How summer cancellations will effect Big Ten football teams in 2020

As everybody knows today’s pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the sporting world. Whether the 2020 college football season will occur…

As everybody knows today’s pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the sporting world.

Whether the 2020 college football season will occur with fans in the stands, be able to start on time, or even be able to occur at all is yet to be seen. What we can project now, though, is how the almost-definite cancellations of summer practices and preseason camps will affect the Big Ten football teams if the season is indeed able to begin on schedule in early September.

Preseason practices are a pivotal tool in order for college coaches to implement and practice new systems and prepare their teams for the upcoming season.

Probably the most important of these implementations is introducing a new quarterback to a team’s offensive scheme and, in some cases, to college football entirely.

Quarterbacks can study playbooks and watch film all they want, but nothing equates to on-field reps and practicing new plays with actual defenders in front of them.

This is where summer cancellations will have the biggest effect on the 2020 football season.

For top teams in the conference including Ohio State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Penn State who all return their starting quarterbacks from 2019, these cancellations will no doubt have an effect, but they will not have nearly as large of an effect as they will on the other teams in the conference who are facing turnover at the position.

The most notable of those teams are Iowa and Michigan State.

Were it a normal offseason and the two schools were able to have a full pre-season preparation period, there’s a chance that they wouldn’t miss much of a beat going into the season.

The talent difference between their departing quarterbacks and the incoming ones aside, summer practices and camps being cancelled will eliminate the chance for Iowa and Michigan State head coaches Kirk Ferentz and Mel Tucker respectively to groom their young quarterbacks and introduce them to college football–not to mention that Tucker is entering his own first year with the program.

Yes, a team like Wisconsin will lose out on valuable time to get redshirt freshman and former four-star recruit Graham Mertz ready for college-level play. But Ferentz and Tucker, as it seems at this point in time, may be forced to enter the season with players under center that aren’t adequately prepared to run their offense–again with Tucker being even more affected due to the fact that his entire team won’t have experience in his system.

How this all plays out is yet to be seen, though if summer practices get cancelled and the season is able to start on time, expect Iowa and Michigan State to face an uphill battle in order for them to get their quarterbacks, and entire offenses, ready for football.

The Badgers are slated to face Iowa on November, 28 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.

2020 NFL Draft: Ranking the top-5 OT prospects

With the 2020 NFL Draft now just two weeks away, it’s time to take a look at the best players at each position of need for the Jacksonville Jaguars. For our first set of rankings, we’ll start at the core of any good team, their offensive tackle …

Unlike many recent classes, this offensive tackle class is deep and it’s talented. The top is littered with impressive prospects, but opinions vary on the rankings. Here are my top-5 offensive tackles in the 2020 NFL Draft:

5. Josh Jones – Houston

Josh Jones isn’t as polished a player as some of his fellow prospects in the class but that doesn’t mean he’s not worth selecting in the early part of the draft. He certainly has the upside to develop into one of the better tackles in the league. He’s got excellent athleticism for the position but his feet need some work. If Marrone and company dedicate the time to fixing his technique, watch out. This guy could be good.

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Luka Garza’s NBA decision could be very significant for the Badgers

The best player in the Big Ten Conference has his NBA decision looming

The Big Ten Conference is gearing up for another year on top of the college basketball world, and the Badgers have plans to be on top of the conference in 2021. A common theme among the way-too-early projections for college basketball rankings see Iowa playing second fiddle to Wisconsin in top-25 lists among a variety of major networks. The Badgers and the Hawkeyes have consistently been projected to be top-10 teams next season. Although no coach or player wants to focus on what other teams and players are doing, Iowa basketball recently made news that could have a major effect on Big Ten supremacy.

The battle for the Big Ten runs through Iowa City and Madison in 2021, although the path could be come much clearer for the Badgers given the results of a pending decision. Iowa star Luka Garza recently made headlines with a decision on his future. The 2019-20 Big Ten Player of the Year has decided to enter the NBA Draft without losing his senior season eligibility, per his Twitter account. “If it ends up not being the right time to make the move to the NBA, I’m excited about the potential of what my senior season as a Hawkeye could have in store,” Garza said via Twitter.

Luka Garza to declare for NBA Draft while maintaining eligibility: https://t.co/GZKmD1W6cU | #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/Wu5vSi8W8M

— Iowa Basketball (@IowaHoops) April 10, 2020

The Iowa center had a career junior season in which he averaged 23.9 points per game and 9.8 rebounds in an award-filled campaign. Garza would not only be the popular pick to repeat as Big Ten Player of the Year, but also the clear favorite to take home the Wooden Award for best college basketball player in the nation, an honor that he narrowly missed out on this year when Dayton star Obi Toppin took home the hardware. As the biggest pre-season threat to the Badgers repeating as Big Ten Champions, the Hawkeyes would certainly look extremely different without their best player.

So how does this decision work for Garza? According to NCAA rules he is now able to keep his eligibility through the draft process, and participate in workouts, the NBA Draft Combine and other events with teams. His name can still be entered in the NBA Draft pool, and given where he feels like he would fall Garza can make a decision on his future after the pre-draft process plays out. Another interesting element in his decision could be an NBA Draft process that looks extremely different. If the NFL Draft is any indication, the draft process in a global pandemic will certainly change drastically. Badger fans should keep their eye on Garza throughout his process, as the big man’s decision could have a major say in who wins the conference next season.

Why Michael Ojemudia could be a good late round fit for Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks love zone corners with length, and Iowa’s Michael Ojemudia could be a target for them in the later rounds.

The Seattle Seahawks addressed a major area of need last week when they traded a fifth round pick to the Washington Redskins in exchange for cornerback Quinton Dunbar.

Dunbar is coming of an excellent season, and should start right away opposite Shaquill Griffin – pushing third-year man Tre Flowers to the bench.

However, the Seahawks likely aren’t done adding defensive backs to the roster, as last year’s backups – Neiko Thorpe and Akeem King – are both unrestricted free agents.

Now that Seattle does not need to look for front of the line starters in either the draft or free agency, adding more depth to their secondary will be a big key for this team’s offseason going forward.

No stranger to finding defensive back gems in the later rounds of the NFL draft, John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll will no doubt have their eyes peeled for a lengthy DB with one of their final picks in April’s draft.

One of the many options they will likely consider is Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia.

Ojemudia is six-foot-one with 32 1/4 inch long arms, giving him the required length to play cover-3 in Carroll’s scheme.

Scouting reports like his length, physicality and awareness in zone coverage, although he is lacking the instinct and burst to be successful in man coverage – once again making him a good fit for the Seahawks.

He’s unlikely to challenge for a starting role right away – if at all – but as a depth corner and core special teamer, Ojemudia is a good fit right away for Seattle.

Plus, coach Carroll can put his ability to turn non-prospect corners with length into superstars to the test if they pursue Ojemudia.

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Chargers have had contact with Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs

Could the Chargers be eyeing an offensive tackle in the first-round?

The Chargers have a potential top-10 pick on their radar.

According to Draft Wire’s Justin Melo, Los Angeles has facetimed with former Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs.

Should the Chargers look to address the offensive line in the first-round, Wirfs possesses starting-level talent. He primarily played right tackle, but he also played left tackle and he even provides the ability to kick inside to guard.

Iowa sports betting: Is legal sports betting available in Iowa?

Is sports betting legal in Iowa? We look at the latest information.

Yes, sports betting in Iowa is legal.

Sports betting in Iowa

In August 2019, it became legal in Iowa to bet on pro and college sports. It is open only to adults at least 21 years old.

There are currently no sport restrictions, although it is up to the individual sportsbooks to decide what bets and sports to offer. Bets can be placed at participating casinos and using mobile apps from those casinos if they are available.

Online sportsbooks in Iowa

DraftKings
Elite Casinos
Hard Rock Online
PointsBet Mobile
Q Casino
William Hill

Retail sportsbooks in Iowa

Ameristar, Council Bluffs
Catfish Bend, Burlington
Diamond Jo, Dubuque
Diamond Jo Worth, Northwood
Grand Falls, Larchwood
Hard Rock, Sioux City
Harrah’s, Council Bluffs
Horseshoe, Council Bluffs
Isle, Bettendorf
Isle, Waterloo
Lakeside, Osceola
Prairie Meadows, Altoona
Q Casino, Dubuque
Rhythm City, Davenport
Riverside Casino
Wild Rose, Clinton
Wild Rose, Emmetsburg
Wild Rose, Jefferson

For more sports betting information and betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. And follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and on Facebook.

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March moments which helped Wisconsin: NW State-Iowa 2006

Steve Alford’s fall

The Iowa Hawkeyes reached the Final Four in 1980. They reached the Elite Eight in 1987. Doctor Tom Davis kept Iowa nationally relevant for more than a decade, and in the good doctor’s final season in Iowa City — in 1999 — Iowa was a No. 5 NCAA Tournament seed which reached the Sweet 16.

In the 21st century, Iowa has struggled to live up to the standards set by Davis and the man who cracked the Final Four code before him, Lute Olson. The Hawkeyes used to be a program which made the NCAAs more often than not.

Then came Steve Alford.

The man who led Southwest Missouri State to an unexpected Sweet 16 berth, and who learned basketball under Bobby Knight at Indiana, moved up the coaching ladder and returned to the conference where he won a national championship. Alford’s return to the Big Ten was an eagerly-anticipated development in the conference. It occurred precisely as Wisconsin’s Dick Bennett team was preparing for the 1999-2000 season when it made a Cinderella run to the Final Four and changed the Badgers’ sense of what they could achieve.

Alford fell on tough times early in his tenure at Iowa, missing the NCAA Tournament in four of his first five seasons on the job. He got back to the Big Dance in 2005, however, with a young team ready to make a climb. His 2006 team rocketed to a No. 3 seed, creating the genuine belief that maybe, just maybe, Iowa was on its way to prominence once again. The Hawkeyes’ patience with Alford was on the verge of paying off.

Then came the game in Detroit against Northwestern State, a 3-versus-14 game the Hawkeyes were not supposed to struggle in. We know now with the benefit of hindsight how poorly Alford-coached teams have handled the NCAA Tournament. Alford could never get New Mexico to the Sweet 16, and he could never get UCLA past it. In 2006, however, Alford was a mystery relative to March, in part because his track record simply wasn’t that extensive. He had the Sweet 16 run with Southwest Missouri State, but two quick exits at Iowa in 2001 and 2005. This was a proving-ground moment, but no one could have known at the time how damaging this game was going to be for Alford’s career… or Iowa’s trajectory in the 21st century.

After losing to Northwestern State, Alford never figured out the NCAA Tournament… and Iowa never stabilized. The Alford part of the story has already been told, given his failures at New Mexico and UCLA. Iowa has never been as high as a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament since that loss, 14 years ago. The Hawkeyes missed the Big Dance in seven straight seasons following that loss. Fran McCaffery finally got the Hawks back to the Big Show in three straight seasons, but he has never made the Sweet 16. Overall, if you accept that Iowa was an NCAA Tournament team this year — regardless of whether the event was played — Iowa has reached just five NCAA Tournaments in the 14 seasons since the Northwestern State loss. The Hawkeyes have truly never recovered from that game in 2006.

Wisconsin happily accepts these circumstances.

2020 NFL draft prospect profile: Iowa DE A.J. Epenesa

After spending last year’s first-round pick on Brian Burns, many Panthers fans might not think of edge rusher as a great area of need. However, with the departure of Mario Addison, Gerald McCoy, Vernon Butler, and Bruce Irvin in free agency, the team will need to fill out their defensive front with intior linemen and at least one more quality edge rusher opposite Burns.

The Panthers also added former Vikings defensive end Stephen Weatherly, who has shown tremendous potential playing behind pro bowlers Everson Griffin and Danielle Hunter, but he’s been a backup most of his career and there’s no guarantee that he will be able to produce consistently either.

Let’s take a look at a prospect who has shown consistent production throughout his college career and could contribute Week 1 for Carolina.

Scouting Report:
Epenesa measured in at 6-foot-5, 275 pounds at the NFL combine. He posted a 5.04 second 40-yard dash, 17 reps on the bench, a 9.75 foot broad jump and 7.34 second 3 cone. Many analysts are bashing Epenesa for his sub-par performance. However, I think scouts are clinging to the athletic numbers too much and not paying enough attention to his tape. Just because his athletic testing was poor does not mean he should be labeled as a potential bust, because the skill is definitely there on film.

When you watch Epensesa three things stand out – his overwhelming functional strength, exceptional hand usage and surprising burst for a defender his size. Epenesa is not one of those edge rushers, like Burns, who will win with speed and bend, but rather one who will win with his power and top-notch bull rush. Also, he is stout at the point of attack against the run and consistently disrupts plays in the backfield.

Epenesa is a pure strong-side defensive end who can take on a double team and win with his combination of heavy hands and strength. He has done it already against some of the best offensive line competition college football has to offer. He also presents some versatility, as he’s played all over the defensive front during his time at Iowa, including snaps at the two and three technique.

The only downside of Epenesa’s game is that, as stated before, he is not a very bendy pass rusher. He is able to get off the snap with some surprising burst for a big man, but he shows little ability to dip and bend around the edge. Fortunately for him though, he has a tremendous arsenal of moves and is exceptional using the bull rush.

Highlights:

Epenesa vs. Nebraska

Epenesa vs. Minnesota

Epenesa vs. Michigan

Fit with Panthers:
Epenesa could be a tremendous fit for Carolina, as he is exactly the kind of “prototypical” player Matt Rhule and his staff are looking for. With the news that the Panthers will be switching back to a 4-3 defense, Epenesa will be able to provide versatility at both defensive end and tackle. He would also be the perfect complement to Burns on the opposite edge.

When he lines up at end, he will be able to align on the strong side of the offense’s formation and take on double teams since he is bigger and more physical than Burns. This will free Burns up to more one-on-one scenarios as well. Since his draft stock took a hit after the combine, the best way to get him is to trade down to the mid-to-late first round. If so, Epenesa would provide tremendous value.

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How you should bet the Big Ten Tournament

The Big Ten Tournament bracket was finalized on Sunday, which means so were the lines in Vegas. Despite Wisconsin landing the one seed following a three-way tie for first place, the Badgers are nowhere near favorites to be the last team standing in Indy. Banker’s Life Fieldhouse will play host to the tournament that begins with a pair of games today. Let’s take a look at the full list of odds and find every gamblers favorite thing: value.

Here is the complete list of odds to win the Big Ten Tournament:

Michigan State+250
Maryland+500
Wisconsin+500
Illinois+800
Michigan+1100
Ohio State+1100
Iowa+1200
Penn State+1200
Rutgers+1800
Purdue+2500
Minnesota+3000
Indiana+3300
Nebraska+25000
Northwestern+40000

The Pick: Michigan State – The chalk is not always the play, but in the case of this tournament I think it has to be. Michigan State enters Indy on a role, and over their last five games they have looked like the team that was a preseason national championship favorite. March favors two things: electrifying guards and elite coaching. The Spartans check both boxes. Coming off of a 27-point outburst on his senior day, Cassius Winston will be a man on a mission this March. Sparty has a double-bye, which will be significant advantage for the top four seeds given how close many of these tournament games are sure to be. Throughout their five-game winning streak, Michigan State has won three of the five games on the road including wins at Penn State and a double-digit Maryland. Playing away from home effects the Spartans less than any other contender, as we have seen this year in conference play.

Sleeper: Iowa – The Hawkeyes provide the value at +1200, and anytime you have Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza you have a chance. Iowa fell short at Illinois on Sunday in an effort to claim a double-bye, but Garza showed us why he is the best big in the conference finishing with 28 points and eight boards. The Hawkeyes have an experienced leader in Fran McCaffery and the shooting to ignite a deep run in Indy.

Deep Sleeper: Indiana – No, the Hoosiers are not going to win the Big Ten Tournament, but winning multiple games seems like a real possibility. Indiana enters Indy with everything to play for, and a tournament site that is only about 50 minutes away from their home in Bloomington. You expect Archie Miller’s group to take care of Nebraska, a team that they swept in the regular season, and take of care of business in a must-win game. That would set up a matchup with Penn State, a squad that limps into Indy as losers of three straight including Saturday’s loss to a bottom feeder in Northwestern. The Hoosiers have their NCAA Tournament hopes on the line and a likely home crowd, so if you are really feeling lucky, dabble with +3300.

Homer Pick: The Badgers are the hottest team in all the land and the bracket works out nicely for them. Avoiding Michigan State until what would be the championship matchup feels like a major win given the way that the Spartans are playing. UW has a doable path to the final, and this team has refused to lose for over a month. The value is there if the Badgers make it to Sunday and you have the opportunity to hedge your bet.

Bears trade down, add OL, TE, CB in new 3-round mock draft

In a new mock draft, the Bears trade down to accumulate an additional pick and address 3 needs in offensive line, tight end and cornerback.

With no shortage of needs on Chicago’s roster — from offensive line to edge rusher to tight end to defensive back — the Bears should be able to add some effective pieces to this roster in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Bears are once again without a first-round pick (which was sent to the Raiders in the Khalil Mack trade.) But they do have two of second round selections in the top-150, and general manager Ryan Pace needs to make them count.

In The Draft Network’s newest three-round mock draft, Kyle Crabbs has the Bears trading down in the second round to accumulate an additional pick and address three important needs in offensive line, tight end and cornerback.

With the 43rd overall pick, Crabbs has Chicago selecting Ohio State guard Jonah Jackson. With Kyle Long’s retirement, there’s a vacancy at right guard, and the Bears could turn to the NFL Draft to address it.

The Chicago Bears need depth in the middle after the retirement of Kyle Long. Jonah Jackson might be the best plug-and-play guard in the draft.

Pace has garnered a reputation for locking in on his guy and trading up to get him, whether that’s Mitchell Trubisky, Anthony Miller or David Montgomery. But something he’s not known for is trading down to accumulate picks.

Crabbs has the Bears trading with the Ravens, where Chicago would receive Baltimore’s 60th pick and their third-round selection at pick No. 92.

With that 60th selection, Crabbs has the Bears selecting arguably the best tight end in the NFL Draft in Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet. Following an abysmal collective outing by Bears tight ends in 2019, Pace is exploring all options to better the position.

Chicago needs more from the tight end position after swinging and missing on Adam Shaheen. Cole Kmet is the cleanest “in-line” prospect at the position to project to the pro level.

Finally, with that third-round pick acquired in a trade with Baltimore, Crabbs has the Bears selecting Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia with the 92nd pick. After releasing Prince Amukamara to free up salary cap space, the Bears need to address the vacant cornerback spot opposite Kyle Fuller.

The Bears’ secondary bid farewell to Prince Amukamara this offseason. Michael Ojemudia is a comparable athlete at a comparable size.

The Bears currently have seven draft picks, and they’re projected to add a fourth-round compensatory selection to the list.

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