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Two more Big Ten teams have issued their official injury reports for Saturday's games.

MICHIGAN (vs. Bowling Green)

Out

• OL John Ferrara, hand
• LB Brandon Herron, ankle
• LB/S Carvin Johnson, knee
• LB Mike Jones, leg
• S Jared Van Slyke, clavicle
• S Mike Williams, head
• CB Troy Woolfolk, ankle

Probable

• S Marvin Robinson, shoulder
• RB Fitzgerald Toussaint, knee

Thoughts: It's still astounding how many defensive players remain out for the Wolverines, who certainly could use a boost on that side of the ball. Robinson is making progress, which is a good sign. Coach Rich Rodriguez had been hopeful that Herron would return this week, and Johnson's presence is missed at a very critical position.

INDIANA (vs. Akron)

Out

• S Chris Adkins, ankle

Questionable

• CB Matt Ernest, shin
• K Nick Freeland, hip
• WR Dre Muhammad, ankle
• LB Tyler Replogle, concussion

Probable

• DE Kevin Bush, neck
• DE Darius Johnson

Thoughts: Still quite a few defenders are banged up, so it'll be interesting to see how the unit performs against Akron. Replogle would be a major loss if he can't play, and both Ernest and Johnson also are projected starters. Indiana ranks last in the Big Ten in rushing defense (185.5 ypg), and it's important for the defense to tighten things up before Denard Robinson and Michigan visit on Oct. 2.

It's not too late to join my chat.

• Forget the long flight, the late kickoff and the time change: Iowa only needs to worry about Arizona, Mike Hlas writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette. The Hawkeyes will be Normless in Arizona, as defensive coordinator Norm Parker misses the game, Andy Hamilton writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
• Wisconsin could be two starting receivers short against Arizona State, Jeff Potrykus writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Capital Times' Mike Lucas explores an interesting question: What if Wisconsin had hired Dennis Erickson as its coach in 1986?
• A very interesting piece on Minnesota's football spending, or lack thereof, from the Star Tribune's Phil Miller.
• Penn State's tentative play proved costly at Alabama, Ron Musselman writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Lions are looking for more leadership in the coming weeks, Jerry DiPaola writes in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
• Michigan State's season really starts Saturday, and Mark Dantonio expects a good game with Notre Dame, Matt Charboneau writes in The Detroit News. Spartans running back Larry Caper has healed faster than expected from a hand injury, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal.
• Urban Meyer has some high praise for Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, Nicole Auerbach writes in USA TODAY.
• Nebraska coach Bo Pelini talks about how the team's hybrid defenders will fare in the Big Ten, Dirk Chatelain writes in the Omaha World-Herald.
• Ohio State coach Jim Tressel tries to explain the chaos at the end of the first half against Miami, Ken Gordon writes in The Columbus Dispatch. The Buckeyes aim to tackle their special problem, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• Northwestern linebacker Bryce McNaul is inspired by his older brother, who will be deployed to Afghanistan in October, Tina Akouris writes in the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Several Big Ten-related nuggets in the Five-Step Drop from AOL FanHouse's Michael David Smith.
• Purdue quarterback Robert Marve has to play smart and protect himself, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
• Indiana defensive back Matt Ernest, a converted receiver, is settling into his new role, Terry Hutchens writes in The Indianapolis Star.
• There's a more positive mood around the Illinois program these days, Shannon Ryan writes in the Chicago Tribune. After so much shuffling on defense, Ron Zook might have finally gotten it right, Mark Tupper writes in the (Decatur) Herald & Review.

The Big Ten is still perfect in 2010. All three teams in action Thursday night came out victorious. You've already seen my thoughts on Ohio State-Marshall.

Let's take a look at the other two games:

Minnesota 24, Middle Tennessee 17: It wasn't a masterpiece, but Minnesota took a big step toward establishing its offensive identity. Coach Tim Brewster has talked about "pound the rock" for a while, but until Thursday night, the Gophers hadn't been that power-run, clock-killing offense. They achieved both of those goals in a big way at Middle Tennessee, rushing for 281 yards and holding the ball for 45:34. That's exactly what new offensive coordinator Jeff Horton wants to do with this unit. Running back Duane Bennett had a huge night (30 carries, 187 yards), and I couldn't be happier for fullback Jon Hoese, who scored all three Minnesota touchdowns, including the game-winner in the fourth quarter. Hoese nearly didn't make the trip after his father suffered a severe stroke this week. He ends up playing, scoring three touchdowns and recovering a fumble on a kickoff return. He'll be getting a helmet sticker Saturday night. Minnesota's defense looked shaky at times in the middle quarters but did enough to win, and senior quarterback Adam Weber completed 10 of 17 passes. Most important, Minnesota played a more disciplined game, committing no turnovers and had just four penalties. The Gophers had to take advantage of Middle Tennessee without Dwight Dasher, and they did with a second-half rally.

Indiana 51, Towson 17: Tandon Doss' absence clearly didn't slow down the Indiana offense, which surged both through the air and, more importantly, on the ground. As I expected, Damarlo Belcher picked up the slack for the injured Doss and came up big with eight receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown. Ben Chappell did what senior quarterbacks are supposed to do against poor FCS teams and delivered an efficient performance (17-for-24 passing, 186 yards, 2 touchdowns). But the big story was Willis and the run game. Coach Bill Lynch introduced the pistol formation to spark the rushing attack, but Indiana has been inconsistent and Willis has struggled to stay healthy. The junior back looked great Thursday with 102 rush yards and two touchdowns on only 13 carries. Linebacker Tyler Replogle led the defense, and two defensive backs who used to play receiver, Mitchell Evans and Matt Ernest, both recorded interceptions. Indiana has to capitalize on a very soft nonconference slate, and Thursday night was the first step.

Schedule: Coach Bill Lynch and the Hoosiers open practice today at 4 p.m. ET.

What's new: The defense has a new look in terms of both personnel and alignment. Indiana is switching to the 3-4 set this year as it tries to spark a unit that has struggled for most of the last decade. The Hoosiers lose seven starters on defense, including linebacker Matt Mayberry, defensive end Jammie Kirlew and safety Austin Thomas. Mo Moriarity returns to Indiana as offensive line coach after a successful run in the state's high school circuit.

Sidelined: Indiana enters camp very healthy, although linebacker linebacker Ryan Phillis is out with a foot injury. Safety Mitchell Evans returns after missing spring ball with a hip injury, and wideout Damarlo Belcher is fine after battling a hamstring issue this spring.

Key battle: The Hoosiers lose a lot at linebacker and defensive back, and besides senior Tyler Replogle, there are few guarantees at those spots. Evans and converted receiver Matt Ernest are projected to start at strong safety and cornerback, but expect plenty of competition. Thomas and Leon Beckum will compete for time at inside linebacker. Indiana also must replace left tackle Rodger Saffold, a second-round draft pick in April. Andrew McDonald is the projected starter, with Josh Hager behind him.

New on the scene: The Hoosiers hope three junior college transfers can help their long-suffering defense. Cornerback Lenyatta Kiles and linebacker Jeff Thomas went through spring ball and should contribute right away at their positions. The most heralded of the three arrivals, Andre Kates, a one-time Florida commit, gets on the practice field today.

Time to shine: Running back Darius Willis has shown he can be a difference maker for Indiana, but he has got to stay healthy. After dealing with various injuries his first three seasons, Willis looks to spark the Hoosiers' rushing attack and add balance to what should be an excellent passing game.

Quotable: "What we've talked to our guys about is learning how to finish. When you go back and look at it, I really mean that. We were about 12 plays away from playing in a really good bowl game." -- head coach Bill Lynch

Five Big Ten teams will hold their annual spring games Saturday, so let's take a quick look at each event.

INDIANA

The vitals: The Cream & Crimson game kicks off at 6 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium. Fans can choose to cheer for the Cream or Crimson squads and will be able to sit on opposite sides of the stadium. Admission is free and gates open at 5 p.m. ET. Everything you need to know can be found here.

What to watch:

• The defense is Indiana's top priority this spring, and there's plenty of competition in the secondary as three starters depart. Although safety Mitchell Evans and cornerback Matt Ernest are limited and cornerback Lawrence Barnett is out with an injury, it'll be interesting to see which defensive backs step up on Saturday. I'll keep an eye on junior college transfer Lenyatta Kiles and safety Jerimy Finch, who I'm told is having a solid spring.
• The Hoosiers' defensive front seven also should be intriguing. IU knows what it has in linebacker Tyler Replogle, but junior college transfer Jeff Thomas and others are competing for the other two starting linebacker spots. Co-defensive coordinator Joe Palcic had some very high praise this week for defensive ends Darius Johnson and Kevin Bush, two players worth watching.
• Indiana should have one of the Big Ten's top passing offenses in 2010, but there are big questions with the run game. Can Darius Willis stay healthy and become a star? Is freshman Antonio Banks the real deal? We'll find out a little bit more on Saturday night.

IOWA

The vitals: Iowa will hold a two-hour practice capped by a controlled scrimmage at 1 p.m. CT at Kinnick Stadium. Fans can sit in the west and south grandstands, and gates open at 11:30 a.m. ET. Check out all the information here.

What to watch:

• Fans get a glimpse of the new-look Iowa offensive line, which is replacing four players who started at least part of the 2009 season. Head coach Kirk Ferentz said six players have separated themselves from the pack, but keep an eye on right tackle Markus Zusevics and centers Josh Koeppel and James Ferentz. The line goes up against one of the nation's best defensive fronts Saturday, so it should be a good test.
• You won't see much from Iowa's top running backs, but the scrimmage should provide some clues about the cornerback spot, as the Hawkeyes try to replace All-Big Ten selection Amari Spievey. Micah Hyde has the edge on Jordan Bernstine for the starting job opposite Shaun Prater.
• Iowa knows what to expect from Ricky Stanzi in crunch time, but the quarterback wants to trim his interceptions total in 2010. The Hawkeyes could be very dynamic in the passing game this fall, so it'll be interesting to see how Stanzi looks in a game simulation.

MICHIGAN

The vitals: Michigan's spring game kicks off at 1 p.m. at Michigan Stadium and will be streamed live on bigtennetwork.com. Fans can tour the locker room Friday from 6:30-8 p.m. and Saturday from 7-9:30 a.m. Michigan's alumni football game takes place at 11 a.m. You can find all the information here.

What to watch:

• You might have heard, but there's a legit quarterback competition going on in Ann Arbor this spring. Fans can get a look at Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner, while Tate Forcier might sit out with a sprained foot. A decision on a starter won't be made until the fall, but the spring game provides an important platform for the candidates.
• There has been a lot of buzz about the 3-3-5 defensive alignment, but I'm more interested in Michigan's personnel, especially in the secondary. Safety Cameron Gordon, a converted wide receiver, has garnered a lot of praise this spring. Fans can check out Gordon, cornerbacks J.T. Floyd and Troy Woolfolk and others in the scrimmage.
• Brandon Graham's departure leaves a huge void in the pass-rush department. Sophomore linebacker hybrid Craig Roh could help in that area, and it'll be interesting to see how he's used in the spring game. Mike Martin's injury this spring has freed up reps for other defensive linemen.

PURDUE

The vitals: The Black & Gold Game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET at Ross-Ade Stadium, with the gates opening at noon ET. Among the day's events is the family fun fest (11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. ET), where kids can participate in six stations run by the football team. All your info can be found here.

What to watch:

• Fans get their first look at Miami transfer Robert Marve, the projected starter at quarterback for 2010. Marve and fellow quarterbacks Caleb TerBush and Rob Henry will be on display Saturday, and they'll get plenty of work in the passing game as Purdue's top running backs are all injured.
• The offensive line is one of few groups that has avoided the injury bug, which is good because Purdue has a lot to replace. It'll be interesting to see who gets the most playing time up front and the line's rotation in the scrimmage.
• Purdue loses all four starters in the secondary from 2009, and safety Albert Evans, one of few reserves with experience, is out this spring. Who's competing for starting jobs at safety and cornerback? We'll find out more on Saturday.

WISCONSIN

The vitals: Wisconsin's spring game kicks off at 2 p.m. CT at Camp Randall Stadium. The game will be streamed live on bigtennetwork.com. A Kids Fair will be held from noon-2 p.m., and football players will be on hand for the first hour. For more, click here.

What to watch:

• Wisconsin's quarterback depth is a question mark, and backup Jon Budmayr should get plenty of work Saturday. Budmayr struggled a bit in last week's scrimmage, but Wisconsin needs him to be capable of stepping into a game if anything happens to Scott Tolzien.
• The competition along the defensive line should be interesting to track, as Wisconsin loses three starters up front. The Badgers have a future star in J.J. Watt but need to see good signs from the defensive tackle spot as well as ends Louis Nzegwu and David Gilbert.
• Heisman Trophy candidate John Clay won't be out there, but Wisconsin's pass-catching threats will be in action. Can Lance Kendricks be an All-Big Ten tight end? Who will join Nick Toon as a go-to wide receiver? We should find out more Saturday.

It's Opening Day at Wrigley Field, and the Cubs' bullpen is already redefining the seventh-inning stretch this season.

• Penn State showed its youth in Saturday's scrimmage, Bob Flounders writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News. The Lions' offense has a long way to go, and it's not just the quarterbacks, Jeff Rice writes in the Centre Daily Times.
• Minnesota scrimmaged Saturday without linebacker Sam Maresh, and here's why, Kent Youngblood writes in the Star Tribune.
• The door is open for Ben Buchanan to land Ohio State's starting kicker spot, Tim May writes in The Columbus Dispatch. Some thoughts on Ohio State's spring depth chart.
• The rule about Michigan's quarterback competition: don't assume anything, Angelique Chengelis writes in The Detroit News.
• It's open season on Illinois' quarterbacks, at least for a day, Mark Tupper writes in the (Decatur) Herald & Review.
• After a turnover-filled 2009 season, Purdue is once again struggling to hold onto the football, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier. Quarterback Robert Marve gets a fresh start with the Boilers, Dave Curtis writes in The Sporting News.
• Indiana picks up a commitment from quarterback Tre Robinson, who has roots with the program, Dustin Dopirak writes in The (Bloomington) Herald-Times (subscription required). IU's Matt Ernest is making the slow transition to cornerback, Terry Hutchens writes in The Indianapolis Star.
• Pat Fitzgerald is pleased with Northwestern's first scrimmage, ESPNChicago.com's Scott Powers writes.
• Tight ends coach Joe Rudolph was an easy choice to become Wisconsin's new recruiting coordinator, Jim Polzin writes in The Capital Times.

In preparation for the start of spring practice Tuesday, Indiana has issued an updated depth chart (Page 4).

There aren't many surprises on offense, as eight starters return from 2009. Junior Andrew McDonald appears as the starting left tackle, as Indiana must replace standout Rodger Saffold. Veteran Cody Faulkner is listed as the starting right guard ahead of freshman Aaron Price.

The defensive depth chart reveals a few more clues:

• Junior Darius Johnson and fifth-year senior Deonte Mack are listed as the first-team defensive ends. Several others will be in the mix, including Fred Jones, Eric Thomas and Terrance Thomas, who will miss spring ball with a shoulder injury. Mack boasts a good deal of experience at both line positions.
• Senior Tyler Replogle shifts to middle linebacker as IU must replace Matt Mayberry. Junior college transfer Jeff Thomas is listed as the backup there.
• Junior Leon Beckum and sophomore Chad Sherer are listed as the starters at the outside linebacker spots. Replogle started nine games at strongside linebacker in 2009.
• Adrian Burks and Matt Ernest will compete for a starting cornerback spot opposite Donnell Jones. Ernest will be limited this spring as he's pitching for Indiana's baseball team.
• Junior Chris Adkins is listed as the starter at free safety, while converted wide receiver Mitchell Evans is the starting strong safety ahead of Jerimy Finch. Evans will miss spring ball following hip surgery, so it will be interesting to see if Finch, a heralded transfer from Florida, can finally answer the bell.
• All-Big Ten wideout Tandon Doss will get a shot to fill Ray Fisher's spots on returns. Doss is listed as the starter for both punt and kickoff returns.
• Head coach Bill Lynch said today that Edward Wright-Baker and Dusty Kiel will compete for time as the team's Wildcat quarterback, a role Evans filled well in 2009.

The spring superlatives series, which takes a look at the strongest and weakest positions for each Big Ten team, marches on with Indiana.

The Hoosiers begin spring practice stocked at the offensive skill positions, as quarterback Ben Chappell, All-Big Ten wide receiver Tandon Doss and others are back. Indiana's major concerns once again rest with a defense that loses seven starters.

Strongest position: Wide receiver/tight end

• Key returnees: Tandon Doss (77 receptions, 962 yards, 5 TDs); Damarlo Belcher (61 receptions, 770 yards, 5 TDs); Terrance Turner (46 receptions, 443 yards, 1 TD); Max Dedmond (18 receptions 141 yards, 1 TD).
• Key losses: Wideout Mitchell Evans (33 receptions, 366 yards, 3 TDs) moves to safety.
• The skinny: How loaded are the Hoosiers at receiver? Head coach Bill Lynch is moving two players, Evans and Matt Ernest, to the defensive side to help a beleaguered secondary. Doss earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media (second-team from the coaches) as a sophomore and has great potential to play at the next level. Belcher boasts great size and the ability to stretch the field, while Turner brings good experience to the group. Quarterback Ben Chappell will have no shortage of targets in 2010.

Weakest position: Defensive back

• Key returnees: Cornerback Donnell Jones (30 tackles, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups); cornerback Richard Council (22 tackles, 2 pass breakups); safety Chris Adkins (14 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception).
• Key losses: Austin Thomas (67 tackles, 4 interceptions, 2 pass breakups); Nick Polk (53 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 tackles for loss, 4 pass breakups); Ray Fisher (40 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 635 kickoff return yards and 2 TDs).
• The skinny: Indiana has concerns at other positions, namely linebacker and defensive end, but the secondary will be the coaches' top priority this spring. The Hoosiers lose three starters, including both safeties, and are rushing to fill the gaps. Bill Lynch signed two junior college cornerbacks (Andre Kates and Lenyatta Kiles) and moved both Evans and Ernest over from the offense. Evans, who played safety as a freshman in 2007, is expected to step into a leadership role in the secondary. I saw a decimated Indiana secondary face Iowa last year, and the Hawkeyes hit on several huge pass plays in the fourth quarter. IU must build depth in the back four to be able to survive injuries in 2010.

Here's the second half of my interview with Indiana head coach Bill Lynch, who opens spring practice Tuesday.

For Part I, click here.

It sounds like you have high expectations for Mitchell Evans. He's been moved around to a lot of places, but transitioning back to safety, how do you feel about him there?

Bill Lynch: He's just a good football player, and he can play a lot of places. But we have a need there, and he's certainly a guy who will have an opportunity to play every snap. Where on offense, we've got some depth at wideout and we aren't in three and four wideouts all the time. He had a limited number of snaps as the Wildcat guy, so this will get him an opportunity to be on the field all the time, and that will help our football team.

Are there other guys you're moving over to defense that might be able to play?

BL: Matt Ernest. Matt is an interesting guy. Matt played some wideout for us last year, and we had pretty good wide receivers with some depth. And he played special teams. But we're going to move him over and have him compete at cornerback. We think he's got a lot of skills, he played [cornerback] in high school. But he's playing baseball now. He had been a good high school baseball player but didn't play his first two years here, and he walked on and now he's pitching for them and pitching pretty well. He'll be a little limited as far as what he does in the spring, but he'll be going through drills so we'll have a chance to look at him over at corner.

So will he keep playing baseball while spring ball goes on?

BL: Yeah, we won't get him beat up, because he's becoming pretty important for the baseball team, so we don't want to take that opportunity away from him. It's very similar to Andrew Means a few years ago.

And then on offense, do you look to build off of some of the good performances last year?

BL: I think so. I like what we're doing scheme-wise offensively, and now it's just getting better at it. We've got to replace Rodger Saffold at left tackle, and we've got two juniors who have played and have been in the program a long time in Andrew McDonald and Josh Hager. Those are the first two guys who will get a crack at it, and I know they're anxious to go. And then it'd be nice to get a good spring out of [running back] Darius Willis. He seems to be healthy. He was banged-up a lot last spring, and then he was in and out last fall. He had a little shoulder surgery right after the season, and I know that helped. He seems to be ready to go now. And then we've got a freshman that we redshirted [in 2009], Nick Turner, who I'm anxious to watch compete at tailback this spring as well.

Will anyone be out or limited this spring?

BL: Evans isn't going to practice a whole lot, even though he's going to play safety. He had some surgery after the season. And Justin Pagan, one of our offensive linemen, had some surgery, so he's not going to do too much. Zach Davis-Walker, a backup tailback, is going to be pretty limited. Terrance Turner's not going to practice at all. He's going to have a little surgery. All should be in good shape and ready to go in August.

For Ben [Chappell], having a full offseason as the starter, is he clearly the leader on the offense now?

BL: I think so. He's a great leader, and he played very well in the fall. He's got a whole year of experience as the starter. Now we've got a couple of young guys who are going to compete for the second spot, and you're able to give them some shots [with the first-team offense] in the spring, but certainly going into it, they've got to beat Ben out.

Despite another disappointing record (4-8) in 2009, Indiana finished the season with several reasons to believe things will get better soon.

Those reasons could be found in Indiana's offensive meeting room.

From quarterback Ben Chappell to wide receivers Tandon Doss and Damarlo Belcher to running back Darius Willis, Indiana boasted plenty of weapons to attack its opponents. And for the most part, they're all coming back in 2010, as the Hoosiers lose only three offensive starters, two of whom played on the line.

But offensive firepower rarely is the problem at Indiana. Defensive struggles have doomed the Hoosiers for the last decade, as they finished no better than 71st nationally since 2000. Despite a veteran-laden unit in 2009, Indiana ranked 10th in the Big Ten in points allowed (29.5 points per game), ninth against the pass (241.9 yards per game), ninth against the run (159.1 ypg) and 10th in total yards allowed (401 ypg).

The Hoosiers also lose seven starters on defense, including All-Big Ten end Jammie Kirlew, former national sacks leader Greg Middleton, standout middle linebacker Matt Mayberry and three-fourths of the secondary. Even if IU lights up the scoreboard in 2010, it could have major problems stopping anyone on defense.

That's why head coach Bill Lynch plans to move several offensive players to defense, including versatile wide receiver Mitchell Evans.

Recruited as a quarterback and a safety, Evans began his college career at safety, moved to quarterback for preseason camp in 2008 and eventually switched to wide receiver. He ranked fourth on the team with 33 receptions for 366 yards and three touchdowns in 2009, but he was perhaps best known for being the trigger man on the Wildcat offense, or, as Indiana folks called it, the Wild-Mitch. Evans took 69 snaps in the Wild-Mitch and rushed for 131 yards on 32 attempts.

This fall, Evans will be patrolling the secondary as a safety.

"He played safety for us as a true freshman," Lynch told me last week. "We're looking at some other guys that we may move to compete at corner and see how they do, knowing that they could go back to offense if it didn't work out."

Last year, wide receiver Ray Fisher moved to cornerback and became Indiana's top cover man. Fisher still contributed on kick returns, recording two runbacks for touchdowns. Evans also could maintain a role on offense, even though he'd be primarily a defensive player.

"He's the kind of kid that could [play both ways]," Lynch said. "It takes a mature guy that's a quick learner and doesn't need a lot of reps, and he's one of those kinds of guys. He's very unique that way."

Wide receiver Matt Ernest, who played safety in high school, also will switch over to defense for 2010. Indiana expects two junior college players, Andre Kates and Lenyatta Kiles, to fill in at cornerback.

"We don't want to count on freshmen coming in and doing it," Lynch said. "Kates and Kiles will compete right away, and then the next step is some of the guys we're going to move this spring."

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

It's a critical year for Indiana football and head coach Bill Lynch. As the program moves into its sparkling new end-zone facility at Memorial Stadium, the team must rebuild after sliding to 3-9 in 2008. Two years removed from a breakthrough bowl season under Lynch, the Hoosiers can ill afford another step back.

	Sandra Dukes/Icon SMI
	Indiana coach Bill Lynch knows his team must improve on last season.

Despite losing former All-Big Ten quarterback Kellen Lewis after spring ball, Lynch is excited about his team, which he says has more depth and experience than ever before. Perhaps most important, the Hoosiers are relatively healthy after being ravaged by injuries in 2008. Several standout defenders return -- ends Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton, linebacker Matt Mayberry -- and junior quarterback Ben Chappell enters camp as the clear-cut starter.

Here are some of Lynch's thoughts on the upcoming season as we chatted last week.

You've mentioned a couple times that you feel this is a different team. Is there anything you can put your finger on as far as why things are different?

Bill Lynch: It really goes all the way back to when we got going in January with our offseason program. Every team's different. As guys get older and become seniors and juniors, this group's really taken ownership. It's the leadership we've seen and the way they've really held each other accountable to the work it takes to be a good football team. When you're in this business long enough, you see that and you feel it. That's where we are, throughout the program. This group is very committed.

I know you're excited about the pistol offense this year. Has that system fully sunk in, or is it still a process?

BL: They've got a good handle on it. It's not drastically different. The biggest thing is we want to run the football better and run it in a little different style. The spread is primarily a zone-blocking scheme where you're trying to spread the defense and create some creases, versus the pistol is more of a traditional offense where you can be a little more downhill. As a result, we can use some different blocking schemes, run some power and some gap and man schemes. We just felt like we needed to get more multiple in our offense. Our guys really picked that up in the spring. We're still going from the no-huddle attack, and that hasn't changed. The terminology is very similar, so it's not like we totally changed the offense.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

All 11 Big Ten teams are now immersed in spring practice, and several squads held controlled scrimmages over the weekend. Some scrimmages were closed and no information was released, but here's what I've pieced together.

INDIANA

Scrimmage: Saturday

Highlights

• The Ben Chappell-Kellen Lewis connection is gaining steam, as the current quarterback (Chappell) hooked up with the former quarterback (Lewis) for a 30-yard touchdown. Chappell completed 15 of 23 passes for 231 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while Lewis had four catches for 51 yards.
  
• Indiana's running backs, an area of concern entering the spring, racked up 200 rushing yards on 31 carries. Senior Bryan Payton had a 40-yard burst on the first play out of the pistol formation. Junior Trea Burgess, who began the spring at linebacker before switching to running back, led all rushers with 13 carries for 65 yards.
  
• Six defensive starters sat out the scrimmage with injuries, but the Hoosiers still recorded three interceptions, including one by junior safety Jerimy Finch, a Florida transfer who came to Indiana with a lot of hype. Converted wide receivers Shane Covington and Collin Taylor also picked off passes. Junior linebacker Tyler Replogle had a 90-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
  
• Sophomore wide receiver Matt Ernest, who played sparingly last fall, led all receivers with five catches for 92 yards. Tandon Doss added six receptions for 79 yards.

MINNESOTA

Scrimmage: Saturday

Highlights

• The Gophers ran almost 100 plays in their first spring scrimmage. Despite being limited by a surgically repaired shoulder, Adam Weber took all the snaps with the first-team offense, while MarQueis Gray worked with the second team.
  
• Ten different receivers caught passes, and the Gray found Brodrick Smith for a 63-yard touchdown.
  
• The running back spot is pretty wide open after the Gophers ranked as the Big Ten's worst rushing team last fall. Redshirt freshman Kevin Whaley got most of the carries Saturday, indicating a possible move up the depth chart.
• The scrimmage was closed to the media, but head coach Tim Brewster said the defense is still ahead of the offense, which is installing a new system under coordinator Jedd Fisch. Weber got intercepted on his first pass attempt and later said there was a mix-up on the play.
• After seeing Wisconsin raid its state's high school ranks for years, Minnesota picked up a quarterback recruit from Badger Land over the weekend.

PENN STATE

Scrimmage: Saturday

Highlights

• If the scrimmage is any indication, Penn State fans who have been telling me not to worry about the defensive line are spot on. The line dominated reserve quarterbacks Kevin Newsome and walk-on Matt McGloin. Defensive tackles Jared Odrick and Abe Koroma and defensive ends Jack Crawford, Eric Latimore and Kevion Latham all had good days.
  
• Only two touchdowns were scored, as starting tailback Evan Royster had a 45-yard scoring run and starting quarterback Daryll Clark found tight end Mickey Shuler in the end zone. Clark didn't scrimmage much but performed extremely well when he was out there, while Newsome, a true freshman who enrolled early, seemed to struggle. Several reports said McGloin outplayed Newsome. If it's not obvious already, Penn State needs Clark to stay healthy this fall.
  
• The Lions' new-look secondary featured A.J. Wallace and Knowledge Timmons as the corners and Drew Astorino and sophomore Andrew Dailey at the safety spots.
  
• After losing three starters, the offensive line will take time to jell, and Saturday wasn't a strong performance. First-team left tackle DeOn'tae Pannell had a rough day and will be pushed by several players.
• Wide receiver is a position of intrigue throughout the spring, and Graham Zug, Brett Brackett, Derek Moye, Chaz Powell and James McDonald got the most work in the scrimmage. Powell also lined up in the backfield on several plays, a la Derrick Williams.
  

PURDUE

Scrimmage: Saturday

Highlights

• A day after quarterback Justin Siller was dismissed from school, Purdue received a much needed strong performance from its offense in a 125-play scrimmage. Though quarterback remains a question mark for the Boilers, they appear to be strong in the run game.
  
• Sophomore Ralph Bolden exploded for 192 rush yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, including bursts of 38 and 32 yards. Senior Frank Halliburton added 85 yards on 14 carries as the Purdue backs combined for four rushing touchdowns. Senior Jaycen Taylor was held out of the scrimmage as he works back from a torn ACL.
  
• Head coach Danny Hope praised quarterback Caleb TerBush last week, and the redshirt freshman didn't disappoint, completing 15 of 22 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. TerBush's performance in the wake of Siller's departure has to leave Hope feeling a bit better about his options at quarterback. Projected starter Joey Elliott completed 9 of 17 passes for 104 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
• Cornerback Brandon King recovered a fumble, while defensive ends Ryan Kerrigan and Robert Maci and tackle Mike Neal each recorded sacks.
  
• Defensive end Nickcaro Golding missed the scrimmage with a high ankle sprain sustained earlier in the week.
• Tight en
  d should be a better spot for Purdue this fall, as Kyle Adams returns from an injury sustained in the 2008 opener. Adams led all receivers with four catches for 41 yards in the scrimmage.
  

WISCONSIN

Scrimmage: Saturday

Highlights

• Head coach Bret Bielema has emphasized red zone defense this spring after the Badgers finished last in the league in that category in 2008 (92.9 percent). Bielema wasn't pleased with what he saw in the scrimmage, as the offense scored on five of six red zone chances. The first-team offense went 2-for-2 against the top defense, as quarterbacks Dustin Sherer and Scott Tolzien fired touchdowns to Garrett Graham and Nick Toon. The second-team offense went 3-for-4 in red zone chances.
  
• The tight ends and wide receivers continued to look good, particularly Graham, Toon, tight end Lance Kendricks and wideout Isaac Anderson, who caught a touchdown.
• Top running back John Clay sustained a bruised right ankle and missed a chunk of the scrimmage, giving redshirt freshman Erik Smith extensive work.
  
• Among the defensive highlights were interceptions by Antonio Fenelus, Shelton Johnson and Devin Smith. Safety Shane Carter, reserve linebacker Tony Megna and defensive ends O'Brien Schofield and J.J. Watt also had some good moments.
• The Badgers' already iffy linebacker corps took another hit as senior Erik Prather suffered a right leg injury and needed to be carted off the field.
• Freshman quarterback Jon Budmayr continued to impress, firing an 18-yard score to Anderson.
• After a strong practice Thursday, right tackle Josh Oglesby returned to the first-team offensive line. Peter Konz, who briefly replaced Oglesby with the starters, worked with the second team.