Illini lose Carradine, Michigan wants Washington

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Defensive end Cornelius "Tank" Carradine won't sign Wednesday with Illinois after committing to the school back in November, Bob Asmussen writes in The (Champaign) News-Gazette. Academic issues forced Carradine elsewhere, and he's looking at Michigan, Cincinnati, N.C. State and Kentucky. 

It will be an interesting signing day for Illinois, which hopes to retain top wide receiver Terry Hawthorne and a class that should once again rank in the nation's Top 25. 

As signing day approaches, here are some quick Big Ten items regarding recruiting and other matters:

• Michigan expects to land top offensive line prospect Quinton Washington on Wednesday, ESPN's JC Shurburtt reports. South Carolina and Miami are also in the mix for Washington, ranked No. 82 in the ESPNU 150.  
• Penn State defensive tackle Abe Koroma and former Lions defensive end Maurice Evans will serve a year's probation after being charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession in September. Both players can have the charges removed from their records if they complete a program for first-time offenders. 
• Northwestern linebacker Malcolm Arrington was denied a medical hardship after sustaining a knee injury in Week 8 last fall. Arrington, the team's top linebacker, had hoped for a sixth season with the Wildcats.
• Sorry this is a little late, but Michigan State added to its strong 2009 recruiting class with safety Jairus Jones, the son of former Detroit Lions running back James Jones. Jairus Jones committed during the weekend. 
• Iowa's state Board of Regents approved plans for a new drainage system at Kinnick Stadium and FieldTurf to replace natural grass as the playing surface. Iowa will become the seventh Big Ten member with FieldTurf as its home playing surface. The cost is estimated at slightly more than million.

"Our staff has been looking at alternatives and options the past couple years as the drainage in Kinnick has grown progressively worse," Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said in a statement. "It reached a point of critical concern this year prior to our game against Iowa State. We brought in engineers to conduct additional studies and realized our only option is to replace the drainage system that is now 20 years old."

• Wisconsin's disappointing 2008 season didn't turn off commits or top in-state prospects, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal. 

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Recruiting needs: Northwestern Wildcats

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The skill positions will top Pat Fitzgerald's wish list as the Northwestern head coach wraps up a small recruiting class on the heels of a 9-4 season.

Northwestern loses its starting quarterback (C.J. Bacher), its top two running backs (Tyrell Sutton and Omar Conteh) and its top three wide receivers (Eric Peterman, Rasheed Ward and Ross Lane). Mike Kafka steps in at quarterback, but he'll be a senior. The Wildcats need another capable signal caller for 2010, and they think they've found one in commit Evan Watkins.

Running back will be the team's biggest need next fall, and the recruiting class could help. Sutton arrived four years ago as a true freshman and rushed for nearly 1,500 yards. Though undersized rising junior Stephen Simmons did a nice job in relief of Sutton this fall, Northwestern needs to stock up in the backfield.

The Wildcats return some capable possession-type wide receivers (Jeremy Ebert, Andrew Brewster), but adding a player who can stretch the field would be a big plus in this class.

On the defensive side, linebacker likely will be the top priority, as Northwestern loses two starters (Malcolm Arrington and Prince Kwateng). Fitzgerald has always recruited well to his former position and will look to add there. The defensive line loses two starters and another (star end Corey Wootton) after the 2009 season, so building depth up front is vital.

Northwestern also loses kicker Amado Villarreal, a two-year starter, and will award a scholarship to incoming recruit Jeff Budzien.

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Northwestern Wildcats season recap

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Northwestern didn’t make the big national splash this fall as it did in the mid-1990s, but the program quietly took some key steps on the path to consistent success.

It started with a 4-0 sweep of the nonconference slate, a feat Northwestern hadn’t accomplished since 1963. Even the school’s league title-winning teams in 1995, 1996 and 2000 stumbled in nonleague play. Had Northwestern swept the nonconference portion in 2007 or merely gone 2-2 or better in 2004, the program would have made bowls in four of the last five years.

An even bigger breakthrough occurred on defense. Led by first-year coordinator Mike Hankwitz, Northwestern led the Big Ten in sacks (33) and ranked 23rd nationally in scoring defense (19.3 ppg). A unit that had finished no better than 68th nationally since Northwestern installed the spread offense in 2000 improved to 53rd this season. The Wildcats defense allowed 17 points or fewer in seven of the team’s nine wins and made the nation’s fifth-largest improvement in points allowed.

The offense didn’t light up the scoreboard as it had in past seasons, and a young offensive line and erratic quarterback play hurt the team at times. But newfound depth helped Northwestern survive injuries to quarterback C.J. Bacher and running back Tyrell Sutton, and the Wildcats won three of their final four games after a potentially disastrous loss at Indiana.

An Alamo Bowl matchup against Missouri awaits Northwestern, but head coach Pat Fitzgerald has built some momentum for a program that has been very competitive in Big Ten play since 1995.

Offensive MVP — Wide receiver Eric Peterman
After a slow start, Peterman came on strong during Big Ten play to lead the Wildcats in receiving yards (654) for the second consecutive season. The senior had a team-high five touchdown catches and also threw a touchdown pass in a win against Purdue. Fellow wideout Ross Lane deserves a mention, and Sutton was very productive before suffering a dislocated wrist Oct. 25 at Indiana.

Defensive MVP — Defensive end Corey Wootton
Hankwitz’s system allowed Wootton to start reaching his enormous potential, and the junior earned All-Big Ten honors after anchoring the league’s top pass rush. Wootton finished fifth in the Big Ten in sacks (9) and seventh in tackles for loss (15). The 6-foot-7 end had seven quarterback hurries, a blocked kick, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Safety Brad Phillips also merits a mention.

Turning point — Nov. 1 at Minnesota
Northwestern limped into the Metrodome, having lost Sutton, Bacher and starting middle linebacker Malcolm Arrington to injuries in the previous two games. But backup quarterback Mike Kafka sizzled in his first start since 2006, setting a Big Ten quarterback rushing record with 217 yards. Kafka kept the offense afloat, and the defense sealed a dramatic win as Brendan Smith returned an interception for a touchdown with 12 seconds remaining.

What’s next
The Wildcats are heavy underdogs in the Alamo Bowl, but their first postseason win since the 1949 Rose Bowl would cap a very strong season. Northwestern must replace its starting offensive backfield, but Kafka appears to be a capable replacement at quarterback and a very young offensive line will be a year older. The core returns on defense, and Northwestern should be in position for another bowl game in 2009.

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Team-by-team turning points from the season

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

With all this extra time to reflect on the Big Ten regular season, it seems only natural to try and spot exactly where things went right or wrong for each team. These turning points resonate with players and coaches, either serving as moments of pride or incentive to get things corrected the following season.

For two teams, there are multiple turning points.

Here’s the rundown.

ILLINOIS

Final record: 5-7 (3-5 Big Ten)

Turning point: Oct. 11 vs. Minnesota (27-20 loss)

The skinny: The inconsistent Illini finally appeared to have found their footing behind junior quarterback Juice Williams, who set the single-game total offense record (431 yards) at Michigan Stadium the previous week. Williams set another stadium record against the Gophers (503 yards of offense), but critical turnovers (3) and special-teams miscues (two kickoffs out of bounds) that plagued Illinois down the stretch surfaced in a home loss.

INDIANA

Final record: 3-9 (1-7)

Turning point: Sept. 20 vs. Ball State (42-20 loss)

The skinny: The Hoosiers felt pretty good about themselves after beating up on two inferior opponents (Western Kentucky and Murray State). But they were ill-prepared for the surging Cardinals, who exposed a defense that wound up struggling all season. After an All-Big Ten season in 2007, quarterback Kellen Lewis threw two interceptions in the loss and never really got back on track the rest of the way.

IOWA

Final record: 8-4 (5-3)

Turning point: Nov. 8 vs. Penn State (24-23 win)

The skinny: Until that cold night in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes were a good team that couldn’t close out games, dropping four contests by a combined 12 points. They were coming off a mistake-ridden loss at Illinois and started slow on offense. But star running back Shonn Greene (117 rush yards, 2 TDs), a blossoming Ricky Stanzi and one of the Big Ten’s top defenses surged after halftime, and Iowa rallied for a milestone win against No. 3 Penn State.

MICHIGAN

Final record: 3-9 (2-6)

Turning point: Oct. 11 vs. Toledo (13-10 loss)

The skinny: The Wolverines hadn’t played well to this point, but they still had an excellent chance to improve to 3-3 and set up a potential postseason run down the stretch. But Rich Rodriguez’s offense stalled, as it did for much of the season, as Michigan committed three turnovers that turned into 10 Toledo points. In a season of historic lows, Michigan lost to a Mid-American Conference team for the first time in 25 tries.

MICHIGAN STATE

Final record: 9-3 (6-2)

Turning point: Oct. 25 at Michigan (35-21 win)

The skinny: Michigan State showed newfound mental toughness this fall and changed its reputation as a team prone to fast starts and incredible collapses. Coming off an embarrassing home loss to Ohio State, the Spartans faced a team that had owned them at the Big House. Despite a blown call that gave Michigan a touchdown, Michigan State didn’t flinch, rallying behind running back Javon Ringer (194 rush yards, 2 TDs) and quarterback Brian Hoyer (282 pass yards, 3 TDs). Michigan State ended a six-game losing streak to Michigan.

MINNESOTA

Final record: 7-5 (3-5)

Turning point I: Oct. 11 at Illinois (27-20 win)

The skinny: The Gophers’ formula of opportunistic defense and disciplined offense spurred them to a 7-1 start. They showcased those traits at Illinois, sacking Juice Williams five times and forcing a fumble that turned into the decisive touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg was a beast, and quarterback Adam Weber showed incredible toughness by playing only six days after knee surgery.

Turning point II: Nov. 1 vs. Northwestern (24-17 loss)

The skinny: Minnesota followed its plan early, recording an interception for a touchdown to jump ahead of the Wildcats. But the problems that crippled the Gophers down the stretch — no run game, poor offensive line play, turnovers — surfaced in the second half, and a deflating loss in the final minute kicked off a four-game slide to close the regular season.

NORTHWESTERN

Final record: 9-3 (5-3)

Turning point: Nov. 1 at Minnesota (24-17 win)

The skinny: In the past, Northwestern didn’t have enough depth to survive a rash of injuries to key players. After losing quarterback C.J. Bacher, running back Tyrell Sutton and middle linebacker Malcolm Arrington, the Wildcats appeared doomed for another middling season. But a team that lacked superstars but possessed plenty of resiliency upset then-No. 17 Minnesota, riding backup quarterback Mike Kafka (Big Ten quarterback record 217 rush yards) and a stout defense to a crucial win. Northwesern won three of its final four games.

OHIO STATE

Final record: 10-2 (7-1)

Turning point: Oct. 18 at Michigan State (45-7 win)

The skinny: The Buckeyes embarrassed themselves at USC and continued to struggle on offense behind a young quarterback (Terrelle Pryor) and an underperforming line. Many pegged Ohio State for a loss in East Lansing, but the Buckeyes came up with arguably their best performance of the season. Pryor and Chris “Beanie” Wells sizzled, and a defense that played well following the USC debacle had two fumble returns for touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Ohio State re-established itself as a Big Ten bully.

PENN STATE

Final record: 11-1 (7-1)

Turning point: Oct. 11 at Wisconsin (48-7 win)

The skinny: Any doubts about Penn State as a legitimate national title contender were put to rest in Madison, as the Nittany Lions handed Wisconsin its worst home loss since 1989. Quarterback Daryll Clark and wideout/return man Derrick Williams led the Spread HD offense that highlighted Penn State’s league title run, while Aaron Maybin and the defense shut down the Badgers. Though Penn State later stumbled against Iowa, most of its games played out like this one.

PURDUE

Final record: 4-8 (2-6)

Turning point: Sept. 13 vs. Oregon (32-26 loss OT)

The skinny: Purdue should have won this game, and things could have been very different had the Boilers finished off the Ducks. A plucky Purdue defense gave up yards but limited points, as it did for much of the season, but quarterback Curtis Painter and the offense couldn’t execute consistently enough when it counted. Purdue’s inability to convert scoring chances into touchdowns became a theme for much of the fall.

WISCONSIN

Final record: 7-5 (3-5)

Turning point I: Sept. 27 at Michigan (27-25 loss)

The skinny: A BCS bowl was still very much in the picture for Wisconsin, which took a 3-0 record and a No. 9 national ranking into Michigan Stadium. The Badgers built a 19-0 halftime lead behind punishing defense and a balanced, disciplined offense. But they totally lost their edge on defense after the break, and quarterback mistakes that appeared throughout a four-game losing streak surfaced as Michigan mounted the greatest comeback in Big House history.

Turning point II: Oct. 25 vs. Illinois (27-17 win)

The skinny: The team seemed to gain confidence after making a quarterback switch from Allan Evridge to Dustin Sherer. After a rocky start at Iowa, Sherer led Wisconsin to wins in four of its final five games, beginning with this contest against the Illini. He accounted for three touchdowns (two pass, one rush) as Wisconsin ended its four-game slide. The Badgers easily could have finished with a five-game win streak if not for a late stumble in East Lansing.

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Final Big Ten injury report: Week 13

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)

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Final Big Ten injury report: Week 12

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Courtesy of collegeinjuryreport.com and some of my own research. Michigan State has a bye this week.

ILLINOIS (vs. Ohio State)

• RB Mikel LeShoure, jaw, doubtful
• FB Rahkeem Smith, suspension, probable (suspension lifted)
• S Garrett Edwards, shoulder, questionable
• OT Xavier Fulton, shoulder, probable
• OT Ryan Palmer, foot, probable
• CB Miami Thomas, knee, out (season)
• DT Sirod Williams, knee, out (season)

INDIANA (at Penn State)

• RB Zach Davis-Walker, thumb, questionable
• S Jerimy Finch, ankle, questionable
• RB Bryan Payton, ankle, out
• QB Kellen Lewis, ankle, probable
• QB Ben Chappell, probable, head
• LB Will Patterson, knee, out
• CB Richard Council, knee, doubtful
• S Joe Kleinsmith, undisclosed, questionable
• OL Pete Saxon, undisclosed, questionable
• OL Mike Reiter, abdominal, questionable
• OL James Brewer, ankle, questionable
• OT Rodger Saffold, knee, probable
• 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 (vs. Purdue)

• OG Andy Kuempel, muscle pull, doubtful
• OL Wes Aeschliman, hip, out (season)
• S Harold Dalton, suspension, out
• TE Tony Moeaki, leg, doubtful
• OL James Ferentz, out, suspension

MICHIGAN (vs. Northwestern)

• RB Brandon Minor, shoulder/wrist/ribs, doubtful
• RB Carlos Brown, foot, questionable
• OL David Molk, toe, probable
• WR Junior Hemingway, mononucleosis, out
• QB Steven Threet, concussion, probable
• LB Kevin Leach, ankle, questionable
• T Mark Huyge, ankle, questionable
• WR Terence Robinson, knee, questionable
• S Brandon Smith, appendix, out (season)
• G Cory Zirbel, knee, out (season)

MINNESOTA (at Wisconsin)

• WR Eric Decker, ankle, out
• RB Duane Bennett, knee, out (season)

NORTHWESTERN (at Michigan)

• LB Malcolm Arrington, knee, out (season)
• QB C.J. Bacher, hamstring, 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 (at Illinois)

• WR Ray Small, out, suspension
• OL Ben Person, leg, out
• DE Thaddeus Gibson, ankle, probable
• DE Curtis Terry, undisclosed, out(season)
• OL Mike Adams, ankle, out (season)
• OL J.B. Shugarts, shoulder, doubtful
• DE Lawrence Wilson, knee, out (season)
• CB Andre Amos, knee, out (season)

PENN STATE (vs. Indiana)

• CB Drew Astorino, thumb, probable
• DE Josh Gaines, ankle, probable
• 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 (at Iowa)

• QB Curtis Painter, shoulder, probable
• TE Kyle Adams, knee, doubtful
• LB Jason Werner, back, doubtful
• OL Justin Pierce, groin, questionable
• OT Sean Sester, knee, questionable
• G Eric Hedstrom, knee, questionable
• QB Joey Elliott, shoulder, out (season)
• T Garrett Miller, knee, out (season)
• RB Jaycen Taylor, knee, out (season)

WISCONSIN (vs. Minnesota)

• T Eric Vanden Heuvel, foot, doubtful
• LB Jaevery McFadden, concussion, probable
• TE Lance Kendricks, leg, out (season)
• WR Maurice Moore, leg, questionable
• TE Travis Beckum, leg, out (season)
• DE Brendan Kelly, thumb, out (season)
• CB Aaron Henry, knee, out (season)
• DE Kirk DeCremer, back, out (season)

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Northwestern injury report: Bacher still probable

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Northwestern just released its injury report for Saturday’s game at Michigan (ESPN2, noon ET), and for the second straight week, senior quarterback C.J. Bacher is listed as probable.

Bacher, who has been battling a right hamstring injury, sat out last week’s loss to Ohio State despite being labeled as probable on the injury report. But he participated more in practice this week and told reporters he’s healthy enough to play against the Wolverines. According to head coach Pat Fitzgerald, Bacher will reclaim his starting job when healthy.

Here’s the full report:

• LB Malcolm Arrington, knee, out (season)
• QB C.J. Bacher, hamstring, probable
• 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)

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Conteh out, Bacher probable for Northwestern

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Injuries continue to hit Northwestern at key positions, as senior running back Omar Conteh will miss Saturday’s game against No. 11 Ohio State with a knee injury. Conteh was inserted into a starting role last week after leading rusher Tyrell Sutton sustained a dislocated wrist Oct. 25 at Indiana.

Conteh’s injury occurred during a noncontact drill at Wednesday’s practice. It doesn’t appear to be season ending, but sophomore Stephen Simmons is expected to make his first career start against Ohio State.

“While we’re disappointed for Omar, we’re excited for the next man’s opportunity, in this case Stephen Simmons, Jacob Schmidt and Scott Concannon,” head coach Pat Fitzgerald said in a statement. “Our players are prepared to step up and fill in at running back.”

There was some good news on the Wildcats injury front, as starting quarterback C.J. Bacher has been upgraded to probable for the game with a hamstring injury. Fitzgerald said Bacher would start if healthy, though junior Mike Kafka remains part of the plan after an excellent performance at Minnesota.

Conteh struggled last week, rushing for only 12 yards on 12 carries. Simmons gives Northwestern more speed but much less experience in the backfield.

Northwestern’s full injury report is below.

• LB Malcolm Arrington, knee, out (season)
• QB C.J. Bacher, hamstring, probable
• DE Vince Browne, knee, out
• RB Omar Conteh, knee, out
• TE/FB Drake Dunsmore, knee, out (season)
• DE Rejaie Johnson, shoulder, out (season)
• RB Tyrell Sutton, wrist, out
• CB Justan Vaughn, shoulder, out (season)

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What we learned in the Big Ten: Week 10

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Without Penn State or Ohio State on the slate, the Big Ten looked strapped for storylines on Saturday. But an entertaining five-pack of games produced top-shelf highlights, fantastic finishes and important lessons. It’s time to study up.

1. Michigan State has turned the corner — Those not quite convinced of the Spartans’ renaissance after the Michigan win had to be sold after Saturday’s dramatic victory against Wisconsin. In the past, Michigan State wouldn’t survive sluggish starts or an opponent shutting down its best player (Javon Ringer). The Spartans would have lost a game like this one. But head coach Mark Dantonio has instilled a stronger mind-set with his team, and Michigan State surged in the fourth quarter.

2. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez hasn’t delivered — Rodriguez might be fine once he gets his own recruits, but his failure to successfully adapt to Michigan’s current personnel raises some serious doubts. Sure, the offseason transition was tumultuous, the program’s culture changed significantly and the holdovers were largely untested. But Michigan had found ways to reach bowls in 33 consecutive seasons and had posted winning records for four decades. Both of those streaks are history, and a segment of Michigan fans are left wondering whether the school made the right choice with RichRod.

3. Northwestern boasts greater depth than in past seasons — The Wildcats lost starters at arguably the three most important positions on the field — quarterback, running back and middle linebacker — and they still found a way to beat No. 17 Minnesota on the road. Mike Kafka became the latest Big Ten backup quarterback to step up in a tough situation, raising hope for the program’s future beyond the season. Despite the season-ending loss of Malcolm Arrington at middle linebacker, Northwestern’s defense shut out Minnesota in the second half and forced the decisive turnover in the final minute.

4. Inconsistency continues in Big Ten’s second tier — The Big Ten hierarchy seems clear after 10 weeks, with Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan State at the top and positioned to play on Jan. 1 or, in the Nittany Lions’ case, even later. But the next cluster of teams has been wildly unpredictable. Minnesota joined the Jekyll-and-Hyde posse after a Homecoming loss to Northwestern, which rebounded from an unsightly setback last week at Indiana. Illinois continued its win-one, lose-one pattern with a big win against Iowa, which looked flat on offense after a bye week. Wisconsin blew another fourth-quarter lead at Michigan State and needs a win next week to boost its bowl hopes.

5. Quarterback play could be better in 2009 — It hasn’t been a good year for Big Ten quarterbacks, particularly fifth-year seniors, but better days are ahead. Kafka’s running ability makes him an excellent fit for Northwestern’s spread offense. Purdue’s Justin Siller shined in his first career start, accounting for four touchdowns in a shootout win against Michigan. Wisconsin’s Dustin Sherer gave his team a chance to win. All three players will be in the mix to start next season.

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Final Big Ten injury report

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Courtesy of collegeinjuryreport.com (Iowa has a bye this week):

ILLINOIS (at Wisconsin)

• T Ryan Palmer, foot, doubtful
• CB Miami Thomas, knee, out (season)
• DT Sirod Williams, knee, out (season

INDIANA (vs. Northwestern)

• QB Kellen Lewis, high ankle sprain, questionable
• DT Deonte Mack, undisclosed, questionable
• WR Andrew Means, hand, doubtful
• OL Dennis Zeigler, knee, out (season)
• G Andrew McDonald, undisclosed, questionable
• G Cody Faulkner, undisclosed, questionable
• CB Chris Phillips, knee, out (season)
• WR Tandon Doss, knee, probable

MICHIGAN (vs. Michigan State)

• WR Greg Mathews, undisclosed, questionable
• RB Carlos Brown, foot, doubtful
• QB Steven Threet, bruised elbow, probable
• WR Junior Hemingway, mononucleosis, doubtful
• LB Austin Panter, shoulder, questionable
• T Mark Huyge, ankle, questionable
• WR Terence Robinson, knee, out
• S Brandon Smith, appendix, out
• G Cory Zirbel, knee, out

MICHIGAN STATE (at Michigan)

• QB Brian Hoyer, head/hand, probable
• S Roderick Jenrette, leave of absence, out

MINNESOTA (at Purdue)

• CB Marcus Sherels, shoulder, probable
• RB Kevin Whaley, abdominal, doubtful
• C Trey Davis, hand, questionable
• RB Duane Bennett, knee, out (season)

NORTHWESTERN (at Indiana)

• LB Malcolm Arrington, knee, out (season)
• G Keegan Grant, ankle, questionable
• CB Justan Vaughn, shoulder, out (season)
• DE Rejaie Johnson, shoulder, out (season)
• TE/FB Drake Dunsmore, knee, out (season)

OHIO STATE (vs. Penn State)

• RB Dan Herron, head/concussion, probable
• CB Chimdi Chekwa, shoulder, probable
• WR Dane Sanzenbacher, head/concussion, questionable
• T Mike Adams, ankle, out (season)
• T J.B. Shugarts, shoulder, out (season)
• DE Lawrence Wilson, knee, out (season)
• CB Andre Amos, knee, out (season)

PENN STATE (at Ohio State)

• S Anthony Scirrotto, head/concussion, probable
• T Ako Poti, knee, questionable
• DT Devon Still, ankle, out
• RB Brent Carter, knee, out (season)
• T Doug Klopacz, knee, out (season)
• DE Jerome Hayes, knee, out (season)

PURDUE (vs. Minnesota)

• TE Kyle Adams, knee, doubtful
• LB Jason Werner, back, out
• QB Joey Elliott, shoulder, out (season)
• S Frank Duong, knee, questionable
• T Garrett Miller, knee, out (season)
• RB Jaycen Taylor, knee, out (season)

WISCONSIN (vs. Illinois)

• WR Maurice Moore, leg, out (season)
• CB Mario Goins, head/concussion, questionable
• T Gabe Carimi, knee, doubtful
• RB P.J. Hill, leg, probable
• G Kraig Urbik, knee, doubtful
• LB Blake Sorensen, hamstring, probable
• RB John Clay, toe, probable
• LB Jonathan Casillas, hand, questionable
• DE Brendan Kelly, thumb, out (season)
• CB Aaron Henry, knee, out (season)
• DE Kirk DeCremer, back, out (season)

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