The Massive Ten is coming off its finest season on the soccer area in years and may name itself the house of the nationwide champions for the primary time since 2014 due to Michigan’s Faculty Soccer Playoff run. The group the Wolverines beat to win the title, Washington, is one among 4 newcomers to the league, and whereas it will not formally be a part of till the summer time (alongside Oregon, UCLA and USC), it’s getting ready this spring for its first season in its new residence.

Each groups are glorious reflections of the sort of offseason the Massive Ten has undergone. All the things is completely different. Michigan received the nationwide title however has a brand new coach, Sherrone Moore, and loads of new gamers in pivotal spots. Washington is in an analogous boat after Kalen DeBoer left to take the Alabama job.

The Massive Ten appears to be like completely different throughout the board, from the make-up of the colleges to the depth charts within the locker rooms. Every of its 18 (18!) members have loads of questions that stay unanswered as they enter spring observe. We’re not more likely to get solutions to most of them in March and April, however the spring is our first glimpse at potential options. With that in thoughts, let’s look at the most important questions dealing with every Massive Ten group this spring.

Can the protection recuperate from its losses? Two years in the past, Illinois had its finest season since 2007 with eight wins and, at one level, a spot within the Faculty Soccer Playoff Rankings. However then the secondary, anchored by top-five NFL Draft choose Devon Witherspoon, left for the NFL; defensive coordinator Ryan Walters left for the Purdue job. 

Aaron Henry stepped into the function left by Walters. Although Illinois nonetheless had stalwarts Johnny Newton and Keith Randolph alongside the defensive position, the unit wasn’t the identical in 2023. After permitting 12.8 factors per sport in 2022, the Illini allowed 29.4 final season. Now Newton and Randolph are gone, as is almost each begin from the 2022 unit. 

That is the primary season during which Illinois’ protection can be manned by Bret Bielema’s recruits and switch additions. It will even be Aaron Henry’s second season because the defensive playcaller. If Illinois needs to get again to the success it present in 2022, the protection must take one other step ahead.

Can a brand new offense carry extra explosive performs? Indiana fired Tom Allen and changed him with Curt Cignetti from James Madison. The Hoosiers had been additionally lively within the switch portal with the addition of former Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who brings loads of expertise and success within the MAC. 

The hope is he could make the Hoosiers offense extra harmful. Indiana completed 99th nationally in factors per drive final season at 1.77, primarily due to a scarcity of huge performs. Indiana’s explosive play price of 9.5% ranked 122nd. The James Madison offense ranked forty first.

We aren’t more likely to see the Hoosiers make a big leap in Yr 1 below Cignetti, but when Rourke can ignite the offense, we should always see enchancment.

What’s the new offense going to appear like? Longtime offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz is gone, changed by former Western Michigan head coach Tim Lester. Whereas that change itself is a big one on the floor as a result of sort of offense Lester has run at earlier stops, it stays to be seen what Lester’s Iowa offense will appear like.

In earlier stops, Lester’s groups have run virtually primarily out of the shotgun and featured loads of RPOs. Will he be allowed to run his offense in Iowa Metropolis, or will coach Kirk Ferentz job him with working a extra “Ferentz-like” model of the offense? This spring can be our first glimpse.

Regardless of the reply, it’s going to be exhausting for Iowa’s offense to be worse. Final season, the offense completed 132nd or 133rd (of 133 FBS groups) in factors per drive, offensive success price, EPA per play, and explosive play price. It was ugly, even for Iowa.

What does a post-Taulia offense appear like? Taulia Tagovailoa performed 41 video games at QB for the Terrapins and threw for 11,256 yards and 76 touchdowns. No QB in Massive Ten historical past has thrown for extra yards, so it is no understatement to say Maryland’s subsequent QB has massive sneakers to fill.

That can seemingly be M.J. Morris. It is an open competitors this spring, however Morris transferred in from NC State in a peculiar trend. Morris took over Brennan Armstrong’s beginning function final yr, however after enjoying 4 video games, he requested to sit down for the remainder of the season to protect a yr of eligibility. One thing tells me Morris did not make that alternative after which switch to Maryland whereas below the impression he’d need to compete for the job.

Both method, Morris joins an offense with intriguing expertise at receiver and working again, and coach Mike Locksley just isn’t be afraid to let it free.

Michigan

Is that this a reload or rebuild state of affairs? That is not a query typically requested of the defending champions, but it surely’s becoming for the Wolverines. Jim Harbaugh is gone, and he is taken a superb portion of final yr’s teaching workers with him. Moore takes over, and he picked up helpful game-day teaching expertise resulting from Harbaugh’s suspensions final season. The Wolverines have misplaced their offensive line, prime receiver and main rusher. The protection returns some key items but in addition loses loads. Oh, they usually have to interchange the QB (J.J. McCarthy) whom Jim Harbaugh refers to as the best in program historical past.

The QB state of affairs, for instance, is huge as a result of there actually is not any apparent reply. Jack Tuttle is the veteran, however the sixth-year participant would not have a lot enjoying expertise. Alex Orji noticed enjoying time final yr however has thrown just one move in anger in two seasons. The opposite choices are Jayden Denegal and Jadyn Davis. It is unlikely that Davis, an incoming freshman, will win the job, but it surely’s not unattainable.

It is also potential Moore will probe the post-spring observe switch portal for an choice if he is not overly thrilled with what he sees from his present roster. There are method too many questions surrounding Michigan this spring to anticipate having any solutions by the top of camp.

Is Aidan Chiles the “chosen one”? It is protected to say Michigan State followers are a number of the most keen within the convention to show the web page on final season as a brand new period will get underway this spring. Jonathan Smith replaces Mel Tucker as coach, and given the extent of success Smith discovered at Oregon State, it stands to cause he’ll win video games with the sources at his disposal in East Lansing.

Essentially the most pivotal useful resource might be the one he introduced from Corvallis. Aidan Chiles was a extremely rated prospect out of highschool who dedicated to Smith at Oregon State and adopted him to Michigan State. Smith has already made it clear that Chiles would be the beginning quarterback.

There isn’t a apparent reply for the Massive Ten’s finest quarterback. There aren’t any surefire first-round draft picks hanging round. Chiles has an opportunity to show he is the very best of the bunch, and Michigan State needs him to get all of the reps with the primary group this spring to hurry up the method.

Can Corey Hetherman proceed what Joe Rossi began? Whereas it should not be ignored {that a} sometimes dependable Minnesota offense — one which’s by no means elite however sometimes above common throughout P.J. Fleck’s tenure — took a dip final season and must bounce again, the larger query is on the opposite facet of the ball.

Minnesota’s protection has been one of many strongest models within the Massive Ten for years and produced loads of NFL Draft picks. The person who oversaw the unit, Rossi, left to take the defensive coordinator function at Michigan State. He is changed by Hetherman, who involves Minnesota after spending the final two seasons as Rutgers’ linebackers coach. He was beforehand the defensive coordinator at James Madison and even has some offensive coordinator expertise from early in his profession. He is aware of each side of the ball, however this can be his greatest gig and he has massive sneakers to fill.

Will Minnesota persist with a scheme that was profitable below Rossi, or will Hetherman carry a brand new strategy? Hetherman’s potential to maintain the protection’s efficiency on the identical degree, no matter scheme, will go a great distance towards figuring out Minnesota’s 2024 season.

Is QB Dylan Raiola definitely worth the hype? Nebraska followers have been enthusiastic about a couple of quarterbacks during the last 10 years, however even fewer met expectations. Raiola is the newest hope, nevertheless. The five-star QB spurned Georgia to play for the Cornhuskers, and the hopes of one among faculty soccer’s most loyal fanbases relaxation on his broad shoulders.

It doesn’t matter what coach Matt Rhule tries to do that spring, Raiola would be the focus all offseason — and for good cause. Sure, Raiola is extraordinarily proficient, but it surely’s not all about him. It is also concerning the degree of manufacturing Nebraska bought on the place final yr.

Nebraska’s passing offense ranked No. 115 in explosive play price, No. 123 in success price and No. 129 in passing effectivity. The Huskers had a group Whoopsy Daisy Price (interceptions and fumbles) of 6.36%, the worst within the nation. If Raiola can step in and be merely a barely below-average Massive Ten QB in his freshman season, it can work wonders for Nebraska.

Can coach David Braun do it once more? Northwestern’s final offseason was a large number. Pat Fitzgerald was fired shortly earlier than the season started resulting from a hazing scandal surrounding this system. In stepped Braun as interim, and he took over a group with rock-bottom expectations to an 8-5 mark en path to successful coach of the yr.

Can he do it once more? Whereas this can be Braun’s second season in cost, it is his first spring observe. It is also a training workers with loads of new faces; the offseason offered Braun together with his first likelihood to herald his personal workers as an alternative of working with these employed below Fitzgerald.

For the Wildcats, this spring is actually the primary time to hit the reset button and start anew.

What does the new-built offensive appear like? No Massive Ten group has had a greater offseason than Ohio State. The Buckeyes responded to shedding to Michigan for the third straight season by going into the switch portal and touchdown some enormous fish like DB Caleb Downs and RB Quinshon Judkins. They’ve even changed Kyle McCord at QB with Will Howard. On prime of all of it, Ryan Day bought Chip Kelly at hand in his headset at UCLA to be the group’s new offensive coordinator. Oh, and Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL.

Day and Ohio State are all in on 2024, however how a lot room for enchancment is there actually?

I do not know if Howard is best than McCord as a lot as he is completely different than McCord. Howard is extra cell, and with Kelly and the roster development, it is protected to imagine Ohio State plans to lean into it with an influence run sport. The spring can be our first glimpse at what it could appear like. 

Oregon

Will there be an adjustment interval for QB Dillon Gabriel? Should you ask a Massive Ten fan who the very best quarterback within the league is, odds are they will give it some thought for some time earlier than answering your query with a query of their very own: 

“Dillon Gabriel?”

Gabriel involves Eugene as a grizzled veteran of school soccer, having performed 50 video games over 5 seasons between UCF and Oklahoma. He is a pure substitute for Bo Nix, who was an skilled QB himself. Gabriel performed in loads of huge video games with the Sooners, and he’ll play in loads extra with the Geese. Whereas Oregon should substitute some key gamers throughout the depth chart, there is a sturdy argument that not one of the Massive Ten’s newcomers are better-positioned to compete for a convention title of their first yr than the Geese. They’re sturdy alongside the traces of scrimmage and have expertise unfold throughout the sphere. Gabriel would not must play at a Heisman degree to win video games for the Geese, however the reality he can play at that degree is a cause for Oregon followers to be excited.

Will Andy Kotelnicki carry huge performs to the offense? Few groups within the Massive Ten have extra expertise than Penn State, however as a rule, the Nittany Lions have failed to interrupt by to the highest of the league. This yr, they’ve a proficient QB in Drew Allar, returning for his second season as a starter, which is a bonus over loads of their major competitors. Nonetheless, the most important change for Penn State would be the play-caller.

Kotelnicki involves Penn State from Kansas, the place he was on the helm of one of many nation’s most potent and thrilling offenses. Even again to Kotelnicki’s time at Buffalo, he is put collectively offenses that may gentle up scoreboards.

Final yr, Kansas’ offense ranked eleventh nationally in factors per drive and seventh in explosive play price — this, regardless of lacking beginning quarterback Jalon Daniels for many of the yr, The latter stat is what issues to Penn State. The Nittany Lions ranked No. 103 in explosive play price offensively final season, which meant they needed to put collectively numerous lengthy scoring drives. It is exhausting to attain persistently whenever you want eight or extra performs to take action. If Kotelnicki can discover methods to get extra chunk performs with the expertise on this roster, Penn State may lastly make its approach to the Faculty Soccer Playoff this season.

Purdue

Who’re these guys? Walters’ first season in cost at Purdue didn’t go to plan. After a shock division title in 2022, the Boilermakers fell to 4-8 final season and had been solely 3-6 in Massive Ten play. There was loads of turnover on final yr’s group, however there’s much more this yr.

Purdue misplaced numerous gamers within the portal however gained loads of new ones from it as properly. The roster in Walters’ second season will look completely different than the one you noticed on Saturdays final season, so one of many major duties this spring will merely be getting everyone updated on their new roles and the playbook.

Rutgers

Will the Scarlet Knights throw a move this season? It is exhausting to argue with the outcomes of Greg Schiano’s second tenure with Rutgers. After a slight step backward in 2022, the Knights had their finest season but in 2023 with a 7-6 document and a Pinstripe Bowl victory. The very fact they did it with out something resembling a passing assault solely makes it extra spectacular, but it surely is not sustainable.

Rutgers ran the ball 62% of the time final season. Solely the three service academies, Liberty and Jacksonville State ran the ball extra typically. When Rutgers did throw the ball, it did not work very properly. Gavin Wimsatt accomplished solely 47.8% of his move makes an attempt, averaging 6.0 yards per try, and completed with 9 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

That is why it was no shock to see Rutgers use the portal to herald Athan Kaliakmanis from Minnesota, however his work with the Gophers wasn’t far more spectacular. Kaliakmanis accomplished solely 53.1% of his passes final season for six.3 yards per try with 9 interceptions to only 14 touchdowns. These two are the favorites in a real QB battle this spring, however their total ineffectiveness as passers is why incoming four-star QB AJ Surace should not be dominated out.

UCLA

What’s going to this group appear like? It is not simply the convention altering for UCLA; it is this system. Kelly left to grow to be the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. Earlier than that, defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, who constructed a robust unit final season, moved to the opposite facet of city to take over USC’s protection. DeShaun Foster is the brand new coach in cost, inheriting a state of affairs in flux.

There’s loads of work to be performed on the defensive position, the place the Bruins misplaced Laiatu Latu, and the offensive line must step up after a considerably lackluster efficiency in 2023. All in all, this spring must be about setting a basis for achievement with 2025 in thoughts. Adapting to a brand new convention is a troublesome adjustment by itself, however doing so whereas overhauling your complete teaching workers complicates issues additional.

USC

Can the Trojans sort out anyone? USC loses Caleb Williams, who received a Heisman Trophy in 2022 and can seemingly be the No. 1 choose within the NFL Draft, but changing him just isn’t the most important query dealing with the Trojans. That is a testomony to Lincoln Riley’s potential to construct good offenses round many various quarterbacks as a coach and offensive coordinator. Will it’s Miller Moss or UNLV switch Jordan Maiava? I do not know! Regardless of the alternative, the Trojans will most likely nonetheless rating factors!

The issue this program has confronted below Riley is conserving the opponent from scoring factors. To be blunt, USC seemed poorly coached on the defensive facet of the ball during the last two seasons, and Riley lastly determined to do one thing about it. Alex Grinch is out, and D’Anton Lynn is in. The defensive workers is stuffed with coaches with head teaching and coordinator expertise, and it actually seems like USC is able to take protection critically once more.

A prime protection nationally might be an excessive amount of to ask, but when the Trojans merely do a greater job of being in place pre-snap and tackling, we’ll see a marked enchancment. The muse of that enchancment can be laid this spring.

Washington

How do the Huskies keep afloat? I do not know for those who’ve seen the fixed theme on this story but, however there’s numerous change within the Massive Ten this yr. Washington reached the nationwide title sport in January and misplaced to Michigan. It is misplaced much more since. DeBoer left for the Alabama job, taking coaches and gamers with him. The Huskies additionally misplaced QB Michael Penix, WR Rome Odunze, OL Troy Fautanu, EDGE Bralen Trice, and much more to the NFL Draft. New coach Jedd Fisch arrived from Arizona and is bringing his workers and loads of gamers with him, however the Huskies you see on the sphere for his or her first season within the Massive Ten can have little in widespread with those who performed for a title a couple of months in the past.

It is unlikely Washington will compete on the identical degree in 2024, so Fisch’s job this spring (and all offseason) is to do every thing he can to maintain the Huskies from taking an enormous step again.

The excellent news is that he and his workers satisfied QB Will Rogers to remain. Rogers transferred to Washington from Mississippi State however reentered the portal after DeBoer left and needed to be satisfied to stay round. Rogers just isn’t Penix, nor will he have the identical receivers accessible to him, however he is an skilled power-conference QB who will run the offense effectively.

Can QB Tyler Van Dyke ship for the offense? When Luke Fickell took over as coach and introduced Phil Longo with him as offensive coordinator final offseason, loads of phrases had been written about how various things would search for the Badgers offense. They usually did look completely different. They simply did not look more practical.

After averaging 26.3 factors per sport in 2022, the Badgers scored 23.5 final yr. Accidents to QB Tanner Mordecai didn’t assist the state of affairs. This spring, the Badgers have introduced in switch Tyler Van Dyke from Miami.

Van Dyke had a terrific freshman season with the Hurricanes in 2021 however got here again right down to Earth during the last two years below Mario Cristobal. The hope is {that a} change of surroundings and scheme will lead to TVD resembling the 2021 model and assist this Wisconsin offense shift gears in 2024. The teaching workers is assured this would be the case.