed Spencer Petras under center. McNamara threw for 2,576 yards with 15 goals and 6 interceptions with Michigan in 2021 before losing to J.J. McCarthy in a quarterback competitors that played out into the very first couple of weeks of 2022. Iowa’s schedule doesn’t include either Ohio State or Michigan, so if offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz can get things streaming once again on that side of the ball, Iowa can harbor hopes of playing significant football come November.Newcomer to enjoy: Expectations will be high for McNamara, who helped pilot Michigan to a Huge Ten title and CFP journey in 2021.

    With the Hawkeyes’defense routinely among the greatest in the nation, the offense requires to pull more of the weight for the team to reach its capacity.– Baumgartner Leading storyline: The Gophers are losing running

    back Mo Ibrahim to the NFL, which is a substantial blow to the offense. Ibrahim set school rushing records during his time at Minnesota and was the heart of the offense, with 1,665 hurrying lawns and 20 touchdowns last season. The next-best mark was shared by Trey Potts and Bryce Williams, who each had 3 rushing touchdowns. Replacing that production at running back will be a hard job and a crucial piece of whether the offense will have success in 2023. Newcomer to view: Running back Sean Tyler moved in from Western Michigan to attempt to help replace Ibrahim’s

    statistics. Tyler had 1,027 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns last season for the Broncos.– VanHaaren Can new coach Matt Rhule lastly turn things around at Nebraska? Steven Branscombe/USA TODAY Sports

    Leading storyline: Nebraska ended up the 2022 season 4-8 and saw head coach Scott Frost fired after the 3rd game. Matt Rhule was generated to get Nebraska on track and relocating the best direction– the Huskers have not won more than 5 games since the 2016 season. Rhule has had success at all of his previous stops at the college level and has had the ability to restore programs in the past, most recently at Baylor prior to leaving for the NFL. Rhule has a tough job ahead of him in reconstructing Nebraska and has a fan base excited for a winning product. With the transfer portal more relevant than ever, the pressure to win early is greater than ever and Rhule has his hands full at Nebraska.Newcomer to see: Rhule

    is the one to enjoy. If he can turn things around, he will be revered at the highest level in Lincoln.– VanHaaren Top story: Northwestern went 1-11 in 2022 and lost 10 games in a row after beating Nebraska in the season opener. In the final 5 games of the season, the offense didn’t score more than 13 points in a game. The quarterback position has actually been a bottom line of discomfort for the offense and the team ranked No. 94 in pass backyards per game last season, No. 122 in interceptions to efforts and 117th in passing goals with simply 10 the entire season. The staff didn’t generate any aid at quarterback through the transfer portal, so finding out the position is going to need to originate from within if Northwestern is going to flip the script in 2023. Newbie to see: True freshman Aidan Gray is going to have a shot to compete for the starting quarterback task. He’ll have to battle with Ryan Hilinski and Brendan Sullivan, however neither played particularly well in 2022. Sullivan started to come on at the end of the season, but there’s plenty of space for enhancement.– VanHaaren Top story:

    Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm left for Louisville and Illinois protective coordinator Ryan Walters was hired in his place. Walters has submitted his staff, consisting of including Graham Harrell as offending organizer. Harrell invested last season at West Virginia and had become part of the USC personnel prior to that. Harrell needed a brand-new quarterback as Aidan O’Connell is off to the NFL, and the personnel had the ability to bring in Texas transfer Hudson Card. He and Harrell ought to mesh well, but it’s yet to be seen what the offense will appear like in Year 1 with so many new faces.Newcomer to view: Card was a former ESPN 300 recruit, ranked No. 40 general, who signed with Texas in the 2020 class. He tossed for 928 yards, six touchdowns and one interception last season, playing when starter Quinn Ewers was hurt.– VanHaaren Leading story: With quarterback Graham Mertz now off to Florida and new head coach Luke Fickell heading into his first year in Madison, things will look quite a bit different offensively. Offensive organizer Phil Longo will have three brand-new transfer quarterbacks competing for playing time, with Tanner Mordecai (SMU) perhaps leading the way. Mordecai, who was 151st in the 2018 ESPN 300, has hung around at both Oklahoma and SMU and threw for 7,152 backyards and 72 touchdowns over the previous 2 seasons with SMU. Former 2022 ESPN 300 quarterback Nick Evers (Oklahoma )and Braedyn Locke( Mississippi State) sign up with Mordecai in a revamped Badgers quarterback space as the offense seeks to improve on last season’s 183.8 passing backyards per game.Newcomer to enjoy: Fickell, who went 57-18 in 6 seasons at Cincinnati, was arguably one of the very best training hires this offseason. The former Ohio State

    player and coach ought to fit perfectly into a conference he understands extremely well.– Baumgartner

    Previous Article
    Next Article

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published.