Photo courtesy of Penn State Live under creative commons license

After reports yesterday that legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno was in failing health and that family was being called to his bedside, it is now being reported that coach Joe Paterno has died at age 85.

Let us remember him for the good that he gave to the world of college football.

You can read the Paterno family’s official statement by clicking here.

©2012 The Buckeye Blog. All Rights Reserved.

It would seem that things can’t get any worse but sure enough, the Columbus Dispatch is reporting this morning that Daniel Herron and Davier Posey may not be cleared for Saturday night’s game against Nebraska. According to the Dispatch, although Herron and Posey have sat out the five games as required for the tattoo violations, they are under investigation for receiving improper benefits in the way of inflated pay for work done over the summer.

The Dispatch reports that Herron received between $200-$400 and Posey received around $500 for work done for Robert DiGeronimo, the same person under investigation for money given to Jordan Hall, Travis Howard and Corey Brown for their service at a charity function. The services provided by Herron and Posey are unclear but the Dispatch reports that DiGeronimo claimed that he has hired a number of Ohio State football players over the years for summer jobs such as washing trucks.

The NCAA is looking into possible descrepensies between what they should have been paid and what they were actually paid. Both Herron and Posey are denying the charges. According to the Dispatch article, Posey might be looking at more than a one game penalty.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith is scheduled to make an announcement on the situation at 3:30 this afternoon.

At this point, I don’t have much left to say that hasn’t already been said. The entire thing is a mess on all fronts – the university, the NCAA and pretty much all of college football. We are living in a world where it’s acceptable for bowl game CEO’s to make half a million or more, corporations such as Nike and ESPN base their entire business around college sports, father’s of top recruits can admittedly take in six-figure bonuses for sending their kid to the right school and yet here we are in the midst of yet another $500 violation. Yes, it is a violation and yes there should be penalties but at some point, there has to be some equity throughout the entire system.

Update
I just caught the tail end of the press conference but it looks like Herron, Posey and Hall are all out for the Nebraska game. Don’t know if it’s just the one game or if more will be coming. Face it folks, this thing won’t be settled until there is no more Ohio State football. At this point, might as well just pack in the season. Write the entire thing off as a wash, clean house and start over.

Update II
The Lantern has the details on actual payments to players. Some of this is absurd. Herron was paid for 104 hours of work although he only worked 84.5. Hall was paid for 66.5 hours even though he only worked 51 hours. Posey played a round of golf worth $102.

Just so I get this straight, so if I go golfing with a friend who happens to be a varsity athlete in an NCAA sport, I’m not allowed to pay for his round?

I’m sorry folks but this is not a pay for play situation, payola from agents or benefits as a recruiting tool. Yes, it’s a violation to the rules but the damage it is doing to the university is way beyond the level of the crime committed.

©2012 The Buckeye Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Coach Fickell announced this afternoon that Braxton Miller will be the starting quarterback when the Ohio State Buckeyes take the field the Colorado Buffaloes. Yes folks, it appears that either the young quarterback has either demonstrated that he’s ready for the big show or the Ohio State coaching staff has given into the overwhelming pressure from the Ohio State fans.

Either way, is there anyone out there who didn’t want this? Yes, the kid had trouble with turnovers but he brought a spark to the field that we did not see with Bauserman at the helm. Sure, in an ideal world, he’d have more time to develop and mature into the quarterback he’s been hyped to be. In an ideal world, Terrell Pryor be starting, handing the ball off to Boom Herron as Coach Tressel led us on to another BCS Championship season. Unfortunately, that’s the hand we’ve been dealt and it’s Miller’s time to lead us into the future, whether he’s ready or not.

As of this point, Colorado hasn’t shown anything to write home about. They got stomped in their season opener to Hawaii, gave up a close game against California and beat Colorado State last week 28-14. They are no Miami but given the Buckeyes play of the past two weeks, that doesn’t mean they couldn’t beat us. Even so, the Buckeyes jumped from a 14.5 point favorite to a 16.5 point favorite on the news of Miller getting the job.

Here are 5 things the Buckeyes need to do to beat Colorado:

1) Control the turnovers
The Buckeyes have turned the ball over more in the first three games this season than they did all of last year. Of Miller’s two turnovers last week, you can’t blame him for the tipped pass. Chalk the bad snap up to nerves. The fumble, inexperience. Hopefully the coaches have focused on all three this week in practice.

2) Protect the quarterback
The offensive line did a good job of giving both Bauserman and Miller time against Miami. They need to continue to do so against Colorado. The Buffalos have racked up 11 sacks so far this season. If the Buckeyes want to give Miller a fighting chance, they need to keep the Colorado defense out of our backfield.

3) Receivers, Receivers, Receivers
Doesn’t matter how much time you give Miller if he can’t find an open receiver. The receiver also needs to pull it in when he gets the chance. The one-handed catches have been impressive but I’d like less drama and more consistency in the receiving corps.

4) Make the Tackles!!
The Buckeye defense has struggled with missed tackles. Given the chance, Colorado will be looking to Rodney Stewart to drive the ball on the ground. He’s quick. Get him on the first shot or you may not get a second.

5) Score a Couple of Touchdowns
Seems pretty basic but we couldn’t seem to do it last weekend. Field goals won’t win us anything. The Buckeyes need to find the end zone early in the first quarter and get out to a quick lead. If we can get to a two/three touchdown lead, then play Bauserman all you want. Let Coach Fickell slip into the conservative comfort of Tressel ball. Just make sure we’ve got the cushion to do it first.

And as always, the key to any Ohio State game – PRESSURE THE QUARTERBACK.
Hit him hard and hit him early. This is on home turf. Get them on their heels, get the crowd behind us and the game is ours to lose.

©2012 The Buckeye Blog. All Rights Reserved.

TCU rethinking their decision to join the Big East

Now that the dust is settling over the Pittsburgh/Syracuse BIG EAST¹ bailout, it’s looking like college football (and the NCAA for that much) has avoided yet another complete collapse of the entire system. For those of you attempting to keep score at home, let’s review:

After a relatively uneventful college football Saturday, the ACC announced that they had unanimously accepted Pittsburgh and Syracuse as members of the ACC leaving the BIG EAST looking like a 20 year-old frat boy desperately tossing out cheap pickup lines as the bar tender yells last call (“But we’ll have a really great basketball league”). In the panic that ensued, West Virginia went running to the SEC and the ACC only to get shot down in a flaming ball of we don’t want you. UConn and Rutgers followed suit by reopening secret lines of communication with the ACC even though Rutgers and Joe Paterno spend sleepless nights fantasizing about what could be. And of course, TCU woke up Monday morning with one of the worst cases of “what did I just do” in college football history.

If WVU, UConn and Rutgers had all followed Pitt and Syracuse’s lead, the Big East² would find themselves struggling to maintain the minimum eight teams required to qualify as an division.

As we all know, fault lines run deep and the earthquake to hit the East Coast was felt all the way into the mid-West. Seeing the coming disaster, Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech all started packing their bags with plans to head West to that Garden of Eden, the Pac 12. With Texas A & M all but married to the SEC, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State found themselves looking like lost children with Iowa State and Baylor playing with footsies with the Big East

Upon seeing that the Oakies were heading their way, the Pac 12 put out the border guards and sent them right back home saying “If you ain’t got that do re me boy.” Apparently, if Texas doesn’t want to share revenue from their glory channel, than the Pac 12 doesn’t want them.

Feeling left out, the Mountain West reached out to what would have been left of the Big East and Conference USA saying they were keen to an open relationship. They only cared about football and it’s fine if they still want to see other basketball teams.

Like any couple in the early stages of a divorce, the Big East met last night, talked through it and put on a good face this morning saying they would stick together, if only for the children’s sake. The Big 12 did the same but Okalahoma is obviously not happy about the agreement saying that the commissioner needs to go and that they are anything but happy with Texas’ vanity mirror, The Longhorn Network.

Big Ten to Blame?
Although the Big 10 sat back and watched as college football crumbled around them, they are a key player in the sudden need to for super conferences. As if college football wasn’t about the almighty dollar already, the Big Ten Network fundamentally changed the game. Billion dollar television contracts in other divisions soon followed. Between the added exposure and financial benefits of big division football, if you want to survive in today’s college football world, affiliation with a big conference is all but a necessity. And while Notre Dame has always avoided conference affiliation because they don’t want to share their huge television contract, Texas has bastardized the concept even further. It’s no wonder schools like Oklahoma are upset as games get pulled from Big 12 contracts which must be shared between the entire league to Texas owned television networks.

Playoffs? Don’t get excited

Although at first glance, super conferences would seem to naturally lend themselves to a playoff system, the BCS isn’t ready to give up control just yet. Ultimately, the college presidents may see more money in continuing the holiday bowl traditions than in moving to a playoff series — especially those schools that won’t see much post-season play yet still go to bowl games.

Screw it all
I’ve said this many times before and I’ll say it again. The best answer to all of this is to go back to the days before the BCS when only one bowl game mattered and that was the Rose Bowl. Of course, only one regular season game would matter and that of course would be the Michigan game.

Those were simpler times. The days when Woody walked the field and the biggest scandal to affect Ohio State didn’t involve tattoos and shady back room deals but a beloved coach losing his temper right there on the sideline in plain view for all to see. You didn’t need a tattoo to see Woody’s passion. He wore it proudly on his sleeve.

¹I’ve been notified via a stylistic error made elsewhere that BIG EAST must always be spelled in all caps
²F the style guide.

©2012 The Buckeye Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Coach Fickell gave his first Tuesday presser this afternoon and when it came to the big question of starting quarterback, remained about as non-committal as ever. It only took two questions to get the the fact that the depth chart shows Joe Bauserman OR Braxton Miller at the starting quarterback position. And although The Columbus Dispatch, ESPN and others have interpreted Fickell’s response as a nod for Bauserman, Coach wasn’t near that committal.

Not that I’m saying that Bauserman won’t get the start. I think he will. However, based on Fickell’s answer, I think we’ll get plenty of opportunity to see freshman Braxton Miller taking his share of snaps. From today’s press conference:

Q. You’ve got an “or” at quarterback. Could you talk about your thinking that went into that and who will take the first snap on Saturday?
COACH FICKELL: I’m not sure listed there how it is exactly with the “or”. If we were taking the first snap right now, Joe would probably take the first snap.

I’m not as convinced that “probably” means Bauserman has locked down the starting position. Yes, he may take the first snap against Akron on Saturday but it is only a matter of time before Miller gets his turn. Fickell made it clear that he needs both of them, that the position is still open and that he is looking to build experience in a game environment.

Coach Fickell continued:

Just talking with those guys, talking with the offensive staff, we know we’re going to need them both. The whole idea is we want to make sure that we can put them out in front of 106,000 and see how guys respond.

There are a lot of things that don’t say “or” on that depth chart but are “or”. I know the one you care about is the quarterback position. But we’re trying to create competition. We’re trying to see how this team gels together, what the team needs, what the offense needs. I think we’re just trying to bring a light to both of them.

We understand we need both of them. We sat down with both of those guys and made sure they understood that that throughout this entire year we’re going to need you both; and how we work together as a staff, offensively, defensively, special teams, probably will be the focus will be on the quarterback spot. But we need to make sure that all of us are working together.

Later, when asked what gave Bauserman the “nod,” Fickell replied, “What nod is that?…The top of the ‘or’”?

It comes as no surprise to anyone that Coach Fickell said he put Bauserman at the top of the “or” because of leadership. With seven or so years on Miller, if not leadership, Bauserman sure has maturity. Hopefully, it translates into some much needed leadership on the field.

Fickell wasn’t so quick to rule out Miller though. Throughout the press conference he was sure to point out that both Bauserman and Miller are needed and that they have full confidence in Miller. From the press conference:

“Obviously, his abilities have impressed us all, and that’s why he’s here. Until you do it and perform, we’ll keep our judgments to ourselves. We know he can do it. We know he has the ability to do it. Being able to handle all the situations is what’s important. We don’t lack confidence in what he does; I can tell you that. That’s why he’s listed as an “or”.

But in order to do it, we’ll hold our judgments and hold our comments until we continue to do it. But I just actually saw him this morning and told him to make sure he understands that we have the utmost confidence in him, and that is the biggest thing.

I want to make sure he understands is you’re going to walk out there and you’re going to be on the field. It’s going to be 106,000 people and they’ll be looking at you. But what is the difference? What is the difference from last year? Yes, the guys are bigger, and faster, and whatever. But you do what you do. Don’t get wrapped up in that. Don’t let that overwhelm you.

It’s on us as coaches to put you in a situation to let you do what you do well, but we expect to see you do well, and we’ve got enough confidence in you that we’re going to put you out there.”

So yes, Bauserman will get the start but expect to see Miller early in the game. Especially if the Buckeyes put some quick points on the board. Fickell wants to give this kid experience, test him in front of the big crowd and see how he does. If he comes out strong, demonstrates confidence and ability to lead from the QB position, the starting spot will soon be his to lose.

©2012 The Buckeye Blog. All Rights Reserved.

With all the turmoil surrounding the Ohio State program this year, it’s no wonder the bookies in Vegas don’t have a ton of faith in our Bucks. And although I tend to put about as much stock in the odds as I do finding prescription drugs at a typical Canadian pharmacy online betting sites are making the Buckeyes look like a good buy. However, the odds do provide an interesting look at public perception.

According to a recent press release I received from Bodog.com sports, the Buckeyes are getting 5-1 odds on winning the Big Ten title. That comes in third behind Nebraska at 7/4 and Wisconsin at 13/5. Penn State follows in fourth at 11/2 and then there is a big jump to Michigan State at 10/1. Michigan and Iowa are tied in the next spots at 15/1.

A more interesting breakdown might be the odds for the Leaders and Legends divisions. The boys in Vegas are giving The Buckeyes 5/2 odds behind Wisconsin at 5/4 and Penn State 9/4. I would assume that by putting Penn State above Ohio State, the general perception is that Penn State has a better chance of beating the Buckeyes in the leaders division. However, given a chance to go against Nebraska in the big game, people tend to favor The Buckeyes over Penn State.

In the leaders division it’s pretty much all Nebraska at 1/2 odds. Not a good buy on any level. If you’re a gambling man however, Michigan State is getting 4/1 to win the leaders. I like Michigan State as a Big 10 sleeper this year but probably not enough to put my money on it. Michigan is next in line with 11/2 odds. Again, not a good buy on any level.

For the regular season, the Buckeyes are getting +225 to win more than 9 games. That means they can lose to both Nebraska and Wisconsin and still make 10 games. I also think this is a pretty good buy. Given the chaos at Miami and the need for the Buckeyes to prove themselves, I’m not too worried about that one. Michigan State might make for an interesting game but again, not too worried. Toledo is better than normal but the need to maintain our stockpile of Toledo/Michigan jokes will be enough motivation to win that one. That leaves Penn State and Michigan. Michigan has the right attitude this year but it won’t be enough and as badly as Penn State wants it, they will leave Columbus disappointed once again.

Northwestern Quarterback Dan Persa is getting some attention in the individual player categories leading most passing yards per game and passing touchdowns at 4/7 and even odds respectively. The Denard Robinson bandwagon is still alive and well with Robinson coming in third for most passing yards per game and most touchdowns behind Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins at 7/2 and 2/1 respectively. Robinson also ranks second to Michigan State’s Edwin Baker at 2/1 for most rushing yards per game at 9/4.

Sure, Michigan is a new program this year under a new coach but I’m sorry, I’m just not impressed by Robinson. I don’t care what you do against Connecticut and Bowling Green, barely getting past last year’s Notre Dame, Massachusetts, and Indiana just doesn’t impress me at all. I think there is no question Michigan will be a different team in 2011 but other than Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan, I don’t see any big opportunities for Robinson to put up huge numbers. Especially after the way he got shut down in Columbus last year.

©2012 The Buckeye Blog. All Rights Reserved.

With only 17 days to go until opening kickoff, Coach Fickell still hasn’t committed to any of the four possible starting quarterbacks. According to the Columbus Dispatch, Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller took about 80 percent of the snaps at yesterday’s practice. Although Bauserman and Miller would seem to be the obvious choices to replace Terrell Pryor, The Dispatch reported that Fickell said that “appearances can be deceiving” and no decisions had been made as of yet.

He went on to say, “That was today, maybe, but I think the biggest thing is we are going to continue to challenge those guys mentally, move them around and see how they act and respond.”

At this point, mental strength may be one of the biggest requirements for whoever steps in to take the snaps this fall. If the Buckeyes need anything, it’s leadership and leadership will be a huge factor in choosing our next quarterback. And while I can’t say I know much about Fickell at this point, I really like the idea that he’s throwing the quarterbacks off balance by shuffling the number of reps to see how they respond to an potentially adverse situation (ie. “Why did he pull me today? I thought things went well yesterday.”)

That said, realistically the quarterback battle comes down to two people — Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller. In Bauserman you’ve got experience, in Miller, the future of the Ohio State football team.

Saturday’s scrimmage may be the deciding factor in the quarterback race but until then, here’s my thoughts on Bauserman vs. Miller.

Joe Bauserman
At 26 years of age, Bauserman should have the experience and maturity to step into the leadership role. He’s got seven-eight years on the incoming freshmen and in college football years, let’s just say they don’t get much older than this. Problem is, Bauserman was not supposed to be the team leader. Bauserman’s role was to be the backup. He was the guy who could step in for a couple of plays while the star qb caught his breath. Now that the opportunity has been cast upon his shoulders, the question remains if he is up to the job.

So far, Bauserman has been one of those guys who takes a few years off the average Buckeye Fan’s social security payments every time he plays. And although that may be an exaggeration, we haven’t got much to go on and I can’t seem to shake memories of last year’s Illinois game. Bauserman’s got potential but then again. In the little bit we’ve seen him play, he’s completed 25 of 47 attempted passes (53%)–many of those coming at the end of a blow out game.

With concerns in the receiving corps, Bauserman isn’t the guy to scramble out of a bad situation. As long as the offensive line stays healthy, that may not be much of a problem though. He’s got a solid stable of running backs all chomping at the bit for an opportunity. Bauserman’s best play this season may involve little more than stepping back and placing the ball out to his side. Proving himself as a leader may be all that is needed to win the spot.

Braxton Miller
How long have we been waiting on this kid? Destined since the 9th grade to become the heir apparent to the Buckeye helm, Miller is an exciting choice. If all had gone according to plan, the only thing we’d be asking is how many yards he’ll rack up next year. In an ideal world, Miller would watch from the sidelines, learn from a top Heisman candidate and pick up a few reps here and there for good measure.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Instead of building experience and exploding onto the scene in 2012, Miller is on the fast track to the starting position. If shear ability were the deciding factor, Miller is the man. However, experience and leadership are at a premium and we have yet to see if Miller has the ability to run the show. If high school records say anything, he did a good job leading Wayne High School through the playoffs only to lose a close state championship game. Unlike Pryor who tended to rely entirely on his athletic ability at an early age, he’s also much further along from a technical standpoint.

Combine his running abilities with that stable of backs I mentioned earlier and once again, the Buckeyes are looking at a serious dual-threat offense. Like most Buckeye fans, I want to see Miller behind taking the snaps come September (October?). In Miller we can see the future of the Buckeyes and the potential for a high-powered offense. In Bauserman, well, it just feels like we’ve been there before.

The Fickell Factor
A big factor in the quarterback position may be the one-year arrangement with Coach Fickell. Given a long-term contract, Fickell could afford to write 2011 off to a rebuilding season. He could take his time, develop the talent he has and build for 2012. That isn’t the case. For Fickell, everything is on the line this season. Win 9 or so games and eat Michigan and he’s still got a shot. Anything less though and he’s interviewing with the rest of them.

As a student of Tresselball, this suggests a conservative approach and the conservative pick is Bauserman. Short yards, long drives and protect the ball, at least early in the season, would seem to be the call. Let the kid learn early, give him a few reps and build from there. Test things against the Ohio Schools and a seriously shaken U of Miami. Dual quarterback come Michigan State and by Nebraska, Miller is running the show.

NostraJimmus says?
Bauserman’s got September. After that, it’s Miller with Bauserman as the elder statesman providing wisdom.

©2012 The Buckeye Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Alright everyone. We’ve got a long summer ahead of us and there’s not a lot to talk about between now and August. As a result, the 600 pound gorilla in the room (commonly known as Coach Tressel) is receiving way, way too much speculation and discussion. And although the NFL betting sights are probably taking odds on who will become the next OSU coach, here are a four topics to discuss that don’t involve NCAA violations.

Cameron Heyward goes in first round
It was good to see Cameron Heyward get picked by the Pittsburg Steelers last night in the first round. When I talked to him on Monday, he said that the excitement and anticipation of the NFL draft was almost more than he could take. Congratulations Cameron. At least one 600 pound gorilla has been lifted.

Spring Game – Offense
Although we got a taste of the early season Buckeyes during last Saturday’s spring game, there is still a lot to be determined. All four quarterbacks had their moments but of the four, Braxton Miller still has my vote.

Yeah, they kept it pretty basic when Miller was on the field but is it just me or does he have a serious arm. A couple of those passes looked like they could burn the skin off the receiver’s hands. He also threaded a couple nice shots through the crowd. Unlike the other three, Miller showed the ability to scramble and it was nice to see a quarterback who doesn’t throw off his front foot when pressured.

Joe Bausermen didn’t do anything for me but bring back bad memories. 4-11 is nothing to write home about.

Taylor Graham’s touchdown pass to T.Y. Williams was a thing of beauty. I’m afraid Graham’s going to need a lot more of that and a lot less of the five sacks that he gave up to make it come September.

Jordon Hall looked good. Hall put on an impressive performance even though it took him two more carries to put up the same number or yards as Boom. I don’t know what it was but he just looked fast. I think we’ll see a lot more of him next season.

And then of course there are the receivers. Yeah…that will come in practice right?

Spring Game – Defense
Well, they started out good. Seven different players put up seven sacks. By the end of the scrimmage things were starting to fall apart. Granted, the majority of the defense was watching the game from the injured reserves. There were a number of names I hadn’t seen before lining up on D.

2011 Basketball Recruiting Ends Well
Scout.com ranked the Buckeye recruiting class No. 8 overall. Illinois (13) and Michigan State (18) also cracked the top 25.

I Said Relax
Now that the NCAA has delivered their “Notice of Allegations” against Ohio State, a day doesn’t go by without a new article about who will replace coach Tressel. And although rumors are flying around Columbus that Urban Meyer has bought a house in Upper Arlington so he can spend his days outside of Gordon Gee’s office attempting to lick Gee’s shoes as he walks past, it’s just too early.

And without getting into too much detail about my feelings toward Urban Meyer, my biggest concern is that the media, not The Ohio State University, is going to fire Coach Tressel. The decision from the NCAA won’t be passed down until mid August. That’s a lot of time to speculate and guess at what’s going to happen and there’s a lot of football writers desperate to fill their columns. Don’t believe me, just skim the articles on Bleacher Report (and no, I’m not giving them a link).

Even Kirk Herbstreet has gotten into the act. Herbstreet of course renounced his Buckeye cred around the time he bailed out of Columbus for the SEC. (Did I mention that everyone needs to relax?)

The more the media speculates, the more the NCAA feels the need to prove that they actually stand for something. In the old days, those who offended the king were put in the stockades. Today they get paraded around on ESPN.

©2012 The Buckeye Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Rumors have been flying for the past week or so that one of the top college football teams was about to get hammered with a big NCAA investigation. Earlier this week, Sport’s Illustrated hinted that it was Oregon but up until late yesterday, it was all speculation and hearsay.

Most of us can stop holding our breath as the suspense is finally over. It looks like our old Rose Bowl opponents, the Oregon Ducks, are the lucky winner. According to ESPN.com, the NCAA is looking into whether or not the university paid a Willie Lyles, a trainer from Texas, $25,000 to help them land Lache Seastrunk, one of the top prospects of 2010.

Oregon is not denying that they paid Lyles the $25,000 saying that paying for scouting services is fairly typical. A quick look into the world of scouting services however shows that these services usually amount to video reports and other information about prospects. Those fees usually range around $3,000.

As Sport’s Illustrated points out in their article on the subject, Lyles website includes a price list for video scouting reports that range from $3,000-$15,000. Not sure exactly what Oregon got for the $25,000 super special package but according ESPN.com, Seastrunk’s mother isn’t too happy about it.

“Willie said he was a trainer,” Evelyn Seastrunk said. “Now Oregon says he’s a scout? Is he on Oregon’s payroll? If Willie Lyles collected $25,000 off my son he needs to be held accountable. The NCAA must find out for me. I don’t know how to digest someone cashing in on my son.”

Apparently Seastrunk wasn’t the only Oregon player Lyles had taken a liking to. According to ESPN.com, LaMichael James and Lyles also seem to be old “training” buddies. The NCAA is also looking into exactly what sort of “training” Lyles provided.

If Lyles consulting fees at Oregon are any indication of his fees elsewhere, this story could grow much bigger as ESPN.com is reporting that Lyles has connections to a number of Texas football players who went on to play at Auburn, Baylor, LSU, Oklahoma State, Southern California and Texas A&M.

This is in the early stages folks and although it has finally broken beyond the rumor stage, it may be a while before this gets sorted out. As of this morning, Oregon was claiming that they hadn’t been contacted by the NCAA about the issue.

All I’ve got to say is it’s a good thing nobody got any tattoos. Then we’d have a real investigation on our hands.

(For more on the story, be sure to check out our friends over at The Buckeye Battle Cry. Mali’s got a much more in-depth story with lots of links to keep you busy on a slow Friday afternoon.)

©2012 The Buckeye Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Remember back when New Year’s day was he climax of the college football season. Nothing better to kill the lingering remnants of the night before than a plate of spare ribs and sourkraut and a day on the couch stringing together as many college football games as you could handle. By the time you’d packed it in for the night you knew you’d seen the best games college football had to offer neatly wrapped in a marathon of college football indulgence.

Then came the BCS. We needed to name a national champion and no, it couldn’t be done on New Year’s. Over the years, the BCS has slowly backed up the date from Jan 2 or 3 to this year’s game on Jan. 10. Maybe it gives NFL betting types something to do but after diligently watching Miami beat Mid-Tennessee in the GoDaddy.com Bowl or Nevada take down Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl I have to admit, I was having trouble getting excited for what is supposed to be college football’s grand finale.

This year’s Bowl season started a full week before Christmas and ended a full week into the new year. At some point in my attempt to watch four Big Ten games at the same time, the novelty started to wear off.

That said, a couple of thoughts on the BCS national championship game:

What a Crazy Game?
Four turnovers, goal-line stands and a botched tackle leading to a last second field goal. What more can you say. This was not the game I expected but it was a great one to watch.

Cam Newton
Newton was not what I expected either. Admittedly I haven’t watched much of him this year but I was expecting a style much closer to Pryor. Yes, he was good at diving forward for a few yards and he put up some big yards passing but I expected to see him get out of trouble better than he did. Also expected to see a few more rushing yards from him. Spread the ground work between Dyer and Newton and I’d think it would be much tougher to defend.

Defense? Really?
Nice to see the defense show up on both sides. Call me old fashioned but I like it when my basketball team scores more than my football team. Auburn’s Nick Farley was a beast. Other than the cheap shots, he was fun to watch.

Kelly Keeps it Interesting
If nothing else, you’ve got to give Chip Kelly credit for keeping it interesting. Two point conversions early in the game, reverses, momentum changing long pass plays, no question he keeps it exciting.

One for the Books
I really had no idea who was going to win this going in and now I know why. What a great back and forth, lead changing, momentum swapping game. A heartbreak for Oregon but well played on their part.

Ohio Man in Michigan
Once again Michigan has turned to Ohio to save their floundering program but it looks like they’ve found a good fit. Brady Hooke, who grew up in Kettering, came out strong talking about the importance of the Ohio State/Michigan game and refusing to mention the name “Ohio State” in his welcoming press conference.

Unlike his predecessor, Hooke get’s it. He was an assistant under both Gary Moeller and Llllloyd Car (did I get that right) and apparently took the job without even discussing pay. He also makes a great foil for Tressel. While Tressel keeps things tight to his vest, Hooke is much more outgoing and is quick to speak his mind. Are we due for another 10 year war?

As for Les Miles? Although I didn’t catch all of it, in making the announcement, ESPN was running a text along the bottom of the screen saying that Miles said Michigan had changed and was not the Michigan he (Miles) used to know. (No kidding.)

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