ESPN College Football

Wisconsin defensive coordinator Chris Ash talks about the Badgers defense this spring.

MADISON, Wis. -- The last time we saw Wisconsin's defense in a game, the Badgers were getting steamrolled by Oregon in the Rose Bowl, allowing 621 yards and 45 points.

The Ducks can make many defenses look bad, but a Big Ten champion isn't supposed to get punctured that severely. Badgers defensive coordinator Chris Ash said a handful of his players consistently lined up incorrectly or went to the wrong spots during that 45-38 loss on Jan. 2.

Oregon pulled out a few new wrinkles for the game, but that doesn't fully explain why a veteran defense with a month to prepare could have made so many fundamental mistakes.

"I've been searching for answers for a few months on that one," Ash told ESPN.com last week.

Mysteriousness surrounds much of what happened to Ash's side of the ball last season. The numbers say Wisconsin had a fantastic season on defense, as it finished 15th in the FBS in total defense and 13th in points allowed. Yet the lasting images of the Badgers' season revolve around the long passes given up at the end of losses to Michigan State and Ohio State and that Rose Bowl fiasco.

Last year's breakdowns hover over the team this spring and in some ways are guiding how the players are approaching this offseason preparation.

"Those things are fresh in our minds a little bit still," defensive tackle Ethan Hemer said. "We're definitely focusing more on the little things, making sure you're stepping right, you're in position, minimizing your missed alignments. We all realize that one play can make a big difference, and that requires us to be even sharper than we've been in the past. We don't want to be that team that gives up the big play."

This spring is about building depth as much as anything for the Badgers' defense. Only six starters return, while injuries have either shelved or slowed leading tacklers Mike Taylor and Chris Borland and projected starting defensive end David Gilbert. Starting cornerback Devin Smith is working himself into shape after a foot injury cost him most of 2011.

Borland and Taylor, who combined for 293 tackles last season, provide two anchors as one of the best linebacker combos in the country. Another strength could be at defensive tackle, where Hemer, Beau Allen and the emerging Warren Herring have all played well this spring. The defensive line still needs an explosive player on the edge, but the team is hopeful that Gilbert -- who played only four games last year and is out this spring with a foot injury -- can be that guy when healthy.

"When he got hurt, he was really starting to play at a high level," Ash said. "He's really one of the few guys we have who's naturally a pass-rusher."

The secondary lost two starting seniors in Aaron Henry and Antonio Fenelus, but Ash thinks Smith can be an all-conference cornerback this season. Dezmen Southward has replaced Henry at safety and continues to come along. He de-cleated running back Melvin Gordon on a crushing tackle during Saturday's scrimmage.

"We know we have to be the backbone of the defense," cornerback Marcus Cromartie said of the secondary. "We want to be the reason to win. We don't want to be a liability."

Wisconsin's defense has often been overshadowed by the team's offense, and last year the unit embraced its no-name status. This season, though, the players believe they have enough talent to forge their own identity.

"We feel like we deserve to be a defense that's on the radar," Smith said. "It starts with practice and film, but I think we can be one of those type defenses everybody talks about, like LSU and Alabama. We have to earn that respect."

It's a respect they'll have to earn by not allowing big plays and mental breakdowns to become the lasting images of 2012.

Wisconsin has established itself as an emerging Big Ten power by winning league titles in each of the past two seasons. Have the Badgers turned the corner in recruiting as well? It's up for debate. Wisconsin signed only 12 players in its 2012 recruiting class and lost offensive line commits Kyle Dodson and J.J. Denman to other programs. The Badgers still ended up with some quality prospects, including quarterback Bart Houston, in a class that never was going to have big numbers.

Coach Bret Bielema chatted with ESPN.com on Wednesday. Here are his thoughts on the recruiting crop.

What were your top priorities with this class?

Bret Bielema: Without a doubt, the offensive line. We were losing some pure numbers there the last two years, some guys going to the NFL, so we knew that was of major importance for us, especially with Pete [Konz] jumping out a year early. And it's always important for us to sign a quality quarterback and a quality running back, and we did that as well. Defensively, we were only going to take one D-lineman, really liked him [Arthur Goldberg], a kid we got out of Pittsburgh that we fell in love with when he came to camp. He's our kind of kid, blue collar, loves to work, get after it. We signed a really high recruit linebacker [Vince Biegel]. We weren't going to take big numbers there, but we wanted good quality, so we filled that out. And we got three DBs that are quality young men.

Did you expect to be in this range in terms of numbers, like 12 or 13?

BB: We originally thought it was going to be a class of nine or 10. There were some departures on our team. Obviously, Pete Konz, I don't want to have a great player leave early, but the benefit of that is we got to sign another kid. This was really a class we were excited about, because we were going after some high-profile guys and they were jumping in the boat. We still have a chance for one more guy out there, but for the most part I'm very excited. I was excited to get [Jake] Meador in there, we beat out Missouri and Florida. Also with Walker Williams, he's a kid that when we started to have [coaching] transition, several Big Ten schools as well as Pac-10 schools tried to get back in there, and he stood strong.

Did you experience that with a few recruits after you had your assistants leave?

BB: Absolutely. As coaches, we're all vultures. They smell something and they want to try and see if there's an interest, especially with great players. That'd be a great story if you want to call Walker Williams and ask him who came through his school the next two weeks after our Rose Bowl game. And he didn't really bat an eye.

Was this unique in that you had a small class to begin with, and then a coaching transition?

BB: One hundred percent. If it had been a class of 24, we would have had real problems, just getting enough people. At one one point we got down to only [assistant] three coaches with me, Chris Ash, Charlie Partridge and Thomas Hammock, the four of us trying to cover everything. I had to put GAs out on the road, they did a tremendous job, really did well with kids having good faith. And again, with a larger class, I don't know if that could have happened.

You mentioned wanting to get a quarterback and a running back. What stands out about Bart and Vonte Jackson?

BB: If I'm not mistaken, Bart's lost one game in three years as a starting quarterback at De La Salle. He's got an incredible record, an incredible history, something that stands second to none, and that's just winning football games. And Vonte, we had him going into his junior year in camp and he was ridiculous, the numbers he put up, his coachability and his work ethic and everything he stood for. It was very important for us, him being an in-state kid, to keep him here in the state.

You added some defensive backs. What stands out about them?

BB: Well, Hugs Etienne is a guy who is in here at school right now. He's going to be a nice kid that's going to grow into his position. The other two guys, D.J. Singleton and Reggie Mitchell, both have a lot of athletic ability. Reggie comes to us from Pittsburgh, so it was nice to get another Pittsburgh-area kid here into Camp Randall. And D.J. Singleton coming from the East Coast, from St. Peter's Prep, he's a nice guy to bring in and continue his career.

Do you fight any perception when you're signing a smaller class versus schools signing 25 or more guys at all sorts of positions?

BB: One of the things we do is we keep our kids. We don't have a lot of transition among our kids. When we get them, they usually stay four, five years and are part of our program. One of the disadvantages is you end up with smaller classes in a couple different years back to back. One thing that would be neat is if you really sat down and studied the amount of seniors graduating versus the amount of kids being signed. So if you're graduating 13 and signing 28, there are 15 kids, you have to figure out where the heck they went.

You've had some Big Ten freshmen of the year in recent seasons. In this class, do you see some guys who have a chance to contribute early, or will it be tough with the bigger numbers you have elsewhere?

BB: I've never really singled out a guy who might do that, but I'm not saying the possibility isn't there.

Was anything different this year with the Big Ten recruiting landscape, as some new coaches stepped in around the league?

BB: One of the greatest things we have going for us with the new divisional alignment was to be in the same division as Penn State and Ohio State. To me, that's where the true competition lies. Before last season, Ohio State had had six uninterrupted conference championships, and obviously we've had two now. For us to have a big conference rivalry game against Ohio State speaks volumes about where we're at. That's something we took with a lot of pride. They came in on some of our guys, and vice-versa, so it was interesting. It's going to be fun to learn the recruiting style that Ohio State's staff and the new Penn State staff has. That's what you've got to expect in these inter-conference battles. It's just good, clean football, and hopefully the best man wins.

Did you guys swing for the fences more in going for some higher-level prospects after the recent success on the field?

BB: If they're kids who lie within our normal recruiting area, we're going to go after a kid whether he's a five-star or a one-star, if he fits our program. On the flip side, if there's a kid outside of our norm, it's usually because they reached out to us, Walker Williams being a case. I believe he had every Pac-10 school [interested]. I know there were two major schools within our conference who reached out to him after the bowl game, hoping the transition of coach [Paul] Chryst and [Bob] Bostad would have an effect on the decision. It didn't. That speaks volumes about where we're at.

The season might be over, but the mail never stops.

Let's do this.

Mike from Phoenix writes: As a Badger fan I was waiting to see your final power rankings of the year because I had a feeling that you might make MSU number 1. I just don't get it. It's the same way the coaches poll has MSU and Michigan ahead of Wisconsin. That's a joke.Look at the teams everyone played in the bowl season. MSU barely beat Georgia who is not the 2nd best team in the SEC even though they went to the title game. They are the 4th best team in that league. Michigan looked bad, and played one of the easiest teams in BCS history. Wisconsin would have destroyed both Georgia and Va. Tech, but you are penalizing them for going blow for blow with the most talented offensive team in the country. They were a fumble away from possibly winning.

Adam Rittenberg: Brian and I had a spirited debate about Wisconsin vs. Michigan State for No. 1. You can make good cases for both teams, but you can't base it solely on the bowl competition. Would Wisconsin have rolled Georgia? Maybe, maybe not. Georgia has a much better defense than Oregon and would have moved the ball against a Wisconsin defense that wasn't nearly as good as its stats indicated. Wisconsin also was extremely fortunate to beat Michigan State in the Big Ten title game, which the Spartans dominated for stretches. The two teams are evenly matched, as their two games this season showed. And I believe Michigan State ended the season playing better football than Wisconsin. I also tend to value teams with good to great defenses above those that rely on their offense. Michigan State is certainly superior to Wisconsin on defense.

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Tim from Iowa writes: While it might get you some back lash, I'd like your opinion on this.....me and several friends have the opinion that if 2 B10 teams(esp in our champ game) played like LSU-Bama, the B10 would once again be ripped for 3 yards/cloud of dust 1950's football. I watched parts ofthe game last night, then the final 8min. what I saw was one great def, 2 bad quaterbacks, a very repeative ineffective O from LSU, and Iowa/B10 style ball control from Bama. then Saban being proclaimed the next "Bear".

Adam Rittenberg: Tim, you're right to a degree, although there was less SEC love about the national title game than there was about the 9-6 contest. The SEC in a sense has earned the right to have ugly games because teams from other leagues simply haven't stacked up against the SEC's best. The common belief is that while Oklahoma State would have scored against Alabama, the Tide still would have rolled the Cowboys by 20-30 points. But I agree the SEC is the only league that can "get away" with games like last night's. Most people would much rather see games like the Rose Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. Alabama is a great football team with one of the best defenses I've ever seen. But LSU's offense would be mediocre to bad in most leagues, not just the SEC.

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Ryan from Pittsburgh writes: Adam,What are your thoughts on the new Penn State staff? I have to admit I'm somewhat surprised. For years I thought that PSU would turn the corner if they could only get a younger fresher staff in place to energize recruiting. This new staff that O'Brien has coming in is not young at all, so I doubt they're great recruiters. Plus any Auburn fan will tell you that Roof was fired. Mack Brown fired McWhorter last year. Am I overreacting?

Adam Rittenberg: You bring up a good point, Ryan. A lot of veteran assistants are joining Bill O'Brien in State College. Keeping Larry Johnson is huge and a somewhat obvious move. He's one of the Big Ten's top recruiters, and he'll maintain Penn State's presence in the Maryland/DC area. His age isn't a factor in that regard. Ted Roof is the hire that has some Penn State fans upset. I agree he doesn't have the best track record, but the overall defensive staff with both Johnson and Ron Vanderlinden still looks solid to me. Charles London is a younger guy (mid-30s), but he's definitely the junior member right now. It'll be interesting to see who O'Brien hires to fill out the staff. Some more youth would be nice.

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Jeff from Omaha, writes: Adam? Why am I so awesome?

Adam Rittenberg: Ask myself the same thing every morning.

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Sam from Kalamazoo, Mich., writes: Adam, can you please explain your rationale for naming MSU as an early favorite to win the B1G in 2012 over, say, Michigan? The Wolverines return two 1,000 yard rushers in Denard and Fitz Toussaint, 3 starting receivers, and a top-5 recruiting class loaded with 4 and 5 star DLs, LBs, and OLs. Molk, Van Bergen, and Martin will be sorely missed, but I'm not sure it makes sense that MSU is so ramped for success after losing 6 All-Big Ten players and playing in the Big House. Can you even name next year's replacement for mighty Kirk Cousins off the top of your head?

Adam Rittenberg: Sure, Sam. Andrew Maxwell. Michigan State has been grooming him the past two seasons. Will he be as good as Cousins? That's a tall order, but he's not coming out of nowhere. Michigan State is my pick because of its defense. While Jerel Worthy is a big loss, the Spartans return a ton of elite athletes in all three levels, players like Will Gholston, Denicos Allen, Johnny Adams and Darqueze Dennard. The Spartans have more difference-makers on defense than Michigan will in 2011, at least in my view. I also believe MSU will be a more effective running team than it was this season because of an experienced line and a strong lead back in Le'Veon Bell. I certainly could see Michigan winning the division, but the Wolverines have a much tougher schedule in 2012 and could have a better team with a worse record (much like MSU this season versus 2010).

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Ben from Fargo, N.D., writes: One of the big stories in 2012 will be a surprising improvement in Minnesota's defensive line play. Ask Jerry Kill about Thieren Cockran. He's coach Kill's secret weapon.

Adam Rittenberg: Will do, Ben. Thanks for the note. Minnesota's defensive line play has struggled since Willie VanDeSteeg departed following the 2008 season. Gophers have ranked and 78th, 120th and 86th nationally in sacks in the past three seasons. It's an area of focus throughout the offseason as Minnesota loses linebacker Gary Tinsley and standout safety Kim Royston. Cockran, a redshirt freshman defensive end from Florida, is among those who needs to step up in 2012.

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Matt from Burbank, Calif., writes: Hi Adam,Regarding Northwestern next year, do you think Kain Colter gets the starting QB job? I've been of the opinion that he is more dangerous in a utility role as he was used these season, but on the other hand he's proven he can win and be effective as the top guy. Additionally, do you think there's any hope for this defense?Thanks for a great season, can't wait till next year! Bowl win or bust!

Adam Rittenberg: Matt, I think Colter will be the starter for 2012, but he has to make some important strides as a passer during the offseason. Northwestern's offense is predicated on short passing and accuracy. The Wildcats convert a lot of third downs, and Colter has to be able to make the throws Dan Persa, Mike Kafka and C.J. Bacher have made in recent years. He's the best athlete Northwestern ever has had at quarterback, and he's a perfect fit for the spread -- as long as he gets better as a passer. If there's little to no progress, Northwestern will have to use another quarterback, likely Trevor Siemian, to spark the passing game. Offensive coordinator Mick McCall has developed quarterbacks well at Northwestern, and Colter is his next big project.

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Kevin from New Orleans writes: It's been a tough couple weeks to be a Badger. Lost the Rose Bowl, lost 3 straight in hoops, lost 5 coaches. First let me say, if Bielama has Barry's confidence and support, then he has mine. Have you heard anything? Are the Badgers getting some really good coaches? I doubt we'll get anybody that can match the talent we are losing, but maybe we get an upgrade on the recruiting. 4 of the 5 coaches that left were not good recruiters. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Adam Rittenberg: Kevin, while it's tough right now, I think Wisconsin fans should have faith in Bret Bielema to make some good hires. As you note, Joe Rudolph is the only major loss from a recruiting standpoint. Bielema has made good choices in the past, such as defensive coordinator Dave Doeren (now head coach at Northern Illinois), Dave Huxtable (did a great job with UW linebackers in only year) and Chris Ash (has upgraded secondary, now defensive coordinator). It'll be interesting to see where he turns to replace Paul Chryst and Bob Bostad, but a lot of good coaches will want to come to Madison after seeing what Wisconsin has done the past few years. So I would look at Bielema's hiring track record and feel confident.

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Lance from Arlington writes: "While Penn State has produced some solid college quarterbacks -- most recently Daryll Clark, the 2009 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year"While your opinion is correct in general, saying Daryll Clark was solid does him an injustice. DC (along with Drew Brees) was the best QB the Big Ten has had since Kerry Collins and Michael Robinson is right there. Simply put, Penn State has produced three of the top five QB's to have competed in the Big Ten since their arrival. You will no doubt disagree since you hate Penn State but you are wrong.

Adam Rittenberg: Lance, I don't hate Penn State. I hate every school according to you folks. Let's get that cleared up. I was a big Daryll Clark fan during his career, but your argument doesn't hold up. Troy Smith won a Heisman Trophy in 2006. He played between Brees and Clark. Iowa's Brad Banks won the Davey O'Brien award in 2002. He played between Brees and Clark. While Clark led the Big Ten in pass efficiency in conference games in 2009 (136.6), it's the lowest rating for a Big Ten leader since at least 1980. His season rating that year (142.6) didn't lead the league (Terrelle Pryor did) and ranks behind all of the league leaders since 1980. Again, not hating on Daryll, who has a really nice career in State College, as did Michael Robinson. But there have been better Big Ten quarterbacks since Kerry Collins, including Wisconsin's Russell Wilson this year.

LOS ANGELES -- Montee Ball had hoped to meet LaMichael James at "The Home Depot College Football Awards" show on Dec. 8. Alas, James had finals and couldn't attend.

It's no wonder Ball wanted to size up maybe the only running back in the country with numbers as impressive as his own. The two will save their meeting for Monday at the Rose Bowl, which seems like a worthy summit for these two stars.

Oregon's James leads the nation in rushing yards per game (149.6) and yards per carry (7.4). Meanwhile, Wisconsin's Ball has the most total rushing yards (1,759) and has scored more touchdowns in a season than every FBS player not named Barry Sanders (38).

They're both juniors who will likely jump to the NFL after this game. The similarities pretty much end there, however, as each is a different kind of runner, playing in a vastly different type of offense from his counterpart.

"What he brings to the table is speed, and I believe what I bring to the table is obviously a lot of power, strength and a little bit of speed as well," Ball said.

"You know, he's probably 215 pounds and I'm like 190," James said. "He runs in the I [formation]. I run in the spread. I don't really think there's a comparison between the two."

But they will be compared, both this week and beyond. When both are poked and prodded during the NFL evaluation process, scouts and others are likely to ask whether they succeeded because of the systems they play in.

In Ball's case, such questions are inevitable. Badgers running backs benefit from the program's traditionally strong offensive line and a run-first mentality. Few Wisconsin running backs have made a dent in the pros. This year, Ball became the first Badgers' Heisman Trophy finalist since Ron Dayne won the award in 1999, and Dayne -- who was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame this week -- is often held up as an example of a college star who was an NFL bust.

Of course, Ball isn't built anything like the rumbling Dayne. You'd be hard-pressed to find many flaws in his game right now.

"He's a bigger guy, but he has really great feet," James said. "And the physicality is pretty nifty, too."

James will face a different set of skepticism. He's a smaller back at 5-foot-9. He also plays in a spread offense and gets a lot of his yards out of the zone option, though Oregon has run that less this year than in the past. But he doesn't average nearly 7.5 yards per carry on the system alone.

"He's tough for a littler guy," Wisconsin defensive coordinator Chris Ash said. "He'll run between the tackles, and people will not get him down. He'll run through you, around you, beat you with speed, whatever he's got to do. Very rarely do you see one individual getting him down on the tape."

Which back is better? It's nearly impossible to say since they play such different styles. But it would be fun to imagine how each would do in the other's shoes.

Ball grew up outside of St. Louis but wasn't interested in going to Missouri because of the spread offense there. He wanted to play for a power-run team, which is why he looked hardest at Iowa and Wisconsin.

"I've thought about it a couple times, taking a lot of carries from the [shot]gun and stuff like that," Ball said. "It would be a lot of fun, obviously, getting the ball into open space."

Wisconsin has usually liked big backs. But can you imagine James hiding behind the Badgers' enormous front wall before exploding through the gaps?

"I know I would be successful in their offense," James said. "No. 67 [Wisconsin left tackle Josh Oglesby], I can just sit behind him all day."

Are James and Ball "system guys"? Well, aren't all football players indebted to the type of players and play calling that surround them?

"I think with any team, the running back obviously is a product of the system," Ball said. "But they do a great job of staying on his strengths, basically putting him in open space with the football. And the same with us. We do a great job of keeping me protected behind the big offensive linemen so I can weave my way around them and score a touchdown."

How much the system contributes to each player's success really doesn't matter. All we know is, no one has developed a defensive system to stop them yet.

"I think Montee Ball would flourish in a spread offense," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. "He'd flourish in an I-offense. He'd flourish in a Wildcat offense. And I think LaMichael would be the same way."

If it's bowl season, that must mean it's time for people to question whether or not Wisconsin has enough speed to compete.

That's a more reliable refrain than any Christmas song around the holidays. The Badgers heard the questions when they played Florida State in 2009, Miami in 2010 and last year against TCU. So, of course, that same old tune is popping up again for the Rose Bowl showdown versus Oregon.

"I remember hearing a line about this game, that the headline is going to be speed versus power," Wisconsin center Peter Konz said Wednesday. "I was like, 'Where have you been the last four years?'"

So, yes, Wisconsin's quickness or supposed lack thereof is a tired storyline and one that was overblown to begin with. Except that there is a legitimate speed concern looming in this game, one that has little to do with the Badgers' athleticism. It's the same problem everyone who plays the Ducks has: how to prepare for, and stop, their freakishly fast offense.

"Oregon is probably faster than every defense in the nation," Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland said. "We're not unique in that."

Hardly anyone can simulate the rapid pace at which Oregon plays. Chip Kelly's offense likes to sprint to the line of scrimmage and snap the ball before the defense sets. Wisconsin has come up with a few ways to try and get ready for that.

For the first time since he's been a head coach, Bret Bielema said he has ended bowl practices with conditioning work for the defense. The Badgers' first-team offense has run a lot of two-minute drill situations against the first-team defense to give them a high-tempo look.

Wisconsin is using two separate scout team offenses in practice. After one scout squad finishes a play, the second unit hustles to the line to snap another play in an effort to simulate Oregon's speed.

"We use two waves in order to get two plays off in about 20 seconds," Borland said. "I think we've been able to emulate the tempo pretty well."

A main problem against the Ducks is getting the defense set before they yell hike.

"So many of their big plays come against defenses that are actually looking over to the sideline when they're ready to snap the ball," defensive coordinator Chris Ash said. "One of our No. 1 priorities is just getting lined up."

To that end, Ash has simplified many of the defensive calls for this game. Borland, the middle linebacker, will use shorter phrases and quicker hand gestures to signal his teammates where to be. Wisconsin will probably rely less on making checks at the line, which is OK since Oregon often runs the same plays repeatedly. The challenge will be getting the assignments right while moving at a higher speed.

"You have to be in great physical shape and also have a great mental capacity to be ready for all the things they're going to throw at us," safety Aaron Henry said. "It's so quick that everybody has to know where to be play from there."

Opposing teams have tried all sorts of ways to prepare for the Ducks. The list of those who have succeeded is a short one.

"In all reality, there's really not much you can do to simulate it until we get to the stadium and play the opening series to see how fast it is and how we're going to match up," Ash said.

Wisconsin's defense doesn't get much attention because of how large a shadow the team's offense casts (quite literally, in the case of the offensive linemen). But Ash's side of the ball ranked No. 8 nationally in total defense and sixth in the FBS in points allowed at just 17 per game. While the last-minute, long touchdown passes by Michigan State and Ohio State stick in most people's minds, the Badgers quietly excelled in just about every facet defensively this season. Bielema ays Ash -- who took over for Dave Doeren as coordinator before this season -- and his assistants are as good as any defensive coaches he's worked with at making in-game adjustments.

"Bret's done a great job of hiring the right people on the defensive staff who have similar philosophies," Ash said. "We know our package inside and out, and we know our strengths and weaknesses. We game plan, but we also make a lot of contingency plans for things that can be potential problems. And I think our players can adjust."

It's likely that, with a month's prep time and all the wrinkles Kelly injects into the Oregon attack, Wisconsin will be forced to make major changes on the fly Monday evening. If there's a question about the Badgers' speed worth asking, that's the one.

You couldn't have scripted a much better Wisconsin debut for quarterback Russell Wilson.

The NC State transfer led eight Wisconsin possessions, all of which led to scores and seven of which ended in the UNLV end zone. He completed 10 of 13 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, numbers that would have been even better had he hit two open tight ends in the first half. And while Wilson showed mobility in the pocket and the ability to extend plays, he also took off twice, recording a 46-yard touchdown and a 16-yard scramble. With this offensive line, Wilson shouldn't hesitate to run the ball when he sees fit.

Although UNLV's defense is bad, Wilson's accuracy bodes well for Wisconsin, which figured to see a drop-off after losing Scott Tolzien (72.9 percent completions in 2010). The Badgers also had more explosion plays than I expected, especially with passes and long runs after catches by Montee Ball, James White and Bradie Ewing. Wilson definitely can check down the ball and expect big gains.

Wilson certainly earned the right to wear a headset before the end of the third quarter as Wisconsin cruised to a 51-17 win. Just a terrific debut for a guy who looks like an excellent fit for a Big Ten title contender.

The concerns for Wisconsin coming out of tonight's game rest with the defense. The Badgers struggled against the run in the first half and allowed two sustained touchdown drives after halftime. There didn't seem to be enough sustained aggressiveness.

The Badgers didn't have a shut-down defense in 2010, but they made big plays. Top playmaker J.J. Watt is gone, so who fills the void? Chris Borland would seem like the top choice, but he might not be as effective at middle linebacker than he was on the outside as a freshman in 2009. Wisconsin could really benefit from a lineman taking a big step like Watt and O'Brien Schofield did the past two seasons.

There's a lot of time to work things out on defense, and coordinator Chris Ash will demand a better effort when Oregon State comes to Madison on Sept. 10.

Two weeks from now, we'll be talking about actual football games.

• A good breakdown of Terrelle Pryor's roundabout route to the NFL supplemental draft from The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer's Doug Lesmerises. Tim Keown breaks down the apparent NCAA-NFL merger brought on by Pryor.
• New Michigan State offensive coordinator Dan Roushar is about more than the run game, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal. The Spartans still need to fill three starting offensive line spots, George Sipple writes in the Detroit Free Press.
• Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson has been accurate with his passing in practice, annarbor.com's Kyle Meinke writes. The Wolverines are taking a different approach to weight training, Mark Snyder writes in the Detroit Free Press.
• Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez weighs in on several big topics in college sports. Badgers defensive coordinator Chris Ash is a "very angry man," according to coach Bret Bielema.
• Penn State players and coaches use Twitter with caution, Jeff Rice writes in the Centre Daily Times. Lions quarterback Shane McGregor might be taking my job some day. Penn State offensive linemen discuss the team's top two signal-callers.
• Youth will be served on Nebraska's offense this season, Steven M. Sipple writes in the Lincoln Journal Star. Tom Osborne doesn't think Miami will get the death penalty.
• Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa admits he won't be the same player, at least early this season, Teddy Greenstein writes in the Chicago Tribune.
• A snapshot of Iowa's secondary from The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette's Marc Morehouse. Bad news for a Hawkeyes recruit.
• Terry Hutchens breaks down Indiana's running backs entering 2011. IU coach Kevin Wilson challenges his quarterbacks.
• New Illinois AD Mike Thomas stops by Thursday's football practice.
• An interesting Q&A with Minnesota AD Joel Maturi from the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press' Marcus Fuller. Minnesota coach Jerry Kill plays mind games with the team's kickers.
• Purdue's starting offensive line is to be determined.

The Big Ten preseason position rankings have reached the home stretch as we take a look at the defensive secondaries. Although individual positions like center and defensive tackle could boast more star power, the Big Ten's overall strength in the secondary jumps out.

There's a lot to like about the Big Ten cornerbacks as nearly every team boasts experience and/or exciting young players. The Big Ten loses All-Conference safeties Tyler Sash and Jermale Hines but brings back quite a few solid contributors.

There's definite separation after the top four groups, while Nos. 5-9 are extremely close.

Here's the rundown (coming soon: cornerbacks and safeties rankings) ...

1. Penn State: The Lions' linebackers seem to be generating more preseason buzz, but I really like what Penn State brings back in the defensive backfield. There's plenty of experience with safeties Drew Astorino and Nick Sukay, and cornerbacks D'Anton Lynn and Stephon Morris. Penn State needs Sukay to regain the form he showed in the first half of 2010 before a torn pectoral muscle ended his season. Lynn is a bona fide All-Big Ten candidate. If Malcolm Willis, Chaz Powell and others solidify depth here, Penn State should have an elite secondary.

2. Ohio State: This is a group the Buckeyes rarely have to worry about, even after losing three starters. The good news is several key players return from injuries, including safeties Tyler Moeller, C.J. Barnett and Christian Bryant. Moeller should provide a major boost at the "star" position. The cornerback spots should be fun to watch as Travis Howard and Dominic Clarke fend off some challengers for the starting jobs.

3. Nebraska: Like Ohio State, Nebraska can rely on having an elite pass defense under the Pelini brothers, even after losing several standout players. All-American corner Prince Amukamara will be missed, but Alfonzo Dennard is ready for a starring role. Nebraska needs Ciante Evans to follow what Dennard did in 2010. The Huskers likely will use more linebackers this year, but they'll need to fill holes at safety as Austin Cassidy, Courtney Osborne and others are in the mix.

4. Wisconsin: The Badgers' secondary took a major step forward in Chris Ash's first season on the staff. The key is continued progress, continued playmaking and becoming a truly elite group like Ohio State and Nebraska. Wisconsin seems to have the pieces in place with veteran Aaron Henry at safety, as well as All-Big Ten selection Antonio Fenelus and Devin Smith at cornerback. The Badgers must fill the other safety spot, and speedster Shelton Johnson could fill in there.

5. Michigan State: The secondary triggered Michigan State's 2010 turnaround, improving from 112th nationally in pass defense in 2009 to 60th last season. After recording 17 interceptions last year, the Spartans must stick to their MAP motto -- Make A Play -- as they aim for a repeat championship this fall. Safety Trenton Robinson is among the league's most experienced defensive backs, and hopes are high for cornerback Johnny Adams, who had an excellent spring. The unit could hinge on young players like Darqueze Dennard, Isaiah Lewis and Tony Lippett.

6. Iowa: The bad news is Iowa loses veteran safeties Sash and Brett Greenwood from a defense that slipped to 84th nationally against the pass in 2010. The good news is All-Big Ten cornerback Shaun Prater returns along with playmaking junior Micah Hyde. Prater could be a shut-down corner this fall, and Hyde, whose pick-six won the Insight Bowl, could play either corner or safety. Iowa must build depth around them with Jordan Bernstine, Greg Castillo, Tanner Miller and others.

7. Purdue: One of the Boilers' big question marks entering 2010 turned out to be a pleasant surprise, and the secondary could be a big strength this fall. Here's a group that could make a move up these rankings by November. Cornerback Ricardo Allen is a budding superstar who recorded two pick-sixes last year. Safety Logan Link is always around the football, and Josh Johnson could take a significant step as he complements Allen.

8. Illinois: I'm tempted to rank Illinois a few notches higher, and if the Illini address several questions in the secondary, I'll gladly do so after the season. If safety Supo Sanni returns to form and both he and cornerback Terry Hawthorne stay healthy, this could be an excellent group. Tavon Wilson returns to his preferred position of cornerback and could have a big year, while Trulon Henry brings experience to the safety spot.

9. Northwestern: Given the question marks in the front seven, Northwestern needs its veteran secondary to step up. Players like cornerback Jordan Mabin and safety Brian Peters should answer the bell this fall. Both multiyear starters can make plays on the football and change games. There's good competition between David Arnold and Ibraheim Campbell at the other safety spot, while Jeravin Matthews emerged this spring to win the starting corner job opposite Mabin.

10. Michigan: I'll probably take some heat from Wolverines fans, who will point to the return of cornerbacks Troy Woolfolk and J.T. Floyd, the emergence of young players like Carvin Johnson and a defensive makeover under Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison. All of that could lead to better results, but Michigan still has fewer certainties in the secondary than do most teams on this list. This unit has been a disaster the past few years, and it'll take a lot of things to go right to get things back on track.

11. Minnesota: Linebacker looks like a strength for the Gophers' defense, but there are questions both up front and in the secondary. The secondary will need more help from a line that generated no pass rush in 2010, but the defensive backs must help themselves, too. Cornerback Troy Stoudermire had a good spring and adds a big hitter to the group. Minnesota really needs big things from safety Kim Royston, who wants to lead the way after receiving a sixth year of eligibility. Building depth around Stoudermire and Royston will be vital in preseason camp.

12. Indiana: Fixing this group is arguably the biggest challenge for new coach Kevin Wilson and co-defensive coordinators Mike Ekeler and Doug Mallory. Indiana simply hasn't had enough Big Ten-caliber defensive backs in recent years, and the results have been ugly. The Hoosiers surrendered a league-worst 27 touchdown passes in 2010 and finished 114th nationally in pass defense efficiency. Sophomore safety Greg Heban is a nice piece, but Indiana will need a boost from Lawrence Barnett, Lenyatta Kiles and others.

Wisconsin's Aaron Henry is by no means a wallflower. The affable Floridian was one of the media stars of Rose Bowl week last season and an enthusiastic interview subject.

It just so happened that Henry played safety last year next to Jay Valai. Rush Limbaugh might seem quiet in the same room as Valai. But now that Valai has used up his eligibility, it's time for Henry's voice to be heard more.

"I could tell a little difference in the spring without Jay, because he's one of those guys that will talk you ear off," Henry said last week. "He talks so much that I didn't have to be as vocal. I'll have to be a little more vocal this year. I'm definitely ready to step up to the plate and challenge my teammates."

The Badgers lost several good, respected leaders last year, including Valai, defensive end J.J. Watt, offensive linemen Gabe Carimi and John Moffitt and quarterback Scott Tolzien. They need new leaders to emerge, and Henry is ready to assume that role in the secondary.

He has already earned respect on the field. After switching from cornerback to free safety in 2010, he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors.

This is the time of year when leaders really start to make their presence felt, as the players are mostly on their own during summer voluntary workouts. Henry said that's where last year's Rose Bowl team experienced some of its best growth.

"This time is crucial," he said. "People tend to forget that this is where we do a lot of team bonding, and where team chemistry comes in. Everybody put in the work last year -- that was guaranteed. As far as chemistry goes, guys were really clicking on and off the field. When you're close with a guy, you'll really be willing to stick up for him when the going gets tough."

This summer, Henry said he's helping organize film sessions for the younger defensive backs. It's not all work, though. Players have spent time together at Bible study, going bowling and hanging out on the lake. Receiver Nick Toon has use of a speedboat owned by his father, former NFL star Al Toon, and has invited teammates out on the water. Henry said he also went fishing with long snapper Kyle Wojta one day.

"Guys are doing a good job of getting out of their comfort zone and hanging out with people they usually don't hang out with," he said.

Wisconsin lost veteran cornerback Niles Brinkley along with Valai from last year's secondary. Devin Smith showed some playmaking ability at corner this spring, and All-Big Ten performer Antonio Fenelus is back for his senior season. Several other defensive backs have at least some game experience.

There might be more pressure on that secondary, since Watt won't be around to harass quarterbacks into hurried throws this year.

"I had the year I had because J.J. made my job so much easier," Henry said. "We have guys who can pick up that slack, but those are huge shoes to fill."

Chris Ash, who coached the secondary last year, is now the defensive coordinator. He'll also work with the cornerbacks, while new assistant DeMontie Cross coaches the safeties. Henry says Cross has brought an aggressive attitude to the Badgers.

"We're tough-nosed guys who will put our pads on you," Henry said. "A lot of people will know about the Wisconsin safeties. They'll know we're tough son-of-guns who will hit you in the mouth on every play."

And they'll know that Aaron Henry will be doing most of the group's talking.

MADISON, Wis. -- Greetings from Madtown, where it feels more like late fall than late April. Snow and freezing rain are falling. Badger weather.

I'll be spending the day with coach Bret Bielema and the Badgers, who come off of their first Big Ten title and first Rose Bowl appearance in 11 seasons. Wisconsin came up short in Pasadena, a loss that likely still stings around here, but it's time to turn the page.

We'll find out a lot about the Wisconsin program this coming season. No Big Ten team loses more star players than the Badgers, who say goodbye to five All-Americans -- defensive end J.J. Watt, tight end Lance Kendricks, tackle Gabe Carimi, guard John Moffitt and running back John Clay -- in addition to quarterback Scott Tolzien and other standouts. While Wisconsin has proved it can mass-produce running backs and offensive linemen, the team must show it can continue making strides despite the lost production. Bielema and his staff have recruited well as of late, and their player development skills will be put to the test.

Here are some of the items I'll be tracking today:

• Quarterback Jon Budmayr's spring progress. After backing up Tolzien last season, Budmayr seems to have the inside track for the starting job. Curt Phillips is coming off a second ACL surgery, and Joe Brennan has no game experience. Is Budmayr separating himself? If not, what does he need to improve?
• Wisconsin wasn't a lock-down defense in 2010, but the Badgers became a big-play unit and no one made more plays than Watt. Chris Ash takes over as coordinator after upgrading the secondary in his first season with the Badgers. He's looking for contributors this spring. Wisconsin should be solid in the secondary with Aaron Henry, Antonio Fenelus and Devin Smith, but it needs to replace two starting linebackers and Watt, of course. I've heard a lot about the Trotter twins (Michael and Marcus) this spring. How do they factor in the mix and who else is stepping up?
• Like most teams, the Badgers have been at their best when they boast strong leaders. They lose quite a few from the 2010 team, and it'll be interesting to see who is answering the bell along both lines, at linebacker and at the quarterback spot.
• Despite losing Clay and three starting offensive linemen, Wisconsin's run game should once again be scary good this fall. No Big Ten player improved more throughout the season than Montee Ball, and Wisconsin also returns reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year James White. Fifth-year senior Zach Brown also has re-entered the mix. It'll be good to check in with the backs and see how they're doing this spring.

More to come from Badger country. Stay tuned.

This week, I finally had the chance to catch up with the man who will be in charge of Wisconsin's defense in 2011. Chris Ash has spent only one year on the Badgers' staff, but his work with the defensive backs last fall helped him land the coordinator spot after Dave Doeren left for Northern Illinois. Wisconsin's secondary made significant strides in 2010 under Ash, recording eight interceptions and two pick sixes.

Here are Ash's thoughts about the Badgers' D:

What has it been liking making the transition to the coordinator post this spring?

Chris Ash: It's been a lot of fun, a great learning experience. I've wanted to be in this position for my whole coaching career, and I've worked hard to make myself ready once I got the opportunity. Hopefully, I had some good thoughts and ideas on how I wanted to do things if the opportunity presented itself. With the new guys on staff, Dave Huxtable coming from Central Florida and DeMontie Cross coming from the Buffalo Bills, they've got great experience. It's been great this offseason with those guys.

What has been the biggest adjustment so far?

CA: In the meeting room, the biggest change is just having the final say. Everybody's got great ideas, we all come from similar backgrounds and we see things the same, but we also see things differently. And when we see things differently, somebody's got to have the final say. And that responsibility's mine right now. To make those decisions has been different.

The biggest change at practice is when we've got non-scripted, 11-on-11, move-the-ball situations, as a position coach, I'm so used to getting out there and coaching the DBs after every play: good, bad, corrections, whatever. And as the coordinator, I can't necessarily do that because I've got to worry about the next call. So I find myself at times running out there to correct somebody, when in fact I should be back worrying about the personnel and the situation and the next call.

How did you react when Bret [Bielema] told you that you would be moving into this role?

CA: The first reaction is being excited. I'm humbled that he would even consider me for such a position. There are a lot of people around the country who are probably better coaches and have more experience than me who would like to be in this situation. When he did come to me and say, 'Hey, I'd like to make you the defensive coordinator,' I was humbled and eager to get ready.

How would you describe your philosophy for the defense?

CA: Dave [Doeren] and I came up in this profession together. We were both coaching at Drake University at the same time, learned a lot of the same things we both believed in, so we have a lot of similarities. Things that might be different, just the way we adjust to formations, the way we adjust to shifts and trades might be slightly different. If there's something I've done in my background, if I'm going to call it, I've got to be comfortable with it and I want to do it like this. Philosophically and schematically, there's a lot of similarities, but there are some subtle changes that people may see.

What are the values you're trying to get across right now this spring?

CA: We want to build an identity. When people see us on film, what do we want them to see? It doesn't matter about the front, the coverage, the blitz that we call. There are a few core things we want to see on tape. We want to see our guys playing hard and with great effort. If we play as hard or harder than anybody else, we're going to have a chance to win regardless of the call. We talk about playing with great fundamentals, better than what our opponent has. We talk about being tough. If you can play this game with toughness and be violent and get off blocks, you give yourselves a chance. And the last thing we talk about is just the consistency with which we do our responsibilities. The more we're in the right spots, the tougher we're going to be to beat and if we make ourselves hard to beat, we're going to win a lot of games. As long as we turn on the film and we see those four things, we'll give ourselves a chance to win.

How has it been looking for leadership this spring?

CA: The good thing here is you recruit well, and you're going to lose players, whether by graduation or leaving early to the NFL with a guy like J.J. Watt. But if you're recruiting well, it's really the next-man-in mentality. We have a lot of guys who have played here, whether it's one years or two years or whatever, who have taken the next-man-in [mindset]. It's been really nice to see guys come out of their shell because it's their time to shine.

Who are some of those guys?

CA: Guys like Aaron Henry. He's been a natural leader, but being moved to safety [from cornerback] last year, he was still unsure of himself on the field. Now he's found a position, he's played well, he's been very productive on the field, and it's time for him to be a leader, not only in the secondary but on the defense. Some of the guys up front, Jordan Kohout, Pat Butrym, guys who have played a lot are really starting to provide a lot of leadership. Those are guys who have been around for several years who are doing some good things.

J.J. did so many things for you guys last year. Who steps in to fill in there?

CA: You can't ever replace a guy like J.J. Watt. He was such a talented individual, played the game so hard and with great passion. It's really replacing his production by committee. We're not asking one guy to step in and be him at end. Guys who played last year, like Butrym, Kohout, Beau Allen, Louis Nzegwu and [David] Gilbert will up their production, and that increased production from all those individuals will give us something close to what J.J. gave us.

What's the outlook like at linebacker, especially with Chris Borland coming off of injury?

CA: We're going without Chris this spring. He's been out after shoulder surgery. Guys are in there right now, Mike Taylor and Kevin Claxton, two guys who played for us a year ago, are really having nice springs. At our middle linebacker position, Chris Borland and Ethan Armstrong, guys who were slated to be our first- and second-team players, are out with surgeries from last year. We've got a guy, Marcus Trotter, who was a redshirt for us last year on scout team, running with the first team. You talk about one of the most improved players on our football team. We had no idea what we'd get out of a redshirt freshman. He's making mistakes, but he's flying around out there, playing the game hard and having fun doing it and doing way more than we thought we'd get out of a redshirt freshman.

But once we get Chris back, he's a great playmaker. He's physical, he's tough, he plays hard. He's going to bring a big boost to our defense.

Who else has taken on a bigger role with the defense this spring?

CA: At our corner position, we've got two guys back who played for us a lot last year, Antonio Fenelus, Devin Smith, who was our starting nickel, those two guys we kind of take them for granted. They're there, they're consistent, they quietly go about their work and they work hard to compete every day. They're leaders by example.

What was the biggest key to the improvement you made in the secondary last year?

CA: It's the same kind of message I'm trying to preach to the defense. We've got to compete every single day. At Wisconsin, we're not getting four-, five-star recruits. We're getting the hard-hat, workman type guys, and we've got to compete every single day. Last year, the DBs did that. They got better as the season went along because they competed in practice. That's what we're trying to do with the whole unit.

They were in the right spots and were able to take advantage of offensive mistakes. You talk about getting takeaways and producing plays, it's not so much that you made a play, but you were in the right spot and you took advantage of an offensive mistake. The ball was thrown a little high, a little to the left or right, a receiver doesn't catch the ball and it bounces off his hands or shoulder pads. Who's going to make those plays? It's guys who are in the right spot and hustling to the ball. That's what we got in the secondary last year.

How do you stress that competitiveness right now?

CA: Last year, we had some success, winning the Big Ten and having a chance to go to the Rose Bowl. The biggest thing is, are guys satisfied or are they hungry? I think we've got guys that are hungry. They've tasted that success. They want to maintain that high level, and the only way you're going to be able to do it is continue to improve.

We talk every single day that you either get better or you get worse, nobody ever stays the same. We can't afford to walk off the practice field and feel we got worse because we didn't compete. We're not trying to compare any individual to another individual or ourselves to any other team. We're trying to get better every day as individuals and if we do that, collectively our defense will get better. Our guys are really buying into that so far.

The Wisconsin Badgers hit the practice field Tuesday afternoon for the first of 15 spring workouts.

Here's a snapshot of the defending Big Ten co-champs as they enter spring ball:

The big story: Replacing star players. No Big Ten team loses more individual standouts than the Badgers, who say goodbye to four All-Americans as well as Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award winner Scott Tolzien. Wisconsin should to have enough coming back to survive losses at running back, offensive line and tight end, but the team really will miss superstar defensive end J.J. Watt and Tolzien, the archetypal Wisconsin quarterback who provided consistency in the pass game. Ohio State has dominated the Big Ten because of its ability to reload. Has Wisconsin reached a point in its program where it can do the same?

Position in the spotlight: Quarterback and defensive end both will be closely monitored. Jon Budmayr, who backed up Tolzien last season, will have every opportunity to distinguish himself as Wisconsin's top quarterback this spring. Curt Phillips is still recovering from knee surgery and will be limited to individual drills. Returning starter Louis Nzegwu and veteran reserve David Gilbert are the top two options at defensive end, but several young players will get a close look this spring, including sophomore Pat Muldoon.

Coaching changes: Defensive coordinator Dave Doeren left to become head coach at Northern Illinois, and secondary coach Chris Ash was promoted as his replacement. Defensive line coach Charlie Partridge will share the coordinator title, but Ash is running the show. Central Florida defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable joins the staff to coach linebackers, a group Doeren oversaw. Thomas Hammock is back in Madison to coach the team's running backs, replacing John Settle, who left for the Carolina Panthers. Wisconsin also added DeMontie Cross as safeties coach and special teams coordinator. He replaces nickelbacks coach Greg Jackson, who left for the NFL.

Keep an eye on: Beau Allen. Defensive tackle could be a position of strength for Wisconsin, and Allen adds depth after appearing in 12 games as a true freshman last season. At 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds, Allen could be a force in the interior line.

Spring game: April 23

Enjoy the weekend.

• In case you missed it, my spring previews for the Leaders Division, the Legends Division and the entire league.
• Before installing the new systems, Brady Hoke wants to work on Michigan's mind-set, annarbor.com's Jeff Arnold writes. Michigan will host many of the Midwest's top recruits this weekend, Matt Dorsey writes in the Detroit Free Press.
• Some good Northwestern pre-spring notes from the Daily Herald's Lindsey Willhite.
• Wisconsin's newest defensive assistant has ties to coordinators Chris Ash and Charlie Partridge from their Iowa State days, Jeff Potrykus writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Former Penn State receiver Graham Zug, AKA Amish Lightning, is hanging up his cleats to enter the real world, Lions247's Sean Fitz writes.
• Nebraska assistant John Garrison demands perfection, Rich Kaipust writes in the Omaha World-Herald. Another new Huskers assistant, Ross Els, is looking forward to coming home, Erik Buderus writes in the Hastings Tribune.
• Former Iowa offensive lineman Brian Ferentz lands a spot on the New England Patriots' coaching staff, Pat Harty writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
• Jim Tressel reflects on his decade as Ohio State's coach with The Lantern's Zack Meisel.

Nebraska's official moving date isn't until July 1, but it might as well be March 12.

On that day, the Huskers will step onto the field for their first spring practice as a Big Ten program. There's no looking back. Nebraska has closed the book on the Big 12 (probably slammed it shut and torched the damn thing). Everything the Huskers football program does from this point on -- scheme installation, player development, recruiting -- impacts them in their new league.

"We're already watching film on the Big Ten games from last year," Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead said. "We're not playing the same Big 12 teams every year, so now it's a whole new conference, a whole different style of games, so we're just looking forward to it."

Nebraska is in the Big Ten. Let that sink in for a minute.

For the first time since 1993, the Big Ten will enter spring football as a bigger league and, in all likelihood, a better one. The conference not only adds a storied football program in Nebraska, but its expansion to 12 members brings historic changes.

Divisional play begins this season and the Big Ten will hold its inaugural football championship game Dec. 3 in Indianapolis. Archrivals Ohio State and Michigan still want to destroy each other in late November, but they also must focus on winning their respective divisions, the Leaders and the Legends.

Nebraska's arrival and the expansion ripple effect are only part of the newness surrounding the Big Ten this spring. Three programs welcome new coaching staffs as Brady Hoke takes over at Michigan, Kevin Wilson at Indiana and Jerry Kill at Minnesota. The Big Ten featured no unplanned head-coaching changes in each of the previous two seasons.

The league also witnessed a surge of assistant coach changes in the offseason, including an unprecedented amount of moves from one member school to another. Four Big Ten position coaches -- Nebraska's Tim Beck, Michigan State's Dan Roushar and Wisconsin's Charlie Partridge and Chris Ash -- have been promoted to coordinator spots and will begin the scheme-shaping process this spring.

Only two Big Ten coaching staffs -- Penn State and Iowa -- remain fully intact from 2010.

There's an inherent newness about spring football, which provides a clean slate no matter what happened the previous season. But for a league steeped in tradition and not known for dramatic change, this is a fairly extreme makeover.

Hoke isn't new to Michigan -- he spent eight years as a Wolverines assistant -- and he wants to restore the old winning ways in Ann Arbor. The spring brings no shortage of challenges for Hoke and his assistants, who inherit the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Denard Robinson but also a defense that reached historic lows under the previous regime.

Most importantly, Hoke must outline his expectations and demands for a group of players he didn't recruit.

"I want to make sure we're crystal clear on the direction we want to go," he said. "They have to understand the goal of the program and how we're going to go about achieving that goal, the accountability to each other, the toughness that we want to play the game with, the mentality we want to play the game with and the demeanor that you play the game with."

Culture change is a term Wilson has used often during his short time at Indiana. He says he hasn't watched a nanosecond of tape from last year's team. It's a new deal now.

For the Hoosiers to truly turn a corner as a program, they have to believe they can get there.

"We have recruited harder with our current football team than the kids we [signed in February] or the kids for next year," Wilson said. "We really think we're not far away and we're excited about what we can do. I think we're a lot better than people think, including ourselves.

"Our football team is better than our football team thinks it can be."

After succeeding at just about every level of football, Kill steps on the big stage this spring in Minneapolis. He'll be working with more talent than he ever has but plans to stick with the schemes and philosophies that got him here. Among his first priorities is integrating a dynamic offensive system around MarQueis Gray, who moves back to the quarterback spot full time after playing receiver this past fall.

The spring will bring quarterback competitions at places like Penn State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana and Nebraska. Ohio State faces the unique task of preparing for the impending suspensions of five players, including quarterback Terrelle Pryor and three other offensive starters. Northwestern and Purdue both will go through the spring without quarterbacks Dan Persa and Robert Marve, who are working their way back from injuries. The practice field will be a welcomed site for Iowa, which endured a rough offseason marked by the hospitalization of 13 players with rhabdomyolysis.

Illinois and Michigan State are among the squads looking to replace elite defenders such as Corey Liuget (Illinois) and Greg Jones (Michigan State).

Bottom line: Spring ball will be anything but boring in the Big Ten.

Buckle up.