ESPN College Football

When it comes to passing statistics in college football, 3,000 yards is a pretty good benchmark.

If you've reached that milestone as a quarterback, you're in pretty elite company. There were only 39 quarterbacks to do so in the FBS last season, and just three in the Big Ten: Michigan State's Kirk Cousins (3,316), Wisconsin's Russell Wilson (3,175) and Iowa's James Vandenberg (3,022). Northwestern's Dan Persa (2,376) missed three games and was limited in others, or else he might have made a run at it, too. No one else from the league surpassed 2,200 yards passing.

Of that group, only Vandenberg returns. The Big Ten isn't known as a huge passing league, so how many quarterbacks can reach 3,000 in 2012? Here's a breakdown of the top contenders in order of their chances of making it to 3K:

Vandenberg: On the plus side, Iowa will likely look to pass a lot this season without a proven running back, and new coordinator Greg Davis is a quarterback guru. On the downside, Vandenberg won't have favorite target Marvin McNutt, and he struggled on the road last season. Still, I think he'll get there and be better as a second-year full-time starter and senior.

Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois: Taking a flyer here. Scheelhaase threw for 2,110 in an offense that ran into the ground for the final six games. He won't have A.J. Jenkins around, and he'll have to learn an entirely new offense. But new coach Tim Beckman's spread attack could allow Scheelhaase to put up big numbers if the Illini can find enough weapons.

Danny O'Brien, Wisconsin: Assuming, as most do, that Maryland transfer O'Brien will beat out Joel Stave for the starting job, he has a chance to follow in Russell Wilson's footsteps. A tremendous running game means receivers often will be open. O'Brien threw for more than 2,400 yards as a freshman at Maryland. Then again, Wilson was the first quarterback in Wisconsin history to amass 3,000 passing yards, and he played about as flawlessly as you can play.

Braxton Miller, Ohio State: Miller threw for only 1,159 yards last season, but it took several games for him to become the starter, and the Buckeyes often decided not to pass much. He showed his potential by throwing for 235 yards against Michigan, and the Buckeyes were slinging it all over the place in the spring game. Miller's passing numbers should go way up under Urban Meyer, but 3,000 still seems like quite a reach.

Andrew Maxwell, Michigan State: Maxwell is stepping into the same offense that produced the passing yards leader last season in the Big Ten. But B.J. Cunningham and Keshawn Martin are gone, and Maxwell has never started a game. I think he'll be good, but given the youth at receiver and strength on the offensive line, the Spartans likely will run the ball more in 2012.

Denard Robinson, Michigan: Don't laugh. Shoelace threw for more than 2,500 yards in 2010, after all. He looked much better with his fundamentals this spring, and if he can get some of last season's 15 interceptions to go for catches by his teammates, that will help. It's unlikely, but never say never when it comes to Robinson.

Taylor Martinez, Nebraska: Martinez's 2,089 yards were a career high last season. He worked hard on his technique this offseason, and the Nebraska passing game should be much improved. The Huskers probably run it too well to have a 3,000 yard passer, but I do see Martinez's passing stats improving significantly.

Marqueis Gray, Minnesota: Gray threw for only 1,495 yards last season, but did have some big games, like against Michigan State (366 yards). I'd be stunned if he doesn't at least eclipse 2,000 yards. But does he have enough weapons around him, and will his running prowess hold down the passing numbers?

Unnamed Purdue quarterback: Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve combined to throw for 2,500 yards last season, and that was with TerBush as a newbie starter and Marve coming back from injury. If one of them seized the job and played full time, then 3,000 could be reachable. But it's more likely that Danny Hope will continue to rotate snaps between those two and Rob Henry.

Kain Colter, Northwestern: The Wildcats will have a deep and talented receiving corps, and they're not afraid to throw it around. The question is whether the athletic Colter can become more of a true passer, and how much Pat Fitzgerald will utilize Colter's ability to run.

Tre Roberson, Indiana: Roberson threw for less than 1,000 yards last season, but only played in nine games. He is improving as a passer, and the Hoosiers figure to open things up more in the passing game. Ben Chappell led the league in passing yards just two years ago. But 3,000 still seems like too much of a leap, and the probable lack of a bowl game hurts Roberson's chances.

Matt McGloin, Penn State: Whether it's McGloin or Paul Jones or Rob Bolden starting, they'll have a chance to post some good statistics under the guy who used to coach Tom Brady. But we've seen nothing from the Nittany Lions' quarterback options to suggest they can have that kind of season.

In closing, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw only one quarterback pass for 3,000 yards this season in the Big Ten. How many do you think will reach that milestone?

Hope everyone has a terrific Memorial Day weekend. I can already smell the grilled meats.

• Ohio State's John Simon talks about his "Tebowish" dedication. Buckeyes players are following Urban Meyer's marching orders and putting in extra work this summer. Johnathan Hankins is eyeing a national title.
• Athlon ranks Michigan No. 7 in its preseason poll. Which is a lot higher than Phil Steele, who has the Wolverines at No. 22.
• James Vandenberg is getting overlooked in some preseason mags. Iowa will soon enjoy a rarity: opening Big Ten play at home.
• Despite being named the nation's top athletic director, Michigan State's Mark Hollis is among the lowest-paid Big Ten ADs. But he says he's not worried about it. Pat Narduzzi got a big raise.
• Outgoing Minnesota AD Joel Maturi says he has no regrets. Could the new Vikings stadium be in the mix for the Big Ten championship game?
• New Nebraska associate AD Jamie Williams' son will walk on at quarterback next season. DeJuan Groce's 83-yard punt return is remembered in the countdown of Huskers touchdowns by distance.
• Penn State could be the Big Ten's sleeper, but a lot would have to go right. Bill O'Brien reviews the spring and talks about the early schedule in this Q&A.
• BTN's Tom Dienhart previews Week 4 in the Big Ten.
• Illinois needs to start rewarding its loyal fans with some success, Mark Tupper writes.
• Reviewing some preseason Wisconsin player rankings.
• The Big Ten Network has helped expand Northwestern's profile.

As part of ESPN.com's Hate Week, we asked you on Tuesday to vote for the most hated coach of all time in the Big Ten.

Now to wrap up Hate Week -- and we promise it's only going to be love from now on in this space (ahem) -- here are some of your comments on that topic. Let's conclude the Haters' Ball with a bang.

Philip from Iowa writes: No question it's Jim Tressel. First, he wins a lot of Big Ten Championships so naturally everyone else hates him for that. Second, he lost twice in a row in the National Championship, embarrassing the conference on the national stage -- and it hasn't yet been rebuilt. To make matters worse, the 2 games were 1 where OSU was the overwhelming favorite (against FL) and the other was to a 2 loss team (LSU)! Finally, there is the Terrell Pryor saga that happens while Tressel puts out a book called "The Winners Manual for the Game of Life" There is no contest, every school in the Big Ten, including many OSU alums and fans, hate Jim Tressel. Not many coaches can manage that.

Bert from Portland, Ore., writes: Most hated Big Ten Coach.Bo Schembechler. I attended Northwestern during 1975-79 and the football program won five games during that time (with an infamous 0-0 tie agaisnt Illinois). Woody Hayes would bring his team to town and in the post-game conference at least say that Northwestern played hard. Schembechler would complain that Northwestern did not belong in the Big Ten and that Michigan did not make enough money when it played in Evanston. He was a jerk of the worst kind. I remember watching the Homecoming game in 1978 when, during a rout, Northwestern managed to score a touchdown on a trick play embodiment of a fake punt fairly late in the game. Schembechler started screaming at his players and looked like he was on the verge of having a heart attack. The Northwestern fans started chanting "Rose Bowl! Rose Bowl!" In fact, Schembechler was probably the only man in the world who could make me root for USC in the Rose Bowl (which beat Michigan that season). Woody could be gracious in victory and even humble in own way. Schembechler could accomplish neither.

Logan D. from Saginaw, Mich., writes: The most hated coach in the B1G, or who should be the most hated coach, is without a doubt Bret Bielema. The guy just radiates egotism. All you need to do is type his name into Google followed by "is" and you will know exactly what he's like from the suggested words. As a Michigan State fan, I'm not sure if I have ever been angrier with a coach than I was at the end of last year's Big Ten Championship game. After Wisconsin's punter made his Oscar-worthy dive to seal the game, I don't know if I've ever seen a coach as outwardly exuberant as Bret was in that moment. You would have thought his team just scored a touchdown on the most miraculous play in history. I don't know another coach that would be as excited over seeing a yellow flag in the backfield. Plus, not that the guy is in need of an ego-boost whatsoever, but what compels you to put up 70 on Austin Peay and 83 on Indiana? We get it. You can score a lot of points against bad teams.

Brad W. from Philadelphia writes: Most hated coach? Hayden Fry. Unsportsmanlike, completely ungracious, score-runner-upper, never giving the opposition any credit, moronic 3rd-grade stuff like the pink locker room ... just an unpleasant, vicious old man. Could never beat his butt often enough. Runners-up: Earle Bruce, Mike White.

Rich H. from Wayne, N.J., writes: Most hated coach ever? Woody Hayes without a doubt. Surly, unprofessional, a hick, temper tantrums and unpolished. Dial up an automatic loss in almost every bowl game he coached. Track record of more NFL busts than any program sans Nebraska. Unimaginative offense; never changed with the times either. Never scheduled a tough out of conference game regular season without a 2-1/3-1 deal. His famous bout with Ref Jerry Markbreit on the sideline circa 1971? Should have been fired right then and there. Of course 1978 vs Clemson and Mr. Baumann will live in infamy and is the most embarrassing complete breakdown of any major head-coach EVER and televised on national TV to boot. Good thing he wasn't around in today's day and age - that dooming episode would have gone virile in 20 seconds. Yet alums adore this basic jackwagon, go figure. Did I mention his graduation rate? Less than 70%. Should I continue? Nah, jury rests...

Paul from Johnstown, Pa., writes: Love the Hate! I nominate two coaches, one current and one former. First, Bret Bielema...a totally spineless, classless jerk. Runs up the score. Goes for 2 late in the 4th Qtr with games in hand. Whines, whines, whines, whines like a 5 year old. Loses to TCU with a completely loaded team. Makes tacky comments about how great it is to be a Badger fan when questioned about the situations at PSU, OSU and UM. Sprints across the field like a tool to shake hands quickly with opposing coach in total disprespectful fashion .Second, Bo Scumbechler ... yes, "Scumbechler." As a PSU fan, I have an obligation to hate this man for the lack of class he showed when PSU was brought into the B1G. His comments and efforts to exclude PSU and/or to make PSU's admission into the conference unwelcoming still boils my blood.

Danny from Davenport, Iowa, writes: Adam, as a Hawkeye fan it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep from hating Pat Fitzgerald. He may not be on the radar much outside of Iowa City and his body of work may leave some to question this hatred for PF. But, look at this from an Iowa fan standpoint. PF is a whiner and a coward. Take last year, for instance. PF hid behind one of his own players while that player took heat for admitting to the world that Pat Fitz hated Iowa with a passion. One cannot help but think that this is hostility boiling over from the injury incurred during a game when PF was still in pads. Grow up and get over it. Then, there was PFs whole twitter controversy, or should I say the "director of football operations" twitter controversy while he was "accidentally" logged into PFs account. SURE, man up.

Mark from Oklahoma City writes: John Cooper. I was born in Ohio in 1986. Growing up and watching the pain and anguish that John Cooper put on my father's face Saturday afternoons in late November during the 90s was enough to make me despise him. Interestingly, it's during the same period I grew to despise Lloyd Carr. I hated him more at one point until I went to Ohio State during the Jimmy T era which he spent a good amount of time of beating the same Lloyd Carr into "retirement" which cemented Cooper as my most hated coach. Go back to Arizona State, take Gene Smith with you. Give me a coach from Ohio.

Shawn from Minneapolis writes: You gotta admire talent, so I'm not picking on anyone who won, not even those [REDACTED] coaches from Michigan. Most hated B1G coach: Tim Brewster, with a pathetic record of (*googles* ... cripes it didn't feel like that many wins) 15-30 in FOUR LONG YEARS. Long live Coach Kill!

Zach from Lincoln, Neb., writes: In regards to your most hated coach ever...Can the worst coach not have ever coached in the B1G? I think universally, Bill Callahan (excuse my french) is the dirtiest word that can be spoken in 'sker country.

Joe P. from Chicago writes: My most hated Big Ten coach ever is John L. Smith. As a Spartan fan, it was bad enough getting regularly slaughtered by our rivals (and inferior programs like Indiana), but he made our program into a punchline. God Bless Dantonio.

Chris from Wisconsin writes: As soon as Urban Meyer entered the B1G he instantly became the most hated coach of all time. As a Badger fan, I didn't even really hate any coaches in the Big Ten over the years but wow do I hate Urban Meyer and I can't even figure out what it is. I can't stand the guy and he has yet to coach a game at OSU hoping Bielema runs up the score on him for many years to come "and for Urban many is about 3 which is how long I expect him to stay at OSU.

Robert V. from West Bloomfield, Meechigan, writes: Most Hated Big Ten Coach:Wayne Woodrow Hayes.

Travis form Midland, Mich., writes: As a Michigan fan, I would have to say I hate Jim Tressel the most. I was not alive during the 10-year war between Woody and Bo, so I don't hate Woody as much as some other Michigan fans. The biggest reason I hate Tressel the most would be the violations. Before "tattoogate" broke, I hated him, but I respected him for running an honest program. After the NCAA violations, I hated him and I lost most of my respect for him. Personally (and this might be my Michigan fan bias), I believe Ohio State went beyond just the tattoos. I believe that there were rule infractions as early as Maurice Clarett. To sum it up, I hate Jim Tressel because, 1. He coached at Ohio State, 2. He was extremely successful against Michigan, 3. He turned his back to NCAA violations and is labeled a cheater in my mind because of this. My second least favorite coach might just be Jerry Sandusky, for obvious reasons.

John from New Hampshire writes: Easy question: Lloyd Carr hands down without a doubt. His sideline ranting made it even easier to just despise Meeechigan. His BS screaming for more time on the clock won him a miracle game about five years ago when Penn State was in the Big House and winning till Lloyd's crying got the refs to make a historically insipient call, giving undue time on the clock and giving those hideously clad (...that bright yellow....) chumps the game - and costing my beloved Nittany Lions perhaps a perfect season.

Let's all go to the mail:

Mike from Chicago writes: I can't begin to explain how utterly confused I am as to your stance on Big Ten expansion. My question is why can't the Big Ten just sit on their hands while every other conference expands to 16 teams. According to Adam, "Leagues would completely lack intimacy and commonality, teams would play even less often and there would be filler teams everywhere." As a fan of the B1G and Wisky, I would be livid if going to 16 teams meant Wisconsin would play Iowa even less than we do now and instead we had to play a Maryland team. Even if the league did get a bigger TV contract, it would still have to split the money evenly with an additional 4 members. And how in the world would the national image of your conference improve if you added teams like Rutgers or Maryland? And Notre Dame? Seriously?!?! The only thing Notre Dame is the Holy Grail of is being consistently nationally irrelevant for as long as I can remember.

Brian Bennett: You make good points, Mike, and as we wrote, the Big Ten isn't really interested in expanding beyond 12 at this time. Unfortunately, there could be some more major changes in alignment, and "sitting on your hands" is usually not the wisest business strategy in a changing marketplace. What superconferences could mean is even more massive TV deals, and the Big Ten doesn't want to be left behind. I totally agree that there are not many attractive candidates for expansion, but the options could turn out to be really poor if the league isn't ready to pounce. For now, the Big Ten simply needs to monitor the situation and have contingency plans in mind, as I'm sure it does.

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Victor from Dayton, Ohio, writes: I was reading your and Adam's article on possible B1G expansion and I had a thought. Adam mentioned the idea of trying to get NC. My question is, while they may not add much to the football side of the conference (similar to Rutgers and Maryland that you mentioned) wouldn't it nice to see a Spartan-Tarheel shoot out multiple times a year in basketball? I think it has the possibility to turn into the basketball version of football's U of M-OSU rivalry. It would also make the B1G probably the best basketball conference out there. Thoughts?

Brian Bennett: It would no doubt be great for basketball, but basketball hasn't mattered one iota in this entire expansion circus. If so, Syracuse would never have left the Big East. That's why I think a team like Virginia Tech, which is a little worse fit academically and isn't great in basketball, is much more attractive. It's all about football.

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Jeremy from Transplanted Cornfield in West Virginia writes: Much has been made of the scheduling hiatus, and let's be realistic the only concern is for the marquee teams in the League. I realize that scheduling is done years in advance, but why not schedule League games 2 years out and use a Premier League inspired method? During a given year note the standings of the member teams and for the schedule two years hence match the top teams against each other. The biggest problem I see is in maintaining home-away locations evenly amongst the B1G, but I am sure that there a lot of smarter people than I who could work it out. Basically, we as fans get to see more "move the needle" games, and the League perception just may increase nationally. ... I think that if the B1G were to commit to the top 4-6 teams consistently playing each other, the quality of the teams would increase through being more battle tested. Your take?

Brian Bennett: It's an interesting idea, and while football schedules are often made years and years in advance, this is actually fairly workable given that teams already have dates for conference games booked. I do see a couple of problems with your scenario.

First of all, even two years out, it's not always possible to identify who the top teams will be. For example, if you were doing the schedule for 2011 back in 2009, there's no doubt at all you would have pegged Ohio State as one of the top teams. And yet the Buckeyes went 6-6. The same could be said for Iowa. Secondly, by putting so-called marquee teams together, you end up with the same potential problem of huge gaps between games for some teams. Your plan would avoid situations like Michigan State-Wisconsin missing each other for four years but not necessarily help, say, Illinois and Iowa play. There really is no perfect solution for an eight-game schedule in a 12-team league.

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Dan from Tempe, Ariz., writes: Love blog! I find it interesting (and sad) that it seems inevitable that we will have four 16-team super conferences. If this is case, what do you think about the idea of doing away with non-conference games all together and play an entire regular season (12-game) against conference opponents, with the division winners playing in a conference championship, and the four conference champions playing in a playoff for the national championship? While I think this situation is far from ideal, it creates a de facto 8-team playoff (i.e. winners of each division play each other) and it would be hard to complain that a national champion is undeserving.

Brian Bennett: I really like the idea of full round-robin conference play. However, I think you lose something with no nonconference opponents. Games like Michigan-Alabama are what get us pumped up for the season. And if everyone played in their own conference until the playoffs, the sport would be in danger of becoming too regionalized. I'd much rather watch Ohio State play USC than make sure it faces Northwestern and Minnesota, for instance.

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Rob NitLion from Morristown, N.J., writes: Brian, I'm very interested to hear your rebuttal to this theory. You recently wrote about the reasons that Urban Meyer is the most "hated" coach in the B1G (based on reader voting) without ever coaching a game. As a devoted B1G Blog reader, my theory, based on other mailblog and weekly chat questions, I think there has been an overwhelming feeling that Urban Meyer AND the Buckeyes have been hyped up "more than a tad" by you and Adam, based on Urban's track record and Ohio State's past dominance of the B1G, which has angered a lot of readers and thus led to this "hatred" of Urban Meyer. As a Penn State fan, I have no issue with Meyer as a coach, albeit I think he was lucky to have a few great players in his short time there, but I really think that a fair share of this reader sentiment has been produced through the many blog articles written by you and Adam that have made the Buckeyes instant favorites, somewhat rightfully so, but I do think that a majority of your readers have based their "hatred" on the overflow of Pro-Buckeye "propaganda". Brian, your witness...

Brian Bennett: If I may approach the bench ... Well, first of all, I certainly haven't made the Buckeyes "instant favorites." I have them ranked No. 25 in my preseason poll, behind four other Big Ten teams. (As for Adam's ranking, well, you'll have to talk to him.) I get that there has been a lot of hype about Meyer, not just from this corner but from all over the place. Which I think is justified, given Meyer's track record -- two national titles and an undefeated season at Utah cannot solely be attributed to luck and "a few great players" -- and Ohio State's vast resources. I would also argue, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that fans of other teams wouldn't be bothered by the hype nearly as much if they didn't believe most of it themselves, deep down. And the defense rests.

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Eli from New York writes: "There's little doubt that Meyer is going to win at Ohio State, just as there's little doubt many won't like him because of it."How about a little wager: $5000 that he doesn't win the B1G in 2013? I'd wager for having the best record this year, but we all know you don't have to have the best record to win the league.

Brian Bennett: I wouldn't bet large sums on any one team to win the conference in 2013, both because there's still enormous parity in the league and a lot can happen -- injuries, suspensions, etc. -- between now and then. If you offered me a bet that Ohio State would win the league at least once before 2015, I'd definitely take it. I also believe the Buckeyes will be playing for a national title by then. What kind of odds can I get on that?

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Trotter from Des Moines, Iowa, writes: Phil Steele doesn't have JVB on any of his 4 B1G teams ... OK? He has Keenan Davis as one of his top receivers. ... Hmm, QB's throw Receivers the ball still right? 3000+years last year is pretty good right? Unproven on the road, but c'mon! Out of all B1G QB's from last year coming back, JVB is the obvious first choice, no? Which QB would you take first in you and Adam's "fantasy" CFB teams?

Brian Bennett: I have a lot of respect for Phil Steele, and his preseason magazine is a must-have resource for any serious college football fan. But simply put, he blew this one. No way James Vandenberg shouldn't at least be on one of the top three teams. He's the best pure pocket passer in the league, hands down, and I think Iowa will lean on him heavily in lieu of a proven running game. Now, as far as fantasy goes, I'd still take Denard Robinson. Big running stats from a quarterback are immensely valuable in fantasy. Of course, given Adam's fantasy acumen, he'd probably draft an offensive lineman first.

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Matt from Minneapolis writes: Minnesota came really close to pulling off some pretty big upsets last year against USC and Michigan State. With a team that looks to be improved from last year, do you see any scenario in which the Gophers pull off an upset against a team eyeing a conference championship? If so, what game would it be?

Brian Bennett: I would expect the Gophers to at least scare the bejeezus out of a league contender. How about the Nov. 3 home game against Michigan? Minnesota wasn't remotely competitive against the Wolverines last year and will be looking to atone for such a poor performance at the Big House. Michigan will be coming off two straight tough games against Michigan State and then at Nebraska and could be physically beat up. Not saying Minnesota will pull that upset, but I could see a close game.

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Shawn J. from Scranton, Pa., writes: You questioned whether Rob Bolden made the right career move by staying at Penn State. It's doubtful that Bolden will ever play in the NFL. So any career move should prioritize his post-football plans. With that in mind, what's his best move? Keeping his full ride at a premier research university.

Brian Bennett: Sure, that's a totally understandable option, and being a backup at Penn State might be preferable to starting for an FCS school. We have no idea of what Bolden's priorities and personal goals are. But it has been my experience that most players want playing time, first and foremost. I'm not sure how much he's going to get with the Nittany Lions going forward unless he shows radical improvement.

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Malcolm from Del Mar, Calif., writes: If Michigan's coaching staff does what they do best and get the two sides of the line playing close to last year's squads, would that make them the favorite in the B1G Legends Division?

Brian Bennett: It would make them at least the co-favorites. The lines are definitely the biggest worry spot. But don't forget that last year's team played great and still didn't win the division. And that was with a favorable schedule. This year's schedule is much more difficult, with road games at Nebraska and Ohio State, plus the always difficult Michigan State game.

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Jim from Winchester, Va., writes: Which game, and what kinds of things will you see in the nonconference schedule that will make you think to yourself..."Nebraska's defense looks like it may sneak up on the BIG, and is actually pretty good."

Brian Bennett: I see what you did there, Jim. Making me agree with your point and only asking me when I will agree with it. Crafty move. Anyway, I'll be optimistic about Nebraska's defense if it shuts down its first two opponents. Southern Miss finished 14th in the nation last year in scoring more than 36 points per game, and even though the Golden Eagles will have a new quarterback and a more defensive-minded head coach, they still have plenty of weapons. Then Nebraska goes to UCLA, which resembles an offensive juggernaut the way I look like Brad Pitt. But the game is still on the road, and new coach Jim Mora will likely have some tricks up his sleeve. Strong performances in both those games will signal good things for the Huskers. Still, I'm way more interested in how they are going to handle Wisconsin and Ohio State to start Big Ten play.

WolverineNation roundtable : WolverineNation's panel of writers discusses Roy Roundtree's number change, a new basketball lineup and 2014 football offers in this weekly feature.

The Weekly Update : Tom VanHaaren shares the latest scoops in Michigan's recruiting in a feature for The Den subscribers.

Look, I know that you're concerned, but I'm designing T-shirts now. They're gonna be huge. Also medium and small.

• Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith says the department isn't facing any major violations right now. Former Buckeyes linebacker Andrew Sweat chooses safety over potential NFL stardom.
• Michigan State expects top quarterback Andrew Maxwell (knee) to be 100 percent by June. A look at several 2013 recruits Michigan State has offered.
• Jerry Kill says Minnesota needs a facilities upgrade soon. Minnesota's outgoing AD Joel Maturi weighs in on playoff possibilities and other Gopher-related topics.
• Penn State 2013 recruit Greg Webb talks about his recovery from a torn ACL. Lions coach Bill O'Brien reviews spring ball and looks ahead.
• Indiana coach Kevin Wilson is geared up for his second season in Bloomington. Wilson weighs in on the trickiness of non-league scheduling.
• BTN.com's Tom Dienhart looks at Week 3 in the Big Ten this season.
• Purdue offers scholarships to two teammates from Georgia (subscription required) who both play defensive end.
• Hail to the Orange writes that Illinois needs Tim Beckman to be its version of Hayden Fry.
• Great news as Iowa announcer Gary Dolphin is cancer free and ready for the 2012 season.
• Several freshmen offensive linemen could be in the mix for Michigan this year. Michigan's backup quarterbacks remain works in progress.
• A look back at Tom Rathman's 84-yard touchdown run for Nebraska in 1985.

It's chat day, and we had some good discussion and debate early this afternoon.

In case you missed out, I've got you covered with a complete chat transcript.

Here are some highlights:

Jon from Augusta, Ga.: Having a 9th conference game could alleviate many of the long layovers (e.g., OSU-Neb, UW-MSU) that are coming up. Do you think the league would entertain the thought of staging a yearly set of 6 neutral site games (i.e., one for each team) as a 9th conference game? In this way, each team would keep an even # of home and away games, and it could increase B1G exposure in large cities within (Detroit, Cleveland, etc) and near (St. Louis, DC, NYC) the conference footprint.

Adam Rittenberg: Jon, that's an interesting proposal, but again, the problem is the reluctance of several Big Ten schools to part with home games. The thought of five guaranteed games away from home (road or neutral) just won't fly with some ADs in this league. But I obviously like the idea of fewer gaps between league matchups, and the neutral-site element is very interesting given what's happening around college football right now.

Smitty from Carmel, Ind.: If Michigan loses to Alabama in a close game, do they have a chance at a NCG if USC, Bama and LSU all have one loss at the end of season.?

Adam Rittenberg: Depends on those losses, Smitty, and how they came about. Michigan also would need the teams it beat to get to 11-1 -- Notre Dame, Michigan State, Ohio State, Nebraska, etc -- to be highly regarded nationally. If Michigan beats Notre Dame and Nebraska but neither team wins 10 games, the wins don't hold as much value for the Wolverines. Bottom line: it'd be tough for the Wolverines to get to Miami without beating Bama.

Chris from Santa Monica, Calif.: If you were a Head Coach, would you schedule a bunch of night games (or try to) for National Exposure, even if it could possible hinder your team's success? IE, UM has 3 night games this year, all away from AA.

Adam Rittenberg: Depends on which team I'm coaching, Chris. Three night games away from home aren't ideal, but Michigan can win all three contests in my view. And what a season that would be, to go on the road and repeatedly win at night. If I'm Michigan, I want one home night game a year and maybe one on the road. If I'm Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana or Minnesota, I want as many night games as possible to showcase my program. But there aren't many downsides to night football, in my view. It certainly doesn't seem to bother folks in other leagues as much as it does Big Ten folks.

Bama Fan from Denver: Adam, I was curious what you would say to SEC (and Bama folks) about Jim Delany's obvious bid to try to keep more than one SEC team out of the last four (although it could ostensibly happen down the road to two B1G teams I suppose). Are fans up there embarrassed by this? I sure would be if Mike Slive was putting up the same argument. thanks!

Adam Rittenberg: SEC fans crack me up. What do you expect him to do? Bow to the mighty Slive and just say, "Fill the playoff with your obviously superior teams! Don't mind us!" C'mon, Bama fan. Of course Delany is going to fight to have his conference champion in that mix as much as possible. He's the Big Ten commissioner, not the SEC appreciation commissioner. It'd be like Slive openly stumping for playoff games in the north. It's never going to happen.

Bill from Chicago: B1G doesn't want 9-game conference schedules because of regular games with Notre Dame (Mich., MSU, Purdue) and 4/5 home/away splits. The PAC-12 plays 9-game conference schedules despite regular games with Notre Dame (Stanford, USC) and 4/5 home/away splits. What's the difference?

Adam Rittenberg: The Pac-12 has always taken a more aggressive scheduling approach than the Big Ten, Bill. And the Pac-12 coaches, quite frankly, hate it because it hurts their chances of winning national titles. The 9-game league schedules, while benefiting Pac-12 fans, have unquestionably hurt the league in getting BCS bowl bids and winning national titles. So which do you want: more enjoyable regular-season schedules or stronger positioning to unseat the SEC atop college football?

Thanks again for your questions and your participation. If you didn't get a question answered, try again next week before I take a bit of a chat hiatus.

The tireless Phil Steele, he of the eponymous and indispensable college football preview magazine, has come out with his preseason All-Big Ten teams. You can find them -- which include four teams for offense, defense and special teams -- on his blog here.

Some of Steele's choices were obvious ones, like Montee Ball, Rex Burkhead, Ricky Wagner and Taylor Lewan on the first-team offense, and John Simon, Kawann Short, William Gholston, Gerald Hodges, Chris Borland, Mike Taylor and Johnny Adams on the first-team defense.

Steele picked Michigan's Denard Robinson as his first-team quarterback, with Ohio State's Braxton Miller on the second team. Iowa's James Vandenberg doesn't appear on his top four teams, which is very surprising.

Receiver may be the hardest position to figure out this year in the Big Ten. Steele has Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis, Iowa's Keenan Davis and Michigan's Roy Roundtree on his first team. He picks Ohio State's Jake Stoneburner as the top tight end in a year when that position could be stacked. Wisconsin's Travis Frederick, Michigan State's Chris McDonald and Nebraska's Spencer Long are the first-team interior linemen.

Steele likes Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins as a first-team performer on the defensive line. He goes with four linebackers, making room for Illinois' Jonathan Brown. Iowa's Micah Hyde joins Adams at first-team cornerback, while Michigan State's Isaiah Lewis and Ohio State's C.J. Barnett are the safeties.

Wisconsin leads the way with seven first-team picks, while Michigan State has the most players on all four teams, with 16. Ohio State has 15, including receivers Corey Brown and Devin Smith on the fourth team. Minnesota had only one player on Steele's top four teams -- Troy Stoudermire, who appears as the fourth-team cornerback and fourth-team kick returner.

Hump day linkage:

• Michigan AD Dave Brandon not only doesn't favor using campus sites for semifinal games, he doesn't think they should be played in the Midwest anywhere, not even indoors. Huh?
• Pat Harty argues that the Big Ten should go to geographical divisions to avoid some of the gaps between rivals on the schedule. Dallas Clark might be the best story of the Kirk Ferentz era.
• Bruce Feldman has an excellent story about how two dirty plays don't define Michigan State's William Gholston.
• Steven M. Sipple looks at some of the candidates to eventually replace Tom Osborne, including recent hire (and former Huskers player) Jamie Williams. Nebraska picked up its first offensive lineman in the Class of 2013.
• Joe Paterno earned a state pension of more than $13 million during his 61 years at Penn State. A look at four big recruiting targets for the Nittany Lions this summer. Rob Bolden is staying put.
• Purdue got a $2 million donation that could go toward some improvements at Ross-Ade Stadium (but not lights).
• Tom Dienhart breaks down the best of Week 2 in the 2012 Big Ten season.
• Minnesota's Jerry Kill shared some optimism at a Rotary Club event.
• A planned SEC Network could eclipse the revenues of the Big Ten's similar venture.
• Gene Smith says Ohio State's athletic department is in its "glory years."
• Stewart Mandel talks realignment and playoff possibilities in his SI.com mailbag.

What's on your mind today?

Luke from Cincinnati writes: Ohio State always pays its debts. No conference team has beaten Ohio State twice in a row since Wisconsin in 2003-2004. Revenge played a big factor in the Buckeye's win against Wisconsin last year, even though the team went 6-7 for the year. Do you think this is the year the Ohio State loses to the same conference team to back? How much of a factor does revenge normally play into most games? The Buckeyes seem to thrive on it.

Adam Rittenberg: Very interesting topic, Luke. There's a better chance Ohio State's run without consecutive losses to the same Big Ten squad ends this year, simply because the Buckeyes had five league losses in 2011. Remember, they lost a total of five Big Ten contests between 2005-2010, so there weren't many opportunities for the streak to end. Of the five league games Ohio State lost last fall, the Buckeyes must travel to both Michigan State and Penn State. The Michigan State game will be very tough, and you'd have to think the Spartans have the best chance to end Ohio State's run. Penn State could be tricky as well, as the game falls in November. Michigan should be Ohio State's toughest home test, followed by Nebraska. Purdue has given the Buckeyes fits in West Lafayette, but the Boilers will have a tough time winning in C-Bus. As far as revenge, it plays a role, particularly in rivalry games like Michigan. Ohio State certainly wants to avenge the Nebraska loss after blowing such a big lead in Lincoln last season.

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Alden from Chicago writes: Adam, as a Spartan who attended both Michigan State-Wisconsin meetings in 2011 I am very disappointed with the schedule announcement in that the schools have a 4-year break from 2013-16. Living in Chicago around many Wisconsin fans I've felt a great rivalry budding here. The October and the B1G Championship games were absolutely two of the best football games I've seen and I've developed a genuine distaste for the Badgers. With both teams on top of their divisions there's still a good chance of meeting in the Championship game at least couple times during the break, which would continue adding ill will between the schools. I?m afraid though that without a regular season meeting the rivalry could sputter in the coming years and that would be a shame. What are your thoughts on this?

Adam Rittenberg: I agree it's a shame, Alden. Same goes for a four-year break with Ohio State and Nebraska, and Wisconsin and Iowa not playing yet again in 2015 and 2016. These are some of the downsides of having division play, 12 teams and protected crossover games. Each team is going to have a four-year gap with another squad -- just the way it is. Wisconsin's situation is a bit unique in that it loses geographical rivals by being in the Leaders division. The Wisconsin-Iowa series doesn't take place every year. Wisconsin doesn't play Michigan State or Michigan every year. The only protected game is Minnesota, which is a historic rivalry but one that lacks the significance of recent Wisconsin games with both Michigan State and Iowa.

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Whit from the Czech Republic writes: This is probably a very naive hope, but is there any chance the Big Ten divisions will eventually be realigned into an East/West geographical split? I saw your posting of the schedules, and I was very disappointed to see that MSU will not play Wisconsin for four years, and same with Nebraska and OSU. In my view, if the divisions went to geography, the "protected crossovers" could be scrapped (since all traditional rivalries, I think, would be intact) and teams from opposite divisions could play each other at least five times out of every ten years. While that wouldn't assure yearly matchups between MSU/Wisconsin and OSU/Nebraska, it would at least assure that every four-year football player would get two chances against each opponent from the other division.

Adam Rittenberg: Whit, you're definitely not alone in this belief. The Big Ten split the divisions based on competitive balance and had branding very much in mind when it assigned Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska and Penn State. The protected crossover component was included because you can't have Ohio State and Michigan in opposite divisions without having them play each year. If Ohio State and Michigan were in the same division, could the Big Ten get rid of protected crossovers entirely? It's very possible. And that would reduce the gaps when teams play one another. It's something the league certainly could reassess down the road, but I don't see any changes on the horizon.

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Touchdown! Davis from Lincoln, Neb., writes: Adam, cool ditty you wrote looking at future schedules and crossover games. So, good sir, what's your over/under on Nebraska winning 9.5 regular season games in 2012? As a fan, I'm assuming Nebraska will run the table and win the National Championship vs. Oklahoma in the most amazing National Title game ever (can you imagine a Nebraska v. Oklahoma title game, with all the past tradition and story lines?). Objectively, I'm hoping we go 10-2 in the regular season. Quick schedule breakdown... Non Conference: I think Southern Miss is a decent/good team but we win by 20+. The UCLA game might be a crap shoot, although I think we ultimately win regardless (and I'm excited to watch a game played in the Rose Bowl). Conference: Vs. Wisconsin, @ Ohio State, Vs. Michigan, @ Michigan State. I think if Nebraska loses two games, it's among these teams. I don't believe we'll lose to Northwestern again, even though it's a road game and I respect their team. Nebraska Vs. Michigan is my game of the year. It maybe has been said before, but I believe the ultimate conference champion this year is coming from the Legends division, and it's between Michigan, Michigan State, and Nebraska. I'm really interested to watch Ohio State this year with Meyer, etc. Your thoughts?

Adam Rittenberg: I agree with you that the Big Ten champ comes out of the Legends division. Michigan State, Michigan and Nebraska are obviously the top contenders there. Nebraska has to defend its home turf to reach 10 wins this season, and I agree that the Michigan game is huge. But if Nebraska really wants to make a statement in the Big Ten, it absolutely has to record a signature road win. The two big opportunities are at Ohio State and at Michigan State. Nebraska needs to win one of those games for this season to be deemed a success. If Nebraska goes 10-2 with losses in East Lansing and Columbus, is the season a step forward? Maybe a little step, but Nebraska will only announce itself as a potential Big Ten power when it wins a huge game on the road. The Penn State win was nice, but Penn State had an inflated record, and obviously there were unique circumstances surrounding that game.

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Alex from Shanghai writes: Hey Adam, greetings from China! Kind of disappointed that I can't get my lunch links until the middle of the night over here, but what can you do? For Michigan fans, it traditionally goes without saying that the OSU game is the most important game on the schedule, no exceptions. But do you see a different situation this coming year? It can, and perhaps even should be argued that the Michigan State game is more important. Michigan fans such as myself would love nothing more than to shut Mark Dantonio up and get that 4-year losing streak off our backs. This is also coupled with the fact that this game could very well determine the Legends Division title, and that its Michigan's only home game of any national relevance as of today. As much as it pains me to say, I think the MSU game, at least for the 2012 season, is more important than the OSU game. What are your thoughts?

Adam Rittenberg: Alex, thanks for the note! We'll see about posting a midnight edition of lunch links, so you could get them at the right time (I'll make Bennett do it). In terms of reaching the Big Ten title, the Michigan State game certainly could be more significant for Michigan. It's a division game, which is critical, and it's also a division home game. Both division champions in 2011 -- Wisconsin and Michigan State -- were undefeated at home and obviously won their division home contests. I think this pattern will continue in the coming seasons. The Ohio State game always will be huge for Michigan. While it was great for the Wolverines to end the losing streak, they'll get more mileage from a win in Columbus against what will be a better Ohio State team, not to mention a squad playing its last game of the season because of the bowl ban. But Michigan could be in the position Michigan State was last year, having locked up the division title before the final Saturday of regular-season play. The bottom line is both games should matter a lot for Michigan, but in terms of reaching Indianapolis, the MSU game is absolutely critical.

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Hunter from Jackson, Mich., writes: I noticed your comment about November night games, and i couldnt agree more. Do you think it would ever be possible for the Big Ten to allow November games under the lights? And to push a non-conference game to the end of the season? I would personally love to see SEC teams like Alabama or LSU that are used to playing in that heat to march into Camp Randall, Spartan Stadium, Happy Valley etc. in below freezing temps. It would have a huge impact on the game.

Adam Rittenberg: Hunter, I think the Big Ten eventually will change its policy when there's significant turnover in the athletic director ranks. Most of the old guard seems to be lukewarm on night games, and Purdue's Morgan Burke actually turned down a night game against Michigan this year. But the popularity of night football around the country, coupled with the fact it looks so good on TV, should eventually lead to a change in policy. Sure, the weather is a concern, but they play November night games in every other conference, including the MAC and the Big East. The Big Ten's view is archaic, and it should change. As far as moving up a league game to September, the momentum for this seems to have slowed significantly following the Pac-12 scheduling agreement. Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema and former Illinois coach Ron Zook seemed to favor a schedule that more closely resembled those in the SEC, but the Big Ten schedules between now and 2016 have only four league contests -- two in 2013, two in 2014 -- played during the month of September.

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Matt from Minnesota writes: Adam -- When I heard the anouncement of the Big12 SEC bowl, my first thought was the playoff was dead. Doesn't this really setup the plus one model. The winner or the Pac12/B1G will play the Big12/SEC winner for the NC. It makes since. I pushes out the Big East, ACC and the independents. It keeps the Rose Bowl. It allow the four main conference to Bid out the NC Game and split the revenue. Don't you think this would work?

Adam Rittenberg: Matt, I guess it's possible, and The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette's Scott Dochterman wrote about this very topic today. I still don't know if pushing out Notre Dame or the ACC ends up happening, as there would be some significant pushback from those squads. As Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman recently told me, he and others in his position still favor the plus-one over a four-team playoff within the bowls. But it seems like the presidents could be swayed to accept a true four-team playoff. I also don't know if a league like the SEC, which has had so many top-5 teams, would advocate for a plus-one instead of a four-team playoff where it could have multiple entries. The SEC and Big 12 definitely made a power move with this bowl game, but I don't see it translating directly to a plus-one.

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John from Charlotte, N.C., writes: Adam, While definitely not important to on field performance, I love a good pre-game field entrance. It gets the crowd fired up for the game and seemingly the home team ready for the kickoff. How would you rank the B1G's teams field entrance or pregame routines? Thanks, and keep up the good work.

Adam Rittenberg: Big fan of pregame entrances, too, John. I always love Iowa's entrance to "Back in Black," followed by "The Swarm." In my mind, former Hawkeyes D-lineman Adrian Clayborn will always be at the front of the line. I've only seen Nebraska's "Tunnel Walk" take place once in person, but it's quickly becoming one of my favorites. Michigan's entrance with the banner touching is classic college football.

I always enjoy my visits with Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke. As the Big Ten's longest-tenured AD -- he took over in 1993 -- Burke has an interesting perspective on how the league has changed and evolved over the years.

But I have to wonder whether he's stuck in the past regarding night football.

Purdue, as some are well aware, is the only Big Ten team not playing a true night game this season. The Boilers had one night contest -- a home game against Notre Dame -- in 2011, and they likely could have hosted another marquee opponent at night this season.

From The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier:

"I probably could've had a night game with Michigan, but I lobbied them for late afternoon so it wouldn't be late for our people to get home," Burke said.

He later added:

"I realize there are some people out there that feel that's a real benefit. They have to stand back, as do I, and look at it from every possible angle. I know there's a vocal group who feel that's the right thing to do, but they don't have any logic other than it would be nice to have a night game."

Purdue's Oct. 4 game against Michigan will kick off at 4 p.m. ET. Had it been a true prime-time game, kickoff would have been at 8 p.m. ET or 7 p.m. ET, meaning the game would finish somewhere between 10:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m.

I understand Burke has to look at the bigger picture, and it's nice to prevent older fans from driving long distances late at night. But one night game a year, on a Saturday night, particularly against an opponent like Michigan, isn't asking too much. For a Purdue team trying to increase attendance and generate more buzz, having the Michigan game at 7 or 8 p.m. makes total sense. Fans attending Purdue basketball games that tip off at 8 or 9 p.m. don't seem to mind the late-night drives home.

The logic here is simple: night football is more exciting. Night games are great showcase opportunities for programs, and they're great for television. Most fans love them. Students who don't normally attend day games will show up for night games. It's why you're seeing more and more night games around the country every year.

Other Big Ten teams in similar positions to Purdue -- looking to boost attendance and attract more attention -- have been receptive to night games. Indiana has been especially open to them since the Big Ten Network launched. The Hoosiers have three home games at night this season (Indiana State, Ball State and Ohio State). Minnesota and Northwestern also have been open to home night games. Both teams have one home game at night this year after having two each in 2011.

The subplot to Purdue's issue is a resistance to install permanent lights at Ross-Ade Stadium. Burke told me last week at the Big Ten spring meetings, "They [fans] want me to put lights in, and I keep fighting them and say, 'Why do I want to put lights in if ABC and ESPN will pay for it?'"

Indiana's Memorial Stadium, as Purdue fans know, has permanent lights. So does Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium.

It's unlikely Purdue goes without a true night game in 2013, as Notre Dame returns to West Lafayette. The Boilers-Irish games at Ross-Ade almost always take place at night. But for the most part, Purdue home games kick off at noon ET.

Michigan still can get away with such an approach in today's college football environment. But Purdue should be doing all it can to showcase its program, and this seems like a missed opportunity.

When you think Big Ten football, what usually comes to mind is big, corn-fed Midwestern players and bruising offenses. The kind of place that would be perfect for a tight end.

But the 2011 season was a little lackluster for that position in the league, at least as far as the passing game goes. Sure, Northwestern's Drake Dunsmore and Wisconsin's Jacob Pedersen were Mackey Award semifinalists, but those two and Michigan State's Brian Linthicum were the only two tight ends in the conference to record more than 25 catches. Some guys we expected to have big years, like Nebraska's Kyler Reed, Minnesota's Eric Lair and Indiana's Ted Bolser, were nearly invisible on the stat sheet. And there was certainly no one who rose the level of recent Big Ten stars like Dallas Clark, Matt Spaeth, Travis Beckum, Lance Kendricks or Dustin Keller.

Dunsmore, who won the league's inaugural Kwalick-Clark tight end of the year award, and Linthicum have both graduated. Yet 2012 is shaping up as a potentially big season for tight ends across the league.

Some of it has to do with changing offenses and playcallers who love utilizing the tight end. Urban Meyer made a star out of Aaron Hernandez at Florida and could do the same with Jake Stoneburner, who started off blazing hot last year before the Ohio State offense forgot about him. With the Buckeyes searching for playmakers, expect Stoneburner to be utilized heavily in 2012.

"Seeing Hernandez make all those plays makes someone like me pretty happy," Stoneburner told Adam Rittenberg last month. "It's something I've been waiting for since I graduated high school, being able to go out there knowing you're going to get the opportunity to get the ball more than once or twice a game. "

Bill O'Brien coached Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski as offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots, which featured the tight end as much as anybody in football. Now O'Brien is at Penn State, where tight ends have mostly been an afterthought. That will change quickly.

"That’s a very important part of what we’re going to do offensively,” O’Brien told reporters in March. “Obviously, the last two years in New England taught me a lot about the use of a tight end, multiple tight ends.”

At Iowa, new offensive coordinator Greg Davis is raving about sophomore C.J. Fiedorowicz, a 6-foot-7, 265-pounder who began to emerge late last season as a weapon. With an uncertain running game and an excellent passer in quarterback James Vandenberg, Fiedorowicz could follow in the footsteps of Clark and Tony Moeaki as breakout Hawkeyes tight ends. Coincidentally, Iowa's new offensive line coach is Brian Ferentz, who coached the tight ends with the Patriots last year.

“You’ll see the tight ends playing outside sometimes,” Davis told the Des Moines Register during spring practice. “Used to seeing them in motion, but there will be motion in wide receiver sets in some situations because they’re tough match-ups.”

Wisconsin returns one of the best tight ends in the country in Pedersen, who had led Big Ten tight ends with eight touchdown catches a year ago. Bret Bielema is also excited about the depth at the position, with veterans Brian Wozniak and Sam Arneson, redshirt freshmen Austin Traylor and Austin Maly and Pittsburgh transfer Brock DeCicco. Given the inexperience at receiver outside of Jared Abbrederis, the Badgers could look to throw to their tight ends even more this season.

Indiana's Bolser had only 14 catches last year, but he was one of the stars of the spring for the Hoosiers. An improved passing game should help him become more of a factor. Purdue likes the depth it has at tight end, led by Gabe Holmes and Crosby Wright.

“A year ago it was one of the leanest positions on our football team," Boilers coach Danny Hope told reporters in the spring, "and now I think going into the season that the tight end position is going to be one of our strengths.”

Reed's numbers dropped last year, but he still led Nebraska with an average of 17.1 yards per catch. He and fellow senior Ben Cotton form a nice tandem of targets for Taylor Martinez. Michigan State must replace Linthicum but is optimistic about 6-foot-5, 280-pound Dion Sims, who practiced this spring with a cast on his hand. Sims could provide a safety valve for new quarterback Andrew Maxwell early on as the Spartans break in some green receivers.

Minnesota's Moses Alipate will at least be a curiosity as a former quarterback who grew to 290 pounds. Michigan needs Brandon Moore or someone else to step in for Kevin Koger, while Illinois' Jon Davis could have a different role in the team's new spread offense after a promising freshman campaign. Whoever replaces Dunsmore for Northwestern should get a lot of touches.

Tight ends could play an important part of many Big Ten teams' attacks this fall. Just as it should be.

Links are schedule-heavy today, as everyone is weighing in on the 2015/2016 slates.

• One downside of the future schedules is a four-year break for Ohio State and Nebraska.
• Wisconsin finally returns to Michigan's schedule in 2015. Wolverines coach Brady Hoke has restored pride among former players.
• After two unforgettable games in 2011, Michigan State and Wisconsin won't meet from 2013-16. Pat Caputo writes that Michigan State and Michigan should play at night.
• With Rob Bolden's status up in the air, Penn State recruit Steven Bench is ready to be the team's No. 3 quarterback. Polish off the Land Grant Trophy -- it's coming back in 2015.
• Illinois should have no trouble marketing its 2015 home schedule. Illini coach Tim Beckman, aware of the sacrifices his family makes for his career, lets his kids choose which high school they attend.
• Iowa fans can weigh in on who their team's protected rival should be. Iowa's 2014 schedule is just plain weird, Mike Hlas writes.
• A closer look at Week 1 in the Big Ten this fall. Tom Dienhart also ranks the Big Ten's top defensive linemen.
• New Nebraska associate AD Jamie Williams understands the speculation about him taking over for Tom Osborne.
• Wisconsin's end-of-season game with Penn State helps offset the sting of not seeing Iowa nearly enough. The man behind the Bucky Badger mascot design passes away.
• Northwestern lucked out with the schedules for 2015 and 2016.
• Ohio State returns to Minnesota's schedule in 2015.
• Indiana will finally face new Big Ten member Nebraska in 2015.
• Mike Carmin details 10 things to know about Purdue's future schedules.
• Maybe the plus-one model isn't dead, Scott Dochterman writes.

As part of “College Football Live’s” 100 Days Till Kickoff countdown, we're taking a look at the top 10 players in the Big Ten for 2012. Please note that this list could look different when we do our Big Ten Top 25 players list later this summer.

But here's how they're ranked for the "College Football Live" event:

1. Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin: After scoring 39 touchdowns and earning an invitation to New York for the 2011 Heisman Trophy ceremony, Ball returned to school for his senior year and very much earned the No. 1 spot on this list. His numbers could go down a bit this year as they would be nearly impossible to top. Yet Ball, who has focused on pass blocking and improving his strength this offseason, could be a better all-around back in 2012.

2. Rex Burkhead, RB, Nebraska: Still a bit underrated nationally, Burkhead gets plenty of respect in the Big Ten. He ran for 1,357 yards and 15 touchdowns last season without much of a passing attack to keep defenses honest. The senior approaches every carry like his scholarship check depends on it, which is why Nebraska fans embrace him.

3. John Simon, DE, Ohio State: New Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer gushed over Simon this spring for his all-out commitment on and off the field. Simon had seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss on a banged-up defensive front last year and should contend for Big Ten defensive player of the year honors in 2012.

4. William Gholston, DE, Michigan State: We mean this in the best possible way: Gholston is a freak. How else to describe a 6-foot-7, 275-pounder with the speed of an outside linebacker? Gholston can be downright unblockable when he's focused and using proper technique, something he showed in an impressive Outback Bowl performance against Georgia in January. If that's a sign of things to come, he could be an All-American.

5. Gerald Hodges, LB, Penn State: Hodges has become the latest member of Linebacker U. to seize stardom. He broke out last season with 106 tackles, including 4.5 sacks, as he anchored the middle of one of the best defenses in the country. Fast, strong and instinctive, he's got everything you want from the linebacker position.

6. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan: There might not be a more exciting player in the country than "Shoelace," who's put together more heroics than a comic-book character the past two seasons. But his passing remains suspect, as evidenced by his Big Ten-worst 15 interceptions last season. The word out of spring practice was that Robinson had improved his fundamentals and looked sharp as a passer. If he can add accuracy to his other many talents, the sky is the limit for him and the Wolverines this season.

7. Kawann Short, DT, Purdue: Short thought about skipping his senior year and entering the NFL but decided to make a push for first-round status this season. He certainly has the ability to do so as a potentially dominant run stuffer in the middle of Purdue's defensive line. Short had 17 tackles for loss and 6.5 tackles in 2011 and will be the focus of every opposing offensive game plan this season.

8. Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin: Bret Bielema says Borland might be the best middle linebacker he's ever coached. Which is saying something, since Borland didn't move to the middle linebacker spot until last season. Though a bit undersized, he makes up for it with natural instincts and underrated athleticism. Borland made 143 tackles last year and formed one of the best defensive duos in the country with fellow Badgers linebacker Mike Taylor.

9. Silas Redd, RB, Penn State: Redd carried Penn State's offense during the middle of last season and was as productive as any back during the month of October. He eventually wore down a bit under a heavy workload and because of some injuries, but he could be primed for an even bigger year in new coach Bill O'Brien's offense. Redd ran for 1,241 yards last season and figures to find the end zone more than the seven trips he made there a year ago.

10. Jonathan Brown, LB, Illinois: Brown burst onto the scene as a sophomore, posting 108 tackles and 19.5 for loss as a quarterback-seeking missile. He was a bit inconsistent, however, and he lost his cool when he kneed a Northwestern player in the groin, earning a one-game suspension. Now a year older and wiser, Brown should be one of the top defensive playmakers in the conference, if not the country.

During the course of spring practice, Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett visited 11 of the 12 league schools, getting an up-close look at the players and coaches who will shape the 2012 season.

Now it's time for them to share their thoughts on what they saw and learned this spring, and you can follow along as they exchange emails. Check out the Leaders Division exchange here. They now turn their focus to the Legends Division.

Adam Rittenberg: Let's take a look at what I believe to be the stronger division in 2012. You spent a lot of time in the Mitten State last month, and while you didn't gorge yourself like you did in America's Dairyland, you got the money quote of spring ball from Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, who said, "We're laying in the weeds. We've beat Michigan the last four years. So where's the threat?" How spicy is the Michigan State-Michigan rivalry getting, and how good do you think these two teams will be this season after visiting both campuses?

Brian Bennett: Oh, there was some serious gorging going on at Zingerman's in Ann Arbor and Sparty's in East Lansing. Good thing there's only one spring practice session per year.

Anyway, I went into the spring thinking Michigan and Michigan State were the two strongest teams in the league, and I didn't see anything to change my opinion. While the Wolverines are more focused on Ohio State and even Alabama, they know they have to end their losing streak against Michigan State. And the Spartans take serious pride in that four-game run while bristling at all the offseason accolades thrown toward Brady Hoke's team. Oct. 20 can't come soon enough, as far as I'm concerned.

If the two teams played right now, I'd definitely take Michigan State. Dantonio has done a terrific job of developing depth on both lines and all over the defense. There's not a deeper team in the Big Ten, and the Spartans' physical play has given Michigan fits. The Wolverines still need to figure some things out in the trenches, especially on the defensive line, but that's one area where Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison excel. I believe these two teams will be neck and neck all year for the Legends title.

Of course, there's another team lurking in the division, and that's Nebraska. You went to Lincoln this spring, and it sounded like the Cornhuskers are feeling mighty ambitious this season. Do they have the necessary tools to back up their lofty goals?

Adam Rittenberg: It was interesting to see a team openly discuss the national title, Brian, especially in a league like the Big Ten. Huskers safety P.J. Smith even went so far as to say a Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl championship would be "kind of disappointing." That's bold. Nebraska would have to skip a step or two to reach that point, but I can see where the confidence stems from. There's a greater comfort level between players and coaches in Lincoln, and also between the coaches and what they face in the Big Ten. Offensive coordinator Tim Beck was candid about the difficulty of preparing for so many new opponents, particularly since Nebraska's offensive and defensive systems are a little different from what we see in the rest of the league.

Quarterback Taylor Martinez received good marks from the coaches, and his focus on footwork could translate into a more consistent passing attack. Beck certainly wants to be a bit more balanced, and Nebraska returns pretty much everyone at wide receiver and tight end. We often hear the cliche that it's all about the quarterback, but it holds true with Nebraska. If Martinez actually makes strides as a passer -- he'll be operating in the same offense as the starter for the first time in his high school or college career -- the Huskers will put up points this fall. But after watching Martinez last season, it's fair to have some doubts about No. 3.

The defense expects to exploit a schematic advantage we heard a lot about last season but didn't see much on Saturdays. I like coordinator John Papuchis, and Bo Pelini made two good staff additions in D-line coach Rick Kaczenski and secondary coach Terry Joseph. They're all about details and accountability, and they believe they'll be able to replace star power with greater depth in certain areas. Nebraska also should be strong in special teams. Do the Huskers have a unit better than Michigan State's defense? Not right now. But Nebraska could end up being the division's most complete team by season's end.

Getting back to Michigan State and Michigan. Both teams lose tremendous leaders from 2011 (Kirk Cousins, Mike Martin, Jerel Worthy, Joel Foreman, David Molk, Ryan Van Bergen). Who do you see filling those roles this year?

Brian Bennett: That's a good question, and one that will have to be answered this summer. For Michigan State, Andrew Maxwell impressed me as a guy who can lead in a similar way as Cousins did; he'll just have to play well at quarterback and battle through adversity. The Spartans have some seniors on defense who can lead, like Anthony Rashad White and Johnny Adams, but they also have some highly respected juniors in Max Bullough and William Gholston.

But they are replacing some very valuable leaders, just as Michigan is doing. Denard Robinson has worked on becoming more vocal and sounded like a different guy in interviews this spring. There's no question he has the respect of his teammates. Craig Roh and Jordan Kovacs seem like natural leaders on defense, and offensive tackle Taylor Lewan says he wants to take on that role as well. But leadership can't be forced, and it remains to be seen if either team can find such strong captains as guys like Cousins and Martin were.

Speaking of question marks, I feel like Iowa and Northwestern are two of the bigger mystery teams in the league. Both have talent and potentially potent offenses, but they'll also need some players on defense to rise up out of the shadows. What did you take out of your visits to Iowa City and Evanston this spring?

Adam Rittenberg: Let's start off with Iowa, which underwent some major changes this spring with a new offensive coordinator (Greg Davis), a position coach promoted to defensive coordinator (Phil Parker) and several more assistants shuffling, arriving or being promoted. The players seemed to embrace the changes, and coach Kirk Ferentz basically said the team needed a fresh start even though he didn't want to lose his previous coordinators. There's a lot of excitement about Davis' offense, which will be more up-tempo than what we've seen in the past from Iowa. Quarterback James Vandenberg really seems to get it, but will he have enough weapons around him to execute? The running back curse struck again this spring with Jordan Canzeri's ACL injury. Iowa needs young and/or unproven players to step up there, and wide receiver isn't a deep group. It'll be a big summer for Keenan Davis.

The feeling I had coming out of Evanston is that Northwestern will be a younger team but potentially a better one. The Wildcats say goodbye to an accomplished senior class that featured some outstanding players like quarterback Dan Persa. But was it the most talented group? I don't think so. Northwestern has improved its recruiting efforts in recent years, and the team could begin seeing the benefits this year. There are a lot of new faces at spots like defensive back and defensive line. I was impressed with cornerback Nick VanHoose and end Deonte Gibson. The wide receiving corps should be one of the Big Ten's best, even if Kyle Prater isn't eligible until 2013. The Wildcats might not have many familiar names at receiver, but they boast incredible depth there. This team still has question marks -- secondary, pass rush, running back, quarterback -- but the talent level is getting a bit better.

Neither of us made it up to Minneapolis this spring, but we both talked with Gophers players and coaches. What was your sense of the second spring under coach Jerry Kill?

Brian Bennett: We swear it's nothing personal, Gophers fans. Both of us would have enjoyed a trip to the Twin Cities, but the schedule just didn't work out.

Anyway, I did sense more confidence from the Minnesota players and coaches we interviewed. That's not surprising, given that it's the second year for Kill's staff and more familiarity almost always brings a better comfort level. MarQueis Gray really started to come on late last season and appears to have made strides as a passer. He could be one of the league's top playmakers this year. Overall, the Gophers look to have a little more talent this year, thanks to some junior college imports, youngsters who got experience last year and Troy Stoudermire coming back at cornerback. The defense should have more speed, though it remains undersized. The big question for me is who will emerge as weapons alongside Gray, especially at receiver.

But I think that, with a manageable nonconference schedule, Minnesota has a chance to win five or more games this year and it will be much more competitive in Big Ten play than it was early last season. The Legends Division looks more balanced top to bottom than the Leaders and should be fun to follow all year.