Spring practice is over for every team, important position battles have been waged, players have been arrested (everyone is doing it) and some even dismissed from their squad. That means there is only one thing left to do: make ridiculously early Top 25 predictions. Hey, if players can practice year round, we can prognosticate year round.

Luckily for you (and me), five respected institutions have obliged with some paid-by-the-word breakdowns of the Top 25 teams in college football - at least as it stands four months prior to the season. Other polls are sure to follow and we can update this data accordingly. As history has taught us, no players will be injured, arrested for assault and/or resisting arrest or suspended for soliciting prostitutes between now and August 30, 2008.

A couple of the rankings are in need of updating (CFN and ESPN), but when you are dealing with an inexact science’s second cousin, what is a few months? The other three were composed after the conclusion of spring practice and two after Perrilloux’s fate was decided.

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Last season: We have all read about the lack of interceptions from the defensive backs last season. The Buckeyes only had 11 picks and Anderson Russell believes they dropped an additional 15. Those numbers are troubling, but not the end of the world. After all, the Buckeyes finished in passing defense (as measured by yards allowed) and we know it was not because teams were busy running on them (they only gave up 83 ypg on the ground). When measured by passing efficiency, the Buckeyes finished 4th.

As you can see from the chart, Ohio State typically held their opponents well below the average passing numbers. Only Washington and Wisconsin fared better than averaged.

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Last season: By almost any measuring stick, this group had a terrific season and I am not about to dispute that. James Laurinaitis would have been a first round choice had he decided to leave and Marcus Freeman would likely have been a day one selection. Larry Grant graduated and the 49ers drafted him in the seventh round.

Laurinaitis won the Butkus Award (controversy aside) for being the nation’s top linebacker, while leading the team in tackles for the second straight season (121 tackles). If Laurinaitis leads the team again this season it will the second consecutive three-year stretch where one player led the Buckeyes in tackles each year. (A.J. Hawk led the team in tackles from 2003-2005.) Another similar year from Lil’ Animal should land him inside the Top 10 for career tackles at Ohio State.

Marcus Freeman finished second in total tackles (109) and led Ohio State in solo tackles (66). He also forced two fumbles and broke up more passes than any player other than Chekwa.

This season: This is the definition of a logjam with a ton of talent in the linebacker meeting room each week, but there little experience and certainty beyond Laurinaitis and Freeman. Including incoming freshmen, the Buckeyes have 12 candidates for playing time this fall. Representative of this stockpiling, at least three players have practiced at and/or are said to be switching positions – Tyler Moeller (to safety), Curtis Terry (to fullback), Thaddeus Gibson (to DE). Read More...

We previewed the NFL Draft in historical terms late last week. With the 2008 version of the NFL Draft in the books we can briefly describe what transpired over the last two days.

Most impartial observers expected three, possibly four, former Buckeyes to be drafted this weekend. Gholston was a Top 10 lock, Barton was a certain second-day pick, and Larry Grant was likely to get picked up late in the proceedings. Even Dionte Johnson had some, albeit small, hope of being drafted. Here is how the two days unfolded for the former Buckeyes.

Starting at the top, Gholston went 6th overall to the New York Jets. Several mock drafts had predicted the Patriots would snatch Gholston up at No. 7. As it turned out, Mangini and the Jets had designs on the Ohio State sack leader. Despite being ranked as the 3rd best DE by ESPN, many speculate that Gholston will project as an OLB in the Jets 3-4 scheme.

An incidental benefit of the Jets pick? You may get to see more photos like the one above if Chad Henne wins the job in Miami. Only in different colors. Sweet, huh?

So far, so good. Right?

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Yesterday, we took a look at when and where Ohio State players have historically been drafted. Today, we examine what happens once the Buckeyes make the league. Obviously, some positions have more players in the league (21 defensive backs led the way) so that can skew the results a little bit.

How long do they play?

Overall, the 104 Ohio State players drafted since 1990 have played 455 seasons in the NFL for an average of 4.4 seasons per player. When you look at the players by position the averages hover right around that number with one notable exception: defensive lineman.

Former Buckeyes playing along the front four beat the average by more than one full season at 5.6 seasons per defensive lineman. I am not sure what the average is for defensive lineman is league-wide, but defensive line is one of the more physically grueling positions on the field. Constant double teams and chip blocks by RBs take their toll. Of course, ending up at the bottom of every pile and other players rolling up on their knees makes for shorter careers as well.

Wide receivers placed second with an average of five seasons played.

How well did they play?

As we have discussed, Ohio State sends tons of talented players to the league. So, you would think that a handful of them end up in Honolulu at the conclusion of each season. If you did think that, you would be wrong.

Of the 455 seasons played, only 23 of those seasons have ended with a Pro Bowl appearance. That is a 5% conversion rate. At first glance that rate seems brutally low. But, then again that is more than one player per season. I am still undecided on what that %5 rate truly signifies. What do you think? Good, bad, or typical?

Interestingly, 18% of all seasons in this span played by offensive lineman resulted in a Pro Bowl appearance. Orlando Pace accounted for the majority of these seasons (7), while LeCharles Bentley (2), and Korey Stringer (1) provided the other Pro Bowl seasons.

Running backs had the second highest conversion rate at 11%, with Eddie George (6) and Robert Smith (2) producing the entire total. Quarterbacks, linebackers, and special teams players have not netted a Pro Bowl appearance in the last 17 years.

Most surprising is the dearth of Pro Bowl appearances by defensive backs. Only Shawn Springs (2) and Nate Clements (1) have made it. How was Antoine Winfield been snubbed over all of these years?

Draft Update: Vernon Gholston will soon be adding to these totals, as he was drafted 6th overall by the New York Jets today. Because the jets run a 3-4 scheme Gholston will most likely be playing from a two-point stance instead of the down position he occupied at Ohio State.

Troy Smith did not exactly receive a vote of confidence today as the Ravens spent their first round pick on Joe Flacco, QB from Delaware. To add insult to injury, Flacco’s alma mater wears virtually identical helmets (and uniforms) to that team up north.

Ohio State fans (myself included) are living in the present (and even future) more than ever these days. With this awareness of the moment comes a forgetfulness of the past or, shall we say, non-future.

That non-future now is the NFL Draft, which is fast approaching on April 26-27, 2008. You have not heard too much about in Buckeye Nation. I know I have not. Aside from Vernon Gholston’s bench press record and Pro Day at Ohio State, the 2008 Draft has received little fanfare in these parts. While a great deal of time and energy has been devoted to the Terrelle Pryor saga, spring football practice, and even the NIT, four former Buckeyes have been preparing, and performing, in anticipation of the next phase of their (football) lives.

What follows is historical look at former Ohio State players in the NFL Draft since 1990. Why 1990? For starters, it is a nice round number. Second, 1990 was John Cooper’s third season as head coach, which would have given him some time to bring in players. Love him or hate him, Cooper brought in some of the finest talent and assembled a few of the greatest teams in Ohio State history. (In my mind, his hiring signals the beginning of the most modern era of Ohio State football.) Finally, this period encompasses a significant and sufficient number of players and provides me with a good sample.

I am going to break this down in two parts. Part One will take a look at the actual draft. Part Two I will focus on the players after they were drafted. Read More...

Ohio State officially won the Justin Boren Sweepstakes yesterday. The Buckeyes were running unopposed from the moment Boren made his fateful comments about the new Michigan regime and the speculation turned to reality.

Judging from readers' comments about Boren's potential transfer, Buckeye Nation is conflicted on Boren’s arrival. Jim Tressel, on the other hand, is very sure of his feelings. The head coach said Boren “is a fine young man and an excellent football player. We are happy that he has decided to continue his career at Ohio State and ultimately earn his degree in his hometown.” In case you are wondering, Boren was undeclared at Michigan. Read More...

Last Tuesday, the venerable College Football News answered a question in their regular “Ask CFN” feature regarding the “Team of the decade.”  CFN’s answer will not surprise you: USC. To their credit, they stated there was no right answer to the question – as there never is to any time traveling, “what would happen if,” hypothetical.

This question struck me as more objective than the usual ultra-subjective, offseason debate, and CFN threw some of those numbers out there – championships, title game appearances, BCS wins, etc. Still, the analysis seemed incomplete – not wrong – just a brief answer commensurate with a passing question. I wanted to take a closer look at the comings and goings of the decade so far.

This breakdown focuses more on losses in an attempt to discover a quality of loss index. Because each of the top 10 teams play in a major conference (with the exception of Boise State), go to major bowl games each season, and have a top 10 winning percentage, we can assume that each team has defeated many quality opponents along the way. I was more interested in whom these teams lost to when they actually lost.

A quick disclaimer: I skewed this analysis a little by only measuring since 2001. (I initially only intended to measure since Tressel’s arrival and I really did not feel like recalculating.) This means a few teams benefited by not having additional losses in the mix (Ohio State, Southern Cal, and Auburn were among the benefactors) while others were negatively impacted. I understand this and it is a valid complaint if you chose to make it. However, only two teams had their winning percentage increase when I included 2000 – Oklahoma and Miami. Finally, I will keep my analysis brief. I will let you look at the numbers and draw your own conclusions. I am sure you will come up with many more observations than I could. Read More...

The Ohio State football Buckeyes officially added their 10th commitment today. Dorian Bell, a big time LB prospect from Gateway High School in Monroeville, PA made the announcement today during a press conference at his school. Bell is getting some rave reviews, whether it is from Rivals (5-Star), Scout (5-Star), or ESPN (Top150).

Perhaps more impressive than Bell, is Ohio State’s ability to continually recruit top shelf linebackers. The litany of Buckeye ‘backers is well documented, but this is getting out of control. The talent currently on the roster is more than impressive. In 2008, the Scarlet and Gray signed Etienne Sabino (5-Star) and Andrew Sweat (4-Star) to add to the mix. Moreover, prior to Bell’s commitment the 2009 class already included Storm Klein and Jordan Whiting (both 4-Star) as well as Adam Homan. Bell is considered the #1 strong side linebacker by Scout, which should pair nicely with Whiting (#3 MLB) and Klein (#7 MLB). With all of this talent, the Buckeyes could be the first college team to sport the 2-7-2 defense.

Here is a brief snapshot of the Buckeyes’ 2009 recruiting class to date (that is a lot of stars): Read More...

First Percy Harvin’s heel, now this.

Orson Charles, a Tampa area recruit, shattered the crystal football while touring the football stadium. Charles was posing for a picture with Tim Tebow’s Heisman and bumped the table - with his ass - with the trophy.

A couple of Florida coaches, including Urban Meyer, joked that Charles had to commit to the Gators to pay them. Apparently, “you break it, you buy it” applies to SEC football.

The best line, however, belongs to Plant High School coach Robert Weiner. Before Charles broke the trophy, Weiner said Meyer asked him to describe Charles. Weiner told Meyer that Charles was a “physical specimen” but sometimes a “bull in a china shop.”

“After what happened,” Weiner said, “I'm sure Urban now thinks I'm an excellent evaluator of talent.”

Know thy enemy: Mark Sanchez has secured the starting quarterback job for USC. Read More...

Last Season: For the most part, the overall defense performed better than the 2006 version. So, why didn’t always feel that way? Why was Jake Locker moving the ball at will in mid-September? How was Wisconsin cranking out multiple 70+ yard drives in the first half? Why was Illinois’ running gaming unstoppable in the fourth quarter? I know those are isolated incidents but they have stuck out for me this off-season.

In an effort to help, I will continue with the budget graphic illustrations. They help me reconcile the Buckeyes performance over the past few years. Let me know how you feel about them.

Let’s start with what I consider the most basic defensive line statistic: rush yards against per game. Most defensive tackles are not sack machines. They clog two gaps and break down running games. Sure, many ends are terrors off the edge, but in college football, where quarterbacks are more mobile, the ends top job is to stop the run.

The Ohio State defense improved against the rush on per play and per game bases. I think the Buckeyes faced higher quality rushing teams in 2006, but I view these statistics as equivalent over then last two season. But what about 2003 and 2005? Was the talent level that much better in those years? The 2003 yards per game stat is ridiculously low.

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Last season: The Ohio State offense virtually reinvented itself in 2007. The O-line was no exception. There were personnel losses but the all-important tackles returned, which allowed the Buckeyes offensive line to put up substantially similar numbers.

The following graphs illustrate the 2007 offensive line's results, and in a couple of categories the results are almost identical to the 2006 offensive line. The 2007 version continued the trend of the last few years.



The Buckeyes finished 29^th in the nation in sacks allowed. Not too bad. And, many of the teams finishing ahead of Ohio State had a more mobile quarterback or used that position as a rushing option (see West Virginia). Read More...

It was a topic of some interest a few weeks back and Ken Gordon of the Columbus Dispatch was kind enough to clear of it up for us this week. Terrelle Pryor will be roaming the Horseshoe wearing No. 2.

Gordon reports that Pryor wanted to wear a single digit and that fellow incoming freshman Jake Stoneburner took his high school number (11). Other options believed to be possibilities were #1 and #10. Numero uno disappeared just as #2 freed up because Boom Herron halved his former number.

We have a winner: A belated congratulations to TX Buck, the winner of the Buckeye Commentary NCAA Tournament Pool. While there is no formal prize this time, TX does have the satisfaction of beating 36 other entries. TX Buck pulled out the victory thanks in large part to the last second heroics by Kansas coupled with the collapse of the Tigers. WIthout a Kansas victory, Minnesota Buckeye would have prevailed.

In addition to this prideful moment, TX Buck shall now be addressed as Sir, champion, sir whenever you run into him on the street, if you know who he is. Congrats! Read More...

We debated it earlier this year, but it is nearly official now. Joe Paterno channeled his internal Lloyd Carr and put off his contract negotiations until after the 2008 season. From where I sit, this can only mean one thing: Joe Pa is retiring at the end of this season. You heard it hear first. (Maybe not.)

Similar to last season when Lloyd decided to “rework” his contract prior to the season, Paterno is ignoring his contract in an attempt to overlook the inevitable. Just like Carr, this will only cause more speculation and attention to be paid to his employment status. What else are we supposed to believe? Obviously, he has enough time and clout to negotiate a new contract before the season begins. Read More...

Here is the bad news: The Big Ten Network will be broadcasting the Ohio State spring game on April 19th. Here is the worse news: It will be tape delayed until 11:00 p.m. that night with an encore presentation on at 6:00p.m. on the 20th.

And, the kicker? You will only be able to watch the game live online at BTN’s site. I am sure no one will have problems with that.

The BTN is hosting Big Ten Tonight: Spring Football Showcase on April 19th at 1:00 p.m. It is a 3 ½ hour extravaganza with the crack staff of Dave Revsine, Gerry DiNardo, and Howard Griffith covering the action from the spring games at Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin (all while wolfing down Jimmy John’s, of course). The other three schools - Michigan, Minnesota and Northwestern – are holding their spring games on different dates, which will be covered accordingly. Sorry Michigan fans, because you are holding your game at Saline High School, the BTN will only be showing highlights and interviews from the game on that evening's Big Ten Tonight program. Read More...

You know the saying, if you have two quarterbacks you have zero quarterbacks. Looks like the Wolverines like nice round numbers. The Detroit Free Press reports that the Maize and Blue may trot out more than one QB this fall … on purpose.

"If you have two quarterbacks that are good enough to win with, then you play them both," Rodriguez said following Thursday's practice. "If I have one that's good enough to win with, I'll only play one."

Huh? Did anyone follow that? If you have two that are good enough to win, then you obviously have one that is good enough to win, right? Rich, you are going to have to show your work to get full credit for that one. Read More...

Beanie has been in the news a lot recently. From his impending Heisman campaign to his burgeoning scouting prowess, the All Beanie Network has it covered.

Heisman Hopeful: Nary has a season passed without Ohio State players being mentioned as serious candidates for the litany of awards given out each year. Watch list members turn into semifinalists; semifinalists into finalists, finalists into winners. You typically find Buckeyes at every stage of the way.

The Heisman Trophy is no exception. So, it should come as a shock to no one that Chris Wells is already being mentioned as a serious candidate for the award given to America’s best amateur quarterback or running back (occasionally wide receiver). The junior-to-be had a breakout sophomore season and he appears poised for even better numbers this fall. Winning the award will not be easy, however. Another junior-to-be with a loaded offense on a national championship caliber team returns this season. He already has one Heisman.

I have no problem with individual players striving for individual awards. Football is the most team-oriented game, by far, but individual motivations can become infectious in the weight room and practice field. One player’s tenacity can drive an entire squad. If the already great players (Wells, Jenkins, Laurinaitis) work even harder in an effort to achieve personal accolades (Heisman, Thorpe, Butkus), it will be impossible for others not to notice and set a good example for younger players. Read More...

Last season: For the fourth consecutive year, Ohio State did not produce a 1,000-yard receiver. Not since Michael Jenkins’ 1,076-yard season in 2002, has an Ohio State wide out cracked the mega mark. And, it took Jenkins 14 games to get there. In fact, the Buckeyes have only had four 1,000-yard receivers ever (Jenkins, David Boston, 1998, Terry Glenn, 1995, and Cris Carter, 1986). I cannot believe I just typed that.

In that span, the Buckeyes have produced seven first-round draft picks at the position (not including Cris Carter), as well as a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback. By contrast, Michigan has had twelve 1,000-yard receivers in its history, with one every season since 1998 with the exception of 2006.

As Vince Lombardi would say, “What the hell is going out there?”

The easy answers include Ohio State’s balance, depth, and inclination to run the football. Nevertheless, if run-first teams like Michigan could do it, why not OSU? Read More...

In an obvious response to Buckeye Commentary’s piece on the OSU running backs and Wells’ potentially final season, Beanie told the media today just the opposite.

"No, it's not going to be my last year," Wells said. "I plan on being here four years."

Around the office we have long suspected that the Buckeyes turn to “The Commentary,” as the kids call it, for the latest news on their careers and lives. Thanks for confirming that Beanie.

Zinger, Tressel-style: On Wednesday Tressel presided over the 17th Annual Ohio State Spring Football Preview Luncheon. At one point, the coach took some questions from the audience, served up as softballs from television’s Jeff Hogan. Or so it seemed. Read More...

In case you missed it this past Wednesday, Malcolm Jenkins held an online chat, albeit brief, on the Ohio State website. Jenkins talked about hope of becoming a captain this season (a near lock in my estimation), the fastest defensive back on the team, as well as his view on Terrelle Pryor.

There was also a piece on James Laurinaitis, in which the Buckeyes’ middle linebacker talks about teaching younger players and some of the reasons why he came back for his senior season.

“It’s really tough to get to the national championship game,” he said. “So to say you came back to try and win that game ... you have to be realistic and realize how hard it is just to get to that game. That wasn’t a big factor at all. If we would have won that game it would have been the same thought process.”

Uh, Jim. I am not sure everyone is buying that. I am pumped, psyched, ecstatic, in fact, that you came back for another season, but come on. If Ohio State had defeated LSU a few months back, I am sure the calculus used by the Little Animal, Jenkins, Boone, and even Marcus Freeman, would have been markedly different. After all, it is the dream of many players to go out on top. Read More...

When was the first time Ohio State appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated? October 24, 1955, of course. And, now you can browse all of the SI covers graced the Buckeyes. SI has opened up their copious vault of covers, photos, and articles with an extension of SI.com called, aptly enough, SI Vault.

The digital Vault collects more than 150,000 stories, 2,600 covers and a half-million photos spanning the magazine’s 54-year archive. You can search the database that links articles, video, and statistics. Perhaps the coolest feature is the user-generated Wiki-style content enabled by the Vault. When I searched a few days, the Ohio State wikipage had been filling up with opinions from around the country, so feel free to hop over to it and help craft Ohio State’s story online. Read More...

Last season: Move over theory of special relativity. The most popular equation on campus this fall is (B + b) c = yards. In 2007, giving Beanie giving the ball led to 1,609 yards, 15 TDs, and a 5.9 yards/carry average. This season (Beanie + ball) carries should create equally outstanding results.

Despite finishing 11^th in the nation in rushing, averaging 124 yards/game, it seemed like many overlooked Wells’ season while it was happening. Yet, Wells was the first Ohio State RB to have two games with more than 200 yards since Eddie George had four such games in 1995, and Wells’ 15 TDs were the most since George had 24 his senior year.

This season: Expect to see Wells get fewer carries this season, if only slightly. Beanie got stronger as the season wore on, averaging 161 yards/game over his the six games, but he was also dinged up down the stretch. So, look for the coaches to give him more rest in the face of any nagging injuries. Maurice Wells is back (for what seems like his 8th season) along with Saine as the only other backs with experience. Boom Herron used the redshirt last season, so it is time for him to see some action. Read More...

Ohio State announced today a scheduled home and home series with Tennessee. The Volunteers become the latest team to join a murderer’s row of non-conference opponents for Ohio State. Starting this fall, the Buckeyes play Southern Cal (2008-2009), the University of Miami, FL (2010-11), California (2012-13), Virginia Tech (2014-15), Oklahoma (2016 – 2017), and now Tennessee (2018-2019).

In my opinion, this is unprecedented in modern college football. Sure, there are intense non-conference yearly games like Florida v. Florida State, USC v. Notre Dame, and Michigan v. Notre Dame that happen every year but those are as much a part of the schedule as those teams conference games (ND excluded). Some teams go out and schedule a tough opponent occasionally - VT v. LSU, last season – but they quickly gravitate back to the likes of Appalachian State, North Texas, Troy, and Tulane (yes, LSU plays all four in 2008). Read More...

The coach is coming off of another disappointing 9-4 season where his team challenged for nothing meaningful. In the last five seasons, his squad is 36-25. His teams have won a couple of National Championships over the years (and were robbed of another), but it has been 22 years since the last one. In the meantime, he has taught hundreds of young men, has been a great ambassador for his university, and a wonderfully cranky media target. Still, sizable portions of his fans believe the team would be better off without him.

The year is 2034. The coach is Jim Tressel. Read More...

As Ohio State prepares to start spring practice starts on Thursday I thought it would be beneficial to take at look, in segments, at what the Buckeyes have heading into the first pad popping of 2008. Tonight, we take a look at the quarterbacks.

Last season: Todd Boeckman started every game in 2007 and finished 13th in the nation in pass efficiency. Interestingly, and perhaps disconcertingly, Boeckman threw more interceptions than every other QB in the top 15 with the exception of Tulsa’s Paul Smith and Colt Brennan (they had nearly twice as many attempts, however). Even more noteworthy, at 4.7% Boeckman had the highest interception percentage/attempt among the top 15, by more than one percentage point. But he led his team to the national championship game, something no other QB in the top 60 accomplished (Matt Flynn was 64th). That may be the most important stat of all.

This season: Boeckman is back as the starter for a second full season. Assuming he maintains the top spot on the depth chart, he will be the third quarterback to start for two full seasons under Tressel along with Krenzel and Smith (give or take). While Krenzel had a less spectacular second season (how could he not?), Troy blew up and led the most explosive offense Ohio State had seen since 1998, while winning the Heisman. So what is in store for Boeckman? Will his second season trend more towards Krenzel’s or Smith’s? Read More...

I wanted to give Terrelle Pryor a break (as well as the “e,” “r,” and “l” keys on my computer). But it is still the hottest topic in Buckeye Nation. Instead of droning on and on about how soon Pryor will play, whether his throwing motion needs a bunch of work, or if his perceived ego will get in the way I thought I would defer to these articles.

ESPN’s Ivan Maisel takes a quick look at whether Pryor should follow a path similar to Vince Young or Tim Tebow. Personally, I would like the Tebow approach. I think Pryor is too talented to keep off the field. Then again, I just sit in the stands each week and Tressel and staff know the score. Judging from this article, it sounds like Tressel thinks he is as good as we hope.

A Rivals Roundtable also takes a look at Pryor’s impact this fall. Nothing earth shattering, but a nice, short discussion.

Unfortunately, the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Tony Barnhart, self-proclaimed Mr. College Football, posted on his blog last Thursday that he believes Terrelle Pryor is going to be a problem once he arrives on Ohio State’s campus. Why, you ask? Because he held a couple of press conferences. Huh?

I am disappointed in Mr. Barnhart because I always enjoy his pieces and I really liked his former role on ESPN’s College Gameday. But his post smacks of inflammation. Why else would he write, ostensibly, that Pryor will be harm than good for the Buckeyes? Barnhart’s only mention of Jimmy Clausen’s announcement after appearing for his announcement in a limousine was this (over a year later). It is fashionable to pile on the Buckeyes these days, especially in SEC country, but claiming Pryor is going to be the next Ryan Perrilloux seems to be self-serving and short sighted. Read More...

Updated: There is no way to know if Terrelle Pryor will turn out to be the best Ohio State player in recent memory. One thing is for sure, however, he is Tressel's most celebrated and most well known recruit to date. That is saying a lot considering the recruiting haul the Buckeyes typically bring in. If Pryor is the most high profile recruit during Tressel's tenure, who are the runners up? There are a lot of names to choose from , but he is my stab at the five best recruits under Tressel, at the time they were recruited.

5. Chris Wells - He was a 2006 Parade All-American and named the top running back in the nation by many recruiting experts. Wells rushed for 2,134 yards and 27 touchdowns (9.6 avg) as a senior. He was named the 2005 National Player of the Year and the No. 1 prospect in the nation by several publications. A soft-spoken kid, he has been the real deal since day one and he is only a junior.

4. Justin Zwick - Prognosticators called him one of the top QB prospects in the nation and the best QB prospect to come out of the state of Ohio since Art Schlichter. Unfairly, Zwick was widely heralded as the savior for Buckeye Nation and, at the time, saddled with more pressure than Terrelle Pryor. If memory serves me correctly, The Dispatch deified him within moments of his commitment. Although he endured a career less-imagined, he handled every twist and turn with class.

3. Maurice Clarett - A great running back from Tressel's former stomping ground, Clarett immediately committed to Ohio State upon Jim Tressel being named head coach. Maurice rushed for 2,200 yards averaging over 12 yards per carry his senior season, scoring 40 touchdowns and was named the Offensive Player of the Year nationally by USA Today and The Touchdown Club of Columbus. Sadly, his stats belied an undercurrent of petulance that would derail his career.

2. Ted Ginn, Jr. - Ginn was initially known as the next Deion Snaders although he never played one down on defense for the Buckeyes. Still, he was the most sought-after defensive prospect in the country, earning USA Today First Team All-USA honors in addition to being named the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year. Ginn, Jr. was considered a top 5 player nationally by virtually every recruiting publication known to man. The cherry on top was Ginn, Jr.'s performance as a high school track star. As he entered Ohio State, he was the reigning high school national champion in the 110-meter high hurdles and was timed at Olympic caliber speeds.

1. Terrelle Pryor - Pryor was a household name by the end of this recruiting adventure. In some ways that journey has overshadowed his incredible physical gifts. I will spare you the litany of accolades, but he was widely considered the second coming of Vince Young - a skill set rarely seen at the high school level. For now, it seems like the sky is the limit.

I usually take a late lunch around 1:15pm. I like the way it breaks up the day, the lines have dwindled to a reasonable length, and the employees are in better moods after the rush has stopped.

But, not today, baby!

Nope, I will be sitting squarely in front of the tube watching Terrelle Pryor announce his decision to attend The Ohio … er, his college of choice. Sure, I know this is a little presumptuous and I will look like an idiot if he does not commit to the Buckeyes. But the way I see it, how can I not be watching? I have been following this saga for weeks. Actually, months.

I would be a fool to miss the final scene in what has to be considered one of the most intriguing recruiting episodes of all time. It is like one of those classic Magnum P.I. episodes where he cannot quite escape and capture the baddies in one hour, so you received the cryptic “To be continued…” at the credits. You had to wait an entire week to find out how the mustached sleuth was going to solve it.

Admit it, just like those episodes you thought you had the Pryor situation all figured out on February 5th. The next day you would eventually read the headline “Nation’s No. 1 recruit headed to Ohio State.” Instead, “to be continued…” Now, you have waited the entire week and the second episode is about to finish. You are not totally sure what is going to happen but you have confidence that the protagonist will make the right move (minus the mustache).

Here’s hoping tomorrow’s lunch break ends as well as those Magnum episodes. Just don’t expect a Ferrari or helicopter to play a role.

[Full disclosure: The author is not old enough to have watched first run Magnum P.I. episodes.]

When I read that the Alabama spring game was going to include a concert I was surprised for a couple of reasons. First, I continue to be amazed at the crowds that schools are able to draw for scrimmages. I understand many fans do have access to tickets during the season and that spring games give them an opportunity to watch their favorite team in a stadium atmosphere. I am wowed, however, that 54,000 showed up in the cold to watch Nebraska scrimmage in 2006 and that the Crimson Tide sold out their spring game last season (92,000). And the crowds are growing as well as evidenced by this (out-of-date) graph; Ohio State packed in an additional 12,000 in 2007. It goes to show that the level of passion for college football is at an all-time high, and increasing.

My second surprise was that Ohio State was not on the list of 20 schools hosting a Gridiron Bash event. Many of the schools hosting an event are in warmer climates, but Kansas State, Colorado, Penn State, and West Virginia are all participating and the weather in those locales can leave a lot to be desired. Besides, Ohio State's spring game is on April 19, when the average temperature is 54. Ohio State had to be high on the promoter's list with a huge student body in a large urban area.

I contacted Steve Snapp, assistant Ohio State AD, to see if I could get any information. He told me that Ohio State was approached but decieded against it "for a number of reasons." I can only assume those reasons included, among others, a combination of scheduling, facilities use, and money.

Buckeyes Spring Calendar:

Spring Practice Starts: March 24
Scarlet & Gray Draft: April 16
Spring Game: April 19
NFL Draft: April 26 and 27

Wednesdays are boring. You have been at work for a few days but you are still too far from the weekend to get excited. In an attempt to spice things up in the middle of the week, I am going to publish a weekly list on Wednesdays. It may be 5 or 10 items long, and it may not always be original, but it will be here. If you have ideas for a list just click on the 'contact' link above and shoot me an email.

I like Ohio State's offense. I like pro-style, play-action offenses and that is essentially what the Buckeyes run. That being said there are always a few plays I think Ohio State could run well. Over the years Tressel has done a nice job of saving new formations and plays for big games, especially Michigan. So, my first list is one of plays I would like to see inserted in the playbook.

1. Screen Pass: This is one of the most basic plays in the book and can be used aggressively or defensively. For 20 years I have watched Michigan run the screen pass to perfection, but chances are that is gone now with Rodriguez in Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes should steal it and keep it in the conferenc, which means they could run the bubble screen, middle screen, slot screen, or even the slip screen. Ohio State would put a lot of pressure on opposing defenses if Beanie slipped out of the backfield for a simple screen a couple of times a game. I think this would slow down their opponent's pass rush and make play-action more effective. I was praying for one against LSU.

2. Toss Sweep: Eddie George turned this play into an art form and Wells' skill set is remarkably similar to George's with his deceptive speed for a big guy. The Buckeyes started running this play more last year and I loved it every time. Beanie is a powerful inside runner but allowing him to get up to get a head of steam before encountering defenders makes him even more dangerous. His stiff arm allows him to break early tackles and hit full speed in the open field. We will certainly see it in 2008 but I can stand to see it have a larger role.

3. Rollout Pass: How many times do you see a quarterback take the snap on third and short, sprint to his right, and hit a receiver for a 4 yard gain and 1st down? It happens all the time in the NFL. Sometimes it appears virtually impossible to stop. Boeckman does not get a ton of credit for being mobile but he can move his feet well enough and his height enables him to view the field very well when he is out of the pocket. This play could be used on first down as well.

4. Direct Snap to Beanie: In the 5 or 6 games I watched Florida play last season the Gators faced a lot of third and short situations. Each time I saw that situation come up I looked at my friends and said, with the utmost confidence, "Shotgun snap to Tebow for a quarterback draw and a first down." While it may have happened, I cannot remember Tebow and the Gators failing to get the first down. My point is that if I knew it was coming, Florida's opponents knew it was coming and still could not stop it. Tebow may have won the Heisman, but he is a not a better runner than Beanie. I recognize the threat of a pass, in theory, keeps the linebackers from creeping up the line but I do not remember Tebow throwing it too much in those situations. So, next time the Buckeyes have 3rd and 2, line up Wells in the shotgun and have him plow straight ahead. Defenses may know it is coming, but I seriously doubt many will be able to stop it.

5. Wild Buck?: Okay, let's take this a step further (and, probably, too far). Arkansas' Wild Hog formation was devastating last season. I often questioned why they did not run that formation every play. Casey Dick should have been the change of pace, not the other way around. What would happen if Beanie lined up with Brandon Saine flanked to his side, took direct snaps, read the DEs, and operated accordingly. It is a brutally simple offense. There is only one read to make. I know what you are thinking, "McFadden could throw. Can Beanie?" Honestly, I doubt it. At least, not as well as McFadden. One other drawback is that Wells does not have that burst of speed that McFadden does but I think his power can overcome that to some degree. I am not advocating the Buckeyes go with this formation full time but I think this would be effective a couple of times per game.

Ohio State does not start spring practice for a while. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes return the majority of its statistic-producing players from last year. In fact, the team returns almost identically in most categories. Ohio State returns 95% of its passing yardage (2436/2565 yards), 99% of rushing (2532/2563 yards), and 99% of receiving (2551/2565 yards). The defense is stacked as well with 762 of 850 tackles returning (90%).

Those are incredible numbers. After initially looking at those figures, I thought there was no way I could write this piece. "How could there be any position battles on a team that returns virtually intact; one that went to the National Title game, to boot?"

By virtually anyone's standards, Ohio State was great last year. For the players, coaches, and many fans the Buckeyes came up just short. Therefore, maybe a little shakeup is necessary. In fact, I heard rumblings of Antonio Henton getting some snaps in practice and potential playing time in the title game. Does that suggest the coaches were looking for new answers before last season was even over? And, what will they do with an entire off season to think about it?

Here is a look at some potential battles in spring practice and beyond:

1. Kickoff Returner: Ohio State finished 117th in the nation in kick returns. Seriously, only New Mexico State and Northern Illinois were worse (they won 6 games combined). The Buckeyes averaged only 17.6 yards/return. That is unbelievably bad for team that is overwhelmingly talented. In addition, it is a great departure from previous seasons (2006 - 34th; 2005 - 18th; 2004 - 11th). Sure, Ginn was not back there anymore, but these numbers are even lower than could be expected.

Their average was four yards less than their opponents were averaging. On its own, that is not a huge deal, but for a coaching staff that puts such a premium on field position, having to start "score-answering" possessions at your 20 (or less) is difficult for any offense. I am not sure if it is the blocking, returners, or both, but I hope something remedies it this spring. No player is off limits to put back there.

2. Outside Linebacker: Quietly, Larry Grant was very good. At least I thought so. Grant's 51 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 5 sacks, and 1 interception seem to support that conclusion, too. There are plenty of candidates to take over at his position outside – Ross Homan, Austin Spitler, Thaddeus Gibson, Brian Rolle, and even Curtis Terry. Homan and Gibson were the most highly touted, Spitler saw the most time in 2007, and Terry has been with the program forever. Gibson, Terry, and Rolle seem better suited to play outside, while Spitler and Homan are more MLB-type players. Then again, I think you put your best 11 defenders out there regardless of the physicals. Gibson seemed to be coming on at the end of the year, so I would look for him to make a move in the spring. No matter what, this will produce a very good starter.

3a. Tight End: Remember all the talk of getting the tight end position more involved in the 2007 offense? Apparently, that involvement meant 32 receptions for 263 yards. Jake Ballard (13-149) and Rory Nicol (16-84) are difficult matchups for LBs, and Brandon Smith (3-30) is capable. So, what gives? Their production did pick up over the second half of the season (19-159), but Nicol's performance at Penn State (39 yards) was the best performance of the season. Yikes!

Without a consistent No. 3 WR (see below), the spotlight shines brighter on the tight ends. If Nicol and Ballard can stay healthy and improve their all-around games, the Buckeyes' ability to throw to the middle of the field would increase dramatically. In addition, it would allow Robiskie and Hartline to work some deeper routes, which is Boeckman's best throw.

3b. No. 3. WR: I thought Ray Small would have this locked up by now (along with return duties). Small had 20 receptions for 267 yards and 2 TDs in 10 games last season, but I rarely felt his impact. Down the stretch, it seemed like he and Sanzenbacher were neck and neck. Taurian Washington and Devon Torrence have a year under their belts, so they may be ready to make a big splash this spring. This is Small's position to lose, but he is going to have plenty of competition.

4. Defensive End: Gholston took his 15.5 sacks and bench press record to the NFL, so the Buckeyes need a new defensive end. As long as Cameron Heyward (editor's note: he is my favorite player) is on the team, half of the DE tandem is all set. But the other side is a little up in the air. Lawrence Wilson has the first shot at reclaiming his starting spot, but that injury was tough and you never know how players will bounce back. I am hoping Wilson makes a total recovery because of his combination of skill and experience. Robert Rose and Alex Barrow will fill the two-deep in the spring, but Ohio State is thin at this spot right now. Wilson and Rose have had injuries recently, so I see a nice opening for Keith Wells, Willie Mobley, and Nathan Williams to see time early.

5. Kicker: I am not unhappy with Ryan Pretorius but I could help noticing that Aaron Pettrey was getting kickoff duty down the stretch. So, I am guessing he has the stronger leg. Pettrey is most likely not the next Nugent, but I think Pettrey will be doing everything he can to reclaim the job he lost before the 2007 season. I think this could be the most underrated battle in the spring.

6. Quarterback: I have no credible evidence that the coaches were toying with the idea of giving Antonio Henton snaps in the BCS Championship Game. But I do have credible evidence that Boeckman struggled down the stretch. Personally, I would love to see Henton (or possibly Pryor) get serious playing time in 2008. The dual threat quarterback, or at least the dual QB system, is helping teams from Florida to Oregon, LSU to Illinois. It goes back to something I said earlier in this post - putting your best players on the field. If Henton is bringing a productive, unique wrinkle to the offense I think he should be out there.

Finally...

Oden For Obama: For the political junkies among you, I received notice from a reader today that Greg Oden endorses Barack Obama.