JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Here is a look at Jon Miller’s Big Ten power rankings after the conclusion of spring football practices:
#1 Ohio State: The Buckeyes return 10 starters on offense and five on defense. Terrelle Pryor will be the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year. They are going to be stacked on that side of the ball and will be more potent than they were over the final quarter of last season where they rushed for more than 200 yards on pretty much everyone, including consecutive games against Penn State, Iowa, Michigan and Oregon. Their defense has some holes, but tell me the last time Ohio State didn’t have a Top 20 caliber defense? 2004? You gotta beat the man to be the man, and that will be Iowa’s challenge this year. Good thing the game is in Kinnick. Pryor was crisp this spring, to spectacular. The biggest news from their spring game was the battle for the #2 QB position. If they have to play their #2 for any significant stretch, they are probably an eight win team. If Pryor goes wire to wire, the game at Kinnick might be their only real shot at a loss; I think they will handle Miami at home in September. Ohio State hosts Penn State the week before the Iowa game, while Iowa will be coming off back to back road games at Indiana and Northwestern.
#2 Iowa: We know what the Hawks have back, we know the schedule, we know that season tickets are selling at a record pace and we know there will be off the chart expectations this year, greater than even in 2005. This is probably the most anticipated Iowa football season from an expectations standpoint since 1985 when Chuck Long announced he would return for his senior season. Iowa went 10-2 that year and played in the Rose Bowl. Something to think about: if Iowa and Ohio State are both 10-0 before their late November meeting (I said IF…BIG IF), the winner will be the odds on favorite for one of the two national title game slots and the loser will probably be in the Rose Bowl. Man, I would sign up for that right now!
#3 Wisconsin: The Badgers return 10 starters on offense including a seasoned quarterback, but lose Garrett Graham at tight end. In their system, he is replaceable. they bring back six on defense but lose three of their front four including the slick O’Brien Schofield. Their road schedule is UNLV, Michigan State, Iowa, Purdue and Michigan. They host Ohio State the week before they travel to Iowa, where Iowa is at Michigan the week before they host the Badgers.
These three teams are going to be the picks at July’s Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon, in that order. Book it. The next group of teams is at least a cut beneath these three.
#4 Michigan: The Wolverines are still a ‘young’ team, but I suspect Denard Robinson will win the starting quarterback position. He looked the best this spring and he is the type of engine that offensive system needs. He is still an unpolished passer, but his legs can flat out kill you. Iowa fans got a taste of both of those worlds last year in Kinnick Stadium, but this time the Hawkeyes have to go to Ann Arbor. Michigan hosts Michigan State in an emotion filled rivalry game the week before Iowa comes calling, while the Hawkeyes will have had a bye week to tweak their offensive line and give everyone a rest. It will be a two week preparation for the Wolverines and the elusive Robinson, and Iowa could be 5-0 going into this game, ranked inside the Top Five in the nation.
#5 Penn State: Their spring game was less than inspiring. They have offensive line problems again, and their quarterback situation is hardly settled. In fact, the two players they are going to choose from did not distinguish themselves at all this spring. They also have to replace seven starters on defense: Jard Odrick, Navorro Bowman, Sean Lee and Josh Hull among those…five of their starting front seven from last year. The 2010 PSU defense is going to have to be lights out for the Nits to beat any of the top three teams in the league, and even then it might not be enough to beat Iowa and Ohio State, as both of those games are on the road. Iowa hosts Ball State the week before they host PSU while the Nits host Temple.
#6 Northwestern: Yeah, I am wary of these Cats. Dan Persa will be their starting quarterback, and they return all five starters on the offensive line. Mike Kafka is a big loss at quarterback but Iowa fans are familiar with Persa. The defense is always testy, and losing even an 80% Corey Wootton is a big loss for them. They are at Penn State the week before hosting Iowa.
#7 Michigan State: I thought about putting them at #7 but they have routinely disappointed. Quarterbacks Cousins and Nichol are both back, but they lose three of their five starting offensive linemen in addition to playmaker Blair White. LB Greg Jones returns, and he is a tackling machine, but last year’s group didn’t live up to expectations and it will be nice to have them in Kinnick this year. They are at Northwestern before traveling to Iowa, and Iowa will have played Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin in advance of the Spartans coming to town, so don’t sleep on this one.
#8 Indiana: They scored more than 20 points in each of their last five games against Northwestern, Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue. They return eight starters on offense, including each of their skill position players. Iowa should still win the game. they travel to Indiana after playing Michigan State.
#9 Purdue: They did better than I thought they would last year, but losing RB Ralph Bolden to a knee injury is a big deal. Three of their top four receiving targets return, but another sub .500 year looks in the offing. In a statistical anomaly, they beat both Michigan and Ohio State last year and still didn’t make a bowl game. Has that happened in the modern bowl era of Big Ten football?
#10 Illinois: they will start a freshman at quarterback and they do have talent in the system, but Ron Zook is on the hot seat plain and simple.
#11 Minnesota: They return nine players on offense, but I am not sure they know what they want to be just yet. They still need more recruiting to bring in the horses up front to handle their running attack as they transition from the indoor friendly spread. Their defense was hardly good last year and they lose 9 of 11 starters including their entire front seven and both corners…ouch.
#1 Ohio State: The Buckeyes return 10 starters on offense and five on defense. Terrelle Pryor will be the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year. They are going to be stacked on that side of the ball and will be more potent than they were over the final quarter of last season where they rushed for more than 200 yards on pretty much everyone, including consecutive games against Penn State, Iowa, Michigan and Oregon. Their defense has some holes, but tell me the last time Ohio State didn’t have a Top 20 caliber defense? 2004? You gotta beat the man to be the man, and that will be Iowa’s challenge this year. Good thing the game is in Kinnick. Pryor was crisp this spring, to spectacular. The biggest news from their spring game was the battle for the #2 QB position. If they have to play their #2 for any significant stretch, they are probably an eight win team. If Pryor goes wire to wire, the game at Kinnick might be their only real shot at a loss; I think they will handle Miami at home in September. Ohio State hosts Penn State the week before the Iowa game, while Iowa will be coming off back to back road games at Indiana and Northwestern.
#2 Iowa: We know what the Hawks have back, we know the schedule, we know that season tickets are selling at a record pace and we know there will be off the chart expectations this year, greater than even in 2005. This is probably the most anticipated Iowa football season from an expectations standpoint since 1985 when Chuck Long announced he would return for his senior season. Iowa went 10-2 that year and played in the Rose Bowl. Something to think about: if Iowa and Ohio State are both 10-0 before their late November meeting (I said IF…BIG IF), the winner will be the odds on favorite for one of the two national title game slots and the loser will probably be in the Rose Bowl. Man, I would sign up for that right now!
#3 Wisconsin: The Badgers return 10 starters on offense including a seasoned quarterback, but lose Garrett Graham at tight end. In their system, he is replaceable. they bring back six on defense but lose three of their front four including the slick O’Brien Schofield. Their road schedule is UNLV, Michigan State, Iowa, Purdue and Michigan. They host Ohio State the week before they travel to Iowa, where Iowa is at Michigan the week before they host the Badgers.
These three teams are going to be the picks at July’s Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon, in that order. Book it. The next group of teams is at least a cut beneath these three.
#4 Michigan: The Wolverines are still a ‘young’ team, but I suspect Denard Robinson will win the starting quarterback position. He looked the best this spring and he is the type of engine that offensive system needs. He is still an unpolished passer, but his legs can flat out kill you. Iowa fans got a taste of both of those worlds last year in Kinnick Stadium, but this time the Hawkeyes have to go to Ann Arbor. Michigan hosts Michigan State in an emotion filled rivalry game the week before Iowa comes calling, while the Hawkeyes will have had a bye week to tweak their offensive line and give everyone a rest. It will be a two week preparation for the Wolverines and the elusive Robinson, and Iowa could be 5-0 going into this game, ranked inside the Top Five in the nation.
#5 Penn State: Their spring game was less than inspiring. They have offensive line problems again, and their quarterback situation is hardly settled. In fact, the two players they are going to choose from did not distinguish themselves at all this spring. They also have to replace seven starters on defense: Jard Odrick, Navorro Bowman, Sean Lee and Josh Hull among those…five of their starting front seven from last year. The 2010 PSU defense is going to have to be lights out for the Nits to beat any of the top three teams in the league, and even then it might not be enough to beat Iowa and Ohio State, as both of those games are on the road. Iowa hosts Ball State the week before they host PSU while the Nits host Temple.
#6 Northwestern: Yeah, I am wary of these Cats. Dan Persa will be their starting quarterback, and they return all five starters on the offensive line. Mike Kafka is a big loss at quarterback but Iowa fans are familiar with Persa. The defense is always testy, and losing even an 80% Corey Wootton is a big loss for them. They are at Penn State the week before hosting Iowa.
#7 Michigan State: I thought about putting them at #7 but they have routinely disappointed. Quarterbacks Cousins and Nichol are both back, but they lose three of their five starting offensive linemen in addition to playmaker Blair White. LB Greg Jones returns, and he is a tackling machine, but last year’s group didn’t live up to expectations and it will be nice to have them in Kinnick this year. They are at Northwestern before traveling to Iowa, and Iowa will have played Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin in advance of the Spartans coming to town, so don’t sleep on this one.
#8 Indiana: They scored more than 20 points in each of their last five games against Northwestern, Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue. They return eight starters on offense, including each of their skill position players. Iowa should still win the game. they travel to Indiana after playing Michigan State.
#9 Purdue: They did better than I thought they would last year, but losing RB Ralph Bolden to a knee injury is a big deal. Three of their top four receiving targets return, but another sub .500 year looks in the offing. In a statistical anomaly, they beat both Michigan and Ohio State last year and still didn’t make a bowl game. Has that happened in the modern bowl era of Big Ten football?
#10 Illinois: they will start a freshman at quarterback and they do have talent in the system, but Ron Zook is on the hot seat plain and simple.
#11 Minnesota: They return nine players on offense, but I am not sure they know what they want to be just yet. They still need more recruiting to bring in the horses up front to handle their running attack as they transition from the indoor friendly spread. Their defense was hardly good last year and they lose 9 of 11 starters including their entire front seven and both corners…ouch.
