Conference Preview
Some things change, some things stay the same. Here’s this season’s conference preview, but the rankings and descriptions will sound an awful lot like last year’s preview.
NORTH
Minnesota: The Gophers have stepped to the head of the class in the North. Strong players at the offensive skill positions will spearhead a versatile offensive. So. QB Chapman looks ready for a breakout year, and new addition WR Byrne should make an immediate impact. The RB corps is young but very talented, led by Jr. Richards and sophs Heller and Dubois. OL is not elite, but is solid and should hold up well and create some holes. Only offensive concern is youth at WR – will an all Fr/So group hold back the passing game? On D, secondary is improved over last year and the DL has better depth. Gophers will give up some yards to elite teams, but if DB Melvin and LB White can generate the turnovers, it may be enough to lead them into a Level 5 bowl. With only seven seniors, this team will be scary good next season.
Michigan: More top-line talent than the Gophers, but this year’s recruiting struggles will impact the depth of the Wolverines. Arguably the best starting DL in the Big 10, talent drops quickly after the top 5 – any injuries could be a killer. Strong group of LBs, but the secondary is thin – four very good players but poor after that, facing a spread offense will challenge the weak links. A dynamite RB duo and the top QB in the Big 10 anchor the offense. QB Johnston could put up big numbers if the WR corps steps up, but so. Harper is the only elite WR in that group and TEs are not special. So. RB Stanley could put up huge numbers by his senior year and should cause D-coordinators nightmares this season behind an experienced OL.
Northwestern: Just not enough talent in the trenches to compete for the division title. A very good group of RBs led by redshirt freshman Davis, who has a chance to be a top 5 RB in the nation in a couple seasons. Passing game may struggle again – now that Sr. QB Nelson has improved to be slightly above average, the WR corps is relatively weak with no studs – Fr. Helms needs to step up. OL is below average, so the potential growth needs to come quickly for them to compete against top teams. Defense will be its weakest in several seasons. Top DB Morris is a stud, but the rest of the secondary is young and not very talented. DLine is weak as well – good depth, but no top line studs. Best 1-2 LB combo in the conference in Dunham and Blair, but the LBs won’t be enough to carry an otherwise average defense.
SOUTH
Notre Dame – The Irish are once again the cream of the crop, but they have stepped back slightly from last year and may not be national title contenders unless they get a couple breaks. Their running could be dominant, with an elite offensive line and a stable of strong RBs, led by the best freshman in the country Rick Brown. The passing game will again determine the team’s success against elite defenses – TEs are studly, but the WR group is just average and the QB Hernandez is good but not elite. The secondary might be the best in the country, led by Jr. Anderson and sr. Dean. A very strong defensive line will make rushing against the Irish tough, but the LBs aren’t as strong against the run and will need to step to stop the top rushing games.
Ohio State – Lack of defensive depth may keep the Buckeyes out of the top 20. All 3 defensive units have one top player, but the talent drops quickly after that. The DL looks especially susceptible – very strong Str/Tkl ratings, but we’ll see how lower technique ratings impact their performance. LB corps is the strength of the defense and will need to come up with huge plays. On offense, the OL looks very good but doesn’t have top-notch skill talent behind it. RB Jaramillo is a stud but there is little behind him. The WRs are average, and the QB situation might be the worst of the human teams in the Big 10 – Rogers will need to overperform for the Buckeyes to contend.
Penn State – Still fighting a year of SIM signings, offense will need to carry the Nittany Lions. The skill positions are loaded, with the top RB (Rodriguez), WR (Neal), and #2 QB (Conley) in the conference. The OL is strong in the top 5, but will need to avoid injuries as depth is lacking. Defense is a big question mark. The secondary is by far the worst of the human Big 10 teams, lacking speed and with no big playmakers. The DLine is very thin – the top four are good but young, and beyond that the talent drops significantly. LB Sanchez is a stud, but the rest of the crew is average. The Nittany Lions will need to win a lot of 41-38 games late with final scoring drives to compete for the division title.
Purdue: The Boilermakers’ talent has improved over the years, but still not high enough to compete for the division crown. Not sure how they will score enough to win big games, as the offensive skill talented is limited. RBs Arellano and Leonard have the talent to churn some yardage, but weak behind that. The WR corps is good but not great, but the QB position is abig question mark – Brown needs to step up quickly, but freshman Swift has the chance to become a stud – will he see the field to improve his growth? The offensive line is below average and may stifle the running game against top teams. Defense is led by a strong LB corps, but there just aren’t the horses on the DLine to stop strong running games. The secondary is OK but no major playmakers. Purdue could surprise a big boy in a game, but just doesn’t have the talent to consistently beat the elites.