Ohio State Football Predictions: 10 Off-the-Wall Predictions for 2011 Season
No program has gone through quite the turmoil and controversy in this offseason as the Ohio State Buckeyes have.
Through the scandals of Jim Tressel's covering up of emails to his bosses and the NCAA, the program is facing serious NCAA sanctions for the first time in recent memory.
But there is no doubt that those players want one thing and one thing only: to get on the field and play some football.
The season doesn't begin until September 3, but it can't come soon enough for the players or for anyone in Buckeye Nation.
Looking forward, here are 10 extremely bold predictions for the 2011 season.
1. Ohio State Will Start the Season 5-0
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Considering the type of problems that Ohio State could have with their top four offensive players including Terrelle Pryor suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season, this seems very unlikely.
But when looking at the schedule, OSU really only has two tough games, at Miami and home against Michigan State.
The key will be establishing a rhythm in games one and two against Akron and Toledo, respectively, with most likely either Joe Bauserman or Braxton Miller under center.
The defense should be very serviceable despite having to replace seven starters, not including the year-long suspension to LB Dorian Bell.
If the D can be its usually strong self and the offense can do just enough to put points on the board, along with the motivation to want to shock the world after all the allegations, 5-0 can be a real possibility to start the 2011 season.
2. Three Different Buckeye Backs Will Have 100-Yard Games in 2011
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This prediction may not be as bold as some of the other ones on this list, but with Dan Herron suspended to start the season, that means OSU will operate with a platoon of three talented, but young RBs: Jordan Hall, Jaamal Berry and Rod Smith.
Based on the spring, all three of these backs can start the season as the No. 1 guy, and interim coach Luke Fickell will most likely use them interchangeably and ride the hot guy till the end of the game.
Hall will most likely start Week 1 against Akron, but will oftentimes be put out wide as a receiver, which means Berry or Smith will jump into the backfield as well.
Each of these guys can start and be impact players, and don't forget that Dan Herron had 16 TDs in 2010.
With that much talent in the backfield, at least three of those four backs should have at least one 100-yard game.
3. Corey Brown Will Breakout at WR in His Sophomore Season
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With alterations to an offense that may resemble the Philadelphia Eagles in terms of using the screen pass more frequently, it wouldn't be that off base to see a guy who's drawn comparisons to Eagles superstar DeSean Jackson have an explosive second season as a Buckeye.
Sophomore Corey Brown, who jumped into the WR rotation from game one of 2010, showed he can be a big play threat with his pure speed and had 105 yards on just eight catches and a TD.
If Brown can overcome his problems of reeling in catches, he can be a deep-threat that OSU hasn't really had since Ted Ginn, Jr.
With DeVier Posey suspended to start the 2011 season, Brown will be the No. 1 guy in the WR corps and will be forced to step up quickly.
He certainly has the ability to do so after seeing a tremendous amount of playing time as a true freshman in 2010 and should be able to turn that experience into a tremendous 2011 season.
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4. Ohio State Will Go Undefeated at Home
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When Ohio State faces the true meat of their home schedule, they will have the Suspended Five back in the fold.
Their toughest home games will be against Wisconsin and Penn State, both of whom come at favorable times for Ohio State, the Badgers after an OSU bye and Penn State after a possible trap game against Purdue.
If this Buckeye team believes in the collective will to silence all their doubters all season long, they will need to win both of these games.
Michigan State will be another tough game simply because it is the final game with the Suspended Five off the field.
But if the OSU defense shows up and shuts down the Spartan offense, the Buckeyes have a chance to pursue another unbeaten home record, something they have done quite frequently in the Jim Tressel era.
5. Ohio State Will Still Beat Michigan by at Least 14 Points
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New Michigan coach Brady Hoke has already talked the talk about trying to restoke the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry, which has been all Buckeyes since 2004.
And while Hoke has done all he can to motivate his Wolverines early on to get them ready, they have one problem that Bo Schembechler didn't have the first time he faced Ohio State: The defense is porous.
The lack of talent, especially defensively, is the reason why Michigan has given up 100 points to Ohio State in the last three seasons and why that might not change immediately.
Once Hoke gets an infusion of talent in Ann Arbor, the streak can and most likely will end.
But with an OSU senior class of Pryor and Co. looking for a perfect 4-0 record and a Big Ten title shot to look at should the NCAA not ban them from postseason action, it will be tough for the Wolverines to hang with the more talented Buckeyes, no matter how motivated they may be.
6. Ohio State Will Blow out Wisconsin on October 29
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When you look at all the elements leading up to this game, with regards to motivation and an extra week to prepare among other things, it is almost impossible to like Wisconsin in this game.
The Badgers were the only team to knock off Ohio State in a dominant 31-18 win at Camp Randall Stadium last season.
But unfortunately, Wisconsin is not the same team away from Madison as they are at Madison, and that plays well into Ohio State's favor.
To top it off, Ohio State will have two weeks to prepare with a bye the week before the game and a division title on the line.
With the motivation to want to put the Badgers down and make them pay for last season's crushing loss, this game on October 29, which should be a primetime affair, might get ugly with OSU having a dominant showing.
7. Jordan Hall Will Have 500 Yards Rushing and 500 Yards Receiving
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As mentioned earlier, new OSU WR coach Stan Drayton has convinced the Buckeye offensive coaching staff to incorporate an element from his days with the Florida Gators, the RB in the passing game.
He believes that Jordan Hall can be a poor man's Percy Harvin if used more as a receiver due to his pure elusiveness and vision.
Getting him the ball in space, especially on the edges of the defense, can make him a very dangerous threat, especially with what he's shown as a kick returner in 2010.
Hall will likely get the bulk of the carries to start the 2011 season, but will also get some touches as a receiver due to the inexperience among the WRs without Posey.
If he can be as good as advertised as a receiver, Hall should be able to have a 500-500 season this year.
8. Ohio State Will Play for and Win the Big Ten Championship
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The only reason this will be a bold prediction is that the NCAA could impose a postseason ban for violations made by Jim Tressel.
But it seems highly unlikely that a postseason ban would be made for the 2011 season in October when the sanctions are announced, but rather for 2012 and maybe 2013.
And if the Buckeyes are allowed to have postseason play, they will be the odds-on favorite to win the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game in December.
With Ohio State's ability to run the football and play good defense, it seems unlikely that they will have a Florida or Texas season this year.
They just need to stay afloat until the Suspended Five return, have a little help from the NCAA Infractions Committee and they will find themselves in Indianapolis playing for a shot at the Rose Bowl.
9. Jim Tressel Will Retire at the End of the Season
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With all of the controversy swirling around Jim Tressel, he has stayed resilient and said he has no intentions of resigning.
But with all of the outside problems he has to deal with being compounded with the rigors of the 2011 season, Tressel could decide to step aside after the season is over, whether or not the NCAA has any influence on his decision.
His contract expires in 2014, and it's unlikely he would get another extension, especially after the recent drama circling the program like a shark circling a boat in the ocean.
The most likely situation is that he ends his career on his own terms and that he may step aside after this season and try to go out as a winner one last time.
His legacy is very much tarnished, but there is a relative possibility that Tressel will leave on his own terms and try to do so with as much dignity as he possibly can.
10. Terrelle Pryor Will Be Among Five Buckeyes Taken Early in the 2012 Draft
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One of the reasons not too many Ohio State players were drafted this season was that all the eligible underclassmen decided to stay for another season.
Terrelle Pryor is among them, and he will be a guy who sees his stock rise as the 2012 NFL Draft nears.
The reason: QBs are always taken very high, and Pryor has as much potential as JaMarcus Russell or Cam Newton did; plus, he plays in a pro-style offense at Ohio State.
Jon Gruden spoke highly of Pryor at a recent talk in Columbus and that he will play QB in the NFL and not TE. His pure athletic ability should be enough to entice some teams, Oakland for example, to take a chance on him as early as the first round.
Among the early choices that could go off the board as late as the second round will likely be OT Mike Adams, C Mike Brewster, Posey and Herron.
The recruiting class of 2008, also known as the Brew Crew, will very likely have a fun weekend in the NFL Draft with maybe up to 10 players or more getting taken in 2012.
For more college football news and updates, visit The BCS Blitz and follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim.
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