KNOW YOUR BIG TEN: Top 5 Returning Players

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No. 5 Nebraska linebacker LaVonte David: The most pleasant surprise of the 2010 Big 12 season, David had one month to learn one of the nation's most intricate defenses – Bo Pelini's plan can dramatically change week to week – and shore up a position devastated with injuries. He did much more than that, setting the school record for tackles and serving as the Huskers' best blitzer – bar none. David is one of those “everywhere” guys who's destined to be a starting, albeit slightly undersized, NFL linebacker; his instincts and quickness allow him to play “underneath” the block; he can avoid a lot of offensive guards and fullbacks by filling the hole late – yet still making the play. And he's nearly impossible for running back to get around if he sniffs out a play to the sideline. Whereas most linebackers make the “fit” at the line of scrimmage or just beyond it, David can go 2-3 yards behind it, bouncing a play toward the corner and safety without risking a cutback. He's a good foot tackler, too. The Miami native does things that hard to teach and capture on high school film.

 

No. 2 Nebraska defensive tackle Jared Crick: The Big 12's most dominant defensive lineman now takes over the same role in the Big Ten, where we suspect pro-style offenses will be...surprised at Crick's pass-rushing skills. Blessed with a quick first step and natural athleticism, Crick is a load for any offensive guard or tackle to hand one-on-one, and he can step out on the end, if need be, and force a 1-on-1 matchup if he's asked to do it. There are handful of plays during any given game where Crick seems impossible to block in the passing game. The running game can be a little different, and it's here where Crick could stand to gain a bit more weight and polish up his technique. He can occasionally get turned by a guard on power plays, if not blown off the ball. Because NU asks its defensive linemen to hold their ground on running plays – thus creating a “fit” for the linebackers to make plays – Crick can appear to be treading water at times when it fact he's doing his job.

 

But, overall, he's a NFL first-round draft pick in-the-making with a blunt, no-nonsense leadership style. Crick fits perfectly into the Big Ten, and he'll be our early leader for preseason player of the year – even if our favorite Husker defender is cornerback Alfonzo Dennard.

 

My link

[corncraze]

I'm sorry, but D. Robinson > T. Pryor

[kchusker_chris]

I'm sorry, but D. Robinson > T. Pryor

Maybe when he brings his A game, but I'd take T.Pryor over him any day. Pryor executes consistently, and wins games. Martinez might even be better than Pryor when he's at his best...the difference, like Robinson, is that T-Mart hasn't shown he can do that every week...Pryor for the most part did last season.

[The Dude]

Robinson sure likes to sit on the turf and cry a lot.

[corncraze]

I'm sorry, but D. Robinson > T. Pryor

Maybe when he brings his A game, but I'd take T.Pryor over him any day. Pryor executes consistently, and wins games. Martinez might even be better than Pryor when he's at his best...the difference, like Robinson, is that T-Mart hasn't shown he can do that every week...Pryor for the most part did last season.

I think Robinson has consistently proven his talents. His problem is that he is pretty much the only offensive threat on that team. I heard something like 97% of Michigan's plays with Robinson on the field finished with Robinson earning yardage (meaning 97% of their plays where either Robinson throwing or running the ball, when he was playing).

 

The dude IS pretty much Michigan's offense. Meanwhile Pryor has SO MANY tools.

 

Beside check the stats and see who had the better season.

[knapplc]

Denard Robinson:

 

Pass Efficiency - #20

Rushing - #4

Points Responsible For - #18 (15.08 PPG)

Total Offense - #2 (7.82 yards per play)

 

Terrelle Pryor:

 

Pass Efficiency - #10

Rushing - < Top 100

Points Responsible For - #21 (14.78 PPG)

Total Offense - #25 (7.70 yards per play)

 

Kind of a mixed bag.

[corncraze]

Denard Robinson:

 

Pass Efficiency - #20

Rushing - #4

Points Responsible For - #18 (15.08 PPG)

Total Offense - #2 (7.82 yards per play)

 

Terrelle Pryor:

 

Pass Efficiency - #10

Rushing - < Top 100

Points Responsible For - #21 (14.78 PPG)

Total Offense - #25 (7.70 yards per play)

 

Kind of a mixed bag.

Exactly haha, I'll take Robinson

[kyle sibert]

Denard Robinson:

 

Pass Efficiency - #20

Rushing - #4

Points Responsible For - #18 (15.08 PPG)

Total Offense - #2 (7.82 yards per play)

 

Terrelle Pryor:

 

Pass Efficiency - #10

Rushing - < Top 100

Points Responsible For - #21 (14.78 PPG)

Total Offense - #25 (7.70 yards per play)

 

Kind of a mixed bag.

Exactly haha, I'll take Robinson

 

What about wins and losses? Are those no longer stats? Plus, I can't wait to see how Robinson fares in Hokes system.

 

Terrell Pryor is, what, 2-1 in BCS bowls? Robinson has never been to one...

 

Plus, Pryor is a threat to throw. Robinson is about as much a threat to throw as Rex.

[husker B-rent]

Denard Robinson:

 

Pass Efficiency - #20

Rushing - #4

Points Responsible For - #18 (15.08 PPG)

Total Offense - #2 (7.82 yards per play)

 

Terrelle Pryor:

 

Pass Efficiency - #10

Rushing - < Top 100

Points Responsible For - #21 (14.78 PPG)

Total Offense - #25 (7.70 yards per play)

 

Kind of a mixed bag.

Exactly haha, I'll take Robinson

 

What about wins and losses? Are those no longer stats? Plus, I can't wait to see how Robinson fares in Hokes system.

 

Terrell Pryor is, what, 2-1 in BCS bowls? Robinson has never been to one...

 

Plus, Pryor is a threat to throw. Robinson is about as much a threat to throw as Rex.

 

wins do not make you a better player, if pryor was on a 0-12 team is he less of a player somehow and vise verse? that is why the hiesman is flawed.

[druski_2k5]

Can you be a "Top Returning Player" in the conference if you have never played in said conference?

[corncraze]

Denard Robinson:

 

Pass Efficiency - #20

Rushing - #4

Points Responsible For - #18 (15.08 PPG)

Total Offense - #2 (7.82 yards per play)

 

Terrelle Pryor:

 

Pass Efficiency - #10

Rushing - < Top 100

Points Responsible For - #21 (14.78 PPG)

Total Offense - #25 (7.70 yards per play)

 

Kind of a mixed bag.

Exactly haha, I'll take Robinson

 

What about wins and losses? Are those no longer stats? Plus, I can't wait to see how Robinson fares in Hokes system.

 

Terrell Pryor is, what, 2-1 in BCS bowls? Robinson has never been to one...

 

Plus, Pryor is a threat to throw. Robinson is about as much a threat to throw as Rex.

 

Pryor has always had a stacked team around him. Robinson had NO defensive help and was nearly all of Michigan's offense. I think Pryor is great QB, but I just think Robinson is better. The passing statistics are very similar, but Robinson completely has Pryor in the running game (which makes him the better overall player IMO).

[mmmtodd]

Terrelle Pryor is light years ahead of Robinson. Maybe Robinson will develop into a better quarterback, but as it sits now, Pryor is a legitimate all-round threat, a proven leader, and rarely puts his team into bad situations. Robinson is where Pryor was several seasons ago with all the question marks, relying solely on supreme athletic ability, and it cost Michigan greatly at times last season, much like our own QB situation. Pryor impressed the heck out of me last year with his maturation in the passing game.

 

and druski's post makes a great point.

[huskersrule95]

With Michigan changing systems on offense, we don't even know for sure if Robinson will be playing QB next year for Michigan. I am not really sure if he really fits in a pro-style system that they are going to be running next year. Not really much of a passer at this point in his career and would take a lot of work to get him good enough next year to be passing it as much as they will probably need him to.

[huskersrule95]

The site actually has a top 25 list so the other Husker player lists are as follows...

 

No. 6 Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard: Tough, instinctive and confident as all get out, Dennard is the best cornerback in the Big Ten, and maybe the best defensive player, period. He practically outplayed counterpart Prince Amukamara through the first half of the year before suffering a concussion in the Missouri game. He missed one game before making a few more spectacular plays in the Kansas game, and he was the best thing, by far, in Nebraska's loss to Washington in the Holiday Bowl. He finished with four INTs, 7 pass breakups and a forced fumble. He seems small at 5-10, 195, but he's built like a tank, and an off-the-charts vertical jump (somewhere north of 40 inches) allows him to play aggressive on deep passes. Dennard also has excellent catch-up speed. He's a pleasure to watch, and he loves to play the game.

 

No. 11 Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez: Your guess is as good as ours to do with this kid. Spectacular in ways few NU players have ever been – but often just that frustrating after an ankle injury – Martinez is the wild card to NU's 2011 season. If he were to progress as a quarterback and learn from his many mistakes in the last half of the season, his ceiling as a college quarterback is quite high. If he's stubborn or slow to pick up more of the offense, he may not even start next year. He's still just a sophomore, but the kid appears already at a crossroads. He had a lot of trust to win on and off the field. It's not much his fault, but it's his cross to bear.

 

The numbers, of course, can't be ignored: 2,600 total yards, 22 total touchdowns. Neither can some of the breathtakingly bad decisions he made and sacks he took in the Big 12 Championship and Holiday Bowl.

 

T-Magic's curtains aren't closed. Far from it. But he'll need to refine his act.

 

No. 15 Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead: Swiss Army Rex. Rex of All of Trades. Red Rex. A favorite of Husker fans for his toughness and versatility, Burkhead (1,134 rushing, receiving and passing yards, 10 total touchdowns) will have the starting running back job all to himself in 2011. Nebraska coaches certainly hope he's flanked by some speedy freshmen, but Burkhead will remain the primary weapon – especially on third down, as he's the Huskers' best pass blocker and pass-catcher. Burkhead will also operate the Wildcat. He's not necessarily a gamebreaker – Roy Helu busted most of the long runs last year, but he has a nose for the first down marker and the end zone and he rarely makes mistakes.

 

 

No. 23 Nebraska hybrid Daimion Stafford: Our first recruit on the list, a 6-foot-2, 210-pounder ball of thunder out of Chaffey (Calif.) Community College. We rank Stafford as NU's best recruit, an immediate impact guy at a hybrid safety/linebacker position. His senior film is eye-popping enough that USC and Florida came calling late the recruiting process. But Nebraska was there first, in part because of a long-distance connection to current Husker Taylor Martinez.

 

 

Same link as before but is here again since i'm quoting it. My link

[Crippled Stripper]

I think David is light years better than Crick.

 

As far as the Pryor vs Robinson- hard to gauge, Pryor obviously has had the opportunity to become a part of a system, something Robinson has not and he still has posted playstation numbers.