Posted: Tuesday August 03, 1999 03:20 PM
Big Ten: Lions king of conference
By Stewart Mandel,
CNN/SI
LaVar Arrington and the Nittany Lion defense will be making fans smile in Happy Valley. Rick Stewart/Allsport
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Projected Order
of
Finish |
1.
Penn State
2.
Michigan
3. Wisconsin
4.
Minnesota
5. Ohio State
6.
Purdue
7. Michigan State
8.
Indiana
9. Iowa
10. Illinois
11. Northwestern
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Top
Storylines
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Penn State's mission will be no Brees
| | With even JoePa himself impressed by the team he's assembled for '99, will the Nittany Lions send off defensive architect Jerry Sandusky with one last season of glory? While Ohio State and Michigan attempt to zero in on a starting quarterback, Purdue hopes Drew Brees will zero in on about 4,000 yards. And speaking of yardage, Wisconsin RB Ron Dayne needs 1,716 yards to match Ricky Williams' NCAA career mark set a year ago.
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Going
Bowling
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Locks: Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State
Maybes: Purdue, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan State
No
Way: Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern
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Trev's Take
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CNN/SI's Trev Alberts offers his team to watch
| | "The class of the league by far is Penn State. Look for DE Courtney Brown to have a monster year, a 15-sacks kind of year. I believe the season rests on one person's shoulders: QB Kevin Thompson. If he could just take a page from [former Michigan QB] Brian Griese, he'd realize he doesn't have to win any game by himself -- this team is too talented. He just has to avoid mistakes and hand the ball to RB Eric McCoo. I don't see the Arizona game as much of a challenge like people are making it out to be -- this is still a Pac-10 team coming to a Big Ten team's home. Penn State will wear them down."
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Top Five Offensive
Players
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Ron Dayne, RB, Sr., Wisconsin
| | Hard to fathom how a player who ran for 2,000 yards three years ago and capped '98 with a 246-yard Rose Bowl performance is still in the college ranks ... but is anyone complaining?
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Drew Brees, QB, Jr., Purdue
| | While 83 pass attempts in a game (vs. Wisconsin) was an eyebrow raiser, leading a last-minute drive to upset Kansas State in the Alamo Bowl sealed Brees' stardom.
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Antwaan Randle El, QB, So., Indiana
| | The only question about Randle El's skills is how best to use them -- the sophomore can pass (127 completions for 1,745 yards in '98), run (873 yards, 10 TDs) or receive (caught one TD).
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Michael Wiley, RB, Sr., Ohio State
| | The speedster ran for 1,235 yards and a 6.2 average last year, and this year becomes the Buckeyes' offensive focus for the first time.
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Anthony Thomas, RB, Jr., Michigan
| | Pegged with a reputation for softness at times, the "A-Train" has been waiting two years to become the Maize and Blue's featured back.
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Top Five Defensive
Players
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LaVar Arrington, LB, Jr., Penn State
| | It would have been fitting to change the spelling of his name to "Air-rington" after that unforgettable leap-over-scrimmage sack against Illinois.
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Courtney Brown, LB, Sr., Penn State
| | It's hard to decide which stat is more impressive: Brown's 11.5 sacks from last year or his 86-inch wingspan.
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Tyrone Carter, S, Sr., Minnesota
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You had to be one of the lucky few inside the Metrodome to see it, but Carter last year racked up 157 tackles, eight sacks and three fumble recoveries.
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Adewale Ogunleye, DE, Sr., Indiana
| | It's pronounced Ah-DUH-wallay, Uh-GOON-lee-uh, and it's been uttered 26 times (technically 26.5) on Indiana sacks the last three years.
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Brandon Short, LB, Sr., Penn State
| | Between Arrington, Mac Morrison and three-year starter Short, don't expect opponents to run much on the Lions.
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Top Special Teams
Player
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Nick Davis, PR, So., Wisconsin
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As a true freshman last year, Davis stirred up the Badgers' Big Ten-title clinching defeat of Penn State with an 82-yard touchdown return.
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You Don't Know Him Yet, But...
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Vinny Sutherland, WR, Jr., Purdue
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Someone's got to be on the other end of those Brees bullets, and the junior proved capable in the spring game with five catches for 224 yards. With defenses already keying on Randall Lane and TE Tim Stratton, Sutherand will be in position for plenty of big plays.
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Hot Coach
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Cam Cameron, Indiana
| | Coaches from around the country flocked to Bloomington this spring to see Cameron's innovative combo offense, where he's been known to run the option one down, a three-receiver set the next. With Randle El and the entire offensive line returning, the third-year coach's rebuilding project is on the verge of fruition.
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Coach on the Hot
Seat
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Nick Saban, Michigan State
| | MSU fans are getting restless as Saban continues to rack up bewilderingly inconsistent, 6-6-type seasons despite playing with NFL talent like Sedrick Irvin and Dimitrius Underwood.
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Secret
Weapon
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Aaron Shea, FB, Sr., Michigan
| | Ladies and gentlemen, meet the incredible, mutated Wolverine. Half fullback, half tight end, Shea will be a primary blocker for Thomas while taking over Jerame Tuman's role of possession receiver.
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Toughest
Schedule
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Ohio State
| | Non-conference games against Miami and UCLA are only warm-ups to facing Penn State and Michigan on the road.
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Kansas State
Schedule
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Minnesota
| | How to get over the .500 hump? Play Ohio, Northeast Louisiana and Illinois State.
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Mark Your
Calendar
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| Arizona at Penn State, Aug. 28 | | Winner gets to stay in national title mix.
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| Ohio State at Penn State, Oct. 16 | | Halftime entertainment: Wiley and Penn State's Eric McCoo meet in 100-yard dash.
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| Ohio State at Michigan, Nov. 20 | | Rose Bowl scouts' annual trip to Midwest.
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Make sure to check out CNN/SI's previews of all 11 Big Ten teams on Aug. 11.
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