Here's what we can absolutely, positively, definitively declare about Big Ten football after its 5-5 performance in bowl games:
If you play a clearly superior team, you might get exposed (Michigan State, Iowa).
If you play a very good team and fail to block and tackle, you might get run out of the building (Northwestern).
If you can score big (Nebraska) or control the lines (Wisconsin), you might win. If you can't, it won't matter who plays quarterback (Penn State).
If you play a MAC team, your chances are good (Minnesota). If you're that talented and face a depleted opponent, it might not matter if your top defensive linemen are either suspended, injured or ejected for targeting (Ohio State).
If you're peaking at just the right time, you can win huge (Michigan). And if your kicker misses by the length of a baseball card at Yankee Stadium, you might fall short (Indiana).
Here's a question facing each of these 10 teams:
Can Michigan State pick up the pieces? Imagine the cold reality that hit Mark Dantonio upon his return to East Lansing: Studs Connor Cook, Shilique Calhoun, Jack Allen and Darien Harris are among those gone, and Michigan and Ohio State sizzled in their bowl games. First order of business: selecting between Tyler O'Connor and Damion Terry at quarterback.
What on earth happened to Iowa? They don't come more slippery than Stanford's Christian McCaffrey, so you can almost come to grips with his 368 all-purpose yards in the Rose Bowl. But how to explain an offense that scored nothing but sympathy points? The Hawkeyes have lost four straight bowls, getting blown out in three. The coaches need a new blueprint once the calendar hits December.
Who's left at Ohio State? A massive talent drain will claim early NFL draft entrants Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott, Tyvis Powell, Darron Lee, Eli Apple and Cardale Jones -- and probably Michael Thomas and Vonn Bell -- leaving fewer than 10 returning starters. One of them is quarterback J.T. Barrett, who would be wise to sharpen his leadership skills.
Who will be Jim Harbaugh's next project? Jake Rudock blossomed into a pro prospect under Harbaugh, and Rudock's successor figures to be John O'Korn, a Houston transfer with extensive experience (619 pass attempts). If "Johnny O'Football" falters, Harbaugh's other options include holdover Shane Morris and Wilton Speight, who helped the Wolverines beat Minnesota.
Can Northwestern rediscover its passing attack? It's a miracle this team won 10 games with a passing offense that ranked 125th of 128 FBS teams. The receiving corps is desperate for new blood, and coach Pat Fitzgerald should consider stripping offensive coordinator Mick McCall of play-calling duties and allowing him to focus solely on tutoring Clayton Thorson and NU's other quarterbacks.
Will Wisconsin pay for being frugal? Highly regarded defensive coordinator Dave Aranda departed for LSU, a lateral move in name only. He's getting a salary boost from $520,000 to a reported $1.3 million and can position himself as a possible successor to Les Miles. Wisconsin must shop for a budget-friendly replacement. The Badgers rank 40th nationally in assistant coach compensation, according to USA Today.
Is Penn State set for a facelift or reconstructive surgery? Christian Hackenberg thanked eight people in announcing he would enter the NFL draft, none named James Franklin. Year 3 of the Franklin era will be noteworthy for a new offensive coordinator (Joe Moorhead, who turned FCS Fordham into a winner) and new quarterback (the mobile Trace McSorley, who rallied the Nittany Lions late in a loss to Georgia).
Indiana broke through, but will it truly break through? The Hoosiers went to their first bowl since 2007 and came up a bit short in a thriller against Duke. Good job. But what awaits a program that has won seven or more games only once since 1994, has annual duels with Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State and remains a defensive disaster?
Was that 30-0 run against UCLA a sign of things to come for Nebraska? Coach Mike Riley learned something about quarterback Tommy Armstrong: He's better when you don't ask him to throw so much. An efficient 12-for-19 (174 yards, one TD pass, one TD run) did the trick. The Huskers were 0-4 this season when Armstrong chucked it 40 or more times.
Who is Jay Johnson? Minnesota's new offensive coordinator, a native of the North Star State, pledges to emphasize the run. His last team at Louisiana-Lafayette was merely decent at that, though, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
About the Author
