Ohio State coach Ryan Day echoed the feelings of many around the Big Ten when he was recently asked what it has been like to watch college football games in other leagues.
"Most of it's been torture," Day said.
Patience has taken on a whole new meaning in 2020, especially for Big Ten coaches, players and fans. But the long wait ends this weekend as the Big Ten football season will kick off, beginning Friday night when Illinois visits No. 14 Wisconsin. All 14 league teams are in action, opening a delayed schedule that aims for nine games in nine weeks.
Lost in the Big Ten's summer melodrama is the fact there are plenty of exciting on-field storylines for the league. Ohio State's quest for a national title tops the list, but there are others, like which teams will challenge the Buckeyes, whether teams like Minnesota and Indiana can follow up on breakthrough seasons, which teams might surprise this year, the impact of new head coaches and coordinators, and how Big Ten teams will navigate strict COVID-19 protocols and empty stadiums.
As kickoff nears, I spoke with coaches to preview some of the top items around the Big Ten.
Can anyone keep pace with Ohio State?
The raw anger and disappointment from Ohio State when the Big Ten initially postponed the football season could be felt around the league. "This could have been a once-in-a-lifetime team," Day said shortly after the postponement. The Buckeyes know they're really good.
After falling short in the College Football Playoff semifinals last year, anything less than a repeat CFP appearance -- and a national title -- would be viewed as a disappointment.
"They're the team that wants the season the worst, the Buckeyes," a Big Ten assistant said. "They can win the damn thing."
Quarterback Justin Fields is the biggest reason why, as he leads an offense that averaged 46.9 points per game and 6.94 yards per play last year. While elite pass-rusher Chase Young will be missed, coaches like the Buckeyes' front seven, especially a veteran linebacker group, as well as cornerback Shaun Wade, who, along with offensive lineman Wyatt Davis, opted back in for the season after initially declaring for the NFL draft.
"[Day] was fighting like crazy to make sure he kept all those guys," a Big Ten coordinator said.
Added a head coach: "They're loaded."
Before the CFP, though, Ohio State must navigate the Big Ten schedule, which includes a Week 2 road game against Penn State and seven other contests the Buckeyes will be heavily favored to win. ESPN's FPI gives Ohio State a better-than-90% chance to win all of its games except Penn State, in which the Buckeyes have a 72.1% chance.
Ohio State and Penn State have played one-score games between 2016 and 2018, as well as a relatively tight contest last year (Ohio State won 28-17). The Nittany Lions get Ohio State at home, where they won in 2016, lost by seven in 2014 and by a point in 2018. But instead of a "Whiteout" crowd, Beaver Stadium will be mostly empty when Ohio State visits.
"The talent level of Ohio State and Penn State in that order are the highest in the Big Ten," Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo said. "No 'Whiteout' is going to hurt Penn State a little bit. Other than that, I don't see anyone else really challenging [Ohio State]."
Penn State's new OC is one to watch
To overcome Ohio State for the first time in four years, Penn State will need more than 17 points. The hope is new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, hired from Minnesota, can take a good but unspectacular offense and make it great. Penn State brings back quarterback Sean Clifford, a second-year starter, as well as Mackey Award candidate Pat Freiermuth at tight end and a deep running back room led by Journey Brown and Noah Cain.
Ciarrocca elevated Minnesota's offense, transforming Tanner Morgan into one of the nation's most efficient quarterbacks and employing an RPO system that averaged 9.6 yards per pass attempt (sixth nationally). Coaches expect Ciarrocca to help Clifford improve.
"One thing he does, he keeps it simple for the quarterback," a Big Ten assistant said. "He does not overload it. He's good at that. That's why that kid flourished at Minnesota."
Another assistant added of Ciarrocca: "He is an RPO guru."
DiNardo thinks Ciarrocca could have a similar impact at Penn State as Joe Moorhead, whose offense helped the Nittany Lions to the 2016 Big Ten championship and a 22-5 record in two years.
"The quarterback, he can do all those things system-wise," a Big Ten assistant said. "I think they've got a chance to be pretty good. The tight end's good, 87. And there's a second one [Zack Kuntz]. You might see a little more 12 personnel [one running back, two tight ends] from them. Minnesota did a decent amount of that."
A weakened Wisconsin?
While Ohio State has dominated the Big Ten, winning four of the past six league titles, Wisconsin has controlled the West Division with four championships in the past six years. The Badgers remain the team to beat in the West, but many around the league think they're quite vulnerable.
An offense that already lost All-America running back Jonathan Taylor, Rimington Trophy winner Tyler Biadasz at center and leading receiver Quintez Cephus won't have starting quarterback Jack Coan, out indefinitely following foot surgery. Graham Mertz might have a higher ceiling than Coan -- he's Wisconsin's highest-rated quarterback recruit ever -- but lacks experience (10 career pass attempts), which could hurt an already green unit.
"The young quarterback's really, really talented, but they lost a lot of production in the backfield and at receiver," a Big Ten coach said. "But they're really good on defense."
Another league assistant said replacing Taylor, who rushed for 6,174 yards and 50 touchdowns in three seasons, is the "biggest question," despite a series of star backs.
"I think they'll compete for the West," DiNardo said, "but I don't see Wisconsin having the personnel right now that meets the standard Wisconsin's had. There's a lot of missing pieces."
Gophers, Hoosiers hoping for encores
Other than the league's newest members -- Nebraska, Maryland and Rutgers -- no teams have gone longer without a Big Ten title than Minnesota and Indiana, tri-champions with Purdue in 1967. But both Minnesota and Indiana took historic steps last season. P.J. Fleck's Gophers won 11 games for the first time since 1904 and finished the season ranked No. 10. Tom Allen last fall guided the Hoosiers to their first eight-win season since 1993, and his 18 wins are the most for any IU coach during his first three seasons.
Can both teams repeat their successes?
Minnesota should factor in the West, especially with Rashod Bateman, the Big Ten's wide receiver of the year in 2019, opting back in to team with Morgan. But Fleck isn't downplaying the challenges of this season, from replacing four NFL draft picks on defense to navigating the uncertainties of COVID-19.
"We've set the tone for not sacrificing what we really want down the road for what we want right now, because there's so much unpredictability," Fleck told me. "We have incredible, incredible talent here now, but it's youthful talent, it's inexperienced talent, especially on the defensive side. The experience is something we have to gain and have to earn, which means there's going to be failing, there's going to be growth, there's going to be success, there's going to be steps backward, and it's going to be this maturity process. But you have to be willing to allow that to happen, or you'll skip steps and never get to where you want to be."
Coaches expect a dropoff on defense but express confidence in coordinator Joe Rossi (the team is 14-3 since he took over in November 2018). There are more questions about Ciarrocca's replacement, Mike Sanford, whose recent stops (Utah State, Western Kentucky, Notre Dame) haven't been overly impressive.
Indiana faces a steeper challenge in the East but has upgraded its roster to compete better with everyone on its schedule. There's great optimism about quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who completed 68.8% of his passes before a season-ending collarbone injury last year, and a skill group that includes wide receivers Whop Philyor and Ty Fryfogle, tight end Peyton Hendershot, and running backs Stevie Scott III, Sampson James and David Ellis.
Allen has stabilized the Hoosiers' defense, which had dragged down the program for decades.
"He's doing a great job," a Big Ten assistant said of Allen. "He knows who they are and what they need to be. They'll be efficient and solid."
Michigan turns to Milton
Michigan is never truly an afterthought, especially under Jim Harbaugh, but after finishing behind Ohio State and Penn State in three of the past four seasons, the Wolverines aren't generating much attention. From 2015 to 2019, Michigan ranked sixth nationally in defensive efficiency and fourth in SP+, and the unit returns standouts like linemen Kwity Paye and Aidan Hutchinson. But consecutive meltdowns against Ohio State -- 118 points and 1,133 yards allowed -- confirm the Wolverines need much more from their offense to take the next step.
Enter Joe Milton. Big (6-foot-5, 243 pounds) and strong-armed, Milton beat out Dylan McCaffrey for the starting job, and could give Michigan's passing game a different dimension.
"Every day he makes some type of wow play," second-year offensive coordinator Josh Gattis said. "They would be wow plays not only in college football, but they'd be wow plays on Sunday."
Michigan likes the pieces around Milton. Ronnie Bell leads an emerging receiving corps, while the tight end spot is extremely deep with Nick Eubanks and Erick All. A healthy Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins headline a running back group that regains Chris Evans from suspension.
But college football is a quarterback sport, and coaches don't expect Michigan to contend unless Milton flourishes.
"They keep getting average guys," a Big Ten assistant said. "You've got to be accurate throwing the ball. He's a big dude, but on third-and-5, third-and-8, you need to keep the chains moving."
Said a Big Ten coach: "He's a great looking kid, he's big. Very talented player, so I'm sure he'll be good, but you never know how guys will handle the game-day pressure. He always had the tools. He just hadn't put it all together."
The wide-open West
The East Division gets more national attention, but the West race could be more exciting. Wisconsin and Minnesota both are ranked, while coaches like Iowa's potential with solid line play, emerging running back Tyler Goodson, speedy receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette and new quarterback Spencer Petras.
"That's the team, to me, that nobody's talking about in the West," a Big Ten coach said. "I think they're pretty freaking good."
There's also a lot of optimism around Purdue, as Rondale Moore, a consensus All-American as a freshman in 2018, opted back in for his junior season. Moore and David Bell (1,035 receiving yards in 2019) form the league's best receiving tandem.
Purdue must identify a capable quarterback, upgrade its offensive line play and develop more playmakers on defense alongside emerging star end George Karlaftis. But the team could take a big step.
"That was a big get, keeping Rondale Moore," a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. "He's different than a lot of those slot receivers that you see, just because he's so strong with the ball in his hands. And the way Bell is playing, that's a pretty good combo."
Nebraska could finally emerge in Scott Frost's third year, although coaches still question a lackluster defense and note a schedule with cross-division games against Ohio State and Penn State. Illinois returns an improving offense with quarterback Brandon Peters, while Northwestern's offense gets a much-needed makeover with new playcaller Mike Bajakian and quarterback transfer Peyton Ramsey, who started 23 games for Indiana.
"It's incredibly close," Fleck said of the West, "and in 2020 with COVID-19, it's going to be even closer."
Empty stadiums, strict COVID policies
Big Ten games will look dramatically different this season, mainly because of who is in the stands and who is on the field. The general public is not allowed in for games, which will only be attended by families of coaches and players.
"You've got a ridiculous home-field advantage at Wisconsin, gone, Ohio State and Penn State, gone," a Big Ten coach said. "Some of these teams, it's going to be a little bit different when you actually have to beat people straight-up at home."
Roster management also will be different, given the Big Ten's protocols on COVID-19. Players who receive confirmed positive tests must wait 21 days before returning. As one assistant said, "The Big Ten is going to try to function like nobody else in the country."
Although the Big Ten's daily antigen testing is designed to limit outbreaks, coaches are aware of how quickly game plans can change, depending on the results.
"It's like preparing for ghosts," Fleck said. "You have no idea who's going to show up on that field on Saturday, which is a little unsettling for a coach. You could have a guy on scout team all of a sudden be a starter.
"We know in the Big Ten, everybody is good and anybody can beat anyone. Anyone can win, especially in 2020, with the people that are going to be out."