There will be plenty of Big Ten teams eager to make a run at a conference championship in 2014 and secure the likely resulting berth in the College Football Playoff. In order to make those dreams a reality, programs certainly need great coaching and steady on-field leadership from the upperclassmen.
Moving a team from good to championship-caliber greatness often requires some unexpected contributions from unexpected placed—like the freshmen.
Here, we'll take a look at each Big Ten football program and identify a first-year player (usually meaning true or redshirt freshmen) who can truly make a difference for his team.