Big Ten links: Penn State reaction to loss, QB talk & much more

It is a tough time to be a Penn State fan, what with the Nittany Lions coming off a tough loss at Temple that has the 2015 season looking a lot like the 2014 season. Fans, ex-players and even a kid brother of the star quarterback are venting.

You know what they say about adversity: It?s when you find out the most about people.

And as if things weren?t bad enough for Penn State on offense, it now must live without a top defender in middle linebacker Nyeem Wartman-White, who is out for the season with injury. Into that vast void steps Gary Wooten.

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The world watched and wondered for months (Seemed like a decade, didn?t it?) as to who would quarterback Ohio State. Turns out, the Buckeyes didn?t make a change at all, sticking with the hot arm of Cardale Jones, who led the Buckeyes to three postseason wins. Here is a good look inside Urban Meyer?s decision-or non-decision.

"It was real close," Meyer said. "Cardale finished the season as the starter and I started thinking, for him to not take the first snap, he had to get beat out. And he wasn't beat out."

I?m just glad we all can stop wringing our hands and enjoy the ride.

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Does Minnesota have a QB quandary? Really? Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune thinks one could be brewing.

Scoggins thinks Jerry Kill and his staff could face a difficult decision eventually. The offense – QB Mitch Leidner specifically – has to provide more than what it showed in a 23-17 loss to TCU. True freshman Demry Croft emerged in fall camp as an intriguing figure who might find himself in position to play this season. Scoggins says Croft has good size (6-5) and throws a nice ball with touch. He?s probably a better pure passer than Leidner, but he?s also a freshman, so he?s unproven. And, that?s just it, for me-he?s a freshman. I would be stunned if the staff switched QBs in a season with so much promise. Can you really turn things over to a true freshman signal-caller in 2015?

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So, exactly why was Chris Laviano named Rutgers? starting QB?

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Big game for Iowa on Saturday when it travels to Iowa State. Lose to the Cyclones, and that feel-good vibration generated last week will vanish like the Iowa summer. Kirk Ferentz needs this one. He?s 7-9 vs. Iowa State, which probably will morph from a three- to a four-man front this week when it faces the Hawkeyes.

Iowa State defensive tackles coach Shane Burnham said the four-lineman scheme will be utilized when the Cyclones encounter run-heavy teams like the Hawkeyes.

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I will admit it: I thought the Michigan offensive line would be pretty good this season. It was filled with veteran talent that has matured. Yes, Utah has a fine d-line. But, the Wolverines needed to show more in the run game up front vs. the Utes than they did. Now, I?m worried ? again.

Center Graham Glasgow graded out the highest of all the offensive linemen, Jim Harbaugh said.

?The precision of a unit has to be all 11,? Harbaugh said. ?Sometimes we had breakdowns, there was one guy who went right down or one missed assignment or two on the same play that led to being costly. All of it is fixable, and that?s what we?re working hard to do right now.?

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If Michigan thinks its loss to Utah was ?tough,? what can Nebraska possibly be thinking after coming one second from victory before taking a boot to the choppers? The Huskers were one batted-down pass from euphoria and outlandish dreams of glory. Mike Riley says to ?put to bed? the defeat. But, how can you?

"I sense they have a feeling like I do. It was really disappointing and it didn't have to be like that," he said. "But I don't think we're going to find a lot of guys with their heads down on this deal. I think they're excited because they know they did a lot of good things. That should build up some confidence in what we're capable of doing."

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All eyes will be on Michigan State this week as the Spartans welcome Oregon for the ?Big Ten Game of the Week.? As a prelude, the great Mike Griffith of Mlive.com has a nice piece on how Mark Dantonio built this green and white beast in East Lansing.

Dantonio is one of only three Big Ten coaches in history to have four 11-win seasons over a five-year span, joining the elite company of Ohio State's Jim Tressel and Michigan's Fielding Yost. But, you wouldn?t know it from the lack of attention that Dantonio seems to draw. It just isn?t fair.

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The status of star Wisconsin safety Michael Caputo returning from a concussion in uncertain. And that?s not good for the defense.

He?s the heart-and-soul, the bellwether for a good Badger defense. According to UW's concussion protocol, Caputo will have to be symptom-free and then pass a neurological test. He will then have to go through a cardio workout without suffering any headaches, followed by a weight-training session without any ill effects. The last step before being cleared for full contact is to go through a non-contact practice.

So, it sounds like it could be a while. But RB Corey Clement (groin) should be able to play Saturday. Clement suffered the injury Tuesday before the opener and was limited to eight carries for 16 yards and two catches for 19 yards vs. Bama.

"Corey, I think he could have gone a little bit more," Paul Chryst said. "But wasn't sure."

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