BUCKEYE 50 YARD LINE ARCHIVES
Sunday, May 22, 2005 7:16 PM (Eastern)

There is another editorial available from Andy. Click here.

For links to all editorial archives starting this year, click here.

Pat

Saturday, May 21, 2005, 12:13 PM (Eastern)

AN EDITORIAL.

According to Merriam-Webster Online, the word "discipline" is as follows:

Main Entry: 1  dis·ci·pline

Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -plined; -plin·ing
1 : to punish or penalize for the sake of discipline
2 : to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control
3 a : to bring (a group) under control <discipline troops> b : to impose order upon <serious writers discipline and refine their writing styles>
synonym see PUNISH, TEACH
- dis·ci·plin·er noun

This is in obvious reference to the incident this week of Erik Haw being cited for marijuana, which was on the heels of Skeete's drug trafficking.  I wanted to take some time to be able to think clearly through this issue, because what I WANTED to write on the day of the incident wasn't fit for publication.

Here are perhaps the choices of how to look at this most recent event:

1) We have a few "bad apples"
2) This is just too many things happening under Jim Tressel's watch - something is wrong            within the program itself
3) This is just part of the current social fabric of kids in today's society - this stuff is happening                at most programs
4) Things like this have always taken place.  It's just with the media attention and scrutiny,                      things that happened 20 years ago and weren't published, are being published now.
5)  We aren't being selective enough. 

If I believed I had both an answer and solution, I would probably be consulting for $200/hr. with the university.  But I don't, and I am not.

Here is what I think is happening:

For whatever the reason (I have a theory presented below), it appears the players either don't fear repercussion, don't believe it will be forthcoming, feel the punishment to be mild enough to take the risks associated with breaking rules - classic risk/reward, or simply don't care.  For some, doing wrong and violating policy/rules/law just is not off of their radar screen - and it should be.

What to DO about this is another matter.  First, I think the root cause of this problem is likely a combination of all five of the above explanations.  It almost assuredly is not just one item.  Real world problems are rarely just as simple as one root cause.  Second, it is ridiculous to think there will never be another problem.

Some of these five factors are just simply out of any one person's control.  For example, number 3. If any of you think this is not a problem, a little research will show problems over the last twelve months at many, many programs.  Just this week a Tennessee player was arrested on felony assault charges (msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/3623380).  Without question, this is far worse than any indiscretion OSU players have committed or allegedly committed.  Not long ago, a Michigan player was arrested for exposing himself.  There have been fights with USC players.  South Carolina and Clemson got into a disgraceful show of sportsmanship with their on-field riot last year.  South Carolina players have also been arrested for theft.  Not too long ago, there was the "shoe story" out of Florida State.  As I said, with a little research, this list would get too long to post.  What any coach or coaching staff does to prevent something like this is beyond me.  I have to personally suspect that upstanding (cough) professional athletes who serve as role models (such as the Ron Artest incident in the NBA) have to be further fueling poor college behavior.

The other remaining four factors have varying degrees of control/influence by coaches.  Without being too long winded, I believe that the borderline kids and perhaps the wild ones could be more positively influenced if the punishments were more severe.  I think most reasonable people believe in second chances, but I think Jim Tressel and staff have been too lenient with first level punishment.  If I were Erik Haw, I would expect to perhaps run more laps, miss a game (maybe), be sent to third string, etc.  Not much to worry about.  However, if his teammates were to see him be suspended for 3-6 games, perhaps that would get more attention.

I offered a previous editorial on discipline where I basically said that until outlaws in the wild west saw other criminals "swinging from the hangman," they didn't believe they had anything to fear.  I am not equating handing out "death sentences" for something like what Erik Haw did, but by God if you can get kids to stop and think before they do something, a lot more of them will make better decisions.

I don't think for a second that Jim Tressel or any one person or even an entire coaching staff can realistically monitor behavior once players leave the locker room or practice field.  Parents similarly can't monitor what their kids do at school once they leave home in the morning.  HOWEVER, that parent is responsible for what their kids do and the choices they make.  In the end, it is really all about each person (child, athlete, adult) having to take responsibility for their own choices and living with the consequences.  Coaches and parents alike can only prepare for what is about to come or deal with the outcomes on the other side, once something has happened. 

In summary, I think we have great coaches and players.  I think however, that Jim Tressel HAS to do a lot more to get the attention of the players either before, or after.  I think he has likely fallen down in the "after" department.  Let's help our players who break laws/rules better learn from their mistakes.  Having a stronger approach to discipline will be something that Buckeyes can feel better about and should improve outcomes.  As it is now, I think few players under Jim Tressel believe their is even hangman's noose, let alone seeing anyone "swing" from it.

Pat


Tuesday, May 17, 2005, 7:13 PM (Eastern)

Now that the NCAA has published their findings, and now the whole world knows they found NOTHING associated with Clarett's assertions, there is a burning question I have; Where does Ohio State send the bill for the costs involved in defending themselves against claims made without merit?  For the story, click here.

For links to all editorial archives starting this year, click here.

Pat

Monday, May 16, 2005, 5:53 PM (Eastern)

The good news from this afternoon's OSU press conference is that there are really no surprises.  Certainly, the news was "good" for the football team; Troy Smith's incident is the only wrong-doing the NCAA found.  Nothing was unearthed relative to Maurice Clarett.  With the university's self imposed punishment on Smith of a two game suspension, one of which was the bowl game, speculation is there will be no further sanctions.  However, for the basketball team, the news was not so good.

The allegations associated with Jim O'Brien's handling of Alex Radojevic's recruitment and matters relating to Boban Savovic surfaced, along with recent allegations which came to light from last week's dismissal of the lawsuit by Kathleen Salyers.  Paul Biancardi appears within the investigation and things are far from settled relative to the hardcourt.  For a full list of the NCAA investigation, visit here. 

Pat

Monday, May 16, 2005, 12:43 PM (Eastern)

New athletic director Gene Smith will get his first major test with the national media later today.  He is expected to present preliminary findings from the NCAA on their investigation of football, and the men's and women's basketball programs.  We will provide coverage as soon as it breaks.

Pat

Sunday, May 15, 2005, 3:43 PM (Eastern)

Andy has done his homework and has encouraging thoughts on the many changes being made in our defense for this fall.  Here is his survey of what to expect from the defense this fall.

"Even though it’s been a while since Mark Snyder resigned as defensive coordinator and being replaced by defensive line coach Jim Heacock, I want to weigh in on the situation.

As many fans and sports writers know, the Buckeyes under Jim Tressel have always stressed solid defense, with consistent special teams and an offense that doesn’t turn the ball over. When Snyder was promoted after former defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio was hired as the University of Cincinnati’s new head coach, Snyder wanted to re-tool the defense.  Sadly, Snyder got his way and he implemented among other things, zone defensive secondary coverage.  This was in stark contract to much of the attacking nature of the Dantonio defenses.

Zone coverage is where the defensive back drops back in coverage on passing plays and is assigned to cover any offensive player that comes into their “geographic zone.” Some players and coaches don’t like zone coverage for a reason - the zones are spread out leaving gaps in the defense.  This means that a spread offense can often tear apart zone schemes if receivers find the “soft” spots.

Zone coverage and schemes also make it harder to stop the run, not just because of the assignment the DB’s have, but because they are spread out on the field. What this means is that DB’s are rarely playing close enough to the line of scrimmage to help with run support, meaning that if a running back or quarterback takes the ball past the line of scrimmage they have a little bit more room to run around before being tackled or reaching the end zone.

Not only did Mark Snyder resign for another coaching job during the off-season, but so did long-time defensive backs coach Mel Tucker who is now the Cleveland Browns defensive backs coach. Tucker was a valuable coach who developed great DB’s and was also co-defensive coordinator last year alongside Coach Snyder.  Since Snyder has left, the zone schemes and coverage's have been all but abandoned. Tressel promoted former defensive line coach Jim Heacock because Heacock and Tressel want to run a defense similar to that of former coordinator Mark Dantonio.

Tressel had more juggling to do on the defensive coaching staff and went to Michigan State’s staff and hired away the Spartan’s DB coach, Paul Haynes.  Tressel also hired defensive specialist Tim Beckman.  Beckman was previously the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Bowling Green State University.  Beckman should turn out to be an awesome hire for Tressel as he is considered a defensive genius against spread offenses and has been a recruiting coordinator.

Haynes and Beckman are now combined with Heacock, Fickell (co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach), and the new defense in 2005 should be similar to the aggressive defense that Dantonio used so effectively. The mainly negative issue I and other fans and sports writers seemed to have against Snyder was that his system and schemes were much too laid back for a team that had previously thrived on aggressive, attacking and strong defense.

In the 2004 season, Snyder’s defense only accumulated 24 sacks on the season, and there were two games where our defense didn’t get a single sack. During the 2002 national championship season, Dantonio’s defense racked up an impressive 39 sacks on the season, including 4 in the national championship game against #1 Miami. Dantonio’s defense wasn’t quite as successful in the 2003 campaign, finishing with only 31 sacks. A big reason for this was that Dantonio had to break in many new starters that year and we played in one less game in 2003 than in 2002. Regardless, it was still an impressive defensive season.

If you weren’t able to tell by watching the two different defenses that Snyder’s was softer and less aggressive, then hopefully those blitzing statistics paint the picture.  Snyder put less pressure on quarterbacks and dropped too many men into zone coverage, so not only did we get less pressure on the quarterbacks, but our rush defense gave up bigger numbers than the previous two seasons as well.

In 2002, opposing teams ran the ball against us 409 times for 1054 yards which averages out to 2.5 yards per carry while giving up an unbelievable 5 rushing touchdowns the entire season. Not only did we allow so little rushing yards in 2002, but we only allowed 5 rushing scores the entire year as well. In 2003, teams ran the ball against us 400 times for just 739 yards which comes out to an average of 1.8 yards per carry, in addition to only allowing 12 rushing touchdowns. In 2004, during Snyder’s first year, opposing teams ran the ball 440 times against us for 1571 yards which averages out to 3.5 yards per carry, while giving up 10 rushing touchdowns.

As you can see, running backs had more success against the zone schemes that Snyder implemented as did quarterbacks. It should be mentioned that only three running backs ran for over 100 yards in a game over both the 2002 and 2003 seasons when Dantonio was coordinator. In 2002, only Wisconsin’s Anthony Davis ran for over 100 yards against the Silver Bullet defense, while in 2003, Wisconsin’s Booker Stanley and Michigan’s Chris Perry both broke the century marker for rushing yards in a single game against our defense. A notable stat for the 2003 season, in both of the two games we lost, the opposing team’s running back ran for over 100 yards.

In Snyder’s one year tenure as defensive coordinator, two running backs broke the 100 yard mark in a game. In back-to-back weeks of October 2nd and October 9th, Northwestern’s Noah Herron and Wisconsin’s Anthony Davis respectively both ran for over 100 yards in a game and combined for 3 touchdowns.

What we can expect from the new Heacock defense, is a lot more pressure off the edge with the initial pass rush in effort to make quarterbacks make mistakes. There will also be more run support from the DB’s, not just the safeties, but the corners. Heacock’s defense is going to be similar to Dantonio’s which often sent corners and safeties in some of his blitzing packages. So ideally we’ll be better this year at stopping the run and our coverage schemes will be much tighter, opting to go to man-to-man coverage schemes over the inferior zone coverage schemes which will hopefully constrain opposing offenses options."

Andy Steger

For links to all editorial archives starting this year, click here.

Pat

Friday, May 13, 2005, 7:15 PM (Eastern)

Shopping from our own Buckeye 50 Fan Shop is a great way to help us keep our site free.  It is also a great source of the highest quality Buckeye 50 Fan Certified merchandise anywhere.

Just click on the logo and the shopping couldn't be any easier.

Pat


Thursday, May 12, 2005, 7:55 PM (Eastern)

Even though Justin Boren (profile link) could probably play the offensive line just about anywhere in the country, he has eliminated all but two schools.   One is in his backyard, the other is in his blood lines.  Yep; it's Ohio State or TBGUN,  PERIOD.  He also has a self imposed target timeline for a decision sometime in the next week or two.

Justin's father is Mike Boren.  If this sounds more than vaguely familiar, it's because Buckeye fans often saw only the name on the back of his U of M jersey.  He was a linebacker for TBGUN in the 1980's, and a darn good one at that.  Mike swears he will support Justin completely, regardless of where he goes.  However, for Justin, what was once a great thing has turned into the tug-of-war of a lifetime.  You see, he is actually close to both programs.

Justin has become close with the coaching staff at both schools.  He and his father are very high on Jim Tressel, which in itself if you think about it, is a monumental statement about how much Tressel and friends have been able to impress a former Wolverine varsity standout.  This folks, is no small feat. 

Justin and his father are extremely close.  Subsequently, Justin has a natural affinity for his father's alma mater.  Last weekend, the two attended a camp in Ann Arbor where TBGUN pulled out all of the stops in recruiting Justin.  This included a one-on-one with Bo Schembechler, who was his dazzling self.

Still, Justin is torn.  The decision that so many high school players wait for their entire lives, has now become such a war he probably would give anything for it to be over.  It is now work and no fun as Justin sees only one thing ahead - disappointing one school and a coaching staff he has come to highly regard.  I have a friend that knows the family and says they are very quality people and Justin will be a great asset to the university he attends, both as an athlete and as a student.

Perhaps Justin could decide easily just by a simple blood test to see what colors are revealed?  For you see, Justin was convinced for a long time that he bled Scarlet and Gray!

Pat

Wed., May 11, 2005, 8:51 PM (Eastern)

This job is so much fun when we report on exciting, positive events.  Unfortunately, life has its ups and downs.  Today is not so good news for OSU football.

Ohio State announced today that redshirt freshman kicker Jonathan Skeete has been suspended following an arrest on an outstanding warrant for drug trafficking.  Skeete allegedly sold marijuana to undercover agents on two separate occasions earlier this year.  This of course, is a felony charge and would be a setback for the football program which has started to climb out of the national limelight of controversy.  Skeete is an excellent student majoring in engineering and would be the number two kicker this fall by most accounts.  He was offered by both Ohio State and Northwestern.

Jim Tressel admitted to being completely floored by the news and had no real comment pending the outcome of the incident.  Tressel said he informed the rest of the team today and awaits hearing from Skeete as soon as Skeete can contact him.

Pat

Monday, May 9, 2005, 7:31 PM (Eastern)

If you said Area 51, Groom Lake, Nevada you would be correct. 

But based upon the Ohio State spring practice of 2005, if you had said The Woody Hayes Athletic Center (WHAC) on the Ohio State campus you might also be correct!  Why?

While it received only minor publicity, Jim Tressel closed virtually all spring practice this year.  No no, we mean he REALLY closed it.  Except for a few fleeting moments, ALL of spring practice and the football facilities were completely off-limits to everyone, including those with university-approved press credentials.  And during those few fleeting moments we were told that the players and their practice routines changed from what they had been working on and became very ordinary and vanilla.  So, what's going on here?  Conspiracy theory, paranoia, or as in the case of Area 51, top secrecy?   The correct choice is C: Top Secret.

Those who know me understand I love the x's and o's of football.  I love analysis and dissecting a game.  Those who know me also know I am a cheerleader and don't mind some intrigue from time to time.  However, in this case, the intrigue is more serious than fun.

It is true that spring practice was closed.  It is also correct to say there were armed, uniformed police officers at all major entrances at times.  I even drove up to practice one afternoon, parked in the Jesse Owens track stadium and started walking up to the area in back of the old baseball field where you could actually get a slight glimpse of practice.  I was about 50 yards away from the outdoor practice field which was separated by two chain link fences.  Before I could even get to the first fence, I was politely ushered away by someone from the athletic department.  Of course I didn't mind because if it is that important to them, I would not want anything to be compromised, so I left.  I have never been to Groom Lake, Nevada, home of the infamous Area 51, but I understand the same thing happens if you try to get onto their property - you are escorted off.

I didn't give it much thought until about a week ago when a good friend (one of my inside sources) told me privately that the secrecy was for a good reason.  He gave me little more than indicating that parts of a new offense were being installed.  Apparently, they also didn't want anyone to see just who was doing what.  I bring this up because since then, the Columbus Dispatch did a post-spring practice analysis and actually referred jokingly to the WHAC as, Area 51.  There were even those within the athletic department using the Area 51 reference. 

This has me thinking long and hard about the possibilities.  Perhaps a new offense around Ted Ginn?  Perhaps with the presence of a valid running attack, Jim Tressel might be able to do what he has probably wanted to do since he first arrived; have a power running game based upon a balanced offense.  Or, perhaps, he is plotting to stretch opposing defenses BOTH horizontally AND vertically with the likes of Holmes, Ginn, Dukes, Gonzalez, Lyons, R. Hall, Hamby, Frost, Nicol.....

Think about it:  All of a sudden what started out as light fun at the top of this article might very well have turned into serious stuff for this fall! 

Pat

Wednesday, May 4, 2005, 8:11 PM (Eastern)

We have an incredible report from our operatives deep under cover tonight.  We actually have a play from the TBGUN playbook along with detailed analysis that is a must-see for true Buckeye fans.  Click HERE for the link.

Pat

Saturday, April 30, 2005, 8:31 PM (Eastern)

Jim Tressel went back to his roots to make what appears to be another outstanding hire in Tim Beckman, the Bowling Green DC, who will fill his final defensive coaching vacancy.  As you know, Jim Tressel is from Berea, Ohio.  Guess where Tim Beckman is from?  Yep, Berea, Ohio.  Here is a short but impressive statement from College Football News about him LINK.  Jim Tressel, the family man that he is, chose a well rounded candidate in Beckman who has three children himself.

It is anticipated that Beckman will specialize in handling the defensive secondary (primarily cornerbacks) for Ohio State.  This is no small matter: Beckman comes from a football family, was a varsity letterman himself at the University of Findlay, has substantial coaching experience including mentoring under Gary Blackney, Gregg Brandon and Urban Meyer. 

Under his direction, the BGSU defense has consistently been outstanding, including near the top or leading the league in turnovers, and he is particularly known for being able to creatively assemble coverage patterns which give opposing QB's fits.  In fact, some people believe that defending against spread offenses is how he rose to stardom as a coach.  Beckman also has extensive recruiting experience and has acted as recruiting coordinator.  Tim said to coach at Ohio State is a dream come true - gotta love that!

His father coached for the Cleveland Browns and the San Diego Chargers.  Tim Beckman's father also played for someone named Lee Tressel at Baldwin Wallace.

Like I said, back to his roots goes Jim Tressel.

Pat

Friday, April 29, 2005, 8:31 PM (Eastern)

Although we are essentially about Buckeye football, we have started some coverage of OSU basketball under Thad Matta.  A few weeks ago, Matta landed a haymaker of news in recruiting circles by receiving a commitment from Daequan Cook, the #1 rated player in Ohio and a top 5 player nationally.  Cook was only offered scholarships from Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina (UNC), Syracuse and Wake Forest.  Now, his friend David Lighty, the #2 rated player in Ohio and a top 20 nationally ranked player will commit to joining him at Ohio State next year.

Lighty is recovering from knee surgery, but is expected to be 100%.  He is listed at 6'5", 185 lbs. and is expected to be a true "wing" player.  I have seen film of him and he reminds me a lot of Mateen Cleaves, formerly from Michigan State.  Lighty is extremely athletic with superior floor vision and can knock 3's down from NBA range.

As if this weren't enough, some experts quietly are expecting other commitments to Thad Matta that, if they materialize, could represent one of the strongest incoming recruiting classes for Ohio State next year EVER IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL.  Other super-stars Matta is optimistic about landing include; Greg Oden (#1 ranked HS player nationally and projected to potentially be the #1 NBA draft choice in 2006), Mike Conley and Thaddeus Young. 

For those who visit our Fan Forum regularly, I am on record saying (shortly after Thad Matta was hired) I expect Matta will take Ohio State to the Final Four within his first five years.  At this rate, my prediction appears to be no longer valid - it will occur sooner!

Pat

Thursday, April 28, 2005, 11:01 PM (Eastern)

He just received the word today that his sixth year of eligibility will be granted by the NCAA.  If you don't recognize him now, you will this fall.  He is the one who will be filling the black hole left by the departing Mike Nugent.  This is sixth year senior, Josh Huston.   He is from Findlay, Ohio and is attending the prestigious Fisher School of Business at Ohio State majoring in marketing. 

After redshirting his first year, he competed head-to-head with Mike Nugent during his redshirt freshman year, but was just barely edged out.  Yes, he is THAT good. 

Josh is both a kicker and punter, but will probably see mostly kicking duties this fall.  He is known for exceptionally high punts and, like Mike, is both long and accurate on field goals.  Now, before you wonder how he will be in game situations, he has kicked field goals against Indiana and Wisconsin while kicking off most of his redshirt freshman year in 2001. 

This is bad new for opponents and good news for Buckeyes.

Pat


Tuesday April 26, 2005, 9:21 PM (Eastern)

JOE-S-U has an excellent analysis and some final thoughts on individual performances from last Saturday's Snow-Fest in the Horseshoe.  For his report, click HERE.

Pat

Monday, April 25, 2005, 8:21 PM (Eastern)

There were only about 22,000+ at the game Saturday, and Gregg Watson was one of them.  Here is a first look for those who couldn't make it.  HERE

Pat

Sunday, April 24, 2005, 5:01 PM

It only LOOKED like Spring in this picture; it was actually winter(?).  Wind-chill at kick off was 24 F degrees with the wind whipping at 10-20 mph.  We all know that this was not even close to a real game, but we all pretend because we are so football-starved.  The only thing we can take away from Saturday is how certain people performed.  Let's see how my "watch list" fared:


OTHERS OF INTEREST


Overall, not many surprises or disappointments.  Hopefully, we can find a way to send film of this game to Texas for them to prepare for us!  Now starts, the REALLY long wait until late July.

Pat

Thursday, April 21, 2005, 10:18 PM

With the Spring Game just two days away, I thought I would give my 2 cents on points of interest.  Since it is really not a game per se, I personally think for fans it is much more about observing individual performances.  This will include seeing progress from last year, new players, and those moving from a 2 or 3 spot to perhaps starting.  With this in mind, here are some of the particular players I want to watch and why (in no particular order):


There are going to be many interesting other players to watch and I don't want to slight anyone.  These are just some of the more interesting developments that I think could mean a lot for this Fall.

The Spring Game will be broadcast on ONN (Ohio News Network) and CSTV, 1460AM THEFAN radio.  Since I live in Columbus, I will as always, be at the game.

Pat

Wednesday, April 20, 2005, 12:01 PM

Time to cast your vote for who you think should be our captains this fall.  There are a number of juniors on our list mainly because of a smaller number of starting seniors.  LINK.

Pat

Tuesday, April 19, 2005, 10:25 AM

To true Buckeyes, this photo should make you sick to your stomach.  Why?  If for no other reason than it is a photo of The Bad Guys.  So?  The front page of the Sports section of today's Columbus Dispatch newspaper features a huge story about Braylon Edwards, along with a color photo that measures just over 6x9 inches of him catching a ball in his home uniform.  The story, written by someone named James Walker, is titled, "Slow Start Pays Off."  It is a classic rags-to-fame story.  The combined story and picture take up approximately 2/3 of the entire front page of the Sports Section.  Below this story is a much smaller photo and story about OSU long-snapper Kyle Andrews.

Am I missing something here? 

A feature story about a star for TBGUN in our paper seems to be akin to the Democratic National Party giving Rush Limbaugh a life-time achievement award.  It's also not like Edwards was an Ohio boy that temporarily lost his way and ended up in the land of the ugly-helmets - he went to high school in Detroit! 

There is passing reference to him possibly being drafted by the Cleveland Browns, which may have given rise to this story.  However, it is NOT a story about all of the potential Brown's draft picks, so this make little sense.  Personally, I like Tim May and many of his articles (even though he did not do this piece) but this makes zero sense to my little Scarlet & Gray mind.  Then again, the Columbus Dispatch periodically does what seems to me to be very weird stuff (much like this).  Weren't these the same guys who also "broke" that landmark, journalistic "breakthrough" story about Jim Bollman having that "terrible" reprimand in his otherwise "private" personnel jacket?   You know, the one the entire sports world has been talking about ever since?  A story which was later that same day "further qualified" as having been taken out of context?  Now, that meant what to OSU and the fans, again? 

I asked for and am still awaiting the Dispatch voluntarily publishing their own personnel files and salaries, similarly to how they saw fit to disclose similar information about Tressel and Bollman.  I'll hold my breath while the "weirdness" continues!?

Pat

Monday, April 18, 2005, 11:55 AM

We have an assorted list of observations from Sunday's Jersey Scrimmage.  To start with, the offense we saw most last year has been run out of town for good. 


More later, but the offense, under the goofy scoring system, racked up 93 points.  All three QB's looked good.  The defense was confused the whole game and gave the offense respect publicly.

EXPLOSIVE!

Pat

Friday, April 15, 2005, 10:17 AM

JOE-S-U has a short tribute and commentary following Andy's last day of serving the Buckeye nation.  HERE

Pat



Wed, April 13, 2005, 8:27 PM

Finally, some information from our covert operatives!  What's new?  Click HERE to read the operatives' latest report.

Pat

Sunday, April 10, 2005, 8:37 PM

THEY'RE BAAACK!

You wouldn't think as many competitive juices flow in the winter/spring as in the fall, but they do for us, and they do for TBGUN (The Bad Guys Up North).  After a tremendously intense time of being scrutinized by Lloyd Carr, our infamous HAVEBLUE operatives will be resuming transmission of reports from The Dark Side.  Our newest report should hit sometime this week and word is the operatives have some VERY interesting information to pass along. 

We will also be updating progress of spring practice this week, as we continue the march to the Scarlet & Gray game on April 23, 2005.

Pat

Wednesday, April 6, 2005, 7:25 PM

Just when you thought all of the national media had finally and totally turned against us, BAM!, we get surprised.  We knew TG was Heisman material, but wondered if anyone else did too.  Well, yesterday Sports Illustrated came out with this article.  LINK.  He hasn't made the cover (yet), so we can't think about the SI Jinx.  Cool article, actually saying something good about us!!!

Ahhhhhh.  I guess order may be restored to the universe, and good win-out over bad after all!(?)

Pat

Monday, April 4, 2005, 7:05 PM

The newest Buckeye 50 YardLine poll question is now available.  Click HERE for the link.  HINT: Just how bad is YOUR Buckeye fever problem?

Pat

Saturday, April 2, 2:45 PM

We have caught up on the daily links that should bring you up to date on your spring football fix if you are a little behind.  Click here to go to the links.

blb

Saturday, April 2, 2005, 1:30 PM

Spring ball is underway and it's time to get excited.  Why?  Click here for the answer.

The 2005 depth chart has been updated to reflect injuries and the latest depth as far as we can tell.  Later this afternoon, we will have a list of links with a variety of spring updates to get caught up if you are behind. 

blb

Friday, April 1, 2005, 3:20 PM

In what can only be described as a bitterly disappointing day for our reporting team, we have just learned that Maurice himself decided to re-think his position and will not be in attendance at his own, self-called press conference.  This has left university officials red-faced, once again.  Our source said he felt like, "Charlie Brown trying to kick the football being held by Lucy, just one last time."  He went on to say that he feels this may be the last straw for Maurice.

Buckeye 50 YardLine officials have tried to reach the NCAA, as well as Jim Brown.  Neither were available for comment.  Officials at his high school however said they saw him running wind-sprints by himself indoors.  Speaking on condition of anonymity, a former teacher did say they informed Maurice earlier today that, "Those moody people from the NFL left sometime yesterday." 

The final conclusion we are left with is to advise everyone that this has been a good-natured attempt for an April Fool's Day prank, courtesy of your friends here at the Buckeye 50 YardLine.  I feel everyone needs to be able to laugh and enjoy life.  While controversial at Ohio State, Maurice contributed greatly to our 2002 Championship year.  I personally hope he can get in the groove of making better decisions, as life is short and we don't always get second and third chances. 

FYI - the 2005 Depth Chart is now updated for Spring Practice.  Enjoy the rest of your day!

Pat

Friday, April 1, 2005, 2:53 PM

The much awaited press conference has been delayed until 4:45 PM, EST.  We will provide coverage as quickly as possible.

Pat

Friday, March 32, 2005, 8:17 AM

The Buckeye 50 YardLine learned late last night from the highest levels of the university (confirmed this morning) that former running back Maurice Clarett will return to OSU full time as a student athlete and rejoin the team with the incoming freshman class this Fall.

According to our source, this deal has been in the works behind the scenes for over eight months, and has been a closely guarded secret by all involved. Apparently, Clarett and his attorney negotiated privately with the NCAA, then Ohio State.  All of the terms of this totally unprecedented action were not revealed, however we did learn that Clarett said he had wanted to return to OSU ever since his lawsuits against the NFL all failed, realizing the magnitude of his mistakes at that point.  Our source indicated the NCAA and Ohio State will “recognize” him this fall as a sophomore.  Further details later today around noon, when it will be officially announced.

Pat

Thursday, March 31, 7:40 PM

It's Wednesday morning, and your boss tells you that he needs you in (pick a place ______) and your business will not finish up until late Saturday morning.  You can return anytime after that, but being the devout fan you are, you MUST catch the game live.  Quick: where do you go? 

This question was actually posed to me today by one of my sons, and I realized I had no answer.  Actually, I would NEVER be out of town for a home game, but what if I couldn't get home in time to watch an away game?  The next best thing would be to watch the game with fellow Buckeyes.  We ARE everywhere, you know.

We want to create a link for all travelers worldwide, as well as those who live outside of Columbus, of great places (restaurants, bars, halls, etc.) to watch the game with fellow Buckeyes.  Due to limitations on storage of the Buckeye 50 YardLine current e-mail servers, please send your responses to the following e-mail: psteger@columbus.rr.com .  I will start posting them this weekend.  Please make sure you know for a fact that the locations you provide are known and reliable places where Buckeyes reliably gather for the games.

This should be very interesting.

Pat

Tuesday, March 29, 7:50 AM

The winter doldrums are about to end, both weather-wise and football-wise.  Spring practice starts officially this Thursday (3/31/2005), culminating in the Spring Game on April 23 in Ohio Stadium.   Tickets to the Spring game are $5.00 each and open to the public.  They can be purchased at the Athletics Ticket Office in the Jerome Schottenstein Center.  The game will also be telecast live in Columbus by WBNS-TV (Channel 10) and carried around the state on ONN. CSTV will carry the game nationally on a delayed basis. WBNS Radio (1460 AM) also will broadcast the game.  Out of town fans should be able to hear the game via the Internet from 1460 THE FAN radio (WBNS radio).

We will have more on the drama, the replacements and the key areas of concern in the next few days.

Pat

Sunday, March 27, 9:00 PM

First the Easter Bunny, then the basketball playoffs, and NOW, JOE-S-U!  This is almost too much to handle in one day.

JOE-S-U has some very interesting insite on the upcoming season and the Heisman trophy with his editorial entitled, "Heisman Highs & Lows." Click on the "Editorials" link in the left column for the article.

Also, we have a preview photo from Watson Photography showing a classic pose from last years's GAME.

Pat

Thursday, March 24, 9:30 PM

The athletic department released a depth chart for spring practice today, although it still looks a little dated.  This link will take you to the spring overview which will include a link to the spring depth chart.  We have also updated our own depth chart, which takes into account injuries and some projected position changes that we feel will be in effect come the start of spring drills. 

Buckeye Meat and Potatoes:

--As expected, Donte Whitner is penciled in to get the first shot at replacing Dustin Fox as the boundary cornerback.  I was at a charity event a few weeks ago, an event that Whitner and most of the other 2005 Buckeye football players attended.  I couldn't figure out what he was talking about at the time, but Whitner said that he would be playing corner in the spring, but playing his customary safety position in the fall.  He then stated that Tyler (Everett) would be playing corner in the fall.  Well, it turns out that Everett will miss the spring recovering from minor knee surgery.  It makes a little more sense to me now, but I can't imagine that the coaches would play Whitner at cornerback in the spring unless they feel he is capable of handling the job full-time, opposite Ashton Youboty.  But it has been said that Whitner is not thrilled with the idea of playing corner.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

--Tight End Marcel Frost is not listed in the depth chart, although the chart goes at least three-deep at most positions.  This could be because the depth chart is indeed dated.  Frost had some injuries last year and it has been somewhat hush-hush as to his health status since then.  Frost was at the charity event that I attended, so he is still with the team.  If Frost is healthy, some think he could get a look at DE again, if the coaches feel they need more bodies there.  However, everyone raved about Frost at TE in practice last year before he got hurt.

--Other injuries - Mike D'Andrea will be held out of spring drills as he recovers from knee surgery.  D'Andrea expected to be full-go in August.  John Kerr, Brandon Underwood and Mike Kudla will participate in spring drills but may be held out of contact drills because of medical restrictions.  When Kerr does play, he may get looks at both MLB and WLB.

--Doug Datish is listed as the #1 RG on the depth chart released today, but there is a good amount of talk that says Kyle Mitchum and Ben Person will stage a battle (possibly with Datish) for a starting job.

--Noticeable absences from the depth chart - EJ Underwood, Albert Dukes and Brandon Maupin.

--It looks like Anthony Schlegel will play in the spring and will be unrestricted.  Schlegel has recovered quickly from off-season knee surgery.  Chad Hoobler will likely start the spring playing with the two's.

blb

Thursday, March 24, 1:15 PM

Here is one of Gregg Watson's OSU football 'Visuals'.  Gregg's visual works include virtually ALL things related to OSU football.  Anything that goes with Game-Day, is a fair subject for his works.  We are working on a temporary way for you to see and purchase Gregg's work until we can get a fully integrated Photo Shopping Facility in place.  Let us know what you think!

Pat

Wednesday, March 23, 7:45 AM

You may remember that we recently added two new people to our staff; JOE-S-U and Gregg Watson (Watson Photography).  JOE-S-U's first article has been published.  However, coming soon to the Buckeye 50 YardLine will be the photographic works of Gregg Watson.  Gregg's "hobby" is OSU football photography.  We will soon be carrying his work exclusively.  You will be able to view and order his work right here from the Buckeye 50 YardLine.  We will have a few samples up in a day or two, with hopefully much more to choose from in a few weeks.

Also, Gregg was able to confirm for me that the Penn State game this year (@ Happy Valley) will be a night game. "Penn State-Ohio State Clash Set for Primetime Kickoff on ESPN/ESPN2  STATE COLLEGE, Pa., March 23, 2005 - ESPN will nationally televise the gridiron clash between Penn State and Ohio State in primetime, marking the first time the border rivals have played each other at night.

The Buckeyes will visit Beaver Stadium on October 8. The contest will begin at either 7:00 p.m. and air on ESPN2 or 7:45 p.m. and air on ESPN. A determination on the kick time may not be made until 12 days prior to the contest."

Pat

Sunday, March 20, 9:45 PM

The recruiting page and the 2005 depth chart have been updated.

Buckeye Meat and Potatoes

--Linebacker Marcus Freeman has changed his number to #1.

--When asked recently if he would be playing in the spring, Anthony Schlegel replied, "Yes", but then added, "...if I have any say in the matter."  Sounds to me like the coaches may make Anthony sit out this spring as he recovers from off-season surgery.  Mike D'Andrea may be held out of spring drills for precautionary reasons as well.  If this happens, look for John Kerr and Chad Hobbler to share time with the one's at the MLB spot this spring.

--Donte Whitner and Tyler Everett may be auditioning for the boundary cornerback spot opposite Ashton Youboty (although Donte is thought to like safety much better than corner).  So, as of right now, it looks like both are starters - one at cornerback and one at strong safety.  But, there is a lot of football to be played between now and September 3rd's opener against Miami (OH).  Look for Jamario O'Neal to throw his hat in the mix at corner when he arrives (assuming he passes admissions which is not yet a certainty).  Teddy Ballgame may throw his hat into the mix as well, although it is more likely that the coaches mix Teddy in at cornerback slowly during the season and never play Ginn full time on defense.

--Four of the five O-line positions look to be pretty much set for now, with Rob Sims at LT, Nick Mangold at C, Kirk Barton at RT and T.J. Downing at RG or LG.  The other guard spot could be a battle between two talented redshirts, Kyle Mitchum and Ben Person.  Also, Steve Rehring could play a good deal at LT, pushing Sims to LG, as he did last year.  If Doug Datish were to progress, he could earn some time at center, sliding Mangold to one of the guard spots.  (Mangold was recently timed at 4.96...pretty fast for any O-lineman.)  However it plays out, this appears to be the deepest and most talented Ohio State line in recent memory.

--It has all but been 100% confirmed that Roy Hall has moved to TE.

--It is still not a 100% certainty that Troy Smith will sit out the opener, although that still appears to be the most likely scenario.

--Most of the recent talk says that E.J. Underwood and Brandon Maupin will not be returning.  It is up in the air as to whether or not Albert Dukes returns.

--Recent recruiting news is very good in terms of Ohio State's chances for Pickerington blue chip offensive lineman Justin Boren.  Boren is calling Ohio State his clear leader, despite the fact that his old man played linebacker at TSUN in the early 80's.  Ohio State could sweep the "Big 3" O-linemen from Ohio; they lead for Boren, Aaron Brown and Conner Smith.  OSU offered these three O-linemen early in the process, an unusual move by the Ohio State coaching staff.  They obviously are very high on these three kids.

--There has been some talk that Erik Haw has struggled to stay eligible, but as of now, it looks like Haw is making the grade and the word is, he is turning some heads.  Look for Haw to take the #1 TB job this spring, assuming he continues to keep his grades up.  Antonio Pittman may still be in the coaches' dog house.

--Sounds like it could be 50/50 whether or not Marshall hires Ohio State defensive coordinator Mark Snyder as their head coach.  If they do, the #1 candidate to replace Snyder may be ex-OSU assistant Gary Blackney.  Another name that is being thrown around a lot is ex-OSU LB Thomas "Pepper" Johnson.  A couple of other ex-Buckeyes, Bo Pellini and Tim Walton are being mentioned as potential targets as well.  BUT....it is still not a certainty that Marshall offers Mark Snyder the head coaching position.  If they do offer, the word is Snyder will jump on it.

--Are you a big-time OSU football fan and a casual OSU basketball fan?  If so, you may not know these names yet.  The Buckeyes will add these three players in '05-'06: Brayden Bell, Utah, Center, 6-9, 240 - terrific shooter for a big man; Sylvester Mayes, JUCO, Shooting Guard, 6-2, 195 - unanimous league MVP, 20.3 ppg; Ronald Lewis, BG Transfer, Guard, 6-4 - averaged 17.0 ppg as a soph, shooting .810 % from the line and averaging almost 5 rb’s per game.  Things look very promising for Thad Matta's Buckeyes next year.

blb

Sunday, March 20, 2005 12:59 PM

We all knew it was bound to happen.  And today is one of those days.  A day that during football season we all knew would happen, but dismissed it quickly because we were having too much fun in the Fall to think about it then. 

What kind of day?  A day where absolutely NOTHING OSU football related is going on, as well as no college football news.  So I thought this would be a good opportunity to start familiarizing everyone with certain features of our new site you may not have found yet.

Today, I want to highlight an area on the bottom left of the scarlet column named, 'Famous Links'.  This section is the beginning of an area that we will collect clips of audio, video or multi-media that represent great moments is OSU football history.  THIS SECTION IS CLEARLY NOT COMPLETE YET. 

The first link is titled. "Holy Buckeye." It probably needs no explanation, but it is the famous 4th down play against Purdue in 2002 - one of MANY plays that season where fate was on the line, again. 

It was very late in the game and Ohio State was trailing 6-3.  We were undefeated in the season, and ranked #3 in the country. Tressel decided to go for it.  OSU lined up..., well....., see for yourself here. Truly, one of the single most stunning moments in OSU football history.  You will need Apple Quicktime to see this, which you can download for free from our download link bottom left.  It is a little slow loading and not that long in duration, but VERY worth the time.  ENJOY! 

Pat



Tuesday, March 15, 2005 2:12 PM

Within the past couple of weeks, the Big Ten announced the conference portion of the 2007 and 2008 football schedules.  Unless I missed it in the paper, I've checked the Big 10's website and several others and haven't found a complete listing anywhere.  In checking the school sites, I've
pieced together partial schedules..

2007- The Bucks will travel to Washington to face the Huskies on September 15th.  There's no game listed for 2008 so I'm guessing this is the return game for the August night game here in '03.  The only Big 10 games I've found so far for '07 have us at Penn State Oct. 27th, home vs. Wisconsin Nov. 3rd and at Michigan Nov. 17th.  What a stretch run!

2008- Looks like everyone will be back to a 12-game schedule this season.  The Bucks go to Wisconsin on Oct. 4, host Penn State on Oct. 25th and host Michigan on Nov. 22nd.

As some of you may have heard, our feathered friends at Iowa do not play us OR Michigan in '07 and '08.  Kind of reminiscent of when Joe Pa came into the Big 10 and got bye weeks before playing us and Michigan for his first two years, not to mention us having to go up to Happy Valley two years in a row which was never reciprocated.  Someone at the Big 10 office must love
Kirk Ferentz.  Or it could be ESPN who's still ticked that we didn't play Iowa in 2002.  But I'm sure Iowa's schedule was randomly done by computer.  Yeah, more famous last words!

JOE_S_U

Monday, March 14, 2005 10:32 PM

We have made a slight modification to the home page.  The column on the right is now underneath the original column to the left.  We will be additionally modifying both columns on the left for a more efficient look via consolidation of links.  The whole purpose of this is to allow for more print area as we anticipate more updates, more frequently.

pjs buck

Sunday, March 13, 2005 8:32 PM

We mentioned a while back that we would be bringing on additional Buckeye 50 Fifty Yard Line staff members.  I am very proud to introduce our newest team members; Gregg Watson and Joe Hylton.

Gregg Watson is a graduate of Ohio State and lives here in Columbus, Ohio.  In addition to having a full-time professional position, he also has a private photography business, 'Watson Photography.'  Beginning April 1, 2005, The Buckeye 50 Yard Line will be the exclusive dealer for all of Gregg's excellent OSU-related photography.  In addition, Gregg will be a regular contributing columnist providing game coverage, and analysis.  Welcome Gregg - a true Buckeye in every sense!

Then there's Joe.  I think Joe is going to be a character and a lot for us to handle (all in a good way).  His nickname given to him by co-workers, which is what he will go by here on the Buckeye 50 Yard Line is, "JOE-S-U".  In Joe's own words, here's why:

"Hello fellow Buckeye fans!

My name is Joe Hylton (pronounced like Paris but I don't claim to be related) and I'll be a new "voice", if you will, here at "Buckeye 50".   Periodically I'll be commenting on the upcoming 2005 season as well as looking back at the illustrious history of Ohio State football.  I'm thrilled to get this opportunity and sincerely hope you'll enjoy our coverage of the Bucks.

I am a graduate of Ohio State (Class of 1990), and during my days as a student I experienced some of the high times (the Iowa game of '85, the LSU and Minnesota comebacks) and dark days (4 losses in 5 years to Michigan, the firing of Earle Bruce) in OSU annals.  Actually the first game I ever attended at the 'Shoe had been in 1982 when John Elway took Stanford 80 yards in a little over a minute to knock the Buckeyes off.  I figured after that things could only get better...

Ohio State football has been a lifelong love affair.  If any of you are regular listeners to 1460 The Fan in Columbus, you may remember last summer they had a contest called the BFAT (Buckeye Football Aptitude Test).  Registered listeners got to take a 100-question test about Ohio State football with the winner receiving season tickets to the 'Shoe for 2004.  I was fortunate enough to win the contest, and I mention all of this not to brag but to let you all know how much I've enjoyed learning about Ohio State pigskin history.  I hope that the games, players, moments and traditions that we reflect on here at "Buckeye 50" will bring back great memories or even perhaps inspire our readers to study up further on Buckeye gridiron history.

You will also have the opportunity on our site to enjoy photographs from another new addition to the "Buckeye 50" staff, my longtime "Buckeye Brother" Gregg Watson.  Gregg will be bring a unique perspective to our coverage.  Fans all over the country have enjoyed his pictures (particularly from the memorable 2002 season) and I'm sure you will, too.

It is our hope that you'll make "Buckeye50" a regular stop as you're browsing for information on the Buckeyes, and personally I welcome any questions or feedback you may have along the way.

Go Bucks! " 

Joe and Gregg are both going to be tremendous additions to our staff.  Brent and I are both ecstatic to have them and their skills as part of our team!  Please welcome them and feel free to e-mail them here as they are now listed in the "Contact Us" section to the left.

pjs buck

(p.s. in case you are wondering, JOE_S_U's score on the 100 question test was 94.  Jack Park, look out!)



Friday, March 11, 2005 6:32 PM

"Everyone knows we have the best damn band in the land, now we have the best damn TEAM in the land."

Jim Tressel, in January 2003, at The National Championship Fiesta Bowl post-game celebration.

It is said that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.  I think the second most sincere must be acknowledgement by competitors and peers.  Well, it just so happens that the VAST majority of Michigan State band supporters and fans feel that Ohio State IS the Best Damn Band In The Land (TBDBITL).

In an on-going poll at Michigan State's Marching Band website, almost 60% of ALL RESPONDANTS chose The Ohio State University March Band when asked the question; "Other than the SMB (Spartan Marching Band), what is your favorite big 10 band?"  When I looked at the statistics, they had a total of 96 responses, of which 56 were votes for TBDBITL.  The next closest band was (believe it or not) Illinois(?).  Here is the table and a link to their site: http://www.spartanband.net/forum/index.php
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current Poll
Out of Polls
"Big 10 Bands"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other than the SMB, what is your favorite big 10 band?

13.83%  
Illinois (13 votes)

8.51%  
Indiana (8 votes)

1.06%  
Iowa (1 votes)

9.57%  
Michigan (9 votes)

1.06%  
Minnesota (1 votes)

2.13%  
Northwestern (2 votes)

59.57%  
Ohio State (56 votes)

1.06%  
Penn State (1 votes)

1.06%  
Purdue (1 votes)

2.13%  
Wisconsin (2 votes)

The graphic is a little odd at the site, but you'll get the drift!

pjs buck


Tuesday, March 8, 2005 9:12 PM

Some things are best enjoyed only once, others are just as sweet a second time around.  Before the final glow wears off, let's take a last look at the post-game celebration from the playing floor at the Schott from last Sunday's thrilling 65-64 win over #1 Illinois:


















pjs buck

Sunday, March 6, 2005 3:22 PM

"Greatness, no matter how brief, tends to stay with a man."
From the Movie, 'The Replacements'

With about three minutes left in the game, you could physiologically see the fatigue of the OSU players - they were spent.  You could see it in their posture, their legs, their speed, their shoulders.  You could see it everywhere on them EXCEPT two places; in their eyes, and in their hearts.  If Illinois had looked closely enough in both places, they would have seen fire, determination and pride.

Illinois was brilliant again today; hot shooting, hot rebounding, beating our guys down the floor, steals, and defense.  Yep, for most of the first half it looked like another classic case of Illinois and everyone else.  However, during halftime, someone in the locker room forgot to tell Thad Matta and the team that they were supposed to continue rolling over and playing dead the second half as well.

Ohio State came out and was no longer intimidated.  They no longer saw themselves as the next victim.  They believed and played 20 minutes of basketball as if their season depended upon it.  Actually, it did.  While everyone contributed, two hero's stood out; Terrence Dials and Matt Sylvester.

Dials got the ball early and often.  He turned out to be more of a force to be reckoned with than anyone else Illinois saw all year. Rebounding, going to the basket and staking his territory like a predator, he played like a true champion.  At one point, I didn't think Terrence had enough glucose in the tank to walk down court, let alone run.  But he ran and jumped when there was seemingly no fuel left to burn.

Matt Sylvester just simply wanted it.  In the second half, his game contained another gear and he shifted into that gear and stayed there the rest of the game.  With 7 plus seconds left in the game and Ohio State down by two points, Matt pulled up several feet short of the three point line, launched the ball, and before the sound of the ball coursing through nylon untouched by the rim could resonate throughout The Schott, the crowd exploded. 

It was now 65-64, the Good Guys in front of undefeated number 1, Illinois.  At this moment, you saw heart, pride and determination come together at a time when there seemingly was nothing left.  Illinois missed the last shot - game over.  If there is any blood on the floor, in the locker rooms or on the bench, unmistakably it IS Scarlet and Gray - for CHAMPIONS BLEED SCARLET AND GRAY.

Guys, you made yourselves and ALL Buckeyes proud today; not because you won, but because of HOW and WHY you won.  For you see, THAT is the secret of what being a Buckeye is really all about.  Not so much the W's and L's, but at least as much for, HOW and WHY.

As for me? I just proved scientifically for the first time in history, that you can actually quantify "heart" in sports:  It IS exactly,
1 POINT. 

pjs buck

Thursday, March 3, 2005 8:12 PM

Our re-designed website is just the beginning of what we hope are going to be many additional features, capabilities and coverage we plan to install over the next 3-6 months.  We will be adding staff researchers, a photographer, additional writing help and our very own "Mini-Jack"  that is, a Jack Park-like fountain of knowledge about OSU football.  Don't laugh, this guy went toe-to-toe with Jack Parks last year.

Since not much is going on with football right now, over the next several weeks we are going to introduce some of the photos and tidbits of research on the front page here.  Once we have things finalized with these individuals, we will formally introduce everyone so you know who to go to for whatever you need.

Here is our first photo.  These will come from various sources.

















Yes, you are reading this correctly.  They are from the teams from '91 and '92 - 1891 and 1892, that is.  This is a picture is courtesy of the Ohio State University Archives, and the players are actually wearing their game uniforms.  Future photos will include the cover photo we will be using for our 'THE GAME' section to the left when it opens later this Fall.  I have to tell you, this picture is SO SWEET you won't believe it.

pjs buck

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 3:50 PM

Who will play and who will watch?  Andy Steger has an analysis and projection for the incoming freshman class now available.  See, "New Blood."

Sunday, February 27, 2005 9:45 PM

The 2006 recruiting page and the 2005 depth chart have been updated.  And for those of you like to look a year or two down the road, we have finally updated the "future" depth charts.

blb

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