Coaches might not like to admit it publicly, and across the country they prefer to stick to a "next man up" message, but there is always at least one player a program can’t afford to lose.
This week, the Big Ten reporters are 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 or were forced to miss time for any other reason. 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 season continues.
Up next: Iowa
Most indispensable player: CB Desmond King
King put together a season for the ages in 2015, and it's one that Hawkeyes fans aren't likely to forget any time soon. His eight interceptions matched the school record previously shared by Nile Kinnick (1939) and Lou King (1981). And when a player can put his name alongside the legendary Kinnick in any category, that's saying something pretty special.
It's a rare treat that King, the Thorpe Award winner for the nation's best defensive back, opted to return for his senior season. As colleague Mitch Sherman pointed out in his story on King last month, no Thorpe Award winner with remaining eligibility had ever decided to come back to college the following season. Until King, that is.
The consensus first-team All-American certainly could be basking in NFL riches right now. Instead, he remains in Iowa City, a decision he hopes will help honor his deceased brother and maintain a promise he made to his mother to earn a college degree. Iowa, meanwhile, is considered an even stronger favorite to win the Big Ten West for a second straight season.
Iowa didn't reach 12-0 and become a national college football story last season on the strength of only one person. But even on a team with so many talented players, King stood out above the rest as a difference-maker. He picked off two passes apiece in close victories over Pittsburgh and Wisconsin. He intercepted passes in three straight games against Northwestern, Maryland and Indiana. King led the team with 13 pass breakups and ranked fifth in total tackles with 72. And let's not forget he also found time to rank second on the team in all-purpose yards as Iowa's primary kick and punt return man.
The question ahead of this season is whether King can possibly replicate the success he found as a junior. That notion seems far-fetched given how exceptional he was a year ago. But his presence alone will provide a lift to teammates -- and make opposing quarterbacks think twice about throwing his way.