OHIO STATE

Big Ten spring prospectus: Ohio State provides model

By Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY

COLUMBUS – It was inevitable from the moment Urban Meyer signed on the dotted line in late November 2011: The Big Ten Conference is chasing Ohio State.

The same can be said of the entire Football Bowl Subdivision, which enters spring drills hot on the heels of the defending national champions, but it's doubly true within the Buckeyes' conference. With talent to burn and quarterbacks to spare, Ohio State holds a sizable edge over the Big Ten's second tier — by one full step over Michigan State, by leaps and bounds over the rest of the pack.

How can the field catch up with the leader? Taking a page from Meyer's blueprint might help. It was Meyer, after all, who said in the winter of 2013 that the conference as a whole needed "to keep pushing that envelope to be better."

"Our whole conversation needs to be about 'How do we recruit?' When you see 11 of the SEC teams are in the Top 25, that's something that we need to improve."

The Buckeyes' would-be competitors have taken notice. Michigan State's recruiting has picked up significantly, with back-to-back highly rated classes adding talent to coach Mark Dantonio's foundation. Penn State and James Franklin have noticed. Nebraska has embraced a new approach to recruiting since Mike Riley's arrival.

And then there's Michigan, which took things one step further: To beat Urban Meyer, the Wolverines hired a coach cut from the same cloth — Jim Harbaugh, once of Stanford — and this sluggish rivalry has new life.

Three spring storylines

• 1. Ohio State's quarterback competition. For now, and for the foreseeable future, Ohio State will roll through spring drills with three options: Braxton Miller, the multiple-year starter who missed all of last season after shoulder surgery; J.T. Barrett, who replaced Miller and stormed into the Heisman Trophy race before breaking his ankle; and Cardale Jones, who replaced Barrett and led Ohio State through the College Football Playoff.

It's not a terrible problem to have. But the Buckeyes will work their way through this competition with a new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Tim Beck, who comes over from Nebraska to replace Houston-bound Tom Herman.

• 2. Michigan's year of "Hard Work." Harbaugh has given a title to his debut season: "Embracing the art of Hard Work is disappearing from society," he wrote on his Twitter account. "Therefore, we at Michigan Football designate 2015 as the year of Hard Work."

It's a nice start for the Wolverines, who desperately need this sort of identity, but it doesn't mask the team's pressing concerns: Michigan still needs to find a quarterback, for example, and must choose a starter from the group of Shane Morris, Wilton Speight and incoming freshman Alex Malzone. The latter, an early enrollee, might be Harbaugh's multiple-year answer at the position.

• 3. Nebraska's changes on the field and off. The Cornhuskers' recruiting machine has hit high gear since Mike Riley's arrival, planting the seeds for a top-15 class next February. Riley, as expected, has breathed optimism into a program struggling to move beyond the four-loss rut under his predecessor, Bo Pelini.

There might be less substantial changes on the field: Riley and his staff — many with Oregon State ties — will lead the offense into a more traditional style, but look for a continued commitment to the running game. Even without Ameer Abdullah, one of the top running backs in program history, the Cornhuskers offense must continue to win up front to be successful.

Five impact newcomers

• 1. Ohio State DE Jashon Cornell. With a spot to fill opposite Joey Bosa, the Buckeyes might turn to the true freshman for key snaps.

• 2. Nebraska DB Eric Lee. Along with fellow early enrollee Avery Anderson, Lee is a lock to earn some sort of a role in Nebraska's secondary as a true freshman.

• 3. Penn State OT Paris Palmer. Franklin prefers to redshirt true freshmen along the offensive line, but Palmer, a junior-college addition, will see the field from the start.

• 4. Michigan State LB Tyriq Thompson. Though not as highly rated as other potential impact freshmen, Thompson possesses the intangibles Dantonio and Michigan State search for at linebacker.

• 5. Wisconsin TE Kyle Penniston. Wisconsin added eight newcomers in the spring, including two new contenders at quarterback, but Penniston has the size and athleticism to contribute immediately at tight end.

Spring Game Schedule

April 4, Michigan; April 11, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern; April 18, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue; April 24, Rutgers; April 25, Iowa, Michigan State, Wisconsin.