BIG 10 2002-03
OHIO STATE BUCKEYES 12 RETURNING STARTERS O:5 D:7
HC JIM TRESSEL 7-5 SU
Can the Buckeyes find a running game after Jonathan Wells??
Can the Buckeyes find a capable starting QB to replace Belisari??
The Buckeyes & Jim Tressel had a fine inaugural season, but expectations will be much higher this time around. This team is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, but its their defense that has me licking my chops. They have tons of speed at the LB and secondary positions that will allow them to give all spread offenses headaches. SS Michael Doss decided to stick around, and that will only help bolster an already experienced secondary. The offense will need some time to gel, and adjust to their new ringer. A very soft start to the schedule should give them enough time to get down and dirty for Big 10 play. The Buckeyes are loaded this year, and HC Tressel will show the Columbus faithful why he was definitely the man to replace Cooper. All of their road games are very winnable this year, and Big Blue's visiting the horse shoe with revenge on their minds this time around. OSU could be undefeated for their big match up with Michigan, and a win there could propel them into the National Championship game.
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS 15 RETURNING STARTERS O:8 D:7
HC JOPA 327-96 SU
Can the Lions finally put the last 2 years behind them, and get back to playing PSU football??
Can QB Mills stay healthy??
Will the defense be able to shut down offenses, and who will be the next stud LB at Linebacker U??
PSU started off the 2001 campaign terribly dropping their first 4 contests by a combined 95-31. They had nothing that resembled an offense, and their defense looked terrible. Things changed once Lefty slinger Zack Mills took over. The O-line blocked, and Larry Johnson stepped it up in the backfield. Oh yeah, the WR's also caught a few passes since their QB wasn't getting slammed to the ground 2.5 seconds after the snap. The Lions finished out the season going 5-2, and left the Happy Valley faithful counting the days till next year. Well, that time has come, and the Lions just might be able to start pounding their chests once again. This team is very scary with Mills leading the way, and there's no telling just how far he'll be able to take them. Most of last years team returns, and the recruits waiting in the wings are more than capable of stepping in and contributing. They have a couple of tough non-conf games, but those are at Happy Valley. The only thing standing in the way of a Big 10 Championship are trips to Michigan & Ohio State.
MICHIGAN WOLVERINES 15 RETURNING STARTERS O:7 D:8
HC LLOYD CARR 66-20 SU
What reciever will step up and fill the void left by Walker??
Can the defense make up foe a punhless offense??
Will the special teams step it up after major losses??
Oh yes Michigan...blah blah blah. I've never been a big fan, and I guess I never will be. That won't stop me from saying that this years version of the Wolverine looks very tough. Especially on the defensive side of the ball. They do lose the Conferences best WR in Walker, but the new offensive coordinator just happens to be the O-line coach as well, and I expect a lot more from the running game. QB Navarre also has to step it up, or Brinton will be more than happy to take his place. Defense will bring home the bacon for UM this year. They just might have the best D-line in the country, and their secondary is great as well. The defense will have to step it up big-time since they boast the toughest schedule in the Big 10 once again. Road games at ND, ILL, Purdue, and Minny are all very winnable. Their arch rival might stand in their way to a Big 10 championship, but I'm sure they'll have already lost a few by then. This team will only go as far as their defense can take them. That's not a good sign in college football. The offense has to do their part, or else they'll be too worn down to make any real noise come bowl season.
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS 15 RETURNING STARTERS 0:8 D:7
HC BOBBY WILLIAMS 13-11 SU
Who will replace Duckett in the backfield??
Can Smoker stay healthy??
Can the O-line stay healthy, and cut down on the sack total??
Can HC Williams improve on his 1-7 SU Big 10 road record??
The 2001 season for the Spartans was injury plagued to say the least. The secondary was decimated w/ injuries, and the defense suffered immensely. They lose stud RB Duckett to the NFL, but return the entire O-Line, an experienced QB with a cannon for an arm, and quite possibly the best WR in the country. The offense must find a running game, but its still one of the most potent attacks w/out one. WR Rogers can single handedly exploit defenses weaknesses, and help his teammates by giving them wide open looks. The defense looks to be in great shape, and even more importantly...HEALTHY!!! I expect them to at least double LY's sack total, and it'll be very hard to go downfield on the secondary. Their non-conf slate is very laim, and they could be undefeated when they travel to the Big House in early November. The Spartans are the Big 10's dark horse, and they could find themselves in a BCS Bowl barring injury.
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI 14 RETURNING STARTERS O:7 D:7
HC RON TURNER 26-31 SU
Who will replace Kittner??
How will they replace Fitt's boot on special teams??
Last year was great for the orange and blue taking their first Big 10 title S'93. Not many players depart from LY's team, but the ones that did played an integral part to last seasons success. Gone is QB Kittner, DB's Jackson & Abdullah, C Butkus, & DT Moore. Not to worry since HC Turner has recruited very well, & talented players are waiting to bust out this season. Replacing Kittner is a must since the Illini posted some of their best numbers ever with him at QB. The Illini might have found exactly what they needed in QB transfer Jon Beutjer. He played at Iowa in 2000, and posted some solid numbers in only 4 games at the helm. He'll have some very talented wide-outs to help him adjust in Johnson & Lloyd. RB Harris will have another solid year if not better since the O-Line pretty much returns intact. The defensive front 4 are a bit inexperienced, but their anchored by 2 of the best CB's in the Big 10. The Illini will need some time to gel, but their schedule won't allow that to happen. Two road games to open the season doesn't help either, and Big 10 play starts off at home vs. Michigan. The Illini will have success this season, but I don't forsee them defending LY's championship.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS 16 RETURNING STARTERS O:8 D:8
HC JOE TILLER 39-22 SU
How much will the kicking game suffer w/ the loss of Travis Dorsch??
Will QB Orton continue to impress, and get Tillers "O" back in form??
Can the "D" top last years performance??
The loss of Drew Brees to the NFL really killed the Boilers 2001 season. They went from an offensive juggernaut to an absolute siv, and had to rely on their dominating defense to keep them in the game. Tillers offense put up its worst numbers since his arrival. Now Tiller has a QB he believes in, and their offense will benefit from it. QB Orton loves to air it out, and the vertical game will return to the offensive gameplan. QB Orton has a plethora of weapons, and a solid RB with a much more experienced O-Line paving the way. The defense returns pretty much intact, and Tiller can only hope they can match Ly's output. They might win a few more games if that's the case, but I don't see that happening. Their schedule is very tough with home games vs. Michigan & Ohio State, and road games vs. Notre Dame, MSU, & Illinois. Purdue will be in a bunch of games this year, but they'll flirt with a .500 record when its all said and done.
WISCONSIN BADGERS 11 RETURNING STARTERS O:8 D:3
HC BARRY ALVAREZ 84-55-4 SU
Will the QB rotation continue??
Will WR Evans be back this season??
Can the "D" getthrough its growing pains early, and be ready for Big 10 play??
There's not much to say about LY except for the fact that it sucked big-time for the Madison faithful. HC Alvarez was only left with what could have been after losing 4th quarter leads to Oregon, Michigan, & Illinois. This years team can be summed up as the tale of 2 sides..."O" & "D". The offense is loaded w/ talent, and will be even more lethal if WR Evans can return from injury this season. Two experienced QB's return in Bollinger & Sorgi, and the entire O-line is back as well. The same young offensive line that opened up gaping holes for speedy RB Davis to fly through w/ his eyepopping speed. The season rests on the defenses' shoulders. Most of LY's impact players on "D" are gone, and the new guys have to step up for the Badgers to go bowling this year.
IOWA HAWKEYES 12 RETURNING STARTERS O:6 D:6
HC KIRK FERENTZ 11-24 SU
The Hawkeyes made great strides last year by obtaing a winning record, and winning their bowl game. They were solid on both sides of the ball; especially on defense. I called for them to go bowling in last years write ups, and they came through as predicted. They do have some big losses this year on offense. Gone are most of LY's skilled position players, but they do have one of the best O-Lines in the conference. The defense loses its punch up front, but the back 7 will make up for it. This could be another winning season if they play their cards right at home.
SLAM YOUR MAN!!!
Rosey
OHIO STATE BUCKEYES 12 RETURNING STARTERS O:5 D:7
HC JIM TRESSEL 7-5 SU
Can the Buckeyes find a running game after Jonathan Wells??
Can the Buckeyes find a capable starting QB to replace Belisari??
The Buckeyes & Jim Tressel had a fine inaugural season, but expectations will be much higher this time around. This team is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, but its their defense that has me licking my chops. They have tons of speed at the LB and secondary positions that will allow them to give all spread offenses headaches. SS Michael Doss decided to stick around, and that will only help bolster an already experienced secondary. The offense will need some time to gel, and adjust to their new ringer. A very soft start to the schedule should give them enough time to get down and dirty for Big 10 play. The Buckeyes are loaded this year, and HC Tressel will show the Columbus faithful why he was definitely the man to replace Cooper. All of their road games are very winnable this year, and Big Blue's visiting the horse shoe with revenge on their minds this time around. OSU could be undefeated for their big match up with Michigan, and a win there could propel them into the National Championship game.
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS 15 RETURNING STARTERS O:8 D:7
HC JOPA 327-96 SU
Can the Lions finally put the last 2 years behind them, and get back to playing PSU football??
Can QB Mills stay healthy??
Will the defense be able to shut down offenses, and who will be the next stud LB at Linebacker U??
PSU started off the 2001 campaign terribly dropping their first 4 contests by a combined 95-31. They had nothing that resembled an offense, and their defense looked terrible. Things changed once Lefty slinger Zack Mills took over. The O-line blocked, and Larry Johnson stepped it up in the backfield. Oh yeah, the WR's also caught a few passes since their QB wasn't getting slammed to the ground 2.5 seconds after the snap. The Lions finished out the season going 5-2, and left the Happy Valley faithful counting the days till next year. Well, that time has come, and the Lions just might be able to start pounding their chests once again. This team is very scary with Mills leading the way, and there's no telling just how far he'll be able to take them. Most of last years team returns, and the recruits waiting in the wings are more than capable of stepping in and contributing. They have a couple of tough non-conf games, but those are at Happy Valley. The only thing standing in the way of a Big 10 Championship are trips to Michigan & Ohio State.
MICHIGAN WOLVERINES 15 RETURNING STARTERS O:7 D:8
HC LLOYD CARR 66-20 SU
What reciever will step up and fill the void left by Walker??
Can the defense make up foe a punhless offense??
Will the special teams step it up after major losses??
Oh yes Michigan...blah blah blah. I've never been a big fan, and I guess I never will be. That won't stop me from saying that this years version of the Wolverine looks very tough. Especially on the defensive side of the ball. They do lose the Conferences best WR in Walker, but the new offensive coordinator just happens to be the O-line coach as well, and I expect a lot more from the running game. QB Navarre also has to step it up, or Brinton will be more than happy to take his place. Defense will bring home the bacon for UM this year. They just might have the best D-line in the country, and their secondary is great as well. The defense will have to step it up big-time since they boast the toughest schedule in the Big 10 once again. Road games at ND, ILL, Purdue, and Minny are all very winnable. Their arch rival might stand in their way to a Big 10 championship, but I'm sure they'll have already lost a few by then. This team will only go as far as their defense can take them. That's not a good sign in college football. The offense has to do their part, or else they'll be too worn down to make any real noise come bowl season.
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS 15 RETURNING STARTERS 0:8 D:7
HC BOBBY WILLIAMS 13-11 SU
Who will replace Duckett in the backfield??
Can Smoker stay healthy??
Can the O-line stay healthy, and cut down on the sack total??
Can HC Williams improve on his 1-7 SU Big 10 road record??
The 2001 season for the Spartans was injury plagued to say the least. The secondary was decimated w/ injuries, and the defense suffered immensely. They lose stud RB Duckett to the NFL, but return the entire O-Line, an experienced QB with a cannon for an arm, and quite possibly the best WR in the country. The offense must find a running game, but its still one of the most potent attacks w/out one. WR Rogers can single handedly exploit defenses weaknesses, and help his teammates by giving them wide open looks. The defense looks to be in great shape, and even more importantly...HEALTHY!!! I expect them to at least double LY's sack total, and it'll be very hard to go downfield on the secondary. Their non-conf slate is very laim, and they could be undefeated when they travel to the Big House in early November. The Spartans are the Big 10's dark horse, and they could find themselves in a BCS Bowl barring injury.
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI 14 RETURNING STARTERS O:7 D:7
HC RON TURNER 26-31 SU
Who will replace Kittner??
How will they replace Fitt's boot on special teams??
Last year was great for the orange and blue taking their first Big 10 title S'93. Not many players depart from LY's team, but the ones that did played an integral part to last seasons success. Gone is QB Kittner, DB's Jackson & Abdullah, C Butkus, & DT Moore. Not to worry since HC Turner has recruited very well, & talented players are waiting to bust out this season. Replacing Kittner is a must since the Illini posted some of their best numbers ever with him at QB. The Illini might have found exactly what they needed in QB transfer Jon Beutjer. He played at Iowa in 2000, and posted some solid numbers in only 4 games at the helm. He'll have some very talented wide-outs to help him adjust in Johnson & Lloyd. RB Harris will have another solid year if not better since the O-Line pretty much returns intact. The defensive front 4 are a bit inexperienced, but their anchored by 2 of the best CB's in the Big 10. The Illini will need some time to gel, but their schedule won't allow that to happen. Two road games to open the season doesn't help either, and Big 10 play starts off at home vs. Michigan. The Illini will have success this season, but I don't forsee them defending LY's championship.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS 16 RETURNING STARTERS O:8 D:8
HC JOE TILLER 39-22 SU
How much will the kicking game suffer w/ the loss of Travis Dorsch??
Will QB Orton continue to impress, and get Tillers "O" back in form??
Can the "D" top last years performance??
The loss of Drew Brees to the NFL really killed the Boilers 2001 season. They went from an offensive juggernaut to an absolute siv, and had to rely on their dominating defense to keep them in the game. Tillers offense put up its worst numbers since his arrival. Now Tiller has a QB he believes in, and their offense will benefit from it. QB Orton loves to air it out, and the vertical game will return to the offensive gameplan. QB Orton has a plethora of weapons, and a solid RB with a much more experienced O-Line paving the way. The defense returns pretty much intact, and Tiller can only hope they can match Ly's output. They might win a few more games if that's the case, but I don't see that happening. Their schedule is very tough with home games vs. Michigan & Ohio State, and road games vs. Notre Dame, MSU, & Illinois. Purdue will be in a bunch of games this year, but they'll flirt with a .500 record when its all said and done.
WISCONSIN BADGERS 11 RETURNING STARTERS O:8 D:3
HC BARRY ALVAREZ 84-55-4 SU
Will the QB rotation continue??
Will WR Evans be back this season??
Can the "D" getthrough its growing pains early, and be ready for Big 10 play??
There's not much to say about LY except for the fact that it sucked big-time for the Madison faithful. HC Alvarez was only left with what could have been after losing 4th quarter leads to Oregon, Michigan, & Illinois. This years team can be summed up as the tale of 2 sides..."O" & "D". The offense is loaded w/ talent, and will be even more lethal if WR Evans can return from injury this season. Two experienced QB's return in Bollinger & Sorgi, and the entire O-line is back as well. The same young offensive line that opened up gaping holes for speedy RB Davis to fly through w/ his eyepopping speed. The season rests on the defenses' shoulders. Most of LY's impact players on "D" are gone, and the new guys have to step up for the Badgers to go bowling this year.
IOWA HAWKEYES 12 RETURNING STARTERS O:6 D:6
HC KIRK FERENTZ 11-24 SU
The Hawkeyes made great strides last year by obtaing a winning record, and winning their bowl game. They were solid on both sides of the ball; especially on defense. I called for them to go bowling in last years write ups, and they came through as predicted. They do have some big losses this year on offense. Gone are most of LY's skilled position players, but they do have one of the best O-Lines in the conference. The defense loses its punch up front, but the back 7 will make up for it. This could be another winning season if they play their cards right at home.
SLAM YOUR MAN!!!
Rosey
