Bloggers Know: Preseason First Team All-Big Ten

After herding us all into submitting ballots for the expected order of finish in the Big Ten, LTP has followed up with the results of our All-Big Ten Team. Ohio State lead all schools with eight players on the first team. Penn State had four players on the first team (though one was a punter), while Wisconsin, Purdue and Indiana (two special teamers) placed three players on the first team. Most satisfyingly for Buckeye fans, the Wolverines only had one representative.

The 1st Team Offense is shown to the right with differences in our ballot highlighted in yellow. Beanie, Boone and Robiskie were locks from our perspective, but we had Penn State's Rich Ohrnberger in over Rehring. The interior of the Buckeye offensive line still has a little something to prove and perhaps we were a little conscious of not packing our ballot with Buckeyes.

We wrestled with some of our selections. Ringer, Sutton or Hill for that 2nd running back slot? You can make a pretty solid case for each of them. What about Boeckman over Painter at quarterback? It may sound crazy, but outside of Beckum (who's damn good), Boeckman has more tools at his disposable. You don't think Beanie helps a quarterback's numbers?

We're not going to lie and say we broke down tapes of Wisconsin's Eric Vanden Heuvel and Xavier Fulton of Illinois to determine which tackle was better. Fulton has a (slightly) cooler name.

No real suprises on the defensive side of the ball. The ends are solid, but we had to resist throwing Heyward or Wilson on our ballot. They haven't earned the nod yet, but you can't be shocked if one of them makes this team at the end of the season.

Animal and Freeman aren't surprises, though we did think Martez Wilson deserved the other spot over Anthony Heygood. Even if he thinks the conference is slow, he is freakishly large and quick.

Scirrotto was named first team all-conference after his sophomore year of 2006 when he lead the Big Ten in interceptions with 6. Four months before the start of his junior season, he decided to get his brawl-on and was slapped with a felony. The folony was reduced and he plead to get back on the field where his level of play clearly declined. He is good enough for this team, but Coleman is in his rear-view mirror.

We briefly flirted with Iowa's Brett Greenwood at free safety before deciding on Russell. Again, trying not to pack the ballot and there's a suspicion that Russell may be benefiting from playing with superior talent and the press that comes with that. Don't get us wrong, he's great. But there remains doubt about whether he is the top free safety in the league.

The all-conference special team members clearly illustrate the fact that if the entire season was played on fourth down only, the Hoosiers would go 12-0. Thigpen is solid, but there's a hope that a young Buckeye will make a name for himself in the return game this season. Going from Ginn to what Ohio State had last season was like trading your Boxster in for a moped.

So, who did we overlook? Is someone getting a little too much love? What young Buckeye could challenge to land on one of this team?