Preseason Football Superlatives; Will Howard Named Ohio State Starting QB | B1G Today

Will Howard Named Ohio State Starting QB [Music] hi there from Chicago glad to have you with us here on Big 10 today presented by Taco Bell mik call Anthony Heron if you joined us yesterday you know this is how Anthony wants to start the show and you're like a rock no matter how much I try to distract my call during the cold open of the show you refuse to be distracted just saying impressive it's going to be a fun year sir yes sir you ready for the big story today I am can't wait big story today is all about new QBs will Howard takes over at quarterback for Kyle McCord at Ohio State who by no means was bad last year he just didn't meet the very high standard OSU has at its program especially at that position in comes Howard who started in each of the last four seasons at Kansas State Howard address the media before he debuts in scarlet and gray on Saturday you know when he told us um I was I was very excited um you know it's an honor it's a privilege and I don't take it lightly you know and and there's a lot of really really good players in that room and you know to be named the starter um in a group you know like we have is is an honor and it truly you know is is special to me um and being the you know being the starting quarterback of Ohio State you know it's uh it's it's truly a like I said it's a blessing man it's it's not something I take lightly and you know I know that there's a lot of stuff that comes with that you know I know there's a lot of expectations and you know pressure if you will but um you know I I knew that that was that was you know that was the first goal on on my list when we got here you know was to you know was to be the guy um and you know I knew I had to work for it and the guys in the room weren't going to make it easy um you know but I felt like I had a good camp and I I I showed the coaching staff that you know what I could do and like I finally settled into the offense for the first time um um and you know just going through fall you know I feel I feel really really confident with you know kind of how we're how I'm feeling the offense out and how I'm kind of you know evolving in this system um and yeah I'm just I'm very I'm flattered um I'm fired up man it's it's humbling but it's also um you know something I don't take I don't take lightly at all and I'm I'm humbled I'm I'm blessed man it's uh it's going to be fun he has an awful lot of talent he is a threat to run he did start for four years at Kansas State now to be fair he also did lose reps last year to a freshman at a certain point in the season but as I mentioned earlier like K McCord was pretty darn good it's just the bar for that position at that school is higher than pretty darn good it intrigues me what the evaluation of that position will will lend itself to this year because the way we evaluate quarterback at Ohio State to your point Mike is that now the expectation is you're you're going to be a first round draft pick you're going to be in the Heisman Trophy conversation you're going to be the main reason that the Buckey win Games Week in and week out and we saw that pressure just build and mount around everything that evolved around the program last year to the point where it felt almost crushing you know to a certain extent now will Howard comes in and I think you know having an offensive coordinator come in like Chip Kelly that should enhance the way that his productivity can not only be dependent upon his arm talent but it can also enhance the way that he moves the pocket with his legs the way they call the quarterback into the Run scheme he is a big strapping young lad and they also have depth at QB so with Chip Kelly calling those plays on offense I do think it'll accentuate the way that Ryan day's offense in Columbus can not only showcase that talent that they have on the outside at wide receiver but also just the QB Run game that really became popularized quite a bit during Urban Meyers time there I think we'll see those things melded between the two I feel like as a leader you're job is often times and we both get this we're parents of young children your job is to put your person in a position to succeed right you do a lot of work for the Chicago Bears Caleb Williams this year their new quarterback is in a position to succeed with all the talent around him Howard is in that position I mean you could still argue this is maybe two or three years in a row now arguably the deepest most talented position room in the country is wide receivers at Ohio State and he's got two Superstar running backs to hand the ball off to also to be be in that spot it should take pressure off of his his his desire to take risks his desire to search for the big play and the way that the team is able to control games that's really during the early part of Ryan day's time there that was one of the questions that I had about just the way he managed games on the whole whether or not his style the the volume of passing that he called yes it could lead to Big points but it did allow game control to lapse at times for the Buckey so now not only that combination between Ryan and Chip Kelly but all this Talent that's infused at receiver at running back the QB Run game they've got access to so many different things and also one of the top defenses in the country so there's so much of this that takes pressure off of will Howard now I don't know that Buckeye fans are going to view it that way but I do think that's the the responsible way to view what type of production they get from quarterback because there's some big games on that OSU schedule there's no doubt about that but as long as those big games end up inct and you see so many aspects of the program flourishing then if the quarterback doesn't throw six touchdown passes if Will Howard isn't averaging 350 plus passing yards but he's showcasing an efficiency and a playmaking ability this can prove to be perhaps the best team in America right just don't turn the ball over yeah let all those Playmakers have the ability to make plays on your offense and that that should guide them to Victory he's one of many QBs with the spotlight on them another one is over in Lincoln where they haven't anticipated a freshman QB like this in quite some time Dylan Rolan named the starter just a few days ago he's just a few months removed from playing in high school The Freshman was a top 10 overall ranked Prospect this past recruiting cycle here's what's on his mind now that he's the starter Saturday against Utah yeah it was uh it was emotional honestly um I mean the first thing I did was call my mom called my dad you know very very thankful for them you know I wouldn't be here without them um and then my my two my and my sister made sure I called them and let them know I appreciate them very much um there's a lot of other people I could thank but um you know just due to time right now um yeah it was it was a good conversation um you know it was a fun competition and you know I still love Danny still love Hinrich and like they push me every day so I can't thank them enough for for what they did and you know help me be where I am as well how did they give you that news say it again how did they give you that news that you um I I guess coach R just after practice was just like hey you're our starting quarterback congratulations and that was it and he went to the media and it was just quick um you know it's about our team you know I don't want to make it about me or what I do and I can't win the game by myself so um it's going to take all 11 on both sides of the ball and um that that's our Focus if you could give a message to pusker Nation the fans about what they can expect from you and this team and what they're going to bring to the table What would would that be uh buckle up it's going to be a fun ride love the attitude right that's that's what you want from your quarterback too a little bit of confidence excitement to do the job such a different type of pressure on him than on will Howard though and will Howard has come by the level of maturity that we heard from him there he's come by that through years of service and starting in college football and been on big stages before Dylan riola is a true freshman he is just like you said a few months ago removed himself from high school football and is now in Lincoln I mean yes at his dad's program he he has been born and bred into what it means to be a Husker actually played with his dad down with the Detroit Lions played against him in college multiple times as well even before Nebraska ended up joining the Big 10 so that competitive temperament that we heard from Dylan riola that does come from from an honest place from his parents from what he was you know sort of built around as a young athlete being nurtured by his dad but on the whole the maturity really is is what impresses me what astounds me in some ways even beyond the physical ability that we see from Dylan Rola because he does seem prepared to command this stage with Nebraska and all those expectations that come with being a Husker QB with wanting to lead this program to wins at a level that they haven't seen in a decade plus he seems ready for that now it's one thing to seem ready for before you actually step between the white lines in a regular season game and and there is a difference from UTEP week one versus the teams they're going to have forther along the season but if you look at their schedule people think Matt rule can do good things in his second year because that's all he's done when he's rebuilt programs they take a big step forward in the second year 7-0 is not crazy to think about as a possibility to start the season for the huskar and I think they might play all 12 games at Memorial Stadium or if it's not all 12 like the majority of their games this year are at home this schedule for Nebraska has been a huge complaint for Husker fans in recent years and now they do have that opportunity to be at home in front of that rocket home crowd at Memorial watch those red balloons go into the air and root their team on frequently early in the season as opposed to watching them go into hostile territory with a team with new Talent at QB or new head coach who's trying to figure things out now you get the chance to perhaps get off to a hot start if you're in Nebraska and do so at home on a frequent basis with a schedule that's a little bit more manageable than we've seen them have to you know fight against in recent years here so there's a lot within the the schedule and the situation for Nebraska that feels like this could be that season that Husker fans have been waiting for been leaning towards for years now which kind of goes into the the goal of getting a Dylan riol you get a top 10 recruit the hope is that snowballs and then all of a sudden other recruits are like oh yeah you can do great things at Nebraska even though it's been a long time you get a nice season this year where they can win eight nine games or something that helps build momentum things could be pointing in the right direction in Lincoln and the experiences back on defense led by Tony white that makes a huge difference as well because if you have that true freshman quarterback maybe sputter a little bit he's going through some Growing Pains they have got one of the top defenses in America with so much talent in that front Sev coming back for another year we mentioned that the schedule leans in their favor this year if you're curious about the other side of the spectrum who's got perhaps the toughest schedule among the Big 10 teams well we have that info for you it's USC with non-conf games against LSU and Notre Dame Plus at Michigan Penn State at home next is Northwestern which has Washington and Michigan on the road Ohio State at home you'll notice all four of the new schools are in the top five toughest schedules in the Big 10 on paper now luckily they no longer play games on paper but rather on a field so that's good for USC here's Trojan head coach Lincoln Riley I mean these these games are fun I've been in a couple of these big ones at in in early Seasons um you know and they're great because you look forward to it all offseason it's a great way to start the season and so um no I think it's a positive I first games there's always a sense of new and excitement and you kind of waiting to see what you really are and what the opponent really is I think you you always feel that um but I I like it I like playing a marquee game early I like playing a really good opponent early um I think there's there's a ton of positives and like I said I think there's been a a momentum and an excitement about this that's been building for a long time it feels like a lot of these last few years and probably you know with quarterbacks you know either grad uating or transferring or doing all that they do and then obviously all the co coaching turnover the last several years it feels like more of the first games have been like this where you know you you feel like I mean you watch you watch people but you feel like all right we're not maybe seeing exactly what it's going to be or if you're having to watch a different opponent or a player from a different School a coach from a different school so it is what it is um there's I said last night on the show I mean there's parts of it that yeah sometimes you wish you were just sitting there watching the people that that you're going to play like do exactly what they're going to do or at least run their system but then the flip side of it is you know it's it's it's their first game in a lot of areas too the playoff expanding this year to Season Storylines - Penn State 12 teams means that squads like these you see here would benefit greatly think how many playoffs in the last 10 years teams like these would have made no one knows that more than Penn State we bring in Greg pickle now who covers the N lions for blue white Illustrated just on my unofficial count Greg if you go back the last 10 years I got Penn State making the playoffs six times if it were a 12 te playoff the last decade so are the expectations there in State College to make the playoff this year the expectation Mike it's good to be with you the expectation is to make the playoff and then win a game in it I think at this point Penn State as you point out there is sort of the poster child for the 12 team playoff and what could be as it relates to getting into that postseason tournament if it was expanded prior to this year it was of course not Penn State as everyone knows has been on the outside looking in because of the fact that it was not able to get into the four team version but with the 12 team version there's no excuse not to make it and I think for most Penn State fans it's not just about making it I think if Penn State would probably say the same thing it's about winning in that postseason tournament once you get in and you know if you get a buy maybe that changes things a little bit in terms of needing to win a game but if you find yourself in the first round I do think many Penn State fans would be greatly disappointed if Penn State did not at least move on uh to the second round the quarterfinal so that's sort of the the way I think Penn State looks at things right now I think that's the expectation for this team is to not just get there but also get a win uh and see where things go from there if they're going to do that they'll need improved play from Drew Aller who by no means was bad last year but especially in those biggest games against the toughest teams they just didn't have great quarterback play there's a new offensive coordinator now he's had another year of experience now what are the expectations for Aller yeah so going into this year certainly is a seconde starter they're higher than they were a year ago but you know one of his teammates Nick Dawkins was talking to the media this week leading into West Virginia and made a fair point that you know if you think the expectations externally were high for Drew Aller last year what do you think they were internally for himself knowing what he was uh potentially going to be a part of as as pen State started for the first time so I do think that there will be a lot less nerves this here uh a lot less uh you know poor playay to some degree in those biggest moments which you know again I think with Penn State the key here is everyone across the board not just drew Aller needs to be at their best in the biggest moments in the biggest games and so that is going to be the expectation for him and for this team this year and so I I look at him as a guy that when you talk to him this year I certainly see a little bit uh more confidence a little bit more of the leadership qualities that uh you would expect out of a seconde starting quarterback and then on the field you know Andy K Nikki was brought here to help Penn State increases explosive play numbers among other things and part of that is unlocking Drew Aller and this offense uh to work down feed a little bit more and to find ways to get guys in space and so when you put those two things together uh that's how this Penn State offense and Drew Aller will be judged in 2024 well and I remember last year talking to some high ranking members on the staff and they said listen we do think Aller can get better but we also think a lot of this is on the wide receivers who have to find a way to get open more effectively than they have been one of the main differences in the roster this year is Julian Fleming is now there who was loaded with Talent was a superstar Prospect but never cracked that incredibly deep Ohio State wide receiver room in the way he wanted to now he's here from what you've heard from what you've seen from the staff and the players and everything what are we going to see from him this year yeah Julian Fleming is a guy that came into Penn State this offseason and quickly earned the respect of his teammates and his coaches and he brings a lot of I think the word would be reli uh he's reliable right he's a guy who you know what you're going to get most of the time he is on the field he's a solid pass catcher he can get you know open and get himself open uh we saw that when he was at Ohio State is he going to be the number one I don't know about that but is he a strong presence as a leader in this room and as a guy you can count on yes and there's no question pen State missed that last year so he will have a role in this offense you know the two we've heard the most about this preseason or Trey Wallace and Liam Clifford Wallace of course a guy theyve shown a lot of potential when he was on the field uh injuries did not allow that to happen as often as he and Penn State would have liked last year so when you look at those three you factor Omari Evans into the mix I think you're probably looking at the top four h for Penn State at receiver and the question will just be what can Andy C Nikki do not just to maximize those guys talents which was maybe a problem that Penn State didn't deal with effectively a year ago was maximizing Talent not trying to limit weaknesses so that's number one but then number two aside from the receivers what can other position groups namely the running backs in the tight ends of course in the pass game and then the Run game do to put the receivers in more advantageous situations uh both when you're in uh you know down in distances that favor you and when you're not what would you say is the biggest difference we'll see in an Andy cotal Nikki offense I I think you're going to see a lot more going on before this snap if you look at what he did at Kansas and what he even did back at Buffalo uh C you know enough Big 10 teams have have come across I think Andy K Nikki at one of his stops along the way to realize that his goal is to try and make things confusing before the snap to create opportunities after the snap Kansas did that very well last year Penn State did not do a ton of that uh in 20123 and so I think that is most likely the thing that Penn State fans and college football fans will notice no notice no uh notice most rather easy for me to say Mike uh when Penn State plays West Virginia is just as uh you know what Penn State does do before uh the snap that again tries to put players in positions to take advantage of the opposing defense once the ball is sna so I think you're going to see movement you're going to see a lot of guys uh you know moving around in the back field and before the snap and that is in one way uh the goal of course will be to get them open uh and give Penn State the chance to hit those explosive plays even if it becomes a situation where Penn State it's like chunk chunk and then big play that'd be fine too or they could hit him right out of the shoot so Andy col is certainly brought here to make those plays happen any way he can and stuff Penn State does pre- snap I think as we saw with him at Buffalo and Kanas will be a part of the equation what about the other new coordinator Tom Allen one of the more Charming head coaches the Big Ten Hasen in a long time had one really good year at Indiana and then struggled after that now he's the DC how's he fit in yeah Tom Allen uh you know it's great every time you talk to him he has a raspy voice and it sounds like he just got off the practice field no matter whatp of year it is you know that well uh but he brings uh you know I think one thing that I noticed listening to players talk about him is just and it's nothing to do uh with Manny Diaz necessarily it's isn't a shot at him but you can just see that he's empowered These Guys across all three levels of the defense to own their room own the defensive tackle room the defensive end room the linebacker room so on and so forth and guys have taken to that guys have really taken to his coaching style and I think that he brings to to Penn State a lot of experience and you know what will he do differently and Manny Diaz we'll have to wait and see I think James Franklin is 100% correct when he has said as he often has this offseason that no matter who has been the coordinator Penn State has played pretty good defense on his watch and so Tom Allen is going to come here and try and blend a little bit of what they've done in the past with what he has done uh you're going to see more of the 425 looks from him this year and they'll bring uh a third safety in and so on and so forth and you know obviously that's something that James Franklin's talked about that before Manny Diaz that was sort of or I'm sorry before they got to Penn State that was what he did with uh you know Brent pry and some of the other guys he's been with so this is not a complete departure from what they've done and they're going to be a 4-3 team don't don't mistake me but ultimately you're going to see a lot of different looks from Tom Allen that you've probably seen over the years that James Franklin's been at Penn State but maybe you'll see more of some of them uh than you have in years past final thing last 10 seconds here West Virginia this weekend give me one thing you're going to be looking for in this game in particular yeah we spent all season talking about the receivers West Virginia has a lot of transfer additions in the secondary so what does that matchup look like I think it'll tell us a lot about where both of these teams can go in 2024 Greg pickle great stuff on Penn State thanks for your time man appreciate it thank you br back Anthony Heron now let's follow up on on some of those things I thought it was interesting when Greg was talking about the difference pre- snap that cotal Nikki is really trying to get the defense flustered before the snap in a way that they didn't have previously how effective is that be well it partly depends on the quarterback you know partly depends on the continued development of Drew Aller and how much getting that additional information before the ball gets snapped how much that allows him to take advantage of to to accentuate the strengths of the offense and focus on where you see a potential hole to exploit within the opposing D and for his physical stature and all the attributes he brings to the table with his size his Mobility his arm strength but to be able to be you know to have to showcase the aptitude you know as a quarterback to attack a defense with your mind that's one place in the continued development of Drew Allard that'll really Aid this Penn State offense because schematically they'll have the opportunity to gain an advantage Andy cotoni comes from a Kansas offense that was one of the top five most explosive offenses in the country during his time there chunk plays are where Penn State has lacked in recent years so just having Playmakers and speed on the outside is part of it but if you can scheme guys into space if you can scheme guys into being Scott free at time s your QB can play a role in that and to do that at Kansas I mean they do not have a strong history of great offensive numbers explosive play so for him to do that that culture is pretty darn impressive speaking of impressive Big 10 tail gets back oh you love that show don't you I'm a big fan of one of the hosts tyus P tus is really great he and I will be on the road from West lafay yet with 90 minutes of fun getting you ready for the first full day of the college football season we will see you 10 Eastern 9 Central Time 7 Pacific right here on the Big 10 Network Anthony who do you think will be the most improved team this year Indiana Purdue Nebraska somebody else don't tell me us a see what you did was I was talking football and you turned it into the team of you and I as a student counting down to kickoff ruter opens the Early Season Superlatives season early they've got a Thursday game here on the Big 10 Network head coach Greg shano already the winningest head coach in ruter program history expectations on campus are pretty darn high for the Scarlet Knights this year and with good reason their schedule is favorable they got the a returning leader in rushing yards from last year in the Big 10 Kyle manun guy so with that in mind we're going to turn to basically an award segment for you I'm going to throw out some categories you're going to tell me who it is and this is clever producing because we're starting off with who you think will be the coach of the year and it is I I believe it'll be Greg sheno from ruter and the reason why is is not because I think ruter is going to win the Big 10 conference there's some other coaches in the Big 10 who would likely need to win the entire conference to be awarded Big 10 Coach of the Year Ryan day or Dan Lanning and they may end up doing that with their amazing teams but the growth pattern that we've seen Ruckers experiencing here in recent years the trajectory of where their program has begun to go leads me to believe this going to be the best season in this iteration of Greg xano at rut and if they end up being a nine or a 10 win squad or something like that how could you not consider Greg xano for Coach of the Year especially because some of their key players on that amazing defense are banged up during the off season and make a key acquisition at QB but if everything kind of comes together in way I think it might for Ruckers shano is going to be my guy yeah muhamad teray a big part of that defense won't be with them this season due to an early injury if they can overcome that and win like you said nine games feels realistic for the Scarlet Knights which is saying something next up your off offensive player of the year almost always it goes to a quarterback usually most of the time to Ohio State who you going with uh this one might surprise folks but I I was swayed a bit by what I heard Luke fickle saying in Indianapolis at Big 10 football media days because the the offensive line for Wisconsin which was a lot of the storyline last year where folks wondered why the Run game didn't look exactly like we anticipated it would for much of the Season he took a very physical approach over this off season and the return of chz Mal Lucy to the lineup healthy I believe he's gonna have a fantastic season and what he'll be able to do in making sure that his quarterback the new quarterback Tyler van djk won't have too much pressure on his shoulders there's enough experience at returns but as much as anything the approach from Phil Longo I think will lead to chz M Lucy who when he's been healthy man he has been so combustible as a talent in the open field and the the ferity that he runs with the offensive line feeds off of that and so I I think on the whole if there's any one player in the conference that will impact the success and failure of his team it's hard to argue in my opinion that there's anyone more impactful than chz Mali I did not see that coming man I if you had 25 other people who study the Big 10 like you do how many of them would pick maloi you think as player there right that's a fascinating pick now you mentioned he has been injured three straight years he's been injured you're not worried about that coming up a fourth year I'm worried I'm pensive about it but I mean he's put in all the work all the requisite work you want to put in over the off season and we've seen stories like this before where the player has that last best opportunity to sort of seize the moment and when he's been out there he is exceptional as a talent as a runner and because the program on the whole feeds off of chz malusi in that way I do think that a healthy version of him can be the Big 10 offensive player of the year and yes I'm expecting him to be able to maintain health and he will have a running back made in the back field that will share some of the load with him right yeah man that's I mean even a running back I would have thought oh maybe he's going to go Donovan Edwards or maybe trevan Henderson all right keep the tape yes producer Rob keep the tape let's bring this back in December and see if you are right how about Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 10 who's it going to be this to me is a fun one because there are so many amazing options in this conference for Big 10 defensive player of the year but when you kind of factor in the scheme match with the talent match with some of the storyline that would go I'm going with Abdul Carter from my big 10 defensive player of the year because he's a guy who you we know how amazing he's been he's been all big 10 multiple times a lot of preseason All America accolades going into this fall but then the storyline of him switching positions where he had been an incredible off ball linebacker in that attacking Style with Manny Diaz leading the way we see him making plays in pass coverage the blitz ability that he showcased wearing the sticks folks know what that means in State College so now moving up to what a more primarily you know not at all times not 100% of the time but being a edge Defender being more of a defensive end within the scheme of Tom Allen he's still going to have that same attack and we've seen him showcase a variety of pass r moves that I think will very much suit the defensive end position and the way he can attack the opposing back field so it's going to be a defense littered with Talent already so I do believe Abdul Carter because he's a known commodity as a playmaker and the position switched when folks see him making plays they're going to go Gaga over it well I mentioned yesterday I think he's the most exciting defensive player in the Big 10 you mentioned today you think he'll be the best defensive player in the Big 10 well done freshman of the year there's a few intriguing names who's it going to be because of part of the discussion we had earlier I mean there's a lot of pressure on the shoulders of the quarterback position in Lincoln and I believe Dylan riola is prepared to seize that moment the maturity that we were talking about a bit earlier in the show matters a lot in this regard because if you're going to be a freshman Player of the Year in the Big 10 conference it can be a running back more frequently or a wide receiver where there's you know maybe some volume to the reception opportunities that you get certainly considered multiple other guys here but I do anticipate highle play from Dylan Rola you know maybe not to the extent of some of the veterans in this in this conference but he's one of the highest regarded recruits that Nebraska's had in decades and especially to be at the quarterback position they've accentuated and enhanced the talent that'll be around him as well and Matt Ruland talking to him he Marvels at the maturity not just the the sort of maturity in interacting with people and showing up early in the morning but the maturity of his game Dylan riet as a quarterback some of the pre- snap recognition some of the things he does mechanically are Beyond his years so I do believe we'll see a guy behind center for the Huskers that is going to be in a position to make plays we'll see him grow and mature throughout the season and play at a level I believe he'll win this award he is the highest ranked Husker recruit in the internet era higher than Domin Su or anybody else they've had I will say Jeremiah Smith is the number one overall recruit and the reason you didn't take him I assume is cuz he's got so many other wide receivers going sh the he's going to share the load a lot he's going to have his fair share of highlights but it'll be a shared sort of a highlight package that he'll have with other Ohio State players every year in the Big 10 there is a game so special it's called the game it is Ohio State Michigan I'm not letting you pick that so outside of that what's going to be the Game of the Year this year Well we will see fairly early in the season two teams who are in the championship picture not just the Big 10 Championship picture but the national championship picture when Ohio State travels to Eugene faces the Oregon Ducks we don't have a catchy nickname for it but we have seen the Ducks and the Bucks match up on duck and Bucks the duck and buck Bowl I don't know we got to figure out something the agricultural Bowl who knows what we'll call it but that's going to be the game of the year because of the implications going into it and then frankly we may see it a second time later in the Big 10 championship game we may even see it a third time in the college football playoff who knows but that first time we see it and the magnitude of what that game will feel like going in knowing that everyone at Alton stadium is going to be a fever pitch with Ohio State coming to town then yes I believe when you look at the whole scope of the Season that will be the game of the year that is not named the game bucks and Ducks we'll call it the dollar bill Bowl bucks dollar bill duck by the way that same day you also have Penn State at USC and Washington Iowa that's going to be unbelievable Week Big 10 football most improved team in the Big 10 this year is going to be I'm surprised that more folks haven't gotten on the Purdue sort of bandwagon yet or ride in that boil the maker train because we've seen a lot of talent acquired over the off season by Ryan Walters and for him in his second season you think back to the time that he was in Champagne as a defensive coordinator the first season for that Illinois defense didn't look so good first season for his Missouri defense didn't look so great when he was there either but year two was when he had started to sort of Stack those chips build those bricks and I anticipate something similar happening with Purdue's defense in this particular season but he's also got Hudson card as a returning starter at quarterback yes they've lost a lot of talent at wide receiver in the transfer portal but they have added some as well and he's got a system led by his offensive coordinator Graham herrold that will put up yards that will put up points so I think you'll now see a more complete version of Purdue and that completion will be accentuated by the fact that we saw the best bowler makers Run game last year that we've seen in years so I love the fact that now Ryan Walters will have new Talent Fresh talent and a system in place that'll have City and they added regie love the Illinois leading running back last year to go with makabe this year if that defense can make a big jump forward from the 30 points per game they allowed last year I love that Purdue could be really fun to watch this season so that with your Awards your preseason awards from Miss Heron but what about his power rankings in the Big 10 that is coming up in [Applause] moments 10 unveiled its new high-tech Anthony Herron's B1G Football Power Rankings replay Center a massive control room at the conference's headquarters with 18 replay stations touchscreen monitors soundproof walls and more so from now on when a questionable play comes up for review it all goes here where they can look at all the angles available to help make the correct call it is a a cool scene and a good investment on something that obviously matters a ton to fans of the sport I hope they turn it into a sports bar also there's space Fort all those TVs maybe after maybe after the games end that makes sense during would be weird uh time for power rankings and before we go 5 through one how are you doing this route is this what the teams will be at the end of the season is this the best teams right now as we start week one this to me is what I anticipate developing throughout the year this is where I anticipate the teams by the season yes more predictions for the end of the year your number five team at the end of the year in the Big 10 will be I believe at worst it'll be the Iowa Hawkeyes this is a squad that you look back to last season I went into last season predicting Iowa to win the Big 10 West even though I knew their offense was still going to be questionable now the injuries that end up happening at quarterback you can't really factor that in but this year so much Talent returns as a matter of fact more Talent returns to Iowa City than any other Squad in the Big 10 and yes they won the final version of the Big 10 West and not only do they return so much talent on defense and on the offensive line in the back field at running back but now they do have an even healthier QB room not just the health of Kate mcem but now that health is bolstered by having Brennan Sullivan as the backup to his quarterback position as well and there's a lot of excitement on what the offense for the Hawkeyes could look like this season as well so to me Iowa number five at worst with one of the top defenses in America and the potential for a much better offense at number four you have the defending national champions and they're kind of on the opposite end of the spectrum with the talent that returns to an arbor there's a lot of questions because Michigan only has four starters back this year but the starters that are back are really really good so they're another team that I do believe could even grow Beyond this point but it's kind of some guesswork for Michigan this year and for those of us evaluating the Wolverines but Chiron Moore with the audition that he had as a head coach last season was exceptional we do know what Mason Graham and what will Johnson are as Defenders perhaps the two best players in America and oh by the way on offense at running back Donovan Edwards one of the most explosive talents in the country also so there are Playmakers there they've showcased depth over the years I believe Michigan at worst will be the number four team in the Big 10 but you know once some guys step onto the field and have an opportunity to prove themselves I could see them going Beyond this point as awesome well and this is how deep the lead is now and going forward we're already into teams ranked in the top 10 nationally which brings us to your number three team which resides in St College I mean there there is definitely a case to make the majority of conferences in this country Penn State would be the pre-season pick to click to say they're going to win that conference have a shot at not only the college football playoff but a national championship you can make that case for Penn State in the Big 10 as well the expectations for the nitty Lions a bit more muted this season because we didn't see the chunk plays on off offense we were discussing Andy Kon Nikki everyone around state college has been discussing Andy koncki and what that offense will be this coming season between all the pre-nap motion and some of the disguise that'll be there for them offensively the helmet communication and just listen to James Franklin talking about that a bit this week for how that'll you know end up allowing his quarterback Drew Aller to be more prepared pre- snap to try and take advantage of what the opposing defense will do so there's a lot of excitement about what Penn State can be on both sides of the ball but that offense I do believe they'll become a more explosive version of themselves I don't think any of this was as controversial as your chz maloi okay it was earlier I think most people could see a similar 34 five but I do think there's legitimate debate on who is one or two it's Oregon and Ohio State what order are you going start with number two a lot of folks have been picking the Oregon Ducks to win the Big 10 maybe win the national championship I've got orgon at number two you know the line of scrimmage is impressive for the Ducks but I would say that especially for for where they're on offense you know Dylan Gabriel is going to be a guy who's going to play at a really high level he might be a record setting quarterback on the national stage for them in stepping in this season but the duration of the year the duration of playing Big 10 football getting into the conference slate week in and week out that'll be a different brand of test than we've seen Oregon have to respond to in recent years and Dan Lanning as a third-year coach has yet to win a conference Championship has yet to make a college football playoff so I would say there's just not as many proven Commodities in Eugene as there are in Columbus that's why I have Ohio State at number one as I view just everything that shakes out in the Big 10 it's not just about the roster of players the talent that's been assembled for the bucks but it's also that coaching staff Ryan day has shown himself as one of the best coaches in America but you add Chip Kelly into the mix a year ago at this time folks were questioning whether or not Jim nolles could figure out how to have an amazing defense in Columbus now there is no question at all about that and he's got even more Talent on that side of the football so this is you know between Ohio State and Georgia probably the two best rosters in the country but I believe beyond the roster the way that Ohio State comes into this season this matters there are guys who returned to Columbus for another year and sort of shunn the National Football League because they have something to prove they want those gold pants there is something they plan to earn and remember you have seen coaches turn Corners in their career Jim Harbaugh lost the first five games he coached to Ohio State and the six was the co when they probably would have got trounced and then he won the next three in a row perhaps we'll see Ryan Day turn a corner but again right now Anthony's preseason prediction for the top five teams in the Big 10 go Iowa Michigan Penn State the Ducks and then the Bucks well are you at home watching this you had a chance to cover Pack 12 games How will Oregon, Washington, USC & UCLA Do in Their 1st B1G Season? for a long time I this summer had a chance to go to all of the new four schools for our big welcome shows that we aired starting in August let's walk through some of these all four of of these new places and you you and I can give people an idea of what it's like to be there in case you're a fan that wants to travel there so for example UCLA famous Stadium the rosebowl they'll have home games this year for Indiana Minnesota Iowa and Oregon all the Oregon fans already know what it's like so for those fan bases what's it like going to a UCLA game I mean to show up and and just feel the history that is there in the roll Bowl it's hard not to step into that venue and and sort of be enveloped by the emotion of everything that's been experienced there over the years if you are a fan of the history of college football and know everything that's happened there yes most of it has been in the postseason structure but there's so much rich rich history with that football program as well and the Rose Bowl is one of the cathedrals of the sport and you feel that when you step of American Sports not just college football right right you feel that when you step into the Rose Bowl and they do cool things California Love at the beginning of the fourth quarter sort of like jump around at Wisconsin they have a light show at UCLA there it's it's a good experience USC home is the LA Memorial Coliseum been there forever the World Series has been there three Super Bowls have been played there the third Olympics is going to be played four years I mean everything every major sport it feels like Finds Its way to the Kali and especially man when USC is great the Kali is rocking folks are showing up they're looking for big events and they've had so many amazing players in the history of that program and now you accentuate that with having the Big 10 be a part of of that on a regular basis Trojan fans are there the amazing fight song also but when you go out there you see the sword get stabbed there at Midfield from the Trojan as he steps off the horse there's a lot of great pageantry that is associated with UC USC football and now you get the opportunity to have that be a regular part of the Big 10 it is gorgeous there Wisconsin Penn State Ruckers and Nebraska fans can travel there this year should they call it the collie like you did or you just make that up right now no no I think they should I think does anyone call it that but you um I can't say for sure but my impression is yes if they don't they should there's a reason Washington stadium is known as the greatest setting in college football they even have it on the field it is a part of the DNA and visiting there this summer man does it live up to it there was one time where I was calling a Washington game where I even got I got stuck on the bridge as I'm getting ready to pass late Washington and you know going there a few hours beforehand anyway but there's some boats that are going to go by and just to sit and and take in the Vista that is every everything around Husky Stadium and everyone sailgating up prepared for a football Saturday it is as glamorous as glamorous gets and it's not because there's a million celebrities out there but just the aura of what you're witnessing for a college football setting is just Majestic and oh by the way yes the structure itself is kind of metallic so the sound reverberates throughout Husky Stadium you get an echo effect and so when that place is full which it very frequently is it is one of the more int intimidating places to play in the country I was saying this when I was there it was an empty stadium and I felt like it was at Beaver Stadium where like you didn't need 108,000 you just get it you feel it there by the way if you go read boys in the boat beforehand all right because that it's a great book and Mont Lake cut is right there the old facility where where they won that gold medal is still there right next to the stadium I saw the movie you know the whole okay well some of us are educated uh last one Aon a smaller Stadium but really powerful on game when you talk about combining pageantry with with the packed in nature of those fans the fanaticism of the organ Ducks crowd and what they do when they show up and yes the duck rolling out there on the motorcycle so many Traditions so many chants so much that the people are prepared for when they show up on game day I've been out there tailgating with the folks in Eugene beforehand and yes getting a call of game there is quite an experience also and then going into the fourth quarter when they start to play you know the clips from Animal House and everything that goes with just that ingame atmosphere everyone soaks it all up I really hope Big 10 fans make it a point to go check it out I felt like Eugene was most as a campus most like a big 10 campus in that every window has an o or a duck in the way that at Purdue every window has a pee or a train you know it it has that vibe to me it's not LA or Seattle it's not kind of a major city with a college team in it everything Eugene revolves around the Oregon Ducks yeah a surprisingly loud Stadium impactful Place and if you're fans of Michigan State Ohio State Illinois or Maryland you will get a chance to go out there and watch your team you well I don't know are we goingon to have to pay money probably put my hands back sorry Mark Fran I'm not singing it legal talk to Anthony I didn't do this I li sing it