What is Talent?

During all of this hoopla, the topic that has been driving me nuts is the word talent. Why? Every sports writer I have read or listened to has made it their mission to talk about how much more talent Alabama has over Ohio State. It is mentally annoying to think that Alabama will win this game based upon talent. Do not get me wrong, talent is needed, but what is more important is the coaching that develops whether the player is rated at 2 or 5 stars. And another thing, if recruiting classes really mattered, Alabama would have been the 7 time National Champion, but they are not. Respectfully, Auburn and Oklahoma have had lesser ranking of recruiting classes, yet they handed Alabama their two losses last year. This year, Ole Miss's recruiting class was not even mentioned in the top 10, yet they handed them a loss this year. So, talent does play a role in the likelihood a team will be successful, but more importantly it is the coaching staff. Another issue I am having, amongst others, is the defensive mastermind of Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. These two are among the best in the business at stopping teams, scoring points, and getting the Win. However, among the other best coaches out there, you may find Pat Narduzzi, Greg Mattison and Mark Dantonio.Go figure three Big Ten coaches that have mastered their craft of stopping an offense. What these three coaches have in common though, Urban Meyer beat all of them!

The media would like for you to think that the best of the best reside in the South, which may be true to an extent. Case in point, Nick Saban started his coaching career in Ohio, Les Miles played for Michigan. Two of the most prominent SEC coaches have their roots in Ohio, even though their mind has been melted by the powers that be. Lets get back to what I was saying earlier about talent. The Tide have their talent in Cooper, Henry, Yeldon, White, and Sims. The Buckeyes have their talent in Wilson, Marshall, D. Smith, Michael Thomas, Ezekiel Elliot, Curtis Samuel, Cardale Jones, Nick Vannett, and Jeff Heuerman. Just by this alone, Ohio State has more talent. Talent will not be an issue for this game, considering both sides have an abundance. What will win this game is the coaching. The biggest downside for Saban is that his coaching style has no changed immensly, there are 12 games for the Buckeyes to watch, and Blake Sims is just as green as Cardale Jones. Sure, Cardale has played in one major game in his career, but Blake is still a first year starter, just like Jones. The biggest advantage for Urban Meyer is that the quarterback as so many weapons and he has a great coaching staff.

Before the Michigan State game, the hype was whether or not Ohio State could move the ball against the tough Spartan defense. Well we saw how that went. Make no mistake about it, Lane Kiffin is no match for Urban Meyer, where the match will be is between Larry Johnson, Luke Fickell, and Chris Ash against Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. If I was Urban, I would show Saban something he did not think would happen. Turn Cardale into a dual threat. During the Big Ten Championship he showed the awareness of pressure, in which he simply stepped back and ran the opposite way. If Cardale shows he can run and the passing game comes about, then Elliot will have the chance to do something very few have done and that is run. I see our defense stepping up again and stopping the run, forcing Sims to run and the passing game to become more. However, I think Grant and McMillan will spy on Sims enough to where his running abilities will be few and far between. Cooper won't be taken out of the game, but his productivity won't be what everyone thinks it will.

This game is simple, let it all hang out. Why not? What is there to lose? This team and coaching staff have all the talent and brains in the world to overcome a team that hasn't really been tested. You could say that LSU and Arkansas tested them, but they came out victorious, which is true. Troy Smtih was a 2 star recuit, that became a Heisman Trophy winner and he was recuited and coached by Jim Tressel. What do you think a team coached and recruited by Urban Meyer and his staff can do? So I must ask again, what is talent? The stars beside a players name or the development of a young player and his coaches?

Bob Stoops and Gus Malzahn beat the all mighty Nick Saban last year in back to back fashion in two championship bowl games. Their recruiting classes did not seem to matter, but they still won. One cannot say that Ohio State will not be prepared to win this game. One cannot say that Nick Saban will destroy our Buckeyes, but what one can say is that, these teams are evenly matched for the moment.

As I have faith in my time, I will always exepect them to win the game. This game is no different!
 O-H!

Great Teams Are Not Dynasties

This debate should end quickly. The success of this Buckeyes team has brought some to look at Ohio State in a different light. That light is starting to shift from successful and sustainable to dynasty, which is a totally different subject. Successful and sustainable was Ohio State under Jim Tressel, where Ohio State was always in the BCS Bowl games, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Rose Bowl. These Bowl games brought joy and sorrow to the hearts of Buckeye Nation. Tressel was never a prominent figure in the recruiting game enough to satisfy a top 3 ranking. However, Tressel enjoyed success with the players he found, which is an undervalued asset to any program.

Under Tressel, the Buckeyes could count on BCS Bowl games nearly every year, with the notion of letting the game slip away. We beat Miami in 2002 and took home the title. The next few years saw Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl appearances with losses to Florida, LSU, and Texas. It was not until the Rose Bowl against Oregon that we won, then a year later against Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. Even with this success, Tressel was considered to be a great coach in charge of a great team, but not a dynasty. The scandal takes place and all of the sudden Tressel resigns and in steps Urban Meyer. With Urban Meyer, the Buckeyes have had top 5, if not top 3, recruiting classes, and immediate success. Three loses in 3 years is an amazing goal to accomplish. However, this team is not yet a dynasty. Unfortunately, there are not many dynasties in college football. For me, a dynasty is very difficult to accomplish considering there are multiple areas that have to be top notch if not perfect.

Perfection will never be accomplished, but near perfection can be obtainable. For Ohio State to become a dynasty they will need to unseat Alabama or become a bona fide #2 recruiting class year in and year out. They will need to go undefeated and repeat Big Ten Champs every year, then consistently win the Playoffs or their bowl games, if for some reason they do not get in. These are my requirements, but not necessarily THE requirements. I am sure we have our own, but if you take a look at Alabama's dynasty, it is not much different. Once a team has become a dynasty a different kind of excuse becomes the only needed for losing a game or bowl. For example, last year Alabama lost the Iron Bowl and Sugar Bowl. The reasoning was that Alabama lost the Iron Bowl because they were looking ahead to Florida State for the Title. Once that was no longer the case, the reasoning for losing the Sugar Bowl was that Alabama did not want to be there. It was beneath them to play for a lesser bowl than the Title. At the beginning of this season, Alabama was thought to be out of contention because of the quarterback situation. That reasoning was, the Tide was in their transition phase. I find it funny that Alabama loses and it's not because the other team was better, it was because Alabama's head was not in the game. That is the excuse that I am talking about. Analysts and announcers automatically assume that The Tide will be at the top where they should be year in and year out.

Will Ohio State ever be a Dynasty? I think our opportunity has arrived. Meyer has said that he did not think they would be where they are considering the circumstances. However, we are here and we have nothing to lose. If Ohio State does take it all, I think this year could be the beginning considering our coaching staff is in pursuit of something that is impossible, perfection. Our recruiting classes have been getting better each year, and Meyer will always find the best assistant coaches to fill vacancies. Ohio State did more then they could have imagined by signing Meyer and Buckeye Nation will see those dividends.

The Beginning of the End for the SEC

Brady Hoke has been officially fired at Michigan. I think we can all agree this a little later then what we, Big Ten fans wanted. The beginning of this title, The Beginning of The End for the SEC is reflective of this decision. Michigan and Ohio State built the Big Ten and made all the other conferences nullen void. During Lloyd Carrs time and before that, Michigan was in it's prime. Ohio State fired John Cooper, and hired Jim Tressel, the answer to our losing to Michigan ways. Fast forward ten years, and now we have Urban Meyer, the king of overcoming adversity, and the next coach of Michigan, which will become the king of bringing Michigan back.

It is fitting though, that this year, prior to all the talk about how dominant the SEC is that the most dominant skill positions are not in the SEC. So how are they dominant? The running back is dominated by the Big Ten, the quarterback is dominated by the Big Ten and PAC 12, and the only reason why a receiver is put into the Heisman talk is because people feel the need to put Alabama in every discussion they have pertaining to an award. Otherwise, the majority of the conferences are doing things the SEC is not.  The most wins the SEC will have is the same if Ohio State wins the Big Ten and Oregon wins the PAC 12. How fitting. The ACC is relevant because of Florida State and its lack of ACC strength, but still undefeated season. As much as I would love to see Florida State finally fall at the Championship game, I am more interested in Missouri upsetting Alabama, and Ohio State beating Wisconsin.

The Big Ten Championship, granted Ohio State wins, will decide the #4 spot in the playoffs. However, with more attention of Michigan, it is imperative that the hire is made immediately, after all the entire off season has begun. While Ohio State and remaining Big Ten teams are practicing for Bowl games, Michigan could be turning their program around. First and foremost, the hiring of a new coach and coaching staff, which could hit the road recruiting now. I would say, depending on the coach, give Michigan two seasons before they are ranked and relevant. Secondly, hire an AD that understands the rivalry and Big Ten. The Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry used to decide the National Championship. Since Hoke took over, it has been second two anything the SEC has. No More! I forsee a rivalry game starting at 330 or maybe even 8 pm. I know that it is tradition for the game to be at noon, but times are changing, and everybody watches football at night, but works during the day.
There are traditions to keep alive, and some that change. It does not matter what time the game starts, what matters is the two teams. With a New Michigan and Ohio State, Auburn and Alabama and whomever else in college football will become second best.

It may be wrong to revel in the misery of another, but in the interest of a dying super power, we have no other option. Why feel bad for Hoke, when the next coach could take the program in the opposite direction and quickly? I am sure he will find another job, I just don't care where.

Here is some food for thought. For years, Ohio State fans have been wondering about the stability of our linebacker core. A complete overhaul of our defense may not be done. What if . . . . . .  the new head coach at Michigan fires most of his coaches or the other coaches put their faces on the block for going else where? What if . . . . Luke Fickell takes a head coaching job at a MAC team or elsewhere? What if . . . . . . Greg Mattison sees Luke leave and calls Urban for that spot? I'm not saying this will happen, but much weirder things have happened. Think about, how many coaches from Tressel are left over? Not many. The only player left from Tressel is Taylor Decker, otherwise this team is 99% his recruits.

Is there too much wishful thinking, to think that the all mighty SEC may be on its way down? It is too far fetched to believe, that the Big Ten is inching towards the powerhouse it once was? We all believed that Ohio State was done after Braxton Miller, but JT Barrett took college football by storm. JT Barrett goes down, and now we have a third string quarterback starting in the Big Ten Championship and beyond. I do not think these ideas are too far fetched, as much as I believe that Ohio State will still win the Championship, Semi Final, and Final. One thing that I will always do is keep the faith in this team.

O - H!!!!