Head Case: NFL Draft

Drafted Buckeyes

Vernon Gholston

Big man goes #6 and made even the Jets fans happy. The least human and most humble of the draftees on Saturday, Gholston helps Ohio State land instate recruit, Melvin Fellows, by just being Vernon and being a first round draft pick. The Jets seem to love Ohio State players, along with the Colts and Bills.

Larry Grant

According to Eleven Warriors, the only man on the planet to lose 4 straight national championship games (2 at Ohio State, 2 during his JUCO years). CBSSportsline suggests "Larry Grant was some what of a good luck charm for whatever team he’s played on", but neglects to mention the teams lost all 4 Championships. Larry, we loved having you here. But if the 49ers make it to the Super Bowl this season and lose, I recommend taking some time off from football.

Kirk Barton

In a way, Kirk Barton was close to being the antithesis of Michigan’s Jake Long. Jake Long goes #1, you almost go # last. Wearing my scarlet colored glasses, I never saw a giant difference between Long and Barton to equate to that differential. Stock didn’t jump after the last two bowl games.

Undrafted Buckeyes

Dionte Johnson

His biggest problem is that he wasn’t even the best fullback on the team. His biggest strength is that he’s the son of Pepper Johnson, and within a few months and a couple phone calls, the kid will have a job. I hate to say it seemed like he took his starting position for granted, while Tank Whaley was the fan favorite and the more effective FB). UPDATE: Free Agency for Dionte and Tank.

Other News...........................................................................................

Awful bad week for the Illini:

First, Melvin Fellows decommits from Illinois to attend Ohio State. (Yay us)

Second, Rivals takes shots below the belt at your coach in a recruiting article. (Maybe they are right)

And finally, leading tackler J Leman goes undrafted. (Bucknuts feel for you, cause the dude is the definition of football player, even if he’s a little weird)

Mr Flacco Goes to Baltimore

The Baltimore Ravens must take recruiting analysis from Mel Kiper and ESPN. He said they needed a QB, and they went out and got Joe Flacco out of D1AA’s winged helmeted Delaware, new location of OSU’s own Robbie Schoenhoft.

The bad news for Troy Smith: Flacco is about a half a foot taller. Hell, that means starting NFL QB right there.

The good news for Troy Smith: Steve McNair retired and they didn’t just draft the next Steve McNair. Flacco put up good numbers against D1AA, Troy put up good numbers in D1.

What do you think Troy's future includes?

Introducing: Evil Jim Tressel

Superman has Bizarro Superman.
Spiderman has Venom.

and Jim Tressel? Jim Tressel has Evil Jim Tressel.

You never know when Evil Jim Tressel will appear. It could be for an entire game or maybe just a series.

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Eye Witness Account [Sports Illustrated Vault - 12/5/1994]
"[Steve McNair] would have one more chance to take his case to the nation, to show that at the very least, he was capable of playing with the big boys of Division I-AA—defending champion Youngstown State...By halftime the game had deteriorated into something you would see at the corner sandlot, and Youngstown State went on to destroy Alcorn 63-20.

Would a healthier McNair have made a difference on Friday? Said Youngstown coach Jim Tressel after the game. "McNair might have been fortunate he had the hamstring. If he'd been running, he would have been tattooed."
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Jim Tressel is a calculating, efficient college football coach who plays strategy and field position. Jim Tressel is field goals, punts, and pounding the rock. Jim Tressel will win games with scores of 9-7, 21-14, and respects the opponent. Jim Tressel will keep the playbook closed and keep the score close.

But piss off Jim Tressel, and along comes Evil Jim Tressel. Evil Jim Tressel makes grown men cry. You last saw him in Columbus against Northwestern. Evil Jim Tressel shows no mercy to the opponent. If you are an opponent and you are drowning, Evil Jim Tressel will put a hose in your mouth.

I expect to see Evil Jim Tressel a lot more in 2008 than 2007. There's a whole lot of seniors on offense and defense. After losses in the national championship games the past 2 seasons, Evil Jim Tressel needs to show everybody who is boss. Evil Jim Tressel needs to take on Pete Carroll, Rich Rodriguez, and whoever is on the other side in a bowl game.

Jim Tressel could do it, but it would be more interesting to watch Evil Jim Tressel do it.

I need the "If he'd been running, he would have been tattooed" quote after every game.

Best Week Ever: Buckeye Edition

Let’s run down the list.

1. Ohio State Spring Game – Great for the fans and the recruits
2. Darrell Givens Commits – Teammate of Lamaar Thomas and OSU’s first offer.
3. Dorian Bell Commits – 5 Star Linebacker from Pennsylvania
4. Jordan Hall Commits – 4 Star Running Back and Terrelle Pryor’s right hand man from PA.
5. Justin Boren transfer from Michigan to Ohio State is confirmed by Coach Tressel.
6. Melvin Fellows Commits – Possibly the top ranked Ohio player decommits from Illinois.
7. Vernon Gholston Goes Six to the Jets - Big Vern makes it another Top 10 pick for Jim Tressel
   

That’s a whole lot of good news and good fortune.

The Buckeyes have sealed up 12 commits for the 2009 recruiting class. All it needs is 1 or 2 more running backs (Florida boys, that’s you), another receiver, and you’ve got a pretty good recruiting class. For in depth recruiting, I recommend BuckeyePlanet or DottingtheI. I can spit off names all day, but I’m a reporter, not an investigator.

Turns out that Jermale Hines, the OSU linebacker that went down during the spring game, doesn’t have a serious injury and should be back before fall camp. Jermale is one of those fast mo-fo’s OSU is stocking up at linebacker and was widely rumored to have been practicing as a running back prior to the championship game against LSU.

For as good of a week as its been, I still think I would trade it for a certain week in early January.

Boren To Be Wild...in 2009

Block O is Complete…Sort of.
Mike Adams, Michael Brewster, JB Shugarts. According to the recruiting experts, that’s one haul of a class. But to many Buckeyes’ chagrin on National Signing Day, they didn’t end up with that fourth man to finish up the Brew Crew, and even more so, the fan-appointed Block O. Josh Jenkins turned too mellow yellow and didn’t want to lose national championships (preferred losing to Pitt more) and everyone else was an afterthought.
But thanks to Rich Rodriguez (send him a thank you card), that elusive fourth lineman has landed in their lap in the form of Justin Boren. You may remember Boren as the sophomore starter for the Michigan Wolverines this past year. You know, All Big Ten Justin Boren. Well he decided he’d like to stay All Big Ten, but do it in Columbus rather than Ann Arbor. Mighty smart man to me.

But Poe, Don’t you have a problem with an ex-Michigan player on the Ohio State sideline? Normally, yes. But under the circumstances, no. He wasn’t recruited by Rodriguez. He didn’t want to play in the spread offense. If he wanted to, he would have gone to Florida or West Virginia. The kid obviously wants to make it to the NFL, and that’s his #1 priority. Hell, I would assume that 25% of the team is at any given major power because it will help them get to the NFL and get paid…IF he comes in, tries his heart out, and does the best he can.

Yea but Michigan has a longer line of successful NFL offensive lineman! Old Michigan did. New Michigan doesn’t. Old Michigan also made some pretty good NFL QBs. New Michigan probably won’t. A good NFL GM is always going to have that “So you played in a spread offense” idea in the back of his mind, doesn’t matter if you’re a QB, RB, WR, or Lineman. Maybe we can start referring to it as BRR and ARR, Before Rich Rod and After Rich Rod. Wisconsin makes some pretty good lineman too, and guess what style of football they play.

Ohio State (aka Suckeyes, Luckeyes, The University of Ohio State, Only Second University) sucks! Totally dude. People were picking a sophomore and junior loaded Ohio State team to beat a senior laden LSU squad. That’s some pretty high praise. Ohio State was the underdog, and rightfully so. Guess who has the senior equipped team this year? Um, the Buckeyes.


Ohio State and Notre Dame Flip Schedules…
The Navy Midshipmen vs. The Ohio State Buckeyes. 2009 opener and 2014 opener. Navy? Really, Navy? I would assume that since Army dropped Ohio State (or the other way around), OSU wanted to keep it in the academies. I was unaware we have the same people making our schedules as Notre Dame does. Ohio State now plays Navy, USC, Michigan State, Michigan, and Penn State.

Oddly, Ohio State chose to OPEN the SEASON at NAVY in 2014 (seating a whopping 35,000 will make Ohio State fans feel like they are sitting in on a one on one with the team) or a neutral stadium in the greater Annapolis area. You may ask why…why would Ohio State open the season at a mid-major? Say it with me. Annapolis is in…Maryland. Annapolis is close to…DC.

You know what’s in Maryland and DC, don’t you? Poe will tell you. Recruits are in Maryland and DC; just ask Lamaar Thomas and Darrell Givens. You know who gets to go watch the home opener? Prospective recruits that don’t want to play in the ACC, well because, it’s the ACC. Boston College? Virginia? Virginia Tech? Enough said.

Motto for 2008

Or if that doesn't work...

Win or Die: A Ridiculously Digustingly Early Preview

This was going to be a Bash Brothers, Ross Homan and Austin Spitler, post. But Poe would like to do some fact checking...Stay Tuned.
Goliath vs. Goliath. The teams of the decade. Game of the week. Carroll vs. Tressel. Big 10 vs. Pac-10.

I’ve heard that Ohio State at Southern California is going to be a great game. I’ve heard it’s not life or death for the Buckeyes. I’ve heard if Ohio State loses, they can still make it back to the championship. I heard this game doesn’t make the season.

Right. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

The truth is, September 9^th in the Coliseum is the Buckeyes’ season, in a way. To Buckeye fans, it’s about winning the Big Ten and beating Michigan. Bowl wins and National Championships are icing on the cake. Unfortunately, the rest of the Nation (and now somehow the rest of the Big Ten) doesn’t feel that way. If you don’t plow through your OOC schedule and win a bowl game (including the National Championship), you mean nothing and you were obviously overrated. It’s all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Something of which these Buckeyes have very little.

You know it’s bad when Michigan fans and Iowa fans and Wisconsin fans are calling out the Buckeyes for losing in back to back championship games. Next, we’ll start hearing from those Big Ten fans how the Buckeyes play an easy schedule. Not to mention ESPN (TV and radio), CBS (SEC Sports), SI, Pac-10 fans, Big East fans, and the mighty, mighty SEC.

So what exactly does the USC game mean to The Ohio State Buckeyes? That’s hard to quantify. Bucks win? Oh, well, USC is ‘rebuilding’ and Ohio State caught them early in the season. Bucks lose? USC is a powerhouse and the Buckeyes can’t beat anyone of significance. If only we could publish opinions and predictions before the game and compare them after the game.

Well, guess what, here at Jim Tressel’s Head, you can!

The Game Itself

A stacked Ohio State team against a reloading USC team. Plain and
simple. It won’t be the 2006 Texas game, as Pete Carroll is
admittedly a better coach and recruiter than Mack Brown. USC has more 4 and 5 star recruits than any team in the nation. Ohio State has more 3 and 4 star recruits that play like 4 and 5 start recruits. Ohio State has all the experience, USC has all the acclaim.

USC

Mark Sanchez throws and moves like a USC QB. He’s not quite Matt Leinart, and hopefully not even John David Booty, who was able bomb away on Michigan AND Illinois. Rumor has it he can operate on the run, and he may have to. With a retooled offensive line that will play Virginia and then a week off before Ohio State, I expect a motivated OSU defense to pressure Sancheezy. The stable of running backs is still a stable of running backs (who obviously value women and beaches more than playing time). The gaggle will only spell trouble if Ohio State sells out to stop the run, and lets Sanchez have a field day against a zone defense (Florida Game, Florida Game, Illinois Game, Illinois Game). McKnight did the most damage to Illinois off a fumbled screen pass. The receivers can all catch the ball and go. They can catch the ball on the go. They have the most experience on this team, mainly since there are 37 running backs on the active roster splitting time.

The USC defense, on the other hand, should give Todd Boeckman fits. Gone are key members of the defensive line and linebacker positions. Bad news: They should still be better than Illinois, where Todd honestly looked stupid. Corners are what should be expected. USC sports a Sean-Taylor-Reincarnate (Can I say that? Yes, because it is a compliment) at safety who could remove Ray Small’s head (again). He will be the biggest guy in the secondary unless Jake Stoneburner is out there running routes.

Ohio State

Todd Boeckman is still Todd Boeckman, for better or worse. When he’s on, he’s on. When he’s off, he’s off. There is no middle ground. So why make Boeckman work for it? Leak, Juice, and Flynn haven’t worked for it, and they’ve torn up the Ohio State defense. Good news: Todd’s been working on the check down to tight ends and running backs (is that not on the schedule the first 5 years?). If the offensive line tries for the full 60 minutes, there isn’t a better running back than Beanie Wells. Left, right, and over you, Beanie Wells will pick up 5-10 yards if you give him an inch of space. Essential in the game will be the check downs and screens to Brandon Saine and Mo Wells.

The Ohio State defense replaces a DE and a LB with guys that have all seen significant playing time. But does it matter? For approximately 11 games each of the past 2 seasons, the defense has done its best Silver Bullets impression. Bad news: The other 2 games have been against good, not great, offenses and they’ve looked confused, befuddled, and downright bad. As mentioned above, Leak, Juice, and Flynn have looked like Peyton Manning against Ohio State. Good News: New season.

It’s always been smash mouth football for the Ohio State defense. 2002, 2003, and 2005. Those defenses told the opposing offense how they were going to play. They dictated the game. Ohio State has lost to Florida, Illinois, and LSU because they didn’t. We’ll blame it on inexperience. Guess what is the reoccurring theme in 2003, 2005, and 2008? Senior leadership, specifically at linebacker. Marcus Freeman, Curtis Terry, and James Laurinaitis are all seniors. You know what happened during AJ Hawk and Bobby Carpenter’s junior seasons? 8-4. 2005? 11-2 and Fiesta Bowl BCS winners.

For the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes to beat USC in LA, it will take all their effort. It will take more than all their effort. Chris Gamble used to sleep for 14 hours after a game because he was all out on every play, almost every play of the game. Craig Krenzel used to get knocked around like a punching bag (or girlfriend) in Mike Tyson’s house. Now I’m not saying the 2008 Buckeyes have to be the 2002 Buckeyes, but I wouldn’t mind the term Luckeyes flying around again.

Trust me, it wasn’t just luck.

Damn you, SEC

I blame this on you.

I hate Michigan. Always have. I cringe when I see a baby wearing Maize and Blue.

But as I sit here in Toledo (who, thanks to Buckeye Cable, gives me the Big 10 Network), I get an uneasy happiness watching Michigan terrorize Urban Meyer's mind. What's so confusing is that its the SEC's fault (compounded by ESPN bowl victory count) that makes me want to cheer for my fellow Big 10 teams in out of conference games and bowl games.

Damn your smarmy attitude, Mr. Meyer. Damn you.

Ohio State Player Goes First in the Draft

No, not Vernon Gholston. No, not that draft.

Ain’t Nuthin But a T Thang: Gibson Goes Numero Uno

As in Thad Gibson, the newly minted rush end for The Ohio State University. How’s he making the switch? Well the Buckeye Seniors (and they do have more than 2 or 3 this year) made him the official first pick of the draft…for the spring game…after all the seniors had already been appointed sides.

You may remember Thad most memorably from the 4^th quarter of the Wisconsin game, we know their QB does. Basically playing the role of a rush end when the official title was linebacker, Thad took the outside with his speed, threw the first team lineman out of the way, and supermanned himself into Stocco and causing a fumble. Now if we could only get some intensity like that from our defensive tackles…

Gibson was followed by Lawrence Wilson, who is the fan appointed king-of-the-end-position-now-that-Gholston-is-gone. Malcolm Jenkins responded with, "Yea well we got Lawrence Wilson". Yes you do, and considering the extreme lack of offensive lineman available (even with JB Shugarts being available), I feel sorry for Antonio Henton and Joe Bauserman.

Terrelle Pryor looks pretty smart right now. TP won’t be at Ohio State till mid summer, but had he chosen to take part in spring practice, he would have faced the meat of the Ohio State defense all by himself. Basically the offensive line is down out a few starters and 2 blue chip freshman. No biggie!

Special Teams Need Special Bus

In case you didn’t know, Ohio State ended last year ranked 117^th in kickoff returns. That’s for D-1A. Out of a 119 teams. It goes 117, 118, 119, that’s it. A year removed from Teddy Ginn terrorizing kickoffs (actually 2 or 3, depending when you consider Ginn stopped hitting holes and started trying to juke defenders back and forth), the unit ranks 3^rd to last in organized football.

With all fairness to Ray Small, return man on 22 of 34 kicks, the blocking could be better, as it could have been in 2006. But then again, Ray Small has tried to wind sprints during the returns, going sideline to sideline without the hint of turning up field.

Enter Brandon Saine and Boom Herron (and Maurice Wells). Obviously a change in philosophy occurred, shifting from small, fast returnees to big, powerful RBs. Many wondered why Saine wasn’t back there more last year, packing enough mass and velocity to do damage (physics lesson; momentum=mass x velocity, or p=mv).

Maurice Wells is curious, as he can only be defined as shifty, and the dude who hasn’t broken a long run since he got here. Mo Wells reminds me of PJ Hill. Not that PJ Hill, Ohio State basketball player PJ Hill. Are you sure they aren’t the same person? All the jumping around and hair flying, with not a lot to show for it.

Maurice, I hate to say it. You need it, I need it, we need it. It’s your senior year. Try something new.

Shave the head.

Maurice Jones-Drew Gives Troy Smith a Shout Out

Well sort of…

If you count “Well they got that kid from your school, don’t they?” then he got one.

Ok, a little out of context. The NFL Live guys were all discussing the AFC East and the teams’ strength and which team they think will win it. ESPN heads predict Pittsburgh and Cleveland, while Jones-Drew goes with the wild card and takes the Ravens, enough to raise the ire of the Trey Wingo and the crew (not to mention ESPN execs). Someone chimes in “How about that quarterback position, they got that figured out yet?” and Jones-Drew looks over to THE Cris Carter and says “Well they got that kid from your school, don’t they?” (promptly inciting a commercial break so quick you would have expected it to be CBS).

Cris Carter -> Ohio State -> Troy Smith -> Ravens -> That Guy from Your School

Sure, he doesn’t know Troy’s name, but it’s the thought that counts.

Then again, it could be retribution for Chris Fowler calling Cris Carter “a former Gator” during ESPN’s televised broadcast of Florida’s spring game (that’s right, national televised on a major network, spring game). Really Fowler? Ohio State has a couple guys you might have heard of…Glenn, Galloway, (dare I say Boston), or Holmes? Quality reporting does not equal the ESPN.

Also, expect Lee Corso to be so over the top this year that he makes Joe Paterno look sane. Why not start off 2008 predicting the South Carolina Gamecocks (at 6-6 in 2007) would win the SEC East. Let’s put it this way, the far-from-the-real-USC is so bad, even Ohio State could beat them in a bowl game…someday.

Behind Enemy Lines

Ann Arbor, MI

Word out of the Michigan spring scrimmage is that Rich Rodriguez is "encouraged with the play of his defense". Sounds like the Associated Press way of saying "well there’s nothing positive on the offensive side of things". In what was a glorified practice at a local Ann Arbor high school (as a result of the Big House being morphed into the Second Biggest House), the defense forced, or were given (depending on who you talk to), 6 turnovers including a fumble recovery and FIVE interceptions.

"The defense came along about how I expected," [Rich Rodriguez] said. "The defense should dominate. If they don’t, were going to have some issues."

Interesting statement coach, please elaborate. To be fair to the, uh, evolution occurring in Michigan, everybody except a select majority of UM fans feels that it will be a few years to incorporate the system and have everything firing all cylinders.

It’s sort of like a startup business, you take losses in the beginning to win in the end. The problem with Michigan is that they are not a startup, far from it, having been in business for 100 years. West Virginia? Startup in the beginning. A lot of other small schools adapting a spread type offense? Startups. The only thing similar in business would be if Ford dropped its F-Series pickup trucks (the real breadwinners) to focus on convertible sports cars. Michigan produced dropback passers by the NFL load, and to win 1-2 games more per year, are changing the entire offense. Tom Brady might have fun going to watch Michigan games from now on, but he sure as hell wouldn’t play for them.

We all saw what Michigan was capable of in 2006 against Ohio State and in 2007 against the Florida defense. I would be more scared of those Michigan teams than probably many future Michigan teams. But I guess when a team goes 1-6 against a certain school and head coach, its time to change something, but should it really have been the whole image of the school? I’m sure I’ll get MGoBloggers freaking out and telling me how Buckeye Nation is scared and the tables have turned.

A completely able bodied and functional pro style offense is 10x scarier than a spread option offense.

And Speaking of that SEC SPEED@#$%^&*()_!…

Gainesville, FL

I’ll get this out of the way. I hate Urban Meyer. I hate Michigan, but I was downright giddy watching the Wolverines drive up and down the field on the Gators. If the Big 10 is slow, UM has to be classified as the slow of the slow. Yet I watched a Wolverine TE outrace the FLA defense on a screen.

Anyways, good ol boy Urban Meyer feels that his savior at running back, Emmanuel Moody "will not play football for the Gators if there’s a chance he’ll put the ball on the ground" or along those lines.

Ouch, and this after Moody was the leading rusher during the ESPN televised Gators’ spring game. But he’s not small and fast like the incumbent back and we all know that Urban will sacrifice actual football talent for SEC speed. And all this after Meyer spent the offseason telling Moody everyday how he "better be really good".

Nothing is below Urban Meyer, even if it means taking shots at the kid you lured from So Cal (I hear North Carolina and Oklahoma State are nice this time of year). I understand that they are comments probably meant to inspire and motivate Moody rather than degrade and belittle…

But still, you can’t help to think that Moody has to be asking himself if he made the right decision transferring to Florida.

Look What You Did (Revised)...

According to an unconfirmed report by dottingthei.com, Eugene Clifford, Donald Washington, Jamario O'Neal, and a mysteriously removed from the post Maurice Wells, are all prime time for smoke time.

As in, herbal remedy, pot, reefer, cheeba, hash, boom, pow, yank, crash, tata, hehaw, meow, marijuana.

And as a result, the secondary will be playing a little light against Youngstown State and Ohio (oh no).

• I am NOT wary of trusting a blog with less posts than myself (and I suck, seriously).
• I'm even NOT warier of trusting a site that removes breaking news without so much as an edit.
• I'm even NOT warierer of trusting a site that goes around freely posting pictures of Maurice Clarett.

Alas, rumors are rumors until they are proven not to be rumors and in fact the truth. But it warranted a post, so take it with a grain of salt, it's not like you will be able to watch the Spring Game unless you are at the game anyways.

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Edit (4/13/08):

Added the word NOT to the above post after the rumors turned out to be true. Stupid truth! I was hoping that they were not true, considering the fact that 2 of the 3 culprits were already mentioned in similar rumors before the National Championship Game against LSU.

In retribution, I recommend reading dottingthei.com religiously. Any blog that has access to Ohio State information before anyone else deserves all the credit in the world.

Stupid truth...

Break It Down, Poe

Poe McKnoe takes a look at the major players on the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes squad.

Todd Boeckman (QB, 6^th year Senior):

Ok, Todd. You’re a 2^nd year starter on a Top 3 team. Last year, you learned on the job, even though technically you had 4 years of training. An interception there, a fumble here, a floater now and then…it was fine. You definitely weren’t Craig Krenzel, but at least you definitely weren’t Justin Zwick. (Editor: Krenzel could basically will a team to victory…Purdue? Illinois? Piece of cake.) The good news is that Todd could end up with a similar W-L record as Krenzel, achieved in reverse. Todd, you’ve already got Craig’s 2 losses (not counting the 2001 South Carolina loss. Yes, Tressel has also lost to Lou Gamecocks), you know what that means Todd, undefeated including the Championship game.

What you’ve got: You look like an Ohio State quarterback at 6’5" 230lbs. Your deep balls CAN be right on target, dropping into the receivers’ hands. You’re a 6^th year Senior. You can read defenses and you can sell a play action. You’re sort of mobile in a lot of space. You can make a lot of throws (witness Penn State circa 2007). You’ve started a whole season. You get a whole off-season to hone those skills, and not fight for a job. You’ve graduated, you’ve got some extra time on your hands. You are a better QB (passing skill and accuracy) than Craig Krenzel.

What you need: The knowledge to scan the field, the knowledge to check down, and the knowledge to throw the ball away. Unfortunately, LSU was able to posterize TB (even though his arm was going forward, referees) because of this. Don’t assume the play is going to be there. Getting on the up elevator after your last 3 games. You don’t really scare opposing defenses. If you’re going to run, RUN…you will not juke a linebacker…you are bigger than a lot of linebackers and especially corners…and you have backup QBs. Putting zip on your passes for short, medium, and long passes. The support of the majority of the fan base, those of whom are quick to dismiss a QB after a single loss or two. To be Craig Krenzel, and to use that thick head to take some hits and get back up and lead your team.

Beanie Wells (RB, Junior)

Ok, Beanie. You said you want to win the Heisman. Good mindset, bad execution. You want to stay at Ohio State for 4 years. Good mindset, bad execution. However, your sophomore season was excellent execution across the board. You got the warrior’s mentality, you manned up, and ran over everybody (especially teams from Michigan, MSU: 221+9 and UM: 222). We were a little scared in the Youngstown State game. We were a little scared in the Akron game, until you tossed a CB and your season was underway. You need to be the leader of the team, so we need attitude from you. Hell, act like you play in the SEC (we’ve seen how they act).

What you’ve got: Size, speed, power, The Stiff Arm of Justice (copyright Men of the S&G), mindset, skills, ability to play through pain, and uh, basically everything you want in a running back. You can cut on a dime, you can spin, you can juke, you can move the pile, and you can knock a defender of his feet.

What you need: More attitude. You heard me, and we saw some of it in the Wisconsin game running back to the bench, we saw it in the Michigan game, and we saw your stride into the end zone against LSU. You don’t quite run like Adrian Peterson just yet, but you are more durable. You need 2000 yards, a championship, and a ride into the NFL sunset. Sell out on every play, I saw you in the championship game. It was a Todd Boeckman deep ball and you knew it wasn’t coming so you walked out of the backfield. Maybe a smarter Todd would have checked down to a wide-open Beanie in the middle of the field.

Malcolm Jenkins (CB, Senior)

Ok MJ. You could be the best cover corner in college football, but we wouldn’t know since you don’t play it. You own Anthony Morelli, and I expect it to continue with the next Penn State QB. You came back for a senior season and now you have to show why. I like your attitude in leading the secondary. Three star recruits from New Jersey aren’t supposed to be that good, you are.

What you’ve got: Size, speed, and skills. You play cornerback and safety. You hit and you tackle. Your NFL caliber skills are back for one more season. If I was an NFL GM, I would draft you in the first round and tell you to shut down whoever you cover. You’re so good in coverage, I was wondering if you could give some of it to the linebackers who can’t.

What you need: You need more opportunities in man to man coverage and blitzing the QB from Heacock. I have memories of a young Jenkins playing man on a Texas WR and tearing the ball out of his hands down in Austin. You need to keep your head up, we saw it against Illinois, Wisconsin, and LSU. As a result of the head down, you got beat on plays you took off. Especially in the Wisconsin game, you got beat by a FB, a FULLBACK. You know who beat you on a similar route? Early Doucet. You need the mindset of getting a pick the play after something bad happens.

James Laurinaitis (LB, Senior)

Ok Jim. You too forgo the NFL for a senior season at Ohio State, and it was probably for the best. As the media appointed leader of the defense, you make a ton of tackles and intimidate everyone on the field. You’ve won the awards, played in 3 BCS games including 2 National Championships. You helped land Etienne Sabino, a recruit from Miami and #1 rated ILB in the nation, since Ohio State MLBs always rock worlds and get drafted in the Top 10.

What you’ve got: You have a ton of tackles and awards to go along with those tackles. You sir, may be the team’s lone playmaker on defense. When we need a play, you make it. Texas? Washington? Good stuff. You played your first almost whole game against Michigan in 2005. You’ve been the leader of a young defense, and now that defense is no longer young. You’re big and most likely mean. You have no neck.

What you need: You are not AJ Hawk. Though you could have been drafted where he was, you are not AJ Hawk. Hawk was a tank that blew through offensive lines, always took the angle on defenders, and made players pay. You make tackles. Cool. The problem is they aren’t at or behind the line of scrimmage and you still have problems getting off blocks, even from receivers. Hawk and Carpenter made people pay. Please hit hard, please. Go and watch film of AJ Hawk, Matt Wilhelm, and Andy Katzenmoyer. LSU and Florida have made your linebacking crew look silly, with no help from the secondary. It’s in your best interest to make Ray Malilugea look like a second stringer compared to you against USC.

Head Shots - Beanie, Zoom, Boom, and..uh..Mo

Congrats to the Buckeyes Men's Basketball
NIT Champions: I'm seriously pumped...seriously.

1% of America heard that Ohio State won the NIT, but 99% would have heard about it if they lost.

Thus is life.

Only at Ohio State is 4 RBs a Problem: Beanie, Zoom, Boom, and Mo. Not the 4 Stooges, but the Ohio State running backs for the 2008 season. While USC and LSU stockpile 4 and 5 star recruits, the Columbus Dispatch goes silly just wondering how they will all get touches.

Hey coaches, I'd listen to Beanie Wells: "Get 'em all on the field".

Depth Only Counts if it Makes it Through Spring: From the sonofabitch department, The Columbus Dispatch also would like you to know that super recruit Mike Adams is out for spring. 6'8" 310lbs of O-line muscle is better healthy than hurt. Expect him to be back for the season, but luckily freshman are for depth only.

You heard me, Alex Boone. No hurdling Brian Hartline

Blog Shots: Eleven Warriors wants to borrow $1600 and counting to be the honorary assistant coach for the spring game (so do I). Maybe Lane Kiffin will throw up the booty...Around the Oval has the Boeckman Meter to gauge the point in time that Terrelle Pryor gets his name chanted by 105,000 fans (even the visitors)...Men of the S&G warns that it will suck of Ohio State loses to Michigan, even if we have Jason Bourne aka Justin Boren on our side (but tOSU won't so it's cool)...and Our Honor Defend promises the book will be forthcoming after they get done posting the 20th "Better Know A Buckeye", all at under 300 pages.

Get Out of Jail Free Cards

Everybody’s favorite board game that they have never finished, Monopoly, and everybody’s favorite sport that they are never happy with, college football, actually have a lot in common. And no, it’s not the NCAA’s monopoly over college sports for the exploitation of student athletes (ha!).

1. All the teams (games pieces) are racing through a season (around the board) to pick up the most wins (properties), where the easy ones don’t mean anything and the quality Out of Conference does (Boardwalk, baby!)
2. You’ve got your games of chance every week when any team can win or lose in a game of inches and seconds, while teams, the NCAA, and the network carrying the game make the money in community chest.

Ok, maybe that’s a stretch. How about this…
3. Get Out of Jail Free Cards. Somehow, there are college football teams that seem to have a stack of these just waiting to use on ESPN, CBS, the print media, the internet, and the fans. Certain games are overlooked, second chances are given, and no matter what they adored by the media and the fans.

Just look at 2007…

West Virginia

Get Out of Jail Free - You’re in the title game. All you have to do is beat Pitt, at home, in the last game of the season. You just rushed for 517 yards against Uconn. Then Pitt comes into your house, the refs are on your side, Pat White hurts his non-throwing hand, and you lay a 13-9 egg and look like you couldn’t find a needle in Dave Wannstat’s mustache piling up 109 yards of total offense.

But it’s okay: Your coach bails for Ann Arbor, tells a recruit before his own ex-players, and you paste an overrated Oklahoma team in the BCS bowl. It’s like you never even lost to Pitt when the marbles were on the line! You run the spread option and people like saying it, thus you’re free.

Oklahoma

Get Out of Jail Free – The juggernaut of juggernauts out of the Big 12. North Texas won’t put up a fight as you lay 79 on them, nor will the next 3 teams, what-was-Miami(Fl), Utah State, and Tulsa. Then the Buffs of Colorado beat you and do it with their defense. No matter, you’re still in the hunt for the title. You kept chugging along until you ran into a Texas Tech team that complements its passing attack with its passing attack. Another defense struggle against a team without a defense, and the Sooners only put up 27.

But it’s okay: Well, you beat the supposed #1 team in the nation in Missouri. For the second time in a season, and thus giving them their only two losses on the season. You are awarded by a BCS game and another BCS loss. West Virginia (48-28), Boise State, USC, and LSU. The 55-19 pasting by USC is worse than any loss Ohio State has incurred in any BCS game. Oklahoma and Stoops are 0-4 in BCS games since the National Championship season. You have no reason to be okay, but you’re in the Big 12 and the only people that really pay attention to the Big 12 is the Big 12.

And last but definitely most…

USC

Get Out of Jail Free – The USC Trojans are cruising through their season, as one would expect in the Pac-10. Nebraska laid down for you and was considerably worse than the Washington team Ohio State played out of conference, as the Huskers got 70 points scored on them more than once. It’s okay, because The Cardinal came in a 41 point underdog and left the victors at your own house (the color, not the bird). Stanford went on to lose to Notre Dame, by the way. Then Oregon shuts down USC with their defense. Defense. Oregon is not known for playing defense. If this was a shootout, understandable, but this was a low scoring affair.

But it’s okay: There will be no fall of Troy on ESPN’s nor the NCAA’s watches. By the end of the season, the talking heads are again saying USC and Oklahoma are the best teams in the nation, losses to Stanford and Colorado losses notwithstanding. You get to play the 2^nd or 3^rd place Big 10 team for the second year in a row, Illinois, and clean their clocks. "Yea well we beat the team that beat Ohio State"…Congrats, if Ohio State got to play Stanford in a BCS bowl, I’d take Ohio State by 41.

But then again, USC continues to disappoint during the season, just 1 year after getting beat by Oregon State in the season and then UCLA for all the marbles in the last game of the season (and still won the Pac-10!) If I was USC, I’d be the #1 supporter of the playoff system if all that matters is winning after the season is over.

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