The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/137378
Top 25 Players In The Big Ten 1. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State: The marriage of head coach Urban Meyer and Miller went even better than predicted last season. Miller guided OSU to a 12-0 record, averaging 275.8 yards of total offense per game. A noted runner, the junior proved a consistent passer too, ranking fourth in the Big Ten with a 140.5 pass efficiency rating. 2. Taylor Lewan, OL, Michigan: The 2012 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year is the conference's preeminent blocker, and could become just the fifth player in league history to be named the Big Ten's top lineman twice, joining Michigan's Jake Long (2006-07). 3. Taylor Martinez, QB, Nebraska: The Big Ten's most experienced quarterback, entering his fourth season as a starter, Martinez improved his passing considerably, upping his completion percentage from 56.3 two seasons ago to 62.0 in 2012, and his touchdown-tointerception ratio from 1.63:1 in 2011 to 1.92:1 last season. 4. Max Bullough, LB, Michigan State: Linebackers like Bullough are rarely seen anymore. The 6-3, 242-pounder is a throwback to the days when middle linebackers swallowed up everything in front of them, and in the Big Ten, no one does that better than Bullough. The senior has averaged 100 tackles the past two seasons, and has posted 19.5 tackles for loss. 5. Kain Colter, QB, Northwestern: The Big Ten's Mr. Everything, Colter rushed for 894 yards and 12 touchdowns, threw for 872 yards and eight scores, and caught 16 balls in 2012. He eventually gave up receiving duties to focus at QB and led Northwestern to a 4-1 finish, including a Gator Bowl win over Mississippi State. 6. Venric Mark, RB, Northwestern: Mark was the man no punter or kicker wanted to see opposite him. The junior led the Big Ten in all-purpose yardage, averaging 166.6 yards per game, including 1,366 yards rushing (with 12 touchdowns). He also returned two punts for touchdowns and averaged18.7 yards per return. 7. Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State: The 6-2, 222-pound Shazier is the rare breed of linebacker that never has to come off the field. The junior ranked third in the Big Ten in tackles with 115 last year, including a league-best 17.0 for loss. Showing off his versatility, he also had 11 pass breakups, five sacks and three forced fumbles. 8. Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska: The 5-9, 190-pound junior wasn't supposed to be anything more than a stand-in for injured starter Rex Burkhead, but he ended up proving himself a formidable heir, rushing for 406 yards in the four games Burkhead sat out. Abdullah finished fourth among Big Ten tailbacks in rushing with 1,137 yards. 9. Brad Roby, CB, Ohio State: A first-team All-American at cornerback in 2012, Roby tied a school record with 17 pass breakups. The 5-11, 192-pound junior is already showing up Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller is the leading returning rusher in the Big Ten this season after averaging 105.9 yards per game on the ground in 2012. photo by per kjeldsen as a first-round pick in many 2014 mock drafts and is the closest thing the Big Ten has to a lockdown corner this season. 10. Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State: In a league bereft of star power at the receiver position, Robinson is in a class by himself. The 6-3, 204-pound junior was the lone Big Ten target to eclipse 1,000 yards in 2012, hauling in a league-high 77 balls for 1,013 yards and 11 touchdowns. 11. Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin: An AllBig Ten first-team performer in both 2011 and 2012, Borland returns for his senior season intent on leading the Badgers back to the conference title game. The 5-11, 248-pound linebacker has amassed more than 100 tackles in each of the past two seasons (247 combined), including 29 tackles for loss. 12. James White, RB, Wisconsin: Named the 2010 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, the 5-10, 197-pound White lived in Montee Ball's shadow the past two seasons yet still rushed for 1,519 yards and 18 touchdowns. He will be the undisputed No. 1 ball carrier for the Badgers this fall and could pace the league in rushing after averaging 6.1 yards per carry during his threeyear career thus far. 13. Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State: Overshad- 174 ■ The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview owed and outrushed by Miller, Hyde did more with less, totaling 970 yards and 16 touchdowns on 185 carries in 2012 (5.2 yards per attempt). His prowess for reaching the end zone is unmatched among returning players, and the senior should have plenty of chances to cross the goal line again this fall. 14. Isaiah Lewis, S, Michigan State: The Spartan secondary ranked in the top 10 nationally in pass efficiency defense (third) and pass defense (ninth) in 2012 thanks in no small part to Lewis. Entering his third season as a starter at safety, the 5-10, 210-pound senior is feared by both wide receivers and quarterbacks. He has 16 passes defended over the past two seasons. 15. Devin Gardner, QB, Michigan: If he can match and build on his five-game finish to the 2012 campaign, Gardner could eclipse 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns, and would likely rank among the Big Ten's top-five performers, threatening Miller and Martinez as the league's first-team all-conference quarterback. 16. Andrew Norwell, OL, Ohio State: One of three first-team All-Big Ten offensive linemen returning this season, the 6-6, 319-pound Norwell has started 25 games in his career and will anchor an offensive line with four starters returning.