Check out the latest of our Big Ten unit power rankings, the secondaries.
1. Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State has one of the best defenses in the country in 2012 and arguably the best in the Big Ten. The same is true in the secondary, where the Spartans will be stacked with an all-conference lineup.
Trenton Robinson leaves, but Darqueze Dennard, Johnny Adams and Isaiah Lewis all return to give MSU a very deep and talented secondary.
The Spartans will be green at the safety spot opposite Adams, but with so much returning talent there is no reason this unit can’t be the most dominant secondary in the Big Ten.
2. Iowa Hawkeyes
The secondary will be Iowa’s strong suit on defense this year, even without First Team All-Big Ten cornerback Shaun Prater. Second Team All-Big Ten corner Micah Hyde returns and is poised to take a huge step forward this season.
Rising junior B.J. Lowery only played in eight games last season, but should benefit from new defensive coordinator Phil Parker, who served as the defensive backs coach before his promotion this season.
First-year offensive coordinator Greg Davis’ up-tempo, pass-heavy attack should lead to quicker drives as well as quicker scores, meaning that the Hawkeyes’ secondary will need to prevent opposing offenses from matching their quick strike aerial attack.
3. Michigan Wolverines
Two years ago, the Wolverines were extremely thin at cornerback and, as a result, they were regularly shredded through the air. That won’t be the case this year. Fifth-year senior J.T. Floyd and rising sophomore Blake Countess, now fully acclimated to Greg Mattison’s 4-3 scheme, can matchup with the Big Ten’s best receivers and help to prevent the big plays that plagued them last season.
Incoming freshman Terry Richardson, the prize of Brady Hoke’s 2012 recruiting class, is both physical enough and athletic enough to play immediately.
The Wolverines ranked fifth in pass defense in 2011, but year two under Mattison could see them field one of the conference’s deepest and most experienced groups of DBs.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes
Last year’s Ohio State defense was impressive, but very young, and this year almost the entire unit returns. The whole secondary will be back and will look to build on a solid 2011.
Travis Howard and Bradley Roby return at cornerback for the Buckeyes, while CJ Barnett and Christian Bryant return at safety for a secondary that could have some All-Big Ten talent.
While it won’t get as much hype as the OSU front seven, expect Urban Meyer’s first secondary in Columbus to hold its own among the rest of the Big Ten.
5. Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers lose two all-conference performers from last season in Antonio Fenelus and Aaron Henry, but they should recover nicely and-much like last season, when they ranked second in pass defense-force opponents to earn every yard through the air.
Veteran safeties Dezmen Southward and Shelton Johnson were at the forefront of the Badgers’ stingy pass D in 2011, breaking up passes and directing traffic, and expecting anything less this season would be a mistake.
At corner, rising senior Marcus Cromartie and rising sophomore Peniel Jean made huge strides last season, especially in the Big Ten Championship game, where they combined for 11 tackles despite yielding 281 passing yards and three touchdowns.
6. Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois’ secondary was underwhelming at times last year, especially at the end of the season when the Illini lost six straight games, but the most of the unit returns in 2012 with more experience.
The cornerback spots will be filled by two seniors and the safety spots will likely be filled by junior Steve Hull and senior Supo Sanni.
Expect the Illinois secondary to be improved from last season and be an anchor of the Illini defense in 2012.
7. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska ranked seventh in the Big Ten against the pass last season, and that was with First Team All-Big Ten corner Alfonzo Dennard practically shutting down every team’s No. 1 receiving option.
New defensive backs coach Terry Smith has instilled an us-against-the-world mentality in this underperforming but deep secondary, leading many to believe that it could take a huge leap forward in the fall.
Corners Andrew Green and Ciante Evans and safeties Daimion Stafford and converted wide receiver Antonio Bell have impressed coaches with their work ethic and attention to detail in spring ball. Expect this unit, despite losing one of the best DBs in school history, to improve from last year’s dismal-by blackshirt standards-campaign.
8. Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue is considered by many experts to be a darkhorse in the Big Ten Leaders Division race this season, especially with Ohio State’s bowl ban and Wisconsin and Penn State semi-rebuilding.
The secondary won’t be the best part of the Boilermakers’ team, but it must at least be solid enough to not be a weakness.
Purdue returns possible All-Big Ten corner Ricardo Allen, but there’s not much talent returning outside of that spot. Coach Danny Hope needs some other players, like corner Josh Johnson, to step up when teams throw away from Allen.
9. Penn State Nittany Lions
The Nittany Lions tout one of the league’s best front sevens, where middle linebacker Gerald Hodges and defensive tackle Jordan Hill will dominate the line of scrimmage and force opponents to rely on the pass.
That leaves a talented but largely unaccomplished secondary-one trying to recover after losing four starters-to sure up the the pass defense and force opponents to attack Hodges, Still and co.
Rising sophomore Adrian Amos filled in at corner for the injured D’Antonn Lynn last season, but could see time at safety, his high school position, this season. Curtis Drake moved from wide receiver to corner this spring and should compete for playing time behind veteran Stephon Morris and Amos.
10. Minnesota Golden Gophers
After a disappointing 2011 campaign, Minnesota’s secondary will look to rebound and improve the Gophers defense as a whole.
However, the cupboard is pretty ba
re at secondary, and after star corner Troy Stoudermire, there is a significant dropoff in talent and experience.
Coach Jerry Kill recruited junior colleges very heavily in his first year on the job, so expect some JUCO players to get significant playing time in 2012.
11. Northwestern Wildcats
Too many times last season, the Wildcats appeared virtually helpless, if not lost against the pass in late-game situations. They allowed quarterbacks of all shapes, sizes and skill levels, running the gamut from Penn State’s Matt McGloin to Texas A & M’s Ryan Tannehill, to pick them apart through the air. Their pass defense woes resulted in several disappoint losses, most of which could have been avoided if the secondary came to its senses, aligned itself correctly, and made one play-just one!
Alas, 2012 portends a similarly inauspicious string of ineptitude from the secondary, especially given the losses of First Team-All Big Ten safety Brian Peters and corner Jordan Mabin, who recently earned himself a roster spot with the Baltimore Ravens.
Rising sophomore Nick Vanhoose made strides this spring, despite a subpar performance in the spring game, where Cameron Dickerson’s highlight-reel-worthy 40-yd touchdown came at his expense. Fellow sophomore-to-be Ibraheim Campbell, who led the Wildcats with 100 tackles last season, has a bright future ahead of him but may not be ready to lead this inexperienced group.
12. Indiana Hoosiers
Last year’s Northwestern-Indiana football game tells you everything you need to know about the bottom two secondaries on this list, as both passing games torched each other’s defenses, with the Wildcats pulling out a 59-38 victory.
Indiana returns three starters in its secondary, but there isn’t much talent available, as evidenced by last year’s terrible showing.
Coach Kevin Wilson has a number of JUCO players that he can work into the mix, so expect the Hoosiers’ lineup in the secondary to be fluid throughout the season.