November 9, 9:30 a.m.
November 9, 8:00 a.m.
Bucks Shine in Win Over Spartans
No Scott McMullen; well, not much of Scotty, but really no need. Craig Krenzel threw three TD's and the Buckeye offense settled into a groove, moving the ball productively through the air and on the ground, helping propel the Buckeyes to a 33-23 victory over Michigan State.
More soon.
blb
November 8, 8:45 a.m.
Game Day
Another bigee. If you are headed to the game, be prepared to make some noise. Any little advantage OSU can get will be key today.
It's currently 29 degrees at the stadium, should rise to around 38 degrees by kickoff, and will top out at 40. Bring your warm clothes.
Next update late tonight or tomorrow morning.
GO BUCKS!
blb
November 7, 7:15 a.m.
Smoker and Spartans Invade the 'Shoe
Another week and another game Ohio State can surely win or surely lose. This time it's against comeback kid Jeff Smoker and a surprising Michigan State team. The Spartans are the one team that I completely missed the boat on in my preseason Big Ten picks this year. I did not think John L Smith could get things turned around this quickly and of course had no idea Jeff Smoker would come back play like he has.
An interesting stat about the Spartans is that they lead the nation in sacks, yet they are last in the Big Ten in pass defense. Huh? I guess that shows you what opposing QB's can do against the Spartan secondary if they find time to throw. The problem of course is finding that needed time.
MSU has made big improvements stopping the run, surrendering just 101 yards per game on the ground. Lydell Ross needs to be healthy and stay healthy for Ohio State to have much hope of running the ball on the Spartans.
Jeff Smoker is the nation's comeback player of the year - no doubt about it. Smoker has thrown just one interception in over 200 passes in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes are going to need to provide pressure in order to force Smoker into mistakes. And Smoker will be back in the pocket almost all day tomorrow, because Michigan State can forget about running the ball against Ohio State.
The special teams play could decide this game much like it did the Ohio State - Iowa game. Like that game, this is another matchup of excellent special teams units. MSU's punting and kicking games are outstanding. Michigan State leads the league in kickoff return average and is second in the league in kickoff coverage. Ohio State of course is very strong in both kicking and punting as well.
And I couldn't finish even a short preview of this game without talking about the quarterback situation for Ohio State. Krenzel will get the start if healthy and we will likely see Scotty McMullen as well. Krenzel really needs to get some of his confidence back or McMullen is going to end up with 100% of the snaps possibly as early as next week. I look for Krenzel, if healthy, to redeem himself this week. I also look for McMullen to keep impressing. I think this will be the difference in the game.
Prediction: Ohio State 20 Michigan State 16.
blb
November 3, 9:45 a.m.
November 2, 9:00 p.m.
Turnovers, Passing, Penalties, Red Zone
I am believer that you must truly understand statistics before you start relying on certain figures. For instance, if you evaluate Ohio State in terms of total yardage versus their opponents, you would keep coming to the conclusion that Ohio State was lucky to win. After a while, however, you start to see that there is more than luck when OSU wins a game while losing the total yardage battle. It's Tressel-ball and it's provided Coach T with 5 national titles in 17 years.
But there are some statistics that may shed some light on why Ohio State has not had success this year that they had last year. The rushing totals are well documented, but here are some others:
-OSU's defense is 6th in the Big Ten in terms TD % in the red zone - 54.2.%. Last year, Ohio State gave up TD's just 27.0% of the time when opponents entered the red zone.
--OSU is tied for sixth in the Big Ten in turnover margin at minus-1. Last year, Ohio State finished at plus-13.
--OSU is 6th in the league in pass defense efficiency compared to 2nd last year.
--The OSU's QB's rank 7th in the league in pass efficiency and compared to 2nd a year ago.
As for the turnovers, OSU seems to always have an opportunistic defense. Unfortunately so far, as the stat above shows, the Buckeye defense has produced less turnovers than the offense has. This stat, along with red zone scoring and red zone defense are going to be extremely key for the Buckeyes in the last three games, all against top-15 teams.
And it's pretty frustrating to see that Ohio State is 7th in the Big Ten in passing efficiency with the weapons they have at receiver and the solid pass protection this year. Is Scotty the key to turning this around? More on this tomorrow.
In terms of defensive pass efficiency, I have been a defender of Dustin Fox in the past, and still will defend him when I hear comments like, "He's the worst cornerback we've ever had." But, as good as the Buckeye pass rush is (2nd in the league in sacks and one that constantly makes QB's get rid of the ball quickly), you would think Ohio State would be better than 6th in the league in pass defense efficiency. Fox has had his problems in coverage, although I don't think it's as bad as some think. The biggest "toasting" of the year is when Lee Evans beat Chris Gamble that provided the point difference in OSU's only loss of the season. Now, if that were Fox that gave that up, there would be death threats from OSU fans. Fox is not the cover man Chris Gamble is, but the entire OSU back seven can do a better job in pass coverage. Ohio State can't let Jeff Smoker, Kyle Orton or John Navarre do what Zach Mills did yesterday.
Oh, one stat that is very consistent for three years straight is the one that shows how much your opponents are penalized. Ohio State was 11th in the conference in both 2001 and 2002, and are currently 10th in this statistic this year. This means teams are penalized very little when they play Ohio State. No, it wasn't just your imagination. On Saturday's, OSU just doesn't see very many flags go against their opponents. Coincidence? I'm not so sure.
blb
November 2, 8:00 p.m.
Arguing Ohio State's Case
Well, the polls are out and Ohio State sits behind four one-loss teams in the Coaches Poll and five one-loss teams in the Sportswriter's Poll. Let's look at the wins against top 25 teams (in terms of the coaches poll) for each of these teams and the one loss each has suffered:
Southern Cal # 2 in both polls - Won at home against #13 Washingon State; Lost on the road to unranked California
Florida State #3 in both polls - No victories over top 25 teams; Lost at home to #5 Miami
LSU #4 in both polls - Won at home against #9 Georgia; Lost at home to #19 Florida
Virginia Tech #5 in both polls - Won at home against #5 Miami; Lost on the road to unranked West Virginia
Miami #6 in the AP Poll, #7 in the Coaches Poll - Won at home against #19 Florida; Won on the road at #2 Florida State; Lost on the road at #4 Virginia Tech
Ohio State #6 in the Coaches Poll, #7 in the AP Poll - Won at home against #20 Bowling Green; Won at home against #10 Iowa; Lost on the road to unranked Wisconsin
Southern Cal has just the one win over a top-25 team, but lost to a very bad California team. They do not face another top 25 team this year. Florida State has no wins against a top 25 team, lost at home this year and faces just one more top-25 team this year - Florida. LSU has just the one win over a top-25 team, lost at home this year and faces just one more top-25 team this year - OIe Miss. Virginia Tech has just the one win over a top-25 team and faces just one more top-25 team this year - Pittsburgh.
Should all of these one-loss teams win out, I don't see how you rank any of them ahead of Ohio State or Miami should both of them win out. Why?
Should Miami win out, that gives them 4 wins over top-25 teams and the one loss on the road to a top 10 Va Tech team. Should Ohio State win out, that gives them 5 wins over top-25 teams (4 of which are currently in the top 15), the most of all the top ranked teams, and the one road loss to Wisconsin, currently a 6-3 team.
For the sake of argument, let's give Oklahoma their Sugar Bowl bid, even if they should lose again. As I see it, if OSU wins out and Miami loses again, you should see Ohio State in the top 2 spot in the BCS (i.e. the title game.) If both win out, then I think you have a good debate as to who should play the Sooners for all the marbles. Keep in mind, that if (and of course this is still a big "if") Ohio State wins out, that means they beat Michigan State, Purdue and Michigan to finish the season 11-1. I cannot see how you argue anyone else should be in New Orleans except for (maybe) a 1-loss Miami team.
As for now, Ohio State must just win. None of this argument means a hill of beans if OSU loses just one of their last three games. The unfortunate thing is, I think the chance are still slim that OSU heads to New Orleans even if they win out. Southern Cal, Florida State and Miami will likely rank ahead of Ohio State when the BCS rankings are released tomorrow and OSU may need each of these teams to drop a second game even if the Buckeyes win their last three.
November 2, noon
The daily links page has been updated. The recruiting page, depth charts, future depth charts, current commitments and other misc. sub-pages will be updated this week. More on the front page tonight.
blb
November 2, 11:00 a.m.
The Magic Continues
What can you say? The kids showed once again that when their backs are against the wall, they get it done. It's truly unbelievable. And Ohio State is right in the thick of the BCS title game hunt with Miami and Georgia both falling yesterday. Much more later today or this evening. Links will be posted by noon.
blb
November 1, 9:30 a.m.
Game Day
Can you believe it's November 1st already? Where has the season gone? Well, it's nothing but big ones from here on out, starting with today. Penn State is going to be ready; make no mistake about it. It's currently around 70 degrees in University Park, PA and there is only about a 10% chance of rain; looks to be close to ideal weather conditions. The time changed last weekend, so it will be dark by game end.
Keep an eye on Craig Krenzel when he throws the ball early in the game. Krenzel threw the ball extremely well last week and may be ready to kick it into high gear. If Krenzel can consistently hit his receivers, the Buckeyes are going to be tough to beat. On several occasions this year, Krenzel's first few throws have dictated how his day went.
At WR, Santonio Holmes, with some confidence coming off last week's career game, may be tough for the Penn State DB's to handle. Holmes does not have the straight-ahead speed that Drew Carter has, but may have more big-play capabilities with his incredible quickness. If the focus is on Michael Jenkins, Holmes could make the Nittany Lions pay.
And of course, everyone is interested to see if Lydell Ross can pickup where he left off last week. Penn State has been atrocious at stopping the run and could help provide Ross and the Ohio State O-line another shot of confidence.
If Ohio State comes out on the first drive showing that they can run the ball and Krenzel comes out with a hot-hand, the Buckeyes likely take control early and don't look back. If Ross' first three carries net negative yards and Krenzel is missing targets early, strap yourself in, because it will likely be a battle.
On the other side of the ball, it is going to take some breaks for Penn State to put points on the board. I predicted PSU to put up a pair of TD's, but that might be tough. I think you can almost forget about Penn State running the ball. Zack Mills and Michael Robinson (each of whom should be behind center at different points in the game today) are going to have to make something happen through the air. Should the PSU offense get a few needed breaks on offense, look out; it's going to be interesting.
The next update will either be tonight or tomorrow morning.
blb
November 1, 9:00 a.m.
October 31, 7:30 a.m.
Can a 2-6 Penn State team beat Ohio State?
It seems unlikely, but as I said early in the week, Ohio State needs to be ready to play against a Penn State team that can be dangerous? "Hogwash" you say? Well, this is a PSU team that still has a good amount of talent. This is a Nittany Lion team that beat Ohio State in 2001, when many thought the Buckeyes would roll. This is a Penn State team that still has one of the greatest college coaches of all time. This is a Penn State team that, like everyone else, will be sky-high to play the Buckeyes.
Now that I've done my Lou Holtz impersonation of building up the opponent, I must admit that when you break the teams down, there isn't much comparison. Ohio State likes to run the ball and finally got the running game in gear last week. Penn State has not been able to stop the run. Penn State's offense has been one of the worst units in the country. Ohio State may have the best defense in the country. It's hard to figure out how Penn State is going to score on this Buckeye team.
I think you have to like the Buckeyes in this one, although I see it being close. Penn State has been in each and every game this year, and OSU has only buried two opponents. Penn State is going to need some breaks to score 14 or more points. They may get them, but I like the Buckeyes winning the Tressel way: getting up early and hanging on. Prediction: Ohio State 20 Penn State 14
blb
October 30, 2:15 p.m.
October 30, 8:00 a.m.
A few of the links are available here. Additional links will be available later in the day.
October 29, 10:00 a.m.
October 28, 11:00 p.m.
The Penn State Nittany Lions preview is now available. To view it, click here.
October 28, 9:00 a.m.
October 27, 7:15 a.m.
Big Weekend Ahead in Terms of BCS Implications
As mentioned below, Ohio State need worry about their four remaining opponents first, but should the Buckeyes continue to win, they will have their eyes on some of the other top BCS and Big Ten teams. There are many big matchups on tap this coming Saturday. Here are the key ones that could have major effects on the BCS and Big Ten standings:
Michigan 4 1/2 point favorites at Michigan State
Florida State 11 1/2 point favorites at Notre Dame
Georgia 2 1/2 point favorites vs. Florida (in the Gator Bowl)
Oklahoma 16 point favorites at home against Okl State
So Cal 11 1/12 point favorites at home against Wash State
Miami 3 1/2 point favorites at Virginia Tech
After this weekend....Georgia still must play Auburn (home), Georgia Tech (away) and possibly in the SEC championship. Miami will still have to play Tennessee (in Miami) and Pittsburgh on the road after this weekend. The Miami - Pittsburgh game, which will be played on November 29th, could be very interesting if it's cold and snowy that day. After their game against Notre Dame this weekend, Florida State still must play Clemson (away), NC State (home) and Florida (away). Southern Cal finishes up the season at home against UCLA and then Oregon State. Oklahoma probably rolls into the Big 12 championship game undefeated should they win this weekend.
Keep Your Fingers Crossed With Lydell
Despite the weak competition, I believe Lydell Ross showed Buckeye fans that he does have some potential if he can stay healthy. Problem is, Lydell has rarely been healthy in his two and half seasons at Ohio State. If Ross can stay healthy and can get some help from his big guys up front, the Ohio State defense just may get some of the much needed help they need from the Buckeye offense in these last four crucial games. It was also nice seeing Brandon Joe back in action. Having Joe healthy enough to serve as a lead blocker for Ross would definitely be a boost as well.
Future in the Middle of the D-line Looks Promising
Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson appear to be staking their claim as the heir apparent's to Tim Anderson and Darrion Scott at the defensive tackle positions. Pitcock, a redshirt freshman is starting to live up to the high expectations of Buckeye fans, after coming in as a top five defensive tackle prospect nationally in 2002. Much like Pitcock, Patterson came in as a very highly touted defensive tackle prospect this year and has not disappointed. The potential of three more years of these guys is certainly something that should bring a smile to your face if you are a Buckeye fan.
blb
October 26, 8:15 p.m.
Buckeyes Find Defense They Can Beat Up On
The Buckeyes 603-yard effort against Indiana Saturday was the first 600-plus yard offensive effort since the 64-6 route of Utah in 1987, a game that saw Ohio State accumulate 715 total yards. It should be noted that Indiana probably would be at the bottom of the conference in total defense if they moved over to the Mid-American Conference. Nonetheless, the Buckeyes offense desperately needed some confidence and this is only going to help.
Lydell Ross looked like a different back than the one that played in the first seven games and the OSU offensive line opened gaping holes, something we have rarely seen this year. Craig Krenzel played arguably his best game of the year and backup Scott McMullen was a perfect 5 for 5 off the bench. Santonio Holmes finally had his coming out party, catching 6 balls for 153 yards and 2 TD's, while just missing a third TD. The one downside from yesterday's game was the knee injury suffered by Drew Carter, feared to be a torn-ACL that could end his OSU career.
Buckeyes Eye Rose Bowl or Even the Sugar Bowl
With Northwestern's upset of Wisconsin yesterday, Ohio State now controls their own destiny in terms of the Rose Bowl. Four victories over the upcoming four weeks will send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl and possibly to the Sugar Bowl to play in their second straight National Championship game. But the road is not an easy one, having to play Penn State on the road, a venue that has dealt the Buckeyes three straight defeats, matchups with Michigan State (currently ranked 10th in the Coaches Poll) and Purdue (currently ranked 17th in the Coaches Poll) and a trip to Michigan (currently ranked 12th in the Coaches Poll), a place where Ohio State has won just once in their last seven visits.
That does Ohio State need to happen in order to sneak into the title game? First off, they of course need to win their last four games. Dropping just one games likely means the best OSU can do is an at-large BCS birth to the Fiesta Bowl or Orange Bowl, but possibly a trip to the Citrus Bowl or their third trip to the Outback Bowl in four years . If the Buckeyes win out, they definitely need either Oklahoma OR Miami, to lose and may need Georgia AND Florida State to lose as well.
Buckeyes Try to Break 3-Game Skid in Happy Valley
The early line has the Buckeyes a 7 1/2 point favorite over Penn State next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST (ABC), but if Ohio State fans have learned anything from the last three trips to PSU, this may be a tough one. And even though Penn State is 2-6 and losers of 4 straight, this is a Nittany Lion team that has not been blown out by anyone and like other Buckeye opponents, will be sky-high to play Ohio State. This is one that no one should take for granted.
blb
October 26, 9:45 a.m.
October 25, 4:30 p.m.
Finally, a big win!
The Buckeyes did just about everything right (minus some penalties and some turnovers) in a 35-6 win over Indiana. Lydell Ross had a career high 167 yards rushing along with three touchdowns. Santonio Holmes also had a big day filling in for the injured Drew Carter with six receptions including two TD receptions and 153 yards.
The defense was again on fire, seldom letting the Hoosiers beyond mid-field. Indiana's only score came late in the game against the reserve OSU defense.
jdm/rb
October 25, 9:35 a.m.
Game Day
Game day has arrived. It should be a soggy day in Bloomington, but not the monsoon experienced in Madison a few weeks ago. Thus, the passing game shouldn't be impacted too much by the weather. The running game? We won't go there, and your guess is as good as mine. If you're an optimist, we should be able to run the ball today. If you're a pessimist, we will be stopped cold. If you're a realist, well, we'll do enough to get the job done today against the Hoosiers. At game time, the temperature is expected to be 57 degrees, and reach a high of about 62 by the end of the game. Although Brent will likely be wet, at least he'll be fairly warm!
Get your game face on, and lets begin a roll today that will take us through the rest of the season!!
GO BUCKS!!
jdm/rb
October 24, 11:30 a.m.
Technical Problems
We have been using a new site builder that has caused some problems. Often, I am unable to update the site and often, the front page has reverted back to an older page. Hopefully these issues will get straightened out in the near future. If you don't see updates and daily links for a few days next week, it is probably due to technical problems.
Indiana Thoughts
It may be time Buckeye fans take the word "blowout" out of their vocabularies. I pretty much took it out of mine after the San Diego State game this year, after predicting a 59-3 blowout and settling for a 16-13 win. The offense has just not gotten the job done without Maurice Clarett. I think we Buckeye fans have to admit that.
But as I said after the Iowa game, I think there is too much complaining. Ohio State is 6-1 and right in the thick of the BCS title game hunt, especially after West Virginia's dismantling of Va Tech Wednesday night. If Ohio State can win out (and I know that's a decent size "if"), there is a decent probability that they will play in New Orleans for all the marbles again this year.
This is the week that they need to take care of business and hopefully get some of the youngsters some reps. I'm not so sure that Ohio State is going to "take care of business" the way many fans want them too, but I don't think OSU is in much danger of losing this one.
If the Hoosiers can put up 10 on Ohio State, then they should consider that a success. Ohio State is #1 now in the nation in terms of "least amount of yards per play" given up by the defense. Indiana has basically zero offense to begin with.
On the other side of the ball, can Ohio State put points up on a very weak Indiana defense? I don't expect more than 24, but I'd be glad to wrong on this one. The tailback situation is a disaster. Every single tailback is dinged up including Brandon Joe, who is now in the mix. Joe has been hurt all year. And I think things are pretty bad when you are giving reps to Joe at TB. This is a week that we hopefully see Craig Krenzel get back on target. If he does and stays in a groove the remainder of the way, then the Bucks will be very tough to beat.
The forecast for tomorrow in Bloomington: Around 55 degrees at kickoff and getting no hotter than 58. 60% chance of rain. So bring your raincoats if you're making the trip.
Prediction: Ohio State 24 Indiana 7
Go Bucks!
(There should be another update or updates before Sunday, but I am headed to Bloomington shortly and don't know Doug's availability for updates. If worst comes to worst, the site will be updated again Sunday with links and comments on the Indiana game.)
blb
October 24, 9:15 a.m.
October 23, 1:30 p.m.
October 22, 7:30 p.m.
The Indiana preview is now available. Click here to view it.
October 22, 9:30 a.m.
October 21, 9:30 a.m.
October 20, 8:30 a.m.
October 19, 5:15 p.m.
October 19, 10:00 a.m.
Big Win
Seems that many Buckeye fans want to complain and complain about yesterday's win. Again, it wasn't pretty, but before the game, I was worried that Ohio State may come out on the losing end again. They didn't. I thought it was typical Tressel football, which is painful to watch at times, but the kind of football that gives you a high probability of a victory after you get out in front early.
When the Buckeyes jumped out to a 10-0 lead, I thought there was a 90% or more chance that the lead would hold and a 90% or more chance that the offensive numbers would be extremely ugly the rest of the game. That is Tressel football and that has helped the man win 5 national championships and win 20 out of his last 21 games. Yes, I'm still concerned about the running game, but I will surely take a victory, accompanied with ugly stats, over a solid team like Iowa.
As far as the play calling/offensive coaching, the coaches opened the offense up early on and gave Ira Guilford the bulk of the carries. Many fans complain every week that the Buckeyes have to throw the ball more, but I think you saw yesterday that more passing isn't necessarily the answer. I think Craig Krenzel struggled badly yesterday and is having a sub-par year. Again, I have no problem with going with a very vanilla offense once you get a team like Iowa down 10-0. Why not? Tressel has shown that this philosophy works for him. And although the offense (now ranked 114th out of 117 D-1A teams) is still a major concern, I could care less about the offensive numbers yesterday. They got the "W" against a good opponent.
Now, as bad as this offense can be at times, the defense and special teams play is on the other end of the spectrum. People take this defense for granted. What an outstanding unit. Look how many guys again got legitimate playing time yesterday off the bench on defense. And Ohio State clearly won the special teams battle against an Iowa team that has an excellent set of special team units. They failed to let Iowa's punt block team get to Sander, blocked a punt for a TD, held Ramon Ochoa in check on both punt and kick returns, unleashed a new weapon in Michael Jenkins on punt returns and BJ Sander booted the laces off the ball again. Sander has his punting average up to 43.4 yards per punt and when you account for fair catches (see BJ's hang time), opponents average just 2.1 yards per return against Ohio State.
Ohio State is 6-1 and in the thick of the Big Ten title hunt. This team has not lived up to expectations on the offensive side of the ball, but things could definitely be worse.
Check back later today for the daily links update.
blb
October 18, 9:00 a.m.
Game Day
A must-win game? The phrase maybe be over-used, but today is awfully important to the Buckeyes. If you are headed to the game, make some noise. The Buckeyes need to take advantage of their home field.
The weather forecast: The temperature on campus right now is 37 degrees. The temperature is expected to be around 60 degrees at game time and around 55 by game end. There is a 10% chance of rain.
Next update tonight or tomorrow morning.
Go Bucks!
blb
October 17, 7:45 a.m.
October 16, 9:30 p.m.
Ohio State - Iowa
The more I look at this matchup, the more I wonder how each one of these teams will score on the other one. Theses two defenses are, at a minimum, two of the top three defenses in the Big Ten. And these two teams are at the bottom of the Big Ten in total offense. Remember the Ohio State - Purdue matchup last year in West Lafayette? You may see a similar type game on Saturday.
The key matchups:
Each team trying to run the ball on their opponent. The expectation is that neither team will have much success, so if one does and the other doesn't, this may decide the game. Iowa has the better chance here with a better offensive line and a good tailback in Fred Russell.
Special Teams. These are the best two sets of special teams in the Big Ten, with possibly the best two kickers in the nation. Watch out for Iowa's punt block unit and you really have to watch out for Iowa's Ramon Ochoa on punt returns and kick returns. This guy is dynamite. If Iowa blocks a punt or returns a kick/punt for a TD, it could make the difference in the game.
Any big plays from the line of scrimmage will be huge. Last year, Craig Krenzel hit Jenkins on the 38-yard pass to beat Purdue, which decided the game. Any TD scored in this one is going weigh heavily in the outcome. Give the advantage to Ohio State in this area. Gamble got beat for the long one last week, but this is the exception to the norm when it comes to the OSU defense. Iowa is missing their #1 WR Maurice Brown which has definitely hindered their offense. But where are the long passes that the Buckeyes hit several times last year?
The Red Zone matchups (if there are any) should be good ones. Both teams do a good job of punching it in when they get to the Red Zone and both defenses are stingy in the Red Zone. Give a very slight edge to Ohio State in this department.
What else should you watch?
Watch Iowa's defensive ends against Ohio State tackles Rob Sims and Shane Olivea. Iowa's DE's, Howard Hodges and Matt Roth are the best pass rushing ends in the league. OSU is in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten in sacks allowed.
Watch Bobby Carpenter in his first start as a Buckeye. This kid could really be something before he leaves here and may not be a downgrade from Robert Reynolds, although Reynolds is having a good year.
Watch the Buckeye backfield situation. If the Buckeyes want to have a chance at running the ball against this tough Hawkeye defense, they need a healthy Lydell Ross for 60 minutes and a healthy Brandon Joe. We have yet to see these two healthy together in quite some time.
Who will win?
I think this is close to a coin-flip. There is a reason that the spread is around the 3 1/2 to 4 area (OSU favored) in this one. The teams are very evenly matched, and the home field advantage probably gives OSU the slight nod. OSU is still pretty tough to beat in close games. They finally lost one last week, but it took a last second long TD pass to beat them. Prediction: OSU 10 Iowa 7.
blb
October 16, 2:45 p.m.
State of the Program
Contrary to popular belief, I do not feel the Ohio State program is in a state of disarray. Yes, I think there are major problems with the offense and the Robert Reynolds incident is another black eye for the program. But this is still a program that has won 19 of its last 20 and still can compete for a Rose Bowl bid. Thought I'd summarize and comment on the goods and bads in terms of on and off the field issues/areas:
Off the Field (or at least non-football related) - The Bad
--The Robert Reynolds choking incident happened on the field and is football related, but this category is the best place for it. Yes, many things happen at the bottom of the pile, but this is not the first time Reynolds has taken a "cheap shot". Coach Tressel suspended Reynolds a game, but was that enough? I don't think so...not with Reynolds' history of playing dirty. Tressel could have taken a tougher stance on this one, but instead used the "This was uncharacteristic of Robert" line. I don't buy it. The coaches see 10 times more than a fan sees when watching game footage. It's no secret to many fans that Reynolds has taken his fair share of cheap shots in the past. You can't tell me the coaches don't know that.
--The Clarett academic situation has been talked about to death, so I have tried to stay away from it recently. I still feel the academic investigation is a witch-hunt. No one with the lack of credibility of this teaching assistant should have ever had her words made public. I put this in the bad category, because this of course has hurt Ohio State's reputation, but again, I feel it's a lot of fuss that should have never been made public.
--The Clarett suspension/lawsuit situation is another thing that has been talked about to death and another discussion I have tried to leave alone recently. I feel that Maurice made his own bed and doesn't want to have to sleep in it. I think too much sympathy is given to a guy that has been extremely selfish. I'm ready to move on without him. Should he return to Ohio State next year, I think many new off-the-field incidents will follow him. I think there are certain things that could have been handled better by Ohio State, but I don't think Ohio State has handled the situation badly. Sure, Tressel's been mum on several occasions, but many things are better left unsaid, no matter what information the media feels they "deserve" to be given.
Off-the-Field - The Good
--Last I knew, the progress in the classroom was excellent. That's what makes this academic investigation somewhat of a farce. Tressel may sometimes take a lighter stance on disciplinary action outside of the classroom, but Tressel's track record of creating real "student-athletes" is remarkable.
--Recruiting is still very strong. This should be an outstanding class come February. So many parents of the kids OSU is recruiting come away as impressed as can be with Jim Tressel.
--Ohio State football Saturdays are still the greatest thing going. There are a million things going on on Lane Avenue, including HineyGate, the Skull Session at St. John Arena, the Varsity Club party, the Coors Light party, etc. And the tailgates over at near the Schott and Bill Davis Stadium are really starting to hop. And of course there is "Ohio Stadium West" in Bloomington, Indiana. It's a short trip a week from Saturday. Hope you can make it.
On-the-Field - The Bad
--The tailback situation has never been so bad. Every time it looks like Lydell Ross is showing signs of coming around, he gets dinged up and is sidelined. Mo Hall, God love him....good kid...just can't get it done. Yes, it is night and day without Maurice Clarett.
--I am running out of words for the run blocking. It can't get much worse. Neither TB can run for 4.0 yards per carry and it's not totally their fault; it's at least equally the fault of the men in the trenches. In fact, I'd say this is the #1 problem with the Buckeye offense. These senior offensive linemen need to do some serious soul searching.
--I'm going to mention the play calling, because I know it's not good. Although I think that if the execution from the guys in the trenches and the guys carrying the ball improves, suddenly the same play calling will look a lot better.
On-the-Field - The Good
--Again, the man who has never gotten enough credit is defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio. This guy is coaching another outstanding defense after losing five starters who were all drafted in the first five rounds of this past April's NFL draft.
--A.J. Hawk is simply as good as any LB in the Big Ten already and he has started for just half a season. He's 4th in the Big Ten in tackles on a defense that has several active tacklers.
--The overall young talent on this team is outstanding. Hawk, as mentioned above, is already a star, but look for the following players to make big names for themselves in the next few years: Justin Zwick, Santonio Holmes, Roy Hall, Louis Irizarry, Kirk Barton, David Patterson, Joel Penton, Marcel Frost, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Schlegel, John Kerr, Ashton Youboty and Donte Whitner.
October 16, 10:15 a.m.
October 16, 9:30 a.m.
Updates
Apologies for the lack of updates. Technical problems and a lack of time have prevented me from doing anything on the site since Monday morning. Doug has been the one providing the link updates and provided the Iowa preview. The links will be updated here shortly with another update to follow.
blb
October 15, 8:45 p.m.
Rossford Buck's Iowa preview is now available. Click here to view it.
October 15, 9:30 a.m.
October 13, 8:15 a.m.
October 12, 8:30 p.m.
A few Wisconsin Comments
A little late, but the daily links page has been updated. Yes, I am going to comment more on the Wisconsin game when I get a chance. For now, just a few comments...
--I actually talk to Buckeye players rarely, but Robert Reynolds is a guy that I have spoken to. Off the field, Reynolds is a pleasant as can be. Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed to see the neck-grabbing incident last night. Don't know if he got caught up in the moment or what, but what he did was inexcusable. My hope is that Coach Tressel takes a stand on this one when he sees the replay.
--The Buckeyes are now 109th in total offense in the nation. For those that don't know, there are only 117 teams in division 1-A. This is simply mind boggling with the amount of talent this team has on offense. (What's interesting is that Iowa, OSU's opponent next Saturday, is ranked 97th.)
--People seem to be down on Chris Gamble, but it happens to the best of 'em. That was the one catch star WR Lee Evans had with Gamble covering him all evening. I'll still take Gamble in pass coverage over just about every other corner in the Big Ten.
--Offensive line coach Jim Bollman got so much credit at the end of the 2001 campaign after the O-line showed much improvement from the beginning of that season to the end. Since then, the offensive line play has been dismal. And this year, there are zero excuses for it. It's time we see results from this unit and Bollman's coaching.
--What is the answer at running back? I simply don't know. Lydell Ross has never been able to stay healthy and Maurice Hall has not shown he has what it takes to play at this level. I was hoping to see Ira Guilford last night, but I'm not sure it would have mattered. That O-line got manhandled by Wisconsin's front four all evening.
--The Buckeyes enter the Iowa game as a 4 1/2 point favorite. Should be another tight one, low scoring contest.
blb
October 12, 7:15 a.m.
Badgers End Buckeye Streak
Ohio State's offensive woes finally caught up with them last night in Madison as the Buckeyes lost for the first time in 20 games, falling 17-10 to Wisconsin. Another no-show from the OSU running game accompanied with a rare blunder by Chris Gamble in coverage late in the 4th quarter sealed Ohio State's fate. Congratulations to the Badgers who did what 19 other teams could not do in the last year and a half. More later.
Ocotber 11, 9:30 a.m.
October 10, 7:45 a.m.
October 9, 9:30 p.m.
Wisconsin Preview
blb
October 9, 7:15 a.m.
Respect Still Lacking
Seems that most of the prognosticators are predicting that the Buckeyes 19-game winning streak will end this weekend. Wisconsin QB Jim Sorgi thinks so as well. In case you missed it, this was Sorgi's comment: "I was talking to (receiver) Lee (Evans) in the weight room and I said, 'Yo, when we win this game this weekend, I might shed a tear. I might sit on that bench for an extra 10 or 15 minutes after the game and shed a tear."
I say, let the talk and predictions of doom continue. This has obviously fueled this team the last year and a half.
The preview for Saturday's game will post tonight. As for now, the daily links page has been updated.
blb
October 8, 10:30 a.m.
The daily links page has been updated.
Please note that due to computer problems being experienced by RossfordBuck, Brent will be doing the Wisconsion preview this week. The preview should be posted later tonight or tomorrow night.
October 7, 7:30 a.m.
Another Verbal Commitment for Buckeyes
According to Duane Long, Columbus Eastmoor Academy fullback Dionte Johnson has verbally committed to Ohio State, accepting a scholarship offer presented to him yesterday. Johnson is the son of former Buckeye linebacker Pepper Johnson. Click here for the Bucknuts piece on the Johnson verbal.
Links
Today's daily link page has been updated and I believe I have fixed the Dispatch link problem going back to last Friday.
Ocotber 5, 8:45 p.m.
Questions...
I have taken a shot at answering (or at least commenting on) 10 questions that many fans have at the break in the season. Click here to check it out.
blb
October 5, 2:30 p.m.
October 4, 10:15 a.m.
Back in the Saddle
I spent a week and a half in Barcelona for my (real) job and missed watching a Buckeye game live for the first time in years. I was able to watch the tape yesterday. Some comments on the N'Western game in a moment, but a couple of other things first.
The daily links page has been updated with the few articles that are out there today.
Ohio State verbal commitment Erik Haw rushed for 404 yards last night, giving him (I believe)ver 1,800 yards in seven games the season. Yes, like Maurice Hall and Sammy Maldonado before him, Haw plays against some pretty weak high school competition. But, Haw has an extremely nice combination of size and speed and could end up being a real steal for the Buckeyes.
Now, the Northwestern game. Kudos to the defense. More players saw legitimate action than any other game this year. Granted it was Northwestern, but shutouts are hard to come by in this day and age. I really like the progress of Nate Salley. I think the second-year dual sport athlete will settle in as a starter. A.J. Hawk? What can you say? The kid should now start to get consideration for Big Ten defensive player of the year.
On offense, the Buckeyes looked pretty lackluster, again. I did think Scott McMullen played better than he did against BG. Ira Guilford showed some signs of being able to play tailback at this level early in his career. Lydell Ross showed on his first quarter touchdown run that he still has some burst. And I thought Justin Zwick looked very good, despite the so-so statistics that were tainted a little by some dropped balls.
On the down side, the Buckeyes scored just 20 points against, let's face it, a very bad Northwestern defense. They just can't seem to click and regardless of the conservative coaching philosophies, should be putting up more points with the amount of talent on this offensive unit. The O-line continues to do the job pass blocking, but are still struggling big-time with their run blocking. The tailbacks had a combined 84 yards on 26 carries. Against Northwestern, that is sick.
Okay, enough complaining. I can complain about the offensive production all day, but there is no way I can complain about the 5-0 record and 19 straight victories. I think the offense will improve and think the Buckeyes still have a very real chance of going 12-0. The Buckeyes will be as healthy as they have been in some time against Wisconsin next Saturday night. With the return of Krenzel, Stepanovich and possibly Darrion Scott, the Bucks should have no excuses for not playing well.
blb
October 3, 9:45 a.m.
October 2, 11:45 a.m.
October 1, 8:30 a.m.
September 30, 9:30 a.m.
September 29, 1:20 p.m.
Hawk named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week
AJ Hawk, after posting a career high 13 tackles against Northwestern, has been named the Big Ten co-defensive player of the week. Hawk has been on fire the last several games, always being around the ball. Hawk has 47 tackles so far this season to lead the team. The next closest player is Nate Salley with 30 tackles. Hawk also has 21 solo tackles to lead the team over Nate Salley who has 15 and has two interceptions, which ties him with Will Allen for the team lead.
jdm/rb
September 29, 9:15 a.m.
A week of healing begins. The Buckeyes will enjoy a week off this week, time to heal, before heading to Camp Randall to play Wisconsin in a night game the following week.
jdm/rb
September 28, 8:50 a.m.
September 27, 3:15 p.m.
OSU 20 Northwestern 0
Ohio State was finally able to put an opponent away, not letting Northwestern past mid field for most of the second half. Northwestern shot itself in the foot in the first half with penalties on a drive deep in OSU territory, the drive ending in a missed field goal after having a first and goal.
Offensively, the Buckeyes had a balanced attack gaining 127 yards on the ground and 187 through the air. Both Lydell Ross and Ira Guilford had decent days with Ross gaining 44 yards on 10 carries and 1 touchdown and Guilford gaining 30 yards on 8 carries. Maurice Hall had a rough day with only 11 yards on 8 carries. In the passing game, McMullen spread the ball around to at least 7 different receivers with Ben Hartsock and Michael Jenkins both having 5 catches for 51 yards. Drew Carter also contributed with 3 catches for 39 yards. The lone touchdown through the air went to Ryan Hamby. Justin Zwick saw action in three series, but struggled going 3 of 7 for 22 yards.
The kicking game was successful as Sander kept pinning Northwestern deep in their own territory throughout the second half. Mike Nugent hit on field goals of 32 and 42 yards.
Defensively, the Buckeyes posted a shutout, but nearly permitted Northwestern to score late in the first half, before Northwestern stopped themselves. In the second half, however, the defense finished strong causing mostly 3 and outs, and keeping Northwestern on their half of the field.
This game should give OSU some much needed confidence going into their bye week, before heaading into the night game at Wisconsin.
jdm/rb
September 27, 9:30 a.m.
Game day is here again. Hope for a solid win with a good running game to give the team confidence heading into the bye week. GO BUCKS!! (Also - to Brent in Barcelona, hope you found a place to watch the game!!!)
jdm/rb
September 26, 8:15 a.m.
Also, a couple of quick game notes. Craig Krenzel is said to be dressing for Saturday's game, but Scott McMullen will start. Darrion Scott will also be out with an ankle sprain. Some rotation involving Pitcock - Green - Patterson - Kudla - Penton - Richardson is expected in place of Scott. Adam olds may play but is expected to be out with a sprained knee. On the good side, Branden Joe is expected to return. It is still unclear whether Alex Stepanovich will play.
Finally, as has become a practice under Tressel, walk-on Mike Kne was awarded a scholarship. It is great to see Tressel reward the walk-ons for their hard work and contributions to the team. For more on Kne, see the Official site for the story.
jdm/rb
September 25, 9:00 a.m.
September 24, 12:30 p.m.
OSU has landed a big time commitment in LB Marcus Freeman. Freeman is one of the top 3 players in Ohio this year. Quotes from Freeman make it sound like he was born to be a Buckeye. For more on Freeman, see the recruiting page.
jdm/rb
September 24, 9:30 a.m.
September 23, 7:40 p.m.
The Northwestern preview is linked here.
September 23, 4:30 p.m.
Clarett keeping his options open
Maurice Clarett appears to be keeping his options open. Coach Tressel indicated that he spoke to Maurice's mother and she said that Maurice is planning to begin classes on Wednesday. For a complete transcript of Tuesday's press conference, click here.
jdm/rb
September 23, 2:30 p.m.
It is being reported that Maurice Clarett sued the NFL on Tuesday. The suit was filed in Manhattan federal court and claims the NFL rule preventing players from entering the draft until they have been out of high school three years violates antitrust law. See the daily links page for a link to the story from ESPN.
jdm/rb
September 23, 8:30 a.m.
September 22, 6:00 a.m.
I will be in Barcelona, Spain for a bit and will not likely be updating the site for a week and half. However, Rossford Buck (jdm/rb) will be taking care of some updates. There may not be nearly as many updates and the daily links may not always be updated, but Rossord Buck will keep things up to date for the most part.
Early prediction since I will be gone: Ohio State 31 Northwestern 13. My predictions have left something to be desired this year, but Rossford Buck did hit the score spot-on this weekend against BG if you read his preview.
blb
September 21, 10:15 a.m.
BG Game and So far...
As I mentioned before, I think you have to be happy that Ohio State is undefeated heading into the Big Ten season. They played three solid football teams and beat all three of them. It surely wasn't pretty at times, but nonetheless, this team is 4-0.
Yesterday, the Buckeyes did a pretty good job answering the biggest question that had to be answered: "Can the Buckeyes run the football?" Does this mean that the problems are a thing of the past and the Buckeyes will be able to run the ball effectively the rest of the year? No, but it certainly was a start.
And yes, the Buckeye defense did let BG back into the game late, but the prevent defense, that everyone likes to complain about, did its job. Jim Tressel has never given a damn about statistics or about the final score (as long as Ohio State was on top.) It took a perfect bounce on an on-side kick to help BG get within 7 and BG still really didn't have enough time to score on their final offensive possession. The touchdown drive that OSU allowed in the 4th quarter saw the clock go from 8:46 to 3:25, and Bowling Green still trailed by 10 at that point. Sure, the OSU coaches would have rather not seen BG get into the end zone there, but the Buckeyes were set to receive the kickoff with only 3:25 remaining and a 10-point lead. The chances of Ohio State losing a 10-point lead with 3:25 remaining, while set to receive the kickoff were less than 1%. I'll take the "W" and let people complain about the stats.
Now, let's take a look at the good and not-so-good, after four out-of-conference games.
The Good:
--Ohio State is 4-0 and has basically three weeks to rest their wounded. Well, there's no easy wins these days, but OSU should be a four TD favorite over a very weak Northwestern team and is idle the next week. Alex Stepanovich, Craig Krenzel and Darrion Scott are three key players on this team that should be much healthier come October 11th against Wisconsin.
--The safeties: Will Allen, Brandon Mitchell and Nate Salley have shown that they can play. Mitchell and Salley could both be stars before they leave here and Allen has hit the big-time this year.
--AJ Hawk and Robert Reynolds have been outstanding at their outside LB spots and in the middle on occasion. Hawk has been the best defensive player on the field so far in my opinion and Reynolds has taken his game to the next level.
--The defensive line, when completely healthy, has to be the best line in the nation, at least when you look starting units. Will Smith is an absolute terror, more so than last year. Simon Fraser has elevated his play and Scott and Tim Anderson are as good as it gets inside.
--The Buckeyes have answered questions about their special teams. BJ Sander has been terrific so far and Mike Nugent is 5 of 6 on field goal attempts while again making most of his kickoffs nonreturnable. And forget the statistics on Chris Gamble's punt returns. Gamble never fumbles, makes the right decisions as to whether or not to field a punt, never calls for a fair catch, and runs north and south often getting something out of nothing.
The Not-so-good...
--The veteran offensive line should be better than what they have been so far. This unit looked good against Washington and looked horrendous against San Diego State and NC State. The protection for the QB's has been decent at times, but the run blocking has to be better or OSU is going to be in at least 7 tight games out of the remaining 8.
--The wealth of talent at the WR spot has gone somewhat unrealized so far. Santonio Holmes has not lived up to the hype and Craig Krenzel has not performed up to expectations so far either. 55% completions and a 4-4 TD to interception ratio is not up to par for a QB when you have the weapons Ohio State has at WR.
--The loss of Matt Wilhelm has been significant. Mike D'Andrea is not making the plays many thought he would make and Fred Pagac has been average at best. This may not have hurt the team much so far, with the defense normally going with no MLB on nickel situations, but the MLB is going to become more important in Big Ten play.
--The off-the-field distractions finally seem to be taking a toll on the Buckeyes. The San Diego State game was a disaster and if the "mood" of this team continues to be all over the place, it is going to be very tough to run the table in the Big Ten this year.
blb
September 21, 8:45 a.m.
18 Down, 18 and Counting
Most Buckeye fans know what the '18 and counting means', but how 'bout the 18 down? Well, here is the list: Texas, Michigan, Kansas State, Auburn, Georgia, Maryland, NC State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Washington, Florida, Virginia, Notre Dame, Penn State, Colorado State, Oklahoma State, Arizona State and Pittsburgh. What do all of these teams have in common? Well, all 18 of these teams were all ranked in the preseason top 25 USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, and all 18 of these teams have at least one loss right now. The Buckeyes are one of of the 8 remaining teams that have yet to lose. (Note: the Coaches poll had a tie for 25th, meaning there were actually 26 teams ranked in the preseason poll.) And in case you didn't know, that's 18 consecutive wins for the Buckeyes.
I mention this because there still seems to be a lot of complaining about this Buckeye team. The performance against San Diego State left something to be desired and the ground attack against NC State was dreadful, but Ohio State now heads into the Big Ten season undefeated, and this counts much more than "sexy wins" and statistics. Would you like to go back and replay the first four games and see what happens? Not me.
More later. The links page is being updated right now.
blb
September 20, 8:30 a.m.
Game Day
The temperature on campus is currently 50 degrees and is expected to rise to 66 by kickoff and 71 by 3:00 p.m. There is no rain in the forecast. Football weather is here.
Lydell Ross is expected to be 100% today for the first time this season. Right now Maurice Hall could use all the help he can get, so this is good news.
It still sounds like Scott McMullen will get the call at quarterback today, but again, this could change if Craig Krenzel feels good in pre-game warm-ups. McMullen was outstanding in relief last year and has really progressed in his five years at Ohio State. McMullen has a quicker release than Krenzel and is usually more accurate. On the downside, McMullen does not have Krenzel's mobility and is more prone to throw the pick. McMullen has tradionally found his tight ends more than Krenzel.
On the BG side of the ball, all eyes will be on all-everything QB Josh Harris #5. Harris is a big QB with great athletic ability and will beat Ohio State with his legs or his arm if the Buckeye defense allows him to. Ohio State will need to be in Harris' face all day.
The site will be updated this evening. Enjoy the game and go Bucks!
September 20, 7:30 a.m.
September 19, 8:00 p.m.
Clarett
Whether or not Clarett is technically "suing" Ohio State may be a little gray, but the action brought about by Clarett does appear to be "litigation" against The Ohio State University. Here is the Dispatch link on the action brought about by Clarett's legal team.
QB Situation Still Up in the Air
Right now, chances are that Scott McMullen will get the call tomorrow to lead the Buckeyes against in-state foe Bowling Green. But this is not a certainty. If Craig Krenzel feels good in pre-game warmups, he could still get the nod. If Krenzel sits, Justin Zwick will likely be the #2 QB.
September 19, 2:30 p.m.
Clarett suing Ohio State
According to WCMH Channel 4 in Columbus, suspended tailback Maurice Clarett has filed a "discovery-only" lawsuit against The Ohio State University. According to the report, Clarett's attorneys are seeking sworn statements from university administrators. Clarett would then decide whether or not he would want to proceed with a civil lawsuit. More later.
September 19, 6:30 a.m.
Ohio State versus BG
Bowling Green's going to upset Ohio State! Bowling Green's going to upset Ohio State! That seems to be the talk in Buckeye land this week. Could it happen? Sure. Will it happen? I can't see the future, so I can't tell you for sure, but I highly doubt it.
There have been some close calls between MAC teams and Ohio State over the past 12 years or so. Why have these games been close? First, teams go through more emotional swings in college football than they did 20 years ago. Second, there is more parity in today's game, much of which is due to the scholarship limits that are now in place. Third, MAC schools come into these games sky-high, where as the Buckeyes have not been able to get up for these games. I am not so sure this third factor will be as key tomorrow, as it has been in the past 12 years.
Bowling Green seems to be as confident as ever, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But public statements by some of the BG players are not doing their team any good. Add this to the local talk that says BG has a decent chance of upsetting the Buckeyes and you should see a much more motivated Buckeye team than in recent matchups against MAC schools. Basically, I feel that the intangibles have to weigh heavily in favor of Bowling Green in this one, and although I give them an edge in this department, I don't think it will be a big one.
As for the tangibles, the best thing BG has going for them is star QB Josh Harris, who is big-time. Ohio State is going to have to pressure him and I think they will. If they don't pressure Harris and let him escape containment often, then this one could be a battle. Harris could rack up some yardage on the ground, but I see the Falcon TB's doing little, if anything at all.
The Buckeyes are obviously going to try to get their running game kick-started. It can't get any worse than last week. Bowling Green is a team that this Buckeye team should be able to run on. If Scott McMullen starts, look for the Buckeyes to utilize the TE's, much like they did last week. McMullen has always found the TE's more than Krenzel.
Bottom line: Ohio State has more talent than BG at virtually every starting position, save quarterback. And the Buckeyes certainly have more depth. As hinted upon above, BG has to want this one A LOT more than the Buckeyes do to win this game. Baver's prediction: Ohio State 27 Bowling Green 10.
blb
September 18, 8:15 a.m.
September 17, 7:30 a.m.
The daily links page has been updated. It is still unknown whether or not Krenzel will play against BG on Saturday.
blb
September 16, 8:50 p.m.
The Bowling Green preview is linked here.
September 16, 2:00 p.m.
Krenzel questionable for BGSU game
ESPN is reporting that OSU quarterback Craig Krenzel may be held out of the BGSU game Saturday as a result of a hyperextended elbow suffered during the NCSU game. The report is linked here. Krenzel is currently being held out of practice.
jdm/rb
September 16, 7:30 a.m.
Odds and Ends
--First off, the Buckeyes links page has been updated with today's stories.
--The Buckeyes are currently a 14 to 14 1/2 point favorite over Bowling Green depending on the casino.
--Ohio State ranks 103rd in the nation in rushing yards per game, averaging 102 yards per game. Nothin' to be proud of.
--The Northwestern game, a week from this coming Saturday will be a 12:10 kickoff and will be broadcast by ESPN2.
--WLB AJ Hawk leads the Buckeyes in tackles through three games with 26. Will Allen is second with 20.
--Again, this is not a broken record: Ohio State will face a very talented QB this weekend. Bowling Green's Josh Harris is in the top 10 in the nation in passing efficiency and helped engineer an upset over Purdue in West Lafayette a week and a half ago. Harris can do it through the air or on the ground, throwing for 19 TD's last year and running for 20.
--The injury status of Ohio State center Alex Stepanovich is not known at this point. What is a certainty is that Alex Stepanovich is a HUGE loss to this offensive line. His attitude may be needed more than anything right now. Stepanovich is the heart and soul of a unit that desperately needs a spark.
--Don't look now, but there's a certain game on October 18th that could have major implications on who wins the Big Ten this year. Iowa looks awfully good right now and does not appear to miss departed QB Brad Banks nearly as much as most thought they would.
September 15, 2:15 p.m.
September 14, 8:15 a.m.
September 13, 8:00 p.m.
Quick hitters...
--In case you missed it, the Buckeyes won another overtime contest today, this time 44-38 in triple overtime. This one may have been more exciting than the Fiesta Bowl, but of course did not have as much riding on the outcome. That's three OT victories in the last six games.
--Craig Krenzel is the man. The 5th-year senior continues to amaze when the game is on the line. With the offense struggling heading into the OT periods, Krenzel runs for a TD and throws for two more. Krenzel has now led Ohio State to a TD drive in six out of six OT periods now.
--I am usually not one to harp on officiating, but I am not sure that I have seen worse officiating than what I saw today. Coach Tressel rarely gets animated, but Tress gave an official an earful in the second quarter on a very bad interference call. The officiating didn't get much better after that. The second half officiating was laughable. More on this (hopefully) tomorrow.
--People might want to complain, but folks, these are the kinds of wins that you should treasure. Everyone wants an impressive win, but today was a game for the ages. Yeah, the Buckeye running game leaves something to be desired, but once again, this Buckeye team got it done when it counted. I'll take 3-0 before I'll take the record of NC State, Texas, Auburn, Wisconsin, Purdue, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Notre Dame or Washington right now.
--A lot of complaints so far about Dustin Fox not falling on a fumble, but players are often coached to "scoop" fumbles and try to score on the return. Seemed to me that he was doing exactly what he is coached to do. I many be wrong, but I'd be curious to hear Coach Tressel's comments. "Falling on a fumble" may have been coached across the board a few decades ago, but it isn't anymore.
--Gotta love Michael Jenkins. He stepped up big-time today and now has to be considered one of the top receivers ever to play at Ohio State. Great, great career, with another key performance in a key game today.
--I think there has been way too much talk about the depth of the D-line. The coaches did not have the confidence to sub for Smith, Scott, Anderson or Fraser much today. When the game was on the line, this was the foursome that was in there on most plays. Yes, the Buckeyes have some "up-and-comers" on the D-line, but this team does not have the depth on the D-line that they had last year.
--I am not sure that I have ever given Will Allen the credit he deserves. This guy has had a very solid career at OSU and is certainly a playmaker.
--I predicted 14-10 Ohio State, and actually thought that the prediction looked good midway through the 3rd quarter. Then the Buckeye defense seemed to tire. And in OT, both defenses seemed to be very tired, which led to 5 TD's in 6 OT drives.
--Hats off to NC State, Phillip Rivers and the NC State fans. NC State never quit and played a very good game. Phillip Rivers is the best opposing QB I have seen since Drew Brees in 2000. He did not get rattled and kept coming back. The NC State fans made a lot of noise and gave their players a nice ovation as they left the field.
Great, great college football game.
blb
September 13, 7:30 a.m.
Forecast
Temperature on campus at 6:50 a.m. this morning was 59 degrees. Forecast calls for the the temperature to be 74 degrees at kickoff and rising to 79 by 3:00 p.m. with a 10% chance of rain between noon and 3:00.
Next Update
There may not be an update on the site until late tonight or tomorrow morning.
Go Bucks!
September 12, 11:45 p.m.
Recruiting
The recruiting page has been updated. The amount of top out-of-state prospects that Ohio State is in on is amazing. They will certainly land a few of them. Overall, this should be an excellent recruiting class before it is all said and done.
blb
September 12, 2:30 p.m.
Ohio State vs. NC State
I have to admit, I'm a little gun-shy after predicting a major blowout last week. Before the season started, this week's game worried me a lot more than the Washington game and I think it will be a lot closer than that one.
I still haven't quite figured out what happened last week. I guess my best explanation is that this team has gone through a lot of emotions lately. With reporters not bothering to ask players about "football" and instead asking them about Maurice Clarett, the team seemed to come out with a "We'll show you attitude" against Washington. Then, it appeared that this team was sucked dry of emotion last Saturday. I am guessing that the emotion will be back this week, but this one is going to be tough.
Not having Alex Stepanovich at center is a blow. I heard some fans say that OSU was fine with all the depth on the O-line after it was learned that Ivan Douglas would miss the season. Well, they are very thin right now, and Stepanovich is the best lineman the Buckeyes have. This is not good news for a Buckeye offense that has a lot to prove.
On the other hand, NC State has similar problems with stars missing. T.A. McLendon looks like he may play, but it's doubtful he will be 100% and the Wolfpack's top O-lineman likely won't play. This is not good news for the Wolfpack.
On defense, it now looks like Simon Fraser may play. If not, the Buckeyes could play Mike Kudla, Joel Penton, Jay Richardson, Darrion Scott or Quinn Pitcock at Fraser's DE spot.
The rest of this Buckeye team appears to be healthy, although Lydell Ross is still not 100%. Someone in the Buckeye backfield is going to have to get something going and if Ross is not healthy enough to do it, Maurice Hall is going to be counted on to get it done. Will we see Ira Guilford? Maybe, maybe not. From Coach Tressel's comments, it didn't seem to be likely unless Ross basically can't go.
Baver's Call: Ohio State is likely going to force Rivers to throw the ball most of the game and this has not been a winning recipe for other ranked teams and their top QB's. On the other hand, I haven't much faith in this Buckeye offense right now. I think the team will get it done mainly due to another great defensive effort. The Call: Ohio State 14 NC State 10.
blb
September 12, 2:00 p.m.
The daily links page has been update. Front page update in progress.
September 11, 11:30 p.m.
Big Game on Tap Saturday
There is finally a line on the board, and Ohio State is currently a 10-point favorite over NC State. Seems a little high in my mind, but I do expect the Buckeyes to be much more motivated Saturday against the Wolfpack than they were last weekend against San Diego State.
It is starting to look like T.A. McLendon will play Saturday and this could be key for NC State. When McClendon is healthy, NC State has a formidable offense that can move the ball efficiently through the air and on the ground. NC State head coach Chuck Amato is still saying it's up in the air, but it looks like McLendon has a good chance of playing against the Buckeyes. McLendon sprained his patella tendon in his right knee in the opener and reaggrevated it practicing for Wake Forrest.
This is not a broken record: Ohio State will again be facing one of the top quarterbacks in the nation this week. Phillip Rivers has thrown for more yards than any other QB in the six BCS conferences so far this year and will certainly be a challenge for this Buckeye defense. His completion percentage through two games? A mere 81%. Rivers has passed for over 9,000 yards in his career and although he is does not run for many yards, he does get into the end zone, rushing for 10 touchdowns last year.
Rivers will throw to his two main targets Jerricho Cotchery and Tramain Hall, a wide receiver duo that won't take a backseat to many this year. Cotchery was no match for the Wake Forrest secondary last week and will likely be the main focus of Ohio State corner Chris Gamble. Another WR who will see action is a guy many Buckeye fans know, redshirt freshman Richard Washington. Washington verbally committed to Ohio State in 2002, but signed with NC State on signing day. Washington is not shy, asking teammates to call him "Roy" in the spring, with the letters standing for "Rookie of the Year."
The Wolfpack return three starters from a line that allowed QB Phillip Rivers to be sacked only 11 times last year. But one of those three starters, left tackle Chris Colmer, is doubtful to play due to a neurological condition. TA McLendon's injury is getting all the press, but not having Colmer definitely hurts this NC State offense. They will need sophomore John McKeon to step up if Colmer can't go. If the Buckeyes can get to Rivers frequently like they got to Washington's Cody Pickett, this could be a very low scoring battle.
The Wolfpack have four new starters up front on the defensive side of the ball and give up an average of 55 pounds per man to the Buckeye offensive line. Watch true freshman "Super" Mario Williams (who wears #8) at defensive end. He is still green, but this kid will be a mega-superstar before he leaves NC State.
The Wolfpack linebackers are led by junior weak-side LB Pat Thomas. Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay is second on the team in tackles and could play both inside and outside Saturday.
NC State has good experience in the secondary, led by rover (linebacker in disguise) Andre Maddox, who leads the team in tackles. The corners are experienced and should provide interesting matchups for the talented Buckeye receivers.
The Wolfpack are strong on special teams, although they did not show it last week against Wake Forrest. They will come hard after BJ Sander and their kickoff return team will be tough to defend against.
My prediction tomorrow.
blb
September 11, 8:45 a.m.
The daily links page has been updated to include links from yesterday as well as this morning.
September 10, 10:15 p.m.
September 10, 5:05 p.m
A transcript of today's press conference from the Official OSU site is linked here.
September 10, 4:00 p.m.
Notes from Geiger press conference
Geiger indicated that the 2 1/2 month investigation of the issues surrounding Maurice Clarett is over. The investigation uncovered violations of NCAA Bylaws 10 and 12. The violations of Bylaw 10 involve ethical conduct and Bylaw 12 involve amateurism. 14 violations of Bylaw 10 were found, resulting in a penalty of at least 50% of the season. The value of the special benefits received are in the thousands of dollars, resulting in penalty of at least 50% of the season. As a result, Maurice Clarett will be ineligible to practice with the team or play in any games this season. However, Clarett's scholarship will remain in place.
The conditions for Clarett's reinstatement to the team are as follows:
1. Clarett must make acadademic progress;
2. Clarett must not violate any additional NCAA rules;
3. Clarett must follow team rules; and
4. Clarett must make restitution to a charity in an amount specified.
Geiger stated that there was no institutional involvement and that the National Championship is not at risk. When asked about Clarett's reaction, Geiger answered that Maurice intends to get his degree from OSU. However, Geiger did indicate that Clarett has his own opinion on the situation and that they are not on the same page.
At the end of the suspension period, if Clarett has complied with the above conditions, Ohio State will argue for reinstatement.
Geiger reiterated that these penalties have nothing to do with the criminal charges or academic issues.
jdm/rb
September 10, 2:10 p.m.
Andy Geiger to hold press conference
Ohio State University athletic director Andy Geiger is scheduled to hold a press conference at 3:00 p.m. today, presumably to provide an update on the Maurice Clarett situation. WBNS 10 TV in Columbus and ESPNews will carry the press conference live.
jdm/rb
September 10, 11:30 a.m.
Clarett gets one-year suspension
Bucknuts and WBNS 10 TV in Columbus are reporting that Maurice Clarett has received a one-year suspension from OSU, and that his scholarship will remain in place. The ball would now appear to be in Clarett's court, where he must decide whether to accept the punishment and remain at OSU, transfer to another school, or sue the NFL. As more news becomes available, it will be posted.
jdm/rb
September 10, 10:15 a.m.
Clarett meeting with OSU this morning
Numerous news sources are reporting that Maurice Clarett is meeting this morning with OSU officials at the Schottenstein Center. Clarett arrived with his mother, his lawyer, Scott Schiff , and others. When asked for a comment, Clarett stated "I got my mojo back baby." Stay tuned.
jdm/rb
September 9, 7:15 a.m.
Clarett Done at OSU?
WBNS in Columbus is reporting that Maurice Clarett faces an indefinite suspension and WJW out of Cleveland is reporting that Ohio State will not seek the reinstatement of Clarett. A few links have been added to the daily Buckeye links page and more will be added in the next hour.
Reality Check
Brent Baver will be on Reality Check with Ron Glasenapp on SportsTalkCleveland internet radio this evening shortly after 8:30 p.m. EST to talk Buckeye football (of course), specifically about the NC State matchup and yes, likely about the Mo Clarett situation. SportsTalkCleveland.com is linked here.
© 2001-2004 The Buckeye 50 Yard Line
