Coaches might not like to admit it publicly and instead prefer to stick to a “next-man-up” message with their teams, but there’s always at least one player a program can’t afford to lose.
This week, the Big Ten reporting crew is trying to identify the guys across the league who would be hardest to replace between now and the start of the season if they suffered an injury, were lost to suspension, unexpectedly retired to play minor league baseball, etc. Whether it’s based on individual talent or lack of depth at a position, the goal is to find the true most valuable player on every roster in the conference as the march toward the 2016 season continues.