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Hickey: 3 players who should be at Big Ten Media Days, and 5 B1G coaches I’m thankful for
By Alex Hickey
Published:
The Big Ten’s annual football media days return to Indianapolis next week, and on Wednesday we learned which players will be representing each program during the two-day event.
For the most part, the list of 42 players — 3 for each team — checks out. The sports information directors for each team recognize whom the media wants to interview and whom fans want to hear from, and the majority of coaches signed off on those picks.
In Northwestern’s case, it’s going to be a nightmare for the players no matter who drew the assignment.
You can bet linebacker Bryce Gallagher, defensive back Rod Heard II and wide receiver Bryce Kirtz didn’t sign up for the firestorm they’re about to be tossed into. (You can also bet Northwestern wouldn’t be sending them if they weren’t going to represent the program well at a precarious time.)
And while many will be disappointed not to hear from Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy, the Wolverines simply have an embarrassment of riches to pick from. Seniors Blake Corum, Kris Jenkins and Mike Sainristil are all older than McCarthy and more than capable of providing interesting enough fodder to get us through the rest of summer.
There are, however, a handful of players that won’t be in Indy who should be. The following 3 stand out in particular.
3 Players who should be at Big Ten Media Days
1. Iowa QB Cade McNamara
It’s obvious why McNamara isn’t here — he’s a transfer who has yet to play a single game as a Hawkeye. But it’s also his only season at Iowa, so it’s not as if he’ll be at this event next year.
McNamara is among the most intriguing offseason stories in the Big Ten after transferring from Michigan. Michigan beat reporters, Iowa beat reporters and those of us who cover the Big Ten at large all have reason to talk to McNamara. And when you throw in the wrinkle of Iowa’s offense needing to average 25 points per game in order for offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz to keep his job?
Yeah, we want to hear from the quarterback.
2. Iowa P Tory Taylor
Taylor checks all the boxes.
He’s a senior. Ironically or not, most Iowa fans consider him the team MVP, so they want to hear from him. And perhaps most importantly, he’s Australian, which means he can turn any single question into a memorable 15-minute answer that might not have anything to do with the original question.
Last year Rutgers brought punter Adam Korsak, who was the only Rutgers player I ended up interviewing. No regrets. Taylor would have been a gold mine.
3. Penn State CB Kalen King
James Franklin insists on bringing seniors to this event, which is fine. Good for the team culture and all that jazz.
However, we all know darn well that King isn’t going to be back at Penn State for his senior year.
Barring some seriously bad news, King is on a trajectory to become Penn State’s first-ever defensive back drafted in the first round. Given his place on that historical precipice and his potential for an all-American season, King is worthy of an exception to Franklin’s rule.
5 coaches (or SIDs) who understand the assignment
It’s not all complaints. The following 5 coaches — or their SIDs — deserve credit for giving the people what they want.
1. Matt Rhule, Nebraska
Maybe it’s a result of his time in the NFL, but Rhule has no need to abide by silly rules of seniority. Rhule knows Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims is his starting quarterback, so Sims will be representing Nebraska in Indianapolis. The Cornhuskers are also bringing Nebraska natives Ethan Piper and Luke Reimer.
A perfect blend.
2. Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
Another first-year Big Ten coach who gets it. Starting quarterback Tanner Mordecai will be in attendance despite being a transfer, because everyone is fascinated with the concept of a Wisconsin quarterback who might actually have a chance to be an all-conference player.
3. Ryan Walters, Purdue
We seem to have a pattern developing. Maybe we need new blood in the B1G every year.
The Big Ten’s third newcomer is bringing his quarterback, Texas Ex Hudson Card, because that’s who Purdue fans want to hear from.
Interestingly, of the 4 quarterbacks attending Big Ten Media Days, 3 of them are transfers who have yet to play a game for their new teams.
4. Mike Locksley, Maryland
…And the fourth quarterback in that mix is Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa. But that’s not why Locks gets a place on our list, though it certainly doesn’t hurt.
Maryland is also bringing sophomore running back Roman Hemby, who was among the B1G’s most exciting freshmen last season. (Penn State’s duo of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton complete that trifecta, but obviously we won’t see them here any time soon.)
Most coaches only bring upperclassmen, but Locksley recognizes Hemby is a special talent worthy of some preseason hype.
5. Tom Allen, Indiana
Sophomore Jaylin Lucas is easily Indiana’s most electrifying player. It is not impossible that he’ll firmly establish himself as the Big Ten’s best return man since Tim Dwight this season. And after a couple down years in Bloomington, a player like Lucas is precisely the right person for the Hoosiers to place in the spotlight. Kudos to Indiana for bringing him along with seniors Aaron Casey and Noah Pierre.
Alex Hickey is an award-winning writer who has watched Big Ten sports since it was a numerically accurate description of league membership. Alex has covered college football and basketball since 2008, with stops on the McNeese State, LSU and West Virginia beats before being hired as Saturday Tradition's Big Ten columnist in 2021. He is an Illinois native and 2004 Indiana University graduate.