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Big Ten Football Spring Preview: 10 biggest questions and storylines

By Patrick Schmidt

Nov 28, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer and Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh prior to the game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer and Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh prior to the game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 21, 2015; College Park, MD, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Kevin Wilson stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Maryland Terrapins at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 21, 2015; College Park, MD, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Kevin Wilson stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Maryland Terrapins at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

Any hope for downtrodden programs?

Kevin Wilson got a six-year extension after leading the Indiana Hoosiers to a six-win season and a bowl game. That’s not a sign they believe Wilson can compete for division titles but accepting the best they can do is six wins in a season, and that’s with the benefit of a weak non-conference slate.

The Maryland Terrapins and Rutgers Scarlet Knights hired new coaches D.J. Durkin and Chris Ash after their teams went 3-9 and 4-8 with a combined 2-14 record in the Big Ten. Is there any signs of life under the new coaching staff or will these two programs regret leaving their old conferences for the Big Ten because they’re stuck in the cellar?

More saturday blitz: Ranking The New Head Coaching Hires

And then there’s the Purdue Boilermakers who went 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the Big Ten but elected to keep head coach Darrell Hazell. He’s won a total of six games in three years and owns a putrid 2-22 record in the Big Ten.

While not quite a downtrodden program, the Minnesota Golden Gophers could slide down into that group in the first full year without Jerry Kill who retired due to health complications last year and was replaced by Tracy Claeys. It’ll be interesting to see if he can sustain what Kill started or if the program regresses.

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