OSU Buckeyes

With spring in the books for more than a month, the long march through the offseason and back to football is only beginning. But BuckeyeNation is going to keep doing its part to speed up the journey -- or at least make it more interesting. This week, that means a bunch of countdown lists, wrapping up today with a look at the best offensive players and top defenders Ohio State will be taking on this fall.

RANKING THE TOP OFFENSIVE OPPONENTS

1. Allen Robinson, Penn State: As a sophomore, Robinson turned in one of the most productive seasons in program history for the Nittany Lions and comfortably led the Big Ten with 1,013 receiving yards. There were only two targets in the league who even finished within 200 yards of Robinson, who also tacked on 11 touchdowns and drew positive reviews for becoming a more polished route-runner during spring practice. The Buckeyes largely held him check last fall in a win at Penn State, limiting Robinson to 68 yards on five catches. And star cornerback Bradley Roby certainly will have this matchup circled on his calendar.

2. Venric Mark, Northwestern: There might not be many stern tests for Ohio State's revamped defense outside of the league, but they'll get a couple quickly when Big Ten play opens. There might not be a better barometer for the fresh faces in the front seven than hitting the road to take on the Wildcats and an attack-minded offense led by a senior tailback coming off a season with 1,371 yards and 13 touchdowns. Mark isn't the only weapon for Northwestern, but shutting down the ground game by wrapping up the leading rusher will be the top priority for the Buckeyes in a critical early conference clash.

3. James White, Wisconsin: The stage finally belongs to White. And while the senior running back has done plenty of damage in the past while playing behind Montee Ball and enters the season as the NCAA's active rushing leader, the spotlight will finally focus on a dangerous rusher who has made the most of his opportunities in the past with 32 touchdowns to go with those 2,571 yards. The Buckeyes had their hands full with Ball a year ago, giving up 191 yards and a touchdown but countering with one memorable forced fumble at the goal line. Now it's White's turn to take a crack at Ohio State and see if he can come up with a better outcome for the Badgers than the loss they suffered at home last November.

4. Brendan Bigelow, California: The numbers for last season were underwhelming for the electrifying running back, but Bigelow showed in one afternoon against the Buckeyes how difficult he can make life for opposing defenses. In fact, it was puzzling enough for one day why the Golden Bears didn't give him the ball more often after he turned four carries into 160 yards against Ohio State, and he only had 40 more carries for the rest of the season -- averaging nearly 10 yards per touch out of the backfield. A new coaching staff figures to ramp up the workload. The Buckeyes will have to be more fundamentally sound against him than they were in 2012.

5. Shane Wynn, Indiana: The pass-happy Hoosiers have a handful of receivers who could make a statistical claim as the top threat the Ohio State secondary will have to contain in November, but the diminutive, elusive junior is the most likely option to explode without warning. Wynn struck from deep against the Buckeyes last year, adding to the fireworks in a high-scoring affair with a 76-yard touchdown, and he finished the season with a team-high 68 receptions for the Hoosiers.

RANKING THE TOP DEFENSIVE OPPONENTS

1. Chris Borland, Wisconsin: The responsibilities for the senior linebacker might be changing along with a new scheme for the Badgers, but it's safe to assume Borland will be able to handle them, given his track record of success in the Big Ten over the last couple seasons. From the sheer volume of tackles (308) to the variety of ways Borland has produced game-changing plays with turnovers, few players will enter this season having had a more significant impact in the league already in their careers. The Buckeyes will be well aware of where Borland is and what he can do to wreck a plan of attack, and keeping him away from the football will be critical.

2. Tyler Scott, Northwestern: The pace wasn't quite the same, but the top pass-rusher for the Wildcats in 2012 finished with nine sacks, the same total that Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year John Simon posted for the Buckeyes. Scott will have the full attention of every lineman and blocking schemes will account for him first and foremost as teams prepare for Northwestern, and it will be up to a veteran group of Buckeyes on the offensive line to slow him down in the trenches and ensure that Braxton Miller has time to work in the pocket in what figures to be a hostile environment in October.

3. Khalil Mack, Buffalo: Without a bowl game and without even playing in all 12 games last season, the senior linebacker still finished the season with four forced fumbles, adding to his already impressive reputation for knocking the ball loose before deciding to return for one more season with the Bulls. The program record for forced fumbles (11) belongs to him already, and he's been an absolute wrecking ball in opposing backfields with 56 tackles for a loss in his career. The Buckeyes have no shortage of talent and experience up front, but they could still have their hands full right from the start as they face Mack in the opener.

4. Landon Feichter, Purdue: The Buckeyes were victimized by the sophomore safety last year in a tighter-than-expected win at home, but Feichter provided them with some company that could sympathize. Feichter's interception at Ohio State was his fourth a season ago, tying him for the most in the Big Ten and complementing his team-leading 80 tackles. The Boilermakers have been a pest for Ohio State in the past, and Feichter is certainly capable of making that the case again when the programs hook up in early November in West Lafayette, Ind.

5. James Morris, Iowa: The Hawkeyes had two linebackers rack up more than 100 tackles a year ago, and Morris actually finished behind teammate Anthony Hitchens and Ohio State's Ryan Shazier on the conference leaderboard for takedowns. But the senior more than made up for that by chipping in all over the field, making nine tackles for a loss, intercepting a pass, forcing a fumble and recovering one as well. Iowa has some question marks coming off a rough 2012 season, but linebacker play won't be a concern.

The 2012 All-Big Ten teams and individual award winners will be revealed at 7 p.m. ET tonight on the Big Ten Network. We'll post the full lists shortly thereafter as well as reaction.

The four major awards -- Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Freshman of the Year -- will be revealed Tuesday night. We will have our official blog endorsements for each of these throughout Tuesday, so be sure to check in.

To clarify, we don't have official votes for All-Big Ten (not like we cover the league closer than anyone year-round or anything, but we're not bitter), but we will reveal our own all-conference team at a later date.

For now, we're going to give our opinions on some of the key debates surrounding this year's all-conference team.

(Read full post)

Through five weeks of the season, which players have established themselves as the top candidates for individual Big Ten awards? Glad you asked.

Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year

1. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State: The leader in the clubhouse after September, Miller continues to be the main reason why the Buckeyes are undefeated. He's averaging 115 rushing yards and 186 passing yards per game, though he'll have to cut down on both his turnovers and the big hits he's taken.

2. Taylor Martinez, QB, Nebraska: If Miller hadn't been so valuable the first five weeks, Martinez would be the clear choice so far. He's leading the league in pass efficiency, has an 11-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and is the engine that drives the Big Ten's top offense.

3. Matt McGloin, QB, Penn State: McGloin still leads the Big Ten in passing yards, and his 10 passing touchdowns are second to only Martinez. He's also added four rushing scores. He has had a hand in all but two of Penn State's 16 touchdowns this season.

4. Le'Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State: Bell continues to lead the conference in rushing, but two supbar games in losses to Notre Dame and Ohio State hurt his cause in this race. He can still pile up the stats in the next couple of months, however.

5. Mark Weisman, RB, Iowa: The Hawkeyes' walk-on has an incredible story and has been playing incredibly the past three games, racking up 507 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Not playing much the first two games put him behind the leaders for individual honors, but if he can keep this up he'll catch them in the end.

Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year

1. Michael Mauti, LB, Penn State: There might not be a better linebacker in the country right now than Mauti, who is the heart and soul of the Nittany Lions' defense. His two-interception performance against Illinois sealed his status as the Big Ten defensive MVP of September.

2. Kawann Short, DT, Purdue: The senior had another sack against Marshall, giving him four this season. But the Boilers' overall defensive effort wasn't very good last week. Purdue will need Short to stand tall against Michigan this week. The next three weeks will be make-or-break time for his candidacy and his team's season.

3. Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin: Borland was all over the place against Nebraska last week, and is having an outstanding season (43 tackles, three sacks, four pass breakups, one forced fumble).

4. D.L. Wilhite, DE, Minnesota: Wilhite paced the Big Ten in sacks (4.5), but the Gophers' poor overall defensive showing against Iowa last week dented his chances.

5. Will Compton, LB, Nebraska: Compton might have played his best game as a Husker in leading his team's second-half comeback against Wisconsin. He leads Nebraska in tackles (44) and has three sacks, along with two quarterback hurries.

Richter–Howard Receiver of the Year

1. Allen Robinson, Penn State: Robinson has more receiving yards (439) than anyone in the league and is tied for tops in the Big Ten in catches (32) and touchdowns (five). He might also be the league's most improved player after catching three balls as a freshman.

2. Antavian Edison, Purdue: The Boilermakers have a lot of weapons, but Edison is their clear go-to guy in the passing game. He has as many touchdown catches as Robinson in one less game.

3. Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin: Abbrederis' value to the Badgers' offense is immense. He's leading the league in receiving yards per game (99.8) and might be ahead of Robinson had he not missed a game and a half with a chest injury/concussion.

4. Devin Smith, Ohio State: No receiver in the league has more highlights than Smith, who has caught game-winning bombs against Cal and Michigan State. Urban Meyer said after the Michigan State game that Smith is blossoming into a great player right before our eyes.

The Big Ten doesn't announce an official preseason all-conference team. But that doesn't mean we can't.

Here are our picks for the 2012 preseason All-Big Ten team:

Offense

QB: Denard Robinson, Michigan
RB: Montee Ball, Wisconsin
RB: Rex Burkhead, Nebraska
RB: Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State
WR: Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin
TE: C.J. Fiedorowicz, Iowa
OT: Taylor Lewan, Michigan
OT: Ricky Wagner, Wisconsin
OG: Spencer Long, Nebraska
OG: Chris McDonald, Michigan State
C: Travis Frederick, Wisconsin

Defense

DE: John Simon, Ohio State
DE: William Gholston, Michigan State
DT: Kawann Short, Purdue
DT: Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State
LB: Gerald Hodges, Penn State
LB: Chris Borland, Wisconsin
LB: Jonathan Brown, Illinois
CB: Johnny Adams, Michigan State
CB: Ricardo Allen, Purdue
S: Isaiah Lewis, Michigan State
S: Jordan Kovacs, Michigan

Specialists

K/P: Brett Maher, Nebraska
KR: Raheem Mostert, Purdue
PR: Abbrederis

Thoughts: The first thing that likely jumps out at you is that we have three running backs and just one receiver on our first-team offense. No, we haven't forgotten the rules of football. It's just that we continue to feel the wide receiver crop is weak this season, and no great candidates for the second spot leap out at us. Perhaps Keenan Davis of Iowa or one of Northwestern's many receivers will have a great season, but no one has proved anything on a consistent basis. We'd rather have Bell -- who we believe is primed for a huge year -- on the team than any of the receiver candidates. Plus, isn't running the ball what Big Ten football is all about? ... Some of the toughest omissions came at linebacker, where Michigan State's duo of Denicos Allen and Max Bullough and Wisconsin's Mike Taylor were among those left out. At least we know we'd have an outstanding second-team unit at that position. ... Fiedorowicz is a bit of a projection pick, but we love the way he finished last season and how he fits into Greg Davis' new scheme. You certainly could make a strong case for Wisconsin's Jacob Pedersen or Ohio State's Jake Stoneburner there as well. ... Some of these players won't live up to expectations, and others will explode on the scene this fall. But for now, we'd feel pretty good about throwing this team on the field.

Our position-by-position preseason rankings roll on as we get to the linebackers. This is one of the strongest overall position groups in the league, full of returning stars and pro prospects.

Here are the top 10 individual linebackers leading into 2012, based heavily on last year's performance with some consideration given to potential.

1. Gerald Hodges, Penn State, senior: A first-team All-Big Ten performer a year ago, Hodges is a leading contender for Big Ten defensive player of the year honors this season. A big hitter with speed, he had 106 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss in a breakthrough junior campaign. New coordinator Ted Roof could set Hodges loose on more blitzes this season.

2. Chris Borland, Wisconsin, junior: Borland switched to middle linebacker last year, and Bret Bielema said he could be the best middle linebacker he's ever coached. Borland isn't very tall (at a listed 5-foot-11) but makes up for it with all-around athleticism and instincts. He finished with 143 tackles last season.

3. Jonathan Brown, Illinois, junior: Brown made a name for himself last year as sophomore, erupting for 19.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. He gets to quarterbacks in a major hurry, and they are not happy to see him.

4. Max Bullough, Michigan State, junior: The captain of the Spartans' outstanding defense from his middle linebacker spot, Bullough has a keen understanding of the game that comes from growing up in a football family. He's also an impressive athlete at 6-foot-3 and 252 pounds. His tackle numbers last year (89) weren't huge, but he's got a ton of talent around him.

5. Denicos Allen, Michigan State, junior: Allen is one of those talented guys around Bullough. The Spartans love to use his speed on linebacker blitzes, and for good reason. He had 11 tackles and 18.5 tackles for loss last season while flying in from the edge.

6. Mike Taylor, Wisconsin, senior: It shows you how good and deep the Big Ten linebacker corps is that Taylor ranks only sixth after racking up a whopping 150 tackles last year. He's always around the ball and has strong tackling skills. It's hard to find a more reliable combo than him and Borland.

7. James Morris, Iowa, junior: He led Iowa with 110 tackles a year ago, though there's a strong feeling that he and the Hawkeyes should have made more plays on defense last season. Morris has started since midway through his freshman season and should continue to improve. Iowa will need its linebackers to make plays behind a young defensive line.

8. Michael Mauti, Penn State, senior: We love Mauti's playmaking ability and sense for the game, and we love the leadership he's shown through the Nittany Lions' crisis. We just hate the fact that he hasn't been able to stay healthy during his career. Here's hoping for some luck in that department in his final go-round, and if so, he has a chance to be among the very best linebackers in the conference.

9. Kenny Demens, Michigan, senior: Demens was named the Wolverines' top linebacker last season after recording 94 tackles and three sacks. He should be a leader of a veteran group that might provide the strength of Michigan's defense in 2012.

10. Will Compton, Nebraska, senior: Last week at Big Ten media days, Bo Pelini called Compton the unquestioned leader of the Cornhuskers' defense. He'll also look to become the team's top playmaking linebacker in the absence of Lavonte David. He had 82 tackles a year ago, including excellent performances in key victories over Michigan State and Penn State.