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On occasion Saturday night, Ohio State lined up with quarterback Braxton Miller in the shotgun, flanked by running back Carlos Hyde and receiver Dontre Wilson.

If you're a defensive coordinator, that might qualify as a special kind of torture. Think of all the possibilities with that trio. There's Hyde, the 235-pound power back who at times couldn't be tackled by Wisconsin. There's Wilson, still just a freshman but already one of the fastest players in the Big Ten who's fulfilling the Percy Harvin role for Urban Meyer's offense. Then of course there's Miller, who can beat you with his arms or his legs.

That particular offensive grouping didn't create a ton of damage in the Buckeyes' 31-24 victory. But it showed that, like sideline observer LeBron James, Ohio State now can do a little bit of everything now when it has the ball.

In fact, Meyer's biggest lament about the offense after Saturday's game was that he couldn't find playing time for Jordan Hall and Kenny Guiton. Hall, who leads the team with 427 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, got one carry against the Badgers. Guiton -- who leads the Big Ten in passing touchdowns with 13 -- never saw the field.

Miller quickly showed why the "debate" over whether he or Guiton should start was always silly, because he simply can do so many more things. Offensive coordinator Tom Herman said Monday that Miller still made some mental mistakes and needs to do a better job scrambling straight up the field. But Herman praised Miller's back-shoulder throw to Devin Smith for a touchdown, and Ohio State has now incorporated a vertical passing game to go along with its strong rushing attack. Receivers Smith, Corey "Philly" Brown and Evan Spencer are drawing praise not scorn from Meyer these days, and the trio has combined for 13 touchdown catches.

"They use their weapons well at every position," Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said Monday. "They can get the ball to anybody, and they can score on any given play."

Fitzgerald should know exactly what that looks like, because he has built the same thing with his team. In fact, when Northwestern hosts Ohio State on Saturday night in Evanston, we will see arguably the two most versatile offenses in the Big Ten.

The Wildcats, of course, employ a two-quarterback system with Kain Colter and Trevor Siemian, the former excelling as a runner and the latter serving as something like a designated passer. Offensive coordinator Mick McCall can use the option game with Colter or spread the field with Siemian and a deep group of wide receivers. The two quarterbacks are completing 69.8 percent of their passes.

In fact, Northwestern is fourth in the Big Ten in both passing and rushing yards, the only team to rank in the top four in each of those categories. The Wildcats have accomplished that almost entirely without star tailback Venric Mark, who has dealt with an unspecified lower body injury all season. But Mark, who ran for 1,371 and was an All-American punt returner last season, is listed as a co-starter on the team's depth chart this week.

Fitzgerald said Monday that if Mark gets through practice without issue, "we will have him in some capacity" on Saturday. Treyvon Green (404 rushing yards, five touchdowns) has filled in nicely for Mark and brings a bit more power, but Northwestern's offense takes on a different dimension with Mark's speed, especially when paired with Colter.

Northwestern will likely need every available weapon against Ohio State, which managed to shut down Wisconsin's running game on Saturday while allowing some big plays through the air.

All coaches talk about being "multiple" on offense, but the Wildcats and Buckeyes truly embody that this season. Nebraska can also do just about everything, though the Huskers' offense sputtered against UCLA, while Penn State can keep defenses guessing with many formations and plays. Just about everybody else in the league is looking for a consistent passing game (Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin), a dependable running attack (Indiana, Illinois) or both (Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue).

Ohio State and Northwestern both have inexhaustible options on offense. The trick will be finding which ones work best on Saturday night.

The debate is over, at least for now. Ohio State affirmed itself as the Big Ten's top team by putting on an offensive show against Cal, despite missing its top quarterback and top running back.

There's more doubt about whether Michigan or Northwestern is No. 2 after the Wolverines' surprising struggles Saturday against Akron. For now, we have Michigan ahead by a nose hair, thanks to its win against Notre Dame.

Wisconsin might have moved up to the No. 2 line if the officials had given the Badgers a chance to win the game against Arizona State. We like most of what we saw from Gary Andersen's crew on Saturday night. The same can't be said for Nebraska, which takes a tumble after folding the tent against UCLA, and Penn State, which caved defensively against UCF.

Week 3 was mostly rough for the Big Ten, but it had some bright spots. Michigan State found a quarterback, Indiana regained its footing on defense, and Iowa impressed on the ground against Iowa State.

There's not much separation in the league's bottom half, but as we noted Sunday, the Big Ten might not have a truly bad team.

Here's one last look at last week's rankings.

Now, let's get to the rundown ...

1. Ohio State (3-0, last week: 1): It'll take more than injuries and suspensions to slow down the Buckeyes' potent offense. Quarterback Braxton Miller didn't suit up against Cal, but backup Kenny Guiton once again stepped up with 276 pass yards and four touchdowns, to go along with 92 rush yards. Running back Jordan Hall (168 rush yards, 3 TDs) continued his brilliance filling in for the injured Carlos Hyde, who returns this week against Florida A&M.

2. Michigan (3-0, last week: 2): A week after looking like arguably the Big Ten's best team, Michigan backslid with a mistake-ridden performance against Akron. Brady Hoke's crew emerged with a win but also plenty of questions on both sides of the ball. As good as Devin Gardner has looked at times, the first-year starting quarterback must take better care of the football. Michigan also must patch up a vulnerable defense before Big Ten play.

3. Northwestern (3-0, last week: 3): Take away a lackluster first quarter against Western Michigan, and the Wildcats looked impressive on their home field. The offense clearly has improved despite the continued absence of star running back Venric Mark, as stand-in Treyvon Green (158 rush yards, 2 TDs) looks more than capable. Northwestern's defense remains too leaky but covers up yards with takeaways. The Wildcats have positioned themselves well for an Oct. 5 showdown with Ohio State.

4. Wisconsin (2-1, last week: 4): What is there left to say about the Arizona State ending? Wisconsin was far from perfect Saturday night, struggling to protect Joel Stave or stop back-shoulder throws from Arizona State's Taylor Kelly. But the Badgers fought hard in all three phases and received another huge boost from sophomore running back Melvin Gordon. They deserved better. It'll be interesting to see how they bounce back in the Big Ten opener against Purdue.

5. Michigan State (3-0, last week: 8): Look, an offense! And a quarterback! The Spartans finally start moving in the right direction in the rankings after a scoring explosion against Youngstown State. Connor Cook solidified himself as the team's starting quarterback with four touchdown passes and no interceptions, as Michigan State scored 35 first-half points. Sure, it's Youngstown State, but Michigan State needed a starting point on offense. It has one before a tough test at Notre Dame.

6. Nebraska (2-1, last week: 4): The collapses are no longer surprising because they seem to happen so often for Bo Pelini's teams. Sure, Nebraska normally keeps it together at home, and Saturday's third quarter was one of the worst in team history. But this is who these Huskers are under Pelini, a fragile team prone to blowout losses in big games. Nebraska falls off the national radar for a while but still could contend in the mediocre Big Ten.

7. Minnesota (3-0, last week: 7): It was a rough Saturday for the Gophers, who lost starting quarterback Philip Nelson to a hamstring injury and head coach Jerry Kill to another seizure. Minnesota also had a slow start against FCS Western Illinois until the offense caught fire in the fourth quarter behind running back David Cobb and backup quarterback Mitch Leidner, who was efficient in relief of Nelson. The Gophers face a test this week as San Jose State comes to town.

8. Penn State (2-1, last week: 6): It'll be a long week for defensive coordinator John Butler and a unit that surrendered 507 yards in the loss to UCF and had no answers for Knights quarterback Blake Bortles. After a final non-league tuneup against Kent State, Penn State opens Big Ten play against four potent offenses: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Illinois. Wide receiver Allen Robinson is a beast, but Penn State needs more balance.

9. Indiana (2-1, last week: 10): The Hoosiers forced a punt against Bowling Green, and they did much, much more in one of their better defensive performances in recent memory. Bowling Green didn't score an offensive touchdown as defensive end Nick Mangieri and the Hoosiers bent but didn't break. Indiana had more than enough offense from quarterback Nate Sudfeld (335 pass yards, 2 TDs) and running backs Tevin Coleman (129 rush yards, 2 TDs) and Stephen Houston (155 rush yards), pulling away for an impressive win.

10. Illinois (2-1, last week: 9): Missed scoring opportunities in the first half doomed Illinois in the final 30 minutes against Washington, which repeatedly gashed a young Illini defense. But Illinois showed plenty of fight, even in the fourth quarter when the outcome seemed decided. Illinois has playmakers on both sides of the ball -- QB Nathan Scheelhaase, RB/WR Josh Ferguson, WR Ryan Lankford, LB Jonathan Brown -- and could surprise some Big Ten teams.

11. Iowa (2-1, last week: 11): There's an argument that Iowa should handle Iowa State rather easily, which is what happened Saturday in Ames. But Iowa hasn't handled the Cyclones nearly as often as they should, which is what made Saturday's performance so important. The Hawkeyes needed to win this one to generate some positive vibes, and thanks to a Mark Weisman-led run game and a solid defense, they got it done.

12. Purdue (1-2, last week: 12): The Boilers remain at the bottom, but we feel a lot better about them after the Notre Dame game. Quarterback Rob Henry and the offense looked more comfortable, and the defense contained the Irish run attack. There were still too many mistakes down the stretch, but coach Darrell Hazell can build on this. The problem is the schedule simply doesn't let up, as Purdue visits Wisconsin this week.

Northwestern lost quarterback Kain Colter minutes into Saturday's game and never had full use of star running back Venric Mark.

One of the nation's most dynamic offensive backfields wouldn't be a factor in a tricky road opener against Cal and its potent "Bear Raid" offense.

So what did Northwestern do? It found another way to win. Linebacker Collin Ellis recorded two interceptions for touchdowns, tight end Dan Vitale sparked the passing game and third-string running back Treyvon Green stepped up for Mark on the ground.

Aaaand ... there might have been a few injury flops involved.

It added up to an exhausting 44-30 Northwestern victory against a plucky Cal team that gave the 22nd-ranked Wildcats all they could handle. Bears true freshman quarterback Jared Goff passed for 445 yards and two touchdowns, but he showed his age with three second-half interceptions, including the game-changer, which Ellis returned 56 yards to the end zone late in the third quarter.

Ellis, who beat out Drew Smith for Northwestern's third starting linebacker spot, was all over the field in an effort that at least will earn him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. Northwestern also generated a decent pass rush, and safety Ibraheim Campbell picked off Goff in the closing minutes.

Cal made plenty of plays, attacking through the air with talented receivers Chris Harper (11 catches, 151 yards, 2 TDs) and Bryce Treggs (13 receptions, 145 yards). Despite a limited playbook, the Bears showed how dangerous they could be.

Northwestern was limited, too, but not by design. Colter left the game early after taking a shot to his head and his left shoulder. He was re-evaluated at halftime but ruled out, left to stew on the sideline, unable to run the nearly unstoppable zone-read with Mark.

As for Mark, the All-America returner wasn't used on returns and only played for stretches. He wasn't listed on the team's injury report and practiced throughout the preseason. It'll be interesting to see what Coach Pat Fitzgerald says about Mark's status going forward.

Northwestern surged on special teams in 2012, but Cal held a decided edge in the kicking game, scoring its first touchdown on a fake field goal and recovering a Wildcats fumble on a kickoff return. At least All-Big Ten kicker Jeff Budzien came through three field goals.

The little-used Green also stepped up late with a 55-yard burst to take Northwestern out of its own territory. He finished off the drive with a 6-yard plunge. Backup quarterback Trevor Siemian had a big first half in relief of Colter but struggled a bit down the stretch.

Injuries were a big story for Northwestern throughout the game, both real and (possibly) imagined. Wildcats players were down after many plays in the second half. Cal coach Sonny Dykes clearly thought something was up (the Bears, ironically, were the team accused of faking injuries against Oregon). Northwestern also caught a break when Cal standout linebacker Chris McCain was ejected for targeting.

A wild game for the Wildcats, but it usually is just that. They survived and advanced in a Pac-12 stadium, not an easy place for Big Ten teams to win.

It's a good bet Northwestern enters its Oct. 5 home showdown against Ohio State at 4-0. The Wildcats still have never lost an opener under Fitzgerald.

Northwestern's offense has been rooted in the same philosophy -- players, formations, plays -- since coordinator Mick McCall arrived in 2008. McCall shapes his scheme around the players first before choosing formations and plays that maximize their skills.

In the first four seasons under McCall, most of the players ended up being wide receivers and quarterbacks. Most of Northwestern's formations highlighted the wideouts and most of the plays were passes. Northwestern's offense had a clear passing lean, especially in 2009, when the Wildcats ranked 13th nationally in pass offense. The Wildcats didn't neglect the ground game, but when it came time to identify the best players, the running backs didn't make the cut.

"There's been some times in the past at Northwestern in the running back room where there was one guy, and that was it," Matt MacPherson, the team's running backs coach since 2006, told ESPN.com.

MacPherson clearly has his one guy in senior Venric Mark, who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2012 after rushing for 1,366 yards and 12 touchdowns. Mark, who earned All-America honors as a return man, was Northwestern's first 1,000-yard rusher since Tyrell Sutton in 2006.

But MacPherson thinks Northwestern's options in the backfield go beyond Mark.

"I feel like we have four or five guys in my room right now that we can go win Big Ten football games with," MacPherson said. "That gives you a lot of flexibility, and it allows you to do a lot of different things. I came out of spring very pleased with the way they performed."

Mark remains the undisputed starter and will get the lion's share of the carries in the fall. He sat out most live-tackling drills this spring as a precaution, which allowed the other backs -- Mike Trumpy, Treyvon Green, Stephen Buckley and Malin Jones -- to get more reps.

Trumpy racked up 349 yards and three touchdowns on 76 carries as Mark's primary backup in 2012. Green endured a tough season with injuries and personal issues but bounced back and "had a great spring," MacPherson said. Both Buckley and Jones redshirted in 2012 but likely worked their way into the carries rotation with good springs.

"Our running back room has gotten deeper," McCall said. "We've got some guys that can play in a lot of different situations there. We've continually gotten better in that room."

Northwestern made a noticeable shift toward the run last fall behind Mark and dual-threat quarterback Kain Colter. After finishing no better than 45th nationally in rushing in McCall's first four seasons as coordinator, Northwestern surged to 19th nationally last year (225.4 ypg).

The rushing focus should continue as long as more running backs meet the first principle of McCall's philosophy. MacPherson thinks they will, and Northwestern might go with a two-back formation, which it used for 10-12 plays per game in 2012, more often this season.

"In my room, those eyes light up when they know we're going to start running the ball a bunch," MacPherson said, "and we're going to have two running backs on the field at the same time. That's something for them to get excited about. That just gives another aspect of competition, knowing that, OK, Venric may be the guy, but when we get into the two-back set, who's going to be the other guy?"

It's a question MacPherson is glad to be asking.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern running back Venric Mark stands just 5-foot-8 and weighs only 171 pounds, but he has a nose tackle-sized chip on his shoulder.

It's why his favorite run play is the inside zone. It's why he often gets in the face of defenders half a foot taller after between-the-tackles runs. It's why he runs to contact rather than away from it, like many backs his size.

"There's no question on Venric's toughness," Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "He's a tough, tough guy."

But is he a durable Big Ten running back? Mark suffered some minor injuries during the second half of the 2012 season, in which he rushed for 1,366 yards and 12 touchdowns and led the Big Ten with 2,171 all-purpose yards.

Although Mark started all 13 games at running back for the Wildcats, he got banged up against Boston College, Nebraska, Michigan and Michigan State and eclipsed 18 carries just once in the final six games. Some question whether Mark -- with his size and style of play -- is built to last, even though he tied for fourth in the Big Ten in carries (226) last fall.

Mark greets the durability doubts much like he does those bigger, seemingly badder defenders -- head on.

"They're always talking about, 'Is he durable? Is he durable?'" Mark told ESPN.com. "That was my first year playing running back. People see that I played my freshman and sophomore year. Yeah, but I wasn't an every-down back. So this year, I know what to expect from myself, being my last year, and everybody's going to say, 'Can he last? Can he last?'

"I'm going to let them do their job and talk. I'm just going to play."

He also won't forget what has been said or written.

"It gets on my nerves," he said.

Mark also isn't naïve about the wear and tear his body will take this coming season. Just because he has been through a season as a No. 1 back doesn't mean he'll last through another. And he can't do a whole lot about his size. This winter, he has gained seven pounds to check in at 171 after losing some weight because of injury during the season. He hopes to play this season around 175 pounds.

To prepare himself for the pounding, Mark has been running and cutting with a 20-pound weight vest. Mark wants to emulate how Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter uses his vision to scan the field while still keeping his shoulders square when running between the tackles.

"For instance, if Kain and I, we're running 2-Knife, and I'm running inside zone, and a defender sticks his arm to turn me, [the vest] will help me keep my shoulders square," said Mark, a second-team All-Big Ten selection at running back and an All-American at punt returner. "That way, if a linebacker comes to my right or left, I can plant and still cut instead of running like this [shows his shoulders turning] where I can't make that move."

Mark also talks about the need to play smarter.

"Instead of trying to always run over people, at my size, I need to dip and drive, I need to sometimes cut back, juke," Mark said. "That will help me last longer, of course."

Mark averaged 17.4 carries per game in 2012 and had 20 carries or more just four times. He said 16 carries is the "minimum, minimum" amount he'd like to have in 2013 and would "prefer to get close to 20."

Wildcats offensive coordinator Mick McCall puts a greater value on overall touches than carries. This especially applies to a player like Mark, who averaged 18.7 yards on punt returns with two touchdowns, also serves as Northwestern's primary kick returner and had 20 receptions last season. And McCall doesn't just look at total touches, but what types of plays are being run.

"If it's inside zone 16 or 17 times, that might be a little high for Venric," McCall said. "If it's 20-25 touches but half of those are out in space, that's not bad. So we've got to manage him, how many touches he gets but more so, where he touches the ball.

"Some of it's got to be inside, there's no doubt. He does a great job in there. And as much as you want to manage it, he's still going to get dinged up. If he was a 225-pound back, look at the big backs from a year ago in our conference, they still get dinged up. That's part of that position."

McCall fully expects to play multiple running backs and multiple quarterbacks every year. And he has been pleased with the emerging depth this spring at running back with senior Mike Trumpy, junior Treyvon Green, and redshirt freshmen Malin Jones and Stephen Buckley.

But Northwestern's coaches have no doubts about their No. 1 back. And Mark expects to prove he's built to last this fall.

"He took some hits last year that he didn't need to take," Fitzgerald said. "It was similar to a quarterback going through his first year. V learned a lot on how he's got to take care of his body. The next step is just being smarter.

"He doesn't need to prove his toughness to anybody. That's always been his trademark."

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.

Northwestern sophomore running back Treyvon Green was immobilized for precautionary reasons and taken to the hospital in an ambulance after being hit in practice Friday, according to a team spokesperson.

Read the entire story.

Here are five areas to watch when Northwestern’s spring football practice begins on Saturday:

1. Quarterback competition: Junior-to-be Kain Colter, sophomore Trevor Siemian and redshirt freshman Zack Oliver will all get a shot at the starting job with the graduation of Dan Persa.

Colter is the leading candidate after filling in for Persa when he was injured last season. Colter was 55-of-82 passing for 673 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. Siemian also saw time and was 16 of 26 for 256 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Northwestern could use multiple quarterbacks with Colter being a threat at wide receiver. He caught 43 passes for 466 yards and three touchdowns last season.

“As I told him a year ago at this point, ‘You’re going to be on the field,’” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said recently of Colter. “‘I don’t anticipate you standing next to me a whole lot.’ I fully anticipate that this year, and I fully expect it to be at quarterback. But I think Trevor has something to say about that. I think Zach has something to say about that. That’s what’s so fun about spring ball is the competition. We’ll see where we’re at after 15 practices.”

Fitzgerald said he’d prefer to have a starter anointed by the end of the spring practices, but he was also fine with continuing the competition in the early fall practices.

(Read full post)

Adonis Smith's decision to transfer from Northwestern might not mean much come September.

But his exit adds to the questions surrounding a position that hasn't provided enough definitive answers in the past few seasons.

Smith appeared in 17 games the past two seasons, racking up 462 rush yards and three touchdowns. He might have evolved into the Wildcats' featured back, but he also might have been a career backup. It's tough to tell. Coach Pat Fitzgerald announced Smith's departure Wednesday.

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Jerry Lai/US PRESSWIRERunning back Adonis Smith has decided to transfer from Northwestern.

"We're disappointed to see Adonis leave Northwestern," Fitzgerald said in a statement. "He is an outstanding young man and we wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors."

Wildcats fans will forget about Smith if, say, Mike Trumpy returns from a torn ACL and surges as the starter. Or if true freshman Malin Jones emerges in preseason camp. Or if Treyvon Green builds on a freshman season in which he rushed for 362 yards and four touchdowns.

But if Northwestern can't identify a featured back and fails to generate a consistent rushing attack in 2012, Smith's name likely will be brought up.

While a struggling defense should be coach Pat Fitzgerald's top priority in the offseason, running back shouldn't be too far down his checklist. Northwestern's offense has made strides under Fitzgerald's watch, producing a steady stream of quarterbacks and wide receivers in recent years. But the running back position, once a program strong point, has declined.

Fitzgerald's predecessor at Northwestern, the late Randy Walker, left an indelible mark on the position he played in college. Walker had a 1,000-yard rusher in 25 of his 30 seasons in coaching, including each of his final four seasons as Northwestern's head coach (2002-05). Northwestern produced a 1,000-yard rusher in five of Walker's final six seasons.

But since Tyrell Sutton finished with exactly 1,000 yards in 2006, Fitzgerald's first season as Wildcats coach, Northwestern has failed to produce a 1,000-yard rusher.

Here are the team's leading rushers the past five seasons:

• 2007: Sutton, 451 yards
• 2008: Sutton, 890 yards
• 2009: Arby Fields, 302 yards
• 2010: Trumpy, 530 yards
• 2011: Kain Colter, 654 yards

Colter, by the way, plays quarterback for the Wildcats. Fields transferred following a disappointing 2010 season when he struggled to hang onto the ball or a favorable spot on the depth chart.

Why can't Northwestern produce featured backs anymore? An offense rooted in high-percentage passes and accurate quarterbacks has something to do with it. But the Wildcats have run the spread since 2000, and it didn't stop them from producing standout backs under Walker.

Northwestern has run the ball better as a team the past two seasons, rising from 95th nationally in rushing in 2009 to 58th in 2010 and 45th in 2011. But the team had a league-low 3.8 yards-per-carry average last fall.

Jones, the team's first commit in the 2012 recruiting class, could be the answer, much like Sutton was in 2005, when he captured Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Perhaps Trumpy bounces back from injury or Green takes steps in his development. Maybe a committee system is the best approach.

If not, you might hear some grumbling about Adonis Smith in September.

Michigan State doesn't need to win today against Northwestern. The Spartans are going to the Big Ten title game regardless of the outcome.

But they would like to guarantee themselves a second straight 10-win season. Thanks to a couple of big momentum swings late in the first half, they're in position to do just that.

Northwestern was doing a great job moving the ball down the field in short chunks and converting manageable third downs late in the second quarter. A 15-play drive led the Wildcats inside the Michigan State 5. But Treyvon Green fumbled at the 3, and the Spartans capitalized with a 97-yard drive capped by a Le'Veon Bell touchdown run.

Then with 33 seconds left in the half, Keshawn Martin returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown. Martin has been on fire for the Spartans in the last few weeks, and his 46-yard reception helped set up Bell's touchdown run. Bell is also running hard and has 70 rushing yards already. When Michigan State can run the ball effectively, it is very difficult to beat.

Northwestern has to be kicking itself at halftime in a game it could very easily be leading. Remember that the Spartans trailed 17-0 in last year's game and came back to win, so perhaps the Wildcats can turn the tables this year. But it's a rainy day in Evanston that may make the passing game a bit more tough to keep going for Dan Persa & Co. Persa has completed nine throws but only has 50 passing yards as Northwestern has looked to dink and dunk against the Michigan State defense. The Wildcats will need their own big plays in the second half, or the Spartans will take some major momentum into Indianapolis.

Northwestern coaches and players don't sidestep the truth about the 2010 season.

When starting quarterback Dan Persa went down with a ruptured Achilles' tendon in mid November, the Wildcats were finished. They dropped their final three games, two in blowout fashion.

"From a team confidence standpoint," coach Pat Fitzgerald said, "obviously looking back in the rear-view mirror, we got rocked to the core."

Northwestern's offense has dealt with similar personnel fluctuation this season, but the impact hasn't been quite as severe.

Persa missed the first three games and has sat out portions of three others. Northwestern has had multiple quarterbacks attempt passes in eight of its nine games. Persa's health status has been a constant topic around the program, and the Wildcats have had to deal with their best player repeatedly going in and out of the lineup. The Wildcats also have dealt with injuries at the running back position.

But the constant shuffling hasn't slowed down the offense. The Wildcats rank second in the Big Ten in total offense (435.8 ypg) and fifth in scoring (31.2 ppg). They have eclipsed 400 yards of offense in all but two games and racked up 468 yards or more in three of the last four contests. In Big Ten play alone, Northwestern leads the league in passing (284.2 ypg) and ranks second in total offense (458.7 ypg).

Three of Northwestern's four wins have come in games that Persa either didn't play or didn't finish because of injury.

"We preach around here that the next guy's got to be ready to pick up the flag and get in there and do their job," running back Jacob Schmidt told ESPN.com "We have confidence in all of our quarterbacks regardless of who's out there at the time. … We're definitely more used to it this year and we've shown that by the number of points we've put up."

You could argue Northwestern's offense was too Persa-focused in 2010. Persa carried the unit on his back, displaying record-setting accuracy and dual-threat ability.

When he went down, the effect was dramatic.

"He was our leader, and he was an every-down guy and made the plays that we still wondered how he made 'em," Schmidt said. "So when he did go down, it was tough to adjust. It was tough to throw some freshmen in there who didn't have the experience and really weren't leaders of the offense yet."

Redshirt freshman Evan Watkins and true freshman Kain Colter were "thrown in the deep end, so to speak, without being taught how to swim," Fitzgerald said. The results were predictable, although Colter showed some flashes in a TicketCity Bowl loss to Texas Tech.

Colter started the first three games this year, leading Northwestern to two wins, and relieved Persa in several other contests. When Persa injured his left shoulder Saturday against Nebraska, Colter came in and guided the Wildcats to a 28-25 win. Colter, who has played receiver as well as quarterback, is averaging 136.7 yards of total offense against Big Ten opponents and has accounted for nine touchdowns.

"A lot of it might go back to that we’ve used Kain at other places on the field," Schmidt said. "We know what he can do with the ball in his hands, regardless of whether he’s behind center or split out. If Dan does go down for a little bit, we know Kain is plenty capable to come in and get the job done."

The running backs follow a similar philosophy. Schmidt and true freshmen Treyvon Green have been the only healthy backs all season, as Mike Trumpy suffered a season-ending knee injury against Illinois, while Adonis Smith has missed three games with injuries.

Northwestern has had six games where multiple players recorded 10 or more carries.

"If you're No. 1 on the depth chart or No. 4 on the depth chart, you've got to be ready to get in there when you're number's called," Schmidt said. "You've got to know what to expect, you've got to study your butt off all week and prepare like you are the starter and you're going to get 20 carries and 50 plays.

"I’m incredibly confident with whatever 11 we put on the field offensively."

Northwestern has made no secret about its intention to establish the run game this season.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, they will have to do so without their most talented running back.

Sophomore Mike Trumpy will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL in Saturday's loss to Illinois. Trumpy suffered the knee injury early in the third quarter and had to be carted off the field.

Although Jacob Schmidt and Trumpy have shared the starting job through the first five games, Trumpy has been Northwestern's most effective ball-carrier aside from quarterback Kain Colter. Trumpy leads Northwestern in yards per carry (5.2) and ranks second in both carries (35) and rushing yards (182).

The Wildcats will turn to Schmidt, sophomore Adonis Smith and freshman Treyvon Green at running back.

It will be interesting to see how Trumpy's absence affects the carries distribution, and more important, how it affects the run-pass balance.

Northwestern got some good news Monday as starting quarterback Dan Persa practiced. Coach Pat Fitzgerald expects Persa, who missed the end of the Illinois game after aggravating his Achilles tendon, to play this week against No. 12 Michigan.

Persa provides the passing threat Northwestern has lacked this season, and he fired four touchdown passes on only 14 attempts against Illinois. Expect the Wildcats to air it out more this week and utilize their weapons at receiver and tight end to test Michigan's secondary.