June 10, 11:15 p.m.
College Football Opinions
--The four top contenders in order in the Big Ten: Ohio State, Michigan, Purdue and Wisconsin. Minnesota will be dangerous. Penn State takes major fall.
--Sleeper call for the Heisman - Darren Sproles, RB, Kansas State. Not a sleeper to those who follow the national scene closely. Barry Sanders clone is about to become a household name.
--With or without Slick Rick, Ohio State rolls Washington in the opener. Washington can certainly put points up via the passing game, but cannot run the ball. One-dimensional offense + mediocre defense + 105,000 fans + ESPN College GameDay + 8:00 p.m. kickoff = Goodnight Irene. Early call 41-21 Bucks.
--Miami still looks like the most talented team on paper even without Willis McGahee, Ken Dorsey and Andre Johnson. However, Miami will again have to get by Va Tech, Florida State, Florida and Tennessee. Not sure they can do it again, but they are still loaded.
--Defense wins championships? Just a cliché? The teams that were 10th and 11th in the Big Ten in total offense last year both won bowl games, with OSU (who was 10th) winning the National Championship. (Wisconsin was 11th, but beat Colorado in the Alamo Bowl.) The top defensive teams in terms of "least amount of yardage given up"? In order: 1) Purdue - beat Washington in the Sun Bowl; lost 6 games by total of only 26 points 2) Ohio State - the whole shabang; shut down so-called unstoppable Miami offense 3) Penn State 9-4, 4-point loss to Auburn kept them out of the top 10 4) Michigan - beat Florida in the Outback Bowl; 10-win season 5) Iowa - 11-2; undefeated in league play 6) Minnesota - beat Arkansas in the Motor City Bowl 7) Wisconsin - beat Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. Guess it's not just a cliché.
--Let's play the "no respect" game again. The Buckeyes played that game pretty well last year. Now, this year - return 18 of 24 starters from a 14-0 National Championship team. Sure-fire preseason #1, right? That's what I thought until recently. Based on the preseason magazines and the "the buzz" that is out and about, I now think the voters may pick Oklahoma #1 in one or both of the major polls. Oklahoma could very well win it all and I may have scarlet-colored glasses on, but I just can't see how you don't pick Ohio State #1. Again, Ohio State may not get the breaks they did last year, but this team clearly looks more talented to me than last year's team. I've seen OSU picked as low as #7 and are not picked #1 by the three publications that are now hitting the stores - Athlon, Lindy's, Sporting News. I'm sure this is just the way a certain head coach with five national chamionships on his résumé wants it.
The site will be updated more frequently, starting about two weeks from now. Yes, it's the dull time of the year for Buckeye football, but I've had too much on my plate recently as well. The recruiting updates will pick up at that time as well; the summer camps will provide a lot to talk about if you're into the recruiting scene.
June 6, 7:45 a.m.
Arden Arrested
Ohio State defensive end Redgie Arden was arrested at 5:50 a.m. Sunday morning and charged with his second drunken driving offense in 15 months. 1460 The Fan has the details.
May 31st, 9:30 a.m.
Odds and Ends
--The Sporting News and Lindy's preseason previews have hit some newsstands. I picked up the SEC editions of both while in Memphis. I have read all of the pieces in Lindy's relating to the national scene and what I have read is pretty solid in terms of good info and a couple good pieces. There is a good piece by Dennis Dodd, who has done his homework, on the issue of early admission to the NFL. The Buckeyes rank 3rd (behind Oklahoma #1 and Miami #2) in Lindy's preseason poll and 2nd in the Sporting News preseason poll behind Auburn. Maurice Clarett (who is their Heisman pick) and Chris Gamble (at CB) are picked as first team AA's by Lindy's with Mike Nugent, Darrion Scott and Will Smith listed as second teamers. Lindy's also rates players by position and position units by team. OSU players and positions rated as follows:
Craig Krenzel - 8th best QB
Maurice Clarett - #1 RB
Michael Jenkins - 10th best WR
Ben Hartsock - 3rd best TE
Alex Stepanovich - 6th best center
Darrion Scott - 4th best DT
Tim Anderson - 20th best DT (underrated, IMO)
Will Smith - 2nd best DE
Chris Gamble - #1 CB
OSU backfield - 2nd best nationally
OSU receivers - 4th best nationally (underrated, IMO)
OSU O-line - 3rd best nationally
OSU D-line - 6th best nationally
--Recent Buckeye commitment Sirjo Welch was an unknown a few weeks ago, but now is getting a lot of publicity. Word is he has incredible quickness to go along with excellent speed. He may be a bit raw, but as always, the coaches know what they are doing here. Offers from schools like Ohio State create high recruiting ratings by the gurus; high recruiting ratings don't generate offers by Ohio State. 'Nuff said.
--The Buckeyes have offered a scholarship to a scholarship recently to Valley View, Ohio running back Brock Bolen. Some think Bolen is out of the Mike Alstott mold. One thing is for sure; Bolen can move for a 230-pound back. Right now, Bolen is pretty set on playing tailback at the next level and word is that Ohio State's offer was for Bolen to play fullback. We'll have to see how this one plays out.
May 26, 11:45 p.m.
Want an Early Fix?
Are you dreading this time of the year and waiting for college football magazines to hit the stands? Well, CollegeFootballNews.com has a lot of info on the upcoming season. Click the link in the previous line to check it out.
I'll post some Buckeye news and opinions within the next few days.
Buckeye Prints - Father's Day
Wondering what to get your Dad for Father's Day? A framed OSU print would make a great gift for that Buckeye Dad. Preserve the memory of the 2002 National Champions by ordering "The Last Stance".... or the "Fiesta Bowl Sunset". These are great shots of the Championship Game in Tempe. Anyone who didn't order their Champs! poster should place their order soon. The Columbus Dispatch reprinted this to better preserve the Buckeye cover page and story. When they're gone, they're gone! The same with the Sports Illustrated cover shown on the framing page..... it will be harder and harder to find down the road. Any Buckeye Dad would love a ready-to-hang OSU print for his home or office. See framing Page. Order soon to insure delivery by June 15!
May 24, 10:15 a.m.
Catch-up
Obviously I have fallen a little behind lately. Ohio State landed a verbal commitment earlier in the week from a relatively unknown, Sirjo Welch, a defensive back from Columbus Beechcroft. Welch's stock rose after many D1-A coaches in the region viewed a highlight tape that showed them the great athletic ability that Welch has. Welch has been added to the 2004 commitment list.
We will have more before the end of the holiday weekend.
May 17, 10:30 a.m.
Bucks Get Verbal From Hoobler; Recruiting Outlook Very Bright
The Buckeyes picked up a verbal commitment from Carrollton's Chad Hoobler yesterday, a player many consider to be a top 5 overall prospect in the state of Ohio. Hoobler will likely first be looked at as a TE for Ohio State but may also get a look at DE or LB.
With the commitment of Hoobler, Ohio State now has verbal commitments from 5 Ohio prospects and is thought to have pending offers to the following 5 prospects: Ted Ginn Jr., CB, Cleveland Glenville, Fred Davis, WR, Toledo Rogers, Marcus Freeman, LB, Huber Heights Wayne, Brandon Braxton, OT, Youngstown Ursuline and
Mike Massey, DE, Cleveland St. Ignatius. The chances of Ohio State landing Ginn are excellent. Their chances on Davis appear to be very good. OSU's chances on landing Freeman and Braxton both appear to be better than 50/50 (which may be an understatement) and their chances with Massey are probably in the 50% range.
There are several other Ohio propects that have decent or better chances of getting an offer from OSU. These prospects are listed below, in order of "probability of getting an offer" (just my opinion) along with the chances that OSU would have with the prospect if they were to offer (again, just my opinion):
Brandon Underwood, DB, Hamilton - 90% if offered
Nii Anjei Oninku, DL, Clayton Northmont - 60% if offered
Brian Hoyer, QB, Cleveland St. Ignatius - 60% if offered
Chase Clowser, OL, LaGrange Keystone - 80% if offered
Gerald Catogen, OL, Portsmouth - 75% if offered
Chauncey Incarnato, OL, Dover - 70% if offered
Delbert Ferguson, RB, Warren Harding - 80% if offered
Trumaine Smith, WR, Warrensville Heights - 75%
Ray Williams, RB, Cleveland Benedictine - 90% if offered
Bottom Line - Ohio State will clean up in Ohio this year, much more so than last year. It's possible that Ohio State could land every Ohio prospect that they offer this year. That might be overly optimistic, but at most, I think Ohio State will miss out on only two.
We'll look at some of the top out-of-state prospects that Ohio State is looking at in the next couple weeks. For now, the recruiting page has been updated (but I still have some work to do to finish up the details on the top 25 Ohio prospects.)
May 15, 9:00 p.m.
Early Scouting Report - Ohio State's first opponent - The Washington Huskies
As most fans are well aware of, the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes will get the season started with a bang on national television against a pretty good Washington Husky squad on August 30th at 8:00 p.m. in The 'Shoe. The Huskies went 7-6 last year and would rather forget they played in the Sun Bowl. Washington blew a 17-0 lead against Purdue, eventually falling 34-24 to the Boilermakers. But Washington has reason for optimism this year, returning 8 starters on both sides of the ball.
Like last year, Ohio State will get one of the top QB's in the country right out of the shoot. Washington QB Cody Pickett completed 59.6% of his passes for 4,458 yards (2nd nationally in D-1A) and threw 28 TD's against 14 interceptions this past season. Pickett will be on several preseason All American lists. Pickett's #1 WR target,
Reggie Williams, is about as good as they come. This past season, Williams caught 94 passes for 1,454 yards and scored 11 TD's. The Pickett to Williams combo is the most deadly the country and will certainly test the Buckeye pass defense. Williams is complemented by another talented WR in Charles Frederick, and Pickett will again have good pass protection with four offensive linemen returning.
The Huskies had no problem racking up the yards through the air last year, but had major problems running the football. Washington's top 3 backs averaged 3.4, 3.1 and 3.5 yards per carry last year. The lack of running game is reason 1a why the Huskies lost six games in 2002 (with reason 1b to be mentioned in a few.) And it doesn't bode well that returning starting tailback Rich Alexis sat out the spring. Washington would of course love to see Alexis bounce back in August. If that doesn't happen, the hope is that one of the talented but green redshirt freshmen,
Kenny James or Shelton Sampson, has to step up this fall. Whoever wins the TB job is going to need more help from an offensive line that provided little running room for the backs last year. The Huskies do have a good one at center in Todd Bachert. His match-ups with Tim Anderson and Darrion Scott on August 30th will be key factors in the game.
On defense the Huskies look improved. In fact, the defensive units did a nice job against the different offensive units in the annual Purple and White game in April. Washington appears to have a lot of bodies that can play on the defensive line, led by the undersized, but talented
Terry Johnson at DT. Washington returns Marquis Cooper at MLB, who is athletic as they come and have moved Greg Carothers from safety to the strong side LB position, which will give the Huskies more athleticism at the LB spot. Similar to their defensive line, Washington has a lot of bodies who can play in the defensive backfield. Junior cornerback Derrick Johnson is a playmaker. As a whole, this Husky defense was stubborn against the run last year (11th nationally), but a dismal 105th nationally defending the pass. The porous pass defense was reason 1b why Washington lost six games last and surrendered 30+ points per game. However, the pass defense did seem to get it together late last year.
Special Teams could be a question mark for Washington this fall as the Huskies have to replace both their kicker and punter from last season. These key roles will have to be handled by true freshmen or walk-ons this fall.
It should be a good one on the eve of the last Saturday in August. Washington should need no additional motivational speeches playing the defending national champions and likely the 2003 preseason #1 ranked team in the nation.
May 6, 9:45 p.m.
Kerr to be a Buckeye
The rich got richer, at least in terms of high profile linebackers. It had been rumored for some time, but today Bucknuts is reporting that John Kerr will transfer to Ohio State and be eligible to play three seasons starting in 2004. Kerr was a freshman star at MLB for Indiana this past season, finishing 5th in the Big Ten in tackles. Kerr was one of the best players ever to come out of high school powerhouse Cleveland St. Ignatius' football program last year but was passed over by the major D1-A football programs. Kerr bench presses a mighty 475 pounds and like AJ Hawk, really has a nose for the ball. Kerr will not be eligible for a scholarship at Ohio State due to Big Ten conference transfer rules. When a player transfers to another school within the conference, he cannot be put on scholarship. Needless to say, this is a pretty valuable "walk-on".
Pick Your Poison
Mark Snyder, OSU LB coach, has to be smiling having AJ Hawk, Mike D'Andrea, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Schlegel and John Kerr for at least two more years each. There are probably some NFL coaches looking at these five LB's and wishing their team had a group like this. It could be quite a battle between Kerr, Schlegel and D'Andrea for the #1 MLB spot in '04, but D'Andrea may very well play outside leaving the two talented transfers to fight for the Mike job. Schlegel will have two years of eligibility starting in '04 and Kerr will have three starting in '04. Hawk, D'Andrea and Carpenter each have three years of eligibility remaining including the '03 season. All I can say to the other offensive position coaches in the Big Ten is, "Good luck dealing with these guys the next few years."
May 4, 11:45 p.m.
Recruiting
Not quite what I had hoped, but we are getting there. The recruiting page has been updated and is now at least current with the recruiting situation for the top Ohio prospects OSU is eyeing. Soon, there will be updates and profiles for all of the top 25 Ohio prospects and we all soon will be looking at some of the top out-of-state prospects Ohio State is pursuing.
April 30, 10:00 p.m.
Recruiting
It is still a work in progress, but recruiting updates have been done for the top 10 Ohio prospects. (Note summaries for many of the top 25 prospects are still pending and will be done by the end of the weekend.)
April 29, 11:00 p.m.
Recruiting
Yes, I have fallen behind on recruiting, but now that spring practice is over, it's time to get back into it. I re-ranked the Ohio top prospects for 2004 on the recruiting page and listed just 25 for now. Next, I will fill in some details on the recruits that have no info listed next to their name and of course update how their recruitment is coming.
BCS - 2003 - The Contenders
Most of the early predictions are calling for Ohio State to be preseason #1 followed by Oklahoma. Seeing what each of these teams did last year and what they have coming back, this seems pretty logical to me. After taking a look at most of the D1-A programs after spring camps, I thought I'd put together a post-spring top 10 list. In doing so, I came up with 11 teams that stood out in my mind. Here goes....
1 Ohio State - All 11 starters back on offense, 17 total return
2 Oklahoma - Most of outstanding defense returns
3 Miami - Still loads of talent; know how to win
4 Texas - Graduation of Simms may lead way to legit title hunt
5 Georgia - if Dawgs can replace loses on the O-line, Sugar Bowl is definitely in site
6 Kansas State - Always good on defense; major weapons on offense
7 Va Tech - defense should be much improved
8 NC State - new kid on the block thinks they can run the table
9 Southern Cal - last year was no fluke - So Cal is back
10T Auburn - Knocking on the door of being a steady powerhouse
10T Michigan - Coach Carr raving about team this spring
Hopefully more tomorrow night
April 28, 9:45 p.m.
A Lot of Talent
I just have time for some quick comments on this year's team in general. I will try to post more tomorrow night. I have now watched about 3 1/2 quarters of the tape after attending the game Saturday. Again, I know it's just a scrimmage, but in my opinion this team has more talent than I have seen in a while, probably since 1998. Maybe that is not too bold of a statement, but it still doesn't quite make sense to me when I hear people surprised when I tell them that Ohio State will be preseason #1. This team is loaded. Yes, it takes breaks to win a National Title and they surely went our way last year, but this team on paper looks a notch better than last year's. Will they get the breaks? That remains to be seen, but I love this defensive backfield, even without Nickey and Doss. Youboty and Whitner have really impressed me as I watch the tape. And Nate Salley can bring it for someone as lean as he is. If Fox can move back to safety, and I do not see why the coaches would not want to move him if Underwood's upcoming August play matches his April play, this should be an outstanding secondary and it may be outstanding anyway.
As I mentioned last night, the projected LB trio of Hawk, MDA and Reynolds is now looking good to me. I love the depth on the O-line. I am warming up to the backups on the D-line. The starters on the D-line are as good as they come. The QB position is loaded with a proven leader and winner leading the way. And the WR talent is ridiculous. Funny thing is, if Clarett isn't healthy, the TB position may be the biggest question on the team . But if this team can stay focused like last year, this could be another magical season.
Am I expecting too much? Well this is Ohio State and this is the nature of the beast. I'm sure Coach Tressel wouldn't want it any other way.
April 27, 11:45 p.m.
The Mismatches in the Spring Game
One thing that I think should be pointed out about yesterday's spring game is the mismatches this type of game presents when you have stars like Tim Anderson going against walk-ons on the O-line. Coach Tressel says that he always refers back to Earle Bruce's comments that nothing was ever as good or as bad as it looked. Yes, it was nice seeing Bam Childress and Santonio Holmes show that they have the skills to hit the home run, but when you dilute kick/punt coverage units with third teamers and match them up against athletes like Childress and Holmes, long returns are to be expected. And looking at it from another angle, I don't think Buckeye fans need to worry that our coverage teams are going to be God-awful. When Luke Fickell gets the 11 guys he wants all together in the opener for each of these units, I don't think you'll be seeing two returns going for TD's.
I kept my eyes on Jay Richardson for a good number of plays at the scrimmage and again when I watched the tape. With the exception of the three top OT's, Shane Olivea (who actually didn't play), Rob Sims and Ivan Douglas, I don't think any other tackle on the team can block him. Well, maybe Mike Kne can hold his own as well. I am very high on Richardson and think he is ready to contribute this year, but I have to keep my enthusiasm in check a bit, knowing that there is a big difference between the OT's in the two-deep and the rest of the OT's.
I mentioned Tim Anderson above. No one could stop him all afternoon, not even Nick Mangold from what I could see. AJ Hawk was another player that was a mismatch for many of the backups. Hawk was everywhere.
Broken record: "The WR's are unreal, the WR's are unreal..."
How many times can this be said? The WR group is so incredibly deep. When your 4th team WR's are probably John Hollins and Angelo Chattams...uh, that's pretty crazy. Both of these guys showed that they could probably be in the mix at WR at many other Big Ten schools. It's nice to think that the reason some coaches might lose a little sleep now and then is because they are trying to figure out how they can use all the weapons they have. I think Michael Jenkins will still be the best, most consistent receiver on the team, but if he went down, I think the rest of the group might still form the best WR group in the Big Ten.
Santonio Holmes and Roy Hall, I thought, were every bit as good as advertised. I really think Holmes may join Michael Jenkins the most often, when the Bucks are in your traditional two-wide sets. That is not a knock in any way on Drew Carter who really looks like he has taken his game to another level. And of course, Chris Gamble showed that it was someone flukish that he was not on the receiving end of a touchdown last year. Throw in Roy Hall, who gave a text book example of how a big WR should shield a defender and play the ball when he beat Will Allen for a TD, and you have a group of five that almost has to be better than any other group in the nation.
Of course I didn't even mention the guy who had the biggest game of the scholarship WR's on the team, Bam Childress. Childress again showed that he can make big things happen when he gets in the open field. Bam absolutely schooled E.J. Underwood on his 54-yard catch and run. And Underwood had played very well all afternoon before Childress made him look bad, juking E.J. on the sidelines. It was nice to see out of Bam. But Childress still needs to show that he can get it done in a real game, something that he has yet to do. As explosive as Childress can be, he still may have a tough time playing in front of the 5 WR's listed in the previous paragraph.
The QB's
After watching the game in the stadium yesterday, I thought that Scott McMullen looked the best of the bunch. I still feel that McMullen is the most accurate passer on the team and that he is light years ahead of where he was a few years ago, but after watching the first half again, Scotty did make a few very bad decisions.
Krenzel didn't play much, but I think the guy is really throwing a nice ball. I think Craig could do quite a bit more with his arm this year. I think McMullen could step in here and there if needed, but I think Krenzel is definitely the guy you want behind center in what hopes to be another championship run.
Now, opinions seemed to be mixed on what is being hailed as the "battle for the '04 QB job." Of course the 2004 QB is never going to be won this year, especially when you have two guys that show a lot of potential. Midway through the 3rd quarter, I thought there was no question that Troy Smith had outplayed Justin Zwick, But then, Smith seemed to get in a funk just about the time Zwick was coming out of his. As Zwick brought the scarlet back from a double digit deficit, Smith's decision making and accuracy started to go down the tubes. In the end it was a tough call as to who outplayed who if you could make a decision at all.
From a mechanics and physical standpoint, I don't think there is any question that Troy Smith has better tools than JZ. Smith is extremely athletic and his ball looks like it was shot out of a cannon. What's amazing is that Smith's throwing motion looks sort of nonchalant; it looks like he is throwing a touch screen pass, but the ball then shoots out like a cannon and is almost always a tight spiral. Smith also showed great patience in the pocket after avoiding a sack. He rarely decided to take off and often found an open receiver. And with a cannon like Smith has, one might wonder about his "touch." Well, his "touch" is often as pretty as it comes.
Zwick continues to throw a wobbly ball that many are comparing to the one Art Schichter used to throw. But this ugly looking "duck", that many want to call it, is often on the money. Zwick's 27-yard TD pass to Bam Childress that put the Scarlet up to stay wasn't pretty, but it hit Childress in stride. And the best thing about Zwick's performance in my mind is that this was Troy Smith's afternoon for the first half of the afternoon, but Zwick came back in when it really counted.
This will be a fun battle to watch over the next 17 months or so. If I had to pick, I would say that despite the statistics, Smith got the better of Zwick yesterday, although it is a close call. I don't really think you can say either of them have the upper hand right now in the battle for the 2004 QB job.
Questions still Questions?
I still worry about the health of Maurice Clarett and the special teams play, but some of my other worries are beginning to subside a bit. We may not have as much of a drop-off at LB as I once thought we would. AJ Hawk is a beast. In my mind, there will be no waiting for Hawk to become a star; that will happen this year. The guy has a Spielman-type sense for the ball along with a big-time intensity. And Mike D'Andrea showed that he is a lot farther along than I thought he would be at the end of the spring. Add a returning starter in Robert Reynolds and you could have a pretty solid trio at LB.
I know Coach Tressel was having no part of hearing talk that Dustin Fox could be moved back to safety when the spring started, but E.J. Underwood looks like he is really coming along nicely. He looked great in coverage yesterday and practice observers say he had a great spring overall. Fox played a bit of safety yesterday and I don't know how you can not consider moving Fox back to safety if you have a lot of confidence that Underwood can get the job done. If Fox moves back to safety because Underwood is capable of handling the boundary corner spot, then you have an All-Big Ten type safety to help make up for the losses of Mike Doss and Donnie Nickey. This could be key.
Finally, I must say that the depth on the D-line still concerns me, but I am starting to get good feelings about Jay Richardson and Joel Penton. There was talk that Penton could be better suited for DT because he didn't have the speed you want in a DE at OSU. Well, after watching Penton the Friday afternoon that was open to the public and again yesterday, I think his football speed may be a little better than most people think. He has great acceleration and has a big-time, long-running motor. And Richardson really looks good. He may still need one more year to become dominant, but Richardson looks like he is far enough along to help out in the regular D-line rotation this year.
More tomorrow.
April 27, 2:00 p.m.
Update
It's been an extremely busy week for me, especially the last 72 hours, so I apologize for falling behind in and important week. I will still be somewhat tied up until this evening, but I will have an update, talking much about the spring game, this evening.
Real quickly, for now, you have to be happy about Mike D'Andrea's performance. I have been somewhat critical of him, but I was thrilled to see how well he played yesterday. This may well have been MDA's coming out party. It may have only been a scrimmage, but you could really see that the kid has made great strides and this should do wonders for his confidence. And yes, his athletic ability is (a term I love to use) "off the charts."
The others that stood out in my mind (besides the obvious - Bam Childress) were Santonio Holmes, Drew Carter, Roy Hall, Jay Richardson, Nate Salley, Tim Anderson, Scott McMullen and I'm sure there are others when I watch most of the game again tonight that I will say "stood out." And many others had their moments including Ashton Youboty, Justin Zwick, Troy Smith, several O-linemen, Joel Penton, Anthony Schlegel, Tim Shaefer, etc.)
More tonight!
April 21, 8:30 p.m.
Spring Game Rosters Set
For the third consecutive year, the seniors picked their teams for the annual scarlet and gray game. Click here to check out the matchups. Unfortunately, there are several key players that will not play Saturday due to injuries. Nonetheless, fans will get to check out some of newer names that are turning heads this spring like flanker Santonio Holmes #4, middle linebacker Anthony Schlegel #51 and defensive end Jay Richardson #99. At quick glance, it looks to me like the scarlet may have a slighly better team, but you never know in these scrimmages. Many players often switch teams in the middle of the game. But it should be fun Saturday if the rain holds off.
April 18, 10:00 p.m.
Scrimmage, Prints, Rambling....
It's not much of a format from a writing standpoint, but I thought I'd just ramble on a bit. I seem to have better thoughts come to me head when I do this.
I made it down to the scrimmage today which was fun. I'm so starved for college football right now. It was great seeing the ESPN GameDay there and to see 5,000 fans show up for a kicking scrimmage. More on that in a few.
We have five new prints available on the framing page. The glass was not added to the prints before the pictures were taken, so we could avoid the glare. I can tell you that the pictures don't do the actual framed prints justice. We have been getting the prints shipped in 7 to 10 days and we now have "buy buttons" set up to ship outside of Ohio. Keep in mind that you can save shipping costs if you are local (i.e. central Ohio) by arranging to pick up your framed print. Also, the new "Fiesta Bowl Sunset" print (framed and double matted) is a new hot item and is selling for just $110 dollars. I know that price is considerably less than the same double matted framed print on one of the other popular Ohio State websites. And again, if you'd rather send a check than pay online, no problem. Just shoot me an email.
Okay, today's events. It was really cool seeing the seniors that were on hand to receive their 2002 National Championship rings. Yes, it's still surreal.
I know a lot of people don't like Lee Corso, but I love the guy. I think that you have to take him for what he is - a comedian. I think Corso, Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit make a perfect trio and all complement each other well. If you look at Corso as an "analyst", he doesn't stack up. If you look at Corso as the guy that's there to lighten things up, then I think you'll probably have a different view of him.
Okay, back to the scrimmage. There was a short "regular" practice before the special teams scrimmage started. Some of the highlights/things (from all the day's activities) that stick in my mind:
--Troy Smith threw two extremely bad passes in 11-on-11 drills before he threw his picture-perfect TD pass to walk-on Jamal Luke. Smith also had a nice scramble out of the pocket on another play that really showed his athleticism.
--Zwick TD pass wasn't as pretty as Smith's, but it was right on the money to Santonio Holmes. Zwick still throws what some would call an ugly ball, but I still like his upside. He brings a lot to the table.
--Santonio Holmes is absolutely electric. This kid has stardom written across his forehead. I think I have said it before on this page; the coaches have to find playing time for Holmes. I would not be surprised if Holmes plays a major roll this year.
--Drew Carter, in my mind, looked every bit as good as advertised. Watching Carter come off the end on the punt-block team was amazing. The guy can flat out fly.
--It's been said over and over again, but Adrien Clarke is continuing to drop weight. I don't know how much he weighed early last year and how much he weighs right now, but my rough guess is that he is down from about 375 to 335. I could be wrong with the starting and ending points, but he has to have dropped 30 to 40 pounds.
--On the other hand, Shane Olivea is....well, to put it politely, "big." 350-ish? Possibly. He has some serious work to do before the season starts.
--Pagac was playing MLB with the ones. I am not sure this means a lot. I think a healthy Pagac vs. Mike D'Andrea makes for a good battle for the starting MLB job this August. Now, will the winner be at least "adequate" in terms of the expectations for a Buckeye startling MLB? That is the $100,000 question. If the coaches do not feel that the better of the two is up to the task of being the starter, we could still see others get a look at the MLB position. I did see D'Andrea at OLB on at least one play with the 1's. Right now, it appears that petitioning the NCAA to change the transfer rule and allow Anthony Schlegel to play this year might not be a bad idea.
--Scott McMullen still probably throws the prettiest, most accurate ball of the four scholarship QB's. Now would I want McMullen at the helm instead of Craig Krenzel? No offense to Scott, but Krenzel brings just about every intangible you want in a QB when he is behind center. I have to admit, I was skeptical about Krenzel heading into last year, but Krenzel obviously showed what he is capable of this past season, leading the Buckeyes to their first National Championship in 34 years.
--There was talk last year that Alex Stepanovich sweated a lot more than most players and that this sometimes created a "wet ball" causing Krenzel to have some problems with his grip. Well, I can tell you that Stepanovich did not play today due to an injury, but sweated profusely on a fairly cool afternoon. Tell you what though; Stepanovich looks like a new man. He looks quite ripped compared to last year. You can definitely tell that he has dropped a couple dozen pounds.
--I watched Joel Penton a bit, who was playing DT at least at the time I focused on him. I concur with the "motor that won't quit" comments and Penton showed better speed than I thought he had on a QB sack. A potential 2nd team D-line of Jay Richardson, Quinn Pitcock, Marcus Green and Joel Penton, I believe is promising, but that is lot of youth, so I'd much prefer that the starters stay healthy.
--There has been talk of a new walk-on fullback. There was a #33 playing FB today that is not on the spring roster; this may be him. Whoever #33 is, he seemed to be getting a lot of reps in the "pre-kicking scrimmage, scrimmage action" (if that makes sense.) It has also been reported that #33 on defense is ex-marine Cliff Reynolds. There was a #33 working out with the LB's, but there has been such little talk about Reynolds this spring. I still haven't verified that this is him. Reynolds was not listed on the spring roster when it was released about three weeks ago.
--On the down side, I most of the kicking units did not look very good today. There were multiple bad snaps, holding problems for new holder BJ Sander and (I believe) multiple missed FG's (from 40 yards and in) by every kicker. There also seemed that kickoffs that were meant to go deep, were coming up far short of the goal line. But that is what spring practice is for. As for Sander, he had a few shaky punts before the special teams scrimmage started, but then boomed them in the scrimmage. He had one punt that I'm guessing had more hang time than any Andy Groom punt I've ever seen. Oh, and that punt probably went for 55 yards or so. BJ "electric" Sander definitely has the leg; that has never been the question. The questions with Sander are, "How consistent can he be?" and, "Can he get his punts off quickly enough to avoid blocks?" I don't know the answer to either of these questions. It was hard for me tell whether or not Sander was getting them off quicker today or not, but the word is that he has improved in this area. But, has he improved enough? Good teams have good athletes and can feast on a punter that takes too long to get a punt off. Let's hope Sander can get the job done this fall.
That's all for now!
April 14, 11:00 p.m.
The Defense...
Yesterday we looked at the offensive positions at the approximate half-way point of the spring; tonight we look at the defensive positions.
D-Line
It's no surprise that the offense had their way in Saturday's scrimmage with Will Smith, Darrion Scott, Simon Fraser and Mike Kudla all missing from the two-deep. The starters Saturday were Joel Penton and Jay Richardson on the ends and Tim Anderson and Marcus Greene inside. Anderson is the strongest guy on the team and some are thinking he could be an All-American this year. For that to happen, someone is going to have to step up at the other tackle spot. Greene has trimmed down and looks like the front-runner, but redshirt freshman Quinn Pitcock is knocking on the door. Once Pitcock learns the game, it's going to be hard for Greene to hold him off. Richardson continues to make strides and many think he is a prototype pass rusher with a great future. Penton gives 110% but may not quite be ready at this point. Tim Schafer is now playing tackle and probably needs some more seasoning. Redgie Arden may have finally found a home on the D-line; right now he's playing on the end.
LB's
The future apparently is now for three highly touted kids finishing up their freshman year. A.J. Hawk, Mike D'Andrea and Bobby Carpenter were your starters in Saturday's scrimmage. Hawk, should he stay healthy, is a certain starter, likely at WLB. He has picked up right where he left off and has stardom written all over him. Most of the word on D'Andrea still seems to be that he has a lot of potential. Whether this potential will turn into output, still remains to be seen. MDA has gotten a look at DE this spring also. D'Andrea really needs to claim the starting MLB job this year, or it will likely be an uphill battle beating out transfer Anthony Schlegel in '04 at the Mike position. Everyone is raving about Schlegel, who would be your #1 MLB right now if he did not have to sit out this season due to transfer rules. Carpenter is playing mostly at the #1 Sam spot with Robert Reynolds recovering from an injury. Reynolds and/or Carpenter could get a look at the Mike also. Freddie Pagac is missing out on his chance to stake his claim on the MLB position as he recovers from an injury. Thomas Matthews is getting reps at the WLB spot. Sources say that walk-on Marine Cliff Reynolds is indeed practicing this spring and wearing #33.
CB's
It's still Gamble and Fox, and it will likely be that way for a while. Gamble is taking many more snaps on the defensive side of the ball and seems poised to be the next great OSU corner. Fans keep wanting to slide Fox back to safety, but Fox keeps showing everyone that he can definitely play the corner. It will likely be hard for Donte Whitner to give the coaches enough confidence to move Fox. Whitner has been putting some nice licks on receivers and is showing that he is indeed a great open-field tackler, as advertised. But, as expected with incoming freshmen, Whitner has struggled at times in one-on-one coverage. Nonetheless, sources say that Whitner has shown that he can contribute right away. There are some rumblings that this could be at safety, but we'll see. If someone is going to push Fox back to safety, E.J. Underwood is probably your best bet. Underwood struggled through some growing pains as a true freshman this past season, but Underwood still has some big upside. Ashton Youboty, who enrolled early with Donte Whitner has shown some skills, but he may need a redshirt season before he is ready. Harlen Jacobs missed Saturday's scrimmage with an injury. Bobby Britton is still around and redshirt freshman Michael Roberts is around too, although his name has not been mentioned in many practice reports.
S's
Defensive Coordinator Mark Dantonio wants to go with a "right/left" philosophy instead of the traditional "strong" and "free" positions. Will Allen is still firmly entrenched as one starter and the other starter spot is a battle right now between Tyler Everett and Nate Salley. That battle figures to carry over into August. Brandon Mitchell is a strong contender for the 4th spot in the 2-deep at safety if he stays there. Everyone keeps talking about how big Mitchell is, so you still could see him at OLB at some point. LeAndre Boone has bulked up and could be outgrowing his safety spot also. Boone is again getting a look as a return-man.
Kickers/Punters
The public will get a look at the kickers and punters up close this Friday when the Buckeyes have their kick scrimmage which is open to the public. BJ Sander has been booming 'em and apparently has been getting them off quicker. He still has to prove that he can do this in front of 100,000 people. Nugent missed a long field goal in Saturdays scrimmage, but made good on a short one. We'll see what he does on Friday. In last August's kicking scrimmage, Nugent was 10 for 10 and it seemed to set the table for a great year.
April 13, 11:45 p.m.
About Half-Way Through Spring Drills....
So what's the consensus so far? Well, not a whole lot has been decided, but here's a bit of an overview of the offensive positions so far.
QB's
Craig Krenzel is clearly the man and Scott McMullen is clealry #2. The battle that most diehards are watching is the Justin Zwick vs. Troy Smith battle as each QB tries to show that they are capable of leading the team in 2004. Smith lit up another scrimmage yesterday, much like he did in a scrimmage last August. The early talk was that Zwick might be slightly moving ahead of Smith, but Smith had a big day yesterday while Zwick wasn't at his best. Many eyes will be on these two on April 26th.
TB's
Maurice Hall was the only scholarship TB that played in the scrimmage yesterday and observers say Hall looked good running and catching the ball. Lydell Ross was finally at 100% and making strides until he tweaked a hammy causing him to miss the first scrimmage. Maurice Clarett has not been able to participate in contact drills yet, as he still tries to rehab his shoulder. It is unknown at this point whether Clarett will be able to go in the spring game, but it's possible that big Mo will not be able to participate in any contact drills this spring. On the bright side of things, 4th teamer Roshawn Parker is showing that he may be able to help out in a pinch.
FB's
Someone needs to take the bull by the horns by August 30th or it is likely that the Bucks will utilize the one-back set often again this season. Branden Joe and Brandon Schnittker are battling for the #1 job with versatile Stan White Jr. recently throwing his hat into the FB mix. The coaches want Joe to learn the position more and for Schnittker to be more physical. Joe is still hanging on to the top spot and unfortunately, there has been little talk that any FB is ready to be "the man."
WR's
It's been the most talked about position so far. There is a ridiculous amount of talent here, so much that Chris Gamble did not play a single down on offense in yesterday's battle for the scarlet jerseys. Right now, the talk is that Drew Carter may replace Gamble as the flanker with Gamble becoming the slot receiver when the Bucks go 3-wide. Sources say the DB's have had problems keeping with Carter and that Carter has been a major deep threat. And of course, you still have the leading receiver from the last two seasons, Michael Jenkins who has little to prove this spring. Now, add the two redshirt freshmen Santonio Holmes and Roy Hall, and you have five guys that could start for most D1-A schools. If you read enough daily Buckeye info, you'll hear the David Boston comparison when Hall is mentioned, at least once a day. The guy is huge and very athletic. The only question so far has been his hands. Holmes went off in yesterday's scrimmage for 200+ yards and two TD's, including a 98-yarder. Bam Childress is still around and may even still be in the two-deep, but the youngsters are knocking on the door. Angelo Chattams is also making some noise as he tries to get his feet back on the ground.
TE's
Hartsock again is showing that he can catch the ball when needed to, catching seven passes in yesterday's jersey scrimmage. But again, the thought is that Hartsock will again be used mainly as a blocker this year. Multiple sources have reported that Ryan Hamby has struggled this spring. He had a case of the dropsies yesterday. Jason Caldwell is finally healthy and appears to have grabbed the #3 spot for now. Caldwell has also showed that he is very athletic for a big guy. Stan White Jr. has played some tight end and Redgie Arden looks like he may be permanently moving to DE with Caldwell back in the swing of things.
O-line
This is probably the second most talked about position this spring. Adrien Clark is probably 30 pounds lighter. Alex Stepanovich has probably dropped 25 pounds or more and everyone seems to be raving about his play. You also have another great walk-on story, like the one last year with Mike Stafford. This time it's Mike Kne who is now playing with the 1's at right tackle. Even if Shane Olivea reclaims his starting RT job when he returns from injury (which seems likely), Kne is a kid that is likely going to get some quality PT this year. There hasn't been a lot of talk about Brice Bishop this spring, but Bishop is still hanging onto the starting RG spot. Ivan Douglas and Rob Sims have been sharing the RT reps with the ones as of late. There is a lot of talk about the huge upside of Sims. Sims is also working at LG some.
Another key development on the O-line is the number of players that should be able to help this year. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, Kne will probably give way to Olivea when he returns, but Kne seems to be ready for legitimate playing time this year. If Douglas and Sims stay at LT, the non-starter will still play a great deal. Then you have Nick Mangold backing up at center, who is again showing that he deserves quality PT. Throw in Adam Olds, R.J. Coleman and Doug Datish, who sources say are making strides, and it finally looks like Ohio State has a legitimate two-deep on the O-line. In fact, when Olivea returns, that's 11 guys that should compete for playing time.
We'll take a look at the defensive positions tomorrow night.
April 13, 2:45 p.m.
Scrimmage
The offense dominated a depleted defense in yesterday's scrimmage. We will have more on the scrimmage and spring practice this evening. For now, here are a couple links to write-ups on the battle for the scarlet jerseys.
April 13, 2:45 p.m.
Scrimmage
The offense dominated a depleted defense in yesterday's scrimmage. We will have more on the scrimmage and spring practice this evening. For now, here are a couple links to write-ups on the battle for the scarlet jerseys.
April 10, 9:30 p.m.
Buckeyes Land Commitment #4
Buckeye recruiting is kicking into gear early this year, just like it did two years ago. According to Bucknuts, Austintown-Fitch wide receiver Miles Williams will make a verbal commitment to Ohio State tomorrow morning. Williams is a big receiver, in the 6'2" to 6'3" range and around the 200 lb. mark. He is said to have good all-around skills, including good hands and excellent speed (in the 4.4 range) especially for a big wide receiver. Williams scored 14 TD's as a sophomore while playing wide receiver. This past season, he played wide receiver, tailback, fullback, wingback and safety. He could get a look at safety at the next level. Williams also had offers from Nebraska, West Virginia and Pittsburgh. Welcome aboard Miles!
Practice and General Tidbits
--Ivan Douglas is getting to play a bit this spring contrary to earlier reports. Douglas is currently playing with the 1's at left tackle with Rob Sims playing right tackle.
--Sources close to the program say that the coaches like Justin Zwick a lot, especially his decision making. The word is Zwick is coming along very nicely.
--Redgie Arden practiced on the defensive side of the ball today, at defensive end.
--Sources say although the coaches downplay it a bit publicly, they are giddy about the potential at wide receiver with their two top guys back along with the big-upside of backups Drew Carter, Roy Hall and Santonio Holmes.
--The optimistic talk continues about the offensive line, a line that is much deeper and better conditioned heading into this spring. The one concern however is Shane Olivea who was quite a few pounds over his ideal playing weight last year. Olivea, who is sitting out this spring after having shoulder surgery, still needs to work himself back into shape. Other than the question mark with Olivea, things are looking pretty darn good on the O-line. Let's keep our fingers crossed that these guys stay healthy.
April 5, 3:00 p.m.
Spring Ball and Looking Ahead
Practice continues, and as mentioned before, there are not going to be as many details that can be reported due to the practices being closed to the public and limited for the media. But that can't stop us from speculating and me reporting some nuggets that I am able to get.
I really think the next three months are going to be key for Maurice Clarett. Being at only 85% (in terms of what he could bench before the injury) three months after the Title game is not encouraging in my mind. Maybe his shoulder will heal to close to 100% in the next few months, but wonder if it doesn't? As I mention before, one of the concerns I have going into the 2003 campaign is Clarett again being dinged up all year and Lydell or Mo Hall failing to step up. Hopefully my fears will be unfounded.
Another fear that I have mentioned before is the ability to keep the top DE's healthy. As of right now, neither projected starter (Smith or Fraser) is healthy. And the other great end we had last year, Darrion Scott, is not healthy either. I believe that Jay Richardson is going to one day make a very good rush-end and believe that Joel Penton could be a good one before he leaves here, but I'd rather not have to count on these two in September. It's seeing a healthy trio of the experienced Fraser, Smith and Scott (who almost has to play some DE even if he predominantly plays DT) in August that will make me feel a lot more at ease.
The things that I am definitely excited about are the WR's and offensive line. I see a five guys at WR that the coaches almost have to find time for: Jenkins (of course), Gamble (at least 15 plays a game), Drew Carter, Roy Hall and Santonio Holmes. He could prove me wrong, but I find it hard to think Bam Childress is going to make an impact at WR. His size really hurts him and he just hasn't come through when he has gotten his chance in games. Carter has the upside to be big-time...this year. Hall and Holmes are extremely talented and almost have to be given an opportunity this year. This group of five receivers is as talented, maybe as we have ever seen at Ohio State.
The offensive line looks as good as I can remember in recent years, especially when you hear about the winter conditioning. I must admit, it still has me shaking my head when I think that Ohio State won a national championship with the mediocre play of the O-line last year. But I've seen linemen take huge steps from one year to the next and the competition this year should really push these guys. With everyone healthy, I see the five seniors and two sophomores as guys that will be counted on each and every game. We've had six or seven linemen that you could count on before, but these four of these guys (Olivea, Clarke, Bishop and Stepanovich) have had the luxury of working with each other for a long time. And between Adam Olds, RJ Coleman, Mike Kne and Doug Datish, I think you made find another couple guys that can be counted on this year.
We'll of course talk much more about the different positions, potential strengths and potential weaknesses in the months to come, but I must say again, I really see no reason why this team should not be in the thick of the National Championship race again this year. If Clarett is healthy for the most part, I see our offense at another level this year. I think this team has some holes to fill, especially Peterson, Doss and Wilhelm, but I clearly think this team is better on paper than last year's. Does than mean they will run the gauntlet again? Of course not, but the possibility is definitely there.
April 3, 11:45 p.m.
Bucks Hit the Practice Field
The Buckeyes practiced (in shells) this afternoon for the first time this spring. While many schools are just about finished up with their spring session, Ohio State generally gets a later start then the rest.
The O-Zone has a lot of pictures to check out. As many people, including myself, have been saying for some time, Adrien Clarke has definitely lost a good amount a weight. And it's being reported that Alex Stepanovich has lost 30 pounds. When you see the pictures of the first team line, you can tell a difference there too. I really think the O-line could be greatly improved this year. More experience, better conditioning and much more depth. It's time to start getting excited.
This appears to be the injury/who's playing and who's not report heading into spring:
Shane Olivea - will miss the spring session
T.J. Downing - will miss the spring session
Simon Fraser - will miss the spring session
Darion Scott - will miss the spring session
Maurice Clarett - shoulder less than 100%, being held out of contact drills
Robert Reynolds - participation limited (off-season surgery)
Fred Pagac Jr. - participation limited (off-season surgery)
Will Smith - participation limited (off-season surgery)
Ivan Douglas - taking part in spring practice but may be held out certain drills
Angelo Chattams - back with the team and practicing
Anthony Schlegel - practicing and wearing #51 (but cannot participate in game action until 2004)
Pat O'Neill - Not playing and career may be over due to injury
Richard MucNutt - Not playing and career may be over due to injury
More practice info as it becomes available. The info will be much more scarce this year with practices closed to the public and sometimes closed to the media.
The defensive spring preview is now complete. Click here to go to the spring preview page.
April 2, 11:45 p.m.
Football Fever
Spring practice is here. Yesterday, the official team website published their spring preview material and today Jim Tressel met with the media. Ohio State will practice for the first time tomorrow afternoon.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to publish the defensive piece of the spring preview tonight. That piece is more than halfway done but will not be posted until tomorrow night.
Tressel told the media today that it was an error that Angelo Chattams was left off the spring roster. Chattams is with the team and hopes his troubles are behind him.
Some more injury notes. Coach Tressel says that Maurice Clarett's shoulder is still not 100% and indicated that he is only bench pressing 340 right now, instead of the 400 he does when he is healthy. Robert Reynolds, Fred Pagac, Mike Kudla, Will Smith and Clarett will all be somewhat limited this spring due to injuries.
As far as position changes, Coach Tressel said that Dustin Fox will play CB and Stan White will play LB and TE. As mentioned before, Andre Tyree is back on the O-line, Thomas Matthews is slotted for WLB, Tim Schafer will play DT and R.J. Coleman is now an offensive guard.
The O-Zone has reported that 30,000 tickets have been sold for the spring game already. That is a ridiculously high number with the game three-plus weeks away. The O-Zone also reported that ESPN College Game Day will be at Ohio State's kicking scrimmage on April 12th. This event is open to the public.
Coach Tressel spoke very positively today about winter conditioning. He singled Tim Anderson out as the one who had the most personal gain in the weight room.
The roster on this site has been updated to mirror the official roster with the addition of players expected to join the team in August.
April 1, 11:45 p.m.
Lots of Buckeye News
The official site of the Ohio State Buckeyes has published their 2003 spring preview information that has a variety of interesting tidbits. Here are some details on the depth chart:
--RJ Coleman is listed as the #2 left guard behind Adrien Clarke.
--Adam Olds is listed as the backup at right guard.
--Ivan Douglas is still listed as the #1 LT ahead of Rob Sims, but will miss the spring.
--Darrion Scott (who will miss the spring) is listed as a starter at DT making room for Simon Fraser as a starter at DE.
--Jay Richardson is listed as Fraser's backup.
--Freddie Pagac is listed at #1 at MLB with Mike D'Andrea #2.
--Tyler Everett is #1 at SS, backed up by Nate Salley
--Will Allen is #1 at FS, backed up by Brandon Mitchell.
There are several players who have changed #'s. Here is a summary:
--Justin Zwick changes from #9 to #2 with freshman Donte Whitner taking #9.
--Will Allen changes from #26 to #4 with freshman Ashton Youboty taking #26
--R.J. Coleman changes from #81 to #66
--Doug Datish changes from #66 to #50
--Tyler Everett changes from #33 to #6
--Rob Harley changes from #4 to #34
--Santonino Holmes changes from #17 to #4
--E.J. Underwood changes from #49 to #25
--Some other things to mention. The Spring Media Guide notes that the home opener on August 30st against Washington is being considered by ABC for a prime time night game. This is the same thing that has been reported for some time, so apparently, it is still not official that the opener will be a night game.
--Ohio State practices will be open to the media. (Note that the practices are NOT open to the public like they have been the past two seasons.)
--With OSU dropping Illinois from the schedule this season, that will break a string of 88 consecutive years that the Buckeyes have pladed the Illini.
--Ohio State had 27 players named to the 2002 All-Big Ten football team in 2002, more than any other school.
--46 football players had GPA's of 3.0 or higher during fall quarter. (Simply amazing)
--Angelo Chattams, Pat O'Neill and Richard McNutt are not on the spring roster. Chattams had a run in with the law last year and his status has not been made known to the public. O'Neill will miss the 2003 season with an injury; his career at Ohio State may be over. McNutt was going to try to come back from his potential career ending ankle injury, but may have thought better of it.
The Buckeye 50 Yard Line Spring update is now updated to include all of the offense as well as special teams. The defense will be posted late tomorrow night.
The Buckeyes apparently are on the verge of landing a third verbal commitment for 2004. Sources say that Akron Buchtel running back Antonio Pittman has now been offered by the Buckeyes and that he is ready to tell the Buckeye coaches that he will accept this offer. Pittman is one of four outstanding tailbacks in Ohio this year. He has the best speed of the four and is in great shape academically, where as, two of the four (Raymond Williams and Gary Russel) are not. The other top TB prospect, Delbert Ferguson, will apparently have to wait on an offer. It is likely that the Buckeyes take at least two tailbacks in this class.
March 31, 11:00 p.m.
Spring Preview
The Spring Preview continues tonight with a look at the running backs and wide receivers. Click here to check it out.
March 30, 11:45 p.m.
Spring Practice
The Buckeyes will hit the practice field this coming Thursday. Click here to check out the start of the spring preview, with a look at the QB's.
