Big Ten Notebook: Indiana’s QB situation, Iowa’s costly wager & Wisconsin’s new offense

The Big Ten football season is so close we can feel it … or maybe that’s just the insane heatwave hammering the Midwest just days before the first kickoff. Both? We’ll ride with both.

As the first weekend of the Big Ten season approaches, storylines from across the conference begin to surface. Some of that relates to on-field questions while there’s also some off-field concerns.

Let’s dive in.

Tom Allen staying quiet on Indiana’s starting QB

Tom Allen has decided to utilize the lone advantage Indiana has over No. 3 Ohio State heading into the season-opener on Sept. 2: Secrecy.

The quarterback battle between Tayven Jackson and Brendan Sorsby has apparently been decided, Allen revealed while speaking with reporters Wednesday. When it came to an announcement, the head coach remained tight-lipped.

“We have a decision, and no we are not going to announce it,” Allen said. “Both young, both talented. Both bring different skillsets to the team. Very pleased with those guys. Both have improved a lot since they’ve been here … both have worked extremely hard. In the leadership role, I challenged both of them and they’ve grown in those areas and viewed in that regard. Two young men that we feel very good about that have great qualities.”

Allen’s approach is understandable. The Hoosiers want to remain as much of a mystery as possible for Ryan Day and his staff. At a place like Indiana, gamesmanship can provide an edge.

But it’s not like Ohio State needs to invoke the services of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson to solve Indiana’s riddle. Neither Jackson nor Sorsby has thrown more than a few passes at the college level — 10 combined, to be exact. The Hoosiers’ offensive line still has major questions. It probably won’t take the Buckeyes more than a few snaps to figure things out.

Also: Indiana Football Position Preview: Quarterback

Unpopular opinion: the NCAA made the right call with Iowa’s Noah Shannon

Whew … I can already feel the heat from the blowback that’s about to surface from this take. But before diving into it (briefly), allow me to clarify: this isn’t a senseless hot take. The goal isn’t to be contrarian just to be contrarian.

The NCAA levied a hefty punishment on Iowa starting defensive lineman Noah Shannon for his involvement in sports gambling. He allegedly placed at least one wager on an Iowa athletics team. For that, the tackle faces a season-long suspension. Head coach Kirk Ferentz says the school has appealed the ruling.

On the surface, we can probably all agree a season-long suspension seems extreme. In today’s world, sports gambling is incredibly common. What’s the harm in placing a few bucks on a game, especially if it doesn’t involve your sport or team, right?

The problem boils down to two words: Inside knowledge. That’s not to accuse Shannon — or anyone involved in an NCAA gambling investigation — of ill intent. That wouldn’t be fair to the Hawkeye store or anyone else, for that matter.

In theory, though, student-athletes could be privy to information that questions the integrity of the game. We’re in a brave new world where players talk, text and have access to plenty of information. As much as we might dislike the NCAA, it does have an obligation to protect the athletic programs, its participants and its coaches — even if its from themselves. Although, yes, I can acknowledge that it doesn’t always seem to put the student-athlete first.

If the NCAA swept Shannon’s situation under the rug, what’s to prevent future student-athletes from using potential insider information to make large amounts of money through gambling apps? Maybe you don’t care for the “slippery slope” argument, but in this instance, it’s necessary to mention.

Plus, student-athletes sit in NCAA compliance meetings where gambling is addressed AD NAUSEAM. It’s been one of the organization’s biggest no-nos for decades. It’s not as if Shannon and others are ignorant to the potential consequences.

As unpopular as the decision might be, it’s one the NCAA had to make.

Will Wisconsin really go all-in on an “Air Raid” offense?

Much of the offseason conversations relating to Wisconsin have centered around the new offensive approach. The term “Air Raid” has been mentioned, which feels like a mortal sin in Madison.

Without question, the Badgers are going to look a lot different on that side of the football. Luke Fickell wouldn’t have hired Phil Longo as offensive coordinator if he wasn’t interested in throwing the football around the yard. Wisconsin wouldn’t have landed Tanner Mordecai — who’s thrown for over 3,500 yards and nearly 80 touchdowns the past two seasons — if it wasn’t set on implementing a pass-heavy approach.

Does Longo plan to completely abandon the run, though? Will that element of the offense — which has been synonymous with Wisconsin’s program since the dawn of time — become nothing more than a wrinkle?

That part remains hard to believe, especially with the weapon the Badgers have in two-time 1,000-yard rusher Braelon Allen. Not to mention, Longo wasn’t bashful to run the football during his four seasons at North Carolina.

Longo, himself, admitted that he plans to utilize Wisconsin’s backfield in 2023.

“I’d be an idiot not to run the football here with the backfield that we have and the offensive line that we have,” Longo said in January, per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “I think the words Air Raid create a misconception or a poor perception of what we want to do offensively.

“We’re going to be more diverse maybe than we’ve been here, and we want to throw the ball more effectively. Maybe even more reps than we’ve done. But you really want to be effective at both.”

In his stint with the Tar Heels (2019-22), Longo incorporated heavy doses of Michael Carter and Javonte Williams into the offensive plan. That combination peaked in 2020, when UNC averaged 235.8 yards per game on the ground. Carter piled up 1,245 yards and Williams eclipsed totaled 1,140.

Allen is a proven asset out of the backfield and one of the most dynamic running backs in the country. So, yes, the Badgers will throw it with more frequency than they have in the past. Then again, averaging just 12 passes per game might feel like an “Air Raid” approach in Madison.

Just don’t expect Longo to shy away from the run game. In Year 1 for the new staff, the Badgers could use a much more balanced offensive approach.

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