CHICAGO (AP) Michigan State and Ohio State each placed two players on the preseason all-Big Ten team announced Thursday.
Junior running back J.K. Dobbins and defensive end Chase Young were the Buckeyes and linebacker Joe Bachie and defensive end Kenny Willekes, two seniors, were named for the Spartans. Penn State junior defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos was the fifth player on the East Division team.
The West list included Northwestern junior linebacker Paddy Fisher, Wisconsin junior running back Jonathan Taylor, Iowa junior defensive end A.J. Epenesa, Nebraska sophomore quarterback Adrian Martinez and Purdue sophomore wide receiver/return specialist Rondale Moore.
A media panel selected the 10-member list, which included six defensive players.
AIR HUSKERS
Nebraska’s traveling party for Big Ten media days took a longer-than-expected route to Chicago thanks early morning thunderstorms.
The Huskers’ charter flight Thursday was delayed and, once it finally was in the air, was forced to land in Peoria, Illinois, about 170 southwest of Chicago. The weather ruled out a Chicago landing, which meant another flight to Gary, Indiana, and a car trip into Chicago.
That second flight was a bumpy one, too.
”There were a couple of times where the plane dipped and our stomachs dropped, too,” quarterback Adrian Martinez said. ”Me and (defensive end) Khalil (Davis) were laughing most of the time.”
The third player in the party, linebacker Mohamed Barry, wasn’t as entertained.
”The turbulence on that last one was pretty bad,” he said. ”It seemed like we were everywhere today.”
None of the players said they felt they were in any danger.
SPARTAN HOPES
Michigan State welcomes back most of the Big Ten’s stingiest defense, the one that allowed only 16.6 points per game in league play last season.
All eyes will be on the offense to improve as the Spartans try to better its 7-6 finish from a year ago. There will be no doubt about who will be under center if coach Mark Dantonio can help it.
Brian Lewerke led the Spartans to a 10-3 season as a sophomore while throwing for almost 2,800 yards and 20 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. Injuries limited him to 10 starts last fall and his performance suffered, too. He finished the year with eight touchdown passes and 11 picks as Michigan State’s offense managed just averaged 17.2 points in Big Ten play.
Rocky Lombardi won two of his three starts in Lewerke’s place, but Dantonio said the redshirt sophomore will start the season as the backup.
”Right now, Brian is our No. 1 quarterback,” he said, adding the senior is ”healthier, bigger and stronger.”
Defensive end Raequan Williams, one of three defensive players who joined Dantonio in Chicago, agreed.
”We were watching some of the throws he made in the spring and in OTAs,” Williams said, ”and it was like, `man, we got our guy back.’ We’re excited.”
HOOSIER HOPES
Life in the Big Ten East hasn’t exactly been a dream for Indiana, but the Hoosiers are hoping a new offensive coordinator with a reputation as a turnaround guy will help.
Kalen DeBoer joined the team in January after stops at Fresno State and Eastern Michigan saw each program’s offensive fortunes improve dramatically.
Fresno State jumped from 120th to 47th nationally in total offense in his two seasons there and went 22-6 after going 4-20 the previous two seasons. At Eastern Michigan, the Eagles jumped from 111th to 35th in the same category and posted their first winning record since 1995 during DeBoer’s final season.
Putting a productive, unpredictable offense on the field might be the best chance for Indiana as it annually faces the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State in divisional matchups.
”We can be that different team, scoring a lot of points and keeping defenses guessing,” receiver Nick Westbrook said.
Westbrook first got an idea of DeBoer’s play calling while watching film of Fresno State against an opponent last season.
”I just remembered thinking how good that offense was and how well the receivers did in it,” he said. ”When I first heard that he was coming, I was pretty excited. I think he can provide that kind of excitement here.”
The Hoosiers ranked 12th in the 14-team conference in total offense last season. Indiana has reached a bowl game only twice since 2007.
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