ESPN College Football

It's a progressive culture. Most of them travel by zipline.

• The Big Ten's playoff plan makes a lot of sense, David Haugh writes. It's not a perfect plan, but it's a good start.
• Pat Harty wonders whether Kirk Ferentz's second act at Iowa will be better than Hayden Fry's. Ferentz likes familiarity more than flashiness when hiring assistants, Mike Hlas writes. Running back Marcus Coker made the decision to leave Iowa.
• Urban Meyer reiterates that there's no gentlemen's agreement in the Big Ten. Ohio State recruiting target Stefon Diggs still hasn't made up his mind.
• Ross Els talks about his new duties as Nebraska's recruiting coordinator.
• Michigan's regents OK the Big House to be used for the NHL's Winter Classic. Michigan offensive line recruit Kyle Kalis boasts a bruising style of play.
• Running back recruit Akeel Lynch talks about signing with Penn State. The Joe Paterno memorial services cost Penn State $29,000. Jay Paterno thanks Penn Staters for their support.
• Check out how Russell Wilson learned Wisconsin's playbook so quickly last summer.
• Mountain West commish Craig Thompson is open to returning to Minnesota, his alma mater, as athletic director. If Minnesota signs off, its season opener at UNLV will kick off on Thursday night.
• Former Northwestern and Minnesota offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar lands at Northern Illinois.
• Indiana track recruit Cornelius Strickland hopes to play football for the Hoosiers as well.
• Illinois fans watching the end of Super Bowl XLVI might have been reminded of Lou Tepper's decision at Minnesota in 1996.
• Rivals.com names its top recruiters in the Big Ten.

Almost exactly three years after signing with Ohio State as the team's top recruit in the 2009 class, running back Jaamal Berry likely will part ways with the program.

Berry's attorney told The Columbus Dispatch that Berry is no longer part of the Ohio State football team. A Columbus prosecutor assigned to Berry's assault case told The Lantern that Berry likely will transfer from the school. Berry remains on scholarship and is still listed on the team roster, but he hasn't participated in team activities since his suspension in October.

Berry's high school coach told The Dispatch, "From the conversation he had with the coaches, it didn't appear that they were excited about him being [there]."

It's an unfortunate end to a promising career blighted by injury and off-field troubles. Before arriving on campus, Berry was arrested for felony marijuana possession (the charge later was reduced to a misdemeanor). He redshirted as a freshman in 2009 after being slowed by a hamstring injury but played in 2010 and showed some promise as a kick returner. Berry entered 2011 with an opportunity to secure more playing time, but his hamstring flared up in the preseason and he never got on track.

In September, he was taken to OSU Medical Center for tests after an on-campus altercation with a student. He then was charged with assault and disorderly conduct after an Oct. 21 incident when a man accused Berry of hitting him with a closed fist.

Larry Coffey, who coached Berry in high school in Florida, told The Dispatch that the expectations might have gotten the best of Berry in Columbus.

"It was a wasted opportunity for him and for Ohio State," Coffey said. "He had the opportunity to go anywhere in the country. He chose Ohio State, and it didn't work out. Hopefully, he'll go somewhere else and have success on and off the field."

Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said last week that additional roster spots would be opening up in the near future. Berry's seems to be one.

Meyer said the Buckeyes ultimately will get down to 81 scholarships, one below their limit for the next three seasons. Ohio State remains in the running for recruit Stefon Diggs, who will announce his college choice Friday.

Minnesota's search for a new athletic director might not be limited to sitting ADs.

What about a conference commissioner running the school's athletic department?

Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson told the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press' Marcus Fuller that he's "open" to discussing the athletic director vacancy at Minnesota, his alma mater. Thompson has deep roots at Minnesota, as his brother and several other family members attended or currently attend the U. He grew up about 115 miles West of Minneapolis in Redwood Falls, Minn.

"But there would be a million questions to learn more about the position," he told the Pioneer Press. "Is there a budget deficit? Is fundraising the issue? Is the focus on rebuilding the football program? Are there academic concerns? Is there a support system to graduate student-athletes? There would be a lot more to know about the needs and wants of the athletic department before you can even think about taking the next step."

Thompson has been a conference commissioner since 1987, leading the American South Conference for four years, the Sun Belt Conference for eight years, and the Mountain West since its inception in 1999. It might make sense for him to make a move now, as the Mountain West and Conference USA are discussing a merger. Also, Thompson helped build the Mountain West into the nation's best BCS non-automatic qualifying conference, only to see the league lose its top two teams (Boise State and TCU) in the latest round of realignment.

He hasn't worked for a university since 1980, when he worked in Kansas State's sports information department. But he's certainly an intriguing candidate if Minnesota chooses to go that route.

Other potential candidates, according to the Pioneer Press, include Stony Brook AD Jim Fiore, former NFL coach and Minnesota alum Tony Dungy, former Minnesota Vikings general manager Jeff Diamond and Iowa AD Gary Barta, who is from Minneapolis.

Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett will occasionally give their takes on a burning question facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide which blogger is right.

Today's Take Two topic revolves around the Big Ten's recently disclosed college football playoff proposal. The league's plan would take the top four teams from the BCS pool and stage semifinals at campus sites, with the championship game at a neutral site that might not involve the bowls. So the question is: Does this plan help the Big Ten in its quest to win a national title?

Take 1: Brian Bennett

First of all, I'm still recovering from the shock of learning that the Big Ten is open to a playoff. Those are words I wasn't sure I would hear in my (or Jim Delany's) lifetime. Credit the league for being more flexible than it is often credited for or portrayed as, and understand that the Big Ten wants to hop in the front car of this unstoppable playoff train rather than be run over by it. Playing semifinal games at home sites instead of using the bowls makes so much sense that I'm actually surprised that top college football officials would consider it. Not only does that keep the conferences from giving away such valuable property to shady bowl executives and losing money on hostage-like ticket guarantees, but it also keeps the importance of the regular season. Finishing No. 1 or No. 2 instead of No. 3 or No. 4 becomes far more important when you can gain home field advantage, and this plan also benefits fans and their travel budgets.

But would it help the Big Ten win a national title? I'm not so sure. Yes, getting a home game and forcing warm-weather teams to come up north would provide an advantage. Astute researchers have pointed out that, using the BCS formula as our history guide, Big Ten teams would only have hosted a semifinal game three times since 1998. All three of those times involved an Ohio State team which wound up playing in the BCS title game anyway. So while in theory a home-field and weather advantage could help the Big Ten, the truth is the league needs to get a lot better first just to bring that in play. And I believe that if a team is good enough to win a national title, it can do so anywhere, just like when Alabama beat LSU in Louisiana last month.

Take 2: Adam Rittenberg

Some excellent points, BB. I like the fact the Big Ten is no longer being the obstructionist conference in relation to a playoff. Instead, the league is being proactive about what many of us see as an inevitability in college football. The Big Ten is acknowledging the momentum toward a playoff and has put together one option. There will be many others from the other leagues, but this one keeps the Big Ten's main interests in mind. While I agree that great teams can win anywhere, Big Ten teams play at least one-third of their season in cold weather. Those teams practice in the cold and play in the cold, and they make adjustments to the weather. Come bowl time, it's back to sunshine and virtual road-game environments.

Will this help the Big Ten win a national championship? Not as much as oversigning would (rimshot). But it can't hurt. It provides at least the chance for the league to have nationally meaningful games on its campuses in the cold. I'd love to see SEC or Pac-12 teams play at Ohio State or at Michigan in late December. The weather is an advantage the Big Ten hasn't been able to exploit because of where the BCS bowls are located. Having these games in Big Ten stadiums would be great for the league and for its teams. History shows that these games won't happen every year and might not happen very often at all -- often preserving the traditional Rose Bowl matchup. But the mere possibility of having them should excite Big Ten fans if the plan is adopted nationally.

The Big Ten postseason player rankings roll on with No. 23. These rankings are based on 2011 on-field performance only, not future potential or NFL projections.

Boiler up for this one ...

No. 23: Kawann Short, DT, Jr. 6-3, 310

Preseason rank: Not ranked

2011 numbers: Record 54 tackles, including 17 for loss and 6.5 sacks. Added one fumble recovery, a forced fumble and two blocked kicks.

Why he's here: In many ways, it was the year of the defensive tackle in the Big Ten. Short was among an elite group of interior forces in the league and was Purdue's most physically dominant player. He finished sixth in the conference in sacks and fifth in tackles for loss even though the Boilermakers lacked a fierce pass rush on the edge for most of the season, allowing teams to double- team Short. His performance against Ohio State, which included three sacks, earned him a national defensive player of the week award, and he also proved to be a menace on the field goal-block teams.

Purdue head coach Danny Hope said this week that Short is at 330 pounds and in the best shape of his career. Short decided to come back for his senior season rather than shoot for the NFL draft, and with a little more consistency and conditioning, he could become an All-America type player in 2012.

Previously

No. 24: Mike Taylor, LB, Wisconsin
No. 25: Fitz Toussaint, RB, Michigan

Purdue has hired veteran assistant Kevin Wolthausen as its new defensive line coach, the school announced Wednesday. That completes Danny Hope's staff for the 2012 season.

Wolthausen comes to the Boilermakers the Las Vegas Locomotives in the United Football League, where he served as the defensive line coach. Before going to the UFL, he served as associate head coach and linebackers coach at Eastern Michigan.

Wolthausen spent four seasons at Louisville, where he coached future NFL star Elvis Dumervil. He then followed Bobby Petrino to the Atlanta Falcons for the 2007 season. Other stops in his career include Arizona, USC, Oklahoma and Arizona State.

At Purdue, Wolthausen will try to get the most out of star defensive tackle Kawann Short and improve the team's pass rush off the edge with players like rising sophomore Ryan Russell.

Iowa fans grew antsy while waiting nearly two months for head coach Kirk Ferentz to name successor to Norm Parker at defensive coordinator. But Ferentz said Wednesday that he wanted to take his time with the decision, which resulted in defensive backs coach Phil Parker (no relation) being promoted on Tuesday.

"I just didn't see any advantage to moving quickly," Ferentz said at a news conference. "Unless you have to, there's no real advantage to that. So I just wanted to kind of sift through it, and I'm really glad that I did because my mind was in a couple different places. ... You want to take your time and feel really good."

Ferentz said he eventually settled on Parker -- who has spent the past 13 years coaching the Hawkeyes secondary -- as the best fit for the program. He said Parker has had opportunities to leave to go to other BCS teams, including a top-10 program that offered him a coordinator spot.

Ferentz did not announce a new offensive coordinator or any specific plans to fill the role vacated when longtime playcaller Ken O'Keefe left for the Miami Dolphins last week. He said he knew about O'Keefe possibly leaving as soon as Joe Philbin -- a friend of O'Keefe's -- got the Dolphins job. Expect Ferentz to take his time with this hire, too, even though current assistant Erik Campbell looks like a strong candidate to become another in-house promotion.

In some ways, it's understandable why Ferentz isn't making these decisions quickly. After all, O'Keefe and Norm Parker were the only coordinators he'd had at Iowa until this point.

"We probably cheated time here a little bit," he said. "I don't think anybody envisioned the head coach or two coordinators making it for 13 years. ... Right now, I'd settle for 10 out of the next two guys. That would be great if we could get 10 I'll be, what, 66. I'll have to figure that out then. Somebody will feel sorry for me and come join us at that point."

Some other notes from Ferentz's press conference:

• He explained his surprising decision to move offensive-line coach Reese Morgan to the defensive line by saying Morgan is an excellent teacher. The Hawkeyes will be very young on the D-line next season, and Ferentz felt Morgan was the right guy to get that group up to speed. He pointed to Morgan's excellent work of developing offensive linemen, including projected 2012 NFL first-rounder Riley Reiff, who came to school as a defensive end prospect.
• With the offensive line job open, speculation is rampant that Ferentz will hire his son Brian, currently a New England Patriots assistant, to coach that position. The elder Ferentz addressed that by saying he's "open to anything" but added that his son has a pretty good job right now.
• LeVar Woods was elevated from administrative assistant to a temporary coach during recruiting, and most expect him to be named the full-time linebackers coach. "He's still the interim coach as far as I know, at least," Ferentz said. "He's certainly interested in working here, and we'll let him go through the process. Hopefully he'll do well in the weeks ahead here and we'll find a seat for him."
• Ferentz said he didn't think the athletic department's budget would be an issue in hiring new assistants. But he also added, "I don't think we're going to try to sign a superstar coach or anything like that."
• A lot of Iowa fans wanted some change in the staff and many criticized O'Keefe's conservative game plans. Ferentz didn't rule out a major change with the new offensive coordinator, but odds are more likely that Iowa's style of play will look mostly the same. Ferentz said his next coordinator has to "believe in blocking" first and foremost. "As a head coach what I'm interested in is we've got to block. We've got to make the make-able plays and make sure we're doing a good job in turnover ratio. I think that's really critical if you're going to try to get somewhere."
• Iowa will move the start of its spring practice back a couple of days, and Ferentz would like to have the staff complete before the Hawkeyes get going in late March. But, again, moving fast is not his top priority. "Right now I think we've just got to make sure it's the right guy, certainly before we leave on spring break. ... Spring ball to me is about teaching the basics. It's about executing basic plays and just getting things taught. We have a very young team right now so it's not like we can be on page 7 anyway, so we really have to start at the beginning. So I think that gives us a little wiggle room there, too."

After a few technical glitches, the Big Ten chat got under way earlier today, and we had some good discussion about all things Big Ten.

Missed the chat? Tsk, tsk. No worries, as you can check out the full recap.

Some highlights.

Nastradamus from Los Feliz: Adam, I bleed Maroon and Gold and I thought that Jerry Kill did a good job recruiting in state and JUCO talent in the 2012 class. However, the out of state recruiting was extremely weak (most guys didn't have multiple BCS offers). I believe Jerry Kill needs 7 to 8 wins this fall in order to recruit better out of state in the future. What say you?

Adam Rittenberg: That's part of it, Nastradamus, but give Kill credit for keeping some of the top in-state players at home. That's the way you build a program, and that's what he's doing at Minnesota. Think about all the good in-state prospects who have gone elsewhere, whether it's Michael Floyd to Notre Dame or Seantrel Henderson to USC and then Miami. So keeping good players at home is a good start. But I agree that in the long run, Kill and his staff need to do better outside the area. The WR from North Carolina was a nice get.

Jason from Iowa: Hey Adam! Who would have guessed that Kirk would go vanilla on his DC hire? Ha...can't wait for more "bend but don't break (but actually break)" defense!

Adam Rittenberg: Jason, you're not alone in this belief. I don't think Iowa fans would have been upset had Kirk promoted Phil Parker back in December. But there was more to this search and outside candidates were contacted, I'm told. Ultimately, Iowa went with Phil Parker, who will maintain the defensive structure we've seen under Norm. The bigger issue in my mind is Reese Morgan moving from O-line to D-line. Morgan is a veteran coach who has seen it all, but he hasn't coached offense at Iowa. The defensive line, in my view, is the most critical area on the team in 2012 because of all the inexperience.

Jon from Colorado: Why is there so much confidence that MSU's running game/o-line will be so improved next year? That was supposed to be the strength of the offense last season and we all know how that turned out. They lose their best offensive lineman and I don't think the returning starters would start for a lot of other Big Ten teams. What exactly is causing the confidence that you and Bennett both seem to have? I think Maxwell will need to be exceptional (close to Cousins) for their offense to be in the same ballpark as last year's team.

Adam Rittenberg: Jon, who said the offensive line was supposed to be a strength in 2011? Anyone who did doesn't study Michigan State, which lost its starting offensive tackles and its starting center. Any time you're replacing those three linemen, you're probably in trouble. I think the Spartans will have fewer issues on the line because more players saw the field in 2011. Foreman is a big loss, but you can replace a guard easier than a tackle or a center. And I like Le'Veon Bell's potential, which he showed in games like Iowa.

Patrick from Chicago: Adam, if the Rose Bowl can't be protected, and is sort of left to twist in the wind, what sort of scenario do you see happening? Does it limp on with No. 2 teams from conferences, or does it fold up shop?

Adam Rittenberg: It doesn't fold up shop, Patrick. The Rose Bowl is the one major bowl that, in my view, still would be celebrated even in a playoff environment. And I think the access points are pretty clear. If the Big Ten and Pac-12 champs aren't in the top four, they play in Pasadena. If one is and one isn't, the champion plays the No. 2 team from the other league. If both champions are in the top 4, which likely will be pretty rare, you could see No. 2 vs. No. 2.

Thanks again for all the questions, and my apologies to those whose questions weren't asked. Let's do it again next week.

First, Indiana brought in an offensive coordinator, Seth Littrell, with a pass-first pedigree.

The Hoosiers then added Cameron Coffman, a coveted junior college quarterback who Littrell had recruited at his previous coaching stop (Arizona). Then, late in the recruiting process, Indiana added Nate Sudfield, rated by ESPN Recruiting as the nation's No. 14 quarterback prospect. Sudfield is the highest-rated recruit in Indiana's recent signing class.

Some might see all of this as sending a message to Tre Roberson, who emerged as Indiana's starting quarterback midway through Big Ten play last season. While Roberson showed tremendous potential at times, he also completed only 57 percent of his passes and threw twice as many interceptions (6) as touchdown passes (3).

But the team's recent moves have been made with Roberson's development very much in mind. When Indiana opens spring practice March 3, Roberson will lead the offense.

"Tre will definitely have a huge advantage," Hoosiers head coach Kevin Wilson told ESPN.com on Wednesday. "He has the potential to be a very quality player. He's off to a great young start in his career. ... He can make some plays with his feet, but he's a better quarterback than people give him credit for. I want competition at every position, but going into the spring, without a doubt Tre Roberson's our guy."

Coffman is one of six junior-college additions already on campus at Indiana. Sudfield arrives in the fall. Indiana was looking to add quarterbacks after both Ed Wright-Baker and Dusty Kiel left the team last month. Roberson moved past both Wright-Baker and Kiel on Indiana's depth chart during Big Ten play and provided a spark with his athleticism.

His next challenge is to become a more effective and consistent passer, which Wilson has little doubt he can be.

"[Littrell] is going to escalate Tre in the pass game," Wilson said. "I think Tre can be really good. These other two guys will make great competition for him."

Although a historically poor defense remains Indiana's primary offseason focus, Wilson thinks the Hoosiers can take steps offensively as well. Indiana had at least 350 offensive yards in half of its games in 2011 but cracked the 30-point barrier just three times and only once in Big Ten play.

Wilson wants to score more through the pass game, a big reason why he brought in Littrell, a Mike Leach disciple whose Arizona offense ranked third nationally in passing in 2011.

"I look to see what elements of that passing game will become the true part of our pass offense," Wilson said. "We'll still try to have balance and run the ball. We're going to play to the strength of the quarterback. But for us to score points, we've got to make strides defensively, but we've got to make a boatload of strides offensively, particularly in scoring, and one of the quickest ways of doing that is trying to improve the pass game.

"I don't see it as a change of offense, but it's an emphasis on some subtle things in the passing game."

Charles London doesn't have any connections to Penn State except for admiring the program from afar and having worked for former Nittany Lions player Mike Munchak on the Tennessee Titans. But now he's on new coach Bill O'Brien's staff as running backs coach, representing a new way of doing things in State College. London played and later coached at Duke and then went on to work in the NFL, serving as an offensive assistant and quality control coach for the Titans. He's young and smart (he has a master's degree from Duke), and he recently visited with ESPN.com to talk about why he came to Penn State.

You got to know coach O'Brien while both of you guys were at Duke. How would you describe him as a coach?
Charles London: He's a very passionate guy. He's very smart. He knows offensive football and how to relate to players. He's just very passionate about what he does and really has the ability to get the most out of his players.

You've spent the past couple of years in the NFL. Was your goal to coach in the pros, or were you just looking to break into coaching wherever possible?
CL: Originally, I just wanted to get into coaching, so I started my career as a graduate assistant in 2004. It took me to college and the pros. I spent the last few years in the NFL. But I just wanted to coach. When Coach O'Brien got this job and offered me a position on the staff, it was an opportunity I couldn't turn down. I knew he'd be a good coach, and with Penn State being such a special place, I knew it was a great opportunity.

What types of things did you learn from your time in the NFL?
CL: I just had the opportunity to work with two really good head coaches in Lovie Smith and Mike Munchak. I learned a lot about X's and O's, but I also learned how to relate to people, how to get the best out of players. I think it was a great experience for my growth as a coach.

Was there any hesitation about coming to Penn State given the controversy surrounding the program?
CL: No, there was no hesitation at all. Once you step on campus, you see what kind of special place this is. The administration has been great and everybody has been really supportive as we've gone out hitting the recruiting trail. So there was no hesitation on my part.

What was it like trying to recruit this class with so little time?
CL: Well, you know, it was a challenge. But Larry Johnson, Ron Vanderlinden and Bill Kavanaugh who were on our staff here did a great job of maintaining relationships with the kids while we were in transition, so when the new staff came in we just had to pick up the ball where they left off. We just tried to maintain relationships and hold onto the guys who were committed to us and pick up a few new commits as well.

Were you just basically introducing yourself to recruits at that point?
CL: Exactly. One of the first things we had was a recruiting weekend as soon as we got there. We had a short period of time to let the families feel comfortable with us. A mom or dad sends their son to us for four or five years, so they need to feel comfortable with us. So it was just building relationships with them and conveying our message about where the future of Penn State football is headed.

How difficult was it without coach O'Brien around very much?
CL: He's done a good job of splitting his time between the Patriots and Penn State. It was actually really good for us in recruiting. He could have been around all the time, but the kids were very excited about what he was doing. They could turn on the TV on Sunday and say, "That's going to be my head coach in a few weeks." They understood why he couldn't be around in recruiting.

Having been around him, what do you think the offense will look like at Penn State?
CL: I think it will be multiple. It will be a game-plan offense. We'll take advantage of what the defense gives us. If we've got to throw it 40 times to win, we'll do it. If we've got to run it 40 times, we'll do it as well. We'll have to sit down a little further and evaluate our team and our players and what part of the scheme fits them best, and we'll take it from there.

I know you haven't gotten to know the players that much yet, but what are your initial thoughts about Silas Redd?
CL: Extreme quickness. He has great feet, really good vision, does a good job once he gets in the hole. A really explosive first step and he does a lot of things well. I'm really looking forward to working with him.

How much did you know about Penn State before this? Did you watch the Nittany Lions much growing up?
CL: I've always watched them from afar just because of the tradition that was there. I had the pleasure of working for a Penn State alum for the last year or so, and I just knew from talking to him and from the way he carried himself and how he transformed the Tennessee Titans that it was a good place. And that the ideals that they shared at Penn State were similar to my beliefs. So I just knew it would be a good fit.

How did Mike Munchack react when you took this job, especially since he was reported as a head-coaching candidate for a while?
CL: He was very excited. I left with his blessing, and we had a good conversation before I left. He was excited for me and I'm sure he'll be up to a game sometime. Now he has somebody to hold accountable.

How much of a responsibility do you feel as a new staff to be transparent and help bring people back into the fold after all that has happened here, even though you weren't in any way a part of it?
CL: We just want to uphold the tradition of Penn State football. We've been telling people we want to restore the roar here. We're going to do things here with the highest integrity, athletically and academically, and I think people will be proud of the product they see on and off the field.

Where will your recruiting areas be?
CL: We're still figuring some of that out right now. Each coach will have a piece of Pennsylvania. We'll definitely hit Pennsylvania hard and some of the mid-Atlantic states. But also with some of the experiences and relationships we have, we might hit some areas that maybe Penn State hasn't recruited heavily in the past, like North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, those areas. Maybe hit Texas. We'll definitely be aggressive in recruiting.

Finally, just looking around at the facilities, the fan support, what do you feel like is the potential for this program going forward?
CL: I think the sky's the limit for this program.We're going to go out and try to identify the top student-athlete prospects around the country and go after them the best we can. We're going to run a pro-style offense and a really attacking defense. It's going to be a really good place to be, so we're excited about the future.

The postseason position rankings march on with the offensive lines. No position group is evaluated more as a collective unit, and the Big Ten had a mix of strong offensive lines and shaky ones. There were some individual standouts, such as Michigan center David Molk, the Rimington Trophy winner, and Wisconsin center Peter Konz and Kevin Zeitler, who earned AP All-America honors.

It was important to consider quarterback rushing when evaluating the offensive lines, as most Big Ten teams had signal callers who could take off and run. The ones who didn't paid the price in some statistical categories, even though the line play wasn't too bad.

Let's get to the list:

1. Wisconsin: No surprise here as the Thick Red Line keeps steamrolling the opposition. Despite losing three starters and two All-Americans from the 2010 unit, Wisconsin's offensive line once again delivered as the unit put up huge numbers once again. The Badgers led the Big Ten in scoring, rushing and total offense. Although pass protection was an issue at times, and the unit missed Konz down the stretch, there's little to complain about. Four starters earned league or national honors.

2. Michigan: Although the defensive line got more attention for its boost under Brady Hoke, Michigan's offensive line turned in a strong 2011 campaign. Molk led the charge at center as Michigan finished second in the league in both scoring and rushing and third in total offense. The Wolverines also allowed just 18 sacks, the third-lowest total in the Big Ten. Michigan's linemen seemed to embrace the transition to a more pro-style, downhill offense.

3. Nebraska: Despite injuries and inexperience, the Huskers' line held together pretty well in 2011, especially when you consider they operated in a new offensive system. Nebraska finished third in the league in rushing, as the front five paved a path for Rex Burkhead and Taylor Martinez. Nebraska did a decent job limiting sacks and tackles for loss and kept Martinez healthy for the season.

4. Iowa: It's tough to know what to make of Iowa's offensive line in 2011. The Hawkeyes had a future top-10 NFL draft pick at left tackle in Riley Reiff, who surprised no one in January by forgoing his senior season to turn pro. Iowa also had some solid pieces in Adam Gettis, Markus Zusevics and James Ferentz. The big knock is that Iowa ranked last in the Big Ten in rushing, although the team had a nearly 1,400-yard rusher in Marcus Coker. Iowa allowed 29 sacks but only 59 tackles for loss, and the team passed the ball well. Still, it's fair to expect more from this group.

5. Penn State: The Lions' line has taken a lot of heat in recent years, and the offense's overall struggles in 2011 would seem to suggest another rough season. But we believe Penn State's biggest problems occurred immediately behind the line rather than along it. The line helped sophomore running back Silas Redd turn in a strong season. Penn State allowed the fewest sacks (14) and fewest tackles for loss (49) in the league.

6. Michigan State: The Spartans had a similar profile to Iowa, which isn't surprising as neither team had a rushing threat at quarterback. Michigan State ranked last in the Big Ten in rushing for much of the year and ended up 11th, ahead of only Iowa. But the Spartans protected Kirk Cousins well, allowing only 16 sacks, and they finished 34th nationally in tackles for loss allowed with 72. And while All-Big Ten guard Joel Foreman led the way, Michigan State dealt with injuries and inexperience for most of the season.

7. Purdue: Danny Hope branded the offensive line as the team's strongest unit entering the season, and at times it looked that way. Purdue used multiple running backs and finished fifth in the league in rushing. The Boilers ranked sixth in passing, and the line finished in the middle of the pack in sacks allowed. Purdue had too many negative-yardage plays overall, finishing 101st nationally in tackles for loss allowed (89).

8. Northwestern: One of the nation's most experienced offensive lines once again showed it can excel in pass blocking and struggles to generate push in the run game. Although Northwestern finished in the middle of the league in rushing offense, the unit remained passing-centric. The Wildcats allowed 43 sacks, and while some could be attributed to a quarterback (Dan Persa) who wasn't 100 percent and held the ball too long, it's still too many. The line had its moments, like the Nebraska win, but looked leaky at times.

9. Indiana: The Hoosiers might not have been dominant up front in 2011, but they improved as the season went along. After a rough start to Big Ten play, Indiana racked up 200 rush yards or more in four of its final six contests. The line looked strong against both Iowa and Northwestern, although the team lost both games. Indiana allowed too many negative-yardage plays and needs to be more consistent with its run-blocking going forward.

10. Ohio State: This unit undoubtedly would be higher had left tackle Mike Adams been eligible all season. Adams sparked the Buckeyes after returning from suspension and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and the media despite missing the first five games. Things were brutal up front early on, especially in losses to Miami and Michigan State. Ohio State surrendered a league-high 46 sacks and 90 tackles for loss, which ranked 104th nationally.

11. Illinois: It was a disappointing season for an Illinois line that entered the year with high hopes. While many are to blame for the offense's decline in the second half of the year, the struggles up front seemed to be the most surprising. Illinois eclipsed 200 rush yards in four of the first six games and then failed to do so the rest of the season. The Illini surrendered 36 sacks and 89 tackles for loss. Despite some talented individuals like tackle Jeff Allen, the line as a whole fell short of expectations.

12. Minnesota: The Gophers simply need to get a lot better at a position where they've thrived for much of their history. Minnesota scored a league-low 14 rush touchdowns, four fewer than any other Big Ten squad, and finished last in the league in both scoring and total offense. The Gophers did a nice job limiting negative-yardage plays, but they need to move the ball forward with greater efficiency. The good news is several promising young linemen return in 2012.

Back from some basketball moonlighting:

• Kirk Ferentz's staff changes show that he's not a major overhaul kind of guy. Mike Hlas weighs in with some thoughts on the Hawkeyes' coaching moves.
• Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon isn't sold on the idea of a college football playoff. Junior Hemingway was the victim of a burglary.
• Ohio State AD Gene Smith says he's among those open to the playoff idea.
• The Big Ten is being practical with its playoff proposal, Dan Wetzel writes.
• Police have denied that they used unnecessary force in a traffic stop of former Michigan State defensive back Trenton Robinson. A Cleveland-area wide receiver accepted a spot as a preferred walk-on for the Spartans.
• Fundraising will be a huge part of the next Minnesota AD's job. The Minnesota president talks about why Joel Maturi's retirement needed to happen this year.
• Jared Crick is healing and trying to get ready for an NFL career.
• SI.com is no fan of Penn State's recruiting class, giving it an 'F'. The Joe Paterno memorial services cost about $29,000.
• Danny Hope expects that changes on staff will help improve Purdue's defense.
• New Wisconsin assistant Eddie Faulkner can use his experiences as a Badger to be an effective recruiter.

Colin Cowherd discusses the proposed four-team Big Ten college football playoff.

The Big Ten postseason player rankings march on with No. 24. As a reminder, these rankings are based on performance during the 2011 season and impact on a team/season. They do not take into account NFL potential.

Without further ado ...

No. 24: Mike Taylor, LB, Wisconsin, Jr., 6-foot-2, 230

Preseason rank: Not ranked

2011 numbers: Led the Big Ten with 150 tackles and ranked 13th nationally in tackles per game (10.7). He tied for fourth in the league in forced fumbles with (3). He had two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, nine tackles for loss, two sacks and three pass breakups.

Why he's here: Taylor took his game to the next level in 2011 and solidified the Badgers defense alongside fellow linebacker Chris Borland, who nearly made our rundown as well. Taylor was a solid player before 2011 and had battled through injuries but stayed on the field throughout the past season and consistently made plays. Taylor recorded nine or more tackles in 10 contests, including a career-high 22 (2.5 tackles for loss) against Ohio State in Columbus. He posted the eighth-highest single-season tackles total in team history.

He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media and second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches. Perhaps more important, he was named Wisconsin's co-MVP along with quarterback Russell Wilson. Taylor finished the regular season extremely well, racking up 66 tackles, one interception, two fumble recoveries and 3.5 tackles for loss in Wisconsin's final five contests, as the Badgers clinched the Leaders division and went on to their second consecutive Big Ten championship.

Brian Bennett looks at the Michigan State players who need to have big offseasons.