Every B1G team's biggest need this offseason
Nobody is perfect, and if the bowl season was any indication, B1G teams had plenty of weaknesses in 2016.
The question now is whether or not they’ll address them.
Here’s the biggest need for every B1G team this offseason:
ILLINOIS
Biggest need — Two healthy ACLs for Mikey Dudek
Call me crazy, but still I think the Illinois offense is a whole lot better with Dudek on the field, regardless of who starts at quarterback. Back-to-back ACL tears might not make him the player he could’ve been after his huge freshman season, but Dudek will still be the best friend of whoever starts at quarterback for the Illini. Making sure he gets through the offseason healthy is of the utmost importance.
INDIANA
Biggest need — A new and improved Richard Lagow
Lagow was an intriguing transfer option because he has a lot of the tools you like at quarterback. He’s got a big arm, he’s mobile and he’s got size. That’s all he had in 2016. Lagow simply never clicked all year for IU. He had just as many games with multiple interceptions as he did with a 60-percent competition rate. Behind a solid offensive line, he took the fourth-most sacks in the B1G.
Having said that, Lagow is still likely IU’s best option at quarterback. With a new offensive coordinator, Mike DeBord, major strides must be made this offseason. Lagow’s throwing motion needs improving — it’s a problem if you’re getting passes tipped repeatedly at 6-6 — as does his decision-making. If that happens, IU can get back to having one of the B1G’s best passing attacks.
IOWA
Biggest need — New offensive perspective
Iowa’s offensive struggles came to a head in the Outback Bowl. That’s why the Hawkeyes fired two assistants and perhaps why Greg Davis retired as offensive coordinator. With Brian Ferentz running the show, the Hawkeyes have a chance to mix things up. They can work on more creative ways to get the ball to receivers in space. The goal will still be to build the offense around Akrum Wadley and that veteran offensive line, but Iowa should have some new wrinkles in the passing game with Davis gone.
MARYLAND
Biggest need — Playmakers in the secondary to emerge
Maryland dealt with injuries in the secondary in 2016 and it showed. The Terps finished with just five interceptions, which was dead last in the B1G. Their only player with multiple interceptions, Alvin Hill, is gone. William Likely is finally out of eligibility, too. Maryland could use a boost from the likes of returners JC Jackson and Darnell Savage, Jr. Perhaps an Elijah Daniels or an Antwaine Richardson can emerge. Any way the Terps can spoil some drives and flip the field, they’ll take.
MICHIGAN
Biggest need — Guys for Wilton Speight to throw the ball to
Amara Darboh, Jehu Chesson and Jake Butt are all gone. Those were Michigan’s top three receivers. After that was Grant Perry, who couldn’t stay out of trouble this year. Next was three running backs. After them at No. 8 in Michigan’s receiving pecking order was true freshman wideout and All-Name team captain Eddie McDoom. He had five catches for 59 yards. In other words, Michigan is going to have some extremely inexperienced wideouts catching passes from a senior quarterback. Don’t be surprised if you see a lot more of talented Michigan tight ends Tyrone Wheatley and Devin Asiasi.
MICHIGAN STATE
Biggest need — A legitimate starting quarterback
Poor play and injuries made it a rare quarterback carousel in East Lansing in 2016. Taking over for Connor Cook wasn’t ever going to be easy, and the Spartans reminded us of that every week. Now, Brian Lewerke appears to be the favorite to win the starting gig, though Damion Terry will push him if and when he gets healthy. If MSU plans on digging itself out of the B1G basement in 2017, it cannot have another year of poor quarterback play. It doesn’t matter if it’s Terry or Lewerke. It just has to be somebody.
MINNESOTA
Biggest need — A quarterback guru
Minnesota is coming off statistically its best four-year stretch in program history. What did the Gophers lack every season? They didn’t even have a mediocre passing game. Minnesota hasn’t been able to move the ball downfield since Adam Weber left in 2011. Part of that was Jerry Kill’s ground-and-pound style and part of that was Mitch Leidner.
Whatever the case, PJ Fleck’s offense has to have some sort of a downfield passing game to free up running lanes for Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks. Fleck, a former wide receiver and wide receivers coach, knows passing. The question is whether or not he and his staff can jump-start a historically bad passing game with a first-year starter at quarterback.
NEBRASKA
Biggest need — New leaders
Tommy Armstrong, Jr., Jordan Westerkamp, Nathan Gerry, Michael Rose-Ivey and Josh Banderas are all gone after 12 years in Lincoln. That means Nebraska will have new alpha dogs in 2017. Say what you want about Armstrong, but he willed Nebraska to wins on a banged-up ankle. Who’s going to do that in 2017? Who will step up like Gerry and make a game-changing play on the road to force overtime? Maybe that’s Stanley Morgan Jr. or Marcus Newby. Whoever it is has some big shoes to fill.
NORTHWESTERN
Biggest need — An Austin Carr replacement
You’re up, Flynn Nagel. All you have to do is replace a guy who graded as the best receiver in all of college football. No sweat, right? Nagel won’t replace Carr’s role from a scheme perspective. Carr operated primarily in the slot and Nagel operates outside the hashes. Sometimes a little too far outside the hashes.
Catch of Week 7?@All_I_DoIsFLYNN would like to enter his name with this @NUFBFamily grab. https://t.co/Po1suGfbzY
— Northwestern On BTN (@NUOnBTN) October 15, 2016
Clayton Thorson just needs a guy that he can trust on third down or someone he can exploit a matchup with. Carr brought that game in, game out. He wasn’t the biggest or the fastest, but what he lacked in those areas he more than made up for in his route-running. That needs to be Nagel’s biggest area of emphasis this offseason.
OHIO STATE
Biggest need — Offensive tweaking
Ohio State was not a good offensive team for most of 2016. The Buckeyes’ struggles were so obvious that Urban Meyer brought in Kevin Wilson, who “resigned” from Indiana amidst reports of player mistreatment. Meyer just wants results. The goal is for Wilson and Ryan Day to get J.T. Barrett back to the quarterback who completed 65 percent of his passes and threw for 34 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman. OSU has to find deep threats for Barrett to throw to, and at the very least, find out who can get open past the sticks. If that happens, OSU can get back to having one of the nation’s top offenses.
If you’re under the impression that Barrett can’t beat a team with his arm, here’s a reminder of what he’s capable of with the right pieces around him:
PENN STATE
Biggest need — Edge-rushers
Penn State’s Rose Bowl performance showed the world just how dynamic the offense was and will be in 2017. But the defense was picked apart by Sam Darnold because he had all day to throw. Three of their top four sack leaders (Garrett Sickels, Evan Schwan, Brandon Bell) are gone, all of whom were edge-rushers.
Penn State has talent in the middle with Kevin Givens and Jason Cabinda, but it needs to figure out who those edge-rushers will be. Koa Farmer and Manny Bowen showed promise as outside linebackers. Torrence Brown and Shareef Miller will be asked to be regular contributors, but the Lions wouldn’t mind if Shane Simmons and Shaka Toney burst onto the scene as redshirt freshmen.
PURDUE
Biggest need — A defensive overhaul
Purdue fans should be excited about the offensive possibilities with Jeff Brohm in charge. It’d be surprising if the Boilermakers lacked offensive firepower. But defensively, they’re a complete rebuild. Losing their best defensive player in Jake Repologle won’t help, neither will losing underrated defensive end Evan Panfil. Assumed defensive coordinator Nick Holt will be tasked with turning around the B1G’s second-worst run defense. Purdue won’t get out of the B1G basement until that happens.
RUTGERS
Biggest need — A passing game
Three Rutgers quarterbacks transferred this offseason with the expectation that Gio Rescigno will be the quarterback of the future in Piscataway, if there is such a thing. Jerry Kill said he plans to work with him to simplify the game. He wasn’t awful in five games, but Rescigno didn’t have much talent at the skill player positions. He got a big lift with the news that Janarion Grant will return for a fifth season. Rutgers might even turn to talented four-star true freshman receiver Bo Melton to provide a spark in the passing game. Whatever it takes to turn around the B1G’s worst offense.
WISCONSIN
Biggest need — A deep threat for Alex Hornibrook
Not to take anything away from Trace McSorley, but Hornibrook in a Penn State uniform last year would’ve been fun. The Lions had the deep threats that Hornibrook’s skill set would’ve thrived with. Hornibrook would love to be able to work downfield if he has the personnel that allows for it.
Jazz Peavy is a star, but he’s mostly a yards after the catch guy. Troy Fumagalli might be one of the best tight ends in college football in 2017, but he isn’t burning anyone deep. Wisconsin can take its offense to the next level if it finds a true deep threat for Hornibrook to work with. Talented sophomore-to-be Quintez Cephus or senior-to-be George Rushing could take that role on. In limited doses, Hornibrook showed trust in both of them on deep balls. If Wisconsin adds that element, the Badgers won’t have any dip in 2017.