The B1G East certainly has more stars returning in 2015, than the B1G West division.
Top returnees, based on the 2015 Big Ten Football Prospectus ...
Top returnees, based on the 2015 Big Ten Football Prospectus ...
- Peter Mortell, JR, P, MINN (only consensus 1st team player returning in B1G West)
STATS: 67-3,025 yards, avg. 45.1, long of 64 - Mike Dudek, SO, WR, ILL (media only 2nd team) - injured, like Iowa TE Jake Duzey (top TE back)
STATS: 76-1,038 yards, 6 TDs - Austin Blythe, SR, C, IOWA (coaches only 2nd team)
- Dan Voltz, JR, C, WIS (media only 2nd team)
- Briean Boddy-Calhoun, JR, CB, MINN (media only first team)
STATS: 51 tackles (39 solo), 2 TFL, 5 INTs
- Drew Ott, SR, DE, IOWA (media only 2nd team)
STATS: 57 tackles (26 solo), 12 TFL, 8 sacks - Eric Murray, JR, CB, MINN (coaches only 2nd team)
STATS: 69 tackles (47 solo), 2 TFL - Maliek Collins, JR, DT, NEB (coaches only 2nd team)
STATS: 45 tackles (17 solo), 10.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks - Nate Gerry, JR, S, NEB (media only 2nd team)
STATS: 88 tackles (49 solo), 5 INTs - Nick VanHoose, JR, CB, NU (media only 2nd team)
STATS: 59 tackles (48 solo), 3.0 TFL - Frankie Williams, SR, S, PUR (coaches only 2nd team) - apparently moving to CB to cut down on injuries. STATS: 74 tackles (51 solo), 3 INTs
- Vince Biegel, JR, LB, WIS (media only 2nd team)
STATS: 56 tackles (38 solo 2nd team), 16.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks - Michael Caputo, SR, S, WIS (consensus 2nd team selection)
STATS: 106 tackles (64 solo), 6 TFL, 1 sack - Darius Hillary, SR, CB, WIS (coaches only 2nd team)
STATS: 37 tackles (18 solo), 3.0 TFL
- Only Top 10 RB back is #7 NW RB Justin Johnson, sophomore 106 ypg
- Only Top 10 QB yardage are #7 UNL QB Tommy Armstrong, junior at 178.5 ypg and #8 PUR QB Austin Appleby, junior at 171.4 ypg
- Only Top 10 QB efficiency are #4 UW QB Joel Stave, senior, #5 MINN QB Mitch Leidner, junior and #8 UNL QB Tommy Armstrong, junior
- Only Top 10 receptions are #1 ILL WR Mike Dudek, sophomore and #10 RB Josh Ferguson, senior.
- Only Top 10 receiving yards are #6 IOWA WR Tevaun Smith, senior and #9 UW WR Alex Erickson, senior.
- Top 10 total offense are #4 UNL QB Tommy Armstrong, junior, #7 MINN QB Mitch Leidner and #9 PUR QB Austin Appleby.
- BTW - Iowa's Jake Rudock was #3 in total offense last season in Big Ten games.
- Top 10 scorers are #4 UW PK Rafael Ganglianone, sophomore and #9 MINN PK Ryan Santoso, sophomore.
- Top 10 TD scores are tied for #8 NW RB Justin Johnson, sophomore and MINN QB Mitch Leidner, junior.
- Top 10 scoring kickers are #1 UW PK Rafael Ganglianone, sophomore, #4 MINN PK Ryan Santoso, sophomore, #6 Iowa PK Marshall Koehn, senior, tied #9 UNL PK Drew Brown, sophomore and tied #9 PUR PK Paul Griggs, senior.
- Top 8 punt returners back are #1 UNL PR De'Mornay Pierson-El, sophomore and #4 MINN PR Craig James, sophomore.
- Top 10 kick returners back are #3 MINN KR Jalen Myrick, junior and #4 Iowa KR Jonathan Parker, sophomore.
- Top 10 all purpose yards is #7 NW RB Justin Jackson, sophomore.
- Top 10 punter back are #1 MINN P Peter Mortell, senior; #7 Iowa P Dillon Kidd, senior; #8 UNL P Sam Foltz, junior and #10 PUR P Thomas Meadows, senior.
- Top 10 field goal kickers are #3 UW PK Rafael Ganglianone, sophomore; tied #6 PUR PK Paul Griggs, senior; tied #6 MINN PK Ryan Santoso, sophomore and #10 Iowa PK Marshall Koehn, senior.
- Top 10 FG % are #2 Iowa PK Marshall Koehn, senior; #3 Rafael Ganglianone, sophomore; #6 PUR PK Paul Griggs, senior; #8 NW PK Jack Mitchell, junior and #10 MINN PK Ryan Santoso, sophomore.
- Illinois Top 50 tackles back are tied #10 LB Mason Monheim, senior; #17 LB T.J. Neal, junior; #19 S Taylor Barton, junior and tied #47 S Clayton Fejedelem, senior.
- Iowa Top 50 tackles back is #24 FS Jordan Lomax, junior.
- Minnesota Top 50 tackles back are tied #31 LB De'Vondre Campbell, senior; tied #39 CB Eric Murray, senior and tied #39 S Damarius Travis, senior.
- Nebraska Top 50 tackles back is tied #20 S Nate Gerry, junior.
- Northwestern Top 50 tackles back are tied #20 S Traveon Henry, senior; tied #36 CB NickVanHoose, senior and tied #42 S Godwin Igwebuike, sophomore.
- Purdue Top 50 tackles back are tied #22 DB Frankie Williams, senior; tied #29 MLB Ja'Whaun Bentley, sophomore and tied #29 SLB Jimmie Herman, junior;
- Wisconsin Top 50 tackles back are tied #12 S Michael Caputo, senior and tied #47 LB Joe Schobert, senior.
- Top 20 sacks returnees are tied #2 UW LB Vince Biegel, junior; tied #6 Iowa DE Drew Ott, senior and tied #16 UNL DT Maliek Collins, junior.
- Top 20 TFL returnees are #2 UW LB Vince Biegel, junior; tied #8 PUR DT Jake Replogle, junior; tied #13 NW LB Anthony Walker, sophomore and tied #16 Iowa DE Drew Ott, senior;
- Top 20 pass defenders returnees are tied #5 NW CB Nick VanHoose, senior; tied #5 NW CB Matthew Harris, junior; tied #8 UNL S Nate Gerry, junior; tied #8 ILL CB Eaton Spence, senior; tied #8 MINN CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, senior; tied #8 PUR CB Anthony Brown, senior; tied #16 PUR DB Frankie Williams, senior; tied #16 NW S Godwin Igwebulke, sophomore; tied #18 MINN CB Eric Murray, senior and tied #18 UNL CB Daniel Davie, senior.
- Top 10 interceptions returnees are #1 UNL S Nate Gerry, junior; #4 NW S Godwin Igwebulke, sophomore and #10 PUR DB Frankie Williams, senior.
- Top 10 fumble forced returnees are tied #1 ILL LB Mason Monheim, senior; tied #4 PUR WLB Danny Ezechukwu, sophomore and tied #4 UW S Michael Caputo, senior.
- Top 10 fumble recovery returnees are tied #1 UW S Michael Caputo, senior; tied #1 ILL DE Jihad Ward, senior; tied #3 LB De'Vondre Campbell, senior and tied #3 PUR MLB Ja'Whaun Bentley, sophomore.
