Former Ohio State Lineman Brian Bobek Transferring To Minnesota

Bobek moves on from OSU

Earlier last week, Ohio State center Brian Bobek hinted that he could be leaning to either a Big Ten or Big 12 school. 

On Saturday, Bobek put all the guessing games to rest. It's now known that he will be transferring within the Big Ten conference.

Bobek confirmed to multiple media outlets that he will be moving on to Minnesota to finish his final two years of eligibility. To meet with NCAA rules, Bobek will sit out the 2012 season.

Here’s what Bobek said to the Minnesota paper:

“I am excited to announce that I have given my commitment to Coaches Kill and Limegrover are exceptional coaches, and I am confident they and the rest of the staff are on the way to restoring the winning tradition of the Minnesota football program. I look forward to making a contribution to Minnesota football and, once eligible, having an opportunity to achieve my personal goals as a football player.to announce that I have given my commitment to Coaches Jerry Kill and Matt Limegrover to join the University of Minnesota football program. Minnesota was one of the first schools my family and I had contacted when I made the decision to transfer, and the coaches responded as soon as they got permission from Ohio State to contact me.

“The University of Minnesota offers a quality education, and I hope to take advantage of the many opportunities of going to school in a great city like Minneapolis. Also, my family and I are happy for me to have the chance to continue to compete in the Big Ten, one of the best football conferences in the country.

“I once again want to thank the athletic department and football program at The Ohio State University for their consideration and assistance in easing my transition to the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Golden Gopher football program.

“Go Gophers!”

Bobek was a four-star member of the Buckeyes’ 2011 recruiting class and played sparingly last season. With the departure of Michael Brewster, Bobek was expected to move into a starting role under first-year coach Urban Meyer. However, Bobek was not listed on the team’s most recent two-deep heading into voluntary summer workouts.

This obviously caused some rumors of a transfer that ultimately led to Bobek leaving the program for Minnesota. We wish the best of luck to Brian in the future.

Ohio State Tight End Jake Stoneburner And Offensive Lineman Jack Mewhort Suspended

Not a good look

More bad news for Jake Stoneburner and Jack Mewhort, as it was announced yesterday that both are suspended from the football team indefinitely. 

While this doesn't tell us how long they could be gone, the task at hand for these guys is to get back into good graces with Urban Meyer. 

Coming into this season, both Mewhort and Stoneburner are looked up to by many as a part of the leadership role in the senior class. What they did wasn't completely terrible, but there do have to be consequences. If it's a game or a couple of weeks away from the team, they're going to have to learn from this moment and be able to look past it and move on.

Here's the rest from the Dispatch:

"The attorney for Ohio State football players Jake Stoneburner and Jack Mewhort told The Dispatch last night that coach Urban Meyer has suspended his clients pending the outcome of their legal problems.

Stoneburner and Mewhort were charged by Shawnee Hills police with obstructing official business, a second-degree misdemeanor.

The two, along with Austin Barnard, who is not a football player, allegedly were caught urinating between buildings near the Bogey Inn about 1:30 a.m. Saturday while walking back to Stoneburner’s family home at Muirfield Village, site of the Memorial Tournament.

All three allegedly ran when first confronted by a police officer shining a flashlight in their direction, but Stoneburner and Mewhort reportedly stopped soon afterward.

He said the two players are “not upset. They’re just kind of trying to remain low-key and focused. Both are 100 percent focused to get this behind them.”

Stoneburner is a senior tight end from Dublin and Mewhort a junior offensive lineman from Toledo."

Gene Smith's Latest Comments On 12 Secondary Violations

Ohio State has released information regarding 12 secondary NCAA issues being processed by the athletic department’s compliance office. The release contained information that contradicted previous statements from the athletic department, and some OSU students don’t hold athletic director Gene Smith responsible for the pending violations either.

"Smith said there were 12 pending secondary violations during a Tuesday interview with The Lantern. OSU spokesman Dan Wallenberg later said in a Wednesday email that the actual number of violations was less than 12.

Wallenberg did confirm that the additional violations are being “processed,” although he said he did not “know the status of each situation” in regards to whether it was being processed by the university or the NCAA."

You would think after all that has happened, that Smith would be a little bit smarter in how he presented these types of situations.

"Smith told The Lantern Tuesday the athletic department has 12 pending NCAA violations.

“We’ve got 12 pending,” Smith said. “It may turn out to be secondary. It may not.”

Smith clarified in a Thursday morning phone call that the potential violations would either be secondary or nothing at all."

Now with all that, Gene Smith has tried to back track on what he has said following the amount of criticism coming from all directions of any Ohio State-related website, paper or blog.

"Contrary to reports attributed to me, Ohio State Athletics is not facing any major NCAA violations," Smith said. "There are several secondary violations being processed by our compliance office. These are similar to those released last week. Again, these are secondary in nature and consistent with our culture of self-reporting even the most minor and inadvertent violations.

"Again, to be clear, the Ohio State football program, its coaches and staff are not facing any [major] violations."

Big ups to Eleven Warriors for catching a statement that you might have missed.

Ohio State, Michigan Set To Play November 24th, At Noon

Miller's looking for revenge

The Ohio State-Michigan game this year will start at noon on Nov. 24, both schools announced today.

The game, at Ohio Stadium, will be televised by ABC. The game has traditionally, but not always, been played early in the day.

The teams have met every year in the regular-season finale since 1935. This year it will be the final game of the season for Ohio State because of the NCAA-imposed bowl ban.

When asked last week if that would add to the importance of the game, new Buckeye coach Urban Meyer replied, “Sure does. That’s gonna be a big one, obviously.”

The Wolverines won 40-34 in 2011 for Brady Hoke in his OSU-Michigan coaching debut, snapping the Buckeyes’ seven-game winning stroke over their arch-rivals.

The Michigan game is the fourth for which Ohio State has a game time. The Oct. 6 game against Nebraska in Columbus is set for 8 p.m. Ohio State will play at Indiana also at 8 p.m. on Oct. 13. On Oct. 27, Ohio State’s game at Penn State will start at 6 p.m.

Ohio State, Urban Meyer Release Post-Spring Depth Chart

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer took some time on Wednesday to outline his team’s post-spring depth chart, which is outlined below.

Meyer mentioned that it was key to form a two-deep following spring because once preseason camp rolls around, the Buckeyes want to focus on their opponents and not figuring out their own two-deep.

"We made a big emphasis with our players that spring practice was not just fundamental development and skill development," Meyer said. "It was about earning a spot on the team because our focus in August is not developing the depth chart, it's trying to go win a game.

"I think the urgency was there this spring, especially after the players were made well aware that 'Your playing time will largely depend on spring practice.' I just like that approach. We've adapted that and went with that for years."

Offense
LT 74 Jack Mewhort, 76 Darryl Baldwin
LG 78 Andrew Norwell, 55 Tommy Brown
C 71 Corey Linsley, 50 Jacoby Boren
RG 79 Marcus Hall, 73 Antonio Underwood
RT 77 Reid Fragel, 68 Taylor Decker
TE 11 Jake Stoneburner, 86 Jeff Heuerman or 81 Nick Vannett
WR 15 Devin Smith, 83 Michael Thomas
QB 5 Braxton Miller, 13 Kenny Guiton
RB 7 Jordan Hall, 34 Carlos Hyde
FB 44 Zach Boren, 49 Adam Homan
WR 10 Corey Brown, 80 Chris Fields
WR 16 Evan Spencer, 9 Verlon Reed

Defense
DE 54 John Simon, 88 Steve Miller or 50 J.T. Moore
DT 52 Johnathan Hankins, 63 Michael Bennett
NT 53 Garrett Goebel, 51 Joel Hale or 72 Chris Carter
DE 93 Adam Bellamy or 43 Nathan Williams (injured this spring), 57 Chase Farris
OLB 10 Ryan Shazier, 42 Luke Roberts or 36 Connor Crowell
MLB 14 Curtis Grant, 32 Storm Klein
OLB 6 Etienne Sabino, 59 Stewart Smith or 15 Joshua Perry
CB 25 Bradley Roby, 9 Adam Griffin
S 2 Christian Bryant, 3 Corey Brown
S 4 C.J. Barnett, 19 Orhian Johnson
CB 7 Travis Howard, 12 Doran Grant

Special Teams
K 24 Drew Basil, 39 Drew Clinton
H 17 Ben Buchanan, 13 Kenny Guiton
P 17 Ben Buchanan, 24 Drew Basil
LS 56 George Makridis or 41 Bryce Haynes

Meyer did not list return men, but said that Jordan Hall and Devin Smith figure to be involved heavily in those duties.

Ohio State Moving To Semesters In 2012-2013

Will the move to semesters change anything?

Ohio State has always had something that people called an advantage, whether or not if it's true. That so-called advantage was football without class during the early games of September. 

Now, with the arrival of the semester system for the 2012-13 school year, means that when the Buckeyes take the field against Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 1, they'll do it as full-time students with eight days of class under their belts, not three-week, football-only, mercenaries.

Here's the in-depth report from the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

"Under the former quarter system, Ohio State classes didn't begin until late September (last year it was on Sept. 21) meaning the Buckeyes always played three, sometimes four, games before taking a single class. That didn't change the NCAA rule on the 20 hours each week coaches can mandate from athletes. But it left a lot of free time for players to make the Woody Hayes Athletic Center their homes.

Extra film study. Extra conditioning. Extra hours with the playbook. Time for the freshmen to figure out big-time football before figuring out where English 110 meets. After working out all summer and going through preseason practice, the Buckeyes then were able to focus on football for 25 percent of the schedule.

It was an edge for Ohio State. But did the Buckeyes win more games because of it? Probably not.

In the last 10 years, Ohio State was 26-4 during its first three games of the season, losing at the Miami Hurricanes last season, to USC in 2008 and 2009 and to Texas in 2005. Considering 20 of those games were supposed to be home game walkovers, going 6-4 in the 10 national matchups that were designed to be competitive isn't the sign of a obvious advantage. The Buckeyes also had close calls against Toledo last year, Navy in 2009, Ohio in 2008, Marshall in 2004 and North Carolina State in 2003.

This season, when Ohio State plays its big nonconference game against California on Sept. 15, the Buckeyes actually will have started class one day earlier than the Golden Bears. See if you notice the difference."

4-Star RB Dontre Wilson Down To Ohio State And Oregon

Wilson has 4.4 speed

DeSoto all-purpose back Dontre Wilson, the 2013 speedster from the Texas high school powerhouse, has come out of nowhere in the recruiting world of Ohio State. Wilson is a 5'10", 165-pound running back from DeSoto, TX. He is ranked No. 107 in the country by 247Sports.

Wilson is the No. 15 recruit in Texas (TX) and is the No. 10 Running Back in the nation.

Having the 2013 class mainly focus on Derrick Green, a fellow 4-star, Wilson seems to be more of a speed back in the mold of LaMichael James or DeAnthony Thomas for Oregon. It makes sense, then that the Ducks are in his final 2 selections of schools.

Originally slated to make a decision between Texas and Oregon at the Eagle spring game in late May, Wilson told the Ohio State Rivals site that he is down to the Buckeyes and Ducks ($), making no mention of the Longhorns, who were supposed to be where the Buckeyes are now: In the top 2 finalists in a report published on Wednesday. 

There had been some talk in recent weeks that Urban Meyer's squad was in the running for the 5-10, 175-pounder, but no one really paid attention, as we mentioned before it seemed the '13 class was focused on Green. This has seemingly come out of nowhere.

Here's the quote from Wilson via BuckeyeGrove.com:

"It's just Oregon and Ohio State, that's my top two. I'm not looking at any other schools right now, just those two."

Jalin Marshall Proves Skill At Elite 11 Regional, Nike Football Training Camp

Urban's future playmaker

Perhaps one of the most interesting prospects that the Buckeyes have in their 2013 recruiting class is Jalin Marshall. Over the weekend the 5-star athlete participated in two different camps. One of the camps was the Elite 11 Regional in Columbus, Ohio. The other was also in Columbus but for the Nike Football Training Camp.

Middletown High's star put forth a great performance at the Elite 11 Regional at Ohio Dominican University on Friday. Jalin has said many times that he would like to come into Ohio State competing as a quarterback. His day at the Elite 11 should only help him get that opportunity.

The 6'0", 190-pound Marshall was one of six quarterbacks recognized for accuracy at an event that featured the likes of Michigan bound signal-caller Shane Morris, Stanford commit Ryan Burns, Northwestern commit Matt Alviti, Notre Dame pledge Malik Zaire, Louisville bound Kyle Bolin, Kansas commit Montell Cozart, Purdue commit Danny Etling, Michigan State pledge Damion Terry and uncommitted four-star Mitch Trubisky.

Ranked as the nation’s No. 2 athlete prospect and No. 15 prospect overall according to 247Sports, the exciting Marshall could help a college football program at a number of positions.

“I’ll be competing for the (quarterback) job, but if they want me to get in there and run routes or take handoffs, that’s what I’ll do,” Marshall explained.

As a junior, Marshall used his 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash to rush for 1,972 yards and 20 touchdowns, while passing for 781 yards and six more scores. He got off to a slow start on Friday, but heated up as the day went on. During three-step, five-step and seven-step drop drills, Marshall was particularly impressive in delivering the ball on the money and with zip.

Marshall has also been putting out calls to potential future Buckeyes, trying to recruit the best talent in the country to come play for Ohio State.

“I’m trying to get Jaylon Smith, Robert Foster and Vonn Bell,” Marshall said. “I talk to them and tell them come play with me and it’s going to be the best time of your life.”

Scarlet Tops Gray 20-14 In 2012 Ohio State Spring Game

Michael Thomas making an impact early

New head coach Urban Meyer told everybody he planned to work on the passing game during Saturday’s Scarlet and Gray Game, and he wasn't joking.

What he didn’t say was the Buckeyes would be unveiling an up-tempo spread offense that left the Buckeyes working to run a new play every 25 to 30 seconds. As it turned out, it was largely entertaining even if there weren’t many points scored.

The Scarlet rallied for a 20-14 win over the Gray before an announced crowd of 81,112 on a raw 45 degree day at Ohio Stadium. (At least the rains subsided before the scrimmage began.)

Buckeye quarterback Braxton Miller was 24 of 31 passing for 258 yards with an interception for the Scarlet team.

His top targets were freshman Michael Thomas (12 catches, 131 yards), Chris Fields (five catches, 72 yards) and Nick Vannett (four catches, 38 yards). Tailback Rod Smith had 46 yards on eight carries with a touchdown, while Carlos Hyde also had a TD run.

Miller said he has developed a special bond with Thomas, an early enrolling freshman who spent last fall at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy.

Gray team quarterback Kenny Guiton completed 16 of 24 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown with a critical late interception. He also rushed for a touchdown on the final play of the third quarter.

Corey “Philly” Brown had seven catches for 90 yards for the Gray.

Unprompted, Meyer shared the team’s top playmakers – excluding the quarterback position -- in his opinion.

“Right now, the top playmakers in order would be Jordan Hall, Jake Stoneburner, Carlos (Hyde) and then Philly Brown, Michael Thomas and Devin Smith,” said Meyer, who watched the entire 91-play scrimmage on the field from behind the offense. “And then we have (Jeff) Heuerman right there and (Nick) Vannett as well.”

There were no kickoffs as each series at the start of a half or after a score started on the offense’s 35-yard line. There were four 10-minute quarters. The second half was played with a running clock.

The Scarlet team had the ball to start the scrimmage and went 65 yards in eight plays to a touchdown. Miller came out firing, completing all four of his pass attempts for 51 of those yards. He hit Thomas for 11 yards, Tyrone Williams for 6, Chris Fields for 25 and Williams again for 9. Carlos Hyde did the rest, going up the middle for the 1-yard touchdown behind a block from Jack Mewhort. The Scarlet led 7-0 with 7:43 left in the first half.

Guiton then led the Gray on a prolonged drive from the 35 down to the Scarlet 19. That included 12-yard runs by Guiton and Dunn. But Guiton’s third-down pass to Brown was broken up by safety Christian Bryant. Kyle Clinton attempted a 36-yard field goal – with Meyer standing right next to the holder – but it was wide right.

The Scarlet team then drove from its own 20 down to the Gray 24. Miller hit Fields for 21 yards on a crossing route. But the drive was stymied when Miller was sacked by Adam Bellamy. Drew Basil came in and hit a 41-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead with 9:47 left in the second quarter.

Meyer then had Basil attempt a series of field goals that did not factor into the scoring. He was good from 41, Bellamy blocked an attempt from 45, good from 45 and 53 and short on a pair of 58-yard attempts.

The next Gray series was marred by sacks by Michael Bennett and Ryan Shazier for the Scarlet. But the Scarlet gave the ball right back as Miller overthrew Vannett and was intercepted by Gray’s Adam Griffin. Later in the half, Miller had an apparent 49-yard completion to Fields – reminiscent of his heave to Devin Smith to beat Wisconsin –negated by an offensive pass interference penalty.

The Gray took over on its own 49 after a short Scarlet punt. Aided by a personal foul on Joel Hale, the Gray had a first down at the Scarlet 28. On first down there, Guiton threw down the middle perfectly to Smith on a crossing route. He hauled it in at the 10 and deftly split a pair of defenders on his way to the 28-yard touchdown that cut the Scarlet lead to 10-7 with 37 seconds left in the half.

Miller and the Scarlet moved quickly into field goal range as he hit four straight passes – 10 yards to Thomas, 11 and 15 yards to Vannett and 14 more to Thomas – to get out of bounds at the 15 and stop the clock with six seconds left. Basil’s 32-yard field goal capped the half and put the Scarlet up 13-7 at the break.

Ohio State To Host North-South Classic, 3 OSU Recruits Will Be Playing

Ball will try to showcase his skills

The 67th annual OHSFCA North-South Classic will be held Friday at 4 p.m. at Ohio Stadium. 

The game will feature three future Buckeyes in Columbus DeSales RB Warren Ball and Steubenville DB Najee Murray on the South team and Cleveland Glenville DB Devan Bogard on the North team. (OSU signee OL Taylor Decker was selected to the game, but is ineligible since he subsequently enrolled early at OSU.)

Tickets will be available at the gate for $5 each. The game will be shown on a tape delayed basis on Sports Time Ohio at 5 p.m. Saturday.

The Ohio North-South Classic is the nation’s longest continuously running high school football all-star game. This year’s game features no less than 26 players who signed to play at BCS schools. The North squad has 11 BCS signees with seven ticketed for Big Ten schools. The South has 15 BCS signees with seven headed to Big Ten schools.

The North owns a 38-25-3 lead in the all-time series. The South holds a 6-5 lead since the Classic returned to Columbus in 2001.

For Ball, it is a chance to play in a prestigious all-star game in his hometown as well as his future college stadium.  Bogard has played at Ohio Stadium previously for Glenville. He said he has big goals for his freshman career.

This is a pretty good warm up for tomorrow's Spring Game, so don't miss out!

2012 Spring Game Rosters Set For Ohio State

The Meyer era is set to unfold

The 2012 Spring Game will take place this Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Teams were selected earlier this morning and below are the results of the "draft" day that the Ohio State players and coaches held.

Team Scarlet

Head Coach – Tom Herman

Assistant Coaches – Everett Withers, Mike Vrabel, Tim Hinton

Game Captains – Zach Boren and Jack Mewhort

QBs – Braxton Miller, Justin Siems

OL – Darryl Baldwin, Reid Fragel, Marcus Hall, Eric Kramer, Corey Linsley, Jack Mewhort, Tim Trummer

RBs – Carlos Hyde, Rod Smith

FB – Zach Boren

TEs – Jeff Heuerman, Derek Burkholder, Nick Vannett

WRs – Chris Fields, Frank Kangah, Ryan Ross, Evan Spencer, Michael Thomas, Tyrone Williams

DL – Michael Bennett, Logan Beougher, Chase Farris, Joel Hale, Johnathan Hankins, William McCary, J.T. Moore, Se’Von Pittman, Kharim Stephens

LBs – Connor Crowell, Storm Klein, Ryan Shazier, Stewart Smith

DBs – C.J. Barnett, Christian Bryant, Doran Grant, Zach Domicone, Travis Howard, Vincent Petrella, Ron Tanner, Julian Vann, Jamie Wood

K/P – Drew Basil, Kyle Clinton, Kevin Niehoff

LS – Bryce Haynes

Team Gray

Head Coach – Luke Fickell

Assistant Coaches – Kerry Coombs, Ed Warinner, Stan Drayton, Zach Smith

Team Captains – Etienne Sabino and John Simon

QBs – Kenny Guiton, Cardale Jones

OL – Ivon Blackman, Brian Bobek, Jacoby Boren, Tommy Brown, Taylor Decker, Andrew Norwell, Ben St. John, Antonio Underwood

RBs – Bri’onte Dunn, Jordan Hall

FB – Adam Homan

TEs – Kyle Schuck, Jake Stoneburner

WRs – Corey Brown, Peter Gwilym, Verlon Reed, Taylor Rice, Devin Smith

DL – Adam Bellamy, Dalton Britt, Chris Carter, Garrett Goebel, Steve Miller, John Simon, Nathan Williams

LBs – Curtis Grant, Ross Oltorik, Joshua Perry, Andy Reed, Luke Roberts, Etienne Sabino

DBs – Corey Brown, Adam Griffin, Orhian Johnson, Tyvis Powell, Bradley Roby, Nick Sarac

K/P – Ben Buchanan, Kyle Clinton, Russell Doup

LS – George Makridis

Just a Matter of Time For Urban Meyer

How does Brady always know?

The last 2 weeks has seen a flurry of activity concerning the impending head football coach vacancy at The Ohio State University. Luke Fickell may have had a shot to retain his position if he had been able to win out after the Wisconsin game but we all know how that has turned out over the last couple weeks.

Uninspired losses against Purdue and a scandal ridden Penn St. team at home have all but sealed the young coaches’ fate. I think the fan base was rooting for Fickell because he was one of our own but in the end, wins are the only thing that matters around these parts. Luke has a chance to be a good coach in the future but taking off the training wheels under the bright lights of Ohio Stadium is not conducive to success.

2011 will be remembered as a lost year when we all look back 20 years from now. It isn’t only the head coaches fault. He was thrust into an impossible situation and did the best he could. I wish him well in his future coaching endeavors and even think it is a possibility that his services are retained in some capacity next season.

2013 Linebacker Recruit Tim Kimbrough To Visit OSU For Wisconsin Game

Tim would be a nice addition

Tim Kimbrough, a 2013 recruit that plays outside linebacker is rumored to be visiting Ohio State this weekend, when the Buckeyes host Wisconsin at 8 p.m. Normally, recruits don't visit unless they have an offer, and while Kimbrough may not hold an offer just yet, Ohio State might jump into this recruit at the right time. If he leaves OSU with an offer, or soon after receives one, he might lean heavily towards the Buckeyes.

Kimbrough himself is 6'1'', 218 lbs. He's another recruit that is added to the already large list of recruits attending this game. Adolphus Washington, among others, and many more recruits. This game is turning out to be pretty big for Fickell and the recruiting staff, as they continue to pile on offers to big recruits.

The Indiana Warren Central junior linebacker racked up 11 solos, seven assists, and 1 tackle for loss and four big hits in the team's season opener, which they won 64-13. Kimbrough is arguably the top prospect on a defense that includes senior top 100 defensive tackle and Notre Dame commit Sheldon Day, Indiana linebacker pledge Jordan Wallace, Purdue safety commit Jordan Shine, and Cincinnati defensive end verbals Jonathan Burt and Joshua Posley.

He currently holds offers from North Carolina and Purdue, and the Warren Central coaching staff says Iowa could be next. Other programs showing strong interest (besides Ohio State) is Notre Dame, Florida, and Cincinnati. Kimbrough is very high on the Buckeyes and Irish, and visited each campus this summer, along with Tennessee's.

Video Highlights after the jump

THE Game: What It Means To Me

The man with the plan was right

This week we are running a feature where each of the writers tries to describe what the annual Ohio State vs. Michigan game means to them. Here's SBB's take:


There are a lot of games I could write about that I was at. 2002, 2004, 2006. For me, it all starts with a game in 2001 in A.A. and a promise that was given a few months before.

Let me give you a little back story. I grew up in Columbus in what many would call the dark ages. The Cooper year. Oh F*** it happened again. I miss Earl Bruce, Etc. I had perfectly good school years, elementary school even when you're not supposed to have a care in the world RUINED by the likes of Tim Biakabatittykaka and Anthony 8th year of eligibility Thomas. The first and only time I had to bite down on a bar of lava soap was after the 1995 game. It's not that I don't swear, it's that those were things that an 11 year old shouldn't say. Entire teams worth of NFL talent for not, wasted by the last game of the year. David Boston v Charles Woodson, Desmond the turd burglar, Lloyd Carr, before there were three L's in LLLoyd. This probably explains a lot of my general disposition, right?

I could even say that the 2000 game was the best because it got Coop fired, but I'd be lying and I think Coop gets enough of the blame even though a decade has passed and the ultimate cure, winning, has been given to we who have suffered long and hard. For me the 2001 game was the start of a new era, when sun light would break through the grey Ohio sky and start to make up for the awful 90's.

Game Preview and SUPER OBJECTIVE Opinions: Eastern Michigan

Hey look! An EMU!

Who? Eastern Michigan University(www.emich.edu) Public university, founded in 1849. Undergraduate Population or just a hair over 18,000. The Eagles.

What? Step 4

When? Tomorrow! Saturday September, 25th 2010. 3:30 EST on ABC/ESPN depending on where you live.

Where? Ohio Stadium, of course!

Why? Because someone needs a paycheck, I guess.

Little known fact, EMU used to go by "Michigan State Normal School/College". WTF?
What do I know about EMU, other than the above "little known fact"? Not much. I know that they haven't won a game since 2008, a season where they won a whopping 3 games. I also know that Ron English is their coach. You all remember him, right? Yeah, he was one of numerous guys that got to interview for his own job, a la Office Space, when our pal Richard came to Ann Arbor. I don't think they are friends, I present to you. Exhibit A.
He looks CHAPPED.


This dude never looks happy. Look at that scowl. Serious business. Of course, if I were coaching a team that hadn't won since 2008, I probably wouldn't be more normal cheery self either. Year one of the Ron English experience in Ypsilanti didn't go so great. The final score for the season was EMU 197 - Everyone else 628. U.G.L.Y. that season ain't got no alibi, it's ugly. Yeah, yeah it's ugly. So far this year, 3 losses but not as bad, aside from the Central Michigan game which they lost last week by a final count of 52-12. Is 2010 going to be any better for the Eagles? It's honestly too soon to tell. What I can tell you is that it's not going to get any better this weekend.

On offense EMU ranks 87th in the U.S. with 332 yards per game and score 20.7 PPG, which is good enough to be 91st respectively. Sophomore QB Alex Gillett and Freshman Devontae Payne will probably split duties at QB. You know what they say about having 2 QBs right? If you have 2, you don't have 1. On defense, the strategy seems to be duck and cover.

Interesting/Little-Known Fact numero 2: Jim Tressel is 1-4 all time against the EMU. Granted, that happened while he was at YSU coaching the mighty Penguins.
What do I want to see happen this Saturday?

• No turnovers. The first 2 interceptions of the season came last week, and one of those was in the red zone. No more of that. This is a team where OSU should be able to play mistake-free football against.
• Increased Red Zone Efficiency: More touchdowns, less field goals. I think We've got something working by going to Stoneburner in the end zone. Linebackers tend to creep up when Pryor rolls to the left or right, and that leaves him open.
• A run game that isn't so ugly. Will we see more Berry and Hyde? Yes, but the real questions are: how early and how often?
• Defensive Pressure/Forced Turnovers. OSU has the best turnover margin in the country right now and that's no fluke. The front 4 + create pressure which force mistakes by the opposing team. I want at least 2 picks/recovered fumbles.
• Kenny Guitton: I don't have a grudge against Joe B, I just think Guitton allows us to run the same type of offense as we do when the starters play. It's a matter of consistency. No one buys Bauserman as a runner, or a passer sometimes.
• Ribs for dinner.
• No injuries. Last week got scary with the number of people going down, especially in the secondary and on special teams.
  

What will happen on Saturday.

• First and foremost, a win.
• A BIG win. EMU allowed 52 points to Central Michigan. We're better than CMU.
• Shut out. After Coach Tressel apologized to the defense for giving it up last week he'll make sure it happens tomorrow.
• TP 300+ combined yards. This is of course up to a few factors: how long he plays and how short of a field he's given.
• 4 catches by Stoneburner and another TD. All Jake does is catch 1st downs and now touchdowns.
• 50+ points scored
• Jaamal Berry. Ian loves this guy(no homo). He's as fast as anybody on the team from what I can see, and offers a nice"change of pace" to both Boom and Zoom. He almost racked up 100 in the opener in mop-up time and if he gets in earlier he could have a big day. Also, he's our best return man.
• We score a TD on special teams. We've given up enough, now it's our turn.
  

So there you have it, and it should surprise anyone. I think OSU goes up 52-0 in the 3rd and coast on offense until the victory bell rings. Ron English will look as pissed as he always does, but everyone else is happy.

Feel the buuuurrrnnnn.

Week Three Big Ten Wrap-Up

BIG TEN! WOOOOOO!

We've decided to add how the Big Ten did over the weekend to our weekly schedule.

Just like the commercial says, "Big Dreams. Big Ten." As a whole the conference did win, and came through beating the teams they should have beat... for the most part. There weren't many surprises, but we did learn a few things about the teams we love, and love to hate.

Michigan vs. UMass: The Fightin' Velcros got a little scare in this game, and found themselves down 17-7 early. The Michigan Defense couldn't stop UMass' FCS attack to save their lives. Velcro once again accounted for 110% of the Wolverine's offense, and didn't get the rest that I think he needs before heading in to the Big Ten season. Rodriguez stayed true to form in riding his horse in to the ground for the win. In his defense, he had to this week. What did we learn? The defense is as bad or worse than we thought and the Offense is all Velcro all the time. Also, did you here this guy doesn't tie his shoes? It's getting about as old as the "Tom Zbikowski is a boxer which means he's tough" meme from 2005. Up Next: Bowling Green.

In all fairness, this was a game against Delaware, not UM. Close enough..

Game Preview and Objective Opinions: Ohio

"Just give me the check and I'll be on my way."

Who? Ohio University Bobcats, you know, the guys from Athens. They have townies and everything seems to be up hill.



What? The 3rd step.


When? Saturday September 18th, 12pm.


Where? Ohio Stadium/Big Ten Network/Sharks Cove Hermosa Beach, CA(for me)



Why? MACrifice.


Uggghhhh team we're not gonna talk about what happened last time. Sure we won, but it was way closer than it should have been.... I'll be honest, writing about the OSU vs OU game is kinda blah. Are there even OU fans? I mean, most people that I know that went to OU are OSU fans. Yet the last time we played there were like 3 tools they kept showing on TV cheering for Bob's cats. I just don't feel particularly inspired. I've been to Athens a few times and I'll tell you what I noticed: Lots of hills, Sonic, and lots of townies. That's it.
Fran Solich, formerly of Corn Husker fame, is still at the helm of the mighty Bobcats. After winning a national title in..... ummmm well nm. OK, so they made a bowl game last year and lost to Marshall in said bowl game. Frank Solich used to coach a storied program, now he resides in Athens, Ohio. While Lincoln, NE and Athens, OH probably aren't that much different it's like going from CEO of eBay to wannabe governor of a bankrupt state. Don't worry OU fans and alumnus, I'm done picking on Athens. I'll talk about the two players I know of on OU's football team; Boo Jackson and Julian Posey.

All Talk No Action.....

Allow me to introduce...... JaFOURy H4rris

ITS's Top 25 Week 2

Week 1 of College football is officially over, but don't fret, we've got a monster weekend ahead of us due to so many big games. Ohio State/Miami, PSU/Bama, Oklahoma/FSU, etc. Boise State was the talk of last night and today, when they came out on top 33-30 against Virgina Tech. Now we see how they did in the polls..

#1 (-) Alabama - Who needs Mark Ingram anyhow? Eddie Lacey, the redshirt freshman led the backs in yards per carry, and total yardage. Alabama was one of the few SEC schools that looked good in their opener, and are still the team to beat.

#2 (-) Ohio State - With Terrelle Pryor and Brandon InSaine, the Buckeye offense was dominating against Marshall all night long. Added with that comes the depth at all the positions. We saw Jaamal Berry second for stats, and fans are urging Tressel to get him more playing time.

#3 (-) Texas - Coming off a closer than expected win over Rice, Texas will continue to develop Gilbert more and more. I think as the season goes along, the quarterback will get better and better. The question is, can he actually lead this team to a BCS bowl?

#4 (6) Oklahoma - Coming in at #4, you might be surprised to see the Sooners, after a very close game with Utah State. If it not for the "game winning" interception, Oklahoma might have been deep on this poll. They had better get their act together, otherwise, FSU might have an upset on them.

#5 (-) Boise State - Boise State came out against the Hokies like they do against every BCS school. Attacking. VT was not prepared, and was quickly down 10 points. After a couple of questionable calls, Boise got the 33-30 win, but our writers ask, would they be up to defeating Ohio State, Bama, etc?

They are... Marshall: Preview

At least he has his shirt on for once....

Who: Marshall, a once successful and still proud football program located in Huntington, WV. undergraduate population of just over 9,000. Formerly in the MAC, now in C-USA.

What: The first victim

When: Thursday September 2nd, 7:30 PM EST

Where: Ohio Stadium for those of us that are lucky, Big Ten Network(happy hour at bar) for those that aren't so lucky(me).

Why: Because it's been far too long, that's why.

I won't go to far in to the 2004 game except that Justin Zwick became one of my least favorite people on earth, and Mike Nugent cemented himself as the best kicker to ever kick a football through the uprights ever.
Under first year head coach, Doc Holliday, Marshall aims for back to back bowl games and sort of by default of the first goal back to back winning seasons. Holliday, who played and was an asst coach at WVU, once took over for one Richard A Rodriguez when he left the team high and dry before the 2008 Tostito's Fiesta Bowl. It was thought that Holliday would become head coach, and honor that went to Bill Stewart. He stuck it out another year, thinking like most WVU fans, that Stewart would and should get fired, before taking his first head coaching position at Marshall University.

What do I know about this year's Marshall team? Only slightly more than you do I'm guessing. Doc Holliday is their coach, check. The have a defensive line that is supposed to be good, check. They probably like shot gun, multi-wide receiver formations, mmkay. They have a true freshman as a starting quarterback, Cam Heyward wants ribs for dinner. Not saying that he isn't a fine young QB, but taking your first snaps under center as a college quarterback in the shoe, at night usually doesn't end well for a visitor.

Honestly, that's about All I can write about Marshall, and you should know enough about the 2010 Buckeyes to not have to read my take on them.(hint, I think They're really good!) So let's get to the fun part shall we?! Time for what I want to see, bold predictions, etc.

"Do that thing you do where you make opposing players look like 6th grade girls. Un-athletic 6th grade girls."

Things I want to see:

• Consistent pressure on the opposing QB. Knock him down early and often. Just imagine him as Jacory Harris.
• OSU's secondary making big plays, without penalties. This group is one of the few questions marks on the 2010 squad.
• Terrelle Pryor holding a clip board in the 3rd quarter. A couple of reasons for this actually. One, less chance for injury. Two, put Marshall away by half time, and get the backups some reps. Let's not have a Beanie situation 2.0, or Navy 2.0 either.
• This thing called a Jake Stoneburner. Throw to the TE in the end zone, and everywhere else. Linebackers shouldn't be able to cover him, expose and use the mismatch
• Shut out
• 50 points
  

Things that WILL happen:

• Pryor will throw early, and show the improvement we've been reading all about.
• Pryor will account for at least 2 touchdowns, more likely 3, one on the ground 2 through the air.
• T-Wash will make an appearance, and not revert to his "Mr March" form.
• Carlos Hyde will carry the rock in the 2nd half and get his first career TD.
• Cam Heyward will have ribs for dinner.
• 50 points won't happen. Jim Tressel only hangs 50 for revenge.
  

Final score Prediction: OSU 45, Marshall 3.

If Brutus is happy, I'm happy.