DOT THE "i"

2009-09-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

Minnesota at Ohio State Preview

2008-09-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

The Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1) play host in their Big Ten opener, facing the Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-0) at Noon ET at the Horseshoe. Ohio State has dominated this series over the years and won this game two years ago 44-0 on a blustery day (I know because I was there) in Columbus.

Of course, all eyes will be on Beanie Wells as he returns to play since his injury in the season opener. Wells has been practicing at full speed, and word inside the program is he's fired up and ready to go. Interestingly, coach Jim Tressel confirmed as much in an interview yesterday, and then quipped that he also told Beanie he "needs to pass protect better."

A hint of the offense to come? We shall see.

My sense is that with Beanie Wells the Ohio State offense gets very, very difficult to plan for. You have Pryor's playmaking and elusive skills, his ability to rifle the ball around the field (just ask Robo), and then, you have Wells and Herron who can pound a stretched defense into submission.

Truthfully, the Buckeyes can run just about any style offense with Pryor and Wells out there together, healthy, and playing well. Last week we got hints of the Pryor era. On Saturday, we will get a full glimpse of Buckeye things to come.

The Gophers enter this contest with a spread-style offense that will force Ohio State's defense to once again play wide and with a multitude of defensive backs. Personally, I love this because it means sophomore Jermale Hines will be on the filed, and when he's out there, Ohio State is a better defense. It will also be interesting to watch the defensive line. Changes were made this week and let's keep an eye on what kind of pressure the new lighter lineup is able to generate. While I wish we could face a bit of power football this week in order to prepare for next week's game at Wisconsin, you play who you play, and you get them one at a time.

Minnesota will attack with an open and efficient passing game while also looking to keep you off balance with some of their young running backs. They certainly look improved from last season. But I am not buying the competition to date (Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, Montana State, Florida Atlantic) and it seems every year Minnesota is undefeated until this game. Ohio State's defense has played at USC at night, and from there everything in the Big Ten simply looks like JV ball. My bottom line: The Buckeye defense will create havoc for the Gophers all day long.

So yes, Buckeye Fans, I'm anticipating a great game form Ohio State this week. This team felt up in the air last week, and Terrelle Pryor pulled the back to earth. Now Beanie joins the cause and my sense there is a belief about the offense forming that will only grow in the coming weeks. The defense, too, seemed to find itself late in the Troy game.

Another big question, of course, is the offensive line, where we hear continued strange reports of Coach Tressel "coaching" in practice, yelling "play faster," and senior Alex Boone asking for various therapy sessions with his coaches. I don't know. These guys are not the best line, or even the line I though they would be, but I see no reason why they can't be successful most of the time at their assignments. Just get it done, guys.

Saturday is just another test for this line. And in my view they need to get most of the questions right, because next week is shaping up as the game that will mean everything in the Big Ten conferences this season.

Go Bucks.

Ohio State 34 Minnesota 10

A quick word on the USC loss: I haven't seen the game yet but it's waiting for me on my DVR. This morning, however, I have been enjoying the 180 degree turn of the football punditry. You know, USC as best team of all time to USC failing again, like they do every year. Honestly I just wish some of these guys would shut up and enjoy the football and the competition. These are young guys giving it their all. We don't need to know who has the inside track for the national championship after two weeks. That stuff takes care of itself. What does not take care of itself is beating every single opponent—talented or otherwise—on a particular program's 12-game schedule.

What I love about college football, and what I suspect many of you love about college football, is the high stakes of each and every game, the traditions and histories, the ability to watch really young talent blossom into star talent that one day will earn much-deserved NFL accolades. And, of course, I love that on any given Saturday someone can pull a shocker. Congrats to Oregon State. And I have little doubt USC will be back in the thick of things soon enough.

Quick Slant: My Cupeth Half Full

2008-09-22T14:24:00.001-07:00

I don’t know but it's Monday and I just feel different. Of course, last week I was a mess. I was licking my Buckeye wounds from a 35-3 trouncing; come a week ago Monday, I was still wrenching in pain.

This week, well, not so much. Was the 28-10 win over Troy enough to salve the USC disappointment? Not a chance. Heck, the game went pretty much as I expected: uneven play from Ohio State, a game closer than the final score.

But today something is just different. I can feel it.

For starters, today is the first day of a Big Ten week. And from now through the annual rivalry game with Michigan, Ohio State is playing for a championship again—the Big Ten Championship. The best part, in my view, is many no longer consider the Buckeyes the favorites. The punditry have moved on, written them off. It's all Wisconsin and Penn State now. Fair enough, those teams look pretty good and we'll see what Ohio State can do against them. And don't forget Illinois or whom I think is the real up and comer this year, Michigan State.

At any rate, it's time to start anew. Interestingly enough,, that's just what is happening with the Ohio State team. A baton has been passed from Boeckman to Pryor—one season ahead of schedule. We're seeing freshman Boom Herron while Beanie Wells is on the mend. We also now have freshman Michael Brewster at Center, and freshman Etienne Sabino moving up to backup MLB. And don't forget sophomore, Jermale Hines, who is looking like the next Mike Doss at Safety. The defensive line is getting a makeover, too. One of my favorite players to watch—sophomore Thadeus Gibson—is moving up to start at End and fellow sophomore Cam Heyward is going inside to Tackle. Our defensive line just got more athletic and nasty, folks.

The future is now, Buckeye fans. I'm excited. I don’t know how this season will turn out, but I still see a very talented team that can accomplish a lot this year. And all these young guys getting playing time, as well as taking several tough games this season on the road, will only make us more formidable in the years to come.

Buckeye Speak

2008-09-17T12:50:00.001-07:00

Since last Saturday's thrashing there has been a lot of chatter among Ohio State Buckeye fans. Those working the boards are still calling for Boeckman's head and questioning how a senior-laden offensive line can look so, so bad.

Now, it seems the players are starting to talk, too. Even some ex-players. And, of course, we had Jim Tressel's weekly press conference to shine some light into what went wrong and where we go from here.

Unfortunately, and perhaps in the spirit of the political season, most of it sounds all too pat—a row of maudlin-sounding violins whining in the background—and importantly, all too similar to what we heard after the last Ohio State Football debacle. You know, the one only a few games ago. This is a team that is 3-3 over their last six games. Someone needs to cut though the crap and get to the truth.

I thought I'd help in that regard.

Alex Boone, OSU offensive tackle:
"I don't think we missed Beanie at all. I thought Boom (tailback Dan Herron) played a great game. I thought he ran hard, ran physical. I thought Terrelle did a great job. Todd executed well. I thought it was just more of mental errors than missing anybody. I thought we could have easily won that game."

Translation:
I can't really remember a single thing about the game. My therapist suggests it's due to getting picked on by too many big and fast defensive lineman. And all the tears in the locker room didn't help either. She told me next time I could just quit before the game instead of halftime. You know, spare myself all this emotional pain.

Dextor Larrimore, OSU defensive tackle:
"We were getting pressure, we just couldn't get off blocks. They were good at what they did."

Translation:
We couldn't get off on an Ohio offensive line. What did you think we were going to do?

James Laurinaitis, OSU middle linebacker:
"There are still lofty goals."

Translation:
"If we beat Michigan you folks won't give a hoot about this SC game, right?"

Jim Tressel, OSU football coach:
"I don't think at the outset I thought, 'OK, now this might happen. Because what you practice and what you talk about is not having interceptions and not missing a read, a hot throw or whatever. I would say this: Terrelle has been very impressive. There's not many freshmen that I've had with very limited reps that have been able to conceptually pick up as much as he has, and he's a pretty special player. But did I think this would happen? No."

Translation:
Todd is letting his team and coaches down. I had no idea he screw up like this. And so we're going with a kid who gives us a chance and can makes some plays. I mean, if no one is going to block, we need a guy who knows how to run for his life!

Jim Tressel, OSU football coach:
"I don't think you can refute the fact that in what has been considered big games, two national championship games (losses to Florida and LSU the past two seasons) and a big September game in 2008, we have not been successful."

Translation:
We got hammered. What am I supposed to say? It won't happen again?

Craig Krenzel, former OSU quarterback (on 1460 radio):
"We do not have a true offensive coordinator. Only a handful of coaches in the history of the game have been successful at doing it (being head coach and calling plays).

Translation:
We do not have an offensive coordinator, period.

(Thanks for the gentle honesty, Craig. A buckeye leaf for you!)

Quick Slant: Bucks Grabbed Their Toys & Ran Home

2008-09-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

Early in the second quarter in Ohio State's 35-3 complete drubbing at USC, I received a text from a fellow Buckeye.

"I like what I'm seeing," he wrote.

My reply minutes later: "The second quarter is beginning to scare me. LSU all over again?" And shortly thereafter, I added, "We are about to get housed." (As in taken to the house…)

Of course, it was LSU all over again. And we did get housed.

Today, all of Buckeye Nation is deeply embarrassed: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. So, I guess, fool me three times, go ahead and tattoo SHAME on my forehead, please.

I've been reading a lot of the posts on Buckeye boards to gauge the sentiment of the faithful and here are the main themes

-Some coaches have to go. Accountability must be established.
-Todd Boeckman is not good enough.
-Our line play has become atrocious; especially the offensive line.
-The play calling is lame and there are zero in-game adjustments.
-Beanie or no Beanie, Ohio State lost to a much better team.

Generally, I agree with the above.

But what's worse, what I'm most concerned about, and what I could confirm by watching the game again this morning: Ohio State quit in the second half. Our players quit, our coaches quit, and anyone watching quit thinking that Ohio State was anything but a farce.

Alex Boone, a guy who's gaining a reputation for opening his mouth more than shutting others with good play, stated the following about the Ohio State locker room at halftime:

"We walked in at half time and nobody was saying anything. You should be screaming and swearing and saying everything that's evil you can think of and guys are hanging their heads. You don't know what to say to them. You start screaming and they put their heads down even more."

A shocking thing to read about a senior-laden team, one that has faced adversity before. My only take is that they no longer believe in themselves or their ability to even compete on this kind of stage.

What do you do about? You bench guys and play someone else and when the time is right you fire the coaches that allowed this type of self-doubt to go unchecked.

That's it for now. I intend to dig much deeper in the latest installment of Buckeye Big Game Debacle later in the week. Perhaps I can make a more thoughtful, and less emotional, response. And, truthfully, it almost hurts too much to think about at the moment.

But first let me congratulate USC. They are not only a great football team but one that appeared very classy on the field and in post game interviews. They are my least favorite team in college football (due to all the Rose Bowl history I grew up with and the Northern California vs. Southern California biases all Californians tend to have), but when you see a program and team and big game display that impressive, you have to tip your cap and say best of luck the rest of the way--you've earned it.

Ohio State at USC Prediction: He Said, He Said

2008-09-11T10:46:00.002-07:00

AS WE HEAD TOWARDS this weekend's big game, #5 Ohio State at #1 USC at 5pm PT on ABC, I've been reading a lot of fearless predictions from prognosticators, bloggers, and zealous fans of the Trojans or Buckeyes.

They pretty much have one thing in common: a prediction of a USC victory.

Imagine, if you will, all these people in one room, breaking it all down. It would be as interesting as listening to a gang of parrots sing “Macarena."

And then, DotThei enters to mix it up a bit…

Pundit #1:
USC has too much talent. Did you see the Sporting News this week? They claim—and I have to tell you, they nailed it—the Trojan program is the greatest in the history of collegiate football. "THE MOST TALENTED TEAM EVER," it said. How does that team lose? How does that team not win by 40 or so against Ohio State?

Buckeye Fan:
Yeah, you're right. I saw what they did to Illinois. That scares me. I mean, did you know Illinois beat us in Columbus?

Buckeye Blogger:
Excuse me, but that game was last year. This is a veteran Ohio State team—one better than last year. And, and, oh wait a minute, I guess the Buckeyes didn't look like that hot against Ohio.

Pundit #2:
Exactly. I mean Ohio? Who are they? That team looked like a pee-wee league squad that had adopted the NY Jets color scheme for their uniforms. Ohio got robbed at the end of that game on a blown call. No punt return and that baby was going down to the wire. Upset city.

Trojan Blogger:
Why am I even here? Sanchez and McKnight will slice this Buckeye defense to shreds. This is a joke. In fact, why does USC even have to play this game? Our ticket should be punched for Miami and the BCS Championship game right now. Didn't anyone see what we did to Virginia? At their place no less.

DotThei:
Hold on a second, everyone.

Pundit #2:
Who's this guy?

Buckeye Fan:
Well, if his name is DotThei, he can sit next to me.

Pundit #1:
Okay, here we go. This is where we hear about Tressel's master plan. And how Beanie's not really hurt bad, no matter if he's now doubtful or whatever. How the defense will stop USC all night long. And how this time Ohio State will not lay an egg.

DotThei:
No, no.

Trojan Fan:
Wait! Did anyone mention Pete Carroll? The best coach ever. He wins all the big games and everyone knows that they lost to Vince Young not Texas. Texas couldn't even beat USC.

Buckeye Fan:
But they did—

Trojan Fan:
That's not the point! We were better. Everyone knows that. (Begins doing the Trojan salute, which to those not accustomed to it, has all the zombie-like qualities of rallies in Germany circa 1939).

DotThei:
I hear all of you. And yes it looks like Beanie may not play. Who knows. And, of course, on paper I'd give a talent edge to USC. But I'd give big-game experience to Ohio State. I mean this team has played in back-to-back national championship games, and I don't recall USC playing in either of those games.

Buckeye Blogger:
Right on! O-H!!!

Buckeye Fan:
I-O!!!

Pundit #2:
Fine. But that doesn't change some facts. Ohio State is on the road. USC has had a week to prepare and is healthy. Wells won't play, or if he does will be nowhere near 100%. And I hate to tell you, without Beanie, Ohio State is just not the same team.

DotThei:
Well, we only have one game to base that on. So, sure you can say that. But I know for sure there are solid running backs behind Beanie that could get a hot hand. And you can also say that Ohio State is getting a very bad wrap in terms of these big games.

Pundit #1:
How so? In the Big Ten? Please.

DotThei:
For my money, OSU has played in several of these colossal games the past few seasons—more often than USC has. Two title games. A #1 vs. #2 with Michigan. Two games against highly-ranked Texas, a home and an away one.

Buckeye Blogger:
And, may I add, Michigan sucks!

Trojan Blogger:
We agree on that. I seem to recall destroying that Michigan team in the Rose Bowl.

DotThei:
True. And I concede USC has looked better at the end of the season the last two years. But my point is the big game experience is with Ohio State, and the fact that Ohio State has much more to prove on Saturday. Pete Carroll always has his guys hungry, but the Buckeyes, well, they are starving.

Pundit #2:
Yeah, yeah. We heard that last year with the LSU game.

DotThei:
Right, you mean the AT LSU game. Might as well have been and it's a good analogy for this contest. The final score was in no way indicative of that ball game. Ohio State outgained LSU and was able to make plays all night.

Buckeye Fan:
If we only would have stuck to Beanie…

DotThei:
I'd agree with that. The problem was stopping LSU on third down, turnovers, and a second quarter let down on defense and offense. 21-0 in a quarter and you are sunk. Period. If Brian Robiskie holds on to that TD catch early in the second, you got a different ball game. Later, if we block the punt instead of roughing the kicker, you might have had a different ball game, too.

Trojan Fan:
So what? Cry me a river. That's football.

DotThei:
My only point is that Ohio State came to play. Maybe too much. They gassed themselves and had to catch their breath in the second. But they played well against a better, more experienced national title team in what amounted to their own stadium. Ohio State WILL show up on Saturday. They will play great with or without Beanie. They will have learned from the past. I'm just staying, if USC isn't ready to match the Buckeyes intensity, and I have no reason to doubt that USC WILL match that intensity—than Ohio State has a chance to win. So just be careful, Trojans.

Buckeye Blogger:
Jut a chance?

DotThei:
Well, that's something. It’s a reason to watch. Listening to these pundits (nodding at the talking heads who are busy plucking their eyebrows) you wouldn't think we should even tune in. The Beanie thing, of course, is the wildcard here, and the sad thing is Buckeye fans might be doing a "what could have been" thing over Beanie if this game goes as I think it might.

Trojan Blogger:
Great, more Buckeye excuses.

Pundit #2:
And careful. Please. The network pays me salary, dude. We want people to watch. You guys will watch, right?

DotThei:
No excuses. I honestly expect a pretty tight game. The kind where the Buckeyes are not in control but never go away. One that won't be completely decided until late. I give USC the edge given their veteran and talented secondary can probably handle our receivers without a lot of safety help, which allows them to get after what will certainly be a hobbled running game with or without Beanie. Other than that? Even Steven.

Pundit #1:
So, a prediction?

DotThei:
I'll go with what he said. And he said (pointing around the room), too. USC wins. But forget a blowout. I'll say 27-19. I believe Ohio State will make its fans proud. These seniors didn't return to lay down for anyone.

Buckeye Fan:
One question? You didn't mention Pryor?

DotThei:
No, and it's because I think he'll be more or less a non-factor. I see him getting a few snaps and maybe making a play or two, but generally this game will be too much for the freshman. If Beanie is a total no go, maybe we try some other things with him. But my sense is his game is next year, against USC and in Columbus. Tressel will play to his strengths. And that strength is a veteran team with guys hungry for redemption. Watch out folks, don't look now, but the Buckeyes are for real. And no matter what happen Saturday, you'll hear plenty more from this Ohio State team in 2008.

Ohio State at USC Prediction: He Said, He Said

2008-09-11T10:46:00.001-07:00

AS WE HEAD TOWARDS this weekend's big game, #5 Ohio State at #1 USC at 5pm on ABC, I've been reading a lot of fearless predictions from prognosticators, bloggers, and zealous fans of the Trojans or Buckeyes.

They pretty much have one thing in common: a prediction of a USC victory.

Imagine, if you will, all these people in one room, breaking it all down. It would be as interesting as listening to a gang of parrots sing “Macarena."

And then, DotThei enters to mix it up a bit…

Pundit #1:
USC has too much talent. Did you see the Sporting News this week? They claim—and I have to tell you, they nailed it—the Trojan program is the greatest in the history of collegiate football. "THE MOST TALENTED TEAM EVER," it said. How does that team lose? How does that team not win by 40 or so against Ohio State?

Buckeye Fan:
Yeah, you're right. I saw what they did to Illinois. That scares me. I mean, did you know Illinois beat us in Columbus?

Buckeye Blogger:
Excuse me, but that game was last year. This is a veteran Ohio State team—one better than last year. And, and, oh wait a minute, I guess the Buckeyes didn't look like that hot against Ohio.

Pundit #2:
Exactly. I mean Ohio? Who are they? That team looked like a pee-wee league squad that had adopted the NY Jets color scheme for their uniforms. Ohio got robbed at the end of that game on a blown call. No punt return and that baby was going down to the wire. Upset city.

Trojan Blogger:
Why am I even here? Sanchez and McKnight will slice this Buckeye defense to shreds. This is a joke. In fact, why does USC even have to play this game? Our ticket should be punched for Miami and the BCS Championship game right now. Didn't anyone see what we did to Virginia? At their place no less.

DotThei:
Hold on a second, everyone.

Pundit #2:
Who's this guy?

Buckeye Fan:
Well, if his name is DotThei, he can sit next to me.

Pundit #1:
Okay, here we go. This is where we hear about Tressel's master plan. And how Beanie's not really hurt bad, no matter if he's now doubtful or whatever. How the defense will stop USC all night long. And how this time Ohio State will not lay an egg.

DotThei:
No, no.

Trojan Fan:
Wait! Did anyone mention Pete Carroll? The best coach ever. He wins all the big games and everyone knows that they lost to Vince Young not Texas. Texas couldn't even beat USC.

Buckeye Fan:
But they did—

Trojan Fan:
That's not the point! We were better. Everyone knows that. (Begins doing the Trojan salute, which to those not accustomed to it, has all the zombie-like qualities of rallies in Germany circa 1939).

DotThei:
I hear all of you. And yes it looks like Beanie may not play. Who knows. And, of course, on paper I'd give a talent edge to USC. But I'd give big-game experience to Ohio State. I mean this team has played in back-to-back national championship games, and I don't recall USC playing in either of those games.

Buckeye Blogger:
Right on! O-H!!!

Buckeye Fan:
I-O!!!

Pundit #2:
Fine. But that doesn't change some facts. Ohio State is on the road. USC has had a week to prepare and is healthy. Wells won't play, or if he does will be nowhere near 100%. And I hate to tell you, without Beanie, Ohio State is just not the same team.

DotThei:
Well, we only have one game to base that on. So, sure you can say that. But I know for sure there are solid running backs behind Beanie that could get a hot hand. And you can also say that Ohio State is getting a very bad wrap in terms of these big games.

Pundit #1:
How so? In the Big Ten? Please.

DotThei:
For my money, OSU has played in several of these colossal games the past few seasons—more often than USC has. Two title games. A #1 vs. #2 with Michigan. Two games against highly-ranked Texas, a home and an away one.

Buckeye Blogger:
And, may I add, Michigan sucks!

Trojan Blogger:
We agree on that. I seem to recall destroying that Michigan team in the Rose Bowl.

DotThei:
True. And I concede USC has looked better at the end of the season the last two years. But my point is the big game experience is with Ohio State, and the fact that Ohio State has much more to prove on Saturday. Pete Carroll always has his guys hungry, but the Buckeyes, well, they are starving.

Pundit #2:
Yeah, yeah. We heard that last year with the LSU game.

DotThei:
Right, you mean the AT LSU game. Might as well have been and it's a good analogy for this contest. The final score was in no way indicative of that ball game. Ohio State outgained LSU and was able to make plays all night.

Buckeye Fan:
If we only would have stuck to Beanie…

DotThei:
I'd agree with that. The problem was stopping LSU on third down, turnovers, and a second quarter let down on defense and offense. 21-0 in a quarter and you are sunk. Period. If Brian Robiskie holds on to that TD catch early in the second, you got a different ball game. Later, if we block the punt instead of roughing the kicker, you might have had a different ball game, too.

Trojan Fan:
So what? Cry me a river. That's football.

DotThei:
My only point is that Ohio State came to play. Maybe too much. They gassed themselves and had to catch their breath in the second. But they played well against a better, more experienced national title team in what amounted to their own stadium. Ohio State WILL show up on Saturday. They will play great with or without Beanie. They will have learned from the past. I'm just staying, if USC isn't ready to match the Buckeyes intensity, and I have no reason to doubt that USC WILL match that intensity—than Ohio State has a chance to win. So just be careful, Trojans.

Buckeye Blogger:
Jut a chance?

DotThei:
Well, that's something. It’s a reason to watch. Listening to these pundits (nodding at the talking heads who are busy plucking their eyebrows) you wouldn't think we should even tune in. The Beanie thing, of course, is the wildcard here, and the sad thing is Buckeye fans might be doing a "what could have been" thing over Beanie if this game goes as I think it might.

Trojan Blogger:
Great, more Buckeye excuses.

Pundit #2:
And careful. Please. The network pays me salary, dude. We want people to watch. You guys will watch, right?

DotThei:
No excuse. I honestly expect a pretty tight game. The kind where the Buckeyes are not in control but never go away. One that won't be completely decided until late. I give USC the edge given their veteran and talented secondary can probably handle our receivers without a lot of safety help, which allows them to get after what will certainly be a hobbled running game with or without Beanie. Other than that? Even Steven.

Pundit #1:
So, a prediction?

DotThei:
I'll go with what he said. And he said (pointing around the room), too. USC wins. But forget a blowout. I'll say 27-19. I believe Ohio State will make its fans proud. These seniors didn't return to lay down for anyone.

Buckeye Fan:
One question? You didn't mention Pryor?

DotThei:
No, and it's because I think he'll be more or less a non-factor. I see him getting a few snaps and maybe making a play or two, but generally this game will be too much for the freshman. If Beanie is a total no go, maybe we try some other things with him. But my sense is his game is next year, against USC and in Columbus. Tressel will play to his strengths. And that strength is a veteran team with guys hungry for redemption. Watch out folks, don't look now, but the Buckeyes are for real. And no matter what happen Saturday, you'll hear plenty more from this Ohio State team in 2008.

Quick Slant: Would Someone Please Block?

2008-09-09T09:36:00.001-07:00

Plenty of banter about Ohio State's lame performance against Ohio on Saturday. While the Buckeyes squeaked out a 26-14 win, it really was only a play or two from a nail-biter, and a few more from a colossal upset. The Buckeyes seemed unfocused and lethargic, and it's easy to figure that between USC next week and the distractions over Beanie from last week, the players minds were on everything but the Bobcats.

Fair enough.

But the other side of the coin is just as possible, that is, Ohio State is a slightly overrated team at the moment without the services of Mr. Wells. And like many, I sensed something else out there that does have ramifications for the USC games: Ohio State's offensive line is not getting the job done. Not even close.

Frankly, I didn't think they got it done in week one either.

Yes, our running backs could be more patient, and yes it's early in the season, but I ask the question of the big boys up front: Would someone please block? Particularly troubling is the right side--Person and Browning. I mean if you won't block on running plays you should at least pass protect, right?

Guess not.

So where does that leave us going to play the nations #1 team and arguably best defense? Not very confident is where it leaves us. Gulp.

More thoughts later in the week. For now, keep searching for those Beanie updates—they may mean everything for what happens on Saturday night.

(Note: The picture above shows Boone and Rehring, two guys doing better than most on the line at the moment.)

Turf Toe? We Ain't Afraid of Any Stinkin' Turf Toe

2008-09-04T10:30:00.001-07:00

I freely admit I have a problem: I click around the Internet all day long at breakneck speed. I read up on my Buckeyes; I look for anything new, the slightest change in the rubber-stamped AP or wire stories or a good local reporter doing his or her job right.

Late last night, while the east coast slept, I came across the AP story many of you have seen today, the one that includes the comments from running backs coach, Dick Tressel. He describes Beanie's injury this way:

Wells has an injury at the base of his big toe on his right foot, said Tressel, the older brother of head coach Jim Tressel. [He] has difficulty putting pressure on the foot and has not participated in full practices this week."

My initial reaction to the story: Okay, Beanie has Turf Toe. Yes, yes, I know they have more or less said that it's not Turf Toe, but one look at what MedlinePlus describes as Turf Toe, and it's close to settled as far as I'm concerned.

Turf Toe: This is an injury of the soft tissue surrounding the big toe joint. It usually occurs when the big toe joint is extended beyond its normal range. Turf toe causes immediate, sharp pain and swelling. It usually affects the entire big toe joint and limits the motion of the toe. Sometimes a “pop” is felt at the moment of injury.

I'm no doctor but come on. Soft tissue. Big Toe. Immediate, sharp pain. A "pop." Chime in here House fans...we all know the diagnosis, right?

And, as of this morning, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, which most Buckeye fans know does outstanding regular reporting, added some color to the story. They have Dick Tressel saying, "You do have the concern about further injury, whether it's soft tissue or whatever it is, because there's a point, no matter how tough he is, that's his bread and butter, to put his foot on the ground and run." And, finally, something astounding: Dick Tressel suggesting Beanie may not be following protocol by getting out of his boot and walking around. Terrific.

So what do we know just past 1pm in the east?

Beanie is carrying something akin to Turf Toe. The fact that OSU hasn't called it Turf Toe means one of three things: 1) it does not present the usual symptoms or severity of turf toe; 2) they don't want to call it turf toe for some gamesmanship reason; or 3) one of the very best medical staffs in the country is seeing a football injury they've simply never faced before.

I'll go with #1 or #2, and lean heavily toward #1. Like all sprains, and in the end that is fundamentally what Turf Toe is—a sprain of the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint of the first toe—it comes with a grade of 1, 2, or 3 (in order of severity). I'd assume Beanie is carrying a category 1 sprain (or something like .5+) and thus everything comes down to R.I.C.E. treatment, management, and a return to performance. Prognosis of time off is anywhere from same day to 1-2 weeks.

Vioila! Case closed. I feel better (funny how knowledge really is power) and I know Beanie is in great hands with the Buckeye training staff. So get well, Beanie. We hope to see you soon, but not too soon, if you know what we mean…

UPDATE: Jim Tressel says Beanie will not play Saturday.
Interesting with this just released story that the Plain Dealer now attributes to Jim Tressel some of the quotes previously attributed to Dick Tressel. So much for outstanding reporting!

Oh Beanie, Oh Beanie, How art thou my Beanie?

2008-09-03T13:51:00.001-07:00

The mystery surrounding Beanie Wells only grows day by day.

On Sunday, it was heartache and certain disaster. On Monday, it was no official word and continued, rampant speculation. On Tuesday, it was coach Jim Tressel telling everyone that Beanie looked fine and told him as much. And then, later that day, a few lucky reporters even saw Beanie walking with his boot—in his arms and NOT on his foot—and the big guy just grinned and didn't show as much as a limp.

So how about Wednesday?

Yes, it is ONLY Wednesday in the Chris "Beanie" Wells watch…

The biggest news today is that Chris Wells' mother has weighed in on the matter. She confirms that it is indeed a toe injury, and that her son feels good and will be ready to play Saturday. Not Saturday the 13th against USC, mind you. This Saturday. Against Ohio. Now, it seems other Buckeye players are commenting on the matter, too. The discussion has moved from Beanie being gone for the season to, well, Beanie being Beanie.

What does that mean?

Look, there seems to be some consensus forming out there that Wells, and the fans and media in turn, may have over-reacted to his injury. We all had good reason—the image of Beanie dropping the ball, grabbing his foot, and howling in pain is etched in our minds. Yet, as of yesterday morning, I had from good sources close to the Ohio State medical staff (snicker if you will but I stand by this 100%) that they hadn't been able to identify anything medically "wrong" with the foot. Hence, the lack of diagnosis.

While this does have the remote possibility of being some kind of gamesmanship for USC, let's set the cloak and dagger aside and get upfront here: Beanie Wells in his previous few seasons with Ohio State, and most notably last season, has had a tenacity to pick up injures and make everyone aware of them. In fact, last season he was essentially called out by the OSU coaches to toughen up and be something akin to a warrior for his team, which to everyone, meant play through pain. In 2007, we all saw how Beanie was apt to limp to the sideline, clutch his wrist, get up slow, and so on. Of course he had every reason to do these things—he was carrying very real injuries. But some football players, and I'm coming around to the idea that Beanie is definitely one of them, just tend to make a bigger deal out of their pain and injuries than others.

Football is a violent game and one that sees some of the strongest and most athletic athletes around go at it with reckless abandon. Injuries are part of the game. So is playing with the relatively minor to slightly above average variety of them. Will Beanie play? It is still anyone's guess and the only one who really knows is Mr. Wells himself.

Tressel: Beanie's Foot Hurts

2008-09-02T13:45:00.000-07:00

Jim Tressel at his Media Luncheon Press Conference earlier today, 9/2/08 . The Beanie questions begin around the 7 minute mark. Note the slightly out of context, hushed question that comes in at 7:25. The reporter asks, "When he said he would be good after that, does that mean you expect him back before the game after?" (Seemingly referring to the USC game).

Tressel: " I would, yea."

For a news report on this press event, checkout Tim May's article on BuckeyeXtra

The Dash is a Ditz

2008-09-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

I'm as saddened and miffed by Chris "Beanie" Wells' injury as anyone else. But one thing I will not do is participate in a blame-game regarding coach Jim Tressel. Apparently, ESPN's Ohio State Basher Extraordinaire, Pat Forde, believes that Tressel ought to lament last Saturday as the day he left a star player in a rout game for too long.

Nonsense. Absolute nonsense.

It is clear that Forde both did not watch the game and seems willing to show little sense of college football.

The latter point first: Coaches regularly leave their first team in for the opening series of the second half. They must get their team acclimated to coming out of the locker room and picking up with the utmost intensity. This is particularly critical in season openers.

And, secondly, if Forde had watched the game, he would have seen how Tressel had already been rotating his first and second team liberally throughout the first half. At the time of his injury, Beanie had not had very many carries—certainly not his normal carry count—and Ohio State had yet to pound it in for a score via the run from the red zone. The coach needed Wells in for that series as a critical test of his offense.

Lost in all the rancor over Wells' injury was the fact that Ohio State made five trips into the red zone on Saturday and came away with just 16 points. With the exception of freshman Terelle Pryor's 18 yard run in the fourth quarter, all Ohio State TDs game from relatively big plays. Tressel knows more than anyone (and especially more than Forde) that his guys won't get those big play scores easily at USC and in some other, and more competitive, contests. The grind it out TD must be something the Buckeyes do and do with aplomb, and Wells was needed in that early third-quarter game situation to do his part to get the job done.

Reality Sometimes Bites

2008-08-31T10:13:00.000-07:00

Today a lot of Buckeye fans are talking about the injury to Beanie Wells. Fair enough. But let's make this clear now and get used to it: Wells as a major factor in the USC game is over.

Don't waste one single moment thinking about. If he plays, which I seriously doubt, it would only be a few downs and special short yardage situations. Worth it? Probably not.

All indications are a forefoot, soft-tissue injury. Likely his big toe given where he clutched his foot, what he mentioned in the locker room to fellow players, and press reports. Surprisingly, they are saying it isn't 'turf toe.' I think this may be PR spin but we will see. But whatever happened is likely to require rest, without which, it could easily be a debilitating issue that bothers Beanie throughout the season.

A rather ominous sign is the fact Beanie heard a pop, which could mean a complete tear of something that may need surgical intervention. My sense is that Ohio State is considering the PR along with the reality at the moment. No one is quite sure what to admit just 24 hours after the unfortunate injury.

The bottom line is Well's future is too valuable to risk, and he knows this more than anyone. He should sit as long as possible. If it means the majority of the season, so be it. And if it's a 7 or 8 game deal, perhaps he would consider returning for his senior season. Missing the USC game would be tough one, but he could play them in Columbus for the return game in 2009.

As for the rest of the Buckeye show, it was a pretty good one. Lost in the news of Beanie's injury is how well our defense played, in particular the run defense. They held YSU to negative yardage and simply stuffed the Penguins all day long. The secondary, too, excelled and one needs to tip their hat to Jermale Hines who was simply everywhere. Standing in for the injured Kurt Coleman, Hines led by example, and is a player to watch this year out of the nickel position. Given the bodies that were missing, notably three would-be startes in the secondary, you have to say that Ohio State's defense lived up to the hype on Saturday.

I'm less sanguine on the offense. Yes, we scored, but we didn't execute in the red zone all day. Yes, we didn't turn the ball over and we were efficient, but there simply wasn't a lot of playmaking happening on the field. It was a very, very workmanlike show by the Ohio State offense, a game where the line started slow and then wore down an inferior opponent. Boeckman was good, but didn't show anything beyond what I saw last year. Our receivers bailed him out on a few long jump balls for big plays. Okay. But...sound familiar? The highlights probably were Pryor and Posey showing glimpses of the future, but I'm telling you right now: What Ohio State's offense did on Saturday will not allow them to do very much against USC.

The game at Virginia showed the Trojans have a defense as good, or perhaps better, than the Buckeyes. If Ohio State plays like they did on Saturday there will not be able to light up USC, and absent Beanie, it's hard to see how they can game manage either.

Everything, then, falls on the defense and special teams. Tressel ball ala 2002. If OSU can do a little here and there, they might find a way to win because our kickers are amazingly good. But Ohio State must find a way to make a big play or two that lead to easy points. The only path I now see, absent a pounding running game from Wells (which frankly was NOT on display against YSU anyway) is some kind of 19-17 type of game with the ball bouncing our way. If the Trojans get into the twenties—and they certainly have the playmakers and firepowed to do it—we might be in for a sound defeat in two weeks time. Yes, a tough reality pill to swallow after just one game. But for all that went right on Saturday, three things went wrong--USC is better than advertised, Beanie is gone, and the Ohio State offense is still something of a mystery.

The Word

2008-08-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

If anyone wonders why we are going to do it, how we are going to do it, please just show them this: Beanie

Oh....We Don't Give a Damn...

2008-08-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, gents. It's time we get it on. Your 2008 Buckeyes will take the field in less than 72 hours and we will be better men for it.

This is a joke of a game and everyone knows it. While USC cuts their teeth on the road at UVA we are playing a scrimmage. YSU has new QB and new spread offense. Don't think Ohio Stadium is a great place to try it out. Not against the best Buckeye team in maybe 40 years. Not against one led by its defense. This should be a mauling. End of story.

The Dispatch has their season preview up and it's some interesting reading . Seems some of the sportswriters are a bit gun shy, calling for a 7-1 Big Ten campaign. Not this guy. 8-0 baby. USC or bust.

I'm looking for a cake-walk win brought on by high intensity football for two and half quarters. Subs and scrubs from there. Extraordinary fitness, crisp execution, better than expected timing. Beanie should average better than 7 yards per carry. Boecks should throw 60+%. Young TP should make the stadium hush and shimmer. And, keep and eye on the revamped defensive line and crazy rotation. They should create terror in the opposition this season.

Ohio State 40, YSU 6

For now, enjoy the countdown with this little diddy. I don't where its from but they got their Southern on, so Steve should feel right at home. And maybe I'm nuts, but isn't that Les working the dance floor?

The Spring Game: My Boys Are Talking

2008-04-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

Ohio State played its annual spring football game this past weekend. I had intended to do a little review and post here on DotThei, but after some good banter developed between myself and three of my closest friends, importantly all Ohio State fans, I thought it might be more interesting to just share the kind of off-the-cuff remarks that these Buckeye fans are kicking around.

Are we really four months away? You wouldn't know it.

By the way certain words and phrases have been redacted to protect the innocent. If a guy's grammar or diction was junk then it remains as junk.

It is email after all…

(Note: The photo above is NOT us. Those guys are bafoons; we're just working our way to their level.)

Fat in LA:
i said it last year, i will say it again... Todd will NOT take us to the
promised land. the best thing Todd has done for us, was landing Pryor.
i don't want to see Todd throw deep unless the other teams whole
secondary tripped and fell. i do want to see...mr.Pryor in the shot-ginn
formation, just in time for rich rod and the little blue girls.

now... what i really want is some banter and thoughts between you
gentlemen on how we go about setting up a game plan for Todd and USC.
Beanie, Beanie, and some more Beanie with a "holy XXXX" Saine jizzy?

we have some beauty receivers, i know. so get Todd throwin quick outs?
I still cry on my Troy pillow every night. does Jim even consider Pryor
ready for this monster venue?

come on XXXXXXX... let's hear yer thoughts on a crazy fun season. gotta
beat USC. just gotta. get that R_E_S_P_E_C_T early. gotta blow out that
trojan even if we knock these dumb XXX XXXXX up. I talk to these usc fans
everyday... they have no idea.

T-Bone in Columbus:
Fat hit the nail on the head. Boeck is an average QB. Lots of td's
last year early against inferior db's with hart/rob. Constantly breaking
stride to come back to the deep ball.

Later in the year, even when hart/rob had 2-3 steps the ball was
underthrown and the opponent gets an easy pick. More frustrating was
Boeck's statement that he noticed watching film that he was "throwing
off the wrong foot." WHAT THE XXXX IS THAT!!!! That is not D1
football. Nobody noticed this kid was throwing off his Left foot!!!!
That is almost as bad as the coaches seeing Zwick throw an end over end
pass and concluding that he should be OSU's starting QB. Spiral baby
Spiral....like Troy's ....TIGHT BULLETS.

If OSU goes deep, Boeck needs to throw it as far as he can. I can live
with the overthrown 60 yard bomb. Basically, I don't think he can.

Steve in Charlotte (never had a nickname that stuck—you know the type):
The QB situation for 08 is rough. With Bauserman back it adds (almost
too much) depth at the position. Todd is the starter, no doubt about
that. Who will be number 2? Henton, Bauserman, Pryor; who knows at
this point. What if it turns out that Bauserman is noticeably better
than Todd? The bottom line is that the QB situation is rough, hard to
predict what will happen there.

On a lighter note, it did appear to me that more passes were thrown to
the tight ends and backs. I hope more is done with the offense this
year to spread the ball across the field. Todd seams to look for
Hartline constantly. If the Bucks are running the ball well, we should
see lots of short pass options beyond just the wide outs.

One other thought that I have is the depth of this team. I don't think
we've ever been this deep before. There are 22 kids on each side of the
ball with ability and experience. The position battles are going to be
amazing. The O-line, backfield, secondary, D-line not to mention all of
the special teams units; we even have some very exciting young new
receivers that are going to mix up the two deep (grow up Ray).

It's a given that the D will be great. The big debate there is scheme.
I am starting to dislike the bend-but-don't-break mentality. Why can't
we D up man to man and blitz like the other national powers?

DotThei in San Francisco (where we think everyone but us is 'bitter'):
Let's understand that Boecks will be a very good quarterback. He's a year older and wiser; he was also up there in terms of passing efficiency while making some plays that were key in big games—at Washington and at Penn State come to mind.

The downside is the long ball (fly patterns and posts). Even with an impressive gun, he is just not nailing it enough to avoid costly INTs. And the bigger issue is that Ohio State has moved to a different level of play and expectations than what we saw in the 1990s. We are among the nation's elite: we are a bona-fide, annual top 10 and often a top 5 team. Our QB needs to rock not just be really good.

My bet is that we use Pryor in certain situations this season—maybe even a whole series now and then in manageable games. I don't see the upside to Bauserman, frankly. Just a less mature version of Boecks. The silly good news is that defenses will have a real quandary on their hands with the Ohio State offense in 2008. With Beanie and Boon and Saine we can do a whole lot of stuff out of the backfield. Those safeties will have to cheat or give up chunks all day long. And when they do, Boecks can just aim for the cones.

For me, the biggest worry on this team is not so much a unit (although defensive tackle still has some questions) or a player, but rather, about a coach. Heacock. I just don't think his defensive mind is on par with the best d-coordinators in college football. I don't care how many awards he wins. Time and again, our supposedly awesome defense has been exposed by a sharp offense or leap in offensive talent. And when I say exposed, I really mean 'rocked.' Michigan 06, Florida, Illinois 07, LSU. Even ND did too much damage in the 06 Fiesta.

I really think he has a good plan and the men trust it, but what I don't see is any flexibility or play-calling acumen. We do what we do. If it doesn't work for sixty minutes, we are XXXXXX. The game at USC is a referendum on Heacock in my mind. It's early in the season and USC will be breaking in some new playmakers, notably at QB. If they ring us up for yards and points—with this Ohio State veteran defensive team—I'm throwing old chipper-tooth Heacock under the bus.

The House Was A Rockin'

2008-03-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

Little did I know when I sat down yesterday to watch the Ohio State v Cal NIT game would I be subjected to a blast from the past. Thanks to a scheduling snafu brought on by the Buckeyes just missing the NCAA Tournament and The Boss (Bruce Springsteen) playing a show in Value City Arena, there were the Buckeye hoopsters, playing in the old field house of basketball lore—St. John Arena.

This was the home of Lucas, Havlicek, and Knight. The markings on the floor were notably odd, painted for what appeared to be volleyball play, but the sights and sounds of the venerable venue were unmistakable. There were the fold-out bench seats near the floor, seats so uncomfortable they demand fans spend some time on their feet. Yet these floor seats are right on top of the action, too, a ticket so good you would pin it up on your bulletin board when you got home. Also, when the camera afforded a shot, you could see the way St. Johns vaults skyward, offering terrific vertical views of the floor to fans who pile into sections marked off with pipe railings. I recall those railings as both wonderful foot rests and awkward view obstructions. But above all else, it was the sound that was unmistakable. Noise that varied between a roar and a constant din. Yesterday, the house was a rockin' again.

By the end of the game the Cal Bears had been throttled (in large part by Jamar Butler's shooting acumen) and I became convinced the Buckeyes must find a way to play a few games each year at St. John. It is our house. It is imitating and loud and so why not dress it up for a few big ones each season? Say Indiana, Michigan, and Michigan State? The Buckeye basketball program deserves the kind of atmosphere we saw in St. John last night—not some vacuous arena called Value City that at times is less raucous than the average church on Sunday mornings.

Above all else the game yesterday reminded me of one of my all time favorite Buckeye basketball memories.

The year was 1988. Ohio State was not far from ending a twenty year drought between Big Ten Basketball titles, the last coming in 1971 and the next still out there, a few years down the road, in 1991. In those days we cheered for guys named Perry Carter, Jay Burson, Tony White (remember that sly mustache, well, he still has it only with a bit more gravitas), and Curtis Wilson. The Buckeyes had been mired in a series of perpetual 20 win and no more seasons—they were good, not great, Buckeye teams.

One January day, #7 Michigan was coming to town and my dad had tickets. This Wolverine team had been monsters over the past three seasons. They were 14-1 with a starting five of Glenn Rice (who would lead the '89 Wolverines to glory), Terry Mills, Rumeal Robinson, Gary Grant, and Loy Vaught. All five of these guys would play in the NBA. The Wolverines were a year away from their famous 'Fab 5' and a national championship in 1989. But this was a formidable team that had been building for greatness for years.

My memory of the game is fuzzy. I do recall that Michigan was in a dog fight; the Buckeyes were hot. But no matter what OSU did they could not get separation, a Michigan player always made a big play.

And I also recall one very special thing: I sat about a dozen people away from Chris Spielman. Just like me and my dad, Chris was perched up high but in a front row. Most of the game he leaned forward with his head against the aforementioned metal pipe while he chewed tobacco and spit into one of those souvenir cups. He had just wrapped up his Ohio State playing career and I know for large stretches of the game I watched Chris as much as the action on the floor.

The end of this game was unforgettable. Ohio State led 68-66 with just seconds on the clock. Michigan had the ball after a steal and came out of a time out with a play. But little did anyone know, Ohio State had one, too. The star-studded Michigan team got the ball to Rice who nailed a jumper in the dying seconds. But the Buckeyes did not hesitate to inbound the ball, they quickly passed up the floor to a wide open Grady Mateen (a Georgetown transfer) who slammed it home with just seconds remaining to seal the upset victory. That moment was the loudest I ever heard at a basketball game. The rafters were shaking. The floor vibrated like you were standing next to a passing freight train. Every single Buckeye fan was on his or her feet. Except Spielman. I looked over and there he was still sitting, head against the railing and spitting into his cup. The only change—a big nasty grin on his face.

Now that's Buckeye basketball. Move over Cameron Indoor. We got St. John. Let's use it!

Note: I see that Bob Hunter over at the Columbus Dispatch (a sports writer as venerable as St. John itself) feels just as I do. And his description of the sound in St. John can not be topped: " The noise resonates in St. John. It's like having a catfight inside a closed garbage can." Amen, Bob.

Let There Be Light

2008-03-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

At 9:25am PDT, a good friend sent me a text message. It read as follows: "…and Jim said, 'Let there be light.'"

As a matter of disclosure, this was a bit of double entendre. Not only was my pal confirming his well established belief in Tressel's divine-like abilities, but he was also sharing with me some very happy news, a happening he thought might brush away some of the personal 'storm clouds' that I had been complaining about recently. Thank God for friends.

But the true irony of the moment was that only milliseconds before my phone buzzed with this clever message, I had googled Terrelle Pryor to see if the young man had finally, at long last, made up his mind.

He had. He is a buckeye. And I welcome him to our team.

Along with many other Buckeye fans, I have questioned this kids character and the head games he seemed to be playing with the media and fans. That's over now. I may have been dead wrong about Terrelle (I hope so at least), and on some level I've always known that he didn't deserve such scorn. It was mostly my own nervousness about losing such a prized recruit and frustration with the way his never-ending story overshadowed that of so many other great and talented young men who were signing on the dotted line for Ohio State and other schools across the land.

But now I need to change my tune. Now I welcome Terrelle Pryor just as I welcome any other player that will suit up and strive to take part of the Ohio State Football tradition.

There is little doubt that Terrelle Pryor has all the tools to be a valued part of this team in what should be a promising 2008 season. The Buckeyes are a veteran bunch that will be tested with tough road games as well as the all-important Michigan game in Columbus, a game that will launch a new chapter in football's greatest rivalry. And with the added intensity that the Terrelle Pryor episode has given to exchanges between Ohio State and Michigan fans, you can bet that this year's version of The Game will be special yet again.

Looking forward to seeing you on the field, Terrelle.

[A note to my readers: I have been absolutely overwhelmed by several events in my life and apologize for so few posts—even in the off season. These events are not tragic by any stretch, but just a piling on of different things that each carried an increasing level of chaos and disruption to my life. Bad news is it may get worse before it gets better. At any rate, I really wanted to briefly comment on today's big news so there you go.]

3/21/08 Update:
It seems the Ohio State Football media is also reacting to Terrelle Pryor albeit with some mixed emotions. Some are eagerly welcoming the young man to the fold; others wonder about problems down the road..

Yesterday the Ozone a nice 'Fact & Myth' piece on Pryor. It comes down squarely with where I am on the issue—Pryor is now a Buckeye and let's get excited while giving him the benefit of the doubt. The story is worth a full read. I particularly liked Pryor's justification for his late decision:

"I had a lot of thinking to do," said Pryor. "We wanted to win that state championship and we completed that goal and I decided to make that choice." The O-Zone's John Porentas aptly points out that is a sign of discipline and focus and perhaps above all else, a sense of the value of team. It was something that Pryor's future coach did not fail to comment on. "He had a mission. Far be it for us to tell him that our mission was more important than his," said Tressel.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Bill Linvingston was ready to anoint Terrelle Pryor on day one, saying that that Ohio State's newly signed recruit was "the quarterbacking prodigy of the decade." He goes on to paint Pryor a 'cant-miss' type of guy and then throws in a rather stinging dig at Michigan's head coach, Rich Rodriquez: "Without big early success, Rodriguez may prove to be more opportunistic than the deal that brought him from West Virginia. He just might slither away at the first better opportunity." Ouch.

Rob Oller over at the Columbus Dispatch was far less sanguine. The headline may have belied what was generally not alarmist opinion, nonetheless Oller did raise the specter of you-know-who, a certain #13 whose antics remain a scar on the Ohio State Football fan's psyche. I'll take that scar analogy one step further. It's one of those scars your'e kind of proud of (#13 did help bring OSU a national championship), the kind you show your friends and say I did this doing so and so, boy was I crazy! And then everyone nods or laughs while quietly contemplating how stupid you are. That was Mo-C for you...

Finally, in what in many ways is the most telling comment on Pryor's arrival in Columbus, Michigan head man Rich Rodriquez said the following in response to questions on Pryor's decision: "I only talk about the guys that play for Michigan." Oh, yes. Give Rich Rod the pass now, because something tells me he will be answering questions on Pryor come the chilly days of mid-November for several years to come.

Rich Rod to Pryor: Take my hand. Trust me.

2008-01-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

IT HAS BEEN with great interest that I have read some of the Michigan blogs and other college football online media these past several days. Most have been either drooling over the Terrelle Pryor visit of Saturday or poking fun at West Virginia fans for the maniacal obsession with the Rich Rodriquez departure.

The main stream media came around to that approach by the weekend. Many major college football journalists were hailing the Pryor visit, as well as echoing the sentiments Rodriquez threw out on Thursday (in teleconference no less) regarding the ongoing war of words with his former employers. Rich Rod's take: things along the line of a vast right wing conspiracy and a man known only as 'smoking man' who is behind all the shim sham allegations left in the wake his ego left behind in West Virginia.

Well this weekend I smiled when I saw two things.

One was the picture below where coach Rodriquez does a little impromptu hand holding with Terrelle Pryor during his visit to Ann Arbor this weekend. I don't know, but Terrelle does not look all the bit excited about this rather public gesture of playful man love. The fact the photo will be all over the place for two or three days won't help that slimy feeling Pryor likely got from his Michigan visit to wash away either.

(As Bill Maher would say: "Come on … I kid Rich Rod … I love Rich Rod.")

And the other thing I saw was a kind of Michigan mea culpa by acclaimed sportswriter and man of letters, Mitch Albom. For me, when Albom decides to hammer something out and put it out there, well, everyone else (i.e., all the hacks in the business) might want to take a moment to read it and think. I'm not saying Albom is Milan Kundera or anything, but he's better than most that call themselves a sports print journalist. No he doesn't blame Michigan or West Virginia or Rodriquez. He simply points out the obvious here…this whole thing has a stink about it.

Check it out for yourself.

Quick Slant: Crying for USC, Shred-Gate, & Pryor

2008-01-16T10:06:00.000-08:00

JUST LIKE MANY OF YOU I've been going through a painful withdrawal that comes with the end of every college football season. Signing day, spring practices, and then the summer magazine and prognostications can not get here fast enough.

Well, I'll do my best to keep you up on some of the latest happenings and more interesting reads with an occasional Quick Slant—a few annotated links with comments to what's going on out there in the world of college football. (With a happy bias toward what is happening with OSU, of course).

Hope you enjoy.

If you ever needed proof that the media has a nonstop love affair with the USC Trojans, take a look at this little gem over at ESPN. An article purportedly highlighting the biggest disappointments of the college football season, cites the Trojans loss to Stanford as one of them. Huh? OK, maybe there is a case for their season to be disappointing for only winning the conference and the Rose Bowl, but the loss to Stanford wasn't disappointing. It was a monumental upset and what college football is all about.

I'm sure many of you have already heard about 'shred-gate' – Michigan coach, Rich Rodriquez's alleged shredding of everything in his former West Virginia office that fit down the hungry mouth of an industrial-sized shred machine.

Interestingly the story, which broke rather tamely yesterday, now has bubbled all the way to ESPN and USA Today. Back in the trenches, on Michigan and Mountaineer message moards (and rather laughably on Buckeye boards), a massive game of kindergarten-esque "no, you are!" is going on.

The bottom line: Rodriquez's exit from West Virginia was was some ugly business. Michigan got themselves a great football mind but his character will be in doubt until there is evidence otherwise. So for all those Michigan fans who have taken pot shots at Tressel over the years, and made ludicrous allegations of a shady program, guess what? "No, you are!"

Finally on to the Pryor soap opera. Is it February 6th yet? Make it stop already. This kid (and the no names around him) are loving the limelight way too much. I bet any day he will announce that he plans to petition the NFL to allow him to skip college ball and go straight to the New England Patriots—perhaps in time to start for them in what will surely be a Super Bowl in a few weeks time.

I have been lambasted on a few boards for questioning this kid and the way he's handling himself. Sure, he's been run over by a media frenzy that must have turned his life upside down. But I just get a sense from his quotes, his behavior that borders on taunting the fans of the school's that cherish his services, and his off the field marketing actions that this guy may cut both ways: a great player with an even greater ego.

We've seen a few of these at Ohio State over the years, the last time around it was Maurice Clarett. And we know how that worked out. Look, I hear in some circles that Pryor is a good kid so chances are he'd fit in fine. But what are the risks? And what are we to make of the latest Pryor reports, ones that have the phenom making a last minute visit to LSU, which he has now miraculously added to his ever changing list. He must have liked what he saw in the championship game or the opportunity to burn Michigan fans twice after they didn't get their man Les up to Ann Arbor. Or maybe burn Ohio State twice. Who knows with this kid? Seriously.

And while you are getting the nation's number one recruit, and he looks awfully good on film and on paper, no one really knows how he'll do at the next level. There have been more that a few flops over the years.

I am of the firm opinion that the Buckeyes are in great hands at quarterback for next year with Todd Boeckman. And in talented hands with Antonio Henton after that. What would be really nice is to see the Ohio State defense have to get a lot better if someone like, let’s say our rival, Michigan, lands Mr. Everything.

Don't get me wrong. I'd love for Pryor to come to Ohio State. I'd love for him to NOT go to Michigan. But I will not shed a tear over one football player, because no one is more important than the team and in turn, the program. And that is why articles like this one that appeared in the Plain Dealer irk me a bit. Ohio State doesn't need to throw what it does out the window to land Pryor. He needs to make a commitment to Ohio State; and then, earn his way on the field. If he's the best signal caller he will get his shot and an offense to highlight his talent—period.

Right now the rumor mill is that Pryor is leaning toward the Buckeyes. He apparently likes the guys going to OSU, trusts Tressel, and was impressed with the facilities. He also knows he would slide into a national championship caliber team in his first season. If the Buckeyes pull off a BCS title with his contributions, he will be the guy that got them over the hump. But my bet is that Pryor will be treated as more of a Messiah at Michigan, and knowing that he will choose the Maize and Blue. Again, do not discount the ego involved here. And with Terrelle Pryor, I'm afraid that ego may mean more than anything else.

Overheard at OSU's Postgame Press Conference

2008-01-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

(The transcript below is fictitious and what I hope you recognize as an obvious attempt at gallows humor. I'm too depressed about how little different the result last night was from last year's title game to not try anything but a hail mary pass for a laugh. Please enjoy responsibly.)

REPORTER: Was there some point in the contest when you said, "Oh boy, here we go again?"

TRESSEL: As a matter of fact there was…in the second quarter. But I was pleased, you know. Last year it started to go downhill after the opening kickoff. I suppose if we play Georgia next year in the BCS Championship, at the Orange Bowl, we'll have a shot to lead at halftime.

REPORTER: Coach, it looked like you threw the Tigers a few new wrinkles early. They seemed confused and off balance. Can you comment?

TRESSEL: Oh, yes. You are referring to our wrinkle—

REPORTER: Wrinkles. A few new things.

TRESSEL: No, actually it was a wrinkle. One wrinkle. A new thing Bollman (referring to OSU Offensive Coordinator, Jim Bollman) and I cooked up while playing Bridge over at the hotel with the ladies (seeming to refer to their wives, but as this is New Orleans, there were a few audible smirks heard from reporters). Just one new formation we worked on over and over. Sent Beanie Wells wide and used Brandon Saine in a variety of pass routes. It was fun while it lasted. I asked Bollman through the headset if he had anything else. He said, 'I thought you were working on some other new plays.' So obviously we'll need to straighten that out for next time.

REPORTER: What about Beanie Wells? He looked unstoppable early on, and even when your were down he still was getting the big occasional run.

TRESSEL: What about him? (Squints his eyes with what can best be described as Tressel's unique brand of seriousness.)

REPORTER: Did you ever think you ought to just put the team on his back, use him more?

TRESSEL: Sure, but I've been hearing about this spread offense thing for awhile now. And we got a reputation as big and slow and a cloud of dust and all that, so I needed to show everyone we could pass the ball. There's also this kid called Terrelle Pryor. My scouts tell me he is the second coming of Jesus himself. Thankfully, Jesus wants to play football, and apparently, he wants to play the spread. I needed to show him what we could do.

REPORTER: But it seemed Boeckman was not getting into any consistent rhythm passing. Especially, in the second half. He was getting hit a lot and you were ending up in third and fourth downs with a long way to go.

TRESSEL: I'll say it again. Don't forget about this Pryor kid. That's all our fans were talking about leading up to this game. And frankly, all we were thinking about as a staff, too. If Todd looked bad, Pryor may think he can start next year. He might then pick Ohio State. We like to keep our eye on the prize here at Ohio State.

REPORTER: Coach, I wonder if we can direct a few questions to your defensive coordinator, Jim Heacock?

TRESSEL: Apparently, right now, he's having a word with our quarterback, Todd Boeckman, about dating his daughter. (Smiles.) Think he's giving Todd the boot after tonight's showing. Should be here in a moment.

REPORTER: Well, perhaps we can start with you. What did you make of the defensive job?

TRESSEL: I didn't make anything. I have nothing to do with the defense. How could I? It stinks. Oh, here he is. (Heacock enters and sits. He smiles, revealing a mouth full of John Edwards-like teeth.) Jimmy Heacock everyone. Man we got too many coaches named Jimmy.

HEACOCK: Huh? (Wipes brow.)

TRESSEL: Jimmy, these fellas got a few questions for you. Can't wait to hear the answers myself.

REPORTER: Coach Heacock, what do you have to say about giving up 38 points in the championship game? Especially on the heels of giving up 41 last season. Both scores are completely out of whack with what you guys give up all season long in Big Ten play.

HEACOCK: You know, it's like I told the kids just now in the locker room. The teams up in the Big Ten just play so much nicer and with so much more respect for Ohio State. We get a lead and they quit. I don't understand it. We were up 10-0 and I stepped out for a quick Latte. Those ladies working Superdome concession really know how to do great foam! Next thing I know we're down 24-10. What is up with that?

REPORTER: But coach, what was the game plan and how did you try to adjust during the contest to make things more difficult for LSU?

HEACOCK: Well, we decided to come after the quarterback. But I didn't want to come with any defensive backs, because we had decided to just stand around back there and hope he (Flynn) wouldn't see any open guys. Especially that tight end. I was told the tight end was banned from SEC football. Anyone know? Must have been a rule change we didn't hear about.

REPORTER: How about all the third down conversions? The Tigers were 11 of 18. It looked easy out there—

HEACOCK: It did, didn't it? Darn. Actually, I'll go ahead and use my double darn. Been saving it all year. (Shakes his head.)

REPORTER: Care to comment?

HEACOCK: No, not really. I said all I want to say when I picked up my award last week for defensive coordinator this year. It's great you see. Just like the Heisman, they give out the hardware before these bowl games. And, look, you all saw my job tonight. I wasn't winning any awards after this show. It was just like Coach Tress likes to say, 'another stinker.' Pew-wee! (Laughter.)

REPORTER: What about all that talent, sir? NFL scouts say you have six or seven NFL guys on that defense. Maybe more.

HEACOCK: My approach to talent is to not get in the way. The last thing you want to do with talent is try to tell it what to do. Especially, in the middle of the game. Some Ohio State defensive coordinators used to do that in the past, and while they may have kept our bowl opponents from scoring the ridiculous numbers my squads give up, we ended up losing a lot of the younger guys early to the NFL. They just were sick of hearing about adjustments and intensity and four quarters and all that. In fact, we don't like to move them around very much from play to play. Wears out the quads, you know? Myself, I'm a yoga man. You should see my downward dog! (Smiles.)

REPORTER: But Coach Heacock, with all due respect, you are still losing guys to the NFL. We'll see this year, but it looks like Gholston, Jenkins, and perhaps, Laurinaitis, are likely to leave early.

HEACOCK: Oops. (Looks confused.)

TRESSEL: It's OK, Jimmy. The game is over. No need for the game face anymore.

HEACOCK: I don't know guys, really. I just come up with a plan, one my shiny new Dell kicks out when I hit enter. They don't let you have computers on the sidelines you know. What am I supposed to do? Hire Pellini?

TRESSEL: Excuse me. (Squinting again). I do the hiring around here. We've already got Defensive Co-Coordinators. And I'd have to check with Smith (OSU AD) and Gee (OSU President) if we can have Co-Co-Coordinators. Come to think of it, sounds kind of spiffy, doesn't it?

REPORTER: Bo Pellini is the new head coach at Nebraska. I don't think he's looking for a job.

TRESSEL: They're still playing football at Nebraska? I thought former Rep. Osborne canceled it. Come to think of it, I ought to give him a call, get my own political campaign ready. A few more games like this and well, it might be time to put the real 'Senator' in Senator Tressell, if you know what I mean.

HEACOCK: Huh?

TRESSEL: It's OK, Jimmy. I'll explain later. Show you how it all works on an Org Chart. Maybe fire it up on that Dell of yours.

HEACOCK: Who's Dell?. Did you say fire? Who? Me? (Looks more confused.)

Buckeyes Battered Again

2008-01-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the LSU Tigers on playing a terrific, almost error-free ballgame to win the 2007 championship of college football, 38-24. The Tigers responded to an early barrage of Ohio State points with a monster 21 point second quarter to roll up a 24-10 halftime lead. While the Buckeye defense improved their performance early in the second half, the game was never really in doubt. It was a decisive and total victory for the LSU Tigers. Hats off to their terrific football team.

In truth, Ohio State's offense played very well at times. They even managed to out gain LSU for the game. But while the defense had no answers and offensive desperation began to show, the wheels seemed to come off much too easily. I have no doubt that Ohio State had the playmakers to do real damage against the Tigers. However, there were far too many near-plays that were not finished for the Buckeyes to ever be a serious threat to LSU—the Robiskie TD drop, the blocked FG, the un-recovered fumble in the LSU rezone, and the roughing the punter on a play where the kick should have easily been blocked.

And, it must be said, the Buckeye coaches chose to ignore one of the most talented players on the field—Chris Beanie Wells—in exchange for shaky reads and bad throws by quarterback, Todd Boeckman. Yes, Ohio State was losing by double digits, but Mr. Wells was breaking large runs almost every second or third time he touched the ball. You need to ride the back of the horse that brought you come hell or high water. Why not run him again and again (with every play n the book), and perhaps use some no huddle until you have to throw instead of digging your own grave? Why not fourth and short instead of third and forever? Wells ended the game averaging 7.3 yards per carry for 146 yards but had no real impact down the stretch. A shame.

But it wasn't just the offensive coaches that let Buckeye fans down. It must be said the defense staff dropped another egg in the first half of college football's biggest game. Last year it was 34 points to Florida, this year 24 to LSU. Inexcusable. LSU had a great plan and executed it, but my impression was the players were too geared up and overplaying floods and misdirections early. More zone looks would have been something to check out.

Ironically, it was the opposite problem of last year. Sadly, Defensive Coordinator Jim Heacock has seemed way over his head in the BCS Championship games. Instead of changing from series to series, down to down, he needs a half to figure it out. Heacock had no answers when we needed it. And given what Ohio State used to have at defensive coordinator with Mark Dantonio and John Tenuta, I believe Jim Heacock's job should be on the line next year. I don't care how many awards he has won or how the numbers have looked good for large parts of the season. His very, very talented teams are getting smoked in the biggest games on the biggest stage. There was just not enough sustained pressure on Flynn, confusing looks, and the secondary seemed surprised that the Tigers liked their tight end. In addition, a series of awful personal fouls led to a series of easy yards that led to scores. There were so many bonehead penalties I lost track.

In the end, the clearly better team won the ball game tonight. A team that got solid and poised quarterback play from start to finish (the third quarter interception aside), and had just a wonderful secondary that made play after play and kept in Ohio State receivers' shirts all night. The Buckeyes have simply not seen a defense as good, particularly in the secondary, since last year's loss to Florida.

As disappointing as this performance was, one needs to be reminded that Ohio State is a young football team. They had low expectations for this year. Next year should see most of the players back and a whopping test comes early at USC. In my opinion that game, and each big time out-of-conference game after it for some time, will be tests that Ohio State will be expected to fail. The media abuse will be intolerable but Ohio State deserves the heckling for now. It will be tough for the Buckeyes and its fans to swallow.

In a sense, the aura of the 1990s Ohio State Buckeyes has returned to rear its ugly head. Back then it was Michigan that had Ohio State's number and kept the program from realizing its goals. Now the psyche of the program will be affected by the belief it can't win the national championship game (or a game against college football's very best teams), and the idea that the prowess of the SEC's best is a hurdle just a little too high.

At the beginning of the season I had hoped for a an Outback or Capital One appearance to play an SEC team in a favorable match-up, and chance to get the SEC monkey off our back. If we can't get to the Orange Bowl next year, I will be hoping for the same in 2008. We need to fix this SEC jinx. The rest of Big Ten has done it, and we need to as well. The sooner the better.

Thanks for a great year Ohio State. And thank you Buckeye fans for your undying love for your Ohio State team. They need you now more than ever.

Ohio State vs LSU Preview

2008-01-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

I'll be honest. I've had a draft of this preview on my desktop for awhile now. But I've had a hard time pushing it out there in front of my Sporting News' readers and friends. And not just because it is ridiculously long (sorry).

The reasons?

Foremost, this is a tough one to call. And I haven't been exactly calling too many right this bowl season. In past years, I've cleaned up in a few pools (usually pick 'em style games where I don't have to acknowledge the spread), but this year there have been some good teams crashing and burning before my eyes—Florida, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech. Bowl games can be so unpredictable that they border on the bizarre. These past few days we've seen twists that few foretold. Perhaps this is just a sign of the times—a little more of the upset football that surprised us all season. I think it has more to do with the long layoffs and lack of obvious momentum that the sporting public can perceive. But ever so quietly some teams are getting healthy. Some teams get hungry again. Some teams get united under a common cause and no one is going to get in their way.

Anyway. I digress. A marker must be put down and here goes.

If the football games of the past several days have told us anything, it is that a few important factors are determining bowl champions. First, speed is about playing fast (understanding the scheme, intensity and focus) more than outrageous athletic advantages over your opponent—every team in the top ten has guys that can run.

Secondly, a team that is hungry as hell or which feels beaten up or backed into a corner publicly usually comes out with more intensity and focus. If they have the conditioning work behind them to sustain that energy, look out.

Third, controlling the line means blocking to perfection—in the middle and at the edge. Those teams winning in the trenches and blocking up-field are wining games.

And next, having the better defense and one that attacks is very helpful, but won't guarantee you anything if you face a high-powered offense that is hitting on all cylinders.

Finally, I think veteran leadership, especially at the quarterback position, is giving a few teams an important advantage. Distractions can divide or unite. The players and its leaders have the most say in which side of that coin turns up.

Now, I don't know about you, but I can think about these factors and see how both teams might have an edge on Monday night. I believe the Buckeyes are every bit as athletic and fast as LSU, and will play with great speed on Monday. They also have a great line and the receivers can block. And I know they are hungry and tired of being beat-up in the national media for last year's title game. But I also got to like LSU playing for its fans near home, getting a perceived new life and shot at a title they have craved all season, and having three seniors in Flynn, Hester, and Doucet, who will surely put their stamp on the game.

Who said prognosticating is easy? At any rate, there is a big game to be played. And it's a big one.

The #1 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) will throw on their scarlet jerseys for the first time in some time in a big bowl game when the face the #2 LSU Tigers (11-2) in the BCS Championship Game in New Orleans. The matchup amounts to pretty much a glorified Sugar Bowl—a game that has delivered two national championships to LSU over the years, notably one the last time New Orleans hosted the BCS Championship in 2004. Ohio State is playing in the BCS Championship for the second consecutive year and the third time in six years. This must be considered the golden age of Buckeye football.

For me there are some pretty obvious things Ohio State needs to do on Monday night. First, the Buckeyes must establish a running game. A year ago the running game had some modest success, but with the score quickly tilted in Florida's favor, it really was never a factor. In 2007, the Buckeyes have typically used the pass to set up the run. They spread the field and hit the air early then get Beanie going late when a defense begins to wear down. And then a funny thing happened up in Ann Arbor at the end of the year. The Buckeyes just ran and ran and ran with Beanie Wells. And it worked. It was a flashback to the "Tressel ball" of 2002 and may be a harbinger of the type of conservative gameplan we might see on Monday night.

The LSU defense is a heavy bunch, especially up front. Of course, All-American Glenn Dorsey anchors this talented crew. While his health remains a bit of a question, it isn't hard to imagine him being close to the immovable force he was at the beginning of the season. The Tigers are actually much more of a Big Ten style physical defense than an SEC speed, off-the-edge style defense. Their secondary, along with Ohio State, is probably the best of the country. These defensive backs are relied upon to get in on the tackling. Strong Safety, senior Craig Steltz and Nickelback, Danny McCray, each rank among the top four in LSU tacklers. LSU's defense isn't so much about generating sacks as it is little yards. It smothers your ability to be productive in the run, forces you outside where there is great tackling, and dares you to throw at a secondary that has come up with 21 interceptions this seasons or 1.6 per game.

But knowing that Ohio State wants to run, knowing that LSU's Defensive Coordinator Bo Pellini is a lameduck coordinator who has had plenty of heat this season for not attacking more, and knowing that Buckeye signal caller Todd Boeckman (admittedly the wild card in this game) struggled with aggressive pressure a few times this year, you better bet the house on the Tigers coming up and into the gaps early with lots of pressure. This means that the Buckeyes will be forced to take some key passes early and possibly a long shot or two to loosen up that aggressiveness. And it might lend itself to a foil of a gameplan by Ohio State's offense—screens, quarterback draws, and tight end passes early.

The last part of this equation really intrigues me. I have this feeling that Jake Ballard could be the key to Buckeye success early. I could envision two tight end sets, plays that send Robo and Hartline long to occupy the secondary and Ballard working the edge where he will have almost half a foot of size advantage against most of the LSU linebackers. You could also see variations on this with Ray Small coming in for three wide looks and working underneath, again using Robo and Hartline on clear out drill. But no make mistake: in the end, this is Chris "Beanie" Wells' offense, and he is simply the best Ohio State running back since Eddie George his senior season. If Wells can make a few punishing runs early, it will be clear who will have the advantage late.

On the other side of the ball, I think too much is being made about SEC speed and mobile quarterbacks hurting Ohio State. Sure Matt Flynn can move, and back-up Ryan Perrilloux, even more so. I envision that Les Miles will use both men, but I'm not sure that is a good thing. Quarterback rotation can be tricky business as evidenced by Virginia Tech's demise last night. In the end, I think LSU is again more of a Big Ten style running team than people admit publicly. Senior Jacob Hester and Keiland Willimas are nearly as strong as Beanie Wells, and I think LSU is going to look at Ohio State's achilles heel—Defensive Tackle—and try to run right at the Buckeyes. If they can get 3 or 4 yards there with consistency, it will force Anderson Russell and Kurt Coleman into some run support and set up LSU's famous playaction passing game where they can get Doucet, LaFell, or Byrd in one on one coverage.

The way Ohio State needs to counteract this is with their outstanding linebackers. In fact, I feel the linebacking position is one of the real advantages Ohio State has in this game. There is no finer collection of three linebackers playing as one unit in the college game. They are the leading tacklers on the Buckeye defense and they each have shown huge strides in pass coverage from a year ago. If the defensive line can keep the linebackers free—look out. Thee guys should be flying around all night. And speaking of the defensive line, you got to think that Vernon Gholoston will command a double team or he will be as disruptive to LSU's rather pourous offensive lie as he was to Michigan's stellar unit. My bet is that preoccupation with Gholston will create some opportunities for delay blitzes from Freeman and Laurinaitis. And watch for what OSU does at the other end position. Losing Robert Rose to injury is a bigger deal than being discussed due to the way the Buckeyes rotate the ends. I imagine we'll see someone else stand in to create 3-4 looks to keep LSU off balance.

In this game last year, one of the key reasons for Ohio State's downfall was an unwillingness to aggressively get after Leak. Ohio State didn't want to go man on the Gator receivers and stuck with a zone coverage that had served them well all season. Well, it not only didn’t work, it was a disaster. The Buckeyes must get after the quarterback whoever it may be. They need to dictte what LSU does not sitback and see. And, in my opinion, even if they get there late, a constant pounding of the quarterback pays off at game's end as we saw with Miami's Dorsey in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl. Such aggression may backfire time to time. The Buckeye defense gave up some big plays to Wisconsin and Illinois at season's end, and I suspect, it will happen in this game, too. The key will be to weather the storm and continue taking chances. A key turnover or two could decide the ballgame.

And then, finally, a word about turnovers. No stat jumps off the page more than how much LSU has fed on turnovers this season. They are #3 in the country in turnover margin, having gone a +18 in this category. This is a credit to their hard hitting and terrific secondary. Ohio State must avoid the costly turnover. Failing to do so would almost surely doom the Buckeyes fate in this closely balanced contest. After watching both Michigan and Illinois commit a series of ghastly red zone errors, I shuddered at the prospect of OSU turning the ball over when certain points are there to be had.

Of course, Michigan so overwhelmed the Florida defense that leaving 14 points off the board didn't matter in the end. Remarkable. And I have to say it got me thinking, too, about the state of defense this season in the SEC. Considering how even a depleted and hapless FSU could score on Kentucky; Florida and Tennessee's ability to allow huge offensive numbers, as well as Arkansas blow out loss to Missouri, I'm convinced that LSU, Aubrun and Georgia are the only defenses worth anything in the SEC this season. And that means that I believe it will not only be the Ohio State offense that faces its most stern test of the season, but the LSU Tiger offense as well. With the possible exception of Auburn, LSU has not seen anything like this Buckeye defense. Count on it.

So, folks, it's prediction time at last.

I've had the feeling for sometime that I was going to pick Ohio State. And I've tried to shake it. I wanted to avoid making a homer pick, as well as underestimating the resume of the opponent like I did last year. But the truth is I still like Ohio State in this game.

Both teams are bringing in incredible defenses, but I think the Buckeyes have a slight edge in both talent (future NFLers) and production. While Ohio State and LSU each rank among the top 3 in the nation in total defense (Ohio State #1 and LSU #3), if you look closer, you'll note the Buckeyes have a few advantages in what I consider to be critical stats. Things like third down conversion rate, tackles for a loss, and scoring. ESPN's studio team recently mentioned as much when they said that the Buckeyes were ranked #1 in 17 of 41 defensive categories. Now, some SEC fans and general Buckeye-bashers will tell you OSU's defensive prowess comes on the back of a weak schedule. Fair enough. But no one forced Ohio State to be so good at defense against teams to hold them to ridiculously low output. The Michigan game is a good example. While OSU held the Wolverines to under 100 yards, Michigan was easily rolling that up in one quarter of play against the Florida gators (the effect of rather night and day weather conditions noted).

For me, this game will come down to which offensive line is more physical and determined throughout the contest. In a game of embarrassments, no unit was more ridiculously exposed as being unprepared and/or unmotivated last year than Ohio State's offensive line. Ask yourself how a team that was trailing for so much of a game could only throw the ball 14 times? It was because Smith had no time to throw and pretty much had to run for his life all evening long. In a game that is about redemption (don't buy any lip service that says otherwise), no one has more to prove than the Ohio State offensive line. They will play great on Monday night.

In the end, the Buckeyes will win for the same reason they did against Miami in 2002; and for the same reasons Michigan did against Florida on New Year's Day, and West Virginia did against Oklahoma; and Kansas did against Virginia Tech—they will simply want it more. They have more to prove. And that desire will show up on the field and make a notable difference between two well matched teams.

I believe the desire has been there brewing inside the Buckeyes for almost a year now. They have been bashed over and over, reminded of their failure in the desert and bashed on every single type of media that exists in the 21st century. The Buckeye coaches sent the players home this holiday season with a DVD montage of hours of media clips describing how hopeless Ohio State would be in this game. And these last few weeks, word I've been getting out of practices is that the men have been willing to work extra hard in conditioning and practice and drills to do enough of the little things with that much more concentration. They are on a mission. Make no mistake—there will be adversity—LSU is a great team with great leaders and star players. But this game is there for Ohio State's taking.

And all that hard work and focus will play off on Monday night. I like Ohio State in a pretty tight game but not necessarily a nail-biter. I see plenty of field goals, Tressel ball, and big dose of soon-to-be-household-name Beanie Wells. And like Lou Holtz said on ESPN: "there is no rule that Ohio State has to keep the score close." If the Buckeye defense does what I think it is capable of, this one might tip heavily toward the Buckeyes in a game that one way or another, is bound to go their way and shock the SEC football world.

Ohio State 26
LSU 20

1/5/08 Update:
For those of you ready for kickoff and/or who couldn't make it to New Orleans, please feel free to check out the following link for occasional sights and sounds from around New Orleans and the game.

My good friend Steve is there--we've gone to the last two OSU national title games together--but this time he's on his own, and my eyes and ears on the ground. What I get from him will be posted as soon as possible (as long as it's tasteful, of course...you see, with Steve you never know).

West Virginia Wow

2008-01-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

Before I get to my National Championship Preview (likely Friday), I just need to hammer out a quick post to say how dead wrong—how horribly, horribly wrong—I was about the West Virginia Mountaineers.

This is a great team with an even bigger heart. They just completely steamrolled one of the very teams in the country. Hey Oklahoma fans, now you know how Ohio State felt in that same building last year: All you can say is what the heck just happened? From there, I suggest forgetting it as soon as possible.

And the Mountaineers did it in all facets of the game (kick coverage possibly excluded). I mean 349 yards rushing on the Sooners! I texted a buddy at some point to say, "Now, I've seen it all." It wasn't that WVU played with so much more speed; it was that they played with amazing intensity and focus from beginning to end. That ends up looking like speed because every single man on the team is doing everything exactly right, over and over.

Furthermore, what can you say about their interim coach, Bill Stewart? All I saw was a guy who had his team dialed in against all the odds, showed tremendous love for his players throughout the evening, and represented his school and state with the utmost character and class. How can West Virginia look anywhere else?

While I'm giving shouts out, I'll go ahead and offer it to Michigan as well. They, too, played with overwhelming desire and purpose. The result from New Year's Day was, in fact, a kind one to Florida who was lucky to have remained in the game for so long. And I will admit that USC is playing championship-caliber football at the moment. But they also played a team who was obviously much too young and wide-eyed (and careless with the football) to give them the bowl they deserved. Also, playing a bowl in LA is getting a bit old guys—get that show on the road one of these days fellas and we'll see. As for Georgia, no shouts. Sorry. You beat a pitiful team and you did it with way too little class. No, it wasn't your fault the Rainbow Warriors were there, but it was your fault you couldn't even when your division, let alone your conference. So save the chest beating for next season, Dawg.

For now, it has to be hats off to the West Virginia Mountaineers for the very best bowl performance to date. Two big ones to go but it will be hard to top the Fiesta Bowl for most impressive BCS bowl win of the year.

Bowl Predictions (a.k.a. Wild Guesses)

2007-12-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

Greetings, friends. Hope your holidays have been wonderful and you are looking forward to the new year tomorrow. I know I am. January 1st has to be the greatest holiday a college football fan can imagine. Sort of like your birthday, Christmas, and the Fourth of July rolled into one. And if you tend to stuff yourself full of adult beverages and snacks while taking in the bowl action than add Thanksgiving to that holiday amalgamate as well.

Sorry for the late post (I imagine most will not see these musings today), but I just returned from a little beach excursion to Costa Rica. (A meandering hike up the hill overlooking my beach provided the photo above). I am now firmly shackled to my computer again—freckled, rested, and ready for some big time college football. As much as it pained me to miss a few of the early bowl contests, I'm not sure I'd trade a barren beach, my boogie board, and bottomless cooler of cervezas for some Purdue v Central Michigan style action.

So after sitting there in the sand thinking about these contests I am ready to make some predictions. Picking bowls is such a long shot you might as well play roulette: who knows what kind of team you see after a month's layoff? The thing I hate most about the system is not just the lack of a playoff, but how long some of these teams are sidelined from action. I know that these type of posts usually bring their share of thumbs down ratings, but so be it. It's time to make some calls—tough ones, right ones, and yes, even some wrong ones.

Round and round she goes...where she stops, no one knows!

For the sake of sanity as well as time, I'll stick to the New Year's Day games and the BCS ones thereafter (sorry GMAC…I mean, really). And because I'm not much of a fan of either the corporate welfare state or the way every thing this time of a year has a logo tattooed somewhere, I'll drop the sponsor names (or rag on the bowl in the one case where I can not) and keep things on the tidy side.

The Outback Bowl
I believe this might be one of the best and most interesting games of the bowl season. Not only is the SEC vs Big Ten, but it’s a battle of two rather enigmatic teams that represent not the best of the conference, but pretty darn close. To be fair, I think Tennessee is likely no better than the 4th or 5th best team in the SEC, while Wisconsin is a likely 3rd best in the Big Ten. But no matter, these teams will go at it and play a tough physical game. How well the Vols offensive line does in pass protection will be one key. The Wisconsin defensive is an underrated bunch, and I think the Badgers can get their running game going on the Vols. Of course there are other matters around this one, too. Tennessee will be missing a number of players due to suspension. Finally, the Badgers play great in bowl games. The Vols do not. A flip of the coin game and one not to be missed.
Wisconsin 20 Tennessee 17

The Cotton Bowl
I think the Tigers will pretty much have their way against the Razorbacks, who like several teams in big bowl games this year, will be working off a new coach. The Tiger offense is too potent unless your defense is one of the nation's best. And Arkansas is not. Anyone they played this season that could pass the ball well beat them—Kentucky and Tennessee. Have you seen Daniels when he gets going? And what might it say about LSU if Missouri mauls one of the teams that beat Louisiana State this season?
Missouri 30 Arkansas 17

The Gator Bowl
Like the Cotton above, I think this is a case of a dialed in offense having its way. Unlike the Razors, the Cavaliers bring some solid defensive numbers to the table. But if bowl season is tipping its hand on one thing, and I think it is, it is the fact that the ACC and Big East have been getting too much love this season. When Michigan State nearly beats the once #2 team in the country and ACC Championship runner-up, Boston College, you know something about the state of power in the conferences. Look for the Raiders to break down the Cavaliers and to win a game that won't feel as close as the score.
Texas Tech 27 Virginia 14

The What's In Your Wallet Bowl
I have said for weeks that Michigan must go into the abyss before they come out the other side. And even after the euphoria about Rodriquez there is nothing that is going to change this game. Yes, there will be some senior pride on hand, but there is also the case for the Florida Gators, who are for me, the far and away most dangerous three loss team in recent memory. They could beat anyone if their game clicks, and come bowl time Mr. Meyer will have his guys clicking. Frankly, I'm not even sure the game will be as close as my prediction. It has gotten so ridiculous at Michigan that they are declaring that a rogue injection to Chad Henne's shoulder was the reason why their season fell apart. Seriously. Check this out. As much as Michigan wants to feel they righted their ship after the horrendous start the fact is they barely beat Penn State, got out gained by Northwestern and Michigan State (both narrow wins), and absent an ill-timed muffed punt return would have likely lost to Illinois too. Gators destroy the Wolverines tomorrow.
Florida 37 Michigan 16

The Rose Bowl
Well you got to stick your neck out somewhere and here it is. This is my upset of the bowl season. (Here is an interesting Vegas read on the game if you are interested.) I have seen a lot of SC football this year and I know they are going to have some trouble with Illinois' offense. The question will be wherever or not Juice Williams can show the poise he did in Columbus when he faces the Trojans in their back yard (which is getting a bit ridiculous really…kind of like Miami playing in the Orange Bowl year in and year out). Ron Zook is a gamer and won't let Pete Carroll smile his way through some media love to the easy win that all are calling for. The Zookster has been recruiting some gamers and speed guys for years too. It's pay day. This Illini defense is talented enough to steal the show. If they can manage to frustrate the Trojans running game—no easy task—they will have a shot. The Trojans defense has been very good of late, but I'm not forgetting what Oregon was able to do them. I think Illinois is the real deal, the up and comer, and the country is about to be put on notice. And the Trojans are due to be flat in the Rose Bowl one of these days.
Illinois 23 USC 20

The Sugar Bowl
I don't have much to say here besides the fact that I watched Hawaii play San Jose State, Nevada, Boise State, and Washington this season. And in almost each case, they could have, should have, would have lost those games. This team is so overrated it is ridiculous. And they are nowhere the team that Boise State was a year ago—there is no power running, no mobile run/throw QB, no trickeration that can keep a defense off balance. Yes, the Warriors will spread it out and do their thing, but this will be more about how Georgia just pounds them all over the place, especially on offense, keeping the ball out of Colt Brennan's hands.
Georgia 38 Hawaii 21

The Fiesta Bowl
I thought this game had the potential to be a bit on the ugly side after the Mountaineers demoralizing loss to Pitt. Even worse was the notion that a geared up defense could stuff the unstoppable run option with a little aggression and luck. Guess what? Oklahoma has plenty of aggression and won't need any luck. I would have voted the Sooners #1 at season's end if I had a ballot and think they will be out to erase the embarrassing memories of a year ago. As for West Virginia, they seem in a state of disarray. I think it will show up on the football field in what will be a game of what could have been.
Oklahoma 30 West Virginia 13

The Orange Bowl
I wish I could say I was looking forward to this one. After the Rose Bowl, the Orange, for me, is the one that just screams tradition. I think this could be a very tight affair and a decidedly low-scoring game as two teams who have staked their claim as great defenses go toe to toe. I just like the momentum Tech has right now and I am still seeing Kansas as a team slightly over its head. The decisive loss to Missouri must be put in the context of how bad Oklahoma would beat this team. In the Big 12 this season there was Oklahoma, then Missouri and then pretty much everyone else.
Virginia Tech 20 Kansas 13

The BCS Championship Game
Preview and Prediction Forthcoming

A Little Perspective on Michigan's New Man

2007-12-16T10:01:00.000-08:00

Perspective. The word, among other things, means the ability to see all relevant facts and data and their meaningful relationship.

It is something that both Michigan, and Ohio State, fans could use right about now.

With today's announcement of the Wolverine's hiring of West Virginia head coach, Rich Rodriquez, to replace outgoing Michigan headman, Lloyd Carr, there has been a buzz of activity on college football message boards. The same Michigan boards that a few days ago wanted to stage a violent overthrow of their athletic department are now predicting national championships; a Patriot-style, unstoppable offense; and praising the genius that is Michigan AD, Bill Martin.

Meanwhile, there are two kinds of Buckeye fans at the moment. There are the crass Buckeye fans who are making jokes about West Virginia or declaring that Rodriquez is a clueless coach that is about to get in way over his head. And there is the sky-is-falling Buckeye fans who think the spread is coming to Michigan along with a blue-chip recruit by the name of Terrelle Pryor who the Buckeye coaches covet and who is reported to be the second-coming of Vince Young.

Please people. Hold on for a minute.

First let's acknowledge what a blow this is to West Virginia and its terrific football team. The Mountaineers were one game away from the national championship. The game would have been the crowning achievement for a group of veteran West Virginia players that have left their mark on the college landscape. Not only do they lose the biggest game in some time, possibly ever, they lose to a rival at night, at home. And now, they lose their coach, too. My hope is that West Virginia gets an outstanding and committed coach that can keep them playing at the highest level, and one that can perhaps help them take the next steps to football glory.

As for Coach Rodriquez, I pointed out in my post of November 19th that I thought Rodriquez would be the best choice for the Michigan program. I was not impressed with Miles, and a few other names seemed long shots at best. While I am surprised that Rodriquez had as much interest as he more than apparently did, you got to recognize what he can bring to the table for Michigan.

The most important thing, I believe, is that he is a terrific recruiter. Rodriquez has been getting guys from Florida and the deep south for some time, and also does well in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, an in the Maryland-Virginia area. That is a wide net and fertile ground for football talent. It also helps Michigan in two ways—it gets talent to Ann Arbor and hopefully, away from Ohio State and Penn State.

From there the reason to like Rodriquez as a Michigan fan is his understanding and commitment to the spread option. Now perhaps too much is being made of this offense, but it is popping up all over and being played by some very successful football teams. Defenses will adjust; they always do. But I'm sure Michigan fans are excited about playing a more speed-based type of offensive football.

There are other reasons that Rodriquez was attractive to Michigan, but the above two are really all you need to understand why Bill Martin pulled the trigger. Let's admit it: He has a chance to be a great coach for the Maize and Blue.

So is this the beginning of the end for Ohio State's recent dominance over Michigan? I would suggest that it is somewhere between too early to tell and probably not. And I suppose the Sweater Vest may have something to say about the matter, too.

Michigan's problems of late have largely been defensive in nature. And with all due respect to West Virginia, their defense has been mediocre at times, and often atrocious against talented offenses over the years. I imagine Rodriquez will get a coordinator to work on that problem, but the fact is his teams just never have consistently excelled in stopping anyone.

Furthermore, there is no quick switch to the spread option. It require recruits, study, and game experience. Illinois has been playing it for a few years and its only starting to work for them. You need a QB that is a coach on the field, too. We all saw how the Mountaineers did when Pat White was knocked from the game.

And while Coach Rodriquez is a talent, he does not strike me as an Urban Meyer or Nick Saban, the kind of guy that can right a ship in one or two seasons (even Petey Carroll couldn't do that). I'm also not sure that the change to Big Ten ball will be all too smooth for Rodriquez. He will likely get there. But how fast I wonder.

I am sorry, but the Big East does not stack up in terms of the Big Ten's depth, traditions (which creates multiple rival-type games), or physical play. I mean Connecticut was in the running for the title this year. The Huskies were not even D-IA in the 90s. And Southern Florida didn't even have football then either. Rutgers just started to go to bowl games after a 30 year absence, something that amusingly coincided with Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College jettisoning the confernce for the ACC. Enough said.

Of course, it should be noted that ol' Jim Tressel came from an even weaker league, Division I-AA football, and seemed to get the whole Big Ten thing by season two.

In the end, I imagine Coach Rodriquez will get his system in place and clicking by the end of two or three years. But it will really get going after that and Michigan football by then should be in good hands. Who knows what the game will look like then. A lot can happen in football. Nothing is guaranteed; nothing is too predictable. (As an aside, I don't put much stock in crowning any 18 year old kid the next this or that, so even if this Pryor kid goes to Michigan it will be tough sledding at first).

And finally, and this is important, I think its more than a little curious that Michigan just hired a coach who lost the biggest game of his career, one of the biggest games of his alma-mater's history against a rival, at home, and when he was a huge favorite. Personally, I was afraid of Rodriquez going to Michigan on November 19th. But after watching the Pitt game closely that fear was largely gone. Here was a coach that looked tight, afraid to win the big one, and completely at a loss of what to do when Plan A when out the window. His team played the exact same way, of course. I'm not sure what this says for how Rodriquez will do in The Game—the Ohio State and Michigan rivalry, but it can't be a terribly good sign, can it?

The BcS Mess: Make It Stop!

2007-12-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Of course, I am delighted that Ohio State has been invited to play in the BCS Championship game and given a shot to play for the 2007 national championship. But that doesn't mean I love this system. It is deeply flawed—a bit like the March Madness tournament committee announcing the tournament field, and then in the next breath, determining the Final Four teams as well.

Doesn't seem quite right, does it?

One of the biggest problems in figuring out a better way is the senseless spin about how a playoff would be bad for college football, how it demeans the regular season or the lesser bowls, and hurts the student athletes. Rather than waste my time debunking each of these ludicrous assertions, I will just trust that you, the reader, already know this is, how shall I say...complete and utter hogwash!

Every single poll I've seen on the subject seems to suggest fans know the real deal, and they want a playoff.

Some of the more thorny issues need a few words however.

One is the "when you lost" business. You know, this idea that if you lose late you should be sunk for a chance at the title. I just don't know if that makes any sense at all. Many teams play a rival at season's end or the best team on their card or play a conference championship at season's end. For teams facing this challenge, chances are if they are going to lose a ball game, it very well may be the last one.

If you can't win your conference that is one thing, but should a team that fails late in a tough game be passed over by another one-loss team who lost in week three to a lesser opponent? Of course not. By that logic everyone should front-load their schedules to get an edge in the polls at season's end. Ohio State against Michigan in September anyone? It's crazy.

Which leads me to the following…

We need to admit the truth: the polls are part of the problem. Who thinks that the sports writers should have so much say in who is college football's national champion? Have you read some of what these bozos have been shoveling this season?

So why is it that a pre-season poll, one based on absolutely nothing but football tea-leaves, gets to have so much of an effect the way the rest of the season is voted? It is baseless. It is madness.

If I could (and I can not), I'd kill the polls until mid-October. Wait until some football has been played. Let the kids show us what they can do on the field.

Which leads me to the reason for today's post…

I have got a simple playoff proposal for you. It's one I've been kicking around for years, every season I tweak it a little more, usually by way of making it simpler.

Here goes:

The college football regular season shall be limited to no more than 12 games for any team; this number includes any conference championship contests.

The season shall commence in the middle of August, or one-week earlier than in many past seasons.

The NCAA mandates that all Division I conferences determine and declare their conference champion by the Sunday after Thanksgiving. How they do it—championship game or no championship game—is their business. The NCAA says just file your champion with us by this date.

(An interesting, important aspect to this is that it gives the conference's the ability to make its own by-laws on what to do if there's a monumental upset in their championship game…8-3 team beats 11-0 kind of thing. Hypothetically, they could decide to file the 11-1 team as its conference champion for purposes of the playoff, exactly the old way tied-record teams were often voted by their conference to attend a bowl game).

A BCS style rating is then generated on these CONFERENCE-FILED CHAMPIONS ONLY. It is done AFTER the regular season ends. (Before that, handing one out is just window dressing and petty gossip).

Use the Harris Poll, a coaches poll (I'd use the Master Coaches Survey of retired coaches as opposed to the "I have no time" USA Today Coaches), and various Computer Polls. And I'd increase the weight on the computers so that there are on equal footing with the humans. Eliminate the media bias whenever possible.

The Top Eight of these conference-filed championship teams are invited to the National Playoff. The first Saturday and/or Sunday in December shall be the first-round of the playoffs:

Team 8 plays Team 1 at their home stadium.
Team 7 plays Team 2 at their home stadium.
Team 6 plays Team 3 at their home stadium.
Team 5 plays Team 4 at their home stadium.

After these games, bowl invitations are officially made. The 8 teams participating in the playoffs shall all have guaranteed invitations to BCS Bowl games. Two BCS Bowl games each year shall be consolation games (for losers of first round games); two shall be deemed national semi-finals; and one site, among the Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, and Orange, shall be reserved for the National Championship to be played two weeks after the traditional near-January 1 bowl dates.

A note on the championship game: It must be two weeks after the semi-finals because fans have to make plans. This one week after business, as kicked around in many "plus-one" discussions (see below) is a non-starter to the average fan's ability to get involved in going to the game, and therefore a stupid idea. And for those that think fan won't ravel more than once, ask yourself this: would you consider traveling to see your team again if it was for the national championship? Thought so.

Ideally, one of the consolation sites shall host the National Championship so that three of the four sites have a "meaningful" bowl game each season. Cough, cough: Big $$$ for everyone.

And whenever possible, traditional conference affiliations with bowls will be honored with higher seeded teams getting preferential treatment (i.e., if Ohio State were playing in a national semi-final, among the top 2 in terms of reaming BCS seeds, and the Rose was on deck to host a semi, the Buckeyes would play that game in Pasadena).

Some of the advantages:

Maintains and increases the importance of the regular season (no non-conference champions allowed); allows for the smaller conferences (the "Cinderella" story Hawaii would be in this years playoff for sure); the minor bowls stay in place, nothing changes (TCU and Houston can still play in the Texas bowl and the ratings will not change—really, trust me).

You get a terrific Thanksgiving weekend of conference-determining games, and then the next week—even better playoff games that will make huge money for TV, as well as the conferences (host conference should split some dollars with visiting conferences, and host cities get to keep the benefit to local businesses and concessions).

And this is an important one—it creates a situation where the non-conference games are of little importance other than money, improving your team, and to impress voters for a better seed in the event you win a conference title. My bet is that good teams will start scheduling each other right and left because there is no penalty for losing as long as you win your conference later! Wow. Imagine Ohio State and Georgia getting together, USC and Florida, and so on.

So when could we expect something like this? Not anytime soon. But I do think, however, it is the best system you could come up with. You might be able to add a play-in round to get even more small conference champions involved, but the calendar gets tricky. Proposals for more teams, like the 16-team playoff called the "Wetzel Plan" on Yahoo Sports, are just ludicrous. Not only does it defy the calendar, but it adds wild card teams who are not conference champions, which completely wrecks the integrity of the regular season. (Somehow the Wetzel Plan denies this...)

I just don't see any real downside here. But don't hold your breath, friends. The most likely thing we will see in the future is something halfway in between: the plus-one game.

Essentially the plus one would be about half of this proposal. The top four would be selected; we'd have semi-finals around the traditional bowl dates, and then a follow-on championship. Something tells me though, that when this comes, it will be flawed in that it will miss some of the important details I outline above. Conference champions only. Two weeks between semi-finals and a championship so that fans can be involved. You know what I mean. Another one-step forward, one-step backward routine from the university presidents.

All we can do is wait and see.

Something Worth Thinking About

2007-12-05T09:59:00.000-08:00

Rarely do I take the easy way out as a blogger, that is, simply point you off to someone else's work with an annotated link.

Well, I need to do that today.

I am still working on a post about the BCS and a proposed playoff solution. And today I came across a wonderfully insightful indictment of the status-quo by Jeff Amey on the Ozone.net—if you have a moment, it is worth a look, and likely to get you thinking about the state of things in college football.

More soon, friends.

Early BCS Takes

2007-12-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

More on the mess that the BCS system is soon, but this morning I could not resist getting excited about the big football games to come.

The Fiesta Bowl
I think this game could be real ugly unless West Virginia gets its head around the type of team they are playing. They can run with the Sooners and if the WVU offense gets its focus back, they can score as well. But for me, Oklahoma should be the #1 team in the country after what I saw them do against Missouri. They are fast and physical, nasty on defense as they hit with bad intent, and their young QB is a maestro. They would be the team I'd be most afraid of playing as a Buckeye, so I suppose the Mountaineers should be concerned to. The Sooners will be looking to erase their memories of a year before and I can't see them losing.
Early Prediction: Oklahoma 31 West Virginia 21

The Rose Bowl
Don't underestimate Illinois here. The play the read option much like Oregon, a team that gave USC fits and eventually beat them. USC is also a team that depends on its team speed to overwhelm, and Illinois can run with anyone. The best thing the Trojans have going for them is not their two wins over winning teams this year, but a healthy John David Booty and another bowl game in what amounts to a bona-fide home stadium.
Early Prediction: USC 27 Illinois 24

The Sugar Bowl
Should call this the "ugly bowl." I don't care if Hawaii wins their next fifty regular season games, if they win them like they've won the last 12 (out of the seat of their pants against one of the absolute weakest schedules in the country), Georgia is going to pound them all over the field. And that is exactly what the Dawgs will do.
Early Prediction: Georgia 38 Hawaii 20

The Orange Bowl
The shame is that Missouri should be in this game. Not Kansas. It is crazy. Or as Lee Corso says, "It sucks!" Kansas is a good team, but I think one that is in over it's head here. Seeing how far behind they were to Missouri, and then seeing how far Missouri was behind to Oklahoma, I see Kansas for what it is—a nice team, no more. Virginia Tech is not the team the computers think (#1 in those polls due to their schedule strength), but they do have the defense to shut down KU, as well as a penchant for getting just enough offense to get it done.
Early Prediction: Virginia Tech 20 Kansas 13

The BCS Championship
Ohio State backed its way in. They have played no one all year. There is little talent and athleticism; the Buckeyes are slow as molasses. They are 0-8 against the SEC in bowl games. It's the mighty, lightening fast LSU in their own backyard.
Early Prediction: LSU 42 Ohio State 3 (wink. wink. chuckle. shhhhhhh….)

And One More Thing ...

2007-11-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

What's new? Unfortunately, not enough.

All week I've been reading story after story related to college football. Most have been about how Ohio State has no business "backing into" the national championship despite being the last significant team standing with one loss besides KU as well as undefeated Hawaii; how the Buckeyes have no real talent or speed no matter how many players are on NFL rosters or how many titles, championships, or Heismans have been won in Columbus; how WVU would run the Buckeyes off the field; how USC is once again the greatest college football team since the beginning of time despite losing at home to a team ND pushed aside on the road; how the SEC dominates all other conferences (despite facts and figures that suggest otherwise) so much that the championship this weekend in Atlanta may as well be the national one; and on and on and on.

Egad.

I could start my regular laundry list of why all of the above is complete and utter crap, but I am a beaten man. I've heard one too many idiots on talk radio, read one too many posts by guys who can't put a coherent thought together, but somehow have this upside-down college football season all figured out.

So instead, I'll tell those clowns out there how I really feel:

Enjoy the football this weekend. I will.

You see, my Ohio Sate Buckeyes are either going to the greatest bowl game of them all, the Rose Bowl to play USC, or to the BCS Championship game to play for all the marbles.

Again. (And like they very well may do next year, too).

And there is not a thing any of the pundits or pseudo-pundits out there can do about it.

So, in the spirit of the Monty Python, french guy guarding my Buckeye castle above: c'est la vie mes amis!

Quick Slant: Mssouri About To Right a Wrong

2007-11-25T09:57:00.000-08:00

It is with a combination of quiet amusement and gut-wrenching angst that I took a peek at the Ohio State football message boards on Sunday morning. Everyone and his brother was trying to figure out how Ohio State's defense would quiet West Virginia's offense, how the Buckeyes would make amends for January 2007 and bring home a national championship.

As the certifiable, yet amicable, Lee Corso would say, "Not so fast my friends."

The reason: I have seen this movie before.

Exhibit A is 1996. And 1998. And to a lesser extent 2005. Ohio State on the outside looking in, needing one more domino to fall to crawl back into the national championship picture. To get what coulda, shoulda, woulda been.

It didn't happen.

But the real thing that makes me feel less than hopeful about Ohio State getting a 2007 title shot, the Exhibit B if you will, is the game between Missouri and Oklahoma—the one that was already played on October 13th of this season.

Anyone who watched that game closely knows that the Tigers managed to have the Sooners on the ropes. The Tigers put up more first downs and yards. The talented Chase Daniel tore through the Oklahoma secondary with great aplomb, throwing for 361 yards. Only four Missouri turnovers and an Oklahoma 18 point fourth quarter spoiled the evening. Yes, it wasn't exactly close in the end—the Tigers got a late, meaningless score and used some fortuitous Sooner turnovers to score early. But the general feeling of the game was that Missouri was a team on equal footing to the Sooners, and Mizzou was a team that very well could have walked out of Norman, Oklahoma with a win.

Fast forward a few weeks. You now have a #1 Missouri team. A team that is all the more confident after beating undefeated Kansas, and one whose defense while not shutting anyone down, seems content to slow teams enough to let their offense whir the Tigers on by on the scoreboard (where it matters most). Additionally, you have the return of senior running back Tony Temple, who is averaging over 5 yards a carry, as well as over 100 yards his past three games. Missouri seems to be getting healthy while the Sooners appear more beat up.

Finally, any one else notice that Texas Tech just beat Oklahoma with pretty much the same spread offense that Mizzou uses? Yes, I know that Oklahoma was winning 7-6 when Sam Bradford was knocked from the game, but the Sooner defense still got lit up for three straight touchdown drives and over 200 yards passing in three drives to trail 27-10 and essentially lose the game before halftime.

So we now have a rematch game where the team that lost (Missouri) the first time feels like they blew one. That team is also getting billed as the early underdog (I've seen Oklahoma -3.5). That team is also playing for a shot at the national championship. That team plays with a senior quarterback and offense based on space and speed, one that will thrive in the artificial environment of the Alamo Dome.

Meanwhile the team that won (Oklahoma) the first time is playing for a consolation prize, to go back to the desert and play in a Fiesta Bowl where they hardly played with effort last season. This team plays a bruising brand of football, and while fast, would certainly prefer a hard-hitting, in-the-elements type of game. This team is missing one of its best pass rushers, Auston English, and "special" special teams return guy, DeMarco Murray, to injury. This team has a freshman quarterback (who does lead the nation in passing efficiency) and two talent running backs who can pound all day long only if the score allows them to do so.

I did some clicking around and heavy reading of the Oklahoma fan forums. They believe they will win, but you get the sense that they know Mizzou is better than last time and that the Sooners are really an inconsistent and beat-up, if not proud, squad.

Add it all up friends. You certainly can see the recipe for a Missouri victory. And I believe that is exactly what we will get unless Oklahoma establishes its intent and enthusiasm, as well as its rushing game right from the start. It should be a close one. My bet, absent a Missouri choke, is that the Tigers will find a way to be Big 12 champions, something like 31-24 by game's end.

So don't got changing your bowl travel plans just yet Buckeye fans. We are likely still headed to the Rose Bowl. And there we would play in what would certainly be the most anticipated bowl game besides the national championship—Ohio State vs. USC. A game between traditional rivals. A game between two teams that have been dominating college football the last several years. For me, the Roses would be no consolation prize. It would be a magical game and a magical opportunity to raise the Buckeye flag as rightfully among college football's best. And it would point straight ahead to next year when, in September 2008, a likely Top 5 Ohio State and Top 5 USC would go at it again.

Quick Slant: Time To Put the Feet Up and Watch

2007-11-19T09:56:00.000-08:00

Ohio State ended its regular season with a convincing, albeit ugly win over Michigan on Saturday. The win, of course, gives the Buckeyes four in-a-row over the Maize and Blue and an outright Big Ten Championship for the second consecutive year. Congratulations to Jim Tressel, his staff, and the wonderful group of players, who defied the prognosticators that called for a third or fourth place finish in this "rebuilding" year and brought home the Big Ten title

Thoughts On "The Game"
The bottom line is that this was like watching Ohio State 2002 all over again. Tressel got his nose in front and then ran out the clock, while his defense knocked Michigan around like a rag doll (39 of 59 Michigan plays went for zero or a loss of yardage). No question, the power running of Beanie Wells made this possible. Beanie was sensational. If it had not been for leg cramping in the late third quarter, he may have pushed on toward 300 yards and possibly another touchdown in the biggest game of the year. And he did it against a defense that knew he was going to run, and had been geared to stopping him.

But you have to point out just how battered Michigan looked. Chad Henne never should have been playing. I watched him struggle to raise his arm to release his chin strap on the sideline, and his throwing action was in and out. Hart was hobbled too, but one has to say that his offensive line did little to help him. The Buckeyes really dominated up front. Gholson and Heyward were forcing the tackles into the QB all day and the Buckeyes defensive tackles stuffed the middle as well. It was simply the best performance by the defensive line all season.

I was disappointed in the Ohio State offense to the extent it wasn't able to do a bit more on Saturday. Yes, a bit more was not required. Yes, the conditions were miserable. But besides the obvious fact that the players should have been prepared for the conditions (and I just watched Cal and USC play in a heavier rain storm with only slightly warmer temperatures a week before with great aplomb) I have real concerns about Todd Boeckman's mind set right now. His late second half interception was awful, and he only had the opportunity to throw twice more.

Additionally, I thought the coaches made some very silly third down calls in this game. There were a few times where we pushed just to the edge of the range for a field goal, and instead of running the power football that got us there, we tried something cute on third down (screens, QB shotgun draws, and so on). My favorite was the inside handoff to Small late in the game when he was absolutely murdered. Everyone knew it was all run all the time.

Power ahead on 3rd and 5 and if you get four, consider going for it. If you get two or three, try a long field goal; if you get stuffed, punt it. We have a great kicker who I think could have hit a near 50-yarder even in the conditions of Saturday. And just three more points would have made that nail in the coffin come a whole lot sooner than it did.

Michigan's New Head Coach
First, let me congratulate coach Lloyd Carr on an amazing career. The man has been pure class for as long as I can remember, and he will forever be thought of among the great Michigan and Big Ten coaches in my book.

While the Les Miles stories are going to begin in earnest, I think Michigan fans ought to stop for a moment and be careful for what they wish for. Miles is a very good coach, but I see little evidence that he is a special one. Yes, he is a Michigan man, but he coached under the infamous Gary Moeller who wasn't a beacon of success up in Ann Arbor. And Miles's last two stops, at Oklahoma State and LSU, would have been four years and three years respectively. Does he have any track record in building a program? Maybe Michigan doesn't want to build per se, but wants a program caretaker. I'd say that's a mistake.

Additionally, what does Michigan know about Miles's recruiting? He may have had top ten classes the last two seasons, but he's working in a fertile territory in Louisiana with little competition from an until recently, weakened Alabama program. Miles inherited Saban's uber-talent at LSU, so no wonder they are in the mix of for the title. But if you think about the number of near losses this year, and the from the hip play-calling, you got to ask yourself if this isn't a poker player playing with the house's money and in way over his head.

And do not forget: Jim Tressel faced Les Miles in the 2005 Alamo Bowl. The beating Ohio State gave Miles's Oklahoma State Cowboys was simply one of the most convincing bowl wins by the Ohio State Buckeyes in my lifetime. Ohio State didn't even have a healthy quarterback for that game, and they still won easily.

On second thought, considering all of the above, I hope Michigan makes Les Miles their next coach and spends a lot of money doing so.

Besides the obvious Miles, here are a few other names worth consideration with comments:

Rich Rodriquez. A West Virginia man to the core, and I suspect would have only passing interest, if any, in the Michigan job. But the Wolverines would be crazy not to try. He recruits in a fertile part of the country and could make great in-roads in Penn State and Ohio State territory. And his style of offense is the wave of the future. West Virginia's attack is like Illinois on steroids. Simply put, no coach would scare me more as a Buckeye fan.

Brian Kelly. Has strong ties to the state of Michigan where he has a fantastic track record of success. Kelly has personality and knows the Michigan recruiting trail well. But, he is pretty new to the big time. And Michigan State passed on him, so it's hard to see him bubbling to the top no matter how good Cincinnati has been this paricular season.

Jeff Tedford. I think one of the great offensive minds in college football. He has single handly put Cal football on the map. Given the frustrating morass that is the development of his football facilities, and the fact college football will never be more than a sideshow in the Bay Area, Tedford could be ready for a new challenge. But he is a West Coast guy through and through, and he has yet to win a championship (or too many big games) at Cal.

Jon Gruden. I've been wondering what is keeping Gruden in the NFL game for sometime now, and I think his days in Tampa are numbered. But how could you go from Lloyd's curmudgeon look to the Gruden scowl?

Bill Cowher. This great football mind is only 50 years old and has that right mix of leadership, discipline, and emotion to make him a potential hall of fame college coach. Just like Pete Carroll, who always seemed better suited for the college game, I have a sense that Cowher might be as well. But the guy seems to be enjoying the high life in the NFL studio and recently moved to North Carolina where his daughter is in school, and where he and his wife both went to college.

The BCS Championship Picture
I, for one, would love to get myself all squared away for a trip to the Rose Bowl. I've never been to the Rose Bowl game and have been waiting several years now patiently out here on the west coast to bring the Buckeyes to my neck of the woods. Of course, there is a lot more football to be played. Buckeye fans get to put their feet up; We get to watch as the four teams ahead of us in the current BCS rankings put it on the line a few more times.

If I had to bet on the teams that will be in the championship game, I'd put my money on West Virginia being one of them right now. They have two games at home that are entirely winnable.

Meanwhile, everyone else plays high stakes poker: LSU will face a dangerous Arkansas team and then an SEC Championship. If their opponent is Georgia, made possible by a Kentucky win over Tennessee on Saturday, then look out.

As for the Big 12, I think Missouri is the team most likely to play in the BCS Title game (and this says a lot about how much better the Big Ten is than advertised as this Mizzou team squeaked by Illinois in their opener). I look for Missouri to beat Kansas, and for there to be a rematch of that hard-fought, regular season game with Oklahoma. If Bradford can get past his concussion, this should be a heck of a game.

At any rate, I'd put at LSU loss in the next two weeks at something like a 33%, Kansas at 66%, Missouri at 50%. West Virginia at 10%.

And do not forget Arizona State, folks. If they win big over USC, they could very well jump Ohio State. They have played USC well the past two years and have a terrific offense. But they also have that rivalry game with Arizona to play, too. An ASU loss is about 50%. If they win both games, but narrowly, I'd guess they have only a small chance of jumping OSU, but who knows.

But here is an important number to chew on while you consider the above. The Buckeyes chaces of losing in the coming two weeks? 0%.

Stay tuned.

Ohio State at Michigan Preview

2007-11-15T09:56:00.000-08:00

It was Tuesday night and I had wandered in late. I stood in front of the fridge, pushing aside garden salad and stir-fry in the hopes of finding real food. Some hefty leftovers, please. The kind that taste good when consumed around 10 o'clock and after a few pints of beer. Then I heard the Ohio State band on the television. I rushed to the TV I had turned on just moments before. There, through the timeless magic of television footage, was Woody Hayes charging around a Buckeye practice field. He was raising hell and generally being the maniac I adored and loved as a kid.

Forget dinner. Duty called.

Of course, I was sitting down to watch HBO's very fine documentary on the Ohio State Michigan rivalry. In my gloom over the Illinois loss, I had lost track of the fact that it was to be aired this week. I picked up a few minutes in and watched until the last credit faded from the screen. I stirred now and then. My eyes watered up here and there. I bit my lip. My heart raced.

At some point, maybe midway through, my wife had come into the room. She saw what I was watching, shook her head, and left. Ten plus years of marriage and she knew that Buckeye football remains religion, the kind of religion that if your don't completely understand or aren't ready to get on board with, well then, get the heck out of the way.

"You should watch this," I mumbled a few times knowing she wouldn't return. Wake the kids. They should watch it too, I thought. Maybe then my family would have a chance at understanding what it's all about. Why fall is my favorite season, the Buckeyes in my heart and soul.

And above all else: why it is virtually impossible for me to get anything done during Michigan week.

The Game is out there. It's just days ahead. It means everything.

So here we are friends:

A trip for the Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1) to the Big House and a chance to play the Michigan Wolverines (8-3) for the conference championship and the granddaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl.

So what might we see? As much as has been written and said about the health of Chad Henne and Michael Hart, I think these guys will be ready to go. I'm not convinced however that the physical grind of the game might not hobble them or knock one out (likely Henne) over the course of the 60-minute contest. Michigan will be looking to establish its running game and I suspect they may try to do it with the pass. Mario Mannigham has been a terror this season, and limiting Hart to some blocking duties early keeps him fresh late in the game. They also will want to try to fool the Buckeyes into thinking that they want to begin with the run. Look for power sets, play action, and shots down field. When they do run early, my bet is that Hart's backup, Carlos Brown, will have a big part of the gameplan. He is a quick back, decisive in his running. He's the kind of guy that could give the Buckeye defense fits if it has not shaken off the malaise of last week and their performance against Illinois.

One thing to look for is how much pressure the Buckeyes bring at Henne. I would hope for a heck of a whole lot. Henne is simply not the same quarterback when under pressure, and Ohio State a much better defense when it attacks. The Buckeye defenders need to return to their aggressive play or suffer the fate of the last few weeks where their hesitation led to some big plays given up to their opponent early on. I simply cannot see how Manning ham is left in single coverage so expect a Buckeye safety to be there for help. I envision Jenkins being the guy to man him up most of the time. It will be a great test fro the junior who has slipped in his performances the past few weeks, and I think we all know, very well may be playing his last regular season for the Buckeyes. Additionally, watch to see how Michigan tries to establish the match-up with Manningham they want. If he doesn't get the ball early, expect them to go more three wide and try to push the Buckeyes into their nickel where, Jenkins moves to safety.

The wild card in this game may very well be when the Buckeyes have the ball. I can't shake the feeling that Boeckman's confidence has been severely bruised—along with the muscles, joints, bones, and even skulls, of his most capable running backs. I'm worried that the Ohio State offense that we saw so beautifully on display in Happy Valley is going to be very hoard to reclaim. I have said for some time now, as Beanie goes, Ohio State goes. If big Chris Wells has a good day, good things are bound to be in store for the Buckeyes. This Saturday, I think Tressel will want to protect his quarterback early, and try to get his rhythm going. Ohio State has used the pass, and notably the big pass play, to try to establish the run for several consecutive weeks now. I've noted over the years that Tressel is very consistent in his game planning; he rarely schemes too much for a particular opponent, for better or worse. There seems to be one exception—Michigan. I have this feeling that the Buckeyes may come out and really get after the running game. They will pass the ball, but into safe routes underneath with curls and comebacks. It seems a high-risk proposition as Michigan will come out fiery for sure, and running the ball into an overzealous front could prove difficult. But expect misdirections, counters, and other subtle trickeration to try to punish the aggressiveness of the Michigan defense early.

My sense is that the Michigan defense will have one goal in mind come Saturday—get after Todd Boeckman. They are well aware that this is his first Ohio State-Michigan game. And they have seen how pressure and adversity has affected his play. That defense will be aggressive; they will be looking for an interception or game-changing play. In fact, if you look closely at Michigan's toughest Big Ten contests of the season it is clear to see that opponent's turnovers played a huge part in assuring a Michigan win. The Buckeyes are minus five in turnovers in The Game over the past two seasons. That stats needs to change this Saturday. This year's Michigan defense is a defense that relies on the takeaway to give its offense the kind of help it needs to win tough games.

On special teams both teams are in capable hands in the punting game, and after a mid-season change at kicker has helped Michigan clean up its field goal scoring as well. Their senior kicker has made 8 of 8 on the season.

All said (and I could go on and on and on), this is a very tough game to call. I think Ohio State the better team, but all the intangibles seem to point to Michigan. They are due in the series, they are at home, and sweet redemption is on the line. But there is still the issue of the state of mind of head coach Lloyd Carr. The headman at Michigan seems to have let this rivalry get into his head like John Cooper did in the nineties. And with word that he may retire at season's end slipping out, you got to wonder if he's reaching for gimmicks to try to motivate his team (seen too many of Russell Crowe's acting performances perhaps).

To be blunt about it: I believe the team that scores the first TD will probably win this game. In victories in Ann Arbor in 2001 and 2005, Ohio State came out of the gates and got their noses well in front. Both games got real tight late, but the Buckeyes held on. These were decidedly different contests than in Columbus the last few times, where for the most part, the Buckeyes have established themselves early as the team that would control the game. And the Buckeyes don't strike me right now as the kind of offense that can come from behind. (Has it really only been three weeks since the Penn State game?)

And while I think the Ohio State defense will get back to looking pretty darn good, I'm less sanguine about the Buckeye offense. Todd Boeckman has been shaky since his incredible performance at Penn State. He seems to be suffering his growing pains late in the season as the level of competition has stepped up. It is not surprising. But we also have the issue of the beat-up running core. Not one of the Buckeye tailbacks strikes me as being 100% for this one. Barring a completely different look to our offense—something that I would not put past Tressel to have kept in his pocket for this game—I think the Buckeyes will struggle to be effective on offense against Michigan. I envision them having the ball late and needing a heroic drive for a TD that just won't be there, and the Buckeyes will come up just a little short.

I got thinking the other night that these Buckeyes are a lot like the 1997 Ohio State Buckeye team. They were a year away. The season held great promise and save a narrow loss at Penn State, the team was very highly regarded. But in the end it slipped through their fingers with losses at Michigan and a throttling by Florida State. But they came back the next year seasoned and focused. They came back to be, what I believe, was the finest and best Ohio State team of my lifetime. We will see.

Hope I'm wrong…Go Bucks!

Ohio State 17
Michigan 21

Quick Slant: You Never See It Coming

2007-11-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

Ah, college football. The ups, the downs. The agony and the ecstasy.

I suppose it hit me at some point on Saturday evening: the futile nature of being a die-hard, college football fan. Every year a hundred or so Division I teams get after it. And at the end of the season, there is maybe one, sometimes two, and rarely three, teams standing with no losses. In my lifetime Ohio State has gone wire to wire with no defeats only once. I mean, come on. One perfect season and 37 with one or more losses. What did I think was going to happen?

Everyone loses eventually is what I thought as I poured a little more Captain than usual into my Buckeye souvenir cup of Coke.

So why does it hurt so much when your team does the inevitable—that is, lose a game?

No other sport is so cruel, so unforgiving. There is just no margin for error. And that is why we love it, isn't it? Admit it college football fans. It is true.

Nevertheless, when your team loses it hurts like hell. Because you never see it coming. Or, if you kind of see it coming, you kid yourself into believing it will all work out in the end. This is the year, you think quietly to yourself. We will find a way to get it done. It will all work out in the end.

But an end—at least to any realistic national title hopes for 2007—is just what Ohio State got at the hands of Illinois on Saturday.

Of course, I knew the Illini were going to be real troublemakers. I just didn't know they were going to cause this much trouble. Still it was curious to see so many prognosticators around college football land call for a comfortable Buckeye win. This game, to me, had all the pre-contest hallmarks of an upset. And Illinois delivered. It was a terrific upset performance. They had to to do it on the road and on senior day at Ohio Stadium and against the nation's number one team and the long Big Ten winning streak—so tip your cap to the Illini.

When the final whistle blew, there was one team that had got socked around yesterday and eventually knocked out. It was Ohio State. Today is the time to welcome Illinois to the elite of the Big Ten. They played poised and virtually mistake free (although the zebras allowed an offensive pick on Illinois's half-ending touchdown, as well as an unbelievable missed fumble call that led to the Illini's first touchdown). But the bottom-line: any time an opponent rolls up over 250 yards rushing; keeps the ball out of your hands for virtually an entire quarter; makes pinpoint throws for touchdowns; and takes the ball from you when you are heading into the end zone; let me tell you, you are going to lose 99 out of 100 times. It could have been worse. Give some credit to the Buckeyes for never giving up and keeping it tight.

I, for one, am happy for the Illinois program, coach Zook and his players, as well as the Big Ten conference. I think Illinois is going to shake up the league with its speed and dynamic offensive attack. The rest of the conference needs to step up, because these guys are going to be there each of the next several years. I can already see Ohio State (a team with about 17 or 18 starters back) at Illinois as one of the games of the year in 2008. Anyone know a few hotels in the Champaign-Urbana area?

Now, the good news Buckeye fans. (Yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel.)

Ohio State has an opportunity to play Michigan for the Rose Bowl. It will be interesting to see how the teams respond as both are coming off tough losses. I think Wisconsin is the most physical team in the league and softened the Buckeyes up a bit for Illinois. And I think Michigan will be feeling the Badger bruising next week too. Bit I also think there is a good chance Ohio State's heads could hang lower than Michigan's. They lost more on Saturday and they know it.

At any rate, Ohio State against Michigan for the Roses has a real nice ring to it and a certain symmetry with years and decades gone by. At the beginning of this season, I thought Ohio State was a 10 win team and one that had a great shot at 11. I wanted the Rose Bowl or a trip to Florida for the Cap One or Outback and a chance to redeem ourselves against the SEC.

Well, guess what? Both the scenarios are really in play at the moment.

If Ohio State beats Michigan, not only will it offer Buckeye fans everywhere real salve to get over the upset to Illinois, but it will put the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl for the first time in over ten years. And chances are good, if Oregon takes care of business and moves on to the BCS Championship, that OSU could be seeing their very talented neighbor to the southeast, West Virginia, in that Rose Bowl game. Would be a great one. And given the way Illinois exposed the Buckeye run defense a potential underdog situation for Ohio State.

And if the Bucks lose to Michigan, they will likely drop to the Outback and see someone like Tennessee. Given the fact (under this Buckeyes loss to Michigan scenario) the SEC will likely send two teams to the BCS, and Illinois to the Cap One, Ohio State would get the fourth best SEC team as its bowl opponent. I believe this would be a game Ohio State could and should win; they would have a real opportunity to finally get that SEC monkey off their back.

So, chin up Buckeye fans. Maybe it really does all work out in the end...

Illinois at Ohio State Preview

2007-11-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

The Illinois Fighting Illini (man I just love that name…forget all that "PC" business for a moment and just listen to the sound of it) visits Columbus at 3.30PM EDT on Saturday afternoon for a key Big Ten clash. With Michigan over at Wisconsin earlier in the day, it is a big "Showdown Saturday" in the conference Four of the best teams are squared off in action. Of course the main event, THE Game, is next week and for the conference championship, but we will leave that for, well, next week.

Ohio State enters the contest undefeated, #1 in the country, and riding a ridiculously impressive Big Ten win streak that spans three seasons. Last week the Buckeyes were pushed for almost three quarters and then awoke to stomp out Wisconsin under the lights out running of Beanie Wells. Many of those runs were reminiscent for this Buckeye fan of Eddie George, and I think the comparisons between the two are only likely to grow as Beanie's OSU career continues.

Looking at last week, the Badgers really feasted on a three of four big plays for almost all of their production—two long pass plays, one long run, and the most amazing long touch pass I've ever seen by a punter. Nonetheless, the secondary looked sleepy for long stretches of the game and Wisconsin put 17 on Ohio State. It seems to be a trend. The Buckeyes have given up exactly 17 points in each of the last three games. Curiously, Illinois scored 17 against Michigan so one could assume that Illinois will score something like 17 on Saturday.

This is where most of my regular readers will expect me to say, "They won't." Well, surprise. They will.

For me, Illinois is a very dangerous team for Ohio State. Two of their three losses came in very competitive contests to Missouri and Michigan, a few of the better teams in college football (yes Michigan has reached that level of play again). They had their "Ron Zook" moment at Iowa, but what else is new? Once again, he's got a talented group of young players and a defense that brought back most of his men from a year ago.

And they showed last season that they can stuff the Buckeye run. I still believe last year's 17-10 Buckeye win was a Jim Tressel rope-a-dope performance. You can click around to find my various posts on that subject. But in a nutshell: Tressel forced his team to run straight over tackle for almost an entire half of football (those were the playcalls, plain and simple) and the Buckeyes got nowhere. He knew Illinois were not good enough to score a bunch of points, and he taught his high flying 2006 a lesson that got them ready for Northwestern and Michigan a week after that. And the rest is history.

Flash foreword to 2007 and Illinois still presents trouble for those that will run. They only give up 112 yards per game while averaging 3.3 sacks per game to rank 10th in the country in the latter category. This is a stalwart defense up front with sound linebackers and great speed.

One the other side of the ball, they have the conference's number one rushing attack and the very talented, Rashard Mendenhall, who averages 131 yards a game and is 8th in the country in rushing. Illinois also has shown their offensive line can do more than simply run block. The Fighting Illini only give up 1 sack a game and are first in the Big Ten in that category.

My feeling is that on Saturday, the Buckeyes are likely to fall into the same trap they did with Wisconsin. If there is an achilles heel for Illinois, it is their pass defense. The Buckeyes will likely therefore try to use the pass to set up the run. If Boeckman doesn't get going, or if Illinois frustrates him with heavy zone coverage and ample pressure from just three or four up front, look out Buckeye fans. It could be another long day. This gameplan always has the potential to slow down the clock for our opponent; it gives the opponent's offense more chances against the talented Buckeye defense.

And speaking of the Ohio State defense, it must be focused primarily on stuffing the run and getting pressure on either of the two talented, young QBs Zook may have in the game. Make Illinois win in the air and things should tip to the Buckeyes favor. The two Illinois signal-callers, Juice Williams and Eddie McGee have combined for 9TDs while throwing 12INTs thus far this season. But one thing to watch for is Williams's running ability. He has put up over 100 in his last two games and the Illini coaches are likely to like what they saw Wisconsin's QB do last week by rolling, running, and generally buying time for good things to happen.

I'm looking for a tight game folks. I think both teams may have some trouble sustaining drives, and field goals may be the order of the day. And each team is in good hands here: We all know about our guy Pretorious, but the Illini kicker is 13 of 14 on the year and a good one as well.

Don't be completely shocked if Illinois has the ball in the fourth quarter and a chance at working an upset bid. There is just too much talent on this team to not step up and try to make this the signature game of their 2007 season. The wild cards, the things that will decide things, could very well be among the following:

Will Beanie Wells be able to run the ball with consistency? If he does, things change and this is a blowout. Will the OSU line be able to protect Todd better than Troy was protected last year? We all saw what the Badgers pressure fro three or four did to our passing game. Can Illinois stay balanced? Their passing game hasn't often been there, but it will need to be to score enough points on Saturday. And, finally, what about Ron Zook? He sometimes looks a genius, sometimes a buffoon. Only one team can get humiliated and blown out on Saturday—an that is Illinois thanks to their youth and Zook's propensity to over think and under coach.

But, in the end, expect Illinois to give Ohio State everything they got in what very well could be one of the more memorable Big Ten contest's of 2007. Say what you will about Ron Zook (I sure do), but he can get talented guys to buy into his program. I have had Illinois pegged as the up and comers of the Big Ten for some time, and I think Saturday could be the second in a series of ultra-exciting games between the king of the conference, Ohio State, and those that would like their turn on the throne, Illinois.

Ohio State 23
Illinois 16

Quick Slant: A Midweek Thought or Two

2007-11-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot made about the fact that Ohio State has a so-called "soft' schedule. It's all media blather of course. It is hilarious to watch these self-proclaimed college football experts fall all over themselves to repeat what each other is saying.

The Ohio State has played no one junk is the result of what I think of as hyper-journalism, that is, the fact that the media fragmentation among the Internet, radio (terrestrial and satellite), magazine and newspapers, as well cable and satellite TV, leads to collapsed news cycles. There is no time to report, not time to get the facts straight. There is no time to think. Dream up a story—or better yet borrow one—and get it out there. Fast! And, for goodness sake, don't give any other media outlet a chance to scoop or have a story different than your own. Copy! Emulate!

These guys figure if you say something enough times it just has to be true…

Let's look at some facts, shall we?

The Buckeyes have played thus far the 58th most difficult schedule based on win-loss percentages. With 119 teas playing in the old Division IA category (yes, I still refuse to use the new, nonsensical names) that means the Buckeyes are right about in the middle. And after they end the season with Illinois and Michigan they will have had what amounts to something like the 32nd most difficult schedule. Now, I'm no mathematician, but I know something about bell curves and percentile distributions and so on. And I'd say "soft" would reasonably be somewhere in the last quarter (or 25%) of most difficult schedules.

And here are a couple of other factoids for you:

Looking at the current Top Ten BCS Teams, here is their national rank in terms of schedules (combined win percentage of opponents played TO DATE ONLY, not future or total 2007 scheduled opposition):

1. Ohio State (58th), 2. LSU (13th), 3. Oregon (2nd), 4. Kansas (84th), 5. Oklahoma (44th), 6. Missouri (48th), 7. West Virginia (89th), 8. Boston College (40th), 9. Arizona State (54th), and 10. Georgia (18th).

So, it is clear that Ohio State hardly has the weakest of schedules among what the BCS (Polls and Computers) tell us are college football's elite. Two teams have played easier schedules and three of four others are pretty close to the Buckeyes (For example: Ohio State's opponents thus far have a 50.6% winning percentage and Oklahoma's have 52.7% or translated: The Sooners have played teams that combined have roughly just ONE MORE WIN than Ohio State's opponents AND the Buckeyes' opponents' records combined have just ONE MORE LOSS).

I mean, really. Where's the outrage? The Sooners haven't played anyone! They are getting fat on a weak schedule. Blah, blah.

And, keep in mind, that among this group only two remain undefeated—Ohio State and Kansas. So while a few of the other teams have played harder schedules so far they have also lost. Oops. And in the case of Georgia, lost twice. Tough schedule with one loss versus slightly easier schedule with no losses is a no-brainer every time.

In fact, the only controversy I see in the above is that Oregon is fit to be railroaded at season's end. The reason is that even after LSU adds what will likely be a 9-3 team to its schedule for the SEC Championship game, it will end up with something like the 25th most difficult schedule. Oregon will be in the top ten, probably around 5th. The computers are supposed to help sort this all out. We will see. My sense is that these geeks have some pretty slick algorithms churning through their harddrives, and they are looking at not just opponents records, but opponents of opponents records, score margins, home and away factors, history and so on. At least, they better be!

Finally and by way of laugh out loud trivia: Do you know who has the 119th most difficult schedule (or put another way the easiest schedule of all the teams)?

Hawaii. That's who. The same Hawaii team I watched get absolutely sell-your-soul-to-the-devil lucky to beat a sad San Jose State team. And all the college football writers are clamoring for them to get to a BCS bowl. They want the Boise State story, part II. What a joke. Of course, they might get there and perform well. It's a bowl game! A football game completely divorced from reality, one played nearly a month after the college football season has ended. In a nutshell, a crapshoot. Line up Hawaii against Oklahoma this weekend, and you'd get a 51-17 shellacking of the Rainbow Warriors every single time.

Look for my Illinois preview later this week. This should be a good game and real home test for the Buckeyes.

As Seen on Saturday

2007-11-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

There is something about November and college football. The sun dips toward the horizon a little earlier, the air has that small, cool bite of coming winter.

And the college football gets really interesting.

So, dear readers, I could not resist. Here are a few thoughts from a great day of Saturday college football action. Starting with the Buckeyes, of course.

The straw that stirs the drink
Simply put, it is Chris "Beanie" Wells. We should have seen this coming. All season #28 has played with great heart, pushed himself for his team while his ankle screamed pain and limited his output. Perhaps he is felling better, perhaps he just doesn't care about the pain anymore. Two weeks ago, when his team needed him to run out the Michigan State game, Chris Wells went from a star to the team's heart and soul. Everyone in the stadium knew what was coming (and especially the Spartan defense), and they could not do a thing.

Fast forward two weeks. With his team struggling in the third quarter and his defense uncharacteristically giving up a series of big passing plays, Beanie Wells put the team on his back and they blew out the Badgers. The sight of Wells hitting the end zone in the open end of the 'Shoe and then circling around the field, passing behind his bench to beckon his teammates and home fans back into the game is something I will never forget.

Aren’t you cute?
Les Miles tried to do some crazy shift on 4th and 3 inches against Alabama, and his boys gets called for simulating a snap. And then they add an unsportsmanlike penalty as well. And then they go to sleep on the ensuing pun and give up a return for a TD.

Sure, the Tigers pulled it out—out of their backsides thanks to a Bama Christmas gift of a turnover in the final two minutes. I am simply not impressed with an LSU team that is giving up this many points game in and game out. Also, on Saturday at Bama, Miles's team had something like 150 yards in penalties. Their last few games have shows they are more lucky than good.

I, for one, hope Miles is off to Michigan at year's end where these type of stunts will get him clobbered by the Buckeyes year in and year out. LSU? The best one-loss one team? No way. Oregon, Oklahoma, and then LSU.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it
The Michigan vs. Michigan State game was a good one, and very telling to this Buckeye fan. The Buckeyes would have to be insane to not sell out and come after Chad Henne all day long. The guy just makes prayers out of most of his passes, and under some pressure, they tend to look real ugly. The good news is that Henne has some tall, athletic receivers who bail him out again and again. Unfortunately for the Michigan State Spartans, the coaches decided to change their defensive gameplan after forging a 24-14 lead. They sat back and Henne lobbed his way to a comeback win. Ohio State's defensive backs will need to have their game of the year to take these fingers-crossed throws away.

How low is low?
Ask ND. They have gone from bad to worse. I get all the Domers logic that Weiss needs time with his recruits, that just-you-wait line of thinking. But shouldn't the current bunch improve a bit week to week? How do they spend their practices? Painting their helmets?

This Notre Dame team is one of the worst teams in school history.

Anyway, congratulations to Navy. What a win and what a deserved one (after the referees let ND get two shots at tying in the third overtttime on a bogus pass interference call…see the gripe below).

And ask the Nebraska Cornhuskers, too. A year or two removed from their embarrassing drubbing to Texas Tech, they did it again. At home. Of course, Kansas is a very good team. But 76 points? If ever an entire coaching staff should be let go before season end, it should be the Nebraska one. My suggestion: I'd pick a few pimply teenagers from Lincoln, set them up in the booth with EA Sports' NCAA 2008 video game, and let them use the "Ask Corso" feature to playcall for Nebraska. Oh, wait. That wouldn't work either. Nebraska's great fans would still be stuck with the 2007 Cornhusker players who have obviously quit on their season.

Give the receivers a break. While you're at it, give defensive backs one, too
Instant replay unfairly punishes receivers. Almost every great catch that involves a player stretching out, diving for a ball, looks like a trap in slow motion. The call against Bama (and Crimson Tide wideout Cadell) in the 4th quarter in a 27-27 game was a complete and utter travesty. Did the ball look a tad loose when his body slams into it? Sure. Because he is not a superhero. Physics are involved. The hands always shake when they are under that type of stress. Replay officials needs to raise the standard for overturning these type of plays. Looking at these a few times at normal speed might be a good place to start.

And, on the flipside: there are far too many soft pass interference calls in college football. All day Saturday, I found myself screaming at the TV, "What is he supposed to do?" Defensive backs are continually pegged for interference when they are actually making athletic plays.

I've long said what college football needs is two types of pass interference: Incidental and Flagrant. Flagrant should be a spot foul. Ball on the one if its in the end zone. No more taking a cheap one if you get beat. Incidental should be a five yard job from the previous spot, as well as a repeat of down and reset of clock. Too many 15 yarders and first downs are given for touch stuff. Put an end to it, please.

Forget the polls and my conference is better than your stuff for a moment
What a game this one would be if we could just take the best teams in a conference, the determined conference champions that arise out of a hard-fought regular season, and play them into a playoff for "champions only." Use a one week elimination giving the higher seeds a home field advantage. Then use the bowls from there, consolation bowls for the playoff losers, a plus one for the national championship. How easy is that?

The biggest fumble of the day
ESPN for allowing Holly Whateverhername to talk on and on about the origin of the ASU Sun Devils moniker while Dennis Dixon of Oregon writhed in knee pain on the field. He is not only a legitimate Heisman candidate but the QB of one of the best teams in the country, and one possibly heading to a national championship game. Why couldn't one of the guys in the booth during those excruciating 30 seconds just say, "Ummm. Shut up for a moment, Holly!" Thankfully for college football fans everywhere (except maybe at ASU), Mr. Dixon seems to be just fine.

Until next week Buckeye fans…

Wisconsin at Ohio State Preview

2007-11-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

Nine down, four to go. Yes, four.

I cringe every time Ohio State head football coach, Jim Tressel, refers to 12 games as opposed to 13. We all know where that got us last time around.

On Saturday, the Wisconsin Badgers come calling. It has been awhile (first contest since 2004) and the truth is that Jim Tressel has yet to beat Wisconsin in Columbus. And as good 'ol John Cooper lost his last home contest to Wisconsin, it has been some time since the Buckeyes have got the job done at home against Wisconsin. In fact this dirty little secret, which has been getting some publicity this week, thanks to crack investigative, statistical reporting by ESPN, is even dirtier than you might imagine:

Since 1980, Ohio State is only 12-10-1 against the Badgers. Strangely, coach Earl Bruce, who had a solid record against Michigan, struggled with Wisconsin. And John Copper, who could not beat Michigan, took care of Wisconsin most of the times out.

The bottom line is this is a team that has been a thorn in Ohio State's side for awhile now.

History aside, Saturday's game should prove to be a good one. Pre-season most Buckeye fans circled this one as the game of the year to see in the Horseshoe. I expect the crowd to be just as excited as the players. Of course, Wisconsin has not been as successful this season as predicted (where they were in many Top 5 lists). Mainly, they seem to have failed to capitalize on the stout defense that was their calling card of a year ago. They have also been battling injuries and breaking in a new, albeit senior, quarterback. The big news for this week, of course, is that bruising running back P.J. Hill will likely not be 100% at game time.

All in all this is a good Wisconsin team, but one that does not lead in any one major team statistical category in the Big Ten and hovers around 30th-40th in the nation in most.

Ohio State enters the game coming off one of the biggest conference, non-Michigan wins in some time. A night contest at Happy Valley is always a challenge. And Ohio State passed with flying colors, pretty much demolishing the Lions with an offensive night that will not soon be forgotten. While the nation's leading defense took a few noticeable hits, the Buckeye offense, under the control of quarterback Todd Boeckman and the great play-calling of Jim Tressel, befuddled the Penn State defense all night. The only thing I've yet to figure out from this one-sided game was why Penn State was so reluctant to blitz after Michigan State showed the way to disrupt the Buckeye rhythm just the week before. It's not the first time I've questioned Penn State's coaches (I have no idea what their game plan at Michigan was all about). And I imagine a few fans of the Lions are doing the same.

I posted earlier in this week in response to a SN news article that I see the Illinois game as much more dangerous to Ohio State prior to the Michigan game. I'm sticking to that call. Wisconsin may have looked improved over the last two weeks, but those games were against much inferior opponents and they were in Camp Randall, which outside Penn State, is one of the most difficult places to play in the conference.

On Saturday, the Badgers will pound between the tackles all day long. Badger quarterback, Tyler Donovan, will also run the ball. He is averaging over 8 rushes per game and I imagine the coaches will want to keep him mobile in order to buy time and keep the Buckeye defense honest. And they may have some success, but this strategy simply will not be able to keep pace as long as the Buckeyes protect the ball and stay as balanced as they have all season. I also think Wisconsin's run defense has been close to abysmal most of this year. Chris Wells will have another big day, perhaps another career one, and I look for Brandon Saine to be more involved as well. Wisconsin's defense may prove tougher to crack in the red zone, but once the Buckeyes establish separation, there will be no way back, and no way for the visiting Badgers to dance on the center field "O" this time in Ohio Stadium.

Ohio State 27
Wisconsin 13

Finally, I want to direct all Buckeye fans to this terrific article from the Columbus Dispatch about Ohio State placekicker, Ryan Pretorius. I've been big on him for some time, and the 50 yarder he made last week into the "white out" at Penn State may have been one of the best Buckeye field goals since Mike Nugent's last second, game winner against Marshall. He has quite a story. Read for yourself.

Ohio State at Penn State Preview

2007-10-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

Time is tight on me sports fans so I'll be blunt: This week's game for Ohio State, a night trip to Happy Valley to face Penn State, is the biggest Buckeye non-Michigan conference game that I can recall in some time.

The reasons:

-Ohio State enters as the #1 team in the nation.
-Penn State has already dropped two Big Ten contests and it would seem this game presents a "season-making" opportunity.
-Ohio State and Penn State games have usually been tight, particularly at Happy Valley, with the home team winning almost all of the time.
-Penn State has the type of team to challenge Ohio State: It's defense leads the way and its offense knows how to grind out a patient game on the ground.
-And finally, there is the expectation of another "white out," a raucous Penn State crowd that frankly creates the loudest stadium atmosphere in the Big Ten.

How might it go?

Conventional wisdom seems to point to a low-scoring game with the Buckeyes having a slight edge based on its shutdown defense. (A defense that I would argue is still underrated, considering that significant points this season have come against the offense, special teams or the defense in "junk time.")

Both teams are likely to stack the box and blitz. Penn State might be more likely to employ this tactic as stopping Beanie Wells can give their offense more possessions, and flustering Todd Boeckman was proven by Michigan State last week to be an effective gameplan. The weather appears to be a bit dicey, too. There is the expectation of rain most of the day Saturday, perhaps some clearing by kickoff. Expect the field to be long and uncovered so as to create an ugly surface for a trench fight.

I suppose much then will come down to the offensive lines of both teams and how they execute for their offenses. We should see some long throws as both teams will want to keep things honest. A tip and a catch, a pass interference here or there could make a huge difference.

At the end of the day, there are few games I have been more wrong about over the years than the Ohio State-Penn State ones. I'm pretty darn good most of the time, but this one always leaves me pausing at my keyboard. They tend to go against expectations. Expect low score, you get high. Expect a blowout, you get a nail-biter.

So part of me wants to call for the upset, suggest a ten point plus Nittany Lion victory...maybe 24-13.

But the thing is that the Buckeyes are simply more talented and experienced than Penn State in many units, that is, Ohio State is the better team. The offenses may be more or less identical, but I'd take Beanie Wells ability for production over Kinlaw any day. And to date Todd Boeckman has been much more efficient than his Penn State counterpart.

I think the main difference will come in which team has to commit more, and take more risk, to stuff the run defensively. And I think that team will be Penn State. I expect the Buckeyes' linebackers and defensive ends to dominate this contest, and if the game dictates Morelli going to the air, the game should at some point be in the Buckeyes hands.

I also think the Buckeye players are all too aware of the magnitude of this game. In the past two seasons, Ohio State was still coming off the emotional highs of the Texas games just a few weeks before, and perhaps took the Lions a little lightly. Throw in the heavy media doubt on this #1 team, and well, the Buckeyes will be ready to play Saturday night. Trust me.

But, of course, this is Ohio State at Penn State. It's going to be an anything-can-happen affair, and a tight game to the very end. Look for the Buckeyes to get some booming field goals from Mr. Pretorius and use their dominating defense to get out of Dodge with a W.

Ohio State 19
Penn State 13

Michigan State at Ohio State Preview

2007-10-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Michigan State Spartans travel to Columbus, Ohio to play the new #1 team in college football—The Ohio State Buckeyes—for a 3.30PM kickoff in Ohio Stadium.

Michigan State brings to Ohio State an offense averaging 467 yards per game, mainly on the backs of a dynamic running attack with Javon Ringer. They are ranked first in the conference in both total offense and scoring, and last week put 52 up on the Indiana Hoosiers. Calling the signals is quarterback, Brian Hoyer, who is coming off three good appearances in a row. Lately, he has been avoiding the big mistake and getting much more efficient with his passing. Defensively, the Spartans utilize a quick and aggressive defense (who isn't striving for this these days?). And, of course, Buckeye fans are very familiar with this style, because it comes from the defensive prowess of former Buckeye coach Mark Dantonio, who now coaches the Spartans. Of note, Michigan State is currently third in the country in generating tackles for a loss.

Of course, the much-praised unit coming into this battle is the Ohio State defense. The Buckeyes are leading (or close to it) the country in just about any important defensive stat. It will then be interesting to see how the Spartans do against the Buckeye defenders. Other interesting things to keep an eye on will be the health of Anderson Russell, who after suffering what seemed a devastating injury in the Kent State last week, is ready to go on Saturday. Astute Buckeye fans understand how valuable #21 is to the Buckeye defense.

On the other side of the ball, the Buckeyes continue to serve up great balance on offense. The running game puts up good numbers week in and week out, and the passing attack is one of the most efficient in the land. Additionally, the quick strike ability of Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline has to grab the attention of any defensive coordinator.

One key advantage I see here for Ohio State is the field goal kickers. The Spartan kicker, Brett Swenson, has missed a try almost every week this season. Meanwhile, Buckeye kicker Ryan Pretorius seems to have settled in and is now showing off his booming accuracy that was reported when he enrolled at the school a few years ago.

As much as I'd like to cover my bets, suggest that Coach Dantonio knows too much about the Buckeyes and the Spartans play too well at Ohio State, I think MSU is just getting the Buckeye at a bad time. Ohio State should be well rested after the Kent State game, and highly motivated to get back to Big Ten play as the nation's #1 ranked team.

I see the defense stuffing the run most of the day and asking their talented secondary to man up. Michigan State will use its speed to put some plays together, and with an Ohio State mistake or two, will give themselves some points. But I think it will be the Buckeye offense that runs the show. I expect them to hit fast and often. This game will open up early, and like most Buckeye games this fall, never really be close.

In particular, I'm looking for Brandon Saine and Chris Wells to both have big day. Saine seems to have made it all the way back from his surgery after the Washington game, and he has to be putting some pressure on Wells for more reps in the gameplan. The fact that we saw them together in the backfield against Kent State is an interesting new ripple in the offense. Will the Buckeye coaches expand the playbook for these guys some more? We shall see.

Finally. there have been far too many articles this past week portraying Ohio State as unworthy of #1, overrated, or some combination of the two. These young men are well aware of the media--they have come of age in the Internet generation. They know the buzz. The effect will be to motivate this Buckeye team to a Northwestern style performance; I expect Ohio State to be hitting on all-cylinders Saturday. Of course, next week, at Penn State, is the game, when such an effort would really come in handy. As it stands, we may get it both weeks—maybe for the rest of the season—given how little good is being said and written about Ohio State. Hopefully, this Saturday's performance will start to change a few minds, and we will go from there.

Ohio State 40
Michigan State 13

Around the country…look for Florida to beat the Wildcats and for there to be a genuine consensus (except here) that LSU, Florida, Kentucky, and South Carolina need to all be in the Top 10…also the test of tests is out there for Michigan. My instincts say Illinois here in a tight one, but the fact they just dropped a game to Iowa may have taken too much air out of Zookie's balloon. At any rate, we will know EVERYTHING we need to know about the state of Michigan football at the end of Saturday night's contest between the Wolverines and Illini in Champaign, Illinois.

Stewart Mandel of SI's Latest AP Ballot

2007-10-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

A fried of mine (to remain nameless) works at Sports Illustrated in New York. He's an intern there, and like all media interns, he busies himself taking out the garbage for seasoned reporters.

Early this week he noticed a crumpled paper in one of the office trash cans with Stewart Mandel's name on it. Mr. Mandel is Sports Illustrated top college football mind, and generally considered the guru of college football print media.

Apparently, what my friend got his hands on was a facsimile copy of Mr. Mandel's AP Ballot for this week's College Football Top 25.

Beyond the endless x-outs and asides (like the one left out here that showed up next to Michigan, which Mandel penciled in at #150 at the bottom of the page with a smiling face and a "Carr is insane" comment), you would be amazed at how this guy voted.

1. LSU (call Les back about dinner)
2. Florida (i'd love to Tebow that!)
3. That other Florida School from Tampa (when do they join the SEC?)
4. xxxLSUxxx Kentucky
5. South Carolina (or is it USC? Where should I put the leftie coast USC…co #1? … next week)
6. xxxAuburnxxx xxxGeorgiaxxx xxxAuburnxxx xxxGeorgiaxxx Auburn
7. Tennessee (they match my orange underwear...nice!)
8. Ole Miss (love that Manning kid)
9. xxxAlabamaxxx Bama (roll tide roll…that toilet paper thing is hilarious)
10. Mississippi State (affirmative action vote)
11. Georgia (these guys should be higher…tough luck...this is too hard to fix again and i need a latte)
12. Arkansas (meet Nutt at the Little Rock Rock Spa before kickoff next week)
13. Vanderbilt (can't believe these guys aren't shipped off to the Big 10)
14. xxxAlabamaxxx xxxOle Missxxx xxxVanderbiltxxx (just did that one…darn, ran out of SEC schools…leave blank)
15. Florida State (their kind of like an SEC team, right?)
16. Clemson (definitely should be in the SEC...orange and speed and petty criminal activity)
17. Hondilly College of Speed (just sounds like an SEC school)
18. xxxOhio Statexxx (just kidding, tress vest. no higher than 25 for you)
19. Louisiana State University (figure that out ap!)
20. Texas (keep Bushie happy)
21. Nerbraska (how the heck do you spell it...)
22. Oregon (call Phil at Nike, get one of those seven kinds of jerseys for my kid)
23. Doug Flutie's School
24. xxxOklahomaxxx xxxOklahoma Statexxx xxxOklahomaxxx xxxOklahoma Statexxx (which one is good again?) Okie Dokie :-)
25. xxxOhio Statexxx (no, on second thought the heck with them) NOTRE DAME (that will get those Buckeyes goats and get me in good with the big guy upstairs…)

Note to self (hey ap guy who gets this, it is thereby your job to remind me): Book weekend in Atlanta, including only the finest gentleman's clubs for me and my crew, for the SEC Championship--the real championship of college football.

As authorized by me on this day of October 14th, 2007, Mr. Stewart "The Stew Man" Mandel

An Open Letter (Rant) to Buckeye Bashers

2007-10-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

To Whom It May Concern:

I don't care that much for being number one, it is meaningless this time of year, really. But all this Buckeye-bashing has hit a nerve and I'm sick of hearing of it. All Ohio State has done is put themselves in the top 5, and the title talk, for the fifth time in six years. Get over it!

Most of you are reading too much media spin cycle or listening to too much blabber mouthing on TV and radio. All we hear about is the mighty power and speed of the SEC, the SEC myth I call it. Like no one else can play football in this country. While the Buckeyes lost to the Gators last year, Penn State and Wisconsin pushed aside two highly-regarded SEC opponents, making the Big Ten 2-1 against the SEC in bowls last season. Didn't read much about that did you?

And yes, many of you are still feeling burned by the Buckeyes of last year. I feel it too. But for different reasons. I know that Ohio State was a heck of lot better than they showed against the Gators; you think they were way overrated. Anyone who watches all of the conferences and not just their own knows the truth.

And while we are on the subject of last year's title game, anyone ever think that might be the motivating factor in Ohio State's play this year? Hmmm.

The bottom lined is that they have played who they have played on their schedule, and completely rocked the lot of them--they are giving up 6.5 points per game while scoring 35.7 --- for an average margin of victory of almost 30 points!

Finally, Buckeye bashers, have you seen Ohio State this year? I know that I can't always thanks to the Big Ten Network. You got to work for it, so my bet is probably not. I mean who was watching Ohio State vs. Purdue while LSU and Florida was on? Only Buckeye fans.

If you had been watching, you would know that Ohio State's games have been over by the fourth quarter every week. In fact, almost half the points the Buckeyes have given up have been on touchdowns in the dying minutes, against the second team or on special teams. It is simply the most dominating defense Ohio State has had in my lifetime. Its the same defense from last year (minus two tackles), and they are a year wiser and with a ton more new talent in the secondary. These sophomores running around in the secondary were all track stars in high school. What does it all mean? It means Ohio State has one of the best secondaries in the country, THE best linebackers, and two or three of the best defensive ends, as well.

The defense is a wall. Brick variety.

The facts: Ohio State is #1 in total defense, scoring defense, #2 against the run and against the pass. In fact they rank among the top 30 teams nationally in 12 of the 17 categories that the NCAA officially tracks to compare teams.

On offense, Ohio State has a bruising back, and capable back-ups with different running styles. There are great wideouts all over the place and what Jim Tressel calls the best offensive line he has ever had at Ohio State. Throw in a tall quarterback, who has been in the system for years and who ranks #10 in the nation in passing efficiency, and, well, you get the idea.

As for their schedule....their opponents thus far are 15-17. Hardly pitiful. Yes, their schedule ranks 72 in the nation in this regard. But future opponents are 23-9. This is the 3rd hardest run-in schedule in the country, so let's be patient out there! If Ohio State wins out, they will be in the discussion to play in New Orleans. They should be.

And even if they lose a game, my bet is they will be in the mix for a BCS game, probably the Rose Bowl. By year's end, they will have played what is considered the 23rd most difficult schedule in the country based on wins and losses right no. So sue us!

Much has been said about Ohio State's schedule this year. It is definitely a down one. But keep in mind that it is just an odd schedule this year. The last two seasons the Buckeyes had Texas on the card, and next year USC appears for an away and home return. Future schedules include Miami, Virginia Tech, Cal and Oklahoma.

Also related to schedule, consider this: Ohio State beat Washington in Seattle 33-14. USC beat them there 27-24. How are them apples?

And before I get accused of being a complete homer (which I am, of course), I do think Penn State has a great shot to beat Ohio State. Does this mean I think Penn State is better than Ohio State? No! But Happy Valley is one of the very hardest places to play in the country. And the Lions have the ingredients to give Ohio State a fight with its great defense. Furthermore, Penn State has not lost at home this year—they hardly ever do, and certainly not without a nail-biting finish.

Also, Michigan is also a whole lot better than they are getting credit for at this point, too. #25? Come on. They have suffered the same media backlash. Yes, they screwed up two games. But so what? They are playing with purpose again; their offense is rolling now and covering the sins of the defense. I bet Ohio State and the Wolverines will be playing for the conference again this year. It will be anyone's game--it always is.

In my book, the only two teams in the country for which Ohio State should be an underdog on a neutral field are LSU and Florida. So should those teams be #1 and #2? Not now. Sorry but they have lost some games. That is the way it works. One of them will win the SEC, and if they get their BCS title shot, they get their shot. Of course, LSU would get to play in New Orleans for the championship....how convenient!

So there you go. Bring on the thumbs down Buckeye Bashers. I can take it. We can take it. Because today, any way you cut it, we are number one (like it or not) and shall not go easily.

Go Bucks,
Dot the i

Kent State at Ohio State Preview

2007-10-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

So much to do and so little time.

(What with the Tribe on tonight, and those nagging home repairs to get done before the rains start coming hard).

I guess then that I'll keep this simple.

I loathe these mid-season MAC games. Really hate them. Not only do they interrupt what seems a very exciting, wide-open Big Ten season, but they are not even on TV. What's the point? Really.

Why not just play another Big Ten team, one of the two that are otherwise byes? Come on.

So silly. And in light of the above, I'm going to be silly too:

See Beanie Run.
See Todd throw.
Watch Kent State run nowhere.
Watch Kent State blow.

Ohio State 41
Kent State 0

Notes: I posted this bit of nonsense late so as not to upset anyone expecting a "real" DotThei preview....and, on a serious note, we all get to learn just where Michigan is with their recovery this weekend. Watch how they do against the same Boilermaker team OSU throttled if you can't see the Bucks--you just might learn something. Just what, remains to be seen.

Quick Slant: Buckeyes Bash the Boliers

2007-10-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

~Ohio State's 23-7 win was much more convincing than the score. The reason, of course, was the Buckeye defense. Purdue simply never looked dangerous or a threat to score all night. In fact almost half of heir yardage came o their final two possessions, after the game was 23-0, and out of reach. Their touchdown capped an 88 yard drive and put their first points up wit just 10 seconds left. In the end though, the OSU defense was simply too much. In particular, the secondary was lights out and Anderson Russell and a few other guys should have had a handful of interceptions. I'm concerned to hear about Vernon Gholston's ankle, but the depth at defense seems ready. Nonetheless rest him, JT. Please. Next week is Kent State for goodness sake. Rest everybody.

~Todd Boeckman's floating long passes came back to haunt him tonight. But, when you think about it, they were not that big of a deal. Two of the interceptions felt like really good punts as they pinned Purdue deep in their own territory. Also, the long pass was an important plan to stretch the over matched Bolier defense. Finally, I got to say that the Buckeye receivers, Robiskie and Hartline, respectively, needed to do better on the two interceptions where they were out-maneuvered for the ball. Bad passes, yes. But get that ball or make sure the other guy doesn't, fellas.

~If the Buckeye running game ever gets healthy, Beanie Wells close to 100% and Brandon Saine back to where he was at the Washington game, OSU will be very, very hard to beat in the Big Ten. But as it stands, there are real questions and concerns over this beat up corps. While Maurice Wells has done a good job, he simply can not carry this team against the improving quality of the opponents ahead. Wells needs to sit for a week or two, and Saine need to get enough reps to get his step back, which was missing tonight.

~I got a bone to pick with Coach Tressel. I thought going for the fourth and two in the second quarter was one of his worst calls in some time. 20-0 was a sure bet on a chip shot field goal, and the Boilermakers had zero, absolutely no, momentum at that moment. But after a run up the gut was plugged, the Boilermakers' defense grabbed some momentum, and Ohio State's offense was never quite the same again all night. One lucky touchdown and Purdue could have been in a 17-7 that they had no business being in. Bad, bad call coach. Put the points on the board, keep your opponents head down.

~There will be a lot of hubbub about the rankings and where OSU should be after USC somehow lost to hapless Stanford. I say don't worry about it. Let's just focus on one game at a time and winning this Big Ten conference. I think it's safe to say that there will be a lot of one loss teams at year's end arguing about who goes where. This Buckeye team is great, but they are not championship caliber yet. The offense needs more consistency, the team needs to find a way to win in Happy Valley, and the defense needs to face down a run-in with Wisconsin, Illinois (the best team in the conference besides the Bucks), and Michigan, who all have some real talented folks on the offensive side of the ball.

~All in all, a great game by the Buckeyes. Marcus Freeman, junior Wide-side LB, would be my player of the game. He was everywhere and seems to finally be the player many of us knew he could be.

Ohio State at Purdue

2007-10-03T09:47:00.000-07:00

This coming Saturday night, live on national TV, The Ohio State Buckeyes (#4, 5-0) take their game a short drive west on I-70 to visit the Purdue Boilermakers (#23, 5-0). For the Buckeyes, it is the first real test of the Big Ten season and will be a game hyped everywhere as part of a shakeout Saturday in the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes are coming off yet another convincing win last week in Minneapolis. Ohio State quietly amassed over 450 yards of offense and held the Gophers running attack to just 41 yards. There is a growing sense in Buckeye nation, and the rest of the country, that Ohio State is the legitimate front-runner in the Big Ten race. And thanks to a weekend of unlikely upsets, the Buckeyes made a hug leap in the polls and now sit at #4. Of course, the season is early, and most of the Buckeyes' talented opponents are ahead of them. It is very hard to not see a one-loss team winning the Big Ten conference this year and at least one, one-loss team in the BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans.

So far this season the story for Ohio State has been its defense. The Buckeyes are ranked #2 in total defense, #3 in scoring defense, #4 against the run, and #6 against the pass. And while the Buckeyes gave up some bigger passing yards than usual last week, the defense showed its big-play and shutdown capability by keeping the Gophers out of the end zone all but once. What is really staggering at this point in this season is that Ohio State really has only allowed two touchdowns that mattered in five games of football. At this point, I would not trade Ohio State's linebackers or secondary for anyone's in the country. Yes, no even you, Les Miles U.

Purdue has used the opposite equation to get it done in 2007. The Boilermakers' offense has put up nearly 500 yards per game, 300 of it through the air, and ranks among the top ten in total offense and scoring. But before we all kneel at the Joe Tiller altar: Ohio State has gotten fat on what the NCAA-computed strength of schedule says is the 87th most difficult schedule. Purdue has done it against the 115th. The Boilermakers brought back 20 starters from last season's 8-6 team, and feature an offense entirely based on junior and senior players. Quarterback Curtis Painter is the key (although interesting, he is behind OSU's Todd Boeckman in passing efficiency), but he is getting great help from Korey Sheets at running back (103 yards per game), and great field position from wide out, Dorien Bryant, who ranks #3 in the nation in kick returns (32 yards per return).

What about Saturday, then? This game feels awfully similar to Ohio State's visit to Iowa last season. There was some trepidation in the air, the Buckeye opponents were featuring a veteran team eager to prove itself, and the kickoff was moved to night to create the appearance of it being the game of the year for the home side.

We all know what happened in that contest.

I mean no disrespect to Purdue. They are a good football team, and are well on their way to a big season. But the bottom line is that this team is not designed to beat this Ohio State team. The Boilers are a team that has NOT taken the next step in the past—they've lost too many of these big games, and their anemic defense gets scorched in bowl appearances year after year. Joe Tiller is great offensive mind, but his team is like a mid-level Pac-10 squad (all offense), and it is not prepared to defeat the big boys of the conference. Heck, even the hapless Irish rolled up big yardage on Purdue (albeit mainly through the air).

You beat Ohio State with stifling defense. And a ball control offense heavily oriented to inside running complimented with speed at wide receiver. That is why Penn State, Wisconsin, and Illinois, to me, and in that order, remain the biggest threats to Ohio State in the Big Ten. Of course, Michigan will be a huge challenge , too. "The Game" is always a bit of a toss-up and a close one.

No, Purdue will be able to do a few things offensively that other teams haven't been able to do consistently against Ohio State. Tiller will have watched the Florida game plan against Ohio State until his eyes bled. But he just doesn't have the Gator players to pull it off all night. It may lead to a possession or two less for the Buckeye offense, which will affect Ohio State's point total, but in the end, The Purdue defense just isn't good enough to handle Ohio State's running game and big-play ability at wide receiver.

I think the Buckeyes need to concern themselves with two things this week. For starters, the Buckeyes need to button up on kickoffs. If there has been one glaring weakness this year, I'd say kick coverage is near the top of the list. Ohio State can't afford to let the crowd and Purdue offense get off easy by starting with great field position all night. And secondly, Ohio State must adjust to the atmosphere and quality of their opponent. Make no mistake, Purdue is a step up. The men proved themselves at Washington, but Ross-Ade at night will have a treacherous feel. Both offense and defense must avoid the costly mistake—the turnover or big play, respectively. From there, the Buckeye physical game plan should take shape. Beat up Purdue in the trenches on offense and hit them awfully hard on defense. The Boilermakers have been beat up by injuries on the left side o their offensive line. Look for Cameron Heyward and James Laurinaitis to come busting through there all night. We'll also see lots of Larry Grant in linebacking pass coverage. It all adds up to another Buckeye win, and in a game where a late, meaningless Purdue sore will make it look more respectable than it ever really was.

Ohio State 27
Purdue 16

An aside for this week:
Think that the Big Ten Network doesn't have a bigger effect than just making it harder to see the Buckeyes on other Big Ten teams on TV? Start nosing around ESPN's coverage of college football. Read the online website, stream the video of its programming, and listen to its podcast (what a stupid word) audio. I do. I know, it's embarrassing. And right away you realize they are not talking about Big Ten football. Maybe a snippet here and there but often, nothing. For a few weeks I chalked this up to the "Michigan Effect," that is, how the Wolverines poor start sold the conference down the river. But now I'm starting to understand that it is more of a slap down from the man, the big media execs, the powers that be. You don't want us or need us Big Ten, ESPN/ABC seems to say, then we'll do our best to market the other conferences day in and day out. We're not as invested in the Big Ten brand as we used to be. I don't know where all of this heading, but I have a feeling many of us are not going to like it.

Ohio State at Minnesota Preview

2007-09-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, The Ohio State Buckeyes travel to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Gophers in what will be a televised, night game on ESPN2. Believe me when I say that I'm not complaining—it's harder than ever to see the Bucks—but I got to think ESPN is digging deep by allowing this one to be a night game. Not only are the Gophers truly hapless, but they play in arguably the worst stadium in the Big Ten. And this has been a ridiculously lop-sided series since Minnesota's heyday in the…well, actually there was no heyday. OSU is 39-7 against Minnesota and has won 32 of the last 34 meetings. Finally, no one is going to know the game is on at night anyway, not unless they check their watches or clocks; this one is in the aged, yet climatically comfortable, Metrodome.

Further adding to what must be Gopher Nation's reticence about this game is that it just so happens that Ohio State has never lost in that Metrodome. (The Buckeyes last game at Minnesota's old Memorial Stadium was a 35-31 loss in 1981, which ended 12 straight wins over the Gophers). Yes, there were a few near misses—several of the more recent trips ended with Buckeye wins of less than ten points and notably, there was the 1989 game in front of a half-empty Metrodome where Ohio State rallied from a 31-0 deficit to beat Minnesota 41-37. But when all is said and done: Ohio State is 10 for 10 in games at Minnesota in the dome. Not bad.

So what might we see Saturday?

On offense, this Buckeye fan is happy with what he's seen the last two weeks. So seeing more of the same would be nice place to start. Brian Robiskie has been lights out, Beanie Wells coming on strong, the offensive line improving, and Todd Boeckman developing into the field general he needs to be. Nonetheless, it is hard to not shake the feeling that OSU has yet to face a bona-fide quality defense.

And they won't be facing one this week at Minnesota: Minnesota ranks 119th in total defense giving up almost 550 yards per game. Most of that has been conceded through the air where opposing teams' quarterbacks have been having career-days against the Gophers.

On the other side of the ball, Minnesota features its usual run-first attack and dink passing scheme. There are injury concerns however (not unlike the Buckeyes), and star tailback, Amir Pinnix, may not be at 100%. While the Gophers enter this contest with the usual bit of respectable numbers on offense, we need to just stop here and say, "We've seen this movie before." Every year, Minnesota runs up its offense on weak defensive opponents—this year they were Miami, OH, Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic, and Purdue, not one of which ranks in the top 50 in total defense—and then reality sets in. Often it's in the form of the Buckeyes.

Not much to say then folks: I think this is a game that won't be in doubt from beginning to end. I suspect we will see less offensive fireworks from OSU than a week ago, and perhaps, if Jim Tressel uses his noodle, not much of Beanie Wells so that he can get that ankle right before the meat of the season is upon us (starts next week at Purdue).

Look for the Buckeyes to get it going in fits and starts, and probably not show the type of offensive consistency that will have Buckeye fans betting the house on the Purdue game. If the line keeps it going, the pass will be there and at some point, Boeckman will take it. I'm looking forward to seeing a new secondary receiver step up and give defensive coordinators someone beside Robo to worry about. And as much as I'd like to say the Buckeye defense pitches another shut-out, you got to give a home team at least seven in this league. I'll guess they stretch it to ten but not much more. The Buckeyes win in a comfortable one that may be as dull to the neutral observer as last week's Northwestern game, yet the score will be a little closer.

Ohio State 33
Minnesota 13

(By the way, two fearless predictions…one serious and one not…Penn State gets upset at Illinois; and Cal at Oregon ends up something like Cal 65 Oregon 63).

Ohio State Recap (Northwestern)

2007-09-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

Apologies to one and all for not getting a Northwestern at Ohio State preview out last week. The week was a busy one and got away from me fast. And, the truth is, I was a little at a loss about what to say in what was always going to be a Buckeye blowout. In fact, I got a text from a buddy shortly before kickoff. He asked if I'd done a preview and what was my score.

I admitted I'd failed to post last week. I then wrote: "Buckeyes open a can of whoop-a$$ on the Cats. 40-6."

Who knew that my score would be closer to the halftime tally than the final?

Ohio State dominated Northwestern in every single facet of the game on Saturday. If not for a 99 yard TD return on the second half kickoff, Northwestern would have had absolutely nothing to show for its trip to the 'Shoe. The Buckeye effort was such that Ohio State's defense now ranks among the best statistically in almost every single defensive category. They seem to be playing with a fire and an attitude that may have something to do with what happened to them in Arizona at the beginning of the year.

And, of course, the offense is showing real spark and maturation. The receivers are making plays. The running game looks powerful. Of course, there are kinks to be ironed out—Boeckman is throwing many balls short, and injuries concerns are mounting at tailback (JT: Please rest Beanie at Minnesota; he will not be needed to earn a win). But it seems to me that the offensive line has finally come together and is playing well. Very good and getting better all the time seems to be the theme of this offense.

So what does it mean for Ohio State and the Big Ten conference? There seems to be some serious Buckeye bandwagon chatter starting and everyone is talking about how OSU may be the class of the Big Ten yet again in 2007. It certainly is the question on the so-called pundits mind now after the Buckeyes' offense came to life. But I think the real question is more about the quality of the rest of the league.

Wisconsin appears to be a good team, yet they seem to bet getting it done with smoke and mirrors, ala 2002 Ohio State. They should have lost to Iowa. The Hawkeye QB just overthrew a wide-open receiver on the game's final play that would have won the game for the Hawkeyes. As it stands, Iowa's solid defense held Wisconsin to 17 in Madison at night. What will the conference's best defense do against the Badgers in the biggest game of the year in Columbus?

Michigan will have a say in the Big Ten race. In fact, they already have. Michigan's ability to disrupt the traditional running game may cause headaches for many a Big Ten foe. And offensively they are underperforming right now with a Freshman QB. Yet, Mike Hart is simply carrying the team on his back. The last two weeks, there was no doubt they were going to run and run, and then run some more. And no one could stop him for long. He's better in the fourth quarter than in the first.

Penn State, also a good team, has a defense that is better than Michigan's—but they just ran into the conference's best player in Mike Hart (and the usual series of bizarro calls and reviews that NEVER go their way against the Big Blue). On the other hand, the Lions also appear to have very little clue on offense. After Appalachian State and Oregon (and USC and Ohio State before them) spread the Wolverines out and tore them apart, Penn State tried to run an old-fashioned play action attack and got killed. Anthony Morelli looked pathetic, almost as bad as the Lions coaching staff who threw away yet another chance to beat Michigan. If Penn State was coming to Columbus, I'd have no doubt Ohio State would win. Playing at night, in the Penn State "white out" is a different story. No team in the conference has a bigger home field advantage right now.

Illinois and Iowa appear to be surprisingly strong teams. How Illinois could have been picked to be bottom dwellers in the conference is beyond me. Ron Zook has shaken life into the program, and his recruiting (like at Florida) has been exceptional. They are one of fastest and most athletic teams going in the Big Ten, and I'm here to tell you that they will be among the top half of the conference for years to come. This year they will upset one of the big boys—count on it. And Iowa has just enough defense that they, too, could cause a stir in the conference.

The jury is still out on Michigan State and Purdue. We'll learn about the Spartans this week when they go to Madison, and about the Boilermakers, the following week, when they host the Buckeyes.

Other thoughts on last weekend's gridiron action:

*Just look at the scoreboard and its clear that the Pac 10 still doesn't get defense. Yes, the conference is riding a high-wave of offense, showcasing USC, Cal, Oregon, and ASU teams that can run with anyone. But only the Trojans appear ready to play truly great defense. And with it, how can you pick against them to not with the Pac-10 yet again?

*The LSU fake field goal was one of the best trick plays I've ever seen. The beauty was in the timing of the play—there was no margin for error in the execution. And it was one of those plays that I've scratched my head about for years, wondering why everyone doesn't do it. Another one: when there is a time late in the half or game when you need to stop the clock after a solid pick-up, why not "fake" spiking the ball, and have the QB sell it like he's got a move career down the road, send one receiver long and bomb it. My bet is the defense will be reaching for the water bottles before they know what hits them.

*Finally, a word on the NFL. I love football and yes I peak at what the big boys do on Sunday. But how the NFL can still maintain its crazy and embarrassing replay rules is beyond me. Just look at every play like they do in College for goodness sake! Kill the silly challenge melodrama and conferences with coaches who don't understand the rules either. I saw two horrendous calls on Sunday, both of which were tagged "non-reviewable." One may have cost the Bengals the game (not that I'm a Bengals fan; I am, and always will be Browns, for better or worse). Then on Sunday night, the whole halftime sack of Grossman with seconds remaining (who is just awful) was another black eye. It made me proud to watch the college game where replay is done right.

Ohio State at Washington Preview

2007-09-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

Year in and year out there are games that decide seasons. I'm not talking about the biggest game of the season; I'm talking about the one that sets the table for greatness or tells everyone what they need to know about a particular Buckeye team. Think Texas the last two years. Often these games come early, and on the road.

Ohio State at Washington is that game.

Before the start of the college football season, a few might have had Washington at 0-2 or at best, 1-1, coming into this game. It may have been a game the Buckeyes overlooked. That would have been a mistake. Washington is always formidable at home and Ohio State's record there is nothing to bang the chest about. As it stands, Washington has put together two impressive games in what is clearly one of the nation's most difficult football schedules.

It is a mark of just how far the Huskies have come under Ty Willingham that his team is being picked by about half of the big-name prognosticators to beat Ohio State on Saturday.

Washington is getting it done in two areas: First they are playing sound team defense. It is not brick-wall type stuff, but the kind of defense that is giving up very little easy. They are allowing just 55 yards a game on the ground and less than 300 overall. Certainly, Syracuse was not a high-powered offense. But holding Boise State to 10 miserly points was another thing all together. Even though BSU lost its quarterback and star receivers from last year's undefeated squad, Bronco running back and star, Ian Johnson, was still around from last year's six best rushing offense in the country. He had 20 carried for 81 yards against the Huskies last week, but was never allowed to dictate the game as Washington's offense was getting the job done from the start.

Which brings me to the second thing the Huskies are doing well—they are riding the back of a talented freshman signal-caller, Jake Locker, to a run-oriented offense that is putting up 33 points per game. Washington began the day against BSU with a touchdown drive and tacked on another after a Boise State fumble. And when momentum might have swung away from the hosts after they, too, coughed up the ball that led to a score; the Huskies answered with a drive and a field goal to keep their cushion out of reach. In fact, Washington scored all of its 24 points in the first half by scoring on 4 of its first 5 drives. The second half was a 0-0 stalemate. The Huskies had almost 250 yards of offense at the half, yet ended up with less than 350 on the afternoon and only 4 first downs after the break.

For its part, Ohio State, played stifling defense last week. They are among the best in the nation in several categories, including rushing and scoring defense. While Washington may have struggled to produce first downs in the second half of its game, Akron was witness to an offensive apocalypse. The Zips punted 13 times against Ohio State. They produced just 2 first downs in the whole game and never entered the Buckeye red zone. While Ohio State's offense sputtered in the first half, it should be noted that it really came to life in the second (in part by wearing the Akron Zip defense out as it spent all day on the field). The Buckeyes had nearly 250 yards of offense in the second half, and if it hadn't bee for some turnovers, and I believe tinkering at the quarterback position, the score would have mushroomed considerably.

So in some ways, Washington and Ohio State ended their games last week heading in opposite directions. The Huskies surprised their opponent with some sustained drives and quick scores and then were frustrated as the day wore on. Ohio State began by shooting itself in the foot and getting stymied by a focused opponent, and then got things going after its own defense smothered all life from the game.

Frankly, I can't see things going much differently in Seattle this weekend:

This is a game where Washington is likely to ride a wave of emotion and home support to an early score;

This is a game that is likely to settle in quickly to a slug fest that will soon show the nation that Ohio State has one of the very best defenses in the nation;

This is a game where a young grew of Buckeye playmakers on the offensive side of the ball come together, grow up on the national stage, and get it done;

This is a game where Ohio State earns its rightful place as a potential Top Ten team for 2007.

All week I've been thinking that Washington is good for about 10 to 17 points on the Buckeyes. You got to give them one touchdown for playing in a big game at home and then another field goal or two based on creating something, somehow against what is a very, very good Ohio State defense.

So the question is how much can the Buckeyes put up?

They are just not a unit that gives me enough confidence to call for several touchdowns yet. They are capable, but I think need a few more weeks to get completely in sync. The key for Ohio State will be to avoid the costly mistake. This will lend itself to Tressel-ball all the way, and I see Ohio State's Ryan Pretorius being the hero and kicking a lot of field goals (much like Mike Nugent did at N.C. State in 2004). The final score may be slightly closer than the game felt, but make no mistake Ohio State fans, this is going to be a close, hard-fought victory.

Ohio State 23
Washington 13

Akron at Ohio State Preview

2007-09-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

In what is beginning to feel like a round-robin tournament against northeast Ohio, the Akron Zips (1-0) visit Ohio Stadium on Saturday for a date with The Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0).

The Zips seem to be bringing a small step up in quality to feed the Buckeye Nation (and judging by the schedule, the OSU Athletic Department) appetite for early-season wins: Akron defeated Army last week 22-14, whom they hosted in Cleveland. And Akron is just two seasons removed from a MAC title and a memorable win at North Carolina State last season. Nonetheless, the Zips are in the process of rebuilding an offense; they shuttled quarterbacks last week, although Chris Jacquemain would seem to be the likely guy under center on Saturday. He played well (14-24, 125 yards, 1TD) for Akron and built upon an early long kickoff return to secure a win in what was a tight game from there. Akron also seemed to find a go-to receiver in senior Jabari Arthur, who had a whopping 11 catches in the victory. All in all, however, this is an offense decimated by graduation, and they will rely this season on the same experienced linebacking and secondary units that proved their mettle against the Black Knights last week. Akron allowed the usually ground-happy Army rushing attack just 58 yards on the day.

With regards to the Buckeyes, Ohio State will try to continue building upon what it did right in its season-opening win against Youngstown State. The Buckeyes passing attack clicked and the running game was able to make a few big plays late. All in all it added up to a 400+ yard and 38-point output for Ohio State, astounding numbers when one considers all of the skilled playmakers that left the school at the end of last season. The main disappointment on the day (absent the horrific injury to defensive end, Lawrence Wilson) was the lack of yards from Chris "Beanie" Wells and the failed blocking of the line I short yardage situations. All was well on the other side o the ball however: The Buckeye defense started strong and seemed to shake off the debacle in the dessert, holding Youngstown State to a miserly 6 points. Tackles were coming from everywhere and Ohio State seems to have nearly every talented linebacker in the country wearing Scarlet & Gray this season.

I certainly see this game being more of a test for the Ohio State offense. But the thing that will be hard for Akron is that this Buckeye offense is coming off a confidence-boosting effort against YSU. And, further complicating matters, is the fact that the Buckeyes showed it could throw the ball very well last week. The Zips will want to stuff the box, smother the run, and get after Todd Boeckman. If the Buckeye signal-caller shows the same accuracy and composure he did last week, he may have another great day through the air. Also, I expect the offensive line received a good butt-chewing this week. With Chris "Beanie" Wells looking for a do over, and with talented Brandon Saine and Maurice Wells, looking for more carries, I am hard-pressed to see how Ohio State does not show and work out more of its rushing game this week—no matter how many Zips are in the box.

This game has the feel of one that may be a bit too tight early. Ohio State will really try to run, and eventually use the pass to open the game up. Beanie will end up with a better looking performance, but still, heading into a big game at Washington next week, I suspect there may be more questions than answers about Ohio State's offense. This Saturday, I can't see the Buckeyes ringing up the end zone like a Vegas slot machine. The Akron defense has too much going for it and will grind some drives to a halt. Expect as may field goals as touchdowns from the Bucks on Saturday.

And on the other side of the ball, I think the Buckeye defense might pitch something close to a shut out once again. Akron likes a fast-attack offense that uses short dink passing and some no huddle to keep the defense on its heels. They may move the ball a bit, but scoring is another issue all together. What I'll be watching is how Robert Rose does in a starting role at defensive end, and if the tackles can get more leverage against an inexperienced Akron offensive line than what was on display last week. One thing the defense didn't get last week was a turnover and I expect that to change. I really can't see Akron scoring in the game if it wasn't for perhaps an error or two from the OSU offense that might offer great field position to the Zips. In the end this game is tight after one, to tight at the half, but nothing to worry about in the end.

Ohio State 30
Akron 3

Youngstown State Game Headlines

2007-09-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

The Boeckman Era Has Begun

Ohio State's new quarterback's numbers speak for themselves. 17 of 23 (with several dropped balls). 225 yards and 2 TDs. One of the most impressive debuts that I can recall. What wasn’t so stellar was the running game, especially Chris Wells, who seemed a step indecisive. I think missing so much spring ball hurt him. He admitted as much and I get the sense the young man is determined to get right in a hurry. Brandon Saine offered a few explosive moments, and at wideout, Brian Robiskie was simply sensational. He was on pace to break a single game receiving record until the coaches started tinkering at QB and spreading it around. Nine different Buckeyes made catches--a true example of the Buckeyes' depth at the offensive skilled positions. As for the line, well, they did little to help OSU fans forget about January 8, 2007. A scary stat: 24 of the 40 Ohio State rushing plays went for 2 yards or less. Egad. Most of my regular readers know how little I think of Jim Bollman’s coaching, and I think his unit was an occasional to no-show once again. They’ll get better, but who knows how much protection Boeckman will get against a talented defense down the road.

The defense did a great job, too. No touchdowns allowed and they didn’t concede 100 yards in either the passing or running game. Austin Spitler was everywhere. Larry Grant and James Laurinaitis had terrific games as well. Could this be the deepest linebacking unit in the history of Ohio State Football? They might need to be, because the defensive tackles did nothing to make me feel more confident that they won’t get pushed around by a talented offensive line somewhere down the line. In the secondary, Anderson Russell had a great game back, making 4 solo tackles and getting involved in 3 others.

Of course, losing Lawrence Wilson at defensive end may have been the biggest play of the game. Lawrence was having a monster day before he broke his leg. And while there is some depth at this position, losing one of the top three or four players on the defensive front will have major ramifications for the 2007 season. The good news is that Lawrence should be able to recover (although a medical red shirt for 2007 is likely), and the rotation at defensive end should be able to find a groove by the time the big games roll around at year’s end.

And finally, you got ask the question: Who was that Buckeye? The coaches did a great job getting young players, and those that have paid their dues, involved. I already mentioned all the catches. Guys like Sanzenbacher, Torrence and Washington got valuable playing time. And how about senior fullback, Trevor Robinson, getting his first touchdown? Great stuff.

Down days for the Big Ten?

Even though Wisconsin finally shook off a pesky Washington State team and Penn State annihilated its Division I-AA foe (I’m not going to use that new Football Championship or whatever moniker), the conference seems to be a bit thin in 2007. The schedules seem to suggest chalking up wins more than the quality of play. Personally, I’m looking forward to next year when Ohio State again takes the lead and gets a real powerhouse (my most hated USC) on the card year in and year out.

Michigan, as some of you may have heard (insert snicker), suffered a shocker. (To see just how low some Michigan fans are feeling, take a peak at this image as recently linked to on “The M Zone,” a terrific and often funny Michigan Football blog:

Coming to a Theatre Near You: (Funny Michigan Team Poster)

Nonetheless, Michigan is still a top 25 team (come on USA Today). But they clearly are not Top ten quality yet and may never get there with such a porous secondary.

And there also seems to be little depth in the conference. Illinois and Minnesota lost, and Northwestern and Iowa seemed anemic at best. Even Purdue, being touted as this year’s surprise team, gave up 300 yards and 24 points to Toledo (although a good portion came late).

We will just have to wait and see how the next few weeks play out. The Oregon and Michigan game, Ohio State and Washington (a team we’ll know everything about after they host Boise State this weekend) games may be the only barometers on how good the conference is this season. With Notre Dame looking awful, and appearing on four Big Ten Ten teams’ schedules, we will be hard-pressed to know the state of the conference until bowl time.

Welcome to the big time, Cal

And finally, this season I thought I’d give some passing mention in my post-game posts to what’s happening around the country.

For me, the Cal versus Tennessee game was a very exciting season opener. The defenses may have been anemic at times, but what I saw were two talented teams with great leadership at QB. Expect to hear from both as the season moves on. And Desean Jackson is simply as exciting--or more exciting--that Ted Ginn Jr. was at Ohio State. His lateral juke on the big punt return was one of the single best football moves I’ve seen in my lifetime. I have little doubt that Cal and USC will be playing for the Pac-10 title in 2007. And I’m going to that game one way or another.

At the end of week one, three teams really impressed me and would have to occupy a top five in my mind (I never suggest a ranking until the first week of October). The aforementioned Cal, LSU, and perhaps, Oklahoma. The latter two seemed to have found the stifling defense that made them household names in college football. Of course, Florida looked like the defending champions they are, and USC’s offense seemed as explosive as ever. The Big East showed how its best teams can score more in football than many of its basketball games. Let’s wait and see on teams like West Virginia, Louisville and Rutgers. Perhaps my biggest impression after week one was how good the Pac-10 may be in 2007. Cal, USC, UCLA and Arizona State all looked incredible. Washington has improved. Oregon will be tough at home as always, Oregon State’s defense was still tough, and even Washington State showed a bit of grit in its loss at Wisconsin. Arizona looks weak and Stanford hopeless, but the middle of this conference is a cauldron of talented teams.

Besides seeing the Zips in the ‘Shoe, here are the games to look forward to this coming weekend:

Boise State at Washington
Virgina Tech at LSU
Miami at Oklahoma

And finally, Lenoir-Rhyne at Appalachian State.

Are you kidding me? They beat Michigan in the Big House and now they host the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears?

Only in college football, friends.

Youngstown State at Ohio State Preview

2007-08-28T09:42:00.000-07:00

The hardest preview of any college football season is always the opener, and this year’s Ohio State Football opener may be the hardest to call in some time. Not the winner. That will be the Buckeyes. The score, on the other hand, could be anyone’s guess.

Of course, the reason is all the question marks surrounding this Ohio State team (see my previous posts); and in the case of the September 1, 2007 opener in the ‘Shoe, the questions around the opponent, Youngstown State as well.

Youngstown State is coming off a great football season. It was 11-3 in 2006 and lost to eventual Division I-AA Champion, Appalachian State, in last year’s playoffs. (Oh, to actually have playoffs…but that is a different post entirely). This year YSU team lost 12 starters, but has one very key man returning, quarterback Tom Zetts. He is an accurate passer and someone who the Buckeye defense will have to try to disrupt early on. The Penguin defense faces some key losses in the secondary, but the front men should have plenty of experience, so it will be interesting to see strength on strength win OSU tries to run the ball.

What can we say about the game on Saturday, then?

Again: Ohio State wins.

The offense will score, but screw up a few times and give away some cheap points (probably field goals). Todd Boeckman will look much better than people expect. Chris Wells will have an average, and perhaps a disappointing day, as the coaches are cautious with his recovery. I expect the headline to be the improvement of Mo Wells, as well as the dynamic threat of the new wide receiver core. A freshman like Brandon Saine could have his say, too. Watching the offensive line will make for interesting viewing no matter the score; I want to see what this new crew is all about. Especially after the shockingly sad blocking performance in the desert. I’m also looking forward to Ryan Pretorious as our kicker. He is a mature young man whose time has come. Watch for a few long-distance boomers to go through the uprights and get his confidence off to a roaring start.

The defense will look great. I think we’ll be really excited about what we see from the Defensive End position. Lots of pressure. A few great sacks. Vernon Gholston is special. For me, my focus will be on two men. First, Anderson Russell. I want to see if he is all the way back. If so, this defense could be stellar in 2007. No one will throw at Malcolm and suddenly, with a performing Russell, we our close to a lock down secondary. And secondly, I want to see Larry Grant. I was touting this guy big time last season. He needed a year to break into the system and get use to big-time football. He has it now. He is mature and an amazing athlete. I think he will bring a level of speed and flair to the linebacking core that reminds us of Cie Grant in 2002. All in all, the defense should have a solid day. The players and coaches will look to wipe the memories of last year’s championship performance by keeping YSU out of the end zone.

So, in the end, the Bucks win big, but not too big. Why? Jim Tressel will want to break in the new men and use lots of people as the coaches continue to evaluate their squad for 2007. And, of course, coach Tressel is not about to embarrass the program that he guided for so many years.

Ohio State 37
Youngstown State 6

A Different Kind of Buckeye Preview

2007-08-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

A week from the beginning of the 2007 Ohio State Football season and what do we know? Not too much. There are more questions than answers. I posed a bunch about a month or so ago; and frankly, I’m not sure how those and others will end up. I have some ideas, but they are only stabs in the dark--a Buckeye wish list for a 2007 dream come true.

Now what can be more than exciting that?

One interesting thing: I’ve always felt that you can get a sense of what the mass expectation is for a college football team by looking at the merchandise that is being marketed to its fan base. Notably, what jerseys are making their ways on to, and off, store shelves.

I know. Crazy. But consider what is being offered over at the Buckeye Corner at the moment. (Note that I have no idea what is actually selling; we can all take a look around the Shoe on opening day and make our own assumptions). Right now, you can get a Laurinaitis, a Freeman, or a Jenkins. On the other side of the ball, how about a Hartline? A Robiskie? A Beanie Wells?

A wide range of offensive and defensive stars for your purchasing pleasure. I call that depth. I call that a team absent any bona-fide superstars, a team that will look a lot like a band of brothers in 2007.

Also worth noting is that #10 and #7 shirts are still for sale. Now, I know the current owners of those shirts, Torrence and Henton respectively, are stars of the future, but we all know which #10 and which #7 Buckeye fans are still thinking about. Those are long shadows left by those Buckeye greats. We will miss them. No doubt.

And how about no #17? No Todd Boeckman? I think this pretty much gets at what I see as the theme for 2007. Underrated. Not enough respect. The program is not being dismissed. On the contrary, I’ve read a lot of pub on how Ohio State under Jim Tressel is back to the juggernaut we all expect and want it to be. Two championship games in five years. Big Ten Titles. Lloyd Carr’s fanny in a sling. Not too shabby.

Yet most pundits are saying things like this will be a rebuilding year and that Ohio State is no better than fourth in the conference and that we will see a return to Tressel ball and grind it out games. Perhaps. But what I see is a team that has its easiest schedule in decades until a very grueling run-in in November. And we all know how good Jim Tressel’s guys have been in November. In November, Jim Tressel is 18-3 in Big Ten play. If you just look at mid-October until the bowls, that record swells to 30-3.

I’ll spare all the detailed unit analysis and other prognostications. You can get those anywhere. I’ll just suggest the following:

*Todd Boeckman is going to be surprisingly good. He’s got all the tools (NFL tools), all the time in the system. After working through a few powder-puffs and gut checks like at Washington, he will be ready for prime time. Not Troy Smith, but a heck of a lot better than Justin Zwick.

*And Chris Wells will soon be a household name. His pre-season injuries may slow his launch, but this guy will not be slowed down for long.

*Our wideouts will seem to come out of everywhere, demonstrate surprisingly good depth, and Robiskie will look like a bona-fide NFL guy.

*The O-ine will be solid and the tight ends will be more involved than in recent years.

*The defensive secondary and linebacking core will be sensational. Passing on these Buckeyes will be a no-no. Our defensive ends will be among the best in the conference and get plenty of face time with plenty of B10 quarterbacks. And only a bit of softness in the middle of the line will give our defense anything to worry about.

*The special teams will be better than last year.

*And let me say lastly that this is a 10 win Buckeye team. And they could very well win more; I'll go with 11-2.

I’m not sure how they get there (back to those unanswerable questions again), but I bet this will be a Buckeye team--and team in every sense of the word--that will look very formable come the end of this season. It will be a team no one (and this includes any SEC opponent) will relish seeing line up across them around New Year’s Day.

Go Bucks! Have a great 2007 season fellow Buckeye fans...

We're Almost There Now

2007-07-24T09:40:00.000-07:00

Oh, the dog days of summer. The only question seems to be: Are we there yet?

But fear not. College Football is on its way and just around the corner--the kind of football that sends your heart racing from the very first kickoff in August.

And with the coming season, Ohio State fans face a number of burning questions beyond simply wanting to see their Buckeyes take the field again.

Just a few:

Can Todd Boeckman possibly stand in for the departed Troy Smith?

Will Beanie Wells be the second-coming of Eddie George?

Can Anderson Russell make it all the way back from injury?

Will anyone throw the ball to whoever Malcolm Jenkins is covering?

Is this the year that Larry Grant’s speed linebacking the edge makes Laurinaitis even more of an unstoppable force in the middle?

Is Alex Boone still standing around and looking for a Gator to block?

Who will possibly be able to slow down Vernon Gholston off the end?

Will the middle of the offensive and defensive lines be this team’s achilles heel?

Can four, very talented (albeit young) receivers--Robiskie, Hartline, Small, and Dukes--step into the void left over the past few seasons by NFLers like Holmes, Ginn and Gonzalez?

Are the Buckeyes still looking for a tight end?

How will the new field turf affect the Buckeyes' speed? (And yes, Gator fans and all those looking to make a cheap dig here, the Buckeyes are fast).

Will the sports magazines be right (for once) and will the Buckeyes be hard-pressed to crack the Top Ten by year’s end?

With so much hype and so many veterans returning to get revenge on Ohio State, is ol’ Lloyd doubling down with his career on The Game this November 17th in Ann Arbor?

And, of course, how will the Buckeyes' psyche present itself after the shellacking they took in Arizona on January 8th?

All these and more my friends.

Coming soon.

Now...It's Football Time Again

2007-04-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

For me, college football season begins again when the collegiate hardwood boys finally wrap things up. I mean, who can NOT forget football for a few months, when March Madness rolls around. And, as I begin to think about the 2007-2008 college football season and my Ohio State Buckeyes, I must take a moment to write a quick word or two on the Buckeye hoops squad that finished runner-ups to the bona-fide, national champion, the Florida Gators.

That's right. Florida, again.

You got to hand it to the school from Gainesville, they are having one heck of a year. As much fun as it has been being a Buckeye recently, being a Gator fan must be something akin to waking up on Christmas morning each and every weekend.

I want to say that the Ohio State men's basketball team simply had a tremendous year, perhaps one of the best ever, by any standard: They won 35 games, the Big Ten regular season, again, and added a Big Ten tournament championship as well. They went to the Final Four and got themselves into the final. And they played that game with great intensity and effort for 40 minutes.

At last, basketball is about making big shots and the Gators made nearly all of their big shots. The way each and every player on the Gator squad—from starters to the bench—contributed to the victory. For the Buckeyes, I thought the Ohio State freshman-tandem of Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. were amazing. These two young men rarely wilted under the pressure—only the referee's quick whistle was able to slow them down from time to time.

At some point in the tournament, I believe it was after the Tennessee game, I made the point to a friend that Ohio State goes as Jamar Butler goes. Well, obviously, in the final Jamar did not have his best game. But he will be back as will several other talented players. Not all will leave, and Coach Thad Matta has already booked another promising class that means the future looks very, very bright for Ohio State Basketball.

So congratulations to Ohio State, its basketball players, coach and others associated with this rising program. Thanks for a great year and some great, great memories.

Tressel's Spring Comments

2007-03-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to imagine football fans, but even as the hoops version of the Ohio State Buckeyes prepare for an appearance in the Final Four and (gulp), possible showdown with the University of Florida in the national championship game, Buckeye Football reared its Spring head this week.

Coach Jim Tressel met with members of the media and naturally, one of the topics for discussion were upcoming Spring practices. Tressel mentioned that Todd Boeckman has the inside track for the quarterback job and that he was the fastest Buckeye signal-caller in the 40 last season. Additionally, Tressel mentioned that Anderson Russell, the very talented safety who lost his season with a knee injury at Iowa last year, is coming back ahead of schedule.

There were also some interesting comments about the defensive line and the players who make that unit their home. Apparently, defensive tackle, Nader Abdallah is losing weight while defensive end, Robert Rose, has been putting it on. Tressel seemed dismissive about any chance Rose could be going inside, but this Buckeye fan firmly believes that the interior of the OSU defensive line is the single biggest hole to fill on the team (yes, that includes quarterback and wide receiver). It is simply impossible to understate how much our seniors did in the middle of the defensive line last season. It may not be happening yet, but I just don't see enough depth and talent on the roster to not consider moving at least one of the super-talented defensive ends inside to plug up the gap. We shall see.

As those who have followed my posts know, I didn't have a word to offer on recruiting a month or so back. The reason was two-fold. The hubbub over recruiting is a bit overrated in college football and the Buckeyes simply didn't make any huge splashes, you know the kind, ala Chris Wells. Let's allow the fine group of young men who chose Ohio State—all certainly very talented in their own right—develop into Buckeye football players and then we shall see what the class of 2007 was all about.

In the coming months, I will take a good hard look at the conference and the prospects for the 2007 Buckeyes in the win and loss column. My sense is that this is a team being overlooked by some as having any part in the Big Ten championship mix. Fair enough. So much talent is gone. And, yes, the lasting effects of the Florida debacle remain to be seen.

But if you consider the fact that a nucleus of starters returns on a solid defense and many of the newcomers on offense have already been battle tested, I think the Buckeyes have a chance (note I say chance) to be very, very good. Additionally, the Ohio State schedule of 2007 is one that would make the Minnesota Gophers blush. Yes, there is a gut-check at Washington early on. On the other hand, its not too hard to see how the Bcukeyes could be undefeated when my pre-season, Big Ten favorite, Wisconsin, comes rolling to town.

Interesting days ahead Buckeye fans. Enjoy them.

College Football's Best Helmets

2007-01-31T09:37:00.000-08:00

Over the past several weeks, I’ve enjoyed the replies and comments that I’ve received from college football fans who support of a wide variety of schools. Once the season ends, we all seem to put down our deeply-felt allegiances and just want to talk football.

So here’s one you don’t see everyday:

Name your top college helmets.

We all have very strong biases on this one (the understatement of the year), but think about those helmets that make your pulse race (regardless of your conference and team) when you see them take the field on Saturdays every fall.

If you need to refresh your memory or just want to give all the major teams a fair shake, I suggest taking a look at the “Helmet Project.” This is a wonderful resource for football helmets and gives you plenty of looks at throwback versions of the teams as well.

For me, an admitted Big Ten boy, the old school Illinois, between 1977 and 1987--the one with the word ILLINI tightly wrapped around the ear hole--would have made the list below just because it was one of the most unique looks of all time. As a kid, whenever they came to Columbus, I’d just sit in the stands and try to figure out what that look was all about. It was years later I realized it was the word “Illini;” I was too stubborn to ask.

Anyway, we all have stories and emotions and thoughts that come with college football helmets. Some of us are old school (Penn State and Alabama) and some of us are more modern (Florida State and Arizona State). I imagine most are in between.

So let me know what you like. Give me your list. You don’t have to do a top twenty, of course. But let me know your favorites!

DotThei Top 20 Current College Football Helmets

20. Colorado
Maybe its tied to their black uniforms, but this is one that just looks good.

19. West Virginia
A clever logo design that has become an icon of Mountaineers football.

18. Nebraska
Plain Jane for sure, but who can argue with the block “N” and what it stands for.

17. Fresno State
Certainly a new one to the crowd, but the logo is tough and the V symbol a special twist.

16. Arizona State
One of my favorite logo designs and the unique colors make it one of the most unique anywhere.

15. Oklahoma
I used to think of it as a paper-clip logo. At any rate, it is synonymous with college football.

14. Ole Miss
I love cursive designs and this one is simply beautiful. The red strip make it really, really good.

13. Penn State
Simple and unchanged for more than thirty years. A classic.

12. Clemson
I’ve always thought the tiger paw was one of the best logos going. And the orange. Wow.

11. BYU
Just that big old Y with a circle around it. Glad they went back to the white.

10. Florida
Great colors and a very unique cursive make this one special.

9. Texas
A great logo that jumps at you on the white helmets.

8. USC
In a conference with great helmets, this is one of the best.

7. LSU
Letters AND a logo. And somehow it works. Great colors, too.

6. UCLA
There is something about that long-tailed cursive that is better than all other cursive helmets.

5. Ohio State
Good without Buckeye leaves. With them, it’s great. No one uses stickers to the same effect.

4. Notre Dame
Yes, there is real gold in that paint. It shows.

3. Florida State
A symbol of gridiron intimidation in the 1990s. Tough and memorable. Love the tomahawks, too.

2. Alabama
My favorite old school. I LOVE the numbers. For me, it is the ultimate classic helmet.

1. Michigan
No Buckeye homer here. Unique and unforgettable. And they play great football, too.

Honorable Mention:
Georgia
Simple, bold and strong.
UAB
A fire-breathing dragon. Enough said.
Bowling Green
Very slick logo and a unique color set.
Army
The black stripe. And for me, the best of the Academies. Well, I guess that doesn’t say too much.
Oregon
If the Ducks would just stick to one--the green with gold decal--they’d get more respect.

NOTE: And finally, please, please don’t get offended by my list. It is simply my list and should mean little to anyone but myself. I hope it simply prompts you to add your own favorites, whatever they may be. Thank you.

5 Admissions of Buckeye Hindsight

2007-01-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

They say hindsight is 20/20. I’m not so sure when it comes to college football. One can easily rationalize a season away and the bowl games--with their exaggerated hype and long layoffs--may always be little better than a hit and miss affair. Nonetheless, there are a few things on my mind about the 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes that I need to throw out there before I go off and start looking at next year’s team and their prospects.

1.
The Buckeyes offensive line was overrated.

We all should have seen this one coming. There were times in the regular season when Ohio State’s offense broke down, and it was always at the hands of the offensive line. Even in several blowout wins, there would be a few series, sometimes a few in a row, where the line just didn’t do the job. When this unit was fired up emotionally they seemed able to work through their deficiencies whether it was a lack of speed or youth (in the case of young, Alex Boone). But given their performance in the bowl game, the many scouting takes that I read throughout the season of their lack of potency, as well as what is now coming by way of NFL scouts’ doubts on Doug Datish, we have to admit that the offensive line was a weakness on the 2006 Buckeye team. Sadly, this brings me full circle to something I have suggested for years: Jim Bollman is the worst coach on the Ohio State staff and one that I really would love to see replaced one of these days.

2.
The Big Ten has speed, just not from top to bottom.

No, I’m not buying into the myth that the Buckeyes lost the BCS Title game due to SEC speed. But I do think the SEC has more speed on its bottom-rung teams that you will find on similar teams in the Big Ten. Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Illinois could run with anyone (at least at the skilled positions). The Badgers have great speed in the secondary and enough brawn up front to dictate the kind of game they play. But from there, I’m hard-pressed to see how the rest of the league does not look caught in cement shoes compared to teams like Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Alabama. Playing fast teams week in and week out is an advantage; it demands your offensive and defensive systems be designed to handle speed at their core. The Buckeyes would be well served for making that their mantra going forward as well. Just as the 1997 Sugar Bowl loss was a wake-up call to the Buckeyes on how to recruit a defensive line, the 2007 BCS Title Game loss should tell them that their offensive line, linebackers and secondary need to be faster as well.

3.
The Buckeye defense was better than expected, but not great (yet).

There is no doubt that the Buckeye defense had a great year. They replaced nine starters and by season’s end were near to the statistical leaders in a number of important defensive categories. They earned hard-fought victories at Texas and Iowa and smothered a solid Penn State team. Yet, there were some cracks in the armor, many noticeably exploited by Michigan in the season finale. Those cracks became the size of the grand canyon when Florida came around. Given the fact that the Buckeyes conceded 39 and 41 points in their final two contests, one has to wonder if what was once the nation’s best scoring defense had been getting it done most of the season through smoke and mirrors; or more likely, against a large number of anemic Big Ten offenses.

4.
Coach Jim Tressel can blow a bowl game.

Of all the things that I am willing to admit now about the 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes, this is perhaps the most troubling. Going into the bowl game, I had Jim Tressel pegged for a big game guy and someone whose teams consistently peaked at the end of the season and bowl time. Somehow, in Glendale, in a game where nearly everything went woefully wrong, this fan’s unquestioning trust in Jim Tressel jumped the proverbial track as well. He brought a team out that evening that was uninspired and unprepared. And then he seemed to be grasping at straws as the game spun out of control. Even there, I might have been able to chalk it up to a “once in a blue moon” occurrence. But then Coach Tressel went on local Columbus radio and spoke of how they didn’t plan any new defensive schemes for Florida because they wanted to just do what they did best; and how the guys who plan to leave early for the NFL had been discussing their plans regularly with him after Michigan and up to the bowl game. This was the portrait of a team without its head on straight, and one that lacked the proper respect for an opponent and the stakes of playing in a national championship game. Maybe the Michigan game, and the unmatched hype that came with it, were somehow to blame. Time will tell. Jim Tressel remains 4-2 in bowl games and 3-1 in BCS games. His Michigan record speaks for itself. How he does the next time his team hits the road against a highly regarded, out of conference opponent (likely next year’s bowl game) will be an important indicator of whether Glendale 2007 was an anomaly or a precursor of games to come.

5.
Several Buckeye units had much more depth than imagined.

Before I get lambasted for being mister negative, let me point out something positive that has become more apparent with time, something that went really well in 2006. Ohio State showed tremendous depth in many places. Not only did the Buckeyes bounce back from losing so many key players (particularly on defense) from the year before, but they bounced back to the tune of an undefeated regular season and outright Big Ten Championship. Not bad. And, for me, it was delightful to see the rotation play at positions like wideout, defensive end, linebacker and to a lesser degree, the secondary. A lot of young Buckeyes got considerable playing time in these positions. Along with the terrific and documented talent of tailback Chris Wells, this depth points to some great seasons to come for Ohio State Football. We should also not forget the kicking came, with a new placekicker in 2006, many figured the Buckeyes would finally struggle without the reliability of some of the big names from the past. Aaron Pettrey did a fine job and should be a real weapon next year and beyond.

Bowl Picks with Random Musings

2006-12-21T15:01:00.000-08:00

Well, at long last, the dead time between the conference championships and the college bowls are over. It’s always an excruciating couple of weeks. And as much as I’m excited that it is finally bowl time, one has to say that the first week of bowls tend to be just a tad on the dull side. Sure, there are some decent teams playing. I love it when 6-6 plays 7-5. Umph.

No, the really good stuff starts in a week’s time, so I will limit my comments and predictions to the bowls that really matter: the ones that start (and then come after) the Emerald Bowl in my own, beloved San Francisco. And, yes, I will skip the two ridiculous games that are being served up on 1/6 and 1/7.

Whose idea was that?

I mean does anyone really want the games between the Sugar Bowl and The National Championship to have so little meaning that they may as well be the East Marysville Catholic Girl's Softball Championship Semi-Finals? I, for one, plan to just pretend those January 6th and 7th games do not exist; maybe I'll just double and triple stock the cooler I will be moving around Glendale with all weekend long.

DEC 27

Emerald: Florida State vs. vs. UCLA 8 p.m., ESPN
A great match-up in my home town (for once). The Bruins got the mojo after taking down Southern Cal, so it looks like Bobby's first losing season since his inaugural season at FSU in 1976.
UCLA 23
FSU 17

DEC 28

Independence: Oklahoma State vs. vs. Alabama 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Six and six against six and six. At least the traditions are proud; it’s hard to top the Crimson Tide for the classiest uniforms going.
Ok St 28
Bama 17

Holiday: California vs. vs. Texas A&M 8 p.m., ESPN
Two up and comers in what is always one of the best matched bowl games. Why can’t they all be this tasty and good?
Cal 31
A&M 28

Texas: Rutgers vs. vs. Kansas State 8 p.m., NFL
I wish Rutgers got offered more of a test, but this game will tell us a thing or two about the Big East.
Rutgers 26
K-State 21

DEC 29

Music City: Clemson vs. vs. Kentucky 1 p.m., ESPN2
Clemson continues to be the best team to win nothing year after year after year. And Kentucky plays zero defense.
Clemson 37
Kentucky 13

Sun: Missouri vs. vs. Oregon State 2 p.m., CBS
Could very well be one of the best matched bowls this season. I’ll go with the team that finished stronger, that is, the one with better momentum no matter the many weeks off.
Oregon State 28
Missouri 24

Liberty: South Carolina vs. vs. Houston 4:30 p.m., ESPN
This is one of those “how much do you respect the SEC” games. On paper, Houston seems better. The game isn’t played on paper.
South Carolina 29
Houston 17

Insight: Minnesota vs. vs. Texas Tech 7:30 p.m., NFL
Every year the Gophers underwhelm the Big Ten conference and then play well in a bowl against an inferior opponent. This time will be tricky for Minnesota unless it becomes a bump and grind game.
Texas Tech 34
Minnesota 24

Champ Sports: Maryland vs. vs. Purdue 8 p.m., ESPN
I like Purdue no matter how bad their defense has been. Besides, it’s Maryland’s offense that has gone missing.
Purdue 30
Maryland 24

DEC 30

Meineke: Navy vs. vs. Boston College 1 p.m., ESPN
One team knows how to use a rudder and one team is missing theirs as he ran off to North Carolina State. I smell upset.
Navy 24
BC 23

Alamo: Iowa vs. vs. Texas 4:30 p.m., ESPN
This could be real, real ugly unless the Longhorns miss the team bike ride from Austin to the stadium or otherwise find a way skip the game.
Texas 31
Iowa 14

Chick-fil-A: Virginia Tech vs. vs. Georgia 8 p.m., ESPN
Georgia’s anemic offense and young QB against one of the nation’s best defenses. Hmmm.
V Tech 26
Georgia 14

DEC 31

MPC Computers: Nevada vs. vs. Miami 7:30 p.m., ESPN
This must feel like a shot at the national championship for Nevada. A good, but not great, WAC team gets to play the team of the 90s. Even this sad Hurricane team can handle this assignment.
Miami 24
Nevada 16

JAN 1

Outback: Penn State vs. vs. Tennessee 11 a.m., ESPN
Joe Pa makes some mention how the Vols are as good as Ohio State and Michigan. Sounds like he is preparing the Lion faithful for a loss and a dose of program reality after last year's senior-laden season. And shhhh...the Vols are NOT as good as Ohio State and Michigan, no matter how convincingly they win over this very, very average Penn State team.
Tennessee 27
Penn State 17

Cotton: Auburn vs. vs. Nebraska 11:30 a.m., FOX
Have the Cornhuskers won any big game recently?
Auburn 23
Nebraska 20

Capital One: Wisconsin vs. vs. Arkansas 1 p.m., ABC
The second of the marquee Big Ten vs. SEC match-ups after OSU v Florida. I am no believer in Wisconsin as their schedule was a complete farce this year; why would I start now against one of the more physical teams in the SEC? I'm not saying the Badgers have no shot (they do), I'm just saying there is no way to say they are great when you consider an out of conference schedule of Bowling Green, Western Illinois, San Diego State and Buffalo. Come on Alvarez, grow a pair already!
Arkansas 24
Wisconsin 17

Gator: Georgia Tech vs. vs. West Virginia 1 p.m., CBS
This will be interesting. Finally, we get to see a decent defense play the Mountaineers, although not one playing with any confidence at the end of the season. I can’t see WVU playing with anything less than 100%. And that is enough.
West Virginia 27
G Tech 17

Rose: Southern California vs. vs. Michigan 5 p.m., ABC
Michigan is mad, really mad; and last time I checked on the Trojans, they couldn’t move the ball against a very good (yet not Michigan level) Bruin defense.
Michigan 21
USC 17

Fiesta: Boise State vs. vs. Oklahoma 8:30 p.m., FOX
Bob Stoops completes a great coaching job in style and sends the wannabes perfect season to an end. Just don't mess up the field turf, OK?
Oklahoma 30
Boise State 20

JAN 2

Orange: Wake Forest vs. vs. Louisville 8 p.m., FOX
It could have so easily been Louisville that got devoured by the Buckeyes. Instead they get a BCS Bowl trophy that they can take home and eat.
Louisville 27
Wake Forest 20

JAN 3

Sugar: Notre Dame vs. vs. LSU 8 p.m., FOX
My madman special: it’s just a feeling that the Irish are due and no one is giving them a snowball chance in you-know-where.
ND 31
LSU 30

JAN 8

BCS Championship: Ohio State vs. vs. Florida 8 p.m., FOX
(Extended Preview Forthcoming)
No matter how bad the Big Ten looks coming into this game, the only team that can stop the Buckeye offense is the Buckeye coaches. I mean as much as people point to a poor Big Ten as a sign of the Buckeyes' demise, they seem to miss the point that OSU completely dominated everyone they played, including Michigan minus two self-induced turnovers and a meaningless late TD. No, the coaches won’t get in the way on January 8th; they will have made the Bucks even better. And to make matters worse for the Gators, Florida can’t consistently run the ball, which is the only way to have some kind of half-chance against these Buckeyes.
Ohio State 31
Florida 20

A Troy Smith Must Read

2006-12-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

I suppose I have been known to give the media and the talking heads a hard time on this blog from time to time.

They probably deserved it.

Well, today, one of them deserves some real credit and adulation as well. His name is Pat Forde, senior writer over at ESPN.com. Mr. Forde has just published an absolutely poignant and detailed look at Troy Smith and his road from a little boy in Cleveland to the Heisman podium on Saturday. It is a wonderfully inspired piece of writing that Ohio State fans will love, football fans will enjoy, and any human being with a heart will find incredibly moving.

Mr. Forde's reporting really puts the accomplishments of Troy Smith into proper perspective. All season long, we have cheered Troy Smith, Ohio State quarterback. On Saturday night, we should stand and applaud, Troy Smith, the man. And we should applaud his caring network of family and friends as well, people that have tirelessly given of themselves to help make Troy what he is today.

If you have not already done so, please take a few minutes to read this wonderful article.

OH-io What A Ride: Part 1 of 4

2006-12-01T17:22:00.000-08:00

A Four-Part Recap of OSU’s Regular Season

As Ohio State fans everywhere await news of which team will play the Buckeyes for the 2006 National Championship of College Football, I thought it would be fun to take a quick look back at an unforgettable Ohio State regular football season, one that resulted in an undisputed #1 ranking and outright Big Ten Championship.

Every few days or so, there will be a quick take on a few of Ohio State’s games, presenting each in chorological order of the now-completed, regular season. In particular, the recap will focus on the key moments of the game—ones now etched in the collective memory of the Buckeye faithful—and what the game in question meant to the Ohio State Buckeye football team as they navigated their quest for a shot at the school’s second national championship in five years.

Comments and suggestions are always welcome. Please enjoy.

Part 1: Northern Illinois, at Texas, and Cincinnati

9/2 -- Northern Illinois

Ohio State entered its 2006 season opener as the #1 team in college football. Nevertheless, several questions swirled about the team, in particular, how the defense would cope with the loss of 9 starters for a year ago. No one questioned the offense and its potential firepower: virtually every skill player returned and they were supported by both a veteran offensive line and arguably one of the best player’s in college football—senior, signal-caller Troy Smith.

Northern Illinois came to Columbus as one of the favorites to win the MAC Conference. The team also boasted a legitimate Heisman hopeful of its own, running back Garrett Wolfe.

Final Score:
Ohio State 35
Northern Illinois 12

Key Stat(s) of the Game:
Troy Smith was 18-25, passing for 297 yards and 3 TDs and a 211.4 passing rating.

OSU was 6 of 10 on third down; NIU was 1 of 13.

Key Moment:
Leading 7-0, Ohio State QB, Troy Smith, found wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. for a 58 yard touchdown pass when the NIU defense surprisingly chose to play Ginn man-to-man and bump-and-run coverage. Ginn simply ran around the Huskies’ corner and opened up a scoring frenzy that ended with OSU winning 28-0 just after the start of the second quarter.

Honorable Mention Moments:
Not a positive memory, but the sight of both Ohio State’s new placekickers missing field goals (Ryan Pretorius missing from 51 yards and Aaron Pettrey later from 45 yards) left the Buckeyes wondering about who would be getting the kicking duty down the road and whether or not they could be trusted in a close game.

Additionally, who can forget Troy Smith’s first pass of the 2006 season and OSU’s very first play on offense? It was a 32 yard bullet to the then little known Brian Hartline on a perfect seam route.

What it meant:
Ohio State’s offense was explosive and very, very good. The defense still had question marks, notably how they would do against the run after yielding 171 yards to Wolfe. The answers to these questions would be forthcoming in short order. Ohio State was to travel the following week to Austin, Texas to play the #2 ranked Texas Longhorns and defending national champions, at night and in front of a national TV audience hungry to see who the real #1 was in 2006.

9/9 -- @ Texas

It’s hard now to recall just how hyped this game was before the nighttime kickoff in Austin. Texas entered the game with the nation’s longest winning streak and had a decisive dismantling of North Texas the week before under their belt. Much of the nucleus of the 2005 National Championship Team returned. However, Texas was in search of a quarterback. Freshman Colt McCoy was to be the man. Everyone wondered how he would perform in such a big game so early in his college career. Not unlike the Michigan game later in the season, Ohio State’s opponents entered the game with a major distraction: Texas staring cornerback Tarrell Brown had been arrested early in the week on possible drug and weapons charges and would sit out the contest.

Ohio State traveled to Texas a team determined to erase the heartbreak of a 25-22 loss at the Horseshoe a year ago. Troy Smith’s performance in week one did nothing but add to his Heisman allure and as a player know for playing best in the big games, all eyes were on #10 to see if he could produce the same kind of magic that Texas’ quarterback Vince Young had produced for his team the year before.

Final Score:
Texas 7
Ohio State 24

Key Stat(s) of the Game:
Texas had two BIG turnovers; Ohio State had none.

OSU receiver Anthony Gonzalez just shredded the Longhorn secondary: Gonzo caught 8 passes for 142 yards with most of his work coming in the tight first half.

OSU punter A.J. Trapasso kicked six punts for over 300 yards, averaging better than 50 yards per kick.

Key Moment:
With the game deadlocked and scoreless near the end of the first quarter, Texas put together an impressive 73 yard drive to the OSU seven. On second down, Billy Pittman caught a short flare pass and headed toward the goal line. He was met by OSU middle linebacker James Laurinaitis and a Buckeye superstar was born. Laurinaitis knocked the ball loose and nickelback, Donald Washington picked up the fumble and returned it to midfield. The Buckeye offense came on the field and quickly scored to take a 7-0 lead.

Honorable Mention Moments:
James Laurinaitis continued his coming out party with a second half interception that put the Buckeyes in position to kick a field goal and lead 17-7.

Troy Smith calmly directed the Buckeye offense through an impressive two-minute drill, taking the team down for a late second quarter score and a 14-7 halftime lead. Smith coolly called an audible by rubbing the left side of his helmet and sending Ginn on a fantastic inside-out fly route by Texas’ best corner, Aaron Ross.

What it meant:
Ohio State was close to the undisputed #1 team in college football. While the scoreline felt a little wider than the way the game was played, the Buckeyes were never in real doubt after the half. Ohio State left Austin a team that seemed to believe the dream. Troy Smith had put on another masterful display, going 17 of 26 for 269 yards and 2TDs. He was quickly becoming the top man on everyone’s Heisman list.

9/16 -- Cincinnati

Ohio State, now 2-0, was on letdown alert after its emotional and hard-fought win against the Longhorns. The OSU rushing game had found tough sledding in Austin and Buckeye fans were hopeful to see the offense pick up where it had left off at home against Northern Illinois.

Most Buckeye fans knew that their next opponents, the Cincinnati Bearcats, were ably coached by ex-Ohio State defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio. While OSU had beaten the Bearcats just two years before 27-6, there was a feeling that Cincinnati—even at 1-1—might cause some headaches with its hungry to be proven roster of football players raised in Ohio.

Final Score:
Ohio State 37
Cincinnati 7

Stat of the Game:
OSU running back Anthony Pittman had 16 carries for 155 yards and 1 TD. And the OSU rushing game was back on track.

Key Moment:
Troy Smith hit Ted Ginn Jr. on an underneath drag route while a Cincinnati defender hung across the OSU quarterback's shoulders. The score came at the end of a ten play, 80 yard drive that made the score 13-7 near the half.

Honorable Mention Moments:
Just moments after the key TD above, James Laurinaitis intercepted a Cincinnati pass to keep the scoreline intact right before intermission. The Buckeyes never looked back, out scoring the Bearcats 24-0 in the second half (17 of which came in the fourth quarter).

Even though Ryan Pretorious boomed a 52 yarder field goal near the end of the contest, Aaron Pettrey’s two first half field goals of more than 40 yards, while the game was still tight, cemented his place as the go-to kicker for 2006.

What it meant:
Few now recall that this was a game that was 13-7 at the half and one where OSU struggled offensively at times. I imagine the tape of this game is one of the ones that OSU 2006 opponents studied and studied hard. The first half alone may have also helped secure then Cincinnati head coach, Mark Dantonio his future job as the head man at Michigan State.

Nonetheless, the Buckeyes exploded offensively late in the game and were sitting pretty at 3-0 as they headed into the Big Ten season. Smith had been unbelievable for three weeks straight: the Buckeye senior had thrown for more than 200 yards in each game and already had thrown 81 passes and seven TDs with no interceptions. And, unbelievably, the much maligned and young defense had only yielded 26 points in three games, placing Jim Heacock and his men among the best in scoring defense in the nation. It was already clear that OSU could score and score often. Now we knew that the defense could do the opposite to the teams on the other side of the ball. It would prove a wonderful combination.

Up Next: Part 2: Penn State, at Iowa, and Bowling Green

The National Title Game: Are We Worthy?

2006-11-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

It wasn’t so much Turkey day that kept me from posting last week; it was the fact that there wasn’t much to say until AFTER the week’s games were done. Everyone and their brother were speculating on Ohio State’s BCS Championship Game opponent.

Would it be a rematch with Michigan? Would it be USC or Florida or perhaps, via a Touchdown Jesus’ miracle, Notre Dame? There was simply too much football to be played--two games worth--to make such speculation worthwhile.

Well, now we know a thing or two. Thank goodness.

Here is my list in rank order:

USC
Somehow the football Gods have sided with humanity and have given us a great shot at a classic Big Ten versus Pac 10 title game. USC against Ohio State is rich in tradition and stirs echoes of the years between 1968 and 1980 when these two played it out in the Rose Bowl a total of five times (they also played in the 1955 and 1985 Rose Bowl game). Ohio State was 2-3 against USC during those magical years and is 3-4 overall against the Trojans in the Rose Bowl. But the important thing is that USC simply has earned their place as #2. They have great wins over Nebraska, Arkansas, Cal and ND and have shown great determination in bouncing back from their mid-season upset. They also boast one of the most athletic teams in the nation, one that is capable of going toe-to-toe with the Buckeyes in what would be a compelling title game in the desert.

Florida
I know; I know: What about the Wolverines? I won’t repeat myself other than to say Michigan could not win its conference title. Florida has played what might be the hardest schedule in the country. If USC implodes at UCLA, and Florida comes out as SEC champions with just one road loss (to a then-undefeated Auburn team), put them in Glendale and let the champion of the country’s deepest college football conference have their say.

Michigan
As much as I abhor the idea of a non-conference champion playing for the national title (it just sounds funny, right?), if USC and Florida lose, there is simply no other team worthy of the spot in Glendale. Perhaps, Oklahoma has the best case if they beat Nebraska as they were partially-robbed of one critical win at Oregon. Louisville might be next, but both would have a hard time standing up to the feel of the Michigan team as the next #2. If this nightmare scenario does happen, the best thing that could come out of the rematch/title game (besides an OSU throuncing of Michigan) would be the complete dismantling or overhaul of the BCS system.

What else is on tap?

As far as the other BCS bowls go, there have been some interesting developments. Texas has faded and faded fast. Once a backdoor contender for the championship, the Longhorns look to be heading back to the Cotton Bowl, which is a bit like the Outback for OSU in the 1990s--a nice consolation prize, but nothing to get too excited about. The good news is they will get a good matchup, perhaps Arkansas or Auburn, and we may finally figure out this talented Longhorn team once and for all.

I think Michigan is heading to the Rose Bowl and what could be a fantastic game with LSU. Les Miles, the Tigers’ coach, is a Michigan man and perhaps destined to be the future head Michigan coach one day. LSU would look great in the Rose Bowl, and seeing these two physical defenses slam into everything in sight would be great football viewing for fans everywhere. It would also say something, finally, about the SEC against the Big Ten and let all trash talk cease (for a few months anyway). The irony, of course, is that when the SEC and Big Ten cross paths in bowls, it’s usually with a higher ranked and highly regarded SEC team getting a lower ranked Big Ten team. Not this game. Michigan will be favored and we’ll see what the SEC is all about. Also, if Florida loses to Arkansas, you could see a Michigan v Florida Rose Bowl that would also end some of the mindless debate now going on about who should be next after USC.

I’m not even close to a ND-hater, but please send the Irish away from the Rose Bowl! This is a good team but certainly NOT a great one. Frankly I don’t think they are worthy of the BCS this season (the two great teams they played absolutely killed them), but the rules say they are BCS-eligible so that is that. I wish they could play Texas in the Cotton Bowl; it would be a great game. My bet is they are off to the Sugar Bowl as the fellas down in New Orleans get an at-large pick after the Rose; and thus, ND would match up with the Florida versus Arkansas winner. Bad news for ND. If there was any doubt that the Irish would be no better than rare conference champions if they ever were brave enough to join the Big Ten, it evaporated this season with the thrashing and near misses this supposedly top five team took whenever they played anyone good.

As for the fly-in-the-ointment, Boise State, you can be certain they will be the last team picked and that they will be going to the Fiesta Bowl to play the Oklahoma versus Nebraska winner (leaving the ACC Champ to play either Louisville or Rutgers in the Orange or maybe Florida if the Rose passes). The interesting thing is that they may have a chance to win that game as neither of these two teams are exactly world-beaters. Could an undefeated Boise State team try to claim a share of the national title? Yes. In Idaho.

Other “BcS” Notes

A few thoughts on the BCS and what must be changed.

First of all, any team that does NOT win its conference should NEVER be considered for the title game. It is just ridiculous. We have no playoff system in college football so the conference races serve the critical purpose of thinning the field through meaningful football, week after week. Conference champions only please. (ND aside). End of story.

Additionally, this one-plus talk that is getting shopped around is not a bad idea, but please, please implement in a smart way. Setting up two national semi-final bowl games and then having a championship bowl game is great on paper. On the other hand, there needs to be at least TWO WEEKS between the semi-final and title game for several reasons. First, fans of those schools can’t simply plan a trip in a few days time. Secondly, the media and corporate sponsors have so many demands during a championship week that there simply would be no down time between events. And finally, the teams involved in a one-plus championship game are going to have just played very difficult games that involve hard-hitting opponents and a lot of travel. Give the players and coaches an extra week to prepare for the big game. Otherwise, we will get two exhausted teams that are ill-prepared for the championship showdown. Now, I know the college presidents don’t like a football season that creeps into mid-January. So there is the rub: I don’t see a one-plus system (at lease one that is not a total disaster) happening anytime soon.

Buckeye Nut! What's on the Mind of a Crazed Fan

2006-11-20T11:35:00.000-08:00

I’m just back after four glorious days in Columbus.

On Friday night, I had the privilege of seeing the talented and young Ohio State Basketball team and on Saturday night, I had the unforgettable experience of seeing OSU beat Michigan for the third-year in a row to secure its rightful place in the National Championship game. Columbus was a sea of scarlet while a muted Friday (due in large part to the sad and shocking news of the death of ex-Michigan Coach, Bo Schembechler) grew into a boisterous and celebratory Saturday as The Game approached and was played.

Congratulations to The Ohio State Buckeyes. Undisputed Big Ten Champions of 2006 and participant in the coming game for the College Football’s National Championship on January 8^th in Glendale, Arizona.

4-2-3-9

In my preview of the game last week, I made the slightest of mentions of how games between two great defenses often become shootouts. I should have stopped right there because my predictions went south in a hurry from there. Saturday night was an amazing show of offense and an often (at least to this Buckeye fan) frustrating display of the Buckeye defense not making a few key stops. The truth of the matter is that while OSU rolled up 42 points, Michigan was virtually gifted 10 of their 39 points on turnovers that had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PLAY OF THE MICHIGAN PLAYERS. I’m talking about two botched snaps from the cast-laden hand of Doug Datish. Yes, the Michigan men were alert and pounced on the ball. But first and goal from the eight? Come on. That game should have been a 10-14 point Ohio State win and any fan that didn’t see that point is fooling himself. Take a look at the stats and you see a trend: OSU dominating Michigan in every category of the game, except turnovers. But 42-39 was meant to be. And, of course, hours later the Ohio State Lottery confirmed this by drawing those exact four numbers—in perfect order. Bizarre.

Do Over in the Desert

Let’s be clear: Ohio State is #1, undefeated and has just won the outright Big Ten Conference Championship. So why on God’s good earth should they have to play one of their conference foes again to earn the National Championship? It makes zero sense to anyone but the media talking heads and the big money bag men of the Big Ten and Fox Sports. Besides the fact that there should be a simple rule that if you don’t win your conference you can’t be in the title game, think for a moment if OSU was on the outside here, at #3, and USC and UCLA were both undefeated and talk had begin about a rematch after their finale in a few weeks? Absolute garbage. Yes, Michigan may be the second best team in the country, but they have already shown they are NOT better than Ohio State. Let’s see if someone else is for heaven’s sake and not give them “a do over” in the desert. The good news is that it seems USC may control its own destiny in the matter (see related Dispatch story) and that Florida could have a say too. And I also see some sensible sportswriters—Stewart Mandel of SI—coming off the euphoria of Saturday and writing honestly about the fact that a rematch should be a measure of last resort, i.e., in the event that both USC and Florida lose in the coming weeks.

The Invincible and Invisible MVP

For me, the obvious player of the game was Troy Smith. His first half performance against Michigan was one of the most impressive efforts an Ohio State QB has ever put together against anyone—let alone the vaunted Wolverines. He was Superman on Saturday. And even after battling through an uncommon mistake, an interception, and the mind-numbing frustration of Doug Datish not being able to snap the ball in the second half of the last game of the season, MR. Smith pulled his team from the fire and saved the day. But a close second and as the Mr. Invisible MVP, I’d go with Vernon Gholston. Gholston was just a madman all night for the Ohio State defense. While he had only one solo tackle and three assists, I was amazed at how many times he rushed Henne into bad throws or turned Hart into would-be tacklers. He also got great push into the pocket on a night when consistent pressure on the Michigan quarterback was hard to come by. Congratulations to Vernon on a great game and a very, very bright future next year as a standout star of what will be another great defensive team.

The Great Eight

So I’ll break my long-standing policy of just listing the best eight teams in rank order in order to help Pac-10, SEC and other non-Big Ten coaches, as well as countless Harris Insight Poll Voters (like that friendly, little Korean lady at your closest corner or convenient store) see how easy it is to make everything right with the world.

It just takes a little courage and some common sense.

Ohio State
USC
Florida
Arkansas
Michigan
Notre Dame
West Virginia
Texas

Michigan at Ohio State Preview

2006-11-15T14:36:00.000-08:00

One really runs out of ways to describe the magnitude of the 103rd edition of The Game on Saturday (3.30PM EST) between Ohio State (#1 and 11-0) and Michigan (#2 and 11-0).

Over the long, storied history between the two hated rivals, rarely has the winner stood to take so much and the loser to wallow in what could have been. Only in 1970 and 1973 have the teams entered the contest unbeaten. Never before has the game been played when both Ohio State and Michigan were both unbeaten and ranked #1 and #2 respectively.

On Saturday, the winner of The Game will be Big Ten Champions, and they will be also undefeated, ranked #1 and headed to the national championship game. The winner will likely be a favorite to win that title on January 8th in Glendale, Arizona.

The loser will likely be relegated to a Rose Bowl appearance. Any other year an invite to Pasadena might set off a run on travel plans to the greater Los Angeles area; this year it will be a painful reminder of what happened on November 18th in Columbus.

Ohio State Offense vs. Michigan Defense

The Ohio State offense, once almost a joke of sorts under the stewardship of head coach Jim Tressel, stands as one of the most dynamic and explosive in the nation in 2006. OSU averages almost 36 points per game and is 19th in total offense. The Buckeyes also are balanced: averaging 179 yards on the ground and 237 yards in the air. In recent weeks, they seem to be even more productive on the ground than earlier in the season when the pass attack noticeably led the way. But perhaps the most important thing to note about the Ohio State offense is its veteran leadership, which starts with quarterback Troy Smith. Smith is the perfect competitor. His team trusts in him; his team believes in him. The leading candidate for this year’s Heisman Trophy, Troy Smith has completed over 66% of his passes and has 26 (2.4 per game) touchdowns on the season. In recent weeks, Smith has also begun to run the ball effectively. While some of these plays looked scripted, many were improvised runs for big gains. His versatility and decision-making will cause all sorts of headache for the Michigan defense and their coaches.

Working in tandem with Smith is a variety of top quality, offensive weapons. At the running back position, Ohio State primarily depends on the rushing efforts of Antonio Pittman, the first Buckeye to post back-to-back 1,000 yards seasons since Eddie George. Chris “Beanie” Wells, who has been in and out of the doghouse all season fro fumbling, served up his best running day of his young OSU career against Northwestern on Saturday. He is a big, bruising back. The combination of Pittman and Wells give the Buckeyes a wealth of options when it comes to attacking a proven Michigan running defense.

But where OSU really shines is in the wideout positions. There is simply so much depth here that it’s hard to imagine how anyone could stop these guys. Seven different players have caught at least ten passes this season; eight different Buckeyes have pass catches for touchdowns. As much focus will be on Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez, I expect the work of Brian Robiskie, Brian Hartline and Rory Nicol to be on display Saturday. It would not be a shock to see Michigan’s best corner, Leon Hall, line up on Gonzalez and see an over-under, double team on the speedy Ted Ginn Jr. These are guys that are likely to get lost in the Michigan cover schemes and make big plays all day long. The thing to watch will be how well the Ohio State offensive line does under the Wolverine pressure, particularly on the left tackle side where a young Alex Boone, just coming off injury, may be pressed into service against LaMarr Woodley. While Alex may get some blocking help, the ability of the line to give Troy the extra second he needs to pick up a hot route might make all the difference in the game on Saturday.

On the other side of the ball, I can’t seem to recall a defense as single-minded in purpose and execution as the 2006 Michigan Wolverine defense. They seem to barely interest themselves with what their opponents want to do; instead, the focus on dictating the game by attacking, attacking and attacking some more. They have been able to accomplish this through the tutelage of Defensive Coordinator, Ron English. He asked his defensive leaders to slim down in the off season and maximized conditioning and effort on each play. He is getting just that and the Michigan defense will prove the toughest test for Ohio State since the Buckeyes played the Florida State Seminoles in the 1998 Sugar Bowl. Michigan is 3rd in the nation in total defense and #1 against the run—allowing only a paltry 29.9 yards on the ground. The pass defense however ranks only 65th. And why this is due, in part, to the fact that teams can not run the ball on Michigan, it says a lot about the philosophy of taking chances and attacking the run and the quarterback that has been instilled in the Wolverine defenders.

As much pub that Michigan defensive end LaMarr Woodley and tackle Alan Branch get (and they deserve it), I believe it’s the play of the linebacking trio of Shawn Crable, Dave Harris and Prescott Burgess (who may be slowed by injury) that make this defense special. In those three men is a wealth of upperclassmen experience and amazing athletic talent. If you take a look at the conference’s leaders in terms of tackles for a loss, you will find not only Woodley, but Crable and Harris in the top ten. Another mark of the depth and team concept of the Michigan defense is the fact that only one Wolverine ranks in the top 30 players in the conference in terms of tackles. (As a side note: Ohio State has the same factoid in their columns as well). But, unluckily for Michigan, this is not a green Ohio State offense. It will be the best offensive team they have faced all year and it is not likely they will be spotted the same type of lead that Notre Dame's defense afforded Michigan back in September in South Bend. Michigan will have to ask the same question of itself all day: can we get to Troy without giving up big plays, that is, can we afford the risk?

Michigan Offense vs. Ohio State Defense

Certainly one of the great unknowns going into Saturday is how well the Michigan offense will do against the Ohio State defense. In particular, everyone wants to know how well will Michael Hart do against the Ohio State rush defense. Hart was a non-factor last season (15 yards) while he nursed a season-long injury. His freshman year he just ran into a brick wall, gaining only 61 yards on 18 carries. Yet, this season Hart has been on a tear: he has run for almost 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns. My sense is that this young man feels he has something to prove in this game; he will be the most intense and difficult to handle Wolverine on the field. And Hart will be running behind a very good offensive line, one that is executing the new and “in vogue” zone blocking scheme that the Denver Broncos have made a mainstay in the NFL.

Leading the Wolverine offense is junior Chad Henne. Personally, I have been impressed with Henne this season. The ONLY reason I felt earlier this season that Michigan would be coming into Ohio Stadium with at least one loss was the fact that Chad Henne had not played well in the big games and tended to make too many mistakes. All that ended at Notre Dame. Henne looks like a man finally comfortable with his position and the pressure that comes with being the Michigan quarterback. While he still occasionally throws a straying pass, he has been deadly accurate more times than not. Just look at the highlights of Michigan’s touchdown throws from last week to see what I’m talking about: Henne is capable of making the perfect pass. Adding to the upswing in the Michigan offense and Henne’s numbers is a great trio of receivers. During the first few weeks of the season, it was Mario Manningham. In recent weeks, and with Manningham's health in doubt, Steve Breaston and Adrian Arrington that have been the go to guys. There is no question that Manningham’s absence due to injury slowed this offense down (13 of Henne’s TD’s passes came in the first six games of the year), yet Henne found ways to keep the wins coming. While Michigan still ranks low among Big Teams in terms of passing, this is due to how successful they have been on the ground. In fact, Michigan ranks dead last in the conference in pass attempts. There is simply no reason to throw it when you don’t have to.

The Ohio State defense is certainly facing the most potent attack they have come across this season. While some of the Buckeye opponents have had a few key ingredients, no one has been able to combine a great running game with a veteran quarterback and game-breaking wideouts. Early in the season many Buckeye fans were alarmed about Ohio State’s ability to stop the run. Northern Illinois’ Garrett Wolfe and Texas’ Selvin Young had great days against the Buckeyes. But as big as their yardage was, and each averaged over 6 yards a carry, they were not able to carry the day for the teams. The reason: turnovers and the Ohio State offense. Both teams found themselves in a hole and were forced to hit the air to catch up.

In fact, say what you will about the Buckeye defense, but it is still a defense that gives up big rushing plays. Just look at the list of the top ten rushers in the Big Ten, each has average at least 4 yards a carry if he played Ohio State, and all but Iowa’s Albert Young and Minnesota’s Amir Pinnix averaged close to five yards or much more (Indiana’s Macrus Thigpen, also a top ten rusher, was knocked out of the OSU v Indiana game). While Big Ten running backs did OK against the Buckeyes, it was these stars’ own defenses that let them down. Unable to stop the Buckeye offense and unable to protect the ball (OSU has forced a whopping 27 turnovers); these running backs saw their respective offenses turn to the air and limit their touches. Only Wolffe and Tory Hunt of Penn State had more than 15 carries against Ohio State. But even if Ohio State is not perfect against the run, it is close to perfect and the nation's best where it counts—on the scoreboard. No team allows fewer points per game than Ohio State. And Michigan’s offense has struggled at times this year to light up the scoreboard. If Malcolm Jenkins and Antonio Smith and friends are able to lockdown the talented Michigan wideouts, the Wolverines may find they can move the ball, but simply can not get the 7 points they need time and again from their efforts.

Special Teams

It seems, at least to this Buckeye fan, that Michigan placekicker, Garrett Rivas, has been around for nearly a decade. He has seen it all and made all the kicks. This year he is 15 of 18. His experience is a noted advantage for the Wolverines in a contest that might come down to a field goal. Ohio State’s man, Aaron Pettrey is just 8 of 11 and his lack of tries says something about the efficiency of the Ohio State offense. The young man has hit some tough kicks since missing in Austin, and continues to be terrific on kickoffs, yet he will not have the experience in The Game to make Buckeye fans just a little nervous when he prepares to strike.

On the other hand, believe the punting game favors the Buckeyes. A.J. Trapasso is averaging 41.2 yards a kick compared to 38.5 for Michigan’s tandem of Ross Ryan and Zoltan Mesko.

The Game will feature two of the nation’s most electric return men: Ted Ginn Jr. of Ohio State and Steve Breaston of Michigan. Each has a punt return for a TD this year, Ginn has 6 on his career and Breaston has 4.Breaston will be extra dangerous given his big return day last week at Indiana. For me, Ted Ginn has had his worst year returning punts as a Buckeye. He did very well at Michigan State, but otherwise he seems plagued by indecision and a reluctance to run into traffic. Last year the Michigan game was almost a nightmare for him. Ginn nearly muffed two different punts. The year before he made one of the great punt returns in recent college football memory and opened up an insurmountable lead for Ohio State against Michigan. Teddy’s demeanor in terms of returning punts will be an interesting thing to watch for on Saturday.

Intangibles

A game of this magnitude—#1 versus #2; a rivalry game; a game for a place in the national championship—usually comes down to intangibles in some way. I think these stack very, very favorably in Ohio State’s favor. Tressel is 4-1 against Michigan. He has not lost a home game in November as Buckeye head coach since his inherited, first-year Buckeye squad. The Buckeyes are the nations #1 team and have already played a #1 v #2 games this season and two pressure-packed games away and under the lights. Michigan’s hunger will carry them a long way; their big wins at Notre Dame and Penn State were impressive statements of their own.

As the teams approached the contest this week, I thought about what would be the worst thing either one of them could do. I came up with allowing thoughts of losing or failure. With so much on the line, it is a natural and human tenancy to consider what it would feel like to fail. Of course, these fine coaches and amazing athletes know how to conquer that pessimism and build toward an absolute, perhaps fervent, belief in victory. But if anyone would have doubts it would be Wolverine coach Lloyd Carr and his Michigan team. Recently, they have been on the wrong end of the result to this Ohio State team too many times. If they allow even an ounce of doubt to creep in this week, it will cost them.

But an even bigger factor looms: the fervent Ohio State home crowd. It will certainly be the biggest crowd in the history of the Horseshoe and I expect it to be the loudest. Vince Young referred to Ohio Stadium as the loudest place he had ever played and absolutely nuts. The Buckeye fans have a job to do next Saturday; they will do it for their team. I’ve read in various places over the years that home field advantage can be accounted for as a 3 or 4 point bonus to the home team. Those points may prove invaluable to the Buckeyes on Saturday.

Unit Advantages

These two talented teams are really so closely matched that one can’t help but think about the matchup in terms of the various units prepared to do battle on Saturday. I’ve waffled on some of these comparisons for weeks, but after taking a look at the last round of stats and performances; feel these are just about right.

One thing to note: whenever you see a team with an advantage along the big men up front and in the running game, it’s awfully hard to pick against them. In this case, it is advantage Michigan. The Buckeyes advantages seem to be in the skilled and speed positions. I’d also give them a notable edge in coaching and perhaps the biggest edge doesn’t show up here at all: in the stands and with the fans.

Quarterback: Edge to Ohio State
Running Backs: Edge to Michigan
Receivers: Slight Edge to Ohio State
Offensive Line: Even
Defensive Line Slight Edge to Michigan
Linebackers: Edge to Michigan
Secondary: Edge to Ohio State
Kicker: Edge to Michigan
Punter: Edge to Ohio State
Coaches: Edge to Ohio State

Prediction

Here’s an easy one: First one to twenty wins.

While I have always been a keen believer in contrarian predictions, and that this game could become, surprisingly, a run and gun shootout, I have to think it will be a close mirror of last year’s contest. There is simply too much quality on the defensive side of the ball to think otherwise.

For me, the absolute key to the game will be the battle in the trenches. In particular, I think it’s Ohio State’s defensive front against Michigan’s running attack that will ultimately decide the outcome. Ohio State simply can not afford to let running back, Michael Hart, go off for a big day in the ‘Shoe. My gut tells me this young man is pretty likely to do his part in making such a performance a reality, so it will be up to the Buckeye defense to deny him. If Hart starts to pile up yards, and OSU’s own offense struggles, the whole equation of the game will turn around. In this scenario, OSU’s safeties will be called to help the run-stop action and the dangerous threat from Michigan’s wideouts—Manningham, Breaston—could jump up to bite the Buckeyes for a big one. But if the Michigan running game is muted or becomes irrelevant based on the success of the Buckeye offense, field position or turnovers, than the Bucks can handle Hart ripping a good one now and again.

While the Ohio State offense is bound to struggle at times against the Michigan defense, I simply believe the Buckeye spread attack, the large number of talented receivers and the leadership and abilities of Troy Smith will find a way to move the ball several time on the Wolverines. It will be interesting to see how Ron English, Michigan Defensive Coordinator, will manage the Michigan defensive game plan. Most of the year, the Wolverines have attacked, attacked and attacked like few other squads in the country. Doing so against the Buckeyes would likely set up a high risk, high reward strategy. Given Smith’s ability to scramble, as well as to break down pass coverages with an accurate and efficient passing game, Ohio State might find moving the ball easier in the air against a blitzing Wolverine defense than any way else. I expect English will mix up his looks and keep the ultra-high pressure plan in his hip pocket when he can use it to greatest effect.

So how could it go?

I see the Buckeyes scoring early, leveraging a smart game plan and perhaps a cautions Michigan defense getting a feel for what will work. The Buckeyes will get Smith moving if necessary and the game plan will be sprint and drag routes that allow Ohio State to use the pass as a ball control weapon. They will look deep, but will mainly use Ginn as a decoy more often that actually chucking it long. The ability of the Ohio State offense to spread the hyper-aggressive Wolverine defense is critical. If the offensive line holds up, Smith will execute. When they fail, and they will fail a few times, it will be ugly. The key will be whether Michigan can pressure Troy with or without selling out: The more men Michigan sends after Troy, the more likely he is to tear that defense apart through the air. When it comes to pounding the ball, I suspect Pittman will be used as a change-up, flaring out on draws and other misdirections. But don’t count out Chris “Beanie” Wells. I imagine the coaches will introduce him in a relatively safe situation—with a lead and near midfield. If he proves he can hold on to the ball and push the pile, this game may be remembered as the day Chris Wells became an Ohio State star.

On the other side of the ball, Ohio State will absolutely be selling out to stop Hart. Michigan will counter by spreading the field and then running out of that set—I’m certain of it. And seeing Northwestern move the ball against Ohio State like this furthered my belief in the fact that the spread will be Michigan’s secret game plan. In four receiver sets, OSU must choose between Nickel or Dime while still spying Hart. Enormous pressure will be on our remaining linebackers, Freeman and Laurinaitis, as well as the edge men, like Richards and Gholston. It will be important to create some negative plays and force Michigan’s hand to use Chad Henne. The Buckeyes have seen the film: they know Henne is an improved quarterback and his wideouts are fantastic. Yet, OSU must press the Wolverine QB to win the game on his own and make him make those perfect passes under all sorts of pressure. Michigan’s offensive day will be geared around the spread, the occasional big, pass play and picking up third downs. But this may prove more difficult than Michigan bargained for. For me, the most important stat in this game is one that I have rarely mentioned this season: third-down conversions. Ohio State is 1st in the Big Ten and 5th in the country with a 51.1% third down conversion rate. Michigan is 5th in the Big Ten and 51st in the country with a 40.1% conversion rate. This stat is about efficiency, poise under the pressure and the ability to sustain offensive drives with perfect execution. It will be a key difference on Saturday and an advantage for the Buckeyes. Even if Michigan struggles on third downs, I assume Michael Hart will get going at some point. And when he does, he will give the Buckeye all sort of headaches. This will allow Michigan to stay close, perhaps even take a halftime lead, and keep the Buckeye offense off the field and set-up the low scoring game the Michigan coaches are scheming for.

For the Buckeyes, field goals may be the order of the day: the toughest sledding will come in the red zone against the Wolverine defense. Michigan’s placekicker, Rivas, is a veteran and will likely hit a big kick, maybe two. But at some point Ohio State will get their nose in front, just enough and likely on a big play; and then, the crowd will feed off the energy and excitement and carry the defense to even new heights. They will make play after play down the stretch. Hart will be less of a factor and the game will be in Henne’s hands. The pressure on the Michigan signal-caller will only increase—both in the trenches and figuratively in his own mind. And I see the Buckeye defenders, who have made a living on turnovers all year long, creating one final takeaway to secure a narrow, but proven victory.

Another chapter will be written in college football’s greatest rivalry—it will be printed in scarlet and gray.

Ohio State 24
Michigan 20

Ohio State at Northwestern Preview

2006-11-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

More than a few non-Buckeye eyes will be on the #1 Buckeyes when Ohio State (10-0) travels to Evanston, Illinois on Saturday to play the Northwestern Wildcats (3-7). Most want to see if last week’s second half meltdown by the Buckeyes was an aberration or a sign of pre-Michigan stress. The interesting thing about this contest is that Ohio State must also contend with a Northwestern team that has found some mojo recently, having played well at Michigan and having beat Iowa 21-7 last week. Both efforts were led by a marked improvement of the Wildcat defense, a unit that will be pressed to slow down Troy Smith and the Ohio State Buckeyes in the same way that the Fighting Illini did for thirty minutes last week.

Ohio State Offense vs. Northwestern Defense

For many consecutive weeks, I simply suggested here that Ohio State would get their offense and there just wasn’t much anyone could do about it. Illinois changed that belief--at least for the time being. The Illini took away the inside running attack and used terrific linebacker play with safety support to explode the runs at the edge. Of course, this type of defense is extremely vulnerable to the quick passing game (especially out of running sets, as well as running down and yardage). Yet for reasons that may never be fully understood, this attacking option was completely abandoned by the Buckeye coaches in the second half last week.

As much as I’d like to think the Buckeyes will just go back to tonly hrowing it around (and I believe they will show more balance than they ended with last week), I suspect the coaches have issued a challenge to the offensive line. They will work on the run yet again. Alex Boone, starting left tackle, is still out and is unlikely to play on Saturday. I’m unclear what issues this has created in the offense as backup Tim Schafer looked even better than Boone early in the year. In my mind, it’s almost insane to bring back young Boone after an extended layoff and line him up in a few weeks’ time across Michigan’s Superman, LaMarr Woodley. No, I think senior Tim Schafer is in this line to stay. Whatever kinks this creates must get worked out at Northwestern or we will pay the consequences against the Wolverines.

Another important aspect to the offense on Saturday will be to build Chris “Beanie” Wells’ confidence. He and Antonio Pittman need solid days against Northwestern, if for no other reason than the Buckeyes need these guys to have their noses downhill against the Wolverines a week later. But, at some point, I think the coaches will realize that it takes the passing game to fuel the OSU running game. Look for them to try to get Troy Smith throwing early in down counts and to help him find the rhythm that was interrupted last week against Illinois. If Troy can get his ultra-talented receiver corps going, the running game will be fine. And Mr. Smith could really use a good day out to help nail down that NYC hardware as well. Come on Tressel and Bollman; we're counting on you.

Northwestern’s defense is coming off two solid weeks. They held Michigan’s passing game in check on a miserable day in Ann Arbor, and then, last week did a stout job against Iowa, holding them to well under 300 yards of total offense. Still, the defense has shown a lot of weakness most of the year and the unit is near the bottom quarter of the national rankings in just about every category. The only stat that even comes close to popping out is sacks--the Wildcats get close to 2 a game and the Buckeyes who previously were among the nation’s best at protecting their quarterback just got a lot worse last week at Illinois. I believe the strength of the Northwestern defense is at the linebacker position and you will see them often use 3-4 looks to play into that strength. It's really a no-name unit, utilizing veteran defensive backs Brendan Smith and Deante Battle to help the linebackers make a lot of tackles.

Northwestern Offense vs. Ohio State Defense

Unlike most Big Ten teams this season, the Northwestern offense does not run through a veteran signal-caller. With the loss of the school’s all time leading passer, Brett Basanez, 31-year-old coach Pat Fitzgereald (pressed into service by the tragic passing of head coach Randy Walker) made sophomore C.J. Bacher his man after playing around with an ineffective Andree Brewer for weeks. Bacher has not been good at times; he throws slightly better than 50% in terms of completions and has offered up 6 interceptions as opposed to 4 touchdowns since starting the last three games. While the team is 1-2 in that stretch, they can look at their heartbreaking loss to Michigan State and great effort in a loss at Michigan and believe they have righted the ship.

Most of what Northwestern tries to do is geared around the spread and the running attack of Tyrell Sutton. The Wildcats average just over 150 yards on the ground, 37th in the nation, and Sutton accounts for around 83 yards of that work. Senior Terrell Jordan adds another 20 or so and last week had almost 60 yards on just 6 carries against Iowa. Still, it’s worth noting that Sutton and Jordan managed only 20 yards in total against the Wolverines a few weeks ago. If Northwestern is pressed to go to the air, look no further than senior wideout, Shaun Herbert, who leads the team far and away in receptions and receiving yards. He’s been well over his average of four catches a game the last few weeks and I imagine will get the full attention of one Malcolm Jenkins on the OSU defense.

While there has been a lot of hand-wringing over the OSU offense effort last week, you have to acknowledge that the Buckeye defense held up its side of the bargain. Only a late Illinois touchdown drive ruined another fine day by the Buckeye defenders. The score came in a pressure situation and it was disappointing to not see OSU get the stop. I assume that has motivated the coaches and players all week; I look for them to terrorize Bacher and the Wildcats all day on Saturday. It seems Quinn Pittcock will be a full go this week and James Laurinaitis may have his eyes on Chris Spielman’s interception record given Northwestern’s propensity to offer the ball up in the air. The linebackers weren’t as busy making tackles as normal last week as the defensive ends in Vernon Gholston, Lawrence Wilson and Jay Richardson were all over the place. For me, these guys are the most underrated part of our defense. They are getting better every week and I look for them to make some big plays, along with Mr. All-Over-The-Place Curtis Terry, in our weekend contest with the Wildcats.

Special Teams

Ohio State’s special teams did a solid job last week, especially considering the windy conditions in Champaign. While A.J. Trapasso had a few disappointing knocks of the ball, his final punt of the game was a special teams’ masterpiece. And what can you say about Aaron Pettrey’s booming, 50 yard field goal? The kid has come a long, long way this season. Ted Ginn, like the rest of the Buckeyes, is coming off a lackluster week returning the ball. I’m hopeful that Teddy gets his wheels on for this one, and helps his team put a real fear in Michigan when they punt the ball on November 18th.

Northwestern features two seniors at the kicking positions. Punter Slade Larscheid (I’m not kidding with that name) is currently 8th in the conference in yardage and placekicker, Joel Howelss, is only 5 of 9 on the year. With no big return threat either, the special teams is an area where Ohio State has a big advantage over Northwestern. It’s an area I expect head coach Jim Tressel to fully exploit on Saturday.

Intangibles

I think things favor Northwestern slightly here. They are coming off three good weeks of football, capped by an impressive win over a favored Iowa team in Iowa City a week ago. They get a shot at the nation’s number one team and they will get after it. The Buckeyes do have the ghosts of Illinois, which should be a motivating factor; yet, I can’t help thinking minds are really going to be tuned to Michigan again and the overall focus may not grade out near A+ levels.

Prediction

As much as I want to predict a 55-0 drubbing that would put the all the faith back in the Buckeye faithful, it’s hard to see that much scoring coming from the Buckeyes on Saturday. Yes, they will win. Yes, they will get back on track. But importantly, they will want to work on the mistakes of the Illinois game and that means they will work on running the ball and getting Chris “Beanie” Wells involved enough to bring the kid’s confidence back. For me, Chris Well’s confidence is the highest stakes at risk on Saturday. I simply do not think a Wildcat upset is anywhere in the cards. But another Well’s fumble could mean a player without much use for the Buckeyes the following Saturday, at home, and against #2 Michigan. Not having Chris Wells for that game would be a disaster.

I think the Buckeye defense may have a monster day. I expect sacks and turnovers and rough going for Mr. Sutton. Yet Northwestern plays a spread offense to great effect and they may pick up a big play or two to get them firmly rooted on the scoreboard. But I see field goals, not touchdowns.

Additionally, it’s worth noting again the improved play of the Northwestern defense these past two weeks. Their solid showing up at Ann Arbor seems to have instilled a sense of confidence in the young team and its young coach (who came through the defensive coaching ranks). I suspect they will put some pressure on Troy from time to time, but I think we will see our #10 have more of a “bounce back” game than just about anyone else. He is such a competitor and team leader that he will take the reigns and show his Buckeye team by example. I’m guessing he throws for at least 200 yards and 2 touchdowns in this one, and continues to add some good yardage on the ground. Perhaps, the OSU offense will stall a bit in the red zone and kick a few more field goals than normal, but in my mind that will be just good work for Aaron Pettrey, who is likely to be a vital part of the scoring against Michigan in The Game just around the corner.

Ohio State 30
Northwestern 6

The Great Eight (11/6/2006)

2006-11-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

When the weather turns cold and the calendar flips to November, picking the best eight football teams in college football just gets harder and harder.

This past week saw both Ohio State and Michigan look like mediocre teams. But unless they put another such lackluster effort on the file before their November 18th showdown, i.e., this week, I see no point in moving them down in the rankings. (By the way Buckeye fans, today the O-Zone posted the usual-wondeful analysis of the Illinois game by Jeff Amey—click here to read. Amey's take on the game was not unlike my own, pointing out the same, stubborn or stupid, playcalling in the second half that had Buckeye Antonio Pittman running into a brick wall over and over and over).

Number three really must go to Louisville at this point; they have earned it on the field and look prepared to take care of their business (starting Thursday) on their run in to the national championship game.

And then things get a little tough to call.

Florida had the same sort of lackluster approach to Vanderbilt that Ohio State and Michigan showed their opponents last week. Still, they seem the class of the SEC—the nation’s best conference—so they must be atop the pile of quality one-loss teams. Texas has been getting better and better play from Colt McCoy each week and with a strong finish over A&M and the Big 12 North representative in the Big 12 Championship, could have a somewhat improbable outside chance at the title game. Out here in the west, I’m really looking forward to USC hosting Cal, although my attention and body will be elsewhere on 11/18. These two are my number six and seven teams respectively. The winner should have the Rose Bowl locked up and a small chance at the title game. As a Buckeye fan, I know that a loss to Michigan would likely mean a trip to Pasadena and it’s the oddest of feelings knowing that such a traditional and revered bowl would be a consolation prize. Playing either USC or Cal would certainly be great stuff, and playing the Trojans in particular would bring up so many memories (all painful) that I’d be forced to drive the 400 miles or so to the Rose Bowl just to say I was there.

Next, I’ll put Auburn back in the top eight. I assume I offended some by omitting them last week and the human polls have the up at #5. I know they beat Florida…I just think they couldn’t beat them on a neutral field and their whole body of work does not impress enough to warrant pushing a few of the other one-loss teams out of the way. I’m giving serious consideration for getting Arkansas in the ranking in Auburn’s place—they beat them after all—but let’s wait happens with the Razorback against Tennessee and go from there. West Virginia…well, the Mounties were exposed by what very well may be an overrated Cardinals team and won’t be back in this ranking anytime soon.

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Louisville
4. Florida
5. Texas
6. USC
7. Cal
8. Auburn

And Just What Was That ???

2006-11-04T20:05:00.000-08:00

Like most Buckeye fans, I spent Saturday evening trying to figure out what happened between the first and the second half of the Illinois game that caused the nations’ #1 team to look like anything but the #1 team. The defense was still there—they played another amazing, lights-out game, but the offense was a no show. I simply could not believe I was watching the 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes when the offense was on the field. And that goes for the players and importantly, the coaches alike.

Before I get ahead of myself, let me congratulate Illinois. They played a brilliant defensive game and they obviously came into the match-up ready to go for four quarters. I was particularly impressed with Illinois’ ability to pressure and get to Smith. The Illini sacked Troy Smith 3 times for 23 yards—an amazing fact given that Ohio State came into the game having given up only 9 sacks all year. There were a lot of talented guys running around there for the Illini and the future of Illinois football is looking bright.

But let’s talk about some facts for a moment.

In the first half, when Ohio State built a 17-0 lead, the Buckeyes had five possessions. The first one was a thing of beauty, a long, opening TD drive. On that drive, the Buckeyes threw the ball on first downs THREE times and once on second down. On the next possession, they also threw on first but ended up punting. After an Illinois fumble, and on OSU’s third drive of the day, the men were working with a short field. They did not throw on any first down, but did pick up a 3rd and 5 on a 9-yard pass to Anthony Gonzalez and had a big second down throw to Brian Robiskie for 16 yards. On Ohio State’s fourth possession of the half, they threw on first down TWO times and had a great drive going until what was, in retrospect, the most important play of the game: Chris Beanie Wells' fumble.

Finally, on OSU’s last drive of the half, the Bucks changed up a bit. Troy RAN the ball on first down twice, confusing the defense. He threw one second down pass and finally the Bucks settled for a field goal after an Illinois sack threw OSU out of rhythm. That final drive was not pretty and a harbinger of things to come (including two more costly sacks). But in the end, the score was 17-0. All was right with the world. Troy ended the half 10-15 for around 100 yards. Well done.

And then came the second half.

I don’t know for certain what the coaches talked about doing in the second half, but I can tell you one thing: it did NOT include throwing the football. Ohio State had seven second half possessions—a credit to the amazing play by the defense—and came up with ZERO points. Troy was 3 of 8 for a net 10 yards. He was also intercepted once.

What happened?

Take a look at the play calling on first and second down for a clue. Ohio State threw the ball on first down ONE time in the entire second half. And they threw on second down just TWICE. Time and again, on first and second down, it was a running play to Antonio Pittman—a man with no back-up because his back up had just fumbled the ball for the fourth time this season and twice in two weeks at the end of good drives. It was a lesson in team: the whole offense was paying for Beanie’s mistake by having to play bread and butter, north-south football. And the offensive line continued to make mistakes. So what did the Buckeyes under Jim Tressel do? Try it again and try it again and keep trying until you get it right.

Thing was they never got it right. They just got the win and the got out of town.

Now, here is where I ask you to humor me by going into the hypothetical for a moment. Let’s think about this game from the coaches’ perspective and see if we can't make sense of the crazy playcalling.

Perhaps there was a poor weak of practice. The game plan was tight and it worked out of the gate just as planned. 7-0. But then there seemed to be a few lapses of concentration. Maybe guys were going through the motions, goofing off on the sidelines, missing assignments. After the defense set up the offense, they got it done again. 14-0. But then came the Beanie fumble. He is benched. No more power running game. Pittman has no back up so he is going to get worked to death. On the final drive of the half, Smith is pressured too much again, this time resulting in a costly sack. The coaches are furious at the way the players are playing too lax, losing concentration. OK, they say. We have a new game plan. It’s called run through a brick wall. You guys don’t want to work, well, we will make you work by making you get yards the hard way. The defense is doing their job. It’s time to pull the offenses head out of the clouds and get down to the work in the trenches. So the Bucks run and run. And it doesn’t work. Still, they run some more. Midway through the half, the coaches give Smith the green light to throw again (only short) but he is getting rushed, the line is still not doing the job and he comes up with a 1 of 3 for -2 yards. In the end, OSU is running no longer to work out problems, but rather to run out the clock, and get the heck out of there.

There is hard work to be done. Butts to be chewed. Concentration to be regained.

And the Buckeyes will be better for it.

Trust me.

Ohio State at Illinois Preview

2006-11-02T23:26:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to think clearly about this weekend’s game with Illinois after such a monumental college football game just finished between West Virginia and Louisville. The Cardinals looked unstoppable on offense and the Mountaineers did a heck of a lot to help Louisville along the way. My feeling is that if Louisville wins, and wins convincingly against Rutgers and Pittsburgh, it will be the ‘Ville in Arizona on January 8th against the winner of November 18th’s game between Ohio State and Michigan.

But, first things first. Ohio State (9-0) travels to Champaign for a 3.30PM (EST) game with Illinois (2-7) on Saturday.

For me, Illinois is a team on the rise. I called for them to be the surprise of the conference this season and while their record is dismal, their play on the field has not been. They barely lost to Indiana and played Penn State tight in Happy Valley. And last week, they jumped all over Wisconsin before falling apart and losing big. I have never been much of a Ron Zook fan, but I think he has quietly righted the ship in Champaign. With a collection of wonderful young players and future quality to be found in the state of Illinois, it won’t be long before the Illini are back in the top half of the Big Ten Conference.

Ohio State enters the game a bit banged up. Concussion after concussion seems to be happening to the Buckeye players and for the first time this season, I believe injuries are a real concern. Quinn Pitcock is doubtful for the game on Saturday and Anthony Gonzalez is just coming around to being ready. The Buckeyes need to get healthy fast with the Mother of all The Game(s) coming in two week’s time.

Ohio State Offense vs. Illinois Defense

Everything continues to click for the Ohio State offense. As I expected, the Buckeyes have moved up in the statistical rankings as they hit the soft part of their schedule. OSU now features the 15th best offense in terms of total offense and 10th in scoring at almost 36 points per game. Troy Smith continues his mastery of the passing game and in recent weeks has begun to run the ball in critical situations to give defenses (cough, cough Ron English and Michigan) something to think about. Antonio Pittman is just one yard short of averaging 100 yards a game and the aforementioned Anthony Gonzalez leads the Big Ten in receiving yards. With the expectation of decent weather on Saturday, and what is an anemic Illini ability to pressure the passer, I expect Troy Smith to have another big day throwing the ball around. I’m looking for Brian Robiskie, who has been relatively quiet in recent weeks, to have a big day.

The Illini defense is actually a solid bunch, a unit that returned virtually everyone from a year ago. Their problem has been in inability to put sixty minutes of great defensive football together and it has cost them big time. Nonetheless, they are led by aggressive linebacker J. Leman—a man who is 9th in the nation in tackles. Last week, Leman had 9 solo tackles against Wisconsin and seems to be playing at the top of his game. Illinois is 39th in total defense, holding teams to around 300 yards per game. They seem particularly stout against the pass where their experience has provided some headaches for teams that are not necessarily good passing teams.

Illinois Offense vs. Ohio State Defense

Illinois’ coach Ron Zook made a mid-season change to true freshman and top recruit Isiah “Juice” Williams and the move has paid off. Williams is a dynamic and athletic player who has caused all sorts of headaches for Big Ten defenses by the way he keeps plays alive. He is still learning the position however and his propensity for errant throws has kept Illinois from finishing drives and winning football games. Juice will be a handful for the Buckeye defense and more than anything else, Buckeye fans will catch a glimpse of future star of the Big Ten conference. The Illini have a lot of weapons at running back, their preferred mode of attack, and usually rush with Pierre Thomas or the explosive Rashard Mendenhall. Juice Williams also gets into the rushing act: he adds 40 yards a game on the ground himself. Sophomore receiver Kyle Hudson leads the team in receptions.

The Ohio State defense enters Saturday’s game after a memorable shut out against Minnesota a week ago. The defense now ranks among the top 20 in the nation in nearly every single significant statistical category; notably, the Ohio State defense is 9th in total defense and #1 in scoring defense. Even with a few players banged up, Ohio State is using remarkable depth to keep improving. Jamario O’Neal, who was pressed into service for the injured Anderson Russell during the Iowa game. It’s hard to imagine Illinois really racking up a bunch of points on Ohio State when one of the biggest things the Illini struggle with is scoring. They frequently move the ball and then stall in or close to the red zone. Ohio State’s always improving defense will make scoring very, very difficult for Illinois on Saturday. Additionally, Illinois is near the top of the list in terms of teams that give up sacks. I imagine James Laurinaitis is licking his chops already.

Special Teams

This is a facet of the game that Illinois has really struggled with this season. They rank near last in net punting and have a field goal kicker with limited range. Expect Ted Ginn Jr. either to see many punts aimed out of bounds or to have a big, big day on retrurns. The Buckeyes seem to have a big advantage here, as the trio of A.J. Trapasso, Aaron Pettrey and Ted Ginn seem to just do their thing each week to help the Buckeye cause. And the important thing is that OSU’s special teams rarely hurt that cause with turnovers and mistakes.

Speaking of turnovers, while OSU is among the best in creating them, Illinois is among the best in serving them up. Scary combination.

Intangibles

It’s tempting to think Illinois might have an advantage here. They are playing at home and have nothing to lose in this contest. Yet, I can’t shake the feeling that OSU has played some of its best football on the road this year and that Illinois’ players still recall the beating they took last year in the Shoe (OSU 40 & Illinois 2). I’d say the Buckeyes have a slight advantage in the intangible department.

Prediction

Yes, I’ve become a bit like the boy who cried wolf. Each week I expect some Big Ten team to step up and give the Buckeyes a game—at least through the half. Part of the reason this has not happened has been how well the Ohio State defense has played of late, becoming one of the very best defenses in the country.

This week, I really feel Illinois is going to try to make a statement. They have played very, very well against Penn State and Wisconsin, only to let the game get away from them down the stretch. That has a lot to do about their youth and their lack of confidence. But it also shows that the Illini have a very talented team that can be dangerous. So they will come out and make that statement, probably early on—and then—the Buckeyes will simply shrug it off and go about their business. From there, things could get ugly. Troy Smith should be able to rely upon his running backs to have a big day, and eventually the Illinois defensive backs will break down. Juice Williams will look great at times but he will also spend a lot of time getting hit. Sooner or later, he will make a mistake or two to help the Buckeyes finish the job.

Ohio State 38
Illinois 10