Ohio State Football: 5 Keys to Taking the 2012 Big Ten Title

To be an Ohio State Football fan has to be best described as a roller coaster. This year the line in long for this ride as Urban Meyer tries to lead Ohio State to a Big Ten title in 2012.

Ohio State football has suffered a lot of low points in these past years from having some of their best players suspended or to leave the program, to the resignation of longtime coach Jim Tressel and now a one-year bowl ban as a new era begins in Buckeye nation.

The best thing for Meyer to do in his first year as the Buckeye coach is to bring a Big Ten title to Ohio State. Easier said than done though, since the Big Ten is filled with great teams, all looking to win the conference championship. With the pieces that Meyer has at Ohio State from a young quarterback to a defense filled with senior leadership this goal is very attainable.

Development of Braxton Miller

The quarterback position is one of the most vital pieces to a team to become successful. This is why the development of Braxton Miller in his second year is key to the Buckeyes' success this season.

After his first season Miller showed glimpses of a QB who could flourish in the Big Ten. Even though Miller's arm wasn’t utilized much last year things are going to change with Meyer taking over play-calling.

Miler is going to be in a spread offense where he is going to have to spread the ball over the field to multiple receivers. Miller might struggle at first, but I doubt that Meyer would put him in a situation that would not highlight Miller's best attributes.

Meyer has a great track record with making quarterbacks look better than they are in his spread offense. Look at what he did to Chris Leak and Tim Tebow at Florida, the ceiling for Miller is a high one this year in his sophomore season.

Urban Meyer

The legendary coach Urban Meyer has a task in front of him as he tries to revive his hometown team. This might not have been the situation that Meyer would have imagined coming into, with the one-year bowl ban, but the greats always find a way to win.

If you can win in the SEC, the most NFL ready conference, you can win in any conference in the NCAA.

The players are going to have to buy into Meyer's game plan and coaching ways. This shouldn’t be hard since Meyer already has the credentials of a Hall of Fame coach who can do all the right things. If players can all get on the same page, it’s going to be a long season for Big Ten teams as they try to beat the Buckeyes this year.

Beating Michigan

No matter what ever happens in college football the rivalry between Ohio St and Michigan St will never die. After losing last year to the Wolverines, the Buckeyes have this game circled on their calendars as they go into spring practice.

This year this game is going to have a lot of implications in it since they are both in the Big Ten, and it’s the last game of the season.

With Denard Robinson leading Michigan into the season after a stellar performance last year, the Wolverines are already the favorites to be contenders for a Big Ten title.

With both of these teams looking like favorites in the Big Ten this game is going to mean a lot. A win would be a great way to end the season since the Buckeyes won’t be in any bowls in the 2012 season. The Buckeyes can beat their arch-rival and become a spoiler as well all with one win.

Playmakers

As many people know you can be a preseason favorite and be a complete bust when the season starts. With that being said, the Buckeyes are going to need some real playmakers to step up and change the game in an instant.

Some of those players could be Braxton Miller, who will be running the offense and could take over the game in a blink of an eye. Another player who has emerged is junior defensive lineman John Simon who has emerged as a threat for quarterbacks around the Big Ten.

Defense

The strongest point of attack for the Buckeyes this season will be their defense. The Buckeyes will have nine returning starters on defense after a long season last year. After being ranked 27th in points against, the defense can only get better from last year.

This is one thing that won’t change much this year since they don’t have to fill positions with new faces. Another thing is that last year’s interim coach Luke Fickell will be returning as defensive coordinator this year.

If all these things can come together at the right time, Ohio State will be a real contender in the Big Ten. With the Leaders and Legends divisions up for grabs in the Big Ten, Ohio State is looking to make a statement in 2012 that they are still one of the top football programs.