It’s impossible to find one college football team in the history of the game that didn’t have a single weakness. The best college football teams – especially the ones in the Big Ten – have so many strengths that their weaknesses aren’t nearly as noticeable on a week-to-week basis. However, the fact that they can be negated by strengths in other areas that help cover them up doesn’t mean they don’t exist. So what is the biggest area of concern for the top teams in the Big Ten? Here is a look at the projected Achilles heel for the top four teams in the Big Ten this season.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Achilles Heel: Secondary
Ohio State lost a number of players from last year’s team, but the biggest concern is likely in their secondary where Eli Apple, Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell all declared for the NFL Draft. Cornerback Gareon Conley returns after an impressive season, but he is the Buckeyes’ only returning starter in the secondary and they will be banking on their depth stepping up to help replace the players they lost. Denzel Ward, Damon Webb and Marshon Lattimore will compete to start opposite of Conley at cornerback while Malik Hooker, Erick Smith and Cam Burrows are among those competing for the two starting safety spots. Urban Meyer has done an incredible job recruiting over the years and Ohio State will have a number of young players that are ready to step up, but right now at least on paper the defensive secondary is a major concern and could be the this Big Ten’s team Achilles heel in 2016.
Michigan Wolverines
Achilles Heel: Offensive Line
The Wolverines don’t have elite options at quarterback and linebacker, and that was the difference when it came to them falling short of a Big Ten title in Jim Harbaugh’s first season with the program. Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Don Brown will make sure that the team can still contend even with average play at both positions, but the bigger concern for Michigan is its offensive line. The Wolverines return four starters, but that unit struggled towards the end of last season when the competition got tougher before putting together its best performance in the Citrus Bowl. Can Michigan’s offensive line build on that performance? Only time will tell, but right now the Wolverines offensive line is the team’s biggest concern heading in to next season.
Michigan State Spartans
Achilles Heel: Replacing Quarterback Connor Cook
Michigan State lost its all-time winning quarterback and all-time leading passer in Connor Cook, and finding his replacement could prove to be their biggest Achilles Heel this season when it comes to Big Ten play. It won’t be easy to replace a passer as talented as Cook and the Spartans don’t have a clear-cut replacement with fifth-year senior Tyler O’Connor and fourth-year junior Damion Terry set to compete for the starting job. Head coach Mark Dantonio has said he won’t name a starter until September, but whoever wins the job will be in tough to help ease the transition and keep the Michigan State offense from falling off too much in 2016.
Iowa Hawkeyes
Achilles Heel: Vertical Passing Game
The Hawkeyes climbed to the top of the Big Ten West with a perfect 8-0 record in conference play last season, but that was in spite of a passing attack that wasn’t nearly good enough. Iowa managed to win games by running the football and playing tough defense, but on the rare occasion they needed to push the ball vertically down the field they struggled. Quarterback C.J. Beathard and leading wide receiver Matt VandeBerg will be back and both will need to take another step forward this season. Expectations are high for Jerminic Smith and potential redshirt freshman Emmanuel Ogwo, but right now the vertical passing game is the Achilles heel of a Hawkeyes’ team that is talented enough to repeat as Big Ten West champions.
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