Sizing up Big Ten Football's West Division – Asbury Park Press
A capsule look at the Big Ten West Division football teams heading into training camp
Here’s a capsule look at the Big Ten West Division football teams heading into training camp:
ILLINOIS
First game: vs. Murray State, Sept. 3
2015 record: 5-7
Plays Rutgers: at Piscataway, Oct. 15
Overview: Illinois is on its third head coach in less than a year. Tim Beckman was fired shortly before the 2015 season because he allegedly mistreated players, and his successor, former Rutgers offensive coordinator Bill Cubit, was canned in March. That opened the door for former NFL coach Lovie Smith, who was fired by Tampa Bay after last season. Smith and offensive coordinator Garrick McGee are going against the grain in college football these days by switching from a spread offense to a pro-style attack. At least they have an experienced QB in Wes Lunt to run it, and it should be a better fit for the immobile Lunt. Smith also will be helped by the fact that pro prospect LB Hardy Nickerson came over from California as a graduate transfer to play for his dad (former NFL star Hardy), Smith’s defensive coordinator.
Biggest issue: Smith hasn’t coached in college since he was an Ohio State assistant in 1995, so it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to this level. The Illini also must find a go-to WR for Lunt because standout Mikey Dudek (knee) will miss a second straight season.
Coach Lovie Smith says: “We realize we have to put a better product on the football field. It’s as simple as that.”
IOWA
First game: vs. Miami (Ohio), Sept. 3
2015 record: 12-2, lost to Stanford in Rose Bowl
Plays Rutgers: at Piscataway, Sept. 24
Overview: The Hawkeyes had an undefeated regular season in 2015 and are the preseason favorites to repeat as champs of the weaker of the Big Ten’s two divisions. There had been talk in recent years of veteran coach Kirk Ferentz being on the hot seat after a string of lackluster seasons, but that discussion certainly has faded. In fact, Iowa AD Gary Barta said last week that he is working on signing Ferentz to an extension. Senior QB C.J. Beathard (17 TD passes, 5 INTs in 2015) is considered an NFL prospect, and is fully healed after playing through a sports hernia injury for much of last season.
Biggest issue: Expectations have been raised after Iowa got to the Big Ten title game and lost narrowly to Michigan State. The Hawkeyes certainly will get every opponent’s best effort, especially from their West Division brethren. Still, the defense returns eight starters, including standout LB Josey Jewell, whom Ferentz said was the first junior he had ever brought to Big Ten media day while at Iowa.
Coach Kirk Ferentz says: “[It’s] a heck of a challenge for this year’s team to have the kind of leadership we had last year at the top of the team, and then also handle the daily challenges the way last year’s team did.”
RELATED: Sizing up the Big Ten’s East Division
MINNESOTA
First game: vs. Oregon State, Sept. 1
2015 record: 6-7
Plays Rutgers: at home, Oct. 22
Overview: Tracy Claeys enters his first full season as Minnesota’s coach after taking over during the 2015 season from close friend Jerry Kill, whose recurring bouts of epilepsy forced him to resign. Claeys gets a break in that his team will avoid the big three of the East Division–Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State. The Golden Gophers have an experienced QB in senior Mitch Leidner, who has accounted for a total of 51 TDs (28 passing, 23 rushing) and is on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award.
Biggest issue: Claeys’ promotion from defensive coordinator means that Jay Sawvel, formerly Minnesota’s secondary coach and special teams coordinator, is now the defensive boss. Claeys also brought in former Louisiana-Lafayette offensive coordinator Jay Johnson as the new OC. That’s a lot of change at the top levels of the coaching staff, and it will be interesting to see if the adjustment for the players is a smooth one.
Coach Tracy Claeys says: “When you have a returning senior quarterback that’s as good a leader as [Leidner] is, you have to play to his strengths.”
NEBRASKA
First game: vs. Fresno State, Sept. 3
2015 record: 6-7, beat UCLA in Foster Farms Bowl
Plays Rutgers: no, not until Sept. 23, 2017, at home
Overview: Nebraska suffered a tragedy last month when senior punter Sam Foltz was killed in a car crash in Wisconsin while returning from a kicking camp. The team plans to honor his memory throughout the season, and will wear a decal with his initials and number on its helmets. This will be Mike Riley’s second year as coach. The Cornhuskers lost four games in the final seconds or in overtime in his first season.
Biggest issue: Can the Cornhuskers find the mental toughness and good fortune to win those close games in 2016? It helps that they return dual-threat QB Tommy Armstrong, although he must cut down on the 16 picks he threw last year.
Coach Mike Riley says: “We’ve got to find continuity week-to-week running the ball. … When we’re throwing the ball 45 times a game, it’s probably not for a good reason.”
RELATED: Rutgers, Ohio State mirroring one another
NORTHWESTERN
First game: vs. Western Michigan, Sept. 3
2015 record: 10-3, lost to Tennessee in Outback Bowl
Plays Rutgers: no, not until Oct. 20, 2018 at Piscataway
Overview: Yes, Northwestern won 10 games last season, but its three losses came by a total of 107 points to Michigan, Iowa and Tennessee. The Wildcats will need improvement from QB Clayton Thorson, who had seven TD passes and nine interceptions last year in his first season as a starter. He’ll need help from a young wide receiver group that needs to mature quickly. The defense should be good, led by LB Anthony Walker, an NFL prospect.
Biggest issue: Coach Pat Fitzgerald’s team should be solid on defense, but the Wildcats need Thorson to be more productive and cut down on turnovers. Standout RB Justin Jackson and the defense could help Northwestern grind out close wins.
Coach Pat Fitzgerald says: “I prefer, trust me, not to be in those kind of [close] games. But it just doesn’t seem to be the way we play our style of game.”
PURDUE
First game: vs. Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 3
2015 record: 2-10
Plays Rutgers: no, not until Oct. 21, 2017 at Piscataway
Overview: Fourth-year coach Darrell Hazell inherited a very bare cupboard, as indicated by the 6-30 cumulative record posted by the Boilermakers during his tenure. That needs to change or else his job security soon could be in question. He does have some building blocks on offense in sophomore RB Markell Jones and sophomore QB David Blough, although he refused to name Blough the starter at Big Ten media days last week.
Biggest issue: The talent level is getting better, but it still isn’t at the level that will enable the Boilermakers to make a significant rise in the standings. Young players need to improve quickly, or another brutal season will be in the offing.
Coach Darrell Hazell says: “I guess I don’t look at it as a three-year funk. I look at it as a growing process. … I know we’re in a position right now to go out and win some football games.”
WISCONSIN
First game: vs. LSU at Green Bay, Sept. 3
2015 record: 10-3, beat USC in Holiday Bowl
Plays Rutgers: no, not until Nov. 3, 2018, at home
Overview: Wisconsin’s usually productive running game was hampered last season by injuries to top RB Corey Clement, a Glassboro native, and some of the offensive linemen, but Clement is healthy and primed for a big season as a senior. The Badgers’ defense was solid, as usual, last season, but lost three starters in the secondary and has a new coordinator in Justin Wilcox, who was fired by USC last December. Dave Aranda left the Badgers to take the same job with LSU, Wisconsin’s first opponent.
Biggest issue: Former QB Joel Stave wasn’t spectacular, but was a solid game manager. Senior Bart Houston, who backed up Stave last season, is battling with redshirt freshman Joel Hornibrook to take over the job. The winner will have to be on point in the opener.
