Well hey there.
It looks like it's time for another Big Ten Q&A, which is good news because it means this piece didn't get canceled after just one week.
In the same vein as great sequels such as The Godfather Part II, The Empire Strikes Back and The Dark Knight, I'll try to make this Q&A better than the first, but really, a lot of that responsibility falls on you, the reader.
As always, you can send your Big Ten-related questions for next week's mailbag to my Twitter account, @BenAxelrod.
Without further ado, let's get this thing rolling.
At this point in the preseason, there are two legitimate Heisman candidates in the Big Ten, at least in my eyes.
Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett
The case for Barrett is simple: He's the best returning quarterback in the conference, he plays for arguably the best team in the league and he plays in the offense most conducive to creating Heisman-like numbers. Barrett was a more viable Heisman Trophy candidate than people realized in 2014 (3,772 total yards and 45 touchdowns will do that), but the broken ankle he suffered in the Michigan game likely cost him a trip to New York City despite still finishing fifth in the voting.
What's more is that in the final two games of his up-and-down 2015 campaign, Barrett appeared to return to Heisman Trophy form. With Ezekiel Elliott no longer in his backfield to vulture touchdowns, there should be no shortage of opportunities for Barrett to post big numbers in an offense Urban Meyer has already called to be more wide-open in 2016.
For Barrett, it's going to come down to whether or not the Buckeyes remain in playoff contention throughout the better part of the season. If Ohio State wins the Big Ten and punches its ticket to the playoff, Barrett will likely be headed to New York the following week.
It's as simple as that.
Michigan jack-of-all-trades Jabrill Peppers
If Peppers is going to live up to the Charles Woodson comparisons that have followed him—and that he hasn't shied away from—then a Heisman Trophy campaign isn't out of the question.
Primarily a defensive player, it's going to be harder for Peppers to post Heisman-like numbers while creating memorable moments, but head coach Jim Harbaugh has already experimented extensively with using the former 5-star prospect on offense. Harbaugh has also hinted at doing so on a more regular basis in 2016, even going so far as to say his primary position could be running back in the coming year.
Peppers already possesses the name recognition, and if he does find himself primarily playing offense, a Heisman campaign will be much more likely. It would also help for the Wolverines to be in playoff contention and for Peppers to be a big reason why.
Ultimately, however, it's Barrett who gives the Big Ten its best shot at securing its first Heisman winner since Ohio State QB Troy Smith won the stiff-arm trophy a decade ago.
Don't count out Peppers though—he just need more fortune to fall his way.
I think that there's a misconception that Meyer prefers the Tim Tebow/Braxton Miller types, likely because those are the two highest-profile quarterbacks to have played in his offense. It also doesn't help that in explaining the reasoning between ultimately sticking with J.T. Barrett over Cardale Jones last season, Meyer often pointed to Barrett's ability with his legs as giving him an edge.
And while a statue in the backfield like a Tom Brady or Peyton Manning wouldn't work—at the very least, Meyer's offense needs the threat of the QB draw—I think this question undervalues the need for an efficient passer in Meyer's offense. The Barrett/Alex Smith types have often been more effective than the Tebows and Millers, at least as far as putting together a complete offense is concerned.
That's what I found so interesting about Ohio State's quarterback recruitment this past cycle, which saw the Buckeyes replace a dual-threat prospect in Tristen Wallace with a pro-style passer in Dwayne Haskins. While Haskins still possesses plenty of ability with his legs, he's a passer first, which follows a year that saw Meyer move the more mobile Torrance Gibson to wide receiver and keep fellow 2015 signee Joe Burrow at quarterback.
It's also worth noting that despite the athletic quarterbacks Meyer's offense is known for possessing, two of his three national titles have come with pass-first players in Chris Leak and Jones behind center.
Could a player with little to no running ability have his skill set featured in Meyer's offense? It'd be an interesting fit. But if there's a coach in America who could make it happen, I'd put my money on Meyer.
To be completely honest and transparent, when I set out for my third question this week, I was specifically searching for a non-Ohio State or Michigan inquiry, since those are the ones that typically flood my mentions when I seek out questions.
However, I wasn't expecting to find myself writing about Rutgers at this point.
And yet here I am. And you know what? I'm glad I'm here. I actually think that one of the most fascinating storylines in the Big Ten this season—and perhaps for the next few years—is how Chris Ash and D.J. Durkin will fare as head coaches at Rutgers and Maryland, respectively.
Admittedly, I'm a little bit biased when it comes to Ash, having covered him in-person at Ohio State for the past two years. Assistants often play good cop to the head coach's bad cop with the media, and while Ash had a no-nonsense approach, he was always gracious with his time and very insightful when it came to explaining defenses—much like Tom Herman was with his offenses in his three years in Columbus.
(I also took great pride in managing to crack the rare laugh from Ash when I mentioned how funny it must be to look on film and see three players triple-teaming Joey Bosa.)
But much like Durkin at Maryland—who I also think has a track record that suggests he'll be a successful head coach—Ash has his work cut out for himself in Piscataway. The Scarlet Knights were just 4-8 a year ago, lost their best player in wideout LeonteCarroo and have been a mess of a program since joining the Big Ten in 2014.
From a scheduling standpoint, Rutgers starts the season with a trip to Seattle to play Washington before hosting Howard and New Mexico in the Garden State. After that, a rigorous Big Ten East schedule begins with divisional crossover opponents in Iowa and Illinois.
Long story short: I like Ash at Rutgers, but I don't like the Scarlet Knights' outlook this season. Ash is definitely capable of running a winning program, it's just a matter of whether or not Rutgers is cut out to be just that in one of college football's toughest divisions.
First of all, shout out to @LGhail, a must-follow on Twitter when it comes to Michigan football (if you couldn't tell by the pro-Wolverines shade he managed to work into this tweet). LG has been kind enough to endear me to #MichiganTwitter, which would have otherwise been tricky for someone who grew up 15 minutes from Ohio Stadium.
Second of all, Allen Robinson's tattoo was ABSOLUTELY worth getting.
For those who missed it, the former Penn State wideout and current Jacksonville Jaguar began the process this week of getting his infamous catch from the Nittany Lions' 2013 quadruple-overtime win over the Wolverines tattooed on his rib cage. The 36-yard catch in regulation played a crucial role in forcing the first overtime and is arguably the most memorable post-Joe Paterno moment to have taken place in Happy Valley.
What's most impressive about Robinson's new artwork isn't his decision to get the play inked on his skin, but rather the detail that's displayed in the tattoo. Robinson didn't just get a picture of himself "Moss-ing" a dude—he made sure to get Wolverines defensive back Channing Stribling in there as well, last name, jersey number, winged helmet and all.
Stribling—who was predictably tagged by many in retweets of Robinson's initial tweet, because Twitter's the worst—took offense, engaging in a Twitter exchange with the Pro Bowl wideout who now has his picture tattooed on his body.
Just as he did three years ago in State College, Robinson again had the last laugh:
Isn't the offseason just the best?
Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
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