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Several Big Ten players who didn't hear their names called in New York during the weekend still received some good news about their football futures. As soon as the NFL draft concluded, the undrafted free agent scramble began.

Here's an initial list of Big Ten UFA signings. Every Big Ten squad except Indiana had a player signed through free agency. We'll be sure to post more as they become official.

ILLINOIS

• Derek Dimke, K, Detroit Lions
• Jason Ford, RB, Houston Texans
• Jack Cornell, OL, Baltimore Ravens

IOWA

• Broderick Binns, DE, Arizona Cardinals
• Tyler Nielsen, LB, Minnesota Vikings
• Brad Herman, TE, New England Patriots
• Markus Zusevics, OL, New England Patriots

MICHIGAN

• Ryan Van Bergen, DE, Carolina Panthers
• Troy Woolfolk, CB, Dallas Cowboys
• Michael Shaw, RB, Washington Redskins
• Brandon Herron, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

MICHIGAN STATE

• Brian Linthicum, TE, New York Jets
• Garrett Celek, TE, San Francisco 49ers
• Todd Anderson, FB, St. Louis Rams

MINNESOTA

• Eric Lair, TE, Green Bay Packers
• Duane Bennett, RB, Green Bay Packers

NEBRASKA

• Brandon Kinnie, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
• Yoshi Hardrick, OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NORTHWESTERN

• Al Netter, OL, San Francisco 49ers

OHIO STATE

• Mike Brewster, C, Jacksonville Jaguars
• Andrew Sweat, LB, Cleveland Browns
• J.B. Shugarts, OL, Cleveland Browns

PENN STATE

• Quinn Barham, OL, Detroit Lions
• Derek Moye, WR, Miami Dolphins
• D'Anton Lynn, CB, New York Jets
• Andrew Szczerba, TE, Dallas Cowboys
• Eric Latimore, DE, Minnesota Vikings
• Nick Sukay, S, Buffalo Bills
• Chaz Powell, CB, Oakland Raiders

PURDUE

• Joe Holland, LB, San Francisco 49ers
• Carson Wiggs, K, Seattle Seahawks
• Albert Evans, Miami Dolphins
• Jared Crank, FB, Arizona Cardinals

WISCONSIN

• Louis Nzegwu, DE, Atlanta Falcons
• Antonio Fenelus, CB, Indianapolis Colts
• Jake Byrne, TE, New Orleans Saints
• Aaron Henry, S, Oakland Raiders
• Patrick Butrym, DT, San Francisco 49ers

Several players seem to be in good situations, whether it's playing for their hometown team (Kinnie, Netter) or near a family member (Lynn, whose dad, Anthony, coaches running backs for the Jets). It's still shocking to see Brewster on this list rather than the draft one. I'm also surprised Moye, Wiggs, Linthicum and Dimke didn't get drafted.

Other Big Ten players have tryouts with NFL squads, such as Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa (Tampa Bay), Minnesota wide receiver Da'Jon McKnight (Minnesota Vikings), Indiana offensive lineman Chris McDonald (Miami, Green Bay) and Minnesota safety Kim Royston (Minnesota Vikings).

Our series ranking each position group from the 2011 Big Ten season comes to a close today with the final group, and one that is often overlooked but is always important: special teams.

Special teams is a broad spectrum, so we're combining performances in punting, kickoffs and field goals to come up with each team's position on this list.

And away we go:

1. Nebraska: Boy, did we mess this up in the preseason by ranking the Huskers 11th out of 12. Though we wrote at the time that Nebraska would almost certainly outperform its low rankings, we thought replacing star punter/kicker Alex Henery would be tough. Not really, as Brett Maher was one of the best punters and kickers in the league and the country. Freshman Ameer Abdullah was a star in kick returns, finishing ninth nationally in that category. So just remove one of the ones from that preseason number, and then we've got it right.

2. Purdue: The Boilermakers were mostly mediocre on offense and defense but did some great work on special teams. Freshman Raheem Mostert led the nation in kickoff returns, while sophomore Cody Webster finished second in punting. The strong-legged Carson Wiggs tied Maher for most field goals made in the league, though he still needs to improve his accuracy. Blocked kicks helped secure wins over Middle Tennessee and Ohio State, but Purdue lost on a blocked field goal try at Rice.

3. Penn State: When Anthony Fera returned from suspension and took over field goal duties, the Nittany Lions' special teams became truly special. Fera hit 14 of 17 field goals after Penn State had looked very shaky in that area early in the year, and he was also one of the league's top punters. Chaz Powell and Justin Brown were dangerous return men.

4. Ohio State: The Buckeyes ranked among the top third of Big Ten teams in just about every special-teams category. Field goal kicker Drew Basil made a dozen in a row at one point, and Ben Buchanan was solid at punter. Jordan Hall added some big returns.

5. Michigan State: We ranked the Spartans No. 1 in the preseason, and they came up with some game-changing plays, particularly in the first game against Wisconsin and in the Outback Bowl win over Georgia. But statistically speaking, Michigan State was average in most aspects of the kicking game. But Mike Sadler had some big moments punting, and Keshawn Martin did excellent work on punt returns.

6. Wisconsin: A tough team to rank, as there was both good and bad here. Jared Abbrederis led the nation in punt return average at 15.8 yards per attempt. Brad Nortman was a very reliable punter, while Philip Welch made five of his six attempts at field goals, something the Badgers didn't need very much with Montee Ball assaulting the end zone. But we can't ignore the big special-teams breakdowns against Michigan State and Ohio State that had as much as anything to do with ruining a potential undefeated season.

7. Michigan: The Wolverines weren't outstanding at any one area on special teams, but they proved much better than the No. 12 ranking we saddled them with in the preseason. Brendan Gibbons solidified what looked like a scary place-kicker situation and played a large role (along with brunette girls) in the Sugar Bowl victory. Michigan was also strong in punt returns and kick coverage, though its punting and kickoff returns left much to be desired.

8. Iowa: The good news first: Iowa led the league in net punting, thanks to a strong showing by senior Eric Guthrie in his first year starting. Now the bad: The Hawkeyes ranked second-to-last in kickoff coverage, and Mike Meyer missed six of his 20 field goal attempts, including both tries in the humbling loss to Minnesota.

9. Minnesota: Even without premier return man Troy Stoudermire, who missed most of the year with an injury, the Gophers ranked fifth in the league in kickoff returns, and they led the league in kickoff coverage. But a team that punted as much as Minnesota did in 2011 needed to do better than 11th in the conference in that category. Bonus point for the perfectly executed onside kick in the Iowa win.

10. Northwestern: The Wildcats' defense got the brunt of the blame in Northwestern's losses, but special teams didn't hold up its end of the bargain, either. Northwestern made only six field goals all year and ranked near the bottom of the conference in most categories. The bright spot was a league-best punt return unit.

11. Indiana: Mitch Ewald went 13-of-16 on field goals, but the Hoosiers weren't very good in most other areas. They returned more kickoffs than anyone in the Big Ten -- a product of a crummy defense -- but didn't do enough with them in finishing 108th nationally in that stat.

12. Illinois: Ron Zook didn't help his case to be retained as head coach through the performance of his special teams, a part of the game that was supposed to be his field of expertise. Illinois was simply dreadful in creating advantageous field position, finishing last in the nation in kickoff returns and third-to-last in punt returns. The Illini also weren't very good at kickoff coverage, though at least Derek Dimke made 10 of 12 field goals. Even that was marred by his missed 42-yarder at the end of a 10-7 loss at Penn State.

Apologies for posting this a little late, but the 2012 NFL combine wrapped up Tuesday with workouts for the defensive backs. Let's take a look at how the Big Ten contingent performed.

Cornerbacks

• Penn State's Chaz Powell tied for 12th in 40-yard dash (4.53 seconds); tied for 11th in bench press (17 repetitions of 225 pounds); tied for 10th in broad jump (10 feet, 1 inch); and ranked 12th in 3-cone drill (6.84 seconds).
• Nebraska's Alfonzo Dennard ranked 15th in 40-yard dash (4.55 seconds); tied for fourth in vertical jump (37 inches); and tied for 10th in broad jump (10 feet, 1 inch).
• Wisconsin's Antonio Fenelus tied for third in bench press (20 reps of 225 pounds); ranked 10th in 3-cone drill (6.8 seconds); and ranked 14th in 60-yard shuttle (11.79 seconds).
• Penn State's D'Anton Lynn tied for 11th in bench press (17 reps of 225 pounds).

Safeties

• Michigan State's Trenton Robinson tied for second in 40-yard dash (4.52 seconds); tied for 14th in bench press (15 reps of 225 pounds); tied for seventh in vertical jump (35 inches); tied for fourth in broad jump (10 feet, 5 inches); and tied for fourth in 20-yard shuttle (4.15 seconds).

For more, be sure and check out our NFL combine blog.

When John Butler was finishing up his senior season at Catholic University in 1994, his head coach asked him what he planned to do with the rest of his life. Butler's answer: "I don't know."

The coach suggested that Butler stay with the team as a graduate assistant, and that ignited a career that has taken Butler to several high-profile stops. Now if you asked Butler what he planned to do with his life, he'd say that he wants to coach at Penn State for as long as possible.

The 39-year-old left his job as an assistant at South Carolina to join Bill O'Brien's first Nittany Lions staff in January. A Philadelphia native, Butler always had one eye on State College.

"I've always been a fan of Penn State, and I've always been familiar with what goes on here," he said. "To me, Penn State is and always will be Penn State. If I looked at my career 18 years ago, and you told me I'd have a chance to coach [any school], I'd be lying if I didn't say Penn State was at the top of the list."

Butler has never worked with O'Brien but had talked to him on several occasions before taking the job. New Penn State strength coach Craig Fitzgerald went to high school with Butler and worked alongside him at Harvard and South Carolina. Fitzgerald was on the same Maryland staff as O'Brien in the early 2000s.

"Craig always spoke very highly of Bill O'Brien in every regard," Butler said. "He'd tell me, 'This is a guy we all will want to work for some day.'"

Butler also spent four years as the linebackers and special teams coach at Minnesota, where he worked for new Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Ted Roof. That gives him a comfort level with his defensive boss at Penn State and also an understanding of what it takes to win in the Big Ten.

"There have been a lot of coaching changes, but the core of the league stays the same," he said. "It's still the run-first, defensive mentality, the toughness and playing in all types of weather. Those are the things that are familiar for me."

Butler will oversee the defensive backs at Penn State, and that may be the most challenging position to coach on the 2012 team. All four of last year's starters in the secondary — D'Anton Lynn, Nick Sukay, Drew Astorino and Chaz Powell — were seniors. That means Butler will not only have to teach a new system but also break in players taking on bigger roles.

Butler said he's not going to "dummy down or baby down" his coaching methods for the young group, but he also plans to be smart in not asking them to do too much right away this spring. He said he wants to be aggressive in the passing game but not an all-out gambler.

"I think you have to be aggressive but a smart aggressive," he said. "I grew up in Philly, where everybody thinks of aggressive as Buddy Ryan — man-to-man coverage, blitzing every snap. We're not going to do that, but we are going to have a package where we challenge receivers and challenge quarterbacks to make a play under duress. We're not going to be a team that sits back and lets the offense do what it wants to do on their terms."

Butler will also serve as special teams coordinator, though Penn State will continue to split up special teams duties like it had done under Joe Paterno for many years. Butler says five coaches on staff will "be extremely involved" in special teams and each will handle a specific unit. He'll oversee the overall execution and help with each group.

Nittany Lions special teams were sometimes seen as conservative and mostly concerned with avoiding mistakes under Paterno. Butler seems to have a different view of them.

"It's critical to make plays for your team in the kicking game," he said. "It's not just a setup for what's going to happen next. We're going to emphasize explosive plays, and you've got to play your best players on special teams. You have to look at it as the first play of your defensive series or the first play of your offensive series."

Butler says he looks at Penn State as a destination job and possibly his last stop in coaching. He and the Nittany Lions hope this is the start of a long, fruitful relationship.

The grading continues today as it's time to distribute Penn State's season report card.

OFFENSE: D+

The unit slogged along for most of the season, and Penn State won nine games largely in spite of its offense. Penn State used a confounding quarterback rotation of Matthew McGloin and Rob Bolden and had eight games with fewer than 200 pass yards and four games of fewer than 120 pass yards. If not for heroic sophomore running back Silas Redd, who emerged as a workhorse and one of the Big Ten's top ball-carriers, Penn State would have had a real struggle putting up points. The offensive line seemed to make strides as the season progressed and a creative game plan against Ohio State led to good results, but Penn State underachieved on offense much of the fall.

DEFENSE: A-

No unit in the Big Ten carried a team more than Penn State's defense, which was simply fabulous this season. All-American tackle Devon Still led the way as arguably the nation's most disruptive interior lineman. Penn State overcame the loss of standout linebacker Michael Mauti and received big contributions in the midsection from Gerald Hodges, Glenn Carson and Nate Stupar. The Lions held nine of their 12 opponents to fewer than 20 points and ranked in the top 10 nationally in total defense, scoring defense and pass efficiency defense. There's no way Penn State would have started the season 8-1 without huge contributions from its defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C+

The Lions had some bright spots in the kicking game, such as punter Anthony Fera and kickoff returner Chaz Powell, who averaged 28.3 yards per runback with a touchdown. Penn State was mediocre on kickoff and punt coverage and missed more field-goal attempts (8) than any Big Ten team (the Lions also attempted a league-high 24 field goals). Special teams played a key role in wins like a 24-18 triumph against Purdue.

OVERALL: B

Penn State exceeded most outside expectations with an 8-1 start and put itself in position to win the Leaders Division. The defense undoubtedly carried the team and had only one poor performance (at Wisconsin). We'll never know how Penn State's season would have ended if the sex-abuse scandal hadn't surfaced and Joe Paterno hadn't been fired, but the closing stretch always appeared daunting. There are many unknowns going forward for the Lions, but they have an excellent foundation on the defensive side of the ball.

If my rap's soup, this post is stock.

Stock up

Dan Herron: The Ohio State running back sat out the first five games as part of the tattoo scandal, then missed a sixth game because of a summer job-related suspension. He returned last week as if he'd never been gone, rushing 23 times for 114 times and scoring his team's only offensive touchdown in a 17-7 win over Illinois. Guess he was worth the wait.

Michigan State's offensive line: The Spartans had three new starters at the beginning of the season up front, then had to replace two guys because of injury. They struggled establishing a running game the first five weeks. But last week against Michigan, the line paved the way for 167 yards rushing by Edwin Baker and generally pushed the Wolverines around. Mark Dantonio said Dan France played with the most confidence he's had all season, while Fou Fonoti and Travis Jackson also showed strong improvement. If the line keeps playing like that, with the way Michigan State's defense is performing, the Spartans will be hard to beat.

Marcus Coker: Much was expected from Coker after his huge finish to 2010, but Iowa's sophomore running back was inconsistent earlier this season and had had some fumbling problems. He had perhaps his best game last weekend against Northwestern, running 22 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns and showing the power that got people got so excited about him in the first place. "It was almost like he'd been thinking a little too much when he'd been back there," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "I thought Saturday was clearly the most decisive he's been in terms of just going with the cut. He looked a little more aggressive as a result of that. Hopefully we're on the right track."

Stephen Houston: Kevin Wilson isn't real happy with his running game, but Houston has at least given Indiana something to work with. A junior-college transfer who had signed with North Carolina and ended up in Bloomington just before fall camp, Houston ran for 135 yards on 19 carries, including a 67-yard touchdown, last week at Wisconsin. He had 138 total yards a week earlier against Illinois. "He had to kind of play himself into shape," Wilson said. "He has practiced well for three or four weeks and has some good momentum."

Nate Stupar: Michael Mauti's season-ending knee injury looked like a big blow for the Penn State defense, and no doubt the Lions would love to have their star linebacker. But Stupar has stepped in superbly and helped keep the defense air tight. He came up with the interception that sealed last week's win over Purdue. "Now our problem would be if something happened to Stupar," Joe Paterno said. "But Stupar has played well. I think there's no question about that."

Stock down

Against the Wind: Maybe the Big Ten should eliminate Chicago as a potential title game destination in the future. Based on what we saw this weekend, league quarterbacks would not enjoy the Windy City. The Purdue-Penn State, Michigan-Michigan State and Ohio State-Illinois games were all affect by severely windy conditions. The quarterbacks in those games went a combined 70-of-146 (47.9 percent accuracy). More hot dog wrappers hit Michigan receivers than Denard Robinson pass attempts. Ohio State had the best idea -- run the ball 51 out of 55 times. The Buckeyes scored as many touchdowns off an interception return as they did their own offense.

Purdue's special teams: Carson Wiggs may have the strongest leg in the league, but it's not always a precision-based tool. He missed an extra point and a 44-yard field goal try and sailed a kickoff out of bounds to aid a Penn State scoring drive as the Boilermakers lost by just five points. But it wasn't all Wiggs' fault (and the wind certainly didn't help him). Purdue's kickoff coverage team let Chaz Powell go 92 yards on a return to set up the game's final field goal. The Boilers don't have enough margin for error to give away points and so much field position on special teams.

Carlos Hyde's Twitter feed: The Ohio State running back rushed for more than 100 yards against Nebraska and then mostly stayed on the bench against Illinois as Herron returned. Hyde let out his frustration on Twitter, typing "Guess I'm not good enough. Take myself elsewhere." Hyde later deleted the tweet, but not before a flood of rumors began about him transferring. Unhappiness is understandable, but there are better forums to express it.

Illinois' rushing game: The Illini boasted a powerful ground assault earlier in the season against some lesser opponents, but against Ohio State that running game was mostly, uh, grounded. They managed just 116 yards on 35 carries, an average of only 3.3 yards per attempt. Two games earlier, Illinois had just 82 rushing yards versus a shaky Northwestern defense. Paul Petrino's offense is at its best when it is balanced, and that starts with a strong rushing game.

Eggheads: I realize strength of schedule plays a huge role and that these things will even out over time, but some of the BCS computer rankings of Wisconsin are laughable. My favorite is the Massey Ratings, which has the Badgers 17th, or one spot behind Nebraska, despite the tiny fact that Wisconsin beat the Huskers by 31 points. Massey also has Texas ranked 11th. Um, OK. Colley Matrix isn't much better with the Badgers at 14, while Peter Wolfe puts them 12th. I don't need any software to know that their wiring is all wrong.

Penn State will be called the worst 6-1 team in America.

People will continue to point to the quarterback confusion, the inability to score touchdowns in the red zone and other obvious flaws with the Nittany Lions. But the record speaks for itself, and the Lions deserve credit for continuing to find ways to win.

Penn State's defense fueled a 23-18 victory against Purdue by forcing four turnovers, and Joe Paterno's team exploited a huge edge on special teams to beat the mistake-ridden Boilers. Among the heroes were linebacker Nate Stupar, who recorded two interceptions, kicker Anthony Fera (3-for-3 on field-goal attempts) and Chaz Powell, who had a 92-yard kick return before drawing a highly questionable penalty for tossing the ball in the air in celebration.

The Lions' quarterback situation didn't get much clearer as Matthew McGloin and Rob Bolden combined to complete just 10 of 23 passes for 185 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. It's hard to imagine that the quarterback situation won't catch up with Penn State at some point, but that point hasn't arrived yet.

One major bright spot was sophomore running back Silas Redd, who had 131 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries.

Purdue has to be kicking itself -- literally -- after another loss filled with major boo-boos. Standout kicker Carson Wiggs had a tough day, missing a 44-yard attempt and clanking a potential game-tying PAT try off of the upright that proved extremely costly. Purdue also allowed Powell's return at a very bad time, right after it closed to within two points with 8:08 to play.

The Boilers are a talented team with some exciting individual players -- Ralph Bolden, Justin Siller, Antavian Edison, Gary Bush -- who showed off their skills against a very good defense today. But mistakes kill you, and Purdue continues to make far too many to win in the Big Ten.

» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC

A week of games against mostly inferior competition doesn't provide the most accurate gauge of which teams go where, but it's a starting point. There are a few small moves in this week's rankings, which reward squads for how they looked and, in some cases, for who they played.

The middle five teams -- Penn State, Northwestern, Iowa, Michigan and Illinois -- still could be placed in pretty much any order, and it will take a bit of time to see separation there. But we do reward for quality wins, and Northwestern recorded one at Boston College under tough circumstances.

Let's get started.

1. Wisconsin (1-0): Quarterback transfer Russell Wilson and the Badgers made a strong opening statement on national TV. Wilson led the offense to scores on eight consecutive possessions before departing, and running back Montee Ball looked like a totally different player. The defense needs to tighten up when the competition gets better.

2. Nebraska (1-0): We're leaving Nebraska here for now, but we want to see a more polished performance from the offense this week against Fresno State. Not surprisingly, the offense had mixed results in its first game with the new system. The defensive line looked stellar as Cameron Meredith had a big opener.

3. Ohio State (1-0): The Buckeyes move up a spot after thoroughly dominating Akron on Saturday. Joe Bauserman stated his case to be the starting quarterback and tight end Jake Stoneburner hauled in three touchdown passes. The 42-0 score amazingly made the game seem closer than it actually was.

4. Michigan State (1-0): After a sloppy first half, Michigan State found a rhythm in the second half and pulled away from Youngstown State. Receiver B.J. Cunningham had a big night, but coach Mark Dantonio will look for greater efficiency and better discipline (eight penalties) from his squad this week against Florida Atlantic.

5. Penn State (1-0): The Lions didn't get much clarity at the quarterback position, but they didn't need it against Indiana State. Silas Redd led a potent rushing attack, and Penn State had a strong defensive effort and received a special teams boost from Chaz Powell on the opening kickoff return. Joe Paterno's squad has a great chance to make a national statement this week against Alabama.

6. Iowa (1-0): Kirk Ferentz saw some sloppiness in the opener, but Iowa had little trouble pulling away from Tennessee Tech. The Hawkeyes need running back Marcus Coker to rebound against Iowa State after two fumbles. Shaun Prater and James Morris had long interception returns to set up scores.

7. Northwestern (1-0): The Wildcats move up after recording the Big Ten's most impressive victory of Week 1. They beat Boston College on the road without star quarterback Dan Persa. The offensive line stepped up to spark backup quarterback Kain Colter and the run game, and the defensive front stuffed Boston College's run game.

8. Michigan (1-0): We don't know how the final 17 minutes would have played out Saturday, but Michigan was rolling against Western Michigan before the lightning came (again). The defense covered up issues with three takeaways, including two touchdown returns by linebacker Brandon Herron. The offensive line looked strong as it adapts to a scheme based more around power.

9. Illinois (1-0): This isn't a knock on Illinois, which pulled away from Arkansas State after a slow start. If the Illini keep winning, they'll climb the power rankings. The passing attack looked strong with quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase and receivers A.J. Jenkins and Darius Millines. Illinois' defense will need to tighten up before Arizona State arrives in Week 3.

10. Minnesota (0-1): Jerry Kill's squad didn't beat USC but gained a lot of respect for the way it fought against the 25th-ranked Trojans. Minnesota's defense struggled against the pass (304 yards) but limited points, and Gophers freshman quarterback Max Shortell showed impressive poise in relief of MarQueis Gray. Watch for Minnesota to make some noise this fall.

11. Purdue (1-0): It took a furious rally for the Boilers to beat Middle Tennessee, and Danny Hope's squad has plenty to work on in the coming weeks. The good news is the schedule favors Purdue, which faces Rice and Southeast Missouri State before an open week. Defense has to be the focus this week after Purdue surrendered 460 yards Saturday.

12. Indiana (0-1): Getting pushed around by Ball State at the line of scrimmage gets you a swift kick to the bottom of the power rankings. Indiana must get tougher up front on both sides of the ball, especially with Virginia visiting Bloomington this week. Quarterback Ed Wright-Baker did some good things, but IU must put together a more complete performance for new coach Kevin Wilson.

Week 1 is in the books. Now it's time for a book review.

Be kind, rewind:

Team of the week: Northwestern. Missing star quarterback Dan Persa, the Wildcats still went on the road to Boston College and won 24-17. Most impressively, their offensive line pushed around what had been the nation's stingiest rush defense a year ago. If the offensive line can continue to play like that, and Persa can come back (Persa) strong, then Northwestern will be a factor in the Legends Division race.

Best game: Northwestern's win, again. The game was close throughout, and Boston College drove into the red zone in the waning seconds before a Vince Browne sack ended matters.

Biggest play: Purdue's Ricardo Allen blocked a 47-yard field goal attempt by Middle Tennessee's Alan Gendreau on the game's final play, preserving a 27-24 victory. It was sweet redemption for Allen, whose earlier fumble on a punt return set up a Blue Raiders touchdown. And had the Boilermakers lost this game, it could have set a bad tone for their season.

Best call: This one happened on Wednesday of last week, when Michigan State senior guard Joel Foreman approached coach Mark Dantonio and asked if Arthur Ray Jr. could start in his place. Ray is a cancer survivor who had never played in a college game before. Foreman made a selfless decision, stopping his personal 22-start streak. Ray was in tears before the game and played the Spartans' first offensive snap before coming out.

Best meaningless play: The game was wildly out of hand by this point, but Ohio State receiver Evan Spencer made a spectacular, twisting, one-handed catch during the fourth quarter of a 42-0 blowout of Akron. It ultimately meant very little, but Spencer now has his own YouTube moment.

Big Man on Campus (Offense): Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson. There was considerable hype accompanying Wilson's debut after his highly publicized transfer from NC State, and Wilson lived up to it. He accumulated 317 total yards, including 255 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing 10 of his 13 attempts. And his sizzling 46-yard touchdown run was something Badgers fans have rarely if ever seen out of the quarterback position.

Big Man on Campus (Defense): Michigan linebacker Brandon Herron. Things might be changing in Ann Arbor when a Wolverines defender is garnering all kinds of recognition. Herron deserves it after scoring two defensive touchdowns, one on a 94-yard interception return and the other on a 29-yard fumble recovery. Raise your hand if you predicted Herron would have two more scores than Denard Robinson in the opener.

Big Man on Campus (Special Teams): Chaz Powell, Penn State. Clearly, you should never kick to Powell to start a season. The Nittany Lions senior returned the opening kickoff against Indiana State 95 yards for a touchdown. That matched his performance from last year, when he took the first kick of the year to the house against Youngstown State.

Worst hangover: Indiana. I remain convinced that Kevin Wilson will eventually do very good things in Bloomington, but Saturday was a very bad start. The Hoosiers lost to Ball State 27-20 at Lucas Oil Stadium, a place in which they're highly unlikely to play in December any time soon. It's hard to use the first-year coach excuse, since Ball State also had a new guy on the sidelines. What's worse, IU got pushed around in the trenches. If that happens against a MAC foe, what will the Hoosiers do against Ohio State, Wisconsin and other Big Ten opponents?

Strangest moment: Mother Nature wins this award in Week 1. Storms and lightning gave us the odd sights of both Kinnick Stadium and the Big House being evacuated -- that's more than 180,000 people who had to be moved out of harm's way. Iowa hadn't experienced an in-game weather delay in the 82-year history of Kinnick Stadium. Things were even crazier in Ann Arbor, where Michigan and Western Michigan agreed to end their game with 1:27 left in the third quarter after a couple of lightning delays. It was the first weather-shortened game in Wolverines history, and who knows what would have happened had the game actually been close at the time.

Week 1 suggests that deciding to play the Big Ten title game indoors might have been the right call.

Depth chart indecision day marches on with the Penn State Nittany Lions, who -- surprise, surprise -- didn't name a starting quarterback on their depth chart for Saturday's season opener against Indiana State.

Sophomore Rob Bolden and junior Matt McGloin are listed as co-starters for the opener. It's not a major shock, but I'm not sure what else the Penn State coaches need to evaluate at this point. Bolden and McGloin competed throughout spring ball and into fall camp. Both have started games. Is there still no clear separation? Hard to believe. Don't be surprised to see Penn State play both men against Indiana State before the Week 2 showdown with Alabama.

Other depth chart nuggets:

• Sophomore John Urschel and senior Johnnie Troutman are listed as co-starters at right guard. Veteran DeOn'tae Pannell has emerged at left guard -- at least for now -- ahead of Mark Arcidiacono. There are no surprises on the rest of the first-team line.
• Silas Redd is listed as Penn State's starting running back ahead of Brandon Beachum. Curtis Dukes is the third-stringer, while Stephfon Green, who rejoined the team last week, doesn't appear on the depth chart.
• Sophomore Shawney Kersey and junior Justin Brown are listed as starting wide receiver alongside All-Big Ten candidate Derek Moye. Devon Smith is the backup to Brown.
• Sophomore Glenn Carson translated a strong preseason camp into the starting middle linebacker spot ahead of classmate Khairi Fortt. Michael Mauti has shifted to outside linebacker, where both he and Gerald Hodges will start. Former starter Nate Stupar is listed as Mauti's backup. In case it isn't obvious, Penn State is loaded at linebacker.
• Senior Eric Latimore, who missed most of the 2010 season with a wrist injury, is listed as a starting defensive end opposite Jack Crawford. Promising redshirt freshman Kyle Baublitz will back up Latimore.
• Senior Chaz Powell has edged junior Stephon Morris for the starting right cornerback spot.
• Anthony Fera is listed as a backup at punter, kicker and holder, most likely the result of his citation for purchase/possession of alcohol by a minor last month. Junior Evan Lewis is Penn State's top kicker for the opener, while Alex Butterworth will handle the punting duties.
• Only two redshirt freshmen appear as backups on Penn State's depth chart: Baublitz and outside linebacker Mike Hull.

My kickball season started yesterday. Not quite as exciting as the opening kick next Thursday.

• Ohio State is embracing an interesting new role: underdog. Buckeyes linebacker Etienne Sabino has a broken left hand but expects to play in the opener. There's still a Tressel on the OSU staff, and Dick Tressel says he doesn't know why his brother was forced out.

• Mike Martin is a leader on and off the field for Michigan. Devin Gardner has been a solid backup to Denard Robinson. Freed from the spread offense, fullback John McColgan should have a bigger role this year.

• Michigan State's defense dominated a Saturday scrimmage. Todd Anderson and Micajah Reynolds could be important role players for the Spartans this year. Safety Jairus Jones has returned quickly from a torn Achilles' tendon.
• Wisconsin is trying to get Louis Nzegwu up to speed as a pass-rusher. The Badgers landed a highly rated safety from New Jersey. Kevin Claxton is grateful for his second chance after being arrested as a high school senior.

• Penn State is looking for more production from its tight ends. Silas Redd learned toughness from his father, who was both a Marine and a police detective. Chaz Powell hopes the versatility he's shown for the Lions will help him get to the NFL.

• Illinois coach Ron Zook took a licking but kept on ticking. Bob Asmussen has his final report from Camp Rantoul.

• Matt Perez is a different runner for Indiana (subscription required). Kevin Wilson has brought intensity to the Hoosiers.

• Carl Davis will be needed on a new-look Iowa defensive line. Do expectations really matter for the Hawkeyes? C.J. Fiedorowicz was humbled as a freshman but is ready for more in 2011.

• Some newcomers impressed at a weekend scrimmage for the Gophers. That's good, because Jerry Kill says he doesn't have enough depth to redshirt players this year.

• Some lingering injuries on the offensive line are a concern for Nebraska. Walk-on Justin Blatchford should play a key role for the Blackshirts.

• Pat Fitzgerald is getting his own Ryan Field mural.

• Here are five developments from Purdue's training camp, including the quarterback situation.

Our preseason position ranking series comes to an end today with everybody's favorite group: special teams.

For this ranking, we're going to consider punters, kickers and returners only. No offense to the long-snappers or the punt-team gunners, but things like kickoff coverage units are hard to forecast. We'll give a little extra weight to teams that have returning and proven players at these spots, because it's difficult to know how new punters and kickers will fare when the pressure of real games begin.

As the guys in these positions would say, let's kick it:

1. Michigan State: Kicker Dan Conroy made 14 of his 15 attempts last year, and Keshawn Martin led the league in punt return average. They will miss punter Aaron Bates and will have to improve their kickoff return game. And you know you always have to watch out for the fake when the Spartans line up for a kick.

2. Wisconsin: The Badgers are set at both punter and kicker, with seniors Brad Nortman and Philip Welch, respectively. Both are third-year starters who can be relied upon. Wisconsin will need to find a replacement for primary return man David Gilreath.

3. Penn State: The Nittany Lions bring back punter Anthony Fera and punt returner Devon Smith, who finished just behind Martin in yards per attempt last season. Chaz Powell and Stephfon Green are dangerous kick returners. Fera could move over to handle field goals this season if incoming freshman Sam Ficken doesn't win the job.

4. Ohio State: The Buckeyes have a veteran punter in senior Ben Buchanan and two threats to take a kick to the house in Jordan Hall and Jaamal Berry. Sophomore Drew Basil is expected to take over at place-kicker. Special teams are almost always a force in Columbus.

5. Purdue: No one in the league has a bigger leg than Carson Wiggs; the questions is whether he can consistently harness it. Punter Cody Webster averaged 43.3 yards per attempt last season, second best among returning punters. The Boilermakers' return game needs to improve.

6. Illinois: Derek Dimke was a Lou Groza semifinalist last season and broke the school record for points by a kicker. He nailed two 50-plus yarders. Ray Guy semifinalist Anthony Santella is gone, though return man Troy Pollard is back.

7. Northwestern: Brandon Williams improved at punter as his freshman year went along last season. The Wildcats at long last have an elite return option in Venric Mark. But place-kicker was a concern this spring, with Jeff Budzien and Steve Flaherty competing for the job.

8. Iowa: Kirk Ferentz's teams usually find a way to be good on special teams, so odds are the Hawkeyes will climb these rankings. But they lost a lot from 2010, including Ray Guy finalist and four-year starter Ryan Donahue, plus both primary return men. Eric Guthrie held the edge at punter after the spring. Place-kicker Mike Meyer returns after taking over that role for the final 10 games and doing a solid job.

9. Indiana: Mitch Ewald was named to the Groza watch list after a strong freshman year in which he made 16 of 19 field goals. Chris Hagerup needs to increase his punting average of 39.4 yards. The Hoosiers should have enough athletes to replace Tandon Doss on returns.

10. Minnesota: Dan Orseske's 36.1-yard average was worst among starting Big Ten punters in 2010, so that must get better. Jerry Kill must also find a new place-kicker -- NC State transfer Chris Hawthorne looks like the top option. Troy Stoudermire, one of the league's top return specialists, is back for his senior year.

11. Nebraska: Like Iowa, this is a team that will almost assuredly outperform this ranking. But boy did the Huskers lose a lot of talent and experience. It will be difficult to match the value that punter/kicker Alex Henery brought -- Brett Maher and freshman Mauro Bondi will battle to replace him -- and Adi Kunalic was a secret weapon as kickoff specialist. Top returner Niles Pau is gone, too. The Cornhuskers will likely reload, but nobody has bigger shoes to fill at these positions in the Big Ten.

12. Michigan: The kicking game looked like a disaster this spring, with neither Seth Broekhuizen nor Brendan Gibbons inspiring confidence. Incoming freshman Matt Wile might win the job this summer. This could prove to be an Achilles' heel for the Wolverines, as it was a year ago. On the plus side, Will Hagerup is the leading returning punter in the Big Ten, though he had only 33 attempts last season.

Teach me how to Bucky.

• The Big Ten Network's Dave Revsine goes inside the numbers for Week 7 in the Big Ten.
• In case you missed them, Big Ten picks from yours truly and College Football News.
• Terrelle Pryor says he's fine for this week's game at Wisconsin, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• Former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez wouldn't have gone for two last week like Bret Bielema did, Andy Baggot writes in the Wisconsin State Journal. The Badgers hope to wear down Ohio State with two running backs, Jeff Potrykus writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Illinois wants to be a bad Homecoming guest again this week in East Lansing, Shannon Ryan writes in the Chicago Tribune. Illini offensive lineman Hugh Thornton receives community service for violating terms of his court supervision.
• Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio never lost perspective when dealing with his recent health issues, Drew Sharp writes in the Detroit Free Press. Former Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer gets the satisfaction of seeing Tom Brady in a Spartans shirt, Ian Rapoport writes in the Boston Herald.
• Minnesota coach Tim Brewster's solution to the agent problem: give players stipends, Phil Miller writes in the Star Tribune. The Gophers gear up to stop Purdue star Ryan Kerrigan, Miller writes.
• Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker inches closer to a return, Andy Hamilton writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen. The Hawkeyes are certainly aware of Michigan's speed, Marc Morehouse writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• Michigan wouldn't be the first team to win with a good offense and a lousy defense, annarbor.com's Michael Rothstein writes. Wolverines receiver Martavious Odoms (foot) could return this year, Mark Snyder writes in the Detroit Free Press.
• Indiana's defense tries to cut down on big plays, Dustin Dopirak writes in The (Bloomington) Herald-Times (subscription required).
• Purdue didn't pout following its recent rash of injuries and was rewarded with a big road win, Al Hamnik writes in The Times of Northwest Indiana.
• Penn State's problems are ill-timed and go deeper than just this season, Nick Horvath writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News. Chaz Powell moves back to defense for the Lions, Frank Bodani writes in the York Daily Record.

Every Wednesday during the season, I'll take a look at the Big Ten marketplace to see whose stock is rising and falling.

Invest wisely.

STOCK UP


1. Denard Robinson: Everyone knew what the Michigan quarterback could do in the open field, but he proved himself as a passer against Connecticut, not only making accurate throws but great decisions. Robinson set team single-game records for quarterback rushing (197 yards) and total offense (383 yards).

2. Big Ten quarterbacks: A group that has taken heat in recent years stepped up nicely in Week 1. Robinson dominated the national spotlight, but Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, Iowa's Ricky Stanzi, Northwestern's Dan Persa and Indiana's Ben Chappell all had impressive numbers. Penn State's Rob Bolden might have been the biggest surprise, as he passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns in his collegiate debut. Nine Big Ten starters ranked among the nation's top 56 in pass efficiency.

3. Minnesota's offensive line: Criticized for the last two years, the Gophers' veteran front five made a statement in the opener. Minnesota racked up 281 rushing yards and held the ball for over 45 minutes, totally controlling the line of scrimmage at Middle Tennessee. A very good sign early on this fall.

4. Michigan State's run game: Playing without starting running back Larry Caper, the Spartans got huge lifts from sophomore Edwin Baker and freshman Le'Veon Bell, who combined for 258 rush yards and four touchdowns. Kudos also to the offensive line, which looked strong against Western Michigan.

5. Wisconsin's defensive line: A question mark entering the fall, the Badgers' front four performed well in the opener against UNLV. Junior end J.J. Watt made a game-changing forced fumble early in the third quarter, leading to a touchdown, while end Louis Nzegwu and tackle Jordan Kohout both recorded sacks.

STOCK DOWN

1. Special-teams execution: The Big Ten had some special-teams highlights, like Paki O'Meara's blocked punt and Chaz Powell's kickoff return, but there were far too many breakdowns. Ohio State had a field goal attempt blocked and returned for a touchdown. Northwestern botched a field goal attempt and an extra-point try. Minnesota missed two field-goal attempts. It needs to get better.

2. Illinois' second-half offense: A 13-3 halftime lead slipped away as the Illini offense stalled after the break. Illinois had only 10 total yards in the third quarter and didn't cross midfield until midway through the fourth quarter. The Illini finished with 75 second-half yards and no points.

3. Michigan State's discipline: The Spartans did a lot of good things in their opener, but they couldn't avoid the yellow flag. Michigan State drew 11 penalties for 69 yards, four more fouls than any other Big Ten team. This area has to improve after the Spartans finished 10th in the league in penalties a year ago.

4. Northwestern's running backs: The run game was Northwestern's top concern entering the season, and it's still very much there. The backs went backward two often and put the ball on the ground twice. Persa can't be the only viable rushing option for Northwestern this fall. Someone has to step up soon.

5. Purdue's downfield passing game: Robert Marve completed 31 passes in his first career start for Purdue. Pretty good, right? For sure, but Marve had only 220 pass yards because Notre Dame took away everything down the field. Purdue has the weapons to stretch things out a bit, but with questions lingering about the run game, it could be tough.

Each week, I'll also take a look at the Player of the Year races. These will be based solely on production this season. Right now, that equals one game.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR RACE: OFFENSE

1. Michigan QB Denard Robinson: Rushed for 197 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries; completed 19 of 22 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown.

2. Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor: Completed 17 of 25 passes for 247 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs; added 17 rush yards.

3. Wisconsin RB John Clay: Rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns on only 17 carries (7.2 ypc).

4. Northwestern QB Dan Persa: Completed 19 of 21 passes for 222 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs; added team-high 82 rush yards.

5. Minnesota RB Duane Bennett: Did everything but reach the end zone at Middle Tennessee, rushing 30 times for 187 yards.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR RACE: DEFENSE

1. Wisconsin DE J.J. Watt: Recorded a league-high four pass breakups, a forced fumble that led to a touchdown; assisted on a tackle for loss.

2. Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan: Recorded seven tackles, 2.5 for loss, and a sack; helped record a safety.

3. Ohio State S/LB Tyler Moeller: Led the team with six tackles, including two for loss and a sack; forced a fumble.

4. Ohio State LB Brian Rolle: Had his first career pick-six, a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown; had three tackles, one for loss.

5. Illinois DT Corey Liuget: Recorded six tackles, including 2.5 for loss, and broke up a pass.

The Big Ten's best looked good against mostly weak competition in Week 1, so no changes up top. Michigan's impressive win comes with a reward, and there's a little shuffling at the bottom.

Let's get started ...

1. Ohio State (1-0): The Big Ten's most complete team delivered a complete performance in dismantling Marshall 45-7 on Thursday night. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor looked more comfortable as he led a surprisingly dynamic offense that got a lot of its weapons involved. The defense continued its opportunistic ways. Aside from a few special-teams miscues, not much to complain about.

2. Iowa (1-0): After living on the edge throughout the 2009 season, the Hawkeyes dominated Eastern Illinois to open a year filled with high expectations. Aside from a leg injury to quarterback Ricky Stanzi that looked scarier than it actually was, Iowa fans could breathe easy Saturday. Stanzi and running back Adam Robinson both stood out, and the defense allowed only one significant drive. Things get tougher the next two weeks with Iowa State and Arizona.

3. Wisconsin (1-0): The Badgers made a few big mistakes early against UNLV, but they pulled away in the second half behind their three-headed running back monster of John Clay, Montee Ball and dynamic freshman James White. Defensive end J.J. Watt made a game-changing forced fumble early in the third quarter, and Wisconsin's power game took over from there. A good performance overall on the road, although the Badgers need to clean up a few things.

4. Penn State (1-0): Joe Paterno has found his quarterback, and (gasp!), he's a true freshman. Rob Bolden answered the call in his first career start, showing good poise in the final three quarters against Youngstown State. Receivers Brett Brackett and Derek Moye stepped up, and Chaz Powell returned a kickoff 100 yards to the end zone. Penn State's offensive line still needs to pick up its play after Evan Royster recorded only 40 rush yards against Youngstown.

5. Michigan State (1-0): After leaning on Kirk Cousins and the pass game too often last season, Michigan State re-established the run in a big way Saturday. Playing without projected starter Larry Caper (hand), the Spartans received big performances from freshman Le'Veon Bell (141 rush yards, 2 TDs) and sophomore Edwin Baker (117 rush yards 2 TDs). Linebacker Greg Jones had a forced fumble and nearly secured his first career interception.

6. Michigan (1-0): Thanks to Denard Robinson and an improved offensive line, Michigan recorded the most impressive victory of Week 1, considering the competition. Robinson has to be careful with all the hits he takes, but if he continues to complement his ridiculous speed with an accurate arm, the Wolverines will win a lot of games this fall. Michigan's defense still concerns me a bit, although I liked the aggressiveness from Craig Roh.

7. Northwestern (1-0): The Wildcats never trailed against Vanderbilt but seemed fortunate to escape Nashville with a victory. New starting quarterback Dan Persa carried the offense, much like predecessor Mike Kafka did in 2009, and showed incredible accuracy (19-for-21 passing, 222 yards, 3 TDs). The run game once again was absent, a concern for Pat Fitzgerald going forward, and Northwestern endured several special-teams miscues.

T-8. Minnesota (1-0): For the first time in a while, you can say Minnesota has an offensive identity. The Gophers held the ball for 45:34 in their come-from-behind win against Middle Tennessee, as Duane Bennett (187 rush yards) led the power rushing attack. Fullback Jon Hoese (3 rush TDs) provided the best story of Week 1, and a new-look defense did enough to hold off a Dwight Dasher-less Blue Raiders team. The Gophers really needed this one.

T-8. Purdue (0-1): A young Purdue team played predictably inconsistent football at Notre Dame. New quarterback Robert Marve looked good at times but made too many mistakes. The secondary did a decent job against Irish star receiver Michael Floyd, but Purdue allowed scores on four consecutive possessions midway through the game. Still, the Boilers had a chance at the end, and they'll get better in the coming weeks.

10. Indiana (1-0): Look out for the Hoosiers' offense this season. IU didn't miss a beat without All-Big Ten wide receiver Tandon Doss, as quarterback Ben Chappell found a rhythm against Towson and Darius Willis (102 rush yards, 2 TDs) led the ground game. The outlook on defense remains much cloudier after the Hoosiers allowed 392 yards to Towson. If the defense doesn't get better by Big Ten play, Indiana will have a tough time winning games.

11. Illinois (0-1): For a moment, it looked like Illinois would stun Missouri and finally win a game at the Edward Jones Dome. But the second half showed that the team remains a work in progress on both sides of the ball. There were some encouraging signs, particularly running back Mikel Leshoure and defenders Corey Liuget and Ian Thomas, but Illinois needs to put a complete game together. This week's home matchup against Southern Illinois will be huge.