Big Ten Roundtable: Biggest X-Factor for Each Team
Maryland Athletics released updated testing results on Wednesday as voluntary workouts are set to resume for football. As the Big Ten has since announced plans to move forward with a conference-only schedule in 2020, the Terps have nine games on the upcoming schedule tentatively starting with Minnesota. In a Big Ten roundtable with each team’s publisher, we take a look at the biggest “X”-factor for nearly every team on Maryland’s current 2020 schedule, but first, All Terrapins gives our analysis on the biggest piece for the Terps’ in the upcoming season.
Ahmed Ghafir (Maryland): Quarterback Josh Jackson. He’ll have a short leash in 2020, just as he did in 2019, but replacing complacency with confidence is the biggest X-factor. As a unit, Maryland will have to take a step forward in the trenches, but if there’s one single person that can make a difference this season, it is Jackson. He’ll have to beat out redshirt freshman Lance Legendre for opening day reps, but he struggled with his short pass accuracy and threw errant passes when protection broke down. Maryland’s offensive line did him little favors last season, which is why all of 2019’s woes don’t fall on Jackson, but reestablishing confidence in himself will carry over into his performance. Maryland has enough size and speed to find space across the middle, so the quarterbacks have weapons at their disposal. Maryland could run a two-quarterback system to capitalize on the added speed that redshirt freshman Lance Legendre brings to the QB room, but Jackson will have to show that he can find his groove with his arm in his final season of eligibility.
Tom Brew (Indiana): Indiana has plenty of talent returning at the skill positions on offense, but they’re looking at all new faces on the interior of the offensive line, which is going to be critical in improving the running game and keeping oft-injured quarterback Michael Penix Jr. healthy. Senior Harry Crider will slide over from guard to center, and that should be a smooth transition because it’s his natural position. The guard spots are wide open, though, and fall camp likely will determine the starters among Mackenzie Nworah, Mike Katic and Dylan Powell, a grad transfer from Stanford. The Hoosiers love their tackles — returning starters Caleb Jones and Matt Bedford — but what happens on the inside will determine how good this Indiana offense can be.
Jake Kocorowski (Wisconsin): Despite returning a lot of starters next season, Wisconsin has questions at some key positions (namely, who’s replacing production at inside and outside linebacker, running back and wide receiver). Two X-Factors are equally important in my book.
Offensively, I’ll actually look at the line, where it will need to replace three starters from last year. Wisconsin needs to find out who will be its center with Tyler Biadasz departing early for the NFL. Can Kayden Lyles, who started four games last year at guard, be the leading candidate to slide to assume those duties? Which combination of five players will offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Joe Rudolph find to continue the successful tradition of a run-heavy scheme?
Defensively, it’s just finding players to replace the pass rush of Chris Orr and All-American Zack Baun. They combined for 24 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss in 2019. There are starters returning on the defensive line and in the secondary who will help take on a portion of the loss, but which linebackers step up more?
Brandon Brown (Michigan): The X-factor for Michigan in 2020 is a player yet to be named. I know that’s a bit of a cop out, but this team is only going to be as good as its starting quarterback, and we don’t know who that is yet. Michigan’s defense should be pretty stacked. As we just saw earlier today, the SI publishers put five Wolverines on the preseason all-conference team and all five of them were on defense. On offense, none were recognized.
Whoever wins the job between Dylan McCaffrey and Joe Milton is going to be the X-factor. Both are much bigger and more athletic than Shea Patterson, but how will they run the offense when they’re the guy? That’s what we don’t know yet. Milton has an absolute cannon for an arm and both can really run the ball. The offense could potentially be better, but there is a possibility it will be worse, especially considering the fact that there will be four new starters along the offensive line. At the end of the day, the quarterback is the X-factor — he just doesn’t have a name yet.
Brendan Gullick (Ohio State): I think it’s Trey Sermon. Ohio State’s offense the last several years has had fabulous balance - terrific quarterbacks with legitimate NFL-caliber wide receivers and a running game that is as good as anyone’s in the country. That’s the case again this season. But with the loss of J.K. Dobbins to the draft and with Master Teague’s season in jeopardy because of an Achilles injury, the Buckeyes are turning to Trey Sermon to play as important a role as he’s ever played. The good news is Sermon’s quarterback is the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy and has a propensity to make some impressive plays with his feet as well as his arm. That will certainly take some pressure off of him. But if Sermon can run the ball effectively (or perhaps more importantly, just stay healthy and keep the offense balanced), Ohio State likes it’s chances of making another title run.
Mark Wogenrich (Penn State): The offensive line. It’s been a work-in-progress for coach James Franklin’s entire term. They’ve recruited well the past few years, and return four starters, so the pieces are there. New offensive line coach Phil Trautwein, who came from Boston College, is charged with making those pieces dominant. He has talent in tackle Rasheed Walker, center Michal Menet and guards C.J. Thorpe, Mike Miranda and Des Holmes.
