Big Ten Daily (Oct. 8): QB Joe Milton Ready to Take the Reins at Michigan

Big Ten Daily takes a look at two new coaches in the league, Joe Milton taking a leadership role at Michigan and Scott Frost talking about his seniors at Nebraska.

As we zero in on the opening weekend of the Big Ten football season, "Big Ten Daily'' is here to keep you updated on happenings around the league.

Today, we check in on Michigan quarterback Joe Milton, who's finally going to get his chance to start for the Wolverines, and check in on first-year coaches Mel Tucker and Greg Schiano at Michigan State and Rutgers, respectively. 

Nebraska coach Scott Frost also weighs on the new scholarship rules and what things might look like going forward.

Here is Thursday's Big Ten Daily:

It's finally Joe Milton's time

Joe Milton is entering his third season at Michigan and is close to obtaining his degree. The 6-foot-5, 243-pound passer is approaching his duty as a leader differently since he's the presumed starter for the 2020 season.

"As a leader, I kind of approach it a different way," Milton said. "I was observant the first two years. In order to be a leader, you have to be observant, so I kind of looked at it that way. My leadership role, to me myself when I look at my self in the mirror, it impresses me too, like how I come and go inside the building and how people approach me, so I feel like my role has improved."

Here's the complete story from Wolverine Digest's Eric Rutter on our Sports Illustrated channel devoted to Michigan. CLICK HERE

To follow Michigan football on our Sports Illustrated network, CLICK HERE

Indiana plays Michigan on Nov. 7 in Bloomington in Week 3 of the new Big Ten schedule.

Tucker still learning his Spartan players

First-year Michigan State coach Mel Tucker has been trying to play catch-up ever since he arrived in East Lansing last spring. With the COVID-19 pandemic limiting his time with his new players and coaching staff, it's been a real rush this month to get a feel for what he has in his first year in East Lansing.

"I like the way our players are buying into our system, culture, and how we do things," Tucker said. "Also, I'm very pleased with our coaching staff – coming together relatively for the first time on the field on a consistent basis ... it's unfolding right before our eyes, and we're working hard at it every day to cement our culture.

"We continue to drive home our process, but I do see significant buy-in from our players in terms of what we are asking them to do."

Here's the complete story from Spartan Nation writer McLain Moberg, on our Sports Illustrated channel devoted to Michigan State. CLICK HERE

To follow Michigan football on our Sports Illustrated network, CLICK HERE

Same learning curve for Rutgers' Schiano

Greg Schiano had a lot of success at Rutgers during his first go-round at the school from 

And if getting acclimated to coaching a new team amid a pandemic is not arduous enough, Schiano is also acclimating to working with a new coaching staff. However, he offered rave reviews about his latest group.

“I love our staff,” he said. “The staff is a work in progress as well. Some of us have worked together, some of us haven't. I have changed so even if we worked together, I am not the same coach and neither are they. So definitely been a feeling-out process. But they bring great energy, they bring great knowledge and I think they're really good role models and mentors for our players. So, to me, that's what it's about.

"When you coach in college football, yes you need to win games. Yes, you need to graduate your players. But as much as anything, are you giving them someone that they can look up to as a mentor to help them navigate. I think more than any time in my career, it's more important today that they have men like that to associate with and to look up to. So I'm very pleased what's a job that they've done so far and we just got to keep moving forward step by step.”

Indiana plays Rutgers on the road in Week 2. 

New Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said his staff "is still a work in progress.'' (USA TODAY Sports)

Frost weighs in on senior uncertainty

Nebraska coach Scott Frost did his first hour-long radio show this week and touched on many topics. One of them is what will happen with his seniors and overall roster size in 2021 and beyond now that the NCAA isn't counting this year as a year of eligibilty.

Frost isn't exactly sure when after 2021 that football programs will have to be back to 85 scholarship players or how recruiting class sizes might be affected in 2022 and beyond.  

"This senior class is a great group of guys and until we know any different, I'm going to extend the opportunity for any one of them who wants to come back and play another year to be back," Frost said. "I'm sure we'll learn the rules on how that affects the total number of scholarships and everything down the road, but the guys that we've got right now, we'll keep as long as we can." 

Nebraska's Scott Frost says his seniors can stick around as long as they'd like. (USA TODAY Sports)