Ranking the Big Ten West Position Groups

WHCSC

All-Conference
Feb 4, 2002
10,909
3,777
88
I'm not very high on Sims either...and if he goes down, OMG are we in some trouble. I'm excited about this season but part of me wishes we could fast forward to next season to. That QB room is shakey at best and i'll be holding my breath when we take a snap, all season.
Who's all left? Chubba? Smothers? HH? Woche?
Doesn't look that desperate to me.
 

BoilerN

Heisman
May 12, 2017
17,092
14,150
113
I think you have to make the same case for everyone - how would he rate against other B1G backups. My guess is right in the middle as I don’t think the B1G West is very deep at backup QB’s.
Purdue is screwed if Card gets hurt.
 

huskerfan1414

Heisman
Oct 25, 2014
12,609
12,751
113
Gilbert isn't going to get a waiver, meaning he won't be available in 2023. And Fidone hasn't played a down of football. If anything, I'm being overly generous with that 3rd place slotting.
I agree about the TE rankings. Nebraska is all based on potential. Other teams have actual results to look at.
Nebraska could very well be at the top of the list by season's end, however, so I'll hope that's how it goes.
 

huskerfan1414

Heisman
Oct 25, 2014
12,609
12,751
113
A game???....If it's against a Northwestern or La Tech? Northern IL??? Great.
Well..yeah? You said you don't think they can win a game, I think they can, depending on the opponent.

Call me crazy but I'd rather beat NW, LA Tech, or NILL with a backup qb than lose to them?
 
Aug 27, 2006
27,799
5,566
0
Well..yeah? You said you don't think they can win a game, I think they can, depending on the opponent.

Call me crazy but I'd rather beat NW, LA Tech, or NILL with a backup qb than lose to them?

Well i'm not going to disagree with that. Of course i'd rather win with any QB. OK..allow me to rephrase...outside of the worst 3 teams on our schedule...I don't see anyone in our QB room not named Sims tbat can lead us to a victory over a legit team. But I would be thrilled to be wrong.
 

king_kong_

Redshirt
Nov 3, 2021
24,413
4
0
Well i'm not going to disagree with that. Of course i'd rather win with any QB. OK..allow me to rephrase...outside of the worst 3 teams on our schedule...I don't see anyone in our QB room not named Sims tbat can lead us to a victory over a legit team. But I would be thrilled to be wrong.
I, too, would be thrilled if you're wrong.

you (and everyone) would hear about it. a lot.
 

RBigredMax

Redshirt
Mar 23, 2023
4,700
2
0
Why it's so critical to be able to start running the ball and playing sound defense. That Frost mentality of relying on 1 qb for the whole offense wasn't conducive to long-term success.
I believe Frost played too much NFL 2k with Michael Vick back in the day.
 

inWV

All-Conference
Sep 22, 2007
14,228
4,890
91
Source - The Inside Nebraska Free Board

QB
1. Wisconsin
2. Iowa
3. Northwestern
4. Purdue
5. Minnesota
6. Nebraska
7. Illinois

RB
1. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska
3. Purdue
4. Minnesota
5. Iowa
6. Illinois
7. Northwestern

OT's
1. Minnesota
2. Wisconsin
3. Illinois
4. Purdue
5. Nebraska
6. Iowa
7. Northwestern

OGs
1. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska
3. Illinois
4. Minnesota
5. Iowa
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern

C
1. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska
3. Iowa
4. Illinois
5. Purdue
6. Minnesota
7. Northwestern

TE
1. Minnesota
2. Iowa
3. Nebraska
4. Wisconsin
5. Purdue
6. Illinois
7. Northwestern

WR
1. Minnesota
2. Nebraska
3. Illinois
4. Purdue
5. Wisconsin
6. Iowa
7. Northwestern

Ranking offenses by lowest number of Points:

1. Wisconsin - 15
2T. Minnesota - 22
2T. Nebraska - 22
4. Iowa- 29
5. Purdue - 30
6. Illinois - 31
7. Northwestern- 45

Offensive Coordinator Rankings:

1. Wisconsin
2. Purdue
3. Minnesota
4. Nebraska
5. Illinois
6. Northwestern
7. Iowa


Defense:

DE
1. Illinois
2. Wisconsin
3. Iowa
4. Purdue
5. Minnesota
6. Nebraska
7. Northwestern

DT
1. Illinois
2. Iowa
3. Minnesota
4. Wisconsin
5. Nebraska
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern

OLB
1. Wisconsin
2. Illinois
3. Iowa
4. Minnesota
5. Nebraska
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern

ILB
1. Illinois
2. Wisconsin
3. Iowa
4. Nebraska
5. Northwestern
6. Minnesota
7. Purdue

CB
1. Iowa
2. Nebraska
3. Wisconsin
4. Minnesota
5. Illinois
6. Northwestern
7, Purdue

S
1. Minnesota
2. Nebraska
3. Wisconsin
4. Iowa
5. Purdue
6. Illinois
7. Northwestern

Ranking defenses by lowest number of Points:

1t. Illinois - 15
1t. Wisconsin - 15
3. Iowa - 16
4. Minnesota - 23
5. Nebraska - 24
6. Purdue- 35
7. Northwestern - 40

Ranking DCs
1. Iowa
2. Wisconsin
3. Minnesota
4. Nebraska
5. Illinois
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern


Big Schedules from Easiest to most difficult:

1. Wisconsin
2. Iowa
3. Nebraska
4. Illinois
5. Northwestern
6. Minnesota
7. Purdue

Ranking Head Coaches:
1. Illinois
2. Iowa
3. Nebraska
4. Wisconsin
5. Minnesota
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern (now that Fitz is gone)

Predictions:
1. Illinois
2. Wisconsin
3. Iowa
4. Minnesota
5. Nebraska
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern
Tied for #2 in O, #5 D, coordinators are #4, head coach is #3 and ease of schedule is #3. I do not know how that projects to a #5 finish in the division short of poor mouthing the current roster (ranked at 3.5) and thinking Rhule will need more than 9 months to turn the ship.
If Rhule can get the team to play with discipline, there is a enough talent to be in the top half of the division.
 

tampa husker

All-American
Nov 4, 2001
13,935
6,410
113
Source - The Inside Nebraska Free Board

QB
1. Wisconsin
2. Iowa
3. Northwestern
4. Purdue
5. Minnesota
6. Nebraska
7. Illinois

RB
1. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska
3. Purdue
4. Minnesota
5. Iowa
6. Illinois
7. Northwestern

OT's
1. Minnesota
2. Wisconsin
3. Illinois
4. Purdue
5. Nebraska
6. Iowa
7. Northwestern

OGs
1. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska
3. Illinois
4. Minnesota
5. Iowa
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern

C
1. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska
3. Iowa
4. Illinois
5. Purdue
6. Minnesota
7. Northwestern

TE
1. Minnesota
2. Iowa
3. Nebraska
4. Wisconsin
5. Purdue
6. Illinois
7. Northwestern

WR
1. Minnesota
2. Nebraska
3. Illinois
4. Purdue
5. Wisconsin
6. Iowa
7. Northwestern

Ranking offenses by lowest number of Points:

1. Wisconsin - 15
2T. Minnesota - 22
2T. Nebraska - 22
4. Iowa- 29
5. Purdue - 30
6. Illinois - 31
7. Northwestern- 45

Offensive Coordinator Rankings:

1. Wisconsin
2. Purdue
3. Minnesota
4. Nebraska
5. Illinois
6. Northwestern
7. Iowa


Defense:

DE
1. Illinois
2. Wisconsin
3. Iowa
4. Purdue
5. Minnesota
6. Nebraska
7. Northwestern

DT
1. Illinois
2. Iowa
3. Minnesota
4. Wisconsin
5. Nebraska
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern

OLB
1. Wisconsin
2. Illinois
3. Iowa
4. Minnesota
5. Nebraska
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern

ILB
1. Illinois
2. Wisconsin
3. Iowa
4. Nebraska
5. Northwestern
6. Minnesota
7. Purdue

CB
1. Iowa
2. Nebraska
3. Wisconsin
4. Minnesota
5. Illinois
6. Northwestern
7, Purdue

S
1. Minnesota
2. Nebraska
3. Wisconsin
4. Iowa
5. Purdue
6. Illinois
7. Northwestern

Ranking defenses by lowest number of Points:

1t. Illinois - 15
1t. Wisconsin - 15
3. Iowa - 16
4. Minnesota - 23
5. Nebraska - 24
6. Purdue- 35
7. Northwestern - 40

Ranking DCs
1. Iowa
2. Wisconsin
3. Minnesota
4. Nebraska
5. Illinois
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern


Big Schedules from Easiest to most difficult:

1. Wisconsin
2. Iowa
3. Nebraska
4. Illinois
5. Northwestern
6. Minnesota
7. Purdue

Ranking Head Coaches:
1. Illinois
2. Iowa
3. Nebraska
4. Wisconsin
5. Minnesota
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern (now that Fitz is gone)

Predictions:
1. Illinois
2. Wisconsin
3. Iowa
4. Minnesota
5. Nebraska
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern
FWIW oddsmakers do not seem to agree with your QB rankings as Sims is the only West QB I have seen that has odds at less than +10,000 to win the Heisman

Sims +7500
Mcnamara +10000
Mordechai +10000
Kaliakmanis +10000
Card +10000
Altmeyer +10000
NW QB odds not even available

Huge disparity between what they seemingly think and your rankings, even if he’s not the best in the division, which I’m not arguing he is today
 
Last edited:

Scat_Back

Redshirt
Sep 5, 2018
5,093
3
2
Sims should probably be ranked higher. I expect Rhule and Sat will have him playing better than his last season at G-Tech, although we will still see some turnovers out of him.

Wisconsin is a team I could really see having a giant BUST of a season. People are way too high on them. I see them possibly making the same mistake we did when Callahan took over for Solich in drastically changing their identity. Their spring game was atrocious. Sims looked miles better than Mordecai even while playing real live football.
 
Feb 2, 2005
601
6
0
Wisconsin is a team I could really see having a giant BUST of a season. People are way too high on them. I see them possibly making the same mistake we did when Callahan took over for Solich in drastically changing their identity. Their spring game was atrocious. Sims looked miles better than Mordecai even while playing real live football.
This ^^^
 

Scat_Back

Redshirt
Sep 5, 2018
5,093
3
2
One drastic difference we are almost guaranteed to see under this staff is players actually IMPROVING from year to year. The lack of player progression under Frost was unlike anything we’ve ever seen; unbelievably bad. Most of Frost’s recruits stayed the same or got worse as they grew older here.

This is why I believe we will get more out of Sims than G-tech did and even more next season. A lot of it will have to do with the type of person that Rhule is recruiting, not just as football players but as grown men who truly want to better themselves. Rhule and staff will also nurture that a lot better in these young men.

It’s going to be truly amazing when we start consistently winning at least 9-10 games a year
 

Scat_Back

Redshirt
Sep 5, 2018
5,093
3
2
we're one injury away from being dead last.
I think what we saw out of the backup QBs under Frost was just that, Frost. Good recruits that underperformed their ratings by a thousand miles, coupled with terrible O-line play. Last year being especially bad with the mountain of changes before and throughout the year.

Backup QBs will do markedly better this year, they will look as though they’ve actually attended practice, and yes they will have to play at some point. It sounds like Purdy is the new favorite for #2.
 
Last edited:

Stormking

Heisman
Jan 14, 2015
20,925
19,614
113
Source - The Inside Nebraska Free Board

QB
1. Wisconsin
2. Iowa
3. Northwestern
4. Purdue
5. Minnesota
6. Nebraska
7. Illinois

RB
1. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska
3. Purdue
4. Minnesota
5. Iowa
6. Illinois
7. Northwestern

OT's
1. Minnesota
2. Wisconsin
3. Illinois
4. Purdue
5. Nebraska
6. Iowa
7. Northwestern

OGs
1. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska
3. Illinois
4. Minnesota
5. Iowa
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern

C
1. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska
3. Iowa
4. Illinois
5. Purdue
6. Minnesota
7. Northwestern

TE
1. Minnesota
2. Iowa
3. Nebraska
4. Wisconsin
5. Purdue
6. Illinois
7. Northwestern

WR
1. Minnesota
2. Nebraska
3. Illinois
4. Purdue
5. Wisconsin
6. Iowa
7. Northwestern

Ranking offenses by lowest number of Points:

1. Wisconsin - 15
2T. Minnesota - 22
2T. Nebraska - 22
4. Iowa- 29
5. Purdue - 30
6. Illinois - 31
7. Northwestern- 45

Offensive Coordinator Rankings:

1. Wisconsin
2. Purdue
3. Minnesota
4. Nebraska
5. Illinois
6. Northwestern
7. Iowa


Defense:

DE
1. Illinois
2. Wisconsin
3. Iowa
4. Purdue
5. Minnesota
6. Nebraska
7. Northwestern

DT
1. Illinois
2. Iowa
3. Minnesota
4. Wisconsin
5. Nebraska
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern

OLB
1. Wisconsin
2. Illinois
3. Iowa
4. Minnesota
5. Nebraska
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern

ILB
1. Illinois
2. Wisconsin
3. Iowa
4. Nebraska
5. Northwestern
6. Minnesota
7. Purdue

CB
1. Iowa
2. Nebraska
3. Wisconsin
4. Minnesota
5. Illinois
6. Northwestern
7, Purdue

S
1. Minnesota
2. Nebraska
3. Wisconsin
4. Iowa
5. Purdue
6. Illinois
7. Northwestern

Ranking defenses by lowest number of Points:

1t. Illinois - 15
1t. Wisconsin - 15
3. Iowa - 16
4. Minnesota - 23
5. Nebraska - 24
6. Purdue- 35
7. Northwestern - 40

Ranking DCs
1. Iowa
2. Wisconsin
3. Minnesota
4. Nebraska
5. Illinois
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern


Big Schedules from Easiest to most difficult:

1. Wisconsin
2. Iowa
3. Nebraska
4. Illinois
5. Northwestern
6. Minnesota
7. Purdue

Ranking Head Coaches:
1. Illinois
2. Iowa
3. Nebraska
4. Wisconsin
5. Minnesota
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern (now that Fitz is gone)

Predictions:
1. Illinois
2. Wisconsin
3. Iowa
4. Minnesota
5. Nebraska
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern
This is so far off they dont even have a clue. We will sneak up on them in several spots. If this is your rankings Cornicator I am seriously disappointed as I respected your opinion more than that\\
Coach #1 This is Devaney reincarnated
Fucck illinois and that bozo
 

Cornicator

Hall of Famer
Feb 27, 2009
59,471
208,868
113
Tied for #2 in O, #5 D, coordinators are #4, head coach is #3 and ease of schedule is #3. I do not know how that projects to a #5 finish in the division short of poor mouthing the current roster (ranked at 3.5) and thinking Rhule will need more than 9 months to turn the ship.
If Rhule can get the team to play with discipline, there is a enough talent to be in the top half of the division.

Its because Jeff Sims is going to lose winnable games. The tools for Nebraska are there to have a good offense. But Jeff Sims lacks the ability to wear the tool belt successfully.

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa are all teams that are going to load the box and force Sims to throw the football. Nebraska has the receiving corp capable of beating these teams, but they don't have the QB. And I think we all know what we will see from the offensive line.
 

Huskers123456

Redshirt
Feb 5, 2023
6,195
2
0
Its because Jeff Sims is going to lose winnable games. The tools for Nebraska are there to have a good offense. But Jeff Sims lacks the ability to wear the tool belt successfully.

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa are all teams that are going to load the box and force Sims to throw the football. Nebraska has the receiving corp capable of beating these teams, but they don't have the QB. And I think we all know what we will see from the offensive line.
I actually don't know what I will see from the Oline. Scott should be a huge addition at center. Veteran who has played a lot of football at a pretty high level. I thought Nouelli would have been our best guard last year if he could have played. Tackle is obviously a huge concern but I'm hoping Rhule and Satterfield are smart enough to scheme for that and not throw 40 yard bombs every 3rd play.
 

inWV

All-Conference
Sep 22, 2007
14,228
4,890
91
Its because Jeff Sims is going to lose winnable games. The tools for Nebraska are there to have a good offense. But Jeff Sims lacks the ability to wear the tool belt successfully.

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa are all teams that are going to load the box and force Sims to throw the football. Nebraska has the receiving corp capable of beating these teams, but they don't have the QB. And I think we all know what we will see from the offensive line.
Could have been a K State fan last year and said the same about Adrian Martinez. He lacks the ability to wear the tool belt. He lost winnable games.
 

Cornicator

Hall of Famer
Feb 27, 2009
59,471
208,868
113
Could have been a K State fan last year and said the same about Adrian Martinez. He lacks the ability to wear the tool belt. He lost winnable games.

Sure, but K-State also 3 NFL draft picks, including a 1st rounder starting on their defense, and 2 sure fire draft picks on their offensive line for 2024. And one of those guys will be the first Offensive guard taken in the 2024 draft.

Nebraska doesn't have that type of Sunday talent. K-State was able to overcome Adrian's issues. Nebraska will need Sims to be the catalyst.

I've had my doubts since he decided to transfer.
 

Huskers123456

Redshirt
Feb 5, 2023
6,195
2
0
Sure, but K-State also 3 NFL draft picks, including a 1st rounder starting on their defense, and 2 sure fire draft picks on their offensive line for 2024. And one of those guys will be the first Offensive guard taken in the 2024 draft.

Nebraska doesn't have that type of Sunday talent. K-State was able to overcome Adrian's issues. Nebraska will need Sims to be the catalyst.

I've had my doubts since he decided to transfer.
I don't think Sims needs to necessarily be a catalyst. He'll certainly have to make plays but I think this offense has plenty of playmakers to win the majority of Big 10 west games. Grant should be the main weapon.
 

Redscarlet

Heisman
Jun 17, 2001
34,130
12,122
113
Sure, but K-State also 3 NFL draft picks, including a 1st rounder starting on their defense, and 2 sure fire draft picks on their offensive line for 2024. And one of those guys will be the first Offensive guard taken in the 2024 draft.

Nebraska doesn't have that type of Sunday talent. K-State was able to overcome Adrian's issues. Nebraska will need Sims to be the catalyst.

I've had my doubts since he decided to transfer.
I’d rather trust Rhule and Satterfield analyst who will be coaching him then your assumption..
 

dinglefritz

Heisman
Jan 14, 2011
52,468
14,004
78
I’d rather trust Rhule and Satterfield analyst who will be coaching him then your assumption..
We get back Teddy and Nouilli and added a very good center via the portal. That is HUGE help for our QB. Couple that with IMO with a more coherent run scheme and a more willing runner at QB and I expect our offense to be more consistent this fall. I don’t think we’ll have to live and die with one WR making big plays.
 
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