Buckeyes Fan to Buckeye Players

I am an avid Buckeye fan, I am an arm chair coach, and I watch anything I can on Buckeye football and I have done so since I was born. I say all of that because I hear that Buckeye players talk about fans being bandwagon fans, where we are only rooting for the Scarlet and Gray when we are winning. I, for one, believe that to be a slap in the face. 

I don't believe that players are trying to be disrespectful, but they are victims of the moment. They are emotional like fans are. I would still like to explain something to the players and coaches from a fan perspective though. I hear Urban on press conferences and during whatever interview he gives talk coach speak about improving and moving on and that is fine, but to fans that is not enough. 

This is what makes me mad..... we hear analysts on ESPN, sports shows, and on radio talk about the stars behind the name of another player coming to Ohio State. We have been #2 almost every year that Urban has been a coach here in terms of recruiting. We see coaching changes almost every year or it seems like it. Every year our pre-season ranking is #2 if not in the top 5. Buckeye fans take all of this into account when see how the team is performing. Keyword performing. I think that Buckeye Nation is smart enough to tune out the commentary before, during and after the game/season because we know what expectations are. 

Fans do not expect undefeated seasons year after year, but we expect to do our best each game, with that best being better than the opponents best resulting in a win. We hear about stars and talent but than we see an offense that cannot move the ball, a quarterback that gets more carries than our running backs, receivers that are not open at all during a game, and an offensive line that does not give good enough pass protection. We see a defense that is like a brick wall, but than our defensive backs can break up passes and are caught looking at the quarterback so passes go flying over their heads. So we hear about how good we are on paper but than none of that commentary seems to matter when the clock is ticking. 

We lost to Oklahoma not because of talent, but because our talent is not being used. There is not one offense that fears JT and they know that he will get carries during the game. Because they do not fear JT they know that there won't be much passing over their heads. If we have speed, than why not do a 5 step drop and launch the ball and let our speedy wide receivers run under it? JK and Webber had good runs against Oklahoma yet JT got the majority of the carries. 

Urban has a tendency of believing all of his QB's are Tim Tebow Jr's when they are not and news flash, that offense did not work much longer after it was used. In fact, the year we won the National Championship was predominantly running and throwing the ball. Urban looks at our team as everyone but the QB is a blocker. That is how he treated Florida when he had a Tebow and he is trying to do the same with JT.

I will end this post by saying this

Ohio State football gives any sports network record viewership and nearly every game we pack The Shoe for whatever team. Every spring game since the National Championship has seen attendance at almost if not over 100,000 and that is for a spring game. I don't want to hear about bandwagon fans when those statements are true.

This Year With Our Buckeyes

Well Buckeye Fans, I am back. To be honest I missed posting but had to do so because I could not balance graduate school with writing about my love of Ohio State football. Enough of that though, let us talk about what we/I expect coming into the season. 

Well last season was mediocre because there were too many people trying to make one play every single play and we spit and sputtered all season. It came to a crash against Clemson. I think that some pieces fell into place when Luke went to Cincy, Warriner went to another Big Ten School, and we brought in Kevin Wilson and another QB coach. 

What I hope takes place this year is we take more chances down the field, but that is predicated on development of wide receivers and offensive line protection. I have hope that this new QB coach and wide receiver coach are working on timing. Timing is when the QB throws the ball in relation to where the wide receivers are down the field. Timing is important because that gives the offensive line and blockers a set amount of time to block. The longer the QB has the ball, the longer blockers must block and can end up in holding penalties, etc. 

Before I do get to season expectations I think it is important to say that there is irony in playing the last team of your offensive coordinator, but I don't think that will have an outcome on the game. Now for expectations......

I hope that Urban allows the receivers to stretch their legs this year..... There is not one team we will play either regular season or post that will respect us if we don't have a down field passing game. Devin Smith was that guy for a long time, but we've had no one since. We will not get respect until we have someone who can stretch the field. Stretching the field enables everything else. 

The first couple years of Tom Herman was met with mediocrity. We did not do anything down the field until the 2014-2015 season and look what happened, a National Championship. I am not expecting record breaking throwing yards nor offensive performances because the team needs time to gel and that takes time. I think the Buckeyes will struggle through the first three games, than get better and better as the season goes on. I am hoping for a return to Indianapolis because I think it's pitiful to only have one Big Ten Championship since Urban came here.

I think that we go undefeated this year and win the Championship because I think Urban understands that we need to play freely to win. Playing freely means we don't play percentages, we take chances and mold game plans to team weakness. I think that JT needs to be able to run when needed, instead of staying behind the line of scrimmage because we supposedly have so many weapons. Defenses will send blitzes if they know JT will stay in the pocket. 

Just to cut this short, this season has the feeling of the 2002 season where most of our wins were close before we went and beat Miami for the title. 

Ohio State vs Michigan State Prediction

The Night Before Christmas and all through the House, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse......

The night before one of five important games are to be played and I must say I have a thousand things running through my head. Therefore, my predictions for Brutus and Sparty are as follows....

(1) This game will be the first of many games where our total offense totals 400+ yards. The three headed monster that is the Buckeyes offense will find consistency and a rhythm that Sparty cannot match.

(2) JT Barrett, Ezekiel Elliott, and our WR will open the Spartans defense up like no other. JT's ability to read the defensive line and Elliott speed to the edge will cause the Spartans defense to run after Buckeyes more then anything else. With Elliott being effective, JT will have more time to find WR wide open in the once, no fly zone. Between Thomas and Braxton, our downfield threats will become self evident rather quickly. Jalin and Vannette will find space behind the defense for quick throws and big gains. JT will find space to scramble, and will need to at the beginning of the game, but once the offense is established the scrambling will become much less.

(3) This game, the offense will find click

(4) Our defense will knock Cook out of the game. As much of a tough guy that he is, Bosa, Lee, Lewis, Hubbard, and Washington will find their way to him. Cook will have to make quick throws to keep the defense at bay, which will cause WR and TE to either get open early or incomplete passes will be had.

(5) Ultimately, Ohio State will run Elliott as much as possible to kill the clock and break the back of the Spartans.

Ohio State 42 Michigan State 21

Braxton is Still the Key

The Ohio State Buckeyes of last year have gone into a sleep walk. We have the majority of last years team on this years team, yet we have not performed to standards. Why? Are there a combination of reasons or does it all boil down to one thing? In my opinion, our performance this season is as a result of personnel use, coaching, and fear. 

Last year, defenses knew they could only stop one part of our offense and they had to hope to stop they other without any extra man power. The only problem this year is that defenses have had a year to better equip themselves to stop our offense. The only problem with the opponents ability to stop our offense is that they never faced Braxton Miller. Last year, he was not around, and defenses did not have to worry about him. This year though, they have to take him into account. So far, Braxton has not been used to his capacity. In my opinion, his skill set is being underestimated. 

Braxton Miller, more often then not, has been used more as a direct snap players, rather then a wide receiver, which is supposedly what Urban has been training him for and he is full time. Urban should turn Braxton into a young Devin Smith. Urban has to make teams fear Braxton instead of Elliot, Thomas, and Barrett. How do you do that? Braxton should be lining up where Devin Smith used to running down the field every single time. Braxton has to draw the attention of the safety and cornerbacks every single time. Everyone knows that Braxton is one of the most prolific offensive players in history. We need that to come to life. When defenses fear Braxton they must choose which receivers to cover and so must the safety. When a CB or safety must choose between Thomas, Marshall, Braxton and whomever else no one on the defense wins. When the receivers draw attention and are feared, linebackers are pushed off the line of scrimmage and defensive lines do not get the support they need if the offensive creates holes to rush through. On the flip side, if a blitz is ever ordered or one on one coverage is called for, at least one of the three will be wide open, able to catch, and score the touchdown. It is that simple. 

With Braxton being considered a one man wrecking crew, the field opens up for Elliot, Thomas, and Barrett because there is only so many opponents that have the ability to guard someone one on one. I believe a plan like this will have to take place because I see the success of the next 5 games being in jeopardy if we don't.

Football and College

Early today Buckeye Nation found out about JT's and his troubles. I have read hundreds of social media postings about how Urban is too soft, that JT won't be punished like he should, Ohio State is full of criminals, and many other nonsense comments. I think we, Buckeye Nation, get caught up in a very simple idea of what college is to the majority of attendees. JT is a college student, a football player, a human being, a son, and a teammate. He is not a rapist, murderer, or any other criminal title that is given out. High school students are told throughout high school that a college degree is what makes or breaks careers, regardless of whether you are an athlete or not. A college degree will always come in handy. There are many aspects of college football that I do not agree with, none more prominent then the amount of pressure put on young adults. Sometimes that pressure is overwhelming and down right crushing.

JT Barrett is more than just a quarterback for The Ohio State Buckeyes, he is the face of the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes are the #1 team in the Nation, the defending champions of the first ever College Football Playoffs, the most targeted team in the nation, and most criticized players and coaches of all time. I am not side stepping the fact that JT is underage, but what I am saying is that the amount of pressure and responsibility one takes on can be more than a college student can handle.  I do not blame JT for drinking underage, I blame college football for turning college football into a beauty pageant. College life is filled with girls/guys, classes, and no supervision. If you are an athlete,  you have to worry about all of the above, plus what is expected of you as an athlete. To expect athletes to not screw up or at least not get caught doing it, is to expect to win the lottery. The only difference between Ohio State and 95% of college football is the name and accomplishments. Lets not be hard on JT, his consequences are only beginning. First, he is suspended for one game, which is punishment enough especially since the Buckeyes have done nothing but struggle under CJ this year.

In my opinion, the job is not up for grabs, Cardale is simply filling in as a back up that just happened to win three straight championship games. I will be shocked if JT doesn't start the last three games of the regular season. We all need to relax and root on CJ as he takes on Minnesota.

Predictions for Ohio State vs. Penn State

I think that the Penn State-Ohio State game is going to be a game of domination. I think Urban saw two separate teams vs. Maryland and he liked only one of them. The team Cardale has is constantly hit or miss meaning, there is no fluidity to the game. With JT on the field, the offense moved and moved well. Defenses know that Urban has no confidence in their deep passing game and that Cardale cannot scramble, nor can he run the option to save his life. Therefore, they crowd the line of scrimmage and blitz as often as possible. Under JT defenses must respect our offense. JT has the ability to scramble and extend a play which opens up the pass and run game.

Even if Cardale starts the game, I think JT gets time. To be clear though, I think JT should start. In this game, I will be looking for the following weaknesses to be strengths:

- I think Braxton should be used like Devin Smith was last year. With Braxton's speed and agility he can spread the opponent down the field. Even if the ball is not thrown to him his presence down field will draw the attention of the secondary, which will keep safeties from coming to the line of scrimmage. The first few times Braxton goes down field the defense may put extra bodies on him, but the one time they don't the QB can launch the ball and let him run underneath it.

- JT Barrett brings something to the table that Cardale does not, agility. With Barrett defenses try not to crowd the line of scrimmage because they know that JT can scramble and take advantage of the space. They also know that JT can run the option, which makes defenses risk targeting one person who may not have the ball. With JT at the helm, defenses can not immediately rush the line of scrimmage because they must see who has the ball, JT or Elliot.

- I would use Marshall as a WR only.

- Dontre Wilson needs to line up as an HB/WR. Much like Marshall last year. When Marshall went in motion in the backfield defenses had to account for the possibility of him getting the ball. Wilson needs to be that person. With Wilson going in motion and Elliot and JT in the backfield, defenses will have to sell out on one play leaving the other wide open.

- Parris Campball, Michael Thomas, Braxton Miller, and Marshall going down the field every time is a dangerous combination considering the arm of both QBs. Add into the mix Vannett being in the middle of the field and defenses won't know what to do.

I see the Penn State game being one of domination. Being at home and at night, the Buckeyes will come out swinging. The real question is at the end of the season. Michigan and Michigan State is the calm before the storm for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State 49 Penn State 14

This Question is Stupid

Ever since Ohio State has started their season every person that has an interest in college football or calls themselves an analysts keeps saying Ohio State does not deserve to be #1. That is simply a lie and here is why; Ohio State has not lost a game since week 2 of last year, rankings at this point in the season do not mean a damn thing, Ohio State is a second half team, and putting a number next to a team does not mean everyone above them or below is better or worse. Ohio State being ranked #1 again puts them in a category that Alabama or any overrated SEC team is not even close to them on, #1 in the AP Poll. Eat your heart out analysts! One thing that I must point out though is TTUN. As much as I do not like to admit it, they are improving week to week and that is great news for the Big Ten. The Big Ten needs as many teams as possible ranked and winning. At the moment the Big Ten and SEC have the same number of teams ranked.

Regardless of how many points are scored in a game the highest score at the end is what matters. The road leading to the Championship is never easy and this year is no different. Urban and the rest of the offense may be a bit confused as to who should be the quarterback in the game, but we are still undefeated. You can compare us to Florida State all you want, but we still have not lost and that accounts for much more then margin of victory.

Ohio State is #1 but it does not matter right now. Last year Alabama was given #1 at the end of the year and they lost in the Sugar Bowl to the #4 Ohio State Buckeyes! Even though we are half way through the season many of the ranked teams still have not played season defining games yet, they have not made it into the Conference Championships, nor have they won a Championship. Until the next bowl season comes upon us, Ohio State has done all of the above. TCU and Baylor are flying high right now, but that ship is getting ready to land and only one of them will be taking off again. Utah will not remain undefeated and it is only a matter of time. There is always a team from the PAC 12 or Big 12 that brings the analysts to their feet for a time every year. Right now, Utah is that team that everyone is being paid to observe. Ohio State is old news and frankly, boring to watch. As long as Ohio State goes undefeated into the Conference Championship and win they will get into the Playoffs, it is that simple.

During the season last year college football was convinced Ohio State did not have what it took to compete and win against anyone outside of their conference, yet we saw different. Ohio State is a second half team. While other teams start the year off quickly they struggle to finish strong. Ohio State walked into the Big Ten Championship and blanked Wisconsin, then dominated Alabama and Oregon.

In comparison to other conferences, the Big Ten is back. Alabama lost to Ole Miss, Ole Miss lost to Florida, Oklahoma lost to Texas, TCU has no defense and haven't played anyone that has either. Baylor is peaking in their performance at the moment and everyone is talking about how awesome the ACC and Big 12 are. Word to the wise, the season is half over. What will all the analysts say when Ohio State is still undefeated and #1 going into the Playoffs or have been dropped from #1 and are still in the Playoffs? I understand that the majority of the people on TV and radio have no clue what they are saying and are doing so to piss people off, but that is all they do.

Ohio State will find their way through the season.

The 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes

Hello Buckeye Nation, I write this post with a lot on my mind. First and foremost, I apologize for not posting anything in a long time. Secondly, my expectations of this team have changed and for a good reason, but not because I do not believe in this team, but because I have realized something about the game of football, it is unpredictable.

The Big Ten Championship, Sugar Bowl, and National Championship game were amazing acts of Urban's Mantra, 9 Units Strong. Every Unit played with such intensity and selfishness that we pushed our way to a National Championship. Cardale Jones picked up where JT left off and essential showed Buckeye Nation something we did not know existed. We left last year thinking that the next year would be a continuation of domination on both sides of the ball.

Virginia Tech was a game that had stuck in our minds since the game ended. We walked into Lane Stadium and smacked the Hokies around. The last 4 games Buckeye Nation has watched each game thinking that 7 or 8 touchdowns would be thrown on the board without blinking, but anything but has happened. Not to say this has kept me up at night, but the result of each win has left we wondering when our luck will run out.

The beginning of last year and after Virginia Tech this team felt like the entire college football world was against them. Now we have a #1 ranking in front of our team and the Nation is watching every step we make hoping we slip up. College football is not ready to give up the notion that the SEC is not dominant anymore, but instead the Big 10. Last year, JT was given the team and we destroyed our competition, even when we struggled. We need to look at this team as if we are not National Champions. Last year we played every game with intensity hoping that the Virginia Tech loss did not knock us out of the College Football Playoff. This year we are playing hoping to win every game to get us into the Playoff, a totally different mindset. If we forget all about the National Championship and look at this team as #1 because of all the talent we have, this team is the exact same as it was last year, finding itself every Saturday and hoping to improve for the next game. Urban Meyer needs to stop with the statistical analysis and go with his heart, because I believe that is telling him JT is the better QB. Too many people are calling plays on our offense. Beck or Warriner need to go to the booth, no more coaches on the sideline than needed. I do not care about the raw emotion of the game and having the coaches feel it. Football is about strategy and emotions do not always fit into that.

With all the talent we have the playing calling should have no boundaries. Elliot's dominance has to pushed on the defense like it was against Indiana. Cardale did not throw many passes down the field and that hurt us. When we have Marshall, Wilson, Nixon, Campbell, and Braxton we should be taking shots down the field. Elliot and Samuel should rotate as our running backs. Whenever we push the boundaries with Zeke or an outside quick throw the opposing defense has a tough time covering us. Needless to say we are undefeated but by the skin of our teeth. In a later post I will talk about the defense.

Cardale is Our Man

Urban chose Cardale for a reason. I think Cardale is the right QB because he's got an arm that kills secondaries, he's tough to bring down, and his arm creates a great running. JT set Cardale up for success, Cardale set himself up for success by playing the way he did. 

During Cardales play last year he threw the ball as far as he could and the receivers ran underneath and caught the ball, often times running past the secondary. Last year it was Devin Smith but this year it's Mashall, Wilson, Smith, and Miller along with other receivers we don't know about. We have the WRs that can run for days and Cardale has the arm to make the journey. 

Cardale weighs 250 lb and is 6' 5" and is extremely hard to bring down. He may not be shifty but he can bull doze any defensive linemen. Last year during Alabama and Oregon, Cardale ran over seasoned and NFL lineman without batting an eye. 

Cardale became successful because he trusted his wide receivers. Cardale threw the ball down the field and his receivers caught them all. Because of that, defenses could not stack the line of scrimmage with anything more than linebackers and defensive lineman causing Elliot to run through holes and down teams throats.

I believe Cardales issue is trust. He doesn't trust his receivers. I don't think Braxton, Jalin, or Wilson should ever be a Wildcat this season. When anyone of these guys take the snap they know what the play is and they crowd the line of scrimmage. We win games by letting these guys run down the field and get open. We showed last year that was half of our success, the other half was Elliott. We desimated Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon without doing a lot of trick plays. We need to return to that. 

Over 99,000 Reasons to Repeat

I am so very proud of being one of the 99,000 plus in attendance of the spring game. It brought a sense of accomplishment to my mind, but also a struggle as to how I saw the team. Collier did not look good during the game, making me wonder Urbans plan for him especially with the abundance of QBs on there way to Ohio State in the coming years. Cardale looked okay, but not as good as I thought he should, but than again most of the starting line was not playing.

I look at our Buckeyes and I see an accomplished team that has to act as though they have accomplished nothing. I think last years team will do a great job of showing the rookies, so to speak, that you can control your own destiny regardless of what outside sources say. I read the transcripts of post game interviews and couldn't help but see men (Cardale and Urban) that understand Champions are won by those who are never happy with what they see, never. Urban sees individual improvement, but not team, which to me is him saying, the potential is there it just hasn't been achieved yet. This is common to me considering our Navy and Virginia Tech team wouldn't have won at Penn State, Michigan State or Michigan. The critics would have been correct and Braxton was the key to our success. However, they were not correct because the potential was there given the right coaching and motivation, something this team is rich in. I don't see much of a QB competition to be honest. I think Cardale will win the job simply because he deserves it at this point, he's the healthiest, and at this point, not prone to any injury unlike Barrett and Miller. I feel as though every team that sees Barrett or Miller come onto the field will be aiming for their injuries.

All it will take is the perfect hit to either player and we are down to two QB's. Last year, after the Virginia Tech game, I felt that the ultimate match up would occur, that the Titans would collide in the First Ever College Football playoff, that the Rose Bowl would matter only so much to see who the winner of the Sugar Bowl would face. Something I saw in this team made me think they would win it all. This year, I see more of the same, we will have blow outs and close games. We will have games where we shake our heads, and games where the game will be boring before the second half starts. I honestly think we repeat and defend our title. You can call me bias all you want, but that's what I think and here's why.

(1) Having 3 dangerous QBs means every opponent has to prepare for three different threats. Barrett is accurate but can't throw as far. Miller is deadly on his feet, has a rocket of an arm, and hopefully more accurate. Cardale is a big man with a big arm. All three QBs make you respect the running game, all the while beating you down the field or in short passing plays. (2) If Braxton is the QB, he wants his ring and championship. It has eluded him since he came to Ohio State. (3) Urban is a tightly wound man and you can easily see it. You don't have know him to know he demands effort and perfection. He wants to defend and build a dynasty in Columbus, after all he'll be here til at least 2020. (4) As much as our opponents want to take us out, we still want to take out even more. There is no shortage of motivation on this team, and the thought of being knocked out of the title game before even getting there is a tremendous amount of motivation.

National Signing Day

There is a subtle satisfaction in being a part of the Big Ten. I know that everyone and their brothers like to raise the point, that it is very difficult for the Big Ten to be ranked highly in the recruiting classes, with the exception of Ohio State and Penn State this year (so far). I think that last nights Super Bowl win was actually a good thing for the Big Ten, as it showed a cold weather team achieving a great accomplishment. When is the last time a team from anywhere in the south won a Super Bowl? Who's the last team from the south to win a championship in college football? My point is this, the rhetoric surrounding the south is nearly impenetrably. It just cannot be done. However, the proof is written on the wall. The south has the players, but the north has the talent and skill. Urban Meyer beat three Heisman winners on his way to his third title, beating out the King of the SEC, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

It's not hard to justify the notion that the Big Ten is back. However, one look at recruiting news and it's littered with SEC teams finishing the year with top recruiting classes. But does it really matter. While it's too soon to say the SEC is done and over with, what is safe to say is that the ground has leveled off. No longer is Alabama or anyone in "that conference down there," the deepest, most dominant conference in the nation. The Big Ten is back. Just look at Harbaugh at Michigan. He was successful at Stanford, then became successful in the NFL. What other coach can say he was successful at both levels? Nick Saban? Not even he can claim that. Give Michigan a couple recruiting classes, and the focus will shift. The Big Ten may not litter the top 10 with recruits but their trophy rooms will be littered with Championship trophies, which is what counts.

The Brand That Will Never Die, Figuratively and Literally

As each day ends, we become further away from the Inaugural College Football Playoff and another bowl season. Now we step into recruiting and preseason predictions. The Big Ten did very well and the SEC West..... not so much. The media has yet to get over their love affair known as the SEC. Pundits, analysts, and the like love to say, next year's Title Game will be Ohio State and Alabama. The reason being, Saban does not stay down for long and he'll be hungry for another championship. I'm sure he felt that way after Oklahoma last Sugar Bowl. Burn!

I'm so tired of hearing about SEC recruiting classes when no one in that conference finished with a perfect season, nor with a bowl win (except the East). I've come to the conclusion that when seasons end for "that conference down there," and it wasn't successful, the spotlight is put on their recruiting. Good for them, they're still not champions.

My prediction for next year's Finals will be #1 Ohio State (of course), #2 Alabama, #3  TCU, #4 Oregon. Ohio State for obvious reasons. Alabama will not be held out of the rankings because of their divisions and coaches reputation. College football would lose its mind if "that conference down there" didn't make it into the playoffs. The Sugar Bowl proved to be as great as everyone thought it would be. The only better matchup would be Ohio State and Alabama for the Title. TCU will come back with a chip on their shoulder. The only problem here is that an undefeated conference championship team could beat them out if they don't go undefeated. So, perfect season for TCU is a must. Oregon will struggle but make it. Rich Rod in Arizona is good, but not great, so he'll win his division, but that's about it. 

Is The B1G Back?

NoThis past season brought a sense of accomplishment back into the Big Ten. Victories from Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State, and Ohio State brought to the fore front something we always knew would happen, the Big Ten is dominate. This season is surely no indication of what next season could bring, but this years accomplishments could be preface for what's to come.

Wisconsin was destroyed in the Big Ten Championship by Ohio State. Wisconsin was thought to be overrated, but then proved their rate when they best Auburn. Baylor was crying the blues because they were left outside of the Final 4, only to lose to a Michigan State team. James Franklin began his era with a decent season capped off by a bowl win. Urban Meyer, against all odd, took on the best, then became the best. With the addage of Harbaugh to Michigan it's only a matter of time before the Big Ten is up a running.

The toughness of the SEC West was simply outran and out coached. The PAC 12 was proven once again to be a finesse league and the Big 12 was shown once again why the need a conference championship. This all is not news, but what it is, is a warning to the rest of college football, that "we are back."

Ohio State showed all of college football that recruiting class rankings are only a small piece of the puzzle. Great coaching and players who believe in themselves make up the other half of the equation. No longer can Alabama or the SEC claim that both rankings and coaching lay the ground work for champions, but instead players in general. Michigan State is notorious for not having highly ranked classes, but still they have beaten Stanford and Baylor in their last two bowl games.

How many teams know who their second and third string QBs are? How many of those second and third guys could step in and win a championship. Florida State had to do that for one game and nearly lost it. Oregon's came in after having a 4 TD lead on Florida St. Blake Sims and Coker were the men for Saban. My point is this, while everyone talked about the Virgina Tech effect, Ohio State was improving itself. There's no other way to describe it.

Harbaugh, Meyer, Dantanio, Franklin, Chryst, and Riley will become the magnificent 6 of college football. College football never heard of Hugh Freeze or Dan Mullen until this year. Which makes the point, the Big Ten has the coaches, all we need are the wins and Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nebraska are not far behind. The Big Ten is not far from dominance.

What 2015 Season Looks Like

The 2014 Season brought about a state of ease in an uneasy time. Braxton went down, JT stepped up, JT went down, and Cardale stepped up. Fans believed in this team, even with all odds suggesting this year would be a bust. We did not know it, but this is exactly what we needed. This team came together when the entire country was against them. This team became the most dominant in football when the players realized their potential far exceeded the best of any individual player on the opposing team. We showed Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon that the best team is not centered around the best quarterback or individual person, but best individual groups around a sufficient quarterback. This year brought about the maturation of individuals. Our offensive line began working together and making no excuses for their youth. Our receiving corp. began doing more than just running down the field, but also blocking and running decoy routes. Our running backs became confident in their offensive line, blockers, and themselves. Our team began realizing who scores is not what is important, but instead scoring in general.

If we thought this team was dangerous, next years will be lethal. Just think, teams had to defend against one quarterback, then every skill set. Next season, with the addage of Braxton and JT, this team will be an absolute nightmare. This is what I see happening.

- Not as many blitzes because three different quarterbacks provide two different threats. Braxton and JT can run away from you and juke you out of your socks. Cardale will just bull doze you. All three quarterbacks can read defenses and make smart choices. All three quarterbacks have great arms and the ability to extend plays.

- With the graduation of Evan Spencer and Devin Smith, Corey Smith, Michael Thomas will become the go to receivers. Dontre Wilson and Jalin Marshall will fill perform double duties being the hybrid backs, and receivers. The speed and versatility of Braxton Miller will make him able to act as a hybrid or receiver as well. Needless to say though, the speed and danger this unit will possess will be second to none.

- Curtis Samuel and Ezekiel Elliott will become the double threat that is our running game. Running games keep defenses on the field, and open the field to wide receivers and tight ends. They ware down defenses and end games quicker.

- Although our defense will lose key personnel (C. Grant, D. Grant, A. Reeves, Bennett, and maybe one or two more) what Larry Johnson, Chris Ash, and Luke Fickell accomplished this year is nothing short of amazing.

- I think that we go undefeated, bring it all back to Columbus once more. Urban Meyer, this coaching staff, and players will act as if they lost the championship this year. This will allow them to stay focused on each game and not get caught up in the media hype that will follow being defending National Champions.

- Our recruiting classes will stay in the top 5 because Freshman watched this years games and saw the success of Freshman on this team. Very few sat on the bench, with most playing significant amounts of time and contributing to the Championship. This years Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors will provide for excellent mentors to the incoming personnel.

- Opposing defenses will have a rough time defending our offense. You stop the running game for a couple series, we will move down the field throwing. You get pressure on our quarterback and stop our throwing game, we have great hybrids and running backs, plus running quarterbacks. Opposing offenses will have their hands full with the reinvented Silver Bullets.

- We are back Buckeye Nation!

Consequences of The Committee

There will always be a team that feels left out, that feels as though their schedule or wins were more impressive then those that made it. Case in point, Baylor's Head Coach is once again claiming that his team was left out by a narrow vote. This what I have to say to that....GET OVER IT! The Committee does not care what college football nation thinks of it. That evidence is quite clear with the one week ranking of TCU at #3, than shortly afterwards dropping to #6.

When Ohio State won the Title and became champions, what they really did was cement the belief that the Committee's train of thought was correct. Although Virginia Tech recked havoc on the Buckeyes all season long, they weathered the storm by winning. They annihilated the Badgers and dominated The Tide and Ducks. Not one person can say with credibility, that if Baylor or TCU would have made the top 4, that they outcome would have been the same. If there is one person that needs to look at the Playoff this year and take drastic measures towards getting into the Playoff, the Big 12 Commissioner is the man to be. For him to say, adding more teams to the Big 12 won't solve anything is arrogant and ignorant. Arrogant in that, he truly believes there is nothing wrong with his conference the way it is constructed. Ignorant in the aspect that, the conference does not need to change to become credible within the conversation near the end of the season.

The Committee has shown that conference championships matter. Ohio State's blueprint for the playoff is relatively simple: one loss or less, division and conference champion. In my opinion the only way for the Big 12 to enter into the Playoff is for the ACC to have a two loss conference championship. Otherwise, Ohio State is cementing itself as the school in the Big Ten, Alabama in the SEC, Oregon in the PAC 12, and TCU in the Big 12. There is no clear cut king of the hill in the ACC.

The Masterpiece That Is Ohio State

Is there a masterpiece in the making? This masterpiece is not just Ohio State vs. Oregon, or The Sugar Bowl, but also the restructuring of the college football landscape. What do I mean, you may say? Ohio State vs. Oregon is a tail of two programs that everyone talked about but never thought of us national championship material. Ohio State was seen as the King of the Big Ten, but nothing else and certainly not worthy of the Playoffs. Oregon was seen as the King of the Pac12 with the best player in college football, but certainly not worthy of beating the Seminoles or Crimson Tide. This National Title Game was supposed to be Florida State vs. Crimson Tide or Oregon vs. Crimson Tide. The perception of the SEC supercedes what is actually happening in college football, there are better teams outside the SEC.

The Sugar Bowl was supposed to be a brutal beating of the Big Ten by a superior conference, but instead the exact opposite took place. Does this effect recruiting? It could in the long run, maybe not now though. Urban Meyer put Ohio State with an Alabama defeat, which sent the SEC West into questioning the dominance of their existence. The Crimson Tide walked into the SuperDome with the entire force of the SEC behind them, and it still was not enough. However, the landscape changed in the manner of national perception. The entire ESPN network is one of the most televised sporting channels in the world. That being said, their facts and opinions mean the world to their viewers, for the most part. In an earlier post I mentioned that while ESPN and other media giants have a stake in the success of the SEC, their anchors and hosts may not. There are instances where hosts are homers, but it does not eally matter. Anyways, every person associated with ESPN chose Alabama as their
Sugar Bowl victor. We have a population that lead busy lives and therefore, depend on their news channels to provide ethical and factual information. Now, does everyone believe ESPN and the media, no, but do the majority? Probably. That being said, the Friday afterwards and the following days became a mixture of tucking their tail between their legs, and being respectful of the fact that Alabama was not the better team. This loss marked the second consevutive year, where the myth of the SEC was just that, a myth with the whole world watching.

I heard the debate today about who the best coach is, with an objective answer. From an objective stand point, Nick Saban is still that, but only because of his recent success. You cannot erase his National Titles because his record shows more than just flukes, but instead consistency and consistency gives birth to dynasties. Alabama is defined by their yearly championship runs, but since their short comings have begun to multiply the college football world is shaking their heads in disbelief. The best coach in the last seven years has been Nick Saban. However, the best coach the past 3 years has been Urban Meyer. How many coaches has lost 3 games in 3 years. How many coaches and coaching staffs could make three quarterbacks into game changing starters? Granted Braxton needed a little fine tuning, but J.T. Barrett and Cardale are lottery winning tickers. If Urban Meyer takes Ohio State to the Title Game every year, then he will than be a better coach over the long run, not short, which is more important.

Ohio State meets Oregon in Texas and the talk has began the same way it always has. Oregon is too fast for Ohio State to win. Oregon will run circles around Ohio State and tire them out. They are simply too much too handle. National punditary is already singing the praises of Oregon over Ohio State. Is this surprising? Ohio State can win this game. Do you really think Urban Meyer, Tom Herman, and the rest of the Ohio State coaching staff will not head into this game with a great plan in mind?

O-H!

Ohio State and Oregon - Can It Be Done?

The best two teams in the Nations, that nobody thought would get there and boy, were they wrong. Ohio State beat the SEC West in their own back yard. Oregon destroyed Florida State. The problem with Alabama was that their success was half talent, half hype. "Expert and anaylsts" said that Ohio State is most like Auburn and they beat them last year and came close this year. Alabama is too much of everything for Ohio State to compete. We saw how that played out. Florida State played poker like a millionaire. They played like they had no purpose until they realized that teams were giving them their best and it still wasn't enough, so they kicked into another gear and beat their opponent. Florida State gave the ball away with the understanding that their team was better then the other. Oregon proved that they were better then Florida State and basically the whole ACC.

The turnovers the Florida State committed showed their lack of dedication to the fundamentals. After all, Jameis basically through the ball to Oregon after falling down. How obvious could that have been? Oregon was stripping the ball and downright playing like a team that Florida State could not match up with. Ohio State gifted Alabama two touchdowns, and still won. When does that happen?

I believe Ohio State can win this game doing basically what Oregon did to Florida State. Up tempo offense running the ball, combined with short passing plays and quarterback options. Florida State did not know what hit them. Ohio State can win this game basically doing that. Cardale Jones is an absolute beast win running. He does not try to run around, but over. He likes to hit you. Elliott is a back that likes to hit you, bounce off tackles, then run for 230 yards in a game. I believe that Oregon is a physical team, but they have not faced an Urban Meyer Ohio State yet. A Jimbo Florida State is nothing compared to that. Under Jim Tressel, Ohio State stopped a high flying Masoli-Chip Kelly team. Why can't we do the same with another Hall of Fame coach? In the end, I see this game playing out for Ohio State. I see Ohio State putting up 42+ points on Oregon, while Oregon puts up 21.

The Buckeyes will be playing their hearts out. Not only have we stopped one Heisman contender, we stopped two! We were supposed to lose to Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Alabama, but won all three. Now we are supposed to lose to Oregon. Granted, Oregon has Mariota, but Alabama had Cooper, and Wisconsin has Gordon. I see our defense bringing to life the meaning of the silver bullets. Every time a team double teams Bosa, they allow the other 3 defensive linemen through, quite a trade off. Coupled with the play of our linebackers and their offensive line is going to have it tough. Oregon came into the Rose Bowl with Tressel and used a spread option. Tressel's defense played smart. Urban's defense will be the same. Our secondary proved worthy against one of the greatest wide recievers. Make no mistake, this game will be great and hard fought, I just feel Ohio State will win.

What Was The Purpose of Autonomy?

It is easy to get caught up in the glamour of having your team in the semi final and final, but the consequences of this entire system is the cost of it all. Parents, whom children attend a college begin to save money for certain bowl games their children play in. Can you imagine the feeling of watching your child play in a nationally televised bowl game? Can you image the feeling of being the parent of Ezekiel Elliot, Cardale Jones, Joey Bosa or even Darron Lee? The sight of your son sacking Alabama's quarterback or running for 230 yards in an upset win would have been amazing!

This year the NCAA granted leeway for Universities to act in their own manners in certain situations. But NCAA regulations only allow Universities to provide a certain amount of reimbursment towards families durin Bowl Season. What a crock of shit!? I am, by no means saying coaches or Universities should shoulder the cost all themselves, but the conferences and NCAA should step in as well. What would be wrong with television deals totally in the billions, being evenly dispersed within the conferences that make it into the playoffs? I can guarantee that if parents were told they need to pay half the cost of two, if not three bowl games, there would be little argument.

Gene Smith, Athletic Director for Ohio State, has introduced legislation to the NCAA concerning this issue, unfortunately though, any resolution is not guaranteed to pass and even then won't come into full swing until next year. Here is my point, Universities depend on their sports to raise revenue for their athletic department. That means salaries, equipment, and everything else. In turn, the Universities and NCAA become partners in the selling merchandise and anything else with both logos on it. You can simply not tell me the NCAA and Big Ten cannot take on the cost of a great cause. I can understand Ohio State picking up a small portion considering everything they have to fund and maintain, but for the Big Ten and NCAA, which benefits not only from the teams in their conference, but the entire sport itself is to call BULLSHIT! If anything, the NCAA and conferences could easily call hotels and food services in the area and make a deal to house and feed players, parents, coaching staffs. It's not like no one is benefitting from the bowls. If nothing is done, the governing members of the Big Ten and NCAA are nothing but a joke that no one is laughing at.

My Game Plan

I am an Ohio State fan through and through. Instead of giving you my prediction, I will give you my game plan. As much as I want to say Ohio State will win, which I will, there are allot of variables to the victory. First and foremost, the defensive line has to show up and not like they did against Wisconsin, but better, and in some sense perfect. Secondly, as much as Cardale and the coaches have voiced their supreme confidence in his second start, that confidence has to translate into instinctual plays and runs in this game. Alabama is nothing like Wisconsin and with that being said, his time in the pocket will most likely consist of moving the pocket after a couple reads, to make his final reads because Alabama is not going to let him sit in the pocket all day and our offensive line cannot be expected to hold their defense all day. Third, our receivers, tight ends, running backs, and hybrids have to make plays whether they are open or covered, there is no excuse. There can be no dropped balls. Fourth, our defense has to b smart. Meaning, our line has to get penetration, and our linebackers have to play with discipline. They have to recognize run and passing plays, then apply pressure as necessary. Alabama has way too many weapons to account for, for the Buckeyes to leave anyone open for more than a second.

So here we go...... What I would do.......

Jalin Marshall and Cardale have to be on the field at all times. What this does is put in the back of Alabama's mind that there are two possible quarterbacks on the field. If Jalin touches the ball behind the line of scrimmage, there is a possibility of him running the ball or throwing it which puts pressure on their entire defensive line. For Cardale, he's got his arm and his legs. His height and weight can make it hard to bring him down with one person, and his arm could pose a threat to their secondary. Cardale has to throw the long bowl far to allow our receivers to run underneath it or throw it early enough to allow the receiver to turn around and have the ball be there already. Their secondary may be weak, but that does not mean they won't be opportunitistic if the ball is under thrown.

Secondly, I would rotate between Elliot and Samuel. Fresh legs is always a good thing especially if they are getting success at the perimeter, which in turn may result in inside run success. Alabama's defense is disciplined, but not extremely fast, which bodes well for our offense.

Third, I would never question the strategy of the best offensive coaches in college football. There is no reason why Urban did not win Big Ten Coach of the Year or NCAA Football of the Year. However, Ed Warriner and Tom Herman did and they are both offensive coaches here. Larry Johnson, Luke Fickell, and Chris Ash put together a defense that destroyed ranked opponents. Michigan State and Wisconsin were not match for us, and it showed. Saban and Kiffin will game plan for blitzes from the linebackers and cornerbacks, but our defense will have other plans.

This game is all about keeping the same game plan, but bringing it in a different manner. We will throw the kitchen sink at Alabama, the only question is how and how often.

Ohio State is up against more than just a team, but also the media in general. I sit here and watch Michigan State and Baylor, and I cannot help but think about the game tonight. I mean, it is obvious the significance of this game. It is obvious the Titans will be on the sideline, as much as they will be on the field. Everyone is saying Ohio State has no chance. What they do not understand is that all we want is a chance. That chance is coming in the form of the Nokia Sugar Bowl.

This game reminds me of the movie 300. The Spartan warriors faced Armies ten times the size of their own unit, but overcame unsurmountable odds in the name of an idea. That idea for Ohio State is not the freedom of a nation or people, but instead the silence their doubters. This team will be ready. I wish that was all that needs to be said, but it's not. For 60 minutes, Ohio State has to be dominant because Alabama will never go away. Here is to the Buckeyes!

O - H!

What Is The SEC?

 

 

I keep hearing SEC speed, SEC talent, SEC this, SEC that. Whenever a team has fast players, big players, multiple play makers, they are called SEC caliber players. Let's start out with some facts, in terms of college football geography. The SEC stand for South Eastern Conference. The SEC consists of Louisiana (farthest West) to South Carolina (farthest East), with all of the States bordering the Gulf of Mexico, with a few northern States, such as Missouri. I could be wrong because I don't follow the SEC intimately, but as for common knowledge I'm assuming this is it. "SEC talent, skill, and whatever else" is a myth. If SEC speed means you're fast and agile, then is Marcus Mariota SEC quality? Is Melvin Gordon, Montee Ball, James White or Eddie George SEC quality? Is JT Barrett, Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones, Jameis Winston, Rashad Greene or any other top notch player in college football SEC quality? One could assume so, but to assume so would be to assume these players grew up on SEC territory, which most did not. However, some states are split between different conferences.

 

The fact of the matter is this, SEC anything is a myth. What the SEC does have is great coaches and great coaches that develop players into great players. The same can be said about any other conference. Oregon has great players that are from States outside the SEC. Traditional Powers, Oklahoma and Texas have had great players from outside the SEC as well. Ohio State and the Big Ten in general have developed nobodies into somebody's, and they're in the North. The argument could be had that the SEC gets the best players, which could be true. That means, however, that coaches from other schools have to do a better job of selling their program. How hard can that be? If one were to pay attention to all of the teams that have won Super Bowls, what area of the country do most come from? The North. New England, Green Bay, Baltimore, Seattle, Pittsburgh, etc. When's the last time any team from the South had won with the exception of the Saints? No one from Florida, Texas, Carolina, Atlanta, or any place in the SEC. When's last team from a warm climate to win a Super Bowl? Or indoor? To sell the Big Ten would be an easy sell.

 

Sure playing in college, in a predominantly warm environment is nice, but say goodbye to that once you get drafted, unless you get lucky enough for a warm climate, then good luck getting to the Super Bowl. The fact of the matter is simple, to recruit for future NFL players, is to point out that those carrying the Lombardi Trophy are predominantly from the Northern, colder climates, not the South. You want a chance, come to the North. I realize that players can be conditioned to play in any climate, that they choose a University based upon their chances of a title or for whatever reason. However, look at all the successful players or QBs; where did they come from? Tim Tebow is not playing anymore. AJ McCarron is hurt, Greg McElroy isn't playing. Those are three very successful Southern college QBs. However, look who is starting, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Ben Rothlesberger, Joe Flaco, Drew Brees, etc. These QBs weren't from the South.

 

Whatever investment ESPN makes, they have the resources to advertise that brand into popularity and dominance. What happens if Ohio State and Oregon lose, than Florida State beats Alabama? Will the narrative still be the SECs dominance? Over the fact that Florida State hasn't lost a game in 2 years, including Bowl Games. Including the two best teams the last two years from the SEC. It would be interesting to find out. What if its Ohio State and Florida State? Would ESPN find a way to mention the SEC in the title game even though Alabama was knocked out?

 

The point is this, the region of the country you play in does not matter, it's the coaching staff. Whether a college team wins a title or not, does not matter, it's the players further development once they get into the NFL that does. What good is a team that wins titles, but which their drafted players end up doing nothing in the Pros? I don't see anyone saying Oregon or Florida State has SEC talent? Ohio State is entering the Sugar Bowl with an arsenal of talented and motivated players. Do they match up well with what Alabama brings to the table? I think so. Do these matchups mean Ohio State has SEC talent on their roster? No, that means all the players on the roster were developed by great coaches that have a variety of coaching experience. Urban Meyer and Chris Ash came from the SEC, Larry Johnson came from Penn State, Ed Warriner came from the Big 12, Tom Herman came from the MAC, Stan Drayton came from Florida, and the other coaches came from a variety of backgrounds. Does this mean Ohio State will win the Sugar Bowl? No, but it means that the talent we have on our rosters were coached by great coaches.