Recap and Celebrate

Oh, what a night! The stars all gathered in Columbus as the Buckeyes changed the course of their season with a monumental win over Wisconsin. A game like last night's deserves some celebration. After what all has happened surrounding the program in the last year, not many things could be sweeter than breaking the Badgers hearts when they were in such a vulnerable position. That win, as many of you already know, has given the Buckeyes a shot at playing in the Big Ten Championship barring NCAA punishment.

Miller's Feet Prove Vital

That championship may be one reason to celebrate, but there are many other reasons for Buckeyes to rejoice after that victory. The young Buckeyes have started to gel which should only continue to build better chemistry, and the consistency of Boom Herron will allow Braxton Miller and the other young offensive players time to get even more comfortable in their own skin as the season matures. It seems that this game should also be a huge confidence boost to the entire team but especially for Braxton. The Buckeyes offense proved that, not only can they move the ball against a solid front seven, but they can rely heavily on their solid running game. The running game picked up with the return of Mike Adams and Boom, but I find it hard to believe that we can't find room for Carlos Hyde to get on the field. The running game is powered by Herron and Jordan Hall, but Braxton has shown that he can be very useful as well.

Miller and the TE's Celebrate One of His Rushing TD's

Terrelle Pryor's coming out party was arguably his freshman year during the game at Wisconsin when he made a big 11 yard touchdown run on an option left which ended up being the game-winning touchdown. Pryor was 13/19 for 144 yards and an interception and rushed 15 times for 20 yards and another score in that game. Miller's stats were much better as he was under far more pressure than Pryor was with the 4-1 record that the Buckeyes had at that time. Miller ended up only 7/12 for 89 yards but threw for a touchdown and no interceptions in a must-win game, and he rushed 19 times for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns. Both of those rushing touchdowns were crucial. The first touchdown came on a 4th and goal where Miller had to juke out a defender in the backfield to find his way into the endzone. Miller made a quick cut, the same cut that caused him an ankle injury at Nebraska, and walked in for six. The second touchdown was on a play that brought back bad memories for Badger fans. Miller took off on an option left and wasn't touched as he outran the Badger defense for a 44 yard touchdown. That rush should have been the game-winner, but the Buckeye secondary broke down multiple times down the stretch and allowed Wisconsin to take the lead again. Then Miller's real heroics came into play on his longest pass of the season. A pass that has given Braxton confidence in himself. A pass that all but finished off the game for the Buckeyes and broke the Badgers hearts for the second week in a row. A pass that Buckeyes will be talking about for a long time. A pass that went a little something like this...

This is a win that the Buckeyes had to earn, and they did earn every bit of it. They deserved to celebrate, and celebrate they did.

Tomorrow, we must go back to business; but today we can celebrate. Enjoy this one Buckeyes, and to all the heart-broken Badgers; all I have to say is...

GO BUCKEYES!!!

Game Highlights:

The Board Breakdown - Wisconsin@ Ohio State

The Buckeyes have had a chance to study Wisconsin for two weeks and got to see how the Badgers win and lose games. With Saturday quickly approaching, the Buckeyes are in their final preparation steps; and everyone is wondering what's going to happen.  Will the Badgers make more special team's errors?  Will the Buckeyes have an effective passing offense?  Who will win the battle in the trenches?  All of that will be answered this weekend, but until then we can only make predictions.

Bad news first...

Wisconsin O vs Ohio State D

The Bucks MUST avoid a slow start if they want to win this game, and avoiding the slow start will keep the Scarlet Storm loud since they've had a chance to tailgate for hours before the game. This will be a hard hitting game.

Wisconsin's huge offensive line caused problems for the Buckeyes last year as they pounded the ball down their throats after getting up early. The bad news is that this O-Line is still huge, but the Buckeyes have some interior size of their own in Big Hank who weighs around 335 lbs. The weakness of this big Badger line is quickness. They have the mean streak and strength to drive opponents off the ball, so the key to stopping this offense starts with containing Montee Ball. The guy is a great RB, but he took a pop last week that kept him out for a multiple series. The Bucks need to come out hitting hard and show their toughness. The focus of stopping the running game is steady gap control by the whole defense. Everyone must play their assignments and make tackles. The Buckeyes have to play fast to get penetration and pressure the QB.

Wilson is a good QB, but he's not Superman. Yes, he's having a good season, but the guy DOES NOT want to be hit; and he likes to run the ball on occassion. Getting pressure on Wilson makes the difference in his game. The Badgers have good WR's, so you can't allow him to pick you apart.
Wilson can be a difference maker in the game if he's connecting with his receivers and picking up yards on scrambles.  With OSU's athletes on defense, I wouldn't expect him to take off on any big runs because he will  scramble to the sidelines or look to slide.  He, like Ball, doesn't want to get his bell rung.
The Buckeyes need to be flying to the ball, and everyone needs to be ready to hit. Who is tougher?

Now, the good news...

Ohio State O vs. Wisconsin D

This aspect of the game is strength-on-strength and weakness-on-weakness. This bodes well for the Buckeyes who have a steady ground attack. The Badgers D plays sound defense. They don't have a J.J. Watt this year, but they still play tough up front. The big issue with this defense is pursuit to the ball and speed. Boom Herron and Carlos Hyde have running styles that are well-suited for a defense like this, and the Buckeyes will surely rely heavily on the three-headed monster that is Herron, Hyde, and Jordan Hall.  It'll be interesting to see how many carries each back gets, but could this be the game where Hall catches the ball more or even lines up in the slot? Coach Fickell said he had a plan for all three backs this week, so I wouldn't expect any negative tweets after the game from these guys. Braxton should be back running full force with having a little break from play, and his speed could be dangerous against this Wisconsin D.  All three backs and Braxton have the ability to take one to the house if given the room, so big plays in the running game are a definite possibility.The running game will make the game shorter and keep the Badger offense off the field.

This Wisconsin secondary can be exploited with speed, so Philly Brown could potentially have a huge game if Braxton is ready. This should be the coming out party of the OSU passing game which will help the running game be more successful. There is no excuse for not being able to score some points in this game. Jake Stoneburner's presence could be huge as the Buckeyes nickle and dime their way down the field. Wisconsin's defense is not a push-over, but OSU has the athletes to be effective. 

The Conclusion...

Special teams was bad last week for Wisconsin. This could potentially be one of the most important aspects of the game. Plus, Jordan Hall is due for a big return.

Offensively, Ohio State needs to eat up the clock; but the passing game must show up if the Bucks want a shot at Indy. Run the ball, don't commit turnovers, and capitalize on mistakes. This is the style OSU wants to play, and it should work in this game.

Defensively, the Buckeyes need to play with attitude. They need to hit hard and win the battle in the trenches. We'll see what they're made of this week.

It'll be a chilly night in Columbus, but a Buckeye victory would bring new life to Buckeye Nation. Buckeye fans need to be loud. We all want this one.

Get Ready for Combat

Get your game face on Buckeyes because the Badgers are coming to town on Saturday, and they're in a bad, bad mood.

What happened late Saturday night in East Lansing could have possibly been the worst thing for the Buckeyes depending on how high Wisconsin's dreams were really set. The Badgers have been riding high all season on a potent top-ten ranked offense and a stingy, also top-ten ranked defense; and that all came crashing down late Saturday night. The Badgers, who faced their toughest defensive foe of the season, started high scoring 14 easy points in a first quarter shutout. If they were ever doubting their ability to win going into Sparty's territory, those doubts were put to rest early. Russell Wilson looked like the seasoned veteran that he is completing passes, and Monte Ball gashed the Spartan defense for big yardage. Both players accounted for a touchdown in the first quarter. These two players are who the Badgers ride on, they are the heart of this team. If they are playing well, the team is playing well; but when they make mistakes, the team falls too. Many of the mistakes that Wilson made were due to the pressure that Sparty's defense put on, a pressure that the Buckeyes know first hand. Wilson had a costly intentional grounding out of his own end zone which gave the Spartans their first 2 points of the ballgame. Wilson also accounted for two interceptions which was double his season total going into the game. Montee Ball never really made any mistakes, but his absence from the game due to a big hit showed how important he is to this team. James White is a great RB, but the quickness that he brings to the table doesn't make up for the power that Ball has. The Badger offense always runs behind an enormous offensive line, and they have found a great combination with Ball consistently bringing excellent running abilities to the table.

Last season the Buckeyes struggled to stop the rushing attack of Wisconsin. Wisconsin ran the ball down our throats the entire game which was fueled by David Gilreath's opening kickoff returned for a touchdown. The fact that the Buckeyes let John Clay rush for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns doesn't shock me because the guy was practically an offensive guard with 4.6 speed. The Buckeyes, specifically Orhian Johnson, looked foolish trying to tackle Clay up top throughout the game.

The thing that scares me is that even though Wisconsin's RB's this year don't have the size of Clay, we struggled to stop James White who weighs all of about 190 pounds. They run behind that big offensive line, and the Buckeyes have to find a way to stuff the run. Ball missed a good chunk of the second quarter, a quarter in which Sparty tallied up 23 points all while holding the Badger offense scoreless. White filled in for Ball but lacked the ability to break tackles which is crucial when playing a solid defense like Michigan State's.

Wisconsin's offense looked very good at times specifically on those two first quarter touchdown drives and their two much-needed touchdown drives in the 4th quarter. Wilson looked composed throughout the entire game even when he made mistakes. The absence of Ball slowed the Wisconsin offense down quite a bit, and he was either held out or took off a few drives late in the game. His health is imperative to the success of this offense.

The Buckeyes got to sit at home and watch this game from their couches as they had a bye week. It was amusing reading tweets all night of players watching this game. Buckeye fans should feel good knowing that on the weekend off, the player's minds were focused on their next game and playing with a renewed energy. Even after a sluggish start, this season has purpose. Transition season? No way, it's just taken time for the Bucks to gel. Now, a showdown with Wisconsin approaches, and the Buckeyes want this one bad.

This is a series that has haunted Buckeye fans in recent years. If Luke Fickell only coaches one season at Ohio State, he has a shot to do something that the great Jim Tressel didn't even do...have a winning record against Wisconsin.

Robert Reynold's Choke

In 2002, the Buckeyes narrowly escaped Madison with a 19-14 victory which they had done at just about every venue that year. The following year the Buckeyes had to travel back to Madison again. They were once again squeaking out victories and were riding the nation's longest win streak, and then Robert Reynolds committed a nasty foul which Badgers still talk about. Jim Sorgi left the game, and Matt Shaubert came in to finish the game.

The one emotion I remember from this game was the feeling of defeat before the game was over. The Buckeyes were used to playing in close games from the past season and a half, but this one was different. The momentum seemed relatively even through the 3rd quarter as the Badgers only added a FG to give them a seven point lead. The momentum seemed to "jump" in Wisconsin's favor when the game entered the 4th quarter.

The Buckeyes tied the game at 10, but the Badgers still seemed to possess the momentum. The fans stuck behind their team, and the Badgers continued to pound it out. When Shaubert came into the game the Badgers leaned heavily on their ground game, and the Buckeyes had shut down Lee Evans throughout the entire game. One big play would decide the fate of this game. If Evans runs an out, Gamble takes it back for 6; and the Buckeyes continue their run toward a second national championship in two seasons; but instead of that happening...

That 17-10 loss would be followed in 2004 by another loss, this time at home. The series momentum seemed to sway toward Wisconsin, and it seemed that there was a new rivalry born. The Buckeyes and Badgers had a few seasons away from each other. These two programs resumed action in 2007 which was the start of 3 straight Buckeye victories. Within these victories was a defense-dominated Buckeye victory in Columbus which resulted in some hateful words coming out of the mouth of Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema. The coach talked about how much he hated losing to Ohio State and stressed his focus of beating the Buckeyes in the future.

David Gilreath's TD kickoff return

That three-game winning streak came to an end last season. Ohio State was looking at another National Championship appearance while being ranked #1 in the nation, but the Badgers controlled the ball and got to the Buckeye QB throughout the entire game. J.J. Watt is a name that Buckeyes won't forget for a long time. That loss was the start of the fall which didn't seem to have ended until a few weeks ago, but some aren't convinced that the falling has stopped yet. This weekend's game will give us an insight as to if this team has found their identity yet.

J.J. Watt

Braxton Miller had a solid game going at Nebraska before injuring his ankle, and last week Boom Herron returned and proved to be just about all of the Buckeye's offense. The victory over a previously unbeaten Illinois was huge for the program as there seemed to be separation forming between players and coaches, coaches and coaches, and offense and defense. The win gave the Buckeyes new life, and the week off allowed the players to relax; but they didn't relax. The players stayed up late tweeting all night about the game that they were watching, and when instant replay had announced the touchdown at the end of the game, Buckeye players exploded. Players were saying things like 'God's given us another chance' and 'we're back in this' among other positive tweets. That tweeting has continued through the week, but Luke Fickell has tried to keep players away from the media and denied that this game was about revenge. Some Buckeyes tweets would say that revenge is a factor, but this team is definitely in the best possible place they could right now, especially mentally, with what this season has dealt them.

Wisconsin fans after the 31-18 upset

The players have tweeted all week about how anxious they are for this weekend, and even limited talk with the media has produced some positive quotes. The players have their groove back, and they want to make sure that Ohio Stadium is in full force this weekend. Even Fickell has stated that he hopes Buckeye Nation is ready for this game. This is time for Buckeye faithful to be the true fans that we can be and show the nation that we can be loud. Wisconsin fans pride themselves on being loud and belligerent. This is a school where profanity toward other teams has been practiced. Sorry for the language, but these chants have to be heard by Buckeye Nation.

These are the same fans that have shown repeated hatred for Ohio State. Jealousy? Perhaps, but the issues with the Wisconsin fan base have passed the line of acceptable. After the Badger football team pulled off a monumental upset of Ohio State, the Basketball team gave OSU their first loss of the season when they were also ranked #1. Chants of 'just like football' started in the Badger crowd, but it wasn't the chants that crossed the line this time. It was reported that before and especially after the game, Badger fans spat in the face of Buckeye star Jared Sullinger. When Bo Ryan was asked about it he replied with something along the lines of 'all I know is we won, so deal with it'. Deal with it? Well, the basketball Bucks dealt with it by stomping the Badgers on their visit to Columbus. Now, it's time for the football team to deal with it. Nothing would have been sweeter than to knock Wisconsin from the list of unbeaten, but all of us Buckeyes would gladly accept a solid win playing the physical style that both teams love. Beat them at their own game. This includes running the ball, hitting hard, controlling the line of scrimmage, and being loud, energetic fans. I can't stress the last part enough.

It's Halloween weekend, and the Buckeyes play an 8:00 game. Even though there are some exciting games on this weekend, the 8:00 time slot isn't filled with any game with more excitement than the Buckeyes vs. the Badgers. This is the chance for the players and all of us fans to show the nation who we are. Let everyone know that we are strong, and we aren't going anywhere.

The Scarlet Storm rolls into Columbus Saturday night and needs to be fierce

We have been blessed with a second life in this season, and we have to take advantage of it. Buckeyes at the stadium have a chance to have a great time, but come 8:00; we need to get ready for combat. The game faces go on, and we need to support this team by being loud and energetic. We will not sink to the level of the Wisconsin fans because we are smarter and better than them. We need to be loud and cause problems for the Badgers.

The Buckeyes will be ready for combat in their Nike Pro Combat Uniforms. The players have been excited about these helmets all week, and I think these are the best Pro Combats that we will have worn so far. We will take anything to give us an edge in this game, and we can only hope that with the uniforms meant to honor Woody Hayes' 1961 Buckeyes comes the brute strength and attitude that they brought week in and out. This is going to be the coming out party of this Buckeye football team, and they can't wait for Saturday night to get here.

The Pro Combat Helmets

Picture it in your head. There's a chill outside that's warmed by the energy surrounding the Shoe. The adrenaline rush sweeps over your body as the game draws near, and the chills fade. You want to run full speed at a Badger and knock him square on his butt and let the sweet vibrations of impact calm the beast if only for a few seconds. You envision it as the time draws near. The stadium is a scarlet sea jumping and yelling fans. The stadium erupts as the marching band rolls out of the tunnel. The sounds are all a blur as the volume escalates with the anticipation of the Buckeyes racing onto the field sporting their new uniforms and shiny silver helmets. The emotions from the fans are passing through the players as they wait at the end of the tunnel for their grand entrance. The Best Damn Band In The Land creases open giving way to the Buckeye players as they race across the field waving their arms for the fans to get louder because they love the rush that has made their extremities go numb. The anticipation and volume somehow grow louder as the ball is placed on the tee. The countdown is on...3...2...1, and boom; the ball is kicked off as the crowd yells O-H-I-O so loud that it frightens fans in that state up north. The scene looks like something from 300 as two enemies clash into each other at full force. The fresh sounds of pads smashing each other is briefly heard before the crowd and players scream in satisfaction of the start of war. It's on. Buckeyes vs. Badgers. Where will you be?

The Ruby Red's

This weekend is going to be one to remember, and I can only hope that Buckeye Nation will be represented well. Check back later in the week for my game breakdown, but until then...

Go Bucks!!!

BuckIDENTITY

The Buckeyes are coming fresh off their bye week and have a new sense of life on and off the field.

The Buckeyes are certain they have found an identity with the return of Daniel "Boom" Herron and Mike Adams. The running game which features three backs has been strong over the course of the last two games and only seems to be building chemistry. Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde have been the feature backs early in the season, but Boom stepped in last week and basically was all of the OSU offense. The Buckeyes have had to take pressure off their young QB, and that has been a success over those two games. Now, with a physical defense and potent offense coming to the Shoe; the Bucks have to find a little more balance. No longer will pure power dominate the game, but Jim Bollman will surely continue to rely on the ground game to control the ball and the clock.

The absence of the passing game against Illinois had many fans wondering what was going on. Surely the wind couldn't have been that big of an issue because Illinois continued to throw the ball quite a bit. Braxton had just come off a game (Nebraska) where he looked much better throwing the ball, and Philly Brown was a threat catching the ball. Jake Stoneburner had a big catch-and-run score on a TE screen that the Buckeye faitful has seen before, and not only has it worked well just about every time; but it seems to be Bollman's most 'risky' playcall. The passing game seemed to start taking shape...then Bauserman came in. Joe Bauserman threw 1-10 for an interception and took much of the blame for the Buckeye's historic flop. Fans were in an uproar over how Bollman went away from an effective rushing attack and leaned on a cold, unproven quarterback who many think should be #3 or 4 on the depth chart. Bollman hears 'pass less' being yelled by fans all week, so what does he do? He passes less...for a total of 4 times in a game that many expected the Buckeyes to lose. Not only did they not lose, but they just physically dominated a previously undefeated team. Was this a good gameplan or just athletic domination? I would have to think the latter since the passing game had just looked so much better in the previous week. It wasn't an erratic Braxton Miller that pushed them into a run-based offense because he wasn't even given the chance to throw the ball. Maybe Bollman saw something during pre-game that caused him to go ultra-conservative, and it was reported that Braxton struggled to push off that back foot on passes; but there's no excuses to only complete 1 pass and only have 4 attempts. Braxton is better than that, but now we move on to a new week; and this week means everything.

The Buckeye players sat at home and watched as their next opponent, rival, and most dominant team in the Big 10 this season lost in a heart-breaker. Their perfect season was denied by mere inches with the aid of instant replay. They don't sting much more than that, but now the Badgers are in rebound mode. As they role into the Shoe this Saturday, they will surely look to avoid a slow start.

The Badgers need to do what they did last year against the Buckeyes in starting off fast to avoid slumping and giving the ball to a team looking to slow the game and burn the clock. The Buckeye's strategy will most likely be the usual run the ball, avoid turnovers, and work field position; but could we possibly see something else? We've been waiting to see Jordan Hall in the slot all year, and Fickell said they had a plan for all three RB's. This is the game where there's nothing to hold back, but I would assume Bollman will stick to the basics. I would expect to see more passing attempts than 4, but I guess I haven't seen the weather forecast either.

Check back later this week as I will have more on the Buckeyes/Wisconsin matchup which will include a motivating post. Fickell said he hopes the fans are ready for this weekend, so I want to help us get ready.

Follow me on Twitter @BuckeyeBoard and on the Facebook page.

Go Bucks!

Luke Fickell: The True Buckeye

You don't start a head coaching career at a school like Ohio State, you end them there. Has there ever been a Buckeye head coach in the modern day that left and coached at another school? Will Luke be the first? The way this season is going, he just might be; but don't be too quick to draw conclusions.

So many of Buckeye Nation have ripped Fickell apart for his "decisions" on and off the field since taking over as head coach. Many debate whether he's just an interim coach or someone who deserves another shot next season. I mean, even Rich Rod got 3 seasons, and he never beat UM's two biggest rivals (OSU and MSU).

The big difference is that Luke doesn't run the show. You can tell by watching him and watching this team's progress. Listen to him at press conferences. He never talks about decisions that 'he' made or how 'he' is going to correct certain situations (i.e. that backup QB). It's always about 'we' and 'us', and it has to be that way. A co-worker becoming boss always has the makes of a disaster. We've all seen it in our own jobs, and people have a difficult time getting behind the vision of someone that used to work beside them. OSU knew this, and when Fickell was assigned to fill this coaching vacancy; it was just to give the position an identity or a face. He wasn't hired to mold this program around the vision that he has been building over the years which is what the head coach's role usually is. Was Luke ready? No way! Everybody knew he wasn't ready because he had no head experience whatsoever, but what coach could the Buckeyes have brought in with all the NCAA sanctions hanging over our heads? No head coach with a decent reputation wants to jump into a program that may have to be rebuilt from the ground up, so OSU did the best thing they could in hiring someone who is a Buckeye and who will keep some kind of stability in this transitional period.

Bollman runs this offense and has brought the majority of the negative attention on the program this season as far as what's happening on the football field. Strong statement, yes; but it's the truth. He continues to be bland, call bad plays, and backup one of the worst QB's in Ohio State history. It seems that the obvious is finally catching up with him as Kenny Guiton appears to be jumping up the depth chart, but we need to see a solid attack on the offensive side of the ball. I wonder if the changes he's made are all beacuse of fan complaints. Fans bring in the money, and OSU won't continue to sell out The Shoe with offensive performances like we've seen. High school teams have better balance than OSU, and it's coaching; not all on Braxton and the young receivers. The youth of our players and coach have brought on a few mistakes, but Bollman and his offense have lost many of these games this year. They had all off season to prepare these young guys. We didn't do anything at Miami or against Michigan State, and once our plan of relying on Braxton against Nebraska went down; we couldn't even manage to get a few first downs in a game that we had been dominating. Is he over-thinking everything or just too lazy to make sure that we have backup plans if the original plan doesn't work or is lost via injury? It's a good thing that OSU fans are educated enough to realize that this is on Bollman, otherwise Coach Fick would've been run out of town by now.

Even Luke knew he wasn't truely ready for this position. If the Buckeyes were winning, he'd be hoisted up as the savior to an ailing program. The fact is that the Buckeyes are losing far more games than the fans are used to, and he's taking heat in every press conference about his decisions with plays; players; and timeouts; some of which aren't even his choice. But he's the face, the guy who the casual fan looks to for all of their questions. This all was expected by Luke, so don't expect to see him lose his cool any time soon. He's a true Buckeye and will take the heat for what's happening, or not happening, this year. All Buckeyes will be grateful about 3 years down the road when they realize how important it was for him to step up and play this role. He didn't ask for it, but he will surely play it because of who he is...a Buckeye.

At the end of this season, changes will be made. Bollman and Siciliano are two obvious choices for replacement as they have struggled to get constant development from top-tier talent. As I stated earlier, you don't start head coaching careers here; and there's coaches, including coordinators and positions coaches, who are drooling over the young talent that's gaining experience. This university is too big to not have a coach who has experience and who is ready to keep the football program at an elite level.

You have to feel for Coach Fick and his decision to take this job knowing it wasn't going to be a long-term position and knowing that he would take heat for decisions that weren't his. This institution needs to regroup and get a fresh start, and that will happen just as soon as the last football game is played this year. The good news is Urban Meyer, who many are calling the next Buckeye Head Coach, has strong ties with Jim Heacock; so there's a chance that Buckeye fans will get the offense they want while keeping the defensive team in tact.  Could Fickell step down and eventually take over for a soon-to-retire Jim Heacock?  That question could be answered in a matter of a few months.  Until then, Go Bucks!

The Board Breakdown - OSU/Illinois

I haven't done one of these for a few games, but I feel like the keys to this game are jumping out at me. This is going to be a quick highlight of those key points.

OSU's Running Game:
I called for the Hyde/Herron/Hall trio to put up about 230 yards rushing this week. That doesn't include Braxton Miller's rushing yards, but I'm hoping he doesn't have to take off too much. Illinois' pass rush is good enough to make him take off. Play-calling needs to rely on our rushing game to open up the pass. I hate thinking that this offense is all in the hands of Jim Bollman, but I feel like a man making as much money as he does can learn to get better. It's obvious that he didn't have to do much while Coach Tress was running the show. This is a team that needs smart play-calling. There has to be balance between conservative or aggressive and run or pass, but it is clear that the run needs to be used to open the pass. If the offense was put in a similar situation as last week, I would expect them to focus on running the ball; but whatever they do they need to sustain a drive to give the defense a break.

OSU's Passing Game:
This is an area that looked so much better last week...while Braxton was in. I do not want to see Joe Bauserman play meaningful snaps ever again. He hasn't done anything this year, or ever for that fact; so you have to give Kenny Guiton the #2 spot. The passing game used better play-calling and good decision making by Braxton to be efficient last week. Philly looked good, and it was nice to see Stoney get to run one in. The things I would like to see this week is an early shot downfield, if the wind's not too bad, and us passing to the backs more. Hopefully, that includes getting Jordan Hall in the slot like we'd heard about, and that's a possibility with Herron back. We need Braxton to have another efficient game, and much of that hinges on the offensive line's ability to keep one of the nation's best pass rushes out of the Buckeye backfield. JB Shugarts needs to play well with the Big Ten's leading sacker, who guarenteed a win over OSU and said said he wanted to rub it in, lining up around him throughout the game. A good running game can take pressure off the passing game, but if Braxton isn't slowed down by his ankle; he could have some big scrambling runs against this defense that brings pressure. This will be a good test for OSU. The bucks have to pick up the rush, and Braxton needs to either find the gap to scramble or get rid of the ball quick. This will be the most interesting aspect when the Buckeyes have the ball.

Illinois' Running Game:
The option is dangerous for this defense, and we saw it last week in the second half. Tackling is crucial. They play 3 RB's who run very different, like OSU's RB's. Etienne Sabino will need to play well. We need to be in position and execute proper tackling techniques. We can't stand for whiffing like Bryant did last week. We have to keep our feet moving to attack ball carriers. Sabino stopped moving his feet many times last week which allowed Nebraska's RB to run around him. These are the little things that happen when players get tired, but they're fundamentals that need to be executed. Illinois' QB is a tough player with talent. He likes running the ball and makes pretty good decisions with the ball. The Buckeyes need to slow this team early and stay on them. Our guys are young and capable of big things, but they are also prone to errors. As long as they continue to improve, we'll be okay.

Illinois' Passing Game:
AJ Jenkins, know where he is at all times. Travis Howard is great when he's facing the QB, but he has not played well when he's facing away. Bradly Roby ran his mouth this week saying AJ Jenkins wasn't really that good, so now he needs to backup his words with actions. The issue when playing this Illinois team is that they're capable of throwing short or deep and running at you or stretching the field. Our defense has to run and tackle well, but we have to play in position and not get lazy. Our pass rush has lacked, and that's an understatement, this season which is due to the injury of Nate Williams; but they need to find a way to get to the QB. The Illinois stadium is known for having some crazy winds, and this might be a factor in the down-field passing game. We can only hope.

Special Teams:
Illinois hasn't been getting good production from their punter, and they allowed Indiana to return a kickoff for a TD.

OSU needs some big returns to help with field position and momentum. Jordan Hall should have fresh legs, and he or Jaamal Berry are capable of taking one to the house. I feel that one of them will have a big return this week. Drew Basil has been solid since a shaky start, and Ben Buchanan has been dropping punts inside the 20 on a consistent basis. If the coaches call a good game, special teams could be huge for OSU.

The Conclusion:
The return of Boom Herron gives the Buckeyes some more production on the ground, but more importantly it gives us motivation, confidence, and leadership. Could he be the missing link? We'll find out soon enough.

This is a tough game for both teams who are playing different roles than they're used to. The Bucks need to pull it together, and if they do; they'll be rewarded with a win. If I had to put money on it, I'd say that Bollman somehow messes things up again; and our defense needs good play from the offense. We need this win so bad, to the point that it could change the direction the rest of this season goes. Let's all say a prayer for this one. Go Bucks!

2012 Laid Out...Look Out!

Schedule
9/1 - Miami (Oh.)
9/8 - Central Florida
9/15 - California
9/22 - UAB
9/29 - @Michigan State
10/6 - Nebraska
10/13 - @Indiana
10/20 - Purdue
10/27 - @Penn State
11/3 - Illinois
11/10 - BYE
11/17 - @Wisconsin
11/24 - Michigan
12/1 - Big Ten Championship

Our Potential Starting Lineup

Offense -
RETURNING STARTERS (10)

QB - BRAXTON MILLER/Cardale Jones/Kenny Guiton

RB - CARLOS HYDE/JORDAN HALL/Jaamal Berry

FB - ZACH BOREN/Adam Homan

FLANKER - PHILLY BROWN/Chris Fields/VERLON REED

SPLIT END - EVAN SPENCER/Devin Smith/TY Williams

TE - JAKE STONEBURNER/Ried Fragel

LT - ANDREW NORWELL

LG - JACK MEWHORT

C - Brian Bobek

RG - COREY LINSLEY

RT - MARCUS HALL

Defense -
RETURNING STARTERS (10)

LT - JOHN SIMON/Adam Bellamy

NT - GARRETT GOEBEL

RT - JONATHAN HANKINS/Michael Bennett

LEO - NATHAN WILLIAMS/JT MOORE/Steve Miller

SLB - ETIENNE SABINO

MLB - STORM KLEIN/Curtis Grant

WLB - Ryan Shazier

CB - TRAVIS HOWARD/Dominic Clarke

CB - BRADLEY ROBY/Doran Grant

FS - CJ BARNETT/Zach Domicone

SS - CHRISTIAN BRYANT/ORHIAN JOHNSON

STAR - CHRISTIAN BRYANT

Special Teams -
RETURNING STARTERS (6)

K/PK - DREW BASIL

P - BEN BUCHANAN

LS - GEORGE MAKRIDIS

H - DEREK ERWIN

KR - JORDAN HALL/JAAMAL BERRY

PR - JORDAN HALL/Philly Brown


Season Outlook -

The number of returning starters will be a strong point for the Buckeyes as they look forward to a big season. A few of these players, especially on the O-line, are listed as returning starters because they started multiple positions. The only freshman I included on here is Cardale Jones, but only because Kenny Guiton hasn't proven better than Joe Bauserman this year. There will probably be some freshman to break the two deep. Maybe Boren on the OL and Perry at LB will help give us some depth, but that'll work itself out next year. Obviously, at this point there are plenty of unknowns; but it's hard to not be distracted by the future with so much promise in this youthful team. Who will be our head coach, offensive coordinator, O-line, and QB coach? How much of the staff will stay in tact? Will anybody risk a shot at the NFL?

I think our team will stay in tact, and there will be a new head coach and offensive coordinator. I'm assuming if much of the staff is replaced then that will include many of the defensive coaches which I wouldn't be too happy about. The issue is that a head coach has to make sure everyone is on the same page, and that usually means replacing the whole staff. Once again, we'll see how that works out in the future. I'm not going to make predictions as to who the coaches will be, but I do think it'll be an adjustment to what Buckeye Nation's been used to the past decade.

The schedule sets up very nicely as the Buckeyes open with 4 home games. Miami (Oh) and UAB should be gimmies. UCF will be an interesting game. Cal will lose a few players but should return many skill position players including studly WR Keenan Allen. The Golden Bears pulled off an OT win over a Colorado Buffalo team that OSU dominated in the early season. This should be OSU's only thing close to a test before they travel to East Lansing to start the Big 10. Playing at MSU could be tough, but they will also be losing a lot out of their skill positions. Cousins and Cunningham are out, and Worthy will be gone as well. Dantonio is building that program up, so this won't be a push-over; but I would expect whoever is coaching the Buckeyes to have them rolling by this point. Next up, Nebraska will come to Columbus for what could be another big game for the two teams. Martinez and Burkhead will be back. The Bucks will have a shot at redemption, and Columbus will surely be rockin'. Indiana will continue to be Indiana, so even though we play there; I won't worry about this game. We then have Purdue at home, we're at a Penn State team that might be in their own head coach transition, and Illinois at home. If the Bucks can make it through that stretch they will find themselves in the BYE week with a game at Wisconsin in front of them. Wisconsin looks like they'll be sitting toward the top of the Big 10 for awhile. This will be a crucial game for both programs in what has become quit a big rivalry. You'd think that after 10 games this team would be peaking, so this is a good scenario for OSU. The week after that the Wolverines will come to Columbus for the first time under Brady Hoke. I'm sure this game will be heated once again as Hoke looks to take this program in the right direction.

There's still much of this season left, and there's plenty reasons to be excited about what's going to happen on and off the field; but I couldn't resist a glance to the future. I hope this team continues to get better, and I really hope they make smart moves with the coaches. It will be interesting to witness this transition in the Buckeye Football program.

Bringing The Hammer Down

Thud...the sound of Buckeye fan's hopes hitting rock bottom. Those hopes had once again peaked while Braxton Miller started to be the QB that the Buckeyes knew he could be. 9 carries with a 10 yard average, completing over 50% of his passes with an 18 ypc average, and being smart with the ball. It was the best QB performance the Bucks have seen this year. The offense looked in sync. The O-line blocked, the RB's made a few big plays, receivers caught passes, and Braxton led the whole charge.

Then...thud. A silence cast over Buckeye Nation as Miller, who had injury problems in high school, went down with a right ankle injury from an upfield cut he made. Nothing that I saw would lead me to believe it's too serious of an injury, and the word is that he is questionable for this week. Questionable is good to start the week, much better than doubtful. Some said they even saw him walking around on the sidelines after his injury as if he wasn't really hurt but that he was scared to go back in. I call BS on that as he was tearing it up before the injury. Any competitor wants to get back on the field, especially when they're leading their team toward a big victory like Brax was. We'll see what Brax is made of over the next 3 weeks, but one thing is for sure; they need a plan B.

No matter if Braxton's injury is a bad one, if he continues to have injury issues, or if he's back full force this week; we need to have another plan. There is no way that Bauserman is that plan. NO WAY. The obvious choice is the guy who wears #13 and was getting ready to trot on the field at the end of the game last week before the Cornhuskers ran the clock out. Everyone wants to see Guiton get in the game, especially since we've seen that the coaches don't let players show any bit of how effective their mobility can be in practice. I understand that they don't want players to get hurt, but at some point you have to factor mobility into the mix. Guiton, and even Graham, deserve a shot before Bauserman gets back on the field. I would even take Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde/Boom Herron in the Wildcat over seeing Joe Bauserman piss away another game.

The guy's stats are disgusting, and he has never made a play in a varsity game. Miami, 2/14 for 13 yds 0 td/0 int; Michigan State, 7/14 for 87 yds 1 td/0 int (against a prevent defense); and Nebraska, 1/10 for 13 yds 0 td/1 int. The only thing he has proven is that somebody else deserves a shot. Even as the coaches had continued to rely on the 'he isn't turning the ball over' line Buckeye fans were screaming for something else, but now he has thrown a pick while also tossing the ball into the stands pass-after-pass. Bollman's excuses for Bauserman have continued, and either Bollman wants to lose these games; or he has a serious man-crush. He gave Bauserman credit for completing mulitple passes which he did, but one was to Nebraska. That pick started their game-winning drive. He said Bauserman got really close on the long ball...yeah, the one that was intercepted. Bollman got pass-happy as soon as Bauserman checked into the game as he let Bauserman throw the ball and game away. What reasoning does Bollman have to abandon the run? It just goes to show how good these mobile QB's (T. Smith, T. Pryor, and B. Miller) are making him look, but it might have also been the result that Fickell needed to finally bring the hammer down on Bauserman's playing time and on Bollman's play-calling. Fickell taking charge? That, like Bauserman playing well, has yet to be seen.

Rock Bottom...?

Rock Bottom, a term that I, along with other Buckeye fans, have been throwing around this week. When do you know you've hit rock bottom? Is it only after you've recovered that you realize what or when rock bottom was? I had to laugh to myself because there's tons of D-1A football programs that would love to be 3-2 right now, but the facts are that this is The Ohio State University we're talking about; and going 3-2 in the manner the Buckeyes have is simply unacceptable. There's numerous finger-pointers and still a small population of believers trying to regroup everybody, but the truth is that Buckeye Nation is falling apart at the seams as the football program continues to disappoint on and off the field. Boo's cascade down from the stands serving not as the usual F-you to the refs or opposing teams, but as a symbol of disappointment in our own team and coaches; but honestly, who can blame them? These are the same fans who have been served 10-win seasons, Big Ten Championships, BCS Bowls, and victories over M:ch:gan on a silver platter for the past decade. These fans are like those spoiled kids who whine at Christmas for not getting one of the toys they asked for even though they got everything else that was on their wish-list. OSU has spoiled Buckeye Nation with big gifts year after year; but how can it be made right? Does the parent give in and spoil the child more, does the kid learn to cope and get over it, or do they somehow find a happy-medium? Obviously, the football team isn't trying to perform poorly, but it looks like the they aren't going to be able to get us all of the gifts that we've received in the past; so the Buckeye faithful is going to have to learn to cope with the gifts we're dealt. Hopefully, the team can give us a few good surprises this season; and one of those could happen as early as this weekend as we face an angry Cornhusker team; but the fans have to continue to give positive support to the team even though they're struggling.

Hopefully, you're not the fan who's boxing up all of your Buckeye merch in preparation to jump ship because I see this getting worse before it gets better. I'm not saying OSU can't win, but I'll be surprised if we see a win from the Bucks in the next 3 games as they continue to search for an identity on the offensive side of the ball. The positive is that we have the players to move the ball, but we have to call appropriate plays and execute much better. We also have a pretty good defense, and special teams hasn't been nearly as disasterous as of lately. The Buckeyes have to figure these things out on the fly because this schedule doesn't get any easier. Only the games will determine their record and how the players will develop, but we, the fans, have to continue to support our team. We have to stand strong even if the rest of this year is a downward spiral because we will get better. We are Buckeyes, and no loss, coach, player; or situation should change that. The changes will be made because this is Ohio State, and our program deserves the best coaches. Even when the season started, we had a "shock the world" mentality. Those expectations were very high, and the team isn't playing near the level that was expected; but I also think OSU is severely under-achieving. If you've followed the Facebook page then you know that I put much of the blame on the shoulders of Jim Bollman and Nick Siciliano for awful play-calling and poor development of players. I hate to be one of the finger-pointers, but I feel like we are really getting a chance to see how good these coaches are based on their in-game changes and week-to-week development of our young QB; and it's not looking good. I haven't seen Braxton do a whole lot that he wasn't doing in high school, and he looks too scared to make mistakes which takes away from his play-making ability.

The issues the Buckeyes currently face aren't all on the football field, they're in the locker room and in the stands; but it all stems from those guys on the sidelines and in the pressbox. Changes have to be made by those guys in order to not totally shatter the structure that has been built here, but the fans have to reevaluate their expectations to better suit this team's capabilities. That's how we meet in the middle, and that's how we turn 'are we at rock bottom' into 'remember when'.

I have a few sayings that can be learned here to help our outlook on what's happening. The first is one I've found, and it is, "Happiness is not having what you want, it is wanting what you have". We need to not be the spoiled child, and we will learn to be happy with whatever the team does. This will make wins and bowl games that much more enjoyable, and it'll make losses less depressing. The second quote is one I've used in sports or as a life lesson, and it is one I came up with. That quote is, "Hard times make for good stories"; and we have to realize that if these are the hardest times we have, then we have it made pretty good because we don't have to watch those ugly winged helmets or wear those hideous blue and gold colors every week; so let's do our part to support the team and remember to be proud to be a Buckeye because it's better than being a Wolverine.