Since the Buckeyes returned to practice this week, it’s time to dust off the old blogging shoes, strap myself back into the fighting chair and get back in the swing of things. As I awake from my annual off season hibernation, although things may look a little different on the surface, dig down an inch or so and the Ohio State Buckeyes we’ve always known are still there. Although Buckeye fans may find themselves struggling with a lack of confidence, buck up little Ohio State fan. Depending on how things develop over the next few hours and into the next few weeks, this season could be the stuff from which legends are made. Let’s take it from there.
Use the Force Luke
Although Coach Fickle may be new to the head coaching position, he’s surrounded by familiar faces. We’re not seeing the house cleaning that often goes on with a change in coach (but it worked so well at Michigan). Coach Tressel may be gone but the rest of the staff looks pretty much the same, Jim Bollman returns on offense, Jim Heacock on D and Nick Sicilano returns as quarterback coach (a good thing right?). Coach Tressel has taken on special team responsibilities and considering the family reputation with special teams, putting Doc at the helm can’t be all bad.
Other than Coach Fickle’s new responsibilities, about the only significant change is the addition of Mike Vrabel at linebacker coach. Although I’m still awaiting the return of Chris Spielman, there’s not many former Buckeyes I’d like to see back on the staff than Vrabel. Word has it he was out running with the players on the first day of practice. Along with his three Super Bowl rings, Vrabel is a close friend of Coach Fickle and he’s a Buckeye through and through. Bringing Vrabel onto the coaching staff was a great move.
This is all good news for the Buckeyes. Although the top spot has changed, these guys know what they’re doing and should have very little trouble getting into the swing of things. I’m looking forward to seeing Fickle in action. My only hope is that he takes Tressel ball to the next level and goes in for the kill once and a while.
No. 16 in the Coach’s Poll
The USA Today Coach’s poll opened with The Buckeyes in the 16th spot. In past year’s I might have been annoyed with a ranking outside of the top ten but this year I like it. The Buckeyes have taken a beating over the past six months and what better to motivate than the opportunity to prove the critics wrong. As a student of Tressel, you know that Coach Fickle will take full advantage of the opportunity. It may take a while for the team leaders to emerge but count on these guys pulling together as a team.
When I say this season could be the stuff from which legends are made, if this team does pull it together, get’s through their first four games, makes it past Nebraska and sends Michigan crying once again, this will be a season to remember regardless of what the NCAA says.
Speaking of the NCAA
Today is the day we find out if the removal of our head coach, the vacating of our entire 2010 season and any other self-imposed penalties will be enough to satisfy the NCAA. Yes, it will take a few weeks for the NCAA to issue their findings but at least this day will be behind us.
The good news…
- Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith has sat on the other side of the table at these things. He knows the inner workings of the NCAA and understands the process.
- The NCAA has not found any violations to which Ohio State has not already admitted and offered self-imposed penalties.
The bad news…
- This is the NCAA and it is hard to imagine they won’t want to get in a few punches of their own.
So what do you think Buckeye fans? Looking forward to the season or running scared?
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I am really PUMPED for BUCKEYE FOOTBALL. I’m stuck watching an occasional baseball game, Nancy Grace, and Little League Baseball. Someone save me please.
Screw the NCAA and the running scared buckeye fans, get with the program, really I can see a 10 to 11 win season. I wish we were playing Oregon or Arkansas this year, but they don’t want any of the Buckeyes and our new coaching staff. Business as usual Baby, Buckeyes win, Buckeyes win.
Bring it on “little bucknut” carl ……. It you take care of business you just may get the OPPORTUNITY to face Oregon.
Tony, you’re cute.
No homo.
No homo …… received.
I, for one, am chomping at the bit to get this season started. With basically the coaching staff remaining the same.. Loosing Tress and adding Vrabel doesn’t seem to me to be much of a drop off at all.
I look for a good old fashion Buckeye defense to dictate most of the games. Our secondary has a few questions to be sure, but minus big time injuries, I expect a top 10 defense as usual.
On the offensive side of the ball, we have the deepest stable of running backs we’ve had in years with possibly the most talent sitting at the bottom of the current depth chart. With or without Herron, we’re probably looking at the best stable of backs in the conference and possibly the country.
We get this little quarterback situation under control and we should be good to go.
I only hope we don’t see too much Bauserman on the field. I think running him out there would be short sighted. He makes for a good solid backup, but doesn’t have the skills required to win one if the game falls on his shoulders.
Odd thing our quarterback situation. 4 guys all with completely different skill sets and none with much experience. Tresselball would have protected the quarterback and not allowed them to make many mistakes. I guess we’ll see if Fickelball will do the same thing. I’m guessing yes.
Go Bucks!!
I agree Dave. I think we are going to see a very familiar Buckeye program. Of course, if this were a Tressel program, Bauserman would get be a favorite out of respect to the time he’s put in. Hopefully, Fickel will go with the best of the four. Personally, I think that once it all shakes out, we’ll see Miller at the helm.
It would be nice to see Bauserman step up as a leader but there is nothing to show that he is doing so. Maybe as a motivational leader but not an on the field leader. He’s good for stepping in in a pinch but he’s not the one to carry us like Pryor could in the emergency situation (ie. 2010 Iowa).
Dave …. tOSU possibly has the best group of Backs in the nation???
OREGON:
1) LaMichael James – finished third in the Heisman Trophy 2010
2) Kenjon Barner – Not much drop off here; avg more yards per carry than LMJ (6.1, 5.9)
3) Lache Seastrunk-Red shirt last year-5 star rank/4th best running back recruit in 2010
5) De’Anthony Thomas – 5 star rank 2011 – Ranked 12th overall recruit
I think that the Ducks definately take the edge here. That being said ….. tOSU plays a very different type of football than Oregon and a running back that excels in our program might not do as well in yours.
I guess mark Seastrunk off the list.
Seastrunk had fallen deeper in the playing rotation and it was pretty evident that the two Freshmen that we picked up this year were going to pass him on the depth chart. He was probably the highest rated running back that we ever recruited and is lightening quick in the open field ….. That being said he has two major flaws in his game: 1) Seastrunk likes to bounce around the backfield instead of running through the tackles and getting upfield quickly. 2) He had a hard time holding onto the football and was prone to fumbles.
That said ….. I wish him the best of luck at Baylor and hope that he has a good College career.
Tony.. I did say possibly.
And I am also considering the type of offense we will most likely be running this year. As always, Big Ten backs are a different animal than the rest of the country.
The old saying in the Big Ten is that it takes “a pair and a spare” to run the ball in the Big Ten.
IMHO or best all around back won’t even see the field much this year. I hope I’m wrong about that, but I think Rod Smith has the makings to be a special back. If both he and Braxton fulfill their potential, we should be looking at serious title contention for the foreseeable future.
Tony, five star rankings are meaninless until they start playing at the next level, your smart enough to know that. Being third in the Heisman won’t even get a cup of coffee at McDonalds.
You had James and Barner last year and what did it get you, a shot at the big time and you laid an egg against Auburn and Scam Newton. Dave is so right about Big Tem backs, small speed backs would never make it in the Big Ten. It’s almost time for the season to begin and I can’t wait. Good luck Tony, something tells me you are going to need it.
Carl ….. ARE U SERIOUS??? James proved it on the field last year and was number three in the Heismen voting ….. and your equating that to a “cup of coffee”? Your correct, we had James and Barner and ended up going to the NC game. Using your own logic ….. you had “Boom” …. where did that get you? Not even a piece of the Big Ten Championship.
It is way to early for you to start upsetting me Carl.
By the way, Oregon doesn’t need “luck” (He plays for Stanford already). All we have to do is win the game against LSU and it will put us in the drivers seat for another shot at the NC. Just take it one game at a time.
Tony, you know I had to get the first punch in. I know it’s way to early, but just around the corner. No reason to get upset, if you believe what you posted then it doesn’t matter what I think. Remember ducks can swim and fly, Buckeyes can give you a headache if one hits you on the noggin. In closing you have to win the Heisman before it matters. By the way I thought you were going over seas to contact you customers? Who knows maybe we can play each other again this year, that would be awesome.
Buckeyes just fall out of trees and lay motionless on the ground.
Haven’t gone to Costa Rica yet ….. Other factors have come into play and I am looking into moving my stateside residence to Dallas TX. Flights are a lot cheaper and quicker than flying back and forth from the Northwest. My other option is Miami …. I can hop a flight for $100 or so and be there in less than 2 hrs. I just don’t know if I want to move all the way to the East Coast …. Carl, what is your take on the Miami area?
Bottom line ….. both of my kids (twins – boy/girl) graduated high school this year and It is time for a little R&R.
I think everyone is pumped for football this time of year. After getting ravaged by tornados every other day in the spring, then having to endure daily temperatures from 103 all the way up to 117 degrees over a 1 1/2 month period, I am sooooo ready for some football!
Less than 3 weeks away ! …… Around this time of year I start feeling the love come back into my life. It feels a little guilty like I’m having an affair and cheating on my wife. And …. no…. It’s not a Man/Duck fetish thing. Well, kind of not. maybe, sort of.
Tony, I consider Miami as a tourist town, not some place I would want to live. There also are to many Cubans and Hatians for my taste. Not that I’m racist, but you have to speak spanish as well as English. It’s a nice place to visit but not to live. You would do better moving to tampa where you have a lot of nice areas to live and you have Tampa International to fly out of. Dallas
would be nice, in texas you would have Dallas and Houston airports real handy. Then you can join me as a Cowboy fan. I wish you good luck where ever you chose.
Dominican Republic is a lot nicer than Miami. And half the cost.
I second the poo poo on Miami Tony. Lived there for a couple of years while in the Air Force. Other than the winter weather, everything else was horrible.
Great place to visit, not to live.
But thanks for bringing it up since I didn’t want to get off topic.
Ha Ha Ha “The U” Ha Ha Ha couldn’t happen to a nicer group of folks!! Hahaha
Sorry.. That was undignified.. [snicker] Couldn’t help it..
Recruiting violations at Miami between 2001-2008!? You’re kidding! Who would have thought?
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Attorney-Ponzi-scheming-Miami-booster-has-detai?urn=ncaaf-wp5041