Final Big Ten injury report: Week 13
November 22, 2008 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg
Courtesy of collegeinjuryreport.com and some of my own research.
ILLINOIS (at Northwestern)
- QB Eddie McGee, toe, probable
- LB Martez Wilson, out, suspension
- DT Josh Brent, knee, questionable
- RB Mikel LeShoure, jaw, questionable
- FB Rahkeem Smith, suspension, questionable
- S Garrett Edwards, shoulder, questionable
- OT Ryan Palmer, foot, questionable
- CB Miami Thomas, knee, out (season)
- DT Sirod Williams, knee, out (season)
INDIANA (at Purdue)
- RB Zach Davis-Walker, thumb, questionable
- S Jerimy Finch, ankle, questionable
- RB Bryan Payton, ankle, questionable
- CB Richard Council, knee, questionable
- LB Will Patterson, knee, questionable
- CB Richard Council, knee, doubtful
- OL Andrew McDonald, undisclosed, questionable
- S Nick Polk, knee, out (season)
- TE Brian Zematis, ankle, out (season)
- S Austin Thomas, knee, out (season)
- OL Dennis Zeigler, knee, out (season)
- CB Chris Phillips, knee, out (season)
IOWA (at Minnesota)
- OG Andy Kuempel, muscle pull, doubtful
- OL Wes Aeschliman, hip, out (season)
- S Harold Dalton, suspension, out
- TE Tony Moeaki, leg, questionable
- OL James Ferentz, suspension, out
MICHIGAN (at Ohio State)
- WR Zion Babb, dismissal, out (season)
- RB Sam McGuffie, shoulder/personal, questionable
- OT Stephen Schilling, knee, questionable
- RB Carlos Brown, foot, questionable
- WR Junior Hemingway, mononucleosis, out
- QB Steven Threet, shoulder, doubtful,
- LB Kevin Leach, ankle, questionable
- T Mark Huyge, ankle, out
- WR Terence Robinson, knee, doubtful
- S Brandon Smith, appendix, out (season)
- G Cory Zirbel, knee, out (season)
MICHIGAN STATE (at Penn State)
- WR Keshawn Martin, undisclosed, questionable
- CB Chris L. Rucker, leg, questionable
- WR Mark Dell, knee, questionable
- S Roderick Jenrette, personal, out (season)
MINNESOTA (vs. Iowa)
- WR Eric Decker, ankle, probable
- S Kyle Theret, leg, probable
- LB Lee Campbell, questionable, hamstring
- RB Duane Bennett, knee, out (season)
NORTHWESTERN (vs. Illinois)
- DT Corbin Bryant, knee, out (season)
- LB Malcolm Arrington, knee, out (season)
- QB Mike Kafka, concussion, probable
- DE Vince Browne, knee, out
- RB Omar Conteh, knee, out (season)
- TE/FB Drake Dunsmore, knee, out (season)
- DE Rejaie Johnson, shoulder, out (season)
- RB Tyrell Sutton, wrist, out
- CB Justan Vaughn, shoulder, out (season)
OHIO STATE (vs. Michigan)
- WR Ray Small, suspension, questionable
- CB Jermale Hines, leg, doubtful
- OL Ben Person, leg, out
- OL Connor Smith, undisclosed, questionable
- DE Curtis Terry, undisclosed, out (season)
- OL Mike Adams, ankle, out (season)
- OL J.B. Shugarts, shoulder, out (season)
- DE Lawrence Wilson, knee, out (season)
- CB Andre Amos, knee, out (season)
PENN STATE (vs. Michigan State)
- DE Josh Gaines, ankle, questionable
- OL Ako Poti, knee, out (season)
- DT Devon Still, ankle, out (season)
- RB Brent Carter, knee, out (season)
- OL Doug Klopacz, knee, out (season)
- DE Jerome Hayes, knee, out (season)
PURDUE (vs. Indiana)
- TE Kyle Adams, knee, doubtful
- LB Jason Werner, back, out
- OL Justin Pierce, groin, questionable
- OT Sean Sester, knee, probable
- G Eric Hedstrom, knee, probable
- QB Joey Elliott, shoulder, out (season)
- T Garrett Miller, knee, out (season)
- RB Jaycen Taylor, knee, out (season)
WISCONSIN (vs. Cal-Poly)
- T Eric Vanden Heuvel, foot, probable
- WR Kyle Jefferson, concussion, out
- TE Lance Kendricks, leg, out (season)
- WR Maurice Moore, leg, doubtful
- TE Travis Beckum, leg, out (season)
- DE Brendan Kelly, thumb, out (season)
- CB Aaron Henry, knee, out (season)
- DE Kirk DeCremer, back, out (season)
Personnel updates from around the league
November 17, 2008 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg
Update your depth charts, people.
NORTHWESTERN
Backup quarterback Mike Kafka is expected to be fine for Saturday’s regular-season finale against Illinois after sustaining a concussion in the win at Michigan.
The news isn’t so good for defensive tackle Corbin Bryant, who will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury that will require surgery. Junior Adam Hahn, a two-year starter at defensive tackle, will get the start against the Illini.
OHIO STATE
Junior wide receiver/punt returner Ray Small might be able to play Saturday against Michigan (ABC, noon ET), head coach Jim Tressel said today. Small has been suspended for the last two games for repeated violations of team rules. After the suspension, Small’s father told several media outlets that Ray would have a chance to return for the Michigan game.
Tressel expects running back Chris “Beanie” Wells to be fine for the game after the star junior tweaked his hamstring on a highlight-reel leap over Illinois’ Donsay Hardeman in Saturday’s win. Nickel back Jermale Hines (leg) is the only Buckeyes player to miss the game because of injury.
WISCONSIN
Sophomore wide receiver Kyle Jefferson likely will miss Saturday’s game against Cal-Poly after sustaining a concussion in the win against Minnesota. This comes as no surprise, as Jefferson was briefly knocked unconscious and taken from the field in an ambulance.
Badgers head coach Bret Bielema expects starting right tackle Eric Vanden Heuvel (leg), starting safety Jay Valai (shin) and backup running back Zach Brown (ribs) all to be available for Cal-Poly.
Hankwitz revs up Northwestern defense
September 26, 2008 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern’s first-team defense dropped to the ground and got into push-up position, its penance for a mistake toward the end of Wednesday’s practice.
As the players counted off their push-ups, first-year coordinator Mike Hankwitz stood over them, his face flushing red as he scolded a group that leads the Big Ten in sacks (15) and ranks 13th nationally in points allowed (11.3 ppg).
“I don’t care if we’re out here five hours!” Hankwitz barked. “We ain’t gonna practice like that!”
When the starters finally lined up for the next play, the reserve defenders on the far sideline chanted, “Kill! Kill! Kill!”
The somewhat surreal sequence encapsulates a new era of defense at Northwestern. A unit long criticized for being soft and passive — justified criticisms, by the way — has shown some spine in the first four games.
The Wildcats are just three sacks shy of their total from all of last season. They’re tied for fourth nationally in tackles for loss (9 per game) and rank 26th nationally in pass efficiency defense after finishing 98th last year.
After finishing no higher than 68th nationally in total defense since employing the spread offense in 2000, the Hankwitz-led Wildcats have shed their label as a liability. Granted, the competition hasn’t been great and Northwestern will need a lot more progress in Big Ten play, but the team’s first 4-0 start since 1962 can be credited to its defensive renaissance.
“As a defense, we’ve always been viewed as a soft spot on the team,” linebacker Malcolm Arrington said. “[Hankwitz is] allowing us to play, taking off the restraints. He’s telling us to go out there and play football. We’re very confident in our ability to play and compete right now.”