jmik58's Blog
Despite its image, the Big Ten offers a multitude of offensive styles for dynasty play.
Picking a dynasty team from the Big Ten -- if it mirrors the fandom of real life -- may be less about which team to chose. Instead, the toughest choice may be whether you want to even cross the line of living in the Big Ten at all. It's your grandpa's conference full of conservative styles, but nevertheless it's loaded with what drives college football: Passionate fans.
For proof, look no further than former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson who is gracing the cover of this year's iteration of NCAA Football thanks to support from Wolverine faithful during the cover-vote contest. Because of history and tradition, the passion and commitment of fans in Big Ten country is on par with any conference in the nation, but the group's on-field performance last year may have provided a little fodder for critics.
But who cares, right? After all, when you're playing in video-game land, we take on the challenge of erasing the shortcomings of reality. If you love a slow-and-go style of play, you've found your place. If you want to shake things up and inject some insanity into the perceived conference of watching paint dry; look no further.
You've got native tribes decked out in orange, a school in Indiana playing with a suggested connection to beer, a school in Iowa whose band plays songs about a lack of beer in heaven, a strange obsession with the mighty gopher -- only the golden kind though -- and an agricultural ode to the ear of corn.
Despite all the ancillary reasons to dive into the Big Ten for non-gameplay purposes, here are some on-field points to consider if you're brave enough to take on one of college football's Midwestern gems.
Leaders Division
Illinois Fighting Illini
Offense: Multiple (HB, 3 WR, TE)
Defense: 4-3 Hybrid ("Star" OLB/S)
(+) Senior QB Nathan Scheelhaase leads a run-oriented spread attack with the potential to run around slower B1G defenses.
(+) Linebackers play loose and aggressive while flying all over the field.
(-) Struggling to find the next elite running back to take them back to the top.
(-) Poor defensive line fits a trend within the conference.
Indiana Hoosiers
Offense: Spread (HB, 3 WR, TE)
Defense: 4-3
(+) Pass-happy attack waiting to explode with 10 starters returning on offense.
(+) Nine starters come back for defense.
(-) Only one winning season in the past 18 years.
(-) Lacking enough talent on defense to make experience have significant clout.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Offense: Multiple (HB, 3 WR, TE)
Defense: 4-3 Hybrid ("Leo" DE/OLB)
(+) Read option running emphasis led by league's most talented offense.
(+) QB Braxton Miller is a serious Heisman contender.
(-) Must replace four key pieces on the defensive line this year.
(-) Expectations are high and the pressure may be too much to handle.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Offense: Multiple (HB, 2 WR, 2 TE)
Defense: 4-3
(+) If you like throwing to the TE, Penn State would be a great stop for 2013.
(+) The linebackers and secondary are full of solid talent.
(-) Lacks depth due to recent NCAA sanctions.
(-) Are you brave enough to simulate the postseason ban and scholarship shortage?
Purdue Boilermakers
Offense: Spread (HB, 3 WR, TE)
Defense: 4-3
(+) Run-oriented spread offense opens the door for a speed-filled attack.
(+) Probably the best rebuilding opportunity in the conference.
(-) Eight starters return on defense, but the talent just isn't there.
(-) Any hopes that Purdue has are dashed by what looks to be a difficult schedule.
Wisconsin Badgers
Offense: Pro Set (HB, 2 WR, 2 TE)
Defense: 3-4
(+) As usual, this is one of the best offensive lines in the nation.
(+) New coach Gary Anderson (Utah State) brings the 3-4 defense to the Big Ten.
(-) The defense is extremely inexperienced and could struggle early in the year.
(-) Can the 3-4 excel in the B1G? Is Wisconsin a good fit?
Legends Division
Iowa Hawkeyes
Offense: Pro Set (HB, 2 WR, 2 TE)
Defense: 4-3
(+) Hawkeye offenses tend to flourish behind stud TE's like C.J. Fiedorowicz.
(+) An experienced defense should equate to a unit full of high awareness.
(-) Those same defenders lack the elite talent needed to win a conference title.
(-) Can you overcome the curse of Iowa's AIRBHG (Angry Iowa Running Back Hating God)?
Michigan Wolverines
Offense: Spread (HB, 3 WR, TE)
Defense: 4-2-5
(+) One of the strongest defensive lines in the B1G.
(+) Despite the spread look, the Wolverines love to run the ball down your throat.
(-) Offense is stuffed with talented players that lack experience.
(-) Will they fall victim to the glaring gap between a strong offense and weak defense? (Nebraska, 2012)
Michigan State Spartans
Offense: Multiple (HB, 3 WR, TE)
Defense: 4-3
(+) Led by a senior QB and their strongest offensive line in nearly a decade.
(+) Seven returning starters on defense are led by a stellar linebacker corps.
(-) Still a year or two away from peaking?
(-) Tough to recruit in a state obsessed with the Wolverines.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Offense: Spread (HB, 3 WR, TE)
Defense: 4-3
(+) One of the better offensive lines in the B1G leads an offense that returns ten starters and loves running the ball.
(+) Also has a top-five Big Ten defensive line.
(-) Pass defense could struggle with four or five serious passing threats on the schedule.
(-) Has been held back by the lack of a serious passing attack on offense.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Offense: Pro Style/Spread (HB, 3 WR, TE)
Defense: 4-3
(+) QB Taylor Martinez and HB Ameer Abdullah make up perhaps the B1G's scariest offensive duo.
(+) The defense is full of talent.
(-) Unfortunately, the raw skill on defense hasn't been tested or proven itself well as of yet.
(-) Can you solve the problems of the once-vaunted "Black Shirt" defense?
Northwestern Wildcats
Offense: Spread (HB, 4 WR)
Defense: 4-3
(+) Typically a pass-friendly offense, 2012 focused on the run and this year could build off that success.
(+) Depth and talent at nearly every position.
(-) A tough schedule awaits the Wildcats' bid to steal the conference.
(-) Can you stock the cupboard after this year's crop graduates?
Which Big Ten program would be your choice for dynasty mode in NCAA Football 14?
# 2
stealthypiggy14 @ Jul 8
Was unaware of Sparty's great offensive line. It was a injury riddled disgrace last year.
jmik58
42
2,404 Forum Posts
406 Blog Entries
1 News/Blog Comments
4 Reader Score Votes
80 Friends
3 Chalkboard Messages
0 Screenshots
4 Videos
1,433,330 Arena Visits
jmik58's Blog Categories
jmik58's PSN Gamercard
' +
jmik58's Screenshots (0)
jmik58 does not have any albums to display.
More
jmik58's Friends
Recent Visitors
The last 10 visitor(s) to this Arena were:
jmik58's Arena has had 1,433,330 visits
- bgordon0102
- Biglott
- Ghost Of The Year
- Lewisf33
- Magist
- mastershake88
- maxodds
- NewNapkin
- squashed377
- tical2399
jmik58's Arena has had 1,433,330 visits
Working...
Offense: Multiple (HB, 3 WR, TE)
Defense: 4-3
(+) Led by a senior QB and their strongest offensive line in nearly a decade.
(+) Seven returning starters on defense are led by a stellar linebacker corps.
(-) Still a year or two away from peaking?
(-) Tough to recruit in a state obsessed with the Wolverines.
This is so true... at least for the Kid out of Grand Rapids Christian... top WR (in the nation if im not mistaken, #1 in the state for sure) was gunna play basketball and football at MSU...
Decommits via twitter (smh) and decides on football only at Michigan