ESPN College Football

When you think Big Ten football, what usually comes to mind is big, corn-fed Midwestern players and bruising offenses. The kind of place that would be perfect for a tight end.

But the 2011 season was a little lackluster for that position in the league, at least as far as the passing game goes. Sure, Northwestern's Drake Dunsmore and Wisconsin's Jacob Pedersen were Mackey Award semifinalists, but those two and Michigan State's Brian Linthicum were the only two tight ends in the conference to record more than 25 catches. Some guys we expected to have big years, like Nebraska's Kyler Reed, Minnesota's Eric Lair and Indiana's Ted Bolser, were nearly invisible on the stat sheet. And there was certainly no one who rose the level of recent Big Ten stars like Dallas Clark, Matt Spaeth, Travis Beckum, Lance Kendricks or Dustin Keller.

Dunsmore, who won the league's inaugural Kwalick-Clark tight end of the year award, and Linthicum have both graduated. Yet 2012 is shaping up as a potentially big season for tight ends across the league.

Some of it has to do with changing offenses and playcallers who love utilizing the tight end. Urban Meyer made a star out of Aaron Hernandez at Florida and could do the same with Jake Stoneburner, who started off blazing hot last year before the Ohio State offense forgot about him. With the Buckeyes searching for playmakers, expect Stoneburner to be utilized heavily in 2012.

"Seeing Hernandez make all those plays makes someone like me pretty happy," Stoneburner told Adam Rittenberg last month. "It's something I've been waiting for since I graduated high school, being able to go out there knowing you're going to get the opportunity to get the ball more than once or twice a game. "

Bill O'Brien coached Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski as offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots, which featured the tight end as much as anybody in football. Now O'Brien is at Penn State, where tight ends have mostly been an afterthought. That will change quickly.

"That’s a very important part of what we’re going to do offensively,” O’Brien told reporters in March. “Obviously, the last two years in New England taught me a lot about the use of a tight end, multiple tight ends.”

At Iowa, new offensive coordinator Greg Davis is raving about sophomore C.J. Fiedorowicz, a 6-foot-7, 265-pounder who began to emerge late last season as a weapon. With an uncertain running game and an excellent passer in quarterback James Vandenberg, Fiedorowicz could follow in the footsteps of Clark and Tony Moeacki as breakout Hawkeyes tight ends. Coincidentally, Iowa's new offensive line coach is Brian Ferentz, who coached the tight ends with the Patriots last year.

“You’ll see the tight ends playing outside sometimes,” Davis told the Des Moines Register during spring practice. “Used to seeing them in motion, but there will be motion in wide receiver sets in some situations because they’re tough match-ups.”

Wisconsin returns one of the best tight ends in the country in Pedersen, who had led Big Ten tight ends with eight touchdown catches a year ago. Bret Bielema is also excited about the depth at the position, with veterans Brian Wozniak and Sam Arneson, redshirt freshmen Austin Traylor and Austin Maly and Pittsburgh transfer Brock DeCicco. Given the inexperience at receiver outside of Jared Abbrederis, the Badgers could look to throw to their tight ends even more this season.

Indiana's Bolser had only 14 catches last year, but he was one of the stars of the spring for the Hoosiers. An improved passing game should help him become more of a factor. Purdue likes the depth it has at tight end, led by Gabe Holmes and Crosby Wright.

“A year ago it was one of the leanest positions on our football team," Boilers coach Danny Hope told reporters in the spring, "and now I think going into the season that the tight end position is going to be one of our strengths.”

Reed's numbers dropped last year, but he still led Nebraska with an average of 17.1 yards per catch. He and fellow senior Ben Cotton form a nice tandem of targets for Taylor Martinez. Michigan State must replace Linthicum but is optimistic about 6-foot-5, 280-pound Dion Sims, who practiced this spring with a cast on his hand. Sims could provide a safety valve for new quarterback Andrew Maxwell early on as the Spartans break in some green receivers.

Minnesota's Moses Alipate will at least be a curiosity as a former quarterback who grew to 290 pounds. Michigan needs Brandon Moore or someone else to step in for Kevin Koger, while Illinois' Jon Davis could have a different role in the team's new spread offense after a promising freshman campaign. Whoever replaces Dunsmore for Northwestern should get a lot of touches.

Tight ends could play an important part of many Big Ten teams' attacks this fall. Just as it should be.

As part of the “College Football Live” 100 Days 'Til Kickoff countdown, we're taking a look at the top 10 players in the Big Ten for 2012. Please note that this list could look different when we do out Big Ten Top 25 players list later this summer.

But here's how they're ranked for the "College Football Live" event:

1. Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin: After scoring 39 touchdowns and earning an invitation to New York for the 2011 Heisman Trophy ceremony, Ball returned to school for his senior year and very much earned the No. 1 spot on this list. His numbers could go down a bit this year as they would be nearly impossible to top. Yet Ball, who has focused on pass-blocking and improving his strength this offseason, could be a better all-around back in 2012.

2. Rex Burkhead, RB, Nebraska: Still a bit underrated nationally, Burkhead gets plenty of respect in the Big Ten. He ran for 1,357 yards and 15 touchdowns last season without much of a passing attack to keep defenses honest. The senior approaches every carry like his scholarship check depends on it, which is why Nebraska fans embrace him.

3. John Simon, DE, Ohio State: New Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer gushed over Simon this spring for his all-out commitment on and off the field. Simon had seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss on a banged-up defensive front last year and should contend for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2012.

4. William Gholston, DE, Michigan State: We mean this in the best possible way: Gholston is a freak. How else to describe a 6-foot-7, 275-pounder with the speed of an outside linebacker? Gholston can be downright unblockable when he's focused and using proper technique, something he showed in an impressive Outback Bowl performance against Georgia in January. If that's a sign of things to come, he could be an All-American.

5. Gerald Hodges, LB, Penn State: Hodges has become the latest member of Linebacker U to seize stardom. He broke out last season with 106 tackles, including 4.5 sacks, as he anchored the middle of one of the best defenses in the country. Fast, strong and instinctive, he has everything you want from the linebacker position.

6. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan: There might not be a more exciting player in the country than "Shoelace," who has put together more heroics than a comic book character the past two seasons. But his passing remains suspect, as evidenced by his Big Ten-worst 15 interceptions last season. The word out of spring practice was that Robinson had improved his fundamentals and looked sharp as a passer. If he can add accuracy to his other many talents, the sky is the limit for him and the Wolverines this season.

7. Kawann Short, DT, Purdue: Short thought about skipping his senior year and entering the NFL but decided to make a push for first-round status this season. He certainly has the ability to do so as a potentially dominant run-stuffer in the middle of Purdue's defensive line. Short had 17 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2011 and will be the focus of every opposing offensive game plan this season.

8. Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin: Bret Bielema says Borland might be the best middle linebacker he's ever coached. That is saying something since Borland didn't move to the middle linebacker spot until last season. Though a bit undersized, he makes up for it with natural instincts and underrated athleticism. Borland made 143 tackles last year and formed one of the best defensive duos in the country with fellow Badgers linebacker Mike Taylor.

9. Silas Redd, RB, Penn State: Redd carried Penn State's offense during the middle of last season and was as productive as any back during October. He eventually wore down a bit under a heavy workload and because of some injuries, but he could be primed for an even bigger year in new coach Bill O'Brien's offense. Redd ran for 1,241 yards last season and figures to find the end zone more than the seven trips he made there a year ago.

10. Jonathan Brown, LB, Illinois: Brown burst onto the scene as a sophomore, posting 108 tackles and 19.5 for loss as a quarterback-seeking missile. He was a bit inconsistent, however, and he lost his cool when he kneed a Northwestern player in the groin, earning a one-game suspension. Now a year older and wiser, Brown should be one of the top defensive playmakers in the conference, if not the country.

The book is closed on spring football in the Big Ten, but what did the chapters reveal? Although no games are played during the spring, which fuels optimism for all 12 teams, the 15 practices provide clues for the upcoming season. The Big Ten saw few major injuries to key players, some good news (the NCAA declaring Michigan State WR DeAnthony Arnett eligible for 2012) and some potentially troubling signs.

It's time to revive the power rankings coming out of the spring. We see separation with the top two teams, while Nos. 3-5 are closely matched. The same holds true for Nos. 7-10.

Here they are ...

1. Michigan State: The Spartans' defense looks like the single best unit in the Big Ten entering the season. Spring practice only enhanced our opinion of Pat Narduzzi's group, which has no shortage of stars. While the passing game needs work, Arnett's presence should help, and the Spartans will rely more on their run game with Le'Veon Bell and an improved offensive line.

2. Michigan: Quarterback Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint, who affirmed himself as Michigan's top tailback this spring, form arguably the Big Ten's most dangerous backfield tandem. If Michigan can fill some key pieces on both lines, where there was some shuffling this spring, it will be back in the BCS bowl mix and among the favorites to win the Big Ten crown.

3. Wisconsin: It seems hard to fathom, but Montee Ball appeared to take his game to an even higher gear this spring. The Badgers' star running back will fuel the offense again, although quarterback remains a question mark as Maryland transfer Danny O'Brien arrives this summer. Wisconsin still needs more playmakers to emerge on the defensive line and in the secondary.

4. Nebraska: Tough call on this spot, but the Huskers return their core pieces on offense from a 9-4 team. Footwork-conscious quarterback Taylor Martinez received good reviews this spring, and he should be more comfortable in Year 2 at the helm of Tim Beck's offense. Coach Bo Pelini thinks the defense will be improved and potentially deeper, although the Huskers lose a lot of star power on that side of the ball.

5. Ohio State: There were few dull moments in Ohio State's first spring under Urban Meyer, who began installing an offense unlike any seen in Columbus. After resembling a "clown show" early on, the offense made strides and quarterback Braxton Miller looks like a strong fit for the system. An improved defense, led by linemen John Simon and Johnathan Hankins, should buy the offense some time to get acclimated.

6. Penn State: New coach Bill O'Brien ushered in a historic spring in Happy Valley, and Penn State players for the most part embraced the many changes taking place. The Lions still don't have a quarterback, but they have an excellent running back in Silas Redd and an improved offense line that pleasantly surprised O'Brien this spring. Penn State's defensive front seven, led by linebacker Gerald Hodges and tackle Jordan Hill, might need to carry the team at times.

7. Purdue: Fourth-year coach Danny Hope thinks this is clearly his best team in West Lafayette, and with 18 starters back, it's easy to see why. The Boilermakers are one of the Big Ten's deepest teams at positions like quarterback, defensive tackle, running back and cornerback. Purdue must continue to absorb the new defense installed by Tim Tibesar and fill some key gaps along the offensive line.

8. Iowa: Although Iowa's changes this spring didn't make national headlines like the ones at Penn State and Ohio State, they were very significant. New offensive coordinator Greg Davis began installing a more up-tempo and multifaceted offense that seems to be clicking with senior quarterback James Vandenberg. Jordan Canzeri's ACL injury once again clouds the picture at running back entering the summer, and Iowa needs its young defensive line to grow up in a hurry.

9. Northwestern: The Wildcats showcased one of the league's top wide-receiving corps this spring, and if Kain Colter can improve his passing, the offense should surge. Defense has been Northwestern's bugaboo in recent years, and young players like end Deonte Gibson and cornerback Nick VanHoose stepped forward this spring. It's crucial for the defense to keep making progress if Northwestern wants to maintain its bowl streak.

10. Illinois: There's little doubt Illinois will be a defense-driven team, and the Illini look loaded in the front seven with players like end Michael Buchanan, who turned in a very strong spring, as well as tackle Akeem Spence and linebacker Jonathan Brown. An offense that flatlined late last season began learning a new system this spring and still lacks playmakers at running back and wide receiver. Running back Josh Ferguson's spring-game performance is encouraging.

11. Minnesota: The second spring of the Jerry Kill era brought greater comfort for both players and coaches alike. Quarterback MarQueis Gray made strides in his second spring session as the starter, although the Gophers are still looking for more weapons to surround No. 5. The defensive line should be an improved group after several lifeless seasons. Minnesota still needs to develop depth in the secondary and at wide receiver.

12. Indiana: After playing an insane number of freshmen in 2011, Indiana began to reap the benefits this spring. An influx of junior-college defenders, including linebackers David Cooper and Jacarri Alexander, also should boost a unit that needs all the help it can get. The Hoosiers have some nice building blocks on offense at both quarterback (Tre Roberson) and running back (Stephen Houston, Isaiah Roundtree), but they still have a lot of work to do before the season.

Spring practice is a time when coaches install new schemes or just instill the fundamentals. The most exciting part of spring practice is potential new stars emerge, with newcomers or former reserves turning heads with their performances.

Some of these guys will fade back into the shadows come fall. But others will be making major contributions on a field near you. Here's a list of some players who had breakout springs:

Josh Ferguson, RB, Illinois: Redshirted last year after a hamstring injury, Ferguson blew up for 130 yards and caught six passes in the Illini spring game. He flashed his speed and versatility for an offense that desperately needs playmakers in its new spread attack. Ferguson should be in line to get a lot of touches in 2012.

Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State: A true freshman who enrolled in January after spending a year in prep school, Thomas suddenly became Braxton Miller's favorite target in the spring game, hauling in 12 catches for 131 yards. Like Ferguson, he gave a glimmer of hope to a position that was sorely in need of a boost for the Buckeyes, and he'll get a shot at plenty of playing time right away.

Darien Harris, LB, Michigan State: Few people were talking about Harris at the start of spring, especially since the Spartans return all three starting linebackers. But with Chris Norman out this spring with an injury, Harris got a bunch of reps and ran with it. Mark Dantonio called the redshirt freshman "one of the exciting surprises of the spring." He'll play this fall, but the question is how much?

Joey Burzinski, OL, Michigan: Even most Wolverines fans had probably not heard of Buzinski, a walk-on freshman, before this spring. But a strong work ethic and a lack of depth on the Michigan O-line helped him make a move until he found himself working with the first string. Burzinski is no lock to start but should see minutes somewhere on the line and is a great story.

Bill Belton, RB, Penn State: Belton was a highly-regard recruit who started to make an impact at the end of last season. Moved to full-time running back this spring, he responded by making a lot of plays and adding depth to a spot that was extremely thin behind Silas Redd. Belton's versatility should help him become a useful weapon in Bill O'Brien's offense.

David Cooper, LB, Indiana: There's no question that the Hoosiers desperately needed some help on defense, and head coach Kevin Wilson scoured the junior college ranks for a talent injection. Cooper, along with Jacarri Alexander, proved he could run and tackle this spring, and he also brought a high energy level that rubbed off on his teammates. He's slated to start at middle linebacker and hopefully bring some improvement to the overall defensive effort.

C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa: He was a hyped recruit, and now Fiedorowicz might be about to show why. A matchup nightmare at 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, the junior is expected to play a major role in new offensive coordinator Greg Davis's offense, and James Vandenberg has to love having such a big target.

Frankie Williams, S, Purdue: By the end of last season, Danny Hope regretted his decision to redshirt Williams because he felt he could have contributed at cornerback. Williams moved to safety this spring and got the start there in the spring game. The Boilers are deep at corner but could use a little help at safety, and Williams looks ready to fill that need.

CHICAGO -- Despite a few speed bumps, the Big Ten/Pac-12 scheduling partnership is "a go," Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told his league's athletic directors this week.

The details are still being worked out, which isn't a surprise when you have 24 major-conference programs with unique interests, scheduling philosophies and scheduling agreements. But Delany hopes to have a more specific idea of the scheduling models in the next few months.

"We do want it all fit in," Delany said Wednesday. "Whether that means you have 12 games or 11 games or 10 games in the first cycle ... we're going to want 12 games ASAP. A lot of scheduling has been done in other nonconference areas that's reliant on this."

The original goal was to have a full round-robin schedule by 2017, but it could be wishful thinking. Ohio State, for example, has games scheduled with both Oklahoma and North Carolina, and athletic director Gene Smith told ESPN.com last month that he wouldn't add a Pac-12 opponent to the slate in 2017. Pac-12 teams have their own issues, namely a nine-game conference schedule -- as opposed to eight in the Big Ten -- and long-term agreements with teams like Notre Dame (USC, Stanford).

The partnership eventually will feature six home-and-home series, but it might not be complete until after 2017.

The scheduling process will be a "hybrid" effort between the schools and the two league offices. Big Ten and Pac-12 teams are facing one another with more frequency in the coming years -- three matchups take place this fall -- and some series are already set for 2017 and beyond. Northwestern and Stanford, for example, have a four-game series set for 2019-22.

Big Ten senior associate commissioner for television administration Mark Rudner and Pac-12 deputy commissioner Kevin Weiberg, are overseeing the scheduling elements.

"We may have to do less," Delany said, referring to the league. "In other words, if there are three or four games [set] in '17, '18, '19 and '20, maybe the conference will only have to come in and pick seven or eight other games."

Before announcing the Pac-12 partnership, the Big Ten had approved a nine-game conference schedule, supporting Delany's frequent statement that league teams should play one another more, not less. But the Big Ten decided to stay at eight league games because of the Pac-12 agreement.

"On balance, it's a close call," Delany said. "But in the nine-game conference schedule, who you don't play was one factor, but the other fact was five home games, four away. If you can create a situation where you improve your schedules, you improve the fan experience, you improve the games that are going on television without affecting the home/away segment inside of the conference, [it] was the preferred method. If we hadn't done the collaboration, we'd do nine [league games]. If we do the collaboration, we'll do eight.

"We're able to attract a higher-quality of game."

One potential concern is how the scheduling partnership will impact teams' other nonconference agreements. Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke has made it clear he wants to keep the annual Notre Dame series going as long as possible, and added that the Boilers have played Notre Dame and a Pac-12 team (Oregon, Arizona) in the same season before.

"It adds some name recognition to your schedules in September," Burke said. "Working together, we can try to get the programs in comparable stages of development, to compete against one another so we don't have an imbalance. It's not easy to do that, but that's something to work toward."

Before Purdue cemented itself as the "Cradle of Quarterbacks," the Boilers produced several superstar running backs, and Otis Armstrong might have been the best of the bunch.

Armstrong succeeded another Boilers' ball-carrying standout, Leroy Keyes, and starred for Purdue from 1970-72. Unlike Keyes, Armstrong played on mostly weak teams under Bob DeMoss, which made his accomplishments fly under the national radar. But Armstrong got his due Tuesday as the Big Ten's only member of the 2012 College Football Hall of Fame class.

A Chicago native, Armstrong arrived at Purdue in 1969 and, like all freshmen, sat out the season. He announced himself the following fall with 1,009 rush yards on 213 carries, becoming just the second Purdue back (Keyes being the other) to eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground. After a solid junior campaign, Armstrong sizzled as a senior, racking up 1,361 rush yards and nine touchdowns en route to earning consensus All-America honors. He finished his career with a flourish, piling up 276 yards against archrival Indiana, a single-game team record that stands to this day.

Armstrong still holds Purdue's record for career rushing attempts (671), and his career rush yards mark (3,315) is third behind two players (Mike Alstott and Kory Sheets) who played four seasons. He twice recorded five 100-yard rush games in a season (1970, 1970) and trails only Alstott for most career 100-yard rush performances at Purdue (13 in 31 career games).

Armstrong also stood out as a kick returner, averaging 30.1 yards per runback with two touchdowns in 1972. He added five receiving touchdowns on 36 career receptions.

Although Purdue went just 13-17 during Armstrong's career, his accomplishments didn't go unnoticed and he was selected No. 9 overall by Denver in the 1973 NFL draft. Armstrong played eight seasons with the Broncos, earning two Pro Bowl selections and rushing for 4,453 yards and 25 touchdowns.

This isn't exactly surprising news, but Big Ten schools are among the biggest spenders -- and earners -- in all of college athletics, according to a new database compiled by USA Today.

The newspaper collected the expenses and revenues for Division I athletic programs in 2010-2011, the most recent year for which public schools' filings with the NCAA were available. The study showed that everything is bigger in Texas, including sports spending; the Longhorns outpaced every other school with a $133.7 million budget and more than $150 million in revenue.

But Big Ten schools also ranked high among the biggest spenders, with seven teams in the top 16 nationally. Here is how they stacked up nationally in operating expenses:

2. Ohio State: $122.3 million

3. Michigan: $111.8 million

6. Penn State: $101.3 million

9. Wisconsin: $95.6 million

12. Iowa: $93.4 million

14. Michigan State: $84.5 million

16. Nebraska: $83.7 million

22. Minnesota: $78.9 million

26. Illinois: $77.7 million

29. Indiana: $71 million

41. Purdue: $66.2 million

(Note: Information for Northwestern, which is a private school, was not available).

Only the SEC -- another surprise, right? -- has more big spenders than the Big Ten, with eight schools reporting more than $80 million in expenses

The USA Today report also said that only 22 athletic programs turned a profit in 2010-11, but 10 of the 11 Big Ten schools surveyed were in the black, while Minnesota broke even (Thanks, Big Ten Network). Penn State had the biggest profit, at nearly $15 million, while Michigan and Ohio State each reported revenue of about $11 million more than their expenses.

Another interesting part of the report is how much subsidy each athletic program receives from its school, in the form of student fees and other university support. Four Big Ten athletic programs -- Ohio State, Nebraska, Penn State and Purdue -- receive no school subsidy, something only seven Division I programs can claim. Meanwhile, Michigan ($272,000) and Iowa ($564,000) get less than a million, ranking in the bottom 10 nationally for subsidy support.

Here's a look at the subsidies other league programs receive:

Minnesota: $7.8 million in subsidies (9.9 percent of total operating budget)

Wisconsin: $7.2 million (7.5 percent)

Illinois: $4 million (5.1 percent)

Michigan State: $3.7 million (4.3 percent)

Indiana: $2.7 million (3.8 percent)

The USA Today report paints a picture of the haves and have-nots in college athletics and even suggests that the wild disparity between the upper echelon and the bottom schools could lead to a split in college football.

But while many schools' athletic programs are struggling to make ends meet or need vast support from their universities to keep the lights on, the Big Ten looks extremely healthy in its finances.

Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett will occasionally give their takes on a burning question facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide which blogger is right.

Today's Take Two topic is this: Last season, defensive tackle was clearly the strongest overall position group in the Big Ten. What position will be the best throughout the league in 2012?

Take 1: Brian Bennett

I'm tempted to go with linebacker, where some high-profile players and future stars are scattered throughout the conference. But my pick is running back.

There's some major star power at the position this year in the Big Ten, starting off with last year's Heisman Trophy finalist and record breaker, Wisconsin's Montee Ball. While Ball is the obvious choice for preseason offensive player of the year, he could get pushed by some other backs, including Nebraska's tough-as-nails Rex Burkhead, who ran for 1,357 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Even with last year's No. 2 league rusher (Iowa's Marcus Coker) gone, the position is still stacked with guys like Penn State's Silas Redd, who we both think is primed for a huge season; Michigan's Fitz Toussaint, who ran for more than 1,000 yards despite not taking over lead rushing duties until the eighth game of the season; and Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell, who came on strong late last season and looks great this spring.

Purdue has some very capable runners in Akeem Shavers, Akeem Hunt and Doug Gentry, and Ralph Bolden is coming back from an ACL injury. Ohio State has a potentially strong group with Carlos Hyde, Jordan Hall, Rod Smith and freshman Bri'onte Dunn. Stephen Houston showed some good things for Indiana last year, and transfer Isaiah Roundtree had a big spring game. Minnesota is high on junior college import James Gillum. And don't forget James White at Wisconsin, who could start for most teams in the country.

Iowa, Illinois and Northwestern have some question marks at tailback. But overall, running back is where the Big Ten's bread will be buttered this season.

Take 2: Adam Rittenberg

A good choice, Bennett, as the Big Ten returns six of its top seven running backs and would have brought back all seven if not for Marcus Coker's transfer. But my experience covering this league has taught me to never overlook the defensive line. The D-line once again will be the Big Ten's strongest group in 2012.

Sure, the league loses standouts like Devon Still, Whitney Mercilus and Jerel Worthy. But you could substitute the names Aaron Maybin and Mitch King after the 2008 season, or Brandon Graham and Jared Odrick after 2009, or J.J. Watt and Corey Liuget after 2010. The Big Ten always finds ways to reload up front, and this year will be no different. There might not be as many familiar names as there are at running back, but that soon will change.

Let's start off with the top returning linemen, Ohio State's John Simon and Purdue's Kawann Short, both of whom earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2011. Both men will contend for All-America honors, and could be potential first-round picks in the 2013 class. Then you have a guy we're both excited about: Michigan State defensive end William Gholston. He's a physical freak, as you recently detailed, and has the potential to dominate games and become one of the nation's truly elite defenders in 2012. I'd also include Penn State defensive tackle Jordan Hill in this group of known commodities with the potential for very big things this season. Penn State's overall depth along the defensive line should be better this year.

Now for some lesser-known names who could have breakout seasons. Let's start at Illinois with defensive end Michael Buchanan and defensive tackle Akeem Spence. Buchanan is poised for a big year, as he showed in Illinois' spring game, while Spence is a next-level player who could follow Liuget's path this season. Speaking of defensive tackles, watch out for Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins, a very big man who can do very big things this season. The Buckeyes' heralded incoming freshmen should only bolster their line.

Michigan loses two standout linemen (Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen), but it's hard to imagine the Wolverines falling back much at all up front. Nebraska boasts good depth at the defensive end spot and could see a big year from a guy like Cameron Meredith.

While there are some question marks around the league, including an unproven line at Iowa, teams like Northwestern and Minnesota should be improved up front.

After an offseason jam-packed with change, most players and coaches in the Leaders Division haven't had time to examine anyone but themselves.

"I have no idea," first-year Penn State coach Bill O'Brien said. "I'm only concerned about one program, and that's Penn State."

The Big Ten had three head-coaching changes in the offseason, all of them in the Leaders Division (Penn State, Ohio State and Illinois). Wisconsin, the two-time defending Big Ten champion, had to replace six assistant coaches, including premier playcaller Paul Chryst and offensive line guru Bob Bostad. Purdue replaced its defensive coordinator, while Indiana brought in a new offensive coordinator.

All six teams have some new flavor and the uncertainty that comes with it. All six teams also sense opportunity in what could be a wide-open division race.

"Everybody has new people," Penn State defensive tackle Jordan Hill told ESPN.com. "Even Wisconsin, they've got six new assistants, and in most cases, the assistants are who deal with the players the most. So I feel it's wide open. Not that I don't feel that every year, but it's more than usual."

Wisconsin has reached the past two Rose Bowls and won 32 games during the past three seasons. The Badgers return Heisman Trophy finalist Montee Ball, the Big Ten's offensive player of the year in 2011, and recently added another quarterback transfer in Danny O'Brien, the former Maryland signal-caller.

Although the staff turnover is significant, Bret Bielema has replaced key assistants before, like defensive coordinator Dave Doeren after the 2010 season. There's still a strong case to be made that the Leaders Division title still goes through Mad-city.

"We are the targeted team in the Big Ten because of what we've done the past two years," Ball said. "Everyone is shooting and gunning for us."

Added Bielema: "Everyone thinks it's complacency that's going to affect us, but here at Wisconsin we've become greedy."

Ball lists Ohio State as the team Wisconsin is gunning for, and the Badgers and Buckeyes have a spicy rivalry brewing. Some think Ohio State will end up as the division's top team, but the Buckeyes are banned from postseason play and the Big Ten title game, adding a subplot to the division race.

"We have a great opportunity right now," Purdue defensive tackle Kawann Short said. "We've got a lot of starters coming back. ... Ohio State can't get back in conference championship, so it just gives us a little edge.

"We've got to take advantage of it."

Purdue likely will be a popular pick as a sleeper team in the division. The Boilers return nine starters on both sides of the ball and three quarterbacks -- Caleb TerBush, Robert Marve and Rob Henry -- who have started multiple games. They also have recorded two wins against Ohio State during coach Danny Hope's three-year tenure.

Indiana has a bigger hill to climb after a 1-11 season in 2011. But the Hoosiers are a year older and more familiar with the demands of coach Kevin Wilson and his staff.

"Last year we struggled in my first year, didn't play up to our capabilities," Wilson said. "Hopefully that'll lead to giving ourselves an opportunity to compete with some of those teams as they go through some transition."

While Ohio State can't make it to Indianapolis in Urban Meyer's first year, the other two division teams with new coaches could surprise people. Both Penn State and Illinois have similar profiles, boasting strong defensive front sevens but question marks on offense.

"At this time, everybody is saying the same thing, whether it's Illinois, Ohio State, Wisconsin," Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase said. "... It really comes down to who’s going to go out there every day and get better, who's going to put in the extra work to be the best football team.

"Everybody wants to be, but ultimately one team is going to do it more so than anybody else."

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue's Caleb TerBush was walking to class just about a week before last season's opener when his cell phone brought some jarring news.

Offensive coordinator Gary Nord called to tell him Rob Henry had blown out his ACL. With Robert Marve still dealing with his own knee problems, the inexperienced TerBush was suddenly thrust into the starting quarterback role.

It was the second straight year that the Boilermakers had to adjust on the fly at quarterback because of unexpected injuries. But if a silver lining emerged from those tough situations, it could be seen at a recent spring practice when Henry, TerBush and Marve smiled and joked around during some light throwing drills. After two seasons of scrambling for a quarterback, Purdue now has three healthy veterans who have each started at least seven games.

"It's made a huge impact on what we've been able to get done this spring," head coach Danny Hope said. "The very first day of spring practice, we were able to do [quarterback] signals, which we haven't been able to do in the past. That's something you take for granted. We've started off a lot faster on offense and from an execution standpoint."

Newfound quarterback stability provides a key reason why optimism is soaring for Hope's fourth year in charge of the program, but it's not the only one.

Purdue beat Western Michigan in the Little Caesars Bowl last December after finishing 6-6 in the regular season. While those accomplishments can't match the aspirations of Drew Brees' heyday, reaching the postseason still marked an important hurdle to clear. The program hadn't been to a bowl game since 2007, and fan dissatisfaction with Hope was starting to rise. The bowl win brought a new attitude to offseason workouts.

"Everybody seems more mature and more focused on what we want now," running back Akeem Shavers said. "That was the first time for most of us going to a bowl game, so we know now what that feels like and what we have to do to do better and get into a better bowl."

If you're looking for a stealth team in the Big Ten, check out these Boilers. They've got 18 starters back from a team that upset Ohio State and played Penn State to the wire on the road. Ohio State is ineligible to win the Leaders Division because of NCAA sanctions, Penn State and Illinois are going through coaching changes and Wisconsin lost quarterback Russell Wilson and most of its offensive staff. Plus, the Badgers and Nittany Lions have to come to Ross-Ade Stadium.

The players know that they're being slapped with the "sleeper" label in some quarters this spring, and they're not shying away from it.

"We've got a chance," Henry said. "We've got the weapons now. I feel like this is a season of great opportunity for us with the players we have coming back and the experience we'll have on the field. We've just got to stay healthy."

There's finally less worry about health at quarterback. Hope, who also signed four quarterback prospects in this year's recruiting class, had such a logjam at the position that he moved former starter Sean Robinson to linebacker this spring. Now all he has to do is figure out how to use what he has.

Henry is a swift runner and strong leader who was developing into a better passer before his injury. While he's being held out of some drills this spring as a precaution, he says his knee is fully healed and he's ready to go. Marve, the former Miami transfer, was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA this winter after two years of dealing with knee troubles. He said he almost forgot what it was like to move around as freely as he has this spring.

Then there's TerBush, who started all 13 games last year after sitting out 2010 with academic problems. He turned in a respectable season as a rookie starter, completing 61.7 percent of his passes with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Hope had a plan to play both Henry and Marve some at the same time last summer before the injuries. He's not yet tipping his hand how things will shake out this year.

The three quarterbacks, each of whom has a reason to be grateful for a second chance, aren't sweating the competition too much.

"It's fun because we've all been around each other throughout the whole process," Henry said. "It's a toss up. If somebody has a hot hand and gets into a rhythm, he's going to keep playing. As the past few seasons have shown us, you never know what's going to happen to the quarterbacks."

At least now the Boilermakers won't be caught trying to develop a new starter right before the season again. The coaching staff could focus on other things this spring, like installing a more aggressive defensive scheme under new coordinator Tim Tibesar, replacing starters on the offensive line and finding solutions at linebacker. None of those problems are as big as not having a quarterback, which is one reason Purdue has its sights set higher than another trip to the Little Caesars Bowl.

"I'm excited about the progress we've made, and I feel like we have some momentum as a football team," Hope said. "We're ready for the next step."

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- When Purdue leading rusher Ralph Bolden went down with another devastating knee injury in the season finale, the Boilermakers still had a pretty good backup plan.

Akeem Shavers stepped into Bolden's place and earned MVP honors in the Little Caesars Bowl win over Western Michigan, rushing for 149 yards on 22 carries. That was just shy of doubling Shavers' output in any regular season game in 2011, yet he wasn't too surprised by his performance.

"I always knew I could do it," he said. "It was just a matter of getting out there and getting the amount of playing time that I got [in that game]. I was just waiting on my opportunity. I had no problem with the role I was playing, but I also knew I could do way better than what I had been doing."

This season, Shavers may no longer serve as merely a backup plan. Bolden is not practicing this spring as he tries to recover from his third torn ACL since his senior year, leaving Shavers as the team's No. 1 back. The team is hopeful Bolden can come back and regain his effectiveness, but no one is quite sure what to expect after from him so many injuries.

"I'm trying to stay optimistic in my mind that he'll come back and be fully recovered," Shavers said. "I try to tell him every time I see him, 'Bro we've got to get it . I don't care if your knee is messed up or not, we've both got goals to reach.' I try to keep him motivated, and he tries to motivate me."

Shavers was in this same position last spring as a mid-year junior college transfer, taking first-team reps as Bolden worked his way back from injury. The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder says he's a totally different player this spring.

"When I first got here, I could barely stay on my feet," he said. "I just tried to go as fast as I could, and I'd end up tripping or something. I've gotten a lot better with my balance, my patience and field vision."

Running backs coach Cornell Jackson put Shavers through several balancing drills and taught him finer points of the game, like how to read defensive ends. It was Jackson who played a big role in getting him to West Lafayette.

Shavers was lightly recruited out of Texarkana, Texas, which he attributes in large part to his high school coach and athletic director getting fired before his senior year.

"It was hard making connections and getting my film out there," he said. "Plus, I went to a small [Texas Class] 2A school, and a lot of people don't make it out of that division."

He eventually wound up at Tyler (Kan.) Junior College and sent out his film to FBS schools. Purdue's Jackson was the first coach to show serious interest. After the Boilers offered a scholarship, Shavers said, other schools like Baylor, Indiana and Texas Tech started pursuing him. But he felt loyal to Jackson.

Head coach Danny Hope calls Shavers "a fast, physical back who finishes runs." Purdue doesn't have a lot of other experienced running backs this spring with Bolden out and the offseason transfer of Reggie Pegram. Akeem Hunt, a sprinter on the school's track team who showed bursts of his potential as a true freshman, and redshirt freshman Doug Gentry are the main competitors for playing time in the backfield right now.

The Boilermakers finished fifth in the Big Ten in rushing last season but liked to spread the ball around. No one averaged more than 12 carries per game, and the return of mobile quarterback Rob Henry gives the backfield another rushing threat this season.

So it's doubtful that Shavers will emerge as a classic, workhorse-type No. 1 back. But if called upon, like he was in December, he'll be ready.

"We all just want a chance," he said. "It's hard for one guy to just make it through a whole game nowadays because there are so many different offenses and we play at such a high tempo and pace. But I know I can do it. I just need the opportunity."

On fall Saturdays, Ishmael Aristide and Rob Henry represent their fellow Purdue students in an extremely public and yet oddly detached way.

They play college football.

The most visible students on major college campuses are the football players who play before tens of thousands of fans. They wear the school colors and take the field to the school fight song. After home victories, they gather in front of their fellow students and celebrate. But often these are the only links the players have to the rest of the student body.

At many FBS schools, athletes form their own subcultures, and for many reasons, not the least of which is the time their sport requires, they go through their careers largely disconnected from their fellow students.

Aristide and Henry are bridging the gap. They don't want to merely represent Purdue's student body on the field this fall. They want to do it every day for the next year.

That's why they're running for president and vice president of Purdue's student government. The two players share a ticket -- Aristide, a junior safety, is running for president; Henry, a junior quarterback, is running for VP -- and hope to be voted into office when the elections take place Monday through Wednesday.

"We've broken the stigma," Aristide told ESPN.com this week. "That's what Boilermakers are all about. We're not your conventional students and this isn't your conventional program. We're innovators."

Aristide and Henry are believed to be the first Purdue athletes ever to run for student government office. They're one of five tandems vying for the president and vice-president spots, and both men this week participated in debates for their respective positions.

They have an Ish-Rob campaign Web site that includes their policy proposals, bio information and two very entertaining campaign videos (more on that later). They're also promoting their campaign on Twitter here and here.

"A lot of people say, 'Why are you doing this?'" Henry said. "Ish and I say, 'Why not?' Why not do something that's groundbreaking? Why not do something that’s different than anything that's ever been done? Why not set an example for what a true student-athlete can be?"

The term student-athlete is often mocked -- and justifiably -- but both Aristide and Henry fit the description.

Ready to feel lazy about how you spent your college years?

Both Aristide and Henry are excellent students. Aristide twice has earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, while Henry hopes to earn his teaching certificate and might take on another minor. Aristide is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the Phi Sigma Pi national honors fraternity. Both men are heavily involved with the National Collegiate Players Association -- Henry is regional president -- and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Aristide participates in two sports at Purdue (football and track), while Henry started seven games in 2010 and would have been Purdue's starting quarterback last season if not for a knee injury suffered in August.

The two Florida natives have known each other since high school and are roommates at Purdue. Ironically, Aristide didn't run for student government in high school because he was so involved in sports (football, track and basketball).

"We're a lot alike," Henry said. "We're very ambitious people."

When they heard about the upcoming student government elections, they didn't hesitate to toss their names in the ring.

"We knew right away it was something we wanted to do," Aristide said.

They're were equally decisive about who would run for which position. The conversation took about five seconds.

The next step was discussing their plan with Purdue coach Danny Hope. The big concern with FBS players, who train year-round and log countless hours at the football complex, is time. Purdue's current student-body president said the job requires at least 25 hours a week and often 40 to 50.

"I'm excited for them and proud of them, but we had to address the time-management part of it," Hope said. "They did some research on it. They talked to past presidents and vice presidents about the time commitment and how things were organized, where there might be some flexibility when they have scheduling conflicts. And both those guys seemed to have a pretty good handle on it."

Hope's policy on players participating in on-campus organizations -- social, academic or service-oriented -- is simple. If a player is in good academic standing and can fulfill his commitment to both football and academics, Hope gives the green light.

It wasn't a tough sell for Aristide and Henry, both of whom carry GPAs above 3.0. Aristide was the first recruit to commit in Hope's first recruiting class (2009). Henry was the third.

"He was all for it," Aristide said. "Basically he stated that if there were ever two guys to do it, we were the two guys. Last semester, I took 21 credit hours along with playing football. And I'm in the middle of track season, so I'm in spring football and running track. Coach Hope knew automatically that Rob and I are responsible enough to hold those positions while playing football."

Hope admits he would have "real concerns" had Henry's name been at the top of the ballot. Quarterbacks spend several more hours per week at the football complex than other players, especially during the season. Henry is in the mix to be Purdue's starter in the fall.

"Obviously, our football commitment is first," Hope said. "That's what they came here to do, and their school commitment. ... Rob understands what the schedule's like. He's been living that life over the last two or three years. He knows where he has his flexibility, schedule-wise, to fulfill his vice-president role. My only advice for him was, 'Don't spread yourself too thin.'"

While Aristide and Henry would make school history if they won, there is precedent nationally. Former Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward served as student-body vice president as a senior and went on to win the Heisman Trophy for that 1993 season.

"I did not know that," Henry said. "I don’t think Ish and I, either one of us would be opposed to winning the Heisman Trophy."

The two have spent the past few weeks talking to students, administrators and community leaders, including the mayors of both Lafayette and West Lafayette. They've spent a lot of time with international students, and have a proposal asking the school to provide a more transparent evaluation of a controversial tuition increase for those students.

Other campaign platforms include: more on-campus lighting; more flexibility with meal plans; The Hammer Pass, which excuses one parking ticket per semester for students, faculty and staff; and the "Bridging Gap Act," an initiative to improve student life with more concerts and reduced tickets or free passes to athletic events.

"They'll see two men who are leaders," said Aristide, in full stump-speech mode. "They'll see two men who are tenacious. They'll see two men who are literally willing to go out and fight."

According to Aristide, Purdue doesn't have a jock stigma, and athletes interact regularly with other students. But there's still some surprise when students learn of the Aristide-Henry ticket.

"When they hear about it, their eyebrows kind of raise," Henry said, "but at the same time, they're excited."

The Ish-Rob campaign isn't all about policies, though. They have two campaign videos that are quickly going viral.

The spots are spoofs of popular commercials for Old Spice and Dos Equis.

In one, Aristide, wearing only a towel and showing off his muscular frame, says, "Look at your other presidential candidates. Sadly, they don't look like me. And sadly, they aren't me. But you could vote for me, and I could be your president."

In the other, a sharply dressed Henry tells the camera, "The choice is easy. Vote for us, my friends."

"That guy is always talking about how good he looks," Aristide said. "I'm like, 'You know what? I look better than this guy. I need to do that commercial to show people.' I thought it would separate us from other candidates."

Aristide and Henry should carry the student-athlete vote, but Henry stops short of making any predictions for the election. They don't sound nervous about the result, and Aristide said the pressure of the positions doesn't compare with what they face in football.

As for a future in politics after football?

"No, not at all," Henry said, laughing. "You never know where life is going to take you, but right now, that's not any aspiration of mine. We want to do whatever we can to leave a positive impact on this campus. We're having a good time with this."

Purdue is getting a little bit of a buzz as a sleeper team for 2012 after breaking through with a bowl game (and win) in 2011. The Boilermakers opened spring practice last week and went for a couple of days straight before taking off for spring break. I had a chance to catch up with Purdue head coach Danny Hope to talk about how things are going in his program and the areas of concentration this spring.

Did you sense any different attitude this offseason after getting to that bowl game last year?

Danny Hope: I think we ended the season on a high note and with some momentum, and I think it carried over into the offseason. I think we're really hitting on all cylinders with our new director of sports performance, whom we hired last year about this time. It's the first time since I've been the head coach at Purdue that we're going into spring with a quarterback that's healthy that's played any football. Caleb TerBush wasn't penciled in as the No. 1 [quarterback], but he became No. 1 about a week before the opener. He had to get his feet wet and learn throughout the course of the season, but by the end of the season he was playing pretty good. That momentum carried right over into the bowl preparation and the win carried right into the weight training offseason and that carried into spring practices. And having experienced quarterbacks is important. It's the first time since I've been here we've been able to do something as simple as getting signals in early in spring. It's a little different tempo out there right now as a result. We've got some good players back and we've got some confidence as a football team.

You have quite a few experienced quarterbacks now, in fact. How are you splitting up the reps for them this spring?

DH: Well, Sean Robinson is playing on defense right now. It's hard to get four quarterbacks ready in spring ball, and he wasn't going to get as many reps as he needed to. So we're going to try him some at the linebacker position. That leaves TerBush and Robert Marve, who's finally healthy. I think Robert did some good things last year, but I think he's in position to take some big steps in his development because this is the first time since he's been here that he's been able to get a lot of reps without concern about an injury or an eligibility situation. Then Rob Henry is back. He's a little bit limited right now because he's coming off knee surgery, but I'm really pleased with where his recovery is, and most of the time when he's out there right now you can't tell much of a difference. But you have to limit his reps a little just because you don't want to overdo it and create a swelling issue. So the numbers are kind of taking care of themselves in some ways. We went into the spring with TerBush as No. 1 and all those other guys are competing.

Your leading rusher, Ralph Bolden, tore his ACL again, but you have two pretty good running backs in Akeem Shavers and Akeem Hunt. How do you feel about the depth at running back this spring?

DH: We had a real strong running attack last year. We were fifth in the Big Ten in rushing. The past couple of years, we've been able to establish a strong running game. I like the progress that we've made and having good running backs is a big part of that, and any more, having a couple of running backs you can play is a big part of it. We had a lot of different guys rush for us last year, probably 10 different guys who were utilized as ball carriers. We really like Akeem Shavers. He's a fast, physical back who finishes runs. Akeem Hunt is an excellent sprinter who's a member of our track team and was a state champion track performer in Georgia. So he's a class sprinter in a lot of ways for a football player.

We've also got a kid we redshirted last year in Doug Gentry, and he's a skilled player. We have Gavin Roberts, who has good size but was injured last year. He's a big back we can utilize in the backfield. Then we've got a couple fullbacks in Derek Jackson, who weighs about 240 pounds, and Kurt Freytag. So we've got some guys still in the stable even though Ralph is out. And we've utilized Antavian Edison and Raheem Mostert some as ball carriers out of their slot position, and both those guys are really skilled players. So we've got some athletes who can tote the mail, and we spread the wealth out around here.

Were you upset about the new kickoff rules because you have such a weapon at kick returner in Raheem Mostert?

DH: Well, we all play by the same rules. You'll have to make decisions about bringing some out, so the return man is going to have to be a good decision-maker. From a kickoff standpoint it might change some things. You can kick them all deep and try to force the touchback if you want to, but you're going to be giving the opponent the ball at the 25. Or you can kick the ball high and deep and try to pin them down and do a great job covering. So there's going to be some game planning and schemes involved. I think it will all even out. ... I don't think it's going to shut down all kick returns, but I think there will be about 25 percent less, is my guess.

(Read full post)

The new kickoff rules in college football could take away from what Purdue's Raheem Mostert does best.

Teams will now kick off from the 35-yard line instead of the 30, likely creating more touchbacks and kicks out of the back of the end zone. And that could lessen the effectiveness of Mostert, who led the nation last year in kickoff returns at 33.5 yards per attempt.

"That's crazy," Mostert said of the new rules. "Moving it up means we'll have to work harder to bring it out [of the end zone] if we bring it out. You really have to focus on seeing where the ball is going to be kicked."

Mostert is trying to get a handle on how the new kickoff procedures will go during Purdue's spring practice, which began Tuesday. He got used to returning deep kicks last year while fielding them from big-legged teammate Carson Wiggs.

But even if Mostert doesn't make as big of an impact on special teams this season, he still has a chance to be a playmaker for the Boilermakers.

He showed off his explosiveness on those kickoffs as a true freshman last season and also carried the ball for touchdowns against Minnesota and Illinois. You don't have to be a Purdue aeronautics professor to see how valuable his skills could be to an offense that lacked major difference-makers. There was some thought that Mostert might try defensive back this season, but head coach Danny Hope shot that down by saying, "We have to think of more ways to get the ball in his hands."

So Mostert, who didn't have any catches last year, is working out as a slot receiver this spring and occasionally lining up in the backfield. It's a familiar role for him as he played all over the field in high school in New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

"I was really a running back when I first started playing football," he said. "My senior year, I played slot and took some handoffs and caught some screens. So I'm pretty comfortable with it. I just need to get back into it."

Purdue had success with its screen game last season, and Mostert's open-field ability opens up a lot of different possibilities. He could be the new version of Michigan State's Keshawn Martin, a guy he resembles in build (Mostert is listed at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds). Dump off a short pass to him over the middle, and it's almost like starting a kickoff return.

"Pretty much," he said. "Sometimes you just have to make one move, make one guy miss and bust it. No hesitation. I'm not the biggest guy, but I know I'm going to make something happen."

And if so, he can live with not getting as many chances to do what he did best in 2011.

Our series ranking each position group from the 2011 Big Ten season comes to a close today with the final group, and one that is often overlooked but is always important: special teams.

Special teams is a broad spectrum, so we're combining performances in punting, kickoffs and field goals to come up with each team's position on this list.

And away we go:

1. Nebraska: Boy, did we mess this up in the preseason by ranking the Huskers 11th out of 12. Though we wrote at the time that Nebraska would almost certainly outperform its low rankings, we thought replacing star punter/kicker Alex Henery would be tough. Not really, as Brett Maher was one of the best punters and kickers in the league and the country. Freshman Ameer Abdullah was a star in kick returns, finishing ninth nationally in that category. So just remove one of the ones from that preseason number, and then we've got it right.

2. Purdue: The Boilermakers were mostly mediocre on offense and defense but did some great work on special teams. Freshman Raheem Mostert led the nation in kickoff returns, while sophomore Cody Webster finished second in punting. The strong-legged Carson Wiggs tied Maher for most field goals made in the league, though he still needs to improve his accuracy. Blocked kicks helped secure wins over Middle Tennessee and Ohio State, but Purdue lost on a blocked field goal try at Rice.

3. Penn State: When Anthony Fera returned from suspension and took over field goal duties, the Nittany Lions' special teams became truly special. Fera hit 14 of 17 field goals after Penn State had looked very shaky in that area early in the year, and he was also one of the league's top punters. Chaz Powell and Justin Brown were dangerous return men.

4. Ohio State: The Buckeyes ranked among the top third of Big Ten teams in just about every special-teams category. Field goal kicker Drew Basil made a dozen in a row at one point, and Ben Buchanan was solid at punter. Jordan Hall added some big returns.

5. Michigan State: We ranked the Spartans No. 1 in the preseason, and they came up with some game-changing plays, particularly in the first game against Wisconsin and in the Outback Bowl win over Georgia. But statistically speaking, Michigan State was average in most aspects of the kicking game. But Mike Sadler had some big moments punting, and Keshawn Martin did excellent work on punt returns.

6. Wisconsin: A tough team to rank, as there was both good and bad here. Jared Abbrederis led the nation in punt return average at 15.8 yards per attempt. Brad Nortman was a very reliable punter, while Philip Welch made five of his six attempts at field goals, something the Badgers didn't need very much with Montee Ball assaulting the end zone. But we can't ignore the big special-teams breakdowns against Michigan State and Ohio State that had as much as anything to do with ruining a potential undefeated season.

7. Michigan: The Wolverines weren't outstanding at any one area on special teams, but they proved much better than the No. 12 ranking we saddled them with in the preseason. Brendan Gibbons solidified what looked like a scary place-kicker situation and played a large role (along with brunette girls) in the Sugar Bowl victory. Michigan was also strong in punt returns and kick coverage, though its punting and kickoff returns left much to be desired.

8. Iowa: The good news first: Iowa led the league in net punting, thanks to a strong showing by senior Eric Guthrie in his first year starting. Now the bad: The Hawkeyes ranked second-to-last in kickoff coverage, and Mike Meyer missed six of his 20 field goal attempts, including both tries in the humbling loss to Minnesota.

9. Minnesota: Even without premier return man Troy Stoudermire, who missed most of the year with an injury, the Gophers ranked fifth in the league in kickoff returns, and they led the league in kickoff coverage. But a team that punted as much as Minnesota did in 2011 needed to do better than 11th in the conference in that category. Bonus point for the perfectly executed onside kick in the Iowa win.

10. Northwestern: The Wildcats' defense got the brunt of the blame in Northwestern's losses, but special teams didn't hold up its end of the bargain, either. Northwestern made only six field goals all year and ranked near the bottom of the conference in most categories. The bright spot was a league-best punt return unit.

11. Indiana: Mitch Ewald went 13-of-16 on field goals, but the Hoosiers weren't very good in most other areas. They returned more kickoffs than anyone in the Big Ten -- a product of a crummy defense -- but didn't do enough with them in finishing 108th nationally in that stat.

12. Illinois: Ron Zook didn't help his case to be retained as head coach through the performance of his special teams, a part of the game that was supposed to be his field of expertise. Illinois was simply dreadful in creating advantageous field position, finishing last in the nation in kickoff returns and third-to-last in punt returns. The Illini also weren't very good at kickoff coverage, though at least Derek Dimke made 10 of 12 field goals. Even that was marred by his missed 42-yarder at the end of a 10-7 loss at Penn State.