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The tireless Phil Steele, he of the eponymous and indispensable college football preview magazine, has come out with his preseason All-Big Ten teams. You can find them -- which include four teams for offense, defense and special teams -- on his blog here.

Some of Steele's choices were obvious ones, like Montee Ball, Rex Burkhead, Ricky Wagner and Taylor Lewan on the first-team offense, and John Simon, Kawann Short, William Gholston, Gerald Hodges, Chris Borland, Mike Taylor and Johnny Adams on the first-team defense.

Steele picked Michigan's Denard Robinson as his first-team quarterback, with Ohio State's Braxton Miller on the second team. Iowa's James Vandenberg doesn't appear on his top four teams, which is very surprising.

Receiver may be the hardest position to figure out this year in the Big Ten. Steele has Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis, Iowa's Keenan Davis and Michigan's Roy Roundtree on his first team. He picks Ohio State's Jake Stoneburner as the top tight end in a year when that position could be stacked. Wisconsin's Travis Frederick, Michigan State's Chris McDonald and Nebraska's Spencer Long are the first-team interior linemen.

Steele likes Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins as a first-team performer on the defensive line. He goes with four linebackers, making room for Illinois' Jonathan Brown. Iowa's Micah Hyde joins Adams at first-team cornerback, while Michigan State's Isaiah Lewis and Ohio State's C.J. Barnett are the safeties.

Wisconsin leads the way with seven first-team picks, while Michigan State has the most players on all four teams, with 16. Ohio State has 15, including receivers Corey Brown and Devin Smith on the fourth team. Minnesota had only one player on Steele's top four teams -- Troy Stoudermire, who appears as the fourth-team cornerback and fourth-team kick returner.

Let's plop back into our series looking at the most indispensable players on each Big Ten squad entering the 2012 season.

We remind you again that this is not necessarily a listing of the best players on each team, but of those whose absence would cause the most pain because of their particular value or a lack of depth at their positions. The Wisconsin Badgers go under the microscope today.

Jared Abbrederis, WR, Jr.

It's been quite a journey for Abbrederis, going from walk-on to indispensable player. But on offense, he is without peer right now. Yes, Montee Ball is the superstar and a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite. But Wisconsin would be able to run the ball without him, thanks to James White and Melvin Gordon. Ricky Wagner and Travis Frederick are extremely valuable on the offensive line, but we've seen over and over again how the Badgers can replace offensive linemen with virtually no dropoff. With Nick Toon graduated, there are no receivers on the roster with nearly as much experience or proven production as Abbrederis, who led the team with 933 receiving yards a year ago. He also was the nation's best punt returner in 2011. Abbrederis' absence from spring practice because of a foot injury exposed the youth and inconsistency of the wideout corps; any extended time missed in the fall would severely hurt the Badgers' chances of repeating as Big Ten champions.

Chris Borland, MLB, Jr.

You could pick Borland or outside linebacker Mike Taylor for this spot, since both are among the best in college football at the position. We're going with Borland because of what he means to the defense as the middle linebacker. He had 143 tackles last year in his first year of playing in the middle and should be better for the experience this season. Head coach Bret Bielema, a former linebacker coach himself, says Borland might be the best middle linebacker he's ever coached. Wisconsin managed to make the Rose Bowl two years ago when Borland missed the season with an injury, but the talent dropoff from him to the next guy in would make it tough for the Badgers to do the same in 2012.

During the course of spring practice, Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett visited 11 of the 12 league schools, getting an up-close look at the players and coaches who will shape the 2012 season.

Now it's time for them to share their thoughts on what they saw and learned this spring, and you can follow along as they exchange emails. First, they'll discuss the teams in the Leaders Division. A Legends Division email exchange will arrive in the near future.

Brian Bennett: Adam, I guess the biggest story in the Big Ten this spring was the culture change at both Penn State and Ohio State. You went to both places. What was your sense of how different things are there now, compared to your previous visits to State College and Columbus?

Adam Rittenberg: There's definitely a new energy in both football complexes, Brian. Change can be tough on fans, especially at a place like Penn State where they've only known their program under Joe Paterno's watch, but the players seem to be excited about the new ways things are operating. At Penn State, they're excited to play for a coach (Bill O'Brien) who comes straight from the NFL and has made some much-needed modernizations to certain areas of the program (strength program, offensive philosophy). The enthusiasm about strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald and his philosophy really stood out to me at Penn State. I was also impressed by some of the younger players like freshman tight end Jesse James and redshirt freshman defensive end Deion Barnes.

The changes aren't as dramatic at Ohio State because Urban Meyer retained so many assistants from the previous staff. On the other hand, the thought of Ohio State running a true no-huddle, spread offense amazes players as much as it does the rest of us after so many years of TresselBall. One welcome change with both programs is greater accessibility for the media (and, through us, the fans). I had to pinch myself a few times while watching a Penn State practice.

You made your first visit to Madison, where, judging by the pictures you posted on Twitter, you likely gained 15 pounds and lost that Kentucky twang. What stood out about your time in Mad-city?

Brian Bennett: I'm just now shedding the last of those cheese curds from my system. Change was not really a buzzword with the Badgers, even with a slew of new assistant coaches and some turnover at key positions. This program has a system it believes in and will continue to do the same things year in, year out with new faces.

Wisconsin is still all about running the ball, and Montee Ball looked terrific during the practice he participated in while I was there. If possible, he's even a step faster, and backup Melvin Gordon is going to be a star someday as well. The quarterbacks and receivers weren't nearly as impressive or consistent, but Danny O'Brien wasn't there and Jared Abbrederis was out with his foot injury. I am intrigued by the size of some of the Badgers wideouts, like Marquis Mason (6-foot-4) and Chase Hammond (6-5). The Badgers could be effective throwing some jump balls to those guys, and with their tight ends and offensive line, their offense is going to be just fine.

There are more questions on the defense, but I liked what I saw from the defensive tackles and the secondary, which looks a little more athletic. We know the linebackers will be good with Chris Borland and Mike Taylor. If David Gilbert or someone else can come back and give them a pass rusher from the defensive end spot, this team should be loaded for a run at repeating in the Leaders Division.

I see Illinois as a bit of a mystery team in the division, with a new coach and a new system. How much progress did the Illini make in learning the spread under Tim Beckman, and do they have enough offensive playmakers to run it?

Adam Rittenberg: I don't think they do, although running back Josh Ferguson's performance in the spring game raises hope. Illinois also has some versatile players in cornerback Terry Hawthorne and quarterback Miles Osei who can fill in at receiver and/or running back if need be. But Beckman has been candid about the lack of depth at running back, and we both saw how that offense fared after opposing teams limited A.J. Jenkins' effectiveness. I do think quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase could end up being a good fit for the spread. He obviously has the mobility you need at that position, and while his arm strength is a question mark, he should be able to spread the ball around if enough weapons emerge. I think it's critical for receiver Darius Millines to stay healthy. He really had stood out in practices, but he just can't stay on the field.

I liked what co-offensive coordinator Chris Beatty said about the offense needing to regain its swagger. It's still hard to pinpoint exactly what happened to the unit last year, but I know when a spread offense establishes a nice tempo, it's awfully hard to stop. But here's the thing with Illinois: it might only need to score 20-24 points a game. The defense should be really, really good, and potentially better than last year's crew. The coaches are really excited about Michael Buchanan at end, and the front seven could be the best in the Big Ten.

You also spent some time in the Hoosier State this spring. Purdue coach Danny Hope feels this is his best team. Things couldn't get much worse for Kevin Wilson at Indiana after a 1-11 clunker in 2011. What sense did you get from being in West Lafayette and Bloomington?

Brian Bennett: I sensed quite a bit of confidence coming out of Purdue's camp. That will happen when you have 18 starters back, three healthy quarterbacks and are coming off a bowl win (granted, only against Western Michigan, but it beats the alternative).

The Boilermakers didn't let reporters watch any meaningful parts of spring practice because they're installing Tim Tibesar's new defensive system, so I didn't learn as much about them as I'd like. Still, it's clear this team has experience and some major talent with guys like Kawann Short and Ricardo Allen on defense. I think Purdue is very much a sleeper in the division, though we're going to need to see this team cut down some of its mental mistakes and play with far greater consistency than it has in the Danny Hope era.

The best thing I saw from Indiana was competency on defense. Wilson played so many freshmen last year, and the benefit is that those guys are now a year older and know the system. They were able to execute it much better this spring, and the juco kids will help a lot. The Hoosiers have some nice players on offense, like young quarterback Tre Roberson, running backs Stephen Houston and Isaiah Roundtree and tight end Ted Bolser, and I think Seth Littrell's system will play well to their strengths. Yet you look at the roster and compare it to the upper echelon of the Big Ten, and it's clear that Indiana has a long way to go to catch up and be any sort of factor in the league race.

I came away from the spring still thinking Wisconsin will win this division, but I also believe it will be a tight race and that Penn State could very well take it. Ohio State might end up being the best team in the Leaders but can't play for the league title. Did your spring visits make you feel any differently about the division?

Adam Rittenberg: I agree that Wisconsin remains the team to beat, but I came away thinking the division could have greater depth. The Legends still looks stronger with Michigan State, Michigan and Nebraska up top, and every Leaders Division team has some flaws. But Wisconsin knows how to win, returns a nice core and added a key piece in O'Brien. Ohio State will be a better defensive football team -- end John Simon is poised for an enormous senior season, and hopes are high for tackle Johnathan Hankins, too -- and while there will be some growing pains on offense, it's not as if the Buckeyes set an impressive benchmark in 2011. They were mostly awful.

Penn State and Illinois are very similar teams to me. Both have new coaches whose hiring elicited some skepticism. Both look extremely strong in the defensive front seven. Both retained excellent D-line coaches from the previous staff (Larry Johnson, Keith Gilmore). Both have standout linebackers (Gerald Hodges, Jonathan Brown) and stout defensive tackles (Jordan Hill, Akeem Spence). And both have major question marks on offense: Penn State more so at quarterback, Illinois more so at running back/receiver. Still, if the defenses perform to their capability, Penn State and/or Illinois could really make some noise in a wide-open division.

2011 record: 11-3

2011 conference record: 6-2 (Big Ten champions)

Returning starters:

Offense: 5; Defense: 6; kicker/punter: 0

Top returners:

RB Montee Ball, LT Ricky Wagner, OL Travis Frederick, WR Jared Abbrederis, RB James White, TE Jacob Pedersen, LB Chris Borland, LB Mike Taylor, CB Marcus Cromartie

Key losses:

QB Russell Wilson, OG Kevin Zeitler, C Peter Konz, WR Nick Toon, DT Patrick Butrym, S Aaron Henry, CB Antonio Fenelus

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Montee Ball* (1,923 yards)

Passing: Russell Wilson (3,175 yards)

Receiving: Jared Abbrederis* (933 yards)

Tackles: Mike Taylor* (150)

Sacks: Beau Allen* (4)

Interceptions: Shelton Johnson*, Aaron Henry and Antonio Fenelus (4)

Spring answers

1. Keep on running: The Badgers are enjoying the luxury of returning last year's Heisman finalist and record-breaking running back Montee Ball, who somehow managed to look a step faster this spring. They also still have the very capable James White, who produced 713 rushing yards a year ago. And while both sat out the spring game -- Ball as a precaution, White with a minor injury -- redshirt freshman Melvin Gordon stepped in and showed he could be the next star tailback in Madison. The Badgers can always run the ball, and this year could be a special season for the ground game.

2. Secondary matters: All-conference performers Aaron Henry and Antonio Fenelus are gone from the secondary, but Wisconsin was feeling good about its defensive backs this spring. Head coach Bret Bielema said Dezmen Southward and Shelton Johnson could be the best safety duo he's had during his tenure. Devin Smith is coming back from a foot injury and should fare well as a fifth-year senior starting cornerback. With fifth-year senior Marcus Cromartie also returning at corner, this is an experienced group that is looking to atone for a couple of late breakdowns last season.

3. Strong in the middle: Despite a few snapping problems in a late spring scrimmage, Travis Frederick looked good in replacing star center Peter Konz this spring. Ryan Groy appears ready to become an all-conference type player at left guard. Across from them lies the strength of the defensive line, with Beau Allen, Ethan Hemer and the developing Warren Herring looming as potentially disruptive defensive tackles. If football is won in the middle of the trenches, then Wisconsin is well set up to defend its Big Ten title.

Fall questions

1. O'Brien to the rescue: The Badgers' passing game had its share of struggles this spring, with only Joe Brennan and walk-on redshirt freshman Joel Stave healthy at quarterback. Stave moved ahead of Brennan by the end of spring, but neither showed great consistency. Of course, Maryland transfer Danny O'Brien is on the way, hoping to replicate the success of Russell Wilson. That's far from guaranteed, though, and O'Brien will have to play more like he did as a freshman for the Terps than as a sophomore to make Wisconsin's passing game a true threat.

2. Who else at receiver? Abbrederis missed the spring with a foot injury, giving the coaching staff a long look at the possible contenders to complement him in the receiving corps. It was a very young and inexperienced group that had its ups and downs. Players like Marquis Mason and Chase Hammond have good size and ability but need to learn how to compete every down. Isaiah Williams showed some potential late in the spring. Having good tight ends and excellent pass-catchers out of the backfield should help, but the receiving group remains very much a work in progress.

3. Living on the edge: Wisconsin's defensive line was stout in the middle this spring but lacked a dynamic pass rusher on the edge. The coaching staff hopes that junior David Gilbert can fill that role, but he was out all spring with a foot injury that cut his 2011 season short. If Gilbert isn't all the way healthy or falls short of expectations, there aren't a lot of other candidates. The Badgers' defense is going to be solid with an experienced secondary and two stars at linebacker in Mike Taylor and Chris Borland, but it only reaches the elite level if someone can consistently get to the quarterback.

We asked you Monday to weigh in on the Big Ten offensive player of the year race: specifically, which player had the best chance to challenge the 2011 winner, Wisconsin RB Montee Ball. As of noon ET today, it's a close race between Michigan QB Denard Robinson and Nebraska RB Rex Burkhead, with more than 6,300 votes cast.

It'll be interesting to see how the OPOY race unfolds, but I'm more interested in the candidate pool on the defensive side of the ball. The Big Ten always will be a defense-driven conference -- the league boasted six top-20 defenses in 2011 -- and the 2012 season presents an interesting group of standouts. There's not only a large pool of what I would describe as top contenders, but a nice group of secondary candidates as well. And as we've seen lately, a surprise player could emerge to win the award. Few pegged Penn State DT Devon Still to be the recipient entering the 2011 season.

Let's take a look at the top contenders:

William Gholston, DE, Michigan State, Jr., 6-7, 275


2011 statistics: 70 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 2 pass breakups
2011 awards: Second-team All-Big Ten (media and coaches)
Making a case: The freakishly athletic Gholston might be the Big Ten's most gifted player, and he appears ready for a huge junior season. Remember how Penn State's Still dominated the bowl game before his breakout 2011 season, which resulted in Big Ten defensive player of the year honors? Gholston delivered a similar performance in Michigan State's Outback Bowl win against Georgia, tying a team bowl record with five tackles for loss and recording two sacks and a fumble recovery. Don't be surprised if Gholston mirrors Still's route this coming fall. He boasts a unique combination of size and speed, and while he'll surely command more attention this year, he plays on a defense featuring several players who opponents must respect.

John Simon, DE, Ohio State, Sr., 6-2, 260

2011 statistics: 53 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 1 forced fumbles, 3 pass breakups
2011 awards: First-team All-Big Ten (coaches), second-team All-Big Ten (media), third-team AP All-America
Making a case: The term most often associated with Ryan Kerrigan, the 2010 Big Ten defensive player of the year, is motor. Kerrigan never took plays off and consistently outworked his opponents. The same holds true for Simon, who had new Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer calling him "Tebowish" after just a handful of spring practices. Simon's motor never stops, and he makes up for a lack of ideal size with his work ethic and knowledge of the game. Like Gholston, Simon should benefit from the players around him. Pegged as a future superstar by older teammates when he played as a true freshman, Simon is primed to live up to those expectations this fall.

Gerald Hodges, LB, Penn State, Sr., 6-2, 233

2011 statistics: 106 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception, 4 pass breakups
2011 awards: First-team All-Big Ten (coaches and media)
Making a case: Hodges showed last season that when healthy, he's one of the most dynamic players in the Big Ten. This spring, he looked like the best player on the field during Penn State's practices. He's moving to the strong side, a position where some of Penn State's best linebackers have played during their senior seasons. With Michael Mauti returning from injury, Glenn Carson back and several others in the fold, Penn State could have the league's top linebacking corps in 2012. Expect Hodges to take his game to the next gear, and he could have a season much like Navorro Bowman in 2009.

Kawann Short, DT, Purdue, Sr., 6-3, 310

2011 statistics: 54 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 2 blocked kicks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
2011 awards: First-team All-Big Ten (media), second-team All-Big Ten (coaches)
Making a case: The Big Ten recently has been a league of dominant defensive tackles, and two of them from Penn State, Jared Odrick and Still, have won defensive player of the year honors in the past three seasons. Purdue's Short looks like the next in line after a superb junior season that seemed to fly under the radar both regionally and nationally. He's consistently disruptive and also makes consistent plays in the backfield. Short has racked up 12.5 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss in the past two seasons, so he has been good for a long time. After turning down a chance to turn pro -- he received a third-round grade from the NFL draft advisory board -- Short could have a huge senior season.

Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin, Jr., 5-11, 250


2011 statistics: 143 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, 5 pass breakups
2011 awards: First-team All-Big Ten (coaches and media)
Making a case: Like Short, Borland has been a consistent playmaker for multiple years with Wisconsin. The 2009 Big Ten freshman of the year returned from shoulder problems to turn in an incredibly productive 2011 season. Borland moved to middle linebacker last fall but still found ways to get in the backfield. His tackles for loss total marked the most for a middle linebacker in the FBS. Borland always has been strong against the pass and should help Wisconsin in that phase this fall. Along with Mike Taylor, Borland will lead the Wisconsin defense and look to add more numbers to a tremendously productive career.

Jonathan Brown, LB, Illinois, Jr., 6-1, 235

2011 statistics: 108 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered, 4 pass breakups
2011 awards: Second-team All-Big Ten (media)
Making a case: I put Brown in the same category with Gholston: an elite talent who could become a national superstar this coming season. Like Borland did in 2011, Brown will have to prove he can impact games at middle linebacker the way he did on the outside last season. Like Borland, Brown is an excellent blitzer who can get in a quarterback's face and wreak havoc in the backfield. He'll anchor the linebacking corps for an Illinois defense that should once again be strong in the front seven.

Others to watch

• Mike Taylor, LB, Wisconsin, Sr., 6-2, 222
• Jordan Hill, DT, Penn State, 6-1, 298
• Johnny Adams, CB, Michigan State, Sr., 5-11, 175
• Michael Buchanan, DE, Illinois, Sr., 6-6, 240

Dark horse candidates

• Max Bullough, LB, Michigan State, Jr., 6-3, 252
• Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State, Jr., 6-4, 317
• Jordan Kovacs, S, Michigan, Sr., 6-0, 197
  
• Denicos Allen, LB, Michigan State, Jr. 5-11, 232
• Ricardo Allen, CB, Purdue, Jr., 5-9, 176
• Micah Hyde, CB, Iowa, Sr, 6-1, 190
  
• Daimion Stafford, S, Nebraska, Sr., 6-1, 205
• Michael Mauti, LB, Penn State, Sr., 6-2, 239
• Akeem Spence, DT, Illinois, Jr., 6-1, 305

While I can't include everyone at this early stage, there's a large and interesting group in the mix for this award. Should be a great race to watch.

Nine Big Ten defenders have been named to the preseason watch list for the Lott IMPACT Trophy. The award goes to the nation's impact defender of the year, who reflects the following qualities: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity.

The watch list features 42 players, and the Big Ten boasts the most candidates, followed by the Pac-12 (8) and the ACC and Big 12 (both with 7)

Here's the Big Ten contingent:

• Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin, Sr.
• Jonathan Brown, LB, Illinois, Jr.
• Max Bullough, LB, Michigan State, Jr.
• Gerald Hodges, LB, Penn State, Sr.
• Jordan Kovacs, S, Michigan, Sr.
• John Simon, DE, Ohio State, Sr.
• Kawann Short, DT, Purdue, Sr.
• Baker Steinkuhler, DT, Nebraska, Sr.
• Mike Taylor, LB, Wisconsin, Sr.

A strong group indeed. Several other Big Ten defenders certainly could be included as well, including Michigan State defensive end William Gholston, Penn State linebacker Michael Mauti and Illinois defensive end Michael Buchanan.

Quarterfinalists for the award will be named in late October, and semifinalists will be named in early November. The winner will be announced Dec. 9 in Newport Beach, Calif.

Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt is the last Big Ten player to win the Lott IMPACT Trophy (2010).

Wisconsin linebacker Mike Taylor talks about his recovery from injury and the strength of the Badgers defense.

The final two Big Ten spring games of the year were held this weekend, and we're here to review both of them, starting with Wisconsin.

You can find coverage of the Badgers' Cardinal and White scrimmage here, here and here.

Star of the game: Redshirt freshman running back Melvin Gordon carried 30 times for 159 yards and a touchdown.

How it went down: The Cardinal team, which included the first-string offense and defense, defeated the White squad 21-10. Gordon had a big day in the absence of Montee Ball (precautionary reasons) and James White (bruised knee), showing that the Badgers have serious depth and talent at tailback.

But that wasn't really the question going in. The quarterback situation was. Redshirt freshman Joel Stave appears to be the No. 1 guy until Danny O'Brien shows up, as he spent most of the day with the Cardinal team. He was 14-for-25 for 135 yards and a touchdown and a late interception while putting the ball on the money throughout the game. By contrast, Joe Brennan went just 2-for-11 for 24 yards.

“Joel continues to impress me -- his maturity, the way he handles it,” head coach Bret Bielema said.

Receiver was also a big question mark. Chase Hammond had a nice day, catching four passes for 48 yards and the lone receiving touchdown.

"Chase is an interesting prospect just because he's so lanky," Bielema said. "He's a very athletic specimen. He had surgery on an ankle twice, I believe. Really, at one point they told me he wouldn't be able to play. He's battled back from that. ... I think he made some steps this spring in certain times in practice. I'm excited because I think it is there. He's only a sophomore, so he's got a lot of good football, hopefully, in front of him."

"I just showed that when it’s time to play, I can make plays," Hammond said. "I think that’s been big on me. I may not always have the best practices but that’s what practice is for, to get better."

The Badgers' defense limited the offense for the most part, outside of a few big plays. It's hard to get a true read on Wisconsin from the spring game, since so many stars and potential starters -- like Ball, White, O'Brien, Mike Taylor and Chris Borland -- didn't play in the spring game. Remember that there were no offensive touchdowns in last year's Cardinal and White scrimmage, and that team ended up being pretty good on offense.

There are just two spring games left in the Big Ten, and both are this weekend. We're here to get you ready for both, starting with Wisconsin.

When: 5 p.m. ET Saturday

Where: Camp Randall Stadium

Admission: $5 (proceeds go to the UW Center for Nonprofits). Stadium gates 1, 8, 9 and 10 open at 3 p.m. CT. Parking is available in Lots 16, 17 and 18 as space allows for $10. Lot 60 is free, but there will be no shuttle buses.

TV: The game will be streamed live on the Big Ten Digital Network and BTN2Go. The Big Ten Network will televise the game at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Weather forecast: High of 45 degrees. Cloudy, with a 60 percent chance of rain.

What to watch for: If you're hoping to see a completely accurate preview of the 2012 Badgers, you'll be disappointed. Star running back Montee Ball will be held out for precautionary reasons, and several other stars are either out this spring (linebacker Mike Taylor, wide receiver Jared Abbrederis) or figure to be limited at best on Saturday (linebacker Chris Borland, running back James White, tight end Jacob Pedersen). And, of course, Maryland transfer quarterback Danny O'Brien isn't with the team yet.

Still, there are some interesting things to watch. Will the rebuilt right side of the offensive line live up to the Badgers' high standards? Robert Burge has had a few struggles at right tackle this spring. Which receiver out of a group that includes Isaiah Williams, Marquis Mason and Chase Hammond might emerge as a complementary threat to Abbrederis? How good is the defense, especially playing without projected starting defensive end David Gilbert and Taylor? And will Joel Stave stay ahead of Joe Brennan for the starting quarterback (for now) job? Can redshirt freshman Melvin Gordon make some noise at running back?

It should be a fun day in Madison, as the Crazylegs 8K run will end inside Camp Randall Stadium and several finishers are expected to hang around and watch the game.

MADISON, Wis. -- The last time we saw Wisconsin's defense in a game, the Badgers were getting steamrolled by Oregon in the Rose Bowl, allowing 621 yards and 45 points.

The Ducks can make many defenses look bad, but a Big Ten champion isn't supposed to get punctured that severely. Badgers defensive coordinator Chris Ash said a handful of his players consistently lined up incorrectly or went to the wrong spots during that 45-38 loss on Jan. 2.

Oregon pulled out a few new wrinkles for the game, but that doesn't fully explain why a veteran defense with a month to prepare could have made so many fundamental mistakes.

"I've been searching for answers for a few months on that one," Ash told ESPN.com last week.

Mysteriousness surrounds much of what happened to Ash's side of the ball last season. The numbers say Wisconsin had a fantastic season on defense, as it finished 15th in the FBS in total defense and 13th in points allowed. Yet the lasting images of the Badgers' season revolve around the long passes given up at the end of losses to Michigan State and Ohio State and that Rose Bowl fiasco.

Last year's breakdowns hover over the team this spring and in some ways are guiding how the players are approaching this offseason preparation.

"Those things are fresh in our minds a little bit still," defensive tackle Ethan Hemer said. "We're definitely focusing more on the little things, making sure you're stepping right, you're in position, minimizing your missed alignments. We all realize that one play can make a big difference, and that requires us to be even sharper than we've been in the past. We don't want to be that team that gives up the big play."

This spring is about building depth as much as anything for the Badgers' defense. Only six starters return, while injuries have either shelved or slowed leading tacklers Mike Taylor and Chris Borland and projected starting defensive end David Gilbert. Starting cornerback Devin Smith is working himself into shape after a foot injury cost him most of 2011.

Borland and Taylor, who combined for 293 tackles last season, provide two anchors as one of the best linebacker combos in the country. Another strength could be at defensive tackle, where Hemer, Beau Allen and the emerging Warren Herring have all played well this spring. The defensive line still needs an explosive player on the edge, but the team is hopeful that Gilbert -- who played only four games last year and is out this spring with a foot injury -- can be that guy when healthy.

"When he got hurt, he was really starting to play at a high level," Ash said. "He's really one of the few guys we have who's naturally a pass-rusher."

The secondary lost two starting seniors in Aaron Henry and Antonio Fenelus, but Ash thinks Smith can be an all-conference cornerback this season. Dezmen Southward has replaced Henry at safety and continues to come along. He de-cleated running back Melvin Gordon on a crushing tackle during Saturday's scrimmage.

"We know we have to be the backbone of the defense," cornerback Marcus Cromartie said of the secondary. "We want to be the reason to win. We don't want to be a liability."

Wisconsin's defense has often been overshadowed by the team's offense, and last year the unit embraced its no-name status. This season, though, the players believe they have enough talent to forge their own identity.

"We feel like we deserve to be a defense that's on the radar," Smith said. "It starts with practice and film, but I think we can be one of those type defenses everybody talks about, like LSU and Alabama. We have to earn that respect."

It's a respect they'll have to earn by not allowing big plays and mental breakdowns to become the lasting images of 2012.

Workin' for the weekend.

Joe from Tucson, Ariz., writes: I liked this quote from Meyer: "If you start throwing that term around [national championships] and you lose Game 2 or Game 4, then you lose your sting," he said. "Our job is to compete for a Big Ten championship every year."It seems you gave Brady Hoke a bum rap for saying that he should think about more than the B1G championship. And even more so when you ding Nebraska for talking about it without having won a conference championship in so long.

Adam Rittenberg: Joe, that's a fair criticism of my comment about Hoke. I was intrigued by Meyer's comments as he has won two national titles and comes from the nation's most dominant conference (SEC). He said the national championship "absolutely" is a goal, but not one that is discussed like the Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl are. It seems like the league-focused approach isn't confined to the Big Ten or to Brady Hoke. Hey, I'm just looking for reasons why the Big Ten hasn't won a title in a decade. It doesn't seem like the approach is flawed. As for Nebraska, when did I ding them for talking about the title? If anything, I like hearing the confidence out of the Huskers players. But it's worth pointing out they would be skipping some steps, like winning a conference title or making a BCS bowl, if they were to reach Miami in early January.

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Casey from Madison, Wis., writes: Last year was a good year for Wisconsin on the Offensive side of the ball, but having watched the games, it was nerve racking watching even non-conference teams gain yards against the defense (only to usually be stopped just before the end zone). What can you say about the defense this year? Will they be better on third and 4th downs?

Adam Rittenberg: Casey, the key is generating a more consistent pass rush from the front four and not having to rely on blitzing linebackers. Although both Chris Borland and Mike Taylor can get to the quarterback, Wisconsin will be better off if several down linemen make strides during the offseason. David Gilbert will be an interesting player to watch when he returns from his injury, and both Brendan Kelly and Beau Allen have shown flashes as effective pass-rushers. No one expects another J.J. Watt to walk through the door, but Wisconsin will be looking for more from the front four on third downs this season. The secondary also must show better discipline in end-of-game situations.

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Brendan from Chicago writes: What does Indiana need to do to be relevant in this league? When we get the coach who actually wants to coach Hoosier football, he dies. When we get the #1 ranked pro quarterback prospect, he backs out. When we get an easy schedule, we blow it. I just want a light at the end of the tunnel. Is Kevin Wilson legit, or is he just going to bail on us for the pros or another big name school if he takes Indiana out of the basement and into the front yard of the B1G?

Adam Rittenberg: It's tough being a Hoosiers football fan, Brendan. I completely agree with you about Terry Hoeppner. He was the guy Indiana had been waiting for since the Bill Mallory era. So tragic. To be relevant, Indiana has to start winning more Big Ten games. The Hoosiers came close in 2009, but they repeatedly couldn't get over the hump. Wilson signed a long-term deal with IU, and his intent is to be there and get the program on solid footing. His offense will appeal to recruits, and you're already seeing some strides made there. But with Indiana, as I've stated 10,000 times, it's all about the defense, which has struggled mightily in recent memory.

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Brian from Seattle: Adam,When Brian interviewed Dantonio, he asked about Michigan. When MSU makes the college football main page, the headline starts with Michigan's resurgance. But when Brian interviews Hoke, no mention of MSU whatsoever. I get that Michigan is seeped in tradition and we are basically nobody. Still -- is it too much to expect a little equality in the media? We're on the winning streak. Ask them about us!

Adam Rittenberg: Brian, two things. We don't write the headlines outside of the blog. The blog post headline was "Depth, stability have Spartans on the rise." Secondly, not every Michigan State story will mention Michigan, and not every Michigan story will mention Michigan State. We've had numerous posts about both schools with no mention of one another. But they are rivals, and many project them as the Big Ten's top two teams entering the 2012 season. There's context in this case. Michigan is naturally going to get more attention because of its tradition, history, etc. -- as you point out. But Michigan State's accomplishments shouldn't be overlooked at the national level, even though I think they largely are. Dantonio's comment is relevant because it reflects the feelings of many Michigan State fans I hear from. They hear the noise about Michigan's resurgence, Brady Hoke, Denard Robinson, etc., and they're a little miffed at the fact Michigan State has been a better program the past four years is overlooked. Michigan State's success stands on its own, but in a year where both Michigan schools could be in the preseason top 10, the topic Bennett wrote about is relevant.

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Matt S. from Iowa writes: Even though the Big Ten has taken a backseat to the SEC, is the Big Ten the most important conference to college football? With the fan bases that surround the programs and the amount of prestige associated with Big Ten programs.

Adam Rittenberg: Matt, the Big Ten and SEC are the two most important leagues, without a doubt. The SEC's success combined with the year-round fervor in that part of the country about college football probably gives the league a bit of an edge in importance, but the Big Ten remains extremely relevant and always will be because of the reasons you point out and others. You've got huge alumni bases, a rich football tradition, enormous stadiums and schools located in a populated region. You also have a very successful TV network (BTN). That said, leagues can improve their prestige by winning at the highest levels, which the Big Ten has struggled to do in recent years.

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Dean from Columbus, Ohio, writes: Hi Adam,If college football is on the brink of 16-team superconferences, which is more important for the Big Ten......gaining access to the northeastern television markets or adding teams from states with growing populations in the south? No BCS league has a true hold on the northeast television markets as of now. At the same time, the Big Ten is the only major conference without any geographic representation in the fast-growing sun belt states. Will that become a major issue in the coming years?

Adam Rittenberg: Interesting question, Dean. I really feel the Big Ten would be expanding reluctantly by going beyond 12, unless Notre Dame has a change of heart. My sense is the Big Ten would look to the northeast before it looks to the south, as the league still would be seeking teams that fit its culture. There are more of these in the northeast than the south, and while they might not move the needle an incredible amount, they would sit well with the Big Ten presidents and so forth. I could also see a mix of northeast schools and one or two in the Sun Belt region. But again, in terms of what the league actually wants to do, 12 makes sense.

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Ross from Granbury, Texas, writes: Adam,Can you give us three names of incoming freshman that you expect to contribute right away in the Big Ten and could possibly break into the All-Big Ten teams at the end of the year? Maybe even a few names of guys under the radar? Similar to what Ricardo Allen did for Purdue.

Adam Rittenberg: In terms of true freshmen (not redshirt), defensive linemen Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington could contribute right away for Ohio State. Look out for running back Greg Garmon at Iowa. And Joe Bolden could help Michigan improve its depth at linebacker. If defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo doesn't redshirt, he could be an impact player at Northwestern.

MADISON, Wis. -- Greetings from Mad-town.

I'm on the ground here in the Dairy State, ready to get an up-close look at the defending Big Ten champion Wisconsin Badgers. I hope to talk to Bret Bielema and some coaches, see a little practice and catch up with some defensive players today. And there will be even more on Friday.

This is an interesting team, one that replaces just about all of its offensive staff and some very valuable players, like Russell Wilson, Kevin Zeitler, Peter Konz, Aaron Henry, Patrick Butrym and Nick Toon. But the Badgers have shown an ability to reload lately, and they still have stars like Montee Ball around.

What I see here this week may not be an accurate representation of what to expect in the fall. Maryland transfer Danny O'Brien, expected to be the No. 1 quarterback, isn't with the team yet. Several important players are nicked up this spring, including receiver Jared Abbrederis, tight end Jacob Pedersen and linebacker Mike Taylor. Still, I want to see how a new crop of starting offensive linemen look, who's potentially stepping forward at wideout and how many difference makers this defense will have besides Taylor and Chris Borland.

This is somehow my first ever trip to Madison, so I'm eager to check out the town. Stay tuned for lots more coverage from here.

By now, it's pretty obvious who the last men standing are in our countdown of the Big Ten's top 25 players of 2011.

It's always a difficult exercise because there are many deserving players, and limiting ourselves to only 25 nominees means some excellent candidates got left out. So let's take a look at some of the toughest omissions.

First, here are the players who were on our preseason list who didn't survive the cut for the postseason honors and the reasons why:

Preseason No. 25: Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin: One of the hardest players to leave off the list, as Borland had an excellent season with 143 tackles and was one of the top linebackers in the league. We chose to go with his position mate, Mike Taylor, though Borland was probably No. 26 on our list.

Preseason No. 24: Michael Mauti, LB, Penn State: Mauti was well on his way to a strong season before he suffered another knee injury that forced him to miss most of the year.

Preseason No. 22: Shaun Prater, CB, Iowa: Prater's tackle and interception numbers dipped from his junior year, and Iowa's pass defense as a whole was disappointing.

Preseason No. 21: Nathan Scheelhaase, QB, Illinois: Scheelhaase got off to a good start in 2011, but he and the rest of the Illini offense were MIA for the second half of the season.

Preseason No. 19: Ricardo Allen, CB, Purdue: Allen had a good season, with 79 tackles and three interceptions, and just missed our list.

Preseason No. 16: Derek Moye, WR, Penn State: Moye dealt with an injury midseason, but what really hurt him was poor quarterback play.

Preseason No. 9: Edwin Baker, RB, Michigan State: Baker didn't build off his breakout 2010 campaign and became the second option behind Le'Veon Bell late in the season.

Preseason No. 3: Dan Persa, QB, Northwestern: Persa was still really good when he was in the lineup; he just wasn't in the lineup enough because of injury issues.

Preseason No. 1: Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska: Crick was a little quiet early in the season, and then he suffered a season-ending torn pectoral muscle in October.

Here are a few other guys who just missed the cut:

Michigan State CB Johnny Adams: I really liked the year Adams had, and he was on my initial top 25 list. Very difficult to leave him off.

Michigan State G Joel Foreman and Wisconsin OT Josh Oglesby: Two of the best offensive linemen in the league, but we already had a bunch of linemen on the list in a strong year for the big uglies in the Big Ten.

Nebraska P/K Brett Maher: Unfortunately, kickers and punters don't get a lot of love on lists like these.

Wisconsin S Aaron Henry: If we could have considered interview skills as part of the criteria, Henry would have been in the top 10.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Many of the underclassmen who finished just outside the top 25 will likely appear on our 2012 preseason list this summer. If you have players you feel strongly about who we didn't include in our top 25 -- and I'm betting you do -- drop me a line and tell me who and why. We'll discuss it in a future post.

We continue our postseason position rankings today as we move on to the linebackers.

Not surprisingly, Linebacker U takes the top spot, though it was a very close call. Depth helped the top two teams on this list, while star power marked spots Nos. 3 through 5. After that, it's a bit of a dropoff.

Away we go ...

1. Penn State: We thought this group could be the deepest linebacking corps in the league this past season, and that depth proved both true and invaluable when starter Michael Mauti went out in the fourth game of the season. Even without him, the Nittany Lions' linebackers played great, led by first team All-Big Ten performer Gerald Hodges, who had a breakout campaign. Nate Stupar filled in nicely for Mauti, and Glenn Carson was solid in his first year as a starter in the middle.

2. Michigan State: We wondered in the preseason how the Spartans would replace stars Greg Jones and Eric Gordon. The answer: very nicely, thank you. Sophomores Denicos Allen and Max Bullough emerged as fierce playmakers, especially on the blitz, and Chris Norman provided steady play on the weak side. All three return in 2012 to give Penn State a run for its money as the best group in the league.

3. Wisconsin: Mike Taylor and Chris Borland were finally healthy in the same season, and what a difference that made. They were a terrific pair, combining for 293 tackles and becoming the only Big Ten duo to average more than 10 tackles per game each. Taylor in particular made great strides. Kevin Claxton was overshadowed a bit as the third Badgers linebacker, but that's understandable given the amount of plays Borland and Taylor made.

4. Illinois: The emergence of Jonathan Brown (108 tackles, 19.5 for loss) as fire-breathing pass-rusher made this unit better than we projected in the preseason. Ian Thomas also had a good season at the position with 85 tackles, and Trulon Henry rounded out a strong crew before he missed time late following a shooting incident. The Illini defense stayed consistent throughout the team's struggles.

5. Nebraska: Depth was not a strong suit for the Huskers by any means, but there was no better linebacker in the league and few better in the nation than All-American Lavonte David. He had 133 tackles and countless big plays. Will Compton came on as the season wore along to provide a good complement to David. Finding consistent play elsewhere at the position was a challenge for Nebraska.

6. Ohio State: We pegged the Buckeyes at No. 3 in our preseason linebacker rankings, but it wasn't a vintage year for a group that struggled down the stretch drive. Andrew Sweat led the way with 72 tackles despite missing two games because of injury, and Etienne Sabino had a decent season (62 tackles, 6.5 for loss) if not the breakout season many had predicted. Freshman Ryan Shazier announced himself late in the year as a potential star in the making.

7. Michigan: The Wolverines' defense surprised everyone in 2011, though the defensive line was clearly the vanguard on that side of the ball. Kenny Demens led the team with 94 tackles, while freshmen Desmond Morgan and Jake Ryan made an immediate impact as starters. This wasn't an overwhelming group, but it was one that mostly did its job.

8. Iowa: The Hawkeyes had a hard time keeping everybody healthy and consistent, but this spot might have been the best part of their defense. James Morris and Christian Kirksey tied for the team lead with 110 tackles each, while Tyler Nielsen added 73 stops while battling some nagging injuries. The Iowa defense overall was disappointing, however.

9. Purdue: Danny Hope usually knew what to expect from week to week out of his linebackers: solid, consistent play. Joe Holland, Dwayne Beckford and Will Lucas each had between 82 and 94 stops as the top three tacklers on the team. Lucas and Holland also recorded double-digit tackles for loss. The chief complaint here is that the Boilermakers gave up some big point totals during the season.

10. Minnesota: The Gophers struggled up front and in the secondary, but linebacker was their most experienced and reliable defensive position, as expected. Veterans Gary Tinsley, Mike Rallis and Keanon Cooper played in every game, and were among the most consistent players on the team. Tinsley led the way with four sacks. Florida transfer Brendan Beal was expected to make an impact, but missed the season with a knee injury.

11. Northwestern: It wasn't a very good year overall for the Wildcats' defense, and linebacker was no exception. David Nwabuisi ranked third on the team with 84 tackles, while Bryce McNaul was right behind with 76. But Northwestern's starting trio combined for just 2.5 sacks and didn't come up with enough difference-making plays throughout the season.

12. Indiana: The good news for the Hoosiers was that Jeff Thomas was the best player on defense in 2011, finishing with 80 tackles, including 10.5 for loss. The bad news is that he was a senior. Besides Thomas, Indiana was forced to go young at the position, playing freshmen Chase Hoobler, Mike Replogle and Mark Murphy, a safety/linebacker hybrid, at times during the season. Kevin Wilson hopes the experience makes them better in '12, but this is yet another position that needs vast improvement going forward.

For most people, Friday's just the day before the weekend. But after this Friday, the neighborhood'll never be the same.

Cass from Parts Unknown writes: With the preservation of the Rose Bowl being of such concern and the weather getting worse and worse as December goes on, why can?t the semi-finals of the B1G?s plus-one model just happen the week after conference championships? Then the two losers could still participate in bowls and increase the likelihood of a true Rose Bowl being played (not to mention two more high profile teams to play in bowls thus bigger ratings).

Adam Rittenberg: Cass, you bring up a good point. One concern, and I know fans hate to hear this, is the academic calendar. Most schools on the quarter system have final exams during the second week of December. Most semester schools have finals between Dec. 15-23. University presidents of major schools -- yes, I know how the FCS rolls -- don't like these games conflicting with finals. It's one of the reasons why the model has the semifinals being played a bit after Christmas. There's also a concern by some folks I've talked to about the physical grind of what would be 14 games in 15 weeks if you played the semis right after the league title games. The break in between allows players to rest up before bowls or, in this case, a playoff. From talking to the Rose Bowl this week, it sounds like they'll be prepared for whatever model is approved.

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Antwon from Cleveland writes: Is their a certain formula to getting your question answered? Anyway I was wondering as far as a Playoff goes why are they so opposed to having more teams involved such as the 8 or 12 top bcs teams and have the first rounds at the higher seeds campus then the next round incorporate the bowls that way nothing gets left out?

Adam Rittenberg: Antwon, ask a good question and you'll usually get an answer. One area that needs to be discussed is whether bowls could take a team with only a week's notice. Typically the bowls have had at least four weeks to prepare for teams, promote the game, have site visits, etc. The lead time also allows fans to make their travel plans. It's not cheap to travel from the Midwest to California, Florida, Arizona and other warm-weather spots in late December. Then again, the bowls are going to need to get used to this new reality. They don't have the power they once did in college football. Personally, I don't need a 12-team playoff. I like the four- or eight-team setups. This isn't college basketball, and I don't need to see the Sun Belt champ against the SEC champ. Let's get the four or eight best teams and have them play. You can keep the better bowls and incorporate them if they're willing.

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Scott K. from Buckeye Nation: sincere apologies again for the chat flooding, like i said that was my first time on the live chat and i just figured thats what everyone did to have the best chance at getting their question answered. although they only have one sport left before they hit their 82 player limit cant they still go over as long as they are down to 82 before august, giving them a shot at both neal and diggs?

Adam Rittenberg: No worries, Scott. It just gets annoying when you're trying to see different questions. You're right that the Buckeyes would need to get down to 82 scholarships by August.

Here's how the Big Ten approaches scholarship limits:

Institutions let the Big Ten know how many scholarships they have available to offer, which can be a function of either initial counter limits (25 per year) or overall counter limits (85 per year or 82 in Ohio State's case the next three seasons) -- either limit could be in play when arriving at how many scholarships are available. Institutions then let the Big Ten know if they intend to overoffer (relative to the number of scholarships they anticipate having available). If they do, they let the conference know who is in the overoffer category. Big Ten institutions may overoffer by up to three.

Not every institution that overoffers will actually oversign as not every offeree will sign with the offering institution. But if after the dust settles an institution finds that it actually is in an oversigned position, then at some point after the fall term has begun, that institution will have to provide a person-by-person accounting as to how it came into compliance with the overall scholarship limit.

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James from Wisconsin writes: Please explain to me how the co-MVP of the conference champions barely makes the top 25, despite leading the league in tackles. Then to boot you drop his teammate, Chris Borland, completely off the list despite the fact that he was second in the conference in tackles. Which by the way makes Taylor's numbers even more impressive since he had a guy playing right next to him who put up 100+ tackles too. No other team even had two players in the top 10 and Wisconsin puts guys at 3 and 7 nationally and you only rank one of them as a top 25 player!? This is an egregious oversight at best, and closer resembles a slap in the face to the amazing play of these two young men.

Adam Rittenberg: James, first off, let me reiterate that Mike Taylor had a very good season. It's challenging to pick the best 25 players from a pool of 12 teams. Some very good players get left out. When we used to do top-30 lists, it was a lot easier to put together. Why is Taylor at No. 24? While he had a really nice junior campaign, he wasn't the best linebacker in the Big Ten. That would Nebraska's Lavonte David, who carried his defense at times and made more impact plays. Penn State's Gerald Hodges also made more impact plays, in our view. It's why you'll see both players higher on the list. Again, this isn't a knock on Taylor or Borland, who did some great things. Total tackles, in our view, isn't always the most telling statistic. How is a player affecting a game? Is he forcing turnovers? Is he getting the opposing offense off of the field? Of the three linebackers named first-team AP All-Americans last season -- Boston College's Luke Kuechly, Georgia's Jarvis Jones and Alabama's Dont'a Hightower -- only Kuechly, who led the nation in tackles, is ranked among the FBS' top 100 tacklers. So tackles isn't always the best gauge of a linebacker.

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Scott from Phoenix writes: Adam, in your Take 2 blog with Brian about the B1G playoff proposal you mention how great it would be to see teams from other conferences come up to play Mich or OSU. On the surface, not a big deal to mention those two. But I've noticed since the end of the season, that based on lunch time links, and comments you've made in blogs, that you're trending towards the percpetion of the B1G being Mich, OSU, and everyone else. I can see where PSU fans have felt slighted over the years if this has been the percpetion by those that cover that conference. I understand the B1G history, but as a Husker fan, outside of the Callahan years, NU has always been one of the 'blue chip' teams not part of the 'everyone else', especially due to being 4th all-time in wins (ahead of everyone in the B1G except Mich). From a newby to the conference, just wanted to point out the appearance of a possible trend.

Adam Rittenberg: Scott, you're reading into that statement too much. In other posts about the playoff model, I've mentioned SEC teams coming to State College, Madison, East Lansing, Iowa City and yes, Lincoln. While I understand why this perception exists, we don't only cover Ohio State and Michigan on this blog. We'll typically have more coverage of the news-making programs in the Big Ten, but those aren't only Ohio State and Michigan. Nebraska gets its share of coverage.

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Les from Bloomfield Hills, Mich., writes: Nice work on the Blog, Adam. I see a lot of chest-thumping over recruiting classes, but of course it's over guys who have never played a down of college football, and who may or may not develop well in a given team's schemes. We've certainly seen this in recent years with my beloved Wolverines, who have had some great recruiting years, but have had a lot of highly rated players simply not pan out. That tells me that it's not about the number of 5 and 4 stars on the roster, it's really about how well recruits fit into a team's plans, how well coaches can mold them, etc.I wonder if more attention should be paid to not only how highly rated a player is, but how well he fits the school he's recruited to, and how well that school molds recruits to their system, when incoming recruiting classes are ranked?Several B1G schools have done very well with classes that haven't been all that highly ranked, and perhaps a staff's history of doing well (nor not so well) with their recruits should be somehow factored in. Thoughts?

Adam Rittenberg: Some great points, Les. The talent-development component gets lost in all the hubbub about hat dances and star ratings. If the other elements of a program aren't strong -- coaching, schematics, strength and conditioning -- the talent level of a recruiting class often won't pan out. I think the coaching in the Big Ten has been pretty strong, as the number of elite recruits around the league has declined in the past decade. Programs like Iowa and Wisconsin have been especially successful despite rarely having top 30 recruiting classes.

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Grant from Detroit writes: Hey Adam,You posted a lunch link today in which Urban Meyer said that the so-called "gentleman's agreement" not to poach other B1G schools' recruits was "comical." While I agree that coaches should recruit with the interest of building their own squads, wouldn't OSU also benefit from stronger B1G teams in general, seeing as we share profits from bowl games? Going off of that, why is he so vocal about not honoring the mutual respect that the rest of the B1G coaches seem to have for each other? Why doesn't he leave his colleagues alone, and focus on poaching talent from schools that have too much of it already, like SEC schools that over-sign? It is disappointing to me, because I do not want SEC slimeball ethics to start infiltrating a B1G built on mutual program respect. Thoughts?

Adam Rittenberg: Grant, keep in mind that Meyer's colleagues spoke out against him, not the other way around. So to be fair, Meyer has had to defend himself. As multiple Big Ten coaches have said the last week, there is no "gentleman's agreement" in the league. There never has been. Recruit-flipping has happened for years at virtually every school. It's only a story now because Meyer flipped so many high-profile recruits in such a short time span. Will the recruiting dynamic change with Meyer in the league? Sure, it's possible. But the idea that the Big Ten recruiting landscape is all about respect and ethics seems a bit naive to me. While Ohio State would benefit from being in a stronger league, Meyer and his staff are still going to try to recruit the best players from the Midwest. They'll also surely aim for top national recruits, including those in SEC country. There are enough good players to go around, but he can't have the mindset of, "I'll leave this kid alone so Michigan or Nebraska can get him and therefore be a stronger opponent." That doesn't work.

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Tony from Minneapolis writes: I love Delaney's proposal for a playoff with the first round at the higher seed's stadium. But, what happens in that magical season with Northwestern, Minnesota, Boise, or some other school lacking a palatial stadium and adequate hotels earns home field.The big assumption behind this plan is that the big name schools will always be the hosts.

Adam Rittenberg: Last I checked there are enough hotel rooms in Chicago, Minneapolis and Boise. The argument is more about stadium size. You certainly would see some high-priced tickets for those games. But the bigger thing, in my view, is getting these games in the environments where the home teams have played part of their seasons. It gives them the advantage that they're never able to exploit in the current setup where all the critical games are played in the south or west.