BIG TEN

HOW THEY'LL FINISH

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NOTABLES

Best offensive player

TERRELLE PRYOR

QB, Ohio State, Jr.

He's big (6' 6", 233 pounds), he's fast (timed at 4.33 in the 40), and he delivered a Rose Bowl offensive MVP performance against Oregon.

Best defensive player

ADRIAN CLAYBORN

DE, Iowa, Sr.

A powerful pass rusher who had 11½ sacks and 20 tackles for loss last season, Clayborn (left) is a projected top 10 NFL draft pick.

True freshman to watch

WILLIAM GHOLSTON

LB, Michigan State

The Big Ten's lone five-star signee (according to Rivals.com), Gholston is a 6' 7", 250-pound hybrid pass rusher who will play immediately.

Coach on the rise

PAT FITZGERALD

Northwestern

His 17 wins in the past two seasons are the Wildcats' most since the 1995--96 Big Ten title teams, when Fitzgerald was an All-America linebacker.

Coach on the hot seat

RICH RODRIGUEZ

Michigan

With his first two years having yielded a 3--13 Big Ten record and impending NCAA sanctions, Rich Rod needs a big season to survive past year three.

PLAYERS TO WATCH (Top performers from unranked teams)

TANDON DOSS

WR-KR-PR, Indiana, Jr.

The Hoosiers' versatile playmaker had 1,666 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns last year, even lining up as a running back to provide an option threat.

GREG JONES

LB, Michigan State, Sr.

A consensus first-team All-America with 154 tackles (No. 3 in the nation), Jones will set his sights this year on the Butkus Award for the nation's top linebacker.

RYAN KERRIGAN

DE, Purdue, Sr.

This 6' 4", 263-pound bull rusher keyed the upset of Ohio State last season. He led the conference with 13 sacks and led the country with seven forced fumbles.

MIKEL LESHOURE

RB, Illinois, Jr.

LeShoure, who averaged 6.8 yards a carry last year, culminated a breakthrough season with a 184-yard rushing day in the finale against Fresno State.

KEITH SMITH

WR, Purdue, Sr.

A former QB and safety for the Boilermakers, Smith emerged as the Big Ten's leading receiver in '09 (91 receptions, 1,100 yards).

EXTRA POINTS

Michigan coach RICH RODRIGUEZ remains undecided about his quarterback. While sophomore TATE FORCIER started all 12 games last season, fleet-footed classmate DENARD (SHOELACE) ROBINSON(below) closed the gap with an impressive spring. Rodriguez says the job is "wide-open." ... Iowa's returning offensive linemen have combined for just 36 career starts, fewest in the Big Ten, but coach KIRK FERENTZ believes 6' 6", 300-pound sophomore left tackle RILEY REIFF, who started 11 games as a redshirt freshman, will be a talented anchor.... Purdue quarterback ROBERT MARVE, a former starter at Miami (Fla.), is fully recovered from last season's surgery on his left ACL and will start this fall. Top rusher RALPH BOLDEN, however, is questionable to play this year after tearing his right ACL in the spring.... After a 3--9 debacle in '09, Illinois will have new coordinators on offense (PAUL PETRINO, from Arkansas) and defense (VIC KOENNING, Kansas State).... Minnesota senior quarterback ADAM WEBER, the program's alltime leading passer, enters the season as the starter, but sophomore MARQUEIS GRAY pushed Weber in spring practice and could play if Weber struggles as he did last year.

PHOTO

RANDY LITZINGER/ICON SMI

Penn State RB Evan Royster

PHOTO

DON MCPEAK/US PRESSWIRE

PHOTO

MARK CUNNINGHAM/GETTY IMAGES

PHOTO

ERIC BRONSON/ICON SMI