It’s game week, which means, technically it’s still the preseason and not too late to release our preseason all conference teams. We’re going to start with the offense. Each writer got to pick 5 players for every position, with first getting 5 points, 5 getting 1 point, you get how this goes, right? I put the cutoff where ever I feel like, mostly where there’s a big drop off. Off we go.

QB

1. J.T. Barrett - (get fucked) Ohio State Buckeyes - 78 points (15 first place votes, High 1, Low 3)
2. CJ Beathard - Iowa Hawkeyes - 61 points (1 first place vote, High 1, Low 5)
3. Tommy Armstrong - 40 points (High 2, Low NR)

Honorable Mention to Wes Lunt (Illinois Fighting Illini, 24 points) and future 1st round draft pick Mitch Leidner (Minnesota Golden Goophers, 21 points). As he’s a Gopher, I believe I’m obligated to include him in the all conference team.

This list seems right. No other QBs garnered more than 10 points, and while Michigan and MSU might have decent QB play, you can’t count on the unknown. Meanwhile, Barrett and Beathard are the returning QBs to division winners*, and looking to repeat this year.

RB

1. Saquon Barkley - Penn State Nittany Lions - 68 points (10 first place votes, High 1, Low 3)
2. Justin Jackson** - Northwestern Wildcats - 57 points (4 first place votes, High 1, Low NR)
3. LeShun Daniels - Iowa Hawkeyes - 26 points (High 2, Low NR)
4. Corey Clement - Wisconsin Badgers - 25 points (High 3, low, NR)

Honorable Mention to Devine Redding (Indiana Hoosiers, 15 points, and a first place vote) and LJ Scott (Michigan State Spartans, 13 points).

The conference is pretty damn good and deep at running the dang ball. This list doesn’t include whoever will undoubtedly garner all conference honors from Ohio State (get fucked). To make Purdue fans feel good, I should mention that Markell Smith is a quality back, but he only got a single vote (for 2nd, though!). This is also where I mention that Shannon Brooks (Minnesota Golden Gophers) got 6 points, good enough for 7th, but still certainly all conference.

WR

1. Jehu Chesson - (fuck) Michigan Wolverines - 58 points (8 fpv, High 1, Low NR)
2. Jordan Westerkamp - Nebraska Cornhuskers - 41 points (1 fpv, High 1, Low 5)
3. Chris Godwin - Penn State Nittany Lions - 39 points (1 fpv, High 1, Low NR)
4. Simmie Cobbs - Indiana Hoosiers - 34 points (4 fpv, High 1, Low NR)
5. Amara Darboh - (fuck) Michigan Wolverines - 27 points (High 2, Low NR)

There is such a huge drop off after Darboh, that I don’t feel like I really need to mention anyone else. Michigan having 2 of the best 5 receivers in the conference (and more on TE below), is probably a pretty good reason to have a bit of faith in whoever their QB is going to be. Also, for as good as the conference is at running, the receiving corps could use some help. Minnesota surely has an all conference quality WR, but hell if there was one included here. But writers, gonna writer. What do we know, right?

C

1. Pat Elflein - (get fucked) Ohio State Buckeyes - 65 points (13 FPV, High 1, Low 1)
2. Dylan Utter - Nebraska Cornhuskers - 44 points (High 2, low 4)
3. Sean Welsh - Iowa Hawkeyes - 36 points (High 2, Low NR)

Honorable Mention to MIchael Deiter (Wisconsin Badgers, 18 points).

OG

1. Dan Feeney - Indiana Hoosiers - 45 points (9 FPV, High 1, Low 1)
2. Brian Allen - Michigan State Spartans - 30 points (High 2, Low 4)
3. Dan Voltz - Wisconsin Badgers - 26 points (High 2, Low NR)
4. Billy Price - (get fucked) Ohio State - 16 points (High 3, Low NR)

Honorable Mention to James Daniels (Iowa Hawkeyes, executive decision), Kyle Kalis (fuck Michigan Wolverines), and Boone Myers (Iowa Hawkeyes).

OT

1. Mason Cole - (fuck) Michigan Wolverines - 20 points (1 FPV, High 1, Low 4)
2. Michael Dunn - Maryland Terrapins - 18 points (3 FPV, High 1, Low NR)
3. Jonah Pirsig - Minnesota Golden Gophers - 15 points (High 2, Low 5)
4. Austin Schmidt - Illinois Fighting Illini - 14 points (1 FPV, High 1, Low NR)
5. Erik Magnuson - (fuck) Michigan Wolverines - 14 points (1 FPV, High 1, Low NR)

Honorable Mention to Dimitric Camiel (Indiana Hoosiers, 8 points) and Cole Croston (Iowa Hawkeyes).

I’m just going to discuss all the OL together because no one really knows anything here. Positions here are pretty flexible and several of these guys are going to change. For example, Sean Welsh and James Daniels have already swapped, with Welsh going to OG, and Daniels taking over at C.

Some things do stand out here, though. Fuck Michigan, Indiana, and Iowa all getting a lot of love along the OL. Illinois gets on the board! Dan Voltz had to retire, which sucks for him, but it also means the Badgers only have 1 representative here, which is quite low for them. Also, Minnesota has one guy on the list (out of 18), so I think that counts.

TE

1. Jake Butt - (fuck) Michigan - 66 points (13 FPV, High 1, Low 5)
2. Josiah Price - Michigan State Spartans - 45 points (High 2, Low 5)
3. Brandon Lingen - Minnesota Golden Gophers - 39 Points (High 2, Low 5)
4. George Kittle - Iowa Hawkeyes - 30 Points (High 2, Low NR)

Honorable Mention to Troy Fumagalli (Wisconsin Badgers, 13 points) and Mike Gesicki (Penn State Nittany Lions, 8 points).

Tight End is another position the conference excels at. Despite what Pro Football Focus writes and WSR implies, Lingen is ahead of Kittle to the writers here at OTE. But(t) it’s really Jake’s position, as he was all but a single vote away from unanimous number 1. I’ll give the commentariat one guess who withheld the top spot from him.

So that’s it. The offense. What do you think? Did we completely whiff anywhere? No, Buttgers, we didn’t forget you, you’re just that bad.

*Ha, ha, MSU fans, technically OSU tied for the division last season.

**The ball carrier.