Jim Tressel's Head

Who the Fuck is Tommy Tuberville?

2008-06-07T00:44:00.004-04:00

I personally thought he had retired after complaining about not making it to the championship game way back in 2003.

I guess he didn't because now he has a new cause: Taking shots at Ohio State.

So now we don't only have to listen to fans assume they can beat Ohio State because they are part of the SEC, we have to listen to coaches? Tuberville proclaims:

"Ohio State would have finished fifth in our league and they're ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll," Tuberville said.

Funny, because I don't remember Ohio State playing in the SEC. It's a fun statement to make, considering the champion of the SEC has beat Ohio State in the past 2 championship games and not the second, third or fourth place team.

The best part is that Tommy doesn’t have to worry about accountability. It’s not like Ohio State will be seeing Auburn on the gridiron any time soon, unless the Tigers quit dropping random games along the way. My recommendation is the Auburn cedes from the SEC and joins the Big 10 to make up our 12^th team. My guess is that Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois would have no trouble with the Tigers. Actually Ohio State would probably win too, considering as how you’d then be a member of the Big Ten and not the SEC.

You may remember Auburn for their Florida victories the past 2 years, because besides that there’s not a whole lot to hang your hat on. You would have to assume that Ohio State would drop games to South Florida and The Mississippi State University. Hell, they went toe to toe against Nebraska (yes, Callahan’s Nebraska). Auburn’s last shot at a Big Ten team didn’t go so well, losing to Wisconsin 24-10 in 2005, so I assume Wisconsin would finish close to second in the SEC. The John Stocco tossed for over 300 yards and the Badgers held Kenny Irons to 88 yards rushing.

It’s just sad really that these coaches can shoot off at the mouth without any kind of accountability. If you call out a specific team, you should have to play that team and not hide behind the big boys of your conference (Florida and LSU). He must forget that it’s only Ohio State that has an issue with beating SEC team, as the rest of the Big Ten seems to do just fine.

That being said, it looks like I have a new favorite team to play in a bowl game! But then again, Ohio State will probably be in the National Championship game and Auburn will probably drop a game to either Louisiana-Monroe or Tennessee Martin.

Don’t worry Tommy, I’ve already petitioned the Big Ten for Auburns admission.

Malcolm Jenkins is Slow...

2008-06-01T16:44:00.002-04:00

or so says a bunch of 2009 NFL Draft predictions.

Comments say that Malcolm Jenkins, the senior cornerback for Ohio State, might not be able to produce in the forty yard dash.

Poe is curious to where this rumor started (my guess is a SEC/CBS/Florida message board) because to me, he's always seemed like one of the fastest guys on the field. Just ask Penn State and LSU. In addition, he seems to be the most electric Buckeye when he's got the ball in his hands. The dude is basically Mr. Pick Six.

I'm confused. Maybe being one of the fastest Buckeyes only makes you as fast as an LSU linebacker, but I've never watched a game and said "Holy shit, Malcolm Jenkins is slow". Donald Washington got chased down against Texas, so maybe people get Washington and Jenkins confused.

You tell me where this vicious rumor started...

Charmin Soft = 4 Big Ten Teams in CBS Top 25

2008-05-26T12:29:00.003-04:00

That’s it. I’ve quit my day job. I’ve been hired by CBSSportsline to come up with articles that provide no insight and inspire a myriad of message board comments.

Dennis Dodd and I on the same team will be quite a force to reckon with. He can piss off the Big Ten and I’ll piss of the SEC. The rest of the conferences will get so sick of the Big Ten and SEC, like they aren’t already, and then CBS will be the first site to reach 1 billion posts.

I’ve been inspired by Dennis Dodd. He is mentor. Why? Because he ranks the Buckeyes #1 in this Top 25 poll, one spot above SEC favorite Georgia. Why the change of heart from Dodd, who rags on the Buckeyes as choke artists and hammers the Big Ten for being a horrible conference? Dodd says:

“Mix in the roll of baby-soft Charmin known as the Big Ten schedule and this is the team to beat.”

While the whole slate of the Big Ten may be a tad easier than the SEC, Dodd proceeds to include 3 other Big Ten teams in the Top 25 (Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan State). I could see Dodd’s issue, except for the fact that Ohio State plays all 3 teams ON THE ROAD. Dodd also just dropped out Penn State from the list Post Spring, meaning 5 total Big Ten teams would have been on the list. Ohio State would play all 4. How many SEC teams? 5 of them. In my life, 5=5.

What does this mean? Nothing, because these beat writers write each story with a clean slate, as if they never had a prior opinion or a prior thought (yet all of which can be found in their archive).

He also puts 5 Big 12 teams in the top 11. Using previous logic, none of those five play each other during the season? I’d say his top 6 is logical in some order. The sad part is that Dennis Dodd’s opinion counts. His baseless opinions actually lead into the real rankings once the season starts.

It’s cool to hate on Ohio State’s schedule, and it sucks we have to start out with Youngstown State but we do, but Troy was second in the Sun Belt (ask the SEC about the Sun Belt) and Ohio University at least contends in the MAC. Uh, uh, okay bad arguments…but we play USC in Southern California.

And that can’t get here soon enough.

Why Recruiting Is Creepy

2008-05-25T18:31:00.003-04:00

ESPN has proven that it is not only the world leader in sports, but the world leader in being downright creepy about high school kids. Talking about Ohio running back Bud Golden:

"He is a tall, well-built kid with the body structure to hold an additional 15-20 pounds of lean bulk to complement his downhill, north-south running style. His frame really impresses you without pads on. While lean, you can see his naturally strong, well-defined upper-body with the broad shoulders to eventually carry more weight and the load as a college running back."

Well, if that ESPN gig doesn't work out, I heard Fabio is looking for a writer for his next romance novel.

I have to go shower now...

Head Shots from 5/20/08

2008-05-20T20:08:00.005-04:00

Big Ten Coaches Want a Break: Coaches are proposing a 2 week quiet period in the summer where recruits would be off limits from the dirty old men stalking them, also known as coaches and recruiters. The story was posted on ESPN and within minutes, comments popped up with suck gems as "This is why the Big Ten sucks" and "Sure, give Carroll, Meyer and Stoops 2 weeks alone with the Midwest’s blue chip recruits".

Mark May busy at work again, I see. His cohorts in comments were ‘McSheezyThaDraftMan’ and ‘MelKiperMustDie’. No idea who THAT could be, Todd.

Perrilloux Finds a Home: Ryan Perrilloux has signed his scholarship papers in AL-A-BA-MA! No, not the Crimson Tide, but Jacksonville State. RP can now play next season without riding the pine as he would transferring to a D1A school, which was important since he had already burned his redshirt season (along with the bridges behind him). Was that the season he was in a FBI counterfeiting investigation or and incident with a fake ID and a riverboat casino?

Sports Illustrated has commentary on the situation, with nothing but praise towards Perrilloux, explaining how well he played against Middle Tennessee State and Tennessee. In that case, he’s already shown he can be successful against D1-AA caliber defenses.

JSU currently has no quarterback on the team, which was also a positive in Perrilloux’s eyes. Was Jacksonville State without a QB because of graduation or injury? No, and we can’t make this up, he was kicked off the team. Funny how the world works.

Julio Jones for President: You know your school loves football when a football player gets third place in the Student Council President race. You know your school REALLY loves football when that player is a write in candidate who has yet to step on campus. Really tall Bama recruit and one member of Nick Saban’s 110 man recruiting class, Julio Jones is already a fan favorite.

Look out, we might have Terrelle Pryor elected as Governor of Ohio if this keeps up.

"I’m Terrelle Pryor, and I approve this message."

Jim Tressel Invades Florida: Open spots on the 2009 Ohio State football team are disappearing faster than small children at an elementary school when Charlie Weis got wrong directions to the all-you-can-eat buffet. (Note: Poe is implying Charlie Weis eats small children and house pets. Everyone is dogging on Charlie. 3-9, 3-9). JT has been quite the jet-setter, keeping tabs on recruits in Florida, Maryland, Tennessee (third time I had to type that word) and California.

Ohio State is currently on the short list for so many Florida kids, you’d think we replaced Florida State in the Big Three (we have). Two running backs, several defensive backs, and several wide receivers are getting the JT love, to the point where they might not have enough spots for everyone.

Two of the kids are amongst the fastest in the Speed State (hey, it was Microsoft that had me capitalize it). It’s just a shame that they might move north and play in the Big Ten and steal all the speed from the ACC. Yes, the ACC. Not surprisingly, many of the kids are also on Urban Meyer’s radar. No, he really has a radar. Unless you have the speed of a twin engine Cessna, he will not recruit you. Thus the call into Michigan’s tight end (non-existent in any Ohio State-Michigan game), who blew past the entire Florida defense on a screen.

The No Win Argument: College Football Playoffs

2008-05-19T17:45:00.004-04:00

Just so you know, Gordon Gee is looking out for you. He doesn’t want college football to become too professional; he doesn’t want to cross that line "down a slippery slope". Thanks buddy. Luckily for Ohio State, Gordon Gee is normally right. He states we don’t want to get into an "arms race".

Poe will be the first to tell you that Gee’s argument is pretty weak.

Ohio State is big time college football. Big time college football is professional football without the payroll. Ohio State football has Ohio Stadium (105,000 people), The Woody Hayes Athletic Center ($24 million), ABC primetime games, the Big Ten Network, merchandising deals, sponsorships, and BCS million dollar paydays. This isn’t some two-bit operation that relies on good luck. All that and a playoff pushes us off a slippery slope? Maybe Gee will do away with the athletic department next (ha, Vanderbilt! Seriously though, the real people that run Ohio State would never allow it). Next thing you know, we’ll be talking about paying student-athletes!*

*That’s a whole other topic, but lets just say Poe made $23/hr working during a co-op during college. The school sent applications to the employer, employer hired student, student did work, student was paid, and the employer made profit. Sounds like the academics of a university are professional, but we can’t take our sports there?

Gee has drawn the ire talk show hosts and sports writers alike. Mike Wilbon of ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption, graduate of Northwestern, crossed his own slippery slope and called Gee "a fraud". Meanwhile, Jim Tressel backs the Ohio State/Big Ten/Pac-10 position on playoffs, probably hoping not to stir the pot and go against the conference and its bowl tie-in (Rose Bowl). Never mind the fact that Tressel won 4 of his 5 national championships in the D-1AA playoff system. It’s a lot like when Wilbon (ESPN) and Dennis Dodd (CBS) take shots at Ohio State and the Big Ten, because it’s the culture created by the network. It’s easy to take shots since the collective memory of our society is 2.5 days, and these guys sit in meetings all day discussing how to make controversy. SportingNews says Jim Delaney is the sports most powerful comissioner, but they are the weakest BCS conference. But if there were a playoff, ESPN would likely have to go off air or play more Texas Hold ’em because they won’t get to "debate" as much.

The only reason ESPN/ABC/Disney is likely to be pushing for a playoff system is that ESPN/ABC/Disney is likely to make a bid the next time the TV deals expire.

The outside view is that the Big Ten doesn’t want a playoff system because then Ohio State wouldn’t get free rides into the championship game. Somehow they figure that Ohio State wouldn’t get an advantage by playing the fourth ranked team (since they have been #1 the past 2 years) and actually playing a game during the 40-day layoff. Correct me if I’m wrong, but it sure doesn’t help Ohio State when they lose the national championship game. And what would become of the team if they win the Rose Bowl, but lose in the championship? Hey congrats, you won the Granddaddy of Them All, but you are still overrated!

I’m all for the Plus One, if the BCS guys can all sit down at a table and come up with something clever and logical. I’m just not sure they can (oh well, there’s always congress!). The more football the better, for me at least. Maybe the players can all take a vote, after all they are the ones playing. If they are happy, then who cares? Too many times these ruling committees look out for their own interests while forgetting about the players that make of the teams whether it be the NCAA, NFL, NBA, or MLB (sorry NHL).

Gordon Gee is smarter than we are. In fact, he might even be a bigger Buckeye than we are (any man that wears Buckeye pants is a hero, in my book). We know Gee is all for keeping athletic departments in check and raising academic standards. I’m all for it too. But Ohio State is not Vanderbilt in background, budget, or admissions. I haven’t personally seen a Plus One or playoff system that makes sense logically, but I wouldn’t dare claim college football (and basketball) are separate entities from their professional counterparts.

Besides, the decision-makers already made their decision.

He Was Who We Thought He Was

2008-05-14T21:03:00.003-04:00

Can I get a round of applause for whoever came up with the ‘one and done’ rule for college basketball. Bravo. Bra-fucking-vo.

No, it’s not the fact that the NCAA came up with a completely arbitrary number regarding the duration of term in college (football is 3 years, basketball is only 1 year. I would assume that the team owners and commissioners had something to say about that).

‘One and done’, especially at Ohio State, causes issues with a team’s APR rating (basically a formula that accounts for graduation rates of students). Greg Oden, Mike Conley, and Daequan Cook go pro in basketball, your APR score drops since they left in the middle of a semester. It doesn’t matter if you go pro, transfer schools, or just quit the team and drop out of school. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the purpose of college is to work towards gaining the skills you need to be successful in a specific professional. Let’s say I bailed on the engineering program early because NASA was offering me a $100k signing bonus to be a genius engineer. I doubt the engineering school would be slapped with penalties and have scholarships revoked.

Secondly, OJ Mayo was who we thought he was: any university’s nightmare. Reports show that Mayo had been taking cash and gifts since high school and through his ‘one and done’ season at USC. Uh oh USC. That means since he was directly affiliated with you for 4 months, you now face the wrath of the NCAA. And Mayo? He gets to go pro. Thankfully, the NCAA has no judicial powers outside "we’ll take back your trophy" and "you can’t play in the postseason", or this could turn into the Spanish Inquisition. The NCAA probably feels it should be above the law, so I wouldn’t be surprised when the NCAA minds rule "off with his head".

I can’t blame Mayo, especially since cash and gifts aren’t technically illegal. All he was trying to do was get paid the entire time. It would have happened on the priest’s watch if he decided he was going to St. Johns or Notre Dame. But the truth was, you could tell from the beginning. OJ Mayo has always had a little bit of flair and attitude, the polar opposite of Greg Oden. Maybe it had something to do with committing to USC in 6^th grade.

I can’t blame Mayo. I can blame the NCAA. A two-year rule in college basketball affords at least some accountability from the player to the university. A three-year rule would make college basketball equal to college football. 3+3=3.

Terrelle Pryor is Selfish...

2008-05-12T20:18:00.002-04:00

Selfishly in love with Jim Tressel, that is.

"Why I chose Ohio State is because of Jim Tressel. That's it," Pryor stated emphatically. "I could have went to a lot of great places, but I want to play for coach Tressel. There were a lot of other reasons, like the friends I have here, the distance from home and a few other things, but the main reason is coach Tressel. I want to come here and win a championship for him."

I won't steal BuckeyePlanet's mojo on this, so here's the link to the whole post. It's the final part of a 3 piece series by scout.com's Bill Greene on the recruitment and signing of Terrelle Pryor.

I'm not sure, but I think that kind of comment that makes you an honorary Ohioan. But I thought Pryor was a self-centered, egotistical super recruit that would demand playing time and be a bigger burden than he's worth. Oh well it seems like Pryor is a well rounded, exceptionally thoughtful human being. Is that possible?

Don't look now, but you just got Tresselized.

I'm glad Coach Tressel can lead and inspire. Hell, it's been said many a time that if he were to run for Governor of Ohio, he'd win in a land slide. But you know what happens when you become a politician. You become power hungry.

I can see it now, Tressel mobilizes the Ohio National Guard to initiate takeover attempts on the states of Florida and Louisiana followed by the beheadings of Urban Meyer and Les Miles, thus ending the evil rule of the SEC and proclaiming the areas as "The Ohio Territories" and southern speed would now be known as "Ohio Speed".

And you know what? I think most of us would be okay with that.

Call EA Sports, NCAA Football 2008 Has a Defect

2008-05-10T18:09:00.003-04:00

Apparently EA Sports didn't get the memo. I just got done beating the Texas Longhorns for the National Championship for the third straight year. I beat down Texas all 3 years at an average score of 49-14. Guess what?

They finished the season ranked #2 after those poundings.

And a funny thing happened the next season.

Texas was again ranked #2 to start the season!

Interesting parallels to real life, considering the computer calculates these outcomes using stats and information. You know what a computer doesn't include? Opinion. Go figure.

LSU Gives In, Ryan Perrilloux Goes Out

2008-05-05T21:57:00.002-04:00

Ryan Perrilloux rattled the cage in bayou one too many times. It’s the story that I’ve expected to read about every time I’ve read a story about Perrilloux over the past few years. Perrilloux = Counterfeiting Ring = FBI = Casino Gambling = Bar Fights = Missed Class and Meetings = Failed Drug Test = King of the World = No more D1 football.

Strangest part of the story to me is about how Les Miles and LSU are getting all the credit for kicking the kid off the team. It’s not everyday that you have to kick the starting QB off the team, but then again its not everyday the starting QB does something and deserves to be kicked off the team. What else could they do? Perrilloux has been suspended on and off for the past year, missing games and practice. At some point you have to realize he might be more trouble than he’s worth and 6 strikes and you’re out, and that’s what happened Friday. That, or one of the other QBs looked good enough in practice to chance the Perrilloux dismissal.

Ohio State has had its share of issues over the years. Now, LSU. Penn State has, Oklahoma has, WVU, Florida has, South Carolina has, and the list goes on (USC, USC, USC). I mean check out the Fulmer Cup on EDSBS. For the most part, they have been individual exercises and not a result of the nature of the programs. I mean, you’re putting one hundred 18-22,23,24 year old men on a team. I went to college, had fun, did what I had to do, and didn’t get in a whole lot of trouble (Poe hasn’t been arrested, yet). Alas, I wasn’t going to be a QB for a college football power. These guys have different backgrounds and ideas about their futures, and you’ll get a few bad apples that don’t want to follow the rules. For every bad apple, there are 40-50 good apples that you’ll never hear about.

Take it from an Ohio State fan: Get Perrilloux on some D-1AA team. Let him play for one or two years and try out for the NFL. You don’t want him calling ESPN, robbing people for cell phones behind bars, carrying guns and Grey Goose in an SUV near a witness’ house, and spending a few in the Toledo Correctional Facility.

In the World of Overly Optimistic Beat Writers…

Hide the children, Ron Zook is coming. With impeccably odd timing, a writer for an Illinois paper talks about how Ron Zook is poaching Ohio football players. It seems like he’s a year late on the Illinois recruiting class, which should be promising but not overwhelming. It just seems like a strange time to release an article just weeks after Melvin Fellows decommitted from Illinois to take the home state Buckeyes. Zooker got Cordale Scott last year from Glenville, but Ohio State got Devier Posey and Jake Stoneburner, both of whom could see action this year. And Ohio State got Garret Goebel last year out of Illinois, who was probably the state’s best prospect (I think he figured he could play day one after watching the DTs play). Anyway, the guy is a year late on his story. If anything, he should have jumped on the "Gentlemen’s Agreement" bandwagon.

Speaking of snake oil salesmen in wizards’ hats, Jim Tressel could have been dogging Walker: Texas Ranger’s favorite old man Joe Tiller with the comments. But Joe Tiller and Purdue aren’t national newsworthy, thus Rich Rodriguez hath been attacked. So now the state of West Virginia, West Virginia University, AND Jim Tressel are out to get him…wait, that IS right. Hopefully for Tiller’s sake, Purdue can go all MAC game on Michigan and put up 50 points. Wait, then Purdue will somehow give up 52.

All Aboard!

2008-05-01T22:57:00.003-04:00

Another Monday, another Ohio State recruit commitment. Corey Lindsey, big Ohio offensive lineman, decided to pull the trigger on OSU because that’s who he grew up rooting for and that’s where his mama wanted him to go (good lady). Lindsey was also considering Notre Dame and, gasp, Stanford. It means that Jim Tressel and his staff feel like you can never have enough offensive lineman, and Poe agrees.

So that makes 13 commitments.

Of course, if Ohio State was a member of the SEC or ACC, they would still have 18-20 more recruits to sign (here’s lookin’ at you Miami (Fl) and Alabama). But, alas, they are not and it looks like the 2009 class could top out with 8ish more kids. Me thinks a Glenville kid or two, a running back or two, and a WR or two (especially a 6’5" Randy Moss-Calvin Johnson-freak), and then the staff can call it a recruiting season.

UPDATE: Make it 14, as Zach Boren did what we all thought he would and picked the Buckeyes. These boys sure are ‘Ohio State Men’.

Which offer is the most prestigious?

It’s the age-old question. What school do players consider is the most prestigious offer? It’s the offer that puts a kid on the map and makes people stop and talk about it. No matter where you are in this country, you get the offer from this school and people just assume it’s where you are going…

#1) USC: Hate to say it, fellow Buckeyes, but it’s hard to beat the USC offer. Players from Ohio and Michigan get the USC offer and even the obsessed recruiting followers just assume it will be hard to beat. It’s more than just Pete Carroll and the school. Sure I bet Petey makes it fun and you can all laugh together, but I think the biggest draw is the fact it’s Southern California and the rest are just perks. Columbus, Norman, South Bend, and Gainesville just aren’t LA. There’s no other explanation for the stockpile of running backs than that.

#2) Ohio State: Who Ohio State offers, Ohio State gets (usually). While OSU has predominantly stuck with Ohio boys, more and more athletes from around the country are flocking to Columbus. Example A) Etienne Sabino was a FLA boys and had is USC offer. Sabino, the #1 rated inside linebacker, picks the Buckeyes. Tressel and his staff don’t waste your time or theirs, signing 20 of the 24 kids that officially visited for 2008 (that’s like 80% conversion rate). More and more Florida kids are visiting along with PA kids, Maryland kids, but call me when Tressel starts invading California.

#3) Florida: Urban Meyer must have some positives (though Poe sees none of them, as the Southern boys stay Southern boys and play for Florida. Who else would they play for? Florida State? Miami? Meyer is as lucky as he is good. A lot of kids want to play in Florida, but would rather not play in the ACC. Around 60% of kids in the Rivals100 have Florida listed as a school they are interested in, and I’m sure Urban calls everyone.

Which offer is the least prestigious?

Know what it takes to rebuild? Offers to everybody and their brothers and their brothers’ friends. The next 3 teams are not necessary bad teams, but face an uphill battle in terms of being all that relevant again.

#1) Alabama: Roll Tide. Roll Nick Saban. Roll 50 recruits a season. Saban needs them and he doesn’t want you to worry about the numbers. There’s something I’ve never liked about Saban.

#2) Miami (Fl): Going from having teams stacked with NFL players to QBs who complete 1 of 15 passes, The U might have to change its name to The O for offer after the size of the class they brought in. Bad News is that you now have to put the (Fl) so people know who you are talking about. Good news for Miami is that all those years in the beginning of the millennium help in recruiting.

#3) Illinois: I sent in video of myself sitting at my desk. A week later, I got an in home visit from his staff telling me about how I could get a lot of playing time for the Illini. Oh Zooker. He can sell Rose Bowl appearances, beating Ohio State at home, and playing time, but we still know that 200 kids have been offered for the 25 slots.

Head Case: NFL Draft

2008-04-29T23:01:00.003-04:00

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

2008-04-27T22:19:00.004-04:00

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.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
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."
-------------------------------------------------------------------

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

2008-04-26T15:51:00.003-04:00

Let’s run down the list.

Ohio State Spring Game – Great for the fans and the recruits
Darrell Givens Commits – Teammate of Lamaar Thomas and OSU’s first offer.
Dorian Bell Commits – 5 Star Linebacker from Pennsylvania
Jordan Hall Commits – 4 Star Running Back and Terrelle Pryor’s right hand man from PA.
Justin Boren transfer from Michigan to Ohio State is confirmed by Coach Tressel.
Melvin Fellows Commits – Possibly the top ranked Ohio player decommits from Illinois.
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

2008-04-24T19:57:00.004-04:00

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

2008-04-23T21:40:00.002-04:00

Or if that doesn't work...

Win or Die: A Ridiculously Digustingly Early Preview

2008-04-22T20:15:00.002-04:00

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

2008-04-19T11:53:00.003-04:00

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

2008-04-18T18:30:00.003-04:00

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

2008-04-16T18:27:00.003-04:00

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

2008-04-14T18:35:00.003-04:00

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)...

2008-04-11T19:09:00.006-04:00

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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

2008-04-10T19:45:00.005-04:00

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

2008-04-06T16:55:00.003-04:00

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

2008-04-05T14:37:00.002-04:00

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!).

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!)
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…

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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Head Shots

2008-03-27T21:46:00.004-04:00

Clemson's Bursar's Office Accepts Straight Cash, Homie - In the first completely non Big 10, non Ohio State story ever on this blog, Clemson recruit Kenneth Page has told Tommy Bowden that he would rather not take up a scholarship and would rather pay for his tuition straight up.

Kenny has been working hard this summer, says his mom, mowing lawns and slingin' rock.

Stay Classy, Michigan - Every Michigan blog in the land has taken its shots at Justin Boren and his decision to leave Michigan for reasons including 'lacking family values' and 'running back to the line of scrimmage'. Fans and bloggers will take their shots, but Boren may have the last laugh if he walks on at Ohio State over a scholarship at Michigan. DickRod, Bo isn't happy!

Maize n Brew thinks its funny that offensive lineman are fat and like donuts...and their lone returning STARTER on offense, Steve Schilling, got manhandled by Vernon Gholston. Ha!

Hacks with Computers: The Musical - I'm not a professional writer. I don't try to be. I don't get paid. That's why I can take shots at hacks that do get paid to write garbage. John L. [Smith] Crawford of the Fernandina Beach News Leader thinks that Florida is good and Ohio State is bad. Chances are, when your paper's name is the "News Leader", they are actually a ways off.

"Welcome to college football, Terrelle. Enjoy four years of inflated rankings and no rings ..."

John L. wishes Terrelle Pryor luck in college, or is fat prick disguised as a writer. He also thinks the SEC should be tremblin' in their workin' boots because the new clock changes in college football will allow Florida to run 10 more plays per game, on top of the 70 per game they ran last year. He pulls this number, 10 plays, off the top of Florida's OC's head. Which is great for Florida, unless that extra time created by Florida running the no huddle offense creates more plays for the opposing offense. Man, I'd had to see Michigan with 10 more plays against Florida...and that's just Michigan.

Fatties know sports!

Titanic 2: USS Dickrod - Maize And Trouble

2008-03-26T21:47:00.006-04:00

Buckeye User Rating: 9.9/10

Director: Rich Rodriguez

Writer: Michigan Athletic Department

Tagline: No QB, No Lineman, No Shot

Plot Outline: Michigan Head Coach Rich Rodriguez guides his Maize and Blue ship through spring and fall practice, watching the pieces fall off and players jump ship before the SS RichRod makes the Titanic sinking look graceful.

A typical Michigan Fan review: The SS RichRod is a wild ride that never ends. I know it's something different than what's been done before, but it'll have the Columbus boys shaking in their boots. Lawsuits, scandals, lost recruits, lackluster QBs, and 5 star players jumping ship like it's on fire, I mean how am I supposed to keep up!? This ain't Lloyd Carr's team no mo!

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Now I’m not saying that Michigan will never be good again, or even that they are going to have close to a losing record this coming season. A key indicator of the weak economy is sliding factory orders, a weak dollar, and high unemployment. A key indicator of something being wrong with a football team is when 5 Star recruits quit the team. When James Cameron decides to make a movie of the fabled football team cracked in half and sunk to the bottom of the ocean, we know that no one would have to play Ryan Mallet’s role. And now we learn that, after the first week of practice, they will also be out a starter on the Offensive Line, Justin Boren. Boren should have been a junior this upcoming season, picking Big Blue out of Pickerington, Ohio. Rivals thought enough of him to consider him a 5 Star player.

Boren came out Wednesday to question the ‘team’s family values’. Therein lays the problem with the regime change at Michigan. At what losses do you consider a coaching hire the wrong move. Sure you might confound teams with a spread offense and make some fans and players happy, but how much tradition do you have to sacrifice in the process.

What's even more disconcerting is those that wear the Maize and Blue glasses. That's not all Michigan fans, not the smart ones. Smart ones know strengths and weaknesses. The dumb Michigan fans are the ones that run around screaming:

We didn't want Terrelle Pryor anyways, we didn't need him.
We were glad Mallett transferred, he was a prima donna and didn't fit in.
RichRod is weeding out players, and Boren couldn't cut it.

I never agree with MGoBlog, but they know to take cover when they see a tornado coming at their house. They were worried about the QB spot and downright freaked over the Boren departure. The truth is that Boren is a mammoth of a man who feels he didn't fit in at the NEW Michigan. That's what happens when kids get left behind by the school they trusted. Now the kid has to sit out while Rich Rodriguez fights lawsuits and tries to install his offense. Justin Boren wanted to be just like Jake Long, except that new Michigan won't give him that ticket to the NFL like the old Michigan gave Jake.

All I can say Justin, there's always Ohio State.

We're going to need you, buddy.

2008-03-25T20:51:00.004-04:00

Meet Jim Heacock

Jim Heacock, Defensive Coordinator of the Ohio State Buckeyes, is in one weird situation.

As the verifiable leader of the Buckeye defense he has led a squad that has put the pain to 99% of the teams they have faced. They have been Top 5 in total defense almost every year since Heacock's transition from the Defensive Line (though, they were before too). In fact, the 2007 (ehhhh) Silver Bullets finished the season ranked #1 in both Scoring and Yardage, including the #1 pass ranked defense. Heacock was named Coordinator of the Year and got a trophy.

So Poe, you said weird situation.

Well yes, I did. The Buckeye defense is also responsible for yielding 41 and 38 points in back to back National Championship games. Oops. The first could have been more and second should have been less. That's 79 points. 70/2 is 39.5 points per game. Shit, Jim. Shit, Jims. Jim Tressel, Jim Bollman, and Jim Heacock.

How does Ohio State play in one of the most memorable NC games of all time in 2002 and can barely muster a presence in the next two? Guess what the score of the 2002 game was after 4 quarters...17-17. That's more like it.

Now I won't blame one coordinator, player, or play for either loss. But I'm just stating the facts. And they aren't pretty. The 2002 Miami team was arguably one of the most talented teams of all time. Ken Dorsey was one hell of a college QB, and Chris Leak and Matt Flynn were not. Doesn't matter, because Ohio State made them look like Heisman winners. Welcome, boys!

What Ohio State really needed was a break. 2007 wasn't supposed to be a NC game season, but maybe it would have been better to have WV vs Missouri. Hindsight is 20/20, but at this point it doesn't look like a whole lot is standing in between Ohio State and a 3rd straight appearance, for better or for worse.

Who do I blame? It has to be the Big 10. It'd be nice if every team played Ohio State the way Wisconsin did last season, even if it was semi-manufactured by Jim Tressel. Ohio State can't afford to tie one hand behind its back to play conference foes, such as by stashing the playbook or resting Beanie Wells an entire first half.

Or maybe the team just needs to play balls out when it needs to...

He is Better Than You.

2008-03-24T22:21:00.004-04:00

Meet the Tressels.Oh and their dogs, get this, Scarlett and Gracie. Scarlett and Gracie. Mother fucker Jim. You just earned another notch on the totem pole of Ohio State football in my book. Scarlett and Gracie, awesome. Thank you Canton Repository.

However, Poe is disappointed that those aren't the daughters' names. Commitment, Jim. Commitment.
[Note: Poe is not single, yet would marry a Tressel and preferably a daughter. In case either stumble on this blog. ;-)]

Anyways, I'm assuming the dogs are girls, because we all know what the boys would have been named: Woody and Hayes

So, Now What?

2008-03-21T15:40:00.002-04:00

In case you just woke up from a 70 year sleep under a rock, Terrelle Pryor signed his letter of intent to play football for The Ohio State University Buckeyes. Awesome, Rivals and Scout say he’s the #1 recruit in the nation while ESPN “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” chooses to put him at #6. Jokes on them since recruiting numbers don’t really matter, but you have to like the chances of a 6’6” 230lb athlete that runs a 4.4 forty yard dash.

So what now? The Buckeyes currently have 3 QBs on the roster (2 scholarship) with Todd Boeckman, Antonio Henton, and Joe Bauserman (walk on). Luckily, Robbie Schoenhoft took his rocket arm to Delaware, though it was expected that he would be suiting up as TE rather than QB.

What does this mean to…

Todd Boeckman?

Nothing. In fact, Todd Boeckman should be thankful that Pryor chose Ohio State. Let me repeat, Todd is not in danger of losing his starting spot to Pryor and should be more worried about Antonio Henton (not that it will happen). More than anything, Boeckman now has another weapon to utilize in addition to the NC game runner up (aka loser). It adds another dimension to offense, and lets not think for a second that Tressel would hand the reigns to a freshman over a 6^th year senior who will be in grad school. Ain’t happening.

Antonio Henton?

Now this is a little tricky. We keep hearing about how Henton was coming on through the year (after his sticky situation with CPD) and had passed Schoenhoft for the backup spot. The truth is, we haven’t seen him play football since the beginning of the 2007 season and didn’t play (although he was rumored to) in the National Championship game. Mark this down: Antonio Henton will be the backup quarterback at Ohio State. But wait Poe, isn’t Terrelle Pryor supposed to be super recruit? Ah yes, read below. As for Henton, if Boeckman goes down or pulls a Jimmy Clausen, Henton and not Pryor would be the leader of the Buckeyes.

Terrelle Pryor?

Wise move, young man. He weighed his options and apparently made the right choice. So where do you play the stud recruit. Maurice Clarett didn’t redshirt, nor did Ted Ginn, nor Beanie Wells, but Justin Zwick did. I wouldn’t rule out a RS, but I would highly doubt it. Terrelle Pryor will be called QB backup ‘a’. What? Why ‘a’, and not 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd? With all the talk about a Tim Tebow like role at OSU, Pryor could end up with more playing time than Henton. Boeckman-1 Henton-2 Pryor-A. It doesn’t make sense, I know. Pryor will not be asked to run the offense, but will be asked to create a spark anytime he is thrown in the ballgame to pass or rush. Pryor may be called upon at any time during a game, while we most likely won’t see Henton until the 4^th quarter. My belief is that Pryor will in fact see more playing time than Henton, while being the third in charge to RUN the offense. Pryor is too good of an athlete to keep of the field for an entire game, and until defenses figure him out, there is no reason to not use him as at least a distraction.

Confusing, I know. But it better not be confusing for…

Jim Tressel.

That’s right, I said it. I don’t want Pryor playing INSTEAD of Boeckman or Henton, but he better be out there contributing when he can. The biggest complaint heard around Buckeye Nation is the lack of creativity on the offensive side of the ball. Jim, you don’t have to listen to them 99% of the time. It works, we know. But when you need to show something different, do it. Buckeye Nation watched the 2007 National Championship game and wanted to see a reverse, wanted to see Henton come in for a couple plays, wanted to see Jer’male Hines come in at RB. Anything. We got a bootleg to Saine, and that was it. Good news, it worked. Bad news, that was it. I expect Boeckman and Henton to run the offense, and I expect Pryor to run a middle screen to Saine for a 25 yard TD with 10 minutes remaining in the 2^nd Quarter of the USC game. Why? Why not.

Pryor Hath Cometh

2008-03-19T22:49:00.010-04:00

The long awaited commitment of the nation’s (almost unanimous) top ranked recruit is here, and it’s a big score for the Buckeyes. We’ve kind of assumed it from the beginning, guessed it along the way, and now it’s on a LOI.

Start the hate, envy, and confusion:

The Denied
Michigan Fan #1: Michigan’s future wasn’t relying on this kid anyway.
Michigan Fan #2: We never wanted him anyway, Pryor didn’t fit in.

Penn State Fan #1: We have 2 better QBs than him anyway.
Penn State Fan #2: We have a great institution, Pryor would ruin it.

Oregon Fan #1: We didn’t think we’d get him anyways.
Poe McKnoe: Okay, that’s fair.

The Ignorant
ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption’s Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon had a tidbit on their show about the Pryor decision. In fact, it was the second story after the Rockets losing to the Celtics. Okay, that’s fair. It’s a big story so it should be second.

But then to spend the duration of the segment discussing how, and I quote, “This is not news”. It’s against the rules of common sense to devote one or two minutes discussing how a story is not news on national television. It’s news because you made it news, Tony and Michael. I went to work today, and that didn’t make PTI. NOT NEWS.

Then PTI proceeds to finish it off with “Well Michigan is the school that has been turning out the NFL QBs, not Ohio State”. Wrong. Lloyd Carr and his pro style, dropback passer offense has sent several QBs to the NFL, even though Tom Brady is really the only one to be concerned about. Ohio State has never had a Tom Brady, but they have had a Heisman Trophy winning QB. The Rich Rodriguez spread offense isn’t the ideal producer of successful NFL QBs. You could say West Virginia isn’t the hot bed of NFL talent, but most NFL QBs have come from less known schools such as Southern Mississippi, Ole Miss,

The Needy
The Detroit Free Press published a couple, several, more than a few, ok, 10 [ten] (TEN!) articles after the Pryor announcement. That’s just post press conference. People get paid for this? I mean nothing else is going on in Detroit? Recession? The Mayor? The Pistons? Nothing? The ‘Articles’ had such zingers as: “Michigan shouldn't be disappointed that it missed out on Pryor” and “Michigan's future never depended on Pryor”. Geez, don’t act like the sky is falling or anything. Play it cool.

The Sporting News is an entertaining farce. Most articles are written to get the readers’ panties in a bundle. TSN couldn’t quite keep up with the Freep.com, with only 7 separate stories and letting each writer take a stab and writing something reasonable. The writers publish stories that bring out the writers of Dumb and Dumber 3, complete with a supposed text from Tressel to Pryor.

And Finally...
The University of… Lamaar Thomas, who committed several months ago, started the new trend of calling The Ohio State University The University of Ohio State. I’m okay with it. It becomes a big deal when Pryor says it, but ol’ Flash couldn’t even make a splash. But there has to be rules, rules, rules.

The term will only be applicable during the following circumstance: It can only be used when a recruit commits to Ohio State over any university that include “The University of” in their moniker. In this case, The University of….Michigan.

Just One Wouldn't Do

2008-03-19T18:18:00.003-04:00

I expect something similar on every Penn State, Michigan, and hell, even Oregon blog.

Looking into the Crystal Ball...

2008-03-18T18:32:00.004-04:00

We'd like to thank Google for doing everything we could ever want. From searching for patents to predicting the future, Poe trusts Google.

Jim Tressel's Head would also like to thank the Columbus Dispatch for not being the Detroit Free Press. For all the times you can hate the Dispatch, just look at the unfortunate postings of the only stories they've been working on.

We would also like to thank them for freaking the fuck out.

Thanks for Playing, Michigan.

2008-03-17T18:56:00.004-04:00

Rich Rodriguez wants to show of his renovated weight room...

"My high school called, they want their gym back."

Jim Tressel wants to show off the Woody Hayes Athletic Center...
"A place for everyone...that's on the team."

Fullbacks, Calling All Fullbacks!

2008-03-16T22:06:00.003-04:00

From the ‘Forty Times are All That Matter’ department:

Looks like Urban Meyer is willing to give a full scholarship for any UF student that can beat Percy Harvin, Deonte Thompson, Louis Murphy and Chris Rainey in the 40-yard dash. They call it a “speed challenge” and ESPN busted a nut in anticipation of showing it along with the Florida spring game. [The Ohio State spring game is broadcasted on the Ohio News Network, Florida gets ESPN.]

While full details have yet to be worked out, Meyer said that on Thursdays of spring practices, which begin March 19, strength coaches will be out on the practice fields and students will be invited to come out and train. The entrants will be whittled down to one lucky contestant who will face Harvin, Thompson, Murphy and Rainey in front of a packed Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The Independent Florida Alligator

So Florida is willing to throw a student on the team if he is faster than the 3 figures of SEC speed. Didn’t the Tampa Bay Buccaneers try that? How does this relate to Ohio State? Not at all, actually.

Jim Tressel’s Head is proposing the opposite. Let’s have a contest at the Scarlet and Gray game, and name it the Fullback Challenge. They want speed, we want guys that can knock over the trees they are as slow as. You could argue that Tressel has gone away from the traditional I-back sets to a more wide open scheme, especially since he has no fullback currently on scholarship to play the position. Aram Olson is out for the year on a Medical RS and Jemil Martin is only a Buckeye on a piece of paper.

The contest: Any student can earn a scholarship by participating in the Scarlet and Gray strong man competition. Have a bunch of 6’-6’ 3” 250-27lb guys (or girls, no prejudice here) come into Ohio Stadium and take turns trying to push over cars and throwing boulders 10 meters. Or we could just put Beanie and Saine back there and try that.

As for the Florida try out, unfortunately Morgan Trent is currently on scholarship at Michigan. Yes, that slow, prodding Michigan team who Ohio State handles year in and year out. And if you think Trent had the angle on him, please go back to 6th Grade and study trigonometry.

OMG!

2008-03-15T20:19:00.005-04:00

Terrelle Pryor Watch will come to an end...reportedly.

After helping the Jeanette team knock off Philly's Strawberry Mansion (!) and put another state title under his belt, Terrelle Pryor shocked the world (!) and stated he plans to get it over with and sign with a school this week. As reported by the ever dependable (!) Altoona Mirror:

‘‘I’ll be deciding next week. Next week, I’m going to say the school I’m going to, sign it, and get it over with,’’ Pryor told a huge throng of reporters. ‘‘I don’t know yet [if I’ll take any other visits]. I’ll probably be done.’’

He later clarified that he expects to announce this coming week where he’ll play his college football. That makes it unlikely any other officials visits will be scheduled. Pryor also offered another revelation Saturday afternoon. ‘‘It’s down to two schools,’’ Pryor said. ‘‘I can’t tell you which two.’’

Altoona Mirror

Now let's take a look at the 4 schools that could make up Pryor's 2 schools. They are arranged in order of least likely to most likely.

Oregon: Oregon has an offense that Pryor likes. That's it. No relationships, no visits. It's a Pac-10 school in the Pacific Northwest, which means a 2000 mile hike for Pryors family. Not looking good, Ducks. At least you still have Dennis Dix... I mean Jonathan St....Oh, you don't.

Michigan/Penn State: Toss up! I don't have a clue. I wouldn't be shocked at either choice, but I would be surprised. Michigan has a spread offense with a coach he had strong ties with, and it's 1600 miles closer than Oregon. Penn State is the home state school that your dad likes, and supposedly didn't sign on National Signing Day to check out the school. He hasn't (officially). Both schools have lackluster basketball teams. Toss up!

Ohio State: Has, has, has to be the favorite. It's the only school that's received a Terrelle Pryor visit complete with a Jim Tressel led parade, featuring Pryor and the other Buckeye recruits. Hell, with Value City closing its stores, Pryor was 5 seconds away from having the building named after him. If he doesn't select the Buckeyes, I would laugh and laugh and laugh because I would have been fooled.

But then again, there's always Memphis.

Let The Games Begin...

2008-03-13T22:40:00.004-04:00

Mark the date.

On September 13, 2008, The Ohio State University Buckeyes will march into the LA Coliseum to battle the USC Trojans.

But six months before the anticipated showdown between the top two teams in the NCAA over the past 6 years, the smack talk has started. Mitch Mustain, the former Arkansas transfer, decided to take the first shot in the Los Angeles Times.

Q: Who would you like to play if you won the job and led USC to the national championship game?

A: Oh man, that's easy. Florida. I think that there's a lot of other teams and I think everybody's kind of sick to death of hearing about the other teams. We play one of them this year. . . . Florida, at least the way I've seen it, has been I guess you could say our equivalent, not in the sense they've had our history in the last five or six years, just in the fact that they're the big team. They're the sexy team in the East. On the East Coast they're it. You've got Tim Tebow; they're loaded. They're young like we are. I just think it would be a great matchup for the two of us. Eventually, if not this next year, two or three years down the road would be awesome.

Los Angeles Times

Mitch Mustain, however, appears to be throwing more stones in the paper than he will be footballs during the actual matchup. Right now, he's Pete Carroll's left hand man and backup to Mark Sanchez. The simple fact that he picked and played at Arkansas under Houston Nutt puts his decision making ability in question.

And that's the beauty of the statement. What does he have to lose? USC wins, "I was right". Ohio State wins, "I should have started". Kudos though, for the balls to talk smack in the age of political correctness. My guess would be that USC has a higher ranking and is the favorite at home.

It takes a brave soul to sit on the USC bench and talk about how everyone is "kind of sick to death of hearing about he other teams" since SoCal is kind of the king of the roost.

What we know for sure is that September 13, 2008 marks the first time that USC will be able to take a shot at knocking off Ohio State. Why not the other way around.

It was supposed to be Ohio State v. USC in 2006, before the Trojans fell to UCLA in a West Virginia-esque 13-9 loss (after losing to Oregon State earlier in the season).
It was supposed to be Ohio State v. USC in 2007, before the Trojans fell to Stanford at home (the same Stanford team that went on to lose to Notre Dame).

So USC gets free passes for choking away title game appearances? Because that's what has happened. USC could very well have faced Ohio State in 2006 and/or 2007 for the National Championship, but squandered their chances at UCLA and Stanford. But they show up in their bowl games against lesser competition, and I guess that it is all that matters.

Meanwhile, James Laurinaitis could not be reached for comment. However, we assume that he will be doing his best to get through Sanchez to get to Mustain.

Congratulations Allyssa DeHaan!

2008-03-09T16:06:00.004-04:00

Congratulations Allyssa DeHaan

on being named JT'sHead's
#1 Hottest Girl
6' & Taller

"Hey girl, what's up?" - Poe McKnoe
When was the last time a center won an award for being named hottest anything? Probably never. Sorry Greg Oden, ain't happenin'. So we here at Jim Tressel's Head would like to congratulate Alyssa on being named the winner of the First Annual "Hottest Girl 6' & Taller" Award.

Drew Neitzel and Poe McKnoe voted for Alyssa!

In case you were wondering, she's taller than you. Putting most NBA players to shame, Alyssa measures out at 6' 9" (six feet nine inches, yea) and is one of the hottest girls to ever pick up a basketball, assuming Giselle Bundchen doesn't shoot hoops. All we know for sure is that it would never work between her and I, well mainly because she wears a size 14 shoe and I don't. And that goes against Poe McKnoe's Dating Rule #1.

So we can only dream. We could make an exception for Alyssa, but we do know for a fact that Greg Oden loves him his white girls.

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And a special thanks to the Men's Spartans for falling to the Buckeyes, 54 to 63.
Looks like they needed Allyssa DeHaan.

The Real Reason Terrelle Pryor Should Choose Ohio State

2008-03-07T14:17:00.003-05:00

(Observation humor; not to be taken as the truth)

Jim Tressel’s Head, Poe McKnoe

JEANETTE – What makes Terrelle Pryor the perfect fit at The Ohio State University? Is it his arm? Is it his legs? Terrelle Pryor managed 4,250 yards passing and 4,249 yards rushing. Ok, maybe his versatility? How about his size? Or is it his basketball skills?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you were wrong.

The real reason Terrelle Pryor should choose Ohio State is that the rest of America is already sick of hearing about Terrelle Pryor.

Newspapers, magazines, websites, and blogs (including this one) have continued with nonstop articles and so-called updates concerning TP and his recruitment by Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Oregon. Pryor breathes and America has to hear about it, whether they like it or not. ESPN had a press conference to inform viewers that Pryor was not making a decision. Rivals.com was on his front porch on National Signing day. Stories that come out receive comments stating how TP would not fit in at a certain fan’s school or how he has mishandled his recruitment.

This is not an indictment of Terrelle Pryor, but of the media and college football fans.

What really sent this blog over the top was an article by the Detroit Free Press publishing a new article listing that Rivals.com had changed Pryor’s profile to having “"high" on Michigan and Ohio State and "medium" on Penn State.” Fannation (a SI.com website) got a hold of the story the comments have been less than friendly. Everywhere a Terrelle Pryor article pops up, comments degrading the player are soon to follow.

And that is why Terrelle Pryor is the perfect fit at Ohio State.

Everywhere an Ohio State football story pops up, detractors from the SEC to the Big East take their shots at the “weak” Big 10 and OSU’s admittedly horrible record against the SEC in bowl games (with Jim Tressel and his head helming an 0-3 record). If you have Ohio State in your Top 5, you will be scorned and ridiculed by Trev Alberts and his old cronies at ESPN.

Ohio State is slow, Florida and LSU are fast, but Florida, which almost beat LSU, got smoked by Michigan, owners of 4 straight losses to Ohio State.

In the eyes of the viewing public, Terrelle Pryor and Ohio State are made for each other. Pryor has already been called “overrated” and “not worth it” before ever even selecting a college, and the same can be said of Ohio State for the 2008 season, before ever even having a spring practice. The facts: Pryor is an teenager who’s making the biggest decision of his life this far. He doesn’t have to decide until April 1^st, and he can even push it back past then. Who cares? It’s his decision and not yours.

Maybe Ohio State and Terrelle Pryor can be overrated together, at least until they win a mythical national championship together.

Take that SEC & PAC-10 babes!

2008-03-06T21:22:00.002-05:00

So you think you're so mighty? With your Florida and Georgia and Cali babes. Shame on you, SEC and PAC 10. You know NOTHING about the Midwest, nor Columbus.

Fear the Buuuh buuuh Buckeye Babes!

We know that Big 12, Big East, and MAC schools don't have hot girls. Don't even try.

Jim Tressel Comments on 2007 Season

2008-02-27T23:40:00.007-05:00

Trev is Back...and Badder than Ever.

2008-02-26T11:25:00.007-05:00

He's back....

While Trev Alberts has had his gig at CSTV (ah yes, SEC I mean CBS Sports) for a while and even picked the Ohio State Buckeyes against LSU. Didn't happen, and I'd have to say that's probably the primary reason why. Trev Alberts has done enough to the college football gods that they spite him even at the expense of the Buckeyes. Hell, you could probably go back to the Florida game and find that Trev picked Ohio State against them too (no you couldn't, since he was unemployed).

I can't verify whether or not he still talks crap for CBS, or his new cameos for 'SprintSports' is more lucrative. Trev Alberts starts by ridiculing himself about coming out with a preseason (meaning before practice has even started) Top 10 "just months after railing on college football for coming out with preseason polls and how it's unfair". Me thinks that Sprint waived a couple Franklins in front of Trev, and we all know that's the key to his heart.

1. Georgia - Ok, no arguements here.
2. Florida - Sensing a trend here. This is the NCAA Top 10, not SEC.
3. USC - A lot of personnel losses, but it is USC. And Trev did work for ESPN.
4. Oklahoma - A RichRod-less Big East team just did THAT? I'd hate to see USF vs OU.
5. Auburn - 3 of Top 5 are SEC teams. Strange team that can lose to USF and beat Arkansas 9-7.
6. Missouri - Barely beat a Juice-less Illini team last year. Lost to OK twice.
7. Ohio State - The Buckeyes finally are on the board, with no thanks to the list maker (read below).
8. Kansas - Can they make it 2 great years? Shouldn't have been in the BCS game.
9. LSU - 4 SEC teams? Couldn't find any room for Tennessee? Vandy?
10. Clemson - I like this Clemson team, but they will still lose 3 random games.

"I can't stand putting Ohio State at number 7. They keep getting blown out in the bowl games, but yet a lot of talent there and you have to give them their due credit. Lost some guys early to the draft: Gholston declares himself early as well."

I knew it Trev! Great commentary. Which players did Ohio State lose early besides HeMan himself, Vern Gholston? Oh yea, Malcolm Jenkins and Laurinaitis*! Actually they will be suiting up for the scarlet and grey. Research, Trev, Research!

Why do analysts hate Ohio State and love Oklahoma? What is the difference between the two teams? Is the Big 12 any harder than the Big 10? How about the Pac 10?
Recent BCS bowl victories: 0
Oklahoma blown out by West Virginia 48-28
Oklahoma losses to WAC*'s Boise State 43-42
Oklahoma blown out by USC 55-19
Oklahoma losses to LSU 21-14

What exactly is a preseason ranking? Is it your guess on how good they are to begin with? Or how you think they will end up? People judge teams against their preseason rank to where they end up. I know that it will be tough for 4 of these teams to be in the Top 10, considering they are all in the SEC.

Hey Trev, how much for you to write a post praising the Buckeyes? $100? $200?

*Revised: Boise State is in the WAC, not MWC. I knew that. I don't even know who's in the MWC. Middle Tennessee State? Laurinaitis will now be referred to as Little Animal, or simply "The Neck".

NFL Combine Head Shots

2008-02-23T16:47:00.002-05:00

Not a whole lot of Buckeyes are hanging out in Peytonland aka Indianapolis, Indiana. That is actually a good thing, as all the players that could be here decided that Columbus was ultimately better for 1 more year than any of the crappy NFL teams that could have been their suitors.

However, Vernon Gholston took some time off from his day job (right) to participate in the combine. Gholston, who has an awesome name to say or type, officially checked in at 6'3" 266lbs. That actually makes Gholston even more impressive considering the Earth weighs in at an astonishing 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (6E+24) kilograms. Now I could do the conversion from pounds mass to kilograms, but you get the point. Howie Long's kid will be the first of the board, unless VG can switch out the weights and bench 6E+24 kgs thirty five times. All I can say is don't count him out!

Something tells me VG would rather do this at New England than the New York Jets.

Vernon Gholston, Kirk Barton, and Larry Grant were the three Buckeyes representing. Only Vernon figures to go in the first round, unless Barton or Grant run a 4.19 forty.

Speaking of Kirk Barton, Florida's Derrick Harvey weighed in at 271lbs. Troy Smith nor his offensive line could not be reached for comment. Don't always believe what you read on the internet, as some dummy who runs BuffaloRumblings.com posted Harvey checked in at a ridiculous, O-Line-esque 291lbs.

Lessons in Logic - Pryor and Perrilloux

2008-02-18T20:00:00.006-05:00

Terrelle Pryor Doesn't Have Caller ID: which explains why Mike Farrell from rivals.com keeps getting interviews. Basically Mike goes, "Hey TP bro, any new updates for me?" Pryor says, "Who is this? Oh yea, the Rivals dude that was on my front porch. Naw, still 4 schools." Rivals actually breaks some "news" with:

"Pryor admits he was set to sign with Ohio State the day before Feb. 6, but a conversation with his father, Craig, made him think twice. His father wanted him to take another look at Penn State and take an official visit." -rivals.com

Now I know why I never listened to my dad. That's a shot at Penn State, not Pryor. Pryor should be able to take as much time as regulated by the NCAA, if he wants. National Signing Day is not the College Draft that ESPN, Rivals, and Scout make it out to be. NSD is the first day that prospective athletes can sign with a school. If TP wants to wait until April 1, good for him. But I assume that his choice to delay his signing has generated more supposedly unwanted "attention" than if he would have signed.

TP was going to sign with Ohio State, wants to visit Penn State, while Michigan and Oregon are still in the picture. Thanks for all that reporting, Mike!

Suspended Indefinitely: Speaking of other super dual threat QBs who don't know if they want to play on a team that can challenge for a national championship every year, Ryan Perrilloux obviously doesn't want to LSU's starting job. Perennial bad boy Perrilloux doesn't like to follow team rules that include but are not limited to 1) Going to class and 2) Going to team functions. He does however like bar fights, riverboat casinos, and counterfeiting.

"Ryan has been suspended indefinitely due to his failure to follow team rules," Miles said. -rivals.com

Looks like its some Maurice Clarett (funerals, not guns) and less Reggie Bush and his USC slot machine. Fanblogs.com reports Perrilloux ignored team rules, Momma P got mad and threatened to pull him off the team, his dad passed away, and now his locker is clean.

So no hope of getting last season forfeited and the National Championship being handed over to Ohio State? At this point, I'll take whatever I can get. Perrilloux did run the options once against Ohio State, I think we need an NCAA investigation! On a serious note, it's beginning to look a lot like Arkansas in Baton Rouge.

Terrelle Pryor Meets Derrick Williams

2008-02-15T14:03:00.006-05:00

Or maybe he should. For as long as I can remember, 5 star recruits have been flocking to Penn State only to be lost in the anonymity of royal blue and white. However, the Lebanon Daily News of Lebanon, PA (not the other, Pryor isn't that important yet) comes up with 4 interesting reasons "Why PSU is Primed for Pryor":

Reason 1: Penn State will protect Pryor
Reason 2: He needs someone he can trust
Reason 3: The father
Reason 4: The offense. Really.

We at JTsHead would like to offer a rebuttal. We would attempt satire, but Frank Bodani satirizes himself almost better than we could do. I mean, who wouldn't question the integrity of Jim Tressel's recruiting with facts or an explanation?

Reason 1: Penn State will protect Pryor: Just ask them. Or him. Besides, the cops will even look out for you at Ohio State.
Reason 2: He needs someone he can trust: Like JoePa. Or JayPa. Or the red headed dude.
Reason 3: The father: Pryor's dad remembers 1982, and not 2007.
Reason 4: The offense. Really. : Just ask 4th round pick Michael Robinson, RB for the San Fransisco 49ers.

Listen. I love Joe Paterno, he's an icon. He's 1290 years old and could still kick my ass. I saw him take a grown man to the knee and try to walk it off. I just think TP might want to talk to Anthony Morelli and Derrick Williams (Dan Connor worked out just fine). Correct answers could include:

1) It's the home state school. 2) You tell US what YOU want to do on offense. or 3) It's the home state school.

Head Shots from 2/14/2008

2008-02-14T11:19:00.008-05:00

Joe Tiller Doesn't Like Himself Any Rich Rodriguez : Not unless Joe Tiller likes guys in wizard hats selling snake oil. By wizard hats he meant leather jackets, and by snake oil he meant playing time at running back.

"If we had an early signing date, you wouldn't have another outfit with a guy in a wizard hat selling snake oil get a guy at the last minute, but that's what happened."

Joe Tiller's crazy old man comments concern a WR, Roy Roundtree, who had been a Purdue verbal before pulling the hip thing to do this year and signing his letter of intent with Michigan. Roundtree joins two other recruits who had verballed to Florida and Penn State, respectively.

We know nothing about Rodriguez and his sales techniques. Let's just say that no other coach has drawn comparisons to wizards nor snake oil salesmen. We do know he's going to have to put out a PO to Nike for all new uniforms with 6'2" 180lbs Darryl Stonum being the "big guy" at WR. Roy Roundtree checks in at 6'0" 154lbs, Martavious Odoms at 5'8" 164lbs, and a couple ATHs under 6'0" 190lbs.

Penn State ('s Blogs) Really Wants Terrelle Pryor : As you know the superest recruit of all time, Terrelle Pryor, has 4 options on where to play his college ball (Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and Oregon) and will most likely pick one of these 4, unless North Carolina makes a late surge (ha!). Ohio State was supposedly the leader, and that makes other schools on his list jealous. The folks at the Black Shoe Diaries think that ESPN said it best in November 2004 concerning a Cooper recruit:

The conventional wisdom for the past several months was that Pryor was Ohio State's to lose. If that is indeed the case, then I would suggest he read this.

That embedded link will take you to the story about Sammy "The Bull" Maldonado, who took remedial math and reading at Ohio State and wondered why he couldn't get it to transfer. Summary of the story is: "I was a prized recruit", "I carried 22 times for 50 yards in 2000", and "I was third on the depth chart behind Jonathan Wells and Lydell Ross" (Even I can't explain him being behind Ross).

His other statement that "I think Tressel wanted the guys he recruited" really sums up the 2002 National Championship season. What it boils down to is Maldonado expecting to get by on football the rest of his life and his remedial math and reading was fine, but when football didn't pan out at Ohio State he realized his classes weren't that hard.

Antonio Smith, cornerback of the 2006 Buckeye defense, would like to argue with actions and not words. After his final season, he won the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. 2008 recruit Keith Wells from Georgia says:

“They’ve got a top 20 engineering program, their football team is thriving, definitely excelling the last few years, and I definitely feel I have an opportunity to get in there and play early.”

Oh Keith, so you're going to major in Engineering? Good for you. You mean you can pick which classes you want to take? That doesn't sound anything like that ESPN article. But it does sound a lot like my time at Ohio State, and mechanical engineering was a load of work in itself. I'm sure we all remember Craig Krenzel and every announcers' obsession with saying "molecular genetics". College, for football players and laypeople, is what you make it.

SEC Sports Calls Jim Tressel a Dirty Recruiter : Did I say SEC Sports? I really meant CBS Sports, but what's the different? Gregg Doyel goes reaching with a special gem discussing Rich Rodriguez, Bobby Petrino, Urban Meyer...and you guessed it...Jim Tressel. Any story with the demand "Connect the dots" is obviously reaching but Doyel and his editors have no shame, dedicating a full page to "An Evening with Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel".

Ohio State's Jim Tressel blatantly skated up to the edge of ethical badness last week, acting with such audacity that even the newspaper that broke the news had no idea it was breaking anything at all. And still won't unless it reads this here story.

What I like about Internet articles is that they have no facts and would never be touched by print or television media. The newspaper didn't even know it was breaking news? Hmm, maybe it really isn't then. Facts are that Posey was the #3 recruit to verbal to Jim Tressel back on 3/13/07 (almost 1 year prior to the fundraiser) and that Ohio State has never secured a recruit for the football factory of Walsh University, which will be holding it's own "An Evening with Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel".

Some people are born Buckeyes, and I would be interested to hear was Devier and his mom think of this story.

Most Valuable Recruits

2008-02-13T14:27:00.011-05:00

Signing Day '08 has passed. We at JTsHead take a look at what recruits could make an instant impact on the field in 2008. But first, a little background:

Rivals grades Ohio State's class at #9 in the nation and Scout takes it up to #7. None of this really matters however, since class size is almost a more important factor than actual 'per player' rankings.
This recruiting class was also the product of efficient recruiting, with 19 players signing out of 24 that actually officially visited campus (make that 23 since the elusive, in more ways than one, Terrelle Pryor has not decided on Ohio State or any school for that matter).

Impact Players (WR)
We'll just assume they are all impact players.

Jake Stoneburner
Rivals says TE, Scout says TE, ESPN says TE, but Ohio State head coach and Stoney himself say WR, WR, WR. Stoneburner checks in at 6'6" 220lbs and figures to cause nightmares for those that have to tackle him in space. The kid can move, is hard to bring down, and is white. You watch Stoneburner and you know why he's at Ohio State, as he can block like a tight end or run a route as a WR.
Photo Caption: Actually Jake Stoneburner

Lamaar Thomas
Ted Ginn/Percy Harvin type player who wants to play running back but will probably be relegated to WR. Lamaar obviously likes the Ted Ginn comparisons thrown at him, now he will have to live up to them. At this point, it's hard to pin down a position since he hasn't yet practiced as a Buckeye. We all wanted to call Ray Small the Next Ted Ginn Jr, but we really meant he would fill the void until Thomas got on campus. All we know for sure is that he will be on punt and kick returns.
Photo Caption: Flash Gordon is the star of a sci-fi comic strip, Lamaar is not.

Devier Posey : Rivals and Scout have him as one of the best wide receivers in the nation. Why? Because he's smart, catches everything that comes his way, and 'cause they said so. Posey could be the best, but he's only 6'2" and not some 6'4" freaksonature such as Julio Jones and AJ Green. It's a lot like playing College Football on Xbox 360; you select 6'4" players because they are taller. But in real world college football, Posey is the only 5 star WR shorter than the 6'3"-6'6" range and on the same level as any one of those recruits.

WR Summary: So what do you do when you have Brian Robiskie, Briant Hartline, Taurian Washington, Dane Sanzenbacher, Devon Torrence, and the 3 newbies on the roster (assuming that Albert Dukes and Devon Lyons graudate and transfer)? Who gets in the 3 wide, 4 wide, and 5 wide? Who redshirts? It's entirely possible that none of the 3 WR recruits redshirt because of the ways they can be used.

Impact Players (OL)
Do they all play or do they sit one?

Mike Adams : Described as the best Ohio O Lineman in a decade. 6'7" 308lbs. Size, strength, and moves will add mammoth to the mammothness of the Ohio State O Line.
Photo Caption: Mike Adams takes on Michigan in an earlier life.

OL Summary: Mike Brewster, designated leader of the Brew Crew, is outspoken and will also add depth. JB Shuggarts proves everything is bigger in Texas, but may redshirt if Tressel doesn't just say "fuck it" and not redshirt anybody on offense.

Impact Players (Defense)
So many defensive players, so many returning from last season.

Etienne Sabino : Who says "God I hate those Miami summers, I really need to go to Ohio"? Thankfully, the #1 rated inside linebacker in the nation has donned the Scarlet & Gray, Mr. 5 Star himself according to Scout (Rivals feels as if #1 rated inside linebackers don't deserve 5 Stars). Fast and big, if Sabino doesn't get the number 18 to help Ohioans pronounce his name it would be a shame (that's you WR David Lisko of whom I had to look up).
Photo Caption: Dave, Etienne wants his name back.

Defense Summary: Zach Domicone looks like he could be the next hard hitting SS for Ohio State and he couldn't be there soon enough. Ohrian Johnson comes from Florida and ESPN still thinks he's a QB. Garret Goebel and Willie Mobley look like athletic DTs that Ohio State needs, while Shawntell Rowell checks in at 325lbs and will eat all the space he needs to. Nathan Williams is a mean dude on the end and Travis Howard could be the 3 star CB that shines aka Malcolm Jenkins or Chimdi Chekwa. Andrew Sweat will probably RS, because there are already 5 LBs wanting time. Lastly, Keith Wells has only been playing foosball for 2 years yet had offers from the finest football factories in the nation and Notre Dame too.

And as for Jemil Martin...
Let's just hope he's the truck of fullback he can be.