Cornhuskers named Big Ten football favorite

[knapplc]

Two different articles based on this vote:

 

Nebraska Cornhuskers named Big Ten football favorite in Plain Dealer Newspaper Poll

 

Welcome to the Big Ten, Nebraska. Now go win the thing.

 

In their first season in the conference, the Cornhuskers have been named the favorite to win the first Big Ten championship game, but just barely. Nebraska was given 12 votes to win the title game in Indianapolis on Dec. 3, while Wisconsin earned 11 votes and Michigan State one.

 

The voting was done in the first Plain Dealer Big Ten Preseason Newspaper Poll, which may serve as the only preseason poll of its kind in the league.

 

Unlike past years, the Big Ten is not conducting a preseason poll this year, at the request of the conference's coaches. At the Big Ten meetings on Thursday, the league will release only a watch list of 10 players voted on by reporters.

 

So the Plain Dealer organized 24 daily beat writers, two that cover each of the 12 teams in the league, to rank the predicted order of finish in the divisions, pick a title game winner, name preseason offensive and defensive players of the year and pick not a coach of the year, but just the best coach in the Big Ten.

 

In the team voting, Nebraska and Wisconsin were the obvious choices.

 

In the Leaders Division, Wisconsin received 22 of 24 first-place votes, with second-place Ohio State and third-place Penn State each receiving one vote. Illinois was picked to finish fourth, Purdue fifth and Indiana sixth.

 

In the Legends Division, Nebraska received 19 of 24 first-place votes, with second-place Michigan State getting four. Iowa was picked third, while fourth-place Michigan got one first-place vote, Northwestern was picked fifth just behind the Wolverines and Minnesota was chosen sixth.

 

 

These writers also voted for Offensive and Defensive POY:

 

Michigan's Denard Robinson, Nebraska's Jared Crick named Big Ten preseason players of year

 

Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson and Nebraska defensive lineman Jared Crick were named the Big Ten preseason players of the year in the Plain Dealer Big Ten Preseason Newspaper Poll.

 

...

 

If Nebraska is going to win the Big Ten this season, as predicted by the voters, then the Cornhuskers are going to do it with defense. The Cornhuskers claimed 23 of the 24 first-place votes for defensive player of the year, with Nebraska native and Iowa cornerback Shaun Prater getting the other.

 

Crick, a two-time first-team All-Big 12 pick, earned 15 of 24 first-place votes and 58 points, appearing on 22 of the 24 ballots, while Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David was second with seven first-place votes and 37 points. Michigan State defensive lineman Jerel Worthy finished third with 10 points, while Prater was fourth with one first-place vote and eight points and Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard was fifth with one first-place vote and seven points.

 

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (first-place votes in parentheses)

* Voting on 3-2-1 point system, with voters picking top three

 

1. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan (14) 52

2. Dan Persa, QB, Northwestern (4) 26

3. Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State (2) 18

4. Edwin Baker, RB, Michigan State (1) 16

5. Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin (1) 14

6. Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin (2) 9

7. Taylor Martinez, QB, Nebraska 4

8. James White, RB, Wisconsin 2

9. Mike Brewster, C, Ohio State 2

10. Derek Moye, WR, Penn State 1

 

 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (first-place votes in parentheses)

* Voting on 3-2-1 point system, with voters picking top three

 

1. Jared Crick, DL, Nebraska (15) 58

2. Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska (7) 37

3. Jerel Worthy, DL, Michigan State 10

4. Shaun Prater, CB, Iowa (1) 8

5. Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska (1) 7

6. John Simon, DL, Ohio State 6

7. Mike Mauti, LB, Penn State 5

8. Mike Martin, DL, Michigan 3

9. Nathan Williams, DL, Ohio State 2

 

 

Here are their projected "most likely" B1G Title Game matchups:

 

Title game matchups:

 

Nebraska over Wisconsin (10)

 

Wisconsin over Nebraska (7)

 

Wisconsin over Michigan State (3)

 

Nebraska over Ohio State (1)

 

Nebraska over Penn State (1)

 

Wisconsin over Michigan (1)

 

Michigan State over Wisconsin (1)

 

Brian Christopherson and Sam McKewon were the two sportswriters from Nebraska selected for this vote.

[307husker]

Crap!

[redblooded]

Okay I get that Dennard Robinson is a gifted athlete and last year had an incredible start to the season, but michigan scrapped that offense and canned the coach who ran it and called plays. So picking him as offensive player of the year to me would be like picking Jamal Lord as preseason offensive poy were he still around when Callahan showed up. He's not going to be doing the same thing he was in the other offense.

 

I'm not saying he doesn't have potential to excel... but surely there are more safe picks, like Persa who hasn't had a major coaching change and new offensive system to learn.

 

Other then that our defense better come to play after all the hype.

[knapplc]

Other then that our defense better come to play after all the hype.

 

This is most certainly true. I have very high hopes for this defense. They have the potential to be not just good, but great. They just have to get it done.

[Lyons in the Sea of Red.]

Other then that our defense better come to play after all the hype.

 

This is most certainly true. I have very high hopes for this defense. They have the potential to be not just good, but great. They just have to get it done.

I'm just worried about matching the physicality of the other teams. I know that seems like a dumb thought, but I'm more worried about our stud D coming out and getting popped in the jaw. I don't think teams will have much success throwing. But our run D has got to have some improvement. If we improve our first hit tackles, I think we will be good.

[Hercules]

Okay I get that Dennard Robinson is a gifted athlete and last year had an incredible start to the season, but michigan scrapped that offense and canned the coach who ran it and called plays. So picking him as offensive player of the year to me would be like picking Jamal Lord as preseason offensive poy were he still around when Callahan showed up. He's not going to be doing the same thing he was in the other offense.

 

I'm not saying he doesn't have potential to excel... but surely there are more safe picks, like Persa who hasn't had a major coaching change and new offensive system to learn.

 

Other then that our defense better come to play after all the hype.

 

Robinson isn't Jamall Lord, though. Robinson's passing is underrated. I'm not sure if he'll have as much success in the new offense either, but he was the best offensive player last year, he returns healthy, and until it becomes clear that he doesn't fit the new offense, I think you have to assume that Brady Hoke is a smart guy and will give Robinson something that will work.

[teachercd]

The problem I have with what Michigan is doing is that they seem to be taking a system and forcing it on the players instead of taking the players and creating a system to fit them.

 

It is not that Robinson cant be a WCO QB, its that you are now taking away his amazingness. Now, can you still run him, sure, but to take out his nastiness just doesnt make sense.

 

It would be like running QB draws at the start of the year with T-mart and then just stopping it (Oh wait, Wats did that)

[bbhusker]

Russell Wilson at #6 and ahead of T.M.?

[Ziggy]

First I disagree with the vote, and I think DRob should be in the 3-5 range with TMart. Just too much unknown about how he will be used next year, but I think we are all assuming that Michigan will not gear the offense to suit D Rob. But I think any coach worth his salt knows not to put a square peg in a round hole. I think most people agree that's why BC failed at Nebraska, by trying to make a Ferrari out of a F350 truck. If Hoke didn't see how badly Rich Rod screwed up doing that then Michigan made a poor decision to hire him. Anyways DRob throws the ball really well and had some pretty good passing stats last year. I see them running an offense that is a much more of a controlled transition that allows him to break out and run while still preserving pocket passing and a timing based offense. No doubt he is a good QB but can he control the beast and follow the play until its time to run is what will show if he is really the best QB in the League.

[bshirt]

I have 100% faith in our defense. They'll be vicious.

 

The offense is the huge unknown but Bo finally has "his" staff in place & the potential is wildly exciting. The haters will rip me apart for this but I think Tmart & the BigRedMachine storms the Big10 this year.

 

GBR!!

[Ziggy]

No doubt about the D, the return supposedly 7 starters, but in reality its probly closer to 8-9, as the blackshirts have 3 starters on Dline, 3 players who have started at LB, and 4-6 players who have started in the DB's. Not to mention all 3 levels have at least one all American caliber player.

 

I am trying to keep my optimism down for the offense at least until the Wisconsin game. Mostly because that is gonna be the first real test for Tmart and the Offense to play against a decent defense. I do agree that I think the offense will find its rhythm by the 3-4 game and the team wont put so much pressure on the Blackshirts to carry the team. The real concern I think is really field position as we lose both our kick off specialist and our all everything accurate but strong punter and our get use past the 50 and he will put it through Skinny Assassin. He saved a lot of drives by getting field goals rather than punting.

[huskerfan333157]

Interesting. I definately think we will win our division but i dont know if we will beat wiscy in the big ten title game. Altho, I do believe they will beat us in oct and i also believe its tough to beat a team twice so maybe we will win the big 10!. Also, I would hope michigan's coach (cant remember his name i just remembered he came from san diego st) would adjust his offense around dennard. Making dennard a pocket passer would be like fitting a square peg in a round hole. He is a decent thrower but you have to utilize his speed, he may be one of the fastest players in ncaa and definately the fastest qb.