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Deshaun Thomas scored 19 points in Ohio State's 68-55 win over Illinois.

The Big East is seeking at least $2.5 million from Notre Dame to allow the Fighting Irish to leave and join the ACC on July 1, a source told ESPN.

With the official departure of the Catholic 7 schools, Notre Dame wants to move to the ACC this summer. Sources told ESPN that the ACC would allow Notre Dame to join on July 1 if it could get out of the Big East.

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick could not immediately be reached for comment. The ACC declined comment about Notre Dame on Friday afternoon.

Big East by-laws require schools to provide 27 months notice before leaving, so Notre Dame can't depart the league until 2015 without negotiating an earlier exit.

The Big East previously offered Notre Dame the chance at an earlier exit if the Fighting Irish would schedule future football games against Big East opponents, sources said.

To read Brett McMurphy's full story, click here.

Notre Dame offensive tackle Tate Nichols has been removed from the active roster and will go on medical scholarship, coach Brian Kelly told the South Bend Tribune.

Nichols, a rising senior who has suffered through chronic knee issues with the Irish, will not count toward the 85-man scholarship limit.

Kelly also said Bennett Jackson, George Atkinson III and Josh Atkinson will not run with Notre Dame's track and field team this spring. All three did last year.

Quarterback Gunner Kiel is on the move again, opting to transfer from Notre Dame after redshirting last season.

Kiel's travails are well documented. The Columbus, Ind., native, rated by RecruitingNation as the No. 3 quarterback in the 2012 recruiting class, originally committed to Indiana in July 2011, a major surprise at the time. He reopened his recruitment that fall, verbally committed to LSU but soon had second thoughts and enrolled at Notre Dame, prompting Les Miles to question his leadership abilities.

IrishIllustrated.com on Thursday reported four potential transfer destinations for Kiel: Ball State, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois and Cincinnati. Anyone else surprised not to see a Big Ten team listed?

Kiel certainly is looking for immediate playing time, and he would have a better chance to find it by dropping down to the MAC or the Big East. He found himself behind several quarterbacks on Notre Dame's depth chart, including starter Everett Golson. Kiel talked in January about the need to be patient and wait his turn, but few seem surprised by his decision to transfer.

Although Kiel brings baggage and the potential for drama, he also brings talent. Almost every Big Ten team pursued Kiel during his initial recruitment, and several squads could use him on their roster. He can play in both a pro-style offense and a spread. While he's a good athlete, his arm strength really stands out.

It will be interesting to see if Notre Dame blocks Kiel from transferring to future Irish opponents like Purdue and Michigan State. If not, Purdue in particular might be a good landing spot as the Boilers have an unsettled situation at quarterback. Michigan State also is looking for answers under center and loses Andrew Maxwell following the 2013 season, which Kiel will sit out. The Spartans bring in heralded quarterback recruit Damion Terry this summer, and Connor Cook and Tyler O'Connor also are in the mix.

What about Iowa? The Hawkeyes don't know what they have in Jake Rudock, who couldn't get on the field last fall despite James Vandenberg's struggles. Much like Purdue, Iowa's quarterback situation is a big mystery.

Minnesota hopes Philip Nelson is its quarterback of the future, and Nelson very well could turn out to be. The Gophers also signed two quarterbacks, Chris Streveler and Donovahn Jones, in February, but do any of their signal-callers have as much potential as Kiel?

Illinois loses veteran Nathan Scheelhaase after the 2013 season. Although Reilly O'Toole has shown flashes and the team signed four-star prospect Aaron Bailey in February, there are no guarantees at quarterback for 2014 and beyond.

Wisconsin undoubtedly will be brought up as a possible landing spot, given the team's recent history with transfers. But the Badgers also have a redshirt sophomore (Joel Stave), a highly touted redshirt freshman (Bart Houston) and an incoming junior-college player with three years of eligibility left (Tanner McEvoy) in the mix at quarterback. I'd be surprised if Wisconsin pursues Kiel.

One team we can likely eliminate is Indiana. The Hoosiers are set at quarterback for the foreseeable future. Plus, they've already been down this road before.

There's risk involved given Kiel's track record, and almost every Big Ten team thinks it has the next great quarterback poised to take over. But the league isn't exactly stacked with high-ceiling quarterbacks. Kiel is from Big Ten country and needs a landing spot. Some Big Ten teams might want to roll the dice.

Spring practice is kicking off around the Big Ten, and we're taking a look at one potential breakout player for each team. We’re spotlighting players who could take a major step during spring ball, so those who have started multiple seasons or earned All-Big Ten recognition in 2012 aren't eligible.

Northwestern has a vacant starting spot at linebacker, and don't be surprised if it goes to ...

Drew Smith, LB, sophomore, 6-foot-1, 205 pounds

Smith appeared in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman last season, mostly on special teams but also as a reserve linebacker. He performed well, racking up 17 tackles, including three for loss and two sacks, to go along with a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald on Thursday mentioned that he's looking for flexibility with his linebackers and safeties -- players strong enough to play the former but athletic enough to play the latter.

At 205 pounds with good speed, Smith is a good athlete who loves dropping the hammer on ball carriers. He rushed the passer well against Syracuse, Nebraska and Michigan last year. "He thoroughly enjoys contact," Fitzgerald told reporters Thursday. "I like guys that like contact at the linebacker level. He goes to bed dreaming about knocking somebody's lips off, and he goes around doing that."

Northwestern returns two starters at linebacker, although middle linebacker Damien Proby is sitting out spring practice with an injury. Smith will compete with Collin Ellis and others for an outside linebacker spot opposite Chi Chi Ariguzo. If he continues to knock people's lips off the rest of the spring, he'll see a lot of field time in the fall.

Three months after indicating they were leaving the Big East Conference to form their own league, the Catholic 7's departure date finally became official.

The Big East announced Friday it has agreed to allow the Catholic 7 schools to depart on June 30.

"I am pleased that this agreement has been reached," Big East commissioner Mike Aresco said. "With the long-term well-being of our outstanding institutions and their student-athletes of paramount importance, each group worked through a number of complex issues in an orderly, comprehensive and amicable manner marked by mutual respect. We part ways as friends and colleagues and look forward to the success of both conferences."

To read Brett McMurphy and Andy Katz's full story, click here.

Notre Dame quarterback Gunner Kiel intends to transfer, a source confirmed to ESPN.com.

The website Irish Sports Daily earlier reported that Kiel would transfer.

Notre Dame had no comment. A message left for Kiel's father, Kip, was not returned.

A four-star quarterback from the class of 2012, Kiel drew notoriety for his recruitment after defecting from both Indiana and LSU.

The Columbus (Ind.) High School product redshirted this past fall during the Fighting Irish's run to the Discover BCS National Championship. He is the nephew of former Notre Dame quarterback Blair Kiel, who died last Easter at age 50.

Redshirt freshman Everett Golson won the starting job last fall, with junior Tommy Rees seeing extensive playing time, too.

During his most meeting with reporters on Jan. 5, Kiel said the thought of transferring had not crossed his mind.

"It honestly hasn't," Kiel said during media day at Sun Life Stadium. "I've been more focused on the season and been more focused on school and other things that are more important to me."

Redshirt sophomore Andrew Hendrix was ahead of Kiel on the depth chart last year as well, and Notre Dame welcomed in another signal caller this semester in early enrollee Malik Zaire.

To read the full story, click here.

Northwestern brings back many of the central characters from a 10-win team that capped its season with a breakthrough bowl championship.

The two quarterbacks? They're back. So is the All-America running back/return specialist. Almost every wide receiver and tight end from 2012 remains on the roster, as do multiple starters at linebacker, defensive back and defensive line. If you watched Northwestern in 2012, you won't have to study up on personnel for the coming season.

Only one position group was hit moderately hard by graduation: the offensive line. Three starters depart, including second-team All-Big Ten guard Brian Mulroe and left tackle Patrick Ward, an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection. One of the returning starters, tackle Jack Konopka, is out for spring practice because of injury. Two other possible starters, Paul Jorgensen and Matt Frazier, also are sidelined until the summer.

If there's a position to watch closely -- or fret about -- it's the O-line. Adam Cushing does both as Northwestern's offensive line coach, and his message this spring to a mostly young group is, "Cut it loose and don't be afraid to fail."

Cushing isn't filling out his depth chart tomorrow or the next day, especially with so many potential starters banged up.

"I'm evaluating who gets better, who shows that they can take what I'm asking them to do and improve on that," Cushing told ESPN.com. "There's going to be some guys coming back [from injury], but there are some open slots along line to fill. So who gets to be out there first come fall camp is really what we're talking about coming out of spring."

Redshirt freshmen Ian Park and Eric Olson have stood out early in spring and are taking reps with the "first-team" offense. Geoff Mogus, a reserve lineman and special teamer in 2012, also has emerged, according to Cushing, and Shane Mertz has picked up the system well despite redshirting in 2011 and missing all of last season with injury. Although Konopka is "definitely the guy to beat out" at the left tackle spot, several of the younger tackles could challenge for the starting right tackle position.

One position Cushing doesn't worry about is center, where Brandon Vitabile, the team's only healthy returning starter, binds the line.

"He's absolutely the leader," Cushing said. "He's got to instill his attitude and the way he wants the group to play. I've seen him to a great job stepping up and taking guys under his wing. I'm really looking forward to what he's going to bring."

Northwestern's offense fundamentally shifted in 2012, going from a pass-first unit without a featured running back to run-heavy group with an All-Big Ten back in Venric Mark (1,371 yards, 12 touchdowns). The Wildcats finished 19th nationally in rushing, had seven performances of more than 200 rush yards and three games with more than 300 rush yards.

Although Mark and athletic quarterback Kain Colter received most of the accolades, the offensive line showed more grit than finesse, creating running room between the tackles. After struggling to covert red-zone chances into touchdowns for several years, Northwestern had 25 red-zone rushing touchdowns, tied for the third-highest total in the Big Ten.

"As the season went along, we gained confidence and gained that attitude that we can run the ball however we want to," Cushing said. "They know if we do our job, we don't have to do it forever. You go in there and say, 'We get No. 5 [Mark] and No. 2 [Colter] some space, we've got a chance to run the ball pretty well.'"

Like any new-look line, Northwestern needs to build chemistry, and Cushing is keeping the injured players involved by assigning them tasks in practice. Konopka is in charge of the personnel rotation, Jorgensen makes sure all the linemen know the play being run, while Frazier must keep the enthusiasm level high on the sideline. The responsibilities likely rotate next week.

All the injured players are expected back for camp, which will shape the depth chart.

"Our guys do a great job of working together over the summer," Cushing said, "so I'm not too worried about it because those injured guys are staying so involved."

From a re-shuffled staff to a four-man quarterback race with no end in sight, from the transfer of a premiere defensive lineman to the seemingly potential departure of another, uncertainty reigned at Notre Dame last spring.

All of this amid the static question of whether the Fighting Irish could ever return to college football's highest level, and no one could have been surprised had coach Brian Kelly been privately shouting "Serenity Now!" during whatever alone time he got in his office at the south end of the Guglielmino Athletics Complex.

For good measure, two weeks after the Blue-Gold game, the most experienced signal-caller on his roster allegedly knocked the wind out of a cop before getting himself pepper sprayed and arrested at an off-campus party.

It only makes sense that said quarterback, Tommy Rees, redeemed himself to become as valuable a piece as any in a season during which he started just two games. It makes even more sense that the loss of one standout defensive lineman, Aaron Lynch, equaled addition by subtraction, with another standout defensive lineman, Stephon Tuitt, bursting onto the national radar. Likewise, it makes just as much sense that Louis Nix put any transfer thoughts in the rearview mirror, re-gaining the starting spot he had been stripped of and performing so well and having so much fun that he ended up turning down a chance to jump early to the NFL.

All of which is to say that none of it made any sense at all.

Now a new spring is imminent, and though this offseason has not exactly been smooth sailing -- the words "Philadelphia Eagles" or "Lennay Kekua" still sting in the South Bend, Ind., vernacular -- Notre Dame's upcoming 15 practices may as well be boiled down to one simple theme:

Closing the gap.

Year 3 was kind to Kelly, the way it has been to many a Notre Dame coach before him. But it was not as kind, and erasing the sour taste from a 42-14 loss to Alabama in the Discover BCS National Championship starts with doing what it takes to become more like the Crimson Tide, something the Irish should have a head start on over the rest of the college football world embarking on the same chase in 2013.

Consider Jan. 7, 2013, a lesson learned firsthand.

"I know that it's easy to say when you look at the game that there are coaching things that we're going to do better, but our players are going to continue to close that gap, even if it's a little bit, through this recruiting process," Kelly said during a national signing day news conference that introduced the nation's No. 4 recruiting class, which features five offensive linemen. "I don't think we went into this and said, 'Well, we know Alabama looks like this; we've got to change what we do.' I think we're just three years into this, and I think we continue to close the gap.

"I don't think the Alabama game did anything in our minds to change the way we recruit other than continue to recruit at the highest level."

In winning its third national title in the past four years, Alabama was clearly more experienced than Notre Dame. By making Irish defenders miss left and right, and by rendering the Irish's ground game virtually nonexistent, the Tide were clearly better prepared -- a product of having the proper personnel in place to withstand the day-to-day preparation amid a painfully long layoff.

"There are a number of times where we didn't feel comfortable going live against our defense," Kelly said. "One time we had five offensive linemen from that period of the USC game until the Alabama game that could go out there and function with five offensive linemen. That impacts your program, I'm telling you. It impacts the way you practice. You don't get a chance to tackle quite as much, and all those things begin to show themselves when you're below the scholarship numbers."

This fall is the season that everything had been boiling toward for Notre Dame. It is the season that, after watching the Irish win their regular-season finale at USC in November, athletic director Jack Swarbrick confessed he thought would be the time his program had a chance to compete for the national title. It is the season that the Irish finally return some sense of stability to the quarterback position in Everett Golson, even if there are talented reserves sure to make a push this spring. One more recruiting class under Kelly's belt, one that is joining upward of 15 returning starters -- not to mention a coaching staff that returns in its entirety -- suggests as much, too.

And, as discovered during last year's surprising autumnal fallout after a potentially splintering spring, all of this may mean everything and nothing at all.

Very little went right for Illinois under first-year coach Tim Beckman last year. After a 2-10 season, the Illini are ready to turn the page and look forward to 2013 when they hit the practice field Tuesday.

I recently caught up with Beckman to ask about the pressing issues his team faces this spring. Here is that Q&A:

You turned over half your staff from last year, with some voluntary departures and some not. What has that been like and how much transition are you going through right now?

Tim Beckman: Well, it's kind of crazy, because I saw a stat the other day where there's only, like, 22 staffs that haven't changed in college football, so it's been the norm. But I think with the professionalism that coaches have and the guys I've been able to hire into this new family, they're outstanding people. They're professionals, they've been coordinators, they've been head coaches, they've been in great programs. The transition has been good. I've been able to hire two Illini, which is huge, with [receivers coach Mike] Bellamy and [defensive line coach Greg] Colby.

So I think it's been a great transition. Our players have been really excited. With Mike Bellamy, he's been involved with this program for a year. So the kids were pumped when he was hired on staff, because they know him. And now he brings that Illinois flavor to the staff. All the other coaches, we've been working with each other. Jim Bridge was telling me the other day there are four or five other guys that he's been with at other places. So that's one of the unique things, because it's like a fraternity. These guys have worked with one another.

How much will the offense change with new coordinator Bill Cubit?

TB: Well, it's Bill's offense. It's what Bill was hired for. And that's how it's always been, really, with the coordinators. But I think the uniqueness that Bill has, in coaching against him, is that he's been able to adapt his offense based on personnel. He's had Jordan White, a great, great football player. He's had great wide receivers, and he's been able to move them around and adapt his offense to the guys that need to be getting the football.

After a year like last year, what do you do to keep the players' confidence up?

TB: We went back to a lot of competition, back to a lot of leadership building. We addressed the situation that occurred. I met, as I always do, with each one of the players for 10 minutes. That takes a good week. We did that in December. I asked them what their goals were, because we split up the season into four quarters -- winter workouts, spring practice, summer workouts and then the most important quarter, the season. And I had them set goals for themselves to attain each quarter. So they just wrote out their goals out for spring ball. And I also do the same thing for the team. "What do you want this team to be able to say they can do after each quarter?"

Our motto is win whatever is needed, and win the day. Whatever is needed today for us to become a better and closer football team.

What are your primary concerns for this spring?

TB: The scenario here is depth. There hasn't been depth. And when you get a young man injured, it hits you drastically because you just don't have that depth. We were able to get 10 young men here in January, five junior college players and five high school players. Junior college wise, there hasn't been a whole bunch here before. There might have been one or two. But we needed to add age to our football team, and that's what the junior college players help us do.

You've only seen the junior college guys in winter workouts so far, but what is your early impression of those guys?

TB: The first thing that I look at always is how have they been accountability wise. Because it's new. They get in here, and, bam, they're thrown into the fire right away. I'm proud, because they've all been very accountable. We haven't been late for things. Being in school and being a football player hasn't got their minds out of whack or anything like that. They've shown football wise that they can compete, but they've also shown that they're doing a very good job of being accountable on and off the football field.

How do you see the quarterback competition, where you've got a veteran starter in Nathan Scheelhaase but also a guy in Reilly O'Toole who's played a lot and a big-time recruit (Aaron Bailey) coming in?

TB: As in any position, there's competition. Nathan will go in as the guy, being the starter. Somebody's got to beat him out. But Nathan's won a lot of football games here. We had a tough year, no question, but that's not going to be on Nathan's shoulders. He was getting sacked too many times. All those things you can't have your quarterback doing, getting hit. We've got to get better at protecting our quarterback, and we've got to be able to get the ball out quicker and do those types of things so our quarterback can be successful.

You talked often last year about the lack of depth at the offensive skill positions. How has that come along?

TB: It's getting better. Those young men we played with last year have moved up in age. We've taken Steve Hull and moved him to offense, so that adds age and depth to that position. Wide receivers and DBs are the big concern here. And we've been able to add freshmen and junior college players to those positions.

Why did you move Hull to receiver?

TB: He's had some issues with injury. We felt that Steve, for his fifth year, would be better suited to play on the offensive side of the ball to take out maybe some of the direct collisions he was getting as a safety. And he's been great with it. He loves it, and he's emerged as being one of the big vocal leaders on the team.

The offensive line really struggled last year, and you lost two senior starters in Graham Pocic and Hugh Thornton. How does that position group look going into spring?

TB: Losing the two senior starters, they were dinged up a little bit during the season, so we had to move some players around. But we also had three, really four, players that got a lot of playing time last year. So they should be a year better. I like the philosophy that coach Bridge brings in here as our offensive line coach and what coach Cubit does with the running game. Our offensive line has done a great job these last three months -- and [strength coaches] Aaron Hillman and Dave Andrews get a lot of credit for it -- of getting stronger, getting bigger and doing those things you need to do to be a Big Ten offensive lineman.

You played a lot of freshmen on defense last year, like Monheim and Mike Svetina. Do you expect them to be much farther along this spring because of that experience?

TB: No question. They're not going to be freshmen that are 18 years old out there starting in the Big Ten. They're going to have a year's experience. We played Teko Powell on the defensive line last year so he could gather experience. V'Angelo Bentley played a bunch last year as a true freshman, so he got a bunch of experience. Now these players that were just brought in in January, plus the redshirt freshmen, are going to have to step up and be involved in the front and in the back end. You had a guy like a Jake Howe, who was playing very good and then broke his hand and was out for the year. You have Austin Teitsma, who got quite a few reps last year. Darius Caldwell. Houston Bates, who got hurt last year. Jonathan Brown. We've got to get those guys back and healthy.

You mentioned concerns about depth in the secondary. What young players do you expect to step up there?

TB: I think Eaton Spence has done a good job for us. V'Angelo Bentley has done a good job. The two freshmen we brought in have done a good job in winter workouts. I haven't seen them on the football field, but they've been doing their change of direction stuff very well. A young man named Taylor Barton, a true freshman, has done a good job. Eric Finney, who came in from junior college, LaKeith Walls, B.J. Bello, Jevaris Little -- these are names who have worked extremely hard this season. They're not names a bunch of people know because they've not played yet, other than Spence and Bentley. But these guys have definitely improved.

Have you started identifying leaders on this team yet?

TB: Well, we have really been pushing it. We've been meeting on it. We've been talking about it as a team and then as individual classes, and then our honor council. We've had a guest speaker come in every Monday and talk about leadership, from military people to a gold medal winner in the wheelchair marathon. So we've really built that in. I've seen players from young and old step up in winter workouts, step up and be leaders. Steve Hull has emerged as a guy who definitely does an outstanding job of leading this football team. Mason Monheim, who was a freshman, he's jumped up and taken control. Earnest Thomas. Guys that probably weren't as much leaders last year that might not be seniors have jumped up and tried to lead this football team well.

We've got 62 players who are freshmen and sophomores, so there's a big number of guys who have been here three or less years because of redshirts. So we've got to be able to all be leaders in this program, and that's what we're stressing.

Not surprisingly, the fan base was really down on last year. What can you do to create some more optimism?

TB: I opened up the Friday practices again to the community. This is the University of Illinois. It's our state, our team. We talk about it, and that's the truth. I want to get the community involved in this program. I've always wanted to do that and we're going to do it even more. We're going up to Chicago for a practice. Of course, we've got a game in Chicago at Soldier Field, which is an outstanding opportunity for Illini Nation and those things. We're moving forward.

Nobody was happy with last year. I mean no one. I haven't been involved in that type of year. So we have to move forward and we have to take this program forward. And that's what we asked this football team and this coaching staff to do.

Chicago native Rus Bradburd likes to make light of his career path from college coach to professor and writer.

It’s not the usual change in occupation.

“Coaching has an anti-intellectual bent to it,” Bradburd said. “People like Phil Jackson and Dick Versace are actually oddities. You do something other than play golf and watch games on ESPN, you’re considered a weirdo. I wasn’t interested in that narrow of life anymore. The world is richer than that.”

(Read full post)

The latest storyline surrounding Manti Te'o has nothing to do with the girlfriend hoax or the national title game. After running a 4.82 40-yard-dash Monday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, it is simply about speed.

Speaking in Atlantic City, where he received both the Maxwell Award (outstanding college player) and the Chuck Bednarik Award (outstanding defensive player), Te'o fielded 10 questions, according to a trasncript provided by the Maxwell Football Club -- one of which dealt with the fake girlfriend hoax and five of which dealt with his sub-par 40-time.

"Yeah, definitely," he said when asked if he can overcome the poor time. "I mean, I have another opportunity to run it. That’s what I’m training [for]. I just went back to train. I will continue to train hard and have another opportunity on my pro day."

Notre Dame's pro day is March 26. Te'o said he has run the 40 in the 4.6-range before, and that he doesn't think too much is made of the 40-yard-dash in general.

"I think there is a difference," he said. "I think the 40 time measures what the 40 time is supposed to measure. I think that’s something that I’m going to get better. The only way from here is up, so I’m definitely going to get better at that. I think, as far as play, I think what’s on the film, that’s the play. Obviously, I can get faster in my 40. There’s definitely two things where I can definitely get better."

Te'o said the combine experience was more positive than negative, and he hasn't given much thought to where in the draft he could be taken.

As for how Te'o has dealt with the all of the attention and scrutiny amidst the fallout of the girlfriend hoax, the philosophy has been simple.

"Avoid," he said with a laugh. "Avoid a lot of the stuff. I think [it’s] just knowing what you can control and knowing what you can’t control. What I can control is preparing for the combine. What I can control is making myself the best player, the best person that I can be. Whatever that is, I focus on that."

We've examined all the major quarterback competitions around the Big Ten entering spring practice. Now it's time to identify the quarterback who has the most to prove in the spring.

For that, we need your help.

Several Big Ten quarterbacks with starting experience find themselves in the middle of competitions. Some are dealing with new head coaches and/or new coordinators. Two are coming off of major injuries. Who has the most to prove this spring?

Here are the options:

Andrew Maxwell, Michigan State: Maxwell completed just 52.5 percent of his passes in his first season as Michigan State's starting quarterback. He averaged 200 pass yards a game and finished with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions, but Michigan State's offense struggled to find the end zone or consistently move the ball. Maxwell started all 13 games in 2012, but was replaced by Connor Cook in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl against TCU. He has to re-establish himself as Michigan State's top option at quarterback and impress new coordinator Jim Bollman.

Philip Nelson, Minnesota: The Gophers accelerated their future by taking the redshirt off Nelson midway through the 2012 season. He started the final seven games at quarterback following injuries to MarQueis Gray and Max Shortell. Nelson showed some flashes early, struggled mightily down the stretch in Big Ten play, and then had two touchdown strikes in the bowl game against Texas Tech. Another offseason could really help his progress, but he'll face competition this spring from redshirt freshman Mitch Leidner.

Tre Roberson, Indiana: After becoming the first true freshman quarterback to start in team history, Roberson entered 2012 as the Hoosiers' top option and looked good in the first five quarters of the season before suffering a broken leg against Massachusetts. He's fully cleared for spring practice and has looked good in winter workouts, but he has to beat out Cameron Coffman and Nate Sudfeld for the starting job. Coffman started IU's final 10 games after Roberson's injury and finished second in the league in passing average (248.5 ypg), and Sudfeld performed well at times.

Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois: It's odd to see one of the nation's most experienced quarterbacks (36 career starts) included in this group. But after a solid performance in the 2010 Texas Bowl and a strong start to 2011, Scheelhaase, like his team, has struggled for the past year and a half. Every starter is on notice after Illinois finished 119th nationally in both scoring and total offense last season. Reilly O'Toole could push Scheelhaase this spring, and Scheelhaase has to prove himself to new coordinator Bill Cubit.

Joel Stave, Wisconsin: The Badgers' piano-playing, Train-loving signal caller rejoins a crowded mix at quarterback this spring. Stave entered the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman last season and was making significant strides before suffering a broken collarbone against Michigan State. He showed good accuracy at times despite limited pass-catching options, and grades high in pass efficiency, a hallmark for Wisconsin quarterbacks. But Stave has to win over a new coaching staff and separate himself from a pool of quarterbacks that includes Curt Phillips, Danny O'Brien, Bart Houston and junior-college arrival Tanner McEvoy.

Spring football is under way in the Big Ten, and plenty of quarterback competitions will be taking place around the league in the coming weeks. We've been examining each one.

The series wraps up with the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Incumbent: Nathan Scheelhaase, senior. Started 10 games in 2012 (missed two because of injury) and completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 1,361 yards with four touchdowns and eight interceptions; rushed 125 times for 303 yards and four touchdowns.

Spring contenders: Reilly O'Toole, junior; Miles Osei, senior.

Summer contender: Aaron Bailey, incoming freshman.

The skinny: It's a little unusual to be discussing a quarterback competition when Illinois has a signal caller (Scheelhaase) who boasts 36 career starts entering his senior season. But Scheelhaase has struggled since midway through the 2011 campaign, and the offense's production has dropped off significantly. When a unit finishes 119th out of 120 FBS teams in both scoring (16.7 ppg) and total offense (296.7 ypg), no job is guaranteed and every player must prove himself again.

Bill Cubit is the man Scheelhaase and the other quarterback candidates are looking to impress, as the former Western Michigan head coach steps in as Illinois' new offensive coordinator. Cubit made it clear after his hiring that there will be competition at quarterback this spring.

Scheelhaase had some good moments last season and Illinois had far bigger issues on offense, but he needs a strong showing in spring ball. O'Toole started two games last season and led Illinois to its last win against FCS Charleston Southern. He was accurate, completing 74.7 percent of his passes, and racked up 564 pass yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions. But he barely saw the field during Big Ten play despite the unit's struggles. Osei brings some different skills to the table and can be used as a runner or even as a receiver, but he has a lot to prove as a passer.

The wild card could be Bailey, a decorated recruit who enters the mix this summer. He picked Illinois ahead of several Big Ten teams and brings good size (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) and athleticism to Champaign.

"Huge," Illini head coach Tim Beckman said of having Bailey in the recruiting class. "Great individual. I've been around this business my whole life, and Aaron Bailey is as good of a person as I've ever met. He's a winner, knows what it takes to win."

Prediction: Scheelhaase obviously has a huge edge in experience, and with the right weapons and the right system, he can win in the Big Ten. But he'll be working in his third offensive system in as many years and must acclimate to another new coordinator. Cubit's Western Michigan teams threw the ball a ton, so while Scheelhaase's athleticism is nice, he'll have to show he can be a pass-first player.

O'Toole certainly has a chance in the spring, and he could be a good fit for what Cubit wants to do. But because Scheelhasse is so much more experienced, O'Toole will need to create a tangible gap in the coming weeks. Bailey also could be a factor in preseason camp, although he'll have to pick up a lot in a short period of time to beat out a three-year starter.

Ultimately, Scheelhaase gets the nod right now. He has had his moments the past few years and should have a better supporting cast this season. But O'Toole will push him this spring, and if neither quarterback progresses, look out for Bailey in preseason camp. Beckman can't afford to wait on a quarterback to blossom.

Spring practice is under way in the Big Ten, so let's take a look at what's on tap for the six teams in the Leaders Division.

ILLINOIS

Spring start: March 5

Spring game: April 12

What to watch:

1. Coaching staff makeover: Illinois players are used to coaching changes, and Tim Beckman's staff received a significant overhaul during the winter as five assistants departed the program (four voluntarily). The biggest change comes at offensive coordinator, as former Western Michigan head coach Bill Cubit takes over. Cubit has to implement his system and identify more playmakers with a unit that finished last in the Big Ten in both scoring and total offense last season.

2. Lines in limbo: The Illini not only lost significant pieces on both the offensive and defensive lines, but they have new position coaches at both spots as well. Defensive line has been Illinois' strongest spot, but the team must replace two future NFLers in Michael Buchanan and Akeem Spence. Glenn Foster is also gone, so the front four will have a very different look. The offensive line struggled mightily in 2012 and needs young players like Michael Heitz and Ted Karras to take steps this spring.

3. Getting healthy: Illinois lost so many starters to injury in 2012 that it became difficult to get an accurate gauge on what Beckman could do with a healthy roster. Although linebacker Jonathan Brown and receiver Darius Millines will be limited this spring, the rest of the team is ready to go and Illinois added several potential big contributors from the junior-college ranks. If Illinois has any chance of taking a major step in 2013, its best players must stay on the field this spring and allow the coaches a chance to evaluate and scheme for the season.

INDIANA

Spring start: March 2

Spring game: April 13

What to watch:

1. Quarterback cluster: While some Big Ten teams (Penn State, Purdue) have hardly any experience at quarterback, Indiana has three signal-callers who have logged significant field time. Tre Roberson, who started the 2012 season before suffering a broken leg in Week 2, returns this spring, and it will be interesting to see how he looks and whether he outperforms Cameron Coffman and Nate Sudfeld. Coffman started the final 10 games last fall and passed for 2,734 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Sudfield added 632 pass yards and seven scoring strikes. Indiana's quarterback depth is a good problem to have, but it would be good to see some separation this spring.

2. Defensive leadership: Fielding a Big Ten-level defense remains Indiana's top priority, and the Hoosiers need leaders to develop this spring. Top linemen Adam Replogle and Larry Black Jr. depart, and Indiana needs to build depth up front after allowing a league-worst 231.3 rush yards per game in 2012. Linebacker is another spot IU must upgrade, and David Cooper should be ready to take the reins after recording 86 tackles in 12 starts a year ago. Like Illinois, Indiana also welcomes several junior-college defenders, including tackle Jordan Heiderman.

3. Secondary surge: All the question marks in Indiana's defensive front seven make it even more important for the secondary to make strides this spring. The Hoosiers have no shortage of experience in the back four with players like Greg Heban, Mark Murphy, Brian Williams (12 starts last season) and Antonio Marshall (started final seven games). There's potential for the secondary to be a strength for IU in 2013, but the group must make more plays after recording a league-low seven interceptions last fall.

OHIO STATE

Spring start: March 5

Spring game: April 13 (at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati)

What to watch:

1. Taking a pass: The highest-scoring offense in the Big Ten returns every starter but two, and all that experience, talent and familiarity with the spread attack heading into Urban Meyer's second season with the Buckeyes figures to make them even more dangerous. The key will be how much more efficient Braxton Miller can become as a passer.

2. Getting defensive: For all the pieces the offense retains, the defense is a completely different story heading into spring camp. The Buckeyes have to replace the entire defensive line after losing three seniors and junior Johnathan Hankins to the draft, two starting linebackers are gone and the graduation of cornerback Travis Howard leaves an additional hole in the safety. There will be no shortage of competition for first-team reps.

3. Looking for leaders: Meyer and the senior class that has since departed quickly forged a deep bond, and he’s gone out of his way to praise those players' leadership as integral in the unbeaten season that started his tenure with the Buckeyes. Now he needs a new wave of emotional speakers and relentless workers to take the torch from the likes of John Simon and Zach Boren, and Meyer will be making a point to identify his best candidates over the 15 workouts leading into the summer.

-- Austin Ward, BuckeyeNation

PENN STATE

Spring start: March 18

Spring game: April 20

What to watch:

1. Quarterback competition: With the departure of fifth-year senior Matt McGloin, quarterback is now the biggest question mark on this team. Sophomore Steven Bench has a head start and will compete against juco early enrollee Tyler Ferguson. Christian Hackenberg won't join the team until summer. Can this no-huddle offense be as effective?

2. Replacing LBs Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges: Mike Hull, who usually played inside, will have to make some adjustments as one of the expected replacements for the All-Big Ten linebacker tandem. The other spot is up for grabs, and fans should expect to see a battle between Ben Kline and Nyeem Wartman.

3. New faces at WR, TE: Redshirt freshman Eugene Lewis, the headliner of PSU's 2012 class, could challenge Brandon Moseby-Felder as the No. 2 WR target. Adam Breneman, the No. 1 tight-end recruit in the country, is also hoping to be recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in time for the Blue-White Game. Both could be stars down the road for PSU.

-- Josh Moyer, NittanyNation

PURDUE

Spring start: March 18

Spring game: April 12

What to watch:

1. Behind these Hazell eyes: Yes, I'll justifiably take the abuse for the Kelly Clarkson reference, but new Purdue coach Darrell Hazell has his first chance to evaluate his team on the field this spring. Hazell brings a completely new coaching staff and a new approach to Purdue, which fell short of expectations in 2012 and has significant questions on both sides of the ball. He seems to be getting good buy-in from the players so far, but it'll be interesting to see how things progress during the 15 workouts this spring.

2. Quarterback race: If you like mysteries, you'll enjoy Purdue's quarterback competition this spring. The combination of a new coaching staff and unproven but talented candidates makes the race virtually impossible to predict. Hazell and new offensive coordinator John Shoop will study redshirt freshman Austin Appleby, who could have a slight edge to win the job, along with redshirt freshman Bilal Marshall and early enrollee Danny Etling, a decorated recruit. Don't forget about Rob Henry, who started in 2010 and would have been the top quarterback in 2011 if not for an ACL injury weeks before the season.

3. Short stopper: Purdue has to find a replacement for standout defensive tackle Kawann Short, the centerpiece of the defensive line the past few seasons. Bruce Gaston Jr. will continue to occupy the other top tackle spot, but there will be plenty of competition to join him in the starting lineup. Purdue's defensive line underachieved in 2012, and while Gaston and ends Ryan Russell and Ryan Isaac all return, the Boilers will really miss Short's production if they don't build more depth up the middle.

WISCONSIN

Spring start: March 9

Spring game: April 20

What to watch:

1. New era dawns: Consistency is the norm at Wisconsin, but players will have to adjust to a dramatically different coaching staff for the second consecutive season. This time, it includes a new leading man in Gary Andersen, who gets his first chance to work with the players on the practice field. Andersen doesn't plan to overhaul the schemes, but he and his coaches will put their spin on things and see what works. He'll also bring a different personality to practice but one that athletic director Barry Alvarez thinks will fit the program's culture.

2. Intrigue at quarterback: Arguably no team in America has a more interesting quarterback race than the Badgers do this spring. They have three players with starting experience -- Joel Stave, Curt Phillips and Danny O'Brien -- plus a talented redshirt freshman (Bart Houston) who arrived as a decorated recruit and a junior-college addition (Tanner McEvoy) brought in by the new coaches. Add in a new system under coordinator Andy Ludwig, and it's anyone's guess who will separate himself this spring. Be sure to tune in.

3. Secondary in the spotlight: The Badgers lose three of four starters in the secondary from the 2012 squad, including top cornerbacks Devin Smith and Marcus Cromartie. The new staff is aware of the numbers issue and signed junior-college All-America Donnell Vercher earlier this month. Other players who will compete for starting spots include cornerbacks Darius Hillary and Peniel Jean and safeties Michael Trotter and Michael Caputo. Wisconsin hopes to have some answers in the back four by the end of the spring.