Spring scrimmages are over and it's time to update what we know about these teams as we prep for the 2009 season.  Much of the information I'm going off of comes from scout.com as I wasn't able to watch the spring games in person.  I won't make any major adjustments to my previous posts, but will use this information as an "addition" to what I've already written.  Without further ado:

Indiana Hoosiers

Moving Kellen Lewis to receiver from QB looks like it was a good move.  I didn't doubt that it would be.  Lewis has good speed, makes good moves in the open field and has decent hands.  The question with the move was how he would gel with Ben Chappel.  Apparently, pretty well, and that will give Indiana a new threat on the corners, as long as the Offensive Line will give Chappel the time to set up and get rid of the ball.  I don't think Ben is mobile enough to be a great thower on the run.
Edit:  Kellen Lewis is no longer a member of the Indiana University Football program.  Indiana's new offense took a big hit with this development.

Chappel completed 14 of 22 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns.  Damario Belcher looked like a pretty good target, hauling in 6 passes for 82 yards and a TD.  If Lewis is as good against real opponents as he was against his fellow Hoosiers, this could be a receiving duo that will ignite the Hoosier offense.

They're going to need to.  Darius Willis carried the ball 13 times for 80 yards (6.15 ypc), but I'm not sure he's a solid enough back to carry the offense if the passing game sputters.  Again, the O-Line will be the key to his success, as is often the case with running backs.

I may have to update my predictions for Indiana.  While their defense is still questionable, the addition of Lewis on the receiving corps could add an element to the offense that might just make all the difference between a 5-7 team and a 7-5 one. 

Michigan Wolverines

The question I've been asking over and over is: how far will Michigan rebound this season? 

The word is, QB Tate Forcier looks pretty good under center up in Ann Arbor.  He's quick and comfortable in the role he's going to be fighting for.  RB Carlos Brown also looked pretty decent in ripping off a huge TD run. 

Here's the thing: that's all I'm really hearing.  I've not heard yet that the defense is showing signs of stepping up, nor do I have any intel saying how strong the O-Line is.  Those are two pretty big questions when you have a decent, but young QB and a running back that shows promise.  You need receivers.  You need an offensives line.  You need a defense.  What do those look like? 

I'd love to say that I had all this information that clears up the muddy picture of Michigan's future, but I don't.  Because of that, I don't see any reason to change my earlier predictions.  Michigan will struggle to get all the pieces into place.  They'll be better than last year, but I don't think they'll be that much better.  I may actually knock them down to 5-7 from 6-6.

Purdue Boilermakers

When I wrote my piece about the Purdue schedule, I wasn't very flattering to the Boilermakers.  I didn't think they'd have much of a turnaround this year.

OB Joey Elliott looked very good, completing 20 of 33 passes with a TD and an INT.  Coach Danny Hope is very happy with Elliott's progress. 

Along with Elliott, RB Ralph Bolden carried the ball 26 times for 153 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry.  What impresses on me the most is that he showed he can carry a big work load.  Twenty six carries in a game is no small order and he handled that well. 

So, here's the question: what about the defense?  Last year I kept saying that their defense was their weak point.  Some people didn't agree with me and pointed to their performance against Ohio State that their D was perfectly fine.  The problem is, there were just one or two games that they were able to hold their opponents under 21 points.  That's not indicative of a strong defense in my book, especially considering other teams in the conference were able to keep a lower point-per-game average against virtually the same opponents.  So, how much have they improved, or have they?

That's pretty important to know.  Elliotts numbers could be horribly skewed if the pass defense is weak as could Bolden's if the run defense is weak.  They may not look nearly that good against real Big Ten defenses.  Actually, I'm betting that they won't. 

I'm not inclined to change my mind about Purdue right now.  Until they show me that their defense is strong enough to keep their opponents off the board with more consistency, I'm not overly impressed with what their offense is showing.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Before the spring scrimmages, Illinois was excited about the improvements on both sides of the ball.

Juice Williams went 13 of 26 for 150 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.  Those numbers aren't really bad, but they're also not at all what I expected.  Actually, that's not true.  This is almost exactly what I expected.  Something seemed to disappear from Williams last year.  He just wasn't the same guy.  Maybe he didn't have the support from the line that he had before.  Maybe it was a loss of a friendly target that he never overcame.  I don't know exactly what it was, but he lost something.  It doesn't look to me like he's gotten it back.  A QB of his perceived caliber should have better numbers than that, especially against his own defense.  He should know them and know what they're capable of.  I don't think he's going to be the Juice everyone's expecting. 

Defensively, Jerry Brown picked up seven tackles, six of them for losses and had two sacks.  That sounds pretty good for the Illini, so long as it's not more indicative of a weak O-Line than of a strong Jerry Brown.  I'm not sure who picked off Williams, but maybe their secondary is going to be tough this year.

From this limited look, I'm almost inclined to rethink the idea that they're going to be any better than they were last year.  They might even be a touch worse.  However, there is spark in their defense and if it's strong this year, that alone can make an enormous difference.  I'll leave my predictions alone for now.

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Last year the Gophers collapsed after a fantastic start.  Their first order of business is to repeat that start.  The next one is to find the spark that will carry them just a little farther. 

QB Adam Weber completed 9 of 12 passes for 77 yards.  That's not bad, but newcomer MarQueis "OJ" Gray was 8 of 10 for 141 yards and 2 TDs.  I don't see Weber losing the starting job, but at least we know that they've got a fiery young man waiting in the wings who may be just as good if not better.  Weber might be secure in his starting position, but he'd better watch his back all the same.

RB Troy Stoudemire had only 2 carries, but they were for 63 yards and a touchdown (54 of those on one carry).  Along with that, he had 3 catches for 31 yards and 3 kick returns for 143 yards.  I really like that this guy appears to be the total package.  He's got spark as a ball carrier, hands as a receiving back and could be a huge asset on special teams.  He may be the big star for Minnesota this year.

Over the course of last season, it appeared that Minnesota's defense hit a brick wall and collapsed.  How good are they?  Can they hold it together when they start getting into stiff competition?  They really need to because it looks like they might have an offense worth winning some games.

I'm not going to change my predictions for Minnesota yet.  They have the potential to be better, but their defense has to step up and stay up.

Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers were another team that fell far short of everyone's expectations.  Early in the 2008 season they were rated as high as #3 by the Associated Press.  Then everything fell apart.  They need something to show that they've picked the pieces back up and are ready to take hold of their destiny. 

QB Dustin Sherer went 6 of 9 for 101 yards and an INT (pick six).  He did add a rushing TD.  The yardage isn't at all bad, nor is his completion percentage, but that's over only 9 passes.  That Pick-6 concerns me a little. 

Especially because redshirt freshman QB Curt Phillips went 10 of 16 for 122 yards and 2 TDs with a rushing TD thrown into the mix as well.  This kid had a great day.  As a redshirt freshman, he may not see any action this year, but with performances like that, he could make Brett Bielema change his mind.  Sherer needs to realize that he's not so safe.  Correction, he needs to be not so safe. 

RB John Clay rushed 12 times for 62 yards.  That's a respectable 5.2 yards per carry.  However, Zach Brown carried the ball just two more times and picked up 48 more yards (14 and 110 respectively) for an average of 7.8 ypc.  The younger guys are pushing the older guys and the veterans had better take notice and start doing something about it. 

The biggest problem with the Badger "D" last year was a lack of tackling.  Yes, they made many other mistakes in technique and coverage, but it was exacerbated by their lack of ability to bring opposing players to the ground.  Has that improved?  I don't know.  As with the earlier teams, if the defense hasn't picked up its play, then these stats mean nothing. 

I like that the new guys are getting the same, or better production as the older players.  Now, if the older players work hard to regain their status as the best in their positions, Wisconsin might get something rolling this year.  If not, things could get very ugly.  I'm not changing my picks for them.  I'm not convinced that the projected starters are worried enough about their positions, nor that the coaches are willing to shake things up. 

Northwestern Wildcats

The Wildcats had a great season in 2008.  True, they missed their goal of winning their bowl game, but getting there the way they did was impressive enough.  That they took Missouri down to the wire only confirmed in my mind that this team is turning things around. 

QB Mike Kafka went 12 of 21 for 134 yards and a TD.  I'm not very happy with that completion percentage, but in fairness, their defense was pretty good against the pass last year, and he's more of a running QB. 

They rotated three RB's getting 207 yards out of Stephen Simmons, Jeravin Matthews, and Alex Daniel.  I wasn't impressed with Simmons last year.  Their best bet might be to keep a running back rotation ongoing through the season.  Not a position battle, mind you, but a real rotation. 

I think Kafka needs to step up his passing game a bit, but I think the Wildcats will be fine.  I'm sticking with my earlier predictions.  They'll be good.  Not conference champion good, but good enough to give quite a few people trouble. 

Iowa Hawkeyes

I all predicted the Hawkeyes would go 9-3, but not-so-secretly felt they could possibly bump that up to 10-2.  I'm not so sure now.

Moving Marvin McNutt from 2nd string QB to receiver seems to be a good move, in the mold of Kellen Lewis.  He's shown good hands and lots of speed.  With the loss of Andy Brodell, this helps secure a solid receiving corps for a matured Ricky Stanzi to throw to. 

We didn't get to see a very clear look at Iowa as they're battling injuries.  LB A.J. Edds sat out with a shoulder injury, RB Jewel Hampton's battling a hamstring issue and safety Brett Greenwood was out as well.  Not seeing Edds or Greenway leaves our look at the defense a bit skewed.  Edds was a star and Greenway was just really starting to shine.  Missing Hampton is absolutely huge on offense as he is the one slated to replace Shonn Greene.  We saw very nice things out of him last year, but that was in limited relief of Greene. 

The reports I'm hearing are that the O-Line had some issues in the spring game.  My question is, was that because they were missing Olsen and Bruggeman that badly or is it that the D-Line is that good, even without King and Kroul?  I'm hoping it's the latter, but I'm not really convinced.  We saw the O-Line struggle without Olsen during that nasty losing streak in the middle of last season.  If it's a problem with the offense rather than an improvement in an already stiff defense, then Hampton and Stanzi are going to have a very tough season. 

I'm very tempted to hand the Hawkeyes a couple more losses, but I'll keep my prediction the same for now.  Getting back those injured players could make a big difference in the look of this team. 

Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans were within sniffing distance of the conference championship last season.  Now they're missing a couple of key people.  How will they handle the changes?

QB Keith Nichol went 20 of 28 for 357 yards and 4 TDs.  That's a monsterous performance, even if it is against your own defense.  The MSU defense was fairly decent last year, so that actually helps those numbers, as long as their D is still that good.

QB Kirk Cousins went 29 for 43, also for 357 yards and 4 TDs.  The QB's had a pretty great day.  The reason for that may be that...

No running backs stepped up to replace Javon Ringer.  I realize that replacing J.R. is a pretty tall order for any running back.  However, the rushing game was pretty well held in check and that's not a good sign for the Spartans.  Is the defense really that good?  I think they're pretty stout, but I'm not sure they're really that good.  I think MSU will be playing largely one-sided offense this year. 

That's not necessarily a terrible thing.  If their defense is good and their passing game is that productive, it'll open up a rushing game and they'll be just fine.  I'm counting on that happening, actually and I'm not changing my prediction for them.

Penn State Nittany Lions

What can be said of Penn State?  They're Penn State.  They've had good recruiting classes and it showed last season.  They were one win away from the National Championship game.  Then again, they were one win away from being Rose Bowl Champions, and that didn't work out either.  They just need a little oomph to get over the hump.

QB Daryll Clark went 10 of 13 for 123 yards.  I really love that percentage and 12.3 yards per completion isn't real shabby either.  You can nickle and dime yourself right into the end zone and if that's how Clark has to do it, it'll work. 

I didn't hear much about their running game.  That could be a problem.  PSU's "Spread HD" was effective, but not particularly spectacular.  The name gave it more power than it had on its own, I think.  Still, you can't argue with success.  Part of that success depends on having a run game that can compliment the QB, even in the spread.  I didn't see anything that stuck out to me in that department.

One other thing of note: LB Sean Lee was out with a knee injury.  I'm anxious to see how healthy he is come September and how ready to play he is.  The Nittany Lion defense was pretty solid last year and they've got enough issues with new faces on defense; they don't need him to be nursing along an injury.

I'm almost tempted to reduce Penn State's win total from my prediction.  How many, though?  Another thing that strikes me is that I'm not hearing a lot of excitement about this squad.  Why is that?  I'm almost tempted to predict them to lose two more this upcoming season and go 9-3, but I won't go that far.  I'll change it to 10-2, though.

Ohio State Buckeyes

The co-Champions of the Big Ten (only technically so as Penn State beat them in the head-to-head), were oh so close to getting the big game monkey off their back last year.  They've lost some huge players this year with Wells and Laurinaitis heading off to the NFL, among others.

QB Terrelle Pryor completed 13 of 18 passes for 191 yards and 2 TDs.  That's not bad considering even the Buckeye third string defense is better than many of the defenses he'll face in the Big Ten.  It's not the kind of production that I'd like to see from him in a spring scrimmage, but it's not bad, by any stretch.

RB Marcus Williams carried the ball 6 times for 94 yards (15.7 ypc).  Along with that, Brandon Saine carried 6 times for 55 yards (9.2 ypc).  That's pretty solid production from their running backs.  Neither of them may have the flair that Wells had, but then again, either of them could be bigger.  I don't think the rushing game is going to be a problem for the Buckeyes.

Defensively, LB Brian Rolle racked up 11 tackles and a sack.  That's pretty good single game production.

Just as I thought, it looks like Ohio State isn't having too many troubles retooling from their losses.  I think they'll be just as strong this year as they were last.  I'm not inclined to change my predictions on the Buckeyes.  I think they're the class of the Big Ten again this year. 

As I said at the beginning, I didn't get to watch any of the games, but had to search around the net to find reviews, opinions, etc.  There may be more when more info comes out of the games.  I invite anyone to add comments to give their opinions of what they saw in the games. 

Until next time, Happy Bowl Hunting!