Breaking my Hartline and other Buckeyes Bites

Two Buckeyes made decisions on their futures today with Junior WR Brian Hartline declaring for the NFL Draft and Junior S Kurt Coleman declaring that he would return for his Senior season in the Scarlet and Grey.

Here is the statement which Hartline released to the media:

"I am thrilled to declare my eligibility for the National Football League draft.

"Everyone involved within The Ohio State University football program has done a tremendous job for me. I want to thank all of them, particularly Coach Tressel, for helping me to succeed as both a student and an athlete during my time here.

"I would especially like to thank the media and the fans of Ohio for being great to me and to my family throughout my career.

"I have had an outstanding experience at OSU and am thankful for the support I continue to receive. I now look forward to testing myself against the top competitors in the National Football League."

While it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that Hartline was going to leave, and valid justifications exist for his decision, as a Buckeye fan it's easy to be selfish and wish that he would have returned for his remaining year. However, considering all the factors, leaving is probably the best option for Hartline at this point.

Make no bones about it, I don't think Hartline gets drafted on the first day. I'm sure a number of Buckeyes' fans out there are making arguments about how Hartline could come back, put up impressive numbers and move into day one of the draft. But honestly, I just don't see that happening. Look at Hartline's statistics over the past two seasons:

• 2007: 52 Receptions, 694 Yards, 13.3 YPC, 6 TDs
  
  
• 2008: 21 Receptions, 479 Yards, 21.8, 4 TDs

With Terrelle Pryor taking over the QB position from Todd Boeckman this year, Hartline's numbers dropped noticeably. Hartline had obvious chemistry with Boeckman that he lacked with Pyror, probably due to Pyror's inability to throw the football with any sense of consistency. In fact, Hartline didn't catch more than 3 balls in any game this season and didn't even go over the 100 yard receiving mark once. With Pyror and Brandon Saine in the backfield next year, I see the Buckeyes moving to more of a spread offense, meaning that Hartline isn't going to suddenly come back next year with a 1000 yard season. And with Ray Small (hopefully), DeVier Posey, Dane "Concussion"Sanzenbacher, Taurian Washington, and Lamaar Thomas all coming back next year, Hartline's contributions on the field, while missed, won't be noticeably missed. I'm pretty sure the pedestrian numbers which he put up can be replaced or improved upon by any of the above.

Hartline is getting married this spring. He's close with a number of the graduating Seniors on the team. He hasn't really exhibited any of the leadership qualities that makes me think that we're losing a valuable captain off next year's team. He will be remembered as a solid, but rather average OSU receiver. As a Buckeye fan, we need to wish him the best as he moves towards the draft and hope that he has another career to fall back upon we he gets cut in training camp.


On the other hand, Coleman's decision to return is a reassuring one for the Buckeyes and their fans. Here is the statement which he released today :

"After a lot of thought and study, I have decided to remain at Ohio State for the 2009 season to complete my degree and my college football career.

"I am extremely blessed to be in the position where these opportunities are possible, and I'm very grateful for the support of my family, my teammates and the Ohio State community.

"My decision to come back is a lot about helping this team. I feel we can do anything next year. We have a lot of great leaders coming back and an excellent group of underclass talent. For me personally, my family and I felt this was the best decision for me, to make my career at Ohio State even better than it has already been.

"I have a lot to prove to myself and a lot of things I want to accomplish. With one more year here, I can attain all those goals."

Unlike Hartline, Coleman has the potential to increase his draft stock in the coming season. According to Plain Dealer Buckeye expert Doug Lesmerises, Coleman has a chance to improve his play into a first round pick next year. And while the Buckeyes have young depth at the wide receiver position, they lack such depth in their secondary. With the departure of both James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins, the Buckeyes are going to need a vocal leader on the defensive side of the ball. Coleman not only seems capable of filling that role, he seems to embrace it. And as a third-year starter, he can set the tone for the younger players. Coleman had 4 Ints this season, and I would look for more big plays to come next year.

On a final note, yesterday 5-Star DE Corey Adams chose ASU over OSU for his college career. I can't fault Corey's decision as he decided to stay close to home and attend college with his high school teammates and girlfriend. I'm sure the weather came into play as well. His decision just goes to show how impressive Tressel is as a recruiter when he can talk players into playing at OSU. Unless born a Buckeye's fan or from the area (Beanie or Teddy Ginn and all the Glenville kids for example) - a school like Florida or USC has to be much more desirable to a stud high school kid (in terms of weather and "scenery"). Kudos to Tressel for continuing to bring in the talent.(Images from Buckeye Banter
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Random Thoughts from a Random Day

*The poll to the right of this column asks "what is the biggest reason that OSU lost the Fiesta Bowl?" Of the six options, none of them have anything to do with Texas being very good, Colt Mccoy and a pair of thousand yard receivers cutting up the Buckeye defense like they did to everyone this year, or the Texas coordinators mixing up their game plan just enough to keep the Buckeyes slightly off balance. While I agree that there were many things OSU could have done better (and by many I mean maaaaaany), credit is due to the Longhorn squad, so let us give it to them.

*This Texas team has been lauded by some as being the best in the land. National Championship quality. If football games were 58 minutes long, the Buckeyes would have beat them, no question. I know I know there is a reason they are 60, great teams come from behind to win big games (a la Brett Favre... or maybe that was because he put himself in a situation to come from behind so many times...), and so on and so on. But Ohio State played them much much better than anyone else this season. Better than theoretical national runner-up Oklahoma. There are going to many holes to fill for next season, but Tressel's recruiting classes are top notch. One of the differences I see in the way OSU recruits compared to USC is the number of "5 Star" players. OSU seems to get 3 and 4 star guys and turn them into NFL prospects, college stars, etc, while sprinkling in a Terrelle Pryor, Beanie Wells, or Ted Ginn five star type (AJ Hawk was only a 3 star guy), while USC rakes in the 4 and 5 stars and throws them out there. I am not saying either is wrong or right, I am just saying it's a little bit different in my eyes. And I am also saying, I am very excited for next season.

*With a history of getting beaten like a red headed step child (popular insult circa 1996), Alex Boone's name was not called all that much for anything negative, which I can remember at least. If you were to put together a survey of why OSU lost the previous two national championship games, one of the choices undoubtedly would have been "Alex Boone shrinks from big games like the Indians shrink from signing big name free agents." But on the night of the Fiesta Bowl Boone did not openly try to sabotage the Buckeyes like he has in the past. Perhaps that has something to do with Pryor being able to move around, unlike an anchor-footed Todd Boeckman, or a weighed-down-by-the-banquet-circuit Troy Smith... but the world may never know.

*I am a little surprised about the outcome of the "nAtional cHampionship gAme" and I will write it like that just once to express my displeasure about the fraud that this game has become. However, Oklahoma kept it much closer than I thought they would. Injuries + coming from an inferior conference + Bob Stoops + no Superman = 41-14 type drubbing from Urban Meyer's squad in my opinion. Florida -4 seemed like the lock of the century. Not the NY Giants +400 Super Bowl money line in which case it was a 'hey lets throw some cash on them because it's a good value bet.' No this seemed like an enormous sucker's bet. And it almost turned out that way. Luckily, for my bank account's sake, Tebow really is the man.

*Mangenius, Mangina, Ball Boy, Coffee Boy, Caucasian Crennel, Whistle Blower... All the various nicknames for the new Browns head coach. While this hiring has been covered by anyone and everyone with ties to Cleveland Sports, please allow me a short take on this from the perspective of living 20 minutes from where Mangini last worked, the decrepit waste land known as the Meadowlands. There is no way to properly evaluate his time as an NFL head coach. He took over a 4 win team in 2005 and led them to a bitter first round exit of the 2006 playoffs to the bitter rival NE Patriots. In 2007 he didn't have a healthy quarterback, and in 2008 he was held hostage by Brett Favre. There are potential flaws about Mangini, most notably his lust for the 3-4 defense, which probably scares every Browns fan to the high heavens, but for better or worse he has come through adversity already. That means that when the sh*t hits the fan here, and it inevitably will as the Browns hired him with NO GM IN PLACE(another thousand word essay all together), hopefully he won't have the let's go for a field goal down by 3 touchdowns with under ten minutes remaining deer in headlights look on his face.

*Bart Scott was on PTI the other day and was asked about Albert Haynesworth shooting off at the mouth. Scott brushed it off saying he has Haloti Ngata on his side and therefore he is not scared of anyone. Do you think if you asked D'Qwell Jackson that same question he would have the same answer regarding Kam Wimbley? It was nice trading down to make the Ngata Wimbley exchange.

*From the time it was clear that Carl Pavano was healthy at the end of last season, and knowing that the Yankees would not sign him, I was secretly hoping the Indians would give him a shot. The Yankees gave him a 40million dollar contract that he certainly did not earn. But they also gave Jaret Wright a 25million dollar contract that he certainly did not earn. And we can go on all day about the Yankees giving out unearned money, but the fact is that Pavano had a good season, and a little bit of potential working for him. He ran into an unfortunate string of events that you can't really make up. He had baseball related injuries. He had non-baseball related injuries. He lied about it. He played in New York, which made everything worse. And he was shunned by the evil empire. Part of me wants him to succeed for the sole reason of sticking it to my Yankee loving friends out here. The contract that the Indians gave him is great. Realistically, he is only really blocking David Huff at this point from the rotation. He has a World Series ring. And if he has any marbles, he should have an enormous chip on his shoulder.

*One of the few things that the Captain could not erase from my New Year's memories was the Indians trading for Mark Derosa. Another solid move in my opinion, as he routinely made it on Baseball Tonight for coming through in clutch situations. May not put up gaudy numbers, but I do believe CSP (clutch situation performance) is immeasurable statistically. There is a school of thought that there is no such thing as CSP, and that statistics always revert to the mean, no matter what. I can tell you that as a former professional baseball players, offspring of a psychologist and psychiatric social worker, and reader of long statistical studies, that there are definitely players who have an affinity for coming through in clutch situations. What defines clutch? When the game is on the line, RBI situations, or starting a rally are a few of the examples, but everyones definition of that word varies. I believe, though, through experience, that there are clutch players and there are non-clutch players. And having a guy like Derosa in the lineup is an upgrade over having Andy Marte.

*The Cavs are great. Mike Brown is great. Mo Williams is great. Wallace and Varajeo are great. Lebron singing Time After Time is great. Lebron playing basketball is otherworldly. Lebron is 24 years old. The best player on the planet is not even close to his prime. That is fun. There are teams in the NBA that are unwatchable. Just the nature of the beast in the NBA. The Nets? Unwatchable. Bucks? Bulls? Bobcats? No chance. ESPN had Dick Vitale and the college crew doing the NBA game the other night and constantly were disgusted by the lack of rotational defense, etc. That is one of the reasons why the NBA is unwatchable, not many play passionately on defense. The Cavs certainly do. Lebron has decided that he wants to be the best defensive player on the planet. And that my friends is great. Read the rest of this article

Buckeye Fiesta Bowl Diary: Or My Love Affair with Todd Boeckman

In an “ode” (rip-off) to Bill Simmons, CMCR brings you our very first “live” blog during the Ohio State vs. Texas Fiesta Bowl. Will Ohio State once again crumble in the national spotlight? Will Texas show the nation that they deserved to play in the National Championship game? Will I even want to watch the 4th quarter? Let’s find out:

7:30: Watching college football on Fox just doesn’t seem natural. Does Fox even broadcast college football during the regular season? It’s like MTV rolling out the political coverage. Something feels off.

7:32: The commercialism of college football is absurdly obvious – with the Tostito’s logo dominating over Texas’ and Ohio State’s. I’m going to buy my Motor City Bowl sponsored by Alltel jersey tomorrow.

7:34: Don’t you feel that Barry Switzer should be doing cocaine off a hooker’s back right now, wearing a six-gallon hat and shooting guns in the air? Or on his knees thanking Jimmy Johnson for handing him a loaded Cowboys team that even Butch Davis could have taken to the Super Bowl?

7:40: Who names their kid Quan? Are people reaching blindly into a bag of punctuation marks, numbers and letters to come up with their children’s names? I tried it out to see what I would get. I can’t wait to introduce the world to little Tz3’bo-x!. By the way, I wonder what Foot Locker God Shammgod is working at now.

7:43: Colt McCoy is an ugly man. He sort of looks and talks like he has a permanently runny nose. Meanwhile, it was nice of Mack Brown to dye his face a lovely shade of burnt orange in honor of the game.

7:46: There are two guys just sitting in the background of the Fox Studio behind Jimmy Johnson. I hope they’re trying to locate less feminine outfits for the Texas band. Seriously, they look like a bunch of five-year olds dressed by their moms as cowboys for Halloween. Freaking adorable, every single one of them.

7:50: Jim Tressel should be outlawed from wearing anything other than a sweater vest. He has singlehandedly brought the sweater vest back in style. He should consider growing a mustache.

7:52: Pryor “phenom” count: 1.

7:58: It makes me sad that this is the last game Beanie Wells will play for Ohio State. I’ve really enjoyed watching him, however I think his career somewhat of a disappointment given the hype surrounding his recruitment. Obviously, when Beanie is healthy he is dominant. But preseason, Beanie was on almost every Heisman list – and in the end, he wasn’t even invited to the ceremony. I keep hoping a part of him can resist the money and return for his senior season, but I think the chances of that happening are as close to 0% as you can get. I just would like to see the full Beanie experience for one year because I know it would be great to watch.

8:05: Did American Idol really need to add a 4th judge? Couldn’t we have just counted Paula Abdul’s three other personalities and called it a day?

8:08 And we have our announcing team, Tim Ryan and Matt Vasgersian. I love how every broadcast team is a pairing of a former athlete, trying to maintain a foothold in the game, and a nerdy, well-spoken, obviously asthmatic, mathlete.

8:13: You have to feel for Todd Boeckman, who is still a captain of this Buckeye team. Buckeyes’ fans remain supportive of him basically because he gracefully stepped aside and let the Pryor wave roll through (though I wonder how often he curses the fact that he waited around six years for his opportunity, only to be pushed aside without a second thought). I think Boeckman could have successfully started for a number of Big Ten schools this season – including the Buckeyes. Had Beanie been healthy for the USC game, Pryormania may have been put off until next year.

8:18: And on cue, Boeckman at QB, Pryor as a receiver, beautiful play call, beautiful design, I hope we see more of it. Who saw that as the first play of the game? My money (and I’m sure Texas’) was on a Beanie handoff.

8:20: It must be a BCS game because Alex Boone is getting abused already and gets whistled for the hold. Has there ever been bigger disappointment of a supposed playmaker at OSU in recent memory? I think whatever team drafts Boone will be sorely disappointed.

8:22: They say it every game, but Pryor’s speed is illusive. I don’t know how he’s faster than half the defensive players on the field, but I’ll take it.

8:23: Another penalty, four plays in. I’m glad we’re focused.

8:24: An OSU receiver dropped the ball? No way. The Brians have been very disappointing this year. I think they miss some of the comfort they had with Boeckman and his downfield passing abilities, an area in which Pyror is lacking currently.

8:28: Nice 3 and out for the Buckeyes’ defense. I’d like to thank Mack Brown for calling a bubble screen on 2nd and 1.

8:31: Two drives, neither starting with a Beanie run on first down. This is the beginning of a wonderful pattern.

8:32: DeVier Posey is going to be an exciting player to watch over the next few seasons at OSU. I wish Tressel had figured out how to get him involved in the offense more over the course of this year.

8:34: And twenty-two yard run is a shining example of why I’m disappointed that Beanie will be leaving after this season. He could have set all sorts of records.

8:37: A Pryor sack by Sergio Kindle takes us out of field goal range. I wish Pryor would learn to sometimes admit defeat and throw the ball away rather than losing costly chunks of yards in key situations.

8:40: Or does it? A 51-yard field goal attempt from Aaron Pettrey is pure. A good college kicker is a beautiful thing. Buckeyes lead 3-0.

8:46: Colt McCoy just got decked by Cameron Heyward, but completed the 3rd down pass. This up-tempo offensive of the Longhorns could give the Buckeyes some problems in the long run, especially since the Buckeyes like shuffling players in and out.

8:47: Nice open-field tackle by Kurt Coleman. The Buckeyes defense bends a little, but thus far, I’m very impressed with how this team is playing. Maybe not being expected to succeed has lifted the burden off this team.

8:49: Another 20-yard gain for Beanie. I take it back, Beanie could never disappoint me.

8:51: Just as Pryor takes big losses, he gives big gains in a nice 3rd down run. His ability to escape from pressure is amazing.

8:53: And the inevitable Pryor Vince Young comparison. Let’s hope that Pryor doesn’t score a 6 on his Wonderlic and contemplate suicide in a few years.

8:54: Apparently there is a reason kickers cannot consistently make 51-yard field goals. Bad snaps don’t help.

8:58: I never thought 24 was as great a show as everyone made it out to be, but hasn’t it gotten to the point where it’s just sort of a parody of itself? Maybe this is the year Jack Bauer will have to kill a robotic version of himself, by making love to himself dressed in a wig? Can they at least bring back Elisha Cuthbert?

9:02: 3rd and 10, and Colt McCoy completes a pass to Quan Cosby for the first down. Plays like those kill me – 3rd and long and you can’t hold. Sucks the momentum away. At least one play later, Doug Worthington puts McCoy to the turf. More of that please.

9:04: Field goal by Hunter Lawrence makes its 3-3. Colt, Hunter, Quan, … can you find me a Michael on this team anywhere?

9:07: Looked on Wikipedia during the commercial break. Apparently, Elisha Cuthbert is coming back to 24 for five episodes this season. Now, I might have to actually watch.

9:10: This is looking more and more like Beanie’s farewell gift to all of us Buckeyes fans. Is it even possible to take Beanie down with out gang tackling him or forcing him out of bounds?

9:12: The fact that I haven’t had to mention Bryant Browning once yet this evening is only a positive.

9:13: Nice close up on the Gatorade logo, Fox. Got to pay the bills somehow, right?

9:18: Shammgoddammit! I knew I shouldn’t have jinxed the team by mention Browning. That false start is going to change a touchdown into a field goal.

9:20: At least both our kickers have gotten into the scoring column, with a Ryan Pretorius field goal. How about a touchdown boys? On the whole however, a nice 11 play, 68 yard drive, which ate up a large chunk of clock. Is this the return of Tresselball?

9:22: 200 yards and 6 points? I don’t know if I should feel glad to be ahead, or disappointed that we aren’t ahead by more.

9:24: Shaun Lane is hurt. I don’t think there was a special teams tackle made this season by anyone else on the team. I have no doubt that he will be back. Shaun Lane could play on my team any day.

9:26: I don’t have any idea what drinkability is, but I think I would enjoy the commercials more if they were all about detachability. I do know that Bud Light tastes like piss water.

9:28: I see the cart on the field for Shaun Lane. I still think he comes back… rather, I hope he comes back. Shaun Lane may be my most favorite least known Buckeye ever. Him and Antonio Smith.

9:32: The Buckeyes secondary looks very, very soft. I sense a big play coming.

9:37: I don’t know if that’s Colt McCoy’s sister or girlfriend. Wow. Someone should call Brady Quinn and tell him that’s what a sister should look like, rather than some half-bred horse anomaly.

9:38: Thanks again Mack Brown. 4th and 7 and you go for it. James Laurinaitis with the sack. This would be huge if the Buckeyes could use the rest of the clock and put some points on the board.

9:42: I took a break from the half-assed Buckeyes' drive to research the girl sitting next to Colt McCoy’s dad. Apparently her name is Rachel Glandorf (from Baylor University) and she works for CBS affiliate KEYE42-TV in Austin, Texas, and she is Colt’s girlfriend. I should have been a quarterback.

9:44: And we have our big play. McCoy passes 37 yards to Chris …. Ogbonnaya. I suppose his first name is Chris. Somehow the Buckeyes took a perfect opportunity to kill any life in Texas before the half and allowed Texas the chance to score and go into the locker room feeling pretty good about themselves.

9:46: Scratch that – first huge play of the game as Anderson Russell (or Russell Anderson according to Tim Ryan) comes away with an interception at the goal line. 6-3 Buckeyes at the half.

Halftime thoughts: This game has to be going close to perfect in Tressel’s eyes. No turnovers, controlling the clock, and the defense keeping the Longhorns out of the end zone. What is really being shown in the first half is that Texas did not belong in the National Championship. I look for Texas to come out slinging for the big plays in the second half. I just hope Tressel doesn’t play not to lose, as I’ve witnessed too much this season.

10:08: Beanie Wells and 95 yards in the first half. The Buckeyes are 15-1 when Beanie has rushed for over 100 yards, with the only loss coming last year against LSU. Something to think about.

10:10: Good news, Shaun Lane is alright. Though, since he is at the hospital, I’d say a return is doubtful.

10:11: Another 3rd and long conversation by the Longhorns. Awful, just awful.

10:13: It appears that Texas, and Colt McCoy especially, maybe trying so hard to prove that they should have been playing Thursday that they are playing tight. The pass by McCoy over the middle to his tight-end was terrible. The Longhorns can thank Chimdi Chekwa and his pass interference for bailing them out.

10:19: Mack Brown going for it again on 4th down with a fake punt. I guess poor decision-making had to pay off at some point.

10:21: Great open-field tackle by Chekwa. Possibly makes up for the pass interference. Possibly.

10:22: Another fourth down conversion.

10:24: Questionable roughing the passer call on Thaddeus Gibson. This drive is turning sour quickly.

10:25: Longhorns take the lead on a nifty Colt McCoy run. Too many second chances for Texas on this drive. Penalties and allowing 4th down conversions never equal success. Texas 10-6. I just worry that this drive gives McCoy and Texas the confidence back that they seemed to be lacking initially.

10:29: I agree with Tim Ryan after seeing the replay of the Gibson hit. It wasn’t helmet to helmet, it was helmet to shoulder. Unless it was considered a late hit, I think OSU got hosed.

10:30: You cannot win football games completing only 4 passes with your starting quarterback. I want to see more Boeckman, otherwise the Longhorns have no reason to respect our passing game.

10:34: You’d think at this point, the camera operators would be aware that Texas is running a hurry-up offense. I really enjoy catching the end of plays.

10:36: Intentional grounding called on McCoy, on about a 5 second delay. Maybe the Refs were watching on TV and we have the camera operators to thank. Buckeyes need a stop here.

10:38: I really hope Ray Small and Ohio State have put them problems behind them from earlier in the season and that Ray returns next year. Without the Brians around (if Hartline leaves as expected), Small would have a chance to be a big time player next year.

10:41: Speaking of – is Brian Hartline even playing tonight? Maybe Tressel is keeping him out of the game plan in hope that he’ll return for his senior season. Has OSU ever had a more boring tandem at wide receivers than the Brians. I don’t blame Tressel, I forget they’re on the team sometimes too.

10:44: The Defense is looking tired. Tackling is getting sloppy, holes are getting larger, and the tide appears to be turning for the worse. The Buckeyes need a big defensive play to turn this game around.

10:47: "Penalty-assisted" is a good way of describing this second half. Penalty-assisted and pretty much what everyone expected.

10:48: What an awful drive. The team looks like it pretty much just gave up. This has been the hallmark of this squad – failing to live up to its potential and its talent. This next quarter will go a long way to determine the seniors’ legacy at Ohio State. Do they want to be known as underachievers, or do they want to show that they have heart? Texas -17 OSU – 6.

10:52: The frustrating thing about this game is that the Longhorns don’t seem like they are a vastly better team than Ohio State. Texas has played as though they expected to win despite being down, whereas Ohio State has fallen behind and appears to have abandoned all hope. There is an obvious question of leadership with this squad.

10:55: Todd Boeckman comes in and makes a play. I know I’ve been tooting the Todd Boeckman horn all game long, but, if Ohio State wins this game, I bet it will be in large part because of Boeckman.

10:58: Pryor comes back in and makes an awful throw that should have been picked off. At least the Buckeyes managed a field goal, Texas 17, OSU -9. Let’s see if the defense has decided to rejoin the party.

10:59: Glad to see Darryl Dawkins and Vlade Divac are doing well for themselves, staring in a Taco Bell commercial. Was Gheorghe Muresan not available? And score one for the kids. And why isn’t it mentioned more about what an awful deal it was for Charlotte to trade the rights to Kobe for Vlade. Who wants a Hall of Famer when you can have Eurotrash?

11:04: Tim Ryan is correct - the hurry up offense is killing the Buckeyes defense. They look confused and frustrated. Monster hit by Malcolm Jenkins – unfortunate that no one could recover the fumble. Only one pass thrown Jenkins way all game so far. That’s mad respect.

11:13: Ok, here’s my frustration with Beanie – we only ever get a glimpse of him. Beanie limped off the field a little earlier and now is sitting on the bench in crunch time. I wonder if Beanie will ever be healthy enough to be a big time NFL back. Fantastic grab by Robiskie by the way.

11:15: Simple pass by Pryor to Jake Ballard that was poorly thrown. Is that Derek Anderson I see back there? Now, he follows it up with a great run, but I really hope Pryor spends all summer working on his throwing.

11:17: I should have shirts made up – No Mo’ Wells, No ‘Mo Wells. It could have a picture of Maurice Wells falling to the ground at the slightest contact.

11:19: Two huge penalties against the Longhorns, a pass interference and unsportsmanlike conduct. Let’s see if the Buckeyes can use the Longhorns’ mistakes to their advantage and put this in the end zone.

11:20: Boeckman to Pryor. Who had that for the first Buckeyes' touchdown in the game? I knew Boeckman was going to factor into this game at the end somehow. And Pryor skips the 2-point conversion. His throws are horrible. Ugh. I would have kept Boeckman in there for the attempt. However, we have a game again. The Buckeyes are showing signs of life.

11:26: BIG, BIG, BIG 3 and out for the Buckeyes Defense. Does Colt appear shaken again? This is where Beanie is needed – to eat some clock, drive down the field, and set up the game winning field goal.

11:29: Almost a Penn. State déjà vu moment, with the mishandled snap. Thank God Boeckman is
back in the game. And making plays –finding who - the tight end? I vaguely remember him in this offense. His name is Hamby – right? (Just kidding, sorry, sorry).

11:32: This game makes me extremely happy for Todd Boeckman, even if Ohio State ends up losing. He has taken control of this game. And if Ohio State wins, Boeckman goes out a hero.

11:33: Boom Herron touchdown run. Boeckman back in for the 2-pt conversion – and Pryor pushes off for offensive pass interference and pass interference on the defense…. I keep Boeckman back there for the attempt. However, I’m not Tressel and Pryor comes in and surprise, surprise, incomplete pass. Put that one on Rory Nicol though. OSU 21, Texas 17.

11:39: Third and 8 and a penalty that doesn’t matter as Texas converts anyways. Longhorns are driving down the field. And I’m getting nervous.

11:41: Fourth down – catch made – is it a first down or is it the ball game? Tressel is going mad on the sidelines -

11:44: Tressel challenges for the first time all season and losses - this one is going to come down to the wire.

11:46: Cosby - wide open touchdown. Unbelievable. Our defense, which has looked confused all game - caves in once again. I'm in shock. Letting the Longhorns drive down the field and shove it down our throats, it highlighted the problem with our defense all game.

11:50 Boeckman goes down in a heap - enough time for one play. Hail Mary - incomplete. Final Score: Texas -24 OSU -21

Final thoughts: The Buckeyes put up a better display than most people thought they would. Texas arguably could have been in the National Championship game, and OSU matched them play for play. This team has nothing to be disappointed about in the end. I am especially proud of Todd Boeckman coming in and playing as well he did. OSU has a good base to work off of for next season. This loss is not like the LSU or Florida losses. Despite the outcome, I'm proud to be a Buckeye tonight.
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Heartbreak

Two options: I can go the classy route and congratulate OSU for playing a hell of a game or I can go the petulant jerk route and point out everything they did wrong. If, as I contemplated, I had written this column at the end of the third quarter, we all would've been treated to the latter. However, after watching those guys fight back and nearly pull it out, I'll tip my hat to them and try to write a slightly classier piece.

I'm too tired for eloquent prose so we'll make this short and concise:

The Good:

1. Ohio State may have finally figured out how to play defense against a modern spread attack. Instead of sitting on their heels and letting Texas crossing route them to death, the Buckeyes blitzed from all over the field and kept McCoy on the run all night. If not for some tough (and in the case of Gibson's second personal foul, terrible) penalties on the Longhorns' first scoring drive, OSU may have gotten into McCoy's head and had more success in the second half. Still, they played a great game and were one foot and/or Anderson Russell blown tackle away from winning the game.

2. OSU has some good looking pass rushers coming back next year. In Gibson, Heyward, Rose, Williams, and possibly Wilson, OSU could have a very good defensive front.

3. The Buckeyes may not have won the game but the healing of Ohio State's National image may have begun. The defense showed they were for real and the offense managed 21 points with a freshman under center. I really think you will see the national perception of OSU improve, at least a little bit in the wake of this game.

4. No surprise here by Pryor is very good in the open field when he actually makes up his mind and decides to run the ball. If his throwing ever gets to the point where it's just bad instead of laughable, he will be very tough to contain.

5. James Laurinaitis, you deserve credit for being a badass tonight. The dude was making plays all over the field. I'll always maintain that in the grand scheme of things, Laurinaitis was one of the most overrated players in OSU history....but not tonight. He played an outstanding game. The same can be said for Malcolm Jenkins. Absolute stud.

The Bad:

1. Pryor can't throw the ball. He flat out can't throw the ball. I mean I'm sure he's physically capable but as of right now, he can't throw. Period. What saddens me is that Tressel convinced Pryor all season that he couldn't just be a runner. Well you know what, when you're up two scores against Michigan State, that's fine. Work on reading coverages and making throws. When you're playing in a BCS bowl, utilize the skills that you have. Pryor should've been running all over the field tonight. He left at least 6 points out there because of the stupid notion that he can't just be a runner. It was just senseless. Also, on that note, Pryor is 6'6 235. There was no reason for Tressel to have him running out of bounds every time a defender got within 5 yards of him. I'm sure Tressel never intended him to forget where he was on the field (the first drive) but I thought the message in general was bad. They needed Pryor to make big plays when he scrambled. I thought it was hard for him to do that when he was obviously told to protect himself at all costs.

2. Get these offensive tackles out of my life....forever. I mean it. I never want to see Alex Boone again. The only time I ever want to see Bryant Browning again is if he's getting water for Mike Adams and J.B. Shugarts in practice next year. They're absolutely helpless against an edge rush. Boone might, and I stress might, make an average guard at the next level but he has about as much chance of being a successful NFL tackle as I do.

3. Get these wide receivers out of my life. Yes, yes, I know, Robiskie made some catches down the stretch. Good for him. He can't get any separation. None of the OSU receivers can seem to get any separation. You know why? Because they're slow (Matt Vasgersian's wonderful observations aside). Posey and Marlon Brown (fingers crossed) can start next year. We can't continue to play with pedestrian athletes on the outside. Next year, I'll take those guys on the outside with Sanzenbacher in the slot and Stoneburner at TE. Now that would be a formidable attack.

4. Chris Wells....oh Chris Wells. It's just never been right with you. I'm not a doctor so I'm not going to hide behind my keyboard and call you soft. All I will say is that it's really a shame your body is not cut out to play football. What a breathtaking talent to waste. Wells has 10 carries a game in the NFL written all over him.

5. Although overall, I thought it was a great defensive effort, the Buckeyes didn't exactly adjust to that hurry up offense. Apparently the dry erase marker ran out of ink before Heacock could diagram our defensive lineman running their portly asses across the line of scrimmage and getting set because it never happened. That one was a bit of a head scratcher.

The Absolutely Indefensible:

1. Jim Tressel, the jig is up. You are a wonderful head coach and you run one of the best programs in the country. All things considered, I wouldn't trade you for any coach in America. That being said, as long as you stubbornly insist on calling the plays, you will continue to waste talent and blow big games. There's just no excuse. Texas has their ends halfway up the field the entire game and you run one screen and a handful of draws. No excuse. You come into the game with the somewhat logical plan of using Boeckman in passing situations and then, inexplicably, you forget about it for half the game. No excuse. You have a starting quarterback whose only weapon is his legs and you keep letting him take normal drops into the collapsing pocket. ROLL HIM OUT. I mean this is so basic that it makes me want to pull my hair out. I'm so god damn tired of this insanity. I'm calling it like I see it. Offensively, the game has passed Tressel by (and yes, this is a complete waste of time beause Tressel is never giving up playcalling duties).

2. Along those same lines, Tressel has yet to realize that a first half field goal is completely worthless in College football. Seriously, you can't drive all the way down the field and keep kicking it. It's an absolute waste and it kills your momentum. If it's short yardage and you're inside the 30 or so, go for it. If you're ouside the 30, punt it and pin them deep. I'm so sick of watching this team settle for crappy field goals. It always comes back to bite them in the ass. They were playing a team tonight that averages a ton of points. Did Tressel really think the defense would hold all game? If not, he had no business kicking it 3 times in the first half.

The Comedically Abominable:

1. Really Fox? Tim Ryan and Matt Vasgersian? That's the A-team? You spend a fortune to get a BCS game and skimp on the announcers? I genuinely felt like I was watching thursday night Big East football the entire game. What a joke. Get a life Fox.

2. Since when did Laura Okmin start looking like a washed up stripper (a tip of the cap to my buddy Pete for that description. I was going to go with recovering heroine addict but the stripper description is just spot on)?

3. I have absolutely no problems with Texas. Mack Brown seems like an alright guy and for the most part, their athletes and fans don't bother me. That said, what a hilariously cliche' enterprise Texas football is. The band uniforms, the quarterback named "Colt," the qb and wr being childhood friends and roomates just like their dads were, the qb's semi-hot bleach blonde girlfriend in the stands, all the blissfully ignornant fans in their stetsons.... I almost think Texas should get rid of Bevo and just have a guy running around the sidelines in a burnt orange Yosemite Sam costume. We get it Texas. You're all very rugged and cowboyish. Now stop trying so hard. It really takes away from an otherwise respectible thing you've got going on down there.

Conclusion:

There's no getting around the fact that I'm heartbroken right now. I really thought OSU played well enough to win. I thought they were the better team tonight and a win could've done so much for this program on so many different fronts. Still, i'm optimistic about next year. Other then Jenkins and Wells (when he's not nursing something), I don't think there's a single guy we're losing that can't be replaced with someone of equal or greater talent. Moreover, I think the offensive line will be 100x better once the young studs are installed next year. Everything will come down to how well a vintage coaching staff can develop Pryor's skills and decision-making abilities and whether they can put him in a system that hasn't, unbeknownst to them, already gone the way of the steam engine.

Read the rest of this article

Ohio State - Texas Fiesta Bowl Preview

Ohio State chokes in every big game. The Big Ten is a joke. Speed Kills. Tressel needs to be replaced - the game has passed him by.

For the past three seasons, OSU fans have had to listen to some variation of these criticisms and this bowl season has been no different. Whether it's Mark May and the geriatric bashing of the Buckeyes or Bachelor Palmer putting 30 confidence points on Texas beating us.

Call me naive, call me a blind OSU homer, call me whatever you want, but I give OSU a good chance of beating Texas in the Fiesta Bowl and here is why:

1) OSU is the best all-around defense Texas will face this season.

We've all seen how great those Big 12 defenses are. Can we all say "EXPOSED" when they were matched up with teams outside their conference. OU gave up 21 to UC at home (and UC was down to their third male cheerleader playing QB in the second half). Missouri struggled to stop a Northwestern team that OSU manhandled at home. And, Mississippi put up a million against TTU. I'm not worried about OSU's defense losing the game for the Buckeyes.

Yes, OSU has struggled against spread offenses and mobile QBs, giving up tons of 8-12 yard passes, getting no pass rush and losing containment on the QB and allowing him to pick up vital first downs. I see this game being different because OSU's pass rush has improved, Texas doesn't have a serious running threat and their WRs, despite great numbers, are not game breakers who require extra attention. If Texas thinks that having their star QB run 15 times against OSU is a good plan, in the words of Judas Priest "You got another thing coming." If Texas relies on McCoy to carry the load, they might just find him on the sidelines before things are said and done.

Don't get me wrong, I think Texas will put up 17-21 points, but if they think they're gonna stroll in and hang up 35...not gonna happen. Many will cite the USC game and say I'm crazy. But, OSU's best player didn't play a down in that game. Todd Boeckman gave USC 10-14 points and it was Mr. Pryor's first significant action. Mark my words: OSU's defense will not be the reason if OSU happens to lose to Bevo.

2) Texas has not faced a running game like OSU's.

Beanie Wells is arguably the best running back in college football. He has now had a month and a half to get completely healthy. The country hasn't seen a healthy Beanie since the first half of the Youngstown State game. It's a scary thing. Not only does OSU have a top running back, they've got a top rushing QB paired with him. If Texas thinks Frankie Muniz is a running threat, wait until they see Pryor sprinting down the sidelines, stiff arming their linebackers to the ground.3) Tressel finally appears to be at least sampling the Kool-Aid.

For years Tressel has called spread offenses and trick plays a "gimmick." I am on of the few that still loves Tresselball and I get a little excited when we cover a 50 yard punt well, but I even I understand the need for diversity and unpredictability on offense. Lately, OSU has become fairly predictable on offense. But, I'm giddy about something that happened very recently...something magical...the words came scrolling across the ESPN Bottom Line, "OSU may use Terrelle Pryor and Todd Boeckman on the field at the same time in the Fiesta Bowl." Even if they never see the field together, it's something that Texas has to prepare for. And I suspect that Tressel means business this year. He's widely known to be loyal, sometimes to a fault, to his seniors. That isn't going to change in this game. Bedshitter Boeckman is going to see the field, but instead of a reason for OSU fans to cringe, I see him as the X-factor in this game (I'll wait for the laughter to die down).

If given time, he's a great passer. Yes, if he's pressured, he looks like a scared puppy who's not sure what to do besides lay down and curl up in the fetal position (sprinkle in some throws to the wrong colored jerseys). But, if Tressel runs some spread offense and can give Boeckman short to mid-range throws OSU is in business. When Boeckman is in OSU can't have him faking the option read on pass plays. This gives the defensive pass rush too much time to get in Boeckman's face and Texas isn't going to believe or cares that Boeckman is going to hold onto the ball and run. I can see OSU exploiting a very suspect Texas secondary without allowing Texas enough time to get pressure on Boeckman if they put him in the shotgun with 4-5 receivers spreading the field and the ball is out of his hand quickly. OSU's receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline are future NFL receivers. They've just been forgotten because OSU has focused almost exclusively on running the ball. I see that changing against Texas. There will be plenty of running, but Tressel is going to throw the ball more often than OSU fans have become accustomed to and that will lead to OSU getting into the endzone more than OSU fans have become accustomed to against elite teams.

Texas is a great team and in my opinion should be playing against Florida in the national championship game. Their offensive stats are impressive and their only loss was due to a freshman defensive back missing a gimme interception. But, I see weaknesses that OSU can take advantage of and I don't think Texas respects OSU's physicality as much as they should. Above all, I have no faith in Mack Brown's big-game coaching. Could Jan. 5 be just another in a growing list of big game losses by OSU? Sure. But, for some reason I just don't see it this year. Pryor coming to OSU was the start of a new era, and the nation will be put on notice of his arrival on January 5th at 8pm.

Predicted Score: tOSU: 27 Texas: 20 Read the rest of this article

Playing it Too Close to the Sweater Vest

Tresselball is dead. Last night's 13-6 lost to the Penn State Nitty Lions served as its solemn funeral. The days of playing not to lose have failed the Buckeye faithful. And, it's time for a change.

Next to Woody Hayes, Jim Tressel is undoubtedly the most revered OSU football coach in the team's history and deservedly so. One national title, three national championship appearances and 4 Big Ten titles over the course of eight years is very impressive. But like Woody Hayes and all the great coaches, Tressel has an ego, a belief that his approach to the game of football is the best approach and in many cases, the only approach. Tressel's game plan can best be describe as a "battle of attrition" - controlling the ball, avoiding mistakes and playing for field position. This style of play has become predictable, boring and perhaps most discouraging - beatable.

Penn State's victory last night is a symptom of the overall problem. At no point in the game did Ohio State look over matched or vastly outplayed. The defense performed admirably, holding a Nitty Lions team that came in averaging 460 yards to only 281 yard of total offense. And had Terrelle Pryor not fumbled early in the 4th quarter it's possible that we'd be talking about a hard fought victory. However, Pryor did fumble and the Buckeyes did lose. And though Pryor's fumble was the direct cause of the loss, the real culprit was that after the Buckeyes took a 6-3 lead, Ohio State's playbook essentially became one dimensional in that almost every play was to hand the ball off to Beanie Wells. Instead of trying to add on to a its slim lead, Ohio State broke out its familiar vanilla defensive style of football that has become a trademark of the Tressel era - playing not to lose.

Penn State spent of the majority of the game loading the box with defenders, daring Jim Tressel to run the ball. Jim Tressel happily obliged. Any Buckeye fan who has watched a game over the past few weeks could tell you that the usual offensive series goes something like the following, hand the ball off to Beanie Wells, hand the ball off to Beanie Wells, attempt a short safe pass to pick up the first down - usually resulting in a Pyror scramble for a large sack or a first down. At the risk of avoiding Pyror throwing the ball and potentially causing a turnover, the Ohio State playbook has become that of a watered down high school team's. Absent is not only the razzle and dazzle (a flea flicker with Beanie or an end around with Posey -anyone?) but also the crossing routes, the 12 yards posts and any semblance of having the tight end involved in the offense. With teams obviously expecting the Buckeyes to run the ball the majority of the time with Pyror in as the QB - why not think outside the box and put Todd Boeckman in as QB, with both Pyror and Beanie Wells in the backfield for a few plays. This would eliminate the ability of the opposing team to load the box and open up a variety of triple options and pass type option plays.

Jim Tressel has had a large amount of success with his approach to football in the past. So much so, that it has become almost sacrilegious to question his football philosophy. And Jim Tressel deserves a lot of respect for his accomplishments. But when an individual who has so much success in the past suddenly faces adversity the question becomes how does he respond. Take the recent example of Vince Young. The supremely talented quarterback of the Tennessee Titans who has had success at every level was suddenly booed at home - resulting in his desire to quit the game of football. Seeing his football team being dominated against USC, a sideline reporter went up to Jim Tressel at halftime to get his comments on the first half. Tressel's response? Attempting to run past and avoiding saying anything at all. Eventually he did stop and respond in a somewhat shell-shocked manner. Tressel cannot keep his head down and plow forward with the same scheme in the future. If Tressel is unable to devise the necessary changes for the offense, perhaps it is time to bring in an offensive coordinator to take over his play calling duties. Regardless, Tresselball is dead at OSU. Read the rest of this article

Uninspring Win for the Bucks

The Ohio State Buckeyes displayed what may be, sadly, the best offense in Ohio yesterday in a 16-3 victory over Purdue. Frustrating is the adjective that seems most fitting to describe the players, play calling, and game plan, however a win is a win. Unfortunately with the Big 10 being cast as more than a step slow, second fiddle type conference, these type of games for the face of the Big 10 do not do anything to repair the national rep.

On the message boards, near the coffee maker, and in text messages across the nation Jim Tressel has taken a lot of flak for his play calling, and his coordinators offensive game plan. When it comes down to it, you could put together the best game plan in the world, or call a sequence of plays that stymies defensive coordinators around the league, but if you do not have the players to execute the plays, all of your work is useless. I am not totally exonerating Tressel and Bollman of all blame, but the players on offense are not great. Yet. TP is taking a lot of heat after the game he had yesterday. He holds the ball too long. He tries to make a big play every time. He misses open receivers. The bottom line is 365 days ago he was breaking every tackle, running by everyone once he got into the secondary, and by all reports had a better offensive line in Jeanette than in Columbus. He is growing into the position slowly but surely. Remember, Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith had a lot of trouble beating out Justin Zwick early in his career, let alone figuring out what to do with the ball when he was on the field. Once he gets it, and by it i mean experience, he is (for all redundancy sake) going to be scary.

TP does not have much help immediately around him right now. The line is not so good. Adams needs to play every snap. Wouldn't it be fun to watch Beanie run behind the line that Maurice Clarett was afforded as a freshman? Olivea, Stepanovich and the rest clearing the road for Clarett made it seem like he was never touched in the backfield. Beanie is having to make cuts seemingly before he even gets the ball. It was nice to see Posey get some touches and Lamaar Thomas also had a reception and a nice little run after catch. Have to find some guys who can create separation.

Defensively, I am still not 100% sold on Malcolm Jenkins as a cover corner. He had a great day yesterday. However, I am not sure if he is going to be able to shut down above average receivers. We shall see what Clevelander Brian Hoyer has in store for him next week. On the other side of the field Chimdi Chekwa showed some great promise in breaking up a few passes and making some nice open field tackles. Denlinger provided some spark on the interior of the Dline. I would like to see the defense create more turnovers, but you really can't get upset when the defense allows just 3 points, and were never really in trouble of giving up a touchdown all day.

The weeks ahead will decide the Big 10 title as Michigan State looked good in beating Northwestern, and Penn State bulldozed Wisconsin last night. Read the rest of this article

TP's late TD beats Badgers

Terrelle Pryor is fun. Even when he is taking 15 yard sacks, he is fun to watch. Aside from Vince Young, his body control is far superior to any quarterback his size in recent memory. It is not just his size, strength, and speed. Athleticism in sports has as more to do with body control than it does physical ability.

A prime example of this can be found if you watch HBO's Hard Knocks onDemand. One of the "stars" of the Cowboys training camp was Todd Lowber. I had the pleasure of attending Ramapo College (or Rama-whaat in the words of Patrick Crayton) when Lowber was making highlight reel dunks off every opening tip of Roadrunner basketball games. He dunked on my head numerous times in pickup games. I have seen his 6'4'', 225lb frame up close and personal. He won the NCAA high jump contest after not having participated in track and field since high school. He ran a documented sub 4.3 forty at NFL workouts. He possibly was the most "athletic" player in NFL training camp this summer. He got cut. He may show up again because of his freak of nature type traits, but he got cut nonetheless. He was not able to control his body enough coming into his routes.

The thing that is so impressive about Pryor's ability is being able to control such a big body moving so fast. He is able to change direction in an instant, while brushing off a wouldbe tackler. Another impressive feature is that, at quarterback, he is in every play. He routinely is battling against 2, 3, or 4 tacklers, fighting for every yard. When Beanie does this, the next play can be a pass, or Herron can spell him. Pryor has to line right back up, and get it going again. This is often taken for granted, but it is very important to recognize.

There has been some doubt over his throwing motion, and the Buckeyes have even tinkered with his arm slot on his delivery. Either the cut on his hand last night forced him to make some adjustments, or he went back to his old style of throwing. Whatever the case may be, it was effective. He is tall enough to throw 3/4 motion over the line, therefore I do not have much problem with it.

He is going to have to continue to impress because...

The defensive line is a joke. This point has been beaten deader than dead, but the interior line is awful. They make Laurinaitis look like a bum. A lot has been made over him not being in on as many plays as in the past, but when you see running backs busting through for a 5 10 or 15 yard games the offensive linemen don't stop running. They come off their blocks and headhunt for number 33. It would be nice to find some guys who can occupy offensive linemen, let alone demand a double team.

The playcalling on both sides of the ball has been pretty putrid. In the second half of the game last night they let Pryor open it up a bit, and on the game winning drive, he made huge strides for Tressel having confidence in him to let him throw down field. Defensively, either the personnel is bad, or the scheme is bad, or both. The soft coverage is frustrating, and the lack of being able to stop anyone running the ball is infuriating. The fact that the opposing quarterback has all day to throw is annoying to say the least. This all goes back to having four competent and capable downlinemen.

Someone needs to show up with a pair of hands to catch Pryor's "frozen ropes." It looked like Hartline until he almost fumbled away the game. Some speed on the outside would help, keeping the DBs back a bit so Wells and TP can get a few extra yards.

All of this being said, The Buckeyes held the Badgers to 17 points. You can look up Wisconsin's home winning streak, record in night games, recent success over the Buckeyes, etc., but the fact of the matter is OSU won the game. Nobody bit on a double move by a guy with a new knee like Gamble, no one tried to choke the opposing quarterback like Reynolds, and the Buckeyes did not fade in a primetime national game(USC, LSU, Texas, Penn St.).

After the game at USC, every fan was left wondering... "what the hell is going to happen in next season's rematch? The starters will pretty much be gone, so the players that couldn't play over them this year are going to play. Pryor will still be green because of Tressel's loyalty to Boeckman. This is going to be a disaster." This game should be the start of hopefully putting some minds at ease.

For now OSU has to look forward to the Boilermakers at home, and a tough game against a former Tresselite in Dantonio, and OSU-shunned Ringer, before the game that will hopefully decide the Big 10 Champion against Penn State. It will be fun watching the maturation of not only Pryor, but his good buddy who may have been the deciding factor in bringing TP to Columbus, new starting center Mike Brewster. Their relationship on and off the field will hopefully catapult OSU over the proverbial hump.

Go Bucks. Read the rest of this article