Bleacher Report - Articles by Chip Minnich

Ohio State Football: Why Chris Spielman Is My All-Time Favorite Buckeye

Chip Minnich — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:47:12 -0500

Ohio State football fans admire and respect players for various reasons. Attend any Ohio State game and you will see fans wearing the jersey numbers of current players such as Terrelle Pryor and Dane Sanzenbacher, as well as former players such as Archie Griffin or James Laurinaitis.

My favorite Ohio State player, past or present, is Chris Spielman. Spielman played linebacker for Ohio State from 1984-1987, and is arguably the best linebacker in the history of Ohio State football.

Chris Spielman's passion and intensity on the football field were something to behold. Even though Spielman was not the biggest or fastest linebacker, few had Spielman's natural football instincts to find the ball and make the play.

While Chris Spielman's football talents are something to continue to admire, my respect for Chris Spielman has nothing to do with football whatsoever. The reason why Chris Spielman is the Buckeye I admire the most is because of his devotion to his wife and family.

In 1998, Chris Spielman took the year off from playing for the NFL's Buffalo Bills to care for his wife Stefanie and his young children. To show his support for his wife Stefanie, who was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, Chris Spielman shaved his own head.

Following his retirement from the NFL in 1999, Chris Spielman became a radio talk show host for 97.1 The Fan FM in Columbus, Ohio. Spielman also is a college football analyst for ESPN, and has become one of my favorite analysts due to his insightful commentary.

Stefanie Spielman lost her battle with cancer on November 19, 2009, dying at the age of 42. My sincere condolences go out to Chris Spielman and his family on the loss of his wife.

While I have immense respect for Chris Spielman's athletic accomplishments, my admiration for Chris Spielman for what he did for his wife and family is somewhere beyond the stratosphere. Chris Spielman is truly an athlete that I consider a role model for myself as a husband and father, by virtue of what he did for his wife and family.

Ohio State-Michigan: It Will Definitely Be A "Boren" Week

Chip Minnich — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:54:39 -0500

There are going to be so many interesting storylines leading up to the Ohio State/Michigan game this week. Ohio State has clinched a berth in The Rose Bowl, but has an opportunity to become outright Big Ten conference champions with a defeat of Michigan. Or maybe people will want to talk about how Jim Tressel has defeated Michigan seven times in eight attempts, and will be trying to make it eight out of nine.

Another storyline to keep an eye on could be how Ohio State has defeated Michigan five straight times, and will be trying to make it six. Michigan is now 5-6 on the season, needing a victory to become bowl eligible.

All of these are worthwhile storylines. For what it is worth, I believe all of them will pale in comparison to Justin Boren returning to play against Michigan.

It happened so early on in the spring of 2008 that it is possible people may have dismissed it from memory. Boren, an Ohio born player with a love of Michigan football from his parents, cited an erosion in "family values" in his reasoning for leaving Michigan during spring football of that year.

While many Michigan fans and players were quick to label Justin Boren a malcontent and quitter, among other derogatory terms, the fallout was exacerbated when Boren decided to become a walk-on at Ohio State , taking the intense rivalry between the two schools to another level.

Younger brother Zach Boren , who like his brother grew up a Michigan fan, became an Ohio State commit and signed with Ohio State last February. Zach Boren starts at fullback, while Justin starts at left offensive guard.

One of Justin Boren's quotes regarding this whole incident is something to keep in mind for this game: "I think about (that game) almost every day. It will be the happiest day of my life. It's going to be crazy. That's what I'm looking forward to, and it's all the better it's in Ann Arbor."

I have a feeling cameras are going to be watching the line of scrimmage with a little more attention than usual this coming Saturday. I know I will be curious to see how Ohio State's # 65 is handling this unusual homecoming.

Ohio State Will Turn Iowa Into "I Wanna Go Home"

Chip Minnich — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:30:36 -0500

Entering Ohio Stadium for the first time since 2005 , Iowa looks to defeat Ohio State to earn no worse than a share of The Big Ten championship and clinch a trip to the Rose Bowl for the first time since the 1990 season.

Iowa is led by Kirk Ferentz, who has consistently delivered quality offensive lines in his tenure at Iowa. Iowa's running game is solid, albeit with several talented players on the sidelines due to injury. Iowa's receivers, led by Ohioans Trey Stross and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos , are solid. Iowa's defense is ranked 14th in the country in total defense , and was essential in Iowa's 9-0 start.

Before November 7th, Ohio State fans looked forward to this challenge against Iowa, as native Ohioan Ricky Stanzi , arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the country at rallying his team, was going to have an opportunity to come into Ohio Stadium and defeat Ohio State.

With the loss to Northwestern last week, and Stanzi's severe ankle injury, Iowa is now reduced to starting...

James Vandelay ?

James Van Der Beek?

No, his name is James Vandenberg , and he has the unenviable task of coming into Ohio Stadium at 3:30pm EST to face an Ohio State defense that is ready to feast upon him.

I can already anticipate Iowa fans writing, "This kid set Iowa high school passing records!". My argument to those people is simply this - if James Vandenberg was the best quarterback on Iowa's roster, Vandenberg would have been starting instead of Ricky Stanzi.

Here are Vandenberg's statistics last week against Northwestern: 9 of 27 for 82 yards, and 1 interception.

Yes, Vandenberg had to come in cold off the bench. It had to be tremendously difficult to come into a game to rally Iowa when the team was deflated due to the loss of their on-field leader.

Iowa fans will say, "Vandenberg will get all of the practice reps this week.". True - Kirk Ferentz will design a game plan around Iowa's solid running game to make it easier on James Vandenberg.

Here is the reality that Iowa fans already know - Northwestern is a good team. Ohio State is a better team.

Ohio State, playing its last home game of the 2009 season, with a crew of seniors such as Kurt Coleman and Doug Worthington playing their last home game in Ohio Stadium, will play with an intense passion to win the first trip to The Rose Bowl in Jim Tressel's tenure.

Look for Ohio State to play conservatively on offense, and rely on its strong special teams and speedy defense to clinch The Rose Bowl berth. I am going to predict Ohio State 24, Iowa 10.

Will Penn State Make It An UnHappy Valley For Ohio State?

Chip Minnich — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:16:13 -0500

Game Ten: Penn State Nittany Lions

Location: Beaver Stadium (State College, PA) 3:30PM EST, ABC

Head Coach: Joe Paterno

Penn State Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: CB A.J. Wallace, QB Kevin Newsome, LB Navorro Bowman, FB Michael Zordich, LB Chris Colasanti, DE Devon Still. Other Penn State players who either had interest in Ohio State or Ohio State had shown interest in are S Andrew Dailey, QB Daryll Clark, and RB Brandon Beachum (all three are Ohio natives). A special good luck for WR Ryan Scherer from my hometown of Avon Lake, OH.

When Penn State Is On Offense ~ Penn State's offense is built around the talents of senior QB Daryll Clark. Clark is a solid 6'2", 232 lbs. quarterback with the versatility to run the ball as well as effectively throw it.

Penn State has relied upon RB Evan Royster to spearhead its running game, while being complimented by other players such as Brandon Beachum and the sometimes-injured Stephfon Green. Daryll Clark's talents as a runner allow Penn State the ability to use Clark for called quarterback runs in short yardage situations, when Penn State can bring in multiple wideouts to spread the field and allow Clark room to gain yards.

Penn State has been able to use WRs Derek Moye, Chaz Powell, and Graham Zug to offset the loss of talented players to graduation and/or the NFL. Another dependable receiving option for Clark is TE Andrew Quarless, who is a typical mismatch defensively when the opposition tries to cover him with a linebacker.

Penn State's offensive line lost three starters from last year's team, and this is where Ohio State needs to capitalize in this match-up. Ohio State's defensive line is probably the strength of Ohio State's overall team, and Ohio State needs to focus on shutting down Penn State's run game while also forcing QB Daryll Clark into mistakes in order for Ohio State to win this game.

The key match-up will be to see how Penn State OLT Dennis Landolt handles Ohio State DE Thaddeus Gibson. Ohio State likes to move Gibson around, so another Ohio State defender to watch will be DE Nathan Williams.

When Ohio State Is On Offense ~ Ohio State's offense is a snapshot of inconsistency and incoherence. Similar to QB Daryll Clark, Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor is also the linchpin of the offense, yet there seems to be a grab-bag approach week in and week out as to how Ohio State will function offensively.

Ohio State's RB corps does not have a solid down after down, play after play, running back. The starting RB, Brandon Saine, played poorly last week against New Mexico State when given opportunities. True freshman RB Jordan Hall has impressed me with his quickness and intensity; I hope to see Hall get the ball against Penn State.

Unfortunately for Ohio State's maligned offensive line, they are going up against arguably the best defensive team they have faced all season. Penn State's Jared Odrick and Jack London could cause fits for Ohio State.

If I was Ohio State's Jim Tressel, I would spread out Penn State with multiple wide receivers, forcing them to play single coverage on Ohio State's wide receivers. This will force Penn State to play more conservatively defensively than they would prefer, while also allowing QB Terrelle Pryor the option of running the ball for positive yardage at the onset of virtually every snap of the ball. This will also relieve some strain on Ohio State's inconsistent offensive line.

While Penn State's defensive line and linebackers are excellent, the weakest part of Penn State's defensive unit is the secondary. Again, by forcing Penn State into playing man-on-man coverage, this helps Ohio State to gain the advantage in this chess match-up.

Special Teams: Ohio State lost its starting placekicker Aaron Pettrey to injury, leaving relatively inexperienced Devin Barclay as Ohio State's best option for field goals as well as kickoffs. Penn State's Collin Wagner is a dependable short-yardage kicker but not a long-ball kicker.

Penn State has the advantage for punting with Jeremy Boone, who averages 40 plus yards on his punts. Ohio State's Jon Thoma seems to have a rough spot lately, so I would give the advantage to Penn State in this area, especially due to Pettrey's injury and Barclay's inexperience.

Intangibles: Penn State's Beaver Stadium is traditionally one of the rowdiest and toughest places to play. Considering this is an opportunity for Penn State to reassert itself in The Big Ten conference race, how Terrelle Pryor spurned Penn State for Ohio State two years ago, I have no doubt the Penn State fans will be fired up in support of their squad against the Buckeyes. Penn State has won 31 of its last 34 home games.

Prediction: I want to pick Ohio State badly, as Ohio State needs this win desperately to regain some semblance of respect of being able to beat a top team in the eyes of the national media. The lack of offensive consistency in every area just will not allow me to do it.

I think this one will be low scoring, as both defenses will force both teams to earn every yard they can get. I think the Penn State home crowd will be enough to push Penn State over the top. I am saying Penn State 14, Ohio State 10.

Can Buckeyes' Terrelle Pryor Silence the Roar of Penn State's Nittany Lions?

Chip Minnich — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:46:00 -0500

Ohio State fans anticipated the Nov. 7 contest against Penn State to be a night game, until The Big Ten announced its clause of no night games in the month of November .

While Ohio State fans may believe that having a 3:30 p.m. EST kickoff will make it easier, I would argue that any time Ohio State goes into Beaver Stadium, it can be a challenging experience.

Now let us throw another gasoline-soaked log onto the proverbial fire. When QB Terrelle Pryor signed with Ohio State instead of Penn State in 2008, the following were Pryor's quoted comments: "Penn State isn't the place for me . It's just not. I don't like the area. It's country-looking. I just don't like that place."

Considering the struggles Terrelle Pryor has had on the field this season, one would think Jim Tressel will do what he can to restrict media access to Pryor going into what is the biggest game for both teams.

Pryor has already provided bulletin board material for this season and seasons beyond against Penn State- there is little reason to keep stoking that fire between now and Saturday afternoon.

Ohio State-New Mexico State: Jim Tressel as Edward Longshanks on Halloween?

Chip Minnich — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:44:41 -0400

One of my all-time favorite movies is Braveheart . I have a personal copy of the movie, and will usually watch it whenever it is on when I am flipping channels at night.

In the spirit of Halloween, and looking ahead to this week’s Ohio State/New Mexico State game on Saturday afternoon in Ohio Stadium, I believe Jim Tressel could possibly play the role of Edward Longshanks against the Aggies. Let me explain how this analogy could work.

Remember the scene where William Wallace is captured and turned over to the English, to be “purified through pain” under the order of Longshanks? This is the role New Mexico State will take in Ohio Stadium, beginning at 12 p.m. EST on The Big Ten Network. I believe New Mexico State will be pure as the driven snow by the time this game concludes.

This game could get ugly quickly. This game could resemble the 1996 home opener for Ohio State against Rice, when Ohio State won 70-7 .

Another of Longshanks’ moves in Braveheart was to send all of the reserves into battle , knowing the battle was won for the English. Looking ahead to Saturday’s game, Ohio State fans may have an opportunity to see the following walk-on players throughout the second half of the game:

Quarterback – Justin Siems

Tailback – Joe Gantz, K.C. Christian, Bo DeLande

Fullback – James Georgiades

Wide Receiver – Ricky Crawford, Ryan Schuck, Joe Cech, Tony Harlamert

Tight End – Spencer Smith

Offensive Guard – Chris Malone, Scott Sika

Center – Andrew Moses

Defensive Tackle – Don Matheney, Jon Lorenz

Defensive End – Tom Ingham, Stewart Smith

Linebacker – Tony Jackson

Cornerback – Taylor Rice

Safety – Nate Ebner

Kicker – Devin Barclay

While I respect what Coach Tressel stated earlier this week about using this game against New Mexico State as an opportunity to improve and get better, I also believe this is a perfect opportunity to reward all of the young men on the squad who toil in relative anonymity for Ohio State football on the scout teams. Here is an opportunity to give every one of these young men a chance to play in Ohio Stadium in an actual game, in front of what should be a decent sized crowd.

Well, if Coach Tressel does not want to play the role of Edward Longshanks on Halloween against New Mexico State, maybe he can make sure the Aggies get some decent goodies in their bag for their trip home to Las Cruces.

Prediction: Ohio State 42, New Mexico State 3

Ohio State-New Mexico State Is Neither a Trick or Scheduling Treat

Chip Minnich — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:00:57 -0400

Making their debut appearance into Ohio Stadium on Halloween at 12pm EST, courtesy of The Big Ten Network, will be New Mexico State. Yes, that same New Mexico State that was written by Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports as being the worst football program in America this past summer.

A few weeks ago, Trey Bradley of The Bleacher Report wrote an article detailing how The Big Ten was barely BCS worthy. Keep in mind, this article was written before Ohio State lost to unranked Purdue, throwing Ohio State's season into a seemingly endless cycle of analysis and criticism of Jim Tressel, Terrelle Pryor, and anyone else who has anything to do with Ohio State football.

Are there any other Ohio State fans out there besides me who feel playing New Mexico State will actually hurt Ohio State's program in the long-run? The reputation of Ohio State football has been taking a beating nationally...well, since Ohio State took this beating about three years ago.

It is bad enough Ohio State played Youngstown State back in 2007...but then Ohio State played Youngstown State again in 2008. Here are some of the other cupcakes Ohio State has played the last few seasons - Akron. Kent State. Ohio University. Troy - well, maybe I should take it easy on Troy. I mean, the mighty Florida Gators played Troy earlier this season, and everyone knows that every team Florida plays gets their best shot.

Getting back to Ohio State, and The Big Ten in general, playing weak non-conference games are what is hurting the conference in terms of reputation, as well as the aforementioned rankings. I believe Pete Fiutak of collegefootballnews.com made an excellent point last spring when he suggested The Big Ten play ten conference games, with two non-conference games. How better would Ohio State's schedule look if Ohio State played Michigan State and Northwestern, rather than Toledo and New Mexico State?

In order for Ohio State's reputation to improve, Ohio State needs to win the big games, such as the game earlier this season against USC. In the meantime, Ohio State can start to regain some measure of respect by simply not scheduling games like the one coming up this Saturday.

Who Can Help Jim Tressel Point the Way for Ohio State's Offense?

Chip Minnich — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:59:29 -0400

Following the 26-18 Purdue victory over Ohio State on October 17th, I wrote some short-term suggestions on what Jim Tressel and his offensive staff could possibly implement immediately this season to generate some type of offensive momentum. Ohio State fans will see this coming Saturday against Minnesota what changes, if any, Tressel and his coaching staff have made.

The focus of this article will be on long-term suggestions for the offense Jim Tressel may need to contemplate this coming off-season. These are ideas that would not only benefit Ohio State offensively, but could also benefit Ohio State's recruiting efforts going forward.

Before I make any suggestions, there are a few things that Ohio State fans need to understand and grudgingly accept:

1. Jim Tressel does not fire his assistants: Loyal to a fault, Tressel's staff on both sides of the ball has stayed relatively intact during his nine year tenure in Columbus. Assistants who have left Ohio State (Mark Dantonio, Mark Snyder, Tim Spencer, Bill Conley, Mel Tucker, Tim Beckman, Joe Daniels) have left on their own accord for better opportunities at other schools, the NFL, or in Bill Conley's case, retirement into a consultant role.

Joe Daniels has been battling cancer the last few years, and was moved into an administrative position prior to this season. Nick Siciliano, who previously served as Ohio State's offensive quality control coach, was promoted to the quarterback coach position prior to the 2009 season.

Looking at Siciliano's resume, one will see that Siciliano has relatively little experience coaching the quarterback position. Another important thing you will see - Siciliano formerly coached under Jim Tressel at Youngstown State from 1997-1999. Remember what I wrote up above - "Loyal to a fault" when you think of Tressel and his assistants.

2. Jim Tressel will never relinquish the play-calling: As frustrating as this point is for Ohio State fans to accept, Tressel has openly stated on previous occasions that he needs to be involved in the play-calling. On his call-in radio show last week, Tressel freely used the term "micro manager" to describe himself when it comes to his work with the offense.

Now that I have presented what I consider to be the facts as they relate to Jim Tressel and the Ohio State coaching staff, let me present some scenarios that I believe could possibly unfold after the conclusion of the 2009 season.

Long-Term Suggestions:

1. Bring In A New Offensive Coordinator: There are rumors that Jim Bollman, long the whipping boy of Ohio State's fans, will follow the lead of Joe Daniels and take an administrative position. This would open up an opportunity for a new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.

Who could possibly enter into a situation as I described up above? A few weeks ago, I suggested bringing back former Ohio State offensive coordinator Glen Mason, as he previously worked with Jim Tressel years ago. Mason would fit into the criteria I described up above (loyal to Tressel, would allow Tressel to make the play calls).

Another possibility I believe is worth entertaining would be Lee Owens, the current head coach of Ashland. Similar to Glen Mason, Owens formerly served as an offensive line coach at Ohio State and has designed offenses comparable to what Tressel prefers - a strong running game, with an efficient passing game that limits mistakes.

Again, keep in mind what I wrote up above - Jim Bollman serves as both the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator. With their respective backgrounds, either Glen Mason or Lee Owens could serve that dual role going forward into 2010.

2. Recruit Quarterbacks Of Comparable Style Consistently: During Tressel's career at Ohio State, these are the players he has recruited at quarterback - Justin Zwick, Troy Smith, Todd Boeckman, Joe Bauserman, Rob Schoenhoft, Antonio Henton, Terrelle Pryor, and Ken Guiton. Looking at that list, I would classify Zwick, Boeckman, Bauserman, and Schoenhoft as traditional drop-back passers, while Smith, Henton, Pryor, and Guiton would be classified as dual-threat quarterbacks.

The reason I bring this up is it seems as though Ohio State under Tressel has failed to establish what their offensive identity is, and one needs to look no further than the important quarterback position. When it seems as though every other recruiting class has different styles of quarterbacks, how can one expect to establish an offensive identity or rhythm?

While I respect Jim Tressel's style of building his teams around the talent he recruits, perhaps a new offensive coordinator can definitively recruit a mobile quarterback who can run Tressel's ball control offense. The logic of this approach would be that Ohio State would be able to essentially run the same offense, no matter if the quarterback suffers an injury or is ineffective.

In his book The Winners Manual, Coach Tressel wrote, “Success is the inner satisfaction and peace of mind that come from knowing I did the best I was capable of doing for the group.” At the conclusion of the 2009 season, it will bear watching to see what decisions Coach Tressel will or will not make that he believes will be best for his group, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Can Jim Tressel Revive Ohio State's Offense in the Short Term?

Chip Minnich — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:06:23 -0400

"Abominable". "Ugly". "Apoplectic". These are quoted words from a live game blog from bucknuts.com, an Ohio State-oriented website, to describe Ohio State's performance against Purdue.

The official Ohio State athletic website used the term "dismal" to describe the same game. There have been worse losses in bowl games under Jim Tressel, but the 26-18 loss to Purdue may rank as the worst regular season loss in Tressel's tenure.

Ohio State's record now stands at 5-2, 3-1 in conference play. Ohio State has remaining games with Minnesota, New Mexico State, at Penn State, Iowa, and at Michigan. It is entirely possible, based upon Ohio State's offensive performances this season, that it will only win one or two more games.

How can Jim Tressel possibly turn Ohio State's offense, and season, around? Here are some suggestions for short-term changes that Tressel and his offensive staff can implement. The next article offers some suggestions for the long-term.

Short Term Suggestions

1. Go to a four wideout set with Brandon Saine in the backfield with Terrelle Pryor. It is painfully obvious that Ohio State's offensive line, especially at the tackle positions, struggles tremendously with pass protection. Terrelle Pryor suffered through four turnovers, two of which were fumbles that took place while Pryor was being sacked.

Going to a four wideout set, with WRs DeVier Posey, Dane Sanzenbacher, Ray Small, and Duron Carter, will accomplish two things for Ohio State right away.

First, it will spread out opposing defenses, leaving the opposing secondaries in one-on-one situations that perhaps Pryor can exploit. Secondly, in the event that teams blitz or pressure Pryor, he can take off running for positive yardage. That leads to my second point, which is to...

2. Let Terrelle Pryor Be Terrelle Pryor. Ohio State fans are tired of hearing about Pryor's quarterback development, or lack thereof. Any and all talk of Pryor developing as a passing quarterback need to be completely shelved. Here is the reality of Terrelle Pryor's eventual NFL future - it will not be at quarterback.

Pryor has reputed 4.3 speed and is 6'6", 240 lbs. It is time for Ohio State to use Pryor in the manner and fashion that made Pryor such a highly recruited player out of Jeannette, PA.

Using Pryor as more of a runner instead of a passer will help move the chains and maintain Ohio State's time of possession, where Ohio State is struggling. Instead of making Pryor the focal point of the offense, I would...

3. Make Brandon Saine The Focal Point Of Ohio State's Offense. While Ohio State struggled offensively against Purdue and against Wisconsin, Brandon Saine stood out to me as the only consistent offensive threat.

Saine is not the stereotypical Ohio State running back Jim Tressel has typically relied upon, like predecessors Chris "Beanie" Wells, Maurice Clarett, or Jonathan Wells.

While Brandon Saine may not necessarily run people over, Saine's abilities seem to fit better into what Ohio State could be doing with Terrelle Pryor at the helm. Brandon Saine holds the Ohio high school record for the 100 meter dash (10.38) and is a dependable receiver out of the backfield.

Going back to my first suggestion, by having Saine as the lone running back in the backfield with Pryor, it opens up several possibilities. Saine could be sent in motion, as Ohio State could try to isolate Saine against a linebacker or safety. With Saine's speed, that is another mismatch for Pryor to exploit. Another possibility would be to...

4. Incorporate Lamaar Thomas More Into The Offense. While Lamaar Thomas has been used on special teams as a return specialist, Thomas was recruited out of high school as arguably one of the fastest players in the country . Using Lamaar Thomas as a slot receiver, or even in the same type of role as Brandon Saine as a receiver out of the backfield, is a mismatch Ohio State has not used yet. Another mismatch that Ohio State could take advantage of would be to...

5. Use Jake Stoneburner At Tight End More. Stoneburner has battled leg injuries so far this season, but he would be a receiving tight end along the lines of former Wisconsin tight end Travis Beckum. Isolating Stoneburner on a linebacker would be another mismatch for Ohio State to exploit. Stoneburner could also be a threat on the goal line in jump ball scenarios.

These are short-term suggestions that Jim Tressel and his offensive coaching staff could possibly implement immediately. My next article will suggest some long-term changes that Jim Tressel could contemplate after the season.

Purdue Gives Ohio State an Unwanted "Valentin", 26-18

Chip Minnich — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:28:57 -0400

Instant Analysis: Just when Ohio State fans felt that they had witnessed an offensive debacle last weekend against Wisconsin, the offense came out and laid an even bigger egg against Purdue, losing 26-18 in West Lafayette, Ind.

The loss tremendously damages Ohio State's hopes of winning the Big Ten and earning a Rose Bowl berth. This loss also was Ohio State's first loss to a non-BCS bowl opponent, since the 2004 loss, also at Purdue .

More importantly, this loss will only serve to intensify the completely justifiable criticism towards Jim Tressel, QB Terrelle Pryor, and Ohio State's offensive line.

Ohio State suffered throughout the entire game with five turnovers and numerous penalties. Almost from the onset, Ohio State never seemed to be in synch offensively with Pryor fumbling during the first set of offensive downs for Ohio State.

Pryor made it interesting at the end, throwing a desperation touchdown pass to DeVier Posey and running for a two-point conversion.

Pryor's frustrations with the inadequate pass protection could be seen on Ohio State's last offensive possession, with Jim Tressel being seen trying to calm Pryor down before Ohio State attempted a play on 4th and 14.

Purdue deserved to win this game as they completely dominated Ohio State in every phase of the game.

WR Aaron Valentin was especially effective throughout this game. Unlike Ohio State, Purdue's offense kept Ohio State's defense off-balance and was efficient enough to score 26 points.

Where does Ohio State go from here? With a homecoming game next week against a resurgentMinnesota team, as well as a tough November schedule that calls for games at Penn State, Iowa, and at Michigan, it is not beyond reason that Ohio State could be playing in one of the lower-tier Big Ten bowl games.

Purdue Has "Hope" For An Upset Over Ohio State

Chip Minnich — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:05:00 -0400

Game Seven: Purdue Boilermakers

Location: Ross-Ade Stadium (West Lafayette, IN) 12:00PM EST, The Big Ten Network

Head Coach: Danny Hope

Purdue Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: N/A. Purdue WR DB Royce Adams was interested in Ohio State, but never offered a scholarship by Ohio State.

Purdue Rushing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: Purdue ranks sixth in the Big Ten at a little over 145 yards per game, while Ohio State's rushing defense ranks second in the Big Ten at allowing only a little over 89 yards per game. Purdue sophomore RB Ralph Bolden has been impressive at times this season, averaging nearly 100 yards per game.

Considering how Ohio State was able to slow down Wisconsin RBs John Clay and Zach Brown last weekend, I believe Ohio State will be able to contain Ralph Bolden. Ohio State's defensive linemen and linebackers are the strength of this Ohio State squad. I look for Ohio State to play more of a nickel defense, playing S Anderson Russell more as a nickel linebacker versus playing LB Austin Spitler who is more of a traditional linebacker.

Edge: Ohio State

Purdue Passing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: Purdue's passing offense ranks second in the Big Ten with 265 yards per game, while Ohio State's pass defense efficiency ranks third in the Big Ten at allowing nearly 183 yards per game. Purdue QB Joey Elliott is leading the Big Ten in total offense at nearly 284 yards per game, but has already thrown nine interceptions this season.

Considering how effective Ohio State's defense was able to pressure Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien last week (six sacks), I will be watching to see how Purdue handles the Ohio State pass rush. Elliott will have to get rid of the ball quickly—his favorite target is WR Keith Smith, who Ohio State will probably match up against CB Chimdi Chekwa. I have to give the edge to Ohio State, based upon their performances the last few weeks defensively.

Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State Rushing Offense vs Purdue Defense: Ohio State's rushing offense ranks fourth in the Big Ten at a little over 172 yards per game, while Purdue's rush defense ranks tenth in the Big Ten at allowing a little over 167 yards per game.

Ohio State will be relying on junior RB Brandon Saine, who will be making another start in lieu of the injured Daniel "Boom" Herron. Saine will share the load with freshman RB Jordan Hall, and redshirt freshman RB Jermil Martin. Considering how Ohio State struggled to establish any running game last week against Wisconsin, I look for Ohio State to concentrate on this area of their offense.

Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State Passing Offense vs Purdue Defense: Ohio State's passing offense ranks last in the Big Ten (is there any Ohio State fan surprised with that one?) at a little over 166 yards per game, while Purdue's pass defense efficiency ranks 5th in the Big Ten at allowing a little over 212 yards per game.

It would be charitable to say that QB Terrelle Pryor struggled last week against Wisconsin. It will be curious to see if the Ohio State coaching staff tries to put Pryor into passing situations comparable to their successful two-minute drill at the end of the first half last week against Wisconsin.

Look for Purdue to try to defend Pryor the same way Wisconsin did, by trying to keep Pryor in the pocket and not allow him to get outside on the perimeter. Until Ohio State's offense shows that it can handle that type of defense, every Big Ten team will look to emulate Wisconsin's success.

Edge: Purdue

Special Teams: Purdue's Aaron Valentin is leading the Big Ten in punt returns with an average of nearly 14 yards per return. Purdue's PK Carson Wiggs kicked a 53 yard field goal last season against Ohio State, and has kicked a 59 yard field goal so far this season.

Ohio State's Ray Small exploded with a 96 yard kickoff return that helped Ohio State maintain momentum last week against Wisconsin. PK Aaron Pettrey is leading the Big Ten in scoring, and has kicked a 52 yard field goal this season.

Edge: Even

Intangibles: As I wrote previously , the last time Ohio State lost to a non-BCS bowl opponent was back in 2004 at Purdue. The 2002 Ohio State/Purdue game was one for the ages, where Ohio State had to rally with a "Holy Buckeye!" pass to hold onto their national championship hopes.

Purdue is 1-5, and has nothing to lose . This is the type of game that it would be easy for Ohio State to look past Purdue. Purdue played both Oregon and Notre Dame down to the wire, and I believe will be giving this one everything they have to pull off the upset.

Slight Edge: Purdue

Prediction: Even with Ohio State's offensive struggles this season, I look for Ohio State's defense to shut down Purdue by the middle of the 3rd quarter, if not sooner. Ohio State's defense has tremendous depth and speed, and will be too much for Purdue to handle.

I am going to go with Ohio State 35, Purdue 14 as Terrelle Pryor looks to rebound from his tough game against Wisconsin.

The One Thing Ohio State and Jim Tressel Do Better Than Any Other Team

Chip Minnich — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:17:51 -0400

Nov. 13, 2004 will probably not go down in Ohio State history as a date to remember by Ohio State fans, or even Purdue fans. For the record, Ohio State lost at Purdue 24-17 in Ross-Ade Stadium. Ohio State fell to a 6-4 record, and was in the midst of arguably Jim Tressel's worst season since Tressel became Ohio State's head coach in 2001.

Why am I bringing up a loss to Purdue? Here's the answer—Nov. 13, 2004 was the last time Ohio State lost a game to a non-BCS bowl opponent.

By the time Ohio State and Purdue kick off on Saturday afternoon on Oct. 17, 2009, it will have been 1799 days—nearly a five-year span—since the last time Ohio State lost to a team that did not appear in a BCS bowl game.

How does that compare to the other top-ranked teams in college football, you ask? Let us take a look at the teams ranked ahead of Ohio State, seeing when the last time these teams lost to a non-BCS bowl participant, to put this in perspective.

No. 1 Florida: Currently undefeated, Florida lost last season to unranked Ole Miss at home, 31-30, in Sept. 27, 2008—or 385 days ago from this coming Saturday.

No. 2 Alabama: Currently undefeated, Alabama lost 17-10 at Auburn on Nov. 24, 2007—or 693 days from this coming Saturday.

No. 3 Texas: Currently undefeated, Texas lost 39-33 to Texas Tech on the last play of the game on Nov. 1, 2008, or 350 days ago from this coming Saturday. Texas Tech did wind up playing in the Cotton Bowl last season, as did Ole Miss, but we all know that the Cotton Bowl was not considered a BCS game last season.

No. 4 Virginia Tech: Currently with one loss to No. 2 ranked Alabama, Virginia Tech lost 16-14 at Miami (FL) on Nov. 13, 2008, or 338 days ago from this coming Saturday.

No. 5 Boise State: Currently undefeated and mentioned as a possible "BCS Buster" this season, Boise State technically last lost to a non-BCS opponent during the last bowl season in the Poinsettia Bowl to No. 11 TCU 17-16 on Dec. 23, 2008.

Considering both Boise State and TCU were undefeated but relegated to The Poinsettia Bowl, I am willing to dig deeper. Boise State's last non-BCS loss occurred in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl to East Carolina 41-38 on Dec. 23, 2007, or 664 days from this coming Saturday.

No. 6 USC: Currently ranked one spot ahead of Ohio State (and deservedly so, I might add, due to USC's victory over Ohio State), USC lost to unranked Washington 16-13 on Sept. 19, 2009, or 28 days ago from this coming Saturday.

To be fair to both USC and Washington, it is entirely possible that Washington could still win the Pac-10. Looking further, USC at Oregon State 27-21 on Sept. 25, 2008, or 387 days ago from this coming Saturday.

Critics like to point out Ohio State's shortcomings in recent bowl games, or even this season against USC. One thing to keep in mind—Ohio State under Jim Tressel will never overlook any opponent. The evidence is clear from the fact that Ohio State has not lost to a team considered to be a weaker opponent in nearly five years.

Win the games you are supposed to win. That is a lesson these other top programs unfortunately have had to learn in the all-too-recent past, unlike Ohio State.

Ohio State-Purdue: An Analysis of Ohio State's 2004 Defeat

Chip Minnich — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:00:49 -0400

Nov. 13, 2004, will probably not go down in Ohio State history as a date to remember by Ohio State fans, or even Purdue fans. For the record, Ohio State lost at Purdue 24-17 in Ross-Ade Stadium. Ohio State fell to a 6-4 record, and was in the midst of arguably Jim Tressel's worst season since Tressel became Ohio State's head coach in 2001.

Why am I bringing up a loss to Purdue? Here's the answer—Nov. 13, 2004 was the last time Ohio State lost a game to a non-BCS opponent.

No. 1 Florida: Currently undefeated, Florida lost last season to unranked Ole Miss at home, 31-30, in Sept. 27, 2008—or 385 days ago from this coming Saturday.

No. 2 Alabama: Currently undefeated, Alabama lost 17-10 at Auburn on Nov. 24, 2007—or 693 days from this coming Saturday.

No. 4 Virginia Tech: Currently with one loss to # 2 ranked Alabama, Virginia Tech lost 16-14 at Miami (FL) on Nov. 13, 2008, or 338 days ago from this coming Saturday.

Win the games you are supposed to win. That is a lesson these other top programs unfortunately have had to learn in the all-too-recent past, unlike Ohio State.

Ohio State-Wisconsin: Buckeyes Look To Hand Badgers First 2009 Loss

Chip Minnich — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:39:00 -0400

Game Six: Wisconsin Badgers

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH), 3:30 PM EST, ABC

Head Coach: Bret Bielema

Wisconsin Players Who Were Recruited by Ohio State

RB John Clay, OL Josh Oglesby, WR Kraig Appleton, and DE Pat Muldoon. Lesser extent—OL Jake Bscherer, OL Bill Nagy, WR Kyle Jefferson, and CB Prince Moody.

Wisconsin Rushing Offense vs. Ohio State Defense

Wisconsin is leading the Big Ten in rushing offense with a little over 217 yards per game, while Ohio State's run defense ranks first in the Big Ten at allowing a little over 83 yards per game. This will be the key matchup for the game and could be the key factor in determining the winner of the game.

Wisconsin's rushing attack is led by big John Clay with 582 yards this season; Clay is averaging 5.2 yards per carry. At 6'2" and 250 lbs., Clay is truly a load to bring down.

Clay is helped in the running game by Zack Brown, who does not have the physical dimensions of John Clay, but is still averaging 4.1 yards per carry behind the traditionally massive Wisconsin offensive line.

Brown has had some fumbling problems in recent games, so it will be interesting to see how much he plays against Ohio State.

Keep an eye on No. 68 Gabe Carimi for Wisconsin, as he is arguably Wisconsin's best offensive lineman. Wisconsin is the most effective team in the Big Ten in red zone offensive efficiency.

Ohio State's defensive line is fast and deep, led by senior DE Doug Worthington and junior DE Thaddeus Gibson. Ohio State rotates interior defensive linemen, such as Todd Denlinger, Cameron Heyward, Robert Rose, and true freshman John Simon.

Losing an interior lineman such as Dexter Larimore with a knee sprain for this game will test Ohio State's depth tremendously.

Ohio State's linebackers, led by junior MLB Brian Rolle, will be tested by Wisconsin's massive offensive line. I want to see how senior LB Austin Spitler plays against Wisconsin.

Edge: Even. Ohio State has been playing very well defensively since and including the USC game, but Wisconsin's running game may be Ohio State's biggest test yet. The loss of Larimore for this game makes me call this one even. As I wrote up above, this is the key matchup for the game.

Wisconsin Passing Offense vs. Ohio State Defense

In years past, Wisconsin's passing game has not been nearly effective.

Behind the play of QB Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin is leading the Big Ten in passing efficiency. Tolzien has been completing nearly 66 percent of his passes and has thrown nine touchdowns versus three interceptions so far this season.

Wisconsin's leading receivers are WR Nick Toon and TE Garrett Graham.

Ohio State will welcome back the return of senior captain and safety Kurt Coleman from a one-game suspension. Ohio State's secondary currently ranks second in the Big Ten in pass defense efficiency.

I will be curious to see if Ohio State will cover Garrett Graham with a linebacker such as Ross Homan or if they will bring in Anderson Russell as a nickel defensive back.

Edge: Even. As I have written up above, Wisconsin is very effective in the red zone and has been playing well offensively, both running and passing. Ohio State is the first big defensive test this Wisconsin team will have faced so far this season.

Ohio State Rushing Offense vs. Wisconsin Defense

Ohio State's rushing offense ranks third in the Big Ten with nearly 189 yards per game, while Wisconsin's rushing defense ranks seventh in the Big Ten with allowing 128 yards per game.

Ohio State will return RB Daniel "Boom" Herron from an ankle injury that kept Herron out of the game last week versus Indiana. I look for RB Brandon Saine, who had a career game against Indiana, to start against Wisconsin.

I look for Wisconsin to employ a defensive strategy similar to what USC attempted by stacking eight or nine in the box, daring Ohio State to win through the air. Ohio State has abandoned its traditional I-formation and has been using spread formations to help get their running game going.

Edge: Ohio State. Brandon Saine looks to be the best running back on the Ohio State roster, and I believe this may be his most pivotal game yet as a Buckeye. QB Terrelle Pryor's impact as a runner will also play a part in this game as well on designed quarterback draws and option plays.

Ohio State Passing Offense vs. Wisconsin Defense

Ohio State ranks last in the Big Ten in passing offense, while Wisconsin's pass defense ratings rank eighth.

Terrelle Pryor had a solid game last week against Indiana, throwing three touchdowns. Pryor's favorite targets are WR Dane Sanzenbacher and WR DeVier Posey.

Wisconsin's defense is led by DL O'Brien Schofield, who is leading the Big Ten in sacks and tackles for loss.

The Wisconsin secondary, led by CB Jay Valai, is fearsome group of tacklers, as Ohio State's Sanzenbacher and Herron discovered last season in Camp Randall Stadium.

Edge: Wisconsin. With the news that several Ohio State offensive linemen have been battling the flu this week, I believe this will give Wisconsin the edge at disrupting Ohio State's passing game. Terrelle Pryor may need to step up in the pocket to avoid sacks; look for Wisconsin to assign a spy on Pryor to negate his rushing threat.

Special Teams

Ohio State's kickoff coverage ranks second in the Big Ten, while Wisconsin is right behind at third.

Ohio State K Aaron Pettrey may be making his coaches nervous with his missed kicks last week against Indiana.

Wisconsin's Brad Nortman ranks fourth in the Big Ten in punting while Wisconsin's Philip Welch is doing a solid job on field goals for the Badgers.

Edge: Even. Both teams place a tremendous emphasis on special teams.

Intangibles

Jim Tressel is 1-2 against Wisconsin in Ohio Stadium. Wisconsin has traditionally been a challenging opponent for Ohio State, going back to the Earle Bruce and John Cooper regimes.

With a 3:30 PM kickoff and first place in the Big Ten standings on the line, this is as big as it gets for the Ohio State home crowd.

Edge: Ohio State.

Prediction

Just like last season—and almost every game during Jim Tressel's career against Wisconsin—I look for this one to come down to the wire.

Jim Tressel is 3-3 against Wisconsin, but I look for Ohio State's defensive speed to be the difference in this one against the Badgers.

It should be late in the fourth quarter, but I'm going to go with Ohio State 24, Wisconsin 21.

Wisconsin Has Badgered Ohio State's Home in Jim Tressel Era

Chip Minnich — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:51:00 -0400

On Oct. 10 at 3:30 pm EST, Ohio State will take the field against the undefeated Wisconsin Badgers. While this game will help to determine the eventual Big Ten champion, I will be anxious to see if another small, possibly overlooked record can be evened out—Jim Tressel's home record against Wisconsin.

Jim Tressel has an even record against Wisconsin, having defeated Wisconsin three times (2002, 2007, and 2008), while also losing three times (2001, 2003, and 2004). Surprisingly, Tressel has had more success against Wisconsin on the road than in Ohio Stadium.

In 2001, Ohio State blew a 17-point lead and lost to Wisconsin, 20-17. That was during the first year of the Jim Tressel era at Ohio State.

In 2004, Ohio State blew a 10-point lead to Wisconsin, losing 24-13. This loss ended Ohio State's 18-game home winning streak in Ohio Stadium.

In 2007, Ohio State was able to defeat Wisconsin in Ohio Stadium 38-17. This was the first time the teams faced each other since the 2004 season, due to The Big Ten's rotating schedule.

Will Jim Tressel be able to even up his home record against Wisconsin? We shall see on Saturday afternoon.

Indiana's Memorial Stadium Has Been Good to Ohio State

Chip Minnich — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:29:44 -0400

Ohio State travels to Bloomington, IN, to take on the Indiana Hoosiers in Memorial Stadium at 7pm EST. Ohio State has not played Indiana since the 2006 season, due to the Big Ten’s rotating schedule (Michigan State and Northwestern are not on Ohio State’s schedule this season).

Indiana has not won in its home stadium against Ohio State since the 1988 season (41-7 on 10/08/1988; John Cooper’s first season as Ohio State’s head coach), and the last tie game in Memorial Stadium was 1990 (27-27 on 10/13/1990). Since the 1992 game, Ohio State has averaged 32 points to Indiana’s 12 points in all of the games played in Memorial Stadium (see below):

Compounding Indiana’s frustration in this series is the fact that Memorial Stadium is commonly taken over by traveling Ohio State fans. For example, in the 2005 contest, Ohio State fans began their “O-H-I-O” chant throughout Memorial Stadium, much to the frustration of then-Indiana coach Terry Hoeppner. The 1996 contest in Memorial Stadium propelled Ohio State to the Rose Bowl and Ohio State fans stormed the field and tore down Indiana’s goal posts.

Will Memorial Stadium be another Buckeye haven this coming weekend? It will be interesting to find out if chants of “O-H-I-O” are evident during the Big Ten Network’s broadcast Saturday night.

Ohio State Squeezes "Juice" Williams and Illinois 30-0

Chip Minnich — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:17:26 -0400

Instant Analysis: Even though Ohio State defeated Illinois 30-0, and has now had two straight shutout victories, I am not feeling entirely comfortable with Ohio State as they have officially begun their Big Ten conference play.

Ohio State offensively still looks very inconsistent, largely because of QB Terrelle Pryor.

Yes, I know...people are going to say, "Chip, they won 30-0! Why are you complaining?!?". I am not complaining, but I do believe there are areas of concern.

First, the aforementioned Terrelle Pryor. Pryor still is taking way too long in the pocket, waiting for plays to develop.

So many opportunities for positive yardage were squandered by Pryor as he tries to show people that he is a quarterback and not just a tremendous athlete.

Pryor nearly threw an interception by throwing a pass late down the middle when he felt pressure.

Against a better defensive team, or perhaps on a day where the weather is not as much of a factor as it was today in Ohio Stadium, that is a pass that will be intercepted and thus take points off the board for Ohio State.

The Ohio State running game is slowly making improvement.

Hopefully, Daniel "Boom" Herron will be able to play next week at Indiana. Even so, Brandon Saine is showing me that he has fully recovered from last season's injuries. True freshman Jordan Hall also shows a nice burst.

The defensive line, led by Thaddeus Gibson, was impressive.

Illinois was never truly able to get anything established today, and Gibson was a major reason why. He gets my vote for player of the game today.

I did not like Ohio State throwing the ball into the end zone for a touchdown when already up on Illinois 23-0.

The fact that Ohio State took a time-out before throwing the ball to Dane Sanzenbacher made it worse. If Ohio State had scored a touchdown running the ball with Jordan Hall, that would not have been bad in my estimation; if Illinois, or any team, cannot stop the run, there is not much Ohio State can do about that.

Throwing the ball into the end zone when already up 23-0 with the game well in hand under a couple minutes just smells of poor sportsmanship to me.

Major thumbs down to Kurt Coleman for spearing Illinois QB Eddie McGee.

I hope Coach Tressel tells Mr. Coleman to sit down for the first quarter of next week's game against Indiana, otherwise, The Big Ten may intervene like they did for Michigan a few weeks back.

A win is a win, and Ohio State is now 3-1. Indiana will be an interesting venue, as Ohio State fans traditionally make the trek to Bloomington and pack the stands.

Indiana should be a fun game to watch, as Indiana lost a tough one today at Michigan after leading most of the game. I will be anxious to see what kind of mental state the Hoosiers will have as they face the Buckeyes next week in Bloomington.

Ohio State Looks To Bottle Up "Juice" Williams & Illinois

Chip Minnich — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:34:00 -0400

Game Four: Illinois Fighting Illini

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH) 3:30PM EST, ABC

Head Coach: Ron Zook

Illinois Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: LB Martez Wilson, QB Juice Williams, WR Arrelious Benn, WR Cordale Scott, DL Josh Brent, and RB Justin Green. WR Jeff Cumberland was on Ohio State's radar but was not cleared academically by Ohio State. LB Martez Wilson is out for the season due to a herniated disk in his neck. WR Brian Gamble, LB Justin Staples, and DL Antonio James were all on Ohio State's recruiting radar for a time but were not offered scholarships.

Illinois Rushing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: Illinois currently ranks 2nd in The Big Ten in rushing offense, while Ohio State's rushing defense ranks 5th. Illinois' rushing attack is led by Jason Ford, Daniel Dufrene, Troy Pollard, and Justin Green. QBs Juice Williams and Eddie McGee are also threats out of Illinois' read-option offense.

Two years ago, Juice Williams was the key in Illinois' victory over Ohio State in Ohio Stadium. If Ohio State cannot limit Juice Williams' rushing, Ohio State could be in trouble.

Edge: Illinois

Illinois Passing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: Illinois' passing offense currently ranks 10th in The Big Ten, while Ohio State's pass defense ranks 5th. Illinois has been suffering due to the ankle injury sustained by WR Arrelious Benn. If Benn is able to play against Ohio State, look for Ohio State to match Benn up with CB Chimdi Chekwa.

Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State Rushing Offense vs Illinois Defense: Ohio State's rushing offense currently ranks 5th in The Big Ten, while Illinois' rushing defense ranks 3rd. The loss of Illinois LB Martez Wilson will bear watching.

With Ohio State RBs "Boom" Herron, Brandon Saine, and Jordan Hall struggling to establish a consistent running game in the first three games, look for QB Terrelle Pryor to supplement the Ohio State rushing attack. If Pryor is able to gain positive yardage on designed quarterback draws or on scrambling plays, Ohio State will be able to keep the dangerous Illinois offense on the sidelines.

Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State Passing Offense vs Illinois Defense: Ohio State's passing offense ranks 9th in The Big Ten, while Illinois' pass defense ranks 11th. Ohio State WR Dane Sanzenbacher has become Terrelle Pryor's "go to" receiver, with two touchdowns last weekend against Toledo. A good match-up for Ohio State is RB Brandon Saine out of the backfield isolated against a linebacker - Saine has 6 receptions, averaging 12 yards per catch.

Edge: Ohio State

Special Teams: Ohio State ranks 2nd in kickoff returns and 9th in punt returns; Illinois ranks 9th in kickoff returns and 10th in punt returns. This might be the game Ohio State WR Lamaar Thomas finally breaks one for a touchdown; Thomas has had 7 kickoff returns for 166 yards, with a long return of 32 yards.

Edge: Ohio State

Intangibles: Illinois has won seven of the last ten visits to Ohio Stadium. Another interesting fact is that Illinois was able to generate 455 yards against Ohio State last season, despite losing to Ohio State 30-20.

To be fair to Coach Jim Tressel, most of the seven losses to Illinois took place during John Cooper's early tenure at Ohio State (1988-2000). Still, Tressel did lose to Illinois in Ohio Stadium in 2001 and suffered the painful loss in 2007.

Edge: Illinois

Prediction: Illinois seems to play Ohio State better in Ohio Stadium. Considering how Illinois had a bye week last weekend, Illinois should be truly well-rested for its game against Ohio State.

One of the early indicators for Ohio State is the performance of QB Juice Williams. If Williams is efficient early, it usually points to Williams playing efficiently throughout the game. Consequently, if Juice Williams is playing inconsistently early, it usually points to an inconsistent performance throughout the game.

Ohio State needs to find its offense with this Big Ten opener. I predicted this game to be one of Ohio State's toughest games, and nothing has led me to back away from that prediction. I think this game will come down to the wire...

Ohio State 27, Illinois 21

Ohio State-Illinois: Could Eddie George Serve as Honorary Captain?

Chip Minnich — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:03:00 -0400

This coming Saturday in Ohio Stadium, Ohio State will take the field against Illinois to kick off Big Ten conference play. Ohio State fans can painfully recall the last time Illinois visited Ohio Stadium in 2007, as Illinois defeated top-ranked Ohio State 28-21.

Obviously, Ohio State fans would prefer an outcome closer to the 2005 contest, when Ohio State romped over Illinois 40-2 in Ron Zook's first season as Illinois' head coach.

If I was Coach Jim Tressel, I would ask Eddie George to be the honorary captain for this week's Illinois contest. My reasoning is simple: Eddie George has seen the highs and lows of this long-time rivalry with Illinois.

Eddie George has suffered through an agonizing defeat at the hands of Illinois in Ohio Stadium, and also can tell the players the joy of playing arguably the game of his career in a victory over Illinois in Ohio Stadium.

In 1992, Eddie George was a freshman recruit out of Virginia's Fork Union Military Academy. Even though Ohio State had running backs such as Robert Smith, Butler By'not'e, and Raymont Harris, George quickly impressed the coaching staff to earn playing time.

George's best contributions came in a 35-12 victory at Syracuse, where George ran for three touchdowns.

After a loss at Wisconsin, Ohio State came home to play Illinois. Eddie George suffered two critical fumbles: one into the end zone and returned by Illinois for a touchdown, and another at the Illinois' one yard line that was recovered by Illinois.

Illinois defeated Ohio State 18-16, and Eddie George only carried the ball 12 more times the remainder of the 1992 season.

In 1993, Eddie George primarily served as a backup for Raymont Harris before earning the starting tailback position in 1994 with a solid 1,442-yard season.

Little did anyone suspect that Eddie George was saving his best for his last season in 1995, and that his best game would take place against Illinois in Ohio Stadium.

In 1995, Eddie George began the season with a solid performance against Boston College, then rambled for 212 yards against Washington.

George ran for 122 yards against Pittsburgh, then showcased his talents against Notre Dame for 207 yards on 32 carries. But the best was yet to come.

On Nov. 11, 1995, Eddie George set the single-game rushing record for Ohio State in a 41-3 victory over Illinois with 314 yards on 36 carries in the cold and sleet of Ohio Stadium.

What is often overlooked, or possibly forgotten by Ohio State fans, is how Ohio State was playing without WR Terry Glenn due to a shoulder injury.

Eddie George was able to rush for 314 yards while playing against an Illinois defense with future NFL stars Simeon Rice and Kevin Hardy geared up to shut him down.

It was after this performance that Eddie George cemented his invitation to New York City to pick up the Heisman Trophy.

Eddie George had a very productive career in the NFL, has opened up several businesses, and has the honor of having his jersey retired in Ohio Stadium.

If I were Coach Tressel, I would think long and hard about asking such a prestigious former Buckeye as Eddie George this weekend to talk about what it means to play against Illinois, and the importance of persistence and determination in the face of adversity.

Can Ohio State Avoid A Rocket-Sized Hangover?

Chip Minnich — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:03:04 -0400

Game Three: Ohio State @ Toledo

Location: Cleveland Browns Stadium (Cleveland, OH). 12 p.m. EST kickoff, ESPN360.com

Head Coach: Tim Beckman

Toledo Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: N/A. There are not any players on Toledo's roster who were actively recruited by Ohio State. Freshman QB Terrance Owens is from Cleveland Glenville and visited Ohio State unofficially, but was never offered a scholarship.

Toledo Rushing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: Toledo rushed for 305 yards last week against Colorado in a 54-38 win, and only 70 yards rushing in a 52-31 loss to Purdue. Ohio State was able to limit Navy's vaunted triple-option attack to 186 yards in its 31-27 victory in game one, and hold USC's talented rushing attack to 118 yards in its close 18-15 defeat last weekend.

Toledo averages out to almost 188 rushing yards per game, while Ohio State averages out to limiting opponents to 152 yards per game. I am going to give the edge to the Buckeyes here on this one.

Edge: Ohio State

Toledo Passing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: Toledo's stellar offensive output so far this season can be traced to senior QB Aaron Opelt. So far this season, Opelt has been the MAC Player Of The Week both games and is completing 62% of his passes in Toledo's spread attack.

Ohio State was largely able to limit USC's Matt Barkley due to the intense crowd noise of Ohio Stadium as well as Barkley's inexperience. Aaron Opelt has had two good games against teams from BCS conferences.

Ohio State's pass defense is ranked 10th in the Big Ten, with 193.5 yards per game being allowed. Considering that Toledo's offense is averaging nearly 371 yards passing per game, I am going to give the slight edge to the Rockets on this one, despite Ohio State's talent on the defensive line. If Ohio State cannot pressure Aaron Opelt, this could turn out to be a shoot-out.

Slight Edge: Toledo

Ohio State Rushing Offense vs Toledo Defense: Ohio State's rushing attack has only been able to generate 241 yards rushing this season. Toledo surrendered 315 yards to Purdue in week one, and 95 yards rushing to Colorado last week.

Translation: if Ohio State cannot run the ball on Toledo, it is going to be a long season in Columbus. I look for Ohio State to try to get QB Terrelle Pryor more involved in the rushing attack and for a heavy dose of RBs Daniel "Boom" Herron and Brandon Saine.

Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State Passing Offense vs Toledo Defense: Ohio State has been struggling through the air as well so far this season. QB Terrelle Pryor is completing under 55 percent of his passes and looks generally indecisive in the pocket. While Pryor had some shining moments in last week's game against USC, it seems as though he is hesitant to run when opportunities present themselves.

Toledo's pass defense ranks 12th in the MAC at 288 yards per game being allowed. While I do not believe Ohio State will throw for nearly that many yards, I do look for Jim Tressel to try to develop Terrelle Pryor's confidence as a thrower before Big Ten play begins next weekend. Keep an eye on WR DeVier Posey; I have a feeling this may be Posey's break-out game.

Edge: Ohio State

Special Teams: Toledo ranks 11th in the MAC on kickoff returns, last on punt returns, and last in punting. Ohio State has some dangerous returners in WR Ray Small, RB Brandon Saine, and WR Lamaar Thomas. Junior DB Grant Schwartz came oh-so-close with a punt block attempt last week against USC. Here is an area where Ohio State may be able to obtain some distinct field advantage against Toledo.

Edge: Ohio State

Intangibles: Even though this is a "home" game for Toledo, look for a heavy Ohio State flavor to the crowd at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Toledo's Tim Beckman is a former Ohio State secondary coach under Jim Tressel, so I look for Beckman to try to capitalize on his familiarity with Tressel's coaching styles and strategies.

The biggest "X" factor in this game is how Ohio State can bounce back after such a tough loss to USC last weekend. If Ohio State is still moping about last week's defeat to USC, Toledo will make them pay for it dearly.

Toledo is not coming into Cleveland Browns Stadium thinking that they are going to lose to Ohio State. Toledo is brimming with confidence after the beating they gave to Colorado last week, and nothing would please so many of the players on the Toledo roster than to prove how much of a mistake Ohio State made by not recruiting them.

Edge: Toledo

Prediction: This game hinges completely on Ohio State's ability to put the tough loss to USC behind them. Ohio State has not lost to an in-state rival school in 88 years.

I look for Ohio State to use the enthusiasm of the crowd in Cleveland Browns Stadium, as well as QB Terrelle Pryor's best performance of this young season, to carry them to victory. This one will be close at the half, but I look for Ohio State to pull away by the end of the third quarter.

Ohio State 35, Toledo 17

Could Jim Tressel Assemble His Own "Team Of Rivals"?

Chip Minnich — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:19:18 -0400

It has been over 24 hours since the close and tough loss to USC, and I have been thinking about the lack of offensive production by Ohio State.

Ohio State was only able to generate 256 yards of total offense. So far this season, Ohio State has routinely had to settle for field goals while in the red zone, has struggled on short yardage plays, and Terrelle Pryor has seemingly developed little as a passer from last season when he was a freshman.

One of the frustrations is Ohio State has developed a reputation for having an inconsistent offensive identity, and that comes back to Jim Tressel solely and completely.

One of the very first thoughts I had about this game regarding Jim Tressel was how Tressel would have to address the lack of offense. While Ohio State offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Jim Bollman is a convenient scapegoat for Ohio State (and we will get to Bollman later, I promise), the reality is Jim Tressel is Ohio State's offensive coordinator.

Tressel takes a play suggestion from Bollman and either agrees with it, or suggests something altogether different. Either way, all of Ohio State's offensive strategies go entirely through Jim Tressel.

I do not want to turn this into a "bash Jim Tressel" article. Considering the success Ohio State has had since Jim Tressel was hired in January 2001, it would be foolish to do so. Ohio State is fortunate to have Jim Tressel leading the program. Let me repeat that statement--Ohio State is fortunate to have Jim Tressel leading the program.

Any Ohio State fan who has followed the program since Jim Tressel knows that Tressel prefers a strong running game that can chew up the clock and a low-risk passing offense led by a quarterback who is more of a game manager but has mobility (think of Craig Krenzel, Troy Smith, and now Pryor).

Tressel's stated goals on numerous occasions is to have at least 400 yards of offense, with over 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing. Ideally, a balanced attack.

Reflecting on when Jim Tressel was hired back in 2001 made me think of the other candidates who were strongly considered for the head coaching position when it was open after John Cooper's firing. Men such as Glen Mason, who was a finalist along with Tressel. Walt Harris, who was at the time the head coach of Pittsburgh but never interviewed.

I do not want to turn this into a political article either, but I started thinking about a book by noted presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin entitled Team Of Rivals: The Political Genius Of Abraham Lincoln. The book discusses how Lincoln had three of his political rivals in his Cabinet as political advisers.

What if—and I know this is a long shot—what if Jim Tressel could swallow his pride and assemble his own team of rivals at Ohio State to help him with the offense? Let me give you an idea as to what I am thinking.

Glen Mason served with Jim Tressel from 1983-1985 (Tressel was the QB, RB, and WR coach) under Earle Bruce as the offensive coordinator. While as the head coach at Kent State, Kansas, and Minnesota, Mason's teams developed a reputation for being able to run the football consistently. Mason is currently an analyst for The Big Ten Network.

It had to be terribly humbling and beyond disappointing for Glen Mason to lose out on the Ohio State job to Jim Tressel back in 2001. Mason is an Ohio State alumnus, played for Woody Hayes, and was a former assistant at Ohio State longer than Tressel was. Ohio State was his dream job when it became open back in 2001.

To the best of my knowledge, Mason and Tressel are on good terms. Mason served as an honorary captain for Ohio State in last year's Minnesota game.

Tressel could hire Mason as offensive coordinator, and Keith Uecker could become the new offensive line coach. Both would be able to infuse an emphasis on the power running game that Tressel prefers. Uecker is a former NFL lineman who is currently serving as the offensive quality control coach. Or maybe Glen Mason could hire Mitch Browning as the offensive line coach? Browning has worked for Mason before at Minnesota and is currently a graduate assistant at Tennessee. Jim Bollman could take a break from being the poster boy for Ohio State fan abuse.

Let me bring up Walt Harris. Harris has no connection professionally with either Jim Tressel or Glen Mason (as far as I believe), but all Ohio State fans can recall Harris' contributions to Ohio State football in 1995 and 1996. Harris was not the offensive coordinator for Ohio State at this time; Joe Hollis was. Harris' contributions came from his previous jobs (such as QB coach for the NFL's New York Jets in 1993 and 1994) that resulted in Ohio State developing a prolific passing attack, led by QB Bobby Hoying, WR Terry Glenn, and TE Rickey Dudley. Harris is currently the Passing Game Coordinator and QB Coach for The University Of Akron.

One of the selling points made to Terrelle Pryor was the belief that Ohio State could develop him into a NFL-caliber quarterback. Considering that Jim Tressel has had only Craig Krenzel (5th round in 2004 NFL Draft) and Troy Smith (5th round in 2007 NFL Draft) selected in his tenure, it would not be so bad to have a coach like Walt Harris on the staff - Harris has coached 14 quarterbacks who have gone on to the NFL, among them Bobby Hoying.

Harris could do wonders for Terrelle Pryor's mechanics and footwork in the pocket. Having someone like Walt Harris on the staff could actually be a recruiting selling point to up and coming high school quarterbacks around the country. Tressel could emphasize the importance of game management, which is his quarterbacking commandment, but Harris could work on developing a pro-style passing attack to compliment the power running game led by new offensive coordinator Glen Mason.

How I can envision this working is similar to what I wrote up above - Tressel could still have the headset, and could still overrule Glen Mason if he strongly disagrees with the play call. I could never envision a time when Jim Tressel would not have his involvement in the offense. I do believe it could become a system similar to what Penn State is currently doing with Galen Hall as the offensive coordinator for Joe Paterno, or Florida State is doing with Jimbo Fisher for Bobby Bowden.

You can laugh, scoff, and say that it will never happen and could never happen. Just remember this—Ohio State's athletic director is Gene Smith, a former Notre Dame football player and coach.

While Smith has given Jim Tressel free reign with the football program, Smith knows and hears what the fans, and probably powerful alumni, are saying about the lack of Ohio State offense under Jim Tressel. Who knows if Gene Smith isn't strongly suggesting some changes this coming off-season to Jim Tressel?

If I was Jim Tressel, I'd pick up the phone to Glen Mason and Walt Harris and ask them to come back to Columbus. Both know their way around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

What to do in the meantime? Maybe read a good book by Doris Kearns Goodwin on working with old rivals towards a common goal.

Instant Analysis: USC Takes Ohio State's Heart with 18-15 Victory

Chip Minnich — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:54:39 -0400

Hats off to USC, Pete Carroll, and the entire fan community on a well-fought and well-earned victory in Ohio Stadium. I was not there in attendance, but for people like Kirk Herbstreit and Brent Musberger to continually comment on the volume from the crowd makes me feel somewhat validated that the crowd was definitely a factor in this one.

Quick comments

Matt Barkley - You did not play especially well statistically. But you played well when it counted. I have a feeling we will see more and more of these fourth-quarter comebacks as your career progresses.

Joe McKnight - Without your contributions, USC does not win this game. Stafon Johnson may have scored the winning touchdown, but it was Joe McKnight's clutch plays on the final drive that enabled USC to win this one.

Terrelle Pryor - You had some moments, but Matt Barkley had more when they counted. I have no doubt you would love to have that interception back from Chris Galippo, but the same could be said for Matt Barkley's interception to Ross Homan.

Jim Tressel - You will be under fire from critics, despite coming within a minute of victory. Some of your play calls were smart and aggressive, while some, especially at the end of the first half, were perplexing.

The Ohio Stadium Crowd - Outstanding effort. As Kirk Herbstreit stated during the telecast, at times it seemed as though the crowd was trying to will Ohio State to the victory.

Did Ohio State gain or earn a measure of respect from people even in defeat? Difficult to say. I did predict USC to win this game 17-13, but whether Ohio State is still the whipping boy for critics across the country remains to be seen.

Ohio State Looks For Revenge Against USC, Respect Across The USA

Chip Minnich — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:04:43 -0400

Game Two: Ohio State vs. USC

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH). 8pm EST kickoff, ESPN

Head Coach: Pete Carroll

USC Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: OL Jeff Byers, C Kristofer O’Dowd, FL Ronald Johnson, TE Blake Ayles, WR David Ausberry, and LB Frankie Telfort. Ronald Johnson is out for the season after sustaining a broken collarbone in a preseason scrimmage. Frankie Telfort's career ended due to a heart condition that was diagnosed in the preseason.

USC Rushing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: Behind a veteran offensive line, USC rushed for 342 yards last week versus San Jose State. USC has the luxury of running backs such as Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson, Allen Bradford, Marc Tyler, and C.J. Gable - any one of these players could be the premier running back for virtually any program across the country. None of them averaged worse than 4.5 yards per carry last week versus San Jose State. Joe McKnight is listed as the starter, but it would not surprise me if Pete Carroll substituted as many of them throughout the game as he possibly can.

Ohio State gave up 186 yards rushing to Navy's triple option attack last week in their 31-27 victory. While giving up 186 yards is never a good thing, it helps to remember that Navy led the country in rushing in 2008 and averaged 292 yards per game last season - Ohio State was able to hold them to 100 yards less.

Look for USC to run early and often to help out true freshman QB Matt Barkley, who is making his second career start. The key for Ohio State is how well the Ohio State defense is able to slow down the USC rushing attack. If USC is able to routinely take a 1st and 10 and make it into a 2nd and 5 or better, it could be a long night for Ohio State, as it will open up Ohio State to play-action passing by USC. This one crucial area is where the game will be won or lost by Ohio State.

Edge: USC

USC Passing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: USC's Matt Barkley had a very impressive debut against San Jose State, going 15 of 19 for 233 yards and 1 touchdown. While those statistics are impressive, it is also worth noting that USC's first four series led to two fumbles as well as two punts; San Jose State actually led USC 3-0 at the end of the first quarter. Barkley later admitted he had a case of butterflies while coming out for his first game in the Los Angeles Coliseum.

No disrespect to Matt Barkley, but the crowd at Ohio Stadium he will be facing will be intimidating to even the most seasoned of players. 102, 329 people who have been waiting to extract revenge for a year will be in their most raucous and rowdiest moods after a whole day of tailgating festivities.

Even with the loss of WR Ronald Johnson, USC's starting wide receiver tandem of Damian Williams and David Ausberry are both very good players. I would look for Ohio State to match up CB Chimdi Chekwa on Damian Williams, leaving either Andre Amos or Devon Torrence to cover David Ausberry. USC has two very good tight ends in Blake Ayles and Anthony McCoy, who could present match-up problems for Ohio State's linebacker corps. Speculation around Columbus is senior FS Anderson Russell will not start, with senior captain Kurt Coleman moving over to free safety and junior Jermale Hines getting the start at strong safety.

I would look for USC to present Barkley with as many safe passing options as possible - throwing to the backs out of the backfield, looking for a tight end isolated on a linebacker, short to intermediate passes to the wideouts. If Ohio State's crowd can assist with causing false starts or delay of game penalties, putting USC into long yardage situations, it can only help. Ohio State will need to blitz in an effort to disrupt Barkley and hopefully cause a turnover. A key player to watch will be Ohio State DE Thaddeus Gibson, who is Ohio State's best pass rusher.

Edge: Even

Ohio State Rushing Offense vs USC Defense: Ohio State has taken a running back by committee approach so far this season, alternating Daniel "Boom" Herron and Brandon Saine. Neither possess the size and strength of a stereotypical Big Ten back such as Chris Wells, but both have good quickness and are good receivers out of the backfield.

Ohio State's offensive line has drawn criticism for its performance last week against Navy. USC was able to limit San Jose State to only 9 yards rushing last week. Despite heavy graduation losses, Pete Carroll has stated this new group of linebackers is even faster than last year's stellar group.

The biggest "X" factor in this equation is QB Terrelle Pryor. Pryor played last season against USC, but was only in his third game as a college player and truly was not supposed to be a major factor of the offense. This year, the entire offense is designed around Terrelle Pryor. Pryor is a legitimate 6'6", 235 lbs quarterback with timed 4.3 speed in the 40 yard dash. It will not surprise me if Pryor is used not only on quarterback draws, but also on option plays to try and slow down the typical aggressiveness of the USC defense.

Slight Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State Passing Offense vs USC Defense: Ohio State's passing attack will never resemble USC's in terms of complexity. Ohio State has a good group of wide receivers (DeVier Posey, Dane Sanzenbacher, Ray Small, Duron Carter, and Taurian Washington), as well as two underrated and typically underutilized tight ends in Jake Ballard and Jake Stoneburner. Patrolling the USC secondary is FS Taylor Mays, who can hit like a freight train and run like the bullet train.

The perceived Achilles' heel of the Ohio State offense is the offensive line, which has been the target of both Ohio State fans and critics since Ohio State was defeated by Florida in the 2007 BCS Championship Game. A crucial match-up will be Ohio State OLT Andy Miller versus USC DE Everson Griffin.

If I was coaching Ohio State, I would present USC with a four or five wideout look often. This would isolate USC's defenders in one on one coverage scenarios, while also allowing for Terrelle Pryor to attempt quarterback keepers for positive yardage. This would help to slow down the USC pass rush, so as to not be burned by Pryor getting by the line of scrimmage.

Edge: Even

Special Teams: As you might expect, USC is dangerous with players such as Joe McKnight or C.J. Gable involved in punt and kickoff returns. With a relatively inexperienced punter in Jon Thoma, I would look for Ohio State to possibly punt out of bounds to negate any possible long returns.

Ohio State's Brandon Saine had an impressive opening kickoff last weekend versus Navy, and is complimented by WR Lamaar Thomas on returns as well. Both have outstanding speed, so USC may look to employ a similar strategy against the Buckeyes of kicking out of bounds on punts.

PK Aaron Pettrey kicked a 52 yard field goal last week against Navy. Pettrey also hit an extra point off the crossbar, but Ohio State fans may feel better knowing that Pettrey can hit a long field goal if he is needed.

Slight Edge: Ohio State

Intangibles: Last season, Ohio State went into the Los Angeles Coliseum to play USC and they were absolutely demolished by USC, 35-3. Ohio State has lost the last six times they have played USC.

In the Pete Carroll era, USC has not lost a non-conference regular season game since September 21, 2002, when USC lost at Kansas State 27-20. Critics can point out how USC has lost to unranked conference opponents throughout the years, but one thing is for certain - USC will not be intimidated coming into Ohio Stadium on Saturday night. USC walks, talks, and acts with a confidence and swagger because they do not believe they will lose.

The crucial part for Ohio State will be the participation of the fans. If Ohio State's fans are into this game throughout, it could be the difference between an Ohio State victory or defeat. If Ohio State suffers some adversity early on, a mindset of "Here we go again" can quickly take the crowd out of it.

Typically, Jim Tressel will unveil some new plays or formations for the Michigan game. No disrespect to Michigan, but the importance of this game cannot be underestimated. Ohio State's reputation has taken a beating, fair or unfair, ever since the 2007 BCS Championship Game. Three high profile losses, combined with The Big Ten's less than stellar performances last season in the bowl games as well as this past weekend, have created an atmosphere of "must win" around Columbus. Will Ohio State fold under this pressure? It remains to be seen, but I have to give the edge to USC for their impressive track record in non-conference games.

Edge: USC

Prediction:

The first quarter is the key for Ohio State’s success. If Ohio State can keep the game close, keeping USC’s offense on the sideline while maintaining time-consuming drives that end in points, Ohio State can win this game. More importantly, Ohio State needs to culminate drives with touchdowns, not field goals. Points are points, but Ohio State far too frequently winds up kicking field goals instead of cashing in on touchdowns in the red zone.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of the crowd in this one. Ohio State's defense needs to rattle Matt Barkley, but the home crowd can contribute by making it so loud and noisy that it is virtually impossible for the USC offense to hear. Ohio State needs to win the turnover battle against USC.

I do not believe this will be a high-scoring affair. I believe USC will rely on its strong running game, and a strong defense, to eke out a close one. Ohio State may gain a small measure of national respect with a strong showing in this one, but Ohio State's offensive line concerns have me thinking it will wind up USC 17, Ohio State 13.

USC & Ohio State's Secrets To Success: Recruiting

Chip Minnich — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:37:55 -0400

USC’s Pete Carroll is considered to be among the best coaches in college football. To review some of Carroll’s accomplishments at USC, he was hired in 2001, leading USC to an initial 6-6 record in his opening season.

Since that season, Carroll’s USC teams have not won fewer than 11 games in a season, have won or shared seven straight Pac-10 conference championships, and have won or shared two national championships. Not too shabby for a person who was not exactly looked upon as a savior by the USC fan base when he was hired in 2001.

Ohio State’s Jim Tressel has also developed a solid reputation amongst college football’s head coaching elite. Similar to Pete Carroll, Jim Tressel was hired by Ohio State in 2001. In another similarity, Jim Tressel’s initial year at Ohio State was a modest 7-5 record. Beginning in 2002, Tressel’s Ohio State’s teams have averaged 10 wins per season, have won or shared five Big Ten conference championships, and won the 2002 BCS National Championship.

Like any good coach, Pete Carroll and Jim Tressel follow one of the oldest coaching maxims around, to win at this game, you have to have talent.

Both Pete Carroll and Jim Tressel recognize the need to recruit and develop top talent. Both coaches make an effort to keep their top in-state talent at home; Carroll emphasizes the top talent in California, while Tressel recruits the top talent in Ohio.

Both USC’s and Ohio State’s annual recruiting classes are ranked highly by analysts every February on National Letter Of Intent Day. Both coaches allow for incoming freshmen to win starting jobs or earn playing time if they are considered to be the best at their position.

The biggest difference between the two, as far as I can see? Pete Carroll seems to recruit for a system in mind – big dropback passers such as Matt Barkley, fast and aggressive linebackers such as Chris Galippo, versatile running backs such as Joe McKnight, etc.

Jim Tressel seems to identify talent, then build the system to fit the talent - for example, Tressel has recruited and signed quarterbacks such as Justin Zwick, Troy Smith, Todd Boeckman, and Terrelle Pryor. While Zwick and Boeckman were more traditional pocket passers, and Smith and Pryor would be considered mobile quarterbacks, Tressel designed an offense that allowed each of them to be effective when they played at Ohio State.

Which way is better? Considering the results I listed up above, it is highly debatable that either coach is erring in terms of recruiting or player development. Come Saturday night in Ohio Stadium, it will be interesting to watch the approach each coach has made with their respective teams.

Ohio State "Rolles" Into An Escape Over Navy 31-27

Chip Minnich — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:22:59 -0400

Instant Post-Game Analysis: Thank you to all of you who wrote back saying I was overrating Navy's ability to keep this a close game. Without a few turnovers, and a big play by Brian Rolle, Ohio State very well could be into its overtime period with Navy, perhaps into its locker room with a loss to Navy.

Navy played as I expected them to, and all of their opponents should because Navy never quits. Navy played hard until the end of the game. Navy's coaches, players, students, alumni, and fans should walk with their heads held high for their outstanding effort today in Ohio Stadium.

As for Ohio State...watching the game with my good friend Tim (thank you again for your always outstanding hospitality), I believe Chris Spielman articulated it best while he was commenting for ESPN. Mr. Spielman was looking for Ohio State to come out with a killer instinct in the second half—to the dismay of all Ohio State fans everywhere, the killer instinct never materialized against the Navy Midshipmen.

What I Liked From This Game:

Passing to the tight end(s): Jake Ballard had three receptions, Jake Stoneburner with one. Instead of treating the TE as an extra blocker, Ohio State can give opposing defenses something else to think about in future games.
Brandon Saine's return: Saine totaled 53 yards rushing, 21 yards receiving, and 2 kickoffs for 65 yards. Saine showed more to me as a power runner versus Daniel "Boom" Herron in this game; more on that in the "What I Did Not Like From This Game". If Saine can stay healthy, his overall versatility will be of tremendous importance this season to Ohio State's hopes for a successful season.
Kurt Coleman: Arguably the player of the game. Coleman ripped out a fumble that was recovered by Ohio State, and also intercepted a pass. Without those turnovers, Ohio State probably loses this game. This is the type of performance that endears Coleman to Ohio State fans as well as NFL scouts.
Brian Rolle: Yes, Brian Rolle does not look like other Ohio State middle linebacker with regards to physical stature when compared to predecessors James Laurinaitis or Andy Katzenmoyer. Rolle is a football player. Rolle's interception and return on Navy's two-point conversion saved Ohio State from the upset, and I look for other big plays from Rolle this season against other Ohio State opponents.
The 4th down call versus the field goal kick: Boy am I anticipating push back on this one. 4th and 2 on Navy's 16 yard line, and the opportunity to put three points on the board and possibly the game out of reach. Ordinarily, I would want to go the safe route. Knowing that is Navy, who will never quit, and the time on the clock being an issue, I would have gone it for again. The only difference is I would have run an option play to the perimeter with Terrelle Pryor or possibly have Brandon Saine run that play that failed, which leads me to...

What I Did Not Like From This Game:

Running "Boom" Herron on the 4th and 2 call: I like "Boom" Herron, and maybe it is going to strike some as a panic move with this one, but it is looking like Brandon Saine is a better power runner for this offense than "Boom" Herron is at the moment. Herron had a decent game, but a relatively quiet game in comparison to Saine's performance. Again, just one person's opinion.
Anderson Russell's performance: Yes, I believe in loyalty to seniors, especially 5th year seniors such as Russell. The blown touchdown against Navy, combined with last year's touchdown versus Texas, are going to start weighing heavily on the coaching staff to start Jermale Hines at safety.
The offensive line performance overall: Ohio State's running game earned 210 yards against Navy, which also accounts for any lost yardage due to quarterback sacks. Ohio State's offensive line outweighed Navy and was never truly able to establish a dominant running game. Pass protection against Navy was truly inconsistent as well. Something has to change big-time over next week versus Southern Cal may be something akin to a NC-17 horror movie for Ohio State fans.

Ohio State has now its 32nd consecutive home opener, best among Division 1 teams. I applaud Navy for its outstanding performance. Southern Cal is one week, and a few hours from now from stepping foot to do battle against the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium. Hope remains that Ohio State can shore up between now and then.

Will Navy Sink Ohio State's 2009 Home Opener?

Chip Minnich — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:45:00 -0400

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH) 12pm EST on ESPN

Head Coach: Ken Niumatalolo

Navy Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: N/A. Navy has a few players from Ohio on its roster (LB Josh Dowling-Fitzpatrick, RB Bobby Doyle, C Mike McCarthy, DE Matthew Kelley, C Brady DeMell, WR Doug Furman, K Scott Blasinsky, and NT Chase Burge), but none were actively recruited by Ohio State.

Navy Rushing Offense vs Ohio State Defense

Navy's triple option offense led the nation in rushing with an average of 292.4 yards per game. Navy's offensive line averages about 265 lbs per man, which is much lighter than the typical offensive linemen Ohio State's defense is used to facing.

Even with the weight discrepancy, I look for Navy's rushing attack to confuse Ohio State's defense well into the second half of this contest.

Edge: Navy

Navy Passing Offense vs Ohio State Defense:

As Navy concentrates almost exclusively on rushing the ball—last season, Navy averaged 7.2 pass attempts per game. Most teams will have those types of statistics midway through the first quarter.

Navy QB Ricky Dobbs is supposedly a much better passer than previous Navy quarterbacks, but I still look for Navy to focus their efforts on their option ground game. Ohio State's cornerbacks will be in man-to-man coverage on the Navy wideouts, in an effort to help with shutting down Navy's ground game.

It will be important for Ohio State's safeties to not bite on play-action, lest they give up a big play or a touchdown.

Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State Rushing Offense vs Navy Defense

Ohio State enters 2009 without the services of RB Chris Wells and will depend on the skills of RB Boom Herron, RB Brandon Saine, and QB Terrelle Pryor.

Navy's defensive front struggled last season against opponents such as Pittsburgh and Notre Dame, who averaged more than five yards a carry against the Midshipmen. Compounding Navy's difficulties is the loss of DL Nate Frazier, who was kicked off the team as the fall camp was just beginning.

I look for Ohio State to run early and often against Navy, to develop a rhythm with its offensive line, led by sophomore C Michael Brewster and LG Justin Boren.

Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State Passing Offense vs Navy Defense

While Navy struggles to slow down teams running the ball, Navy's pass defense may be even more of a challenge for the team. Navy ranked 103rd in pass defense efficiency last season, and has lost three starters from last year's unit.

Considering Ohio State lost both of its top wide receivers to the NFL, Ohio State may look to use this game as an opportunity to further chemistry between QB Terrelle Pryor and his new receiving corps.

Edge: Ohio State

Special Teams

Ohio State returns PK Aaron Pettrey, as well as returner Ray Small from last year's team. Navy has a new kicker, and its special teams units ranked 107th last season. Ohio State may look to involve WR Lamaar Thomas and RB Brandon Saine on kickoff returns or punt returns for their added speed possibilities.

Big Edge: Ohio State

Intangibles

Navy is 0-3 against Ohio State, with its last meeting in the 1981 Liberty Bowl. Navy has won six of its last seven season openers—Ohio State has not lost a home opener since the 1978 season.

While Navy does not have the talent or speed of Ohio State, its triple option offense is such a departure from what Ohio State usually sees from the opposition that it will make this game interesting until the second half.

Edge: Navy

Prediction

In recent years, Ohio State has started out slowly against its opponents, waiting until the second half to put the game away. Navy's triple option attack will challenge Ohio State from the onset, and I will be anxious to see how disciplined Ohio State's defenders are at shutting down Navy's rushing attack.

I look for this game to be close until the mid-3rd quarter, when Ohio State's talent and speed help the Buckeyes to pull away. Make no mistake—Navy will play hard every down until the whistle is blown, and the clock has expired.

This is arguably the best home opener opponent for Ohio State since the 2002 season when the Buckeyes played against Texas Tech.

Ohio State 31, Navy 17

How Will Ohio State Defend Against Navy's Triple Option?

Chip Minnich — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:54:00 -0400

Concern over how Ohio State will defend against Navy's triple option offense has been on the minds of Ohio State's defensive coaching staff. The average fan simply thinks Ohio State has superior athletes, and thus will win the game easily. If only it were that simple when it comes to playing the game on the field.

One of the negatives for a speedy defense, such as Ohio State's, is the triple option can effectively neutralize the speed. For linebackers such as Ross Homan or Austin Spitler, Navy will actually try to run right at them with option plays, forcing them to commit to one ball carrier or the other.

Here are some basics as to how the triple option works:

1. The first option is the fullback. The quarterback will read the defense—if the defense is coming up field too quickly, the quarterback can hand it off to the fullback for a quick hitter up the middle of the field.

2. The second option involves the quarterback. The quarterback can fake the handoff to the fullback and run himself. OR

3. The third option involves the slotback. The quarterback can keep the ball, and then force the defender to commit to stopping the quarterback or the trailing slotback. If the defender keys on the quarterback, the quarterback will pitch to the slotback. If the slotback is chosen by the defender, the quarterback can turn upfield and run himself.

Oh, I almost forgot. The quarterback can still throw the ball downfield, just like in other offenses around the country.

How does a team adequately defend against the triple option? By playing good assignment football.

Let me start with defending against the fullback in a triple option. Ohio State's interior defensive linemen and middle linebacker (Brian Rolle) will want to key Navy's fullback. Ideally, the interior defensive linemen will keep the center and guards off of the middle linebacker, freeing the middle linebacker to literally mirror wherever the fullback goes.

The defensive ends will want to shut down any possible off-tackle plays from the triple option, and also need to stop one of the options, probably the quarterback keeper. This will free up the outside linebackers to defend against the slotback.

Sounds so simple, doesn't it? Here's something else to keep in mind—while Navy seldom throws the ball, creeping up the secondary to assist with run coverage will leave Ohio State very susceptible to play-action passing. While I would expect Ohio State's cornerbacks to play up on the Navy receivers, the safeties need to remember not to overplay the run.

While I would be ecstatic if Ohio State came out against Navy and shut them down from the onset of the game, I am not anticipating that happening. I do believe it will take until the second quarter, and possibly the half, for Ohio State to have figured Navy out. Hopefully, Ohio State's defense has learned as much as possible from its recent intersquad scrimmage and will be able to effectively defend against Navy's triple option on Saturday.

Hey, Ohio State Coaches, Tape of 1990 Liberty Bowl Will Get New Team Grounded

Chip Minnich — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:19:00 -0400

College football coaches are always on the lookout for signs of complacency, real or imagined, by their teams. Football coaches always preach to their respective teams to never underestimate their opponent. Any Michigan fan can tell other college football fans what it was like to be upset by teams such as Appalachian State in 2007 or Toledo in 2008.

Ohio State coaches have been stressing to the team that Navy has played and defeated other top programs such as Pittsburgh or Notre Dame in 2007, or last season when Navy defeated Wake Forest. All of these victories by Navy occurred in the opponent’s home stadium, so Navy will not be intimidated coming into Ohio Stadium.

If Ohio State coaches are concerned about possibly complacency by their players, all they have to do is go back into their own video or film archives and look for a tape titled, “1990 Liberty Bowl”. Yes, I know that it has been almost nineteen years since that game was played. Yes, I know that many of the players on Ohio State’s roster were not even born when this game was played.

The 1990 Liberty Bowl came on the heels of John Cooper's third straight loss to Michigan as Ohio State's head coach. If Ohio State had won that game, Ohio State would have gone to the Rose Bowl. Instead, Ohio State was sent to Memphis to play against an Air Force team that barely qualified for bowl eligibility.

The circumstances are different - the upcoming game against Navy is the 2009 season opener for both teams, while the 1990 Liberty Bowl was a bowl game at the end of the 1990 season. Ohio State's players on this year's team are looking forward to beginning this season, while the 1990 squad was simply looking to end a disappointing one.

Similar to the 1990 Air Force team that defeated Ohio State, the 2009 Navy Midshipmen are running an option offense that is difficult to simulate, thus difficult to prepare for during practices leading up to the actual game. Navy is extremely well-disciplined and fundamentally sound, a tribute to its academy lifestyle. And Navy, like the 1990 Air Force team, will not quit until the final whistle is blown.

Do I believe Ohio State will win against Navy on Saturday? Yes, I do. But I do know that if I was on the Ohio State coaching staff, I'd make a point of showing this year's Buckeyes what fate their predecessors on the 1990 team suffered the last time Ohio State played a service academy.

Will DeVier Posey be a Magic "8" for Ohio State?

Chip Minnich — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:45:00 -0400

Just like with any other major college football program across the nation, Ohio State fans associate certain numbers or jerseys with specific players. For example, if an Ohio State fan mentions number 45, chances are other Ohio State fans will associate the jersey with Archie Griffin. If an Ohio State fan mentions number 27, they'll think Eddie George.

Sophomore wide receiver DeVier Posey, who earned playing time last season as a true freshman, wears number eight on offense for Ohio State. Here is where it starts to get dicey. If an Ohio State fan mentions the number eight, chances are other fans will think of Stanley Jackson or Steve Bellisari.

Keep in mind, there are other Ohio State players who have done well wearing number eight. Rod Gerald had a distinguished career from 1975-78 as a quarterback and wide receiver. Bobby Olive had a solid career from 1987-90. Olive's last-second reception against Iowa in 1990 has earned him a solid rotation on The Big Ten Network's Greatest Games series. Roy Hall wore the jersey recently (2003-2006) and was instrumental in Ohio State's 42-39 victory over Michigan in 2006.

It is not as though Jackson or Bellisari did not contribute positively to Ohio State football during their careers. Stanley Jackson platooned at quarterback with Joe Germaine in 1996 and 1997, helping Ohio State win the Big Ten championship and conclude the season ranked second in 1996. Steve Bellisari earned his first varsity letter in 1998 as arguably the most popular player on special teams as one of the best tacklers.

The reason why both Jackson and Bellisari are remembered with less-than-fond memories by Ohio State fans? Both players were consistently inconsistent.

Jackson could have positive moments, then moments like the link provided above all too frequently. Bellisari started out as a special teams stalwart in 1998, had some positive moments in 1999 and then never seemed to develop into the player Ohio State fans expected.

Which leads us to Mr. Posey. With the departures of Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline, DeVier Posey will have every opportunity this season to emerge as an offensive playmaker. Will Posey take the route of other "8"s like Gerald, Olive and Hall? Or will Posey follow the route of Jackson or Bellisari?

What does the Magic 8-ball say on this subject? Probably something along the line of "cannot predict now" or "ask again later". After the 2009 season, Ohio State fans will probably want to do just that.

A Look Back At Ohio State's Recruiting Class Of 2006

Chip Minnich — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:19:00 -0400

Last year, I wrote an article on Ohio State's senior class that was signed in February 2005. In a similar vein, I am writing on the twenty players Ohio State signed in February 2006.

The twenty players signed by Ohio State in February 2006 were ranked by both scout.com and rivals.com behind Penn State within The Big Ten. USC was graded as having the top recruiting class in the nation by both services.

Comparable to the class signed in 2005 by Ohio State, Head Coach Jim Tressel and his staff redshirted nine players from the 2006 recruiting class during the 2006 season. As you will see below, the number of players who have two years of eligibility remaining allows this recruiting class' legacy to be determined by their collective play on the field for the next two seasons.

Starters (nine):

Jake Ballard: Underutilized as a receiving TE, Ballard earned playing time in 2006 and could possibly be a captain for Ohio State this season.

Bryant Browning: Redshirted in 2006, Browning has two years of eligibility remaining. Browning will move from ORT to ORG, with Jim Cordle moving to ORT. Browning's strength is run-blocking, and the move to an interior position will help him and the team.

Chimdi Chekwa: A late addition to the recruiting class as a sleeper prospect out of Florida, Chekwa has played primarily as a nickel defensive back the last few seasons. Chekwa has outstanding speed and has two years of eligibility remaining, as Chekwa was redshirted in 2006.

Kurt Coleman: Coleman earned playing time as a true freshman in 2006 and could be a captain for Ohio State at the safety position this season. Coleman thought of entering the NFL Draft last season, but decided to return to Ohio State for his senior season.

Thaddeus Gibson: Gibson was redshirted in 2006 and has two years of eligibility remaining. Recruited as a LB, Gibson has been moved to DE and is possibly Ohio State's best pass rusher on the roster. If Gibson has a strong season, he may declare for the NFL Draft after the season.

Larry Grant: A JUCO player out of CC San Francisco, Grant was originally going to Florida but was denied admission. Grant started for Ohio State in 2006 and 2007, was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and is currently a member of the St. Louis Rams.

Ross Homan: While Homan earned playing time in 2006, Homan suffered injuries early in the 2007 season and was redshirted. With two years of eligibility remaining, Homan should be starting this season as the Will linebacker this season.

Dexter Larimore: Larimore redshirted in 2006 and has two years of eligibility remaining. Larimore is part of a continual rotation along the interior defensive line with Doug Worthington and Todd Denlinger.

Chris Wells: The star of the recruiting class, Chris Wells earned considerable playing time in 2006. Wells battled injuries in 2007 and 2008, and declared for the NFL Draft after last season. Wells was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the 1st round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Contributors (Seven)

Aaron Gant: Gant earned playing time on special teams in 2006. While Gant is a backup free safety, Gant's primary contributions come on special teams play.

Andy Miller: Redshirted in 2006 and recruited as a TE, Miller was moved to OT in 2007. Miller is battling Mike Adams for the starting OLT position and should see considerable action the next two seasons. It is entirely possible Miller could be moved up to the starter category this season.

Tyler Moeller: Moeller redshirted in 2006 and was scheduled to be a starter at one of the OLB positions this season until he was injured while on a family vacation. Moeller will miss the entire 2009 season due to his injury, but Ohio State will petition the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility. Moeller should be able to return to playing for Ohio State for the 2010 season.

Robert Rose: Rose earned playing time as a true freshman in 2006. Rose suffered through injuries to both shoulders in 2007, and had playing time as a rotational defensive lineman in 2008. Rose recently was cleared for the 2009 season after well-publicized academic issues had him initially suspended for fall camp. It will be interesting to see how Rose plays during his final season at Ohio State.

Grant Schwartz: Schwartz redshirted in 2006 and has two years of eligibility remaining. Schwartz was a quarterback in high school, was recruited as a defensive back, and moved to wide receiver during the 2007 season. Schwartz's primary contributions have come through special teams play.

Ray Small: Small played as a true freshman in 2006. To say that Small's career has been star-crossed would be an understatement. Small may have an opportunity to contribute as a punt or kickoff returner for Ohio State this season, but his academic troubles have continually tested the patience of the Ohio State coaching staff. Like his high school teammate Robert Rose, it will be interesting to see how Small concludes his career at Ohio State this season.

Connor Smith: Connor Smith was redshirted in 2006 and has two years of eligibility remaining. Smith is on the two-deep at guard but may not earn substantial playing time with the emergence of other players on the offensive line.

Departures (Four)

Walter Dublin: Dublin redshirted in 2006 but had some grade issues that contributed to his departure from Ohio State. Dublin spent some time playing in the AFL and also signed to play in the CFL.

Antonio Henton: Henton was redshirted in 2006 and was widely considered to be the quarterback of the future for Ohio State. A well-publicized arrest in 2007 for solicitation began a downward spiral for Henton that eventually led to a transfer last summer to Div 1AA Georgia Southern. Henton has since left Georgia Southern. I seem to recall someone saying it was in Henton's best interests to stick it out at Ohio State last summer.

Mark Johnson: Johnson redshirted in 2006 and played sparingly in 2007. Moved to DE during the 2008 season, Johnson left Ohio State and transferred to the University of Findlay last year. I do not believe Johnson is still on Findlay's roster for this upcoming season.

Aram Olson: A fullback out of South Carolina recruited to block for Chris Wells, Olson had to give up football due to injuries. Olson redshirted in 2006 and never was able to play for Ohio State due to injuries that ended his football career.

CONCLUSION: Out of 20 players, Coach Tressel and his staff signed nine starters, seven contributors, and only four players who are neither playing or contributing. To have 16 of 20 signees playing or contributing, a 80 percent success rate, is a tribute to Coach Tressel and his staff's talent evaluation and talent development. Keep in mind—several of these players will be playing for Ohio State in not only 2009, but also in 2010.