ESPN College Football

The receiver discusses the team's new offense, the quarterbacks, and a wide open Leaders division.

Penn State opens spring practice without Joe Paterno for the first time in decades Monday. New coach Bill O'Brien, who's won some supporters by the way he has recruited and carried himself of late, will conduct his first official practices. I recently caught up with O'Brien for a brief preview of the Nittany Lions' spring:

Are you settled in now as the Penn State coach?


Bill O'Brien: I'm settled in. We had a good winter, and we're ready to go for spring. We've got a bunch of really good kids want to be coached and want to play well and win. So I'm settled in.

We'll get to spring practice in a second, but first I wanted to ask you about how well you've recruited the past couple of months. I know you can't talk about specific recruits, but how have you been able to sell the program through some difficult times?


O'Brien: We just talk about Penn State. We talk about our vision for the football program here. We talk about the university. There are 160 majors to choose from here. It's just a great college town, we have a 108,000-seat stadium, a tremendous football facility, a great, brand-new weight room, and a great indoor facility. We just sell Penn State, and there's a bunch of things about Penn State to sell. The student body, the coaching staff here, the players on our football team here. So all we do is talk about Penn State.

How has the reception to that pitch gone?


O'Brien: We feel good about the reception. Again, this is a special place that obviously people recognize and have great respect for, so we've gotten a good reception.

What are your main objectives this spring?


O'Brien: We want the kids to understand how fast we want to play, the tempo we want to play at. We want to get in our base systems on offense, defense and special teams, and we want these guys to understand how we want them to play football. We want them to play fast, play hard, play tough, be situationally smart. So those our are goals.

The players have been doing things this offseason to learn the offense, so how far along do you expect them to be when you get started?


O'Brien: It will be baby steps. We'll put it in one day at a time. We're not in a rush to get a bunch of things in. We're just in a rush to find out who our best football players are, so that's what we'll begin to do on Monday.

How much do you really know these players?


BO'B: I really know them from winter workouts and just speaking to them in my office. I've been very impressed with this group. We have about 124 guys on the team and we have a bunch of hard-working guys. I've been very impressed and proud to be associated with them.

Let's talk about the quarterback situation. Is it a true open competition this spring?


O'Brien: Yeah, its definitely an open competition. Every position on the team is an open competition. Now, obviously guys who have experience have the upper hand because they've played, but nobody has a starting position right now. Guys are going to get a bunch of reps, we're going to play fast and we'll evaluate the roster as we go along.

What are you looking for in a quarterback?


O'Brien: He's got to be a good decision-maker. He's got to be accurate when he throws it. He's got to take care of the football. He's got to have really good knowledge of defensive alignments, the coverages and fronts and pressures. He's got to be a good leader. He's got to mentally tough and physically tough. That's basically what I'm looking for.

Two spots that were hit hard by graduation were the secondary and the offensive line. What's the outlook like for those positions this spring?


O'Brien: I feel good about both those positions. I made a couple of position moves to move some guys over to the secondary, and you guys will get that when we start spring practice. So we've got better numbers over there. And I feel good about the offensive line. We've got four guys on that offensive line that are dean's-list students. We've got smart guys guys that play hard and love Penn State, and so I feel good about both positions.

How about the receiver position, where Derek Moye was the No. 1 guy last year?


O'Brien: It's tough to replace a guy like Derek Moye, and I wish he had more eligibility. But we feel very good about our receiving corps. We've got Justin Brown, Shawney Kersey, Devon Smith, Brandon Moseby-Felder and Christian Kuntz. We've got a number of guys with good size that can run. And they've got two jobs: get open and catch the ball. So we'll see how that goes as we go through spring.

You're going to be very involved on offense, so how will you split your time this spring in practice?


O'Brien: We've got a great staff on offense and on defense, so I'll be able to be involved with every facet of the football team, absolutely no problem.

Have leaders emerged yet from this offseason?


O'Brien: There's a lot of leaders. There really are. We have a lot of good kids. Once you come back and ask me that after spring, I'll have a better feel. But I think we've got the potential to have a lot of strong leaders on this team.

How do you replace Devon Still on defense? Can you do it with just one guy?


O'Brien: It's hard to replace a guy like Devon Still. He's a potential first round draft pick. But we feel really good about our defensive line that exists right now with Jordan Hill, DaQuan Jones, Pete Massaro, Sean Stanley, James Terry, C.J. Olaniyin. I could go on and on. We're deep up front.

How much will we be seeing you use the tight ends in your offense, even in spring practice?


O'Brien: Yeah, we'll definitely be using the tight ends quite a bit.

Lastly, how do you think the team has responded this offseason during winter workouts and other activities?


O'Brien: I've been very impressed with this football team, just with their work ethic. I'm proud to be their coach. Now we've got to put it out on the field and see how it translates to playing football. But to this point, I've been very impressed with them.

The Danny O'Brien tour is in full swing.

O'Brien, the former Maryland quarterback, reportedly visited Penn State during the weekend. After a midweek stop at Ole Miss, O'Brien will head to Wisconsin, according to The Badger Nation's Benjamin Worgull. Wisconsin also is in the mix for another quarterback transfer, former Kansas signal caller Jordan Webb, who is exploring Colorado as well.

It's no secret that both Penn State and Wisconsin could really, really use another quarterback. Wisconsin must replace first-team All-Big Ten signal caller Russell Wilson and might not be able to count on the injury-plagued Jon Budmayr and Curt Phillips. Penn State's quarterback situation has been messy the past two seasons, and while Matthew McGloin, Rob Bolden and Paul Jones all remain with the team, the Lions really could use a guy like O'Brien.

Both Big Ten schools face competition for O'Brien's services, particularly from SEC suitors Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, but they also offer exciting opportunities for the former ACC rookie of the year.

Let's take a look at the sales pitches Wisconsin and Penn State might make to O'Brien.

Wisconsin's pitch: Remember this guy? He made a seamless transition from an ACC program to Wisconsin, setting team and NCAA records in leading the Badgers to a second consecutive Big Ten title and Rose Bowl appearance. He flourished in a pro-style offense that will remain in place despite a coordinator change. You can be the next Russell Wilson, Danny. And like Russell, you'll step into an offense built to succeed. You might have heard of this guy. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist last season, and he chose to return for his senior year. You won't share a backfield with a better running back than Montee Ball, Danny. You also won't play behind a better offensive line. Sure, we lose some All-Americans, but we did after the 2010 season and didn't take any steps back. Our offensive lines always are among the nation's elite. You'll also be working with a proven receiver in Jared Abbrederis and an excellent tight end in Jacob Pedersen. Still not convinced? You might have heard of the "Jump Around." It's pretty sweet. So is State Street. Come to Madison, Danny, and help Wisconsin defend its Big Ten championship.

Penn State's pitch: You might have heard of this guy. Sure, he's a Michigan guy, but our new head coach, Bill O'Brien, served as his offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots this past season and helped the Patriots to some record-setting performance. O'Brien knows quarterbacks, and he can help you take your game to the next level. Bill O'Brien can revolutionize the quarterback position at Penn State. You won't find better preparation for the NFL than two years in O'Brien's offense, which will test you mentally. Doesn't O'Brien coaching O'Brien have a nice ring to it? Plus, you'll share a backfield with one of the nation's most dynamic young running backs in Silas Redd. Receiver Justin Brown returns, and the tight end position should be significantly upgraded under O'Brien, who helped make Gronk a cult hero. You also can play before 106,000 people in one of the nation's best college towns. This is a historic time at Penn State, Danny. Be a part of the next chapter.

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

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

And away we go:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As we count down the days before spring practice, we're taking a look at how each Big Ten team will replace key players on their depth charts. We're picking two departed players who left big shoes to fill and identifying who might be ready to do that filling.

Up next, Penn State.

BIG SHOES TO FILL: Devon Still, DT

Why: It's never easy to replace the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. Still was the epicenter for Penn State's defense, a disruptive force who regularly required double teams. He recorded 17 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, but his value went far beyond the numbers. As Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald noted before his team faced Penn State, Still causes "complete and total chaos in the backfield." Although Penn State has shown it can reload up front, it will miss No. 71.

Replacement candidates: Jordan Hill (6-1, 297, Sr.); DaQuan Jones (6-3, 312, Jr.); James Terry (6-3, 317, Sr.); Evan Hailes (6-1, 303, So.)

The skinny: Hill will start at one defensive tackle spot, but I include him here because he'll need to increase his production to help account for Still's departure. Jones and Terry served as the backup defensive tackles in 2011 and combined for 18 tackles and a quarterback hurry. Jones has played both inside and outside but is clearly suited to the defensive tackle spot. Hailes came in as a decorated recruit but battled a blood clot issue last spring and appeared in only two games last fall. Penn State's best bet is to have an All-Big Ten type season from Hill and generate depth at the other tackle spot.

BIG SHOES TO FILL: Derek Moye, WR

Why: While Moye didn't have the year some had hoped, Penn State's problems at quarterback had a lot to do with it. He's a big body (6-5) who could stretch the field and outjump defensive backs for the ball. Moye led the team in receptions (40), receiving yards (654) and receiving touchdowns (3) in 2011, and was the team's top receiver in 2010 and 2009 as well. He's a three-year starter at a position that doesn't have much proven depth entering the 2012 campaign.

Replacement candidates: Justin Brown (6-3, 213, Sr.); Devon Smith (5-7, 155, Sr.); Shawney Kersey (6-1, 198, Jr.); Brandon Moseby-Felder (6-2, 191, Jr.)

The skinny: Penn State really needs Brown to move into the No. 1 receiver role Moye occupied for the past three seasons. Brown showed some flashes in 2011, recording 35 receptions for 517 yards, but he also had some key drops. Smith contributed 25 receptions, but Penn State had no other receiver record more than five catches. It'll be a huge spring for players like Kersey, Moseby-Felder, Bill Belton and Curtis Drake to take their games to the next level and give Penn State some additional options at receiver.

The Big Ten had four 1,000-yard receivers in 2011, all of whom are graduating.

In fact, the league loses its top five receivers -- Iowa's Marvin McNutt, Illinois' A.J. Jenkins, Michigan State's B.J. Cunningham, Northwestern's Jeremy Ebert and Wisconsin's Nick Toon -- and returns just two of its top-10 pass catchers (Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis and Iowa's Keenan Davis). But the departures don't necessarily mean the Big Ten will be scrambling for elite wideouts in 2011.

Consider: of the league's top-10 receivers last fall, only four of them -- Ebert, McNutt, Penn State's Derek Moye and Minnesota's Da'Jon McKnight -- ranked in the top 10 the previous season. So there are receivers who take their game to the next level every season. Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis might have been the best example this past fall, as he caught 35 more passes and recorded 644 more receiving yards than he had in 2010.

Who will break out in 2012? Again, we're talking wide receivers here, not tight ends, of which there are several talented ones in the Big Ten.

Colleague KC Joyner thinks the Hawkeyes' Davis will take the next step. Davis, pegged to be Iowa's No. 1 wideout following McNutt's departure, is among the players Joyner lists in a recent piece on breakout receivers.

He writes:

An optimist would note that McNutt really wasn't a dominant wideout (his 9.0 YPA was only slightly higher than Davis'), that [Ken] O'Keefe often called, as ESPN.com Big Ten blogger Brian Bennett noted, a "buttoned-down style of play" and that Iowa has a potential Big Ten first-team quarterback in James Vandenberg.

I recently mentioned Davis as one of the Hawkeyes who needs a big offseason to take the next step this fall.

Who are some other potential breakout receivers in the Big Ten?

• Penn State's Justin Brown: Quarterback is Penn State's top offseason priority, but the Lions also need more from the receiver position. Moye's departure puts Brown in position to be the team's No. 1 target in the passing game. Brown averaged 14.8 yards per catch in 2011 and has the size to beat defensive backs for the ball.
• Michigan's Roy Roundtree: Roundtree might not qualify as a breakout player as he already has turned in a productive season (72 receptions, 935 receiving yards, 7 TDs in 2010). But after a significant production drop-off last year, Roundtree needs to elevate his play for a Michigan offense looking for a No. 1 wide receiver.
• Purdue's Antavian Edison: We've seen flashes from Edison in his first two seasons, both as a rusher and as a receiver. He clearly has the ability to take another step after recording 44 receptions for 584 yards and three touchdowns last fall. While Purdue likes to get a lot of players touches on offense, it needs a No. 1 receiver after Justin Siller's departure and Edison has a great opportunity to be that guy.
• Michigan State's DeAnthony Arnett: Arnett's placement comes with a caveat, as he must attain approval from the NCAA to avoid sitting out a season. But if the Tennessee transfer can play this fall, look out. Michigan State loses its top three receivers and its top tight end from 2011 and needs targets for new quarterback Andrew Maxwell. Arnett had 24 receptions for 242 yards as a freshman at Tennessee and could take a big step forward with the Spartans.
• Nebraska's Kenny Bell: Bell showed a lot of promise as a true freshman, averaging 14.4 yards per reception with three touchdowns. He had three or more receptions in five of the eight Big Ten games and added three catches and a touchdown against South Carolina in the Capital One Bowl. The Huskers need a lot more from their receivers in 2012, and Bell could move into a featured role.
• Indiana's Kofi Hughes: I really liked Hughes after watching him last spring, but like many, I assumed Damarlo Belcher would be the team's No. 1 wide receiver and not wash out midseason. Hughes ended up leading Indiana with 36 receptions for 536 receiving yards. He's still relatively new to the position and could take a big step forward in Year 2 of the Kevin Wilson era, as pass-friendly offensive coordinator Seth Littrell arrives.

Our postseason rankings of each position group from the 2011 Big Ten season took a short hiatus last week as signing day madness placed its grip on all of us.

Never fear, though, as the rankings are back in full force today, moving on to the receivers and tight ends as we round out our offensive skill positions.

We're looking for depth and not solely star power at the top here. This is how the preseason rankings looked. Some of these groups were undoubtedly hurt by inexperienced or underachieving quarterbacks, so we had to figure out how to weigh their performances in that light. Let's see how the list shakes out after the year ended:

1. Michigan State: The Spartans had the best combo at wideout with seniors B.J. Cunningham, a physical deep threat and No. 1 receiver, and Keshawn Martin, a speedster who could do all sorts of different things in the offense. Together, they combined for 2,083 receiving yards and 16 touchdown catches. Keith Nichol provided a solid third option who made the catch of the year in the Big Ten, if not all of college football, against Wisconsin. Tight end Brian Linthicum had 364 yards receiving and played a key role in the Outback Bowl win over Georgia.

2. Wisconsin: Depth? Hardly. But the Badgers got the most out of their front-line players. Starting wideouts Nick Toon and Jared Abbrederis combined for 1,859 yards yard and 18 touchdowns. Eight of tight end Jacob Pedersen's 30 catches went for touchdowns. And don't underestimate the importance of the receivers and tight ends in the Wisconsin running game.

3. Northwestern: The Wildcats' wideouts likely would have put up better numbers if Dan Persa had stayed healthy all season. As it stood, Northwestern still got another outstanding year out of Jeremy Ebert (75 catches, 1,060 yards, 11 TDs). Kain Colter, when he wasn't playing quarterback or running the ball, managed 466 receiving yards. Demetrius Fields and Christian Jones were among the other contributors. First-team All-Big Ten tight end Drake Dunsmore was the team's No. 2 pass-catcher with 455 yards and six scores.

4. Iowa: Marvin McNutt was good enough to elevate this entire group. He led the Big Ten in receiving yards, finishing with 82 catches for 1,315 yards and 12 scores. Keenan Davis contributed 50 catches for 713 yards. But Davis and Kevonte Martin-Manley didn't help enough after strong starts to the season. Iowa didn't get a lot of production in the passing game out of its tight ends, either, with C.J. Fiedorowicz leading the way at 16 catches.

5. Michigan: The Wolverines didn't have any receivers finish in the top 10 in the league in the key categories, but what they had was a fairly deep group that knew how to go up and get Denard Robinson's throws. Though Roy Roundtree's numbers went way down from 2010, Junior Hemingway (699 receiving yards) emerged as a big-time playmaker. Jeremy Gallon came up with some key plays in huge spots as well. Tight end Kevin Koger gave Robinson a reliable safety valve and was a key cog in the offense.

6. Illinois: At first glance, A.J. Jenkins' tremendous numbers (90 catches, 1,276 yards, eight TDs) would make you think the Illini deserve to be ranked higher. But Jenkins did most of his work in the first half of the season; like the rest of the Illinois offense, his stats fell off a cliff in the second half. And he didn't have much assistance, as Spencer Harris and Darius Millines combined to record only half his number of catches. Jon Davis was the team's third-leading pass-catcher at tight end.

7. Purdue: It was quantity over star power for the Boilermakers, whose top four pass catchers — Justin Siller, Antavian Edison, O.J. Ross and Gary Bush — all had at least 29 receptions and 300 yards. Edison led the way with 584 yards. Tight ends Crosby Wright and Gabe Holmes combined for 29 catches. Purdue needs more playmaking ability from the tight end spot, something the team tried to address in this recruiting class.

8. Penn State: Evaluating the Nittany Lions receivers is tricky because the quarterback play was so inconsistent. Derek Moye was once again one of the most dangerous deep threats in the league, but a foot injury and an overall inability to get him the ball limited his production to 654 yards and only three scores. Justin Brown, who will likely be the team's go-to guy in 2012, put up good stats, while Devon Smith got a chance to flash his speed and averaged 16.1 yards per catch. The tight ends were rarely used in the passing game; expect that and a whole lot more to change under Bill O'Brien.

9. Nebraska: The Huskers must improve their overall passing game to take the next step as a program, and that includes a receivers group that had an up-and-down season in 2011. The good news is that Kenny Bell emerged as a potential star as a redshirt freshman. But Brandon Kinnie and tight end Kyler Reed failed to build on strong 2010 campaigns and were invisible for large stretches. Nebraska must hope Quincy Enunwa and Jamal Turner develop to go along with Bell.

10. Indiana: No one was more disappointing at this position in 2011 than the Hoosiers, whom we had pegged at No. 4 in our preseason list. DaMarlo Belcher, who led the league in receptions in '10, got himself booted off the team in midseason. Injuries hit the group hard as well. Kofi Hughes paced the group with 536 yards and found the end zone three times. Tight end Ted Bolser made only 14 receptions. We expected more from a Kevin Wilson offense.

11. Minnesota: Jerry Kill made finding playmakers at receiver a top priority in this recruiting class, and it's easy to see why. Da'Jon McKnight had a decent season (51, 760 and 4). After that, though, things dropped off quickly and the Gophers lacked players who could stretch the field. Tight end Eric Lair managed fewer than one-third the amount of catches he had in 2010.

12. Ohio State: Injuries, inexperience and suspensions combined to make this a difficult year for Buckeyes' receivers. No one had more than 14 catches all season, and no one topped 300 receiving yards. Things would have gone better if DeVier Posey hadn't been suspended for all but two regular-season games. Devin Smith showed potential as a true freshman, including his game-winning grab against Wisconsin. Tight end Jake Stoneburner scored seven times, but most of those came early in the year.

National Signing Day is barely a week away, and Big Ten teams will be stockpiling for the future (and, in some cases, the present). Today we'll take a look at the recruiting needs of each Big Ten team, starting with those in the Leaders division. These needs are based on current rosters and anticipated departures in the near future. And to save you some email time, we do realize teams have already addressed needs in compiling their 2012 classes.

Let's get started ...

ILLINOIS

Wide receiver: The Illini lose A.J. Jenkins, who accounted for 90 of the team's 226 receptions in 2011. No other Illinois player had more than 26 catches, so there certainly are opportunities for young players to emerge and make an immediate impact for the new coaching staff.

Linemen: Illinois loses two starters from an offensive line that struggled down the stretch of the regular season. It's important to build depth there going forward. Despite Whitney Mercilus' early departure to the NFL draft, the defensive line returns some talented players. Still, defensive end Michael Buchanan is entering his senior year, and defensive tackle Akeem Spence is a bona fide NFL prospect who could enter the draft with a strong 2012 campaign.

Safety: The Illini defense didn't have many weaknesses in 2011, but safety was a liability at times. The team returns experience for 2012, but will lose some key players after the season. An impact defensive back or two in the 2012 class would really help.

INDIANA

Defensive back: This has been a primary recruiting need for the past few seasons, and it remains a pressing concern after Indiana surrendered a league-worst 8.5 yards per pass and a league-high 26 passing touchdowns in 2011. Indiana needs impact players and depth among the back four to be able to limit Big Ten offenses.

Defensive front seven: Sense a theme here? Indiana needs defenders in the worst way, and the front seven is a huge piece to the puzzle. The Hoosiers return some experience at defensive tackle, but lose top linebackers Jeff Thomas and Leon Beckum. The coaches showed in 2011 that they're not afraid to play young players, and they need more contributors on the defensive side.

Quarterback: Starter Tre Roberson returns, but Indiana needs bodies here after Dusty Kiel and Ed Wright-Baker both opted to transfer earlier this month.

OHIO STATE

Offensive line: Three multiyear starters depart at center, left tackle and right tackle, so Ohio State's offensive line will have a very different look in 2012. The Buckeyes could use some immediate-impact linemen, like center Mike Brewster in 2008, and they'll look to build depth here.

Defensive end: Ohio State appears loaded at defensive tackle for 2012 and beyond, but the team needs some more pure pass-rushers on the edge. John Simon, who had four more sacks than anyone on the squad in 2011, will be a senior this coming season.

Wide receiver: The Buckeyes lacked reliable receiver options in 2011 and had their best wideout, DeVier Posey, for only three games because of suspension. Posey departs and Ohio State needs to build depth and increase competition in what should be a more wide-open offense under Urban Meyer.

PENN STATE

Quarterback: New coach Bill O'Brien might be the quarterback whisperer Penn State has waited for, but he also needs to upgrade the talent on the roster. Matthew McGloin and Rob Bolden both must make significant strides, and while Paul Jones is an intriguing player, we've yet to see him in a game. Penn State needs more options here.

Wide receiver: Top target Derek Moye departs, and Penn State returns only two players with decent but not great production in Justin Brown and Devon Smith. Brown looks like a potential impact player in 2012, but Penn State needs more options in the passing game.

Defensive back: Penn State loses all four starters, although returning players like Stephon Morris, Malcolm Willis and Adrian Amos have logged playing time. Still, the Lions need some more players here to build depth and increase competition.

PURDUE

Offensive line: This is one of few areas where Purdue loses a decent amount of production from 2011, as tackle Dennis Kelly and Nick Mondek both depart. Two more starters exit after the 2012 season, and Purdue wants to be a run-based offense. It's important to build some depth up front with the 2012 class.

Kicker: Purdue loses the bionic-legged Carson Wiggs, who did more than make field goals from ridiculous distances. He also kicked off and served as a backup punter, attempting 45 punts over the past two seasons. The versatile Wiggs leaves a major void, and Purdue must address the specialist spot.

Defensive back: The Boilers say goodbye to both of their starting safeties from the 2011 team. They also will lose starting cornerback Josh Johnson after the 2012 season, while Ricardo Allen might be an early entry candidate with a big junior year. While this isn't a pressing need right now, it could soon become one.

WISCONSIN

Quarterback: Russell Wilson saved Wisconsin in more than one way in 2011, and his departure is significant. The team's most experienced signal callers, Jon Budmayr and Curt Phillips, both are coming off of major injuries. Wisconsin typically doesn't play younger quarterbacks, but needs more options after a season where Wilson showed what the offense could be.

Wide receiver: The Badgers typically get by with 1-2 good wideouts and an excellent tight end or two, but they could use more depth at the receiver position. Top target Nick Toon departs, and Wisconsin is pretty thin at receiver aside from Jared Abbrederis.

Defensive speed: Oregon makes a lot of teams look slow, but the Rose Bowl spelled out what the Badgers must do to take the next step as a program. Wisconsin needs to upgrade its speed at all three levels of the defense, particularly the back seven, to prevent explosion plays. Michigan State also exposed Wisconsin's defense, so the need for speed certainly is there.

A big question going into today's TicketCity Bowl was whether Penn State would be motivated to play.

It's safe to say the Nittany Lions didn't show up against Houston in the first half.

The Cougars lead 24-7 at halftime, and it could be even worse if not for a missed field goal and a dropped pick-six opportunity. Houston had no fear of Penn State's ferocious defense and decided to go right after the Lions through the air. And boy has that worked.

Record-breaking quarterback Case Keenum has thrown for 381 yards on 45 attempts with three touchdowns in the first half. Keenum attempted 29 passes in the first quarter alone. His favorite target, receiver Patrick Edwards, has 201 receiving yards, including a 75-yard scoring grab late in the half when it looked like Penn State had started to build a little momentum. Remember that Penn State allowed just 162 passing yards per game in the regular season, so this is stunning.

Meanwhile, the Lions' offense has done next to nothing. Quarterback Rob Bolden, starting for the injured Matt McGloin, is just 2-for-10 for 55 yards. Tailback Silas Redd, who figured to have a big game against Houston's defense, has run for only 23 yards on nine carries. The Nittany Lions' points came after a big punt return by Justin Brown set them up with a short field. We knew this was a wild mismatch between offenses, but Penn State's defense has been vastly disappointing in all facets.

It's ugly all the way around for Penn State, which looks like it just wants to go back to State College and wait for a new head coach to be hired.

After Penn State's Week 2 loss to Alabama, coach Joe Paterno refused to pile on his beleaguered quarterbacks, saying the signal-callers "didn't get much help."

Although Paterno seemed to be dodging the obvious problem at the time, he wasn't lying, either. Penn State's receivers needed to step up for quarterbacks Matthew McGloin and Rob Bolden. Devon Smith dropped a perfectly thrown pass on the Lions' first play from scrimmage, and senior standout Derek Moye also had a case of the dropsies.

Moye responded well the next three weeks, recording at least six receptions against Temple, Eastern Michigan and Indiana while racking up 335 receiving yards and three touchdowns. But two days after Penn State's win against Indiana, the senior slipped on the stairs at his apartment and broke a bone in his left foot.

A Nittany Lions offense already with its share of concerns would be without its best pass-catching weapon for at least two weeks. How would Penn State's other receivers respond?

Pretty well, in fact.

In Penn State's first game without Moye, Justin Brown caught four passes for a career-high 86 yards as the Lions outlasted Purdue. And then Smith, the diminutive sophomore best known for accidentally running into JoePa at a preseason practice, emerged last Saturday night at Northwestern, recording career highs in receptions (six) and receiving yards (110) in a 34-24 win.

Both Smith and Brown recorded touchdown receptions against the Wildcats.

"Smith had a really good game," Paterno said. "He's got great speed. He's come to the front. Brown has always been a good receiver. He's been in the shadows of Moye, but Brown in his own right is a big-time receiver.

"So we're still in pretty good shape there."

Smith, often underestimated at 5-foot-7 and 155 pounds, admitted he did some soul searching after the Alabama game, questioning his ability to succeed at this level. He rebounded two weeks later with a 71-yard touchdown against Eastern Michigan and then had the big night against Northwestern.

The Lions' receivers knew they'd be needed during Moye's absence.

"Basically step up, that’s what we had to do," said Smith, a speedster who also plans to run track for Penn State's indoor team next season. "Step up for the team and the offense. ... Everybody's getting to showcase their talents more since Derek is gone. We're improving with that."

Brown, a 6-3 junior who should be Penn State's No. 1 receiver in 2012, has recorded at least three receptions in each of the past seven games. The Lions will lean on Brown and Smith -- and ideally, several others -- this week against Illinois as Moye remains out.

Penn State hopes to get Moye back after a bye week for a Nov. 12 showdown against Nebraska.

"Moye, obviously we're going to miss him because he's a leader," Paterno said. He's made catches in the clutch. He understands what it is to be in a tough football game. Some of these don't. Brown does. Smith is starting to get it. The more these kids play, the better they're going to be."

Penn State leading receiver Derek Moye is likely to be out until the Nov. 12 game against Nebraska, coach Joe Paterno said Tuesday.

Moye broke a bone in his left foot when he slipped on some stairs at his apartment last week. The original prognosis called for Moye to miss two games but be able to return for the Oct. 29 home game against Illinois. While Paterno said Moye was "anxious" to get back on the field, he said it's more likely that the senior would sit out the Illinois game. The Nittany Lions have a bye week the following week before playing Nebraska at home, giving Moye an extra week to heal.

Penn State has had its struggles on offense, particularly in the passing game, and Moye is its best weapon. The Nittany Lions will have to find other ways to move the football against Illinois and this week's opponent, Northwestern, both of whom have the potential to score a lot of points in a hurry. Justin Brown was the team's leading receiver last week against Purdue, catching four passes for 86 yards.

The Penn State offense already had problems moving the ball and finding the end zone. And now it must make do without arguably its best weapon.

Wide receiver Derek Moye will miss at least the next two games after breaking the fifth metatarsal in his left foot when he slipped on some stairs at his apartment. Nittany Lions officials say Moye could return for the Oct. 29 game against Illinois, but a broken foot is never a good injury for receivers. Who knows how quickly Moye will recover, or whether he'll be able to resume his full quickness and cutting ability.

Moye, a 6-foot-5 senior, is one of the best deep threats in the Big Ten. He's far and away the best receiver Penn State has, and he'll finish his career ranked among the best wideouts in school history. He has 28 catches for 485 yards and three touchdowns this season, numbers which would surely be better if the team's quarterbacks were playing more consistently well. Matt McGloin seemed to look for Moye and have a much better connection with him than Rob Bolden.

Only one other receiver on the Penn State roster has more than eight catches this year, and that's Justin Brown (19 for 225 yards). The junior will now be asked to take on a larger role in the offense as the No. 1 target in the passing game. Devon Smith and Bill Belton might have to increase their contributions as well.

For sure, it's a big setback for an offense that has averaged just 21.5 points per game and has scored a total of 29 points in its first two Big Ten games (albeit both were victories). Penn State must hope that the performance of its offensive line last Saturday against Iowa was a good sign of things to come and that it can rely heavily on its running game with Silas Redd. Tailback Brandon Beachum, out the past three games with a sprained foot, is also expected to return from injury this week, so that helps.

The Nittany Lions will remain favorites against Purdue, but the Northwestern game on Oct. 22 looks more challenging now. As poor as the Wildcats' defenses looks, their offense can put up points on most people behind Dan Persa. And if Moye isn't full go for the Illinois game, that could be a big problem, too.

Penn State is 5-1 this season based on its formula of outstanding defense combined with just enough offense. It may need to lean on that defensive side of the equation even more for at least the next two games.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Points likely won't come easily today, and Penn State just worked extremely hard for three of them.

It took 16 plays, three timeouts and 7:27 of clock, but the Lions are on the board and lead No. 3 Alabama 3-0.

The timeouts could come back to hurt Penn State later in the half. Quarterback Rob Bolden has to do a better job getting the ball snapped. Bolden for the most part looked good on the drive, making a nice throw to Justin Brown. (He had another dropped by Devon Smith).

Silas Redd provided a nice spark for Penn State, making several nifty moves. But the Lions couldn't get the big play they needed against the talented Tide defense.

While Penn State didn't commit the mistakes in Alabama territory that cost it last year, the Lions wanted to get in the end zone.

The good news is Penn State's defense looked strong on the opening series.

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

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

Other depth chart nuggets:

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

In case you missed it, we had a chat today. It was a blast.

Here's the full chat wrap.

Highlights:

Michael (detroit): Coach Dantonio said that Tyler Hoover is up to 290 lbs. Do you see MSU trying some 3-4 defensive sets this season? They tried some last season, but abandoned it pretty quick

Adam Rittenberg (12:20 PM): That's interesting, Michael. Hoover's increased size gives him some flexibility to play inside or as a big defensive end. You could use Worthy as the nose and have Hoover alongside him, creating some size, along with a rush end like William Gholston or Marcus Rush. I would point out that Anthony Rashad White has a really nice spring, and I'd expect to see him alongside Worthy as the other DT quite a bit this season. I think you'll see Worthy and White as the DTs, and Hoover and Gholston as the DEs in the base 4-3.

Tommy (NJ): Adam, do you think that PSU will be going to more of a run-first offense? I know that it would be a waste of some very good talent at WR, but I'm not sure of how much trust Galen/Jay have in their qb, whoever that ends up being.

Adam Rittenberg (12:42 PM): Tommy, I think Galen and Jay have more trust in their quarterbacks now than they did a year ago, when they tried to spark Evan Royster and the run game and failed to do so. A lot depends on the offensive line, but I'd be surprised if Penn State didn't feature its passing game and arguably the Big Ten's best receiver in Derek Moye, not to mention some exciting players like Brown, Smith, etc.

Teddyrukk (Blue Springs Mo): Adam, do you think the Huskers could make the BSC title game with one loss due to the strength of their schedule??

Adam Rittenberg (12:44 PM): It would be tough, Teddy. One spot is pretty much reserved for the SEC champion, even with one loss. So Nebraska would need losses from Oregon, Stanford, Oklahoma, Florida State and maybe Boise State to get into the game with one loss. I have a tough time seeing a 1-loss Big Ten team making it to New Orleans.

Nick (WI): Would you prefer to see a rematch in the BIG Championship Game, or two teams that didn't meet in the regular season?

Adam Rittenberg (12:47 PM): Nick, I have less of a problem with rematches than a lot of college football fans/media members. If Nebraska and Wisconsin play in the title game after meeting on Oct. 1, that's fine by me. Circumstances for both teams will have changed. It's always nice to see unique matchups, but even if Michigan and Ohio State met in back-to-back weeks, it wouldn't be the end of the world. The championship game is its own entity, and it generates its own type of excitement.

Good stuff this week, even a dig at my poor wardrobe choices. I'll be chatting again next Wednesday at noon ET, so be sure and join in.