A handful of spring practices are underway around the Big Ten and with that brings some new faces to keep an eye on as position battles start to take shape.
Last year at this time, Malik Hooker was just another name that could play a role in the Ohio State secondary. Twelve months later and the surefire first-round draft pick is waiting to find out which NFL city he will be settling into in the coming months. It's a prime example of a new name going onto stardom after taking advantage of an opportunity; a lot of which starts in March and April.
Mark Dantonio's Spartans kicked off their spring routine on Feb. 25. Coming off of a putrid 3-9 season, it's a much-needed early start in East Lansing. While schools like Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin have yet to begin their spring practice schedules, they each will have some key positions to fill over the next six months.
We've already touched on what to watch for in Columbus – including the right guard spot and pretty much everyone at wide receiver – and will be paying especially close attention to these units over the spring and summer.
Today, we look elsewhere around the conference, focusing on the offensive side of the ball.
Wolverines, Nits Looking for Pass-Catchers
Ohio State's stiffest competition in the East Division will most certainly hail from Happy Valley and Ann Arbor. Both teams are set at quarterback with Wilton Speight and Trace McSorley, but there are some question marks at wideout, especially for Jim Harbaugh's Wolverines.
The departures of Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh leave the Michigan offense with two big holes at receiver. Throw in the uncertainty surrounding Grant Perry's legal troubles and his indefinite suspension and a position of strength has suddenly turned into a major question mark entering the 2017 season.
The good news for the Wolverines is that while the group is inexperienced, they're certainly not lacking in the talent department. Drake Harris and Maurice Ways are the veterans of the bunch, though they've combined for just 13 receptions in their careers. Harris was the country's No. 7 wideout coming out of high school back in 2014 and is still looking to live up to expectations.
The group of youngsters should bring some excitement to Ann Arbor. Kekoa Crawford and Eddie McDoom both saw action as true freshmen a year ago, and the 2017 wide receiver class may have been the best in America. Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black both enrolled in January while Nico Collins and Oliver Martin are slated to arrive this summer. Peoples-Jones was the country's No. 1 wideout and Collins and Martin were both four-star signees. At least a pair of the newcomers should make an impact this season.
The Wolverines will also have to replace Jake Butt at tight end. Ian Bunting and Tyrone Wheatley Jr. are the likely replacements, with the former potentially being used as more of an outside pass-catching threat. Even with the recent announcement that Devin Asiasi will transfer from the program, this is still one of the Big Ten's best tight end units.
For James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, there aren't nearly as many question marks on offense. Shortly after shredding the Trojans for close to 200 yards and a pair of scores in the Rose Bowl, junior wideout Chris Godwin elected to forego his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. That means someone is going to have to step up and become a more reliable target for McSorley.
DaeSean Hamilton and DeAndre Thompkins will be called upon in the PSU passing game. Via Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Senior Saeed Blacknall has the measurables of a potential star, but the 6-foot-3 speedster hasn't exactly been consistent throughout his career. Junior DeAndre Thompkins will still be a deep threat but should see a bit of an expanded role sans Godwin. DaeSean Hamilton made a splash as a true freshman in 2014, but his productivity has slipped ever since. He caught 82 passes as a freshman, 45 as a sophomore, and then 34 as a junior last year. Redshirt sophomores Irvin Charles and Juwan Johnson are two other candidates at receiver.
West Division's Search for Signal-Callers
A trio of the conference's West Division squads will be looking for new quarterbacks this spring and summer as the Huskers, Hawkeyes, and Gophers all must replace long-time starters under center.
Tommy Armstrong hung around seemingly forever and had a bit of an Aaron Craft career at Nebraska. After five seasons in Lincoln, the Husks are now searching for a new quarterback. The battle is expected to come down to redshirt freshman Patrick O'Brien and Tulane transfer Tanner Lee. O'Brien was the country's No. 7 quarterback for the class of 2016. Lee started 19 games for the Green Wave before making the move to Nebraska. Neither of the two are known for the running abilities, so it could be a new-look offense for 2017.
For the Hawkeyes, it doesn't look like it's going to be as big of a mystery despite Kirk Ferentz's claim that the race will be wide open. Sophomore Nathan Stanley was given backup reps as a true freshman a season ago, so he appears to be in line for the starting gig in 2017. Sophomores Tyler Wiegers and Drew Cook are expected to push Stanley.
Remember that time last summer when some NFL Draft "experts" had Mitch Leidner as their No. 1 senior quarterback? That was fun.
In his first season at Minnesota, P.J. Fleck will have a number of options to replace Leidner. The issue, however, is that most of those options are relative unknowns. Fleck convinced senior Conor Rhoda to stick around when he was seriously considering transferring elsewhere. Rhoda has started one game in his career and that came last season against Maryland. Redshirt freshman Seth Green and redshirt sophomore Demry Croft will also be in the thick of the race. Croft played sparingly in 2015 (17 pass attempts) before redshirting in 2016. Green has yet to see the field since arriving in the Twin Cities.
Madison Ground Game
Corey Clement and Dare Ogunbowale are both gone and Paul Chryst and the Badger backfield are in reload mode. Wisconsin has long been known for their solid ground game, and the good news is that the trio that's expected to carry the load does have some experience.
Redshirt sophomore Bradrick Shaw was the third tailback a year ago and saw playing time while Clement and Ogunbowale were out with injuries. At 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds, he's the favorite to take on the lead role in 2017. Shaw rushed for 457 yards and five scores while averaging just over five yards per carry a season ago.
Chris James and Taiwan Deal will both compete for playing time as well. James played under Chryst at Pittsburgh before transferring to Wisconsin. He sat out the 2016 season per NCAA transfer rules. Deal has flashed at times, but the junior has also battled injuries throughout his career. He's expected to sit out this spring as he recovers from ankle surgery.
Spartans Seeking Help in the Trenches
Michigan State had a rough 2016 campaign and some controversy this offseason hasn't made things much easier in East Lansing. The biggest issue the team faces for 2017 may be replacing some major contributors along the offensive line.
The Spartan offensive line had some major struggles a season ago as they rotated in a number of players in an attempt to find something that would work. Four contributors have exited via graduation. Two-way lineman Brandon Clemons, tackle Kody Kieler, Benny McGowan, and Miguel Machado all must be replaced.
In 2016, Thiyo Lukusa became only the second true freshman to see action along the offensive line since Dantonio's arrival. Last month, he announced that he was leaving the program.
Interior lineman Brian Allen returns as the leader in the trenches, and while Allen is an All-Big Ten candidate, there's obviously a lot of question marks elsewhere along the line. Sophomore Cole Chewins – a 6-foot-8 and 273 pounds converted tight end – started three games at tackle last year as a redshirt freshman and should be the starting left tackle. Tyler Higby, David Beedle, Dennis Finley, and A.J. Arcuri are other names to know along the offensive line.
The 2017 recruiting class brings in a trio of guards and one offensive tackle, none of which are early enrollees. It could be a trial by fire for the Spartan offensive line, and if some youngsters don't catch on quickly, it may be another ugly season in East Lansing.
