Paterno’s Team Will Get Lions’ Share of Attention This Time

A look at the Big Ten in order of predicted finish:

PENN STATE

Coach: Joe Paterno (32nd season)

Last season: 11-2 (6-2, tied for third in Big Ten)

The Nittany Lions are No. 1 in the Associated Press preseason poll--remarkably, the first time they have started at the top. Junior Curtis Enis rushed for 1,210 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. One of the few questions is at quarterback, where local star Mike McQueary of State College Area High is getting his chance as a fifth-year senior.

OHIO STATE

Coach: John Cooper (10th season)

Last season: 11-1 (7-1, tied for first).

There’s a two-quarterback system again, with Cooper alternating Stanley Jackson and Joe Germaine, the Rose Bowl most valuable player. Linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer is back after a tremendous season as a freshman, but eight starters--among them cornerback Shawn Springs--are gone from the defense that held 11 of 12 teams to fewer than 20 points last season and shut out three.

MICHIGAN

Coach: Lloyd Carr (third season)

Last season: 8-4 (5-3, tied for fifth)

Cornerback Charles Woodson, an All-American as a sophomore, is the glamour player. He’s the star of a secondary that gave up only five touchdowns passing last season, and he intercepted five passes. Woodson made a splash on offense too, running for 152 yards--he had a 48-yard touchdown run--and catching 13 passes. Scott Dreisbach and Brian Griese are competing at quarterback, and the defense should be strong.

IOWA

Coach: Hayden Fry (19th season)

Last season: 9-3 (6-2, tied for third)

Receiver-return specialist Tim Dwight was second in the nation in punt returns and ran back two punts for touchdowns. He can play defense too. Quarterback Matt Sherman is experienced but unspectacular.

WISCONSIN

Coach: Barry Alvarez (eighth season)

Last season: 8-5 (3-5, seventh)

Ron “Great” Dayne is a bowling ball at 5 feet 10 and 261 pounds, but he bowled over plenty of tacklers last season, running for 1,863 yards and 18 touchdowns as a freshman. He had four 200-yard games, and with early games against Boise State and San Jose State, he could run up some big numbers.

MICHIGAN STATE

Coach: Nick Saban (third season)

Last season: 6-6 (5-3, tied for fifth)

Ten defensive starters are back, but they are back from a unit that gave up 30 or more points six times last season. Tailback Sedrick Irvin, who ran for 1,067 yards and 16 touchdowns, provides the flash on offense, and 6-7, 330-pound tackle Flozell “the Hotel” Adams helps clear the way. Quarterback Todd Schultz is adequate, but he’s coming off knee surgery. The receivers are unproven, but deep threat Octavis Long has a promising name, anyway.

NORTHWESTERN

Coach: Gary Barnett (sixth season)

Last season: 9-3 (7-1, tied for first)

Some familiar names are gone: running back Darnell Autry, quarterback Steve Schnur and linebacker Pat Fitzgerald. Barnett named Tim Hughes to start at quarterback today in the Pigskin Classic against Oklahoma, but Chris Hamdorf probably will play too. Adrian Autry, no relation to Darnell, will replace him at running back. Receiver D’Wayne Bates led the Big Ten with 75 catches for 1,196 yards and 12 touchdowns.

ILLINOIS

Coach: Ron Turner (first season)

Last season: 2-9 (1-7, tied for ninth)

Turner is one of four new coaches, joining Minnesota’s Glen Mason, Purdue’s Joe Tiller and Indiana’s Cam Cameron. It’s not surprising they’ve taken over the teams picked to bring up the rear. Tailback Robert Holcombe needs only 35 yards to break the Illinois rushing record. But the line is shallow and quarterback Mark Hoekstra completed only six of 23 passes in the spring game.

MINNESOTA

Coach: Glen Mason (first season)

Last season: 4-7 (1-7, tied for ninth)

Three Big Ten teams won only one conference game last season--Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana. Minnesota’s Cory Sauter is an able quarterback, but his line hasn’t been very able.

PURDUE

Coach: Joe Tiller (first season)

Last season: 3-8 (2-6, eighth)

The Boilermakers haven’t had a winning season since 1984. Tiller, the defensive coordinator of that team, returns after coaching a wide-open offense at Wyoming. There’s no quarterback, however, who looks capable of producing that kind of passing game, and there are problems at receiver as well.

INDIANA

Coach: Cam Cameron (first season)

Last season: 3-8 (1-7, tied for ninth)

This team doesn’t really need an opener against North Carolina, but that’s what it has. At least Penn State isn’t on the Hoosiers’ schedule this season. Cameron is a former Michigan assistant, and there is potential in Bloomington. It simply isn’t going to develop right away.

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BIG TEN PREVIEW

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Team Conf. Overall W L W L Ohio State 7 1 11 1 Northwestern 7 1 9 3 Penn State 6 2 11 2 Iowa 6 2 9 3 Michigan 5 3 8 4 Michigan State 5 3 6 6 Wisconsin 3 5 8 5 Purdue 2 6 3 8 Minnesota 1 7 4 7 Indiana 1 7 3 8 Illinois 1 7 2 9

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