Troy Smith Sees Greatness In Ohio State Quarterback Braxton Miller

The sky is the limit for Miller

Since first stepping onto the field in a game against the Akron Zips in the 2011 season, sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller has drawn many comparisons in his style of play. 

It's a common thing college football fans do. Terrelle Pryor was Vince Young, Carlos Hyde is/was Eddie George. When Miller took the reins at quarterback, he instantly was the next Troy Smith. 

Out of many comparisons, I think this one in particular is spot on. Both quarterbacks aren't the tallest in the game (Smith is 6'0" while Braxton stands at 6'3"), but the athletic ability surpasses any type of weakness. Whether it's making plays with their feet or dancing around would-be tacklers to buy time to throw, Troy and Braxton have a lot in common.

Now, Troy Smith himself is calling out the comparison. Only thing is, he's taking it one step even further: 

“I see a lot of myself in him, all of myself,” Smith said. “I solely believe he has a chance to be 10 times better than I was. He’s a lot faster. He’s a much better athlete.

“I’m extremely excited about his future. I want to see him take off.”

Smith said he is impressed with how Miller handles himself off the field, as well, something he learned more about when he said the two quarterbacks met for the first time recently. Smith said Miller and other players today have increased media coverage and social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook, which put standouts such as Miller under more of a microscope than Smith was under during his OSU career.

To not only be compared to Troy Smith by Smith himself, but to also be told that he can be ten times better than what Smith was in college is a pretty damn good compliment. Smith, as you know, won a Heisman trophy in 2006 while on the way to the biggest stage in college football. The Buckeyes hadn't been to the championship game since 2002, when Smith was a freshman (he later red-shirted). The ending wasn't as sweet as anyone wanted it to be, but Troy had led his team to the promised land. 

Spring Practice Notes: Day 9

Option/Zone Read (Josh Winslow)

In what was the best practice of the spring thus far, Urban Meyer left the field a very happy man. Let's take a look at some key notes from the practice brought to you by Cleveland.com

- Urban Meyer was upbeat after what he called the best practice of his tenure at Ohio State.

"That was AIA. That's our best practice of the spring, one of the best practices I've seen," Meyer said. "The intensity level was an A. Competitiveness was an A. Coaching was an A by our assistant coaches. Execution is obviously not an A, but it doesn't have to be right now.

"If you want to see a ball practice, that was a ball practice."

- Meyer was most excited by the offense, which beat the defense in a practice scrimmage for the first time. This scrimmage focused on third-down execution, with third-and-five situations repeated. Meyer said the offense had a 70 or 80 percent success rate before the defense battled back.

"Snaps are hitting the quarterback right between the numbers. It's not a clown show out there like at a couple points. Guys are competing. That's why I'm going to leave here tonight impressed with the Ohio State Buckeyes," Meyer said.

"It's huge. It's not about execution. I'm not worried about that right now. But I want to see guys go and I want to see an offense resemble an offense and the defense come back with its back against the wall," Meyer said. "It is a big moment for me and for our staff."

- The highlight of practice was a 75-yard touchdown pass from Braxton Miller to running back Carlos Hyde. Miller scrambled to the right, and with the Buckeyes teaching their passcatchers to break off their deep routes short and run their short routes long in scramble situations, Hyde took off, caught the ball behind the defense, and took off.

I asked Meyer about Miller's ability to throw on the move after keeping plays alive, and Meyer said, "Having a quarterback that makes something out of nothing is every coach's dream and we've got one, and we might have two.

That was praise for backup Kenny Guiton as well as Miller.

He also said Hyde had an excellent practice.

"He's drinking the Kool-Aid right now," Meyer said.

Miller's reward for the touchdown pass? He got tackled pretty hard by defensive lineman Johnathan Hankins on the next play. The quarterbacks wear black jerseys that are supposed to limit their ability to get hit, but that didn't seem to apply on every snap Wednesday.

- Defensive lineman John Simon continues to show a new level of quickness firing off the ball. Watch the video and you'll see just one example of how he routinely beats the first-team tackles in head-to-head drills. Jack Mewhort and Reid Fragel will get better each time they face Simon.

Simon is still working at Leo a lot, the pass-rushing end spot which also drops into coverage at times. But that is not his best position and every time he's dropping into coverage instead of attacking the line of scrimmage, that's a big loss for the defense. The Buckeyes need a Leo to emerge, but with Noah Spence coming in the fall, it might be his to earn.

- Sophomore defensive lineman Michael Bennett, also in the video, continues to improve as well. He moved onto the first team early in camp and there seems to be no way that he won't be a starter in the fall.

- OSU redshirt freshman lineman Chris Carter from John F. Kennedy High has moved from offense to defense. Meyer said the plan was to try Carter at both this spring and he made the switch at the halfway point. Wednesday's practice was number nine of 15.

He worked in with the second team defensive line at times, joining Steve Miller, Adam Bellamy, Joel Hale and Chase Farris. The first team defensive line is Simon, Hankins, Bennett and Garrett Goebel.

- Farris made a big interception in the scrimmage at the end of practice and was praised by Meyer for making a play, but Meyer had to be reminded of his last name.

- True freshman center Jacoby Boren is out for the rest of spring after having surgery on a torn labrum he suffered at the end of his senior football season. His older brother, senior fullback Zach, said the original plan was for his brother to wait until after the end of the season in November, but he moved into the No. 2 center role this spring and the coaches wanted him at full strength for September, so the surgery was done now.

Meyer confirmed the surgery and his affinity for the youngest Boren, once again calling him a "tough nut." Boren sliding past Brian Bobek as the No. 2 center, when it seemed like Bobek had a shot to be the starting center before the spring, has to be one of the surprises of practice. Corey Linsley is the starting center.

- Meyer mentioned running back Jordan Hall and tight end Jake Stoneburner as the top playmakers on offense, but the receivers showed some signs Wednesday. Corey "Philly" Brown had a nice catch twisting his body over the middle, and Tyrone Williams used his 6-6 frame on a touchdown catch in the corner of the endzone off a Miller lob. Williams has shown progress all spring after showing little as a redshirt freshman last year.

- Injuries (or people who didn't participate much) - Zach Domicone, Jamie Wood, Storm Klein, Se'Von Pittman, Verlon Reed, Jacoby Boren, Nate Williams and Evan Spencer (arm in sling)

Join us after the jump for even more in-depth coverage of the practice.

Spring Practice Notes: Day 1

Football is back. Take a couple of seconds to soak that sentence in. Now that you've let that float into your mind, it's time to get to business.

The 2012-2013 Ohio State Buckeyes have a brand new head coach in Urban Meyer, who has won 2 national championships (both with Florida). Spring football has hit in Columbus as of yesterday and here's the breakdown from what we gathered.

The first day of official practice started off with the players and coaches moving inside to the WHAC due to the heavy winds in Columbus. At this point in time it doesn't make a difference whether they practice inside or outside, this is a time to see who's got what, no matter where they are playing.

The practice started quickly and ended much of the same way. The entire practice, the Buckeyes full-out sprinted to just about every drill once they completed whatever station they were at. This continued for the whole practice, giving us the hint that the coaching staff is stressing speed onto this team. Whether or not Ohio State is ready to be sprinting right now, they have to get to that point. Urban must have known this:

"I think they got exhausted. The amount of plays we got was incredible. That was even a lot for me," Meyer said Wednesday, crediting offensive coordinator Tom Herman, who came from Iowa State, for bringing that to the offense. "We weren't that way at Florida. We weren't rapid fire. But we're rapid fire now."

While having spring practice is great, it won't last long. The second practice is Friday and the spring game is April 21. It's important to Urban that this team is well prepared for what they have ahead. Many times before, Meyer has explained that the two-deep will be set before fall camp.

In fact, right after spring camp, the depth chart will most likely be just about finished with some wiggle room for incoming recruits and injuries, etc. As for right now, we already got a good in-depth look at what the Ohio State offensive depth chart looks like right now. Join us after the jump for the goods.

Gator Bowl Preview: Ohio State vs. Florida

The offense relies heavily on Braxton Miller

This was one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory for the Ohio State Buckeyes (6-6, . The lineup changed from week to week due to suspensions and injuries. There was little or no continuity throughout. Against Michigan, though, some things finally clicked for the Buckeye offense in the season-ending loss to the Wolverines as they rolled up 372 yards total offense and 34 points on TTUN.

Quarterback Braxton Miller showed what he could be capable of as he accounted for 335 of those yards (235 passing, 100 rushing) and three touchdowns. Two of those TDs were long touchdown strikes, a 54-yarder to Philly Brown and a 43-yarder to DeVier Posey. That was only the second game the dynamic Posey played during the season because of suspensions. You know Posey will want to go out with a big game and look for Miller to try and find him early and often. Even Fickell and Bollman have admitted to drawing up some plays that feature the senior in some different keyed-in looks. OSU’s passing game ranked 117th (out of 120 teams) at 124.1 yards per game. The good news is that this team has aerial and vertical potential with Posey and Brown at full-go, which they showed against UM.

OSU’s running game was a mixed bag. The Buckeyes ended up 27th nationally at 195.7 yards per game on the ground. Running back Boom Herron was pretty much held in check during the three-game losing streak to end the season, which might explain the disastrous ending for Ohio State. They've relied on the run in November for the past couple of years, and this year it wasn't there to succeed.

Florida boasts an athletic and tough defense, even if there is not a lot of experience – seven of the 12 starters are freshmen or sophomores. The same can be said of the Ohio State offense, though. That youth worked against the Gators as they faltered against top competition in the SEC. Florida was 39th nationally in rushing defense (132.3 ypg), 10th in pass defense (167.3 ypg), ninth in total defense (299.6 ypg) and 25th in scoring defense (20.6 ppg). Key playmakers include MLB Jonathan Bostic and safety Matt Elam, who are all over the field on a consistent basis.

What Should We Expect From Ohio State Against Penn State?

It's Penn State week. In previous years people would be clamoring for this game. Media demands would be huge. You would have Jim Tressel battling with Joe Paterno. The Senator verses The Legend. I think it is safe to say that things have changed over the last 12 months.


First, you have the NCAA mess at OSU.This mess was precipitated by players and worsened by the head man himself. So in late May this rivalry lost Jim Tressel to a forced resignation. Okay so we lost Tressel and Pryor, but this game could still have had the winningest coach in college football history, coaching for a division title against a young, inexperienced, seemingly talented team playing at home for the final time this season. But then, all hell broke loose at PSU. 


I don’t want to get into the scandal, we all know what happened, and now this rivalry has rightfully lost Joe Paterno on the other sideline. I can truly say that a Luke Fickell vs Tom Bradley battle does not have the same classic ring as to what could have been. Now on to the game.

Preview: #25 Ohio State vs. Purdue

Will Miller air it out this weekend?

The Ohio State Buckeyes will march into West Lafayette this weekend for a Big Ten clash with the Purdue Boilermakers, who are looking to snap a two-game losing streak.

Ohio State has won three straight games, including last weekend's 34-20 victory over Indiana which gave the Buckeyes bowl eligibility. Ohio State has pulled into second place in the Big Ten Leaders Division, two games behind from Penn State with three games remaining on the slate. Following this weekend's road trip to Purdue, Ohio State will host Penn State and travel to Michigan to close out the season. Their hope is that Penn State will fall to either Nebraska this weekend, or Wisconsin in the Nittany Lion's last regular season game, which would leap Ohio State into the B1G CCG.

Since upsetting Illinois back on October 22nd, Purdue has lost two straight, including a convincing 62-17 pounding by Wisconsin last weekend in Madison. The loss only raised the stakes for the Boilermakers heading down the stretch, as Purdue must win two of its last three games to become bowl eligible, and has Ohio State, Iowa and Indiana in their way to make the postseason. Ohio State leads the all-time series with Purdue, 38-13-2.

Carlos Hyde: Stepping Up

Hyde exploded for the first five games

At the beginning of the 2011 season, someone needed to step up and lead the Ohio State running backs with Boom Herron and Jordan Hall suspended.  Jaamal Berry was expected to become the starter but injuries sidelined him.  That someone to step up was Carlos Hyde.

Hyde lead the team in rushing against Akron and Toledo before Jordan Hall returned against Miami.  He had his first 100-yard rushing game in Lincoln against Nebraska that was helped by the 63-yard touchdown run.

However, since the return of Boom Herron after the Nebraska game, Hyde had seen little time on the field against Illinois and Wisconsin.  That changed in the Indiana game.  With Jordan Hall nursing a sore ankle that he injured on his big kick return that set up the game-winning touchdown pass against Wisconsin, the Buckeyes needed someone to step up again.

Jaamal Berry Suspended

Berry is now suspended

According to the Dispatch, Ohio State has suspended running back Jaamal Berry as of yesterday, the same day he was charged with a misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct following an incident on Oct. 21 near the North Market. Berry, a redshirt sophomore, will remain suspended until the charges have been resolved. It is doubtful that Berry will make it back onto the field any time this season.

Coach Luke Fickell allowed Berry to be in uniform for Saturday's game against Wisconsin, but Berry, who had been the 4th string running back and usually on the kickoff return team, did not play. Berry, if convicted, could receive up to six months in jail, and/or a $250 fine.

While this is horrible news for Berry, with Jordan Hall's recent high ankle sprain (suffered against Wisconsin on the kick return to set up the Hail Mary) the door now becomes wide open for running back Carlos Hyde, who had been buried to 3rd on the depth chart behind Boom Herron and the aforementioned Hall. Hyde leaded the team in rushing yards, and the last game that he played meaningful minutes, he had over 100 yards on 13 carries. That was against Nebraska, and now moving up to second on the depth chart, ensures more playing time in relief of Boom Herron.

Jordan Hall: The Next Big Thing

Hall looks to improve even more in B1G play

In his second game of the season, Jordan Hall once again proved he was the real deal, dominating the Colorado defense on offense and special teams.  Hall scored a rushing touchdown, although he had just 84 yards on 18 carries.

There were not many yards to be had for anyone on the Buckeye offense since their average starting field position was in Colorado territory.  Hall set up Carlos Hyde’s 5-yard touchdown run with a 90-yard kick return in the 3^rd quarter.  He also returned the opening kick past midfield but it was called back for a holding penalty.

In just two games this season, Hall has rushed for more yards (171-161) than he did all of last season.  He showed last season that he was a dangerous return man, and he proved that all three times he got the ball on kick and punt returns.

Recap: Ohio State 37, Colorado 17

Miller had 83 yards rushing

The Miller era has begun in Columbus, Ohio. After being announced that true freshman Braxton Miller would be starting the game against Toledo on Thursday of this past week, you could expect the youngster to have some nerves before and during the first couple of minutes of the game. It showed on the first drive, after Miller fumbled a snap, but was soon taken care of thanks to forcing a quick 3 and out from our defense. That's when Miller seemed like a different person, a calm and collected QB that was able to rush where he wanted when he wanted. Against Colorado (1-3), Miller went 5/13 (38% completion percentage) for 83 yards, but had 2 beautiful touchdown strikes to his main target this season, Devin Smith.

Troy Smith had Ted Ginn and Anthoney Gonzalez as his targets, while Boeckman had Robiskie, and Terrelle Pryor had Posey and Sanzenbacher. It seems like the new connection is Miller to Smith, who paired up 3 times. He finished with 64 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Reid Fragel was Miller's other target, who he only found once, but the majority of the play-calling was in favor of Braxton's legs. Of course, handing the ball of is also important when you have the thunder-lightning combo of Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde. Hall, who amassed 231 all purpose yardage, with 84 of that coming on the ground. He also had two long kickoff returns, 1 which was called back while the other was stopped short inside the 5-yard line. Carlos Hyde only had 6 carries to Hall's 18, but still managed to get 40 yards out of it, and a touchdown that sealed the deal for Ohio State (3-1) later in the game.

When Colorado came into the 'Shoe, they didn't run their offense like they wanted to. Early on pressure from the defense didn't allow much to happen on the offensive side of the ball for the Buffs, including not rushing Rodney Stewart as much as they should have, which is one their strong suits. Eventually on long drives quarterback Tyler Hansen was able to float 2 touchdowns over the top of Buckeye defense, but they didn't use the screen until late in the game (Ironically, when things were moving well for the Buffs) which might prove to be an Achilles heel for this defensive secondary. Michigan State next week will be sure to watch the film and take advantage of situations like this. Colorado truthfully had a chance to make this game competitive, but misfortune fell when they stepped on their own feet by turning the ball over twice, and not doing well on special teams.

What Went Right/Wrong: Miami

Hall did his best, no doubt.

The first loss in the 2011 season was in serious contention among Buckeye fans for one of the worst offensive performances in recent memory. Miami seemed to be in control for most of this game, and even when they gave chances for Ohio State to get themselves back into it, Bauserman failed to bring about any offense. Even when true freshman Braxton Miller came in, the offense showed sparks of life, but ended up stepping on their own feet and stalling the drives with turnovers, and lackadaisical effort.

While the Buckeyes have 1 more week to learn what they need to do to win games, the Big Ten season is right around the corner, which means it's go time for the Scarlet and Gray. Let's take a look at what went right and wrong on Saturday.

Recap: Ohio State 6, Miami 24

Hall tried to give the Buckeyes life

After an ugly win over a Toledo team that Boise State handled easily, Buckeye Nation was concerned over the quarterback controversy, where Joe Bauserman was solid in that he didn't turn the ball over, but couldn't throw an accurate deep ball to save his life. So, when Braxton Miller went in last night, and did well in the running game, he also fumbled and had an interception (It was a tipped ball, to be fair). A lot of frustration came in the game last night, due to the total of 35 yards passing, and just horrid play calling from Bollman. It's interesting that everyone was upset with Tressel's play calling when he was here (myself included), but with the real offensive coordinator calling the plays, we see that Tressel was actually a genius. Perhaps that's a bit exaggerated, but there is no doubt in my mind that Tressel is a better play caller then most think.

Lamar Miller was man among boys out there in Coral Gables, as he rushed for 184 yards on 26 carries. Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde did their part in trying to get the Buckeye offense rolling, combining for 141 yards on 26 carries. Had Hall not gone down on one of his punt returns with serious cramping, and if our passing game had at least 100 yards, this might be a very different game. Jacory Harris threw two first-quarter touchdown passes to Allen Hurns, helping the Hurricanes top the #19 Ohio State Buckeyes, who are in danger of being knocked out of the Top 25 for the first time since November 28th, 2004. 

What Went Right/Wrong: Toledo

Simon made plays all day

That certainly wasn't the game any of us were expecting, including Mark May. The offense struggled all game long, the special teams (at times) looked awful, and the defense was back on it's heels for the entire game what with the Spread formations and trickery by Toledo. Let's take a look at what went right and wrong for the Buckeyes on Saturday. 

What Went Right

- Carlos Hyde rushed for 76 yards on 20 carries with 2 touchdowns, but he dominated for most of this game, pushing for extra yardage and giving that extra effort, which really payed off in the end. Hyde also scored the eventual game winner, running right up the gut from the 3 yard line and in for the score to give the Buckeyes the lead against the Rockets I'm sure due to his play in the past 2 games that when Jaamal Berry and Jordan Hall take the field again, Fickell will find room for this kid to get some yardage, most likely on short yardage situations. 

- The secondary play for Ohio State was once again a big factor in on the defense. All middle to deep passes were covered very well, and Dominic Clarke and Bradley Roby did very well for themselves, and give some serious depth to this corner spot when Travis Howard returns to play. Some might argue that these 2 should be the starters, and Howard should earn his spot back, and I might end up agreeing with them. The final drive by Toledo was on complete lock-down as far as deep passing. They couldn't hit the men they wanted to, which lead to more pressure for a mistake to be made.

- John Simon as usual was a leader for this team. After playing decently in the first half, Simon had to leave the game for a while as he was cramping to an extreme. In that absence, the Rockets did well for themselves, although they did that all day anyway, and were able to have the ball on the last drive to give themselves a chance. Fortunately, Simon happened to return from the cramp to come in and play, and lead to his quarterback rush, which resulted in a bad ball from the QB on 4th down. Game over, Buckeyes win.

Young Running Backs Ready To Step Up

Jordan Hall looks to be a major factor for the Buckeyes this fall.

Despite losing Brandon Saine to graduation and also losing Boom Herron for the first five games of 2011 due to his role in “Tatgate,” getting production out of the running back position should not be a problem for Ohio State.

While Herron is on the sidelines for the first five weeks, junior Jordan Hall and sophomore Jaamal Berry figure to get most of the touches at running back.  Also ready to fill in is Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith.

These four will need to produce to keep pressure off whoever the new starting quarterback will be.  Establishing a run game is something the coaches will look to do to keep defenses on their toes and making them unable to just pin their ears back and rush the passer.

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.

Top 10 for '10

The final installment of the Top 10 for '10 series.


10. Don't Believe The Hype - One thing that scares me most about all Buckeye teams is usually buying into the fact that they are automatically good and can beat anyone anytime. It's not a bad thing to think like that, unless you have a cocky attitude. If you stay humble, then thinking like that can really help your team. A perfect example of helping, would be 2002. No one gave them a chance, but they thought they could beat anyone, with just a little luck. The opposite to them would be the 2006 team. I hate to put this out there, because Tressel really does a great job of keeping these men in line. That 2006 team was one of the most cocky I've seen. Of course, I'm not going to sit here and tell you I didn't enjoy it. Oh, I do love when they are, because they play with some real passion. It just so happens that it backfires when they do.

9. The 'Shoe getting louder then against USC - The reason I named this blog Inside The Shoe, was because there is nothing in the world like being in the 'Shoe. Especially at night, and particularly when it's loud. Last season, we saw the largest, and loudest (by far) crowd in Ohio State history. Sadly, it was against USC, which we all know ended in a close loss. Now I want a second chance at that, but this time against Miami. They want revenge, but let's show them like we did in Tempe.

8. Beat Miami - Obviously this goes along with #9, but it's really important not to lose a game this year if we want to go to the MNC. Miami is a dangerous team that relies heavily on their erratic quarterback Jacory Harris. I say erratic simply because some games he would have 2-3 picks, but others he would dominate the secondary without another glance. They are returning many players, along with getting some of the key injured players back. A big advantage would obviously be that we play a game before them, while this would be they're first.

7. Storm Klein/OSU LB core -  Storm Klein hails from Licking Valley High School, where he played running back and had a couple of 1,000 yard seasons. He came to Ohio State as a linebacker though, because of the depth. Ever since I saw him in the Spring game a year ago, I've been really impressed with this kid. Also, he made a strip in the Rose Bowl (kickoff coverage) if I recall, although he could have just helped with it. He played special teams a lot, but is now competing for that linebacker spot that was left vacant after Spitler left. He has been fighting for it with Etienne Sabino, and so far Sabino seems to be winning the battle. I think that he can earn a lot of minutes, but ultimately Sabino will own the spot.

Yes please.

6. The Silver Bullets rise again - Yes, the Buckeye defense reared it's head last season both surprising and impressing fans and experts. The secondary was good, linebacking really good, and D-Line outstanding. I think they can do it again, but the secondary needs to figure out who is going where, but I trust these coaches. The only thing to work on from last year is playing down to competition. It seemed when they played USC, no one in the country could stop them. When they played Navy and Purdue, you saw a mediocre defense. No more of that.

5. DeVier Posey/Dane Sanzenbacher become the best WR duo - Yes, they already are being considered as the go to tag team. They're performance in the Rose Bowl was sensational, especially DP. Now we need both to be on fire each and every game. If they start getting shut down, go to Washington, or Carter. Heck, we might just hand it off to our stable once in awhile!

We love ya, JT.

4. Jim Tressel continues the play calling from Rose Bowl - Don't stop, keep acting like it was just a continued season. We need this play calling to succeed against Miami and BCS schools. Sure, you go relax a little aganist Iowa and Wisconsin. They're used to it. When it comes time for Miami or a bowl game, you better bring out all the stops. It's only going to help this team prepare for what's ahead. Evil Tressel is a good thing.

3. The O-Line finishes the job - Once again, the O-Line has been a main topic for Ohio State the past couple of years. We've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Last year, they started to show flashes of greatness, (USC, Iowa, etc..) Now they can build off the Rose Bowl, which was another good performance by the O-Line, and continue to do solid work this year. The big games matter, and now they know. These are the same guys that played USC two times, played Texas, played Oregon. They know what to do, they just gotta do it. I think they can.

He's ready. Are you?

2. Jaamal Berry/RB depth - You can call me crazy all you want. I know the importance of a good running game, and they tend to be my favorite players. They work their asses off, and have three yards and a cloud of dust to show for it. It's one of the most grueling positions on the field, but when you break 1, just 1, big run, a whole football game can change. Jaamal Berry has speed, power, agility, and toughness. He can run past, through, and and around defenders. If you like the big explosive, stiff arm, Beanie-Esq backs, Carlos Hyde is your man. The RB depth itself is incredible. I really want Carlos Hyde and Jaamal Berry to get on that field this year. If they don't, it would be a big mistake. Zoom and Boom are great on their own, imagine fully rested each play. Zoom will get the majority of the carries, but if he gets tired, be ready for a face full of Boom. It's going to be a good year.

Ah..Arizona, we are back. Again. 

1. Terrelle Pryor and the National Championship - I guess you could dub this as 1a and 1b, but I'm putting both in the same category. How could you not? Don't get me wrong, without Terrelle Pryor were not too bad, but with him, well, just ask Oregon. Terrelle Pryor has made leaps and bounds since Purdue, and I'm not shy to say it. Sure, he didn't throw too much those last 3 games before the Rose Bowl, but he didn't have to. When he did they were good. He's out to prove he can be a complete QB, and I know he can and will. Ah, the MNC. We will always have Tempe, but I would really like to have Glendale come the end of this year. All the things I have mentioned in this post have to happen for us to win. I won't give any predictions right now, but many are saying Nebraska or Alabama in the MNC. 2 very tough teams, so it's time to get cracking.

The Backfield: An Embarrassment of Riches

The man that started it all.

Ohio State has always had a stellar run game.(save for 2004) We've even had the luxury of having at least one game breaker taking the majority of the carries. Eddie gave way to Pepe Pearson. Pepe was followed by Michael Wiley. Wiley was proceeded by Jonathan Wells, Mo C, then someone I didn't like and most don't either because he stunk it up. Then we had Antonio Pittman, Beanie and his stiff arm. That led to Boom and Zoom last season which brings us to now. Boom, Zoom and 100 other guys that want to, and are very capable of seeing significant time on the field. Most programs should be so lucky, unless they're TTUN. Screw them.

I didn't forget you, Raymont.

Bo Delande, Jaamal Berry, Zach Boren, James Georgiades, Jordan Hall, Dan Herron, Adam Homan, Jermil MArtin(who is rumored to be transferring), Rod Smith, Carlos Hyde, and Brandon Saine. "A pair and a spare" is what some say is the key to a successful running game. Last season there was a pair and 2 spares in Jordan Hall and Jermil Martin. And then you also have to throw mini-Boren in the mix taking a couple carries a game, and catching a few well-timed passes as well. On top of that, there's some guy by the name of Terrelle Pryor that can run the ball pretty well too. Hopefully he runs it less, but hey, it works. Boom and Zoom(or Zoom and Boom if you're like me) are the pair, they have been for a while now. Who should "start"? Who's in the running to be the spare(s)?
(Primary) Starter - Brandon Saine (Sr.) - Most would tend to agree, Zoom offers greater versatility in the starting tailback position that Boom. He can run up the gut, around the edge, catch passes and is a serviceable blocker. He makes the opposing defense guess what we're going to use him as. He's even started to show big play ability at the end of last season. He's no Eddie or Beanie but he should be the starter. After Boom started the season as our number 1 tailback, Zoom garnered most of the carries and took over that role by mid season. He should keep it, barring catastrophe or major changes. The question remains though; can Zoom take the bulk of the carries? Or are we still looking at a 60-40 split?

Yup, that's a hole.

Dan Herron(Jr.) - He was the guy last year that showed up at the end of camp as the "starter". He won the job. Yet as the season went on, Saine came in and took over. Maybe that was due to a couple of injuries or maybe it was because of what happens on the field. My guess is a little of both. Boom has the most big play ability from what we've seen so far. He has more touchdown runs of 20 yards or longer than anyone else on the team. He's tough, quick and tends to hold on to the ball. However, he has a propensity for getting tripped up when he has one of two men to beat, and I know that frustrates a lot of people. He doesn't pick his feet up and gets shoe strung by the defender and goes down. That's my only knock against him really, other than the fact that he hasn't shown the pass-catching ability of Zoom.

Almost as excited as I was. I bet I drank more though..

Jordan Hall(So.) - 3rd place in yardage from the tailback position last season. Jordan saw significant playing time against Toledo, New Mexico(90 yard game) and Illinois. From that point on he was given spotty playing time as the other backs got healthy again. For me the biggest thing going for Jordan is his familiarity with Pryor, since they went to high school together(I can't wait til i go to height school). This isn't to say that Jordan showed flashes of brilliance last year and has some serious talent, it's just that I have limited game film to make a better case.

Jermil Martin(So.) - Was the 4th back last year, and is rumored to be transferring to Youngstown State soon. I can't really blame him, he's only got 4 years of eligibility and he's gotta make the best of them. The thing I like about Jermil is his size and power. He's gonna make the defender pa for trying to tackle him. He doesn't have the speed that Beanie did/still does at that size but few people do. In any other year he'd probably be moved to the full back position but with Zach Boren and Adam Homan likely filling those spots that's not an attractive option either. And here's where it gets interesting.......

Jaamal Berry(Fr.) - The guy runs a 4.31 40 and checks in around 200 lbs. 4.31 40, I had to say it again. A speed back that isn't afraid to take a hit. While I don't see him as a threat to crack the top 2 spots Jordan Hall should be concerned. It is my opinion that Jaamal could use that speed and see significant playing time as a return man. Especially since that is an area of much needed improvement for this team. Just stay out of the dog house, unlike Ray Ray the rapper.

Carlos Hyde(Fr.) - Ahhhhhh Mr. Hyde. We've been expecting you. Big, bruising power back with quick feet and adequate speed at 4.5 40 yard dash. Not bad for a guy that weighs 238 lbs. Lemme tell ya, I weigh close to that and I'm nowhere near that fast. Never have been, never will be. Some say Hyde has the best shot at being the 3rd back in our rotation this season. He'll have to earn it. Hopefully he picked up the same work ethic at Eddie George at Fork Union.

Roderick Smith (Fr.) - 220lbs, 4.6 40 yard dash. Top 10 in rushing in Indiana state history. Obviously he's no bum. Possesses good cut-back ability, size and acceleration. Would likely see significant playing time anywhere else but OSU. It appears that Roderick is burried on the depth chart, but surprises happen and nothing is set for sure.

The Rest of the Pack - Adam Griffin(Fr.) will most likely see time at special teams but also has experience playing defensive back. If he has his father's work ethic, which is likely because it's contagious, he'll make an impact in some way or another. DeLande, and Georgiades will likely also see special teams duty covering kicks and scout team work. Homan will likely be the same as well as back up full back behind Boren, who has that position locked up for the next 3 years in my mind.

Zach Boren (So.) 1st String Fullback - Big, angry and can also catch the ball. Boren has this position locked up for the next 3 season. I love him simply for his hatred of scUM. I wanted to keep him separate because anyone that plays fullback has a special place in my heart. All guts and seldom any glory. Offensive linemen always complain about not getting any press, try playing fullback.

Any way that this "problem" shapes up, OSU is in a great position. I don't recall an Ohio State team being this deep at any position in my life time. One thing is for sure though, nothing is set in stone and depth charts are for the most part fluid. Whoever works the hardest and makes the plays will get the lion's share of carries and help lead this team to victory.

Spring Finals: Running Back

We all know by now that spring has come and gone, football wise that is, so we will be taking a look into all the positions, tell you how they did, and where they might be this fall. Today's topic is Running back.

The running back is my favorite position on any team. They have to carry the ball and run between the tackles, and it takes so much strength, agility, and a knack for finding that open hole. At OSU, it's elevated even more. We've had so many great running backs including Mr. Two Timer, Eddie George, Beanie Wells, Keith Byars, etc. This year it gets even better as we are completely overloaded on the front of running back. So many people could earn starting spots, it's almost surprising some of them didn't redshirt. The huge storyline of this year is that the depth of this group is greater than ever before. That might be true, and could work out well. Or, it could be a bad thing to have too much like we do, because of people wanting to transfer for not getting playing time. It's going to be a tough thing to do when it's time for Coach Tressel to announce the depth charts for this fall.

Recap: Scarlet vs. Gray

Last year, the weather was pretty nice and a record spring crowd of 95,000+ showed up to see how the future Buckeyes would fare during the season. Yesterday wasn't quite as nice, but still over 60,000 showed up to see the big talent, in what many Buckeye fans are hoping is a National Championship year. My gray team took it to the Scarlet defense, which was led by Kenny Guiton. Guiton went 11/21 for 167 yards and two touchdowns in what was an impressive spring performance.

In my eyes, and hopefully Tressel's, Gution succeeded in taking over the number 2 spot behind Terrelle Pryor. Joe Bauserman had 2 picks today after Pryor was done for the day, but did add a touchdown. Personally, I never really thought much of Bauserman, because I really hate his release. He acts as if he's still playing baseball, and that worries me. Of course, Taurian Washington receives the credit for the 2 touchdowns scored by the Gray in the 17-14 win. He continues to get better each spring, and I think he will have his break out year this year. Terrelle Pryor finished 8/12 for 108 yards and a touchdown pass that came to Dane Sanzenbacher, who ran a nice route, and Pryor threw it right over his shoulder for the grab. Zach Boren was inspired to play well today, and you could tell he wants his job, and carries in the regular season, as he was virtually invincible. He caught four passes for 44 yards and continued to not go down, as well as hurdling over teammates. Carlos Hyde and Bo DeLande played pretty well, but Jaamal Berry made almost no noise, which is disappointing. Here are the rest of the interesting points of the Spring Game.

• Kenny Guiton went down, and was out for the last minute of the game, as he got hit on his right knee. He later was confirmed fine, but we will keep a close eye on his status.
• Drew Basil nailed a 47-yard FG early in the 4th quarter, which would have been good from 55.
• Terrelle Pryor was specifically held out of action for most of the day.

Finally, on the NFL Draft notes, Thad Gibson went in the fourth round to the Steelers as did Doug Worthington in the 7th round. Kurt Coleman went to the Eagles in the 7th round, and Austin Spitler was the very last pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, going to the Miami Dolphins. As for the undraftees, they all signed as free agents to the following teams. Cordle and Ballard to the New York Giants, as free agents; Anderson Russell to Redskins; Pettrey to Panthers, Wilson to the Bears; Ray Small to the Vikings; Rob Rose to the Seahawks.
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Inside The Shoe is still looking for two writers. One basketball, and one football writer. If your interested, please leave a comment, or email us at insidetheshoe2009@hotmail.com. The requirements can be found here. We hope to be talking to you soon!

Spring Football Day 2

This is day 2 of our Spring football recap, and it's all about the Buckeyes in the news, for the spring.

Some interesting stuff came out today, including Andrew Miller was in place of Mike Adams at left tackle. Although it was expected, I personally didn't think it would happen. It has also been said that 2 other linemen, Marcus Hall and J.B. Shugarts, will be rotating in and out of the left tackle position on the line. The weird part about that is that both of those players were playing on the right side of the line last year, not the left. On the flip side, the second team consisted of Hall at left tackle and Adams at right tackle. I think that's an odd mix, but hopefully it will work out for the best.

For the second day in a row, Duron Carter and Jonathan Newsome were not present, which is starting to raise some questions on whether or not it's a roll-over from the Rose Bowl, or if their academics aren't in order as of now. The curious part about it all is that it was reported that Duron's father, the Buckeye great Cris Carter, was on the scene today talking with Jim Tressel. I wonder what they were talking about, and if Carter was asking for advice on how to get Duron back into the receiving mix.

It seems like the Buckeye coaching staff thinks they can make receivers out of running backs. It was stated that ITS's favorite star, Jaamal Berry, was going out from screens and other receiving routes. It was said that he was making good cuts, and is totally healthy. Seems like a good weapon to have if we ever face some real speed. Carlos Hyde, the running back everyone is so excited for, is making headlines in the camp by impressing coaches so much that speculation is that he will be the third on the depth chart come fall. Jordan Hall has been said to have been working more on kick returns than on toting the rock, so it seems he will be our new kick returner and that means more chances for Berry, Hyde, and Smith. The only bad news coming out of this running back camp so far was that Brandon Saine seemed to have agitated something in his leg, keeping him out of going the whole practice. Hopefully, it wasn't anything serious, but we will keep you up to date on his happenings.

Linebacker Dorian Bell was spotted today, after a no-show yesterday, and was working with the second team. Etienne Sabino is still looking that he will be the third starting linebacker this fall as he continues to do well in camp. No word on Storm Klien, but I still think he has a legitimate shot at either starting, or at least getting quite a bit of snaps in games. Andrew Sweat is still recovering from off-season surgery on his knee, and it will still be awhile until he's able to fully participate.

Lastly, Chimdi Chekwa was very limited today due to some sort of an injury, but it wasn't specified as to what.

Stay tuned for more Buckeye news, as we hope to keep hearing more good (and bad) news from the Buckeye Spring camp.
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Inside The Shoe is still looking for two writers. One basketball, and one football writer. If your interested, please leave a comment, or email us at insidetheshoe2009@hotmail.com. The requirements can be found here. We hope to be talking to you soon!