Big Ten '11 -- It's a wrap

After this heart attack of a season, the Big Ten will spend the next nine months in cardiac rehab.

The first season of Legends and Leaders has taken turns no one in the B1G headquarters saw coming.

So, with the first title game now in the books, the B1G will be that really big guy on the treadmill, just kind of clipping along and hoping to avoid the second big one.

The big fella knows it's not over. The usual struggles aren't going away (Ohio State's NCAA punishment) and some things simply set in (Penn State's uncertain future), but a salad (Nebraska's newness) or eighty (Urban Meyer) and maybe the B1G will be able to play touch football in the backyard with the fam again.

Let's do this in order of finish and vitality.

1) Wisconsin

The Badgers are champions. All coach Bret Bielema needs to stay there is convincing junior running back Montee Ball and his treasure trove of TDs to stick around Madison. The rascal also might say Bielema needs to come up with another gold nugget in free agency, the NCAA loopiest of loopholes that delivered quarterback Russell Wilson.

High point -- Hoisting the first Big Ten championship trophy. There's only a first once and that's the Badgers.

Low point -- Points, really. Most assuredly, Bielema will invent a "Hail Mary" drill.

The year 2012 -- The Badgers aren't going anywhere. After Wilson, most of the essentials return. Offensive coordinator Paul Chryst might, however, get a head coaching offer he can't refuse.

2) Michigan State

The Spartans followed up 11-1 with 10-2. That's its first sustained excellence since maybe George Perles. Mark Dantonio seems anchored, and why not? The pieces are in place and he's winning. If he stays on this course in East Lansing -- and keeps beating Michigan -- cast his mold for a statue.

High point -- Kirk Cousins' "Hail Mary" bomb that severely dented Wisconsin's national title hopes.

Low point -- Cousins throwing repeatedly into two-deep, lock-down coverage at Lincoln.

The year 2012 -- Most of the pieces to one of the Big Ten's most fearsome defenses will return, but "most" probably doesn't include DT Jerel Worthy and coordinator Pat Narduzzi. Worthy probably makes the jump to the NFL. Narduzzi probably makes the jump to . . . Illinois?

3) Nebraska

The Huskers have added a level of top-shelf TV games to the Big Ten. Lincoln is the western-most outpost and it will be the graveyard of a lot of dashed Legends and Leaders dreams. Is Bo Pelini a Lincoln-lifer? Does he have what it takes? Can there even be a Lincoln-lifer?

High point -- The Ohio State comeback was pure brilliance.

Low point -- The stunning Northwestern loss knocked the Huskers out of the BCS. Or the Michigan loss. Still, that Northwestern thing was the low.

The year 2012 -- The Huskers need a defensive coordinator and that defense will deeply miss CB Alfonzo Dennard and LB Lavonte David. QB Taylor Martinez throws the ball like a wrestler plays basketball. The Huskers will need to make a living off his arm at some point.

4) Michigan

Michigan football is alive and well under Brady Hoke, the Big Ten coach of the year. Some hammering needs to happen with the offense. Teams that stopped Robinson, stopped Michigan. The defense loses top linemen, but it had at least three freshman starters who'll be a year better, and it will have coordinator Greg Mattison, who earned his $750K this season.

High point -- The monumentally brilliant Ohio State game.

Low point -- Was it Iowa? I think it was Iowa.

The year 2012 -- Michigan isn't going anywhere. However, there will be some unsteadiness on defense. The rebuild takes more than a year along the line of scrimmage. And, how will Robinson beat Notre Dame next year? That's just fun.

5) Penn State

The Sandusky scandal has put this program in a state of suspended animation. There's also a coaching search that goes along with the search for a university president and athletics director. The wave of civil lawsuits is next. This isn't a chapter in the history of Penn State football. It's the book and the movie.

High point -- Everything up to about an hour after the Illinois game on Oct. 29.

Low point -- Everything after.

The year 2012 -- Penn State will have a new coach. Will it have a recruiting class? Will it have any healing or real reflection on how this could've happened? Does it have a future?

6) Ohio State

Everything up until Urban Meyer was hired this week was radio static. Buzz, scratch, buzz. The Buckeyes are 6-6 with a terrific freshman QB. Crackle, pop, whir. Urban Meyer hired. Oh wait, the NCAA has OSU in the crosshairs. Can Meyer's magic translate to the Big Ten? Florida wasn't exactly a dance party this season.

High point -- QB Braxton Miller's "Hail Mary" that ended Wisconsin's national championship hopes.

Low point -- The sluggish 10-7 defeat to Michigan State at Columbus. Or the first loss to Michigan in some 2,000 days.

The year 2012 -- Meyer will deliver a monster recruiting class. The NCAA might deliver scholarship reductions and a bowl ban. The Buckeyes will have Meyer and Miller, either way. The Buckeyes were young in 2011. Meyer probably makes them as many as three wins better.

7) Iowa

This Hawkeyes' 2011 went like this next series of mini-sentences. Never. Put. Two. Steps. Ahead. Together. At. One. Time. Iowa almost made it a go with its worst defense since 2005, but it was too easy to run against the Hawkeyes and the offense was too fitful to control tempo. A 9-3 season was close, but so was 5-7.

High point -- The goal-line stand against Denard Robinson and Michigan. The "Stars and Stripes" Tiger Hawk were a bonus.

Low point -- Two-way tie between the triple OT loss at ISU and the 22-21 stinger at Minnesota.

The year 2012 -- The front seven needs to mature physically. Not just the D-line, the entire front seven. If Riley Reiff bolts for the NFL, Iowa will need two new offensive tackles. For Iowa to work the Kirk Ferentz way (low risk, high technique), it needs to win the line of scrimmage. That's a huge question mark with current personnel.

8) Northwestern

Once again, Pat Fitzgerald came up with a win (Nebraska) that shows the conference it can't take anything for granted when it comes to the Wildcats. This might be crazy talk, but does anyone else out there think Kain Colter might be a better QB/weapon than Dan Persa? Yes, it's in the "crazy talk" stage, but . . .

High point -- Nebraska. Even Pelini might've thought that was pretty cool.

Low point -- That five-game losing streak was a doozie.

The year 2012 -- All Kain, all the time. But there goes Persa, the best WR, the best TE and some key defenders, including DE Vince Browne. Let's classify the 'Cats as "re-something." It's not a rebuild, but it's not a reload, either. Colter will be carrying a lot of weight for a new offense. He's good, and we're going to find out how good.

9) Purdue

Coach Danny Hope probably saved his job with a bowl bid. Now what? Quarterback Robert Marve has a shot at a sixth year. That would help. If DT Kawann Short returns for his senior season, the Boilermakers have a shot to be something on defense. In fact, the Boilers get a lot of D-linemen back and that's always a spectacular plus.

High point -- The Boilers beat Ohio State at home (the highs are easier than the lows, by the way).

Low point -- The Rice loss was bad. The 62-17 disaster in Madison sounds worse, though, doesn't it?

The year 2012 -- Hope needs some sort of vote of something from the administration. The Boilers should again live on the cusp of bowl eligibility. Watch Marve and Short. If they are in uniform, the Boilers might contend for a decent bowl.

10) Illinois

The coaching search continues. Illini AD Mike Thomas has a history of hiring head coaches. That might scratch Narduzzi and Chryst off the list. No, Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads wouldn't make this move. It'd be lateral at best. Illinois is sort of stuck in neutral until the next coach arrives. Whomever it is, he will have a talented roster. Ron Zook could recruit.

High point -- The 6-0 start.

Low point -- The 0-6 finish.

The year 2012 -- Look for a jump. The Illini will have QB Nathan Scheelhaase. He has the skills to fit into pretty much any offensive system. The defense will likely wave bye to junior defensive end/menace Whitney Mercilus. He's been a first-round mockee since rocketing off this season. The coaching search keeps any solid thoughts on the future on hold.

11) Minnesota

The Gophers progressed. The Iowa and Illinois wins were signs of life, and, under first-year coach Jerry Kill, that mattered. The first year for a coach is mostly about setting a level of effort and commitment. Kill did that. The next step is establishing the talent level and recruiting to keep that level. That's quite a bit trickier.

High point -- You know it's Iowa.

Low point -- Six weeks before beating Iowa, the Gophers lost to North Dakota State at home, 37-24.

The year 2012 -- Minnesota loses a lot of seniors, including QB MarQueis Gray. The Gophers needs to build around some young talent on the line of scrimmage. Then, there's the matter of Kill's health. His bouts of seizures isn't going away. The head coach of a football program needs to project a certain persona, like it or not. This could be a problem in Minneapolis.

12) Indiana

First-year coach Kevin Wilson pounded standards of toughness and work load into the ground this season. He turned over the roster. He installed a spread, triple-option offense and found a QB in Tre Roberson and RB in Stephen Houston. He still needs to install a defense.

High point -- The win.

Low point -- The rest.

The year 2012 -- Wilson seems willing to dig deep to try and find the soul of Indiana football. He could be digging his career's grave, but he's digging. Can Indiana football be saved? Maybe a better question is can Indiana football be sustained?