TAE's EARLY Big Ten Preview 2009 pt. I
Posted: January 7th, 2009, 9:11 pm
Lots of stuff has happened to the teams in the Big Ten, and not much of it is good. Let's take a look at the early analysis from the resident expert with the huge football brain.
ILLINOIS:
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Monumental disappointment is an understatement. Is Ron Zook showing his true colors again? I have been saying for years that Zook is a guy who will win you 9 or 10 games but never 12 or 13. Recruiting for the Illini has also dropped since the initial Zook spike. Defense has been a big time problem this season. DC Locksley left for a HC gig, and Zook is hoping that PSU's DLine coach Larry Johnson will be woo'd away from Happy Valley. The loss of Locksley is also a recruiting detriment for Illinois. They do NOT want to lose the pipeline to DC that Locksley brought, and a natural replacement is Johnson's Baltimore/DC pipeline to PSU. This would be a huge addition for the Illini.
DEFINITELY LOST: Vontae Davis to draft
NOT SURE ABOUT Williams (QB) and Benn (RB/WR) and Miller (LB)
DEFINITELY RETURN: Dan Dufrene (RB), Mike Hoomanawanui (TE)
INDIANA:
=================
Does it really even matter? After going to a bowl game in '07, the Hoosiers turn around and play like their usual selves. I have no idea what this team has other than Kellen Lewis, and I have no idea how old he is.
IOWA:
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After starting the year sluggish, Iowa really came on towards the 2nd half of the year and was maybe the NCAA's most improved team. With Stanzi at the helm, the team is much better. However, Ferentz is still his usual stubborn self, and the early entry of Greene to the NFL is really going to hurt this team. I'm not sure what kind of weapons this offense even has other than Greene and a pretty good line. Greene really did it all for them. I'm expecting this program to go right back to being a game or 2 over .500.
DEFINITELY LOST: Shonn Greene (draft)
NOT SURE ABOUT Kroel, Angerer, King
DEFINITELY RETURN: Stanzi (QB), Hampton (RB)
MICHIGAN:
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They can only get better, right? I'm not so sure about that. There are a ton of grumblings about Rich Rd by the UM alums, and I think people are starting to realize how much of an a-hole this guy really is. This recruiting class really took a hit w/ decommits, and luckily for them DT Campbell re-committed. The QB situation is beyond abyssmal. They are expecting a true Freshman QB, Tate Forcier, to lead this team back to the top of the conference. There's no chance in hell UM makes a quantum leap before next season. They are really, relaly going to rely on Forcier and Minor next year on offense. Defensively, they are bringing in a new DC, which is only great news compared to the mess last year.
DEFINITELY LOST: Sam McGuffie (RB)
NOT SURE ABOUT Graham (DT)
DEFINITELY RETURN: Stonum, Mathews, Odom (WRs) , Threet and Sheridan (QB's), Minor (RB)
MICHIGAN STATE:
====================
Everyone is so high on MSU, but they are definitely a few years away from serious conference contention. This team reminds me a lot of Iowa. Receivers are just average, QB is decent at best, and they relied heavily on an above average defense and a RB to do all the real work. Recruiting has been better with D'antonio. They are on the right track, but a conference title is not within reach for 2009.
DEFINITELY LOST: Brian Hoyer (QB)
NOT SURE ABOUT Ringer (RB), Roland Martin (G)
DEFINITELY RETURN: Greg Jones (LB), Blair White (WR)
More later.
ILLINOIS:
=============
Monumental disappointment is an understatement. Is Ron Zook showing his true colors again? I have been saying for years that Zook is a guy who will win you 9 or 10 games but never 12 or 13. Recruiting for the Illini has also dropped since the initial Zook spike. Defense has been a big time problem this season. DC Locksley left for a HC gig, and Zook is hoping that PSU's DLine coach Larry Johnson will be woo'd away from Happy Valley. The loss of Locksley is also a recruiting detriment for Illinois. They do NOT want to lose the pipeline to DC that Locksley brought, and a natural replacement is Johnson's Baltimore/DC pipeline to PSU. This would be a huge addition for the Illini.
DEFINITELY LOST: Vontae Davis to draft
NOT SURE ABOUT Williams (QB) and Benn (RB/WR) and Miller (LB)
DEFINITELY RETURN: Dan Dufrene (RB), Mike Hoomanawanui (TE)
INDIANA:
=================
Does it really even matter? After going to a bowl game in '07, the Hoosiers turn around and play like their usual selves. I have no idea what this team has other than Kellen Lewis, and I have no idea how old he is.
IOWA:
==================
After starting the year sluggish, Iowa really came on towards the 2nd half of the year and was maybe the NCAA's most improved team. With Stanzi at the helm, the team is much better. However, Ferentz is still his usual stubborn self, and the early entry of Greene to the NFL is really going to hurt this team. I'm not sure what kind of weapons this offense even has other than Greene and a pretty good line. Greene really did it all for them. I'm expecting this program to go right back to being a game or 2 over .500.
DEFINITELY LOST: Shonn Greene (draft)
NOT SURE ABOUT Kroel, Angerer, King
DEFINITELY RETURN: Stanzi (QB), Hampton (RB)
MICHIGAN:
==============
They can only get better, right? I'm not so sure about that. There are a ton of grumblings about Rich Rd by the UM alums, and I think people are starting to realize how much of an a-hole this guy really is. This recruiting class really took a hit w/ decommits, and luckily for them DT Campbell re-committed. The QB situation is beyond abyssmal. They are expecting a true Freshman QB, Tate Forcier, to lead this team back to the top of the conference. There's no chance in hell UM makes a quantum leap before next season. They are really, relaly going to rely on Forcier and Minor next year on offense. Defensively, they are bringing in a new DC, which is only great news compared to the mess last year.
DEFINITELY LOST: Sam McGuffie (RB)
NOT SURE ABOUT Graham (DT)
DEFINITELY RETURN: Stonum, Mathews, Odom (WRs) , Threet and Sheridan (QB's), Minor (RB)
MICHIGAN STATE:
====================
Everyone is so high on MSU, but they are definitely a few years away from serious conference contention. This team reminds me a lot of Iowa. Receivers are just average, QB is decent at best, and they relied heavily on an above average defense and a RB to do all the real work. Recruiting has been better with D'antonio. They are on the right track, but a conference title is not within reach for 2009.
DEFINITELY LOST: Brian Hoyer (QB)
NOT SURE ABOUT Ringer (RB), Roland Martin (G)
DEFINITELY RETURN: Greg Jones (LB), Blair White (WR)
More later.