1. Penn State
Coach: Joe Paterno
(44th season)
Last Year: 11-2, 7-1, lost to USC, 38-24, in the Rose Bowl
Key Returners: QB Daryll Clark, LB Sean Lee
Key Losses: DE Aaron Maybin, WR Derrick Williams
What’s Up: Something awoke in Happy Valley last season. The new HD offense took the conference by storm and pushed the Nittany Lions into the Rose Bowl. You can certainly expect the same type of explosiveness on offense with the return of do-everything quarterback Daryll Clark and running back Evan Royster.
What’s Down: Repeating success is always the most difficult part for any team on the rise – or re-emerging, in Penn State’s case. Teams will have had a whole offseason to scout the Nittany Lions’ offense and prepare for it. This team was a surprise last year, but now it will be expected to repeat as Big Ten champs.
2. Ohio State
Coach: Jim Tressel
(Ninth season)
Last Year: 10-3, 7-1, lost to Texas, 24-21, in the Fiesta Bowl
Key Returners: QB Terrelle Pryor, CB Kurt Coleman
Key Losses: RB Chris “Beanie” Wells, LB James Laurinaitis, CB Malcolm Jenkins
What’s Up: Pryor backed up his top ranking coming out of high school, blossoming into a fantastic starting quarterback. Now, Pryor will be the focus of the offense even more, and he should be up to the challenge.
What’s Down: Last year, Ohio State benefitted from one of the most experienced squads in the conference. That experience is gone. How the Buckeyes replace playmakers will help answer the questions of their relative youth.
3. Wisconsin
Coach: Bret Bielema
(Fourth season)
Last Year: 7-6, 3-5, lost to Florida State, 42-13, in the Champs Sports Bowl
Key Returners: LB Jaevery McFadden, TE Garrett Graham
Key Losses: RB P.J. Hill, TE Travis Beckum
What’s Up: Even with the loss of workhorse P.J. Hill, John Clay, who rushed for 884 yards last year, should be able to carry the load from the backfield. Bring back the team’s top two wideouts and quarterback, and the offense can match the always reliable Badgers defense.
What’s Down: The defense might take a hit this season, with only one player from last year’s starting defensive line returning this season. Wisconsin has made its living defensively with front four pressure, and the team will be relying on new faces.
4. Iowa
Coach: Kirk Ferentz
(11th season)
Last Year: 9-4, 5-3, defeated South Carolina, 31-10, in the Outback Bowl
Key Returners: QB Ricky Stanzi, LB Pat Angerer
Key Losses: RB Shonn Greene, WR Andy Brodell, DT Mitch King
What’s Up: The Hawkeyes were the only Big Ten team that could say they won a bowl game last year. That should provide a large amount of confidence heading into this season. Iowa is relatively set on defense with eight players returning from a squad that allowed 13.0 points per game.
What’s Down: It is tough to replace one of the premier backs in the country. With Shonn Greene heading to the NFL, Iowa loses its biggest weapon. That is going to put early pressure on quarterback Ricky Stanzi to prove he can manage and lead the offense in the Big Ten.
5. Minnesota
Coach: Tim Brewster
(Third season)
Last Year: 7-6, 3-5, lost to Kansas, 42-21, in the Insight Bowl
Key Returners: WR Eric Decker, QB Adam Weber
Key Losses: S Tramaine Brock, TE Jack Simmons
What’s Up: Virtually no one off of last year’s roster will be lost entering this season. The Golden Gophers showed flashes of greatness before struggling toward the end of the season. And when the offense was rolling, it was rolling.
What’s Down: After Decker was hurt against the Wildcats, the Golden Gophers were never the same. They lost their last four games entering the bowl game and were clearly reeling when Kansas slammed them in the Insight Bowl.
6. Michigan State
Coach: Mark Dantonio
(Third season)
Last Year: 9-4, 6-2, lost to Georgia, 24-12, in the Capital One Bowl
Key Returners: WR Mark Dell, LB Greg Jones
Key Losses: RB Javon Ringer, S Otis Wiley, QB Brian Hoyer
What’s Up: A lot of players from last year’s successful season return, which should help fill the leadership and experience gaps left by critical departures. Michigan State has one of the best kickers in the country in Brett Swenson, and points will be easy to come by as long as they get within a 50-yard field goal.
What’s Down: There is a lot of talent to replace. Javon Ringer was the most explosive back in the conference and a constant threat to score any time he touched the ball. Now he is gone, and others on offense will have to step up. All while breaking in a new quarterback.
7. Indiana
Coach: Bill Lynch
(Third season)
Last Year: 3-9, 1-7
Key Returners: WR Kellen Lewis, DE Jammie Kirlew
Key Losses: RB Marcus Thigpen,
K Austin Starr
What’s Up: The Hoosiers will have an experienced squad, anchored by DE Jammie Kirlew, who recorded 10.5 sacks last year. The offense and defense each lose only three starters from last season. The Hoosiers appear to have their quarterback situation settled and should have plenty of athletes to spread across the field.
What’s Down: With Ben Chappell taking the reigns at quarterback, senior Kellen Lewis slides to wide receiver. But Chappell was not exactly a rock under center. Ray Fisher, the team’s top receiver from last year, is also changing positions, moving to cornerback. How quickly these two learn their positions will signal how far Indiana can go.
8. Michigan
Coach: Rich Rodriguez
(Second season)
Last Year: 3-9, 2-6
Key Returners: WR Martavious Odoms, LB Obi Ezeh
Key Losses: S Brandon Harrison
What’s Up: It cannot get any worse than last year. Rich Rodriguez’s first year at Michigan was a complete disaster. That will change as his first recruiting class begins to matriculate. It is difficult to think the Wolverines, with all their talent and experience, will be down for long.
What’s Down: The only problem with all that experience is that it is losing experience, which will not help when Michigan needs a come-from-behind victory in late October. The pressure might get the best of them, as fans clamor for the maize and blue to perform on the field.
9. Northwestern
Coach: Pat Fitzgerald
(Fourth season)
Last Year: 9-4, 5-3, lost to
Missouri, 30-23, in the Alamo Bowl
Key Returners: DE Corey Wootton, S Brad Phillips
Key Losses: QB C.J. Bachér, RB Tyrell Sutton
What’s Up: Under new coordinator Mike Hankwitz’s attacking defensive style, the Cats transformed from a bend-don’t-break style to an all-out attacking force. For the first time in a while, the defense will be NU’s strength and something teams will have to gameplan for.
What’s Down: While the defense is up, the offense is way down. Most of the starters from the skill positions are gone. The Cats will be breaking in a new quarterback, halfback and starting wide receivers. That is asking a lot for this team to repeat its success from last year.
10. Illinois
Coach: Ron Zook
(Fifth season)
Last Year: 5-7, 3-5
Key Returners: QB Juice Williams, WR Arrelious Benn
Key Losses: CB Vontae Davis, LB Brit Miller
What’s Up: Eight starters return to one of the most difficult offenses in the Big Ten led by the multi-talented Juice Williams under center (or in the shotgun) and Arrelious Benn out wide. The Illini averaged 28.7 points per game and scored less than 20 points in just three games.
What’s Down: It still appears Illinois is working to replace the vaunted defense that helped push it to the Rose Bowl two years ago. The defense is starting from scratch after losing its two top tacklers from last season.
11. Purdue
Coach: Danny Hope
(First season)
Last Year: 4-8, 2-6
Key Returners: S Torri
Williams, DE Ryan Kerrigan
Key Losses: RB Kory Sheets, QB Curtis Painter
What’s Up: Purdue got plenty of trial by fire last season. New coach Danny Hope should also pump some energy into the program as coach Joe Tiller stepped aside after building a solid program in West Lafayette, Ind.
What’s Down: Nothing went right in 2008 for Purdue. Few of the players from last year’s sometimes-on-but-mostly-off offense will return creating a huge void for some new, inexperienced players to fill. True, the defense returns seven starters, but it also gave up 25-plus points per game last season.
