ESPN Big Ten Blog

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

It was a good day for Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark and Michigan running back Kevin Grady, both of whom received good news about their future playing days. Ohio State's Beanie Wells missed another day of practice, so his small window of playing Saturday is shrinking fast.

Here's a look around the league:

• Ron Zook wants Illinois' defense to think less and tackle more, Herb Gould writes in the Chicago Sun-Times. 
  
• The "seven blocks of limestone" former Indiana coach Terry Hoeppner envisioned are finally coming together, Chris Korman writes in the Bloomington Herald Times. Hoosiers coach Bill Lynch wants the no-huddle offense to slow down a bit.
  
• Iowa's team-building trip to Louisiana in May prepared players for the problems that hit their own state this summer, Scott Dochterman writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
  
• Signs points to Steven Threet starting at quarterback for Michigan on Saturday, Angelique Chengelis writes in The Detroit News. Grady is no longer suspended and adds another body to Michigan's struggling rushing attack, Mark Snyder writes in the Detroit Free Press.
  
• Heralded Cincinnati transfer Trevor Anderson tries to rebound for a subpar debut at Michigan State, Andrew Mouranie writes in the Lansing State Journal.
  
• Minnesota's secondary is clearly faster, but its needs to limit big plays, Kent Youngblood writes in the Star Tribune.
  
• Northwestern defensive tackle John Gill called his one-game suspension "fair" and took lessons from sitting out last week, Jim O'Donnell writes in the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Dick Tressel is no doctor, but the Ohio State running backs coach gives the clearest description to date of Beanie's foot/toe injury, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer. If Beanie sits Saturday, get ready for plenty of Boom, as in Dan Herron. Buckeyes wideout Ray Small is putting offseason problems -- and opposing players -- in his rearview mirror, Ken Gordon writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
  
• Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley has some extra help on the sidelines -- from injured linebacker Sean Lee, Travis Johnson writes in The Daily Collegian. As if the Lions didn't have enough weapons, Brett Brackett provides a big target at wide receiver, Jeff Rice writes in the Centre Daily Times.
  
• Known as Purdue's best blocking wide receiver, fifth-year senior Brandon Whittington is anxious to do more this fall, Stacy Clardie writes in The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.
  
• Wisconsin linebacker Jonathan Casillas likely will miss another game with a knee injury, Jeff Potrykus writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Defensive end O'Brien Schofield still gets his first name (Alaace) frequently butchered, but to opposing quarterbacks, he's just the guy throwing them to the ground, Jim Polzin writes in The Capital Times.