Spot checks: The Big Ten's most crucial position battles for 2016

10:41 AM ET This story appears in ESPN College Football 2016, on newsstands now. Order online today! Michigan is looking for a quarterback after saying goodbye to Jake Rudock while Michigan State needs someone to fill Connor Cook’s shoes. Ohio State needs to replace Ezekiel Elliott. Who will emerge this fall in some of the Big Ten’s most interesting position battles? East Division Houston transfer John O’Korn is the leader in the clubhouse to succeed a surprisingly solid Jake Rudock under center (81.3 QBR in 2015, No. 10 in the FBS), but he’s a bit of a wild card. After throwing for 3,117 yards and 28 touchdowns in his AAC rookie-of-the-year campaign in 2013, he was benched five games — and eight interceptions — into 2014. Junior Shane Morris (who redshirted last year), junior Wilton Speight and true freshman Brandon Peters (the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in the class of 2016) will push O’Korn throughout the summer. Ezekiel Elliott left large cleats to fill, and not just because he ran for 3,699 yards, 41 TDs and 12 multiple-TD games in his past two seasons. He was also valued as a blocker. And while he was the only RB show in town for two years, the Buckeyes look primed to employ a tailback-by-committee approach this fall. Fifth-year senior Bri’onte Dunn and redshirt freshman Mike Weber will battle for the starting gig, but early enrollee Antonio Williams and hybrids Curtis Samuel and Dontre Wilson will merit attention too. Three-year starter Christian…

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