Experienced quarterbacks are proving their worth in the Big Ten. Just look at the stats.\nThe top four passing offenses (Purdue, Northwestern, Penn State and Illinois) are all led by veteran quarterbacks. Five of the top seven quarterbacks in pass efficiency are holdovers.\n"If you're going to have only one experienced player back on your squad, you'd want him back at quarterback," said Purdue coach Joe Tiller, who has the luxury of having the best returning quarterback in the conference, Kyle Orton.\nOrton leads the nation in passer efficiency, completing 70 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and no interceptions.\n"I couldn't imagine a quarterback around the country playing better than Kyle Orton has," said Illinois coach Ron Turner, who must find a way to bottle up Orton as the Big Ten opens conference play this week.\nSix of the Big Ten's top teams had to find replacements for senior quarterbacks. So far, the growing pains are evident.\nHere is a glimpse of how things are going for the six new guys:\n-- Drew Tate, Iowa (2-1). Good: A sophomore completing 59 percent of his passes. Bad: He had 44 yards passing in 44-7 thrashing at Arizona State last week.\n"We're having a lot of problems offensively right now," coach Kirk Ferentz said. "(Drew) is probably about where we hoped or would wish he would be at this point. What we need to do is give him more support, give him a chance to operate better."\n-- Chad Henne, Michigan (2-1). Good: This true freshman has learned in two close games. Bad: He has as many interceptions (five) as touchdown passes.\n"He's made some big plays, he's made some mistakes and that's exactly what a young quarterback is going to do," coach Lloyd Carr said. "But he's done a good job considering his inexperience and that he's in an offense that requires the quarterback to do some things that are quite complicated."\n-- Drew Stanton and Stephen Reaves, Michigan State (1-2). Good: Stanton is athletic and Reaves has big-time potential. Bad: They have a combined 15 of 34 with three INTs in 31-24 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday.\n"We're slower as a unit because that progress is sort of tied into your quarterback progress," coach John L. Smith said.\n-- Bryan Cupito, Minnesota (3-0). Good: He has been eased in to complement stellar running backs. Bad: He is untested heading into conference play because Gophers are rushing for 359 yards a game.\n"If he gets us in the right running play, takes the snap, turns around and hands off to (Marion) Barber or (Laurence) Maroney, that's not real difficult. I could have a manager do that," coach Glen Mason said. "If you have a young guy and he had to throw the ball every down, obviously the degree of difficulty goes up."\n--Justin Zwick, Ohio State (3-0). Good: Zwick can go deep with the best of them. Bad: He has been careless with the ball (4 INTs)\n"I feel good about the amount of progress he's made and I think we're as prepared as we can be to head into the Big Ten," said coach Jim Tressel, whose team has a bye week.\n-- John Stocco, Wisconsin (3-0). Good: Stocco makes good decisions. Bad: He needs injured runningback Anthony Davis back to keep pass-rushers honest.\n"He's not throwing it up for grabs, and he's getting rid of the ball and not taking sacks," coach Barry Alvarez said. "He should improve more and more as the season goes along."
HOLDING PATTERN \nNorthwestern linebacker Braden Jones is expected to be readmitted to school this week, but coach Randy Walker said he won't travel with the team to Minnesota.\nJones left school last spring after being accused of assaulting a cab driver. The charges were dropped, but Northwestern suspended him through the start of the fall quarter. Classes begin this week, and Jones is expected to be back on campus.\n"I think he's taken the right steps outside football and outside the program to get to the right place," Walker said. "If he is readmitted, I'll let him back on the football team."
RECOVERING \nIowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker missed the first three games after surgery to improve circulation in his left leg.\nHe called the Hawkeyes locker room at halftime of every game and is expected to return for this weekend's game with Michigan.\nThe Hawkeyes played outstanding defense in their first two games, victories over Kent State and Iowa State, but were shredded in a 44-7 loss at Arizona State last weekend.\n"We're not helping the healing, not with that performance," coach Kirk Ferentz said.
DON'T TELL BO \nMichigan ranks last in the conference and 94th of 117 teams in the nation with 106.3 rushing yards per game. Yet the Wolverines may have found the guy -- in 5-foot-9, 185-pounder Michael Hart -- to turn things around.\nHart had 25 carries for 121 yards in a 24-21 win over San Diego State, becoming the first Michigan freshman to top 100 yards since the player he's trying to replace, Chris Perry, now with the Cincinnati Bengals.\nJerome Jackson, who made his first career start Saturday, is still listed as No. 1 on the depth chart despite running for just 28 yards on eight carries last week and 32 yards on 15 carries in the loss at Notre Dame.
QUICK-HITTERS \nPurdue hasn't surrendered a sack yet, while Iowa has given up 12 ... With three non-conference games left, the Big Ten has a 23-9 record this fall ... Minnesota is 3-0 for the third year in a row ... Purdue-Illinois will decide who gets the Purdue Cannon and the winner of the Michigan State-IU game gets the Old Brass Spittoon.
