3 Big Questions For Next Season And Beyond

Who's taking over?

(Assuming Braxton Miller starts) What happens if he has led the Buckeye’s to a 5-0 record next season when Pryor and the rest of the Tat5 are ready to rejoin the team?

This is a tough scenario to envision right now but I think it is entirely possible that OSU can handle their business without Pryor and company. The first five games of the 2011 campaign (Akron, Toledo, Miami, Colorado, Michigan St.) are winnable no matter who the Buckeye’s throw out there. Lucky for us, we have the #1 or #2 quarterback recruit in the country (depending on what scouting service you adhere to) with a full spring, summer and fall to learn the playbook and develop some chemistry with his teammates.

I watched 3 games, including the state title game, with Braxton at the helm and came away very impressed with the kid’s talent and heart.

I am very excited for the Buckeye’s to hand over the keys to Mr. Miller. There are some out there that think Taylor Graham or Kenny Guiton may get the opportunity to run things while Pryor is away but I believe Braxton will get every opportunity to show his stuff early in the season. Miller has a better throwing arm than Pryor and though he isn’t quite the physical specimen that Pryor is with his feet, he is more than capable of getting the scrambling yards. The thought of having a QB that can make the intermediate and longer throws is intoxicating to me. It is well known that Pryor has trouble with those types of passes and I think Miller may be the next great thing in Columbus. Am I setting myself up for disappointment? Maybe, but I have great confidence in Braxton after watching him bring his team an eyelash away from a state title this season. High School football is a far cry from the Big Ten but all the intangibles are there for success.

Is Rod Smith ready to take over the starting role in the backfield as a redshirt freshman?

I love running backs and what they can bring to the table for an offense. I have always gotten myself all worked up for Buckeye running back recruits in the past only to be let down more often than not. I spent all of last season clamoring for Jamaal Berry and Carlos Hyde to get more time before Boom Herron finally came into his own down the stretch. I still think that these two have a lot to offer the team and they will get their chance with Herron looking on from the sideline to open the year. However, there is a new kid in town that has teammates and fans alike buzzing.

Roderick Smith came into the program with a ton of hype out of Harding High School in Indiana. Some of his highlights on YouTube are nothing short of fantastic. With a crowded backfield in Columbus last year, the staff decided to redshirt him and save some eligibility for down the road. When finally given a chance to show his stuff in Sugar Bowl practices, Smith did not disappoint. Many of his fellow teammates raved at his explosiveness and nasty running style. Even Tressel was forced to address some questions about him leading up to the game because of all the buzz the kid had created.

There are rumors out there that Smith may already have the inside track to the starting role for next season. If that is the case, I don’t see how we keep everybody in that backfield. Berry has hinted recently that he may transfer if not given a chance to start in the near future. I certainly don’t want that because the kid obviously has skills. He displayed great speed and elusiveness on the limited carriers he received last year and especially on kickoff return duties. However, it would be silly to think that all of these guys would stick around if Smith is given the starting role. It is a great problem to have and once again shows the recruiting power that OSU possesses. Hopefully the Bucks can figure out a way to spread out the touches to keep all of these guys on board but I’m not holding my breath. If Smith is as good as advertised, the collateral damage is unavoidable.

How many more seasons can we expect from The Vest, and who might be a successor to him when he finally calls it quits?

It has been a great decade with The Vest running the show in C-Bus. Tresselball can be aggravating and downright scary at times, but you can’t argue with results. The guy has singlehandedly eased the pain from the Cooper years and delivered a national title to the state. I seriously don’t know what kind of person I would be without that title. As a Browns and Indians fan, the Buckeyes are the only ones to reach the pinnacle of their respective sport. No time in my life has been sweeter than that cold January night back in 2003. I still watch the game from time to time to try and get that feeling running through my veins again.

There has been speculation that Tressel may be on his last extension. I kind of find that hard to believe, but you never know. I recently saw images of Tressel in his first season with the Bucks and was astonished at how fast his hair has turned gray. Tressel gives off that cool and confident vibe but it is quite apparent that he feels the stress of his position just like any other coach out there. Even The Vest may be tired of living in the fish bowl that is Columbus, OH. So who may be in line to replace our beloved coach?

I have heard a few names pop up. Bo Pelini has been a popular choice though his antics on the sideline this year may have turned some folks off. He is obviously a Buckeye at heart and has turned around the Cornhuskers this season. I wouldn’t have a problem with this as long as he keeps Nebraska in the title discussion until he would get to Columbus.

Urban Meyer has also made the rounds on the message boards. It is well known that his dream jobs included Notre Dame and Ohio State. Some think that this latest hiatus from coaching was made to wait out Tressel at OSU. While he does have some health issues to deal with, I think that this conspiracy theory may not be too far from the truth. He is a Midwestern guy and I could see him donning the scarlet and gray someday. Obviously, Meyer has the credentials and experience to coach a program like OSU. Time will tell I suppose.

Luke Fickel also gets some love and I think he will be a great coach someday… after a couple stints at lower level schools. He is a great recruiter and valuable commodity to have on the Buckeye staff. Many, including me, believe that he must first earn his stripes in a lesser conference (MAC, Big East, WAC) before taking over an elite program. The thought does intrigue me though.

This is all speculation of course and Tressel owns the key to the city. He can stay as long as he wants and deservedly so. The last decade has been arguably the most successful stretch in Buckeye history. The fence around Ohio talent has never been higher and we constantly steal the best talent out of rich recruiting grounds such as Western Pennsylvania (a small personal victory over those damn Steeler fans). Things have never been better in Buckeyeland so let’s sit back and enjoy the ride.