ESPN College Football

2011 record: 7-6
2011 conference record: 4-4 (fourth, Legends Division)
Returning starters: offense: 6; defense: 5; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners

QB James Vandenberg, C James Ferentz, WR Keenan Davis, TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, CB Micah Hyde, LB James Morris, LB Christian Kirksey, S Tanner Miller

Key losses

RB Marcus Coker, WR Marvin McNutt, OT Riley Reff, G Adam Gettis, DT Mike Daniels, DE Broderick Binns, LB Tyler Nielsen, CB Shaun Prater

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Marcus Coker (1,384 yards)
Passing: James Vandenberg* (3,022 yards)
Receiving: Marvin McNutt (1,315 yards)
Tackles: James Morris* and Christian Kirksey* (110)
Sacks: Mike Daniels (9)
Interceptions: Micah Hyde* and Tanner Miller (3)

Spring answers

1. Embracing change: Iowa is going through a historic number of changes, including the first new coordinators (Greg Davis and Phil Parker) in Kirk Ferentz's tenure as head coach. But for the most part, players and coaches seem to be embracing the new elements of the program, including an offense that will diverge a bit from what Iowa ran under Ken O'Keefe. The Hawkeyes will be a more up-tempo offense and mix in some no-huddle elements. "They've been extremely open to everything," Davis told ESPN.com. "Sometimes the same play said differently and explained differently creates excitement. And I sense an excitement."

2. Back seven emerging: There's no doubt Iowa will lean on its defensive back seven this season. Cornerback Micah Hyde has established himself as a premier playmaker and a team leader, and Ferentz likened the career paths of linebackers James Morris and Christian Kirksey to those of former stars Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge. Linebacker play could be a major strength for Iowa this fall, while players like Hyde and Tanner Miller bring experience to the secondary.

3. C.J.'s time: Tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz arrived at Iowa with a lot of hype and attention. He appears poised for a breakout junior season in Davis' offense. "This is only 39 springs I've been in, and I've never had a tight end like C.J.," Davis told reporters. At 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, Fiedorowicz can create a lot of problems for opposing defenses and should be an integral part of the Hawkeyes' passing attack this fall.

Fall questions

1. Defensive line: Iowa hasn't been this young up front in recent memory, and despite a strong track record at defensive line, there are major question marks entering the summer. The coaches are relying on Steve Bigach and Joe Gaglione, the only veteran linemen on the field this spring, as well as Dominic Alvis, who will return from a torn ACL this fall. But Iowa undoubtedly needs young players like Darian Cooper, Riley McMinn and Carl Davis to take steps and contribute.

2. Running back: Stop me if you've heard this before, but Iowa enters the summer with big questions at the running back position following Marcus Coker's transfer and Jordan Canzeri's ACL injury during spring ball. The good news is that despite an unfortunate stretch of bad luck and bad circumstances, Iowa has consistently developed good to great Big Ten backs. The Hawkeyes must do so again as unproven returnees Damon Bullock and De'Andre Johnson compete with decorated incoming freshmen Greg Garmon and Barkley Hill.

3. The search for No. 1 receiver: All-Big Ten selection Marvin McNutt leaves a significant void, and given Iowa's question marks at running back, the team really needs a No. 1 receiver to emerge. Keenan Davis seems like the obvious choice, but he had an "up and down" spring, according to Ferentz, with some injuries. Kevonte Martin-Manley played a lot last year and could be ready to make some strides, as could Don Shumpert. "We have some room there for guys to step up," Ferentz said.

Many Bothans died bringing us this information.

• Jim Delany will seek some input from players for their perspective on the Rose Bowl. More coverage of the BCS meetings here and here.
• Authorities say former Minnesota linebacker Gary Tinsely died of an enlarged heart.
• Iowa got a commitment from an Ohio defensive tackle, its third D-line recruit in the '13 class so far. Marvin McNutt may have to wait a while to hear his name called.
• Nebraska's Lavonte David may be undersized, but his production is awfully large. Sam McKewon recaps the Huskers' spring.
• Kyle Meinke breaks down all of Michigan's draft hopefuls. Junior Hemingway's draft stock is on the rise.
• Whether Bill O'Brien wants to win now or win later may help him decide who his starting quarterback will be. Matt McGloin may still be the last man standing.
• Ricky Wagner wants to follow in the line of greatness at left tackle for Wisconsin.
• Whitney Mercilus talks about his draft season.
• Ohio State's Mike Adams could be a "boom or bust" prospect.
• Jerel Worthy could break Michigan State's first-round drought. The Spartans' spring game draft said a lot about how some players are viewed.
• Damarlo Belcher is Indiana's best hope for a draftee.
• Purdue kicker Carson Wiggs wants to be Mr. Irrelevant.

The NFL draft begins Thursday night. You probably weren't aware of that, because the draft, like most things associated with the National Football League, gets very little media coverage. Ahem.

Luckily, Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett are stepping into this void to talk about the draft, and specifically the Big Ten prospects hoping to hear their name called over the long weekend.

Brian Bennett: Adam, we usually leave draft talk to people with better hair than us, like Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay. But let's give it a shot. You know the NFL is a different game when Iowa's Riley Reiff is widely expected to be the top player taken from the Big Ten. Reiff is an excellent player and terrific pro prospect, no doubt. But if you would have asked league fans to pick a most valuable player from the conference this season, Reiff probably wouldn't have cracked the Top 10.

Speaking of the Top 10, the Big Ten hasn't had a player selected in that range for the past three years and is likely to make it four this year. What, if anything, does that say about the talent the league has been producing? And is Reiff the first guy you would take from the conference if you had an NFL team? (I'll resist from making wisecracks about your Big Ten fantasy team management last year).

Adam Rittenberg: Hey now, Year 2 will be different, my friend. The Shorties are coming for you. The Big Ten's Top 10 drought is certainly noteworthy, and I think it stems in part from the league producing fewer elite pro-caliber quarterbacks and cornerbacks in recent years. It does surprise me that the Big Ten hasn't had a defensive lineman in the top 10 recently, as the league has been very strong at both line spots. I think that will change in 2013. As for Reiff, he was about as under-the-radar as an elite player could get during his time at Iowa. He certainly performed well, but you didn't hear much about him, even compared to previous Hawkeyes standout linemen like Bryan Bulaga. Reiff is a masher, though, and while some say he's not the most dominant tackle, he should be able to help an NFL team this coming season.

I'd want to start my team with a potential difference-maker on the defensive line. The Big Ten has plenty of options, but Illinois' Whitney Mercilus is a natural pass-rusher who can put up big numbers. Have Merci? Yes, please. What's your view of the Big Ten's defensive line crop entering the draft?

BB: We both agreed that the defensive line, especially on the interior, is where the league's true strength lay in 2011. I'm a bit surprised that some mock drafts don't have Michigan State's Jerel Worthy, who has the chance to be a major presence on defense, in the first round and that Penn State's Devon Still, who was wildly productive last season, is being projected as a second-rounder at best. I'd rather take one of those guys than roll the dice on Memphis' Dontari Poe, a combine wonder who did next to nothing in college. And though Michigan's Mike Martin is a little short by NFL standards, I have little doubt he'll be a productive pro.

I'm also interested in seeing how the centers get drafted. Wisconsin's Peter Konz, Michigan's David Molk and Ohio State's Michael Brewster were arguably the top three centers in the nation last year. Molk, of course, publicly said he's the best of the three, and he did win the Rimington Trophy. Konz likely will go first, but I will be fascinated to see who ends up having the best career.

You mentioned quarterbacks. What do you think about Michigan State's Kirk Cousins and Wisconsin's Russell Wilson as potential NFL players? And will Dan Persa get a shot somewhere?

AR: Cousins should be the first Big Ten quarterback off the board, and many projections have him going in the second round. He clearly improved his stock during the predraft process. While everyone raves about the character of both Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin -- and for good reasons -- Cousins, as we both know, certainly fits into the same category as those two. He's not the fastest or most athletic guy, but he's extremely smart and played in a pro-style system at Michigan State. He could end up being a solid pro quarterback.

The issue for both Wilson and Persa is size, Persa more so than Wilson. While Wilson boasts tremendous arm strength and athleticism, his height scares teams. He does a tremendous job of extending plays and can make all of the throws, but he'll have to prove himself as a consistent pocket passer in a league where everyone is really big and really fast. Looks like a midround selection. Whether or not Persa gets drafted at all will be interesting. The guy obviously has a ton of heart and tremendous leadership skills, but he's small and suffered a major injury at Northwestern. I think Todd McShay summed up the sentiment about Persa when he told the Chicago Tribune, "I want to like Persa, but as an NFL prospect, he is limited." Persa will find his way onto a roster, but he'll have a lot to prove.

We've read a lot of draft evaluations in recent weeks. Which Big Ten player could be a real steal for a team this weekend?

BB: The guy whom I think is really undervalued is Iowa's Marvin McNutt. I've seen him going as late as the fifth or sixth round, which seems (Mc)nuts to me. Sure, it's a deep draft for receivers, and McNutt might not have blazing speed. But we saw him make some absolutely spectacular catches last season, and he closed his career as the Hawkeyes' all-time leader in receiving touchdowns. He has good size and produced 1,300 receiving yards in what was clearly not a gimmicky, pass-happy offense. If I were a GM and he was sitting there in Round 4 or later, I'd happily grab him.

Two other guys I think can be big bargains for teams are Nebraska's Lavonte David and Ohio State's Mike Adams. Both are being projected as second-rounders for different reasons (David because of size, Adams for off-the-field issues in college), but I think both will have long and stellar careers. They'll bring first-round value without the price.

Who do you see as underrated, or possibly overrated, from the Big Ten in this draft?

AR: I would have put Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler in the underrated category, but it seems like teams have caught on to how good he can be. He'll likely be a late first-round pick. Same with Konz and maybe Adams. It baffles me why Devon Still isn't projected higher in the draft. Two others I'd put in the underrated category are Michigan's Martin and Iowa's Mike Daniels. You don't have to be Vince Wilfork to be an effective NFL defensive tackle. Both Martin and Daniels are smaller defensive tackles, but they're both extremely strong physical and play with sound fundamentals. Both men have been tutored by excellent defensive coaches, and the teams that select them will be inheriting very hard workers.

Two of the more intriguing Big Ten prospects are Ohio State receiver DeVier Posey and Nebraska defensive tackle Jared Crick. Posey, who I chatted with briefly last week in Columbus, played only three games last fall because of suspensions stemming from NCAA violations. He's clearly a gifted guy, but it'll be interesting to see how much the off-field issues and lack of playing time impact his draft position. Crick entered 2011 as an All-America candidate but missed most of the season with injury. He definitely can help an NFL team, but like with Posey, there are question marks.

OK, time to wrap up this draft discussion. What do you think the major story line regarding the Big Ten will be coming out of this weekend's festivities?

BB: I'll go out on a limb and say Reiff is not the first Big Ten player drafted, as someone reaches for Mercilus, Worthy or Konz first. And I think the other big stories will be with the quarterbacks, as Cousins is drafted in the second round and Wilson is picked higher than people expect. What are your predictions?

AR: I wouldn't mind if that someone landing Reiff or Mercilus is my Chicago Bears, but that's another debate. Worthy's selection will be fascinating, as his stock has been pretty volatile throughout the process. I think both Martin and Daniels go earlier than expect, while Wilson has to wait a while. It'll be fascinating to see where Molk ends up. No matter where he's selected, he'll feel overlooked. As a short guy myself, I'm definitely rooting for the vertically challenged (Molk, Wilson, Persa, Martin, Daniels etc.). Another story line: Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, whose draft stock already had dropped before his arrest over the weekend.

Should be a fun weekend.

The NFL draft is a little more than 24 hours away, and our analysts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. have come out with their final mock drafts.

(Let's pause here for a moment of silence for the 2012 mock draft process. May it rest in peace. But never fear, the 2013 mocks are just around the corner!).

There's not a ton of change in Kiper's final first-round mock . Iowa's Riley Reiff is still the top Big Ten player off the board, now at No. 18 to San Diego. Kiper has Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus one spot behind Reiff, to the Bears. The only other Big Ten player he has going in the first round is Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler, at No. 30 to San Francisco.

McShay, along with Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl from Scouts Inc. have undertaken the massive enterprise of mocking the entire seven rounds of the draft . Whew. Here's where they have Big Ten products heading:

Round 1

No. 13: Reiff
No. 25: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State
No. 28: Mercilus
No. 30: Zeitler

Round 2

No. 34: Jeff Allen, OT, Illinois
No. 35: Devon Still, DT, Penn State
No. 43: Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska
No. 44: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
No. 47: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
No. 51: Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State
No. 63: A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois

Round 3

No. 89: Mike Martin, DT, Michigan

Round 4

No. 96: Mike Daniels DT, Iowa
No. 97: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska
No. 99: Adam Gettis, G, Iowa
No. 106: Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin
No. 118: Shaun Prater, CB, Iowa
No. 120: Keshawn Martin, WR, Michigan State
No. 121: Markus Zusevics, OT, Iowa
No. 123: Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin
No. 126: Edwin Baker, RB, Michigan State
No. 132: Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska

Round 5

No. 137: David Molk, C, Michigan
No. 150: Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa
No. 161: Trent Robinson, S, Michigan State
No. 163: Michael Brewster, C, Ohio State
No. 165: DeVier Posey, WR, Ohio State

Round 6

No. 207: Jack Crawford, DE, Penn State

Round 7

No. 211: B.J. Cunningham, WR, Michigan State
No. 216: Aaron Henry, S, Wisconsin
No. 219: Dan Herron, RB, Ohio State
No. 221: Derek Dimke, K, Illinois
No. 223: Tyler Nielsen, LB, Iowa
No. 231: Marcel Jones, OT, Nebraska
No. 244: Junior Hemingway, WR, Michigan
No. 247: Bradie Ewing, FB, Wisconsin
No. 248: Kevin Koger, TE, Michigan

A few notables not listed on this seven-round mock: Northwestern WR Jeremy Ebert, TE Drake Dunsmore, and QB Dan Persa; Penn State WR Derek Moye; Minnesota WR Da'Jon McKnight, Michigan DE Ryan Van Bergen, Wisconsin OT Josh Oglesby.

How accurate are these mock drafts? It is almost time to find out. Let's do this for real.

The 2012 NFL draft is right around the corner, and a group of Big Ten defenders will be in the spotlight next week in New York.

The Big Ten boasts a group of defenders who could be selected anywhere in the first three rounds. ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay have produced their latest mock drafts, which show some disagreement about the Big Ten's top defensive players.

In McShay's newest top 32 prospects , he has Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy at No. 22, a jump of 10 spots from his previous ranking. But Worthy is the lone Big Ten defender in McShay's rundown (offensive linemen Riley Reiff and Mike Adams are Nos. 18 and 32, respectively).

Kiper's latest Big Board has Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus at No. 18 and Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David at No. 24. Worthy doesn't appear in Kiper's top 25, and Kiper pegs him as an early-second-round selection. Kiper lists Reiff and Wisconsin offensive linemen Peter Konz and Kevin Zeitler as first-round picks (outside the top 25).

While projections of the late-first round typically vary a lot, it's interesting to see McShay so high on Worthy but not so high on Mercilus and David, while Kiper favors the latter two. Other potentially high draft picks such as Penn State DT Devon Still, Michigan DT Mike Martin, Nebraska DL Jared Crick and Nebraska CB Alfonzo Dennard don't appear on either list.

Kiper also projects the first three rounds for both the AFC and NFC teams, based on what the teams need the most and which players they value more than others. Some notable Big Ten mentions include Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins (third round, Philadelphia), Devon Still (third round, Chicago), Iowa WR Marvin McNutt (third round, Minnesota), Illinois WR A.J. Jenkins (second round, New York Jets), Wisconsin G Kevin Zeitler (first round, San Francisco) and Michigan State WR Keshawn Martin (third round, Seattle).

Keenan Davis is built like a prototypical No. 1 wide receiver.

The Iowa senior is 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds and has been clocked at under 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He's got the size and speed to be a real deep threat, and a physical wideout. There seems to be just one thing keeping him from stardom.

"I feel like I have a lot going on, but it's the neck up for me," Davis told ESPN.com. "It's paying attention to detail and competing every play.

"That's a big thing for a receiver. A lot of guys weren't blessed with [physical] traits, but they go out and compete with the best. So it's mostly the neck up for receivers."

Davis has shown flashes of greatness during his career, including a 10-catch, 129-yard performance against Pitt last year, and a 109-yard day against Northwestern a couple of weeks later. But he has also struggled with consistency, and has been plagued by too many dropped passes, a problem that reared its head again in the Insight Bowl loss to Oklahoma.

This spring, Davis is working to put those issues behind him.

"It's just going out and getting your timing right," he said. "Going out and being confident in yourself. Most of those drops came from the easy catches."

The Hawkeyes need Davis to emerge as a consistent force as they look to replace all-time leading receiver Marvin McNutt, whose 1,315 yards last season accounted for more than 43 percent of the team's receiving yards.

"He needs to take that next step," head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "He's capable. He did a lot of good things last year, so now it's a chance to build on what he got started."

Ferentz pointed out that McNutt went from 53 catches as a junior to 82 last season. Maybe Davis, who hauled in 50 passes as a junior in 2011, can make a similar jump. He'll have an experienced quarterback in second-year starter James Vandenberg, and an offense that might have to rely on the passing game a little more with all the uncertainty at tailback. Vandenberg often locked onto McNutt last season, and for understandable reasons; this season, he'll need Davis and other receivers like Kevonte Martin-Manley to step forward.

"He's an incredibly talented guy," Vandenberg said of Davis. "And [he's] actually very similar to Marv when you think of height, weight, speed, the way he catches the ball, how he can go up for it. So obviously, we're expecting him to do a lot of things, but I don't think it's just pressure on him."

Davis said he views McNutt like a brother, and hopes to follow his footsteps.

"It's something I really want," he said. "I want to be the no. 1 guy. I always want the ball in my hands. It's something that every receiver at every school should want."

Not every school has a receiver as physically gifted as Davis. If he can master the mental aspect of his game, Iowa will once again have one of the Big Ten's top wideouts.

Change is in the air this spring at Iowa. The Hawkeyes have two new coordinators for the first time in Kirk Ferentz's tenure, one from the outside (OC Greg Davis) and one from within the program (DC Phil Parker). Ferentz also hired two new assistants, offensive line coach Brian Ferentz and linebackers coach LeVar Woods, and moved offensive line coach Reese Morgan to defensive line. For an Iowa staff built on continuity, this represents a a major shakeup. The coaches also will be working with a very young roster, as evidenced by the pre-spring depth chart issued this week. It all should make for an interesting spring in Hawkeye Country.

The Hawkeyes opened practice Wednesday, and ESPN.com caught up with Ferentz on Thursday.

Here are his thoughts.

What is the atmosphere like this spring being on the field with this group after all the changes?

Kirk Ferentz: Certainly we have a lot of learning to do for two reasons. Number one, our youth and inexperience, and secondly, with some of the staff changes. We have a lot of different elements involved. It's certainly different than when we finished up in December. It's a lot of positions, and some of it's schematically and that type of thing. We're all on edge a little bit, and that's good.

You made some of your hires fairly recently. How do you feel about where the offensive and defense schemes are at this point?

KF: We're pretty well down the road that we need to be on. We've had some really good meetings over the last several weeks. A little bit more intensive on the offensive side with Greg being hired at the end of February, but I think we've had good meetings. He certainly has a good grasp of what he likes to do and what he's comfortable with. We've been able to blend and mesh things. I think we're pretty much on the same page right now. It's been fun actually, just invigorating to re-examine some things. And the players, they always pick it up faster than the older guys.

When you sat down and talked with Greg, how close was your offensive philosophy to his?

KF: One of the things that really impressed me so much is his experience with various styles of offense. He's been with a lot of different types of players, quarterbacks, going back to Eric Zeier at Georgia, the guys he worked with at North Carolina, and at Texas, they ran several styles of attack. There was a lot of evolution when they got Vince Young. The thing is, he has a system that's been proficient and that he's comfortable with. It really is very flexible and adaptable. That part has all been good.

Very impressed with Greg, starting with all the recommendations I got, people who I have a lot of respect for in football who spoke so highly of him as a coach and so highly of him as a human being. And after a month of being with him, I can see why all of those things were said. He's really been tremendous. We've been fortunate to have great coaches here. You're always a little nervous when you lose somebody as good as Ken, but Greg has been outstanding.

I read your comments from the other day and wanted to clarify something. Did you expect to make some changes even if you didn't have the coordinators leaving?

KF: Absolutely. I was entertained a bit reading the reports of the press conference. The headlines were a little bit overstated. But that was something Ken and I had talked about, and Norm [Parker] and I had talked about as the year went on last year. You're 13 years into it, and we're all feeling good about being here such a long period of time. The great thing about stability is we all know each other.

But the other point, too, and every year you look back at things, but I remember specifically in Cleveland one year in '94 where we looked back and went through our playbook step by step. Steve Crosby had become our coordinator after the '93 season. We went through everything. The advantage of doing it is if you've been somewhere for a while, you add this one year and then you add that, and things don't always mesh or make as much sense as they should, so there's a cumulative effect there. So it's a good exercise to do, and I think it was time for us to do that regardless. And in the case of getting new coordinators, you have to do that anyway. It's been really healthy, it's been invigorating, and hopefully we'll be a more efficient operating group here moving forward.

You've talked about wanting to see better execution. What can you stress in the spring to help you execute better as a team?

KF: That's always the challenge in football. There were complaints about us. The perception is we're a conservative offense, and we threw the second-most amount of passes we had in 13 years last year, so I said they must have been conservative passes because we didn't get any credit for that. But overall, that's the name of the game, whatever you're doing, offensively, defensively or special teams, the key is how you execute those things. Certainly what you call can affect that, but at the end of the day, it's about the team that executes the best. That's the never-ending battle.

You have some guys out on the defensive line, but it's definitely one of the younger groups you've had there. With Reese Morgan moving over to that side, how do you see that group shaking out in the spring, and how will Reese's experience help there?

KF: It's maybe not identical, but it's similar to what we went through in 2005. We graduated four guys that were all in NFL camps after that season. Three of those guys are still active players -- Jonathan Babineaux, who's done a good job in Atlanta; Matt Roth's had a nice career; Derreck Robinson continues to be rostered; and Tyler Luebke is the other guy, was with the Redskins as a free agent. That's the price you pay when you graduate some good players. The last two years we've had a high number of seniors go out both years, and some NFL players in that group. It's something we anticipated, we knew it was going to be a challenge, but all that being said, we're optimistic.

One of my motivating factors for moving Reese over to that spot is Reese is just a tremendous teacher. That's the No. 1 thing I saw in him when we hired him here. He took Pat Flaherty's spot. He's a real builder, and he's done that with the offensive line. You look at last year, we had Riley Reiff, who people are talking about, but we also had Markus Zusevics and Adam Gettis, who both I think are going to get drafted here. They were both roughly 225, 230 [pounds] when they came out of high school and built themselves into players. Reese was a key component of their development, and that's what he does a great job of. I think we've got the right guy with the right group. We've got a lot of work to do, but at the end of the day, that group will be fine, just like in '05.

What would you like to see out of James [Vandenberg] during the spring?

KF: Just continued improvement. We expect him to play his best football next year and lead even better than he did. He played well last year and he led well, but he's going to have to do better. With a young team like this, it's going to be imperative that our most experienced guys play their best and lead our football team. It sure helps when you're playing better. And he's totally capable. We have confidence in James.

Is Keenan [Davis] another guy who fits into that category, needing to play his best as an older guy?

KF: Most definitely. If you look at the improvement Marvin McNutt made throughout his career, from making a move [from quarterback] in the middle of the '08 season, to the records he set, it didn't happen just by accident or just by him hanging around. He worked hard, he got better each year, and his hard work and effort, certainly in production and yardage, that's what we need from Keenan. Marvin's not here, quite obviously, so Keenan has to be the guy and take a very prominent role as a receiver. And he's certainly capable, so we expect to see that growth from him.

What would you like to see from the running back group by the end of the spring?

KF: Development and maturation. We have three guys that are working at that position who are talented enough. They're all capable, but they're young. Jordan Canzeri missed a significant amount of time last year with a hamstring issue. Damon Bullock, we moved him around enough that it probably rendered him ineffective. We'll let him settle at the running back position. And we think De'Andre Johnson has potential as well, but he's got to mature. He missed his first year because he was coming off an ACL injury from high school, so he's a little bit behind that way. But he's got every opportunity to develop and be a good player. It sure would help our football team.

When you're this young, are you more tempted to play freshmen if they come in and show that ability, or do you have to work with the guys who have some experience?

KF: We'll have a better grip on where we are at the end of spring practice. We're going to need some help at some spots, that's a given. Bottom line is for the most part, the guys that demonstrate they can play and help us, they're going to get that opportunity. We had the case with Allen Reisner. Back in '07, we had to throw him in. He was a true freshman. He wasn't necessarily ready to go, but we ran out of guys, so he had to go in there. We hopefully won't be in that situation. But anybody [who] can help us win next year, if it's special teams or on offense, defense, we'll give them an opportunity.

Greg came in from the outside, while Phil Parker has been there. What's it been like seeing him in this role? Do you see him putting his personality on the defense?

KF: We're early into the process right now. To the casual fan, it's not going to look a lot different, probably, but there will be some subtleties and some things not only Phil, but the entire staff talked about. It's like anything else, you're always trying to evolve and progress, move forward a little bit without losing your identity. That's probably what you'll see from that group. Phil's a veteran coach. He's had several chances to leave here for BCS coordinator positions and has chosen to stay here, so I don't think there's any question he's ready to go. He'll do a great job. He's very detailed and he's a good leader.

From a leadership standpoint, do you have some guys in mind, especially on defense, who you could see moving into those roles this spring?

KF: Most definitely. The guys that we're really counting on, you start with Micah Hyde. He's probably our most experienced player on defense, most proven, so we're counting on that from him. James Morris and Chris Kirksey, they're only third-year students next year, but they've played a lot of football, too, and good football. They're playing a leadership position at linebacker. And up front, I'd say Steve Bigach's a guy we're really counting on to really help set the tempo of the group. He's already been doing that, and I think he'll do a good job.

I'm back in Adam's usual Tuesday time slot one more time before he returns from vacation. So let's get to your e-mails, and if you don't like my answers, pretend Adam wrote them.

Kevin from Ann Arbor, Mich., writes: While Montee Ball may have won your subjective (and frequently wrong) rankings, he only did so based on numbers which were a product of the system he plays in. In terms of performance, Silas Redd was the better back and the Big Ten's best offensive player in 2011. And no, Ball did not tie Barry Sanders. Barry established the record in 11 games. Ball's numbers were set in a 14 game season. That does not nor will it ever constitute a tie.

Brian Bennett: I disagree with you, Kevin. While Ball clearly had more help from the quarterback position, Penn State had a pretty decent offensive line in 2011 as well. Ball averaged more than a yard per carry more than Redd and had 33 rushing touchdowns to just seven by Redd. Don't get me wrong, I think Redd is an excellent player as well. But Montee Ball had a historically great season that can't be explained away as a "product of the system."

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Michael from Minneapolis writes: How you get to write about the Big Ten or college football with nonsense like suggesting the end of the Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry is beyond me. The battle for the Axe is the longest running rivalry in football, and you don't just stop that because of a period of imbalance. The Gophers and Badgers have played 120 times since 1890. Notice that's 120 times in 121 years. I must have missed when you said they should stop playing Army/Navy (10 straight Navy wins 13 of 15) or Ohio State/Michigan (OSU 7 straight and 9 of 11 before this year) or Harvard/Yale (Harvard 10 of last 11). Worst. Answer. Ever. And there have been contenders over the several years I've been reading the blog.

Brian Bennett: OK, OK, I get it. Readers weren't happy with that thought. I was asked about Michigan State and Wisconsin not playing, and I didn't mean to suggest the end of the Axe rivalry. But if you ask me who I'd rather see play in 2013, Michigan State vs. Wisconsin or Minnesota vs. Wisconsin, it's not even close.

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A.J. from Eagan, Minn., writes: It's not even April yet and I already jacked about the next season. Out of all the conference match-ups in the B1G next year, which three are you most excited about? I've got Michigan State @ Wisconsin, Michigan @ Ohio State and Ohio State @ Wisconsin. I'm really excited about the Wisconsin/Michigan State game, their games were incredible last year and I don't think there are 2 teams in the league right now that hate each other more than they do.

Brian Bennett: I like your list a lot, though I think I'd sub out Ohio State/Michigan for Michigan State vs. Michigan. Not that The Game won't be great as well, but the Spartans-Wolverines matchup figures to have a lot of bile involved from last year's penalty-fest, and it will be an extremely important game in the Legends Division race. I'm also interested to see Michigan's first trip to Nebraska and whether the Huskers can get revenge for last year's blowout in Ann Arbor, not to mention Big Red going to the Horseshoe for the first time. Is it September yet?

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The Dave from Sarasota, Fla., writes: Your input to the blog is totally tolerable. Leaving Will GholstonTaylor Lewan off the list is bewildering considering without him no way Fitz Toussaint makes the list at all. Best LT in the B1G can't crack the top 25? Hmm. Like i said you are tolerable, kind of like California's premier 80's Billy Joel cover band.

Brian Bennett: Taylor Lewan as best left tackle in the league, eh? Well, that's a bold choice. Did I mention I'm looking forward to Gholston vs. Lewan Round II next season?

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Aaron from Des Moines, Iowa, writes: I think you totally missed Marvin McNutt. He was the big ten receiver of the year. He had some of the best numbers throughout the big ten. I just feel he is deserving of this list. I feel he is a top 10 player in the big ten. He set multiple school records in his last season.

Brian Bennett: I think you totally missed that McNutt was No. 8 on our list.

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Byron from Alexandria, Va., writes: I just read your Raheem Mostert article and that got me to thinking. How do you think the new kickoff rule will effect onside kicks? I've read articles on ESPN and MGoBlog that argue more teams should use onside kicks more frequently, and with the extra 5 yards cusion I can see that happening; not to mention the potential surprise that might be gained after say booting the ball into the end zone 3 times and throwing in the onside kick after that to catch the other team sleeping. On the other hand, with less run up for the kick team defenders, it may be more difficult to recover an onside kick attempt.

Brian Bennett: I think football coaches are by and large a conservative lot, so I don't believe an extra five yards will convince them to try more onsides kickoffs. Remember, teams used to kick off from the 35 until the 2007 season, when that was moved back to the 30. And there weren't exactly a rash of onsides kicks before then. If anything, the rule change will create more strategy for pooch kicks, especially since touchbacks will now be brought out to the 25-yard line.

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Ben from Ann Arbor writes: Brian, after looking at your tally of the final position rankings, I noticed that like you said it was a very good indication of the strength of the schools, but also, the top three teams (Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Michigan), all ranked first or second in each of the line positions. The bottom two teams on the other hand ranked last in at least one of those. Now with [Urban] Meyer and [Brady] Hoke both vocally saying their recruiting focus is going to be in the trenches, it seems they know how to set their teams up for success. Is this something that should be noted or is it just a minor coincidence?

Brian Bennett: I don't think it's a coincidence, Ben. Football is usually won in the trenches, and that's even more true in the Big Ten. There's a reason Urban Meyer went out and signed a bunch of defensive linemen right away. Wisconsin has ridden dominant offensive line to consecutive Rose Bowls. You don't win without great lines, and the position series bears that out.

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Jon from Colorado writes: I've seen quite a bit of consternation from fans and some media regarding the QB situation at Wisconsin. I understand the lack of depth is a concern and I certainly wouldn't mind having an experienced upper classman transfer in, but there is an underlying assumption that Wisconsin cannot develop an adequate starting QB. It happened last year prior to Russell Wilson's transfer and is continuing now (the setback for Jon Budmayr seems to be accentuating this). I don't understand why there is no thought that in his third year in the program Joe Brennan won't develop (he was a three star recruit with multiple offers). Then I look at comments made by you and Adam about Andrew Maxwell at MSU (he of zero experience) as having been "groomed" to start. Isn't that what's happening at Wisconsin? Is there something behind the scenes that I'm not aware of where QB progress is being inhibited? What's the difference between MSU and Wisconsin's situation?

Brian Bennett: That's an good question, Jon. I think part of the difference between the situations at Wisconsin and Michigan State is that Brennan wasn't seen as the heir apparent. Yes, he backed up Wilson last year, but Budmayr was the guy slated to start and push Wilson before his elbow injury in fall camp. Add into the mix that a talented guy like Curt Phillips has had multiple knee trouble, and a hyped prospect coming in, Bart Houston, needs surgery. Maxwell has been groomed as the guy to take over for Kirk Cousins. While Brennan could end up developing into a very good player, there's not much healthy depth around him if that doesn't happen, and that's pretty scary for a team that is otherwise loaded enough to contend for a Big Ten title.

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Steve from San Francisco writes: There is something to the SEC-bias in perception, and perception is reality. Six years ago, Buckeye Kirk Herbstreit stood adamant against a rematch of the two best teams in college football (of course he was a little biased about that) who played an all-time classic 1 vs. 2 battle in the Horseshoe (and I will always claim that the Shawn Crable roughing the passer call was BS), yet this year lobbies for a rematch of SEC teams, one that didn't win its conference, his primary point in 2006. Win some important games? A) let us into those games and B) let's play some December/January games in Big Ten country. As pointed out before, the bowl alliances has the Big Ten playing Florida in FL, Texas in TX, and California teams in CA. (All that being said, I have no excuse for the Buckeye performance in the National Championship game in 2006. I cannot believe that Michigan would have been blown out by Florida like that, but maybe. Different team, but we did beat them in the Citrus Bowl the following year.)

Brian Bennett: It's hard to buy the argument that Michigan deserved a rematch when the Wolverines went on to lose to a USC team not ranked in the top 5 by two touchdowns in the Rose Bowl. Can it really be considered bias when the team that benefits from the bias actually wins on the field? All I know is that the Big Ten needs to win big games to reverse public opinion, and fans should remember 2006 when they argue that conference champions are the only ones who should be included in a four-team playoff. The Big Ten would have had two teams in the four-team tourney that year.

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Eliot from Madison writes: Hey, Brian. This year the Badgers had only 12 recruits and next year they're only projected for 9. What explains these low classes? Are more players staying for 5 years now instead of 4? Thanks.

Brian Bennett: Simply put, Wisconsin has not suffered a lot of defections over the years. The Badgers signed a class of 25 two years ago and 21 in 2009. Bret Bielema has been able to redshirt players, and in the few instances when some players have left the program, available scholarships have gone to worthy walk-ons like Jared Abbrederis. I always wonder about schools who sign full classes of 25 prospects every year make the math work on an 85-scholarship limit. Where do all those players go? At Wisconsin, they don't go anywhere, for the most part. And that's fine, although it reduces the margin of error for the coaching staff when it comes to evaluating recruits.

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Ken Robinson from Fishers, Ind., writes: Penn State Bill O'Brien just landed his 4th ESPN 150 verbal commitment for the class of 2013. When you look at the top ranked recruiting classes, how many top 150 commits do you typically see in the top few schools? And it doesn't seem as if it is done yet, as the recruits are actively recruiting other top prospects to come with them to Happy Valley.

Brian Bennett: Well, Michigan already has 11 commitments who are on the ESPNU 150 Watch List, while Ohio State has five. Last year, Alabama signed 13 ESPNU 150 players and Florida State had 10. So there's that. However you slice it, though, O'Brien's early recruiting haul is impressive, especially when you consider all the factors in this particular situation.

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Today we wrap up our big shoes to fill series, where we look how each Big Ten team plans to replace two key departed stars.

Last but not least in the rundown is Iowa. The obvious pick here is running back Marcus Coker, whose offseason transfer leaves the Hawkeyes with little to no experience in the backfield. That will be a major storyline all spring and summer, but since we've already written a lot about that, I decided to focus this piece on two other guys who leave large voids in the lineup:

BIG SHOES TO FILL: Marvin McNutt, WR

Why: McNutt was named the Big Ten's top receiver last season, and with good reason, as he had 82 catches for 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns. When defenses were able to slow McNutt, as they did in the final two games, Iowa's passing game struggled.

Replacement candidates: Keenan Davis (6-3, 215, Sr.); Kevonte Martin-Manley (6-1, 205, Soph.); Steven Staggs (6-3, 195, Sr.); Jordan Cotton (6-1, 185, Jr.); Jacob Hillyer (6-4, 195, RFr); Cameron Wilson (6-1, 190, incoming freshman); Tevaun Smith (6-2, 186, incoming freshman); Greg Mabin (6-1, 190, incoming freshman).

The skinny: Iowa really needs Davis to take his game up a notch and become the go-to receiver. Davis has plenty of talent, and he made 50 catches for 713 yards and four touchdowns last season. But he has struggled with drops and injuries throughout his career, and must become more consistent. Martin-Manley showed lots of promise as a redshirt freshmen with 30 catches and 323 yards, though most of his production came early in the season. Hopefully another year of development will help him blossom. After that, the Hawkeyes don't have much experience and might need to rely on a guy like Hillyer breaking out, or even a true freshman contributing, so quarterback James Vandenberg has enough targets.

BIG SHOES TO FILL: Reilly Reiff, LT

Why: We've paid a lot of attention to the holes Iowa has to fill at running back, receiver and defensive line, but the offensive line is a concern as well. The Hawkeyes lose three starters and both tackles. One of the best linemen in the Big Ten, Reiff skipped his senior year and is expected to be selected in the first half of the first round of the NFL draft.

Replacement candidates: Andrew Donnal (6-7, 302, Soph.); Brandon Scherff (6-5, 310, Soph); Brett Van Sloten (6-7, 292, Jr.); Nolan MacMillan (6-6, 290, Jr.); Ryan Ward (6-6, 270, incoming freshman).

The skinny: Donnal was a highly regarded recruit who backed up Reiff last season as a redshirt freshman. He is clearly being groomed to take over at left tackle. Scherff has seen some time at guard and tackle, but needs to improve. Van Sloten is more likely to push for the starting job at right tackle. McMillan started at guard as a freshman in 2010, but missed all of last season with an injury. Ward has potential, but it would be surprising to see a true freshman play a significant role at left tackle. While Reiff leaves some literal and figurative big shoes to fill, Iowa has been very good at developing offensive linemen under Kirk Ferentz, and has some big bodies to work with this offseason.

Our Big Ten top-25 player countdown has reached the elite eight. Remember that these rankings are based on performance during the 2011 season and a player's impact on his team, and not on factors such as NFL potential.

At eight is an all-time Iowa great ...

No. 8: Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa, Sr., 6-4, 215

Preseason rank: No. 23

2011 numbers: Caught 82 passes for 1,315 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Also carried six times for 58 yards.

Why he's here: McNutt was a very good receiver who achieved greatness as a senior. He led the Big Ten and finished 10th in the nation in receiving yards, while only five players in the country had more than his 12 receiving touchdowns. Though he was inexplicably snubbed as a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, he won the Big Ten's inaugural Richter-Howard trophy as the league's top wide receiver.

He finished his Hawkeyes career as the program's single-season and all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns, which isn't bad for a guy who started his career out as a quarterback. McNutt had eight 100-yard games in 2011 and posted 184 yards and three touchdowns on just six receptions against Indiana. He also came up with some ridiculous highlight grabs, like his reaching-behind, one-handed snare against Michigan State or his double-clutch touchdown catch against Purdue.

McNutt's season ended with a pair of off games against Nebraska and Oklahoma, the latter of which almost saw him crushed by a falling skycam. But he did enough in 2011 to be considered the league's best receiver and one of the Big Ten's top overall performers.

Previously

No. 9: Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State
No. 10: Rex Burkhead, RB, Nebraska
No. 11: Mike Martin, DT, Michigan
No. 12: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska
No. 13: Riley Reiff, LT, Iowa
No. 14: B.J. Cunningham, WR, Michigan State
No. 15: John Simon, DL, Ohio State
No. 16: Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan
No. 17: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
No. 18: A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois
No. 19: Gerald Hodges, LB, Penn State
No. 20: Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin
No. 21: Marcus Coker, RB, Iowa
No. 22: Silas Redd, RB, Penn State
No. 23: Kawann Short, DT, Purdue
No. 24: Mike Taylor, LB, Wisconsin
No. 25: Fitz Toussaint, RB, Michigan

The top 10 is getting closer, as the Big Ten postseason player rankings march forward. As a reminder, these rankings are based on performance during the 2011 season and a player's impact on his team, and not on factors such as NFL potential.

Let's head back to Husker Country for ...

No. 12: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska, Sr., 5-foot-10, 205

Preseason rank: No. 13

2011 numbers: Started 10 games at cornerback after being sidelined by a leg injury; recorded 31 tackles and six pass breakups

Why he's here: If you only look at the numbers, you're completely missing Dennard's value to the Huskers. He was the Big Ten's best shutdown cornerback and one of the best nationally. Dennard shut down arguably the Big Ten's top two wide receivers, Iowa's Marvin McNutt (4 receptions, season-low 29 receiving yards against Nebraska) and Michigan State's B.J. Cunningham (zero catches, zero yards). Opposing quarterbacks quickly discovered that throwing the ball in Dennard's direction led to bad things, so they focused on the other side of the field.

Dennard missed the first four games with a pulled muscle in his leg but buoyed Nebraska's pass defense upon his return, as the Huskers finished 18th nationally against the pass. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and the media — the lone defensive back to appear on both first teams — and was the league's first recipient of the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year award.

Previously

No. 13: Riley Reiff, LT, Iowa
No. 14: B.J. Cunningham, WR, Michigan State
No. 15: John Simon, DL, Ohio State
No. 16: Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan
No. 17: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
No. 18: A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois
No. 19: Gerald Hodges, LB, Penn State
No. 20: Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin
No. 21: Marcus Coker, RB, Iowa
No. 22: Silas Redd, RB, Penn State
No. 23: Kawann Short, DT, Purdue
No. 24: Mike Taylor, LB, Wisconsin
No. 25: Fitz Toussaint, RB, Michigan

Spring practice is just around the corner, but there was plenty of action on the field at the NFL combine this weekend in Indianapolis.

While the evaluations continue today and Tuesday, several position groups have completed their testing. Let's take a look at the top performances from Big Ten players. Some standouts in the workouts: Michigan WR Junior Hemingway, Illinois WR A.J. Jenkins, Michigan State WR Keshawn Martin, Iowa G Adam Gettis and Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson.

Before looking at position groups, we'll examine the top overall performers to date.

OVERALL PERFORMANCE (through Sunday)

40-yard dash

• Illinois' Jenkins tied for fourth (4.39 seconds)
• Michigan State's Martin tied for 13th (4.45 seconds)

Bench press

• Michigan C David Molk ranked second with 41 repetitions of 225 pounds
• Michigan DT Mike Martin tied for third with 36 repetitions

Vertical jump

• Michigan State's Martin tied for fifth at 39.5 inches
• Illinois' Jenkins tied for ninth at 38.5 inches

Broad jump

• Michigan WR Junior Hemingway tied for 10th at 10 feet, 4 inches
• Illinois' Jenkins tied for 10th at 10 feet, 4 inches

3-cone drill

• Michigan's Hemingway ranked second at 6.59 seconds
• Northwestern TE Drake Dunsmore tied for fourth at 6.73 seconds

20-yard shuttle

• Michigan's Hemingway ranked second at 3.98 seconds
• Northwestern's Dunsmore tied for fourth at 4.03 seconds
• Ohio State RB Dan Herron ranked sixth at 4.04 seconds
• Iowa WR Marvin McNutt ranked ninth at 4.07 seconds
• Wisconsin's Wilson ranked 10th at 4.09 seconds

60-yard shuttle

• Michigan's Hemingway tied for third at 11.16 seconds
• Michigan State's Martin tied for third at 11.16 seconds
• Northwestern's Dunsmore tied for 14th at 11.47 seconds

Now onto the position groups ...

Quarterback

• Wisconsin's Wilson ranked second in 40-yard dash (4.55 seconds); sixth in vertical jump (34 inches); fourth in broad jump (9 feet, 10 inches); fifth in 3-cone drill (6.97 seconds) and second in 20-yard shuttle (4.09 seconds)
• Michigan State's Kirk Cousins ranked 12th in 40-yard dash (4.93 seconds); 14th in vertical jump (28.5 inches); tied for ninth in broad jump (9 feet, 1 inch); seventh in 3-cone drill (7.05 seconds); 12th in 20-yard shuttle (4.5 seconds)

Running back

• Michigan State's Edwin Baker tied for 10th in 40-yard dash (4.53 seconds); tied for 12th in bench press (20 reps of 225 pounds); tied for 12th in vertical jump (35 inches); and tied for 14th in 20-yard shuttle (4.31 seconds).
• Ohio State's Dan Herron ranked seventh in bench press (22 reps of 225 pounds); tied for 12th in vertical jump (35 inches); tied for 12th in broad jump (9 feet, 9 inches); sixth in 3-cone drill (6.97 seconds); second in 20-yard shuttle (4.04 seconds); and fifth in 60-yard shuttle (11.6 seconds).
• Wisconsin FB Bradie Ewing tied for fifth in vertical jump (36.5 inches); tied for fifth in broad jump (10 feet); tied for 14th in 3-cone drill (7.14 seconds); tied for fifth in 20-yard shuttle (4.16 seconds); and seventh in 60-yard shuttle (11.81 seconds).

Wide receiver

• Illinois' Jenkins tied for fourth in 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds); tied for seventh in vertical jump (38.5 inches); and tied for eighth in broad jump (10 feet, 4 inches).
• Michigan State's Martin ranked 11th in 40-yard dash (4.45 seconds); tied for fourth in vertical jump (39.5 inches); tied for 14th in broad jump (10 feet, 2 inches); tied for eighth in 3-cone drill (6.85 seconds); tied for 10th in 20-yard shuttle (4.13 seconds); and tied for second in 60-yard shuttle (11.16 seconds).
• Michigan's Hemingway tied for third in bench press (21 reps at 225 pounds); tied for eighth in broad jump (10 feet, 4 inches); ranked first in 3-cone drill (6.59 seconds); tied for first in 20-yard shuttle (3.98 seconds); and tied for second in 60-yard shuttle (11.16 seconds).
• Wisconsin's Nick Toon ranked 12th in bench press (18 reps at 225 pounds) and ranked 12th in vertical jump (37.5 inches).
• Iowa's Marvin McNutt tied for 13th in vertical jump (37 inches); ranked fifth in 20-yard shuttle (4.07 seconds); and ranked 12th in 60-yard shuttle (11.62 seconds).
• Ohio State's DeVier Posey tied for 10th in broad jump (10 feet, 3 inches) and tied for 12th in 20-yard shuttle (4.15 seconds).

Tight end

• Northwestern's Dunsmore ranked fifth in 40-yard dash (4.64 seconds); tied for fifth in bench press (21 reps at 225 pounds); fifth in vertical jump (35.5 seconds); seventh in broad jump (9 feet, 9 inches); first in 3-cone drill (6.73 seconds); first in 20-yard shuttle (4.03 seconds); and third in 60-yard shuttle (11.47 seconds).

Defensive line (workouts take place Monday)

• Michigan's Martin tied for second in bench press (36 reps of 225 pounds)

Offensive line

• Iowa G Adam Gettis ranked third in 40-yard dash (5 seconds); tied for third in vertical jump (31.5 inches); second in broad jump (9 feet, 4 inches); tied for ninth in 20-yard shuttle (4.65 seconds)
• Iowa T Riley Reiff tied for eighth in 40-yard dash (5.23 seconds);
• Illinois T Jeff Allen ranked 15th in 40-yard dash (5.28 seconds); tied for 14th in broad jump (8 feet, 6 inches)
• Michigan's Molk ranked first in bench press (41 reps at 225 pounds);
• Wisconsin G Kevin Zeitler tied for third in bench press (32 reps at 225 pounds); tied for 14th in vertical jump (29 inches); eighth in 20-yard shuttle (4.61 seconds)
• Penn State G Johnnie Troutman tied for eighth in bench press (31 reps at 225 pounds)
• Ohio State C Mike Brewster tied for 13th in bench press (29 reps at 225 pounds); ranked 15th in 3-cone drill (7.73 seconds); tied for sixth in 20-yard shuttle (4.6 seconds)

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.

'Tis the season to hand out awards in the movie industry. The Academy Awards is merely the last in a continuous stream of starlets to red carpet affairs where actors and actresses keep congratulating themselves.

Well, why should they have all the fun? Let's look back at the Big Ten 2011 season and recognize the Top 10 individual performances of the year. We will consider degree of difficulty here, so piling up stats against helpless opponents won't earn the top spots. Players who led their teams to victory get extra credit.

The envelopes, please:

1. Michigan's Denard Robinson vs. Ohio State: Not only was Robinson spectacular and unstoppable in this game, but he led his team to a much-needed win against the Buckeyes in the process. The eye-popping numbers for Shoelace: 14-of-17 passing for 167 yards, 26 rushes for 170 yards and five total touchdowns.

2. Wisconsin's Montee Ball vs. Illinois: The Big Ten's offensive player of the year put up amazing stats just about every week, but the hard-fought 28-17 win against Illinois might have been his best effort. Ball carried 38 times for a season-high 224 yards and added three touchdowns, as the Badgers climbed back from an early deficit.

3. Robinson vs. Notre Dame: No football player ever single-handedly does anything, much less win a game. But Robinson sure made it feel that way in the night win against the Irish. He compiled 446 total yards and five touchdowns, leading his team on a furious fourth-quarter comeback, tossing two touchdown passes in the final 1:12. The only reason this isn't higher is because Robinson stunk for most of the first three quarters and had three interceptions.



4. Illinois' A.J. Jenkins vs. Northwestern: Jenkins brutalized the Northwestern secondary in a 38-35 shootout. He broke a school record with 268 receiving yards on 12 catches and had three touchdowns, including a 50-yarder. The 268 receiving yards were the third-most ever in a Big Ten game.

5. Ball vs. Penn State: The showdown for the Leaders Division title quickly turned into a rout, and Ball was a big reason why. He rushed 25 times for 156 yards and four touchdowns against Penn State's normally stout defense, as Wisconsin punched its ticket to Indianapolis with a 45-7 victory.

6. Michigan State's Kirk Cousins vs. Wisconsin I: You remember the game-winning Hail Mary pass. But that was just the culmination of a terrific night for the senior, who went 22-of-31 for 290 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers in the crucial win against the Badgers.

7. Nebraska's Rex Burkhead vs. Iowa: Burkhead had better days scoring and ripping off long runs, but he never put the team on his back quite as much as he did in the first Heroes Game. The running back set a Huskers record with 38 carries for 160 yards and added a touchdown, and he sat out most of the fourth quarter before coming back in to take the final, record-breaking carry.

8. Wisconsin's Russell Wilson vs. Minnesota: The Gophers made a lot of quarterbacks look good, but Wilson was as close to perfect as you can get in a 42-13 blowout. He completed all 13 of his passes in the first half and finished 16-of-17 for 178 yards and four touchdowns. That makes for a pretty good passer rating.

9. Penn State's Gerald Hodges vs. Illinois: We can't let offensive guys own this whole list. The Nittany Lions' linebacker was all over the place in the snowy, 10-7 slugfest against the Illini. He finished with 19 tackles, a sack, two pass breakups and a forced fumble to keep his team in the game.

10. Purdue's Kawann Short vs. Ohio State: The big defensive tackle dominated the interior in the upset of the Buckeyes. Short sacked quarterback Braxton Miller three times, earning national defensive player of the week recognition.

Honorable mention: Iowa's James Vandenberg vs. Pittsburgh; Iowa's Marvin McNutt vs. Indiana; Illinois' Jonathan Brown vs. Arizona State; Ohio State's Braxton Miller vs. Michigan; Iowa's Marcus Coker vs. Minnesota; Ball vs. Nebraska and Purdue; Wilson vs. Nebraska and Michigan State II; Michigan State's William Gholston vs. Georgia; Nebraska's Taylor Martinez vs. Ohio State; Northwestern's Jeremy Ebert vs. Rice; Michigan's Fitz Toussaint vs. Illinois