ESPN College Football

We looked at the recruiting needs for the Legends division earlier today. Now let's take a look at what the teams are looking for in the Leaders division.

As a reminder, I tried to look at positions that have depth issues for the 2011 and/or the 2012 seasons.

ILLINOIS

Linebacker: Martez Wilson's early departure to the NFL leaves a void at middle linebacker, and Illinois also says goodbye to playmaker Nate Bussey and reserve Aaron Gress. Ian Thomas comes back and Jonathan Brown showed a spark, but Illinois has to rebuild some depth in its defensive midsection.

Wide receiver: Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino wants to run the ball, but quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase showed in the Insight Bowl that he can be an effective passer. A.J. Jenkins returns to serve as Scheelhaase's No. 1 option in 2011, but Illinois needs other pass-catching options to emerge.

Quarterback: The Illini have lost two scholarship quarterbacks (Jacob Charest and Chandler Whitmer) in each of the past two seasons, creating a depth issue behind Scheelhaase. Given Scheelhaase's style of play, Illinois needs other options under center and must address this position with this class.

INDIANA

Secondary: The Hoosiers simply haven't had enough Big Ten-ready defensive backs in recent seasons. This might be a recruiting need for several years as Indiana has to begin building a talent base in the secondary.

Quarterback: Kevin Wilson has done wonders with quarterbacks at his previous coaching spots, but he needs talented players who can flourish in his system. Ben Chappell's departure leaves Indiana with no proven options at quarterback. Although the Hoosiers bring back all of their reserves, they should keep looking for the right answer under center.

OHIO STATE

Wide receiver: All-Big Ten receiver Dane Sanzenbacher departs, and DeVier Posey is suspended for the first five games of 2011, pending appeal. Ohio State hasn't developed much depth at wideout in recent seasons, and a capable freshman could put himself into the mix.

Quarterback: Ohio State needs someone to take the snaps during Terrelle Pryor's suspension, and it's unknown whether Joe Bauserman or Kenny Guiton will be the answer. The Buckeyes also must address life after Pryor in this recruiting class.

PENN STATE

Offensive line: The Lions began addressing this need with last year's class and will continue to do so with the 2011 crop. Getting the offensive line in order is the biggest key to Penn State reclaiming a place among the Big Ten title contenders. Penn State loses standout guard Stefen Wisniewski and will have more departures after the 2011 season, so building depth is paramount.

Defensive line: Penn State lacked a dynamic pass rusher in 2010 and could bolster the end spot, but it can't neglect the defensive tackle position, either. Ollie Ogbu departs and Devon Still will be gone after the 2011 season. Although Jack Crawford returns at end, the depth there could be enhanced through recruiting.

PURDUE

Running back: The Boilers should avoid a depth disaster like the one they endured in 2010, but they can't take any chances, either. Coach Danny Hope and offensive coordinator Gary Nord want to run the ball a lot and they need more options to emerge around Ralph Bolden and Al-Terek McBurse. There are opportunities for freshmen to emerge here.

Tight end: Purdue should be fine at receiver in 2011, but it loses starting tight end Kyle Adams, the team's top pass catcher, as well as backup Jeff Lindsay. Expect the Boilers to address the tight end position in the 2011 class, as it is a big part of the plan on offense.

WISCONSIN

Secondary: The Badgers lose a multiyear starter at safety in Jay Valai this season, and three more starters (safety Aaron Henry and cornerbacks Antonio Fenelus and Devin Smith) will depart after the 2011 season. It's important to start building depth with this class.

Wide receiver: Wisconsin benefits from Nick Toon returning for his senior year, but the overall depth at receiver isn't great. David Gilreath, Isaac Anderson and Kyle Jefferson all depart and with Toon gone after the 2011 season, the Badgers need to find playmakers to complement Jared Abbrederis.

Pass rusher: J.J. Watt's early departure to the NFL draft creates a potential depth issue at defensive end. Returning starter Louis Nzegwu and David Gilbert both are good options, but the Badgers are young and unproven after those two. Young players like Beau Allen will take on bigger roles in 2011, and the team could use an incoming player or two to emerge.

Eighth in a series examining key players departing, staying and arriving at Big Ten schools.

Going ...

Arrelious Benn, WR: He never reached the heights many thought he would after winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2007, but Benn still led Illinois in receiving yards for three consecutive seasons. Illinois' inconsistent offense hurt Benn last season, but his obvious talent and presence on the perimeter will be missed as the Illini transition to a new system under coordinator Paul Petrino this fall.

Jon Asamoah, OG: Like Indiana's Rodger Saffold, Asamoah was one of the Big Ten's more underrated linemen, in large part because his team struggled. But Asamoah provided a veteran presence up front and had the combination of superior skill and intelligence. The NFL clearly liked what it saw in Asamoah, a third-round draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in April.

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Staying ...

Martez Wilson, LB: Wilson's 2009 season never got on track as he missed all but one game with a herniated disk in his neck. He seemed to be settling in well as the team's middle linebacker last summer and has a chance in 2010 to have the breakout season many have been waiting for. Wilson has the size and the skills to be special, but he's got to get it done on the field.

Clay Nurse, DE: Nurse was a presence on the defensive line down the stretch last season, leading Illinois in sacks (5.5), tackles for loss (10.5) and quarterback hurries (3). He's got the personality and attitude to be a valuable leader along the front four this fall, as Illinois tries to improve a group that ranked last in the Big Ten in sacks (19) in 2009.

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Coming ...

Chandler Whitmer, QB: Jacob Charest's post-spring departure puts Whitmer, a true freshman, in the backup role behind Nathan Scheelhaase. Good thing that Whitmer enrolled early and went through spring practice with Petrino and the other quarterbacks. He drew praise from the coaches and displays good maturity both on and off the field.

Earnest Thomas, S: The one-time UCLA commit could be a factor right away in a secondary that has some competition but few lock-down certainties. The 6-1, 195-pound Thomas was highly recruited coming out of Michigan and will help Illinois at a position (safety) that hasn't be secure since Justin Harrison and Kevin Mitchell departed following the 2008 Rose Bowl.

More revolving door ...

• Indiana
• Michigan State
• Wisconsin
• Penn State
• Purdue
• Ohio State
• Minnesota

Hail to the team
The stadium rings as everyone sings,
The Scarlet and Cream.
Cheers for a victory, echo our loyalty;
So, on mighty men,
The eyes of the land, upon every hand,
Are looking at you.
Fight on for victory.

• If a Big Ten invitation to apply comes Nebraska's way, the Huskers likely would accept, colleague Andy Katz reports. Tom Osborne has Nebraska on a path to the Big Ten, Steven Sipple writes the Lincoln Journal-Star. A move to the Big Ten would please Nebraska's eggheads as well, Matthew Hansen and Leslie Reed writes in the Omaha World-Herald.
• The Big Ten's final expansion should include Nebraska, Notre Dame and Rutgers, and forget the rest, Teddy Greenstein writes in the Chicago Tribune. Perhaps Nebraska will only be Step 1 in the Big Ten's expansion push, Greenstein writes.
• Thoughts on Missouri's situation from the Columbia Daily Tribune's Dave Matter. Missouri has until June 17 to make a decision, Vahe Gregorian writes in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• Get ready for at least two super conferences, CBSsports.com's Dennis Dodd writes.
• Demar Dorsey tells mgoblog that he'll re-open his recruitment if he can't get in to Michigan.
• Indiana athletic director Fred Glass weighs in on expansion, from The (Bloomington) Herald-Times (subscription required).
• Illinois coach Ron Zook talks about quarterback Jacob Charest's departure from the team, Chris Hine writes in the Chicago Tribune.
• Iowa officials are far from the center of the expansion talks, Marc Morehouse writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• If students behave badly at Wisconsin games, they can lose their season tickets, Andy Baggot writes in the Wisconsin State Journal. Former Badgers star Ron Dayne gets his stolen rings back.

Paul Petrino left a comfortable situation at Arkansas for a potentially unstable one at Illinois because he wanted to see how he fared as an offensive coordinator outside the shadow of his big brother, Bobby.

Petrino wanted a challenge. It's safe to say he's got one with Illinois in 2010.

Jacob Charest's decision to leave the team and return home to North Carolina leaves Illinois with just three scholarship quarterbacks for the 2010 seasons. Three quarterbacks with zero game experience, I might add.

Illinois made the right call last week when it named redshirt freshman Nathan Scheelhaase as its starting quarterback entering the 2010 season. Scheelhaase separated himself in the quarterback competition this spring and deserved the right to enter summer workouts as the leader of the offense.

Still, it would have been nice to have Charest around. He knows what its like to start a Big Ten game, having done so against Northwestern last fall. Charest appeared in four contests in 2009, completing 28 of 56 passes for 382 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

It's worth nothing that Charest's decision to leave reportedly was made before Illinois named Scheelhaase the starter. According to The (Champaign) News-Gazette, he wanted to be closer to his family in Charlotte, N.C.

Would Charest likely have seen the field at some point for Illinois this fall? The odds favor it, especially with a redshirt freshman starter at quarterback.

Chandler Whitmer, who impressed the coaches this spring but remains a true freshman, now moves into the backup role. Incoming freshman Miles Osei apparently will be the No. 3 quarterback.

Illinois might have to reconsider the role of senior Eddie McGee, projected to be a full-time wide receiver this season. McGee served as the team's backup quarterback for the better part of the last three seasons, completing 58 of 111 passes for 806 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in his career. He has to be an option at quarterback, if only in an emergency role.

Charest isn't a major loss, but his departure gives Illinois a little less insurance at the most important position on the field. It also increases the challenge for Petrino and his offensive staff.

No one who spent time around the Illinois Fighting Illini this spring will be surprised by today's announcement that Nathan Scheelhaase will enter the season as the team's starting quarterback.

Scheelhaase clearly separated himself from teammates Jacob Charest and Chandler Whitmer during spring ball. Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino gushed about the redshirt freshman when we visited in late April. All that remained was an official announcement, which came a day after head coach Ron Zook returned from his USO tour to visit troops.

“Following spring ball, our coaching staff had some time to review the quarterback situation and felt Nathan proved himself as a leader both on and off the field,” Zook said in a statement. “He showed the ability to run coach Petrino’s offense at a high level, and we thought it was important to establish Nathan as a team leader entering summer workouts."

There was really no need for Illinois to wait any longer, especially as it enters a pivotal season where roles need to be defined as quickly as possible. Scheelhaase has no game experience and will endure some growing pains this fall, but he brings a leader's mentality and a good skill set to the table.

I have questions about his passing ability and durability -- Scheelhaase is listed at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, but that seems a bit generous -- but his attitude, athleticism and maturity are immediately recognizable and impressive. Not every quarterback who runs Petrino's offense needs to look like Ryan Mallett, and the folks at Illinois hope Scheelhaase can eventually resemble former Louisville star Stefan LeFors.

"He's a lot like Stefan," Petrino said. "Very similar players. He's faster than Stefan was, and he's a redshirt freshman. Stefan didn't play until his redshirt junior year. You just see things they do, the way [Scheelhaase] moves around on the play-action, a lot of the plays he does well were plays that Stefan does well, so a lot of that stuff really reminds you of him."

Again, don't expect mistake-free football from Scheelhaase, who threw two interceptions and took three sacks in Illinois' spring game. When you have a totally new offense and a quarterback with no game experience, there will be some bumps along the way. Illinois will need the guys around Scheelhaase, namely running back Mikel LeShoure, to step up their play.

Time is of the essence for an Illinois team and a coaching staff that must win in 2010, so there was no need to delay this decision any longer.

Illinois

2009 overall record: 3-9

2009 conference record: 2-6 (9th)

Returning starters


Offense: 5, defense: 6, kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

RB Mikel LeShoure, WR Jarred Fayson, LT Jeff Allen, DT Corey Liuget, DE Clay Nurse, LB Ian Thomas, LB Martez Wilson, CB Tavon Wilson

Key losses

QB Juice Williams, WR Arrelious Benn, LG Jon Asamoah, TE Michael Hoomanawanui, WR Jeff Cumberland, DE Doug Pilcher, S Garrett Edwards

2009 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Mikel LeShoure* (734 yards)

Passing: Juice Williams (1,632 yards)

Receiving: Arrelious Benn (490 yards)

Tackles: Ian Thomas* (95)

Sacks: Clay Nurse* (5.5)

Interceptions: Garrett Edwards, Tavon Wilson*, Russell Ellington*, Doug Pilcher, Terry Hawthorne* (1)

Spring answers

1. Scheelhaase steps up: Illinois didn't announce its starting quarterback this spring, but anyone who watched practice or talked with the coaches knew that redshirt freshman Nathan Scheelhaase took the lead. Scheelhaase is an exceptional athlete who shows good maturity and made big plays in several spring scrimmages. He still needs work as a passer but brings some dynamic skills to the backfield.

2. Jenkins emerges at receiver: A.J. Jenkins nearly left Illinois after a disappointing 2009 season. He comes out of spring practice as the team's No. 1 wideout and a potential successor to Arrelious Benn. Jenkins was "a changed man," according to head coach Ron Zook, and clicked immediately with new offensive coordinator/receivers coach Paul Petrino. He should be a major asset for the new starting quarterback this fall.

3. Defensive line builds depth: Illinois loses veteran defensive lineman Doug Pilcher but the squad should be better and deeper up front in 2010. Zook singled out defensive tackles Akeem Spence, Glenn Foster and Daryle Ballew for their play this spring. They join returning starters Corey Liguet and Clay Nurse, who participated in everything but full-contact drills this spring following shoulder surgery. Liuget and Nurse are natural leaders up front, and if Josh Brent returns from his academic struggles, Illinois could be very good along the line.

Fall questions

1. Quarterback: Jacob Charest isn't out of the race for the top job, but he'll need to close the gap with Scheelhaase during the summer and early in preseason camp. True freshman Chandler Whitmer is also in the mix, though the coaches say he's behind Charest and Scheelhaase. Illinois has some good leadership at other spots (receiver, defensive line, linebacker), but it must identify the No. 1 guy at the top position on the field.

2. Offensive line: Corey Lewis' torn ACL could be a big blow for a group adjusting to a new offense and new assignments for the guards and tackles (strong side/weak side). Illinois needs a strong preseason camp from Ryan Palmer, the favorite to fill the starting spot opposite Jeff Allen. The Illini need to run the ball with their talented backs and protect their young quarterbacks as well as they can, so building chemistry along the line is huge.

3. Safety squeeze: I still think Illinois' defense hasn't been the same since safeties Kevin Mitchell and Justin Harrison departed following the 2007 season. The Illini look pretty solid at cornerback with Tavon Wilson, Terry Hawthorne and several others, but the safety spot remains a question mark. Travon Bellamy and Supo Sanni are the top options coming out of spring, but they must continue to be pushed, especially if Walter Aikens isn't reinstated.

The spring game recap series ends with Illinois, which wrapped up spring ball Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

The defense controlled the first part of the scrimmage before the offense came on strong late behind running backs Mikel LeShoure and Jason Ford, who combined for 228 rushing yards and three touchdowns. LeShoure, who finished the 2009 season on a strong note, finished spring practice the same way, elevating hopes for Illinois' rushing attack this fall.

Not surprisingly, the quarterbacks took center stage but had mediocre to poor results. Nathan Scheelhaase, the clear front-runner for the starting job, completed 11 of 20 passes for 126 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Jacob Charest, the only candidate with game experience, really struggled with two picks and just two completions on eight pass attempts. True freshman Chandler Whitmer, an early enrollee who the coaches say is behind both Scheelhaase and Charest, had the best performance, completing 7 of 8 passes for 43 yards and a touchdown for the Blue team. Whitmer also took four sacks.

Illinois likely won't officially name a starter until August, but if Scheelhaase holds onto the top job, he should have some help on offense with the two running backs and wide receiver A.J. Jenkins, who capped a strong spring with six receptions for 95 yards in the spring game.

The Illini defense played without several key pieces -- linebacker Martez Wilson, end Clay Nurse, cornerback Miami Thomas -- but received a strong performance from the line. Tackle Glenn Foster ended a very good spring with nine tackles, including three for loss and two sacks.

Illinois also got production from its new "Bandit" position, an outside linebacker/defensive end hybrid spot. Michael Buchanan, the team's projected starter at the Bandit, recorded nine tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks, while backup Nate Palmer added two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery.

Other Illini nuggets:

• The big negative from Saturday was the knee injury to starting offensive tackle Corey Lewis, who tore his ACL and will undergo surgery. Lewis' status for the 2010 season is unknown, and Illinois will have to fill his spot.
• Head coach Ron Zook saw growth from linebacker Aaron Gress this spring, and the senior finished strong with seven tackles, one for loss, and an interception in the spring game.
• Safety Nate Bussey and cornerback Tavon Wilson both recorded interceptions, and linebacker Justin Staples had two tackles for loss, including one sack.
• Former backup quarterback Eddie McGee is playing wide receiver these days, but he saw some time at his old position Saturday. Illinois introduced the "D.C. package" -- McGee is a Washington D.C. native -- and had McGee take the snap with the quarterback lined up as a receiver. Scheelhaase certainly has the athleticism to excel as a receiver, so this could be a dangerous weapon for Illinois this fall.
• Ball security will continue to be stressed after Illinois committed seven turnovers (four interceptions, three lost fumbles) in the spring game. Jenkins, return man Terry Hawthorne and Charest all coughed up the ball.
• Derek Dimke continues to lead the competition at kicker and connected on the only field goal attempt of the spring game, a 44-yarder in the second quarter.

Illinois has issued its post-spring depth chart, although the list includes one player who likely won't suit up this fall. There's no official link available, but The (Champaign) News-Gazette has the rundown.

Junior offensive tackle Corey Lewis, a contender for a starting spot on the strong side opposite Jeff Allen, suffered a torn ACL in Saturday's spring game and will undergo surgery in the near future. Lewis is listed as the starting strong-side tackle on the post-spring two-deep, but Ryan Palmer now moves into the top spot. Keep in mind that Illinois will use an unbalanced line with strongside and weak side guards and tackles.

Other depth chart nuggets:

• Nathan Scheelhaase and Jacob Charest are listed as co-starters at quarterback, although it's clear that Scheelhaase emerged from spring ball as the frontrunner for the job.
• Walt Aikens, indefinitely suspended following his arrest Friday on felony possession of stolen property charges, is listed as the backup strong safety behind Travon Bellamy.
• Mikel LeShoure is the No. 1 running back ahead of Jason Ford, and while both players will get their share of touches this fall, LeShoure has a chance to be special if he can build on his performance from late last season.
• It's interesting that veteran Clay Nurse is listed as a co-starter at defensive end with sophomore Whitney Mercilus. Nurse underwent offseason shoulder surgery and did everything but full contact drills this spring. Head coach Ron Zook praised Nurse's play and calls him a leader on defense, so Mercilus must have really made an impression.
• Zook singled out defensive tackles Akeem Spence, Glenn Foster and Daryle Ballew for their play this spring, and it's reflected on the depth chart. Foster is listed as a starter at one spot, while Spence and Ballew are co-backups behind veteran Corey Liuget.
• Michael Buchanan is the starter at the new "Bandit" position, a rush end or linebacker-end hybrid, ahead of Nate Palmer.
• Derek Dimke is listed as the starting placekicker ahead of Matt Eller, although the competition should continue there.
• The starting wide receivers are Jarred Fayson, A.J. Jenkins and converted quarterback Eddie McGee. Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino called Jenkins the team's No. 1 wideout this spring.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase first learned about Stefan LeFors in the same way most of us did.

When LeFors blew up as Louisville's quarterback and became a household name in 2004, Scheelhaase, then a middle schooler in Kansas City, followed his story.

"His senior year, ESPN did a special on him," Scheelhaase said. "He spoke sign language because his parents were deaf. I watched that and then I watched this guy and he's a little, 5-[foot-]10 nothing, 180, 185 pounds, and I think they were the No. 1 offense in the country that year."

Scheelhaase is once again watching LeFors, but for very different reasons. Illinois' offense is now under the direction of coordinator Paul Petrino, who served as Louisville's offensive coordinator during LeFors' record-setting run.

Petrino's offense can accommodate different types of quarterbacks -- Ryan Mallett, an NFL style, rifle-armed, drop-back passer, excelled in the system last season at Arkansas -- but it's pretty easy to identify the paradigm for Scheelhaase, an elite athlete who, like LeFors, won't scare anyone with his size.

"He's a lot like Stefan," Petrino said. "Very similar players. He's faster than Stefan was, and he's a redshirt freshman. Stefan didn't play until his redshirt junior year. You just see things they do, the way [Scheelhaase] moves around on the play-action, a lot of the plays he does well were plays that Stefan does well, so a lot of that stuff really reminds you of him."

It's high praise for Scheelhaase, but Petrino has high expectations for the quarterback in 2010. Although Illinois hasn't formally named a starting quarterback -- Scheelhaase competed with Jacob Charest and Chandler Whitmer throughout spring practice -- it's fairly obvious that Scheelhaase is the man to beat entering the summer.

The 6-3, 195-pound redshirt freshman took most of the reps with the first-team offense this spring, and made several big plays with both his arm and his feet in four scrimmages.

"Nathan is a fiery guy; he's a really good leader," Petrino said. "He's just a great competitor, and he's going to do whatever it takes to win. He does a real good job running with the ball, making plays. He's worked hard to understand the passing game. He's got a nice, quick release, he knows where he's going with the ball and he's getting more accurate every day.

"If he can do that, we'll be in great shape."

Head coach Ron Zook saw the same fire from Scheelhaase (pronounced SHEEL-house) on the scout team last year, as the true freshman never backed down from the first-team defense. Senior wide receiver Jarred Fayson described Scheelhaase as "a bit before his time" in how he carries himself and his approach to the game.

"A competitive attitude is good to have every day, whether you're a fourth-year starter or you're just trying to get on the field for the first time," Scheelhaase said. "You want yourself to be perfect when you're doing things like that. You don't want to have a bad play, have a bad practice or anything because you want to compete with yourself, compete with others around you and on a bigger level, you want to be better than your opponents."

He admitted having "first-day jitters" at the start of spring ball, well aware of what was at stake following the graduation of Juice Williams, a four-year starter at quarterback. Scheelhaase knows he still must absorb more of Petrino's offense, but he built confidence throughout the spring and brings some versatility to the position.

And while he never shies away from competitive situations, he also doesn't get weighed down by Illinois' unsettled situation at quarterback.

"You're running with blinders on," he said.

And down the road, he hopes to catch up with LeFors.

"He's a fun guy to watch," Scheelhaase said. "He ran their offense well, ran it with confidence. If I can be in his ballpark, if anybody can be in his ballpark, it would be great because he was a great college quarterback."

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When it comes to rebuilding projects, the Illinois Fighting Illini have a huge one in front of them.

But it's clear that the attitude has changed around here, thanks mainly to the new assistants that head coach Ron Zook hired during a tumultuous winter. I'll have more on this next week, but new coordinators Paul Petrino and Vic Koenning have increased the level of accountability for a team that has, quite frankly, been one of the nation's biggest underachievers the past two seasons.

I had a chance to speak with players and coaches and watch a portion of practice Wednesday afternoon -- a scrimmage session was closed to media -- and here are some quick thoughts.

• Zook likely won't officially name a starting quarterback until fall camp, but it's very clear that Nathan Scheelhaase is the guy. Scheelhaase brings excellent athleticism to the position -- Petrino likens him to former Louisville star Stefan LeFors, a player he helped coach -- and is making strides as a passer. Jacob Charest also has done some good things, and while Chandler Whitmer is a bit behind the other two, Zook said the early enrollee has really benefited from going through this spring session.
• Zook said Illinois' defensive leaders are linemen Clay Nurse and Corey Liuget, Martez Wilson and Ian Thomas at linebacker and cornerback Tavon Wilson, who has had a "superb spring," in the secondary. The head coach also recognized defensive linemen Akeem Spence, Glenn Foster and Daryle Ballew for their play this spring. Linebacker Aaron Gress also has come on strong the last week or so. "A lot of times, those junior college guys, it's that the second year that they turn it on," Zook said. Wilson and Nurse are being held out of contact following surgeries, but both have performed well.
• The secondary has a few question marks, but Zook said sophomore cornerback Terry Hawthorne, nicknamed "black cat," continues to step up, along with corner Patrick Nixon-Youman. Cornerback Miami Thomas has started doing some individual work as he works his way back from a torn ACL in his left knee. Sophomore Joelil Thrash is seeing time at both safety and corner and has been impressive.
• Petrino thinks the offensive line can be a strength this fall and recognized tackle Jeff Allen and sophomore Graham Pocic, who moved from guard to center, for their play this spring. "He gives us some size and some strength in there that helps us both in the running game and the passing game," Petrino said of Pocic. "That's been a pleasant surprise."
• I'll touch on this more next week, but the defense is really getting back to the basics. "The fundamentals were so far out of whack," Koenning said. "Our tackling leaves a lot to be desired, and every day we have a normal practice, we're spending an exorbitant amount of time not on X's and O's. There's so many things we've got to cover, but if you can't tackle, it doesn't really matter."

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When A.J. Jenkins left campus for winter break, he didn't think he'd come back.

Jenkins, like the rest of his Illinois teammates, endured an extremely disappointing 2009 season. As part of a wide receiving corps billed as arguably the nation's best in the summer, Jenkins recorded only 10 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown in eight games played. He had one more reception, three times as many touchdowns and more than double the number of receiving yards as a true freshman at Illinois.

Rumors swirled that Jenkins would transfer, and for a while, they were true.

"Obviously, I was very frustrated," Jenkins said. "I didn’t want to come back. I wanted to play closer to home."

The Jacksonville, Fla., native began researching SEC and ACC schools as possible transfer destinations. He wanted to play in a pro-style offense, rather than the scheme Illinois had run in 2009, which seemed to waste players like All-America candidate Arrelious Benn and tumbled to 87th nationally in passing after finishing 20th in 2008.

But Jenkins didn't cut off ties with Illinois or head coach Ron Zook as he weighed his options.

"Last year was tough on everybody," Zook said, "and we had several long talks. I understood where he was coming from. Most players go through some form of that, and when you have the type of year that we had and you're successful, you begin to feel, 'I'm not going in the direction that I need to be going.'"

Zook's support made a difference in Jenkins' decision to return to Illinois.

"Usually, when players try to transfer, [coaches] say, ‘I don’t want you back,’" Jenkins said, "but coach Zook kept calling me over the break, kept on telling me they still wanted me this year. That was the main thing."

Since making his choice to remain at Illinois, Jenkins hasn't looked back. He stood out in the winter program and carried over his performance to spring practice, where Illinois has been installing a new offense with several unproven quarterbacks.

The 6-foot, 185-pound Jenkins has clicked with new offensive coordinator Paul Petrino, who talked to the junior the first day he was hired.

"He's been the best receiver this spring," said Petrino, who recruited the Jacksonville area and remembered Jenkins as a high school standout. "A.J.'s been a great worker. He can be a real good player for us. Sometimes, change is good."

While researching transfer possibilities back home in December, Jenkins also did some checking on Petrino, hired Dec. 14 to replace Mike Schultz. Jenkins saw a coach who employed a receiver-friendly system, had some NFL experience and had helped wideouts like Harry Douglas reach the next level.

"The reason I was trying to transfer [was] to go to a coach with a long résumé of good, positive aspects, so you can’t get any better than this," Jenkins said. "He’s a coach that I didn’t have before, as far as pushing you to the limit in everything, as a player and as a man."

Jenkins recorded receptions of 50 and 22 yards in Illinois' second scrimmage of the spring, as he's trying to build chemistry with quarterbacks Nathan Scheelhaase, Jacob Charest and Chandler Whitmer. Zook also points out Jenkins has improved his blocking.

Zook sees a tougher player in Jenkins, and a potential team leader for 2010.

"He's a different person," Zook said. "

As for the outlook for this fall, Jenkins wants everyone to stay tuned.

"I’m a person that doesn’t hold any expectations," he said. "I don’t have any boundaries, so just look on Saturday."

For the Illinois Fighting Illini's young quarterbacks, getting hit is just the start.

Illinois is allowing quarterbacks Jacob Charest, Nathan Scheelhaase and Chandler Whitmer to take on contact this spring. The three survived Saturday's scrimmage without injury, and will go live again in another scrimmage this week and in the spring game April 24 at Memorial Stadium. Although head coach Ron Zook admittedly is a bit nervous about seeing his quarterbacks shedding the no-contact jerseys, he and his assistants believe it's necessary.

In fact, Illinois' new-look offensive staff is doing all it can to make April feel like October for the quarterbacks.

"We’ve just got to get them as much game-type experience, live action, as they can get, and simulate the game as much as we can so they’re tested and ready to go when the season comes," Illini quarterbacks coach Jeff Brohm told me. "This is a sport where tough guys play. You’ve got to be tough, you’ve got to be physical, you’ve got to be able to take a little criticism. You’ve got to be able to handle it when things go wrong, how you’re going to respond.

"And the players have responded."

Brohm admits it's a work in progress and doesn't downplay the situation in Champaign. Illinois has a new offensive coordinator in Paul Petrino, three new offensive assistants and a new offensive system. Of the three quarterback candidates, only Charest, a sophomore, has experience at the college level, after playing in four games (starting one) last season.

Brohm also provides honest assessments of each quarterback at this stage:

Charest: "More of your drop-back passer, not real mobile."

Scheelhaase: "Extremely athletic, can run, just not a very polished passer at this point, and it’s not his strength."

Whitmer: "He's not real big. He throws the ball extremely well, but he’s not real mobile."

Petrino's offense ideally wants a quarterback who can sling the ball and operate in an NFL-style system. Ryan Mallett certainly met those demands last year at Arkansas, and it's why he's considered the nation's top quarterback prospect for the 2011 NFL draft. At Illinois, the coaches are prepared to adjust the scheme to fit their personnel, and Brohm said the quarterbacks will throw on the move and run some zone read, as they did under the previous regime.

Scheelhaase and Charest both made big plays in Saturday's scrimmage, and while Scheelhaase has generated the most buzz this spring, Zook said, "they've all had their days when they've had the upper hand."

When will the coaches decide on a starter? The sooner, the better. Zook wants to find the quarterback who best learns from his mistakes this spring.

"We do have a lot of young guys, and right now, it’s hard to tell who’s going to be the guy," Brohm said. "We would like to do it by the end of the spring, but that’s not going to be a guarantee. We're going to make sure we make the right decision."

Brohm doesn't expect the quarterbacks to be hit in fall camp, citing the injury risk so close to the season. But from now until Sept. 4, when Illinois meets Missouri in St. Louis, the quarterbacks will be challenged every possible way in practice.

"We just want them to get under the fire and see what it’s really like out there," Brohm said. "We’re trying to demand the best and make sure that they leave this field knowing, ‘I put myself in the game situation every single rep I had, and pretended the pressure was on the line.’

"If we do that, then we’ve done everything we can.”

Saturday was scrimmage day around the Big Ten, as teams from State College to Minneapolis engaged in several forms of game-like simulations. Though no Big Ten team has officially held a spring game -- five are on tap Saturday -- these scrimmages are often just as important, if not more so.

Nine of the 11 Big Ten teams provided media access and/or statistics from Saturday's scrimmages. Michigan's official Web site has some video and tidbits from Saturday's 115-play closed scrimmage, and Mgoblog has a few reports as well. Iowa's official site also has some video and interviews from Saturday's scrimmage.

Here are some tidbits from the other nine scrimmages, from reports around the league:

ILLINOIS

Illinois let its quarterbacks get hit Saturday, but the offense delivered most of the damage. Nathan Scheelhaase continued to make a strong case for the starting job with a 40-yard run, a 30-yard touchdown pass to Zach Becker and a 22-yard pass to A.J. Jenkins. Jacob Charest also remains very much alive in the QB race and connected on several long passes, including a 50-yarder to Jenkins. The running game also looked good as Mikel Leshoure had a 65-yard run. Cornerback Tavon Wilson provided a defensive highlight by picking off a Scheelhaase pass. It's encouraging to see this type of progress from Illinois' offense, which lost several key pieces from 2009 and returns virtually no experience at quarterback.

INDIANA

Defense is the primary focus for IU this spring, and the unit stepped up in Saturday's scrimmage, holding the offense to only one touchdown. Defensive tackle Adam Replogle recorded two sacks and three tackles for loss, and linebacker Jeff Thomas, a junior college transfer, forced a fumble. Safety Kyle Dietrick recorded the lone interception of the scrimmage. The Hoosiers continue to see good things from freshman running back Antonio Banks, who had 42 rushing yards and a touchdown Saturday. The backup quarterback competition continued as Dusty Kiel recorded a touchdown pass and a 35-yard completion, while Edward Wright-Baker completed 8 of 10 pass attempts. Nick Zachery, who moved from safety to wide receiver just last week, had four catches for 46 yards.

MICHIGAN STATE

The Spartans' defense rallied to win the jersey scrimmage as a secondary that struggled mightily last fall saw two players, Marcus Hyde and Mitchell White, return interceptions for touchdowns. Hyde picked off starter Kirk Cousins, while White intercepted an Andrew Maxwell pass and raced 40 yards for a touchdown. Cornerback Chris L. Rucker also had a big day with an interception, a pass breakup and a tackle for loss. Michigan State's defense got a big lift from end Denzel Drone, who stuffed Edwin Baker on fourth-and-1 from the 1-yard line to seal the win. Cousins completed 19 of 30 passes for 188 yards with two touchdowns, including a 30-yarder to Keith Nichol, and two interceptions. Maxwell, who played some with the first-team offense, threw for 199 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Wide receivers Keshawn Martin (12 catches, 109 yards), Bennie Fowler (nine catches, 84 yards, 48-yard rush) and Nichol (four catches, 70 yards) stood out.

(Read full post)

I recently got a note asking about this and wanted to let you know that I am on Twitter (have been for a while). So follow me (@ESPN_Big Ten).

Onto the links:

• Penn State signed the Big Ten's top recruiting class in February, but Joe Paterno isn't paying much attention to the freshmen this spring, Kevin Gorman writes in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. A video recap of Penn State's first spring practice from The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News. Paterno isn't in a rush to make position decisions, Neil Rudel writes in The Altoona Mirror.
• Ohio State opens spring practice with huge expectations for the 2010 season, Tim May writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
• Jacob Charest has the most experience among Illinois' quarterbacks, but he'll be pushed for the starting job this spring, Chris Hine writes in the Chicago Tribune. Hope springs eternal for an Illini turnaround in 2010, Loren Tate writes in The (Champaign) News-Gazette.
• Some good tidbits and video from Iowa's practice Wednesday.
• The center position is front and center for Purdue this spring, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
• While injuries have sidelined John Clay and Montee Ball, Zach Brown continues to show up at running back for Wisconsin, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.

Without doing a scientific study, I'd guess that quarterback competitions account for at least 50 percent of the preseason discussion in college football. Until a starter is officially announced, we all want to know about practice progress, candidate separation, leadership ability and skill sets.

At least two Big Ten quarterback races should hold our attention, according to colleague Bruce Feldman.

Feldman breaks down the top 10 quarterback competitions of the spring, and both Penn State and Illinois made his list. Penn State aims to replace Big Ten co-MVP Daryll Clark and has three young candidates -- Kevin Newsome, Matt McGloin and Paul Jones -- in the mix this spring. Another heralded recruit, Robert Bolden, arrives this summer.

Illinois loses four-year starter Juice Williams and will turn to Jacob Charest, Nathan Scheelhaase or Chandler Whitmer. Eddie McGee, the team's former backup quarterback, will focus on playing wide receiver.

Penn State comes in at No. 6 on Feldman's list. He writes: "Newsome saw limited action last year, but still has the most seasoning of the bunch. Jones, the early enrollee, has impressed teammates with his arm. Newsome runs well and is such a good athlete that, like Clark once upon a time, people thought he'd made a good linebacker or safety."

Illinois comes in at No. 9, and Feldman writes: "The most experienced option is Charest, who started two games last year. Keep an eye on Whitmer. I was impressed by him when I saw him at the Elite 11. And he is already impressing his coaches out there, too."