Fansided

College Football 2017: One x-factor for each Big Ten team

By Brad Berreman

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 31: A BIG10 helmet sits on the table during the press conference on December 31, 2016 at the AT
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 31: A BIG10 helmet sits on the table during the press conference on December 31, 2016 at the AT /
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Mandatory Credit: Abby Drey-Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Abby Drey-Getty Images /

Indiana Hoosiers: WR Simmie Cobbs

After leading the Hoosiers with 60 receptions for 1,035 yards in 2015, Cobbs was suspended for the 2016 season opener and then suffered a season-ending ankle injury on his first play from scrimmage in the second game.

The off-field trouble has not stopped for Cobbs though, with a July arrest on misdemeanor charges of failing to identify and resisting law enforcement. It’s unknown if head coach Tom Allen will levy any discipline, but it can’t be ruled out as the Aug. 31 season opener against Ohio State gets closer.

Indiana had the No. 2 pass offense in the Big Ten last year (273.8 yards per game) under former head coach Kevin Wilson, led by quarterback Richard Lagow (3,362 yards, 19 touchdowns, 17 interceptions) and the emergence of Nick Westbrook (54 receptions for 995 yards, six touchdowns) as a No. 1 target in Cobbs’ absence. But Cobbs looked like a legit NFL prospect in 2015, with the size (6-foot-4, 212 pounds) and skills to get attention from the next level if he can stay healthy and keep his head on straight.

Even with the possibility of a suspension, Cobbs bring something to the Hoosiers’ passing game that can’t be replicated easily. Lagow needs to throw fewer interceptions this year, and having a big target like Cobbs to rely on should help him be far more efficient and bring a big play element into play.

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