Big Ten team capsule previews

Top returnees: QB Jon Beutjer (126-257, 1,597, 10 TD, 9 Int.), RB E.B. Halsey (525 yds., 140 att., 2 TD), WR Lonnie Hurst, OLB Matt Sinclair (129 tackles, 4 sacks), DE Mike O'Brien, CB Kelvin Hayden

Hot topics: Beutjer, a transfer from Iowa, gets a sixth year of eligibility and third year as a starter for the Illini. Three promising offensive players have moved to defense, including Hayden, last year's leading receiver.

Cold facts: The Illini gave up a Big Ten-worst 223 yards rushing per game on the ground last season and came up with only two interceptions while finishing last in turnover ratio. Former Michigan linebacker Mike Mallory, whose father Bill was long-time coach at Indiana, has been brought in as coordinator to retool the defense.

Overview: The Illini are getting away from an overly ambitious non-conference schedule, playing their three non-league games at home in hopes of building momentum. But a shaky defense will keep them from making giant strides.

INDIANA

2003: 2-10 overall, 1-7 Big Ten (T-9th)

Coach: Gerry DiNardo 5-19 in 2 years at the school

Returning starters: 21, 10 offense, 9 defense, kicker, punter

Players to watch: QB Matt LoVecchio (155-291, 1,778, 3 TD, 9 Int.), TB BenJarvus Green-Ellis (938 yds., 225 att., 7 TD), FL Courtney Roby (45 rec., 504 yd.), DE Victor Adeyanju (5 TFL), DT Jodie Clemons (6 sacks, 12 TFL), LB Kyle Killion (97 tackles, 7 TFL), SS Herana-Daze Jones (96 tackles, 2 Int.)

Hot topics: The entire offensive line and front seven on defense returns to a team that made progress in running the ball and stopping the run. Green-Ellis nearly gained a 1,000 yards as a true freshman. And the Hoosiers have finally given out the full allotment of 85 scholarships after DiNardo inherited a depleted program.

Cold facts: The Hoosiers play only five home games and LoVecchio did not live up to the promise that followed him as a transfer from Notre Dame.

Overview: DiNardo hopes IU picks up where Green-Ellis left off. Despite starting only three games, he gained 203 yards against Penn State and finished up with 155 in the finale against Purdue. But the Hoosiers are still in a transitional phase, rebuilding under two new coordinators.

IOWA

2003: 10-3 overall, 5-3 Big Ten (T-4th)

Coach: Kirk Ferentz 32-29 in 5 years at the school

Returning starters: 10; 2 offense, 7 defense, punter

Players to watch: RB Jermelle Lewis (241 yds., 46 att., 1 TD), QB Drew Tate (6-11, 55, 1 TD, 0 Int.), OT Pete McMahon, LB Abdul Hodge (141 tackles, 11 sacks, 13 TFL), LB Chad Greenway (132 tackles, 11 TFL), DE Matt Roth (12 sacks, 16 TFL)

Hot topics: Tate, a prep phenom from Texas, becomes the third starting quarterback in three years. The big three on defense -- Hodge, Greenway and Roth -- will set the tone for a typically rough, tough, bunch of Hawkeyes.

Cold facts: Iowa basically keeps starting from scratch without skipping a beat. Eventually you'd think the inexperience would catch up with the Hawks, especially on an offense missing tackle Robert Gallery and welcoming back only two starters.

Overview: Ferentz has proven himself to be one of the best coaches in the Big Ten. Somehow he'll find a way to get it done again, even though it means replacing Gallery, 1,000-yard rusher Fred Russell and 2002 Groza Award-winning placekicker Nate Kaeding.

MICHIGAN

2003: 10-3 overall; 7-1 Big Ten (1st)

Coach: Lloyd Carr 86-26 in 9 years at the school

Returning starters: 15; 7 offense, 6 defense, kicker, punter

Players to watch: QB Matt Gutierezz (13-19, 153, 1 TD, 0 Int.), WR Braylon Edwards (85 rec., 1,138 yds., 14 TD), G David Bass, TE Tim Massaquoi (15 rec., 199 yds., 2 TD), WR Steve Breaston (38 rec., 444 yds., 3 TD), WR Jason Avant (47 rec., 772 yds., 2 TD), LB Pierre Woods (68 tackles, 7 sacks, 14 TFL), CB Marlin Jackson, SS Ernest Shazor (57 tackles)

Hot topics: Gutierezz is leading a charmed life. Michigan's new starting quarterback hasn't lost a game since ninth grade and won two mythical national championships in high school. Now he'll be throwing to arguably the best receiving corps in the nation, which should open some holes for a tailback committee. And with Jackson returning to cornerback from safety, an always strong Michigan defense should keep pace.

Cold facts: The entire front four on defense is gone, but junior tackles Gabe Watson and Larry Harrison are a pair of 300-pounders ready to plug some holes. And by the end of last season sophomore end LaMarr Woodley had developed into one of the Big Ten's best pass rushers.

Overview: There's a reason Edwards, Jackson and Bass decided to bypass the NFL draft and return to Michigan. They believe the Wolverines have the potential to win a national championship as well as repeat in the Big Ten. But they'll have to go through Columbus to do it.

MICHIGAN STATE

2003: 8-5 overall, 5-3 Big Ten (T-4th)

Coach: John L.Smith 8-5 in first year at the school

Returning starters: 15; 6 offense, 7 defense, kicker, punter

Players to watch: RB DeAndra Cobb (172 yds., 38 att.), QB Drew Stanton, WR Agim Shabaj (57 rec., 692 yds., 5 TD), TE Eric Knott (31 rec., 306 yds., 2 TD), LB Ronald Staley (101 tackles), LB Seth Mitchell (103 tackles), DE Clifford Dukes (7 sacks) P Brandon Fields (46.4 yards per punt)

Hot topics: Smith has reestablished a winning attitude in East Lansing and is building for a promising future. But he also wants to win now, and that's why he moved his two top running backs -- Tyrell Dortch and Jaren Hayes -- to defense to shore up the secondary when it became apparent neither would become the featured back.

Cold facts: The quarterback and tailback situations are big question marks and three starters have departed from both lines. After a 7-1 start last season, the Spartans went into a 1-4 slide, which doesn't bode well for a young squad this year.

Overview: A trip to Iowa looks like the only unwinnable game in MSU's first six. If the Spartans can jump out to another fast start, they will go bowling again under Smith. Then again, a four-game stretch against Minnesota, Michigan, OSU and Wisconsin could lead to another season-ending tailspin.

MINNESOTA

2003: 10-3 overall, 5-3 Big Ten (T-4th)

Coach: Glen Marson 44-40 in 7 years at the school

Returning starters: 15; 7 offense, 6 defense, punter, kicker

Players to watch: RB Marion Barber III (1,196 yds., 207 att., 17 TD), RB Lawrence Maroney (1,121 yds., 162 att., 10 TD), C Greg Eslinger, DE Darrell Reid (5.5 sacks, 12 TFL), LB Terrance Campbell (87 tackles, 4 sacks, 9.5 TFL)

Hot topics: For someone supposedly on the outs with his players after he openly campaigned for the Ohio State job in 2001, Mason has regained their trust, evidenced by back-to-back bowl wins and the first 10-win season since 1905. Barber and Maroney combined for 2,317 yards rushing last year and give the Gophers the best one-two punch in the nation.

Cold facts: New starting quarterback Bryan Cupito must produce and produce early to keep defenses from stacking the box against the run. The Cincinnati native is considered a better passer than the three-year starter, Asad Abdul-Khalig, he is replacing. But even if Cupito is clicking early, can a ground-oriented attack win its share of shootouts? The defense gave up 30 or more points in five games last year, including 104 in the last three.

Overview: A schedule that doesn't include Ohio State and Purdue helps give the Gophers a chance to play on New Year's Day. They get Iowa at home in the finale. Their toughest games will be road trips to Michigan and Wisconsin.

NORTHWESTERN

2003: 6-7 overall, 4-4 Big Ten (T-7th)

Coach: Randy Walker 24-35 in 5 years at the school

Returning starters: 18; 8 offense, 9 defense, kicker/punter

Players to watch: QB Brett Basanez (162-302, 1,916 yds., 4 TD, 12 Int.), RB Noah Herron (739 yds., 119 att., 5 TD), OG Matt Ulrich, OT Zach Strief, DE Loren Howard (8 sacks, 16 TFL), LB Tim McGarigle (140 tackles), DT Luis Castillo (2.5 sacks, 6.5 TFL)

Hot topics: Every starters and key reserve returns on both sides of the line, including two All-Big ten candidates on each side of the ball. Herron looks like he's ready to take over for 1,300-yard back Jason Wright, while Howard and McGarigle give the Wildcats two standouts on defense.

Cold facts: Basanez slumped horribly as a sophomore, throwing three times as many interceptions as TDs. But he's the only quarterback in the program who has ever played in a game.

Overview: Five of Northwestern's six wins last season were over teams with losing records, so it's hard to say where this program stands. At a school where academics still mean more than athletics, a second-straight 6-6 season and accompanying bowl trip would be considered a rousing success.

PENN STATE

2003: 3-9 overall, 1-7 Big Ten (T-9th)

Coach: Joe Paterno 339-109-3 in 38 years at the school

Returning starters: 15; 6 offense, 7 defense, kicker, punter

Players to watch: QB Zack Mills (136-251-1,404 yds., 6 TD, 5 Int.); QB/WR Michael Robinson (62-138, 892 yds., 5 TD, 5 Int.), TB Austin Scott (436 yds., 100 att., 5 TD), OT Levi Brown, CB Alan Zemaitis (4 interceptions), DE Derek Wake (4 sacks, 8 TFL)

Hot topics: The Nittany Lions have a couple of decent options at quarterback in Mills and Robinson, and Scott is a promising back who will run behind an improved line. There may not be a better cornerback in the conference than Zemaitis.

Cold facts: One-time Linebacker U lacks playmakers at that position and the school has piled up off-the-field incidents faster than victories in recent years. At least 11 players were cited or charged with offenses from February 2003 to February 2004.

Overview: Hard to believe, but under an icon like Paterno, the Lions have been a lackluster 22-26 the last four years. Rather than hand him a pink slip after last year's 3-9 finish, school officials gave Paterno a four-year extension.Will he reward their loyalty?

PURDUE

2003: 9-4 overall, 6-2 Big Ten (T-2nd)

Coach: Joe Tiller 55-32 in 7 years at the school

Returning starters: 12; 8 offense, 3 defense, kicker

Players to watch: QB Kyle Orton (251-414, 2,885 yds., 15 TD, 7 Int.), WR Taylor Stubblefield (86 rec., 835 yds., 3 TD), WR Ray Williams (15 rec., 204 yds., 3 TD), OT Mike Otto, DE Ray Edwards, CB Antwaun Rogers, SS Bernard Pollard

Hot topics: Tiller expects a Drew Brees-like season out of Orton, the only veteran quarterback returning to a contending team. Stubblefield could break the records set by former teammate John Standeford, the Big Ten's all-time leading receiver. Kicker Ben Jones was a Groza Award semifinalist last year. This season is a reverse of last year, when all of the experience was back on defense, so look for Air Tiller to re-emerge after spending much of last year in the hanger.

Cold facts: Despite the loss of six members of the front seven, Purdue coaches insist there will be no drop-off in talent. That's good because the Boilermakers were 13th in total defense last season.

OVERVIEW: The Boilers have gone to seven straight bowl games under Tiller, and yet they are sort of the antithesis of Ohio State. They find a way to lose all of the close ones. Twelve of their last 13 losses, dating to 2001, have come by a TD or less. The last time a Purdue team had as much experience on offense and as little experience on defense, it went to the 2000 Rose Bowl.

WISCONSIN

2003: 7-6 overall, 4-4 Big Ten (T-7th)

Coach: Barry Alvarez 99-67-4 in 14 years at the school

Returning starters: 19; 9 offense, 8 defense, kicker, punter

Players to watch: RB Anthony Davis (682 yds., 116 att., 7 TD), OT Joe Thomas, OG Dan Buenning, C Donovan Raiola, WR Brandon Williams (49 rec., 649 yds., 1 TD), DT Anttaj Hawthorne (4 sacks, 20 TFL), DE Jonathan Welsh (8 sacks, 11.5 TFL), CB FS Jim Leonard (7 interceptions)

Hot topics: The Badgers return all of their starters on both lines, boast a marquee tailback in Anthony Davis, a ball-hawking safety in Jim Leonard and a new quarterback, John Stocco, who brings a major league arm (drafted by the Twins) to the position.

Cold facts: So why isn't Wisconsin considered any more than a dark horse contender? For one, the Badgers appear snakebitten. After a 6-1 start, they lost four of their last five games last season by a total of 21 points. Davis must prove he can stay healthy. The defense needs to replace the nearly 200 tackles it got from departed linebackers Jeff Mack and Alex Lewis.

Overview: In high school, Stocco got to throw the ball to Larry Fitzgerald. If Davis stays healthy, Stocco could be handing off to another Heisman Trophy candidate. If Davis can handle the workload, the Badgers will probably be in the race for the long haul. He played less than a half in three games last season, all losses.