From The Mind Of Minnich

Rest In Peace, Coach Joe Paterno

2012-01-22T12:04:00.004-05:00

Below is a video, courtesy of ESPN.com. A true coaching legend who believed in the importance of education and doing things the right way.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:7487797&startTime=00:01

Quick updates re: Twitter, as well as other news

2011-12-28T16:40:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas. The Minnichs certainly did.

I have been working on getting Twitter updates to work over the last few days, and I think I finally figured it out. Twitter updates are located on the right side of the blog, and I have identified several top Ohio State writers/bloggers/websites that I believe others may wish to follow. As always, let me know what you think.

In other news, The Big Ten and Pac-12 are announcing plans that will involve annual games in essentially all sports. When this comes to pass, it will essentially cap The Big Ten at two non-conference games, as The Big Ten had announced plans earlier this year to move to a nine-game conference schedule.

Personally, I am all in favor of doing anything that will make Ohio State's, or any other Big Ten team's schedule, better than what they have been over the last few seasons. I do wonder if this will help to entice Notre Dame to joining The Big Ten, as this will leave Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue only one non-conference game. Again, I wonder if The Big Ten will still move forward with a nine-game conference schedule in 2017, as originally planned.

Twitter added to blog today

2011-12-23T08:46:00.003-05:00

Last evening at Close Quarters Pub, my friends and fellow Buckeye fans urged/begged/bribed me with Christmas Ale/all of the above to join Twitter. You will notice a new Twitter feed on the side of the blog.

The intention is more to follow Twitter feeds, but I am sure I will have the occasional tweets myself. My twitter name is http://twitter.com/ChipMinnich.

My thoughts on the NCAA punishment for Ohio State

2011-12-20T15:50:00.002-05:00

When I learned that Ohio State was going to be ineligible for post-season play in 2012, my first thought was, "Why didn't Ohio State self-impose a bowl ban on itself for the 2011 season?". After a moment to reflect, it dawned on me that it was entirely possible that even that self-punishment may not have been enough for the NCAA, and Ohio State would have been without a bowl for two seasons. If you are thinking of a parallel scenario, perhaps this classic movie clip will help - just substitute the NCAA for Dean Wormer, and you'll understand the analogy.

Regardless, it seems the NCAA never seems to grasp how the punishments and penalties always fall upon the individuals who had nothing to do with the crime that has been committed. Terrelle Pryor, "Boom" Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams, and Solomon Thomas will all be elsewhere in 2012.

Moving forward, Ohio State fans should take this news as a positive. Knowing what the penalties and punishments are for the program will only help new head coach Urban Meyer with recruiting.

How, you ask? Because for the first time, Coach Meyer can accurately tell any young man what is going to be taking place at Ohio State. Everything else up until this point has been pure speculation, wondering when or if there would be a bowl ban, what type of scholarship reductions would be enforced, etc. Now, Coach Meyer can look any player in the eye and tell them precisely what the situation is with the NCAA.

Looking ahead to the 2012 schedule, knowing how young the 2011 team was across the board, it will be very interesting to see how Ohio State ranks among the other teams in college football. The 2012 squad could potentially rival this season's USC team that was arguably one of the nation's best, but ineligible to play in a bowl game.

Am I disappointed in today's ruling? Yes. Am I happy that the punishments are not as severe as some were predicting back in the summer? Absolutely. Time to move forward into 2012 and beyond. Time for an "Urban Renewal".

Urban Meyer interview

2011-12-19T17:08:00.001-05:00

The Ties That Bind: Looking At Possible Urban Meyer Assistants

2011-11-28T18:42:00.001-05:00

Below are some quick thumbnail sketches on possible Urban Meyer assistants, and how these men have worked with Urban Meyer in the past.

Greg Studrawa: Currently the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at LSU, Studrawa is rumored as an offensive coordinator candidate at Ohio State. A native of Fostoria, Ohio, Studrawa is a former player and alumnus of Bowling Green. Like Urban Meyer, Studrawa is a former Ohio State graduate assistant (1997 season), so he would have familiarity with Ohio State's rich history and traditions. Studrawa formerly worked for Urban Meyer at Bowling Green as the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator, before moving to his position at LSU.

DJ Durkin: Currently the linebackers and special teams coach at Florida, Durkin is rumored as a possible defensive coordinator candidate. Like Greg Studrawa, Durkin is a former Bowling Green player and alumnus. Durkin began his coaching career at Bowling Green under Urban Meyer as a graduate assistant.

Mickey Mariotti: Currently the strength and conditioning coach at Florida, Mariotti is rumored to be under consideration for Ohio State's Director of Football Operations. Mariotti first worked with Urban Meyer when both were assistants at Notre Dame under Bob Davie. If Mariotti is hired, would this bring an end to the successful reign of Eric Lichter in Columbus?

Chuck Heater: Currently the defensive coordinator at Temple, Heater could also be considered as a defensive coordinator candidate. Heater formerly worked for Urban Meyer at Florida as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Heater is a former Ohio State assistant, coaching the secondary under Earle Bruce (1985-1987).

Scot Loeffler: Currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Temple, Loeffler could also be under consideration for an offensive coordinator position at Ohio State. Loeffler formerly served under Urban Meyer as the quarterbacks coach at Florida, working with Tim Tebow. Loeffler is also a former Michigan player and alumnus, having worked with several notable Michigan quarterbacks in his career, including Tom Brady.

Stan Drayton: Drayton currently is on staff with Ohio State, and is rumored to be under consideration to remain on Urban Meyer's staff. Drayton is working as the wide receivers coach, but could move back to his traditional running backs coach position. Drayton formerly served as the running backs coach under Urban Meyer at Florida.

Luke Fickell: The most enigmatic of the assistant coaching candidates, Fickell is currently serving as Ohio State's head coach. Thrust into the position with the forced resignation of Jim Tressel, Fickell has performed admirably as Ohio State's head coach, dealing with multiple player suspensions, as well as a staff he was forced to retain. Fickell has been a long-time Ohio State assistant, and is a former player under John Cooper. Meyer and Fickell have arrived at an agreement that would have Fickell remain as an Assistant Head Coach and Co-Defensive Coordinator. It seems that Fickell has turned down Akron's head coaching overtures. Unlike all of the other possible assistant coaches on this list, Fickell has no previous coaching history with Urban Meyer.

However, if Butch Jones leaves Cincinnati for Illinois or UCLA, as has been rumored, then Fickell could receive a call from the Bearcats. Turning down Akron was one thing, but could Fickell turn down a head coaching job in a BCS conference?

As written above, all of these assistants are rumored to be under consideration as possible Ohio State assistants. Odds are that some of these men may be with him as assistant coaches for the 2012 Ohio State Buckeyes.

Still, many names remain possibilities. Mike Stoops, former Arizona head coach, was contacted by the Arizona Central and questioned about his interest in the job. Stoops said he had not been contacted, but would be interested in becoming Ohio State's defensive coordinator.

Tim Hinton, current running backs coach at Notre Dame, is another strong possibility. Hinton and Meyer are close friends, and Meyer even tried hiring him at Utah in 2004.

Two other offensive coordinator names are also probable to be under discussion. Clemson's Chad Morris, and Illinois' Paul Petrino, are both offensive coordinators well-versed in the spread offense attack that Urban Meyer plans to run. Chris Spielman, Urban Meyer's ESPN broadcast partner and friend, often remarked how he would hire either of these men, or would strongly recommend hiring them to Luke Fickell if Fickell remained head coach. Considering their friendship, it is likely Spielman relayed that same advice to Urban Meyer. Could Urban Meyer possibly target one of them for the offensive coordinator position?

This post originally appeared on Along The Olentangy, 11/28/2011

THE GAME: The Best Rivalry In Sports

2011-11-26T10:57:00.003-05:00

I highly recommend this video below. It is respectful of both programs' traditions and history, and shows the intensity and passion of THE GAME very well.

The countdown clock is going to be reset for 2012 on the blog shortly too...

THE GAME 2011: Will Michigan Break Ohio State's Winning Streak?

2011-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Game Twelve: Michigan Wolverines

Location: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, MI) 12pm EST, ABC

Head Coach: Brady Hoke

Michigan Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: TE Kevin Koger, OT Patrick Omameh, P Will Hagerup, DT William Campbell. RB Fitzgerald Toussaint, OL Elliott Mealer, TE Brandon Moore, QB Devin Gardner, CB Courtney Avery, DL Jibreel Black, S Ray Vinopal, and WR Jerald Robinson were all on Ohio State's recruiting radar but were not offered scholarships by Ohio State.

When Michigan Is On Offense VS Ohio State's Defense ~ Look for Ohio State to sell out against the run. QB Denard Robinson is still a dangerous threat to score anytime in the open field, and is running less this season than under the Rich Rodriguez regime. Robinson is a teriffic athlete, but struggles as a passer. If Ohio State can force Michigan into passing situations, Ohio State can be in this game. If Ohio State allows RB Fitzgerald Toussaint and Robinson to begin running well, this could turn into a blowout.

Ohio State will need to be on guard against play action passes, especially if the safeties are moved up to help with run support. The usually dependable and reliable Ohio State defense has played poorly down the stretch, especially at the linebacker position. True freshman LB Ryan Shazier could be used to spy on Robinson, tracking him all over the field, as Shazier has the speed to keep up with Robinson.

Edge: Even. Michigan has improved to a more diversified offense, but again, Robinson is not going to ever truly scare anyone as a passer, and I expect Ohio State to do everything to keep him in the pocket.

When Ohio State Is On Offense VS Michigan’s Defense ~ Under new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, Michigan has improved tremendously on this side of the ball. DT Mike Martin is Michigan's best defensive player, and will be involved in trying to shut down Ohio State's running game. Like Ohio State, look for Michigan to sell out against the run versus the Buckeyes.

Ohio State's offense relies exclusively on its running game. With true freshman QB Braxton Miller, Ohio State has a mobile quarterback who can make plays with his feet, like Michigan's Robinson. RB Daniel "Boom" Herron has become the linchpin of the offense since his return from suspension. WR DeVier Posey finally came off suspension last week versus Penn State, but it remains to be seen if Ohio State's coaching staff can devise any way of getting Posey the ball. Ohio State ranks 118th in passing out of 120 Division 1 teams.

If TE Jake Stoneburner can be incorporated into the offense against Michigan, Ohio State may have a chance to move the ball. Stoneburner is a match-up problem for defenses, but Ohio State's coaches have not used him well this season; it is doubtful that the coaches will use him any more against Michigan.

Edge: Michigan. Ohio State's predictable and incoherent offense does not inspire too much fear in any opposing defense, let alone a team that has improved as much as Michigan this season.

Intangibles: Michigan has lost every game against Ohio State, dating to 2004. The seniors on the team have never beaten Ohio State, and will make every effort to do so in this contest. Brady Hoke has placed an emphasis on beating "Ohio", making sure the Wolverines focus on defeating their hated rival. Contrast with Ohio State, facing rumors of the hiring of Urban Meyer this week, as well as Ohio State's overall decline over the last month, and it seems as though the odds favor the Wolverines in this area.

Edge: Michigan.

Prediction: My heart is telling me to pick Ohio State, as I believe Luke Fickell wants to end the regular season with a victory over Michigan, in a manner reminiscent of Earle Bruce's finale in 1987. My head is telling me that Ohio State's defensive inconsistencies, as well as predictable offense, plus Michigan's possible BCS bowl opportunities, too much to overlook. I am going with Michigan 21, Ohio State 17.

Savoring The Streak Over "That Team Up North": A Look Back At 2004

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

The final look back at the streak of wins over "That Team Up North" will focus on the 2004 contest. Michigan came into Columbus having clinched The Big Ten and a Rose Bowl shot, while Ohio State was trying to conclude what had been a very mediocre season up until that point.

QB Troy Smith emerged as a true playmaker for Ohio State, confounding Michigan with timely runs (145 yards rushing) and touchdown passes to WRs Anthony Gonzalez and Santonio Holmes. Ted Ginn, Jr. had a punt return for a touchdown, and Ohio State rolled to an easy 37-21 victory.

Some of my memories, as I was at THE GAME for this one? The lovely Mrs. Minnich accompanied me to this contest, and enjoyed herself immensely at the pre-game tailgating. So much so that she contemplated napping on my shoulder during THE GAME.

Below is a video clip of highlights, courtesy of YouTube...

Below is a recap of the game, courtesy of ESPN.com...

http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=243250194

Savoring The Streak Over "That Team Up North": A Look Back At 2005

2011-11-24T12:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Best wishes to you and your families for a safe and blessed holiday. Today's post remembers the 2005 Ohio State/Michigan game that Ohio State won, 25-21.

Needing a victory over their hated rival to remain in contention for a BCS bowl bid (which eventually turned out to be The Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame), Ohio State traveled to Ann Arbor for an opportunity to earn a share of The Big Ten title with Penn State. Almost immediately, Ohio State was at a disadvantage defensively, as senior LB Bobby Carpenter sustained a broken ankle, forcing inexperienced LB James Laurinaitis into the contest as his replacement.

QB Troy Smith had a tremendous game against Michigan in 2004, but the 2005 game against Michigan was where Smith emerged as one of the players to watch in 2006 as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate. The 2005 game was going to be forever defined by "The Catch", the big play between Troy Smith and WR Anthony Gonzalez, with under a minute remaining...

Below is a recap of this contest, thanks to ESPN.com...

http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=253230130

Savoring The Streak Over "That Team Up North": A Look Back At 2006

2011-11-23T18:00:00.004-05:00

The 2006 battle between Ohio State and Michigan was the first time ever between these two storied programs where they were ranked # 1 and #2. At stake was not only The Big Ten conference championship, but also a berth to the 2007 BCS Championship Game. Ohio State built a commanding first half lead, and held on for a close victory, 42-39. In this game, Ohio State QB Troy Smith played brilliantly to ensure he would win the 2006 Heisman Trophy.

Overshadowing the game only one day before was the unexpected death of former Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler. Schembechler's loss would loom large not only on this game, but in the subsequent years following, as turmoil seemed to engulf Michigan's athletic department following his death. One could surmise that Lloyd Carr's retirement, as well as selection of successor, may have been entirely different had Bo Schembechler been there to make sure a "Michigan Man" was going to be in charge of the program Schembechler so carefully built.

The game truly came down to the final moments. Out of many big plays, fewer were as big as this one by Buckeye RB Antonio Pittman:

For a recap of one of the greatest games in the history of this rivalry, please click on the link below, courtesy of ESPN.com:

http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=263220194

Savoring The Streak Over "That Team Up North": A Look Back At 2007

2011-11-22T18:53:00.002-05:00

Following a shocking home loss to Illinois that knocked Ohio State from the ranks of the unbeaten, the Buckeyes traveled to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines. Rumors were swirling that this was going to be Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr's last game.

Behind a strong running game, led by sophomore RB Chris Wells, Ohio State was able to clinch the outright Big Ten title. Michigan actually came into this game with a shot at the title, despite losing its first two non-conference games. One of these losses may be considered the greatest upset in college football history.

Below is a link to the review of this game, thanks to ESPN.com...

http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=273210130

Savoring The Streak Over "That Team Up North": A Look Back At 2008

2011-11-21T21:32:00.005-05:00

The first year of the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan was coming to a painful close, as I had predicted that previous summer. What I recall most about the 2008 contest was not the game, but the morning of the game I ran in a 5K in downtown Cleveland with my friend Tim. To be a little more precise, Tim ran - I ran, but embarrassingly strained my lower right calf muscle to the point that I was unable to finish the race. For someone who used to run cross country and track in high school, it was truly humbling. At least my injury did not impede my beer consumption during the game...

Another thing I recall from the 2008 game? Let's just say that Sam McGuffie probably remembers it in painful detail...

Anyway, below is a link to how I predicted the game would turn out...

http://fromthemindofminnich.blogspot.com/2008/11/game-can-ohio-state-make-it-five-in-row.html

And below that is a recap, courtesy of ESPN.com...

http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=283270194

Savoring The Streak Over "That Team Up North": A Look Back At 2009

2011-11-20T19:47:00.007-05:00

According to the NCAA, Ohio State's victory over Michigan in 2010 never happened. I do know I had several beers that day with my friends before and after the game, and I recall proclaiming that would be the last time Rich Rodriguez would coach Michigan against Ohio State.

No matter. Ohio State vacated its win in 2010. Let's review the 2009 victory. During Rich Rodriguez's tenure at Michigan, this was the closest Michigan came to defeating Ohio State...

Below is a link to what I predicted would happen on this blog...

http://fromthemindofminnich.blogspot.com/2009/11/ohio-state-will-wear-throwbacks-then.html

And I have inserted a recap of the game, courtesy of ESPN.com...

http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=293250130

[Sports Illustrated]: Revised Mandel Plan bids adieu to AQ status in BCS plus-one model - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

2011-11-18T18:00:00.000-05:00

I still want a playoff, but this would be better than what college football currently has...

Revised Mandel Plan bids adieu to AQ status in BCS plus-one model - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

My Plea For Penn State - Respect For All

2011-11-16T18:00:00.001-05:00

I will come out and say that for those of you who like defensive football (such as myself), this week's game between Ohio State and Penn State should be right up your alley. It's not entirely because both teams have good defenses. It's primarily because both teams have very poor offenses, especially Ohio State.

Think I am being too harsh? Think of it this way - there are 120 universities playing Division 1 NCAA football. And where does Ohio State rank in passing? 118th. Seriously.

The prediction I have is this will be a slugfest, where one team will capitalize on a turnover(s), and score off the turnover. My painful prediction is Penn State will do that better than Ohio State, and win 10-7. I hope I am mistaken.

Where I hope I am NOT mistaken is in fan behavior before, during, and after the game versus Penn State. I believe the following video best defines what I am hopeful of from Ohio State fans this coming weekend...

Purdue Boils OSU's Division Title Chances In Overtime, 26-23

2011-11-12T22:02:00.002-05:00

Having lost at West Lafayette in 2009, it would be only natural for Ohio State not to overlook Purdue heading into this contest. Numerous penalties, a repeatedly stalling offense, and missed turnover opportunities led to Purdue defeating Ohio State, 26-23. This game will have severe ramifications for Ohio State's quest to win the Leaders Division, and Luke Fickell's chances of a long-term coaching contract with the Buckeyes.

In an ominous beginning for this contest, the opening kickoff for Ohio State bounced off Carlos Hyde's facemask. Ohio State had two straight Boom Herron runs, before Ohio State attempted its first pass of the game. Braxton Miller's pass, intended for T.Y. Williams, was deflected and nearly caught by Jake Stoneburner. Ohio State punted on its first three and out offensive series.

Purdue's first offensive series was a mix of runs and passes that allowed the Boilermakers to move into Ohio State territory. A big pass break-up by Ohio State's Brad Roby allowed Ohio State to force Purdue to attempt a field goal. Purdue led early, 3-0.

On its second possession, Ohio State stumbled again, with Boom Herron and Braxton Miller losing yardage on back to back plays. Ohio State's Braxton Miller, in what would be a recurring theme in this contest, was sacked while scrambling, forcing another Ohio State punt.

Purdue again moved down the field, mixing big plays by O.J. Ross, Gary Bush, and Akeem Shavers to extend the Purdue lead to 10-0, with a little over four minutes remaining in the first quarter. Ohio State was behind 10-0 last week against Indiana, and it seemed that against Purdue Ohio State was digging itself a big hole that the offensive unit may not be able to get out of in this contest.

As the second quarter began, Ohio State was in desperate need to get points on the scoreboard. A key Braxton Miller play was a sidestep of a Purdue sack, allowing Miller to find Boom Herron for a 19 yard reception. On this drive, Braxton Miller was able to find Jordan Hall across the middle of the field for a touchdown reception, getting Ohio State on the board to make it Purdue 10, Ohio State 7.Purdue substituted backup quarterback Robert Marve into the contest late in the second quarter, and Marve was able to move Purdue down the field before the half concluded. A critical play on this drive was a roughing the passer penalty on Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins that set Purdue deep into Ohio State territory. After a first and goal at the Ohio State 7 yard line, Purdue's Ralph Bolden ran the ball into the end zone to give Purdue a 17-7 lead.

Ohio State attempted a field goal as the clock expired for the first half, but were unable to connect. At the half, Ohio State's rushing offense had only gained 18 yards. Making the matter worse was the loss of senior linebackerAndrew Sweat, who sustained a concussion and did not return in the second half.

As the third quarter began, Ohio State's defense forced a three and out by Purdue, setting up the offense with an opportunity to get the team back into the game. Jordan Hall had a big run out of the wildcat formation on his first play from scrimmage in the second half, while Carlos Hyde had a sweep to the outside, seemingly getting the Ohio State running game moving. On a blown option play, Braxton Miller kept the ball himself into the end zone, and Purdue's lead was cut to 17-14.

On the next Purdue series, Purdue's Caleb TerBush was nearly intercepted by C.J. Barnett, one of many opportunities Ohio State's defense was unable to force a turnover. On the same drive, Ryan Shazier forced a Purdue fumble, but was unable to recover. Purdue was forced to punt, and Ohio State had a golden opportunity to tie, or possibly take the lead.

Ohio State's next offensive series was a mixture of penalties and overthrown passes by Braxton Miller. Ohio State blew another opportunity to take advantage of having the strong wind at its back during the third quarter.

Ohio State nearly forced a Purdue turnover on the next series, as Ryan Shazier stripped a Purdue receiver, recovering the fumble. Unfortunately, the review showed the receiver's knee was down, and Purdue retained possession. Even more costly, Ryan Shazier incurred a roughing the passer call on Robert Marve, helping Purdue to drive deep into Ohio State territory. Purdue was unable to drive into scoring position, with Ohio State having dodged a bullet when Purdue's Gabe Holmes was penalized for an ineligible player downfield call. Purdue did not score, but were able to pin Ohio State deep in their territory with a punt that set up the Buckeyes on their own six yard line.

Trying to get out of the shadow of their own end zone, Ohio State simply ran the ball, content to punt the ball back to Purdue. Purdue, using the strong and accurate leg of Carson Wiggs, hit a 44 yard field goal to extend the lead to 20-14.

As the fourth quarter proceeded, Ohio State used a mix of designed Braxton Miller quarterback runs and a T.Y. Williams' reception to move the ball. Ohio State was unable to maintain the drive, punting the ball back to Purdue with over seven minutes on the clock remaining.

Ohio State's defense rose to the challenge of stopping Wisconsin. Another injury claimed Johnathan Hankins on this drive, but Ohio State used another big Brad Roby play on a Purdue third down to force a punt. Ohio State reclaimed possession with only 6:15 left.

Using the running of Boom Herron, Ohio State slowly drove into Purdue territory. On a puzzling decision, Ohio State used Jordan Hall on a critical 3rd and 1 - why the coaching staff did not use either Boom Herron or Carlos Hyde for such a critical yard seemed surprising. Ohio State converted the third down, but again the offense bogged down on the drive.

After an illegal formation penalty, Ohio State faced a 4th and 3. Braxton Miller, in a play somewhat similar to his winning pass versus Wisconsin, scrambled and found Jordan Hall for a touchdown reception to tie the game at 20 with under a minute left in the contest.

On the very next play, Purdue blocked Ohio State's PAT, keeping the score knotted at 20. With the wind at their back, and dependable Carson Wiggs on their team, all the Boilermakers needed was to get into field goal range, and the game would be won.

While moving into field goal range, Purdue's Robert Marve threw deep down the sideline. Ohio State's Orhian Johnson, playing deep, intercepted the pass to preserve the tie and force overtime.

Purdue won the coin toss for overtime, deferring until the second possession. Ohio State sluggishly moved on offense again, losing yards on another Braxton Miller sack. Miller was able to find T.Y. Williams on a key third down pass, but Ohio State was unable to come up with a first down on the series. Ohio State settled for a field goal in overtime, taking a 23-20 lead.

Knowing a field goal would tie the game, Purdue began moving downfield in their opening overtime possession. Robert Marve made two critical third down plays in the period that ultimately made the difference in the contest. On 3rd and 4, Marve scrambled for a first down near the sideline to keep the Purdue drive alive. Later in the series, Marve found Gary Bush for a 14 yard gain on 3rd and 12 that set Purdue up with a first and goal at the Ohio State 1 yard line. On its next play, Marve sneaked the ball over for the winning touchdown, to make the final Purdue 26, Ohio State 23.

For the second straight week, Ohio State came out sluggish against an opponent that was supposedly not as talented. What makes this loss even more galling was the news that Nebraska had defeated Penn State, as the Buckeyes blew an opportunity to pull up within a game of the division-leading Nittany Lions.

Can Ohio State still win the division, as it seems that Wisconsin is now in the clear driver's seat for the title? Did Luke Fickell blow his chances for the long-term head coaching job with this loss? Needless to say, the second straight loss at West Lafayette will only leave Ohio State fans wondering how the remainder of the 2011season will play out for the Buckeyes.

OSU/Purdue Prediction: Ohio State 28, Purdue 17

2011-11-11T19:00:00.000-05:00

In light of all that is happening at Penn State, I must confess I have not truly paid close attention to the upcoming game between Ohio State and Purdue. I will be writing up a post-game analysis, and will post it here sometime tomorrow evening.

My prediction for the game: Ohio State 28, Purdue 17. Between Coach Fickell reminding the players of their 2009 loss from their last visit to Purdue (as well as the losses in 2000, 2004, and the "Holy Buckeye" close call win in 2002), plus the Buckeye running game, I believe Ohio State will gind out a victory in the second half over the Boilermakers. We shall see tomorrow afternoon.

Buckeyes Rush Past Indiana Upset Bid, 34-20

2011-11-06T07:21:00.001-05:00

Virtually every publication I read online this past wek predicted an Ohio State blowout victory over the visiting Indiana Hoosiers. Obviously, someone neglected to inform the Hoosiers that this was supposed to be an easy win for the Buckeyes.

Behind a three-tiered rushing attack led by RB Daniel "Boom" Herron, RB Carlos Hyde, and QB Braxton Miller, Ohio State survived a visit by Indiana, 34-20. The victory by Ohio State now makes the Buckeyes bowl-eligible with six victories, pending the final results of the NCAA investigation into the program.

The game began with Indiana receiving the first half kickoff from PK Drew Basil that went out of bounds, providing Indiana good field position. Indiana moved down the field, converting on third down opportunities to put themselves in scoring position. A big stop by Ohio State defensive lineman John Simon forced Indiana to kick a field goal to take the lead at 3-0.

Ohio State sputtered right out of the gate in its initial offensive possession, giving the ball back to Indiana after Braxton Miller was hit and fumbled, allowing Indiana to recover in Ohio State territory. Again, Indiana was able to convert on a 3rd and 6 on a quarterback draw by Indiana QB Tre Roberson to keep a drive alive. Indiana RB Stephen Houston ran up the middle on a first and goal to set Indiana up 10-0 with over seven minutes left in the first quarter.

Ohio State, needing a spark offensively, found it with a designed quarterback draw by Braxton Miller. Miller's 81 yard scamper was the longest touchdown run by a quarterback in Ohio State football history, and it allowed Ohio State to claw back into the game. After a Drew Basil PAT, Indiana led Ohio State, 10-7.

Neither team were able to move as the first quarter came to a close. Braxton Miller threw for Corey "Philly" Brown in the end zone, as fans clamored for a pass interference call. Ohio State settled for another Drew Basil field goal, to tie it up 10-10.

Ohio State seemed to be gaining momentum in the contest, after a big Brad Roby hit on Indiana's Shane Wynn that drew audible "ooh's" from the crowd and the television analysts. Ohio State's Boom Herron had an impressive 45 yard cutback run that set up another Drew Basil field goal to allow Ohio State to take the lead. From 45 yards out, Basil hit the field goal to make it Ohio State 13, Indiana 10.

In what became the recurring theme of the game, Indiana came clawing back into the game. Indiana WR Kofi Hughes came up with a big reception, despite a pass interference penalty by Ohio State's Christian Bryant. Ohio State's Garrett Goebel came up with a stop of Indiana's Tre Roberson, forcing Indiana to kick a field goal to tie it, 13-13.

Ohio State received the second half kickoff. In a play similar to last week against Wisconsin, Boom Herron had a 40 yard run to seemingly set up Ohio State in scoring position. Unfortunately, Braxton Miller threw into double coverage for the end zone, being intercepted by Indiana's Alexander Webb near the end zone.

On the ensuing Indiana possession, Christian Bryant was unable to come up with an interception that could have been returned for a touchdown. Indiana, forced to punt, gave the Buckeyes the ball back at midfield.

Boom Herron was the catalyst of the Ohio State offense on the next possession, alternating big runs with Braxton Miller. Herron extended for the end zone pylon, putting Ohio State up 20-13 over Indiana.

Back came the Hoosiers, behind Tre Roberson. On another third down play, Roberson hit Kofi Hughes for a wide-open touchdown reception to again tie the Buckeyes, 20-20.

Mixing runs by Carlos Hyde, Boom Herron, and Braxton Miller, Ohio State moved down the field. Senior starting right offensive tackle J.B. Shugarts was injured on the drive, being replaced by true freshman Antonio Underwood. A key penalty was a roughing the passer penalty on Indiana's Larry Black, giving Ohio State the ball in good field position. Braxton Miller scored on another quarterback draw to give Ohio State the lead, 27-20, as the 3rd quarter ended.

As the 4th quarter began, Indiana battled back, converting on third down plays by Stephen Houston and Tre Roberson to keep drives alive. A false start by Indiana pushed the Hoosiers back, and Indiana missed on a field goal to give the ball back to Ohio State.

Disaster was averted, after a Boom Herron fumble was recovered by Braxton Miller. Both Herron and Miller were wobbly in the final minutes of this game, and Indiana had the ball back with under six minutes to play.

On a 3rd and 10, Indiana's Kofi Hughes came up with his biggest reception to keep Indiana alive in the contest. As it seemed overtime could be looming, Ohio State's Travis Howard came up with a critical interception of Tre Roberson with only four minutes left in the game. Carlos Hyde, seemingly forgotten by the coaching staff since his big game against Nebraska a few weeks ago, had a big run down the right sideline to set up Ohio State in scoring position. Hyde scored with under three minutes in the game to make it Ohio State 34, Indiana 20.

Indiana began its final possession, needing two touchdowns, and less than three minutes to accomplish the task. The Ohio State defense, facing an Indiana team in obvious passing situations, forced the Hoosiers to give up possession after four downs. Ohio State was able to take the victory formation, and leave with its sixth victory of this season, 34-20 over Indiana.

For the first time since 1989, Ohio State had three players eclipse the 100 yard mark (Boom Herron, Carlos Hyde, and Braxton Miller). Miller's rushing total would have been higher, had he not suffered so much lost yardage due to sacks, which were abundant against the Buckeyes in this game.

Indiana, who lost 16-10 earlier this season to Penn State, showed Ohio State and its fans that the days of marking the Hoosiers as an easy victory may be coming to a close. Next season, when Ohio State visits Indiana on October 12, 2012, I do not believe the Buckeyes will need any reminders of how dangerous Indiana can be.

(This post originally appeared on Along The Olentangy)

Next Task For Ohio State - Bowl Eligibility

2011-11-03T21:09:00.003-04:00

Game Nine: Indiana Hoosiers

Coach: Kevin Wilson

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH). 12pm EST kickoff, The Big Ten Network.

How I believe it will all shake out: Indiana comes in 1-8, facing a massive rebuilding job. To his credit, Kevin Wilson has gone entirely with a youth movement, starting many true freshmen on both sides of the ball. If Wilson can adequately recruit, this team could be in bowl contention in the next couple of seasons, but there is a long road ahead for Indiana.

Ohio State comes into this game, still riding the high from its last-second win over Wisconsin, 33-29. This is a potential trap game for Ohio State, in the sense that Ohio State may have depleted its emotional tank against Wisconsin, while Indiana has nothing to lose by letting it all hang out against Ohio State.

If I had the opportunity to game plan for this contest with Coach Fickell, my recommendations would be:

Work on the passing game for QB Braxton Miller. I am not suggesting going away from what works, which is the running game, but allow Miller to throw at least about 25 times this game. Keep working on the slants, hitches, and other short to intermediate passing routes that Miller hit well last week against Wisconsin. Above all, try to limit Miller's carries - at one point last week, Miller came up somewhat gimpy after a quarterback draw, late in the Wisconsin game.

Get TE Jake Stoneburner back into the offensive mix. Stoneburner dropped a pass last week against Wisconsin, but he will be needed down the November stretch run for the Buckeyes.

Get RB Carlos Hyde back into the running back rotation. Hyde has not played since his strong performance against Nebraska a few weeks ago. With the injury to Jordan Hall, as well as the suspension of Jaamal Berry, Ohio State cannot sustain an injury to RB Daniel "Boom" Herron. Hyde will be needed for the November stretch run.

Get some work for backup quarterback Kenny Guiton. An injury to Braxton Miller would be disastrous. Ideally, Ohio State will have the lead in the 4th quarter, which would be a good time to get Guiton some desperately needed reps in game-like conditions.

Rotate defensive linemen throughout. Ohio State will need John Simon and Johnathan Hankins against Penn State and Michigan - once the lead is clearly established, rotate in as many backups as possible.

Once the lead is well-established, play the backups. One of my biggest frustrations of the Coach Tressel era was it seemed as though he kept the starters in too long, simply content to run off-tackle to kill the clock. I am not suggesting putting in backups and having them throw downfield for the end zone, but I am suggesting playing backups to get quality experience.

Prediction: Indiana threw a scare into Penn State a few weeks back, losing only 16-10. Ohio State needs to come out and take control of this one from the onset, building off the positive momentum of the Wisconsin game. This game can be a tremendous springboard for a memorable November, if the Buckeyes approach it with the right frame of mind. Indiana will battle, but in the end, Ohio State has too much on both sides of the ball. I am calling it Ohio State 38, Indiana 10.

[ESPN.com - Big Ten Blog]: Luke Fickell building his case to keep job

2011-11-02T17:30:00.001-04:00

Good article from Brian Bennett of ESPN.com re: Luke Fickell’s job candidacy. I have voiced these same thoughts, especially following the victory over Wisconsin. IF Ohio State wins out, and that is a big IF, how can Ohio State not offer Luke Fickell a long-term contract for winning The Big Ten, especially after all this team has gone through since last December?

Ohio State does need to win its last four games, which are not guaranteed (Indiana, @ Purdue, Penn State, @ Michigan). Coach Tressel always emphasized that “November is for contenders”, and it seems as though Coach Fickell and his team realize that as well. If the team wins out, it will be very interesting to see how the Ohio State administration responds.

Asked a two-part question Tuesday about the development of freshman quarterback Braxton Miller and his own development as Ohio State head coach, Luke Fickell combined his answer.

"Both of us are a little bit similar," he said. "The confidence level is something you've really noticed with him, and it's kind of a similar thing here."

The key difference between the two, of course, is that Miller has three more years of eligibility to grow and continue to improve as a quarterback. Fickell is guaranteed nothing beyond this season.

But it's time to notice that, like Miller, Fickell is showing impressive improvement.

Few Ohio State fans would have thought it possible for Fickell to keep his job a month ago. The Buckeyes lost three of their first six games, looked inept at times on offense and appeared destined for a difficult season.

Right now, though, they're one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten, having knocked off a pair of ranked teams -- then No. 16 Illinois and then-No. 15 Wisconsin -- in back-to-back games. If Miller doesn't get hurt in the second half of the Nebraska game, maybe Ohio State holds onto its 21-point lead and wins in Lincoln, too.

The team has undeniably gotten better the past few weeks.

"When you see guys stay together and get through those kinds of things, you really start to see a growth," Fickell said. "That's probably the one thing you can ultimately point your finger at, is the belief in one another. That's why we have a chance to be where we are right now."

Fickell gets a large share of the credit for that growth. Simply keeping this team together, from the time Jim Tressel resigned on Memorial Day through all the off-the-field controversy and suspensions, was no easy task. The ship could have easily begun to submerge after dispiriting losses to Miami and Michigan State.

Few coaches have had to play more hamstrung this year. He had no quarterback with starting experience, he was missing three of his best offensive players (Dan Herron, DeVier Posey and Mike Adams) and seemingly every week the team found out about another suspension just before kickoff. Fickell had to deal with all that while learning how to be a head coach for the first time at one of the most scrutinized programs in America. He has learned a lot in a short time.

"You don't ever know truly what to expect," he said. "But at least you've got a little more feeling for what you're doing and how to go about it. Not that you didn't have confidence before, but you spend a lot of excess energy with all the adjusting your schedule to this and to that. The ability to be able to handle those things and not lose your energy and your passion, that's the most important thing."

So maybe Fickell didn't look well-versed as a game manager against Miami, and he probably erred by not starting Miller right away. It's understandable why a coach in his position would go with the veteran quarterback in Joe Bauserman, and starting Miller probably doesn't change the Miami loss, though perhaps with more experience under his belt Miller isn't as flummoxed by the Michigan State defense.

The return of Adams and Herron has made a huge difference to this team, and Fickell always deserved to be judged by what he could do with a full deck (he's still a big wild card short, with Posey still out until Nov. 19). I said before the season that I thought Fickell would have to go at least 8-4 to have any chance at returning, given the high standards at Ohio State. His team is 5-3 now, with highly winnable games against Indiana and Purdue next. And then it gets really interesting.

The Buckeyes get Penn State at home and should match up well against another low-scoring, defensive-minded club. Then they go to Ann Arbor, looking to continue their dominance over Michigan. Should Fickell manage to go undefeated through November, Ohio State would only need a Penn State loss at Wisconsin or somewhere else to make the Big Ten title game.

Heck, Fickell should win Big Ten coach of the year honors if that happens. How could athletic director Gene Smith not bring him back in that scenario? In fact, it might be very beneficial for that to play out and for Fickell to be quickly re-signed, since recruiting isn't being helped right now by having a head coach whose contract ends in January.

Of course, that's a lot of what-ifs at this point, and Fickell has steadfastly refused to openly campaign or really even address his job status.

"I wouldn't change the way I'm doing anything if they told me one way or the other right now," he said. "That's where I'm making sure I stay focused. We ask our guys to be unselfish and not just think about themselves. If we don't show them we can do that ourselves, then it would just be words."

Ohio State may still choose to go after a big-name coach after the season. If the NCAA hands down a severe punishment, perhaps the school decides it's best to make a clean break from the Tressel era.

But Luke Fickell is growing into the role of Buckeyes head coach. Just like with Braxton Miller, that growth could lead to some very good things.

View article...

So Happy To Say That My Winning Streak In Ohio Stadium Remains Intact!

2011-10-30T13:52:00.007-04:00

I must confess - I went into last evening's contest between Ohio State and Wisconsin believing Ohio State would come out on the losing end, 24-14. I felt Ohio State would battle, but Wisconsin would have too much for the Buckeyes.

What made me truly despondent was I was attending the game with my brother-in-law Kevin and my cousin John, and I had never experienced a loss in Ohio Stadium. I have witnessed many classic games, going back to 1983, and have never left the stadium after an Ohio State loss.

I can proudly say that my winning streak remains intact, thanks to the miraculous play of Braxton Miller with only thirty seconds remaining. The pass Miller launched seemed to defy the laws of gravity, hanging in the air for what seemed an eternity, before Devin Smith caught it for the deciding touchdown.

The 2002 Ohio State/Michigan game, which sent Ohio State to the national championship game, still ranks as my all-time favorite game I have witnessed in Ohio Stadium. Last night's contest ranks second, and will always be remembered for its wild and unforeseen finish (John, thanks again for the great tickets).

OSU: "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" Badgers

2011-10-23T22:28:00.011-04:00

Game Eight: Wisconsin Badgers

Coach: Bret Bielema

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH). 8pm EST, ESPN

Wisconsin Offense vs. Ohio State Defense: Wisconsin's offense leads The Big Ten, averaging 47 points a game. Ohio State's defense ranks fifth in the conference, allowing only 16 points a game. Something has to give, and Ohio State fans can only hope that it is not the Buckeye defense. If Ohio State cannot slow down Wisconsin's balanced attack, it could be a long evening in Columbus.

RB Montee Ball keys Wisconsin's historically strong rushing attack, while WRs Nick Toon, Jared Abbrederis, and TE Jacob Pedersen lead Wisconsin's receiving corps. Toon had a big game last season against Ohio State - it could be CB Brad Roby's assignment to cover Toon in this contest.

QB Russell Wilson's dual threat capabilities will be the key to Ohio State's chances in this game. If Ohio State effectively forces Wilson into turnovers, or if Ohio State can neutralize Wilson's scrambling, Ohio State has a chance. I will be curious to see if Ohio State spies on Wilson with DB Tyler Moeller, or even freshman LB Ryan Shazier, in order to stop Wilson from running all over Ohio State during passing downs.

While I respect Ohio State's John Simon and Johnathan Hankins in the defensive interior, Ohio State's linebackers will need to step up in this game much better than they have all season so far. Wisconsin's offensive line, despite losing three starters to the NFL, is just as strong as ever.

Edge: Wisconsin.

Ohio State's Offense vs. Wisconsin's Defense: Ohio State's offensive performance two weeks ago may have made Coach Hayes smile somewhere, but made most Ohio State fans cringe with the overly-conservative attack. The 1 of 4 passing may have worked against Illinois, but Ohio State needs to open it up in order to stand a chance against Wisconsin in Ohio Stadium.

Wisconsin comes into this game ranked third in The Big Ten in total defense, while Ohio State ranks eleventh in total offense. QB Braxton Miller played well against Nebraska in a losing effort three weeks ago, but sustained a sprained ankle in the contest. Miller will need to scramble for positive yardage against the Badgers on Saturday night.

The return of RB Daniel "Boom" Herron was the boost Ohio State needed to escape with a victory over Illinois. Herron, if combined with RB Carlos Hyde, can help to control the clock against Wisconsin. It would not surprise me if Ohio State uses TEs Jake Stoneburner and Reid Fragel as safe outlet passes for Miller.

Edge: Wisconsin. Look for the Badgers to stack eight men in the box, daring Ohio State to throw on their strong secondary. If Ohio State does not come out and attack Wisconsin through the air, as Michigan State did in their miracle victory last weekend, Ohio State will be out of the game by halftime.

Intangibles: Finally, a possible area for Ohio State to have the edge. A night game in Ohio Stadium means the home crowd will be adequately hydrated for this contest. Ohio State fans will come out in full force for revenge against the only team that defeated the Buckeyes last season. Former Buckeye legend RB Eddie George will be honored at halftime; it's too bad George is out of eligibility. I will be at this contest with my brother-in-law Kevin and my cousin John - I have never been to an Ohio State game where the Buckeyes have lost. And do not forget about the atrocious, I mean, special Nike combat uniforms Ohio State will get to wear for this contest.

Edge: Ohio State.

Prediction: I truly want to pick Ohio State to pull off the upset in this one, but Wisconsin's balanced offense, and Ohio State's sputtering offense, make it impossible for me to do so. Months ago, I wrote this was going to be Ohio State's most difficult game, and nothing has made me change my mind about that prediction. As I wrote up above, I have never been to an Ohio State home game where the Buckeyes have lost, so it pains me to go against my winning streak in this prediction - we are talking games back to 1983. Still, as Elton John says, "It's seven o'clock and I wanna rock, wanna get a bellyful of beer..." - that, I will accomplish Saturday evening in Columbus with Kevin, John, and hopefully many other loyal Ohio State fans. My prediction ~ Wisconsin 24, Ohio State 14.

Will Zook & Illini Cook The Buckeyes Below .500?

2011-10-14T19:00:00.000-04:00

Game Seven: Illinois Fighting Illini

Location: Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL. 3:30pm kickoff, ABC

Head Coach: Ron Zook

Illinois Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: CB Justin Green.

Overview: Ohio State traditionally struggles whenever they visit Champaign, IL. In 2002, Ohio State was fortunate to escape with an overtime victory that allowed the Buckeyes to remain undefeated. In 2006, Ohio State barely held on against the Illini. In 2008, with revenge on their minds and Terrelle Pryor at the offensive controls, Ohio State traveled to Illinois and won in a close contest. And last season, Ohio State was able to leave with a victory, despite Terrelle Pryor's injury that was a bitter 2011 foreshadowing for Ohio State's fans of Pryor's importance to the Buckeye offense.

Offensively, Ohio State seemed to figure out what QB Braxton Miller can do, and played to his strengths. As soon as Joe Bauserman entered the game, the offensive game plan moved to a pass first mindset, and everything seemed to unravel. Considering how ineffective Bauserman has been since the Miami (FL) game, it would not be surprising if Kenny Guiton is the backup quarterback. Guiton would allow the coaching staff to maintain the same type of game plan as they have devised for Braxton Miller, as Guiton is a mobile quarterback as well.

Defensively, Ohio State wilted in the second half against Nebraska. Whether it was a psychological collapse due to the offensive ineffectiveness under Joe Bauserman, or fatigue from being on the field for most of the second half, the Buckeyes' defense needs to regroup for this battle against Illinois.

The weather forecast for Champaign on game day is a sunny and high 60 degrees. It will be interesting to see how Ohio State comes out after blowing the big lead against Nebraska last week...I will say Illinois 24, Ohio State 14.

Does Bo Know How To Beat The Buckeyes?

2011-10-06T23:55:00.005-04:00

Game Six: Nebraska Cornhuskers

Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE. 8:00pm kickoff, ABC

Head Coach: Bo Pelini

Nebraska Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: RB Braylon Heard. As Nebraska is in its first year in The Big Ten, look for Nebraska to concentrate more on recruiting Ohio talent.

When Nebraska Is On Offense VS. Ohio State's Defense: Throughout its history, Nebraska has been known for running the ball. RB Rex Burkhead is a tough runner in the mold of current Cleveland Browns RB Peyton Hillis. QB Taylor Martinez has struggled as a passer, but can rival Michigan QB Denard Robinson as being arguably the most athletic quarterback in the conference. Martinez can be deadly running the option.

WR Jamal Turner is a deep threat that Ohio State defenders need to respect, despite Martinez's struggles passing the ball. If Ohio State's Travis Howard can rebound from his tough game last week against Michigan State, Ohio State should be able to cover Turner well enough to make it tough for Nebraska to move the ball consistently against the Buckeyes. Ohio State will sell out against the run, daring Martinez to throw the ball.

Edge: Ohio State.

When Ohio State Is On Offense VS Nebraska's Defense: Unfortunately, Ohio State's offense is its own worst enemy, ranking near the bottom in the nation. Ohio State's offense is truly offensive, in other words.

Look for Nebraska, like Michigan State last week, to put eight or nine in the box, daring true freshman QB Braxton Miller to throw. Nebraska's Jared Crick versus Ohio State's Michael Brewster may be a battle to keep an eye upon. Ohio State can only go up offensively after such dreadful performances against Miami (FL) and Michigan State...right?

Edge: Nebraska. Until the Buckeyes prove me wrong, I have to give the opposition the benefit of the doubt.

Intangibles: Both Nebraska and Ohio State were embarrassed in their conference openers last week. Considering this is a home game for Nebraska, the edge is given to the Cornhuskers.

Edge: Nebraska

Prediction: I really want to pick Ohio State in this one. My cousin John, and his friend Scott, are going to be in attendance for this one (safe travels), and it would be great to go into Lincoln and leave with a victory. Ohio State's woeful offense just cannot make me pull the trigger for the Buckeyes. I am saying Nebraska 17, Ohio State 10.

Will The Spartans Conquer The Buckeyes?

2011-09-28T20:34:00.009-04:00

Game Five: Michigan State Spartans

Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH. 3:30pm kickoff, ESPN

Head Coach: Mark Dantonio

Michigan State Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: DE William Gholston, LB Steve Gardiner, LB Lawrence Thomas, and TE Dion Sims. Although Michigan State has several Ohio players on its roster, the majority of them were not offered scholarships by Ohio State.

When Michigan State Is On Offense VS. Ohio State's Defense: If Ohio State's defense cannot shut down Michigan State's rushing attack with Edwin Baker, Le'Veon Bell, and Larry Caper, it could be a long day for the Buckeyes. Michigan State is a well-balanced offensive team, keyed by its running game.

QB Kirk Cousins is a heady, experienced passer with good receivers in Ohioan B.J. Cunningham and Keshawn Martin. Cousins should be able to mix in play-action passing, to keep Ohio State off-balance defensively. The lack of a strong pass rush by the Buckeyes, and inconsistent tackling that was evident against Toledo and Miami (FL), make me give the edge to the Spartans here.

Edge: Michigan State.

When Ohio State Is On Offense VS Michigan State's Defense: Ohio State has relied upon its strong rushing attack to compensate for a developing, inexperienced passing attack. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, Michigan State enters into this game leading the conference in total defense, allowing only a little over 172 yards per game.

Look for Michigan State to put eight or nine in the box, daring true freshman QB Braxton Miller to throw. If Ohio State does not take advantage of single coverage on their wideouts, which I expect from the Spartans, it could make for a long day. Miller's quick feet may be needed to keep plays alive, as well as gain positive yardage.

Slight Edge: Michigan State.

Special Teams: Ohio State's special teams units seem to have come around over the past two contests. PK Drew Basil and P Ben Buchanan have turned in solid performances against Miami (FL) and Colorado. Michigan State has suffered a punt blocked against Central Michigan, and a kickoff returned for a touchdown against Notre Dame. Ohio State gets the edge in this area.

Edge: Ohio State.

Intangibles: As I wrote up above, Michigan State's roster is full of Ohio players who probably have a little more to prove for Ohio State not offering them a scholarship. Add in the fact that Ohio State has won the last four contests against the Spartans. As a matter of fact, Michigan State has not won in Ohio Stadium since...well, let's not go there. The crowd, and Ohio State's dominance in the recent contests, make this an even draw.

Edge: Even.

Prediction: I really want to pick Ohio State in this one. Considering how challenging Ohio State's October schedule appears, a victory over a solid Michigan State team could do wonders for the team's, and Braxton Miller's confidence. Then I remember how inconsistent Ohio State's passing game is, and how good of a defensive coach Mark Dantonio is, and how badly Dantonio will want to beat his former pupil in Luke Fickell, and I say...Michigan State 21, Ohio State 17.

The Big Ten Awaits - How Do The Buckeyes Measure Up?

2011-09-26T20:44:00.001-04:00

At three wins and one loss as the calendar is turning to October, Ohio State fans are wondering what type of team the 2011 Buckeyes have as they prepare for the beginning of Big Ten conference play. Ohio State will play Michigan State, at Nebraska, at Illinois, and Wisconsin over the next five weeks, a stretch that will demonstrate if the Buckeyes are contenders or pretenders in the conference race.

How does Ohio State compare to other Big Ten teams offensively, defensively, and special teams? What can Ohio State fans expect as the season progresses?

The Offense

Ohio State's offense has had its share of highs (the Akron game) and lows (the Miami (FL) game), and lots of in-between (Toledo, Colorado). Ranking last in the conference at this stage in total offense at almost 341 yards per game, Ohio State may not improve dramatically in this area with a true freshman quarterback at the helm. Braxton Miller's mobility allows him to keep plays alive, but it could also be a concern for Ohio State fans, as Miller 1)fumbled the ball after a hit on a run against the Hurricanes, and 2) has had an injury history in his high school career. One can only wonder if the coaching staff will start to dial back on the designed quarterback runs as conference play begins.

The offensive line has played well, despite ongoing concerns about depth. The Buckeyes currently rank seventh in the conference at 184 yards per game rushing. The return of Mike Adams at offensive left tackle for the Nebraska game on October 8th will strengthen this unit tremendously. Considering Miller's inexperience, Ohio State has had to rely on its strong running game paved by the offensive line - with better opponents on the horizon, the offensive line will have its strongest challenges yet.

Jordan Hall has become the center piece of the offense. The versatility Hall provides as a runner, receiver, and returner makes me wonder how the coaching staff will use him once Daniel "Boom" Herron returns for the Nebraska game on October 8th. Carlos Hyde's physical running style may be needed to spell Hall and Herron.

Jake Stoneburner started off the season as the top receiving option for Ohio State, but has seen true freshman wide receiver Devin Smith become Braxton Miller's primary target. DeVier Posey's return in October can only help to take pressure off Stoneburner and Smith. The passing game, ranked eleventh in the conference at nearly 157 yards per game, will probably resemble the 2008 season in terms of simplicity, as Ohio State will have its share of growing pains with Braxton Miller at quarterback.

The Defense

"The Silver Bullets" have long been the strength of the team, and this year's edition seems to be no exception. Ranking fourth in the conference at allowing just over 276 yards of offense per game, Ohio State will need to continue its strong performance with the difficult conference games beginning.

The loss of defensive end Nathan Williams has hurt Ohio State's pass rush. Williams is scheduled to return against Nebraska, which will only bolster a strong unit led by John Simon. Ohio State has had ten sacks so far this season, tied for second with Wisconsin in the conference.

The linebacking crew, led by senior Andrew Sweat, have solidified the defense. Sweat and Etienne Sabino are leading the team in tackles, and look for true freshman Ryan Shazier to become a bigger factor entering conference play. If Braxton Miller is the impact freshman on offense, Shazier would qualify as the impact freshman player on defense.

The secondary seems to have taken a step in the right direction with the move of Christian Bryant into a safety position, alongside C.J. Barnett. The return of Travis Howard, combined with the solid play of cornerbacks Brad Roby and Dominic Clarke, make the secondary less of a concern going into Big Ten play.

The Special Teams

This area of the team continues to be an area of concern. Does Ohio State have its coverage units prepared for Big Ten play? Ohio State gave up its opening kickoff last year against Wisconsin. This year's team, as evidenced with the poor game against Miami (FL), is not built to come back from behind.

Punter Ben Buchanan had a rough game against Toledo with a blocked punt, but bounced back nicely against Miami (FL). Buchanan is averaging nearly 42 yards a punt, and strong play will be needed in Ohio State's upcoming contests for field position supremacy.

Place kicker Drew Basil started off poorly in the Akron and Toledo games, but has seemed to come around with his performaces against Miami (FL) and Colorado. The 47 yard field goal against Colorado can only help Basil's confidence. Considering Ohio State's immature passing game, and the level of competition increasing, Basil may be needed even more so in conference play for Ohio State to maximize all scoring opportunities within the red zone. Ohio State currently is tied with Purdue at seventh in red zone scoring opportunities.

As I wrote up above, October will demonstrate to Ohio State fans what type of team the 2011 Buckeyes have. Contender or pretender? Ohio State fans will know by the end of the month.

Buckeyes Declare It Is "Miller Time" Against Colorado

2011-09-22T21:35:00.002-04:00

Recognizing that 1) Joe Bauserman's performance at quarterback has progressively declined since the opening game against Akron three weeks ago, and 2) that he could potentially be facing a lynch mob in Ohio Stadium on Saturday afternoon if he decided otherwise, Coach Luke Fickell announced that true freshman quarterback Braxton Miller will start against Colorado. It would be fair to say that Coach Fickell has not only decided to gamble Ohio State's 2011 season, but also his long-term coaching future at Ohio State.

One of my scouting mentors, the late Tony Razzano, taught me that a good scout never offers an opinion on something that they have not personally seen. Yes, you inevitably hear from other people their perspectives on different teams and players, but a good scout will block those opinions out until they have the opportunity to evaluate the opposition themselves.

Using that logic, I cannot adequately write up who and how Ohio State can or will defend against Colorado. I have not seen Colorado play this season, and I only know that the Buffaloes won their first game last weekend against Colorado State.

Having seen Ohio State play, and Braxton Miller, will allow me some ideas on how I would use Miller against Colorado. Keep in mind, for all Braxton Miller's talents, he is only going into his fourth college game, and his first as a starter.

Above all, look for the coaching staff to keep the game plan very simple, a la Terrelle Pryor's freshman season in 2008. While Pryor was a superior runner than Miller as a freshman, Miller would certainly rate with a stronger arm and better passing technique.

Look for a lot of quarterback rollouts and waggle plays, leaving Miller plenty of run/pass options. This will allow Miller to gain positive yardage, while also reducing his chances of mistakes. I am confident the coaching staff stressed the importance of throwing the ball out of bounds if nobody is open, as Joe Bauserman has done the previous three contests.

I would also expect Miller to play with minimal reads on his passing plays. If his first read is covered, and his second covered, look for Miller to take off scrambling. This is one of those areas that Terrelle Pryor became better at understanding during the latter portion of last season.

Undoubtedly, Colorado can and will be prepared for this simplistic attack. The best course of action is for Ohio State to come out throwing, which will not allow Colorado to stack the box defensively against Ohio State's rushing attack.

Jake Stoneburner was the target of an errant throw last game against Miami (FL). If Stoneburner can be isolated on a linebacker, he could become Miller's security blanket as a receiver.

More than even Braxton Miller, I look for Jordan Hall to be the focus of the team's offense. Hall demonstrated quickness and agility against the Hurricanes, and can be used as a runner, receiver, and punt returner for the Buckeyes. Like Stoneburner, Hall can create mismatches in the passing game.

Considering it is a home game, and the fans will be eager for something positive, I look for Ohio State to bounce back in a big way against Colorado. Although there will be bumps in the road with a true freshman quarterback, I am going to say Ohio State 28, Colorado 3.

Buckeyes Rocked By The Hurricanes, 24-6

2011-09-17T23:59:00.000-04:00

Ohio State traveled to Miami in its quest to maintain its undefeated record, and establish an offensive identity. Losing 24-6 at Miami, Ohio State accomplished neither, in a game that rivals the 2001 Ohio State/UCLA (UCLA 13 - Ohio State 6) for offensive frustration and inadequacy. The Miami loss may have also ended any thought of Luke Fickell's chances of being named Ohio State's permanent head coach.

Miami won the coin toss, deferring until the second half. Ohio State, under quarterback Joe Bauserman, had a quick three and out drive that promptly gave the ball back to Miami very early. "Three and out" was a common theme for the Ohio State offense throughout this contest, and it was eerily foreshadowed on this initial unsuccessful drive.

On Miami's first possession, Lamar Miller nearly took the ball to the end zone on a 54 yard run. On a third and goal, Miami scored on a pass play from Jacory Harris to Allen Hurns, to give Miami a 7-0 lead.

On Ohio State's second possession, another three and out offensive series allowed the Hurricanes to get the ball back quickly. Ben Buchanan nailed a deep punt that Miami returner Travis Benjamin nearly returned for a touchdown. Methodically, Miami drove down the field, to set up another first and goal scenario at the Ohio State 3. Jacory Harris again found Allen Hurns in the end zone, making it Miami 14, Ohio State 0.

Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller entered the game, prompting Ohio State fans to expect a possible offensive spark. The spark came in the form of running back Jordan Hall, who responded immediately with back to back first down runs. Ohio State's good fortunes were squandered, as Miller's first pass attempt to tight end Jake Stoneburner was tipped and intercepted by Miami's JoJo Nicolas.

Before the first quarter concluded, Miami's Lamar Miller had gone over the 100 yard rushing mark. This game was beginning to ominously look like a blowout. Ohio State's C.J. Barnett was able to intercept Miami's Jacory Harris, who took a tremendous amount of time throwing deep.

Again, Jordan Hall responded with big plays, gaining consecutive first downs on big running plays into the heart of the Miami defense. Unfortunately, Braxton Miller was unable to complete a pass to Verlon Reed, forcing Ohio State to punt yet again.

After the Ohio State defense forced a Miami punt, Joe Bauserman returned as Ohio State's quarterback. Ohio State responded with its best offensive performance yet of the game. Mixing powerful running by both Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde, Ohio State moved down the field on a drive that would have made Coach Woody Hayes proud. Carlos Hyde saved the drive, gaining a first down on a 3rd and 6 on a busted snap. At one point, Ohio State had a first and goal at the Miami 8, but two Jordan Hall runs, and an incomplete pass by Joe Bauserman pass to Chris Fields led Ohio State's Drew Basil to kick a 22 yard field goal to make it Miami 14, Ohio State 3.

Ohio State quickly intercepted Jacory Harris again, this time by Brad Roby. Joe Bauserman was the beneficiary of a roughing the passer play that again allowed Ohio State to set up within the Miami 10. A pass into the end zone for Jake Stoneburner was dropped, forcing Ohio State to again settle for a field goal to make it Miami 14, Ohio State 6.

Miami concluded the first half behind an acrobatic reception by wide receiver Tommy Streeter deep into Ohio State territory. Miami kicked a field goal to take a 17-6 halftime lead.

After halftime, Miami received the second half kickoff and the Ohio State defense forced a three and out, largely behind the hustle of defensive lineman John Simon. Jordan Hall had an impressive 27 yard punt return, setting up Ohio State in Miami territory. Hall suffered leg cramps, and did not seem to be the same after this play.

Joe Bauserman and the offense could not get anything going, giving the ball back to Miami. Ben Buchanan responded with a beautiful punt that pinned Miami on its 4 yard line.

The Miami offense, behind the running of Lamar Miller, were able to push out from their end zone to the Ohio State 41. On a 4th and 1 call, Storm Klein forced a Jacory Harris fumble, giving Ohio State possession of the ball.

Braxton Miller returned, almost giving the ball back to Miami on a fumble Miller recovered. This play must have terrified the coaching staff, as Joe Bauserman returned on the next play.

Again, Ohio State could not develop anything offensively. The same woes began to afflict Miami, as Ohio State forced a three and out, getting the ball back on the Ohio State 42. The third quarter concluded, with Ohio State's offensive statistics reading thusly: 12 plays, 6 yards gained, and 0 first downs.

As the fourth quarter began, Braxton Miller was brought back into the game. Behind designed quarterback runs, Ohio State began to march into Miami territory. On a first and ten at the Miami 46, Braxton Miller gained six yards on a run but was hit from behind, causing him to fumble. Miami recovered at the Hurricanes' 31 yard line.

Christian Bryant nearly came up with an interception that could have sparked Ohio State back into the game. Unfortunately for Buckeye fans, Jacory Harris was able to begin a drive with 9:21 remaining that was kept alive by a Jacory Harris scramble, and a key Tommy Streeter 15 yard reception on a 3rd and 10 play. The Ohio State defense had to be extremely fatigued, as Miami drove down the field, scoring a touchdown with under a minute to play to make it Miami 24, Ohio State 6. Remarkably, Luke Fickell and the Ohio State coaching staff never used any of their second half timeouts, a move that will undoubtedly be questioned and scrutinized.

The final combined Ohio State passing statistics by Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller, and they are brutal: 4 of 17 for 35 yards, no touchdowns, one interception.

What does this all mean?

The Akron game is looking more and more like an aberration, as Akron has been drilled by Temple (41-3) and Cincinnati (59-14) since Ohio State played them two weeks ago. The Toledo offensive frustrations of last week were evident in this loss to the Hurricanes.

While Braxton Miller may not be ready, the Ohio State coaching staff should start Miller against Colorado. While Joe Bauserman has given it his all, he is not the future of Ohio State football. Bauserman's statistics have declined steadily since the Akron game. Only further playing can help Braxton Miller, and the Colorado game is the best way to prepare Miller for what is appearing to be a treacherous October Big Ten schedule.

Nathan Williams' absence has been painfully noticeable. John Simon played his heart out against Miami, but the defensive line has not been getting any noticeable pass rush against either Toledo or Miami.

Lastly, Luke Fickell will come under some strong and deserving criticism for his clock management in this one. Knowing the struggles of the offense against the Hurricanes, why were all of the time outs kept, when the Ohio State defense could have used a quick break in that nearly nine minute drive at the end of the game?

In August of 2011, I wrote a story where I stated that the 2011 season was going to be a difficult transition year for Ohio State, and how the Miami game was the pivotal game of the season.

After the close Toledo victory, Coach Fickell was quoted, saying "I think and I hope that this is what's going to make us better, all the adversity" . Coach Fickell may be getting the opportunity to not only face adversity after this loss to the Hurricanes, but also determine his long-term future as the head coach of Ohio State.

Buckeyes Facing Hurricanes in "IneligiBowl"

2011-09-14T20:51:00.013-04:00

Game Three: Miami Hurricanes

Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, FL. 7:30pm kickoff, ESPN

Head Coach: Al Golden

Miami Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: TE Blake Ayles, DE Anthony Chickillo, WR Phillip Dorsett, OT Seantrel Henderson, G Brandon Linder, CB Brandon McGee, CB Keion Payne, S Kacy Rodgers

When Miami Is On Offense VS. Ohio State's Defense: Miami fought Maryland down to the wire in the first week, losing 32-24 in a continual downpour. Miami was without several key players who have been implicated in the Yahoo! Sports story that broke only before the season began.

QB Jacory Harris was one of the players named in the story, and Harris will return to face the Buckeyes. Harris threw four interceptions in the 36-24 loss to the Buckeyes last season, but supposedly has earned the starting quarterback job over Stephen Morris, who filled in for Harris against Maryland.

RBs Lamar Miller and Mike James are formidable running backs for the Hurricanes. Miller has tremendous breakaway speed, while James is a heavier back who averaged nearly six yards a carry last season. Miller returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Ohio State last season.

WR Travis Benjamin hurt Ohio State with a punt return for a touchdown last season, and returns as Miami's leading receiver. Like Harris, Benjamin is making his first start, after being implicated in the Yahoo! Sports story.

The Miami offensive line struggled against Maryland, allowing two sacks. Considering the current weather forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms, Miami may need to rely more on its running game against the Buckeyes.

Slight Edge: Ohio State. As much as I respect Lamar Miller's abilities, run defense is the strength of this Ohio State defense. And Jacory Harris needs to show me more than he traditionally has done. Both CBs Brad Roby and Dominic Clarke have played well this season in pass coverage, and the unit should only be bolstered with the return of CB Travis Howard from suspension.

When Ohio State Is On Offense VS Miami's Defense: QB Joe Bauserman will lead Ohio State against a Miami team welcoming back several players from suspension (defensive linemen Olivier Vernon, Marcus Forston, and Adewale Ojomo; linebacker Sean Spence, safety Ray-Ray Armstrong). While Bauserman was impressive in his opening series last week against Toledo, he struggled throughout the rest of the game.

Also troubling for Ohio State was the lack of push by the Buckeye offensive line. Toledo was able to essentially stop Ohio State's running game; what will the Hurricanes be able to do?

Look for TE Jake Stoneburner to be heavily involved in the passing game, along with emerging freshman WR Devin Smith. Stoneburner presents matchup problems for any defense who try to cover him with a linebacker.

The return of RB Jordan Hall from suspension provides some hope that Ohio State will incorporate both Hall and fellow RB Jaamal Berry more into the offense as both ball carriers and receiving options. While RB Carlos Hyde has been decent in the first two games, Hyde does not possess the agility and quickness of either Hall or Berry.

The enigma of true freshman QB Braxton Miller playing against the Hurricanes is also something to contemplate. Miller did not play last week against Toledo after suffering an ankle injury in practice. Could Miller become a part of the game plan, as his mobility could cause problems for Miami defensively?

Slight Edge: Ohio State. Even with Bauserman's struggles, as well as the offensive line's struggles, I believe Ohio State will attack Miami's secondary with Stoneburner enough. And I am not discounting Braxton Miller carrying the ball on designed quarterback runs, a la Craig Krenzel in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against the Hurricanes.

Special Teams: Ohio State's woes in this area continue to be troublesome. P Ben Buchanan had a punt blocked against Toledo, PK Drew Basil has not yet made a field goal, and the coverage units are inconsistent at best. Considering how Miami returned kicks for scores against Ohio State last season, this is an easy one to give to Miami.

Edge: Miami

Intangibles: Both teams have been deluged with scandal, leading many to mockingly refer to this game as "The IneligiBowl". The heat and humidity should favor the Hurricanes, but I will not be surprised if there is a strong Ohio State fan contingency (Jim, Pav, and Kish - have a great time) that represents well to support the Buckeyes. Ohio State is still battling the loss of several key players, while the Hurricanes are getting several back for this game. And of course, the media will certainly have this little clip handy to run only about a thousand times during the lead-up to the game.

Edge: Miami

Prediction: I am truly struggling with making the call on this one. Can I overlook Ohio State's struggles against Toledo last week? Will Jacory Harris have another interception-laden game against Ohio State? Will the Ohio State offensive line perform better? Will Ohio State's special teams emerge as a positive?

Before the season began, I ranked this as one of the toughest Ohio State games this season, due to the suspensions the Buckeyes were facing...and this was before the Hurricanes' scandal erupted. Ohio State's performance could speak volumes on Luke Fickell's candidacy for the permanent head coaching job. I believe the return of Jordan Hall, and the possible usage of Braxton Miller, will help Ohio State survive this one. I am going Ohio State 28, Miami 24.

(John) Simon Says No To Toledo Upset Of Ohio State, 27-22

2011-09-10T20:58:00.003-04:00

On a day in Ohio Stadium where former Buckeye Mike Doss was inducted into the Ohio State Hall Of Fame, Ohio State escaped an upset at the hands of the Toledo Rockets in a game that reminded one of the close calls of the 2002 campaign.

Needing the Ohio State defense to stand tall in the final minute, Ohio State defensive lineman John Simon hurried Toledo quarterback Terrance Owens on a fourth down play. Ohio State won 27-22, but was outgained, and probably outplayed, by the valiant Toledo Rockets.

At the onset of the game, Ohio State effectively moved down the field to take an early 7-0 lead. Quarterback Joe Bauserman was able to build upon his strong showing in the Akron game, finding tight end Jake Stoneburner for a 26 yard touchdown pass early in the first quarter.

Toledo drove into Ohio State territory, but missed on a 45 yard field goal. Toledo was able to take the lead on the Buckeyes, after blocking a punt deep in Ohio State territory. Toledo scored on a 6 yard pass to wide receiver Eric Page, then executed a two-point conversion to take an 8-7 lead. Ohio State drove into Toledo territory, but Drew Basil missed on a 47 yard field goal attempt. Toledo increased its lead to 15-7, behind a long 66 yard touchdown pass and run, again to Eric Page.

Ohio State was able to cut down Toledo's lead to 15-14, behind the running of Carlos Hyde. Hyde burst down the left sideline for a 36 yard run. Ohio State's defense was able to force a Toledo punt, which wide receiver Chris Fields took 69 yards to the end zone, allowing Ohio State to enjoy a 21-15 halftime lead.

Ohio State's halftime lead was to be short-lived. Toledo moved down the field, behind the play of running back Adonis Thomas, who was helped with a facemask penalty incurred by Ohio State defensive back C.J. Barnett. Toledo scored with a Thomas run, taking a 22-21 lead into the fourth quarter.

Ohio State finally was able to secure the lead behind another Carlos Hyde touchdown run, giving Ohio State its 27-22 lead. Joe Bauserman found freshman wide receiver Devin Smith for a key 36 yard reception, allowing Hyde to score from two yards out.

It looked like Ohio State was going to run the clock out, as Toledo was forced to punt on three straight possessions in the fourth quarter. Joe Bauserman again hooked up with Devin Smith for a long 31 yard reception, and Ohio State seemed to be content to run out the clock with only about three minutes remaining. Rod Smith fumbled the ball back to Toledo, and Toledo began a drive that started to take on the feelings of the 2002 Ohio State/Cincinnati contest.

Toledo's Terrance Owens, who had thrown an earlier interception to linebacker Storm Klein, went for a long touchdown to wide receiver Bernard Reedy. Ohio State was saved by defensive back Dominic Clarke, who knocked the ball away at the last moments to save a touchdown. Owens began patiently and effectively moving Toledo into Ohio State territory. Key plays were when Owens was called for intentional grounding - the very next play, Owens connected with Eric Page on a 4th and 14 for 19 yards to keep the drive going for Toledo.

With time running out, and having used two timeouts, Toledo needed to continue to gain first downs to pull off the upset. Ohio State's defensive strategy moved from one of pressure to one of flooding the secondary, making it more difficult to get deep. John Simon, having returned to the game, applied the pressure on Owens on a 4th and 6 attempt that finally allowed Ohio State fans to exhale.

Ohio State was never able to truly get anything going offensively against Toledo. Ohio State was only able to run for 112 yards, averaging 3.3 yards per carry. Joe Bauserman did not throw any interceptions, but besides his first quarter pass to Jake Stoneburner, seemed to regress as the game progressed, appearing less confident in his decisions with the ball. True freshman quarterback Braxton Miller never played, leaving many to wonder how much confidence the coaching staff truly has in Miller.

Defensively, Ohio State was off balance against Toledo, allowing Page and Thomas to turn in strong performances. As last week, Dominic Clarke made key plays when needed.

Lefty Gomez, who played for the New York Yankees in the 1930s, once stated, "I'd rather be lucky than good.". One wonders if Gomez would have applied those thoughts to the 2011 Ohio State Buckeyes. Between now and next week's contest against the Miami Hurricanes, Ohio State fans can only hope that the Buckeyes have both attributes available as they will go into a very hostile environment, with Miami fans eagerly revisiting the 2003 Fiesta Bowl national championship game.

(This post originally appeared on Along The Olentangy, 09/10/2011)

Ohio State Looks To Ground Rockets In Ohio Stadium

2011-09-06T22:00:00.013-04:00

Game Two: Ohio State vs. Toledo

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH). 12pm EST kickoff, Big Ten Network

Head Coach: Tim Beckman

Toledo Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: DL Andre Sturdivant from Cleveland Glenville. Sturdivant actually chose Toledo over Penn State on signing day in 2011. Toledo QB Terrance Owens is from Cleveland Glenville and visited Ohio State unofficially, but was never offered a scholarship.

Toledo Rushing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: Toledo rushed for 287 yards against New Hampshire in its opening game last week. No disrespect to New Hampshire, but I believe the Rockets will find running the ball against Ohio State to be a tad more difficult. The key runner for Toledo is RB Adonis Thomas, who had 115 yards in the win over New Hampshire. 46 of those yards came on one carry, so again, I have to take those statistics carefully when I consider the caliber of competition.

Edge: Ohio State

Toledo Passing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: Here is where I am more concerned. Toledo has two capable quarterbacks in Austin Dantin and Terrance Owens; both players threw for at least two touchdowns in the opener against New Hampshire. More importantly, Ohio State did not seem to get a strong pass rush against Akron, while Toledo is a stronger and better team than the Zips. Throw in the relative inexperience of Ohio State's secondary, and I am going to give the Rockets the slight edge here in this category.

Slight Edge: Toledo

Ohio State Rushing Offense vs Toledo Defense: Similar to how Ohio State played against Akron, I look for Ohio State to pound away at Toledo with RBs Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith. If Ohio State can control the clock by running the ball and wearing down the Toledo defense, it would not surprise me, as Ohio State's quarterbacks and receivers are relatively inexperienced.

Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State Passing Offense vs Toledo Defense: QB Joe Bauserman responded beautifully in his first career start, throwing for three touchdowns and scoring a rushing touchdown against Akron. TE Jake Stoneburner emerged, as I suspected he would, as Bauserman's favorite target. Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller played well in the second half against Akron, so look for another rotation by Bauserman and Miller against Toledo.

Edge: Ohio State

Special Teams: PK Drew Basil missed a 40 yard field goal against Akron, meaning he has never kicked a field goal in his attempts at Ohio State. In addition, the kickoff coverage was better against Akron, but there is always room for improvement in this area after all of the troubles Ohio State has had over the last few seasons.

Edge: Even

Intangibles: Toledo is no stranger to being a giant killer, having defeated Purdue, Colorado, and Michigan over the last three seasons. Throw in the facts that Tim Beckman is a former Ohio State assistant, who would love to have the Ohio State job, plus all of the Toledo players who feel slighted by not being recruited by Ohio State, and I believe you will see why I give Toledo the edge here.

Edge: Toledo

Prediction: The oddsmakers have Ohio State as a 19 point favorite, which may be a tad too high. I believe this game will be closer than Ohio State fans want to believe. Yes, Ohio State crushed Akron, but Akron was a 1-11 team in 2010. Toledo was a bowl team last season, and is arguably the best team in the MAC this season.

I believe Ohio State will be ahead at the half, then start to pull away by the middle of the fourth quarter behind a strong running game, and another decent performance by QB Joe Bauserman. I am going with Ohio State 35, Toledo 17.

[ESPN.com - Big Ten Blog]: The Big Ten's complete division tiebreakers

2011-09-01T18:04:00.001-04:00

Feed: ESPN.com - Big Ten Blog
Posted on: Thursday, September 01, 2011 10:55 AM
Author: Adam Rittenberg
Subject: The Big Ten's complete division tiebreakers

The Big Ten on Thursday released its tiebreaker procedures for determining division winners. Included in the tiebreakers is the ruling that any team unable to play in a postseason bowl game because of Big Ten or NCAA sanctions is ineligible to participate in the Big Ten championship game.

Although Ohio State seems unlikely to be hit with a bowl ban, its fate for the Big Ten championship game rests with the NCAA's Committee on Infractions, which will rule on the school's case sometime in the next two months.

OK, let's get to the tiebreaker procedures.

Here's the basic one: When two teams tie atop the division, the winner of their head-to-head matchup goes to the league title game.

It gets more complex when three or more teams tie atop a division. The following seven methods will be used, in order, to determine a champion or reduce the group to two teams, where a head-to-head tiebreaker then can be used:

Records of the tied teams are compared with each other
Records of the tied teams are compared within the division
Records of the teams are compared against the next-highest teams within the division
Records are compared against all common conference opponents
The team ranked highest in the BCS standings after the regular season goes to the league championship game unless it is ranked within one spot of another tied team. In this case, the head-to-head result of the two teams determines the division champion
The team with the highest overall win percentage (outside of exempted games)
The division champion will be chosen by random draw

Here's hoping it never reaches the random draw stage (highly unlikely).

The item concerning the BCS standings is interesting. At the Big Ten spring meetings coaches and administrators discussed whether the BCS standings should play any role in determining division winners. Although the standings could determine division winners, they're not as high on the tiebreaker list as they were before. Plus, they're not determining BCS bowl berths any more, just the chance to earn one in the title game.

The BCS standings determined the Big Ten's automatic BCS bowl berth last year, as Wisconsin went to the Rose Bowl ahead of both Ohio State and Michigan State. Wisconsin finished No. 5 in the final BCS standings, one spot ahead of Ohio State and four spots ahead of Michigan State, which handed the Badgers their only regular-season loss. If the new format applied to these three teams, Wisconsin would go to the Big Ten title game because of its head-to-head win against Ohio State.

The complex tiebreakers also include procedures if a team ineligible for the championship game finishes atop the division standings.

If the ineligible team is tied for the division championship, the team it tied with shall be the Big Ten championship game representative.
If two or more teams are tied with an ineligible team for the division championship, the ineligible team is removed and the remaining teams revert to the tiebreak procedure.
The division runner-up shall be the Big Ten championship game representative.
If there is a division runner-up tie, then the tied teams shall revert to the tiebreak procedure.

Now I thought the dreaded "co-champions" tag died with the old Big Ten, but there's still a small chance it could be used. If for some odd reason the Big Ten title game can't be played, the two division winners will be labeled co-champs. The Big Ten's automatic BCS bowl berth then would be determined by the following tiebreakers:

Teams ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in the final BCS poll will automatically be placed in the BCS championship game.
If the two divisional representatives met previously in the season and neither is ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the final BCS standings, the team ranked highest in the final BCS standings shall be the representative to the BCS, unless the other team is ranked within five or fewer places of the higher ranked team. In this case, the head-to-head results of the two teams shall determine the conference’s BCS representative.
If the two divisional representatives did not meet previously during the season, the team ranked highest in the BCS standings shall be the BCS representative.
If the two teams are tied in the BCS standings, the team with the best overall Big Ten record shall be the BCS representative.
If the two teams remain tied, the team with the best combined record of the tied teams against all common Big Ten opponents each team played that season shall be the BCS representative.
If the two teams remain tied, the representative will be the team with the best overall winning percentage.
If the two teams remain tied, the representative will be the team furthest removed from BCS participation.
If the two teams remain tied, the representative shall be determined by a random draw.

Got all that?

The most likely scenario we'll see in the new Big Ten is three teams tying for the division lead. These tiebreaker procedures underscore the importance of division games, a point I've tried to stress for a while now. If all three tied teams are 1-1 against each other, the team or teams with the best division records are rewarded. Division games simply matter more, and while teams like Nebraska and Ohio State have tough crossover schedules this year, both squads benefit from playing top division opponents at home.

These procedures should help you start to look at the Big Ten a little differently. Teams can survive losses outside the division, but if they stumble within the division, they won't be going to Indy.

View article...

Ohio State Will "Zip" By Akron In Fickell's Debut

2011-08-29T21:38:00.005-04:00

Game One: Akron Zips

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH) 12:00pm EST, ESPN

Head Coach: Rob Ianello

Akron Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: N/A

What I Am Anxious To See : Ordinarily, I would write up scouting reports on what I have seen or expect to see from the opposition. The reality of the situation is Akron was arguably the worst team in NCAA Division 1 football in 2010 in just about every measurable category. Throw in the fact that this is the debut of Luke Fickell as Ohio State's head coach, after arguably the most tumultuous off-season in Ohio State history, and you can understand why this is challenging to write on what will come to pass.

Offensively, I expect Joe Bauserman to get the start at quarterback, playing at least three series before allowing true freshman Braxton Miller to come into the game. I believe the coaching staff wants to ensure that Miller will have positive experiences at quarterback, which will allow him to continue to grow into the full-time starter by season's end. Ideally, Bauserman and Miller will play at least three quarters, before turning the reins over to backups Kenny Guiton, Jr., and Taylor Graham.

For all Ohio State fans who were tired of Jim Tressel's conservative offense ~ If you thought you had seen the last of "TresselBall", think again. With inexperienced quarterbacks, as well as the best offensive lineman, running back, and wide receiver suspended for games one through five, Ohio State is going to run the ball predominantly in the first few weeks. Look for junior RB Jordan Hall to be the primary rusher, as well as a receiving threat out of the backfield.

Will RBs Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith emerge as bruising backs for Ohio State?

Look for TE Jake Stoneburner to be a primary receiving target, again due to the inexperienced receiving corps.

A new player I am excited to see against Akron is WR redshirt freshman Verlon Reed. Reed was a high school quarterback who was moved to wide receiver last season, and has emerged this fall camp.

Defensively, Ohio State is breaking in several new starters. How will LB Etienne Sabino play, especially with a broken hand sustained last week? Will Storm Klein be able to handle the MLB assignments?

Special teams coverage units were a disaster in 2010. Have they improved in terms of kick coverage? How will new PK Drew Basil do as the starter? Has P Ben Buchanan improved?

How many freshmen will play? Several names besides Braxton Miller have made the two-deep roster, such as WRs Devin Smith and Evan Spencer, DB Doran Grant, LB Ryan Shazier, TE Jeff Heuerman, and DL Michael Bennett. It is my strong hope that the coaching staff will not just casually burn a year of eligibility on freshmen, unless they will play considerably throughout the year. Players such as OT Mike Adams and OT J.B. Shugarts played sparingly as freshmen in 2008, and I wonder if it would have been best to redshirt them both.

Intangibles: As I wrote up above, Ohio State is coming into this season after what seemed to be a never-ending litany of attacks from the national media, beginning last December before the now-vacated Sugar Bowl victory over Arkansas. The forced resignation of Jim Tressel in May, QB Terrelle Pryor's jump to the NFL to avoid further NCAA inquiries, suspensions of key players until after game five...This team is going to be eager to take the field on Saturday, and take out their aggressions on someone. Akron is truly going to be a sacrificial lamb in this one.

Prediction: A few weeks ago, I predicted that this would be Ohio State's easiest game of the 2011 season, and nothing has changed that opinion. Ten years ago, Jim Tressel began his tremendous career at Ohio State with a 28-14 victory over Akron, and I was proud to say my lovely wife and I were in attendance for that one. We will not be there for this game as the Luke Fickell Era begins, but I believe it will be even easier for Coach Fickell. Ohio State fans can only hope that this game is the springboard for results even remotely close to what Jim Tressel achieved. I am saying Ohio State 35, Akron 7.

We Are The Ohio State Buckeyes And You Are Buckeye Nation (video)

2011-08-29T20:00:00.000-04:00

A Look Back At Ohio State's Recruiting Class Of 2008: What Will The Legacy Be?

2011-08-22T18:30:00.000-04:00

In February of 2008, Ohio State fans eagerly anticipated the news on how the Buckeyes did on National Letter Of Intent Day. Rivals.com ranked Ohio State's class fourth in the nation, as did scout.com. Ohio State actually needed to wait upon the top-ranked player in the nation, who declined to sign a letter of intent until March.

In many recruiting classes, there are the rules of thirds applied - a third will start as the coaching staff would hope, a third will contribute in some fashion, and a third will either fail to develop, transfer, or be lost to injury. As you read this below, you will see how this class of twenty that Jim Tressel and his staff signed compared to this standard.

I. The Starters (13*)

1. OT Mike Adams ~ One of the players who will be suspended for five games this season, Adams has developed into one of the premier offensive tackles in the conference, earning All-Big Ten honors last season. Look for Adams to be a high draft choice in the 2012 NFL Draft next spring. Adams played sparingly as a freshman, making me wonder why the coaching staff burned a crucial year of eligibility, especially when the offensive line numbers are so low. Regardless, Adams will be counted on by the coaching staff and the fans to contribute in the latter portion of the season for the Buckeyes.

2. C Michael Brewster ~ Brewster developed a reputation for recruiting other players to Ohio State, helping to label this class as "The Brew Crew". Brewster was thrust into the lineup early in his freshman season at Ohio State, taking over the starting center responsibilities in game four against Troy. Brewster was All-Big Ten in 2010, will vie for All-American honors this season, and will be a high draft choice in the 2012 NFL Draft. It would surprise me if Brewster is not named a captain for this year's squad.

3. P Ben Buchanan ~ The first player to commit to the 2008 recruiting class, Buchanan emerged as the starting punter for the 2010 season. Buchanan had several ups and downs last season, most notably in the now-vacated 2011 Sugar Bowl when his punt was blocked in the latter moments of the game. Hopefully, Buchanan has a strong season in 2011, improving upon his 41 yds per punt average . Buchanan was redshirted in 2008, so he will have another year of eligibility after this season.

4. DL Garrett Goebel ~ Technically, Goebel has not started for Ohio State, but is being labeled a starter for the 2011 season at nose tackle. Goebel redshirted in 2008, leaving him an additional year of eligibility in 2012. Goebel was, like Head Coach Luke Fickell, a standout high school heavyweight wrestler who will be expected to control the line of scrimmage for the Buckeyes.

5. CB Travis Howard ~ Redshirted in 2008, Howard emerged last season into a reliable cornerback for the Buckeyes. Howard will start for Ohio State this season, and will have one year of eligibility remaining. Hopefully, Howard will return in 2012, but it would not surprise me if Howard declares for the 2012 NFL Draft with a solid performance this season.

6. S Orhian Johnson ~ Johnson committed and signed with Ohio State on national letter of intent day back in 2008. Johnson was a high school quarterback, who converted to defensive back upon arriving in Columbus. Johnson is not the stereotypical safety for the Buckeyes, who will physically level opponents; tackling is not the strongest part of his game - pass coverage is his strength. Johnson will have another year of eligibility after this season.

7. WR DeVier Posey ~ Posey will be suspended for the first five games of this season. Posey scored a touchdown in his first game against Youngstown State in 2008, and has become the best receiver on Ohio State's roster. Posey's absence will be dramatically felt during his suspension. Fortunately for Ohio State, Posey has been doing what he can to prepare and assist other receivers who will need to step up during the first five games.

8. LB Etienne Sabino ~ Like Garrett Goebel, Sabino has not yet started for Ohio State, but is labeled a 2011 starter at linebacker. Sabino has primarily played on special teams during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, redshirting last season. Sabino played middle linebacker during spring, but has moved to strongside linebacker during preseason camp. Sabino broke his hand recently in the jersey scrimmage, but should be able to play in the first game against Akron, if not the second game against Toledo. Sabino will have another year of eligibility in 2012.

9. OT J. B. Shugarts ~ Shugarts will enter 2011 season as his third starting year at right tackle. Shugarts burned up a year of eligibility in 2008, like his classmate Mike Adams. Shugarts hopes for an injury-free season, as he battled a foot injury that plagued him throughout the 2010 season.

10. TE Jake Stoneburner ~ Stoneburner was a high school wide receiver who converted to tight end at Ohio State. Stoneburner is more of a receiving threat at tight end, versus the traditional extra blocker at the position that Ohio State fans have become accustomed to during the Jim Tressel era. With DeVier Posey's suspension, and the relative inexperience of the rest of the wide receivers, look for Stoneburner to be heavily involved in the passing offense this season. Redshirted in 2008, Stoneburner will have another year of eligibility in 2012.

11. LB Andrew Sweat ~ A probable 2011 captain, Sweat has emerged as the probable starter at the middle linebacker position. Sweat was primarily a special teams contributor his first two seasons, while backing up Ross Homan in 2009. Sweat became a starter last season, and should be a steadying presence in the revamped Ohio State defense.

12. DE Nathan Williams ~ Williams has started at defensive end for the past two seasons, arguably becoming Ohio State's best pass rusher entering the 2011 season. Williams can play either as a down lineman or as a linebacker in passing situations, making his versatility a strong asset for the defense.

This next player I am marking with an asterisk. You will understand why after you read it...

13.* QB Terrelle Pryor ~ The player who waited until March 2008 to officially sign with Ohio State as arguably the nation's top player has left Columbus as a pariah in the eyes of most Ohio State fans. Largely considered to be the player most responsible for Jim Tressel's forced resignation from Ohio State, I wonder when or if Terrelle Pryor will ever be welcomed back by the Ohio State faithful. While Pryor's passing skills or technique never fully developed in his time at Ohio State, even the angriest of Ohio State fans would have to acknowledge Pryor's rare athleticism and skills from 2008 through 2010. Thrust into the starting position in game four of his freshman year against Troy, Pryor was able to lead Ohio State to three victories against Michigan, while also winning bowl most valuable player awards for the Rose Bowl and the now-vacated Sugar Bowl.

II. The Contributor (1)

1. DB Zach Domicone ~ One of the last additions to the recruiting class, Domicone was a high school quarterback who moved to defensive back upon arriving in Columbus. Domicone redshirted his freshman year, and has played primarily on special teams the past two seasons. Domicone seems to have a knack for big plays against Minnesota, recovering a fumble against them in 2009, and blocking a punt in 2010. Domicone has another year of eligibility for 2012, but more than likely, will be a contributor for special teams the remainder of his career at Ohio State.

III. The Departures (6)

1. TE Nic DiLillo ~ DiLillo had a strange recruiting odyssey, committing to Clemson, then Pittsburgh, and finally Ohio State. DiLillo never seemed to make an impact at Ohio State, and left the team before the 2010 season.

2. RB Jermil Martin ~ Martin was originally committed to Iowa, then changed his mind to sign with Ohio State as a fullback, and later moved to tailback. Martin's lone shining moment took place against Minnesota in 2009. Caught up in a numbers game at tailback, Martin was supposed to transfer to Ashland. Implicated in the "Tattoogate" scandal at Ohio State, Martin is no longer involved with Ashland.

3. DL Willie Mobley ~ Mobley signed with Ohio State in 2008, redshirted, and transferred at the onset of the 2009 season. In Arizona, Mobley suffered an ACL injury this spring.
4. DL Shawntel Rowell ~ From the famed "Glenville pipeline" like his high school teammate Jermil Martin, Rowell was unable to qualify academically at Ohio State. Rowell eventually landed at a junior college, and signed with West Virginia in February 2011.

5. WR Lamaar Thomas ~ Thomas played considerably for Ohio State in 2008 and in 2009 as a kick returner. Feeling misused by the coaching staff, Thomas transferred to New Mexico where he will play this coming season.

6. DE Keith Wells ~ Wells played sparingly for Ohio State in 2008 and 2009 at defensive end. Wells was academically ineligible in 2010, and there were rumors that Wells would return to Ohio State for 2011. Recently, there have been rumors that Wells may wind up at Kentucky.

**
Twenty players signed in 2008. Breaking it down by the three categories, Ohio State was able to secure 13 starters (65%), one strong contributor for special teams (5%), and six players either left on their own or were asked to leave by Ohio State (30%). Again, considering the rule of thirds, Jim Tressel and his staff did a great job of identifying talent, but more importantly, developing the talent into strong starters and contributors.

What will the recruiting class of 2008's legacy be? Will it be forever tarnished by "Tattoogate" and the forced resignation of Jim Tressel? Or will the remaining players come together to end their respective Ohio State careers with a flourish of glory? As the season opener against Akron gets closer and closer to September 3rd, those questions will be in the background of many Ohio State fans.

"Tattoogate" Has Nothing On The Miami Hurricanes

2011-08-16T19:31:00.002-04:00

After Yahoo! Sports broke the news regarding Jim Tressel's involvement back in March, Ohio State fans wondered if there would be another program that could possibly be on the receiving end of so much seemingly endless negativity. I believe Yahoo! Sports may have found such a program, right before the 2011 season kicks off in about two weeks.

Read through this lengthy and thorough article about the Miami Hurricanes. The NCAA may not be able to just throw the book at the Hurricanes - let's say that it will require a very substantial library.

Considering this individual at the heart of the controversy is a convicted felon imprisoned for a Ponzi scheme, many college football fans may casually dismiss his claims as being someone trying to get even, and they may be right. What cannot be dismissed is the voluminous evidence this individual possesses - receipts, photos, you name it, he has it, and is more than willing to implicate anyone associated with the Hurricanes.

Keep your eyes and ears open for this one, especially on ESPN, in the coming days, weeks, and months. I am certainly hoping the national media, after their witch hunt methods displayed towards Ohio State during the "Tat 5" scandal, attack the Hurricanes with the same voracity as they have the Buckeyes.

Ranking The 2011 Ohio State Schedule

2011-08-15T18:45:00.000-04:00

Even before the 2010 season concluded and turned into a seemingly never-ending vortex of bad news for the Ohio State football program, I began trying to forecast what Ohio State’s 2011 season would look like. Ohio State knew after this moment (that has since been vacated, by the way) on January 4th, 2011, that several starters such as WR Dane Sanzenbacher, LG Justin Boren, RG Bryant Browning, DL Cameron Heyward,LB Brian Rolle, LB Ross Homan, CB Devon Torrence, CB Chimdi Chekwa, and S Jermale Hines had played their last games in the Scarlet and Gray. Throw in the five game suspensions of a three year starter at quarterback, starting wide receiver, starting running back, and starting left tackle. Oh, and we have not even contemplated the resignation of the head coach yet.

Ohio State’s 2011 opponents range from the highly-rated (Wisconsin, Nebraska) to the not even considered (Akron), with plenty of room for in-between. In this article, I am going to rank Ohio State’s games, from what I perceive the toughest games to the easiest games. I will categorize the games as to how I believe Ohio State will be considered by the media going into the contest, allowing for considerable speculation by those of you who read this. Of course, I welcome any and all healthy debate and discussion on this topic.

**

Category One: Ohio State may be/will be the underdog

1. 10/29/2011 vs Wisconsin, Ohio Stadium, 8pm EST (ABC): Yes, I know this is a home game. Yes, I know Ohio State wants payback for last year’s defeat to Wisconsin up in Madison. Here is something else I know – Ohio State usually had their hands full against Wisconsin throughout Jim Tressel’s tenure (Ohio State won five of eight), and I do not see that trend ending anytime soon with Luke Fickell now at the head coaching helm. My cousin John, who is a proud Ohio State alumnus and someone who routinely makes the trip up to Madison for the Ohio State/Wisconsin game, told me he knew Ohio State was in trouble during pre-game warm-up drills, as Wisconsin was visibly physically superior to Ohio State along the trenches. If you think back to last year’s game, when Ohio State needed to step up defensively against Wisconsin late in the game when the Buckeyes rallied, Ohio State just could not stop Wisconsin.

Looking ahead to this match-up, several intangibles favor Ohio State ~ Wisconsin lost several key players (DE J.J. Watt, OT Gabe Carimi, TE Lance Kendricks, OG John Moffitt, QB Scott Tolzien) to graduation/the NFL. This is a night game, meaning Ohio Stadium will be loud, and heavily hydrated from a whole day’s worth of fan activity. And Wisconsin will be coming into Ohio Stadium after playing at Michigan State on October 22nd in another night game that promises to be a physically demanding contest; Ohio State has the week of October 22nd off, so they have an extra week to prepare. Add all these factors up, and Ohio State may come out on top, but I still believe this is Ohio State’s toughest game on the schedule.

2. 10/08/2011 @ Nebraska, Memorial Stadium, 8pm EST/7pm CST (ABC): Ohio State travels to Lincoln in what could potentially be a preview of the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game in December. Originally billed as the return of Ohio State’s five suspended players and suspended head coach Jim Tressel, the game has lost some of its luster with the resignation of Jim Tressel and the early departure of Terrelle Pryor to the (probable) NFL. Even with the departures, Ohio State’s challenges will be many as they battle the Cornhuskers. How will Ohio State assimilate suspended players such as DeVier Posey, Mike Adams, and Daniel “Boom” Herron back in after the first five games for this contest? How will Ohio State handle the Memorial Stadium crowd, in a night-time, nationally televised contest?

Both programs will enter this contest after a challenging contest – Ohio State plays Michigan State on October 1st, and Nebraska will be returning home after opening up Big Ten play at Wisconsin in a nationally televised night game at Camp Randall Stadium.

Category Two: Ohio State As "Even" By The Oddsmakers?

3. 09/17/2011, @ Miami (FL), Sun Life Stadium, 7:30pm/8pm EST, ABC/ESPN: Ohio State's first road game of the 2011 season should pose as the first true test of the season for Luke Fickell's squad. Under the direction of new head coach Al Golden, Miami fans have been waiting for this game for years, as the national media (cough, cough, ESPN) will undoubtedly replay this particular play from nearly eight years ago on the preview shows throughout the week leading up to the game. With Ohio State still without four key players due to suspension, will the Buckeyes have enough to defeat the Hurricanes in this nationally televised contest? Will Braxton Miller be under center for the Buckeyes by this point of the season as the full-time starter?

Ohio State fans are certainly hoping Hurricanes QB Jacory Harris is as charitable to Ohio State’s defense as he was in last year’s contest, when Harris threw four interceptions. While I consider the Wisconsin and Nebraska games tougher, I believe this game against Miami (FL) is the pivotal game of the season. Ohio State wins this game, and Luke Fickell's job candidacy becomes stronger. Lose this game, and doubts about Fickell's capabilities for the position could begin to surface. If Ohio State wins this game, more than likely they will be 4-0 when this next team comes to town...

4. 10/01/2011, vs. Michigan State, Ohio Stadium, kickoff TBA: The last game of Ohio State's suspended players will be the first game of Big Ten competition for the Buckeyes. Michigan State, under the direction of former Buckeyes defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio, returns to Ohio Stadium for the first time since the 2007 season. Considering Michigan State's key losses to graduation/the NFL (LB Greg Jones, CB Chris L. Rucker, WR Mark Dell), and rebuilt offensive line, I like Ohio State's chances in this game, but it should be down to the wire.

Michigan State does return starting quarterback Kirk Cousins, so Ohio State’s revamped secondary will be the key matchup. Looking at Michigan State’s schedule, Michigan State should enter Ohio Stadium with a record of 3-1 at worst, possibly 4-0. If the latter is true, and both Ohio State and Michigan State are undefeated, look for this to be a 3:30pm kickoff, as this will showcase two probable top ten teams.

Category Three: Ohio State As The Favorite, But Do Not Be Surprised By A Dogfight:

5. 10/15/2011, @ Illinois, Memorial Stadium, kickoff TBA: Ohio State held on last year against Illinois for a 24-13 victory in Memorial Stadium, overcoming an injured quadricep sustained by Terrelle Pryor. Illinois has lost key players (DT Corey Liuget, LB Martez Wilson, RB Mikel Leshoure), but return the dangerous QB Nathan Scheelhaase. Illinois has a relatively soft non-conference schedule, with the exception of Arizona State on September 17th. Ohio State fans should keep an eye out for how well Illinois does in that game, as Arizona State is considered a possible Pac-12 contender.

6. 11/19/2011, vs. Penn State, Ohio Stadium, kickoff TBA: Maybe it was simply a case of arrogance or overconfidence on the part of Ohio State last year, but the Buckeyes were stinking up the joint against JoePa's Nittany Lions in the first half of last season's game, which Ohio State won 38-14. While I believe Ohio State can win this game on November 19th, it should not escape any Ohio State fan that traditionally Penn State plays Ohio State very tough. This will be the last home game in Ohio Stadium for Ohio State's senior class, so it should be a good one.

7. 11/26/2011, @ Michigan, Michigan Stadium, kickoff TBA: Yes, I know Brady Hoke is stoking the rivalry fires, and in time, this game will move up the difficulty list I have compiled. Here is the painful reality that Michigan fans simply do not want to recognize - their team's roster is still predominantly comprised of Rich Rodriguez's recruits. All the coaching between now and November will not make them any more prepared to adequately defend against power Big Ten teams such as Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Ohio State.

Michigan will make it interesting, and Denard Robinson is still a very dangerous offensive threat, but I look for the Buckeyes to be too much physically for the Wolverines in this one. Considering Michigan's schedule ends @ Iowa, @ Illinois, and against Nebraska, before the Buckeyes come to town, I wonder if this game will determine Michigan's bowl eligibility. On Ohio State's side of things, could this game seal Luke Fickell's status as Ohio State's permanent head coach with a decisive victory?

Category Four: Ohio State Will Have It Won By The Fourth Quarter

8. 09/10/2011, vs. Toledo, Ohio Stadium, 12pm EST (The Big Ten Network): Yes, I am ranking Toledo as a tougher game than some of the other opponents below. Why? First of all, Ohio State will be without four of its key players, due to suspension. Will the Ohio State offense be in sync? Who will be the quarterback? Throw in the fact that Toledo was a bowl team last season, and former Buckeye assistant Tim Beckman is at the helm (who could add his name to the Ohio State candidate list with a huge upset), and I believe this game could be cause for concern until at least the fourth quarter. Toledo actually beat the next team on the list last season...

9. 11/12/2011, @ Purdue, Ross-Ade Stadium, kickoff TBA: Arguably the worst loss in Jim Tressel's tenure took place in Ross-Ade Stadium two seasons ago. As many key Buckeyes are still on the roster from that defeat, I do not believe Ohio State will overlook Purdue in this one. Purdue suffered through some heavy injury losses to their team last year - even with the healthy return of players such as QB Robert Marve, I do not believe the Boilermakers will be able to hang with the Buckeyes in this one.

10. 11/05/2011, vs. Indiana, Ohio Stadium, kickoff TBA: Considering Mike Vrabel is now on the staff for Ohio State, perhaps he and Luke Fickell can invite their former teammate Matt Finkes to speak to their 1996 comeback win over Indiana that sent the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl. It has literally been almost twenty years since the last time the Hoosiers gave the Buckeyes a real challenge. Perhaps new Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson will be able to turn this program around eventually, but it will not be this year at Ohio State's expense.

11. 09/24/2011, vs. Colorado, Ohio Stadium, kickoff TBA: I will say this much for new Colorado head coach Jon Embree - the Buffaloes are certainly not going to enter into this contest against Ohio State without facing some decent competition. Colorado's first three games: @ Hawaii, vs. California, and vs. Colorado State. All could beat Colorado, leaving me to believe the Buffaloes will be overwhelmed by the Buckeyes in this one.

Category Five: Ohio State Will Be Playing Backups Early And Often

12. 09/03/2011, vs. Akron, Ohio Stadium, 12pm EST (ESPN): Fortunately for new head coach Luke Fickell, he could not pick a better victim, I mean, opponent to begin his head coaching career. Considering Akron went 1-11 in 2010, with many losses in the blowout category, I cannot envision a better opportunity for Luke Fickell to truly evaluate what kind of team he has at his disposal.

Ohio State should be able to substitute multiple players in throughout the game, especially at the quarterback position, where I predict QB Joe Bauserman to be the opening game starter. I predict true freshman QB Braxton Miller to be brought in at some point, but this is the kind of game Luke Fickell needs to work on the Ohio State running game, while also developing wide receivers in the wake of DeVier Posey's suspension. Ohio State should have this game well in hand by halftime, hopefully using it as a springboard for Toledo, Miami (FL), and beyond.

Twelve games, with no guarantee as of this writing that there will be any more after it for 2011, due to the NCAA situation. How will the Buckeyes fare this season? Look back at how I have rated these games, and you tell me. As always, should be a great season for any and all Ohio State fans.

Aaron Torres: article on Ohio State & NCAA; Good Sanzenbacher tweet

2011-07-26T10:50:00.005-04:00

Cannot rave enough about this article below. Highest recommendation for all Ohio State fans, and all college football fans in general. This should be mandatory reading for Mark May, Pat Forde, Dennis Dodd, and every other Ohio State hater out there...

http://www.aarontorres-sports.com/articles/college-football/myth-busting-the-ncaas-report-on-ohio-state.html

And a solid Twitter post by Ramzy Nasrallah re: Dane Sanzenbacher, who signed today with the Chicago Bears, over many other teams, among them reportedly the Cincinnati Bengals...

Will Mike Vrabel Be Able As OSU LB Coach? ESPN Suing Ohio State?

2011-07-11T21:28:00.003-04:00

Count me among the many who are excited about having Mike Vrabel joining Ohio State's 2011 coaching staff at linebacker coach. Vrabel was a standout defensive end for Ohio State during the glory years of John Cooper's tenure; I met Vrabel in 1995 as a volunteer recruiting assistant, as Vrabel was coached by Bill Conley, Ohio State's recruiting coordinator. Vrabel will bring a passion and intensity for all things Ohio State, just like his close friend and now boss, Luke Fickell.

If I have a concern, and this is something that can only be seen via the results on the field, is that Vrabel has never coached at the collegiate level. Will he be able to effectively communicate to the players now under his tutelage?

In a similar vein, Vrabel was an outstanding player for Ohio State, and for several years in the NFL. Exceptional athletes sometimes have difficulties making transitions to the coaching profession, as the ex-athlete and now coach cannot convey to their players what needs to be done; what came easy for the ex-athlete may not be possible for the players they are coaching.

Again, I believe the positives outweigh the negatives in this situation. Mike Vrabel will command the respect of the linebackers he will coach, as well as the other players on the team. With Fickell being given this year to prove himself, why not bring in a former teammate and close friend (Fickell was Vrabel's best man in his wedding) who wants nothing but success for the program?

Switching topics rather dramatically...Ohio State fans are notorious for believing ESPN has an agenda against them. News tonight may make it a valid point.

ESPN is suing Ohio State in order to obtain copies of the e-mails sent by former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel to Terrelle Pryor's mentor, Ted Sarniak. Ohio State has refused to comply with the request, citing FERPA privacy laws. Let me just suggest that this may make the opening game against Akron on ESPN or ESPN2 on September 3rd that much more interesting...

Could Oregon Be Next To Face NCAA Wrath?

2011-07-01T14:32:00.004-04:00

Reading through this article by the same Yahoo! Sports reporters who broke the news on Jim Tressel back in March, it certainly seems as though Oregon will be having to explain their payments to former scout Will Lyles. While I am not happy that any program gets into trouble with the NCAA, I am curious to see if the national media (ESPN and CNNSI, in particular) pay as much attention to this story as they have to Ohio State over the last several months.

OSU Football Recruiting: Luke Needs To Be "Fickell" With Offers

2011-06-13T15:24:00.002-04:00

In the lingering aftermath of Jim Tressel's resignation, Ohio State fans are left wondering a multitude of questions:

How severe will the NCAA sanctions be?
Will there be scholarship reductions?
Will Luke Fickell be the head coach in 2012 and beyond?
If Fickell is not the coach, who will be patrolling the sideline for Ohio State next season?
And how will this affect Ohio State's recruiting efforts for the 2012 class?

While many of these questions will have to remain unanswered, recruiting needs to continue moving forward with the 2012 class. Only days after Tressel's resignation, Luke Fickell was able to maintain the verbal commitment of OL Kyle Kalis, and secured a verbal commitment from DB Tyvis Powell. Ohio State has just secured a verbal commitment from DB Najee Murray as well, as of 06/12/2011.

If I had the opportunity to advise Coach Fickell on how to proceed with the remainder of his 2012 class, my advice would be the following ~

Offer cautiously - This reflects more upon how many scholarships Ohio State actually has to offer, versus what transpired with Coach Tressel. Ohio State is probably in the market to sign between 18 and 20 players in February.

Traditionally, Jim Tressel would offer players who attended the summer football camps, as the coaching staff was able to get a feel for how the prospect interacted with their staff. Considering Ohio State has a limited number of scholarships to offer, I would suggest maintaining the old method of using the camp as a barometer for interest.

As I stated up above, Ohio State fans are nervously awaiting what penalties, if any, will be levied against the football program. This only reinforces the need for the coaching staff to take their time in their evaluations and offers, as Ohio State may be suffering a loss of scholarships comparable to what USC received in their punishment from the NCAA.

All things equal, offer kids from Ohio ~ Again, Coach Tressel made a point of trying to keep the best players in the state of Ohio from leaving. With the possible penalties looming, I would advise Coach Fickell to focus upon Ohio kids, versus trying to land talent from other states.

My logic in this is that Ohio kids are more likely to have grown up, wanting to be Buckeyes. Prospects in Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia, etc, may be interested in Ohio State, but these are traditionally the type of prospects who may wait until signing day to make their decision. Conversely, an Ohio prospect may seem more likely to make a commitment when offered, thus allowing Luke Fickell and the coaching staff to move onto other prospects to fill up their recruiting class.

Recruiting analysts have been stating the talent in Ohio's 2012 high school class is exceptional. Considering Brady Hoke of Michigan's strong efforts to regain a foothold with Ohio talent, it behooves the Ohio State coaching staff to emphasize the Ohio talent, allowing Hoke only to gain prospects that Ohio State is not interested in for their team.

What is the sales pitch for Luke Fickell? ~ Fickell is in a tough spot, trying to recruit prospects to Ohio State, without knowing if he, or the staff, will be there in 2012 to coach them. The advantage Luke Fickell has in this spot is he IS an Ohio State graduate, and he WAS a former Ohio State football player. Luke Fickell's passion and enthusiasm for Ohio State can easily come shining through.

Luke Fickell's standard stump speech should be something along the lines of…"You know, it is entirely possible that I may not be at Ohio State next season. But I would not be here in your living room if I did not so strongly believe in what an Ohio State education can provide you in your future, and I can tell you first-hand about what it is like to run out onto the field that first game at Ohio Stadium, wearing the scarlet and gray. I cannot offer everyone this opportunity, but I can offer it to you. You can be among the special young men who help Ohio State move back into national prominence, by doing things the right way both on and off the field.".

Make no mistake about it, Ohio State fans - Luke Fickell, and the Ohio State coaching staff are in a tough spot. I, for one, am happy Coach Fickell is at the helm of the 2012 Ohio State recruiting effort, hopefully landing Ohio State another talented crop of talent for upcoming seasons.

**

Originally published on Along The Olentangy

[ESPN.com]: Chris Spielman on Terrelle Pryor's Departure From Ohio State

2011-06-07T20:14:00.002-04:00

Chris Spielman Gets It

2011-06-03T11:25:00.001-04:00

As usual, Spielman identifies what separates the players of today from the players that preceded them. Great article.

http://www.the-ozone.net/football/2011/Tresselaffair/Spielman.htm

Luke Fickell Can Learn From Lloyd Carr & Pat Fitzgerald

2011-05-30T21:38:00.002-04:00

Newly appointed interim Ohio State head coach Luke Fickell has received an opportunity at his dream job, albeit in a way and fashion he never wanted. Ascending to the head coaching job at Ohio State is one of the top positions in college football, and Luke Fickell now has a chance to make his mark with the Buckeye faithful.

To remove the interim tag associated with his current title, I suggest Coach Fickell dial up two men who have dealt with being quickly promoted, in less than ideal circumstances. In 1995, Michigan promoted Lloyd Carr to take over from Gary Moeller, and in 2006, Northwestern promoted Pat Fitzgerald to take over from Randy Walker.

In the spring of 1995, Michigan accepted the resignation of head coach Gary Moeller, after Moeller had a drunken outburst that led to his arrest. Defensive coordinator Lloyd Carr was named interim head coach, with no promises of becoming the full-time head coach.

In a painful memory for all Ohio State fans, Carr's 1995 Michigan team defeated Ohio State 31-23 behind the running of Tim Biakabutuka. Carr later led Michigan to a share of the 1997 national championship, and was recently named as an inductee into The College Football Hall Of Fame.

If looking to That School Up North is too painful for inspiration, perhaps Coach Fickell can look to one of his contemporaries. Pat Fitzgerald was a star linebacker for Northwestern in 1995 and 1996, when Luke Fickell was a defensive lineman for Ohio State. Fitzgerald was the linebackers coach for Northwestern, who became head coach upon the sudden death of Randy Walker.

Pat Fitzgerald has rebounded nicely from two subpar seasons in 2006 and 2007 by leading Northwestern to three straight bowl appearances. While Fitzgerald's record is a modest 34-29, it is worth noting that Michigan was interested in hiring Fitzgerald as head coach, before selecting Brady Hoke.

Make no mistake about it, Ohio State fans - the 2011 season is going to be one long, hopefully successful job interview for Luke Fickell. To ensure Fickell aces the interview, it would not hurt to consult with some people like Lloyd Carr and Pat Fitzgerald who have been in comparable situations and came out fine.

Originally posted on Along The Olentangy, 05/30/2011

[ESPN.com - Big Ten Blog]: Small's comments add to OSU's troubles

2011-05-26T10:05:00.001-04:00

You'd have to be pretty naïve to think memorabilia sales at Ohio State were tied to Terrelle Pryor and his crew.

This has been a problem for years, not only at Ohio State but at other big-time programs around the country. You can buy championship rings and other memorabilia items on the Web at sites such as this one.

Former Ohio State wide receiver Ray Small provided more evidence in an illuminating interview with The Lantern, Ohio State's student newspaper. Small, always one for colorful quotes during his turbulent Buckeyes career, continued to generate buzz by saying he sold memorabilia items for cash and received car deals while at Ohio State. And according to Small, "everyone was doing it."

Some tidbits from Small in The Lantern:

"I had sold my things but it was just for the money. At that time in college, you're kind of struggling."

"We had four Big Ten rings. There was enough to go around."

"It was definitely the deals on the cars. I don't see why it's a big deal," said Small, who identified Jack Maxton Chevrolet as the players' main resource.

"If you go in and try to get a tattoo, and somebody is like 'Do you want 50 percent off this tattoo?' You're going to say, 'Heck yeah.'"

"They have a lot [of dirt] on everybody, 'cause everybody was doing it."

What about the NCAA rules? Weren't players aware?

"They explain the rules to you, but as a kid you're not really listening to all of them rules," Small said. "You go out and you just, people show you so much love, you don't even think about the rules. You're just like 'Ah man, it's cool.' You take it, and next thing you know the NCAA is down your back."

Former Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins also talked with The Lantern and said players were informed about what they could and could not do.

"What the players go out and do on their own time and make their own decisions is on them," Jenkins said. "I know [the compliance department] puts things in place to give us knowledge of the rules, give us education on how to deal with those situations, but what the players do with that is another story."

Jenkins brings up a good point. Ohio State can't have compliance staffers following players around 24-7. The culture of entitlement exists in Columbus -- not unlike many places immersed in college sports -- and Ohio State players are treated as royalty. It's tough for young men to turn down benefits, especially men struggling to get by financially.

But it's clear Ohio State didn't get a handle on this issue until it was too late. Now the NCAA is involved and coach Jim Tressel, as well as the compliance department, seem to be in the crosshairs. Tressel will go before the NCAA's Committee on Infractions on Aug. 12, and investigations into the used-car transactions are still ongoing.

In December, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith had this to say: "There are no other NCAA violations around this case. We're very fortunate that we do not have a systemic problem in our program. This is isolated to these young men, and isolated to this particular instance."

Well?

Some might point to Small's credibility as an issue here. He was in Tressel's doghouse for much of his career and struggled to stay on track academically. But aside from publicity, what incentive does Small have to lie?

Small's comments are noteworthy, but they're not surprising after what we heard from Antonio Pittman and others after the tattoo story broke. It's just another layer to a story that just isn't going away.

View article...

Eddie George Selected For College Football Hall Of Fame

2011-05-16T20:55:00.003-04:00

From a very inauspicious beginning in 1992, Eddie George truly saved his best for his last season at Ohio State in 1995. Eddie George was not the fastest running back, nor the most elusive, but I would argue nobody worked harder than Eddie George. Eddie George was a constant in the weight room, and clinched the Heisman with his performance against Illinois in 1995 with 314 yards on the ground in the bitter cold of Ohio Stadium.

Congratulations on your accomplishment, Mr. George.

[Blogging the Buckeyes]: OSU to play Nebraska, Wisconsin at night

2011-05-12T17:00:00.001-04:00

By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Ohio State will make it first ever trip to Nebraska to take on the newest member of the Big Ten on Oct.8, and it was learned this afternoon the game will be televised in prime time.
The kickoff is set for 8 p.m., and it will be carried by either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2, to be decided at a later date, the Big Ten announced. The Buckeyes' homecoming game Oct.29 with Wisconsin – the only team to beat Ohio State a year ago --will be start at 8 p.m., and carried by one of those three networks.
That's at least three prime-time games for the Buckeyes this coming season, since it was announced Wednesday that OSU's trip to Miami on Sept.17 will start at either 7:30 p.m. or 8 p.m., depending on whether it's carried by ESPN or ABC.

View article...

Ohio State @ Miami (FL) is a night game

2011-05-11T13:03:00.003-04:00

Official word from ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, courtesy of this link. Kickoff could be 7:30pm or 8pm EST, and will be on ABC or ESPN on September 17th. The other night game will be Oklahoma @ Florida State.

ESPN.com video ~ NFL gets expedited hearing for appeal

2011-05-03T19:51:00.000-04:00

[ESPN.com - Big Ten Blog] 9-game sked on B1G spring meeting agenda

2011-05-03T12:28:00.001-04:00

Primetime games for 2011 could be announced by the end of next week, according to this…

Feed: ESPN.com - Big Ten Blog
Posted on: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 10:30 AM
Author: Adam Rittenberg
Subject: 9-game sked on B1G spring meeting agenda

This post isn't a knock on Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, but I needed to follow up on what Alvarez told Wisconsin's athletic board last week regarding the ongoing discussion about nine-game conference schedules in the Big Ten.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Alvarez said the topic isn't set to be discussed during the league meetings next month in Chicago and a nine-game schedule likely wouldn't be implemented until at least 2017.

"That's not on the docket," he said. "We won't do anything or be serious about that for several years."

Actually, after checking with the Big Ten, I've learned the nine-game discussion will continue May 17-18 at the league's spring meetings of coaches and athletic directors in Chicago. Big Ten senior associate commissioner for television administration Mark Rudner, who puts together the league schedules, will talk with the ADs about whether to implement a nine-game schedule or remain at eight.

Rudner told me in an email message that the athletic directors want to see a financial analysis of schedules with nine league games versus eight league games. The Big Ten staff will provide them with the breakdowns at the spring meetings.

The Big Ten schedules are only approved through the 2014 season, so if approved, a nine-game slate could be implemented as early as 2015. The big issue, as most of you know, is structuring things so most Big Ten teams still could have seven home games even when they play five conference games on the road.

Alvarez is among the ADs in favor of nine Big Ten games, noting last week that it could create the possibility for a second protected crossover game.

There could be a resolution on the nine-game issue at the meetings, so stay tuned.

Also, the Big Ten primetime schedule for 2011 could be announced by the end of next week. If not, we should know it the week of May 16.

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[ESPN.com ~ James Walker] Cleveland Browns building for long haul

2011-04-29T08:24:00.000-04:00

Feed: ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog
Posted on: Friday, April 29, 2011 12:12 AM
Author: James Walker
Subject: Cleveland Browns building for long haul

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns had an opportunity to make an immediate splash Thursday with the No. 6 overall pick in the NFL draft. Instead, Cleveland general manager Tom Heckert and president Mike Holmgren opted for longevity instead of immediate gratification.

First, they traded their sixth pick to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for five draft picks. Then, the Browns moved back up from No. 27 to No. 21 to select Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor in the first round. Cleveland also gave up its third-rounder (No. 70 overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs to make the move.

Although Taylor is not the huge splash the Browns' faithful had hoped for in this draft, credit Cleveland's regime for thinking about the big picture.

In all, the wheeling and dealing gave the Browns four additional picks over the next two years. That totals an astounding 18 picks in the next two drafts, giving Cleveland a chance to infuse youth and talent into a struggling franchise.

"We thought if something was really, really intriguing to us to add more players, we'd do it," Heckert explained of the deal. "We're not saying we're one player away. There were some good players there [at No. 6], but it turns out what we got in return we feel very good about."

Heckert admitted Thursday night what we already knew: Cleveland has a long road ahead to build its roster into a contender. But credit the Browns' front office for making that honest assessment.

The Browns are not close to supplanting the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, and they're not going to make a run to the Super Bowl this season. But this trade helps put Cleveland in position to build a solid foundation.

Cleveland got off to a good start with the 2010 draft. The Browns drafted cornerback Joe Haden in the first round, safety T.J. Ward in the second and quarterback Colt McCoy in the third. All three players developed into starters.

Last year's draft was the first of the Holmgren-Heckert partnership. Both are proven winners with a lengthy track records and experience. They are eager to acquire additional picks and are confident their front office and scouting staff knows what to do with them.

"Tom Heckert is the real deal," Holmgren said recently. "The people that work with him, our personnel department, they do their jobs and they do them very well. If I put on my coach hat for a moment, that's a real encouragement to Pat [Shurmur] and the coaches."

In Taylor, the Browns feel they drafted a potential starter at No. 21. The team cut former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Shaun Rogers this offseason, and the 337-pound Taylor fills a huge need with Cleveland switching to a 4-3 defense. He recorded 87 tackles and 2.5 sacks in two years at Baylor.

The AFC North is arguably the most physical division in football, and the Browns hope defensive tackles Ahtyba Rubin and Taylor will prevent Cleveland from getting gashed up the middle of the defense. The Ravens (Ray Rice), Steelers (Rashard Mendenhall) and Cincinnati Bengals (Cedric Benson) all had 1,000-yard running backs last season.

"I'm a great run-stopping defensive tackle, and I get a good pass rush as well," Taylor said Thursday night. "I played in the 4-3 my whole college career."

"We're going to be very tough inside," Heckert added.

With the Atlanta trade, the Browns will have two second-round picks Friday and a chance to add more building blocks.

"We have an opportunity in this draft to get more good players," Browns head coach Pat Shurmur said. "We're one more player better, and that's the approach. If you don't sense the excitement in my voice, it's there. We really feel we got a good player."

View article...

Will The Browns Apply A "Peterson" Principle In The Draft?

2011-04-27T13:00:00.001-04:00

When the NFL Draft commences on 04/28/2011, Cleveland Browns fans everywhere treat the event with a curious mix of anticipation, hope, and fear. Hope in the event that this will be the draft that fans can point back and say, "this is when the team began to turn the corner.". Fear that the organization will squander high draft choices on players such as David Veikune, Travis Wilson, or William Green (I realize that there are other players I could have listed, but I wanted to give some other names from the painful draft past a quick trip down memory lane...).

The NFL Draft is an inexact science. Trying to project college players into professional football is something that even the best of teams will sometimes miss upon. Unfortunately for Browns fans, the misses have been more common than the hits.

Looking back at last year's draft, the Browns were able to acquire Joe Haden, T.J. Ward, and Colt McCoy. If Montario Hardesty is able to return from injury, the 2010 draft is one of those benchmark drafts that quality NFL teams routinely use to make them into championship contenders.

Tom Heckert is a solid talent evaluator who has done his homework. Unlike last season, Heckert and Mike Holmgren are on the same page with new head coach Pat Shurmur offensively, while also being on board with new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron. The Browns are moving to a 4-3 scheme under Jauron, unlike the 3-4 scheme espoused by Eric Mangini and Rob Ryan that Heckert and Holmgren were not familiar with in their previous organizations.

If I had the opportunity to make the first round pick, this is how I would proceed:

1. Trade down for extra picks - if Cameron Newton and Blaine Gabbert are still available, I believe the Browns will have opportunities to trade down. Picking up extra picks is always my first prerogative.

2. The top player on my wish list? DT Marcell Dareus of Alabama. Until the Browns are able to effectively stop the run, they will be an also-ran in the division against the Steelers and Ravens. I look for Dareus to be taken in the first two picks, more than likely by Denver.

3. More than likely, Dareus will not be there. My second choice? CB Patrick Peterson of LSU. Arguably the best player in the draft, Peterson could take the other cornerback spot opposite Joe Haden, allowing Sheldon Brown to move to safety with T.J. Ward. The secondary would immensely improve. While not providing any help to the defensive line, shoring up the secondary can only help in the Browns' quest towards respectability - being able to slow down the passing games of the Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals would be a big step.

4. OLB Von Miller would be my third selection. I do not believe he will be there. My concern is Miller may be best suited for a 3-4, but I am sure the Browns could put Miller on the field in a weakside linebacker spot to rush the passer. Again, I do not believe Miller will be there for the Browns to pick. Look for Miller to be Buffalo's selection at third overall.

5. I have never been a fan of taking wide receivers high in the NFL Draft. Year in and year out, wide receivers can be (and usually are) found in the lower rounds. Think of the top receivers in the division (Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Derrick Mason, Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens) - none of them were first round draft choices. With that being said, if none of my top players are available, I would prefer the Browns select WR Julio Jones of Alabama over WR A.J. Green of Georgia. Green may be the more acrobative receiver, but I prefer Jones for his downfield blocking skills.

6. While I believe both DT Nick Fairley of Auburn and DE Robert Quinn of North Carolina are good players who could help the Browns, both carry some risk. Again, I would prefer to trade down a few spots and gain some picks, versus taking a risk. Dropping down a few spots, and taking DE J.J. Watt of Wisconsin or DT Corey Liuget of Illinois may be preferred.

The NFL Draft will start around 8pm. I will have a beer in hand, watching the events unfold, with high hopes the Browns will be selecting another player more along the lines of Joe Thomas than Gerard Warren.

ESPN's Outside The Lines: Tim May & Chris Spielman on Jim Tressel & NCAA

2011-04-26T13:24:00.000-04:00

Minnich's Thoughts From Ohio State's 2011 Spring Game

2011-04-24T22:05:00.002-04:00

Before the news broke on April 25, 2011, regarding Ohio State's and Jim Tressel's NCAA violations, Ohio State fans were actually reviewing this past weekend's spring game. I figured I would offer up some thoughts contrary to the torch-bearers and pitchfork carriers employed by ESPN.com.

Having attended multiple Ohio State spring games in the past, I have often cautioned Ohio State fans not to put too much stock into the performances, positively or negatively. For example, for every 1996's spring game hero Joe Germaine, there is a (fill in the spring game year) of Bam Childress. In other words, strong performances do not necessarily translate into strong performances in the fall.

With those thoughts in mind, here are some quick thoughts I have as they relate to Ohio State heading into summer conditioning.

1. The quarterback position is still in flux heading into fall camp ~ Joe Bauserman may have the vote of the coaches at the moment, but it would be premature to pencil Bauserman in as the starter against Akron on September 3rd. Yes, I remember what I wrote up above. I would also suggest that coaches have reassured fans that Bauserman knows the offense the best, but his performance in the spring game certainly belied that reputation. Braxton Miller is raw, but his mobility behind makeshift offensive lines in the spring game gave fans the impression that he could improvise the offense enough until Terrelle Pryor's return in October. Taylor Graham has the strongest arm, but arguably the weakest mobility. Kenny Guiton had equal times good and bad in the spring game, as did Joe Bauserman. This position may not be decided until a few games into the season, in my estimation.

2. The running backs and tight ends will be vital parts of Ohio State's passing offense ~ Every Ohio State fan who has clamored for Jim Tressel to throw to the tight ends, this is your offense. With DeVier Posey's pending suspension, and the visible inconsistencies of Corey "Philly" Brown displayed in the spring game, Ohio State will need to involve both Jake Stoneburner and Reid Fragel more in the passing game. Running backs Jordan Hall and Jaamal Berry both showed signs of being capable slot receivers who could pose challenges for opposing defenses.

3. The offensive line's lack of depth is a major concern ~ In February 2010, I wrote about how I could not understand why Ohio State did not pursue other offensive linemen beyond Andrew Norwell and Matt James in the state of Ohio. The spring game showed how precarious Ohio State's offensive line depth is going into the 2011 season.

4. The defense looks to be good as usual ~ Yes, I know that the Gray team lost in Coach Tressel's convoluted scoring scheme. With most of the secondary nursing injuries, Ohio State's defense was facing an uphill battle going into the final spring practice. All Jim Tressel wanted was to get players out of the game with no injuries - with the exception of Johnathan Hankins, nobody was injured, which is a good thing. The defense will be fine this upcoming season.

5. Now Ohio State needs to work without "The Tat 5" ~ While I respect the coaching staff using Mike Adams, DeVier Posey, and Daniel "Boom" Herron in spring ball, the fall camp needs to be devoted to the players who will be able to play against Akron. Am I suggesting giving no reps to Adams, Posey, Pryor, etc? Absolutely not. But I am suggesting that it does Ohio State no good devoting valuable coaching time to players who cannot help in meaningful games on Saturdays.

2011 Ohio State spring football: Riddles, Mysteries, & Enigmas, Part 2

2011-03-28T21:32:00.010-04:00

Trying to determine the top five questions confronting Ohio State's football program is no easy task. The looming controversy of Coach Jim Tressel's involvement in "Tattoo-Gate" overshadows all of the on the field concerns facing the Buckeyes.

5. Who will emerge on the offensive line? - While many Ohio State fans would look at this question as a relatively easy question, it is important to remember that Ohio State is not only losing both starting guards (Justin Boren, Bryant Browning), but will also be without the services of left tackle Mike Adams for the first five games of the season. Throw in the fact that starting right tackle J.B. Shugarts battled injuries the majority of last season, and Ohio State is essentially only returning one certain starter in center Mike Brewster.

If Shugarts is healthy, look for Shugarts to stay at right tackle. The left tackle battle will rage between Andrew Norwell and Marcus Hall. Norwell impressed in his limited playing opportunities last season, while Hall will try to regain his stature after his redshirt season of 2010. It would not surprise me if Hall is moved to a guard spot, as he is a strong run blocker, and I believe Ohio State will look to run the ball early and often next season. Jack Mewhort and Corey Linsley would seem to be among the likely candidates to fill the guard spots as well. Maintaining good health is important for the offensive line, as the depth will be an issue all season long in 2010. There are rumors redshirt freshman Darryl Baldwin may be moved from defensive line over to the offensive line, to help with the depth issues.

4. Who will be the starters in the secondary? - Ohio State lost starting cornerbacks Chimdi Chekwa and Devon Torrence, as well as Jermale Hines from one of the safety positions. Fortunately for Ohio State, there is depth at the position, but it is relatively inexperienced. Tyler Moeller returns for a sixth year, and will be provided an opportunity to play at one of the safety spots, if not the Star position. C.J. Barnett was a starter at safety until sidelined by injury, allowing Orhian Johnson the opportunity to play last season. No matter who emerges at safety, Ohio State fans know there are players with some playing experience. Darkhorses in the race include Jamie Wood, Zach Domicone, Chad Hagan, and Nate Oliver. True freshman Jeremy Cash will also try to win the spot this spring, as an early enrollee.

At corner, look for Christian Bryant, Dominic Clarke, Travis Howard, and transfer Dionte Allen to battle for the two spots. Bryant, Clarke, and Howard all played meaningful snaps in the Sugar Bowl against Arkansas. Bryant may even get an opportunity at safety, as he played the Star position after Moeller was injured last season. Others who will battle for playing time are Donnie Evege, Corey Brown, Adam Griffin, and Bradley Roby.

3. Who will emerge as Ohio State's starting quarterback? - In the wake of Terrelle Pryor's five game suspension, many Ohio State fans forgot that Pryor sustained an injury in the waning moments of the Sugar Bowl, requiring surgery. Pryor was going to miss the spring, suspension or otherwise. Joe Bauserman seems to be next in line, and may line up under center against Akron in the season opener on September 3rd, but will Bauserman hold onto the job? Kenny Guiton, Jr. also had playing opportunities last season, and pushed Bauserman for the backup position well into fall camp in 2010.

Redshirt freshman Taylor Graham has supposedly looked good on the scout team. Throw in early enrollee Braxton Miller, and the quarterback battle will likely rage throughout spring, and possibly into the fall.

2. Who will start at wide receiver? - Many times in 2010 I made the statement that Dane Sanzenbacher would be truly missed in 2011, and that was before DeVier Posey's suspension came to pass. Add in the fact that Ohio State lost Darrell Hazell as its wide receivers coach to the head coaching job at Kent State, and will be breaking in new wide receivers coach Stan Drayton, and you can understand why I rank this area so highly in terms of concern. Drayton has never coached the position, either. It is not as though Ohio State is bereft of talent at the position.

Rising sophomore "Philly" Brown returns as the leading wide receiver with eight receptions. Yes, you read that right - eight. Chris Fields had three receptions last season, and could also stake a claim for a starting position. Redshirted players James Louis, Verlon Reed, and T.Y. Williams will all have opportunities to impress this spring, as well as James Jackson. With such a strong stable of running backs, plus an inexperienced quarterback, it would not surprise me if Ohio State used a two tight end set with Jake Stoneburner and Reid Fragel. Stoneburner had a solid 2010 season, and could line up in the slot on passing downs. Stoneburner had twenty-one receptions, and could be a reliable receiver in the intermediate routes.

Ordinarily, the wide receivers and its inexperienced position coach would rank as my top concern heading into spring football. But my top concern facing Ohio State is...

1. How will Jim Tressel's suspension affect the Buckeyes? - With no news forthcoming from the NCAA, rumors run rampant on Tressel's 2011 season and fate. Will he be suspended for all of 2011? Will Tressel be fired? Will Tressel resign under pressure? While Jim Tressel may do his best to focus his energies on the tasks at hand on the field, it remains to be seen if his players have the same abilities. Ohio State fans may find out when the spring game concludes spring practices on April 23rd in Ohio Stadium.

2011 Ohio State spring football: Riddles, Mysteries, & Enigmas

2011-03-26T15:05:00.013-04:00

Winston Churchill once made a comment regarding Russia as being "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma". While Ohio State, like other football programs around the nation, usually has questions to answer about their teams during spring football practice, I cannot imagine another program having nearly the depth of concern and confusion as the Buckeyes do as they begin spring practice on March 31st.

The revelation of Coach Jim Tressel's involvement in "Tattoo-Gate" has shaken Ohio State's program to the core. Rumors continue to swirl of Coach Tressel's firing or resignation, despite public support from Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee and Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith. The NCAA has not, to the best of my knowledge, provided any timetable for their final judgment of Coach Tressel's violations. At best, Coach Tressel will miss the first five games of the 2011 season, along with QB Terrelle Pryor, RB Daniel "Boom" Herron, WR DeVier Posey, OT Mike Adams, and DE Solomon Thomas. LB Jordan Whiting will only miss the opening game against Akron.

While Jim Tressel's punishment lies in the hands of the NCAA, looming over the program, other football-related issues need to be addressed before the spring game on April 23rd in Ohio Stadium concludes spring football~

10. Who will emerge as Ohio State's starting running back? - Considering how Ohio State traditionally has a strong running game, it could be surprising to some that I list this question as the least of my worries heading into spring practice. My reasoning - Ohio State is loaded at this position, with arguably four players worthy of being the starting tailback.

Jordan Hall, Jaamal Berry, Carlos Hyde, and Rod Smith will all vie to win the starting tailback spot, in lieu of "Boom" Herron's five game suspension. Hall and Berry have primarily made their marks as special team players, Hyde saw minimal action last season, and Smith was redshirted last season.

My guess is Hall will be the first player in the rotation, but word out of the Sugar Bowl practices was that Smith was emerging as a player to keep an eye out for at tailback. The challenge for the coaching staff will be keeping all players happy, as Ohio State will undoubtedly rely upon its running game during the opening five games, when both Herron and QB Terrelle Pryor will be out of the lineup.

9. Can the punting and place kicking be improved this spring? - Punter Ben Buchanan returns, after averaging a little over 41 yards a punt. In several games last season (Miami (FL), Eastern Michigan, @ Illinois, @ Wisconsin, @ Minnesota), Buchanan had games where he was under a 40 yard average. The last memory Ohio State fans have of Buchanan for the 2010 season was a crucial punt block that nearly cost Ohio State the Sugar Bowl.

Placekicker Drew Basil earned playing time last season kicking off for Ohio State. Basil's placekicking were for designated long field goals, and Basil was 0-2 on those attempts. Remembering that former PK Devin Barclay was often called upon in clutch situations to win the game for Ohio State, it is imperative that Basil rises up this spring as Barclay's replacement.

8. Can the special teams units be improved this spring? - Last year's coverage units repeatedly cost Ohio State precious field position. The opening kickoff returned for a touchdown by Wisconsin put Ohio State behind, never to be able to regain the momentum. Is it scheme? Personnel? No matter the answer, I expect Ohio State to continually work on this nagging problem throughout the spring, and probably well into summer camp in August.

7. Who will emerge at the linebacker position? - Ross Homan and Brian Rolle, two solidly dependable players for Ohio State at linebacker, have exhausted their eligibility and hope for their NFL dreams to be realized in the 2011 NFL Draft. Andrew Sweat returns to probably fill one of the spots (Sweat was a starter at SAM linebacker in 2010, but could move to another linebacker position), leaving two spots open.

Ohio State has recruited well at this position for a number of years, with candidates such as Etienne Sabino, Storm Klein, Dorian Bell, and Jonathan Newsome all eager to stake their claim. With incoming freshmen Ryan Shazier, Curtis Grant, Ejuan Price, and Conner Crowell arriving, Ohio State's returnees need to step up this spring, to avoid being bypassed by the talented freshmen.

6. Who will replace Cameron Heyward and Dexter Larimore on the defensive line? - Heyward earned playing time as a true freshman in 2007, and was a steady performer throughout his career at Ohio State, saving his best for last against Arkansas in the 2011 Sugar Bowl. Larimore was never a dominant interior lineman, but was a reliable run-stopper.

Another thing to keep in mind is Solomon Thomas is one of the players who will serve a five game suspension, so Ohio State's vaunted defensive line depth, a key to the success Ohio State's defenses have had under defensive coordinator Jim Heacock, will be put to the test.

Look for massive Johnathan Hankins to be given the first opportunity to replace Larimore in the interior defensive line. If Hankins has the stamina, he should form a strong compliment to returnee John Simon. Adam Bellamy and Garrett Goebel will also be in the rotation at defensive tackle.

Nathan Williams will return at one defensive end position, leaving the other spot open for players such as Melvin Fellows (if free from injury), David Durham, and J.T. Moore opportunities for playing time during Thomas' suspension. True freshmen Steve Miller, Kenny Hayes, and Chase Faris will all enroll over the summer - like the linebacker spots, the returning players need to make a strong impression now, lest they are bypassed by the incoming talent.

Part Two will focus upon what I consider the top five pressing questions this spring for Ohio State.

[ESPN.com - Big Ten Blog]: Will Jim Tressel's p.r. move limit damage?

2011-03-18T08:06:00.002-04:00

As soon as this scrolled across the bottom of the TV screen last evening, I said that I felt this was a good PR move by Coach Tressel and Ohio State. We shall see if the NCAA feels the same way…

The 2011 season is still more than five months away, but Ohio State coach Jim Tressel made his first tactical decision Thursday night.

It came of the public relations variety.

By choosing to increase his suspension from two games to five games -- the same punishment the NCAA upheld for five Ohio State players who sold memorabilia for money and tattoos -- Tressel is hoping to improve his image with the NCAA and the outside world. Will it work? We'll have to see.

Ohio State had been justifiably ripped nationally for an extremely soft initial punishment for the coach, who withheld information about the players selling memorabilia items for eight months last year. No one bought Tressel's explanation at last week's news conference in Columbus, and the school's decision to ban the coach from two games against MAC opponents increased the p.r. nightmare.

Tressel's decision to increase his own punishment came in response to the backlash. You have to wonder why Ohio State didn't initially come out with a stronger reprimand -- many feel even five games isn't enough, given Tressel's actions -- but at least the school didn't bury its head in the sand and hope this all would just go away.

"Throughout this entire situation my players and I have committed ourselves to facing our mistakes and growing from them; we can only successfully do that together," Tressel said in a prepared statement. "I spoke with athletics director [Gene] Smith, and our studentathletes involved, and told them that my mistakes need to share the same game sanctions. Like my players, I am very sorry for the mistakes I made. I request of the university that my sanctions now include five games so that the players and I can handle this adversity together."

It's a shrewd p.r. move, albeit a late one. Tressel and Ohio State hope the increase will help his case with the NCAA, which has the ultimate say on how long the coach could sit out in 2011 (or beyond).

The NCAA continues to investigate the situation at Ohio State and still could come down much harder on Tressel, as it did with Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl and former USC football assistant Todd McNair. The possibility of Ohio State vacating its wins from the 2010 season is a very real one, and Tressel could face more severe individual penalties.

This ain't over yet, but Tressel might have helped himself Thursday.

It comes as no surprise that the NCAA upheld the five-game ban for the players. In light of Tressel's recent admission and after being labeled soft regarding the Cam Newton saga and the Ohio State-Sugar Bowl situation, the NCAA would have had its own p.r. mess if it reduced the initial suspension.

"While we are disappointed that our appeal request was denied, we respect the NCAA and accept its ruling," Smith said in a prepared statement. "The players are sorry for the disappointment they have caused, will learn from their mistakes, and will strive to earn the confidence and support of everyone associated with the university through their future conduct."

Thursday's news certainly impacts the 2011 Big Ten race and creates the biggest challenge for Ohio State in the Tressel era. How will this team respond to not having its head coach, its starting quarterback and four other players for nearly half the season?

The fifth game is a big one, the Big Ten opener against Michigan State in Columbus. The Spartans shared the league title with Ohio State in 2010 and return a strong team.

Can the Buckeyes, despite their recent dominance of the Big Ten, still be labeled conference favorites after all of this? But that's all in the future.

Tressel made a controlled, calculated move Thursday, but his fate now rests with the NCAA.

View article...

Interesting article from Kentucky Post re: Jim Tressel

2011-03-10T14:02:00.002-05:00

I found this article and thought it gave a different perspective on why Coach Tressel withheld information. I am not suggesting that what he did was right, but I think it gives people an opportunity to contemplate what possibly went into his decision...

**

Memories of Jermaine Hopkins' death in a gang dispute in 1996 still haunt Jim Tressel. The Youngstown State star defensive end was shot in the head as he tried to quell a disturbance near campus. He was and always will be 21.

A long time friend of the Ohio State coach told me tonight that the incident and hope of heading off future tragedies led him to quickly comply with federal authorities' requests to keep quiet about their investigation of a tattoo shop owner. I'm told that Tressel was inclined to feel that playing along, even though Ohio State and the NCAA were technically entitled to know, would help take dangerous criminals off the street. He naively thought a greater good was being served by his discretion.

Naturally the Buckeyes' coach is deeply troubled by this mar on his reputation. I'm told that while he didn't mention it Tuesday night to possibly mitigate the headlines, much more will eventually be revealed about the situation. At which time I'm assured, Jim Tressel will be proved to have done the right thing, if not in the correct manner.

Jim Tressel Forced To Take Tough Medicine

2011-03-08T21:44:00.002-05:00

Watching The Big Ten Network's coverage tonight of Jim Tressel's suspension, it was visibly evident to me how distraught and distressed Coach Tressel was at that press conference. For a man who prides himself on maintaining an even keel, I have to confess that Coach Tressel's facial expressions demonstrated a man tremendously fatigued, both physically and emotionally.

Despite being a huge Coach Tressel fan, I am not going to suggest that what Coach Tressel did was right. Quite honestly, nobody, with the exception of those privy to the sensitive information associated to this NCAA investigation, can accurately describe what the correct course of action was with regards to the e-mails Coach Tressel received last spring and did not report. I truly believe Coach Tressel made a decision that he felt was in the best interest of the players involved.

I will suggest that Coach Tressel visibly demonstrated to me, and I am presuming other Ohio State fans, a true sense of remorse and regret during the course of the press conference. And I am anxious to see going forward how this will affect Coach Tressel in not only the 2011 season, but beyond.

While Ohio State has suspended Coach Tressel for the first two games of the 2011 season, fined him $250,000, required attendance at a compliance seminar as well as a public reprimand of him, it is entirely possible the NCAA is not done with Ohio State. Make no mistake about Gene Smith's complimentary tones at the onset of the press conference towards the NCAA - those were classic examples of someone throwing themselves at the mercy of the judge.

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once stated that "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and conveniences, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." It will be interesting to see how Coach Tressel, as well as the collective Ohio State community, stand going forward into the 2011 college football season.

[Bucknuts.com] ~ Instant Analysis: Tressel Suspension, What Happens From Here

2011-03-08T21:29:00.001-05:00

Dave Biddle of Bucknuts.com has written a pretty good analysis of where Ohio State goes forward in 2011, following the suspension of Coach Jim Tressel for the first two games of the season...

Instant Analysis: Tressel Suspension, What Happens From Here | Football Article

[Ivan Maisel of ESPN.com]: Tressel knew of gear sales in April

2011-03-08T14:06:00.002-05:00

I respect Ivan Maisel of ESPN, and he wrote what I have been saying all along today. Show me the proof, and then we'll see what the consequences will be. Using an unnamed source as the basis of the story begs for that unnamed source to come forward with evidence.

Looking forward to tonight at 7pm…

Feed: ESPN.com - Big Ten Blog
Posted on: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 12:01 PM
Author: Ivan Maisel
Subject: Report: Tressel knew of gear sales in April

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, teasingly or not, is known as "The Senator" for his stately carriage and general attitude. And we learned long ago in Washington that it's often the cover-up, not the transgression, which brings us to the story.

According to a Yahoo! Sports report on Monday, Tressel was informed that some of his players had sold memorabilia more than eight months before the school said it was made aware of the violations.

Ohio State did not immediately respond -- and there's no reason for Ohio State to immediately respond. That is, unless the source of the story has physical evidence that demands to be answered.

If it comes down to a war of words, Ohio State is likely to believe its longtime coach and defend him against any inquiry by the NCAA. Don't expect to hear a lot from athletic director Gene Smith. As a member of the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee, Smith is a little busy this week.

View article...

(Bucknuts.com) ~ Gee, Smith, Tressel To Meet Media at 7 p.m.

2011-03-08T13:21:00.000-05:00

Click on the link below to learn details about the upcoming media session involving the Jim Tressel allegations...

Gee, Smith, Tressel To Meet Media at 7 p.m. Ohio State Buckeyes College Football Recruiting, OSU Big Ten Football, OSU Basketball – Bucknuts.com

[Bucknuts.com] Ramzy: Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea

2011-03-01T19:14:00.001-05:00

Very enjoyable read by Ramzy Nasrallah of Bucknuts.com on the state of affairs for That Team Up North...

Ramzy: Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea

Buckeyes Hope Stock Has Risen At NFL Combine

2011-02-28T21:53:00.000-05:00

For the nine representatives from Ohio State, the NFL Combine went about as expected. Players such as Cameron Heyward and Chimdi Chekwa did not participate in the physical activities, due to their respective injury rehabilitations, but all of the other representatives seemed to do well.

Dane Sanzenbacher would never be considered a speed receiver, and his 40 yard dash (4.59) confirmed those notions. Sanzenbacher impressed with performances in the cone drills and short shuttles, demonstrating the appropriate skill set of lateral quickness for a possession receiver at the next level. One could also surmise Sanzenbacher was impressive in his interviews, based upon comments Sanzenbacher made during his brief media session at the NFL Combine.

As predicted, Brandon Saine had a strong 40 yard dash (4.43), as well as strong outings in the vertical jump and bench press. In order for Saine to be drafted, Saine will need to demonstrate strong receiving abilities in workouts. A move to fullback for a team that runs the West Coast offense does not seem out of the question as I evaluate Saine, as his speed and receiving abilities may make him more attractive versus a traditional halfback spot.

Justin Boren had a slower 40 time, but performed well in the other drills. I see Boren going on day three to a run-oriented offense that will play him on the strong side to help him with his lack of foot speed. Boren may be one of those players who do not test well, but are just natural football players, and I suspect some team will plug him into their draft plans on the third day of the draft.

Ross Homan and Brian Rolle both performed well in linebacker drills, displaying strong coverage skills. Rolle will not grow taller between now and the draft, so his strong performances in the 40 yard dash (4.56), bench press (28 repetitions), and 3 cone drill may convince some team to bypass his lack of height. Homan displayed his strength with 32 repetitions on the bench, as well as impressive performances in both shuttle drills. Homan may have impressed a team as a possible weakside linebacker in the later rounds.

Jermale Hines may have intrigued a team or two as a possible linebacker at the next level. Hines may not have a future as a safety in the NFL, but Hines' strong hitting abilities, plus his previous experience at linebacker, may give him a shot at that position on day three of the draft.

NFL teams are intrigued with Devon Torrence's previous baseball experience. Torrence formerly played in the Houston Astros' minor league system, and the experience seems to have intrigued Green Bay GM Ted Thompson.

The NFL Combine is merely one step of this lengthy process for these former Buckeyes and NFL hopefuls. Ohio State will have its pro day in Columbus on March 11th, and the hazy picture may seem to become more clear as to which team(s) have interest in possibly selecting one, or more, of these players in the upcoming NFL Draft.

New look to the blog

2011-02-25T12:07:00.001-05:00

I wanted to change it up a little bit. This newer design will allow for options to link posts to Facebook (see below on this post for example), plus it is more of an Ohio State-esque color too.

Let me know what you think, and have a good weekend...

Along The Olentangy update

2011-02-20T17:18:00.003-05:00

I wanted to share with any and all who may follow this blog that I am going to be a contributor to Along The Olentangy, an Ohio State-oriented website.

http://www.alongtheolentangy.com/

Buckeyes Prepare For The Rigors Of The NFL Combine

2011-02-20T17:11:00.001-05:00

(Post originally posted to Along The Olentangy on 02/20/2011)

The NFL Combine has become an oasis for thirsty football fans everywhere. Eager for any and all information after the Super Bowl, the NFL Combine provides college football fans a small glimpse into how NFL teams value (or do not value) their former stars, while also giving NFL fans a preview of the incoming talent that will be available in the upcoming NFL Draft April 28-30.

The NFL Combine's primary benefits are to conduct extensive physical examinations of the players, schedule player interviews with interested team personnel, and have the players perform in various drills. In short, the teams rely heavily on their scouts and actual game film of the players - the NFL Combine simply allows teams to confirm or potentially reevaluate their rankings after the combine concludes.

Ohio State is sending a large contingent of players to this year's NFL Combine. DL Cameron Heyward, CB Chimdi Chekwa, WR Dane Sanzenbacher, OG Justin Boren, RB Brandon Saine, LB Ross Homan, LB Brian Rolle, DB Jermale Hines, and CB Devon Torrence all will have opportunities to make positive impressions on NFL decision makers.

The first suggestion for virtually every one of these players is to participate in every NFL drill possible. Look for the usual reports of NFL personnel grumbling about top prospects not working out to surface at the conclusion of the combine. Considering most of the Ohio State players are going to be third day selections (projected rounds four through seven), it is imperative that every Buckeye performs well here, and at the Ohio State pro day that will be scheduled for some time in March in Columbus.

One purely speculative idea on my part - keep your eyes and ears open for how Brandon Saine performs at the Combine. While Saine struggled in the running game this year, Saine has exceptional speed (Ohio state record holder in the 100 meter dash at 10.38; listed with a 4.35 40) and should test well. It would not surprise me if Saine performed both as a running back and as a wide receiver during drills.

DL Cameron Heyward may actually get a pass in the eyes of the evaluators. Heyward is coming off surgery performed in late January for a hyperextended elbow sustained during the Sugar Bowl - it may be best to postpone any workouts until properly healed.

The same could be said for CB Chimdi Chekwa. Chekwa suffered a dislocated wrist during the Sugar Bowl, and the injury was severe enough to require surgery. If Chekwa's wrist is not fully healed, it may be in his best interests to postpone any type of workout at the combine.

For both Heyward and Chekwa, these injuries are going to be zeroed in upon by NFL personnel at the NFL Combine. NFL teams are notorious for their thoroughness with finding out anything and everything as it relates to past injury history, so Heyward and Chekwa should be prepared to be drilled about these injuries during the interviews. The same could apply to Dane Sanzenbacher, who sustained his fair share of concussions during his time in Columbus.

Like every other football fan out there, I am going to be curious to find out how players performed under the lights of the NFL Combine. Hopefully, the various players from Ohio State will be among those players deemed to be on the "risers" list at the Combine's conclusion.

The 2011 Ohio State Recruiting Class - Much To Like, But Questions Remain

2011-02-06T13:10:00.001-05:00

My initial thoughts on the 2011 recruiting class...

1. I am excited about the emphasis on defense with this class. Coach Tressel stated that there were thirteen defensive players - with so many graduating seniors, it will be interesting to see how many contribute as freshmen, especially on special teams.

2. Not enough offensive linemen - yes, I know they signed four players (or will, once Chris Carter, Jr.'s legal saga is over), but Ohio State should be signing maybe five every year. The offensive line will lose Michael Brewster, Mike Adams, and J.B. Shugarts next season.

With the exception of Brian Bobek, the other three players are labeled as projects who will need tremendous development. Offensive line will be the key need area for the 2012 recruiting class, even with early commitment Kyle Kalis. The inability to sign more offensive linemen in the 2010 class may come back to haunt Ohio State.

3. Interesting strategy with signing two quarterbacks in Braxton Miller and Cardale Jones. I have never been a big fan of doing this - usually what will happen is the one quarterback will start, resulting in the other quarterback transferring from the program. Ohio State was immune to this back in 2002, when Justin Zwick and Troy Smith were signed, and Smith wound up winning the starting position for good in 2005. Zwick stayed throughout his career at Ohio State until 2006.

Ohio State has experience with the grayshirt practice they will use with Cardale Jones, using it with Todd Boeckman back in 2003. Boeckman was recruited in 2003, delayed enrollment until 2004, and then redshirted the 2004 season, giving him four years of eligibility from 2005-2008.
If Ohio State grayshirts Cardale Jones, and redshirts him, Jones' eligibility would range from 2013-2016. Braxton Miller will probably play some this coming season, meaning his eligibility range will go from 2011-2014. It will also bear watching to see what the other quarterbacks with eligibility beyond 2011 (Kenny Guiton, Jr., Taylor Graham) do in the coming months.

4. The class emphasis will always be in Ohio (see chart below). With Michigan hiring Brady Hoke, I am anxious to see how Coach Tressel does in keeping the top Ohio talent coming to Ohio State.

5. How does this class rank? Who truly knows - for all of the pontificating by "experts", what I found refreshing listening to the Ohio State coaching staff during their press conference was hearing them talk about having the players in Ohio State's summer camp, or watching them at various practice opportunities. Coach Tressel made a point on The Big Ten Network's recruiting special, when he stated that former Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne seemed to do fine winning national championships, despite having supposedly lower-ranked recruiting classes.

I have said before on recruiting, and I will say again - if the Ohio State coaching staff deems a young man worthy of a scholarship, then I am sold. The coaching staff has to win, or lose, with the players recruited. And if the staff loses enough, the staff will be replaced. It is absolutely incumbent upon the staff to do their homework.

Put it another way - we will have a better feel for this class in 2014 or 2015. I believe Ramzy Nasrallah of Bucknuts.com represents the concept of National Letter Of Intent Day best in the following article that I hope you all read and enjoy.

[Columbus Dispatch] ~ Blogging The Buckeyes - Siciliano: Pryor should get his job back

2011-02-03T10:44:00.002-05:00

Found this interesting. Not entirely surprising to me, but should still be worth keeping an eye on for next fall, if Ohio State is undefeated going into the Nebraska game on October 8^th.

I will post my thoughts on the 2011 recruiting class sometime in the next day or so. Supposedly, Cleveland JFK recruit Chris Carter, Jr. is not going to be charged and may sign with Ohio State today. And there are also rumors of an Illinois offensive lineman who may visit this coming weekend.

For any of you wondering if Terrelle Pryor's starting job is in jeopardy after his five-game NCAA suspension expires, here's your answer:

Probably not.

Quarterbacks coach Nick Siciliano told me last week that, in his opinion, nothing that happens between now and Oct. 8 -- Game No. 6 for OSU this fall -- should keep Pryor from regaining his spot.

Pryor is 31-4 as a starter. He holds the OSU record for rushing yards by a QB, and is tied with Bob Hoying for most career touchdown passes (57).

There has been much speculation that if someone shines in Pryor's absence (and most people believe freshman Braxton Miller is the most likely someone) , that it might be tough to sit that player back down when the suspension is over.

This should dampen that speculation:

Siciliano compared the situation to that faced by the Pittsburgh Steelers this season, when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was suspended for the first four games.

"We have a recent example of a quarterback missing some time, and then taking his team to the Super Bowl when he got his job back," Siciliano said. "I would foresee (Pryor) getting his job back. That's just my opinion right now."

View article...

A "Vest"rospective Look At Jim Tressel's Second OSU Decade: The Future (Last In A Series)

2011-01-31T21:55:00.005-05:00

As enjoyable as this trip down Memory Lane as been for me with this ten-part series, and hopefully for any Ohio State fan who has read the articles, it begs the inevitable question - how much longer will Jim Tressel be the head coach for Ohio State?

In March of 2010, Ohio State extended Coach Tressel's contract by two years, taking him through the 2014 season. Coach Tressel's current team, as well as his incoming class of recruits in 2011 and 2012, will keep Ohio State competitive in both The Big Ten and the national rankings through the remainder of his current contract.

As much as Coach Tressel admires Coach Joe Paterno of Penn State, Tressel has stated that he has no ambition to coach well into his eighties. The current contract would expire when Coach Tressel would be 62 years young, allowing him time to pursue other areas of interest beyond the coaching arena.

Could politics be in his future? Some people, such as former Ohio State linebacker Chris Spielman, have speculated it could be possible. After all, the man whom many have nicknamed "The Senator" would be tremendously popular and easily electable within the state of Ohio.

Any individual who has read Coach Tressel's fine book The Winners Manual will quickly learn that football is not the end-all, be-all of Coach Tressel's life. Community service is a core aspect of his life, and his players' lives.

While I will not entirely rule out a political future in Coach Tressel's future, I am going to take a less risky route, one that Coach Tressel has taken in his past.

I believe Coach Tressel's second decade at Ohio State, perhaps at the end of his next contract in 2014, or one shortly after that, will conclude with his ascension into the position of athletic director at Ohio State. Before coming to Ohio State in 2001, Coach Tressel was both the athletic director and head football coach at Youngstown State.

At his core, Coach Tressel considers himself a teacher, first and foremost. I believe he cherishes the opportunity to be involved within the campus community at Ohio State, teaching a heavily-demanded football class. And I believe he has fostered a teaching atmosphere within his staff that he hopes to continue upon the conclusion of his coaching days, like Barry Alvarez did at Wisconsin or the late Bo Schembechler did at Michigan.

Ideally, one of Coach Tressel's prize disciples who have moved onto head coaching positions, such as Darrell Hazell of Kent State or Tim Beckman of Toledo, will win enough to move into possible consideration. And if Coach Tressel is the athletic director, he can simply hire that individual, knowing that the foundations of the program he cultivated will remain intact.

Perhaps I am mistaken, and all I have speculated about will be cause for ridicule in the future. Regardless, Coach Tressel has taken a strong program from 2001 and has made it stronger, and I am tremendously appreciative of the past decade, and look forward to the 2011 season and beyond with Coach Tressel at the helm.

I am going to conclude this series with some of Coach Tressel's words, excerpted from the book What It Means To Be A Buckeye...

"It means we are extraordinarily blessed and we have an awesome responsibility to uphold the higher standards that have been set before us. It means we have a tradition that is second to none. It means we love Ohio State."

Part Nine: The Team

Part Eight: Michigan

Part Seven: The Comparisons

Part Six: The Bowl Wins

Part Five: The Nailbiters

Part Four: The Defeats

Part Three: The Seasons

Part Two: The Recruits

Part One: The Speech

A "Vest"rospective Look Back At Jim Tressel's First OSU Decade: The Team (Ninth In A Series)

2011-01-30T18:23:00.002-05:00

Trying to assemble a team of players for Jim Tressel's first decade was not an easy task. Intentionally, I set up some restrictions to make this team as "Tresselized" as possible.

First, I only considered players who began their Ohio State playing careers in 2001. This eliminated many players from the 2002 national championship team that Tressel inherited from previous head coach John Cooper. Players such as QB Craig Krenzel, DE Will Smith, LB Matt Wilhelm, S Michael Doss - all key contributors to the national championship run, were not recruited by Jim Tressel and had not played for only Jim Tressel. So that eliminated several great Buckeyes right there.

Secondly, I tried to restrict my selections to those players who were named All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. You will see how this played out below.

Lastly, and this was just a personal effort, I tried to only include players from 2001-2010. Players with eligibility remaining were considered, but I truly tried to find those players who played during the 2001-2010 seasons. You will see below a selection where I broke my own self-imposed rule.

Offense

WR Santonio Holmes ~ First team All-Big Ten in 2005

LT Alex Boone ~ First team All Big Ten in 2008

LG Justin Boren was first team All Big Ten media selection in 2009 and 2010. Rob Sims was also considered, as he was an All Big Ten coaches' selection in 2005.

C Nick Mangold ~ Surprisingly, Nick Mangold was only a second-team All Big Ten selection in 2005. Even with Doug Datish being the first-team All-Big Ten center in 2006, I am going to give the nod to Mangold.

RG T.J. Downing ~ First team All Big Ten in 2006

RT Kirk Barton ~ First team All Big Ten in 2007

TE Jake Ballard ~ This was truly a tough selection, as Ohio State does not throw enough to the TE to garner any serious All-Big Ten consideration. I made my selection based upon Ballard's clutch receptions throughout his career.

QB Troy Smith ~ First team All Big Ten in 2006, and Big Ten 2006 offensive player of the year. 2006 Heisman Trophy winner, and more importantly to Ohio State, 3-0 as the starting quarterback against Michigan (2004-2006).

FB Zach Boren ~ Here is an example of needing to break my own rules. Boren has two years of eligibility remaining for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, but he is arguably the best fullback Jim Tressel has had during his Ohio State tenure.

RB Maurice Clarett ~ First team All Big Ten in 2002. Yes, I know how much of a headache Clarett was, and I know Chris Wells was also All Big Ten in 2007. I give Clarett the nod here simply because Ohio State would not have won the national championship without him in 2002 - click on the link for the highlights from 2002, and you will see for yourself all the big plays Clarett made for the team.

WR Dane Sanzenbacher ~ First team All Big Ten in 2010. I know that either Anthony Gonzalez or Ted Ginn, Jr. could be here as well, but Sanzenbacher was a selection by both the coaches and media. Gonzalez was a coaches' selection in 2006, while Ginn was a media selection in 2006. Sanzenbacher truly was the type of receiver for Ohio State who would make clutch plays when the Buckeyes needed them. Ohio State will truly miss Sanzenbacher in 2011.

Defense

CB Chris Gamble ~ Gamble was recruited as a wide receiver in 2001, but his play at cornerback in 2002 was crucial to the national championship team. Gamble was All Big Ten in 2002 and 2003. Ashton Youboty was also considered for his All Big Ten play in 2005.

DE Mike Kudla ~ First team All Big Ten in 2005

DT Cameron Heyward ~ First team All Big Ten in 2010. Heyward's performance in the 2011 Sugar Bowl should have resulted in the MVP award for that game.

DT Quinn Pitcock ~ First team All Big Ten in 2006

DE Vernon Gholston ~ First team All Big Ten in 2007, and Big Ten defensive lineman of the year in 2007.

LB A.J. Hawk ~ First team All Big Ten in 2003, 2004, 2005, and Hawk was Big Ten defensive player of the year in 2005.

LB James Laurinaitis ~ First team All Big Ten in 2006, 2007, and 2008. Laurinaitis was also the Big Ten defensive player of the year in 2007 and 2008.

LB Brian Rolle ~ First team All Big Ten in 2010. Ross Homan was also considered, but Rolle gets the nod as he was selected by both the coaches and media, while Homan was a media first team selection in 2010.

CB Malcolm Jenkins ~ First team All Big Ten in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

SS Donte Whitner ~ First team All Big Ten in 2005

FS Kurt Coleman ~ First team All Big Ten in 2009

Specialists

KR/PR Ted Ginn, Jr ~ There is not an official kick returner or punt returner position category as awarded by The Big Ten, but who else besides Ted Ginn, Jr. could truly be considered for this job?

PK Mike Nugent ~ "The Nuge" was first team All Big Ten in 2004.

P A. J. Trapasso ~ Another difficult selection. Andy Groom was the punter on the 2002 national championship team, but Groom also played for John Cooper. Same for B.J. Sander in 2003. Trapasso was an honorable mention selection in 2007.

Part Eight: Michigan

Part Seven: The Comparisons

Part Six: The Bowl Wins

Part Five: The Nailbiters

Part Four: The Defeats

Part Three: The Seasons

Part Two: The Recruits

Part One: The Speech

A "Vest"rospective Look Back At Jim Tressel's First OSU Decade: Michigan (Eighth In A Series)

2011-01-29T07:42:00.027-05:00

From the day he was hired on January 18, 2001, Coach Jim Tressel has made "THE GAME" a priority, and the results have been impressive. Nine wins in ten years, and seven straight wins in the series. A truly remarkable turnaround from the days when Ohio State fans lamented Coach John Cooper's 2-10-1 record against "That Team Up North".

Below are my rankings, with various links, on Coach Tressel's victories in "THE GAME". As always, I am open to discussion and debate on how I came to the rankings. Enjoy.

**

9. 2010 (Ohio State 37, Michigan 7). I was in attendance for this one (thanks again for the ticket, Sean), and it truly never felt like it was in doubt. Ohio State led 10-7, when Jordan Hall returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and Ohio State never looked back. Coach Rich Rodriguez left the rivalry having never tasted victory, going 0-3 against Ohio State.

8. 2009 (Ohio State 21, Michigan 10). The closest of the games that took place during Rich Rodriguez's tenure as Michigan's head coach, Ohio State was able to capitalize on multiple turnovers by Michigan QB Tate Forcier for this win. Ohio State was able to knock Michigan from bowl eligibility with this win, clinch the outright Big Ten championship, and Ohio State fans were able to openly mock Coach Rodriguez with signs and the O-H-I-O cheer in Michigan Stadium.

You may be wondering why I rated these two games as my lowest of the Michigan wins in Coach Tressel's first ten years - it might have to do with the altered uniforms that were selected in both 2009 and 2010.

**

7. 2008 (Ohio State 42, Michigan 7). Ohio State throttled Michigan in Coach Rodriguez's first trip to Columbus. The game could be encapsulated by this one play. In July of 2008, someone foolishly predicted Michigan would go 4-8 in Coach Rodriguez's first season - actually, Michigan wound up 3-9 in 2008.

6. 2007 (Ohio State 14, Michigan 3). Michigan RB Mike Hart made the statement prior to the 2007 season that he came back for his senior season to win the national championship, and to "beat the Buckeyes" - neither came to pass, and Hart left Michigan winless against Ohio State in his career. Pregame speculation was rampant that this would be Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr's last season, and it turned out to be true, with Carr resigning a few days after this game. Ohio State, behind the running of RB Chris Wells and a dominant defensive effort, won their fourth straight game in the series to clinch The Big Ten and a Rose Bowl berth. Ohio State vaulted to the 2008 BCS Championship Game a few weeks after this game, with Pittsburgh's upset of West Virginia.

5. 2004 (Ohio State 37, Michigan 21). The game that started the current win streak, and my lovely wife and I were in attendance for this one (thanks again for the tickets, John). Ohio State was only 6-4 coming into this game, with Michigan 9-1, and Ohio State dominated the second half. Michigan wound up with a touchdown near the end, but this game was pretty much done for most of the fourth quarter. This game also served as the emphatic announcement of Ohio State QB Troy Smith as a dynamic playmaker for Ohio State, beating Michigan with both his arm and his legs.

4. 2005 (Ohio State 25, Michigan 21). This game in Ann Arbor definitely would have qualified for the nailbiter category, if I had not decided to have excluded it for this part of the series. Michigan led late in the fourth quarter 21-12, before Ohio State was able to mount a furious comeback, led by Troy Smith. Ohio State WR Anthony Gonzalez will forever be remembered for "The Catch" that led to Ohio State's victory that allowed Ohio State to share the conference title with Penn State in 2005.

3. 2001 (Ohio State 26, Michigan 20). Coach Tressel called his shot 310 days earlier, on the day he was hired and introduced. For the first time since 1987, Ohio State went into Ann Arbor, and left with a victory. Michigan native Craig Krenzel made his first career start for Ohio State truly memorable. This game not only knocked Michigan out of The Rose Bowl - it served notice to Michigan that Ohio State would be a force to be reckoned with, and is cherished by Ohio State fans everywhere to this day.

2. 2006 (Ohio State 42, Michigan 39). #1 versus #2, both undefeated, with the winner advancing to The BCS Championship Game. The death of former Michigan head coach (and former Ohio State assistant coach under Coach Woody Hayes) Bo Schembechler the day before "THE GAME". Troy Smith in his last home game in Ohio Stadium, destined to win the 2006 Heisman Trophy. Michigan battled until the final seconds, when Ohio State was able to secure an onside kick attempt and run out the clock with RB Antonio Pittman.

1. 2002 (Ohio State 14, Michigan 9). Even though the 2006 game matched both teams when they were undefeated, this game gets my nod as being the best of the victories as Ohio State won this game to advance to the 2003 Fiesta Bowl for the national championship against Miami (FL). I was in attendance for this one (thanks again for the tickets, Painter), and I can vividly recall watching Michigan QB John Navarre drop back to pass on the final play of the game that was intercepted at the goal line by Ohio State DB Will Allen.

All in all, a very impressive list. It almost makes me want to say something to the effect of "Hail To The Victors...Champions By The Vest".

Part Seven: The Comparisons

Part Six: The Bowl Wins

Part Five: The Nailbiters

Part Four: The Defeats

Part Three: The Seasons

Part Two: The Recruits

Part One: The Speech

[Columbus Dispatch] Blogging the Buckeyes: Stan Drayton named to OSU staff

2011-01-27T17:29:00.002-05:00

By TIM MAY
What had been rumored for a while became fact this morning when Stan Drayton -- running backs coach at Florida and considered a stout recruiter -- was announced as the newest addition to Jim Tressel's Ohio State coaching staff.

He fills the vacancy created by long-time receivers coach Darrell Hazell being named head coach at Kent State last month. Drayton, a Cleveland native and graduate of John Marshall High School there, will make the move to tutoring receivers, starting Feb.1.

"Stan Drayton first and foremost is a fine person and family man," Tressel said in a statement released by the athletic department. "He is a Buckeye born and bred, and will add a tremendous dimension to our football family. We are fortunate to gain one of the finest coaches in America to serve our kids, school and community."

Drayton was also the recruiting coordinator at Florida last season, and was retained by new head coach Wil Muschamp, who was hired to replace the retiring Urban Meyer in December.

Drayton's resume includes being the running backs coach at three Southeastern Conference schools, including Mississippi State in 2004 and Tennessee in 2008, book-ending a previous three-year stay Florida, where he helped the Gators beats Ohio State in the 2006 national championship game. He spent the 2009 season at Syracuse before returning to Florida last year.

Well-traveled, his coaching stops have included Bowling Green in 2000, Villanova from 1996-1999, Penn in 1995, Eastern Michigan in 1994) and Allegheny, his alma mater, in 1993.

In between there was also a three-year run with the NFL's Green Bay Packers from 2001-03 when he was the offensive quality control coach and assisted with specal teams.
Drayton has been called one of the top 25 recruiters in the country by rivals.com.

He was a three-time NCAA Division III All-American at Allegheny, and part of the 1990 national championship team, while becoming the school's all-time leading rusher and scorer, and he still holds the Division III record for touchdowns scored per game (3.2 average). A 1993 graduate, he was inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame in 2005.

View article...

A "Vest"rospective Look Back At Jim Tressel's First OSU Decade: The Comparisons (Seventh In A Series)

2011-01-25T20:25:00.006-05:00

After ten seasons at Ohio State, Jim Tressel's record stands at 106-22, an impressive accomplishment. I have taken the opportunity in previous posts to discuss Coach Tressel's winning seasons, close wins, and bowl victories.

One interesting aspect I wanted to examine was how Coach Tressel's record after ten years compared to other Ohio State coaches. Including Coach Tressel, there have been 22 men who have coached Ohio State, but only four - John Wilce, Woody Hayes, John Cooper, and Tressel - have lasted at least ten seasons as the head football coach at Ohio State. The derisive nickname "Graveyard Of Coaches" that Ohio State was tagged with many years ago may have been well-deserved.

John Wilce ~ (1913-1928; 16 seasons) Of all the men on this list, Wilce will both suffer by comparison, as well as stand out by comparison. Let me provide the stand out comparison first - Wilce concluded his coaching career at Ohio State to become a physician, as well as teach medicine at Ohio State. There truly are not too many football coaches that you could compare Wilce to in this regard.

The suffering comparison is the fact that Wilce was the coach of an Ohio State team and program that was in its beginning stages, as college football was beginning to become a national phenomenon. When compared to today, there were few bowl games, no national rankings, or postseason awards such as the Heisman Trophy to even compare Wilce to Hayes, Cooper, or Tressel. Some of the notable opponents Ohio State played back in those days were Ohio Wesleyan, Oberlin, Denison, and Case Western Reserve.

Notably, John Wilce was the head coach when Ohio State decided to join the then-named Western Conference, before it was named The Big Ten. Wilce was also the head coach of "Chic" Harley, who was considered Ohio State's greatest player in the early years of the program; Harley's jersey is now retired in Ohio Stadium. Speaking of Ohio Stadium, Wilce was the head coach of the newly-created Ohio Stadium in 1922.

John Wilce's ten year record between 1913-1922 stood at 53-16-3, for a winning percentage of 74%. Wilce's teams were Big Ten champions in 1916-17 and 1920, had three victories over Michigan in 1919-21, and appeared in the Rose Bowl after the 1920 season (28-0 loss to California).

Woody Hayes ~ The coach who defined Ohio State football for over a quarter of a century. Every coach who has followed Hayes is compared to Hayes, fairly or unfairly.

One thing to point out as it relates to Coach Hayes is that Hayes was not the first choice of the Ohio State selection committee back in 1951 - Missouri's Don Faurot was tabbed for the job, but backed out at the last moment. Hayes was then hired from Miami University, and held the job for the next 28 seasons.

Coach Hayes' first ten seasons from 1951-1960 resulted in a record of 64-23-5, for a winning percentage of 70%. Coach Hayes' teams defeated Michigan six times, won three Big Ten titles (1954-55, 1957), appeared in the Rose Bowl twice, and were national champions in 1954. Ohio State was voted national champions by UPI in 1957, finishing second to Auburn in the AP poll.

John Cooper ~ The coach who was never truly embraced by the Ohio State faithful. Hired from Arizona State, Coach Cooper led Ohio State from 1988 through the 2000 season.

As I wrote up above, Coach Cooper suffered for two sins in the eyes of Ohio State fans - an inability to defeat Michigan, and losing bowl games. In Coach Cooper's first ten years from 1988-1997, Coach Cooper had a record of 86-32-4, for a winning percentage of 70%. Coach Cooper's teams tied Michigan in 1992, defeated them in 1994, were victorious in the 1993 Holiday Bowl over BYU, and were Big Ten co-champions in 1993 and 1996. The most notable victory took place in the 1997 Rose Bowl, with a dramatic victory over Arizona State.

Summary ~

By comparison, Coach Tressel has a superior winning percentage (83%), more victories over Michigan (9), more bowl victories (6), and more Big Ten championships (7). The only area where his predecessor Coach Hayes has the upper hand is in national championships, and Coach Tressel's teams have played for it three times in his first ten seasons, winning it in 2002.

Ohio State fans may truly be experiencing the golden age of Ohio State football with Coach Tressel.

Part Six: The Bowl Wins

Part Five: The Nailbiters

Part Four: The Defeats

Part Three: The Seasons

Part Two: The Recruits

Part One: The Speech

A "Vest"rospective Look Back At Jim Tressel's First OSU Decade: The Bowl Wins (Sixth In A Series)

2011-01-24T19:21:00.005-05:00

In the third part of the series, I wrote about Coach Tressel's ten seasons as head football coach at Ohio State. Over the span of his first ten years at Ohio State, Coach Tressel has compiled a winning bowl record at Ohio State (6-4), and I wanted to take a moment to rank the bowl game victories as I see them.

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6. Oklahoma State, 2004 Alamo Bowl ~ Ohio State won this game easily, 33-7. Justin Zwick earned the start for the suspended Troy Smith, and even Ted Ginn, Jr. got into the act at quarterback. This game definitely qualified as a consolation game for Ohio State, helping the Buckeyes to close out with an 8-4 record. Ohio State finished the year ranked 19th in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, 20th in the AP poll.

5. Kansas State, 2004 Fiesta Bowl ~ Another thoroughly dominant performance by Ohio State, despite what the final score showed (35-28). Ohio State led this game 35-14 before taking their foot off the gas, allowing Kansas State to get back into it. Ohio State finished 11-2, ranked 4th in both polls.

4. Notre Dame, 2006 Fiesta Bowl ~ This was the bowl game performance that led college football fans to rank Ohio State the preseason favorite for 2006. Ohio State rolled up 617 yards of total offense on Notre Dame. Considering this was also a battle between future brothers-in law (A.J. Hawk of Ohio State, Brady Quinn of Notre Dame), this also brought out some interesting signs from the Ohio State fans in attendance. Ohio State finished 10-2, ranked 4th in both polls.

3. Oregon, 2010 Rose Bowl ~ Ohio State had lost three straight bowl games, and was considered to be too slow to stop Oregon's high-scoring, fast-paced offense. Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor, with a partially torn PCL, kept Oregon off balance with effective passing and timely running. Surprisingly, someone actually predicted "Tressel Ball" to be the solid strategy and difference in this game that halted Ohio State's streak of bowl losses. Ohio State finished the season ranked 5th in both polls.

2. Arkansas, 2011 Sugar Bowl ~ All Ohio State fans, players, and coaches kept hearing and reading about was how Ohio State was 0-9 against the SEC in bowl games. The "Tattoo 5" controversy overshadowed the talk of the streak in the days leading up to the game. Surprisingly, someone again actually predicted an Ohio State victory against a supposedly faster opponent. Despite a rather conservative game plan in the second half (Terrelle Pryor threw the ball only six times in the second half), as well as an injury-depleted secondary, Ohio State held on for a nailbiter to edge Arkansas, 31-26. Ohio State finished the season ranked 5th in both polls at season's end.

1. Miami (FL), 2003 Fiesta Bowl ~ Ranked as one of the greatest games in football history, the Ohio State victory over Miami for its first national championship since 1968 was the first national championship game to go into overtime. For a team that lived on the edge all season, going into double overtime, and winning the game on a 4th down, goal line stand seemed a fitting way to win.

The talent level alone was extraordinary - of the 43 starters, 37 players went on to play in the NFL (86%).

One thing to consider - what did Clinton Portis do after he could not throw his celebration party for the Hurricanes?

A "Vest"rospective Look Back At Jim Tressel's First OSU Decade: The Nailbiters (Fifth In A Series)

2011-01-20T19:26:00.009-05:00

Tressel Ball. It is a phrase that Ohio State fans have come to like, love, or loathe during Coach Jim Tressel's first decade at Ohio State.

There is an old cliche about a team taking on the attitude of its coach. Like, love, or loathe Tressel Ball, but Coach Jim Tressel is unflappable and stoic on the sidelines, never showing any signs of distress or concern, and that calm approach has been a mainstay of Ohio State football since 2001.

A few years ago, I met two former Youngstown State players, and we began to talk about a typical game at Youngstown State when Coach Tressel was there. Both men said Youngstown State were usually in close games, decided on superior special teams play, solid defense, and a dependable ground game. Neither man was surprised that Coach Tressel used the same formula at Ohio State, as it was tremendously effective for him at Youngstown State.

I believe Rusty Miller of the Associated Press may have articulated Coach Tressel's nature best - "Pouring a bucket of ice water on this guy brings his temperature up."

This article is going to focus on ten close games that took place between 2001-2010. Just to put a little more pressure on myself, I purposely did not include any games from the 2002 national championship season, as almost any Ohio State fan will recall that just about every game that season seemed to come down to the wire (@ Cincinnati, @ Wisconsin, Penn State, @ Purdue, @ Illinois).

Just to make it even more challenging, I deliberately omitted any of the games between Ohio State and Michigan that were close calls. Not to worry - a future article in this series will discuss Coach Tressel's success against That Team Up North.

My criteria? Margin of victory, time remaining, and if the game was down to the last play or overtime. Enjoy.

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Honorable Mention: @ Michigan State, 2004 ~ This one wound up 32-19 for the Buckeyes, but victory appeared from far certain. Ohio State trailed 19-17, until Troy Smith hooked up with Ted Ginn, Jr. for a 58 yard touchdown with only 1:37 left in the game. I will never forget Ginn's acceleration after the catch in this game.

10. Bowling Green, 2003 ~ Ohio State seemed to have this one well in hand, until Bowling Green clawed their way back into it late in the fourth quarter. Will Allen's late interception of Bowling Green quarterback Josh Harris helped Ohio State avoid the upset.

9. San Diego State, 2003 ~ Ohio State was favored by 32 points, yet barely survived the Aztecs, winning 16-13. Will Allen had a 100 yard interception return that gave Ohio State the lead late in the first half. San Diego State were driving late in the game, yet failed to convert on downs, and Ohio State ran out the clock.

8. Navy, 2009 ~ The 2009 season opener came down to the wire. All summer long, I told friends that Navy's option attack would not be easy to stop, and it came down to a Brian Rolle interception off a two point conversion attempt with only a little over two minutes remaining that prevented the game from possibly going into overtime.

7. @ Iowa, 2010 ~ 4th and 10 to go, 4 minutes left, Ohio State trailing 17-13. Ohio State loses, and their chances at a sixth share of the Big Ten and a BCS bowl game are done. Terrelle Pryor scrambles for 14 yards, hits Dane Sanzenbacher for a clutch reception, and "Boom" Herron scores the winning touchdown with only 1:47 left. Iowa's Ricky Stanzi's 4th down pass to WR Marvin McNutt wound up two yards shy of the first down marker, and Ohio State ran out the clock.

6. @ Wisconsin, 2008 ~ Ohio State trailed Wisconsin 17-13. Behind true freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State drove down the field into scoring position. Pryor ran the option, Wisconsin committed to playing Chris Wells off the pitch, and Pryor sprinted into the end zone with only about a minute remaining. Ohio State's Malcolm Jenkins intercepted on Wisconsin's next possession to seal the victory.

5. @ Penn State, 2003 ~ Playing for the injured Craig Krenzel, backup quarterback Scott McMullen found Michael Jenkins in the end zone with only 1:35 on the clock. Penn State attempted a 60 yard field goal that did not make it, and Ohio State escaped with a 21-20 victory.

4. Marshall, 2004 ~ "The Nuge" nailed a 55 yard field goal on the last play of the game for Ohio State to defeat Marshall 24-21.

3. Purdue, 2003 (OT) ~ I was in attendance for this game. Ohio State held on against Purdue 16-13 in its last home game of the season, despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. Mike Nugent kicked a field goal in overtime to give Ohio State the win, and Purdue's Ben Jones missed a field goal that would have sent the game into a second overtime period.

2. Iowa, 2009 (OT) ~ Ohio State held a 24-10 lead over Iowa as the 4th quarter began, but the Hawkeyes battled back to tie it and force overtime. Ohio State's defense forced Iowa to turn the ball over on downs in the overtime period, and PK Devin Barclay kicked a 39 yard field goal to clinch a fifth straight Big Ten championship and send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl.

1. North Carolina State, 2003 (3OT) ~ I was in attendance for this one, with several members of my family, including my lovely wife. At one point, it looked like Ohio State had this one in the bag, when Philip Rivers rallied North Carolina State to send this game into overtime.

Both teams scored in their opening possessions, forcing a third overtime period. Craig Krenzel hit Michael Jenkins to make it 44-38, in favor of Ohio State. Philip Rivers had North Carolina State near the goal line, ready to tie or win, when T.A. McLendon was stopped short of the goal line by a foot by Will Allen and A.J. Hawk. What a tremendous game to witness in person.

Part Four: The Defeats

Part Three: The Seasons

Part Two: The Recruits

Part One: The Speech

A "Vest"rospective Look Back At Jim Tressel's First OSU Decade: The Defeats (Fourth In A Series)

2011-01-19T20:23:00.005-05:00

President John F. Kennedy once stated that "Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.". Fortunately for Ohio State fans during the Jim Tressel era, Ohio State fans have only felt orphaned 22 times over a ten year span.

Any defeat, to a true sports fan, can be heart-wrenching. Remembering, and reliving the painful memories of defeats, is something most sports fans do not readily want to do - I am certainly no exception.

Below are my rankings for the worst defeats during the span of 2001-2010. I have a special section discussing the bowl losses that Ohio State suffered during this time period.

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10. @ Purdue, 2009 ~ Coming off of an impressive, yet perplexing win over Wisconsin, Ohio State went into West Lafayette ranked 7th in the country, thinking they would get another win over the unranked Boilermakers. Wrong - Purdue outplayed Ohio State all game long, and Ohio State was left to battle the remainder of the season to win the conference championship (which they did weeks later).

9. @ Penn State, 2005 ~ Ohio State came into State College for a night game, off a bye week, hoping to stay in the national championship race. Ohio State was trying to get into scoring position, when Troy Smith was sacked by Penn State DE Tamba Hali. Smith fumbled, Penn State recovered, and ran out the clock to preserve the win. This game hurt, especially in the aftermath of the loss a few weeks earlier to...

8. Texas, 2005 ~ This was a heavily hyped battle between two highly ranked teams, and it did not disappoint. Ohio State fell behind early 10-0, then Troy Smith was inserted into the lineup to rally the Buckeyes to tie it up at 10-10. The story of this game was Ohio State having to continually settle for field goals, versus touchdowns. I still see Justin Zwick's touchdown pass to Ryan Hamby falling incomplete. Texas QB Vince Young later stated that winning in Ohio Stadium helped to give Texas the confidence to win the 2005 national championship.

7. Penn State, 2008 ~ Ohio State and Penn State were in an epic defensive battle, but Ohio State was beginning to move the ball late in the fourth quarter on the Nittany Lions. RB Chris Wells was starting to wear down the Penn State defense, when Ohio State was faced with a short yardage play that would allow Ohio State to retain possession. QB Terrelle Pryor fumbled the ball on the quarterback sneak, Penn State recovered, and Ohio State lost at home 13-6 to Penn State for the first time since Penn State joined The Big Ten.

6. USC, 2009 ~ Playing at home, under the lights, against a true freshman quarterback, Ohio State outplayed USC for most of this game. Ohio State led USC 15-10, when Matt Barkley led USC on a drive to take the lead at 18-15 with only a minute remaining.

5. Illinois, 2007 ~ It was not the fact that Ohio State was ranked number one, and they lost to an unranked Illinois team. It was not the fact that Ohio State lost at home in their last home game of the 2007 season. It was the fact that Illinois was able to essentially run the ball for the last eight minutes of the game, and Ohio State could not stop them or get the ball back.

4. @ Michigan, 2003 ~ Ohio State had suffered a painful loss earlier in the season at Wisconsin, but were still in the national championship race. If Ohio State won this game, they would have played in the 2004 Sugar Bowl for the national championship. Unfortunately, Chris Perry and Braylon Edwards were able to rally Michigan for a 35-21 win over Ohio State.

3. @ Wisconsin, 2010 ~ Relatively fresh in most Ohio State fans' minds, Wisconsin handed Ohio State its only loss of the 2010 season. Ohio State was down 21-3 to Wisconsin, rallying to get close to Wisconsin at 21-18, before Wisconsin effectively ended the game with a late touchdown and field goal to end it at 31-18.

2. @ Iowa, 2004 ~ As you have read through this list, most of these losses have been close games. This one, and the next on the list, were not. Ohio State was coming off two straight losses (at Northwestern, at home to Wisconsin) when they were completely dominated at Iowa. The only bright spot from this loss was the emergence of QB Troy Smith, who came into the game late due to an injury sustained by QB Justin Zwick.

1. @ USC, 2008 ~ In my estimation, this may be the worst regular season loss in Coach Tressel's first ten seasons at Ohio State. Billed as a game between two national championship contenders, USC destroyed Ohio State 35-3. After this game, Ohio State benched starting QB Todd Boeckman and promoted true freshman QB Terrelle Pryor to the starting lineup, essentially getting a jumpstart on the 2009 season and beyond with Pryor at the helm.

(Dishonorable Mention) @ Wisconsin 2003, @ Penn State 2001, @ Northwestern 2004

Bowl Game Defeats: Ohio State suffered two close losses in bowl games, and were crushed in two others.

4. South Carolina, 2002 Outback Bowl ~ South Carolina led Ohio State 28-0, when Ohio State rallied a furious comeback to tie the game. South Carolina intercepted QB Steve Bellisari late, positioning themselves to kick the winning field goal as time expired.

3. Texas, 2009 Fiesta Bowl ~ Ohio State battled Texas to the bitter end in this one, as Texas QB Colt McCoy threw the winning touchdown with only sixteen seconds to defeat Ohio State 24-21.

I have said it before, and I will say it again - I would rather have a chance at playing for the national championship and losing it, then not having it at all.

2. LSU, 2008 BCS Championship Game ~ Ohio State fans had a glimmer of hope as Ohio State took the early lead on LSU, before losing in the Louisiana Superdome 38-24. Chris Wells was punishing LSU defenders, when Ohio State turned away from using their running game. Ohio State fans know that it was only because West Virginia and Missouri lost their games that Ohio State was even in the title game. It hurt losing the national championship game, but not nearly as bad as losing...

1. Florida, 2007 BCS Championship Game ~ Ohio State actually led this game 7-0. Ohio State actually rallied to come close to Florida to make it 21-14, behind the running of RB Antonio Pittman, and then Ohio State inexplicably abandoned their running game. No matter - Ohio State's offense was held to only 82 yards, Florida clearly outplayed Ohio State on both sides of the ball, and Florida shellacked Ohio State to win the national championship.

Part Three: The Seasons

Part Two: The Recruits

Part One: The Speech

Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com: Buckeyes' return a testament to Tressel

2011-01-19T10:41:00.002-05:00

Thought this would be enjoyed by readers of the blog. I highlighted and italicized certain areas I deemed relevant…

The official list of underclassmen entering the 2011 NFL draft will be released at some point today, but no Ohio State players will appear on it.

Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel confirmed to The Columbus Dispatch on Tuesday that all of the team's underclassmen will be back in 2011. The group includes five players -- quarterback Terrelle Pryor, running back Dan Herron, receiver DeVier Posey, left tackle Mike Adams and defensive linemen Solomon Thomas -- who are suspended for the first five games this coming season, pending appeal.

"Our kids want to finish their degree and their commitment at Ohio State," Tressel told The Dispatch. "That is very important to each and every one of them, and to our staff and entire athletics family."

There are times when those of us in the media need to admit we're wrong, and this is one of those times. After the suspension bombshell last month, I had a hard time believing the players would return simply because of a verbal or written promise to Tressel. There are no binding agreements in cases like these. Players can ultimately do what they want.

There was a lot of justified criticism about the players being allowed -- by both the NCAA and Ohio State -- to participate in the Sugar Bowl, and the agreements between the players and Tressel sparked a good deal of skepticism.

Here's what I wrote last month:

Four of the five players receiving the stiffest penalties -- Pryor, Herron, Posey and Adams -- are candidates to go pro after the bowl game. I had heard Herron was the likeliest to do so, but he'll probably have some company. I just can't see all of these players coming back to miss what likely will be at least one third of their senior seasons.

And before the bowl game:

As for the players, I don't buy the statement that all will be back in 2011. Things change after bowl games and after NFL draft evaluations come in. While I see where Tressel is going with his decision, I don't think you can base it on what the players are saying now.

Turns out, Ohio State won the Sugar Bowl and all five players kept their word. Buckeyes fans flooding my inbox are demanding that national media members apologize and praise the suspended players for their display of integrity.

I can't control what my media colleagues do, but I'll fully admit I underestimated Tressel and his influence on his players. If these guys didn't care about disappointing their coach, at least one if not more would be entering the draft. Pryor and the others didn't want to let down The Vest, and that's very significant.

I don't know how many other coaches could do what Tressel did in this situation, especially when some of the players have opportunities to get paid at the next level.

I'll hold off on labeling these players as pillars of integrity, but their decision to keep their word is another step in the right direction. They can apologize to Buckeyes fans and vow to make things right, but we all know actions speak louder.

It remains to be seen how Ohio State fans will view the legacies of the five suspended players, especially Pryor, in 10 or 20 years.

But Tressel's legacy in Columbus is clear and continues to grow.

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