It can't be easy playing alongside the Big Ten's East division. While Ohio State and Penn State lead the charge in the conference, most would likely peg the Spartans and Wolverines as the divisional frontrunners (along with Wisconsin) had they been located a little further to the west.
But 2018 could bring some changes to the conference's West Division. There's a fresh face in Lincoln and Pat Fitzgerald's Wildcats are coming off a 10-3 campaign. Still, going toe to toe with the Badgers is a lot to ask for anyone in the Big Ten.
The East includes most of the heavyweights and has taken home the conference crown every season dating back to 2013. The Hawkeyes reached the championship game in 2015, but otherwise it's been the Badgers playing in Indy every season since the new divisional alignment.
Spring practices are underway and the final April scrimmages will eventually lead to summer workouts, true freshmen arrival, and the ongoing position battles. Several storylines are already unfolding in the West; many of which are sure to impact what ultimately transpires in the fall.
New Coach, New Signal Caller for the Huskers
The latest edition of the college football coaching carousel was a fun one to follow. I think an argument can be made that Nebraska's hiring of Scott Frost – along with Chip Kelly to UCLA – were two of the A+ hires as the 2017 season winded down.
In his second season in Orlando, Frost led UCF to a 13-0 record and earned the distinction of being crowned national champions. Moving from the American Athletic Conference to the Big Ten means that he's likely to take some lumps, but the Nebraska faithful is expecting big things from one of its native sons.
A season ago, the Huskers finished No. 87 in America in terms of total offense. The Knights checked in at No. 5, behind only Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Louisville, and Memphis. Frost is an offensive mind, so it's fair to expect some improvement, but Nebraska is going to need a find a quarterback to replace Tanner Lee. Right now the race is wide open.
The key this spring may be true freshman/early enrollee Adrian Martinez. The Buckeyes briefly flirted with the California native, but the four-star ended up being one of Frost's first commitments. Martinez is coming off a labrum injury that forced him to miss his senior season. A one-time Tennessee commit, the 6-foot-2 205-pounder appears to be a perfect fit for what Frost looks for at the position.
Adrian Martinez sounds more mature & assertive than either Tanner Lee or Tommy Armstrong ever did. Was it ever so hard? #Nebraska #Huskers https://t.co/mg2PXiTQby
— Derek Johnson (@DerekJohnson05) February 9, 2018
Sophomore Patrick O'Brien and redshirt freshman Tristan Gebbia are also making their own cases for the starting spot. O'Brien played in four games last season and completed 18 of 32 passes for 192 yards. He came into the game late against the Buckeyes and was promptly picked off by Amir Riep.
NFL Draft Hitting the Hawkeyes Hard
A few things immediately come to mind when thinking about Iowa Hawkeye football: a vastly overpaid coach, strong offensive line play, a tough/disciplined defense, and mostly a ho-hum offense except for those times when Ohio State's linebackers neglect to cover tight ends for an entire 60 minutes (sad face).
Iowa is essentially losing all of its best players to next month's NFL Draft. Cornerback Josh Jackson was phenomenal in 2017 and will be drafted in the first round. James Daniels is right up there with Billy Price when it comes to center prospects. Linebacker Josey Jewell and tailback Akrum Wadley are both expected to be taken in the mid-to-late rounds
The Hawkeyes always seem like a wild card to me. They could lose to Purdue or Minnesota and then turn right around and put up 55 against an opponent like Ohio State. Basically I hate playing Iowa in football. Huge fan of the stadium wave and I genuinely think it's the best new tradition in college football, but I couldn't be happier to be playing them in Columbus when the next meeting rolls around in 2020.
Familiar Name Replacing All-Time Great in Evanston
After what seems like a decade, tailback Justin Jackson will no longer be a presence in the Northwestern backfield. The school's all-time leading rusher is gone, and all he did was amass four 1,000-yard seasons (the 9th player in NCAA history to do so) and a total of 5,440 rushing yards. That career total puts him No. 3 in the conference behind only Ron Dayne and Archie Griffin.
Cincinnati's Jeremy Larkin is expected to be the new bell cow for Pat Fitzgerald. The former La Salle high school star redshirted in 2016 and then ran for 503 yards and five scores while spelling Jackson a season ago. He's only 5-foot-10 and 194 pounds, so he doesn't have tremendous size, but Larkin can also catch the ball out of the backfield.
The other key for Fitzgerald and the Wildcat offense will be the recovery of Clayton Thorson. The Northwestern quarterback tore his ACL on a trick play during January's Music City Bowl victory over Kentucky. He's being held out this spring due to the injury, and while he is expected to play in 2018, there's still no set timetable for a return.
Badgers Return Loaded Offense, Questions Linger on Defense
Wisconsin returns its entire offensive line – including a couple of would-be Draft picks – and nearly the rest of Paul Chryst's offense. Jonathan Taylor was arguably the best freshman in America a season ago, and it's scary to think what he can do in his second season behind that offensive line.
If there are any questions on offense then they likely swirl around replacing tight end Troy Fumagalli and the inconsistent play of quarterback Alex Hornibrook. A redshirt junior this year, Hornibrook has served primarily as more of a game manager for the Badgers, but his performance against Miami in the Orange Bowl has to have the fans excited. He completed 23 of 34 for 258 yards and four touchdowns.
The defensive side of the ball is another story in Madison. The 2017 unit finished the season No. 2 nationally in total defense and now must replace seven starters; including three on both the defensive line and secondary. The linebackers should be solid, and getting T.J. Edwards back for his senior season was a huge boost. But the trenches and secondary are a bit of a concern that will need to be addressed between now and the Aug. 31 kickoff against Western Kentucky .
The Badgers' 2017 schedule was mostly a cakewalk, but this season will have a very different feel to it. Wisconsin travels to Iowa, Northwestern, Penn State, and Michigan.
