Ohio State Football: 5 Bold Predictions for the 2011 College Football Season
Columbus is in turmoil.
Players Terrelle Pryor, DeVier Posey, Daniel "Boom" Herron, Solomon Thomas and Mike Adams were given five-game suspensions beginning in 2011 for selling awards, gifts and university apparel, as well as receiving improper benefits in 2009.
The NCAA gave head coach Jim Tressel a two-game suspension for being aware of his players' actions for a long period of time. However, he and Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith decided to push it the suspension to five games as well.
And it doesn't stop there.
According to The Washington Post, Former OSU wide receiver Ray Small branched out and reported that every Buckeye football player was entitled to get a great deal on a new car, and that "everyone was doing it". The NCAA is currently investigating this accusation. Small also said that he and others definitely sold their Big Ten Championship rings.
“We had four Big Ten rings. There was enough to go around.”
And according to ESPN.com, Small's prior teammates were enraged over his comments and blasted him over Twitter:
Mike Brewster: @Brewster50: Show me a coward and I will show you ray small.
Brian Hartline: @brianhartline: Stop crying and lieing... Just bc u didn't play as much as u wanted to doesn't mean u can talk now...
Mike Adams: @75Ent: Crazy how people change...thanks a lot man! hope you got paid to do that interview.
Ray Small made an immediate appearance on ESPN's "Outside the Lines", snapping back at the media, saying that the reporter "twisted his words". He claims that he never said that other Ohio State players took part in these actions, and that he only did so to pay for the rent of his apartment. Small was less-than-convincing on the air, and its quite difficult to cover up such powerful comments.
The NCAA has not deducted the number of Ohio State's recruiting scholarships.
Yet.
Things are still unfolding, and it looks as if this is becoming more than a possibility. And if this is the case, the Buckeyes may be doing a little more rebuilding rather than reloading in the near future.
With all of this being said, the Ohio State Buckeyes still have a shot at the Big Ten Championship this year. Here are five predictions for the 2011 season.
1. Braxton Miller Wins the Starting QB Role
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Ohio State may have found their replacement for Terrelle Pryor with this kid.
Braxton Miller, a 6'3", 210-pound quarterback from Huber Heights Wayne high school in Dayton, Ohio, and according to Yahoo! Sports, he was the No. 1 ranked QB in the nation for the 2011 class.
Miller is dual-threat and can tear up opposing defenses passing or running the ball. He has solid arm strength and runs a 4.45 40-yard dash; he shows great similarity to Buckeye Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, with better size. Although he isn't always consistent with his accuracy, Miller has star potential and can lead the Buckeyes to a 5-0 record during the suspensions of the five OSU starters.
In his senior season, Miller passed for 2,167 yards and 17 touchdowns, while scrambling for 658 yards and 17 touchdowns. He had a 31-7 career record in high school.
Miller graduated early and enrolled into Ohio State in January, where he immediately began working out with the team. The 18-year-old showed signs of excellence during the Buckeyes' spring game, finishing 7-of-12 from the air for 73 yards, including a beautiful touchdown pass to Corey Brown. Miller escaped a collapsing pocket with grace on more than one occasion, and he added 19 yards rushing on four carries. His Scarlet squad defeated Gray 59-27.
“When I look at Braxton Miller, I just see a guy trying to get better every day,” said suspended Ohio State tailback Dan Herron, according to SportingNews. “A guy who really wants to win, who wants to make something happen this year.”
It isn't for certain just yet, but it seems that Braxton Miller is in the lead for the starting role over senior Joe Bauserman, sophomore Kenny Guiton and sophomore Justin Siems. It may be in Tressel's best interest to invest in the freshman for Week 1.
And I believe he has no other choice.
2. Ohio State Starts off 4-0
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Week 1: versus Akron.
Week 2: versus Toledo.
Week 3: at Miami (FL).
Week 4: versus Colorado.
Even though Ohio State won't have Pryor, Posey or Herron, the offense will do enough to get the job done. QB Braxton Miller will have a very young and inexperienced receiving core, but wideout Corey Brown and tight end Jake Stonebruner will be huge assets to the passing game to begin the season.
Brandon Saine, Jaamal Berry and Jordan Hall will most likely all split carries; and they'll be used as work horses. The trio combined for 764 yards and five touchdowns in 2010, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. I don't expect Miller to throw the ball more than 20 times a game, and Ohio State's defense will have to be the heart of the team once again.
I anticipate the Buckeyes to take care of business against Akron, Toledo and Colorado. But Week 3 at Miami will be a test of team talent and overall chemistry. The Buckeyes handed the 12th ranked Hurricanes a 36-24 defeat in the Horseshoe in 2010, rushing for 181 yards and forcing Jacory Harris to throw four interceptions.
This will be the key to success again.
If Ohio State can play Tressel-ball, (without Tressel) pound the ball and control the clock, while holding Harris (if he's even the starting quarterback this year) to another sub-par performance, the Bucks should be able to wrap up their third straight victory against Miami.
3. Ohio State Beats Michigan State
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Week 5: versus Michigan State.
Its crunch time.
Michigan State returns from an 11-1 2010 regular season record before being embarrassed in the Capital One Bowl by Alabama. The Spartans lost deep-threat receiver Mark Dell, tight end Charlie Gantt and three startling offensive linemen, and six starting players on defense, including first team all-american linebacker Greg Jones.
However, they bring back quarterback Kirk Cousins and a trio of running backs that integrated nearly 2,000 yards that are excited to give coach Mark Dantonio his first BCS bowl appearance, and its a very good possibility that it can happen.
If Michigan State beats Notre Dame and opens the season hot, it's hard to imagine an Ohio State team with so many missing factors to win this game. But if things run smoothly the first few weeks and the Bucks come in at 4-0 on October 1, a lightly seasoned Braxton Miller and a defense that has allowed just 10.3 points against the Spartans in their last three matchups, I believe that Bucks can walk away with another win.
And this would make things interesting.
If the Buckeyes win their first five games of the 2011 season without their stars and Jim Tressel, talks of a national title will arise.
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4. Ohio State Defeats Nebraska, Illinois and Wisconsin
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Honey, I'm home!
I'm calling it now--this will be the most anticipated week in the 2011 college football season (considering Ohio State is 5-0 at the time). The Buckeyes return Jim Tressel, Terrelle Pryor, Daniel Herron, DeVier Posey, Soloman Thomas and Mike Adams to the field for what should be a great game against the newest member of the Big Ten; the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The Huskers are coming off of their first 10-win season since 2001.
This may not be the case in 2011.
The Big Ten is known for its power-running game, which would work out great for last year's Nebraska team, whom averaged just under 250 yards per contest. That formula of pounding the ball and playing defense is missing some big names this year; three starting offensive linemen and powerback Roy Helu have departed from the team. Taylor Martinez, the outstanding freshman quarterback from a year ago, comes back for his sophomore season and his physicality will try to blend in with the smash-mouth Big Ten. Bo Pelini has implemented a winning attitude, but key losses to the offense will be his downfall against Ohio State.
Pryor and his offense will need time to knock off the rust, but his defense will give him plenty of time. The Buckeyes will beat a "reloading" Nebraska team in a low-scoring affair.
Illinois will be a threat to the Buckeyes' pursuit of conquering the critics, and winning in Champaign is always a challenge. However, Ohio State has won five of the last six games against the Fighting Illini by an average score of 27-12, and I don't see it being too different this year.
On to Wisconsin, the team that took away Ohio State's perfection last year.
The Badgers lost quarterback Scott Tolzien to graduation, running back John Clay and All-American offensive linemen Gabe Carimi and John Moffit to the NFL draft, which will provide problems in their upcoming season. Wisconsin has had a great running game ever since I was born, so I'm sure they'll reload in this aspect. But with a question mark at the QB position, average receivers and a gap in the O-line, the Badgers could struggle a bit.
And with Pryor beginning to hit his stride, the Buckeyes should have no problems taking revenge on their conference rivals that stole their spunk a year ago.
Besides. Pryor has won 13 in-a-row in the Horseshoe, dating back to 2009, and is 18-2 overall.
The Buckeyes Finish Undefeated, Earn a BCS Bid
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The rest of the season should be a cakewalk.
Week 10: versus Indiana.
Week 11: at Purdue.
Week 12: versus Penn State.
Week 13: at Michigan.
Notice how the at Michigan text is in bold font. Not only is this (aka "The Game") considered the best rivalry game between two teams in any sport, but Jim Tressel is 8-1 against the hated Wolverines and has won seven in-a-row.
UM fans, I apologize in advance.
There is no way in $%^& that Brady Hoke will have a team that allowed 35 points to the opposing team on a weekly basis ready to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2011. Yes, I'm sure that with the hiring of defensive coordinator Greg Mattison there will be improvements, but none so drastic that will be turning heads.
Also, Michigan's quarterback Denard Robinson is a fine athlete. But will he really be able to fit Hoke's spread offense? In games in which Robinson had to throw the ball 20 times or more, he completed 61 percent of his passes while throwing 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. These aren't terrible stats, but are they worthy of leading a spread offense? No. The Buckeyes easily handled Robinson last year, holding him to 87 passing yards and knocking him out of the game on numerous occasions, showing his lack of durability.
Tressel will be receiving his ninth win against Michigan in November, giving the Buckeyes a 12-0 record, a trip to the newly installed Big Ten title game, and a lock for a BCS bowl game in which will be a truly remarkable season, triumphing adversity and coming together as a team--as a family.
Okay, so by now you're flipping out and ready to post your kind and courteous disagreements in the comment box. This article is extremely far-fetched, believe me, I know. But breaking it down, bit by bit, number by number, and thought by thought, its not impossible for Ohio State to prove everyone wrong and make this upcoming season one to remember.
"Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it."
-- Michael Jordan
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