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The sun will be setting soon on spring football in the Big Ten, and the spring transfer portal has slammed shut. For the head coaches of the conference’s 18 teams, it’s another offseason benchmark to close a hectic period full of player development and roster shuffling.
Players are being coached up during spring practice, while talent is being added and subtracted via the unrelenting portal. When the dust settles and the spring football period ends, those head coaches surely have a long list of positives and negatives to evaluate, and probably some fresh talent from the portal, too.
Each head coach will now spin things forward from spring football toward the summer and eventually fall camp. They’ll hold tightly to those positives and fret about the negatives, because that’s what coaches are wired to do. A nicer way to frame those negatives is to call them “concerns,” and that’s what we’ll do here.
With the spring football period that has become dizzying in modern college football ending soon, we’re going to go over the 1 biggest concern right now for every B1G program. We’ll go in alphabetical order, so we don’t make 1 team’s concern look bigger than another. Every program (even Ohio State) has issues, and here’s the biggest concern for each:
Illinois — How will the Illini manage high expectations?
Bret Bielema won a bunch of games at Wisconsin, going 68-24 in 7 seasons. Then, after a disappointing run at Arkansas and 3 mostly mediocre seasons back in the Big Ten at Illinois, he pulled off a 10-win campaign last fall in Champaign with a very respectable 6-3 conference record. Bielema even beat an SEC team in the Citrus Bowl, leading the Illini over South Carolina to cap off what could be the beginning of a new era of winning football at Illinois.
Illinois football hasn’t been relevant in a really long time. Ron Turner led the Fighting Illini to a Big Ten title way back in 2001, and that was pretty much Illinois football’s last big hurrah. Then, former 4-star recruit Luke Altmyer transferred from Ole Miss for the 2023 season, and suddenly the Illini had themselves a quarterback. After throwing for 2,717 yards with 22 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions last fall, Altmyer is back for more at Illinois, brushing aside the lure of the NFL Draft and never considering the spring portal.
With Altmyer back for 2025, can Illinois football finally achieve some consistent winning after failing to do just that in 2002, 2008 and 2023 after having a taste of success the year before? Bielema couldn’t pull it off after leading the Illini to 8 wins in 2022, but this fall he’ll get another shot at it.
Indiana — Will the Hoosiers be focused enough come fall?
Indiana was the darling of college football in 2024, racking up 11 wins and an 8-1 Big Ten record in Curt Cignetti’s first season in Bloomington. Cignetti himself was the toast of the sport, with his brash and bold ways on the sideline and behind the microphone. Fast-forward to this spring, and Cignetti again wasn’t mincing his words. After the Hoosiers’ 10th practice of the spring, Cignetti lit into his team before taking any questions, which is a major deal when it happens during the relative calm of spring football.
“I think today we squandered an opportunity to improve as much as possible,” Cignetti told reporters. “We were inconsistent in too many areas, probably not mentally prepared to come out and do what it takes to have a successful practice and improve as much as possible.”
Cignetti sent his spring message, loud and clear. He’s used to winning, as shown by his 130-37 record as a head coach. He was already laying the groundwork for fall camp because Cignetti knows Indiana will be the hunted instead of the hunter, for a change. The fiery coach was demanding focus now, because he’s not about to let his program turn into a 1-year wonder this fall.
Iowa — Will a poor portal translate to poor results this fall?
Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz was adamant after spring practice that the program wasn’t done yet in trying to acquire talent through the spring transfer portal. Iowa fans had to be relieved to hear that, too, because the Hawkeyes haven’t exactly brought in a bonanza of reinforcements so far through the portal. In fact, On3 ranked Iowa’s portal class 14th in the 18-team Big Ten, putting the Hawkeyes ahead of only Northwestern, USC, Wisconsin and Purdue.
Iowa added only 3 players during the spring window so far — offensive lineman Bryce George from Ferris State, quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski from Wake Forest and cornerback Shahid Barros from South Dakota. Yes, even though the portal window is closed, players who are already in the portal still have time to head elsewhere.
Look, the Hawkeyes are coming off a decent season, going 8-5 with a 6-3 record in the Big Ten, but Ferentz hasn’t stuck around Iowa for over a quarter-century to have decent results. The past 2 national champions have come from the Big Ten, and that doesn’t even include Oregon, Penn State and Indiana, so the competition for talent has never been higher. Iowa simply can’t afford to fall too far behind.
Maryland — Depth a concern on both lines of scrimmage
Head coach Mike Locksley saw 5 of the Terrapins’ expected key players this fall enter the spring portal. Offensive linemen Terez Davis and Tamarus Walker, defensive lineman Lavon Johnson and linebackers Kellan Wyatt and Dylan Gooden are on their way out of College Park. This could ultimately create major problems for the Terps come fall.
Replacing that kind of talent and depth is going to be a chore for Locksley as he tries to get the program pointed in the right direction after last year’s 4-8 disaster. Maryland only won 1 Big Ten game in 2024, and this kind of last-minute spring exodus was the last thing that the Terps needed as they search for respectability. Davis and Walker both appeared in at least 9 games last season and were expected to be key pieces on the O-line, while Johnson was being counted on after emerging at nose tackle last season.
Michigan — Managing expectations for Bryce Underwood
Look, the 5-star phenom is probably going to be under center in Week 1 at the Big House against New Mexico. But Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore isn’t in the business of just handing the starting quarterback job to a freshman in April or May, so Underwood is going to have to win the job himself in fall camp. Moore said so following a spring game performance when Underwood showed flashes of brilliance but also room for improvement in going 12 for 25 for 187 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
Underwood capped the spring game performance with an 88-yard touchdown strike to tight end Jalen Hoffman. He’s far from a finished product right now because, well, not even the most hyped freshmen ever are. Wolverines fans are already dreaming big things for Underwood in Ann Arbor, and that’s fine, but the expectations are going to have to be held in check, especially at the start of the season. But the starting job isn’t Underwood’s yet, and Jadyn Davis is still right there to push him.
Michigan State — Who will take charge in the backfield?
Nate Carter and Kay’ron Lynch-Adams left East Lansing for the NFL Draft, which has left a gaping hole in the Spartans’ running back room. The addition of Sacramento State transfer Elijah Tau-Tolliver is nice, but he’ll not only be adjusting to a new program but also to a whole new level of football after arriving from the FCS ranks. But Tau-Tolliver will at least give Michigan State an infusion of talent at the position that it sorely needed with that departing talent.
Sophomore Makhi Frazier and Brandon Tullis will also challenge for playing time, but both players only had 7 carries each last season, so neither is a proven commodity. By fall, Michigan State hopes 1 of these guys proves they can carry the load.
Minnesota — Who will emerge as the top wide receiver?
Daniel Jackson led the Gophers in catches (75) and receiving yards (863) in 2024, but he’s gone to the NFL, signing an undrafted free agent deal with the Houston Texans. He’ll be far away from Minneapolis this fall, leaving Minnesota scrambling to fill that top wideout position. Transfers Logan Loya, Javon Tracy and Malachi Coleman will provide an infusion of talent at the position, as will returning wideouts Le’Meke Brockington, Christian Driver, Kenric Lanier II, Nuke Hayes and Tyler Williams.
That’s a lot of new guys mixed in with a lot of returning guys. But who can emerge and be the Golden Gophers’ No. 1 guy at wide receiver? All of it is as up in the air as the passes they’ll be catching come fall camp in trying to be Minnesota’s next Jackson.
Nebraska — Overcoming big-time change at defensive line
Head coach Matt Rhule didn’t just lose defensive linemen Nash Hutmacher, Ty Robinson and James Williams from last season. He also lost his defensive line coach from last season, with Terrance Knighton leaving for Florida State. Rhule brought in Terry Bradden to replace Knighton and run the defensive line, so it’s just about a full-fledged defensive line revamp in Lincoln in 2025.
Nebraska attacked its D-line losses in the transfer portal, adding Williams Nwaneri, Jaylen George and Gabe Moore. Nwaneri could be a huge key in rebuilding the unit, as a former 5-star recruit who Nebraska lured to Lincoln from Missouri. He had 2 tackles and 1 sack in 2024 at Mizzou, and much more will be expected of him and the other transfer additions in 2025.
Northwestern — Putting offensive line back together again
Injuries were rampant along the Wildcats’ offensive line in 2024. A whopping 8 different offensive linemen played over 100 snaps last season, and that meant continuity was hard to come by. The good news is that 6 of those 8 linemen are returning to Evanston in 2025, and Northwestern has added 3 linemen via the transfer portal.
The flip side to all of this is that Wildcats offensive line coach Bill O’Boyle is going to have a tough task in finding the exact right combination. O’Boyle’s job will be made a little easier just because of all those returning linemen, but there were 5 different starting combinations on a week-to-week basis last season, and now it’s time to hopefully find just 1 that works best. O’Boyle admitted that the injuries and lineup changes along the O-line took their toll last season, just 1 of the reasons Northwestern went 4-8. In 2025, the hope will be for far fewer injuries and maybe just 1 starting combination.
Ohio State — Who’s the new starting quarterback?
Will Howard came to Columbus to finish off his career with a national title, and he did just that. Now, he’s property of the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is great for Howard but not ideal for the Buckeyes. Howard got better as the season went along, and his experience meant everything for Ohio State in its Playoff run.
But that safety valve of experience is gone now, as Howard amounted to a 1-and-done for Ryan Day’s proud program. Now, the position is up in the air in 2025. Will former 5-star stud and Alabama transfer Julian Sayin take control of the competition, as he looked to be doing in the spring game after going 17 of 24 for 175 yards and a touchdown? Or can Lincoln Kienholz beat out Sayin? Day provided some clarity this week, revealing that Sayin and Kienholz have separated themselves from freshman Tavien St. Clair, making it a 2-man competition to replace Howard.
Oregon — Who’s following Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel?
Oregon has been beyond spoiled at the quarterback position the past 3 seasons, between Bo Nix’s brilliance in 2022 and 2023, followed by a special season from Dillon Gabriel last fall. It hasn’t produced a national title, but it’s given the Ducks security knowing they had one of the best quarterbacks in the country to lean on. So, who will Dan Lanning’s program trot out behind center this fall, and can the Ducks still win without having one of the top QBs in college football?
Redshirt freshman Luke Moga had an excellent spring game, throwing for 112 yards and a touchdown while showing he can evade blitzes with his legs. Moga will be battling with Dante Moore and Austin Novosad, who are both coming off redshirt seasons, so clearly Oregon is in uncharted territory at the position when compared with the past 3 seasons. Moore, who transferred from UCLA after the 2023 season, threw for 140 yards in the spring game and, by all accounts, is the leader in this 3-man competition. But he didn’t really separate himself this spring, and so the QB battle will drag into fall camp.
Penn State — Linebacker U has linebacker depth issues
Penn State head coach James Franklin isn’t one to point out one of his team’s weaknesses, especially publicly. But Franklin did just that after last Saturday’s Blue-White spring game when asked about his concerns regarding the team’s linebacker depth. The Nittany Lions just lost redshirt sophomore Ta’Mere Robinson, who transferred to Big Ten rival USC. That compounded a problem area for Penn State, whose linebacker unit was already young and on the thin side heading into the summer.
“I think we’re in good shape, but there are some concerns there,” admitted Franklin to reporters after the spring game. “We lost a guy that we didn’t anticipate losing. We’re not a big portal team, but we’re going to have to address some issues.”
Those are big words, from any head coach and especially from Franklin. Dom DeLuca and Tony Rojas, who has battled injury this spring and is expected back soon, are players Franklin can count on at linebacker. Behind them, there are questions, and the middle linebacker spot Penn State has made famous over several decades is a huge concern right now in Happy Valley. Anyone who doesn’t truly believe this can take it from Franklin himself.
Purdue — Who will replace Max Klare’s production?
Who are we kidding? The Boilermakers are coming off a 1-11 disaster in 2024 that included an 0-9 mark in the Big Ten. They fired Ryan Walters and tasked new coach Barry Odom with the ultimate challenge in 2025. Yeah, there are a ton of concerns right now in West Lafayette. But if we have to pick just 1, and we do, we’ll go with the transfer of budding star tight end Max Klare to Ohio State and ask who is going to replace that kind of production?
Yes, the rich got richer with Klare opting to head to Columbus for the 2025 season. Conversely, it left poor Purdue to replace its leading receiver and 1 of the few bright spots from last fall. You know Klare must have been really good to pile up 51 catches for 685 yards and 4 touchdowns on the 2024 Purdue offense. He would’ve been a great piece for Odom to build on in Year 1, but instead he’ll be in Columbus.
Redshirt sophomore George Burhenn was having a fantastic spring before injuring his leg in a scrimmage in early April and having surgery. Odom maintains Burhenn will be ready for Week 1.
UNLV transfers Christian Earls — who is 6-foot-8 — and Christian Moore, along with Wake Forest transfer Luca Puccinelli will be fighting for playing time, too.
Rutgers — What about that inexperienced secondary?
Rutgers already earned a huge victory in the courtroom with UNLV transfer safety Jett Elad winning a preliminary injunction that will give him another year of college eligibility. It’s a major win for Elad and, in turn, a huge win for a Scarlet Knights defensive backfield that is replacing 4 starters in 2025. Sophomore safety Kaj Sanders is Rutgers’ only returning player in the secondary.
Sure, the reality that Elad will be able to play this fall will help fill those major voids. But he’s only 1 player, and there will be an adjustment period for him after transferring from the Mountain West Conference. Rutgers does have potential reinforcements this fall at cornerback with returning backups Al-Shadee Salaam and Bo Mascoe to go with transfers Cam Miller and Jacobie Henderson. The Scarlet Knights might survive the secondary overhaul but it’s going to be a work in progress to get there.
UCLA — Is fall camp enough time for Nico Iamaleava?
The Nico Iamaleava saga took over college football this spring, from Knoxville all the way to Pasadena. There was a lot of negative noise, and for good reason, about how Iamaleava left Tennessee. The fact is though that Iamaleava will be heading home to Southern California to play for the Bruins, and another fact is the timing of it all means Iamaleava will be participating in his first UCLA practice on the first day of fall camp.
That’s a lot to overcome, and Iamaleava will have a lot of catching up to do once fall camp begins. Head coach DeShaun Foster navigated through spring practices while the Iamaleava questions swirled around Westwood. He was tasked with keeping both eyes on his team while the big prize of the spring portal was a few thousand miles away. That will all change in a few months, and the biggest challenge for Foster now is getting the new centerpiece of his program integrated in the leadup to Week 1.
USC — What’s going on at linebacker?
Linebacker could be USC’s biggest question mark going into fall camp. Redshirt senior Eric Gentry is back for his 4th season with the Trojans, but he’s been injury-prone in 2 of his first 3 seasons and has missed multiple games. Maybe because of that alone, USC targeted many linebackers in the transfer portal, signing Penn State transfer Ta’Mere Robinson to heavily boost its linebacker depth.
Sophomore Desman Stephens II could be a starter alongside Gentry, and redshirt freshman Jadyn Walker could be in the mix for playing time as well. But clearly this is a position to watch for the Trojans as fall camp gets going because it’s just not as deep as USC is at other spots.
Washington — Will transfer additions solve run defense?
The Huskies were a mediocre 6-7 in their first season in the Big Ten with an equally mediocre 4-5 conference record. What’s one of the best ways Jedd Fisch’s program can escape that mediocrity in 2025? How about stopping the run. Last season, Washington allowed over 160 yards rushing per game, which ranked in the bottom half of college football. There was a lack of depth and size in the Huskies’ interior defensive line.
To combat the rush defense issue in 2025, Washington went to the transfer portal for help and got it. The Huskies brought in a trio of linemen to help with that interior depth, with Anterio Thompson, Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei and Simote Pepa heading to Seattle. The additions are a big step in the right direction for the Huskies, but anytime you’re counting on transfers, much less 3 of them, to solve a problem area, there has to be some concern. Washington will hope the transfer additions combined with returning players Jayvon Parker and Logan Sagapolu is the right cure for those rush defense woes from last fall.
Wisconsin — Who will finally be the answer at left tackle?
The 2025 Badgers are chock full of question marks coming out of spring ball following the program’s first losing season since 2001 and first time missing a bowl game since that year. Throw in a head coach in Luke Fickell trying to overcome a rough first few years in Madison while starting the 3rd different quarterback in his 3 full seasons there, a new offensive coordinator and a brutal schedule this fall (on paper), and there’s a lot of obstacles to tackle.
The biggest obstacle to tackle right now though is at left tackle, one of the most important positions on the field. Wisconsin lost 4-year starter Jack Nelson, who started primarily at left tackle. Nelson is gone to the NFL, and his presumed replacement, former 4-star 2024 recruit Kevin Heywood, suffered a torn ACL during a spring practice.
So, now what for Wisconsin at left tackle? There are options out there. There’s Vanderbilt transfer Leyton Nelson, who had some first-team reps at the position after Heywood’s injury. There’s starting left guard Joe Brunner, who also got first-team reps at left tackle during the spring. Fickell has mentioned redshirt freshman Emerson Mandell as a possibility, and Central Michigan transfer Davis Heinzen has experience at left tackle. Solving this position is a must if the Badgers want to turn things around.