Who's Joining Urban In Columbus?

Forming an All-Star staff?

"I'm going to try to assemble the best coaching staff in college football.  Our goal is to compete and win Big Ten championships."
 - Urban Meyer, November 28th, 2011

Even before Monday came and Urban Meyer confirmed to the college football world that he was coming back to coach Ohio State, there was a lot of speculation as to who would be coming with Meyer on the new Buckeye staff, once he was officially hired.

Now, with the hire becoming official, Urban has a lot of work to do ahead. This includes trying to actually put together an All-Star staff, recruiting in-state talent, and trying to nab some big recruiting names before National Signing day in February. 

“I was very fortunate in 2005 – I know this is a little biased – I think we put together the best group of assistant coaches maybe in college football history. I know that’s a profound statement, but the job those guys did, the recruits they brought in and the run that that team went on – with the players we brought in and the style of offense, defense and kicking game – my goal is to find that kind of group of coaches again.”

When Coach Meyer (it's going to be fun calling him that from here on out) mentions his 2005 staff, he is referring to his first year as the head coach of the Florida Gators. That staff is still regarded as arguably one of the best staffs in college football in this modern age. The question is now standing: Who will join Urban Meyer in Columbus? Let's take a look at how I think the main coordinating staff will look.

My Thoughts: Wisconsin

Fickell gaining respect

For those of you who have recently read my posts I know I have been a bit negative as of late. I have constantly attacked Coach Fickell and many of the decisions that he and the coaching staff have made, though I am still not sold on him being our head coach, I am thrilled with how the Wisconsin game turned out. This is not just for the fact that because the Buckeyes won, my brother (a Wisconsin alumnus) had to dress in a Buckeye uniform for Halloween, and I did not have to repeat last year when I wore a Badger uniform, revenge is sweet. I am happy because the Buckeyes played with much of the heart and skill that we have become accustomed too. For 3 and a half quarters our defense played like the Silver Bullets.

Wisconsin is a running team, both Monte Ball and Russell Wilson are as dangerous a QB and RB rushing tandem as there is in college football. They run behind a monster offensive line who many people thought would push around a talented but young Buckeye defensive line. Well guess what, that young Buckeye defensive line had the last laugh. They held the powerful Badger running attack to 89 yards (most of that gained on 1 big run).

Let's See What The Buckeyes Got

Coming To C-Bus

In my last post, prior to the Illinois game, I wrote how important it was for me to have bragging rights (my wife went to Illinois) in my house. Well, the Buckeyes won what it turns out may not have been as big a game (Illinois subsequently lost to Purdue) as we all thought/hoped it would be, but a win is a win and Illinois was ranked so the Buckeyes beat an undefeated ranked team on the road and that is great. Having bragging rights is fun, but honestly my wife could care less, so there was not a lot of residual gloating. Living in Chicago though I can smile a bit brighter around all of the Illini here. This week’s game though is almost as big a rivalry for me as the game against that team from up north (almost, but not quite). 

You see my older brother, my closest blood relative is a 1994 graduate of Wisconsin. He is almost as passionate for his Badgers as I am for my Buckeyes. He shares in season tickets to Wisconsin, has taken me to many a game in Madison. I have been to Madison for ties, wins and losses. For years since the early 1990s we have a “traveling trophy” (a small football) that goes to the winner of the game. Before last season we added to our bet, the loser has to dress in the other’s team uniform for Halloween. Last year on Halloween (my daughter’s birthday) there I was dressed in a Wisconsin uniform, it was a rough and tough night for me (though I did sneak a little Block O on my undershirt to keep OSU closest to my heart).

How Big Of A Game Is This For Fickell?

Can Luke stay with a win?

I really don’t think that our young coach has any shot of hanging on past this season despite the news he finally is coaching under a legit contract until the end of 2012. It’s true that Fickell was dropped into an impossible situation with all of the suspensions and the turmoil surrounding the program but most fans still believe he is in way over his head. Ohio St. is one of the few jobs in America that other coaches pine for and the school should be able to hit a home run once this season comes to an end.

However, if Luke wants to put a HUGE notch under his belt and make the brass at Ohio St. second-guess their impending coaching search, this weekend certainly presents the opportunity. Wisconsin will be a great challenge for this team and its’ coaching staff moving forward.

Will the Buckeye’s be able to throw or even move the ball against a stout Wisconsin defense? Can Braxton escape this Saturday with body intact and all wits about him? Will Bollman dial up some plays that don’t remind us of leather helmets? I don’t really have the answers to these questions but I am dying to find out the answers in person this weekend at the 'Shoe!

Wanted: Forward Pass

OSU went 1/4 passing

It’s amazing what one win can do for your psyche in this kind of a season. Food has tasted better this week, it has seemed brighter outside (which is hard to do considering the amount of rain that has fallen over northern Ohio) and I have generally been nicer to those around me. All of this because of a football game. It’s hard to explain to those outside of our OSU fanatic niche how much a football team can mean but it really is one of the most important things in my life. As long as family, friends and my job are all humming along as expected, football is pretty much the next item on the list. I guess what I am trying to say is.. THANK GOD WE F’N WON A GAME! I was beginning to think I might never feel this way again in 2011.

The Buckeyes had been playing uninspired and sloppy football for the last couple of weeks which added two more losses to the one already collected in South Beach a month ago. If you’re counting at home, that is 3 freakin’ losses only half way through the year. Under normal circumstances that is like two years worth of losses. Unfortunately this season is anything but normal and OSU desperately needed a win in Champaign to get that Herpes B infected monkey off their back (too soon?). I think we all expected some growing pains this year but nobody predicted the horror show err... offensive production witnessed thus far.

Colorado Thoughts/Feelings

Braxton played well, but he's still learning

Well, we are four games into the season, and let me tell you something I have absolutely no idea what to think about this team. I can tell you we are not as good as we thought we were after the Akron game, and we are definitely not as bad as we thought we were after the Miami debacle. This year we have played 2 decent teams (Toledo who got robbed last week and Miami), one incredibly average team (Colorado), and one really really bad team in Akron.

We are 3-1 and we don’t know much. Let’s take a look at the Colorado game. First of all we finally got a true look at our future. We are Braxton’s team now. He played well. He showed the escapability that we all expected. He also showed that as a runner he is more like the QB from That School Up North, then Terrelle Pryor. He doesn't glide as he runs, he doesn’t have the famous stiff arm. What Miller does is fake a defender right out of his socks and then outrun the rest down the field. It appears at this time he is a run first QB with happy feet.

Thoughts On Fickell: My Take

Saving 1 timeout at a time.

First of all let me remind you all I am a 1997 graduate of The Ohio State University. For those of you who may not realize this, 1997 is the same our current Head Coach Luke Fickell graduated from the great university. I did not know Luke Fickell personally, but I went to every home game, a couple of road games, and the 1997 Rose Bowl, a game in which Fickell showed his unbelievable toughness by playing the game with a torn pectoral muscle. He was “the man”. Because of our going to OSU at the same time I can honestly say I feel a kinship to Coach Fickell (though I am sure he does not feel the same way about me), and I hoped he would succeed as a coach, and one day become our head coach, I just don’t think that one day is now. Coach Fickell was a very good linebackers coach and a good co-defensive coordinator. However, he has never actually been in charge of a side of the ball by himself. As co-defensive coordinator he was basically in charge of linebackers, and worked with Jim Heacock on calling plays for the defense. I believe he needs more seasoning as an assistant coach, or if he is going to be a head coach right now or next year, it needs to be at a smaller school, not a school the size of and with the pressures of The Ohio State University.

Let’s take a look at how he has looked so far. Against Akron, he looked like Cooper. I say Cooper because like in the Cooper years we crushed teams that we were supposed to crush. Even with the suspensions Fickell looked to be making all the correct calls (though I thought maybe we would see a little more Braxton Miller in the game). It seemed people began drinking a little of the proverbial kool-aid. Then came Toledo. Make no mistake they are a good team, but elite they are not (look at their Boise State game as proof). We had the same suspensions, nothing new, and we looked awful. In the end our talent and depth was too much for Toledo to handle and we squeaked out an all too close win.

My Thoughts On March Madness

Doesn't get any better than this

Ed. Note: This post was written by Brady.

Personally, football is my first love and baseball comes in a close second.  However, when the calendar hits March I am ready for some madness like any other basketball lover out there.  I devoted my entire Sunday to the Buckeye hoops team along with the selection show that followed the game (I did sneak in a couple innings of the new baseball game for PS3… it’s the only way I have to get the Cleveland Indians some victories).  The Big Ten tourney championship game was a good chance to get away from the cluster$#@! that the Buckeye football program has become over the last week and I couldn't wait to focus all of my attention on the #1 team in the nation.  In no particular order, here are some random thoughts and reactions that I have been mulling since the brackets were revealed.