September 19, 1:15 p.m.
Buckeyes Prove Doubters Wrong Once Again
From today's Columbus Dispatch:
"Two announcers on ESPN were talking about (a narrow escape last week against) Marshall, and one said, ‘You can’t really call the Buckeyes lucky anymore because they do it all the time,’ " linebacker Mike D’Andrea said. "But the other one was still like, ‘No, they’re still lucky.’ "
Linebacker A.J. Hawk said, "It just feels good to come out here and silence some critics, because we know a lot of people doubted us coming into this week."
We talked yesterday about Coach Tressel playing the "no respect" card with his team. Once again, this team was picked by all of the so called "experts" to lose and once again this team went out and proved 'em wrong. The game really was never in doubt. A poor offensive showing by Ohio State, but it didn't matter. Dispatch writer Rob Oller said it well, saying "...but there's also this little thing called defense..." You knew the turnover margin was eventually going to turn itself around. NC State turnovers - 5. Ohio State turnovers -1. No way do you beat Ohio State with a minus-4 turnover margin.
Folks, it isn't pretty and it never is. But sit back and enjoy, because this team may take us on another wonderful ride, just as they did in 2002.
More later.
blb
September 18, 2:00 p.m.
Game Day
According to weather.com, things may be clearing up in Raleigh this afternoon. It looks like the temperature will be in the mid 60's will little chance of rain come 4:00 p.m. EST this afternoon. At least, that is what they are saying.
The Call
Everyone and their brother and sister are predicting NC State to win this game? I don't quite understand it. Sure, NC State has a good shot today, but this Ohio State team has still won 27 out of the last 29 games. The game looks like a toss-up to me, so I don't see why the betting is so one-sided and why ALL the national guys are picking NC State. On the other hand, OSU is 2-2 in their last 4 road games, with one of those wins being a 1-point win over Penn State courtesy of a long TD drive late in the 4th quarter and the other was a win over a hapless Indiana team.
Bottom line, Ohio State is used to close games and thrives off doubters. Coach Tressel uses the negative press to the team's advantage once again and Ohio State finds a way to win a game decided by 7 or fewer points for the 15th time in 16 games. The Call: Ohio State 23 NC State 21.
blb
September 18, 11:10 a.m.
Daily Links
September 17, 9:00 a.m.
Daily Links
Misc. Notes/Thoughts
--The Buckeyes are now a 1 to 1 1/2 point underdog to NC State after opening as a 3-point favorite. As usual, seems like few have faith in the Buckeyes.
--Looks like Raleigh will be getting the effects of Hurricane Ivan on Saturday. There may not be much wind, but there could be a heck of a lot of rain.
--David Patterson could see significant time at defensive end on Saturday with the lack of bodies available. Patterson could stand to be about 15 to 20 pounds lighter if he continues to play DE, but he is a guy with a lot of talent who may push his way into the starting lineup at DT before the year's over.
--NC State star and often injured running back T.A. McLendon was carted off the practice field yesterday. The injury has yet to be disclosed, but one would have to think that McLendon will likely miss tomorrow's big game.
blb
September 16, 7:30 a.m.
Daily Links
Bucks Land Another Big One
Ohio State landed its second big-time defensive end for the 2005 class yesterday, 6-7, 255-pound Doug Worthington from Athol Springs, NY. Worthington camped at Ohio State and chose the Buckeyes over offers from LSU, Penn St, Fla, BC, Pitt, Ten, Wisc and others.
blb
September 15, 8:00 PM EDT
The long awaited showdown with N.C. State is just days away. Find out what the Wolfpack have to howl about in Andy's weekly game preview here.
pjs
September 15, 7:30 a.m.
blb
September 14, 10:30 PM
Have Blue
PJS
September 14, 7:45 a.m.
Daily Links
blb
September 13, 7:15 a.m.
Daily Links
Misc.
--Ohio State opened as a 3-point favorite over NC State.
--Somehow, the Buckeyes did not move up in the AP Poll after two teams in front of them lost.
--Dustin Fox is saying 4-6 weeks is the amount of time he thinks he will be out.
--Michigan still has not won in South Bend since 1994 and if you think OSU's rushing game is struggling, you might want to check out the school up north's running attack.
blb
September 12, 5:30 p.m.
Daily Links
Tidbits/Thoughts
--Don't know what Coach Tressel was thinking, not declining the penalty to force Marshall to kick a field goal before the game tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. From his comments, it appears that he really may have lost track of the down. Although I would not trade Coach T for any other coach in the country, that was as huge blunder, one that was black and white in my opinion, regardless of what his thinking was.
--Paste 1 from my comments last week: "I think Zwick is going to drive us crazy this year with a variety of ups and downs, just like he did yesterday. When he gets into a rhythm, he is very good, but he still needs many more reps."
--Paste 2 from my comments from last week: "I'll keep saying this again and again when his name comes up; Dustin Fox is the most under-appreciated defensive STAR that I have seen in 25+ years of watching Ohio State football." There was definitely a drop in overall defensive play when Fox left the field yesterday and the Buckeyes will surely miss him the next month or so.
--Paste 3 from my comments from last week: As many Buckeye fans have been saying for the last 8 months or so, Bobby Carpenter is about ready to hit super-stardom. He dominated yesterday. I truly believe he is the best linebacker on a team with incredible linebackers and may be the best LB in the Big Ten this year. The preseason mags just flat out missed this guy because of the other gifted LB's.
--There is no reason to panic here. I've heard a lot of comments and read a lot of pieces that directly or indirectly hint that the sky may be falling. Here is a stat from yesterday: 6.7 to 3.7. Those are the yards per play, Ohio State's compared to Marshall's. The turnover margin (Ohio State with 0 turnovers produced versus 7 turnovers of their own, through 2 games) will eventually turn itself around. If Ohio State plays even in the turnover margin yesterday, they win the game by three or more touchdowns.
--I love Ryan Hamby, but he almost made a huge mistake yesterday right before Nuge's 55-yard game winner. Hamby, of course, was the one who caught the ball in the middle of the field on the previous play. Marshall defenders, as smart defensive players do, laid on Hamby and made it hard for him to get up and back in formation in time for the ball to be spiked. Hamby did not take too kindly to this and started to get into it with a Marshall player. Ohio State is very, very lucky the time didn't run out.
--The defense did not play as well as expected. Were they horrible? No. The offense turned the ball over four times and left the defense on the field for over 35 minutes. This is not a good situation to put your defense in.
--As mentioned on this site before the season started, the depth at defensive end was and still is a major concern. Sources close to the program indicated yesterday that Mike Kudla may very well miss next week's game against NC State due to an injury. My source would not disclose the injury but said that he doubted that Kudla would be able to go next week. So now what? Well, your back-up DE's are likely Jason Caldwell and Vernon Gohlston, one of which (if not both) will likely have to play. Caldwell has played DE for just over a month and Gohlston is a true freshman that was thought to need a redshirt year when he arrived. Other options are sliding one of the tackles outside or using true-frosh Alex Barrow. Also, Mike Kerr should be eligible to play against NC State Saturday. Maybe the coaches take a look at Kerr or one of the other LB's at DE this week.
blb
September 12, 12:15 p.m.
Daily Links
The Dispatch pieces on yesterday's game are now posted on the daily links page. The rest of the links will be updated this afternoon.
blb
September 12, 10:30 a.m.
Nugent's 55-yard Field Goal Lifts Bucks over Marshall
If you are a Buckeye fan, yesterday's game was the kind of game you've seen several times in the past few seasons. It looked like Ohio State was possibly headed to its 4th overtime game in 18 games, but Mike Nugent hit a career long 55-yard field goal as time expired to lift Ohio State over Marshall 24-21.
More on the Bucks dramatic win before 2:00 p.m. today.
blb
Sept 11, 10:30 a.m.
Game Day - 9/11
The Buckeyes battle the Thundering Herd from Marshall today, exactly three years to the day after the worst attack on American soil in the country's 228-year history. Our hearts go out to the families whose lives were forever altered from those events. God Bless.
The temperature was 61 degrees at 8:51 a.m. local time on campus. A high of 81 is expected today with little to no chance of rain. Should be a nice one that should be around 75 degrees by the time the game ends.
A big thanks to PJS Buck, Andy and Doug for carrying the weight this week while I was tied up.
Prediction: I haven't done a good job picking the Bucks against the spread lately (going back to last year). I of course liked OSU to win the opener, but thought it would be closer. I like the Bucks again today and think they will be as fired up as they have been for a MAC opponent. on the other hand, the spread seems about right to me. I'll say OSU 24 Marshall 10.
Go Bucks!
Daily Links
blb
Sept. 10, 12:15 p.m.
Want to know more about what Marshall is bringing to the Horseshoe? Andy's Marshall preview is ready.
pjs
Sept 10, 11:00 a.m.
Daily Links
jdm/rb
Sept 10, 9:00 a.m.
Dangerous Marshall team coming to town
Marshall comes to town tomorrow in a dangerous state. The team was flat out embarrassed by Troy St. last week. This means that Marshall, picked to be at the top of the MAC conference, will be looking to regain some respect. Ohio State needs to be focusing on Marshall, and not NC State, or this could turn into a close game. It shouldn't be close, however, as Tressel is not the type to allow the team to overlook an opponent.
Offensively, Marshall is always strong. However, with Ohio State's defense starting off in mid-season form against Cincinnati last week, don't look for Marshall to put up a lot of points. If the Herd offensive line doesn't improve from last week's performance, look for people like Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson to have very good days.
The Marshall defense may actually be the strength of the team this year. The secondary will match up well against OSU receivers, except for Holmes. If Marshall attempts to focus too much on Holmes, this could open the door for a big game by Roy Hall or Bam Childress, as well as the tight ends. This could also mean a big day receiving for the OSU running backs. Put simply, if Marshall attempts to focus too much on one facet of the OSU offense, they are going to get beaten somewhere else. Similar to Cincinnati, it may be close for a half, but once OSU figures out where Marshall is focusing their efforts, look for the Bucks to pull away.
For OSU, one point to note is that Justin Zwick must eliminate the turnovers that took place during week #1. Zwick was responsible for all of OSU's turnovers last week, and since Troy Smith led the Bucks to two second half scores last week in a very good performance, if the turnovers continue, Zwick may find himself behind Smith at QB. Honestly, it would be a good bet that Zwick will turn things around this week.
Prediction: Ohio State 21 Marshall 3
jdm/rb
Sept 9, 10:00 a.m.
Daily Links
jdm/rb
Sept 9, 8:00 a.m.
Misc. Tidbits
--Antonio Pittman appears to have pulled or bruised a thigh muscle in his leg. Coach Tressel indicated that this may have been the reason Pittman ran out of bounds late in the Cincinnati game, instead of staying in bounds to keep the clock running. This may also mean that Erik Haw will see action against Marshall as the third tailback.
--Fullback Branden Joe is being listed as doubtful for the Marshall game while he continues to recuperate from his high ankle sprain. It is expected that he will need another 1-2 weeks in order to fully recover. If Joe is not ready for NC State, he will have a bye week to get further rest before the Northwestern game. This may be the best route for Joe in hopes the Buckeyes have him for the remainder of the season.
--Several Buckeyes returned to practice this week. The list includes linebacker John Kerr, offensive lineman Andre Tyree, fullback Steve Fender and punter A. J. Trepasso. At least two of these players, Kerr and Trepasso are expected to compete for playing time. However, those same two players do not appear to be dressing for the Marshall game while finishing out suspensions.
jdm/rb
Sept 8, 11:00 a.m.
Daily Links
jdm/rb
Sept 7, 11:30 a.m.
Daily Links
jdm/rb
Sept 6, 9:00 p.m.
Update
Going to ask everyone to bear with us this week in terms of updates. We will try to get to the links and updates, but it may be later in the week until we start catching up. On the other hand, we may get to the daily links each day as planned. Just letting everyone know in case we don't.
blb
Sept 6, 10:00 a.m.
Misc Tibits
--The Buckeyes are currently a 16 1/2 point favorite over Marshall. The Thundering Herd dropped their opener to Troy State 17-15.
--Kirk Barton appeared to get the most action of any right tackle on Saturday, although Tim Schafer did get the start there. T.J. Downing saw extensive action at right guard in the second half. Doug Datish replaced Nick Mangold at center (breifly) after Mangold was poked in the eye.
--Offensive line prospect Ronnie Wilson and QB/ATH Carlton Jackson attended Ohio State's opener. Both prospects hail from Pompano Beach (FL) Ely. Wilson has an extremely nice set of offers and would make 4 big-time O-line commitments if the Buckeyes can get a verbal from him. Jackson is a QB that could play a few different positions at the next level. Columbus Brookhaven's Alex Daniels was also in attendance. Daniels is thought to be deciding (likely) between Ohio State and Oklahoma.
--Michigan heads to South Bend Saturday for the annual matchup with Notre Dame. Michigan has not won at South Bend since 1994, but enter the week a 13 1/2 point favorite. If you watched Notre Dame play BYU Saturday night, you realize that this Notre Dame team has some serious work to do.
--Will Erik Haw now redshirt since he didn't get the call on Saturday? Just my opinion here, but although it looks like the coaches may try to redshirt Haw, I still think you will see him this year. The top three backs, Ross, Hall and Pittman have all had their share of injuries in the past and I think Haw will be needed at some point this year.
blb
Sept 6, 9:30 a.m.
Daily Links
blb
Sept 5, 5:30 p.m.
Daily Links
blb
Sept 5, 3:45 p.m.
Random Thoughts
--I think Zwick is going to drive us crazy this year with a variety of ups and downs, just like he did yesterday. When he gets into a rhythm, he is very good, but he still needs many more reps. I still cannot figure out why he has so many mechanical issues; I mean, this is his third year in the program. But, for how ugly is ball is, he is pretty accurate. Looked like the ball slipped out of his hand on the bad throw that was intercepted deep in UC territory.
--Kudos to Mark Snyder and the new defense - so much depth and so much speed. These guys swarm to the ball with unbelievable closing time. UC's offense never had a prayer. This will be one of the top 3 defenses in the nation this year.
--Some people are complaining about the D-line, but they provided good pressure, just no sacks. Guidugli was getting rid of the ball quickly and rarely had much time to set up. Fraser and Pitcock played great; Pitcock is already All-Big Ten material. Marcus Green was solid and David Patterson, albeit out of shape, was a force off the bench.
--As many Buckeye fans have been saying for the last 8 months or so, Bobby Carpenter is about ready to hit super-stardom. He dominated yesterday. I truly believe he is the best linebacker on a team with incredible linebackers and may be the best LB in the Big Ten this year. The preseason mags just flat out missed this guy because of the other gifted LB's.
--Mike D'Andrea has made some strides. He still has a ways to go, but he is going to keep getting better with more reps. If these LB's stay healthy, by year end this set of LB's will be considered the best group ever to play at Ohio State and that is saying something.
--I'll keep saying this again and again when his name comes up; Dustin Fox is the most under-appreciated defensive STAR that I have seen in 25+ years of watching Ohio State football. Dantonio chose to stay away from Fox for the most part and when they did go his way, Fox did his job every time. Talk about closing speed...Fox surely has it and can bring the wood.
--Much better job on kick returns. However, I don't know why Ashton Youboty was not deep for the KO return that followed his long one. Great return by Mo Hall...great to see Hall showing that he can still help this team.
--There are going to be times that we really miss Craig Krenzel this year. On the other hand, look for Hamby and possibly Rory Nicol and/or Marcel Frost to really help the offense (as receiving threats) all year long. Zwick is going to find the TE a lot more than Krenzel.
--Great touch pass by Troy Smith for the TD late in the game. This (i.e. the touch pass) is supposed to be Smith's weakness. Smith may hang around (in the QB competition) more than I thought, but it's hard to judge with Smith only throwing 3 passes and being the victim of predictable QB-draw play calling. One no-no by Smith was his leaning back before the snap on the 4th and 1 play in the first half. His body language told everyone that there was no QB sneak coming. Of course, the slow developing play didn't help matters much.
--It's great to be watching Ohio State football again. I thought it was a great effort overall yesterday. We saw typical problems you see in the first game of the year and with so many new starters, but overall, it was a great start in my opinion. I am still not completely sold on the offense and specifically the O-line, but the results were pretty good yesterday against a Dantonio-coached defense. OSU's depth was just too much for UC and the Bearcats were too worn down by mid-third quarter. This team is going to be tough to beat this year.
--Links will be posted within the next few hours.
blb
Sept 4, 4:30 p.m.
OSU 27 - UC 6
It was a win. Not a pretty one, not an ugly one, but a win nonetheless. The first game is supposed to be a game to get the bugs out, and many bugs showed up. OSU seemed incapable of getting into a rhythm early, but late in the game appeared to be putting things together enough to come out with the win.
Both Zwick and Smith played at QB, although most of Smith's time came in the second half. Zwick played about as expected, making a few very good plays, and making a few mistakes. Smith actually played a little better than expected, leading OSU to a score by connecting with Santonio Holmes. In the play with Holmes, Smith showed nice touch, with Holmes making a very athletic move to get into the end zone.
For the running backs, Lydell Ross had a very good day with well over 100 yards, and breaking one long run, which was just short of a touchdown. Maurice Hall had a few carries, but made most of his noise on special teams. Antonio Pittman finished with about 50 yards, but provided some flashes of what appears to be a very bright future.
Bam Childress. 5 catches for about 140 yards. Enough said. It appears he has finally made his way from a very good practice player, to a very good player. He made a number of good catches, and also showed some of the moves that have made him famous in practice. It was great to See Bam have a very good game.
Ryan Hamby had a very nice day making a few good catches, one going for an important early touchdown.
On defense, the bend but don't break attitude appears to be alive and well. Some plays were given up, and turnovers led to some very good field position for UC, but the defense came through to make the important stops. the safeties and nickel backs made some very hard hits, and the linebackers were very efficient. Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson really stood out on the line, as well as Simon Fraser, as expected.
As mentioned above, the return game really got a shot in the arm by Maurice Hall. Hall made some very nice returns to near mid field. Hall appears to be back to near 100 percent health and very high on confidence, at least in the return game.
All in all, a good first outing, gaining the win. However, there are a number of things that Tressel can use as examples for the team to build on.
jdm/rb
Sept 4, 8:45 a.m.
The Call
I've said this word a million times, but I still have to say it again; today's game against UC will be "ugly". There are too many new starters for Ohio State and Mark Dantonio is just too good of a defensive coach for the OSU offense to put up many points against. On the other hand, Ohio State has won impressively in the openers the past two seasons and certainly has A LOT more talent than Cincinnati. And Jim Tressel will not let Ohio State lose Cincinnati. The Call: Ohio State 20 Cincinnati 14.
The Weather
As of 7:51 a.m. local time on campus, it was 68 degrees. A high of 84 is expected for today with 93% humidity. There is a 20% chance of rain.
Next Update
There may not be another update today, but there will be plenty tomorrow. I guess if my prediction is way off, it will look even worse sitting at the top of the page for 24+ hours.
Sept 4, 8:30 a.m.
Thoughts/Predictions
--Prediction on the season: I am going to go with 9-2. I am not going to specifically predict the losses, but I think only one team has a decent shot to win in the 'Shoe this year (besides Ohio State), and that is Michigan, although I'd give OSU a slight edge in The Game. I think the NC State, Iowa and Purdue games are all too close to call at this point. Ohio State HAS to beat Wisconsin this year after two straight defeats to the Badgers in Columbus. And they will. Cincy and Marshall will both be ugly, but both will be W's. Northwestern will be pesky, much like in 2002, but OSU will prevail. OSU will run over Indiana (as will everyone else). Ohio State and Michigan State will be an ugly one with OSU coming out with the W. Who knows, a few breaks and maybe Ohio State makes another 2002-type run.
--Santonio Holmes is the most valuable player on the team heading into this season. He is the only proven threat at wide receiver and has the ability to change a game. Ohio State can least afford to lose Holmes, Ryan Hamby, Nick Mangold, Rob Sims, Mike Nugent and any of the three top DE's (Simon Fraser, Mike Kudla, Jay Richardson). There is just not enough quality depth at these positions.
--Ohio State's defense will again carry them this year. The talent and depth at LB and in the secondary is sick. The Bucks are, as always, strong at DT but the DE's are question marks. Simon Fraser has the potential to be a star, he just needs to stay healthy and get it done. Jay Richardson could lead the team in sacks, but is a liability against the run. The run-stopper at end is Mike Kudla. Quinn Pitcock is headed for stardom - this year.
--Ohio State's offense will again be very conservative. Coach Tressel will not let Justin Zwick take many chances for awhile. That means fans will again be, uh, "not happy" at times. And Zwick is the man; that won't change unless there is an injury.The offensive line is a question mark. Again, there is a lot of talk about how good this unit looks, but we've heard this talk before and I am taking a "wait and see" approach. Ross will have a big year, but I'm afraid will still not reach his full potential because of nagging injuries that always seem to slow him down.
blb
Sept 4, 8:15 a.m.
Daily Links
September 4, 7:30 a.m.
Good morning Buckeye fans! The day has arrived. Here is a look at the Cincinnati Bearcats (preview provided by Andy Steger). More in the next hour.
blb
Sept 3, 8:15 p.m.
Watch Lists
blb
Sept 3, 8:00 a.m.
Daily Links
We are trying to get to a variety of things things by midnight tonight; stay tuned. About 16 hours to go to kickoff. Gear up.
blb
Sept 2, 8:15 a.m.
Daily Links
Misc Buck Notes/Thoughts
--Yesterday, Coach Tressel called senior fullback Brandon Joe "doubtful" for Saturday's game. Brandon Schnittker is expected to start in his place, but OSU will likely again utilize the one-back set often. Losing Joe is certainly not good news for a team that needs to establish the run.
--Coach Tressel also noted yesterday that Mo Hall will likely get the first look off the bench at tailback, but insinuated that Tony Pittman would also get a look and that Erik Haw could play as well. Hall is supposedly 100% or at least very close to it. The hope is that we will see a different Mo Hall then the one we saw last year, the one who played with ligament damage in both of his knees. As I have mentioned before, I am not quite sure Hall can get it done, but I am certainly rooting for him.
--There has finally been some good news about the punting game. Word is, Kyle Turano has been booming 'em in practice as of late. Turano could be distancing himself from Huston, although punting in the 'Shoe on Saturdays will be much more difficult than punting in practice. Keep your fingers crossed. If Turano can come through this year, this would be a major hurdle crossed for the 2004 Buckeyes.
--Expect to see true freshman Rory Nicol, possibly more than than any other newcomer on Saturday. Marcel Frost, who was moved from defensive end to tight end, is still ailing and appears to be questionable for Saturday's game. OSU is very thin at TE and could have to use utility man Stan White and/or walk-on Ryan Franzinger on Saturday as well.
blb
September 1, 8:30 a.m.
Daily Links
Bearcats Invade 'Shoe
Former Buckeye Defensive Coordinator Mark Dantonio and his Bearcats enter Saturday's contest against Ohio State as a 15 1/2 point underdog. Coach Dantonio will no doubt be reminding his team that they have unfinished business with the Buckeyes after allowing the future national champion to escape with a 23-19 win over Cincinnati two seasons ago. What do the Bearcats bring to the table?
--Ohio State fans probably remember Cincy quarterback Gino Guidugli, who played quite a game against the Buckeyes in 2002. Guidugli struggled last year, but is now a senior and is a dangerous passer should the Buckeye defense give him time to throw.
--The Bearcats will start a tailback that Buckeye fans may remember, Richard Hall. Hall originally committed to Ohio State but never got his academics in order and ended up at Cincinnati, back in his home town. Hall is a an elusive back who led UC in rushing with 777 yards last year, but if the Ohio State rush defense is on par (or even close to being on par) with previous seasons, it will be difficult for Hall and the other Cincinnati backs to find daylight on Saturday.
--UC finished with a disappointing record last year, finishing 5-7 and just 2-6 in Conference USA play. The poor showing last year cost Head Coach Rick Minter his job. It should however be noted that 5 of the Bearcats 7 losses were by 7 points or less. This is Cincinnati's last year in the C-USA; they will join the Big East in 2005.
--Cincinnati has a veteran team and will start 17 seniors. The defense is led by defensive ends Andre Frazier and Trent Cole, two players that may be the best at their position in the conference. The bookends on the Buckeye offensive line had better be ready. Cornerback Daven Holley is one of the better DB's in the league. The offensive line is led by left guard Kyle Takavitz, a Lombardi Award candidate. And as mentioned above, Guidugli can be dangerous behind center and UC has a quality tailback in Richard Hall. The Bearcats were picked 8th in the conference by the C-USA coaches this season.
More later today and tonight.
blb
August 31, 8:15 a.m.
John Mackey Award (Top Tight Ends) Watch List
Andy Steger is back and takes a look at the top tight ends in the country. Click here to check it out. We will have the remaining Watch Lists posted this week.
Daily Links
Depth Chart Released - Comments
Ohio State released their opening two-deep and remaining depth chart for the opener against Cincinnati (Saturday, noon, ESPN-regional). The depth chart on this site (linked here) has now been updated to mirror the team's official release. Some takes on the opening two-deep:
--Ted Ginn lists as the second option as the punt returner, behind Santonio Holmes. I still would not be surprised to see Ginn getting a chance to return punts Saturday and possibly get a look returning kickoffs. Hanging onto the football will surely be key for all the returnmen. Ginn did have some fumble problems in high school and if he has had problems this month in practice, Tressel may not yet be ready to take a chance with him. If not, Holmes will be very dangerous in his own right as the #1 PR. Ashton Youboty and Santonio Holmes are slated as the two deep men on the kickoff return team. Expect a major upgrade in the both return games this year. Back to Ginn...I also would not be surprised to see Ginn in the game at WR or CB before some of the guys listed as second teamers.
--Mike D'Andrea is listed as the #1 MLB, but by all accounts, he and Anthony Schlegel should both see a lot of playing time in the middle. Right now, D'Andrea is probably 1a with Schlegel being 1b.
--The defensive end depth is as thin as it has been in recent memory. Vernon Gohlston is currently listed as a second teamer and may be thrust into action earlier than the coaches wanted. The Buckeyes have often been lining up in the 3-4 set in practice, and it is starting to look like the Buckeyes may play a 3-4 more than the coaches are letting on to. Expect D'Andrea and Bobby Carpenter to line up at rush end at times and for defensive tackles like Quinn Pitcock and/or David Patterson to play some end on occasion.
--Ben Person is not listed as a second teamer, but Person could still see action early this year. Walk-on John Conroy, for now, is listed as the second team left guard, but one has to wonder if Person gets a look before him. Person could probably get a look at multiple O-line positions if the coaches decide to use him this year. Also, Steve Winner is still listed as the second team center, but Doug Datish may slide to the right and replace Mangold at center should Mangold have to be taken out of a game.
--T.J. Downing is thought to be dinged up a bit, which may have cost him a spot in the opening two-deep at right tackle. But even if Downing wasn't (or isn't) ailing, Tim Schaefer looks like the man for now at RT and Kirk Barton probably has earned playing time as well. Barton is listed as Schafer's backup.
--Rory Nicol is listed as the second team tight end. This may or may not be due to the fact that Marcel Frost has missed some practice time due to some minor injuries. Nicol apparently has impressed the coaches quite a bit and should see a lot of PT this year regardless of Frost's role.
--Kyle Turano is the #1 punter for now, but don't be surprised if you see both Josh Huston and Turano used early on this year. And don't be surprised if A.J. Trapasso comes back and makes a strong bid to take over the #1 punting job by the start of the Big Ten season.
--Tyler Everett has kept his #1 strong safety spot ahead of Donte Whitner. Could Whitner be in the dog house? Whatever the case, Everett is certainly a solid option and I don't think we have heard the last of Donte Whitner, especially after several other players raved about him in early August.
--The fullback depth is hurting. Brandon Schnittker is listed as the #1 guy there right now, with Stan White Jr. listed as his backup. Brandon Joe's availability for the opener is unknown. Joe suffered a high ankle sprain a week or so ago and may or may not be available Saturday. The official depth chart did not list Joe on the fullback depth list, but the release also did not list Joe on the injury list. (The only player listed as injured is WR Devin Jordan who will miss the entire season.) More one-back sets this year? I think that is a good bet.
blb
August 30, 7:30 a.m.
Game Week is Here
Game week has finally arrived. This week we will be posting daily updates on the Buckeyes, a OSU vs. Cincy preview, a complete Big Ten Preview, the remaining Award Watch Lists, the 3rd 'Have Blue' report and daily links. More tonight. For now, here are the daily links from late Saturday through this morning.
blb
August 28, 5:30 p.m.
Daily Links
Click here to go to the daily links page which catches us up from where we left off on Tuesday. (54 OSU/CFB links)
blb
August 27, 8:15 a.m.
Captains
Ohio State has selected Seniors Dustin Fox, Simon Fraser, Lydell Ross and Mike Nugent as captains for the 2004 season. Many figured Fraser, Fox and Ross were shoe-ins for captains but there were varying opinions on the 4th choice. Mike Nugent is the first "special teams only" player to be selected as a captain since Tom Skladany in 1976. Tom Tupa was the punter and captain in 1987, but was also the starting quarterback that year.
Zwick Named Starter and Turano Now #1 Punter
It came as little surprise yesterday when Justin Zwick was named the starter at quarterback, but in somewhat of a surprise, Kyle Turano was named as the #1 punter, at least for now.
Injuries
Wide Receiver Devin Jordan has been lost for the season with a broken bone in his lower leg. Brandon Joe has a high ankle sprain and will be out a "week or two" according to Coach Tressel. This is a blow to the ball carrier depth and of course to the depth at fullback. High ankle sprains have a tenancy to linger. Redgie Arden will be out of action for quite some time after being hospitalized following last Saturdays altercation in Huntington, WV. Mike Kudla is recovering from a neck sprain and is not yet full-go.
More today, time permitting.
blb
Aug 26, 10:50 a.m.
Scholarship Recipients Announced
As expected, four walk-on's have now been placed on scholarship for the 2004 season by Coach Jim Tressel. The recipients are Roshawn Parker, John McLaughlin, Kyle Turano and Michael DeMaria. Congratulations to these players as they have now been rewarded for all the hard work they have put in for the good of the program.
jdm/rb
Aug 26, 7:00 a.m.
Buckeyes Receive Another Verbal Commitment
Middletown, OH wide receiver/defensive back Andre Amos (6'2", 175, 4.5) became the latest Buckeye verbal commitment yesterday. Amos had scholarship offers from Michigan, Notre Dame, Purdue, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Northwestern and others. Ohio State's closest competition was Purdue, but in the end, Ohio State was just too good of an offer to pass on. Amos could play WR or DB at Ohio State, but will likely first get a look on the offensive side of the ball. Welcome aboard Andre!
Four New Captains and Four New Scholarship Winners?
Sources close to the program say that four new scholarship winners will be announced today along with the 2004 captains. Since Jim Tressel has arrived, he has awarded scholarships to walkons each year, so this would not be a surprise.
Football on the Horizon
Ohio State is currently 17-point favorites over Cincinnati in their opener a week from Saturday. Few forget that Ohio State was huge favorites at Cincinnati in 2002, but was fortunate to escape with a win. The official first week of the season gets going a week from today, with Thursday night games, but USC will battle Virginia Tech this Saturday in the Black Coaches Association annual matchup.
Links
Most of us that work on the site have been extremely busy as of late and are having trouble getting to the daily links. We will try to catch up as soon as possible.
blb
Aug 24, 7:15 a.m.
Daily Links
The daily links page has been updated to include the OSU pieces that are available at this early hour and OSU pieces from yesterday.
blb
Aug 23, 11:45 p.m.
Arden Situation
Sounds like we still need to get more facts on the Arden situation. What we do know is that Arden and some Marshall football players were involved in a bar fight that ended with Arden in the hospital. Who started it? Not sure many people know the answer at this point. Arden has had his run-ins with the law, so it would seem like Arden made a bad decision getting anywhere close to a situation like this. We shall see; he may have played his last down at OSU. Even if Arden did get out of line, if multiple Marshall players took part of the beating of one man, that is far from a fair fight. Needless to say, emotions will now be much higher for Ohio State's matchup with Marshall on September 11th. That's probably bad news for Marshall fans who think they have a great shot at an upset.
Chuck Bednarik Award - Nation's Best Defensive Player
Andy is back with his latest Award Watch List - The Bednarik Award, which is given to the nation's top overall defensive player each season.
Links
Yes, we will try to get to links tomorrow morning. Tomorrow's links have been started, with the catch-up from today.
blb
Aug 22, 9:45 p.m.
Buckeye Prints at MyTeamPrints.com
You can now order framed Buckeye prints by phone or fax. MyTeamPrints.com accepts all major credit cards. This is especially good if you are in the central Ohio area and wish to pick up your order, without shipping charges added on the website. Or maybe you have a special request for a wood frame or a change in mat colors. Your order will be personally handled by calling 614 561-1163, or by fax 740 881-9393. Internet orders use Paypal which is safe, secure and free, but will add shipping charges. See the large selection of OSU Buckeye prints at the following link. Also, check out the other sports prints on the site...baseball, hockey, NFL, basketball, golf, and NASCAR prints.
blb
Aug 22, 10:45 a.m. (more scrimmage highlights and more links added)
Links
Jersey Scrimmage Highlights/Comments
--The offense won yesterday's jersey scrimmage by a score of 81-69 over the defense and will therefore retain the scarlet jerseys.
--All three QB's got a lot of work, with Justin Zwick completing 14 out of 21 passes for 120 yards with a TD and an INT. Zwick's TD pass was to Santonio Holmes; no surprise there. Troy Smith was 12 of 18 for 106 yards and 1 INT. Smith also ran for a 9 yard TD. Todd Boeckman completed 21 of his 34 passes for 195 yards and one 1 INT. Coach Tressel keeps stating that nothing is set in stone, but all of the talk behind the scenes says it is Justin Zwick's job. There is also some talk that Boeckman could legitimately be pushing Troy Smith for the second team job, although redshirting Todd Boeckman still would seem like the best move, unless he of course could win the starting job. And Smith should be able to help this team this year in spot situations if Zwick solidifies the starting job.
--Erik Haw carried the ball 14 times for 83 yards, an average of almost 6 yards a crack. The other freshman back, Antonio Pittman, had 7 carries for 33 yards. Haw and Pittman (in either order) could spell Lydell Ross at tailback this year. Ross is still clearly the #1 guy and Maurice Hall probably still has the second team job for now. Hall did play through some serious knee problems last year and appears to be healthy this year.
--Tyler Everett is still playing ahead of Donte Whitner at strong safety. Looks like the coaches are really sending a strong message to Whitner or actually feel that Everett is their best option right now.
--Mike D'Andrea got most of the work with the first team defense, although Anthony Schlegel got some work at the first team MLB spot as well. Also, both linebackers were on the field together at times. Coach Tressel mentioned that they want to try to find ways to get all of the four linebackers (Hawk, Carpenter, D'Andrea and Schlegel) on the field at same time. Right now, it looks like D'Andrea might have a slight lead over Schlegel for the #1 job. D'Andrea had a great scrimmage yesterday and slowly seems to be "getting there".
--The punting was said to be "so-so" yesterday. Consistency still appears to be a big problem with all of the punters. Huston is still thought to have the upper hand in the battle that will likely continue, possibly into the season.
--Jason Caldwell made some noise in yesterday's scrimmage. The 5th-year senior should battle for playing time at defensive end behind Mike Kudla and Simon Fraser. Kudla sat out yesterday's scrimmage after his scare on Wednesday. Jay Richardson played with the first teamers, opposite Fraser.
--Teddy "Ballgame" Ginn played with the 2nd team offense at times, lining up in the slot. He also played with the third team defense and on special teams. Chances are you will see Ginn on punt returns and at WR in the opener. Spot duty at corner and kickoff returns against Cincy are also possibilities.
--Tim Schafer got the first look at right tackle on with the first teamers although Kirk Barton and T.J. Downing are still pushing him.
--Rory Nicol played mostly with the second teamers at tight end with Marcel Frost ailing. Word is Nicol is raising some eyebrows.
blb
Aug 21, 11:15 a.m.
Updates
We've fallen a little behind, but will be postings some links and an update or two this afternoon or this evening.
blb
Aug 19, 8:00 a.m.
Daily Links
Scare for Kudla
Ohio State defensive end Mike Kudla felt some numbness and tingling in his arms and legs during yesterday's morning practice and was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Fortunately, all tests and x-rays were negative and the numbness and tingling ceased shortly after his arrival at the hospital. Kudla should be back on the field soon.
blb
Aug 18, 9:15 a.m.
Daily Links
jdm/rb
Aug 17, 10:30 p.m.
Daily Links
The daily links page will be doubled up tomorrow to include today's links. The page already includes the catchup for today if you want to check them out tonight.
Position Battles
• Tyler Everett has played with the 1’s ahead of Donté Whitner and Whitner was not thought to be hurt. Permanent move? Probably not, but you just have to love the depth here.
• The word on the street (take it for what it’s worth) is that Tim Schafer is leading the way at right tackle. Schafer went into the spring as the #1 right tackle but left the spring (about) even with T.J. Downing. Downing was thought to be going into fall camp as the 1A right tackle with Schafer being 1B, but Schafer appears to again have the upper hand. This one may be a battle right down to 12:10 p.m. on September 4th. Kirk Barton is certainly in the mix as well. Also, no surprise that there is a lot of buzz about Ben Person already…who could affect this battle by earning quality PT at any spot on the line.
• Mike D’Andrea and Anthony Schlegel are sharing reps with the #1 set of LB’s. It is starting to look like both guys, should they both stay healthy of course, will see a lot of time this year. D’Andrea could end up lining up at several different spots, which mean he and Schlegel could be on the field at the same time. The biggest concern about Schlegel right now is his effectiveness against the pass. Run stopping? That would be Anthony’s specialty.
• Tony Pittman appears to be making a strong push to be Lydell’s primary backup. Stay tuned.
• The punting job….I think I would rather not hear updates on the battle. It never sounds positive. ‘They’ say that Huston is the front runner, but we could see multiple punters tried this year. I am not counting out anyone in this race.
• Looks like Devon Lyons is playing himself into the mix pretty quickly at WR. I don’t think he will start the season in the two-deep, but he may be there pretty quickly.
• As for the other receivers, I fully expect the same two-deep come game-time against Cincy (again, should everyone stay healthy) – Santonio and Roy Hall being backed up by Bam Childress and John Hollins, with Childress likely starting, should the Bucks open with three wides. But Teddy Ginn, like Devon Lyons, has to figure into the mix quickly. Ginn is just too good to not use frequently at WR.
• D-line? Joel Penton is getting reps with the 1’s with Marcus Green ailing. Penton is versatile and may help out at both DT and DE. On the other hand Sian Cotton and David Patterson may have more upside than Penton and could push both Penton and Green. Surprisingly though, there has been little talk about David Patterson so far. Redgie Arden may finally find his niche at DE. Right now, it looks like Arden and Jay Richardson are the #2 DE’s, but don’t be surprised to see the coaches use big guys like Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson outside as well.
• It looks like Ashton Youboty is the front-runner for the nickel job. If he does indeed solidify the nickel roll, I wonder if you will see Ginn start practicing less on defense and more at WR?
blb
Aug 16, 10:00 a.m.
Daily Links
blb
Aug 16, 8:45 a.m.
Daily Links
blb
Aug 16, 8:30 a.m.
Have Blue Report #2
Shhhh....click here. (Actual report is linked at the bottom of the intro page.) This was to have posted at 11:00 a.m. yesterday. Like yesterday, I will try to post links here shortly as long as my computer cooperates.
blb
Aug 15, 10:30 a.m.
Ted Hendricks Award Watch List
As usual, I could not post anything last night due to technical problems. Here is Andy Steger's Ted Hendricks Award Watch List which takes a look at some of the top defensive ends in the nation.
Links and the second "Have Blue" piece are next, assuming there are no more technical difficulties.
blb
Aug 14, 9:30 a.m.
Links, Links and More Links
There are 20 Ohio State football links posted catching us up for the week. There are also links from ESPN, CollegeFootballNews.com, Fox Sports, CBS Sportsline, the AP wire and CNN/SI with nationwide college football coverage this past week and some early August pieces. Several of the Fox Sports, CBS Sportsline and CNN/SI pieces are their 2004 preview articles that just posted this week. If you can't get enough all-around college football, check 'em out. Click here to go to the daily links page.
Some Buckeye 50 Yard Line (Andy Steger) Preseason Watch lists will post tonight along with the latest "Have Blue" piece with some talk from up north.
blb
Aug 13, 7:15 a.m.
Daily Links
The Columbus Dispatch links are updated. We will try to have the other links updated later this morning.
blb
Aug. 12, 1:30 p.m.
Misc. Tidbits/Comments
--Ted Ginn got most of his reps yesterday at cornerback and special teams, but also worked in a bit at wide receiver. Folks, I really think this kid could make a Maurice Clarett type of splash (on the field, not off of it).
-- The John Kerr rumors have been out and about for awhile now. Yesterday, it was confirmed that there was some validity to the rumors. Kerr is not on the opening roster and will not be practicing with the team. Coach Tressel refused to elaborate on the situation other than saying that Kerr could rejoin the team after the opener. If so, Kerr will likely have quite a bit of ground to make up behind Anthony Schlegel and Mike D'Andrea.
--There has been some buzz that DE Mike Kudla will be strong against the run this year, but still is not there yet as a pass rusher. His likely backup, Jay Richardson, is more of a pass rushing specialist and not so strong against the run. Look for the coaches to cater to each of their
strengths this year when substituting.
--I'm still hearing nothing nationally about Bobby Carpenter. I keep repeating myself, but I really see Carpenter becoming a superstar this year. I wouldn't trade the Buckeye outside linebackers for any other pair in the nation.
--This DB group could be very special, especially if Ginn is good enough to earn immediate PT at corner. Everyone has raved about E.J. Underwood for months now, but lately the hot name has been Donté Whitner who seems to be
turning a lot of heads. Sally is going to be very, very good and I believe Fox is one of the most underrated players in recent memory. And, there is depth at every spot.
--The OSU coaches appear to have a lot of confidence in their athletes they plan to use on the kickoff coverage unit. The strategy of having Nugent kick short has apparently been abandoned and Nugent will supposedly be going for the touchback on every kick. We'll see, though. Ohio State stopped kicking deep to Kansas State after Darren Sproles' long kickoff return in the Fiesta Bowl. When you have confidence in your defense, it makes sense to be a little gun-shy when kicking to the big-time return guys.
blb
Aug 12, 8:00 a.m.
Daily Links/Update
The daily links page has been updated. We will try to have some comments later this morning or this afternoon on the start of football. The newest roster, which seems to be changing daily, is linked here.
blb
Aug 11, 7:15 a.m.
First Day Notes
The players arrived yesterday and will practice today for the first time. Except for the four players that were not expected to be with the team this year - Dareus Hiley, Reggie Smith, Louis Irizarry and Ira Guilford, the only other player that is not expected to be with the team in August is punter AJ Trapasso. Trapasso will serve a two-game suspension for breaking team rules and as an incoming freshman, will not be able to join the team until after the second game. Irizarry and Hiley are no longer enrolled at Ohio State. Reggie Smith is not listed on the original roster and is thought to be an academic casualty. Guilford may be able to return to the team at some point if his legal problems are cleared up, but like Smith, Guilford is not on the opening roster either.
Other notes....I have not put together an original roster for 2004, but BSB has the opening roster linked here. Note that Marcel Frost is now listed as a TE; Chad Hoobler is listed as a LB; Jason Caldwell is listed as a DE. These position moves have been talked about for awhile now, but the new roster seems to confirm the moves.
Daily Links
This week
We wiill have the lastest 'Have Blue' report posted soon as well as a few more Preseason Award Watch Lists. Also, we will be reporting news on the first week of practice as news becomes available.
blb
Aug 10, 7:30 a.m.
First Day Arrives
The team will be getting together around 9:00 a.m. this morning for there first official meeting to kick off the 2004 campaign. The first practice will be tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. with Media Day starting at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. Unfortunately, all practices along with media day and the photo session will be closed to the public.
Daily Links
blb
Aug 9, 7:15 a.m.
Daily Links
The daily links page has been updated. We have had technical difficulties all weekend, which is why the links were not updated yesterday. Yesterday's links along with a few from today have both been updated.
Players Arrive Tomorrow
All players are expected to arrive tomorrow and practice Wednesday for the first time. Freshman no longer report a few days earlier; all NCAA football players going forward will report together.
blb
Aug 7, 9:15 a.m.
Daily Links
The daily links page has been updated. No surprise, there's another piece that mentions OSU in with the most overrated teams in the country. Keep it coming...Tressel will play the no respect card again this year...and this is a good thing.
blb
Aug 5, 8:00 a.m.
Daily Links
blb
Aug 5, 1:05 p.m.
Another commitment
Another defensive back has given an oral commitment today to sign a letter of intent and play football at Ohio State. Malcom Jenkins of Piscataway, NJ has added his name to the 2005 recruiting class. It appears that Jenkins will be a cornerback for the Bucks, although safety is not entirely out of the question. Jenkins has the size and speed that the coaches like at 6-0, 180, 4.45. He should be a nice addition to the '05 class as he had 8 interceptions as a junior. Welcome Malcom!!
jdm/rb
Aug 5, 7:30 a.m.
Daily Links
The daily links page has been updated and there are quite a few links with coverage from the Big Ten Media Day yesterday. Soon it will be sweatshirt weather.
blb
Aug 4, 7:45 a.m.
Daily Links
Big Ten Media Days
One of the things that indicates that the college football season is here is the Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. Well, the first day of the two-day event is today. Jim Tressel, Lydell Ross and Dustin Fox will represent Ohio State at the luncheon today. Gear up.
Of note, only one of the eleven Big Ten sports writers picked Ohio State to win the Big Ten this year. The locker room bulletin board looks like it's going to be filled up quickly again this year.
blb
Aug 3, 7:15 a.m.
blb
Aug 2, 8:00 a.m.
Daily Links
Watch Lists
The Maxwell Award Watch-List is now live. Click here to check it out and click here to go to the preseason Watch-List page to view all of the lists as well as the All-American and All-Big Ten teams.
NCAA - Big Games
Some casinos have released spreads for some of the biggest college games this season. Here are the Ohio State spreads from one casino:
Ohio State (home) 6 1/2 over Wisconsin
Ohio State 1 1/2 over Iowa (home)
Ohio State (home) 1 over Michigan
blb
Aug 1, 9:30 a.m.
Daily Links
Watch Lists
blb
July 31, 9:30 a.m.
Daily Links
Misc.
--We will have several more College Football Award Watch Lists posted this weekend.
--The Big Ten Conference Media Luncheon kicks off this coming Wednesday in Chicago. All of the Big Ten coaches will be there along with two player representatives for each team. Ohio State will bring seniors Lydell Ross and Dustin Fox to represent the Buckeyes.
blb
July 30, 7:45 a.m.
Daily Links
The daily links page has been updated, including a link to the initial ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll where the Buckeyes come in at #9.
A Day Late and a Dollar Short - The Big 33
Got a chance to watch the Big 33 Game last night after missing it last Saturday. Some things go without saying - i.e. Ted Ginn. What can be said that hasn't already been said? But watching Erik Haw's speed on his TD reception that was called back....wow! Well, I guess it's been said over and over again about his speed, but it's crazy. More later.
blb
July 29, 7:30 a.m.
Daily Links
Media Guide
If you haven't seen it, here is what the 2004 Ohio State Football Media Guide looks like. (The University is taking pre-orders right now at 1-800-678-6022.) Could those be OSU's four new captains for 2004 on the cover?
blb
July 28, 11:15 p.m.
View from North of the Border
PJS Buck
July 28, 7:30 a.m.
Links
We'll try to get back into the swing with daily links with the season right around the corner. For now, here are the links to the Columbus Dispatch pieces this week, including one from today. Gear up....August 10th, players arrive.
blb
July 27, 11:30 p.m.
Ray Guy Award
Here is Andy's latest, the Ray Guy Award Watch List. After reading it, I've decided that we need to find some way to sneak Andy Groom or BJ Sander back into a Buckeye uniform this year. Coach Tressel has me convinced. My wife says I often wake up in the middle of the night with a glazed look in my eyes and keep repeating, "The punt is the most important play in football.....the punt is the most important play in football."
Click here for all of the preseason Watch Lists, the All-Big Ten teams and the All American teams. We'll likely be rolling out the rest of the lists over the next week or so.
Also on Deck....
We will be introducing a new feature in the next few days...a feature that will take us behind enemy lines. Stay tuned!
blb
July 24, 11:00 p.m.
Butkus Watch
Our new guy Andy checks back in with the Butkus Award Watch List for 2004. Click here to check it out.
Big 33/What's Next?
I unfortunately was not able to watch the Big 33 game last night, but will be watching a tape of it soon. I can tell you that the comments that I am hearing about Ohio State incoming players in this game do not surprise me at all. I've heard many takes on players in the Big 33 that are almost exactly what I saw in the Ohio All Star game. Even though these players have yet to suit up in scarlet and gray, I think we might have an idea of a few that could help out this year.
--Ted Ginn. The kid just seems to be on another level. When I watched him kick it into gear on the kickoff return in the Army National All Star game, I shook my head. He dusted some of the most highly recruited prospects in the country. I've been on record as saying that I don't think Ginn cracks the top 3 at cornerback (behind Fox, Underwood and Youboty) but I might end up backtracking on those comments. Actually, I think Ginn almost definitely helps out on kick and/or punt returns this year and likely lines up at WR before he lines up at cornerback. This kid is special.
--Ben Person. Yeah, if you saw pics of him with his shirt pulled up, you know he could stand to take off 15 to 20 pounds, but I think Person plays this year and possibly ends up starting. Those who know blocking technique (I'm not going to kid you....I don't) rave about this kid and how far along he is. Just like Sims and Mangold being in the mix quickly, I think Person will play very early. Even though most figure him at guard, could Person push for the starting right tackle job? That would not surprise me.
--Devon Lyons. I think Ohio State has as little depth at WR as they have had in years; I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I think they really need one or more of the freshmen to play their way into the mix. From all reports, Lyons looks like a keeper with great size, great athleticism and good speed. Roy Hall, Bam Childress, John Hollins and Tony Gonzalez need to step up or Lyons could be a guy that moves past several of them on the depth chart.
--Rory Nicol. I honestly haven't heard all that much about Nicol, except that he looked the part last night. But, sheer numbers at tight end tells you that they need Nicol to play this year. Gear up, Rory.
--Alex Barrow. I thought Barrow was very likely a redshirt (and he still might be), but the reports from last night make it two All-Star games that Barrow has dominated in. Duane Long from Bucknuts called Barrow a steal and it looks like that may be the case. Great athlete who may just join the mix early as a DE. There were talks of DT for Barrow, but I don't see it...not for a few years, if ever.
Several other guys could help out this year and of course, the OSU coaches could decide that any or all of these players listed above would better serve the team (in the long run) if they redshirted this year. I think either Tony Pittman or Erik Haw probably plays...possibly both if the TB numbers run thin. With there being so few true fullbacks on the team, you have to wonder if Dionte Johnson might get in the mix at FB pretty quickly. I think all of the O-linemen redshirt, except Person; OSU has more bodies on the O-line this year. Ginn, in my opinion just has to play. No way do you hold back this kind of talent. I am not sure that Brandon Underwood and Chad Hoobler are going to play this year, but I love the potential of both of these guys.
blb
July 24, 9:30 a.m.
Ginn Stars as Ohio Nips Pennsylvania in Big 33
Ted Ginn threw for a TD, caught a TD, had over 100 yards receiving and broke up a key third down pass in helping Ohio to a 34-30 over Pennsylvania in the annual Big 33 contest. More tonight. For now, here is the Bucknuts piece on the game.
July 22, 7:30 p.m.
Officially Official - Schoenhoft Announces for OSU
There were a few fans out there that were getting a little worried about the possibility that Rob Schoenhoft was playing games with the OSU coaches and thinking that he might announce for Michigan today. Nope....Schoenhoft committed to the good guys and announced it in California (where he is competing in the Elite 11 Camp.) Welcome aboard Rob!
blb
July 21, 10:15 p.m.
Schoenhoft Expected to Commit to OSU Tomorrow
Although it is not official (as of yet), several sources indicate that quarterback Rob Schoenhoft (6' 5 1/2", 233) from Cincinnati St. Xavier will make a (public) verbal commitment to Ohio State tomorrow. Schoenhoft is considered to be one of the best quarterback prospects in the nation and was selected to participate in the Elite 11 quarterback camp, a camp that features 11 of the top QB prospects in the country. Assuming everyone is right on this one, Schoenhoft will become the latest Buckeye commitment in a class that features several top national-level prospects including Alex Boone (OL), Jamario O'Neal (ATH), Todd Denlinger (DL), Jim Cordle (OL) and Kevin Bemoll (OL). This start to the 2005 recruiting class is starting to resemble the start to the 2002 class, a class that would eventually be ranked as the second best class nationally. Schoenhoft put on quite a display at the Columbus Nike Camp this past spring. He has a rocket for an arm and had several impressive offers including Notre Dame, Michigan, Florida and Michigan State (among others).
Seven-on-Seven Impressions
I got a chance to check out the Seven-on-Seven drills yesterday at the WHAC. It got my blood pumping a bit; the season can't begin soon enough. It's pretty hard to try to analyze who played well or who didn't when you have no offensive or defensive linemen and no one wearing pads. (Some linemen were there, but working out amongst themselves.)
Here are some of my thoughts and a high level overview:
--Several players looked like what you would expect (if you have watched practices/scrimmages before. Justin Zwick was a little off throwing the ball in the early going, but later hit several receivers in a row in the one-on-one drills (WR or TE vs. DB or LB). Most of these passes were 25+ yards and were right on the money. Troy Smith, same thing....what you would expect. The kid can bring it. Not sure I can name many QB's at any level with his arm strength.
--Lydell Ross didn't get much action, with the WR's getting most of the work on offense, but talk about Coop's famous "look test". Ross is ripped, with a huge upper body. Looked about 215 to 220 to me. I thought to myself, "This is almost exactly how you would want your tailback to look." If he stays healthy, look out. Ross got hot late last year and I think he could have a very big year (but again, only if he avoids the injury bug).
--The "Dream Team" linebackers were on the field together with the starting defensive backfield at one point. I'm referring to A.J. Hawk, Mike D'Andrea and Bobby Carpenter, a trio that everyone talked about when the 2002 class was inked. D'Andrea of course, needs to step up, but Hawk is a preseason All-American (by most accounts) and Carpenter, I believe, is well on his way to stardom. If D'Andrea puts it all together, this group will be absolutely unreal. Anthony Schlegel did not participate. The DB's, by the way, were Fox, EJ Underwood, Sally and Whitner.
--Bam Childress - I've said it before, half jokingly, half seriously; he may be the best practice player in the NCAA. Give him some room in the open field and forget about it, if you are a DB. Problem is, on fall Saturdays, there are few one-on-one's and of course they don't play seven-on-seven. He took some (good) DB's to school, as usual.
--Maybe this is nothing, but Justin Zwick was the one organizing things as everyone left the field (i.e. calling everyone together, etc.) As I've said before, I think the QB job is Zwick's, regardless of the "coach-speak" you will hear in August. But if Troy Smith can prove me wrong, more power to him. It doesn't matter to me. I just want the QB that will give Ohio State the best chance to win.
--Santonio Holmes looked the part. He beat DB's for an hour straight. Looks extremely light (180 lbs?), but I'm not sure it matters much. Santonio is big-time.
--Not many D-linemen were there, but from looking at both the D-linemen and O-linemen that were there, the guys seemed to be in pretty decent shape. No 340+ pounders like we have seen in the past. True frosh Steve Rehring looked like he had dropped a few pounds since signing day. As for the guys playing seven-on-seven, it goes without saying. So many of those guys are as ripped as can be.
--Maurice Hall was there and looked quite bulky to me. He's surely not the same tailback that arrive here three years ago. I'm not sure he can be "the man" but he's a guy I am rooting for - a kid with a lot of guts and class.
--Marcel Frost was indeed playing offense. I think the kid may eventually be a pretty good one at tight end.
--The freshmen-to-be that are participating in the Big 33 Game were not there, with the game being Saturday.
--Is it September yet?
blb
July 19, 11:45 p.m.
Depth Charts
The 2004 depth chart has been updated with the most recent info we have been given. The 2005 depth chart has been updated, but for now is basically a continuation of the 2004 depth charts. It basically drops the 2004 seniors and adds the 2005 verbal commitments without accounting for players moving up the depth chart. I jumped the gun on one of the verbal commitments for 2005. Hopefully that one happens in a few days, as everyone seems to think. We'll project it out further so you can get a feel of what the depth chart might look like in a few years, but have put that on hold for now.
'Ships to Give?
How many scholarships can Ohio State give this year? Always a popular question. Here's a rough estimate based on some assumptions which may or may not hold true:
I count 80 players on scholarship when the freshmen arrive.
Assumptions: Trapasso still two strikes and holding, but not three; Guilford eligible; Hiley gone; Reggie Smith gone; Kennedy eligible; Brandon Underwood eligible; Irizarry gone; Kerr, Parker, McLaughlin, Turano and Winner in two or three-deep but are walk-on status.
Now I count 13 seniors, excluding Josh Huston (for now we'll assume he IS getting a 6th year.) Also, this assumes that Mo Hall does NOT redshirt this year, playing his 4th and final season.
80 scholarship players less 13 seniors moving on gets us to 67, or 18 under the maximum of 85. So, based on these assumptions, it looks to me like Ohio State has 18 scholarships to give this year, but that number can always grow.
Ohio State has 7 verbal commitments already plus Aaron Pettrey who, last we knew, was still a grayshirt, taking a scholarship in January 2005. If Rob Schoenhoft verbals to Ohio State this week as expected, OSU would appear to have 9 spots taken out of the 18. In the end, OSU will probably be able to take more than that when you take attrition into account. That may mean OSU might be able to offer 20 or so scholarships for 2005.
blb
July 18, 6:30 p.m.
All-Big Ten, All-American, Doak Walker
blb
July 18, 9:45 a.m.
Sanchez to USC
Mark Sanchez has verbally committed to USC. It was nice to dream for a while, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. The good news however, is that chances look pretty good for Ohio State getting Rob Schoenhoft, who is a pretty highly touted QB as well. And getting Schoenhoft would keep him out of the maize and blue. It's a pretty important recruiting battle.
Corrections
Later Today
We will have more College Football "Watch Lists" post later today.
blb
July 17, 12:15 p.m.
The Ones OSU Didn't Get
I don't know what to call this list, but it is a list of players that were pursued by OSU or hail from Ohio. The list tells where they are now and their playing status. It started as a short list I wanted to put together but then became quite a beast. It includes several dozen names including Bryan Andrews, Devin Aromashodu, George Cooper Jr., Buster Davis, Ray Edwards, Tony Franklin, Eric Fritz, Na’Shan Goddard, Adam Graessle, Jamesly Jean, Davin Joseph, Claude "Turk" McBride, Stanley McClover, Brandon McKinney, Derek Morris, Erick Phillips, Kyle Ralph, Ja Ja Riley, Kwakou Robinson, Jacob Stewart, Justin Valentin, Al Washington, Richard Washington, Ernie Wheelright, DeShaun Wynn and many others.
I did not intend for this list, linked here, to be interpreted as a list of names that Ohio State "blew it" on. You'll see that some prospects have not worked out while others have turned into big-time stars. If you are an Ohio State recruiting fan, I think you'll enjoy it.
Source for much of the information: Phil Steele's 2004 College Football preview.
blb
July 16, 5:45 p.m.
Another commitment?
BSB is reporting that Kevin Bemoll has committed to the Buckeyes. Link If true, this is another huge get in an area of need. Also, this may have some impact on the school of choice for QB Mark Sanchez, as he now has two teammates committed to Ohio State (Bemoll and Ryan Williams). Sanchez is expected to announce any day now. Stay tuned!!
jdm/rb
July 13, 7:30 a.m.
Recruiting
There is talk that OSU will get both QB Mark Sanchez from Cali and QB Rob Schoenhoft from Cincy. There is also talk that Ohio State will get neither. And, of course there is talk that Ohio State will get one and not the other. Both are considered to be anywhere from top 5 to top 15 QB prospects nationally. Stay tuned.
We are still sitting on a few things as we put the finishing touches on them. They should post in the next few days.
blb
July 12, 7:30 a.m.
Trifecta?
Ohio State has already received a verbal commitment from one Mission Viejo (CA) prospect, Ryan Williams, an athletic, big-framed defensive end who had a scholarship offer from Oklahoma, among others. Could Ohio State also receive commitments soon from two of his teammates, blue-chip quarterback Mark Sanchez and offensive lineman Kevin Bemoll? It definitely seems possible. Sanchez, considered one of the elite QB prospects in the country, is said to be deciding in July, possibly in the next 10 days or so. Bemoll is also close to a decision after visiting Ohio State this weekend, a visit that was said to have gone extremely well. His offer list includes several big-time programs, including OSU, Oklahoma, LSU, Miami (FL) and Florida. Bemoll is leaning heavily toward Ohio State and Sanchez appears to have Ohio State in his top three (if not higher) with Texas and USC.
blb
July 11, 11:45 p.m.
Buckeye 50 Yard Line Now a Five-man Team
We now have five of us that will be doing this and that on this site: Myself (Brent Baver), Doug Miller (Rossford Buck), Andy Steger, PJS Buck and DaveinNerk. As you can see, we have updated the site quite a bit in the last five days or so. We will now be able provide a lot more updates along with some more diverse Buckeye information. We have four more pieces that are about 90% done and will post this week.
Recruiting
The recruiting page has been updated. There is still a little work to do on the out-of-state OSU targets, but most of the key prospects are now listed. Stay tuned on Mark Sanchez, the blue-chip quarterback prospect from Mission Viejo. There is a legitimate chance he could commit to Ohio State. If it happens, it is going to happen very soon.
New Message Board
If you haven't checked it out yet, we have a new message board. No more pop-ups and advertising. It is hosted by ezboard.com. The board is of course free to view and use; you just need to sign up for a password through ezboard, if you do not have one already. Click here to go to the new message board.
blb
July 11, 12:45 p.m.
Thorpe Award Watch List
Andy has finished his third piece, the 2004 Thorpe Award Watch List, the award given to the top defensive back in college football each year. Click here to check it out.
How Big of a College Football Fan Are You?
Try your luck at these ten Big Ten/NCAA football trivia questions: (the only rule is "no cheating")
1) Who has the longest current winning streak in D1-A college football?
2) What Big Ten team not nicknamed the Wolverines has been to seven straight bowls?
3) In the last ten years, Michigan has won at least a share of four Big Ten titles, with Ohio State one behind at three. Who is tied at three with Ohio State?
4) What Big Ten coach is second behind Joe Pa in terms of D1-A wins?
5) This Big Ten team had just 4 touchdown passes as a team last year?
6) Penn State's most recent Big Ten championship came in what year?
7) Oklahoma Head Football Coach Bob Stoops thinks this position is the most important position on the football field? 8) OSU quarterback Justin Zwick carried what around him this spring nearly everywhere he went?
9) This D1-A school won 47 straight home during one span in the 90's.
10) The consensus among the preseason mags says this school has the best tandem of running backs in the Big Ten.
Dissed?
Who said this? (from The Sporting News 2004 Preview), what a Big Ten coach says about the Buckeyes: "Their linebackers are very good. A.J. Hawk is going to be a special player. And they have some good hitters in the secondary. But when you compare the entire group together and compare it with Michigan, I think Michigan is more talented."...."I really like that young receiver Santonio Holmes. I think he and Steve Breaston from Michigan are the two best young receivers in the Big Ten. But I don't think Ohio State has the numbers from a talent point of view at receiver that Michigan has. Michigan can put six receivers out there who are as good as anyone else in the nation. I don't think Ohio State can do that."
Now, I am not necessarily disagreeing with this coach, but when asked about Ohio State, he took two different chances to state that Michigan was better than OSU in certain areas. No, I don't think the coach was asked to compare Ohio State to Michigan, although I don't know for sure. Who was that anonymous coach? Again, I don't know for sure, but my money is on Joe Tiller who in the past has basically compared Ohio State and Michigan's talent to be, uh, no comparison at all.
Hope Ohio State has plently of bulletin boards up and ready to go again this year.
Random OSU/Big Ten/NCAA football Tidbits
--The recently published hard copy of Buckeye Sports Bulletin has some interesting Buckeye football notes. The OSU coaches may have Nick Mangold and Doug Datish switch positions, with Mangold moving to left guard and Doug Datish taking over at center. The coaches are also anxious to get Kirk Barton back in the mix to provide more competition for the somewhat open right tackle position. Finally, Coach Tressel seems to be open to the idea of Ira Guilford potentially returning to the team, should he continue to do what is expected of him. The robbery charges against Guilford may be dropped.
--From Athlon's 2004 College Football Preview, the following question was asked of several college head football coaches: "What's the No. 1 problem facing the college game today?" Florida Head Coach Ron Zook provided a two-word answer: "The Internet." In case you missed it, a Florida fan had created a website called FireRonZook.com within days of Zook being hired a few years back.
--Penn State football has taken a lot of heat from a variety of people including yours truly, but it should be noted that although they were just 3-9 (1-7, in league play) last year, they were outscored by just 1.9 points per game. Still, 77-year old head coach Joe Paterno really needs to win back some supporters this year.
--Interesting note by Phil Steele from his 2004 preview: "The Big Ten loses 6 of its top 7 QB's, top two receiving leaders and top 3 rushers." Gotta admit, the Big Ten does appear to be as down as it's been in a number of years...at least on paper. Fortunately, the game is played on the field.
blb
