Fall camp has arrived across the country, and that means we're mere weeks away from the start of the regular season. In the meantime, several key position battles still need to be resolved.
Today, we take a look at five critical competitions in the Big Ten East.
Michigan Wolverines: Quarterback
The Wolverines appear to have narrowed the quarterback battle down to two players -- Wilton Speight and John O'Korn, with Shane Morris trailing. Speight's case certainly is strong. He filled in for an injured Jake Rudock late against Minnesota last season and threw the winning touchdown pass. In the team's spring game, he completed 5 of 6 passes with a touchdown and looked solid. O'Korn put up huge numbers for Houston back in 2013 but hasn't played for two seasons. This is the biggest question for a team with national title aspirations, and Michigan likely won't have its answer until deep into fall camp.
Ohio State Buckeyes: H-back
We thought the most intriguing battle would be at running back between Bri'onte Dunn and Mike Weber. But Dunn was dismissed from the team this summer, elevating Weber to the clear-cut No. 1 tailback spot. Curtis Samuel and Dontre Wilson will compete for touches at H-back. Coach Urban Meyer indicated Samuel will get between 10 to 15 touches a game, but his versatility allows him to play multiple positions. Wilson is a valuable piece as well and has waited his turn in the program, having played in 33 career games. Expect both players to make significant contributions this season.
Michigan State Spartans: Quarterback
Tyler O'Connor is the favorite to take over for Connor Cook and was the most consistent quarterback in spring practice, ahead of Damion Terry. During the team's spring scrimmage, O'Connor completed 10 of his 16 throws for 138 yards and a touchdown. He also performed well enough in Cook's absence to help Michigan State beat Ohio State last season. Coach Mark Dantonio isn't naming a starter just yet to avoid heaping all the pressure on O'Connor. But if he remains steady, he should be on the field for Michigan State's Sept. 2 opener against Furman.
Penn State Nittany Lions: Quarterback
Coach James Franklin acknowledged Trace McSorley had an edge over Tommy Stevens as fall camp began, but he indicated both players would be given an opportunity to win the job. McSorley gained valuable experience when he replaced an injured Christian Hackenberg during the TaxSlayer Bowl against Georgia last season and threw two touchdown passes. Each player needs to master the scheme under new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead to have a chance to succeed.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights: Quarterback
First-year Rutgers coach Chris Ash has no shortage of options at quarterback in what should be one of the more interesting position battles in the Big Ten. Chris Laviano appeared to hold a small edge on Hayden Rettig after spring practice ended. But Giovanni Rescigno and Zach Allen also are in the mix. Allen transferred from TCU and is immediately eligible this season. Allen most recently played wide receiver but gives Rutgers its best dual-threat option at the position. Rutgers is transitioning from a pro-style to a power-spread offense, and Allen seems to best fit the scheme. But Laviano has experience after completing 60.9 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season.
