Weinrib: I like MN as a sleeper team with a great o-line and battle-tested QB-RB combination, but lack of defense will probably do them in this fall

[BleedGopher]

Athlon reporters discuss who will win the BT West. Per Weinrib:

I like Minnesota as a sleeper team with a great offensive line and battle-tested quarterback-running back combination, but the Gophers' lack of defense will probably do them in this fall. That's why I'm taking Wisconsin to win their seventh division title since the conference was split into divisions in 2011. Graham Mertz looked excellent in his abbreviated redshirt freshman year and should start hitting his stride in his third year in the program. The defense is what will keep the Badgers in nearly every game, no matter how Mertz plays, though, as they return eight starters including all-conference linebacker Jack Sanborn and cornerback Caesar Williams.

Big Ten Football: Which Team Wins the West Division in 2021?

Ohio State is a heavy favorite to win the Big Ten in 2021, but there's an intriguing race set to unfold in the West Division. Northwestern is the defending

athlonsports.com

Go G0phers!!

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Not unfair.

 

[Stan]

Something called Weinrib started out as a non-dink and finished as a dink.

More like Weindink.

 

[salzie]

Defense is my concern, but I wouldn't consider Graham Mertz "excellent"

He had on really good game against Illinois and was pretty bad every other game

9 TD passes on season, 5 of those came against illinois

 

[FullBanana]

Something called Weinrib started out as a non-dink and finished as a dink.

More like Whinedink.

FIFY

 

[beatles]

I expect our D to be vastly improved next season, especially the front 7.

 

[Word]

I expect our D to be vastly improved next season, especially the front 7.

It couldn't be much worse!

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I expect our D to be vastly improved next season, especially the front 7.

How about the secondary?

 

[Some guy]

Defense is my concern, but I wouldn't consider Graham Mertz "excellent"

He had on really good game against Illinois and was pretty bad every other game

9 TD passes on season, 5 of those came against illinois

Mertz was awful after the Michigan and Illinois game.

 

[spermophilus]

I posit that many, or most, here have this very nagging concern.

 

[60's Guy]

We gained experience on defense as the season progressed. They got better. Now they will add some guys who were injured last year plus PJ recruited transfers to play. I think the defense will be
comfortably good enough IF the offense is real good. And the offense should be but I'm more anxious to see if it will be? Not a Sanford fan.

 

[BTChamp]

Something called Weinrib started out as a non-dink and finished as a dink.

More like Weindink.

Or maybe Dinkrib. But that sounds like a McDonald's sandwich.

 

[Urbandale]

Weinrib is straddling the fence between the Pit of Dink on one side and the Meadow of Non Dink on the other.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Displays certain dink-like tendencies

 

[Some guy]

We had NFL caliber players at safety and linebacker in 2019
We did not in 2020

That makes a large difference. Hopefully we do again in 21