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Here's the second half of my interview with Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster, whose team kicks off spring practice today. For Part I, click here.

You can't expect another Eric Decker to emerge, but wide receiver will be a key position in 2010. Who do you lean on among the wideout group?

Tim Brewster: The guy who I think has a chance to be really good is Da'Jon McKnight. Again, [the wide receivers will] benefit from a guy like Steve Watson, who played 10 years in the NFL and coached wide receivers and was a wide receiver. He's going to do a great job with those guys. Da'Jon, he's 6-foot-3, he's 210 pounds, big, strong, physical guy that can run and catch. I'm expecting big things out of Da'Jon. Then you look at Troy [Stoudermire] and Brandon Green, and I really think Bryant Allen's got a chance to take the next step. Hayo Carpenter, last year he didn't do much, he got in here late and he's really showing some things. So we've got some talent there to work with.

On defense, as far as leadership, do you really lean on the two safeties, [Kim] Royston and [Kyle] Theret?

TB: Yeah. They're two guys that are really experienced, tough guys. And then Christyn Lewis has come in, the JC corner, and really done a nice job. And Michael Carter, I think is really going to take the next step at a cornerback position. Ryan Collado really did some good things for us last year, particularly down the stretch. But I'm really excited about our linebackers. We've got some linebackers that all can run, very physical type guys, and it's going to be good. Ra'Shede Hageman's got a chance to be a special player. He's 6-foot-6, he's weighing 292 pounds, runs like a deer. He's got a chance, along with Brandon Kirksey, Jewhan Edwards and D.L. Wilhite, to really have a pretty good group up front.

People always talk about up-the-middle defense. You have some good safeties, but middle linebacker and D-tackle have to be positions you're going to watch.

TB: When you look at middle linebacker, we've got competition there between Gary Tinsley and Sam Maresh. It's going to be fun to see Sam out there, competing this spring. They're two big, physical guys. And when you look at Jewhan Edwards and Brandon Kirksey, and Anthony Jacobs is also going to play inside, I think we've got the makings of a strong group down the middle and a group that is athletic and can run. That's the area where we've most improved, athletically.

You mentioned wanting to have the quarterback spot settled by the end of the spring. There are a lot of these other competitions. So how much of the depth chart would you like to know by the end of the spring?

TB: What we want to do is have a good feel for who we can count on from this group, excluding the incoming freshmen. I think we'll be able to come out of spring practice with a good feeling of who we're going to be able to count on when we go to Middle Tennessee [Sept. 2].

You've talked so much about recruiting and how it's a big emphasis. Is there a different feeling now that you recruited most of the guys on this team?

TB: I feel like we've done a good job recruiting, but that's got to translate to the field. We, as coaches, have got to do a great job of developing the young talent. That's the challenge for us. We've got some talented kids. We've got to do our job as a staff, and I feel good about our coaches. We'll get after it and develop these kids. And I think the competition is really going to push our players to take that next step.

I'm man enough to admit mistakes, so here's one: I haven't given special teams nearly enough attention in the blog. As we saw throughout the 2009 regular season and bowl season, the kicking game often makes the difference in the final outcome.

Consider this a fresh start.

Let's take a look at who's back, who's gone and how the special-teams units look for each Big Ten squad in 2010. We'll start with the first six teams (by alphabetical order) and examine the other five later Tuesday.

ILLINOIS

• Kicker: Derek Dimke and Matt Eller both return. Dimke went 5-for-5 on field-goal attempts (all beyond 30 yards) after taking over for Eller, who struggled in his second year, connecting on only 4 of 11 attempts.
• Punter: Senior Anthony Santella returns after ranking sixth in the league in punting average (41.3 ypp).
• Kick return: Troy Pollard is back, but Arrelious Benn and A.J. Jenkins both depart. Illinois finished ninth in the league last fall in this category (19.3 ypr).
• Punt return: Jarred Fayson and Jack Ramsey both come back. Illinois ranked last in the league in punt returns in 2009 (4.2 ypr)
• Quick thoughts: Illinois needs to upgrade its kicking game to have any shot at turning things around in 2010. The return game really struggled (114th nationally in punt returns, 105th in kick returns), and kickoff coverage wasn't good, either (90th). Dimke provided a nice spark late in the season, but Illinois has too much talent not to make a bigger splash in returns.

INDIANA

• Kicker: Sophomore Nick Freeland returns after connecting on 14 of 25 attempts in 2009. Redshirt freshman Mitch Ewald and senior Nick Ford also are in the mix here.
• Punter: Junior Chris Hagerup is back after finishing eighth in the league in punting average (40.5 ypp).
• Kick return: Ray Fisher, who led the Big Ten in kick return average (37.4 ypr), is gone. Wide receiver Tandon Doss, who led IU with 25 runbacks, returns for his junior season.
• Punt return: Indiana loses Fisher but brings back Doss. The Hoosiers finished second in the Big Ten in punt returns last fall (10.3 ypr).
• Quick thoughts: Fisher is a major loss in the return game, but Doss certainly has the ability to fill the void. Indiana must figure things out on field goals, as it ranked last in the Big Ten in percentage last fall (.560). The offense should be pretty dynamic in 2010, so any help the kicking game provides would be huge. Indiana covered punts well but needs to improve on kickoffs after finishing 93rd nationally (23.2 ypr).

IOWA

• Kicker: Daniel Murray handled all of Iowa's field goals in 2009, connecting on 19 of 26 attempts. Junior Trent Mossbrucker also returns.
• Punter: Senior Ryan Donahue will contend for All-Big Ten honors this fall after averaging 40.9 yards per punt in 2009.
• Kick return: Senior Derrell Johnson-Koulianos is back after finishing second in the league in kick return average (31.5 ypr). Running back Brandon Wegher and wideout Paul Chaney Jr. also are back.
• Punt return: Senior Colin Sandeman is back, and he'll compete with Chaney and possibly others for the top job.
• Quick thoughts: Special teams should be a major strength for the Hawkeyes in 2010. Johnson-Koulianos showed against Ohio State how dangerous he can be on kickoff returns. Donahue and Murray are two of the league's more experienced specialists. Iowa's coverage units fared well in 2009, ranking ninth nationally in kick coverage (18.4 ypr) and 21st in punt coverage (5.7 ypr).

MICHIGAN

• Kicker: The Wolverines must replace Jason Olesnavage, who connected on 11 of 15 attempts in 2009.
• Punter: Michigan suffers a big loss here as Ray Guy Award finalist Zoltan Mesko departs. Mesko led the Big Ten in punting average (44.5 ypp).
• Kick return: Wideout Darryl Stonum is back after averaging 25.7 yards per runback with a touchdown in 2009. Michigan's No. 2 option, Martavious Odoms, also returns for 2010. The Wolverines ranked third in the Big Ten in kick returns last fall (23.8 ypr).
• Punt return: Junior Hemingway is back after leading U-M in punt returns (8.6 ypr). Odoms had six punt returns last fall, though Michigan could look to its younger players here.
• Quick thoughts: Replacing Mesko won't be easy, and Olesnavage quietly turned in a strong season, especially from long range. Incoming punter recruit Will Hagerup will step into the fire right away for the Wolverines. Kick returns should be a strength, and Michigan did a decent job on coverage last year, ranking 20th in punt coverage and third in the Big Ten in net kickoff coverage.

MICHIGAN STATE

• Kicker: The Spartans suffer a big loss here, as first-team All-Big Ten selection Brett Swenson departs. Swenson went 19-for-22 on field goals last fall and led the Big Ten in kick scoring (101 points).
• Punter: Senior Aaron Bates returns after finishing fifth in the league in punting average (41.6 ypp).
• Kick return: Wide receiver Keshawn Martin is back after becoming arguably the Big Ten's most dangerous return man last fall. Michigan State needs a No. 2 option here.
• Punt return: Martin did a nice job on punt returns in 2009, averaging 7.4 yards per runback.
• Quick thoughts: Swenson leaves a major void at kicker, as Dan Conroy and Kevin Muma compete to replace the back-to-back All-Big Ten selection. Martin really blossomed on returns during Big Ten play and could be a huge X-factor for Michigan State this fall. The Spartans' coverage teams were average in 2009. If Conroy and/or Muma can hold their own on field goals, special teams could be a real strength for Mark Dantonio's team.

MINNESOTA

• Kicker: Eric Ellestad is back for his senior year after connecting on 13 of 17 field-goal attempts, with all the makes coming from within 40 yards.
• Punter: Minnesota loses Blake Haudan, who had a very solid 2009 season, ranking third in the league in average (42.6 ypp). Sophomore Dan Orseske will step in this fall.
• Kick return: Wideout Troy Stoudermire is back after once again getting a ton of action on returns, recording 43 runbacks for 1,057 yards (24.6 ypr). Duane Bennett and Hayo Carpenter are possible No. 2 options.
• Punt return: Sophomore wideout Bryant Allen is back after averaging 12.2 yards on six runbacks last fall. Minnesota led the Big Ten in punt return average (14.7 ypr), although the Gophers also had the fewest opportunities (9).
• Quick thoughts: Haudan was a very solid punter in 2009, so Orseske will have some big shoes to fill. Stoudermire and Allen are fine options on returns, and Ellestad did a nice job on the kicks he should make. Minnesota really struggled on kickoff coverage, ranking 102nd nationally (24.1 ypr). If the offense starts slow again this fall, Minnesota will need to be sharp in the kicking game.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

MINNEAPOLIS -- After going two and a half games without a turnover, Cal finally gave one away.

And while no turnovers are easy to watch, Cal's first giveaway had to be especially frustrating for head coach Jeff Tedford. Cal held Minnesota to three-and-out on the first possession of the second half, but a short punt hit Cal's Charles Satchell and Minnesota's Nick Tow-Arnett recovered.

The Bears were one of six FBS teams that entered Saturday without a turnover on the season.

With a great chance to grab momentum, Minnesota mirrored Cal and give the ball back as Hayo Carpenter fumbled in Bears territory.

On the plus side for Minnesota, senior wideout Eric Decker recored his 200th career reception. Decker broke Ron Johnson's school record for receptions with his second touchdown catch in the first half.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

MINNEAPOLIS -- Greetings from the Big Ten's newest stadium, which definitely lives up to the hype.

Minnesota finally has a real home stadium, but whether the friendly surroundings pay off today remains to be seen. The Gophers face an enormous test in eighth-ranked California, led by Heisman Trophy candidate Jahvid Best at running back.

For the first time in my journalism career, I'm happy to provide a weather forecast for a Minnesota home game (instead of the standard room temperature joke at the Metrodome). It looks like a gorgeous day, with temperatures around 70 degrees at kickoff, working their way up to 77 during the fourth quarter.

A couple of personnel notes for Minnesota: cornerback Marcus Sherels (ankle) isn't expected to play, and Dom Alford will start at left tackle over Matt Stommes.

THREE KEYS FOR CALIFORNIA

1. Stay awake. Head coach Jeff Tedford hates hearing about how the early kickoff last year against Maryland doomed his team, which looked utterly lifeless in College Park. A strong start on offense, especially from quarterback Kevin Riley, would prove the Bears are ready this time and could take the crowd out of the game.

2. Find Eric Decker on every play. The Gophers senior wide receiver has been the team's only consistent offensive weapon so far. Talented Bears cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson likely will be assigned to Decker (the game's best matchup, in my opinion), but he could use some safety help against the Biletnikoff Award candidate.

3. Pressure quarterback Adam Weber. Cal ranks sixth nationally in sacks (4.5 spg), and the Gophers' offensive line is still adjusting to a brand-new system. Weber will make mistakes under pressure from time to time, so Cal should take an aggressive approach with defensive end Ernest Owusu and others.

THREE KEYS FOR MINNESOTA

1. Make Riley win the game. Minnesota's linebackers have been fabulous so far, but Best and Shane Vereen can take over a game with their big-play ability. The Gophers need to load up the box and force Riley to make tough throws. Riley has been extremely efficient this season, but Minnesota can't let Cal's running backs take over.

2. Diversify the offense. Decker can't beat a team like Cal by himself, and he'll need help from his fellow wideouts, tight end Nick Tow-Arnett and running backs Duane Bennett and DeLeon Eskridge. This needs to be the game where wideout Hayo Carpenter becomes a difference maker for the Gophers.

3. Make plays on special teams. The Gophers rank among the top 20 nationally in both kickoff and punt returns, and sophomore Troy Stoudermire can be a game-changer Saturday. Stoudermire should give Minnesota's offense good field position, and the Gophers need continued excellence from punter Dan Orseske and kicker Eric Ellestad.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Your questions, my answers.

Brandon from Columbus, Ohio, writes: Outside of being comfortable and Tressel not wanting to allow anyone else to have power, why doesn't Ohio State ever open up coaching positions to a national search?Florida's QB coach had vast D-I experience, same with Jeremy Bates at USC (who just was hired). And other teams have ex-Division I players as quarterbacks coach.What can Siciliano say when he recruits because he never played college football and his only experience is as a video coordinator? OSU fans are frustrated because other teams have more high-profile QB coaches and Pryor seems to not be developing.

Adam Rittenberg: I understand the frustration, but I don't think Nick Siciliano deserves the blame for what's happening in Columbus. It's a combination of things (youth, system, development) and no one position is totally at fault. As The Columbus Dispatch's Tim May recently wrote, Ohio State has an identity crisis on offense, and it's the whole unit. Obviously, Terrelle Pryor is the engine, and I think he'd do best in a total spread offense, one where he can constantly make plays with his feet. Some of Craig Krenzel's comments in the story are pretty interesting, especially about Pryor's inconsistent footwork. Then again, if Ohio State's offensive line play had been what it should the past few years, many of these questions wouldn't be asked. A lot of this falls in Jim Tressel's lap, but the Buckeyes have a lot of time to get better.

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Brian from Ann Arbor, Mich., writes: I was wondering what kind of odds you see michigan having at finishing in the top two or three in the big ten. I'm assuming we will stumble in a couple of games, most likely at michigan state, at Iowa, and/or against penn state and ohio state. Do you think two or possibly three loses within the conference will still put us in the top tier of the big ten?

Adam Rittenberg: It could, Brian. Tough to know what to make of the league so far. Penn State hasn't played anybody, Ohio State has been shaky on offense, Iowa had a scare and then looked good and Michigan State really melted down against Central Michigan. Michigan has been the one team that impressed me in both weeks. That said, the Wolverines remain very young and haven't gone on the road yet. This could be a year where 6-2 keeps a team among the Big Ten leaders. Harder to stay there with three losses, so that's a big difference.

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Mark from Detroit writes: Adam, if you want to do something useful to help the Big Ten football and everyone involved, press them to improve scheduling. They must play every team in the conference -- round robin if you like that wimpy term, and real BCS non-conference contenders. I know other teams (Florida) and conferences take the easy (cheaters) way, but that's not the sign of real leadership -- they will get their due rewards. You need to hammer on this endlessly, otherwise the Big Ten willl keep embarassing themselves and the NCAA by going 1-6 in the bowl games. It's just NCAA-sanctioned cheating; of everyone involved in college football!

Adam Rittenberg: I'll do my best, Mark, but playing a round-robin Big Ten schedule is a total pipedream. There's too much money at stake for these teams to give up home games, much less to add another very losable road game to the schedule. It's more likely the Big Ten plays nine conference games (yes, I know the math doesn't work perfectly with 11 teams) or adds a 12th member. But you're not going to see a 10-game round-robin, not for a league that sends more teams to BCS bowls than any other. I feel your pain in wanting to see better nonconference matchups for Big Ten schools, and I think things are slowly improving. Better nonconference games is the fight worth fighting, not a round-robin league schedule.

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(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

What am I? A schmuck on wheels?

• Always love a good mustache story, and Penn State linebacker Josh Hull apparently has a good one, Bernard Fernandez writes in the Philadelphia Daily News. Lions quarterback Daryll Clark is taking what the defense offers, and that's plenty of passing chances, Ron Musselman writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• A big blow for Arizona, which loses star tight end Rob Gronkowski for the Iowa game, colleague Ted Miller writes. Brandon Wegher was a YouTube sensation, but some still doubted the Iowa running back's ability, Scott Dochterman writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• With a brutal start to Big Ten play, Illinois' first bye week comes at a good time, Loren Tate writes in The (Champaign) News-Gazette. Illinois' schedule doesn't have many gimmes, Herb Gould writes in the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Ohio State's offense is having an identity crisis right now, Tim May writes in The Columbus Dispatch. Buckeyes linebacker Brian Rolle wouldn't have come to Columbus without Toledo head coach Tim Beckman, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• Some surprising picks from The Detroit News' staffers for Michigan and Michigan State. Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton should sit out against Eastern Michigan after his "punch" last week, annarbor.com's Michael Rothstein writes.
• When Michigan State's secondary struggles, head coach Mark Dantonio takes it personal, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal.
• The numbers haven't been good for Ohio State this season, the Big Ten Network's Dave Revsine writes in his blog.
• It's hard to get a read on Indiana's 2-0 start, Terry Hutchens writes in The Indianapolis Star.
• Minnesota wide receiver Hayo Carpenter is still waiting for his opportunity, Marcus Fuller writes in the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The games are back, and so are the picks. Hold your applause. Every Thursday this fall, I'll forecast what will happen in the Big Ten.

Last year, I went 71-17 (80.7 percent) during the regular season. That's all you need to know.


THURSDAY


Indiana 27, Eastern Kentucky 17: The pistol offense gets off to a slow start, but Indiana's defense contains Eastern Kentucky and buys time for Ben Chappell and Co. to get going. Running backs Demetrius McCray and Darius Willis have a big night and the Hoosiers rack up five sacks as they open new-and-improved Memorial Stadium with a win.


SATURDAY


Ohio State 38, Navy 10: The Mids receive the greeting they deserve from Buckeye Nation, but the reception on the field will be different. Ohio State's defensive line is disciplined enough to stop the triple option, and Navy doesn't appear to be as strong as it has been in past years. Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor has a nice debut in the win, and Dan Herron has a big day on the ground.


Penn State 45, Akron 17: Joe Paterno returns to the sideline and enjoys the view as running back Evan Royster opens with a 150-yard effort in the opener. Akron quarterback Chris Jacquemain and his veteran wide receivers make some plays against an iffy Nittany Lions secondary, but Penn State pulls away in the second quarter and never looks back.


Northwestern 34, Towson 6: Those expecting a drop-off from Northwestern forget that defense carried this team in 2008 and will do the same this fall. Towson's offense has major question marks and manages just two field goals against the Wildcats, who start slow on offense but pick things up in the second half behind quarterback Mike Kafka and freshman running back Arby Fields. Towson allowed more than 230 rush yards a game last fall.


Michigan State 31, Montana State 13: The Bobcats from Bozeman aren't pushovers, having upset Colorado in 2006 and keeping things close for a while against Minnesota last year. Standout defensive end Dane Fletcher makes some plays early, but Kirk Cousins eventually gets on track and uses his many weapons at wide receiver and tight end. Spartans backup quarterback Keith Nichol also logs time and performs well, keeping the competition tight heading into Week 2.


Minnesota 31, Syracuse 21: One of the more intriguing Week 1 matchups goes to the Gophers, who struggle a bit early amid the hoopla over Doug Marrone's Syracuse debut and Greg Paulus' return to football. Paulus makes a play or two against the Minnesota defense, but Adam Weber and a dynamic group of Gophers wideouts steal the show. Eric Decker and Hayo Carpenter each catch two touchdowns as Minnesota pulls away in the third quarter.


Purdue 31, Toledo 24: Some tense moments in head coach Danny Hope's debut at Purdue, but the Boilermakers prevail thanks to a solid rushing attack led by Ralph Bolden and Jaycen Taylor. Toledo's offense returns plenty of veterans and moves the ball against an iffy Purdue front seven. Bolden turns the tide early in the fourth quarter with a long touchdown run.


Iowa 28, Northern Iowa 9: Iowa needs its defense to step up from the get-go, and the unit comes through against Northern Iowa, a formidable FCS opponent. Hawkeyes junior quarterback Ricky Stanzi displays obvious improvement and finds the rejuvenated Tony Moeaki for two touchdowns. The run game is so-so for Iowa, but it doesn't need much from Paki O'Meara and Adam Robinson in the win.


Michigan 28, Western Michigan 24: Popular opinion is going against the Wolverines after everything that happened this week in Ann Arbor, but Rich Rodriguez's crew finds a way to start 1-0. Tim Hiller and the Broncos have their way with Michigan's secondary in the first half, but Wolverines defensive end Brandon Graham turns the game with a sack and a forced fumble early in the third quarter. Quarterbacks Tate Forcier, Nick Sheridan and Denard Robinson make enough plays against a vulnerable WMU defense.


Illinois 44, Missouri 38: The Illinois-Missouri matchup usually oozes offense, and this year will be no exception. But Juice Williams gets the final say against Sean Weatherspoon and the Tigers, as he finds four different receivers for touchdowns. Sophomore running backs Jason Ford and Mikel LeShoure both show improvement as a dynamic Illini offense secures a big win in the Edward Jones Dome.


Wisconsin 30, Northern Illinois 23: The Huskies are on the rise under second-year coach Jerry Kill and boast a dangerous quarterback in sophomore Chandler Harnish. Wisconsin worries me a bit on both sides of the ball, but running backs Zach Brown and John Clay should have a big day against an NIU defense that lost star Larry English. It'll be tight for a while, but I can't see the Badgers losing a night game at home.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The sixth installment in a series examining the best and worst outcomes, within reason, for each Big Ten squad.

BEST CASE

The run game resurfaces, the defense plays takeaway and Minnesota restores its tradition in a new on-campus stadium.

Despite a change in offensive philosophy, Minnesota revives its run game and balances things out by attacking defenses with a deep and talented wide receiving corps, led by Eric Decker and Hayo Carpenter. Junior quarterback Adam Weber stays healthy, limits interceptions and operates the new scheme flawlessly with help from backup MarQueis Gray. The defense continues to pile up takeaways, replaces its lost pass-rushing production and does a better job of finishing games. Return specialist Troy Stoudermire sizzles and Minnesota replaces its starting kicker and punter.

Minnesota never wants to see the Metrodome again, but the team looks at ease in the Carrier Dome for its opener against Syracuse. Cedric McKinley makes Greg Paulus wish he'd stuck to hoops by sacking the Orange quarterback four times. The Gophers roll 41-10 and return home to open TCF Bank Stadium. Freshman linebacker Sam Maresh, who returned to football following open heart surgery last summer, leads the team onto the field as a deafening roar greets the players. Despite the emotions of the stadium opener and a tricky opponent (Air Force), Minnesota keeps its composure and improves to 2-0.

Heisman Trophy candidate Jahvid Best leads Cal into the Twin Cities on Sept. 19, but Minnesota running backs Duane Bennett, DeLeon Eskridge and Kevin Whaley end up stealing the show, piling up 285 rush yards against the Bears. Best turns in a typical performance, but the Gophers catch Cal's defense napping and win a shootout, 41-38. Entering the Top 25 for the first time, Minnesota visits Northwestern, a team that has dealt it back-to-back heartwrenching losses. This time, Minnesota prevails in dramatic fashion, as a Decker touchdown pass from Weber wins the game in overtime.

Minnesota reclaims Paul Bunyan's Axe the next week, as safety Kim Royston, a transfer from Wisconsin, knocks the 'W' decal off John Clay's helmet on a big hit. The Gophers improve to 6-0 with a homecoming blowout of Purdue before stumbling on the road against Penn State and Ohio State.

Heading into the home stretch, Minnesota splits against Michigan State and Illinois but crushes South Dakota State to improve to 8-3. The Gophers then head to Iowa City and avenge a 55-0 loss as Decker has a big day at Kinnick Stadium. The loss drops Iowa to 6-6.

At 9-3 and ranked in the Top 25, Minnesota moves on to the Outback Bowl, builds a huge lead against Georgia and doesn't blow it for its first Jan. 1 bowl victory since 1962. Decker wins the Biletnikoff Award, cornerback Traye Simmons is a finalist for the Thorpe Award and head coach Tim Brewster receives a lengthy contract extension.

WORST CASE

The offense stalls, the defense struggles, the stadium buzz vanishes and Minnesota endures another irrelevant season.

Despite returning more experience than any Big Ten team, Minnesota struggles with the scheme changes and the bad habits that hurt the team last season resurfaces. Jedd Fisch's pro-style system doesn't click with the offensive linemen, who struggle to create room for the running backs or buy enough time for Weber to attack downfield. The defense records its share of takeaways, but it struggles to contain the pass and doesn't generate much pressure up front without defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg.

Minnesota starts the season in the wrong place -- a domed stadium -- and suffers a mental meltdown against an inferior Syracuse team. The buzz around head coach Doug Marrone's first game and Paulus' first start at quarterback spurs the Orange, while the Gophers repeatedly hurt themselves with mistakes. Paulus throws for three touchdowns and runs in the game-winning score, dunking the ball over the goalpost to secure a 30-24 victory. The Gophers look a bit rattled the next week amid the hoopla over TCF Bank Stadium, but they survive against Air Force.

Reality returns as Best runs wild against the Minnesota defense and Cal rolls to a 48-14 victory. A week later, Northwestern hands Minnesota another brutal loss, this time by blocking a 25-yard field goal attempt as time expires to prevail 24-23. Wisconsin retains the axe as Clay and Zach Brown combine for 310 rush yards, dropping Minnesota to 1-4.

After beating Purdue, Minnesota suffers back-to-back blowouts against Penn State and Ohio State. Weber is under constant duress and has to leave the Ohio State game with an injury. Gray doesn't fare much better as the Buckeyes roll. The heat begins to rise on Brewster as the Gophers begin a three-game homestand. They find a way to go 2-1 but end the season on a down note against Iowa, which posts another shutout against its archrival.

The Gophers miss a bowl for the second time in two years under Brewster, who suddenly uses far fewer exclamation points in his tweets. Athletic director Joel Maturi decides to give Brewster one more year, but it's clear that a winning record must be posted. The team's recruiting takes a step back and Brewster does some more staff shuffling. Iowa wins the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl, and Wisconsin reaches a Jan. 1 bowl.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Last season, Troy Stoudermire essentially had one job to do for Minnesota, and he did it awfully well.

Stoudermire led the Big Ten in kickoff returns with 1,083 yards, averaging 25.8 yards per runback for the Gophers. The 5-10, 183-pound Texan recorded seven returns of 35 yards or longer, including a 60-yarder against Kansas in the Insight Bowl.

Kick returns remain part of Stoudermire's repertoire this fall, but he's got a lot more on his plate.

Stoudermire also will handle punt returns and see more time as a wide receiver after recording only three receptions in 2008. And Minnesota plans to use his explosiveness in the ever-popular Wildcat formation, where Stoudermire will be the trigger man.

"We put in Wildcat as soon as we came back from the summer," Stoudermire said Friday. "That will be a great package. I'll be taking snaps from the shotgun."

The do-it-all role isn't foreign to Stoudermire, who contributed in multiple ways for two high schools in Dallas. Though he made his mark as a rusher, Stoudermire passed for 1,104 yards and seven scores in his final two prep seasons.

"In high school, I played quarterback all the time, so it's not really a big deal," he said. "It's just getting down the snaps and learning the Wildcat package."

Stoudermire emerged as a multi-dimensional player during spring ball and racked up 274 all-purpose yards, including 180 on returns, in the spring game. Minnesota's wide receiving corps looks fairly loaded as All-America candidate Eric Decker returns from playing baseball and heralded junior college transfer Hayo Carpenter joins the mix.

The Gophers return seven of their top eight receivers from last season but still need a legitimate No. 2 target to complement Decker. Stoudermire hopes to fill that role.

"It feels great to be working at receiver," Stoudermire said. "It's something I love to do, catch the ball and run routes. I just love to run. This summer, we worked really hard at learning everything, going over the techniques, doing drills.

"Now all I've got to do is get on the field and play fast. I know everything now, so it's getting real dangerous for our opponents."

Stoudermire surprised himself by leading the league in kick returns as a true freshman, but he didn't get complacent during the offseason.

"I watched a lot of film, learning where the cuts are, where the holes are," he said. "I saw a lot of things I missed last year that I will not miss this year. I watched a lot of film of [Chicago Bears wideout/returner] Devin Hester. All he does is hit the wedge full speed. I'll try to do that every single time I get the rock."

Open-field running is the easy part for Stoudermire, but like his teammates, he must master a new offensive scheme. The Gophers will run more of a pro-style offense under coordinator Jedd Fisch after operating in the spread the last two seasons.

For Stoudermire, all he sees is opportunity.

"They have me all over the place," he said. "It's been real fun for me, learning the offense, getting to move around in every position and learning everything."

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Official practice reports are few and far between in the Big Ten -- I'm definitely jealous of ACC blogger Heather Dinich -- but several teams put together some notes on the early workouts.

Here are a few tidbits from around the league.

WISCONSIN (Tuesday's practice)

• One notable thing from the position drills was the defensive backs were putting a lot of emphasis on catching whatever was thrown their way from assistants Randall McCray and Kerry Cooks. During one of the interception drills, if a player dropped a ball, they had to do push-ups, much like the wide receivers had to do during spring practice. I only noticed three players doing push-ups during the drill.
• After the position work, the Badgers broke down onto 7-on-7 drills and punters Brad Nortman and Ryan Wickesberg had the opportunity to punt in special teams work. Aaron Henry and David Gilreath worked as the punt returners and after that, the team did a tempo drill to work on getting substitutions from the sideline and in and out of the huddle at a fast pace.
• Offensive linemen Bill Nagy and John Moffitt were both kept out of practice today, but they were seen riding on the stationary bikes.
• Freshman wide receiver Kraig Appleton had a lot of throws coming his way, but the most impressive one came during the freshmen vs. freshmen drill. Jon Budmayr found Appleton, who was heavily defended at the sidelines, but caught the pass and broke the defense before going out of bounds.

MINNESOTA (Tuesday's practice)

• The passing game is coming along. Junior Hayo Carpenter showed some very sticky hands on a couple of passes that maybe shouldn't have been caught. One day after a dropped pass on what could have been a big gain, sophomore Brandon Green made a great diving catch along the far sideline for a 30-plus yard gain. Last but not least, in seven-on-seven drills, senior Eric Decker got free down a seam in the defense and out-ran the secondary to the end zone.
  
• Cornerback Traye Simmons had a big day defensively. Simmons put together quite a nice sequence late in practice, during some team scrimmage work. In the span of four plays, he tallied a pick and a pass break-up. Simmons grabbed the interception on a tipped ball and got the PBU by knocking away a pass that looked like it would surely come down in the hands of Decker.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

As most Big Ten blog readers know, I'm a pretty big Adam Weber fan. He has been put under some pretty tough circumstances at Minnesota and performed well, passing for 5,656 yards and 39 touchdowns in his first two seasons as the starter. Though Minnesota's program remains a work in progress, Weber has proven himself as a leader and shown his toughness, leading the Gophers past Illinois last October just six days after undergoing knee surgery.

	Scott Boehm/Getty Images
	Adam Weber threw for 2,761 yards and 15 TDs last season.

After operating in the spread offense for two years, Weber will run a new system this fall under coordinator Jedd Fisch. He was limited this spring following left shoulder (non-throwing) surgery, but he's 100 percent entering camp, which began Monday.

Check out some of Weber's thoughts on the upcoming season:

How does it feel to be back on the field again?

Adam Weber: It felt great. We're all a little anxious after spring ball because we left a lot of plays out there. Watching tape, we didn't really execute to our abilities. We took a lot of time this offseason to watch tape and really put things together so we could come out here in this practice and hit the ground running, which I believe we did.

You have the most experienced team in the Big Ten and you're probably dealing with the most change as far as new coaches and scheme. Does it help with the learning curve that you guys are older?

AW: If we were a very young team, we'd be hurting pretty bad right now. But with the amount of veterans we have on the team, we can really throw anything at them because we're all kind of used to it at this point. With the veteran group, there's a commitment level they understand. It's not easy learning a new offense and trying to get used to a new coordinator, but all it takes is time. It's just a matter of how much time do you want to put in. We all sacrificed this summer to give time up here at the complex so we can be really explosive.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The preseason position rankings march on with the wide receivers and tight ends.

The Big Ten wasn't known for its air show last year, as only Illinois ranked among the top 25 nationally in pass offense. But most would agree the league boasts two of the nation's elite wide receivers in Illinois' Arrelious Benn and Minnesota's Eric Decker, as well as a good crop of tight ends led by Wisconsin's Garrett Graham. The overall landscape at wideout/tight end should improve this fall.

1. Illinois -- An easy choice for the top spot as Illinois boasts by far the league's best crop of wide receivers. Benn aims for a second consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season and hopes to increase his touchdowns total. Florida transfer Jarred Fayson enters the mix and should make a major impact along with Jeff Cumberland. Senior tight end Michael Hoomanawanui is one of the league's more underrated players.

2. Minnesota -- Decker certainly headlines the group and will finish his career as arguably the most decorated wide receiver in team history. But he's not alone. Junior college stud Hayo Carpenter arrives and will play alongside Brandon Green, Ben Kuznia, Da'Jon McKnight and Troy Stoudermire, who should play a much bigger role in the passing game after working more at receiver this spring.

3. Michigan State -- The Spartans return virtually everyone from a receiving corps that had some decent moments last fall. Blair White and Mark Dell both have All-Big Ten potential, and the team will look for more production from Keshawn Martin and B.J. Cunningham. The real story here is the depth at tight end. No Big Ten team boasts more as Charlie Gantt and Clemson transfer Brian Linthicum lead the way.

4. Wisconsin -- Much like Michigan State, Wisconsin brings back the core from a group that endured ups and downs in 2008. Graham enters the fall as the Big Ten's premier tight end and has Lance Kendricks and Mickey Turner behind him. The improvement at wide receiver should be the biggest difference for Wisconsin. Nick Toon could be a star this fall, and Kyle Jefferson, Isaac Anderson and David Gilreath all return. 

5.  Ohio State -- The Brians (Robiskie and Hartline) are gone, but Ohio State could be more explosive at wide receiver this season. Though Ray Small's academic situation creates some uneasiness, DeVier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher form a nice 1-2 punch. Ohio State should be better at the tight end position with the Jakes (Ballard and Stoneburner).

6. Michigan -- This group didn't have much of a chance to shine last fall, but things should be different in 2009. The big-play potential is there with Martavious Odoms, Greg Mathews and Darryl Stonum, and redshirt freshman Roy Roundtree had a solid spring. Tight end Kevin Koger could be a very effective weapon if Michigan throws to him more. 

7. Iowa -- There are some question marks here, namely Tony Moeaki's health and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos' practice performance, but it wouldn't surprise me if Iowa climbed the list. Moeaki could bring a huge spark at tight end after the loss of Brandon Myers. Johnson-Koulianos will be motivated after his depth-chart demotion, and converted quarterback Marvin McNutt has impressed the coaches.  

8. Penn State -- I'm sure I'll hear it from Nittany Nation (as I usually do), but the loss of three multiyear starters takes a pretty big toll. It wouldn't shock me one bit if Derek Moye, Graham Zug, Brett Brackett and Chaz Powell don't miss a beat, but I need to see them excel in more featured roles. Tight end Andrew Quarless has tons of talent but needs to put it all together this fall.

9. Purdue -- The Boilers usually find a way to succeed at wide receiver, but they lose a lot in Greg Orton, Desmond Tardy and running back Kory Sheets, an excellent pass-catcher. Keith Smith steps into the No. 1 spot after recording 49 receptions last fall, but he'll need help from Aaron Valentin, converted cornerback Royce Adams and junior college import Keith Carlos. Purdue should be much better at tight end as Kyle Adams returns. 

10. Northwestern -- The program needs to prove it can reload after losing three multiyear starters (Eric Peterman, Ross Lane, Rasheed Ward). Northwestern has had high hopes for converted quarterback Andrew Brewer, but he's struggled to stay healthy. The Wildcats will lean on Brewer, junior Sidney Stewart and sophomore Jeremy Ebert, who performed well last fall. The superback position might finally be featured as Drake Dunsmore returns from a knee injury.

11. Indiana -- Last year's leading receiver (Ray Fisher) likely will start at cornerback, while the man expected to be the No. 1 (Kellen Lewis) was dismissed after spring ball. There are some major questions here, but you've got to like Indiana's young wideouts Damarlo Belcher and Tandon Doss. Sophomore tight end Max Dedmond could be a player to watch this fall.  

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

1. Eric Decker will lead the Big Ten in receiving yards for the second straight year -- The Gophers senior will have more help around him this fall as junior college transfer Hayo Carpenter joins a mix that includes Brandon Green, Ben Kuznia, Da'Jon McKnight and Troy Stoudermire. Opposing defenses will have a hard time doubling Decker, and quarterback Adam Weber will consistently find his good friend for 8- to 12-yard completions. Decker will contend for the Biletnikoff Award and leave Minnesota as the most accomplished receiver in team history.

2. Minnesota will be a better team with about the same record -- The Gophers boast loads of experience on both offense and defense, but their schedule looks significantly tougher than it was a year ago. None of the first three nonconference games (Syracuse, Air Force, Cal) are guaranteed wins, and Minnesota's Big Ten road schedule is brutal (Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa). Add in a new system on offense and a new coordinator on defense, and the Gophers will be a better team with the same record as last year, or worse.

3. MarQueis Gray will challenge Weber for playing time -- I'm a huge fan of Weber's and so is head coach Tim Brewster, but it will be tempting to get Gray more touches this fall. If the freshman continues to build on a strong spring, he'll see the field early at either quarterback or wide receiver. Minnesota will employ a special package of plays for Gray, but if the offense struggles for long stretches, the talented 6-foot-4 quarterback will get the opportunity to play more.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

One day closer to actual football. The offseason is waaaay too long. 

• Purdue quarterback Robert Marve discusses the knee injury that should keep him limited for the entire fall, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
  
• A pictorial look at Michigan State's projected starters, which include Kirk Cousins at quarterback and true freshman Edwin Baker at running back, courtesy of the Detroit Free Press. 
• Ohio State fans who bought early tickets to the Toledo game in Cleveland got caught in a common ticketing scheme, Rob Oller writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
  
• Michigan linebackers coach Jay Hopson likes what he sees from Jonas Mouton and Obi Ezeh, Mark Snyder writes in the Detroit Free Press. 
• Another classic Joe Paterno moment, this time when he passed Bear Bryant on the career coaching wins list, Bob Flounders writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News.
• The contract for Wisconsin's 2010 matchup against San Jose State is nearly complete, Andy Baggott writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.
  
• Ohio State recruit Darryl Baldwin could play either defensive end or tight end in Columbus, Tim May writes in The Columbus Dispatch.  
• In case you missed Marc Morehouse's position-by-position breakdown of the best Iowa players during the Kirk Ferentz era. 
• Heralded junior college wideout Hayo Carpenter has arrived at Minnesota, the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press' Marcus Fuller writes in his blog.
  

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

You didn't think I'd forget to get the mail, did you?

Matt from Pensacola, Fla., writes: Hey Adam, I was reading the article on the Elite 11 and noticed that Daryll Clark has bulked up to 240 with 3% body fat. I no longer live in PA and haven't seen much of PSU for a while, especially any of the players. Have you seen him recently? If so, does he look like he bulked up? Do you think that the increase in body mass will effect the way PSU runs the Spread HD? I know it could help him power the ball more, but as a QB, should that be the route he should be looking at, especially with the lack of experience at backup? If he gets injured, the season could be over. Great job on the blog by the way.

Adam Rittenberg: I haven't seen Daryll for a while, Matt, but he'll be at Big Ten media days next week. I'll definitely let you know how he looks, but I know colleague Bruce Feldman was blown away by how massive Clark has gotten during the offseason. That's a pretty amazing physique, and Penn State will need it to hold up given its lack of depth behind Clark. Some might say 240 is too big, but Terrelle Pryor is 238 and I don't hear any complaints there. I like what Clark has done during the offseason. Penn State should still be very careful with how much they run him this fall, but he can definitely take a beating with that body.

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Cory from Columbus, Ohio, writes: I would like to see a schedule of when each school begins their summer practices (and the more details for each school's camp that can be included, so much the better)Perhaps I have not been looking in the right place or not looking hard enough, but I have yet to see such a list.If such a list can be made, I think many would appreciate it.

Adam Rittenberg: Yep, you missed it from a few weeks back, but not to worry. Here's the schedule for nine teams and the remaining two.

(Read full post)