ESPN

We're taking a page from our friends at the ACC blog and starting a series that examines whether certain Big Ten teams will be contenders or pretenders in the 2013 season. The series won't include Ohio State, Michigan or Nebraska, three teams that, in our view, have earned the "contender" label entering the fall. For each team, we'll make a case for why they're contenders and pretenders and provide our final verdict (a final verdict in late April, mind you). We invite you to vote on whether a team is a contender or a pretender or send us your thoughts for mailbags here and here.

First up, the Northwestern Wildcats.

Why they're contenders: Not only did Northwestern win 10 games last season, including its first bowl in 64 years, but the Wildcats return the core pieces from the 2012 squad on both sides of the ball. Fifteen starters return, including the dynamic offensive backfield of quarterback Kain Colter and Venric Mark, an All-Big Ten running back and an All-America all-purpose player. Quarterback Trevor Siemian, who shared time with Colter and improved as the season progressed, also comes back. The key receivers are back and could see enhanced roles in a more balanced offense, and tight end Dan Vitale, a weapon down the stretch last season, is just a true sophomore. Northwestern's speed-based recruiting efforts on defense are starting to pay off, especially in the secondary, where the team returns standouts Ibraheim Campbell and Nick VanHoose and boasts good depth at both cornerback and safety. Defensive end Tyler Scott, the Big Ten's leading returning sacks leader, is back, along with several exciting young edge rushers. Special teams once again should be a strength with Mark and Jeff Budzien, the 2012 Big Ten co-kicker of the year, back in the fold.

Why they're pretenders: It all starts up front, and Northwestern has question marks on both of its lines entering the fall. The Wildcats must replace three starting offensive linemen, including All-Big Ten guard Brian Mulroe. Several potential starters sat out spring practice, and while that gave young players increased reps, the first-team line will have limited time to bond before the season kicks off. Northwestern also is a little thin at defensive tackle after losing Brian Arnfelt. The biggest potential drawback is a schedule that definitely gets tougher and could be significantly more challenging than the 2012 slate. Northwestern faces Ohio State for the first time since 2008, and Wisconsin returns to the slate as well after a two-year break. The Wildcats open Big Ten play with the Buckeyes (home) and the Badgers (road). And while Northwestern has established itself as a solid Big Ten program under Pat Fitzgerald, it hasn't handled high expectations well, like in 2001 (preseason Big Ten favorites) and 2011.

Final verdict: The schedule is definitely a factor, but if Northwestern can split its first two Big Ten contests, it should be right in the mix for the Legends Division title. The Wildcats host the Michigan schools, and although they visit Nebraska, they won in Lincoln with an inferior team in 2011. Some still don't take Northwestern seriously because they can't shed the perception created in the program's dark days. Those days are over, the talent is much better and most of it returns. Northwestern is a contender.

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."

Northwestern returns most of its core from 2012 but must replace key linemen like Brian Mulroe, Quentin Williams and Brian Arnfelt.

The Big Ten won only two bowl games this season, but several players stood out around the league.

Let's take a look at ESPN.com's Big Ten All-Bowl squad ...

OFFENSE

QB: Devin Gardner, Michigan -- There weren't many good choices around the league, but Gardner fired three touchdown passes and racked up 214 pass yards. He has accounted for at least two touchdowns in all five of his starts at quarterback for the Wolverines.

RB: Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State -- The nation's ultimate workhorse running back did his thing in his final game as a Spartan. Bell had 32 carries for 145 yards and a touchdown, recording his eighth 100-yard rushing performance of the season. He also threw a 29-yard pass on a pivotal third-down play.

RB: Rex Burkhead, Nebraska -- Another back who stood out in his final collegiate game, Burkhead racked up 140 rush yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, and added four receptions for 39 yards. It's really too bad we didn't get to see what Burkhead could have done all season when healthy.

WR: Jeremy Gallon, Michigan -- Gallon recorded career highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (145), and scored two touchdowns against a strong South Carolina defense in the Outback Bowl. It was his third 100-yard receiving performance of the season.

WR: Derrick Engel, Minnesota -- Along with quarterback Philip Nelson, Engel provided some hope for Minnesota's future on offense with 108 receiving yards on four receptions in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas. His 42-yard reception marked the third longest of Minnesota's season.

TE: Dan Vitale, Northwestern -- The freshman provided offensive balance Northwestern needed against a Mississippi State team that focused on taking away Venric Mark and the run game. Vitale recorded team highs in both receptions (7) and receiving yards (82) as Northwestern ended the nation's longest bowl losing streak in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl.

OL: Taylor Lewan, Michigan -- Everyone remembers Jadeveon Clowney's near decapitation of Michigan's Vincent Smith in the Outback Bowl -- which resulted from a miscommunication between Lewan and tight end Mike Kwiatkowski -- but the Wolverines' left tackle did a good job overall against college football's most dominant defensive lineman. Lewan anchored a line that helped Michigan put up decent numbers against an elite defense.

OL: Zac Epping, Minnesota -- Minnesota's offensive line showed flashes of the dominance it displayed for much of the Glen Mason era against Texas Tech. The Gophers racked up 222 rush yards and two touchdowns on 54 carries, as Epping and his linemates opened up holes for Donnell Kirkwood, Rodrick Williams and MarQueis Gray.

OL: Brian Mulroe, Northwestern -- Mulroe made his 40th career start and helped Northwestern finally get over the hump in a bowl game. The Wildcats had a balanced offensive attack, avoided the penalty flag and didn't allow a sack against Mississippi State.

OL: Cole Pensick, Nebraska -- Stepping in for the injured Justin Jackson at center, Pensick helped the Huskers find success running the ball against Georgia, especially up the middle. Nebraska had 239 rushing yards in the Capital One Bowl.

OL: Travis Frederick, Wisconsin: The Badgers rushed for 218 yards against Stanford, which came into the Rose Bowl with the nation's No. 3 rush defense. They also gave up only one sack to a defense which led the FBS in that category. Frederick played very well at center and announced he would skip his junior year to enter the NFL draft a few days later.

DEFENSE

DL: Quentin Williams, Northwestern -- Williams set the tone for Northwestern's win with an interception returned for a touchdown on the third play from scrimmage. He also recorded two tackles for loss, including a sack, in the victory.

DL: William Gholston, Michigan State -- Another player who stood out in his final collegiate game, Gholston tied for the team lead with nine tackles, including a sack, and had a pass breakup in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl win against TCU. The freakishly athletic defensive end stepped up in a bowl game for the second straight season.

DL: Tyler Scott, Northwestern -- Scott and his fellow linemates made life tough for turnover-prone Mississippi State quarterback Tyler Russell in the Gator Bowl. The Wildcats junior defensive end recorded three tackles for loss, including two sacks, and added a quarterback hurry in the win.

DL: Ra'Shede Hageman, Minnesota -- The big man in the center of Minnesota's defensive line stood out against Texas Tech, recording six tackles, including a sack, and a pass breakup. Gophers fans should be fired up to have Hageman back in the fold for the 2013 season.

LB: Max Bullough, Michigan State -- Bullough once again triggered a strong defensive performance by Michigan State, which held TCU to just three points in the final two and a half quarters of the Wings bowl. The junior middle linebacker tied with Gholston for the team tackles lead (9) and assisted on a tackle for loss.

LB: Chris Borland, Wisconsin -- The Badgers' defense clamped down against Stanford after a slow start, and Borland once again stood out with his play at middle linebacker. The standout junior led Wisconsin with nine tackles as the defense kept the Badgers within striking distance in Pasadena.

LB: Jake Ryan, Michigan -- Ryan capped a breakout season with another strong performance in the bowl game, recording 1.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and half a sack. He'll enter 2013 as a top candidate for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors.

CB: Michael Carter, Minnesota -- Carter finished off a strong senior year with two interceptions, a pass breakup and seven tackles in the 34-31 loss to Texas Tech.

CB: Nick VanHoose, Northwestern: The redshirt freshman picked off a Mississippi State pass and returned it 39 yard to set up the game-clinching touchdown in the fourth quarter.

S: Jared Carpenter, Northwestern: The senior was named MVP of the Gator Bowl win with a game-high 10 tackles and a near interception late in the game.

S: Ibraheim Campbell, Northwestern: The Wildcats dominate our all-bowl team secondary for good reason. Campbell had an interception and a pass breakup against the Bulldogs.

Specialists

P: Mike Sadler, Michigan State -- The punters took center stage in Tempe as both offenses struggled, and Sadler provided MSU with a huge lift in the field-position game. He set Spartans bowl records for punts (11) and punting yards (481), averaging 43.7 yards per punt with three inside the 20-yard line. His booming punt inside the TCU 5 helped lead to a game-turning fumble by the Horned Frogs' Skye Dawson.

K: Brendan Gibbons and Matt Wile, Michigan -- Both kickers share the honors after combining to go 3-for-3 on field-goal attempts in the Outback Bowl. Gibbons, the hero of last year's Sugar Bowl, connected from 39 yards and 40 yards in the first half. Wile hit a career-long 52-yard attempt in the third quarter, setting an Outback Bowl record.

Returner: Troy Stoudermire, Minnesota -- It took a bit longer than expected, but Stoudermire finally set the NCAA record for career kick return yards with a 26-yard runback on the opening kickoff against Texas Tech. The senior cornerback finished the game with 111 return yards, including a 37-yard runback, on four attempts.

There are a few cowbells cropping up around Northwestern's football complex in recent weeks, but no monkeys.

The stuffed monkey Northwestern players carried around during last year's bowl preparation -- signifying 63 years of postseason futility -- was good for some laughs, some newsprint and some airtime during ESPN's broadcast of the Meineke Care Care Bowl of Texas. But it didn't bring any luck in the game, as Northwestern fell to Texas A&M, suffering its ninth consecutive bowl defeat.

There's no monkey business this year, and that's a good thing. Just because everyone else brings up the bowl losing streak doesn't mean the Wildcats have to belabor it. They're focused on the Mississippi State Bulldogs, all those cowbells and what it takes to walk off the field at the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl as a winner.

"Our goal is still in front of us," senior guard Brian Mulroe told ESPN.com, "and it's a big goal."

It's also a more realistic goal. A significant factor in Northwestern's bowl slide has been matchups. The Wildcats have been underdogs in each of their past nine bowl matchups -- in several cases, sizable underdogs.

Because of the Big Ten's tendency to send two teams to BCS bowls, Northwestern's recent ability to sell itself to better bowl games and other reasons, the Wildcats have been in several games that, on paper, look like mismatches. Last season, Northwestern leapfrogged two teams it had lost to -- Penn State, Illinois -- on the bowl pecking order and faced a Texas A&M squad led by a future NFL starting quarterback (Ryan Tanehill).

"We played some really darn good football teams, and we've gone toe-to-toe with them," Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "... I don't know, Jeremy Maclin's turned out to be a pretty damn good player [Maclin had a game-changing, 75-yard punt return touchdown for Missouri in the 2008 Alamo Bowl]. And Auburn won a national championship the next year [after Northwestern played the Tigers]. I think I saw three All-Americans on this year’s team that were on A&M."

Northwestern once again is an underdog against Mississippi State, but a slight one. The Wildcats have two more wins than the Bulldogs and a stronger overall résumé. Although both teams started strong, Northwestern finished a bit better with wins in three of its final four games (Mississippi State dropped four of five).

Although many Northwestern fans were hoping for a Capital One Bowl invitation that never came, what they received is a long overdue even matchup in a bowl game. Mississippi State isn't vastly superior to Northwestern, like A&M was last year.

"We just haven't finished the job," Fitzgerald said. "That's what we need to do right now."

Fitzgerald, who played on Northwestern bowl teams that endured two-a-day practices in December ("We almost had a mutiny," he said), hopes to find the right balance of work and fun before kickoff. Northwestern is having a bowl week in Chicago -- the team attended Tuesday night's Bulls-Celtics game -- before the actual bowl week in Jacksonville, Fla.

But for fifth-year seniors like Mulroe, who made his first career start in the 2010 Outback Bowl and started the next two bowls, it's all about taking care of business.

"This is going to be a work bowl, definitely," he said. "It's been tough, but every time in the locker room after those games, those seniors, they're so appreciative of the season but you know deep down, they wanted that last win. So we're going to try to prepare everyone as if they're a senior. It is the last game as a team, and as a unit. Bowls are fun, but obviously there's one goal.

"The one goal is to win, and we're going to get that monkey off our back."

OK, so the monkey isn't totally dead in Evanston, but it could be Jan. 1. And though Fitzgerald still thinks the media places too much emphasis on bowls, win or lose, he acknowledges what a victory could do for a program that returns its core intact for 2013.

"Nine wins is a good season; 10 wins is great," he said. "Winning a bowl game is an exclamation point on this year. With the amount of guys we have coming back and the way our senior class graduates as the all-time winningest senior class, it's an exclamation point on as solid of a foundation of success as we've ever had in this program's history."

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Everyone knows most Northwestern football players possess a high level of intelligence.

Well, there’s the level where a majority of the Wildcats are at, and then there’s senior offensive tackle Patrick Ward's level.

“Sure, we got a smart group of guys on the team, but he’s above and beyond,” Northwestern senior offensive guard Brian Mulroe said of Ward after Saturday’s practice.

(Read full post)

As you may have noticed, we weren't exactly big fans of the official All-Big Ten teams that were announced last month.

We don't claim to know more about football than the league's coaches, not for a second. But after watching every Big Ten game all season long, we found ourselves scratching our heads at some choices that didn't seem to jibe with what we were seeing. Well, it's time to put our money where our mouths are and offer our official ESPN.com picks for the 2012 All-Big Ten team. Now you can argue with our choices, which look like this:

Offense

QB: Braxton Miller, Ohio State
RB: Montee Ball, Wisconsin
RB: Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State
WR: Allen Robinson, Penn State
WR: Kenny Bell, Nebraska
TE: Kyle Carter, Penn State
OT: Taylor Lewan, Michigan
OG: Spencer Long, Nebraska
C: Matt Stankiewitch, Penn State
OG: Brian Mulroe, Northwestern
OT: Jack Mewhort, Ohio State

Defense

DL: John Simon, Ohio State
DL: Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State
DL: Jordan Hill, Penn State
LB: Michael Mauti, Penn State
LB: Ryan Shazier, Ohio State
LB: Jake Ryan, Michigan
LB: Chris Borland, Wisconsin
DB: Bradley Roby, Ohio State
DB: Ciante Evans, Nebraska
DB: Darqueze Dennard, Michigan State
DB: Daimion Stafford, Nebraska

Special teams

PK: Jeff Budzien, Northwestern
P: Mike Sadler, Michigan State
All-purpose: Venric Mark, Northwestern

The first thing you might notice with our team is that we're lining up as a 3-4 defense. We decided to go with only three defensive linemen and four linebackers because linebacker was such a strong position for the league this year. And even with four, we still left off very worthy players such as Wisconsin's Mike Taylor, Penn State's Gerald Hodges and Michigan State's Max Bullough. Going with three down linemen meant we excluded Purdue's Kawann Short, a great player who was slowed by injuries during the heart of the Boilers' schedule. ... One of our toughest calls was at tight end. You can make a great case for either Carter or Michigan State's Dion Sims, and their numbers are incredibly close. ... We chose four defensive backs instead of two corners and two safeties, just as the Big Ten does with its official teams. And we were happy to do so since we thought the safety position was a little lacking this year overall. And since Evans is a nickelback, it kind of works, anyway. ... We went with Michigan State's Bell in a close call over Northwestern's Mark but still got Mark on our team as the all-purpose player, which fits his skills since he is a top-flight punt returner. ... Ohio State leads the way with six selections, followed by Penn State with five and Nebraska with four.

A high-powered passing game has been a hallmark of Pat Fitzgerald's tenure at Northwestern. But during that same time, the team has mostly lacked a star running back.

The Wildcats haven't produced a 1,000-yard rusher since Tyrell Sutton ran for exactly that amount in 2006, Fitzgerald's first season as head coach. The last three years, they haven't even had a player rush for more than 654 yards, and last season the team averaged just 3.8 yards per carry, lowest in the Big Ten.

None of that has stopped Northwestern from scoring points in bunches. But the players and coaches are looking for a little bit more from the running game this season.

"Our running backs haven't so far stepped up and haven't gotten a lot of love on the field," junior Venric Mark told ESPN.com. "But this year, I feel like we're going to do great things. That's a bold statement, but I think we can."

Fitzgerald has several options that he's still sorting out in training camp. Mark moved from wide receiver to running back in the offseason and is having a great preseason. Though only 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, he's a speedster who has been a dynamic kick returner.

"I'm not a very big back, but we all have different attributes and characteristics we use," Mark said. "If I see a 240-pound linebacker coming at me, the smart thing would not be to stand up and block him, but I'm definitely going to try and take his knees out if possible."

Speaking of knees, Mike Trumpy is working back from a torn ACL that ended his season during the Illinois game a year ago. Trumpy was Northwestern's leading rusher at the time and was averaging more than five yards per carry. His 2010 season also was curtailed early by a wrist injury.

Trumpy told ESPN.com that he was still knocking the rust off during training camp, but he's happy to be back.

"That first drill, I was a little hesitant and it was nerve-wracking," he said. "But I try to have the mindset of not holding back, just trusting it and running as hard as I can."

Sophomore Treyvon Green, who ran for 362 yards and four touchdowns last year, suffered a scary injury that resulted in his hospitalization on Friday. But Fitzgerald said Green should make a full recovery and be ready for the season opener. Senior Tyris Jones used his 220-pound frame as a short-yardage back last year.

"We probably have a little more depth than we've had the last few years," Fitzgerald told reporters Monday. "The way the whole group is running the ball right now, I'm not saying one guy is taking this role, one guy is taking that role. We're just rolling guys in right now."

Any examination of the Wildcats' ball-carrying options also has to include quarterback Kain Colter, who's such a good athlete that he could probably start at receiver or running back. He was the team's leading rusher with 654 yards last season, but Fitzgerald would rather that his quarterback not carry it 135 times as Colter did. Still, defenses have to be ready for him as well as the tailbacks.

"That's what makes us very dangerous," Mark said. "We have such a versatile backfield."

The Northwestern running game hasn't been as strongly emphasized in recent years in part because of the presence of athletic quarterbacks like Dan Persa. When Persa can move around and complete more than 70 percent of his throws, you don't necessarily need a stud tailback.

"We're a different kind of offense," senior offensive lineman Brian Mulroe said. "We're a spread offense, and we don't have 330-pound maulers up front. We're more on the athletic side. We're going to create holes and try to give the quarterback time."

Yet the Wildcats would still love to develop a feature back. Or maybe backs. If there isn't a 1,000-yard rusher but several players contribute to improve the team's ground game, so be it.

"If it takes five guys, then that's what we're going to do," Trumpy said.

One of the great gifts football provides is seeing really big men do things their bodies aren't meant to do.

The Fat Guy Touchdown, for instance. Or the Almost Fat Guy Touchdown, courtesy of the New England Patriots' Dan Connolly.

Northwestern added a new layer to the hilarity at the end of a recent spring practice. The Wildcats had their offensive and defensive linemen participate in a JUGS machine challenge, which required them to catch the ball like punt and kickoff returners.

Warning: Don't watch the following video if eating, drinking or handling sharp objects.

One of the first clips shows starting center Brandon Vitabile, who checks in at 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, stumbling badly in an attempt. Defensive linemen like C.J. Robbins (6-5, 275) didn't fare much better.

The competition comes down to defensive end Tyler Scott (6-4, 265) and guard Brian Mulroe (6-4, 295), who actually made catches in the prelims. After a prolonged sudden-death period that features some catches and flops, Scott, who displays decent form, emerges as the victor when he beats Mulroe for a jump ball.

Venric Mark, the team's top return man, shouldn't have to worry about losing his job.