The offense is the focus of today's Urban Warfare blog. Specifically the guys who are going to be making all the big plays.
The offense last year was heavy on the run. Braxton Miller ran 227 times for 1271 yards and 13 touchdowns. Carlos Hyde ran it 185 times for 970 yards and 16 touchdowns. That's 2241 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground.
Passing the ball, Ohio State was ranked 110th in the nation. That's 110 out of 124 total schools in NCAA Division I FBS football. This is where I expect things to change in 2013. Yes, Hyde is going to get the ball in his hands and will likely have a 1000 yard season. Braxton is going to still have some electrifying runs, however I expect him to have fewer designed runs.
Here are Miller's passing stats from the 2012 season:
148 Completions/254 Attempts
58.3%
2039 Yards
15 TD
6 INT
140.5 Rating
I expect the completions to go up, along with attempts. I expect over 60% completions. Around 3000 yards, and over 20 touchdown passes. If Ohio State is going to win a National Championship in the 2013-14 season, Braxton needs to make those improvements.
And there are players in the offensive arsenal to make this happen.
One thing we might see is Kenny Guiton, the backup quarterback, on the field with Braxton. This would be difficult to defend because both can pass, and both can run. You could hand off to either...one can run out into the flat to catch a pass, or throw to a RB or WR/TE.
At running back there are more options than just the powerful Carlos Hyde. You have Rod Smith, Bri'onte Dunn, and Warren Ball. Added to those three names are Ezekiel Elliott, and Dontre Wilson from the 2013 draft class. I see fresh legs all year at RB as long as guys don't put the ball on the turf and do what's asked of them. Dunn and Ball were both big names in the 2012 class and should both contribute more in their sophomore seasons. Wilson, from the 2013 class, is very intriguing because he's a very good receiver out of the backfield and can also line up in the slot...think Percy Harvin when he played at Florida.
At wide receiver you have Corey Brown and Devin Smith, both played a lot last season. Both are playmakers on the outside. Both are guys who will get a lot of looks when Ohio State is throwing the ball. In the 2013 class we get Jalin Marshall, Corey Smith, and James Clark. All three can see significant playing time, especially in multiple receiver sets.
Urban Meyer doesn't want guys who want to redshirt. Will some guys get a redshirt? I am sure there will be a few, guys who need a year of seasoning or guys that get hurt. But Ohio State will put the best players on the field regardless of class or experience. If you've earned playing time, you'll get it.
Here is what I expect the starting line up to look like at the skill positions when we take the field for our home opener:
QB - Braxton Miller
RB - Carlos Hyde
WR - Corey Brown
WR- Devin Smith
WR/RB - Dontre Wilson
I think that right there is going to be very dynamic. So much can be done with that talent. Miller can pass to any of them. A read-option with Hyde, even with Wilson. Reverses with all of those players.
Throw in guys like Ball and Dunn to keep fresh legs in at RB and this offense could do great things.
I can't wait to start the season, because I think it's going to be even more exciting than 2012 was.
O-H! I-O!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Buckeyes Get A Haul
Today is National Signing Day...the first day that a high school senior can sign his National Letter of Intent (LOI) to play football for an NCAA program. Most players sign on this day, but some don't sign until after for various reasons.
Ohio State had one hell of a day!
The rankings per different sites:
Scout - #1
Rivals - #2
ESPN - #3
All three have us as the #1 class in the Big Ten.
So no matter where you look, we pulled in a top three class. We got a "surprise" LOI from safety Von Bell of Georgia, a player many felt was going to Tennessee. Ezekiel Elliott was a player some thought was going to Missouri, he stayed with his verbal commitment to the Buckeyes!
Here is a list of the players that signed Letters of Intent with the Ohio State Buckeyes today:
Mike Mitchell, RB 5*
Von Bell, S 5*
Joey Bosa, DE 5*
Jalin Marshall, WR 5*
Marcus Baugh, TE 4*
Evan Lisle, OT 4*
Ezekiel Elliot, RB 4*
Dontre Wilson, RB 4*
Eli Apple, CB 4*
Cameron Burrows, CB 4*
J. T. Barrett, QB 4*
Gareon Conley, CB 4*
Michael Hill, DE 4*
Trey Johnson, OLB 4*
Jayme Thompson, S 4*
Billy Price, DT 4*
Donavon Munger, DT 4*
Tyquan Lewis, DE 4*
Darron Lee, S 4*
James Clark, WR 4*
Corey Smith, WR 4*
Tim Gardner, OG 3*
Tracy Sprinkle, DE 3*
Christopher Worley, OLB 3*
That is a crazy class!
It is also heavy on defense, and heavy on playmaker positions on offense.
Last year, even though the Buckeyes went undefeated, you could say their Achilles heel was the defense...especially at the beginning of the season. This class being brought in, on top of last year's amazing class on the defensive line, is going to bring depth on defense and keep guys fresh so nobody is out there sucking wind. The linebacking corps got a huge upgrade, seeing how that was our thinnest and weakest spot on the team last year. I am also absolutely LOVING the fact that Von Bell is going to be in the scarlet and gray....I have a feeling that this kid is going to be an absolute monster in the defensive backfield.
On offense, we've got speed. Lots of speed. Guys that can (and will) break games wide open for the Buckeyes.
The Buckeyes are going to have quite a stable of running backs. Carlos Hyde is the unquestioned starter. We also have Rod Smith, Jordan Hall, Bri'onte Dunn, and Warren Ball. Add to that the guys that came into the fold today, and it's going to be interesting how the depth chart at running back shakes out. Will a few guys get red shirts? Will some other guys transfer if they feel they won't get playing time? When Urban Meyer came to Ohio State, he said that he wouldn't abandon the run game. I think this year's class helps back that statement up.
The running back I am really most intrigued by out of this class is Dontre Wilson. I think he's going to play a very exciting roll in the offense his freshman year. Think our version of what Percy Harvin did at Florida. He can lineup in the backfield, as the slot receiver, or out wide. He can take the hand off to the edge, catch the ball out of the backfield, catch it out of the slot, catch it out wide on a streak pattern down the sideline, take a reverse all the way, take a pitch in the option....it's really limitless to how he can be used.
Urban Meyer is bringing not just talent to the Buckeyes...but SEC type talent. He's remaking this team into an SEC team, purely dominating. And that's how you beat the SEC, match their talent.
Lots of coffee must have been served in Columbus today, because COFFEE IS FOR CLOSERS! Ohio State closed today, and the talent brought in could bring amazing success to the Buckeyes. In Urban Meyer we trust!!!
Ohio State had one hell of a day!
The rankings per different sites:
Scout - #1
Rivals - #2
ESPN - #3
All three have us as the #1 class in the Big Ten.
So no matter where you look, we pulled in a top three class. We got a "surprise" LOI from safety Von Bell of Georgia, a player many felt was going to Tennessee. Ezekiel Elliott was a player some thought was going to Missouri, he stayed with his verbal commitment to the Buckeyes!
Here is a list of the players that signed Letters of Intent with the Ohio State Buckeyes today:
Mike Mitchell, RB 5*
Von Bell, S 5*
Joey Bosa, DE 5*
Jalin Marshall, WR 5*
Marcus Baugh, TE 4*
Evan Lisle, OT 4*
Ezekiel Elliot, RB 4*
Dontre Wilson, RB 4*
Eli Apple, CB 4*
Cameron Burrows, CB 4*
J. T. Barrett, QB 4*
Gareon Conley, CB 4*
Michael Hill, DE 4*
Trey Johnson, OLB 4*
Jayme Thompson, S 4*
Billy Price, DT 4*
Donavon Munger, DT 4*
Tyquan Lewis, DE 4*
Darron Lee, S 4*
James Clark, WR 4*
Corey Smith, WR 4*
Tim Gardner, OG 3*
Tracy Sprinkle, DE 3*
Christopher Worley, OLB 3*
That is a crazy class!
It is also heavy on defense, and heavy on playmaker positions on offense.
Last year, even though the Buckeyes went undefeated, you could say their Achilles heel was the defense...especially at the beginning of the season. This class being brought in, on top of last year's amazing class on the defensive line, is going to bring depth on defense and keep guys fresh so nobody is out there sucking wind. The linebacking corps got a huge upgrade, seeing how that was our thinnest and weakest spot on the team last year. I am also absolutely LOVING the fact that Von Bell is going to be in the scarlet and gray....I have a feeling that this kid is going to be an absolute monster in the defensive backfield.
On offense, we've got speed. Lots of speed. Guys that can (and will) break games wide open for the Buckeyes.
The Buckeyes are going to have quite a stable of running backs. Carlos Hyde is the unquestioned starter. We also have Rod Smith, Jordan Hall, Bri'onte Dunn, and Warren Ball. Add to that the guys that came into the fold today, and it's going to be interesting how the depth chart at running back shakes out. Will a few guys get red shirts? Will some other guys transfer if they feel they won't get playing time? When Urban Meyer came to Ohio State, he said that he wouldn't abandon the run game. I think this year's class helps back that statement up.
The running back I am really most intrigued by out of this class is Dontre Wilson. I think he's going to play a very exciting roll in the offense his freshman year. Think our version of what Percy Harvin did at Florida. He can lineup in the backfield, as the slot receiver, or out wide. He can take the hand off to the edge, catch the ball out of the backfield, catch it out of the slot, catch it out wide on a streak pattern down the sideline, take a reverse all the way, take a pitch in the option....it's really limitless to how he can be used.
Urban Meyer is bringing not just talent to the Buckeyes...but SEC type talent. He's remaking this team into an SEC team, purely dominating. And that's how you beat the SEC, match their talent.
Lots of coffee must have been served in Columbus today, because COFFEE IS FOR CLOSERS! Ohio State closed today, and the talent brought in could bring amazing success to the Buckeyes. In Urban Meyer we trust!!!
Monday, January 28, 2013
Looking at Ohio State's 2013 Recruiting Class
National Signing Day for college football is just a few days away as coaches try to sway the last of the uncommitted recruits, and to keep the ones that other schools are going after. Last year, there was a big deal made when Urban Meyer came in after the worst football season in over a century for the Buckeyes and started calling recruits that changed their commitments after Jim Tressel resigned and the losing season that followed. Many Big Ten coaches were upset over what they felt was a "gentlemen's agreement" that was supposedly in force under Jim Tressel that you wouldn't go after another school's committed recruit.
Most notably, Urban Meyer convinced four star offensive tackle Kyle Dodson to recommit to Ohio State after he had chosen to switch his commitment to Wisconsin after the fallout from the Tatgate fiasco. This really irked former Badgers head coach Brett Beliema who accused Meyer of using "illegal recruiting tactics" during an interview with the media. Meyer also got five star defensive end Noah Spence in this time, when many people felt he was going to attend Penn State.
Ohio State's 2013 recruiting class is currently ranked #4 overall on Scout.com and ESPN. Scout.com has Michigan ranked #1, while ESPN has them currently ranked #5 as I type this blog post. Ohio State currently has 22 commitments in this class.
The class currently has three 5 star recruits, fourteen 4 star recruits, and five 3 star recruits (ranking provided by Scout.com). Also on Scout's website, only two Big Ten schools are ranked in the top 25 (Ohio State and Michigan). ESPN has three Big Ten schools in their top 25 (Penn State #25, Michigan #5, Ohio State #4).
There are only two soft verbals in the class. Trey Johnson, a 4 star OLB from Georgia; and Ezekiel Elliot, a 4 star RB from Missouri. These are the two that I am most worried about come National Signing Day because they are the most likely to be swayed to another school, and both are being rumored to possibly sign elsewhere on February 6th. And that's the thing about National Signing Day, nothing is official until they sign on that dotted line, tying themselves to Ohio State.
This will be the second consecutive Top 5 class for Urban Meyer at Ohio State as he brings in big talent to the Buckeyes. He plans to make this team in the image of an SEC team. Big and fast. This is the only way they will be able to defeat whichever SEC team they would face of they make the BCS National Championship Game. Meyer cut his teeth at Bowling Green and Utah, two schools that aren't exactly recruiting hotbeds. At Utah, he churned out a first overall draft pick in quarterback Alex Smith.
When he went to Florida from Utah, he had multiple top ten and top five recruiting classes. In this time he won two National Championships, two SEC titles (coinciding with the National Championships, three SEC West titles, and a Sugar Bowl. He produced many first round picks on both sides of the ball, including quarterback Tim Tebow.
Now there's no way to predict how this class will pan out in the end. But it's looking like it'll be damn good, making Ohio State a force to be reckoned with for years to come not only in the Big Ten but in the National Championship picture. O-H! I-O!
Most notably, Urban Meyer convinced four star offensive tackle Kyle Dodson to recommit to Ohio State after he had chosen to switch his commitment to Wisconsin after the fallout from the Tatgate fiasco. This really irked former Badgers head coach Brett Beliema who accused Meyer of using "illegal recruiting tactics" during an interview with the media. Meyer also got five star defensive end Noah Spence in this time, when many people felt he was going to attend Penn State.
Ohio State's 2013 recruiting class is currently ranked #4 overall on Scout.com and ESPN. Scout.com has Michigan ranked #1, while ESPN has them currently ranked #5 as I type this blog post. Ohio State currently has 22 commitments in this class.
The class currently has three 5 star recruits, fourteen 4 star recruits, and five 3 star recruits (ranking provided by Scout.com). Also on Scout's website, only two Big Ten schools are ranked in the top 25 (Ohio State and Michigan). ESPN has three Big Ten schools in their top 25 (Penn State #25, Michigan #5, Ohio State #4).
There are only two soft verbals in the class. Trey Johnson, a 4 star OLB from Georgia; and Ezekiel Elliot, a 4 star RB from Missouri. These are the two that I am most worried about come National Signing Day because they are the most likely to be swayed to another school, and both are being rumored to possibly sign elsewhere on February 6th. And that's the thing about National Signing Day, nothing is official until they sign on that dotted line, tying themselves to Ohio State.
This will be the second consecutive Top 5 class for Urban Meyer at Ohio State as he brings in big talent to the Buckeyes. He plans to make this team in the image of an SEC team. Big and fast. This is the only way they will be able to defeat whichever SEC team they would face of they make the BCS National Championship Game. Meyer cut his teeth at Bowling Green and Utah, two schools that aren't exactly recruiting hotbeds. At Utah, he churned out a first overall draft pick in quarterback Alex Smith.
When he went to Florida from Utah, he had multiple top ten and top five recruiting classes. In this time he won two National Championships, two SEC titles (coinciding with the National Championships, three SEC West titles, and a Sugar Bowl. He produced many first round picks on both sides of the ball, including quarterback Tim Tebow.
Now there's no way to predict how this class will pan out in the end. But it's looking like it'll be damn good, making Ohio State a force to be reckoned with for years to come not only in the Big Ten but in the National Championship picture. O-H! I-O!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Can the Buckeyes raise the crystal football next year?
This college football season ended in an all to familiar way...with an SEC team, Alabama for a third time under Nick Saban, winning the BCS National Championship Game. This one was in blowout fashion, which has often been a case...twice Ohio State has been on the receiving end if these beat downs, against Florida and LSU.
This year the team to get beat was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, to a score of 42-14. They couldn't stop Alabama. They got rolled by the Crimson Tide. This game gave a new meaning to "Roll Tide."
There was only one team to end the football season without a single blemish on their record, the Ohio State Buckeyes. They finished third in the final AP Poll. This positions them well to potentially play for that crystal football next year, as long as they stay unbeaten.
I expect them to start the season in the top five, most likely the top three. The only two teams I can see starting the season in front of them would be Alabama and Notre Dame.
The whole Ohio State finishing undefeated part shouldn't be all that hard. Here is what our schedule looks like next season:
08/31 vs. Buffalo Bulls
09/07 vs. San Diego State Aztecs
09/14 @ Cal Golden Bears
09/21 vs. Florida A&M Rattlers
09/28 vs. Wisconsin Badgers
10/05 @ Northwestern Wildcats
10/19 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
10/26 vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
11/02 @ Purdue Boilermakers
11/16 @ Illinois Fighting Illini
11/23 vs. Indiana Hoosiers
11/30 @ TSUN Wolverines
That's not a very daunting schedule. Hopefully we won't have the hiccups we had this past season because we should be stomping teams like Purdue and Indiana. The two teams on the schedule that I think have a real chance of beating the Buckeyes are Northwestern and TSUN.
The big issue is, with this schedule lacking a team that's going to be in the top ten of the AP Poll going into, and likely throughout the season, will the Buckeyes be able to make it over a one-loss SEC team.
Now in the history of the BCS, a one-loss team from an automatic qualifying conference (Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Pac 12, Big East) has never been awarded a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. However there was talk that if Ohio State had been bowl eligible this past season, they would have been jumped by a one-loss Alabama team because of the better strength of schedule. However we will never know, because Ohio State was not eligible for the BCS Poll due to their postseason ban last season.
If Ohio State runs the table and ends the season as the only undefeated team, I think they will play for the National Championship. You have to play the schedule in front of you. They can't help the fact that the Big Ten isn't as good as it was a few years ago. They can't do anything about the fact that Cal hasn't been all that great since Aaron Rodgers....and that's when Ohio State scheduled this home-and-home series, back when Cal looked like they'd be competing for Pac 10 titles. They can't help that the SEC is the darling conference of college football at the moment and their mid-tier teams get top-15 votes when they deserve to be in the 16-25 range.
Now if they go undefeated, and so do Notre Dame and an SEC team....then there's going to be a big controversy. I have no doubt that the SEC team will get into the game in that scenario.
The issue would be Ohio State and Notre Dame. The Irish schedule for the most part isn't all that daunting. They play TSUN, so do we. They play Michigan State and we don't, but I don't expect Sparty to be a factor in the Big Ten, and if they are we might play them in the Big Ten Championship Game. Notre Dame plays USC, but nobody knows how good they're going to be...they went from #1 to unranked this past season. However the two teams they play that could give them the edge over us would be the Oklahoma Sooners anf Stanford Cardinal. Those two teams are better than any team on the Ohio State schedule this season. That could give Notre Dame the edge.
I hope that scenario doesn't come to light. If it does, we'd be in the Rose Bowl. That's great...a BCS Bowl...the "Grandaddy of em All." Before the BCS, that's where any team from the Big Ten wanted to go, the premiere bowl game for the conference. Back then, if Ohio State was undefeated and won the Rose Bowl, they'd be claiming a National Championship. The BCS put a stop the that, there's only been one split National Championship since the BCS system came into place. Would a split National Championship be a possibility? Yeah, but also unlikely.
So who would I want in the BCS National Championship Game which takes place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California? I want an SEC team. If I had to pick one, I'd want Florida.
Why Florida? This SEC dominance started when Ohio State lost to Florida 41-14 in the 2006 BCS National Championship Game (decided the champion of the 2005 season). Since then the SEC has had a team win the BCS National Championship every year since then, once having both the participants being from the conference. Florida won twice (including the game against Ohio State), Alabama three times, LSU once, and Auburn once.
Nothing would be sweeter way to end the BCS era of college football by not only defeating an SEC team, but beating the team that started their run....with the head coach who started that run being the Buckeyes head coach. It would bring a sweet closure to the BCS era, giving the Buckeyes their second title in the era and a 2-2 record in the big game.
When will Ohio State lose again? Hopefully we won't be finding out the answer to this anytime soon.
This year the team to get beat was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, to a score of 42-14. They couldn't stop Alabama. They got rolled by the Crimson Tide. This game gave a new meaning to "Roll Tide."
There was only one team to end the football season without a single blemish on their record, the Ohio State Buckeyes. They finished third in the final AP Poll. This positions them well to potentially play for that crystal football next year, as long as they stay unbeaten.
I expect them to start the season in the top five, most likely the top three. The only two teams I can see starting the season in front of them would be Alabama and Notre Dame.
The whole Ohio State finishing undefeated part shouldn't be all that hard. Here is what our schedule looks like next season:
08/31 vs. Buffalo Bulls
09/07 vs. San Diego State Aztecs
09/14 @ Cal Golden Bears
09/21 vs. Florida A&M Rattlers
09/28 vs. Wisconsin Badgers
10/05 @ Northwestern Wildcats
10/19 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
10/26 vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
11/02 @ Purdue Boilermakers
11/16 @ Illinois Fighting Illini
11/23 vs. Indiana Hoosiers
11/30 @ TSUN Wolverines
That's not a very daunting schedule. Hopefully we won't have the hiccups we had this past season because we should be stomping teams like Purdue and Indiana. The two teams on the schedule that I think have a real chance of beating the Buckeyes are Northwestern and TSUN.
The big issue is, with this schedule lacking a team that's going to be in the top ten of the AP Poll going into, and likely throughout the season, will the Buckeyes be able to make it over a one-loss SEC team.
Now in the history of the BCS, a one-loss team from an automatic qualifying conference (Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Pac 12, Big East) has never been awarded a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. However there was talk that if Ohio State had been bowl eligible this past season, they would have been jumped by a one-loss Alabama team because of the better strength of schedule. However we will never know, because Ohio State was not eligible for the BCS Poll due to their postseason ban last season.
If Ohio State runs the table and ends the season as the only undefeated team, I think they will play for the National Championship. You have to play the schedule in front of you. They can't help the fact that the Big Ten isn't as good as it was a few years ago. They can't do anything about the fact that Cal hasn't been all that great since Aaron Rodgers....and that's when Ohio State scheduled this home-and-home series, back when Cal looked like they'd be competing for Pac 10 titles. They can't help that the SEC is the darling conference of college football at the moment and their mid-tier teams get top-15 votes when they deserve to be in the 16-25 range.
Now if they go undefeated, and so do Notre Dame and an SEC team....then there's going to be a big controversy. I have no doubt that the SEC team will get into the game in that scenario.
The issue would be Ohio State and Notre Dame. The Irish schedule for the most part isn't all that daunting. They play TSUN, so do we. They play Michigan State and we don't, but I don't expect Sparty to be a factor in the Big Ten, and if they are we might play them in the Big Ten Championship Game. Notre Dame plays USC, but nobody knows how good they're going to be...they went from #1 to unranked this past season. However the two teams they play that could give them the edge over us would be the Oklahoma Sooners anf Stanford Cardinal. Those two teams are better than any team on the Ohio State schedule this season. That could give Notre Dame the edge.
I hope that scenario doesn't come to light. If it does, we'd be in the Rose Bowl. That's great...a BCS Bowl...the "Grandaddy of em All." Before the BCS, that's where any team from the Big Ten wanted to go, the premiere bowl game for the conference. Back then, if Ohio State was undefeated and won the Rose Bowl, they'd be claiming a National Championship. The BCS put a stop the that, there's only been one split National Championship since the BCS system came into place. Would a split National Championship be a possibility? Yeah, but also unlikely.
So who would I want in the BCS National Championship Game which takes place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California? I want an SEC team. If I had to pick one, I'd want Florida.
Why Florida? This SEC dominance started when Ohio State lost to Florida 41-14 in the 2006 BCS National Championship Game (decided the champion of the 2005 season). Since then the SEC has had a team win the BCS National Championship every year since then, once having both the participants being from the conference. Florida won twice (including the game against Ohio State), Alabama three times, LSU once, and Auburn once.
Nothing would be sweeter way to end the BCS era of college football by not only defeating an SEC team, but beating the team that started their run....with the head coach who started that run being the Buckeyes head coach. It would bring a sweet closure to the BCS era, giving the Buckeyes their second title in the era and a 2-2 record in the big game.
When will Ohio State lose again? Hopefully we won't be finding out the answer to this anytime soon.
Friday, December 7, 2012
The Coaching Carousel
Well Buckeye fans, that time has come where coaching changes are upon the college football landscape. Coaches have been fired, coaches have resigned jobs to take ones with other schools, and some coaches have just simply resigned.
The biggest surprise in the carousel happened in our own Big Ten when Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema left to take the job in Arkansas. He left a job where he had excellent job security for one where if he doesn't turn the program around quickly enough he will be booted out the door, no questions asked.
So now as schools are hiring head coaches that have jobs, that leaves schools with a "surprise" vacancy that they weren't expecting to have.
Here is a breakdown of the carousel so far:
Conference
Fired/Left - School - Hired
Big Ten
Danny Hope -Purdue - Darrell Hazel (Head Coach, Kent State)
Bret Bielema - Wisconsin - N/A
ACC
Frank Spaziani - Boston College -Steve Adazzio (Head Coach, Temple)
Tom O'Brien - North Carolina State - David Doeren (Head Coach, NorthernNN/AAIllinois)
Big East
Steve Adazzio - Temple - N/A
Skip Holtz - South Florida - N/A
Butch Jones - Cincinnati - N/A
PAC 12
John Embree - Colorado - N/A
Jeff Tedford - California - Sonny Dykes (Head Coach, Louisiana Tech)
SEC
Gene Chizik - Auburn - Gus Malzahn (Head Coach, Arkansas State)
Derek Dooley - Tennessee - Butch Jones (Head Coach, Cincinnati)
Joker Phillips - Kentucky - Mark Stoops (Defensive Coordinator, Florida State)
John L. Smith - Arkansas - Bret Bielema (Head Coach, Wisconsin)
Miscellaneous (Mid-level Conference Schools)
Rob Akey - Idaho - Paul Petrino (Offensive Coordinator, Arkansas)
Mario Cristobal - Florida International - N/A
Bill Cubit - Western Michigan - N/A
Dave Doeren - Northern Illinois - Rod Carey (Offensive Coordinator, Northern Illinois)
Sonny Dykes - Louisiana Tech - N/A
Darrell Hazell - Kent State - N/A
Ellis Johnson - Southern Mississippi - N/A
Gus Malzahn - Arkansas State - N/A
Mike Price - UTEP- N/A
That is a lot of unfilled positions. How will this list affect the Buckeyes?
Well first, the two Big Ten moves are important because they directly affect the competition in the conference. I believe Darrell Hazell can make Purdue into a second tier team in the conference judging by the turnaround he did at Kent State. He can recruit the state of Ohio, and while I expect Urban Meyer to be able to get the in-state recruits that he wants, Hazell should be able to get the players that Meyer is not after.
Bret Bielema leaves the conference for the Arkansas Razorbacks of the SEC. This move is very important because the Wisconsin Badgers play in our division. I am sure that whoever Barry Alvarez hires to replace Bielema will keep up the tradition of a strong run game and massive offensive line. I wouldn't be shocked for an assistant coach under Bielema to be tagged for the job. Remember, Bielema wasn't a big name coach when Alvarez hand picked him as his successor.
Now, the other teams with openings could come after Ohio State's assistant coaches to fill their vacancies. I would not be surprised at all for the mid-level conference schools to try and interview some of the Buckeye staff for their vacancies. I just hope we can keep this staff intact to make a run at a National Championship next season.
I would guess that by the end of the bowl season most of the vacancies will be filled in one way or another. One thing to take note of is that so far, only one school has made an assistant coach under the departed coach the new head coach of the team (Rod Carey of Northern Illinois). So expect this list to possibly grow in the coming weeks as head coaches are poached from other schools to fill the vacancies above.
The biggest surprise in the carousel happened in our own Big Ten when Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema left to take the job in Arkansas. He left a job where he had excellent job security for one where if he doesn't turn the program around quickly enough he will be booted out the door, no questions asked.
So now as schools are hiring head coaches that have jobs, that leaves schools with a "surprise" vacancy that they weren't expecting to have.
Here is a breakdown of the carousel so far:
Conference
Fired/Left - School - Hired
Big Ten
Danny Hope -Purdue - Darrell Hazel (Head Coach, Kent State)
Bret Bielema - Wisconsin - N/A
ACC
Frank Spaziani - Boston College -Steve Adazzio (Head Coach, Temple)
Tom O'Brien - North Carolina State - David Doeren (Head Coach, NorthernNN/AAIllinois)
Big East
Steve Adazzio - Temple - N/A
Skip Holtz - South Florida - N/A
Butch Jones - Cincinnati - N/A
PAC 12
John Embree - Colorado - N/A
Jeff Tedford - California - Sonny Dykes (Head Coach, Louisiana Tech)
SEC
Gene Chizik - Auburn - Gus Malzahn (Head Coach, Arkansas State)
Derek Dooley - Tennessee - Butch Jones (Head Coach, Cincinnati)
Joker Phillips - Kentucky - Mark Stoops (Defensive Coordinator, Florida State)
John L. Smith - Arkansas - Bret Bielema (Head Coach, Wisconsin)
Miscellaneous (Mid-level Conference Schools)
Rob Akey - Idaho - Paul Petrino (Offensive Coordinator, Arkansas)
Mario Cristobal - Florida International - N/A
Bill Cubit - Western Michigan - N/A
Dave Doeren - Northern Illinois - Rod Carey (Offensive Coordinator, Northern Illinois)
Sonny Dykes - Louisiana Tech - N/A
Darrell Hazell - Kent State - N/A
Ellis Johnson - Southern Mississippi - N/A
Gus Malzahn - Arkansas State - N/A
Mike Price - UTEP- N/A
That is a lot of unfilled positions. How will this list affect the Buckeyes?
Well first, the two Big Ten moves are important because they directly affect the competition in the conference. I believe Darrell Hazell can make Purdue into a second tier team in the conference judging by the turnaround he did at Kent State. He can recruit the state of Ohio, and while I expect Urban Meyer to be able to get the in-state recruits that he wants, Hazell should be able to get the players that Meyer is not after.
Bret Bielema leaves the conference for the Arkansas Razorbacks of the SEC. This move is very important because the Wisconsin Badgers play in our division. I am sure that whoever Barry Alvarez hires to replace Bielema will keep up the tradition of a strong run game and massive offensive line. I wouldn't be shocked for an assistant coach under Bielema to be tagged for the job. Remember, Bielema wasn't a big name coach when Alvarez hand picked him as his successor.
Now, the other teams with openings could come after Ohio State's assistant coaches to fill their vacancies. I would not be surprised at all for the mid-level conference schools to try and interview some of the Buckeye staff for their vacancies. I just hope we can keep this staff intact to make a run at a National Championship next season.
I would guess that by the end of the bowl season most of the vacancies will be filled in one way or another. One thing to take note of is that so far, only one school has made an assistant coach under the departed coach the new head coach of the team (Rod Carey of Northern Illinois). So expect this list to possibly grow in the coming weeks as head coaches are poached from other schools to fill the vacancies above.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Taking A Rooting Interest in B1G Championship & Bowl Season
Listen Buckeye fans, we all need to take a rooting interest in the Big Ten Championship Game and the Big Ten bowl season. I know the rest of the fans in the conference are bitter over the Buckeyes going 12-0. I know we've been getting a lot of "What bowl game are the Buckeyes playing in? Oh yeah, their not!" garbage from the fans of teams we beat. I know the coaches didn't vote a single Buckeye offensive player for first team Big Ten.
It's true, the Big Ten doesn't have the togetherness that the SEC has. Part of what they have is because of "southern pride." You only see it in the SEC. You don't see it in any of the other big conferences. After the ACC Championship Game, you don't hear the fans chanting "ACC."
But here's the thing, we need the Big Ten to look good. We need them all to win their bowl games, especially if they are playing SEC teams.
For years everyone has said the Big Ten is down. That it's easy to go undefeated or suffer just one loss playing a Big Ten schedule. That if it comes to an undefeated Buckeye team and a one-loss SEC team, the Buckeyes should be left out.
And we don't play a tough out-of-conference schedule next season either.
v. Buffalo
v. San Diego State
@ California
v. Florida A&M
v. Wisconsin
@ Northwestern
Bye Week
v. Iowa
v. Penn State
@ Purdue
Bye Week
@ Illinois
v. Indiana
@ Michigan
Big Ten Championship Game (vs TBD, if we qualify)
That is next year's schedule. We need Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Michigan to look as good as possible going into next season because those are the three best teams we face. We need them ranked all year long.
So who do we want to win the B1G Championship Game? It's Nebraska vs Wisconsin, both teams that we defeated this season. Well for me, I want Nebraska to win the game. The Big Ten hasn't won a Rose Bowl Game since 2010 when Ohio State defeated Oregon. The past two Rose Bowls have featured Wisconsin getting defeated; in 2011 by Texas Christian and in 2012 by Oregon.
That's two straight years that the Big Ten lost the game. I don't think that Wisconsin will be able to defeat Stanford, the team I think will win the Pac 12 Championship and take on the Big Ten winner. I would much rather see new blood in the Rose Bowl, and that would be Nebraska. I think they could win the game, a BCS game in prime time. A game that's legendary and full of history. A game that if the Big Ten won, it would raise the Big Ten's profile.
Also, Nebraska isn't on the schedule next year so the only way we would face them would be in the Big Ten Championship Game. It would help the Buckeyes resume to make the final ever BCS National Championship Game if we defeated the defending Big Ten and Rose Bowl Champions.
Yeah, we face Wisconsin for sure next season (and every season since we share a division with them). But that's something we've done two years in a row now, and they aren't taken as seriously by the rest of the nation like Nebraska is.
As for the Big Ten bowl season, I know I won't enjoy rooting for the Big Ten teams due to how bitter their fans are. But we need to raise the profile of the Big Ten, and to do that we need the Big Ten to win some bowl games.
The only bowl eligible teams in the Big Ten are Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue, Michigan State, and Minnesota. The first four can win their bowl games, the last three I am not so sure about. If Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Northwestern can win their bowls, it will make this conference look good.
So I am going to suck it up and root for these teams to win their bowl games, knowing that next year our team can kick them in the mouth by going undefeated, and defeating all of them. And then, we can throw some salt in the wound by winning the BCS National Championship. So go Big Ten!
It's true, the Big Ten doesn't have the togetherness that the SEC has. Part of what they have is because of "southern pride." You only see it in the SEC. You don't see it in any of the other big conferences. After the ACC Championship Game, you don't hear the fans chanting "ACC."
But here's the thing, we need the Big Ten to look good. We need them all to win their bowl games, especially if they are playing SEC teams.
For years everyone has said the Big Ten is down. That it's easy to go undefeated or suffer just one loss playing a Big Ten schedule. That if it comes to an undefeated Buckeye team and a one-loss SEC team, the Buckeyes should be left out.
And we don't play a tough out-of-conference schedule next season either.
v. Buffalo
v. San Diego State
@ California
v. Florida A&M
v. Wisconsin
@ Northwestern
Bye Week
v. Iowa
v. Penn State
@ Purdue
Bye Week
@ Illinois
v. Indiana
@ Michigan
Big Ten Championship Game (vs TBD, if we qualify)
That is next year's schedule. We need Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Michigan to look as good as possible going into next season because those are the three best teams we face. We need them ranked all year long.
So who do we want to win the B1G Championship Game? It's Nebraska vs Wisconsin, both teams that we defeated this season. Well for me, I want Nebraska to win the game. The Big Ten hasn't won a Rose Bowl Game since 2010 when Ohio State defeated Oregon. The past two Rose Bowls have featured Wisconsin getting defeated; in 2011 by Texas Christian and in 2012 by Oregon.
That's two straight years that the Big Ten lost the game. I don't think that Wisconsin will be able to defeat Stanford, the team I think will win the Pac 12 Championship and take on the Big Ten winner. I would much rather see new blood in the Rose Bowl, and that would be Nebraska. I think they could win the game, a BCS game in prime time. A game that's legendary and full of history. A game that if the Big Ten won, it would raise the Big Ten's profile.
Also, Nebraska isn't on the schedule next year so the only way we would face them would be in the Big Ten Championship Game. It would help the Buckeyes resume to make the final ever BCS National Championship Game if we defeated the defending Big Ten and Rose Bowl Champions.
Yeah, we face Wisconsin for sure next season (and every season since we share a division with them). But that's something we've done two years in a row now, and they aren't taken as seriously by the rest of the nation like Nebraska is.
As for the Big Ten bowl season, I know I won't enjoy rooting for the Big Ten teams due to how bitter their fans are. But we need to raise the profile of the Big Ten, and to do that we need the Big Ten to win some bowl games.
The only bowl eligible teams in the Big Ten are Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue, Michigan State, and Minnesota. The first four can win their bowl games, the last three I am not so sure about. If Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Northwestern can win their bowls, it will make this conference look good.
So I am going to suck it up and root for these teams to win their bowl games, knowing that next year our team can kick them in the mouth by going undefeated, and defeating all of them. And then, we can throw some salt in the wound by winning the BCS National Championship. So go Big Ten!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
What Going 12-0 Means
Yesterday Ohio State did it, they went undefeated/untied for a final 12-0 record. It's bittersweet however, because the Buckeyes are not eligible to play for the Big Ten Championship or to play in a bowl game this year.
But that doesn't mean that going undefeated means nothing. It means a whole lot, in my opinion. This is the sixth undefeated/untied season in Ohio State football history. Even if they can't compete in postseason play, they still made history. Only two teams finished the season without a loss or tie, Ohio State and Notre Dame. If the Fighting Irish were to lose the BCS National Championship Game, then the Buckeyes would be the only team with that distinction this season. They could possibly win the Associated Press National Championship if the AP Poll would vote them number one at the end of the bowl season. That would give them a split National Championship with whoever won the BCS National Championship Game.
This is also big for the future of the football program. The Urban Meyer era started with a perfect season. This team showed a lot of resiliency under the watch of Meyer, something we didn't see a lot of last year with a 6-7 season after losing to Florida in the Gator Bowl.
This sets the Buckeyes up to make a run at the final BCS National Championship next season. The Buckeyes should be ranked in the top five in the nation, if not the top two. If Notre Dame can go from unranked to start the season to #1 overall going into the bowl season then the Buckeyes can move from a top five position to number one or two.
I expect this team to go into next year with supreme confidence in what they can do. I expect them to feed off of this season. I expect them to come out with a chip on their shoulders after accomplishing perfection but having to hear all the haters asking them "what bowl are you guys playing in?," or that their perfect season "doesn't count."
Going 12-0 this year means that the Buckeyes are set up to dominate not only the Big Ten for years to come with Urban Meyer captaining the ship, but be part of the National Championship picture every year too. I like the sound of that, don't you?
But that doesn't mean that going undefeated means nothing. It means a whole lot, in my opinion. This is the sixth undefeated/untied season in Ohio State football history. Even if they can't compete in postseason play, they still made history. Only two teams finished the season without a loss or tie, Ohio State and Notre Dame. If the Fighting Irish were to lose the BCS National Championship Game, then the Buckeyes would be the only team with that distinction this season. They could possibly win the Associated Press National Championship if the AP Poll would vote them number one at the end of the bowl season. That would give them a split National Championship with whoever won the BCS National Championship Game.
This is also big for the future of the football program. The Urban Meyer era started with a perfect season. This team showed a lot of resiliency under the watch of Meyer, something we didn't see a lot of last year with a 6-7 season after losing to Florida in the Gator Bowl.
This sets the Buckeyes up to make a run at the final BCS National Championship next season. The Buckeyes should be ranked in the top five in the nation, if not the top two. If Notre Dame can go from unranked to start the season to #1 overall going into the bowl season then the Buckeyes can move from a top five position to number one or two.
I expect this team to go into next year with supreme confidence in what they can do. I expect them to feed off of this season. I expect them to come out with a chip on their shoulders after accomplishing perfection but having to hear all the haters asking them "what bowl are you guys playing in?," or that their perfect season "doesn't count."
Going 12-0 this year means that the Buckeyes are set up to dominate not only the Big Ten for years to come with Urban Meyer captaining the ship, but be part of the National Championship picture every year too. I like the sound of that, don't you?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)