Griffiths: Plenty of Big Ten storylines heading into preseason camps
By DOUG GRIFFITHS
ISL Assistant Editor
The Big Ten’s annual football Media Days have come and gone, and as we brace for the start of fall camps over the next couple weeks, there was plenty of food for thought that came out of Chicago.
Despite a couple of off-the-field issues with two of its stars, Ohio State is still the clear-cut favorite to win the conference title.
Nebraska could have something to say about that if it can remedy its holes on defense considering it has its three top offensive studs from a year ago returning.
Speaking of returning veterans, not one team returns more than Pat Fitzgerald’s Northwestern Wildcats. Fresh off their first bowl win in decades, Fitz’s ‘Cats have their sights set on a Big Ten championship.
Ohio State, Nebraska and Northwestern are the contenders, but who out there might be a sleeper?
Indiana. Yes, the Hoosiers, the usual Big Ten doormat in football, believe they could make some noise this season.
IU appears to have the offensive firepower to be a sleeper, but its defense must improve greatly if that’s going to happen.
Improving is what Purdue has in mind, too.
The Boilermakers are coming off back-to-back bowl appearances, but that wasn’t enough to save Danny Hope’s job. New coach Darrell Hazell’s charge in the Windy City centered around taking a program that’s usually seen as middle of the pack at best to one that is a perennial contender.
That’s what Wisconsin’s program became under Barry Alvarez and Bret Bielema.
Now the Badgers enter a new era as Gary Andersen arrives in Madison to take over Bielema’s program after he headed to the greener pastures of the SEC.
While Andersen and Hazell are enjoying a honeymoon period with each of their schools’ fan bases this season, a couple Big Ten coaches might be fighting for their coaching lives.
Kirk Ferentz is the dean of Big Ten coaches, yet the Hawkeye faithful aren’t happy after enduring 10 conference losses over the last two seasons.
Fans aren’t happy in Champaign either. This will only be Tim Beckman’s second season running the show at Illinois, but if 2013 is anything like 2012, it might be Beckman’s last in the Land of Lincoln.
Those weren’t the only storylines being talked about in the Windy City.
Here are some of the other things that were making news around the league.
TWICE AS NICE
With Rutgers and Maryland arriving in the conference next season, this will be the last year that Michigan and Ohio State could possibly meeting in the Big Ten Championship Game.
The Buckeyes are favored to win the Leaders Division and the Wolverines are expected to contend for the Legends crown.
If each team wins its respective division, the teams would meet two weeks in a row with the last coming in Indianapolis.
-I think it’s great, especially if you win ‘em both,” said Brady Hoke when asked about that scenario. -I think it would be interesting. I think it would be good for the league. It’s two programs that have been very important for the Big Ten.”
Buckeye boss Urban Meyer added, -Can you imagine the fan bases? That would be an exhausting two weeks, I can promise you that. I think it would (be good for the league) but not very good for the health of the coaches. But it would be fine for the fans. It would be great.”
Next season Ohio State and Michigan will be members of the same seven-team East Division.
QB BATTLES A PLENTY
Nebraska, Michigan and Ohio State are spoiled.
Why?
They head into fall camp knowing who they’ll rely on this season under center.
Taylor Martinez, Devin Gardner and Braxton Miller have proven themselves at Nebraska, Michigan and Ohio State, respectively.
Uncertainty surrounds the quarterback position at other Big Ten schools.
Six schools – IU, Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue, Penn State and Michigan State – are all entrenched in either a quarterback battle or will have an inexperienced player barking out the signals when the season starts.
A MAN ON A MISSION
Purdue has made two Rose Bowl appearances in its history, the last of which came after the 2000 season.
If Hazell has his way, returning to Pasadena will happen in the near future for his Boilermakers.
-One of the first things I said to our team was Purdue is always a team that’s perceived in the middle of the Big Ten,” Hazell said. -Never up here, never down here.”
Getting back to a Big Ten championship level won’t be easy at Purdue.
-I told them it’s going to take a lot of work but we’re going to climb ourselves out of the middle and we’re going to put this program on national prominence for a long point in time,” Hazell said.
FEELING THE HEAT?
Never one to be rattled, Ferentz handled any and all questions regarding the pressure he feels to have a bounce back season in Iowa City in stride.
-There’s certainly less patience at all levels of football right now for anybody,” he said.
Being on the hot seat isn’t anything new to Ferentz. He heard all the criticism after his first Iowa team went 0-8 in the Big Ten in 1999.
If anyone can empathize with Beckman at Illinois, it’s Ferentz.
-Typically, if you’re 0-8, it’s going to require some patience,” Ferentz said. -You have to hope the administration understands the process and what you’re trying to get accomplished. It takes time to rebuild.”
Beckman expects his Illini to make progress this season.
-One of the things we’ve talked about as a team is that we’re taking things one challenge at a time and we’re not going to let negativity infiltrate our program,” Beckman said. -We’re going to be positive with great passion toward what we want to get accomplished.”
CUPCAKE CITY
Ohio State is hearing an earful about its soft 2013 schedule.
Perhaps the only road blocks for the Scarlet and Gray in the way of another undefeated regular season are games against Michigan and Wisconsin.
-The saying about us is we really don’t play nobody,” Miller said. -The schedule tells you all. It ain’t easy to go out there and win each and every Saturday in college because everybody … they were the guy in high school. So the talent is there. We just have to prepare.”
TRYING TO STAY GROUNDED
If Michigan State can get any kind of consistent offensive production, it could win the Legends Division.
The Spartans have a lot of experience returning on defense, but replacing all-everything running back Le’Veon Bell will be next to impossible.
With that said, this is a program coming off consecutive 11-win seasons and this appears to be a fairly confident bunch of Spartans.
-From the quotes I was reading and things of that nature coming into the season last year, some of the things you just had to question a little bit,” MSU coach Mark Dantonio said. -Where were we? Maybe I (was) involved in that, too. But you always want to project positive about your program.”
TARGETING RULE UNPOPULAR
The new NCAA targeting rule has been met with disapproval and skepticism nationwide and those representing Big Ten schools in Chicago expressed similar views of it.
If players dish out hits to the head, they can expect to be ejected.
That doesn’t sit well with Spartan linebacker Max Bullough.
-Sometimes they come out with this stuff and I just pretend they didn’t even say it,” Bullough said. -It’s not even relevant, I feel like, to what’s gonna happen.
-It happens so fast, I think the rules they make are a little bit ridiculous. When that’s happening so fast, what are you gonna do when the running back puts his head down?”
Changing tackling techniques doesn’t seem to be the answer either.
-Your neck’s down, everything’s down, knees are more into it,” Bullough said. -It’s all dangerous. It’s football.”
