The Big Ten appears to be a better league than it was in 2012, but it's still lacking star power, according to the American Football Coaches Association.
Only one Big Ten player -- Michigan State senior cornerback Darqueze Dennard -- appears on the AFCA All-American team released on Wednesday. The other major conferences all have at least four representatives, including eight from the SEC and six from the Big 12.
It's hard to fathom how no Big Ten linebackers made the list, as the coaches went with Stanford's Trent Murphy, UCLA's Anthony Barr and Alabama's C.J. Mosley. Ohio State's Ryan Shazier and Wisconsin's Chris Borland both are just as deserving. Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun also has a case for inclusion, especially because South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney didn't back up his preseason hype.
Offensive linemen like Ohio State's Jack Mewhort and Michigan's Taylor Lewan didn't make the team, nor did punters Cody Webster (Purdue) and Mike Sadler (Michigan State).
The coaches clearly don't hold the Big Ten in high regard this season. Are they missing the boat on this one, or is the team a fair representation?
