ESPN College Football

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan lost some invaluable leadership on the offensive line when center David Molk graduated. A somewhat unlikely figure is volunteering to fill that void.

"I definitely see myself as a leader," junior left tackle Taylor Lewan told ESPN.com. "I want to be one of the main guys that really helps through all the successes and all the bad things. I want that to be put on myself.

"I'm the left tackle, the blind side. They made a movie about it. So it's my job to be a leader."

Lewan has been a lot of things during his career so far with the Wolverines. A standout lineman who's a key cog in the entire offense? Yes. A goofball who keeps his teammates laughing? Sure. A thorn under the skin of opposing players and occasionally officials? Yep.

But leadership is something new for Lewan, who's trying to shed some of his old labels for new and improved ones. Those who know him best noticed a major difference this spring.

"Taylor has just gotten more serious," said defensive lineman Craig Roh, who graduated from the same Scottsdale, Ariz., high school as Lewan. "For example, he's doing a diet now, and every Sunday he goes grocery shopping so he can make his own food. That may not seem like much, but for a college guy that's a lot. I just see him concentrating on things that matter more."

There's much at stake this year for Lewan. He'll be blocking for a potentially highly potent offense led by Denard Robinson and Fitz Toussaint as Michigan likely begins the season in the top 10. And a great year could have Lewan positioned to enter the 2012 NFL draft.

In his first 2013 Big Board , ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr. pegged Lewan as the No. 2 tackle and No. 12 prospect overall for next year's draft. Kiper said the 6-foot-8, 302-pounder "will get the Jake Long comparisons all year in Ann Arbor" and has "elite length and athleticism for the position."

Michigan offensive coordinator Al Borges agrees with that assessment.

"If Taylor works hard, stays concentrated and maintains focus, he can be very, very good," Borges said. "That's really his story. If he's focused, there isn't anything we ask him to do that he can't do."

Staying focused and disciplined has been a challenge at times. In his first two years of starting, Lewan has too often been a magnet for yellow flags. He cut down his penalties in the second half of last year but still drew three personal fouls, most famously getting tangled up with Michigan State's William Gholston several times before Gholston finally tried to punch Lewan, earning the Spartans' defensive end a one-game suspension.

He has also served as the team's resident comedian, cracking jokes and using his outgoing personality to keep things light. But Lewan says he has learned now when to have fun and when to get down to business.

"I think it's really a maturity thing," he said. "I'm 20 years old now, but I came into college when I was 17. I don't want to put it all on that or anything, but it's really just maturing.

"When I'm here in the building, football is No. 1. It's kind of one of those switches you have to turn on. I turn off all the joking."

Much of Michigan's fortunes may depend on the health of Robinson and Toussaint. Safeguarding them is a job Lewan takes very seriously.

"I'd rather be the guy who gets injured and plays with a broken wrist or something rather than them, because they're the ones running the ball," he said. "I can play with pain, but I don't want them to have to. Every part of my game needs to improve so that doesn't happen."

Lewan hasn't become a total killjoy. This spring, he bought a tandem bike that he could ride to practice, and teammates clamored to join him on it. The sight of the 300-pounder and another hulking football player on a bicycle built for two caused a lot of double-takes around campus.

"He's still Taylor," Roh said. "He's just not as much of a clown."

A focused Lewan could stake a claim as the best lineman in the Big Ten in 2012. And that's no joke.

Let's check that May mail.

Matt from Sidney, Neb., writes: Adam,Total speculation here, but your article with playoff possibilities had the "Top 6" set-up been in place got me thinking of Delany's possible ulterior motive for his proposal (he wouldn't propose it if it didn't offer the B1G an advantage). Wouldn't this scenario put Notre Dame at a disadvantage for being independent? With that set up, a top 4 ND team would be left out if a conference champ was in the top 6 (if the other 3 in the top were champs). So...Top 4 = ND + 3 conference champs;#5 or 6 is a conference champ;ND is left out.So the whole point: a disadvantaged ND has more incentive to join a conference, with the assumed destination being the B1G. Lots of speculation, but that Delany fella is wiley. Thoughts?

Adam Rittenberg: Matt, I think the details still would need to be worked out on access for independents like Notre Dame, and it's really interesting to think about how much power, if any, Notre Dame has at this stage in terms of playoff access. That said, I think the Notre Dame-to-Big-Ten ship has sailed, as far as Delany is concerned. Has he totally written it off? No. He can't do that. But the growing sentiment is if Notre Dame joins a league, it will be the ACC, not the Big Ten. And Notre Dame's preference is to remain independent in football. From talking to folks in the Big Ten, it's clear to me that the Big Ten won't actively pursue Notre Dame again. If the Irish want to be part of the B1G, they need to do the courting this time.

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Mike from Boston writes: Now that you've seen the new upgrades to PSU's strength program, how do you think it compares to the best programs in the Big Ten like Iowa?

Adam Rittenberg: Penn State is undoubtedly moving closer to the cream of the crop in the Big Ten. It's clear the strength program needed to be modernized, and Craig Fitzgerald has been an excellent addition in State College. The new approach already has yielded positive results, particularly with the offensive linemen. It's hard to say this strength program is better than that one, but I think it's safe to say Penn State is more on par with the programs throughout the Big Ten than it was before.

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Todd from Peoria, Ill., writes: Adam,I like your analysis of Jim Delany's proposed playoff format. I would suggest one change and am interested in your thoughts. If a team that didn't win their conference, or even their division falls in the top two, they should still get in ahead of a conference champion ranked 5 or 6. That would ensure you would always have the top two in the playoff while rewarding conference champions over others to fill the remaining two spots, as long as they are in the top six.What do you think?

Adam Rittenberg: Todd, I like your idea. As I pointed out in Monday's post, there would be a lot less outcry about a No. 5 conference champ replacing a No. 4 than a No. 6 league champ leapfrogging a No. 2 non-champion (league or division) like Alabama in 2011 or Nebraska in 2001. I can't see a system being approved that would potentially leave a team like last year's Alabama squad out of the playoffs. The discussions remain fluid and the selection procedures likely will be the trickiest part going forward now that a four-team model seems fairly set.

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Carlton from Chicago writes: Agree with your sentiments that Michigan will not have as dominant of a D-line this year, but don't you think Michigan has enough excellent coaching to put them in the right spots this year? It seems that Hoke and Old Man Mattison were excellent in doing this last year. Can that cover for the majority of the weaknesses the line has shown?

Adam Rittenberg: It's very possible, Carlton. Michigan has no shortage of expertise in defensive line coaching, and Brady Hoke, Greg Mattison and Jerry Montgomery know what it takes to develop players. It wouldn't surprise me to see a star develop from the D-line this fall. I'm very interesting to see how a bulked-up Craig Roh performs at the strongside defensive end spot. And there's always the Will Campbell watch.

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Boston Bucky from Jamaica Plain, Mass., writes: I'm a life-long Badger fan with a family that has season tix to the UW slate. I pick one game to go back for every year. It has been pretty easy to pick which game in the last few years (Nebraska's Big 10 debut last year was a no-brainer).Should I attend the MSU game on Halloween weekend or the OSU game just before Thanksgiving?MSU has become the most relevant rival over the past two years, but this off-season recruiting beef has certainly spiced up things with OSU.I'm leaning one way right now, but would love your opinion.

Adam Rittenberg: Both good choices, Bucky, but I'd pick the Ohio State game and have no regrets. While it'd be great to be in Mad-city for Halloween weekend, the Ohio State game carries more excitement in my view. It's a division home game against a Buckeyes team that will be improved under Urban Meyer. You have the Meyer-Bret Bielema subplot after the recruiting spat. You have the two teams that have won the past seven league titles. While Michigan State should be a fun one too, I think the Ohio State game will mean more for the Badgers in their quest to repeat as division champs.

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John from Austin, Texas, writes: Adam,I think I'm lost on the whole "That team" comment. Am I lost or do those of us that live in the South just perhaps miss the finer points of the English language. Granted, I didn't see the actual question before his statement, but it looks to me like someone asked him about "non-conference winner" or division, or something like that and he then used "that team" referencing the non-conf winner. To read "Alabama" out of a reference to "non-conf winner" seems like Washington politics more than anything else.

Adam Rittenberg: John, I definitely see your point, and while I could make some snide remarks about southerners, I'll resist. I think by using the phrase "that team," months after a team fitting the description captured the national championship -- a team from the Big Ten's rival conference, no less -- Delany made it easy for folks to form the link to Alabama. Had he used the phrase "those teams," and mentioned several of them, like Stanford from 2011, the backlash wouldn't have been so severe. But it was a poor choice of phrase, given the timing, and Delany paid the price.

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Brandon from Ann Arbor, Mich., writes: Hi Adam, the link Brian posted about abandoning the National Championship in favor of the Rose Bowl piqued my interest. Personally, I think it's a terrible idea, and will only further the perception that the Big Ten is falling behind in college football. Incoming players want to play for championships, and the Rose Bowl just doesn't have the pull that it used to. More and more players will decide not to play in the B1G or the P12 because of this. My question is, what percentage of B1G fans agree with abandoning the National Championship? Perhaps you could set up one of those nifty polls.

Adam Rittenberg: Brandon, this is a great question/topic to discuss, given the shifting environment in college sports. There's a portion of Big Ten fans I talk to who remain traditionalists. They love the Rose Bowl, want the Big Ten championship in Pasadena every year and don't really care about the SEC and its national championship streak. But the younger generation of Big Ten fans seems more championship-focused and less obsessed with the Rose Bowl and the history. They're ticked off by the SEC's bluster and want to see Big Ten teams start raising the crystal football again. Many of the Big Ten players also fit into this category. Will it mean more Big Ten teams enter that mix for national titles? We'll see. But that's the key, for the Big Ten's depth at the top to get closer to what the SEC has right now.

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Matt from Dallas writes: What is with all this faith in Mich St? I cannot see them beating Michigan or Nebraska this year. In fact Mich St has never beat Nebraska and this year I would argue Nebraska will be better than they were last year and Mich St will not be as good as last year when Nebraska handled them. Where is the logic????

Adam Rittenberg: It's all about the Spartans defense, Matt. Right now, the Michigan State D looks like the single best unit in the Big Ten entering the season. Michigan State has All-Big Ten candidates in all three levels of the defense and should be extremely stingy this fall. The Michigan game will be tough for the Spartans, but Michigan State has won four straight in the series. While Nebraska handled the Spartans easily last year, remember where that game fell for MSU: at the end of a stretch featuring Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin. It's not a shock that Michigan State had a letdown in Lincoln. And Nebraska failed miserably in its two marquee Big Ten road games last year (Michigan, Wisconsin). While both the Wolverines and the Huskers could win the division, Michigan State is my favorite entering the season.

2011 overall record: 11-2
2011 conference record: 6-2 (2nd, Legends Division)
Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners
QB Denard Robinson; RB Fitzgerald Toussaint; WR Roy Roundtree; WR Jeremy Gallon; LT Taylor Lewan; RT Michael Schofield; DE Craig Roh; LB Jake Ryan; LB Kenny Demens; LB Desmond Morgan; CB J.T. Floyd; CB Blake Countess; S Thomas Gordon; S Jordan Kovacs.

Key losses
WR Junior Hemingway; WR Darryl Stonum; WR/KR Martavious Odoms; TE Kevin Koger; C David Molk; RT Mark Huyge; DT Mike Martin; DE/DT Ryan Van Bergen; DT Will Heininger.

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Denard Robinson* (1,176 yards)
Passing: Denard Robinson* (2,173 yards)
Receiving: Junior Hemingway (699 yards)
Tackles: Kenny Demens* (94)
Sacks: Ryan Van Bergen (5.5)
Interceptions: Courtney Avery* and J.T. Floyd* (2)

Spring answers

1. Quarterback accuracy: Denard Robinson played one series in the public spring scrimmage, but coaches raved about his improved leadership, decision-making and accuracy throughout the spring. The latter two were major issues for Michigan last season. While it is unknown whether Robinson will truly be more accurate until Sept. 1 against Alabama -- Michigan closed all of its practices to the media this spring -- offensive coordinator Al Borges was very confident in Robinson’s potential for his senior season.

2. Cornerback has depth: Two seasons ago, cornerback was the biggest question on Michigan’s team because of youth, inexperience and a lack of talent. That is no longer an issue. The Wolverines have as many as six players they could feel comfortable with come the fall, and that doesn’t include incoming freshman Terry Richardson (Detroit/Cass Tech), the highest-ranked player in Michigan’s incoming signing class. Sophomore Blake Countess could turn into a star, and fifth-year senior J.T. Floyd is the most consistent corner the Wolverines have. They’ll be the likely starters.

3. A featured back is set: Borges made no hesitation: Redshirt junior Fitzgerald Toussaint is going into the fall as his top tailback -- a marked change from what the Wolverines endured last spring and through the first half of last season. Toussaint rushed for 1,041 yards and nine touchdowns last season, giving Michigan a dynamic dual running game with Robinson. With major questions at wide receiver and tight end, expect a lot of running from Toussaint and Robinson, especially early in the season.

Fall questions

1. Who is catching the ball: Michigan’s coaches spoke highly of Jeremy Gallon, Jerald Robinson and Roy Roundtree during the spring as their top three receivers, but Robinson has never caught a pass, Gallon has had one season of consistent productivity, and Roundtree saw his numbers plummet last season to 19 catches for 355 yards. Tight end isn’t much better, as the position group has two career catches. Denard Robinson’s two best safety valves -- Junior Hemingway and Kevin Koger -- graduated, so even if Denard Robinson is improved, he might need to hunt to find a reliable receiving option. Incoming freshman Devin Funchess (Farmington Hills, Mich./Harrison) could be an option at tight end.

2. Who is pressuring the quarterback: Michigan took its biggest hits on the defensive line, which saw three starters graduate -- Mike Martin was a third-round draft pick, Ryan Van Bergen signed as a free agent, and Will Heininger graduated -- and its fourth starter, Craig Roh, switch positions. Michigan insists it’ll be OK there. Will Campbell and converted end Jibreel Black will likely start inside, and either sophomore Brennen Beyer or sophomore Frank Clark will start at rush end. The success of Michigan’s defense last season relied on pressure the front four created. With an almost completely new group there, how they fare against opponents will be interesting to see.

3. Punting problems: Somewhere along the way last season, Will Hagerup lost his mojo, much like kicker Brendan Gibbons the year before. A strong-legged punter, Hagerup wasn’t connecting with the ball well and eventually lost his job to freshman Matt Wile. Now entering his junior year, Michigan hopes either Hagerup regains his form or Wile becomes more consistent. The Wolverines’ offense should be fairly prolific, but with a defense searching for pressure early on, it needs to be able to control field position with the punter.

Your questions, my answers.

Jack from Arlington, Va., writes: Adam, you rightfully have Gerald Hodges as a top contender for B1G DPOY in 2012 after a standout performance in 2011, and Jordan Hill as an "other player to watch" after a solid, under the radar year in 2011. Sound analysis on both counts. However, I think Mauti deserves the "other player to watch" tag. He was a monster early in 2011 before his ACL tear, and should be 100% in the fall. Just look at Posluszny in 2006 and Sean Lee in 2009. Both came back strong from ACL tears, and both deserved consideration for DPOY in 2006 and 2009, respectively.

Adam Rittenberg: Jack, while I considered Mauti for that second category, I need to see how he responds from his latest injury setback. He looked great early last season, but this is his second ACL tear at Penn State. He has worked extremely hard during his rehab, but whether he'll ever perform like he could have without the injuries remains very much in question. I definitely wish Michael the best because he's one of the best people I deal with in the league. And if he has a breakout senior season, like Paul Posluszny in 2006, I wouldn't be shocked. But right now, he doesn't quite belong in that second tier of DPOY candidates.

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Patrick Ward from Chicago writes: Please get Jonathan Brown off of your DPOY list. Did you see me mauling him all game? He couldn't take it anymore so he resulted in a low blox. He's a cheap shot artist and a punk.Please talk to Denard about Gholston, as well... Please start taking into consideration how a player plays the game as well as the stats.

Adam Rittenberg: First of all, this isn't really Northwestern tackle Patrick Ward. Second of all, this award goes to the best defensive player in the Big Ten, not the defensive player who never makes a mistake or draws a personal foul. Third of all, neither Jonathan Brown nor William Gholston should be judged solely based on a few mistakes made last season. Both are exceptional athletes who have the ability to win this award, and that's why they're on this list. Did both deserve their suspensions? Absolutely. But it doesn't mean they're bad guys. And besides, these awards aren't solely based on sportsmanship. It's about performance.

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Shareef from Ann Arbor, Mich., writes: Hey Adam, in your post on Tuesday about DPOY candidates, you left Michigan's Craig Roh off the list of potential, or even dark horse, candidates. Any specific reason why? He's a player with a lot of talent and he'll get some top-notch coaching for the second-straight season. He's filling in for Ryan van Bergen's role, and apparently had a great spring there.

Adam Rittenberg: Shareef, I simply need to see more from Roh. There's no doubt about his talent, but he hasn't really built on a strong freshman year in 2009. Part of that has been Michigan's scheme changes and where he fits in (or doesn't fit in). Roh has moved around a bit in his career and faces another position shift in 2012 as he bulks up to play strongside defensive end. He was slowed early last season by a bout of mono, but he came on strong late and could be poised for a nice senior year this fall. I could include dozens of players in the "dark horse" category, but that's not really the idea. Roh isn't far away from that group and certainly could make a push this year, but I'm looking for more from him.

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Beau from Davenport, Iowa, writes: Hello darkness my old friend... You seem to be sleeping on my Hawks. Iowa's whole season comes down to two things. DL play and RB. I think we have good RBs now plus Hill ( hello a bigger better Adam Robinson) and Garmon ( hello Sedrick Shaw starter kit). so it comes down to DL. We have a Easy start to the Season (NIU and ISU is no give me. but Minny and UNI will be). Question is Can Kirk be mister November again like in his hay day?

Adam Rittenberg: I'd add James Vandenberg's play on the road and secondary play to your list of key elements, but yes, the running backs and defensive linemen will be huge this fall for Iowa. Given the recent track record, it's fair to be optimistic that Iowa will identify a capable running back or two. Both incoming recruits look promising, especially Greg Garmon. The defensive line scares me, and Iowa will need its linebackers to really step up, especially early in the season. But the key question for Iowa, as always, is how the team fares in close games. The Hawkeyes were terrific from late 2008 through most of 2009, but they've struggled since. If they can recapture their crunch-time mojo, they'll make some noise.

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Bret from Las Vegas writes: I'm confused with the reason given to why home stadiums can't be used for semi-final games in a playoff system. The reason given was that some stadiums are too small and some towns aren't big enough to handle fans. Obviously everything works for home games which is what this would be. The only thing I can think of is that the game isn't supposed to be a "home" game - in other words, the visiting team would be given a much larger share of seats than they typically get with an away game. Is this right? Otherwise, this feels like a lame excuse to push the conversation in a different direction.

Adam Rittenberg: Bret, there's more to it than just accommodating visiting fans. This would be more of a national event than a home game for the No. 1 or No. 2 seed. The TV production would be different, and some of the venues don't provide the same amenities you see at the bowl sites or in places like Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium, which is why the marquee national events are held at those venues. You also have to accommodate the corporate sponsors, a larger media contingent and events that would surround the game. Despite all this, such events could go off without a hitch at most Big Ten venues, most SEC venues, most Big 12 venues, most Pac-12 venues and most ACC venues. Yes, having a game at a stadium like TCU's could provide some challenges, but how often realistically will that happen? Most of these games, in my view, will be played at places like Alabama, LSU, USC, Oklahoma and Ohio State.

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Sparty from East Lansing writes: Adam, I am shocked that there has been no mention of the rollover accident on May 3rd involving William Gholston and Lawrence Thomas. While they only suffered minor injuries, it could have been a lot worse.

Adam Rittenberg: Mentioned it last week. And you're right. Both Gholston and Thomas are very lucky to walk away from it.

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Jeff from Phoenix writes: Adam, I enjoy your articles but had to respond after reading this..."How Waugh had such close access to players and recruits raises some questions. Then again, it's difficult for schools to account for everyone in a very public setting like the spring game."Am I wrong to assume that recruits sit in the stands with every other ticket holder there? This was a man that obviously was on a mission. I am a huge Buckeye fan and follow recruiting, but I wouldnt know if I was sitting next to one of them. The statement you made seems to indicate that OSU was at fault in some way. Unless a recruit is sitting in club seats and not allowed to interact with the public, how can ANY university be to blame. Its not like he was friends with the head coach, was a former coach and was given access to the Universitys facilities!

Adam Rittenberg: Jeff, I think a lot of folks misunderstood that statement, and for that I apologize. My point is that Ohio State, as a massive program with a massive fan following in a major city, has, in my view, more challenges in protecting its players from shady individuals than do other Big Ten programs. We saw last year with the NCAA violations situation that there were individuals around the Ohio State program (Bobby DiGeronimo, Dennis Talbott) who caused problems because of their ties to players. This case seems unique, and I don't think Ohio State could have done anything to prevent Waugh from contacting players and recruits other than sending out the warning after the fact. As Alex Anzalone's father told colleague Mitch Sherman, he doesn't blame Ohio State or the coaching staff for the situation. Still, it's important for Ohio State to monitor who is interacting with players and recruits as best it can.

Time to jump back into our series looking at the most indispensable players on each Big Ten team. Once again, this is not necessarily a listing of the best players on each team, but ones whose absence would be toughest to absorb because of their particular value or a lack of depth behind them.

We're selecting two players from each Big Ten squad, usually one on offense and one on defense, but not always. Today we turn our attention to the Michigan Wolverines:

OT Taylor Lewan, Jr.

That's right -- gasp, we're not picking Denard Robinson here. While it's true that Robinson is a special talent, one who can win games that seem lost, we think Michigan's offense could still operate at a decently high level without him, whether that means plugging in Devin Gardner or going with backup Russell Bellomy. Yes, maybe both lack the je nais se quoi of Shoelace, but the Wolverines would still have Fitz Toussaint to carry the ball. Replacing left tackle Lewan, however, is another story entirely. Not only is he potentially one of the best offensive linemen in the country, but Michigan doesn't have much depth on the offensive line. Losing their blind-side protector would not only hurt at that spot but also cause some discomfort from shifting others into unfamiliar positions. That's why we judge him the most indispensable player on Al Borges' offense this season.

Jordan Kovacs, S, Sr.

Here's another instance where maybe some other players on his side of the ball are bigger stars -- guys like Craig Roh, for instance, or possibly Blake Countess and J.T. Floyd in the same secondary. But Kovacs is the quarterback of the defense and a guy who has a knack for making big plays last year. He's the team's second-leading returning tackler, with 75 stops last season. And maybe most importantly, he brings senior leadership to a group looking to replace some very valuable leaders off last year's team. Add it all up, and that makes Kovacs indispensable.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan's Craig Roh has been ingesting about 5,000 calories per day this spring, trying to bulk up by about 10 pounds to play strong side defensive end. He's eating six meals per day, and says there are days when he feels like throwing up all the time.

Yet, this offseason has been a lot easier to stomach for Roh than last year, when another transition didn't get off to the smoothest of starts. During last spring and summer, Roh was steadily getting criticized by new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison as he moved from linebacker to weakside defensive end.

"I'd have those moments like, 'Does he even think I'm worth anything?'" Roh told ESPN.com. "He broke me down to my core and built me back up. It was one of the hardest things I've been through in my life, but also one of the most rewarding."

After a slow start last year, Roh improved to finish with 32 tackles, including eight for loss, on one of the best defensive lines in the Big Ten. Now, he's the only starter back on the line, moving over to the spot where Ryan Van Bergen starred a last season.

The Wolverines are counting on him to be a playmaker and a leader, two things he accomplished in spring practice.

"I think the move of Craig Roh was a very, very good move," Mattison said. "He had one of the best springs of any of our guys. I think the thing that would bother him was open spaces. We felt that moving him inside gives him a chance to show his ability."

Roh will be right in the middle of the action on the strong side, and often will have to face more than one blocker. Hence the need to build up from last season's listed playing weight of 269 pounds.

"It's great because the ball comes to you, and you don't have to run far to get to it," he said. "You just have to be strong and throw off blocks, be explosive. That's what I am. It's an exciting transition, and I've been able to make a lot of plays in spring practice. It's been fun."

Fun hasn't always described Roh's other moves. In Rich Rodriguez's 3-3-5 scheme, he played outside linebacker and, like much of the defense during that era, struggled mightily at times.

"At linebacker, I did not know what was going on at all," he said. "I know what I'm good at and what I'm not good at. I'm not good at linebacker. I know I am good at reading and reacting on the defensive line."

It took a couple of games last season before Roh started feeling comfortable in Mattison's system. He told the media last fall that he broke down in tears in front of his family after the opener against Western Michigan. He had to get used to the high standards Michigan has for its defensive line. After all, Mattison and head coach Brady Hoke are defensive line coaches at heart, and Jerry Montgomery is a demanding position coach.

"The pressure is immense," Roh said. "You have three different people critiquing what you're doing. They're not always going to give you compliments. Most of the time, they're not going to give you compliments."

But they have been complimentary of Roh's play so far this offseason, with Hoke telling ESPN.com that Roh "can be a big plus for us this year." A bigger plus, if he keeps up his high-calorie diet.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan's players must have felt pretty good about themselves at the end of last season. The Wolverines won 11 games, captured the Sugar Bowl championship and ended a seven-year losing streak to Ohio State.

But head coach Brady Hoke delivered some sobering news in the first team meeting after the Sugar Bowl in January. Team 132, he told the players, failed.

"It probably surprised some of them a little bit," Hoke told ESPN.com about that message he delivered. "But if you have a goal and you don't achieve that goal, then you fail."

Hoke has made it clear that as long as he's the Michigan coach, the Wolverines will always have one main objective: win the Big Ten title. So even though his first team erased a lot of the bad memories from the three-year Rich Rodriguez tenure in a major bounce-back campaign, it still finished as the runner-up in the Legends Division.

"Oh, man, sitting at home watching the Big Ten championship game felt kind of weird," quarterback Denard Robinson said. "We're supposed to be the 'leaders and best,' so we sold ourselves short not being in that first one."

The motivation for Team 133 this offseason, then, became quite obvious. Michigan got back on track last season, winning 11 games for the first time since 2006 and bringing some momentum to the program. The Wolverines could enter this season ranked in the top 10 and might well be the favorite to win the Big Ten in Hoke's second year. Asked if he'd view any season that didn't end with a Big Ten title as a disappointment, Hoke didn't hesitate to answer, "Yep."

Does Michigan have what it takes to repeat and even build upon last season's success? This spring offered reasons for optimism and pessimism.

The biggest difference between Hoke's first year and the RichRod teams was the surprising defensive resurgence. After three years of futility on that side of the ball, the Wolverines finished 17th nationally in total defense and sixth in points allowed. Fueling that effort was a dominant defensive line led by seniors Mike Martin, Ryan Van Bergen and Will Heininger.

By Week 4 against San Diego State -- a 28-7 victory -- safety Jordan Kovacs started to notice a major difference.

"I was getting bored as a defensive back because our front seven was controlling the game," Kovacs said. "One I realized our defensive line was pretty special, I knew we were going to have a heck of a team."

With three seniors gone and the lone returning starter, Craig Roh, switching from weakside to strongside defensive end, the D-line underwent some predictable growing pains this spring. The defensive tackle spot is a particular concern, with the undersized Jibreel Black moving in from end and senior Will Campbell getting one last try to live up to his once-immense recruiting hype. The line was inconsistent at best at stopping the run in practice this spring.

While the Wolverines should have more talent and experience at the linebacker and secondary positions than they did a year ago, there's little doubt where the focus lies for Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, as both cut their teeth as defensive line coaches.

"You can't have a great defense if you're not strong up the middle," Mattison said. "We need that position to become very, very strong."

On the flip side, Martin and Van Bergen were nowhere near the players they'd become at this time last year. Mattison said he expects his linemen to make a jump in the summer.

"Last year, it was a much uglier spring ball," Kovacs said. "That's what I try to remind myself."

Depth is also a major worry, not just on the defensive line but on the offensive front. True freshmen are likely to crack the two-deep on both lines, which is not a great sign in the Big Ten. Michigan was fortunate last season to stay quite healthy in the trenches until the Sugar Bowl, when Heininger was out and David Molk played on a bad leg. Can the team get some luck on the injury front in 2012?

It may need to with a schedule that looks far more demanding than last season. The Wolverines had eight home games in 2011, including the first five contests of the season. That number dips down to six this season, with challenging road games at Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State. And of course, there's the opener against defending national champion Alabama in Arlington, Texas.

"All this offseason work is pointing toward that game," receiver Roy Roundtree said. "Everybody knows who we got. It's not like it's some cupcake opener; they're the national champions. We've got to bring our A-game."

The good news is that Michigan found ways to win without its A-game last season, especially in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech in which offensive coordinator Al Borges said, "we played really awful." Hoke proclaimed after the spring game that the Wolverines are much tougher than they were a year ago.

Robinson and running back Fitz Toussaint, who each ran for more than 1,000 yards last season, give the offense two special difference-makers in the backfield. Coaches say Robinson's throwing mechanics and decision-making looked greatly improved this spring, while Toussaint may get some help from emerging power runner Thomas Rawls.

Michigan figures to stay in the thick of the Big Ten race all season long, but getting close won't be good enough. Bo Schembechler's famous phrase, "Those who stay will be champions," wasn't referring to Sugar Bowl titles. The Wolverines won't be satisfied with anything less than their 43rd Big Ten championship, which is why veteran players weren't stunned by Hoke's failing grade in that January meeting.

"I think it was kind of the elephant in the room," Kovacs said. "At the end of the day, we didn't do what we wanted to do. That's what we've been about and what we'll continue to be about. And that's what is fueling us for this season."

Michigan defensive end Craig Roh talks about the Wolverines' D-line and his challenging new diet plan.

I had to get these links done early so I could hit up a lunch buffet with Betty Draper.

• Super Bowl champ Dave Diehl came back to Illinois to help out the Illini and his buddy Luke Butkus.
• New Indiana defensive ends coach Jon Fabris has some really high standards (subscription required).
• Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg is adjusting to a new offense and a different style from offensive coordinator Greg Davis.
• Michigan's Craig Roh is finding his niche on the defensive line after yet another move.
• Le'Veon Bell must avoid complacency if he wants to remain Michigan State's No. 1 back. William Gholston has a chance to be unstoppable if he puts it all together.
• Minnesota cornerback Michael Carter is finally moving in the right direction after a sub-par first few years.
• Nebraska offensive lineman Seung Hoon Choi is trying to add a fitting final chapter to his interesting football journey. The Huskers are looking to Chicago for future quarterbacks.
• Northwestern's Tony Jones has overcome injuries to give the team's receiving corps a boost.
• Braxton Miller is taking on more of a leadership role for Ohio State. The Buckeyes picked up a running back for the '13 class.
• Penn State has a policy for renaming stadiums and roads after people. Derek Day has gone from walk-on to backup running back for the Nittany Lions this spring.
• Purdue's defense enjoyed some steaks thanks in large part to Ricardo Allen.
• Coming back from injury, Wisconsin receiver Marquis Mason hopes to make an impact this year. The youngest of the Watt brothers committed to the Badgers over the weekend.
• Athlon ranks the Big Ten coaches from 1 through 12.

In honor of the weather, these links were cooked under record-high temperatures.

• Wisconsin's quarterback competition this spring begins with the team's top two pass-catchers sidelined. Badgers coach Bret Bielema is geared up for spring ball.
• Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson knows he has to be more vocal as a senior. Craig Roh bulks up to play strong-side defensive end.
• Adrian Amos and Bill Belton are among Penn State's young players who could be difference-makers. Recently dismissed Lions DL Shawn Oakman faces charges from a February incident. A decorated D-line recruit visits State College this weekend.
• A look at Iowa's extremely young defensive line in spring ball. Former Hawkeyes RB Marcus Coker moves forward at Stony Brook.
• Urban Meyer's new home gives him a front-row seat when The Memorial golf tournament rolls through C-Bus.
• Minnesota QB MarQueis Gray is surrounded by a different group of challengers this spring. Gophers players are more comfortable with the practice pace this spring.
• Michigan State is making a recruiting push in America's dairyland.
• Purdue defensive end Robert Maci plays through pain as he competes for a starting job. Boilers running back Ralph Bolden once again battles back from an ACL injury.
• Some highlights from Week 2 of Indiana's spring session.

I can't express to you how badly this kid needs football.

• Former Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien tells Badger Nation (subscription required) that he'll consider transferring to Wisconsin. Badgers linebacker Ethan Armstrong has had to fight through injuries to play.
• Say hello to some of Iowa's newest players here and here and here and here.
• Minnesota needs a businessman as its next athletic director, Charley Walters writes.
• Josh Folck wonders why Penn State didn't retain Tom Bradley as defensive coordinator. Joe Paterno is remembered at a memorial in Harrisburg.
• Ohio State players want to avoid the lavender shirt in Mickey Marotti's weight room.
• Mgoblog reports Michigan defenders Craig Roh and Brennen Beyer will make some moves for the 2012 season. The SI swimsuit cover girl hails from a family of Michigan fans.
• A draft expert weighs in on Michigan State's Kirk Cousins and Michigan's Mike Martin. Former Michigan State All-American Allen Brenner passes away.
• Corn Nation looks at Nebraska's safeties in 2012.
• Illinois is looking for versatility in its 2013 recruiting class.

The Game might not have any impact on the Big Ten race, but so far it has been as entertaining as any edition in this rivalry's history. Unfortunately for Michigan, it finds itself on the losing end yet again after one half.

It's been a half full of big plays and major momentum shifts, and both athletic quarterbacks have put on shows.

Both teams also made one critical mistake. Ohio State gave up a safety when left tackle Mike Adams took down Craig Roh by the facemask in the end zone. Michigan also scored a touchdown after the ensuing punt to go up 16-7. That marked the fourth straight game that Ohio State had fallen behind by at least nine points in the first quarter, and Wolverines fans were ready to explode as it looked like their team might end the seven-game losing streak in emphatic fashion.

But the Buckeyes, with little to play for besides pride, refused to go away easily. Linebacker Ryan Shazier forced a Denard Robinson fumble that set up a field goal, and Braxton Miller ran for a 19-yard touchdown to put Ohio State back on top. Somewhere, Urban Meyer must have been smiling.

About the only thing Miller did wrong for most of the half was fail to establish a good connection with DeVier Posey, who he missed a few times including what would have been a sure touchdown. But with 1:21 left, he threw a 43-yard dart to Posey for a touchdown. Ohio State hasn't been able to pass very effectively all season, but Miller has thrown for 127 yards and two scores in the first half alone. Michigan fans must be wondering what has happened to the defense that has looked so strong the last several weeks.

Robinson had the fumble, but he's otherwise had a great game. He has run for two scores, including a 41-yarder on an option play, and has completed 7-of-8 passes with a 26-yard touchdown.

We could be set up for a fantastic finish in the second half. If the final 30 minutes are as entertaining as the first 30, this game could be remembered for a long time in the lore of The Game.

Step into my office.

Ross from Oakwood, Ill., writes: Everything I've seen this season has Devon Still as the Defensive POY. But when solely compared as a player to Whitney Mercilus he doesn't even come close. Still: 4 sacks, 16.5 TFL, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Pass Breakup, 0 QB Hurries; Mercilus 13.5 sacks, 18.5 TFL, 8 FF, 1 Pass Breakup, 6 QB Hurries (all of these stats came from the NCAA website). The only difference in the teams are the number of wins (which can pretty much be blamed on the Illinois offense) because both Illinois and Penn State are ranked in the top ten in Total Defense. This is what confuses me about why everyone says Still is the clear Player of the Year, the numbers are in Mercilus's favor and the team defenses are comparable.

Adam Rittenberg: Ross, I agree Mercilus has more impressive overall statistics than Still, but he also plays a position (defensive end) that typically puts up bigger number than Still's position (defensive tackle). When you actually watch the games, you see Still affect play as much if not more than Mercilus. I don't think the Defensive Player of the Year decision is clear-cut, and I think Still and Mercilus are clearly the top two choices. It's a tough call for sure, and Mercilus shouldn't be penalized for Illinois' struggles -- past winners Ryan Kerrigan and Brandon Graham weren't punished for their teams' struggles. I honestly don't think you could go wrong with either choice, and both men should be first-team All-Big Ten.

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Adam from East Lansing, Mich., writes: Hey Adam. Have it on good authority that Michigan State will be adding a new recruiting room, new press room, three new scoreboards (including one bigger then Michigan's by just a little bit), and possibly expanding the seating by a few thousand. What do you think about this, assuming it happens, and the arms race that is college football. Can teams like Purdue and Northwestern compete anymore?

Adam Rittenberg: Adam, it's great to see Michigan State continuing to invest in its football program. AD Mark Hollis and the administration have shown great commitment to Mark Dantonio as he tries to build his program. I'd definitely welcome a real press room at Spartan Stadium, as those annexes tend to fill up fast. Purdue conducted a stadium renovation a few years ago, and Northwestern is in the process of renovating its football practice facilities and possibly Ryan Field, too. Most Big Ten programs know what it takes to keep pace, facilities-wise.

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Phil from Sarasota, Fla., writes: Adam, I really have to disagree with your choice of B1G 10 game of the week with Penn St/Wisconsin. This week should be all about UM/OSU. This is the greatest rivalry in all of sport, and I think you guys have fallen short in showing respect for THE game this year. I may be biased because I'm a UM fan, and you're from Illinois right? This game makes the B1G what it is, and lets blow this up!!! Besides, if Michigan wins...we have a decent chance at a BCS bowl for even more national coverage!

Adam Rittenberg: Phil, we've given The Game its fair share of coverage with several posts earlier in the week, but Ohio State-Michigan has no bearing on the Big Ten title race, while Penn State-Wisconsin determines who goes to Indianapolis. We respect The Game and the rivalry and all it stands for, but the Big Ten is different now. It's no longer the big two and everyone else, and the arrival of division play and the championship game changes things. Michigan would have an excellent chance for a BCS at-large berth if it wins Saturday, and we'll certainly continue to explore that possibility. But my sense is that outside of the Michigan and Ohio State fan bases, more Big Ten backers care about Penn State-Wisconsin.

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Jamie from Chicago writes: Dan Persa leads the nation in completion percentage for the second straight year, yet it seems to be getting a lot less attention than when he did it last year. What gives?

Adam Rittenberg: Persa's injury situation has taken away the spotlight a bit, especially early in the season when the Heisman campaign didn't go anywhere. But it's still notable that Persa continues to pass the ball so accurately and efficiently despite not being 100 percent physically. He has turned in a really nice season, although he has made some uncharacteristic throws (i.e. the pick-six at Iowa). Kain Colter also has emerged as a big-time player for Northwestern. Persa still will go down as one of the best offensive players in team history, and it'll be interesting to see how he looks in a bowl game, which will take place after the full recovery period his injury required.

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Jim from Atlanta writes: Adam:Now that the season is coming to an end and there is only a one game difference in the weekly game picks, do you mind sharing what the winner gets? A good bottle of scotch, a steak dinner, top photo billing on the blog. all three?Thanks to both of you for doing a great job on the blog.

Adam Rittenberg: Jim, the good news for me is that the picks aren't finished after this weekend. We still have the Big Ten championship game and, more important, the bowl games to pick. So the race isn't done until early January. Some good ideas about potential prizes for the winner, although Bennett can forget about getting his photo above mine on the blog.

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Andrew from Ann Arbor, Mich., writes: I have to disagree with you about your analysis of The Game in your predictions. We certainly do not have more talent than Ohio, and the game is not about talent this year. Our defense is still filled with role players and former walk-ons, who are playing great, but still would not be considered "talented". The difference is that we are maximizing our talent and they definitely are not. Did I change your mind?

Adam Rittenberg: Nope, you didn't. Is Mike Martin not talented? C'mon, Andrew. Sure, Jordan Kovacs is a former walk-on and some other Michigan defenders weren't the highest-rated recruits, but there are some talented players on that unit. Craig Roh was an ESPNU 150 selection coming out of high school. My point with the post is that to chalk up Ohio State-Michigan solely to passion and drive and other coachspeak terms and not talent is shortsighted. Ohio State has been the more talented team in recent years, and talent has played a role -- not the only role, but a role -- in the Buckeyes' win streak. Other factors include coaching, development and game preparation, but talent can't be dismissed.

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Eric from Atlanta writes: Adam, assuming Nebraska beats Iowa and finishes 9-3. If MSU gets beat in the B1G championship by Wisconsin and finishes 10-3 do you think the Cap One Bowl would select a Nebraska over MSU? They have the head to head victory and would be a new and well traveling fan base to bring to Orlando. I can't imagine MSU or its fans would be too excited about returning to the Cap One to potentially face Arkansas again.

Adam Rittenberg: Eric, I spoke with some bowl officials this week, and there's a strong desire from the Florida bowls to invite Nebraska, which has played only one bowl game in the state (2009 Gator) since facing Tennessee in the 1998 Orange Bowl. Michigan State might slip to Outback or Gator if it loses the Big Ten title game because, as you say, the Spartans have made many bowl trips to Orlando in recent years. A Nebraska loss might change the plan, but even at 8-4, the Huskers would be appealing to the Florida bowls.

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Jeffrey from Dunn Loring, Va., writes: Adam,As a Purdue alumnus, I would dearly love to see the Boilermakers beat the Hoosiers on Saturday and make it to a bowl. But I don't think it's right that teams get preference over schools with better records just because a bowl feels the weaker team would bring more fans. An example held out the possibility of a 6-6 Purdue getting in ahead of an 8-4 Iowa (which *beat* the Boilers). That's just wrong. Bowls should be ranked from one to whatever, and matched with the teams in the order they finish.

Adam Rittenberg: Jeffrey, while I don't think you have to worry about a 6-6 Purdue team jumping Iowa, the bowls are businesses, and they're looking to fill seats and make money. It's a bigger issue, in my opinion, when a 10- or nine-win team gets leapfrogged in favor of a seven-win team near the top of the Big Ten bowl pecking order. The Big Ten title game loser, for example, could fall several spots on the bowl selection order because of factors like how well the fan base travels, whether there's a coaching change before the bowl or, in Penn State's case, whether there's some negative publicity around the program. It comes up as well near the bottom of the selection order, but I wouldn't worry too much about 6-6 teams beating out 7-5 or 8-4 teams for spots this year.

First, a special shout-out to my fellow Big Toe Bombers, as we brought home a kickball world championship on Sunday. I also clinched a victory over Rittenberg in fantasy and saw my favorite team make the World Series, so it was a pretty good weekend.

Let's make this week even better, starting with your emails:

Jake from Davenport, Iowa, writes: With my Spartans coming off another win over their in-state rivals, "College GameDay" coming to town, and a nationally-ranked defense this should be my time to finally be proud and let the national media take note of the program Mark Dantonio has built. Instead ALL the talk is about William Gholston. Does Dantonio just need to tackle the issue and suspend Gholston? What would it take for the media to stop focusing on our dirty play and praise the program?

Brian Bennett: You raise an interesting point, Jake. I think if Michigan State had handed a one-game suspension to Gholston on Monday morning, then a lot of this talk would have quickly been deflated. Instead, we have spent much of the week talking, debating and arguing about it. I realize Gholston is an important player on the Spartans' defense and one who will be needed against Wisconsin, but the public image hit may not be worth this long investigation.

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Chumble21 from Detroit writes: My question is about all the Michigan State backlash from the MSU-UM game Saturday. All the articles are about State playing dirty. There are videos showing Craig Roh twisting an MSU facemask just like Gholston did. When Gholston punched the UM O-lineman it was because he got dragged to the ground by his facemask and held there. I remember seeing a UM wide receiver slamming Johnny Adams to the ground 3-5 seconds after the play was over. I'm not trying to make excuses for what MSU players did, but I can't believe NOBODY has mentioned that Michigan was just as at fault. The only difference is that the refs mysteriously never threw a flag on UM. Am I being biased because I think this isn't one-sided?

Brian Bennett: I was at the game and can tell you that things got chippy on both sides, as they usually do in a heated rivalry game. I do think Michigan State was the aggressor more often, and it showed in their 13 penalties and especially all the personal fouls. The Spartans clearly wanted to get very physical with Michigan and Denard Robinson, and they played all the way up to the edge and perhaps over it. The officials could have done a better job of preventing some of that stuff on both sides, but again, that's often what happens in these types of rivalries.

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Michael from Chicago writes: Could you publish the context for the "60 minutes of unnecessary roughness" quote from MSU defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi? Watching the press conference I know that Narduzzi made it clear that he wasn't coaching the defense to injure anyone and late hits that were blatant on film would be punished during the week. I can't find the full quote anywhere on the net.

Brian Bennett: Michael, you can listen to Narduzzi's news conference here. Narduzzi said late in the session that Michigan State didn't "want to hurt anybody" and that "we don't need those 15-yarders." The money quote most people used came in his opening statement, which went like this:

"Obviously I'm not happy with some of the penalties we had out there, but it's a physical game with physical people. And we'll have to look at it on tape. Probably the only disappointing thing was the penalties that we had, and unnecessary roughness ... I thought that's what that game was, unnecessary roughness on every play. And that's what we try to do, is 60 minutes of unnecessary roughness. I'm just glad we didn't get called every snap."

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James K. from Japan writes: I have a question regarding the Michigan State-Wisconsin game. Even though this may not even be possible, if the Badgers blow out Michigan State like they did Nebraska, could that hurt the Big Ten's reputation even more? And because of this, could the Badgers (as well as the Big Ten) actually benefit from having a closer game, or would the blowout outweigh a potential outcry about how weak the Big Ten is?

Brian Bennett: Konnichiwa. That's an interesting thought. If Wisconsin continues to blow people out by 30 every game, some may say that the Big Ten is not any good. And the league won't get a chance to make any more impressions in the nonconference schedule. The best thing for the Badgers is probably for them to win convincingly, but for Michigan State to look very competent. Then they will need their opponents, such as Nebraska, Illinois, Ohio State and the Spartans, to all have strong finishes.

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Keyshawn from Denton, Texas, writes: Why does Bret Bielema deserve to be coach of the year when Wisconsin was picked to at least play for the B1G championship at the beginning of the season? Jim Tressel never won that award and the justification was because Ohio State was always expected to win. What is the difference? It seems that this is a contradiction.

Brian Bennett: Like it or not, most coach of the year awards go to the guys whose teams have exceeded everybody's expectations. Right now, can you really name a Big Ten team that has majorly overachieved? I can't. So in the absence of that, you have to give it to Bielema, whose team is the last undefeated one in the conference and which has been more dominant that probably most people expected. There's plenty of time for others to step forward, though.

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Joe from Washington, D.C., writes: I just wanted to chime in with the Coach of the Year race. Although we are only 7 weeks through, I think you should have Brady Hoke ahead of Mark Dantonio. Brady Hoke took a defense that was as Charles Barkley would say "Turrible" and has turned them around, tremendously! Sure Dantonio just beat Hoke, but c'mon, State was expected to have a big year, while Michigan has turned it around big time. This won't be the same Michigan team coming down the home stretch. Why you ask? Well the answer is simple. Brady Hoke. He won't allow it!

Brian Bennett: Hoke had the unfortunate timing to lose to Dantonio just before I updated the coach of the year race. I think Hoke has done an excellent job, and he very well could win this award with a strong finish by the Wolverines. But right now, his 6-1 start is not terribly different than Rich Rodriguez's 5-1 start a year ago. Both men saw their teams suffer their first loss by double digits to Michigan State. Dantonio has taken a team that lost two important linebackers and three offensive line starters and navigated to a 5-1 record with a slightly more difficult schedule than Michigan.

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Jeffrey from Columbus, Ohio, writes: A lot of people are giving Ron Zook a hard time about his call to go for it on fourth-and-2 deep into Buckeye territory in the fourth quarter rather than kicking a field goal. But I don't think it was such a bad decision. I understand perfectly why he went on fourth down. They had a ton of momentum, and they were very close, and 4th & 2 is extremely doable. He though: "If I kick a field goal now, even if we get the onside kick, the chances are more than likely that we cannot get as close as we are now. If I score a TD here, then I can kick a long field goal if we get the ball back." I would have done the very same thing. Thoughts?

Brian Bennett: Let's reset the scene quickly: the Illini trailed 17-7 and had the ball on fourth down at the Ohio State 17 with a little more than a minute left. Now, either way, Illinois is going to have to get the ensuing onside kick to have any kind of chance. Ask yourself this: Would the Illini have a better chance of converting that fourth down and then going in for the touchdown from the 17 and then kicking a long field goal after the onside kick? Or was it easier to take the easier kick and then ask your offense to drive nearly 50 yards in about a minute against the brick wall of an Ohio State defense? Regardless, the Illini were going to need some luck there. I have no problem with Zook's call. I just wonder if he would have gone for two had Illinois scored the TD (I kid, I kid).

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Logan from Allison, Iowa, writes: Brian, first off, you're cooler than Adam. But more importantly what do you think Marvin McNutt's chances are of being selected in the first round of the draft?

Brian Bennett: Logan, you're a wise man. McNutt is a great player, but his chances of being a first-rounder this year are probably slim simply because it's a deep receiver class. Guys such as Justin Blackmon, Alshon Jeffery, Michael Floyd and Juron Criner will probably all be taken higher. McNutt has a lot of competition, but somebody will get a heck of a player by drafting him.

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Drew from Milwaukee writes: Would be interested to hear your rationale for putting Boise State -- who has wins over exactly zero currently ranked teams -- ahead of Wisconsin in your power rankings ballot.

Brian Bennett: Georgia is ranked in the Top 25 by the Associated Press and in ESPN.com's power poll. Boise State beat the Bulldogs in what basically amounted to a road game. That's as impressive if not more so than anything Wisconsin has done. The Broncos are legitimately good. That said, if Wisconsin wins in East Lansing, I'll probably move the Badgers up because they will have strengthened their credentials.

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Michael from St. Louis writes: You're the Big Ten blogger, yet you're moonlighting as a backup QB for Oregon in the Pac-12. So much for loyalty. What gives?

Brian Bennett: Well, Michael, I have to stay in shape somehow. Kickball season is over, after all.