Big Ten

Big Ten: The Illinois Quarterback Job Falls On Cam Thomas

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In the last Big Ten quarterbacks article, we looked at the Northwestern Wildcats and their QB situation. It’s only fair that in the next article, we look elsewhere in the state and check out the Illinois Fighting Illini. Unlike the other Big Ten team in the state, Illini fans can hardly be content with their team’s results.

Their two wins came against Ball State and Western Kentucky, in the first two games of the season. Every game outside of those two went down as a loss, and as you would expect from a team with a two win record, Illinois experimented with quarterbacks.

Jeff George Jr. had the most snaps and attempted 181 passes, throwing for 1,273 yards and seven touchdowns all season. However, Chayce Crouch also attempted 91 passes, ending the season with 443 yards and a single touchdown. Freshman Cam Thomas also had a bit of playing time, with 66 attempts and 375 yards. It seems like Illinois should have options going into next season.

But they really don’t.

A bad turn of events hit the Illini, and now the pressure falls on one player. After announcing in January that he was going to transfer, Jeff George Jr. picked Michigan as the school where he’ll spend his last two years of eligibility. At least Illinois has Chayce Crouch, right? Well, Crouch decided to walk away from football despite being a junior last season and having one year left during his college career.

“I don’t think there is anything left to give. I have decided to hang up the cleats and end my career as a Fighting Illini. At this point in my life, this is what is best for me and I hope you all respect my decision,” Crouch wrote. With his retirement, only one of the Illini quarterbacks to attempt a pass last season is still on the team.

Cam Thomas played in four games last season, his pass attempts increasing game by game as the season came to a close. The numbers weren’t good. 42% completion percentage, no passing touchdowns, and five interceptions. But with the team as a whole going winless in the conference, you can’t blame all of it on Thomas.

The Illini just weren’t a very good football team last season, and there was no realistic way that a freshman quarterback like Thomas would make them look better after entering so late into the season. Still, Thomas has the potential to progress his game entering his second season. The starting job will fall to him as the only experienced quarterback on the roster, and against Northwestern, he had one of the only bright moments of the game for Illinois and showed what he can do while tucking and running.

In the Illinois spring game, he showed his progress in the passing game and threw a 71 yard touchdown to Caleb Reams. “He can do everything. He’s so smart, he puts us in a great position to make good plays,” said teammate Reggie Corbin, about Thomas. During spring ball, head coach Lovie Smith emphasized that while Thomas isn’t completely ready, he’s shown potential and is moving in the right direction.

Whether or not Thomas will be starting material by the time the season rolls around remains to be seen. They really need him to be. The team has enough problems to deal with next season without worrying about whether or not the quarterback will blow games.

Big Ten: A Look At Northwestern Quarterback Clayton Thorson

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Quarterback is arguably the most important position in football. As such, this is the first in a series of articles looking at the starting quarterbacks of the Big Ten this year, as well as the ongoing quarterback competitions. To start off, we’ll look at a quarterback playing in one of the conference’s largest markets, but for a team that hasn’t turned the corner.

Looking into Ben Ten QB, Clayton Thorson:

This is, of course, Big Ten Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson. Let’s look at the basics. At 6’4 and 224 pounds, Thorson doesn’t immediately look like an NFL pro style quarterback but isn’t small either. He’s a senior this season, and he played 13 games in all three of his past years.

He only made 295 passing attempts in 2015 as a freshman, but was given more chances in the resulting years and threw 478 and 434 attempts in 2016 and 2017 respectively. His sophomore season was undoubtedly his best one. In addition to having the most attempts this year, he threw for 3,182 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Thorson was still productive last season, getting 2,844 yards through the air, but he had seven less touchdowns than he did in the 2016 season. However, to realize what’s behind the dropoff, one needs to look at the percentages of each play type for the Wildcats last season. They ran the ball more and threw it less, making the drop in touchdowns and yards less alarming.

What is alarming, however, is the ACL injury that struck Thorson at the end of last season. He was injured in the Music City Bowl in what should have been a routine trick play, and missed out on spring football because of the injury. Which Thorson will we see, next season? The one that’s smooth in the pocket, able to evade pressure before placing the ball exactly where he wants it? Or a slower one that’s a shadow of his normal self?

It’s impossible to know completely at this point, but from early reports, things are going well. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald also revealed that the team will make a decision two weeks out on who their August 30th starter is. Thorson, of course, is the option that everyone wants. But if he’s not fully healthy by then, the Wildcats might have to use a starter with little experience, which is not ideal for the Big Ten.

TJ Green, for example, is a junior but only has two pass attempts in his career. Northwestern’s other options are freshmen, redshirt freshmen, or sophomores. The Wildcats have the pieces to pull off some upsets this year, but that hinges on the quarterback not losing games for them. And really, they don’t have any depth at that spot at all.

Will it hurt them this season? Well, we’ll find that out a couple of weeks out from the Purdue game, when we find out whether or not Clayton Thorson will be Northwestern’s quarterback for the entire season.

Michigan State Showing Interest In Underrated Texas QB Prospect

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The Michigan State Spartans are known for getting the best out of unheralded players, and that trend might continue if they land three star 2019 quarterback Sam Saxton. MSU is by far the best team that’s recruiting him at the moment, with the main competition being Ivy League schools and lower ranked FBS schools such as Rutgers, Memphis, New Mexico, and Southern Miss.

What do the Spartans see in Saxton, then? Despite the lack of interest from other major FBS schools, Saxton is ranked as the 20th best pro style quarterback for the 2019 class, according to 247Sports. He fits the mold of one, too. His 6’5 frame is something that pro style college teams and, at the next level, NFL teams love.

“I think they’re very interested in me,” is what Saxton had to say about Michigan State. “They think I have all the ability and components that can make a great Michigan State quarterback.”

The team still hasn’t given him an offer, but they have kept up the interest that Saxton mentioned. He’ll visit MSU on July 31st, and 247Sports gives him a 100% chance of joining the Spartans. It’s not surprising, given the gap in quality between the Spartans and most of the other schools that have shown interest in Saxton so far.

But what has he actually done on the field? Well, he threw for a little over 2,000 yards and finished with 30 touchdowns last season, compared to only three interceptions. His numbers aren’t too far off from some of the better quarterbacks in his class, despite his lower ranking compared to them. Additionally, Saxton comes from a football family, with his grandfather and father playing for the University of Texas.

Texas, however, isn’t recruiting him and Michigan State may end up being the next best thing for Saxton. An interesting tidbit is that Saxton started his career at Westlake before transferring. Westlake is, notably, the high school team of former Spartans quarterback Nick Foles.

Will Saxton’s career turn out the same, if he joins MSU? There’s no guarantee. But if things do work out between Michigan State and Saxton, it wouldn’t be the first time a quarterback from his former school has found success with the green and white.

Ohio State And Wisconsin Have Best Odds To Win The Big Ten In 2018

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Vegas has spoken, and Ohio State is the favorite to win the Big Ten this year. The odds from Westgate Las Vegas Superbook are out, and the Buckeyes have 10/11 odds to win the conference. Or, to explain this in a way for those who don’t read betting lines, a bet of $100 dollars on Ohio State would win $90 if successful.

It’s not a good return, but that’s because Vegas gives Ohio State the best chance to win and doesn’t want to lose money when people bet on the Buckeyes. The odds for Wisconsin, however, are much more favorable to the gambler. Wisconsin is the second best team according to the Las Vegas Superbook odds, but they’re still a longshot to win the title. In fact, betting $100 on Wisconsin at 5/2 will win you $250 for a total payout of $350.

Of course, the Badgers would have to win the conference for that to happen. Vegas doesn’t think that it’ll happen, or their odds wouldn’t favor the player. Michigan finished out of the title picture last season, but these odds have them bouncing back. They have the third best chance to win the conference, with their line set at 4/1. If they can pull off an upset and win the Big Ten this year, those who bet on them will win $400.

Still, the gap between number one and number three is large. Ohio State’s 10/11 gives them a 52% chance to win the conference, while Michigan will only come in with a 20% chance. All of the other outliers are even further behind. Penn State, with 5/1 odds and a 16% chance to finish on top. Michigan, at 12/1 and a 7% chance. Iowa and Nebraska, both tied at 40/1 despite some early excitement around their respective fanbases going into this season.

Illinois and Rutgers are the ultimate dark horses. At 1000/1, they both have less than a one percent chance to win the Big Ten. If one of them somehow pulls off that feat, those who bet $100 dollars on them will win $100,000 back. It’s just about an impossible scenario, but still a technically possible one nonetheless.

However, Ohio State are the undisputed favorites to win the conference, even if that’s not the outcome that gamblers are hoping for. It’s not just people from Columbus picking them, either, but Vegas itself.

Big Ten: Who Has The Best 2019 Recruiting Class Right Now?

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It’s the offseason, but college football is one of those sports that never really stops. Recruiting is something that happens year round, and when there’s no games to be played, it takes the spotlight. Incoming freshmen classes can be the difference maker in deciding which teams are winners and which are losers, but who is doing the best in recruiting right now?

For the Big Ten, the race to the top is between the same teams that have led the conference for the past couple of years, but in a different order. In 2018, Ohio State and Penn State were the kings of the Big Ten when it came to recruiting, with Michigan beating out Nebraska for third place and finishing just above the bottom of the national top 25.

But for 2019, Michigan is on pace to take the throne. They’ll have to keep up the pace, but they’ve already brought in players in volume and are dead even with OSU and PSU in their number of five star recruits, with one. Their defensive line will gain big additions next year with Chris Hinton and Stephen Herron Jr, who play at strong and weak side defensive end respectively and are ranked as the second and fifth best recruits at their position.

Joining that group of defensive linemen is Mazi Smith, a local recruit from Grand Rapids, the seventh ranked defensive tackle in the 2019 class and the third ranked player from Michigan. Michigan’s 2019 class is the fifth best in the nation, their eleven three star recruits giving them an edge over their rivals from Ohio State, who have ten four stars but only two three stars.

Ohio State shouldn’t be slept on, however. Their sole five star recruit is better than Michigan’s, as Garrett Wilson sits at number 12 in the national rankings and is ten spots above Chris Hinton. Wilson, an explosive receiver with shifty feet, is also the top recruit in the highly competitive state of Texas. They’re also adding Harry Miller and Doug Nester, the second ranked center and the third ranked guard in the country.

According to 247Sports, the Buckeyes also have the best chance to win the commitments of defensive end Zach Harrison and offensive tackle Darnell Wright, who are ranked at four and five nationally. The top two teams in the Big Ten aren’t that far ahead from the third placed team in the conference recruiting rankings, however.

Penn State’s class doesn’t have as much volume, but they do have quality. Their top commit is Brandon Smith, a five star inside linebacker who will help keep their Linebacker U reputation alive. Smith is the 32nd best recruit nationally, but the top one from the state of Virginia.

They’re also predicted to win over another one of their top targets, number three safety Lewis Cine. They aren’t predicted to beat Ohio State out in five stars, and they aren’t projected to get the commitment of any other five star recruits, but their existing commitments and their competitiveness in recruiting four star players should help them keep the pace and easily secure at least the third best class in the conference.

Below these three teams, the disparity in recruiting becomes clear. Michigan State has one five star player, but only one four star and thirteen three stars. Purdue and Minnesota are immediately below MSU in the national top 25, at spots 21 and 23. Both of them have 16 three star recruits, and less than three four stars.

The battle for the top class in the Big Ten will be fought entirely in the Big Ten East, just as it has been in the years since Penn State’s national resurgence. It’s interesting not just because of the recruiting battle, but because it will increase talk of the Big Ten East being the toughest division in college football.

Who will win in the end? That depends on what the remaining recruits do, but it’s clear that the race for the top spot is between two of the most familiar brands in the conference and college football as a whole: the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Paul Finebaum To The Big Ten Isn’t An Impossible Scenario

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If you asked college football fans what they imagined when they think about the SEC, the Paul Finebaum Show would be one of the first things to come up. In fact, Finebaum and the conference have become almost synonymous over the years, with his show becoming well known nationwide for featuring some of the most intense fans in the country. Could Finebaum actually leave the SEC behind, to cover its rivals up north?

Well, it’s more likely than you may think. While ESPN is close to reaching a deal with Finebaum at the end of his five year contract, they haven’t actually done so. According to SportingNews, Fox is pursuing Finebaum. Fox owns the Big Ten Network, which is the reason there’s talks of Finebaum getting a BTN show.

Of course, there’s a reason why the title of this article is “Paul Finebaum To The Big Ten Isn’t An Impossible Scenario.” It’s not exactly the most likely scenario, it’s just one that hasn’t been eliminated yet. There’s not a lot to go on at this point, other than the Big Ten’s executives desiring a “Paul Finebaum-like show”, and ESPN taking its time with closing the deal.

Why are we talking about this, if it’s not the most likely outcome? Because there’s still a legitimate chance that Finebaum moves networks. It’s not smooth sailing in the negotiations with ESPN, and Finebaum has already threatened to stay out of SEC Media Days unless his deal is done by the time they happen.

There’s no guarantee that he moves to the Big Ten, if he does leave ESPN. The Sinclair Broadcast group is also interested, as well as the third largest radio station operator in the United States, Cumulus Media. Perhaps the most threatening to ESPN is Sirius XM, a place where Finebaum could move to without changing his content drastically.

But if he did start covering the Big Ten, it would be an interesting thing to see. After all, the conference can compete with the SEC in terms of having loyal and crazy fans, and right now, the Big Ten doesn’t have any equivalent show that puts that aspect of the conference on full display.

Want To Write About College Football? ESM Is Now Covering The Big Ten!

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Ever feel like college football is more exciting than the NFL? Are you looking for a high quality source for college football news, outside of the mainstream outlets? If so, you may be interested in knowing that Empire Sports Media is expanding to cover the Big Ten Conference.

The Big Ten has 14 teams and some of the largest alumni bases in the country, and we want to hear from all of them. If you want to write about your favorite team, or about the conference in general, this is a good chance for you to do it.

We want to represent a number of teams and fanbases with this new section, and if you’ve ever wanted a chance to break into college football writing, this is a good opportunity for you. Whether you’re interested in recapping games during the season, analyzing your team’s strategies in detail, or following the recruiting trail,  your voice can be heard.

If you’re interested or have further questions, check out our Write For Us page and get in touch.