The Big Ten West is facing the perception, if not the brutal reality, of being the lesser of the two sects in the Big Ten Conference. When West division champion Wisconsin was manhandled and annihilated by Ohio State in a 59-0 loss in the Big Ten Championship game, the result added to the perception of the division being one of the weakest in major college football.
Wisconsin Badgers
Head coach Gary Andersen bolted for Oregon State a few hours after the debacle against Ohio State, citing frustration with the high UW admissions standards. Former Badger quarterback and favorite son Paul Chryst has taken over after a pedestrian three-year run at Pitt in which he went 19-19.
Chryst made his reputation as an offensive coordinator, and his first task will be to solve the Badgers quarterback woes. Wisconsin finished 118th in the nation for passing which was offset by their power ground game that ranked fourth in the nation for rushing yardage. Chryst inherits a defense that improved to rank fourth in the country. With an improved passing attack, the Badgers could get a return shot at the Big Ten Championship Game. Wisconsin is projected to rank 29th in the nation for its recruiting class according to ESPN.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska fired fiery and mercurial head coach Bo Pelini despite the fact that he won no less than nine games each year he was on the job. Pelini was replaced by Mike Riley, who was struggling to maintain what was a successful, but inconsistent program at Oregon State.
Riley has never coached at a place like Nebraska with its unlimited resources. College football insiders believe he is a better choice than what initially meets the eye. Riley is a proven developer of quarterbacks, but must find a way to strengthen the disappointing Huskers defense that has been mauled on the road in recent years. ESPN projects Nebraska to rank 32nd for its recruiting class.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Head coach Jerry Kill continues to work one of the most underrated coaching performances in recent college football history. Kill has posted back-to-back eight win seasons but the question remains as to whether or not Minnesota has reached its peak as far as potential. The Gophers ranked an abysmal 121st in the nation for passing. Minnesota emulates division rival Wisconsin in that they ranked 30th in the nation for rushing yardage and 35th for scoring defense. In order to take the next step the Gophers must develop a reliable passing attack that can complement the rushing game. Defensive depth is another priority.
Iowa Hawkeyes
After three consecutive double-digit win seasons in 2004, 2005, and 2006 head coach Kirk Ferentz has posted just one since that time, and the natives are getting quite restless in Iowa City. Last year’s 7-6 season ended with three consecutive losses and a 45-28 blowout loss to Tennessee in a bowl game that Hawkeye fans wish they had skipped out on. Ferentz may be compensating too much on the recruiting trail after a period of disciplinary incidents within the program that followed those big years of 2004 through 2006.
Fighting Illini of Illinois
Head coach Tim Beckman barely escaped with his job as it took a season ending 47-33 win at Northwestern to make the Illini bowl eligible. Illinois has the metrics of a program in decline as they ranked 97th in the nation for total offense and 112th for total defense. Beckman is on one of the hottest seats in the land and has done little in improving a program that needs a buildout in every aspect of the game. The talent level has dropped noticeably from predecessor Ron Zook’s days at the helm.
Northwestern Wildcats
After a 10-3 season in 2012, the Wildcats have posted back-to-back 5-7 seasons that have fans wondering if head coach Pat Fitzgerald is out of ideas. Fitz had led the Wildcats to five straight bowl games before the past two subpar seasons. Fixing an offense that ranked 107th in the nation remains job number one.
Purdue Boilermakers
Second-year head coach Darrell Hazell is making noticeable progress. Despite a 3-9 record, the Boilermakers were much more competitive in 2014. However, more will be needed as patience is not a part today’s college game.
