Big Ten Basketball Making Statement

Fellow Buckeye fans, it's been way too long. Figured I'd chime in during this special time of year where families come together and celebrate the holidays. Except this lovey dovey business doesn’t suit all of us so let’s get to something more important: our annual Arizona Fiesta draws closer each day. Wait that’s not it. O yea: all I can think about is how jacked up I am for the upcoming Big Ten basketball season.

The conference may have failed to defeat the ACC yet again in the challenge but the depth is the best in years. Already this year three teams outside of the top 25 in the preseason poll have knocked off top 10 teams. Michigan (for the record I still root against them during nonconference) knocked off both UCLA and Duke, Minnesota defeated Lousiville today and of course are Buckeyes outplayed Notre Dame. Throw in Michigan State's "neutral site" win in Houston today over Texas and you have some impressive wins prior to Christmas.

Adding to the excitement is that OSU already has a perfect 8-0 record and another cupcake in UNC-Asheville coming. Without David Lighty (broken foot, out 2-3 months) the scarlet and gray will be challenged but will need a real collapse to avoid the tourney. At worst this team will be 9-1 before conference play kicks off at home against Iowa, 4 p.m. online @ OhioStateSports.net. Bob Huggins and West Virginia pose a threat on the 27th (Saturday also at 4 and online @OhioStateSports.net) but this Lightyless group could use another toughy before the Big Ten season.

All in all it should be a fun winter in Columbus. Heck the Jackets even managed an overtime triumph against the record setting San Jose Sharks. Is Gabe Norris the spark the organization needs to end the playoff drought? Clearly this is another subject for a person who fervently follows hockey (hint hint) but you get what I'm saying. Get hyped, get ready and enjoy the break everybody! Perhaps Thad Mattas crew has a few presents in the stockings (or driedel bags if you're apart of the tribe) for Buckeyes near and far.

Ohio State Football Award Winners

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State running back Chris “Beanie” Wells was voted 2008 team Most Valuable Player as announced at the Football Appreciation Banquet this afternoon.

Wells also received the Archie Griffin Award as outstanding offensive player, the W.W. Hayes Award as outstanding player in the Michigan game and the Rex Kern Award as the outstanding offensive back. Linebacker James Laurinaitis and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins shared the Bill Willis Award as the outstanding defensive player.

Other award winners: Ryan Lukens (John Galbreath, academics); Terrelle Pryor (first-year offensive player); Nathan Williams first-year defensive player); Shaun Lane (Ike Kelley, special teams standout); James Laurinaitis (Randy Gradishar, linebacker); Brian Robiskie (Paul Warfield, receiver); Malcolm Jenkins and Kurt Coleman (Arnie Chonko, defensive back);

Tyson Gentry (Bo Rein, most inspirational); Alex Boone (Jim Parker, offensive lineman); Kurt Coleman (SAE, Homecoming game standout); Thaddeus Gibson (Agonis Rick Meyer, Penn State game standout); Rory Nicol (Jim Marshall Warrior); Nader Abdallah (Jack Stephenson, defensive lineman).

Courtesy Shelly Poe
Ohio State Athletic Communications
www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com

Men's Swimming: Ohio State Wins First OSU Invite Title

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The nationally-ranked Ohio State men’s swimming and diving team captured its first Ohio State Swimming and Diving Invite title Sunday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion with a score of 1382.5 points. The No. 11 Buckeyes topped the three-time reigning champion Minnesota by over 500 points.

“I am extremely please with this group of guys,” Bill Wadley, head men’s swimming coach, said. “It was a dynamite effort by the whole team, from the freshmen to the seniors. It was a fun weekend and fun to see all of their hard work being paid off.

“We’re very thrilled to win big over such a tough field of competitors.”

Rounding out the top five behind Ohio State was Minnesota with 873.5 points, Penn State (649), Notre Dame (398) and Cleveland State (194).

A major highlight of the day’s events was the 200 breaststroke that saw the Buckeyes go 1-2-3-4-5, led by 2007 team Most Outstanding Swimmer Sam Pelkey. Despite injuries that have plagued his fall training, the junior took first in a meet-record time of 1:58.60.

“Sam Pelkey has an uncanny ability to take his game to the next level and is a champion both in the pool and in spirit,” Wadley said. “Sam has been injured all fall and really shined tonight. It is hard to imagine anyone with a unique ability to pull everything all together like he has.”

Also standing out was the performance by junior Niksa Roki in the 200 butterfly. The 2008 Croatian Olympian took third with an NCAA “B” time of 1:46.07, breaking a 24-year school record in the process.

“To have a swimmer break records like Niksa has this weekend at this time of the year is fantastic,” Wadley said. “He had an outstanding swim today.”

Reigning national champion Sean Moore had a dominating performance on the platform diving event for the Buckeyes. The sophomore took the title in a McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion record of 434.60 points.

Juniors Stefan Sigrist and Mark Neiman opened up the final session of the Invite with a 1-2 finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Sigrist won in a meet-record time and NCAA “B” cut time of 15:15.09, just edging out Neiman’s “B” time of 15:15.69.

Ohio State’s depth shone through in the evening’s next event as the Buckeyes had six out of eight swimmers in the 200 backstroke championship final. Penn State’s Patrick Schirk took the top spot, with Ohio State sophomore Phil Seleskie taking second in 1:46.55.

Sophomore Itai Chammah captured third in the event (1:46.82) and was followed by Justin Farra in fourth (1:47.13) and Tyler King in fifth (1:47.96). Freshman Austin Mudd and sophomore Michael Hulme rounded out the field, finishing seventh (1:49.17) and eighth (1:49.19), respectively.

In the 100 freestyle, Buckeye co-captain Joel Elber swam a career-best time of 44.13 to finish second just behind Minnesota’s Curt Carlson.

Closing out the weekend was the 400 freestyle relay. The team of junior Andrew Olson, Elber and freshmen Markus Sievers and Lincoln Fahrbach finished second in a “B” time of 2:58.00.

The Buckeyes will take a break from competition to focus on finals. The team returns to the pool on January 9 to face off with Wright State at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The co-ed meet begins at 5 p.m.

Courtesy Jerry Emig
Ohio State Athletic Communications
www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com

Men's Hockey: Buckeyes Top Robert Morris, 7-4, in Cleveland

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Buckeyes received goals from six players and points from 14 total as the Ohio State men’s hockey team defeated Robert Morris, 7-4, Saturday in Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Sophomore C.J. Severyn led the Buckeyes with a career-high two goals, with classmate Peter Boyd adding a career-high three points on a goal and two assists. Cleveland native John Albert added two assists in the win, which extended the Buckeyes’ winning streak to four.

The Buckeyes led 2-0 after the first period. Severyn put the Buckeyes on the board just 34 seconds into the game, intercepting a Colonial clearing attempt inside the blue line and scoring from the high slot for his second goal of the year. At 16:17 Sergio Somma tallied, from Boyd and freshman Sean Duddy. The Buckeyes held the Colonials scoreless on four power-play chances in the period, with 2:49 of 5-on-3 action. The first two-man chance for the Colonials spanned 1:07, with Ohio State not allowing a shot on goal. A second opportunity for 1:42 came at 11:29 and Buckeye sophomore goalie Dustin Carlson stopped all five shots on the 5-on-3. The Buckeyes outshot Robert Morris in the period, 13-9, and were 0-for-1 on the power play.

The teams combined for five goals in the second period, with the Buckeyes leading, 5-2, after two. Severyn added his second goal of the game at 7:33, assisted by freshman Cory Schneider, marking his first career assist, and Kyle Reed, to give the Buckeyes a 3-0 lead. The Colonials tallied twice in 2:08, with Chris Margott scoring at 11:00 and Nathan Longpre scoring on the power play at 13:08, cutting the Buckeye lead to one (3-2). The Buckeyes scored twice in the final 3:06. Sophomore Shane Sims scored his first goal of the season on the power play at 16:54, assisted by Boyd and Albert. Freshman Zac Dalpe scored on a breakaway at 17:31, assisted by Albert. The Buckeyes outshot Robert Morris, 16-6, in the period. Robert Morris scored on its one power-play chance and Ohio State was 1-for-2.

The teams added four goals in the third period, with all coming in the final 5:49. Boyd scored at 14:11, assisted by Cleveland (Solon) native Chris Reed and Patrick Schafer, who played juniors in Cleveland. RMU responded 20 seconds later on a goal from Dave Cowan. Hunter Bishop added the seventh Buckeye goal 29 seconds later, with assists coming from Ian Boots and Corey Elkins. The Colonials closed out the scoring with a 5-on-3 goal at 17:25. The Colonials outshot Ohio State in the period, 16-11. The Colonials were 1-for-3 on the power play, with Ohio State 0-for-1.

For the game, Ohio State outshot the Colonials, 40-31. Carlson had 27 saves in 59:48. RMU’s Wes Russell started and took the loss, allowing five goals and making 21 saves in the 37:31. Brooks Osgergard closed out the game, with 12 saves and two goals allowed in 22:29.

Ohio State was 1-for-4 on the power play in the game, with Robert Morris 2-for-8.

Postgame Notes
The Buckeyes will close out first-half play with a home series with Bentley next weekend. The teams will meet at 7:05 p.m. Friday and 8:05 p.m. Saturday in Value City Arena in Columbus.

The Buckeyes scored the most goals since a 9-3 victory over Bowling Green Nov. 18, 2006.

Severyn has three goals in his last three games combined.

Bishop has a goal in four-consecutive games.

Albert is on a four-game scoring streak, with 2-4-6 totals and two points in each of his last two games.

Boots has at least one point in each of the last four games, with a 2-3-5 line.

Boyd tied the team’s season high with three points. It was the fourth two-assist game of his career.

Courtesy Leann Parker
Ohio State Athletics
www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com

Men's Swimming: Buckeyes Excel on Day One of OSU Invite

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 11 Ohio State men’s swimming and diving team shined on day one of the 2008 Ohio State Invitational, winning four out of six events. The Buckeyes lead the field of 13 teams with 379.5 points.

“I am really pleased with the way our team competed tonight,” Bill Wadley, head men’s swimming coach, said. “There are some excellent swimmers and teams in the meet and I’m proud how the guys took on the challenge and stepped up.”

The team top-five standings after day one look like this: Ohio State is followed by Minnesota (276.5), Penn State (200), Notre Dame (132) and Cleveland State (87).

The evening opened up with a terrific first event in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Ohio State finished just .62 behind the winning Minnesota squad. The Gophers finished in an NCAA “B” time of 1:19.00, while the Buckeye quad of junior Joel Elber, junior Andrew Bretscher, freshman Lincoln Fahrbach and senior Felipe Travesso took second in a “B” time of 1:19.62.

The night kept getting better as the 500 freestyle saw another exciting neck-and-neck finish. Junior George Markovic bested Minnesota’s Ray Betuzzi by .02, setting a new meet record in an NCAA “B” time of 4:22.62. Classmates Stefan Sigrist (4:23.97) and Mark Neiman (4:24.53) also earned “B” times and finished third and fourth. Senior Jacob Busch took eighth (4:30.25).

Adding to the Buckeye win column was Niksa Roki in the 200 individual medley. The junior captured first in a meet record and an NCAA “B” time of 1:45.87, while breaking the school record set by Nate King (1:46.29) in the spring of 2007.

“I didn’t expect to break the record,” Roki, from Zagreb, Croatia, said. “I just wanted to concentrate on my turns. I saw the others behind me and I knew I was on the right track.”

Also representing Ohio State in the 200 IM final were sophomore Justin Farra, freshman Markus Sievers, junior Andrew Olson and freshman Austin Mudd. Farra finished fourth, Sievers took fifth, Olson swam in at sixth and Mudd finished seventh.

In the 50 freestyle, Elber and Minnesota’s Colin Lee-To swam to a first-place tie in 20.15. Fahrbach took fifth in 20.40.

Taking a break from the competition pool, the Buckeye one-meter diving trio was led by junior Burkley Showe, who finished second with 395.05 points. Sophomore Sean Moore took fourth (349.75) and junior Ryan Jefferson finished eighth (307.95).

Capping off the night was another tight finish in the 400-medley relay. The team of freshman Andrew Elliott, Travesso, Bretscher and Elber outlasted Penn State to take first in a “B” time of 3:12.99.

The Ohio State Swimming and Diving Invite continues Saturday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. Preliminaries begin at 10 a.m. and finals are at 5 p.m. There is no admission charge to watch the action.

Ohio State Swimming and Diving Invite
Friday, Dec. 5, 2008
McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion; Columbus, Ohio

Team Scores: 1. Ohio State 379.5; 2. Minnesota 285.5; 3. Penn State 200; 4. Notre Dame 132; 5. Cleveland State 87; 6. Purdue 44; 7. Miami (Fla.) 16; 8. Duke 7; 9. Indiana 5.

Friday Event Winners: 200 freestyle relay – 1. Minnesota (1:19.00); 2. Elber, Bretscher, Fahrbach, Travesso – Ohio State (1:19.62); 500 freestyle – 1. Markovic, Ohio State (4:27.48); 200 individual medley – 1. Roki, Ohio State (1:45.87); 50 freestyle – T1. Elber, Ohio State (20.15); T1. Lee-To, Minnesota (20.15) One-meter diving – 1. Boudia, Purdue (419.85); 2. Showe, Ohio State (395.05); 400 medley relay – 1. Elliott, Travesso, Bretscher, Elber – Ohio State (3:12.99).

Women's Swimming: Day One Done at Ohio State Invite

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State sits in fourth-place out of 15 teams after the first day of competition at the 2009 Ohio State Swimming and Diving Invite. The Buckeyes have 106 points while Minnesota, the defending Big Ten Conference champion, leads with 406 points.

Second-place Penn State (231), third-place Notre Dame (149) and fifth-place Miami-Fla. (80) points round out the top five teams.

While the Golden Gophers won all five swimming events, Ohio State swimmers bettered the team’s season bests in four of the five swimming events.

“We are looking at this invite as a gauge to see where we are right now,” Ohio State coach Bill Dorenkott said. “I was pleased with our morning swims in the prelims because we were the only team to not wear racing suits and we still had season-best times in about 80 percent of our swims. I really felt our 500 freestyle and 200 individual medley swimmers performed very well.”

In the 500 freestyle, Ohio State had two swimmers score points: sophomore Sam Cheverton and junior Haley Mitchell placed 11th and 14th, respectively. Cheverton’s time of 4:49.39 bettered the team season best by 10 seconds and it was under the NCAA “B” qualifying standard. The sophomore has now made “B” cuts in two events this year: the 200 IM and the 200 backstroke. Mitchell’s time was 4:55.01.

And in the 200 individual medley, Ohio State freshman Lisa Narum was a finalist and produced Ohio State’s highest event finish of the evening with a sixth-place effort in a team-best time of 2:03.71. Also scoring for the Buckeyes in this event was junior Jill Lockhart, who was 13th in 2:06.46.

The Buckeyes 200 freestyle relay team of Narum, Cheverton, Mitchell and Meg Noble took seventh in an OSU season’s best time of 1:36.21. And the 400 medley relay of Lockhart, Catherine Eitel, Cheverton and Narum posted another season’s best time of 3:48.69, good for seventh place.

Sophomore divers Kristen Asman and Katie Bell produced top eight finishes on the three-meter springboard for Ohio State. Asman placed fifth with 296.65 points and Bell was seventh with 269.70 points.

The Ohio State Swimming and Diving Invite continues Saturday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. Preliminaries begin at 10 a.m. and finals are at 5 p.m. There is no admission charge to watch the action.

Ohio State Swimming and Diving Invite
Friday, Dec. 5, 2008
McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion; Columbus, Ohio

Team Scores: 1. Minnesota 406 2. Penn State 231 3. Notre Dame 149 4. Ohio State 106 5. Miami 80 6. Bowling Green 73 7. Indiana 47 8. Duke 30 9. Purdue 27 10. South Carolina 1.

Friday Event Winners: 200 freestyle relay – 1. Minnesota (1:29.49); 7. Narum, Cheverton, Mitchell, Noble, Ohio State (1:36.21); 500 freestyle – 1. Kobayashi, Minnesota (4:40.42); 11. Cheverton, Ohio State (4:49.39); 200 individual medley – 1. Tyler, Minnesota (1:58.67); 6. Narum, Ohio State (2:03.71); 50 freestyle – 1. Busack, Minnesota, (22.37); Three-meter diving – 1. Loukas, Indiana (363.90); 5. Asman, Ohio State (58.43); 400 medley relay – 1. Minnesota (3:35.69); 7. Lockhart, Eitel, Cheverton, Narum, Ohio State (3:48.69).

Courtesy Jerry Emig
Ohio State Athletics

Athletics: Ohio State Leads Conference with 80 Fall Academic All-Big Ten Selections

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State ranked first in the Big Ten with 80 student-athletes named to the Big Ten Fall Academic All-Conference team, the conference announced Wednesday. Ohio State had academic honorees in all seven eligible fall sports.

To be eligible for an Academic All-Big Ten selection, a student-athlete must be a letterwinner in at least their second academic year and carry a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better. In all, 682 conference student-athletes were honored.

The Buckeye football program led the way with 26 honorees, followed by the men’s soccer team with 13 selections. Field hockey sophomore Alicia Anzivine maintained a 4.0 grade point average. Senior Brian Robiskie was one of eight football student-athletes to capture ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors. Robiskie was again a first-team recipient after earning first-team laurels in 2007.

Courtesy Leann Parker
Assistant Director
Ohio State Athletics Communications

SB: Buckeyes Sign Three to NCAA National Letters of Intent

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team has signed three high school seniors to NCAA National Letters of Intent to compete for the Buckeyes, head coach Linda Kalafatis announced. Megan Coletta, Melanie Nichols and Julia Pecina will join the team for the 2009-10 campaign.

All three players hail from southern California. Coletta and Pecina compete for rival high schools, but have been teammates on their SoCal Wicked club team for six years, while Nichols is a member of SoCal Explosion Gold.

“This is a small, but very talented class,” Kalafatis said. “We are confident that they will add continued depth to our team and to the bright future of Ohio State Softball.”

Coletta is a four-year letterwinner with Sonora High School in La Habra, Calif., and a six-year member of the SoCal Wicked travel club team under head coach Dave Limon. A shortstop and third baseman, Coletta holds a .393 batting average and .975 fielding percentage through three seasons of high school softball. She is a three-time captain and second team all-league player. Coletta also lettered in basketball, winning defensive player of the year honors in 2007.

Kalafatis on Coletta: “Megan was our first commitment in the class and we are very excited to have her. She loves the game – you can tell by her style of play and the way that she carries herself on the field. She is a terrific defensive player and has developed into an offensive threat with good speed.”

Nichols, a four-year starting pitcher at San Jacinto High School, signs with the Buckeyes after finishing her junior season with a .682 ERA and 251 strikeouts in 144 innings. She helped her team to three-consecutive Mountain Pass League championships and earned league MVP honors each of the last two seasons. As a member of SoCal Explosion Gold, Nichols and the team finished fourth at the ASA 18U Gold Nationals.

Kalafatis on Nichols: “Melanie has good size and fields her position well. She also throws in the mid-60s with a good array of pitches. We will need her to step in and pitch right away, and her experience at the 18U Gold level against top competition has prepared Mel for that. I believe that she is one of the best pitchers in this 2009 recruiting class.”

Pecina is a four-year starter with the La Habra High School softball team and seven-year member of SoCal Wicked, along with Coletta. She is a two-time All-Freeway League player with La Habra and the 2007 Offensive Player of the Year. Pecina also lettered in water polo for three seasons and earned all-league and All-CIF honors.

Kalafatis on Pecina: “Julia is a terrific athlete. She is highly-motivated and loves to work hard and train hard. She can play at either second base or in the outfield and her athleticism will be an asset at each position.”

Courtesy Alissa Clendenen
Assistant Director │Ohio State Athletics Communications

Women’s Hockey: Natalie Spooner Picks Up Second WCHA Rookie of the Week Award

Freshman forward scored three of Ohio State’s five goals last weekend at No. 5/6 St. Lawrence

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Natalie Spooner, a freshman forward on the Ohio State women’s hockey team, was selected WCHA Rookie of the Week, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced Wednesday. It is her second weekly award of the season and the fourth player of the week honor for a Buckeye this season.

Spooner scored three of Ohio State’s five goals against No. 5/6 St. Lawrence in a nonconference series last weekend in Canton, N.Y. The Scarborough, Ontario, native had a goal in the first game and added two in the second to extend her goal streak to three games and increase her team-leading goal total to 12.

Spooner has recorded a point in six of her last seven games and ranks second on the Buckeyes in scoring with 15 points. She has four multiple-goal games this season. In the NCAA, Spooner is tied for third with 1.00 goals per game and sixth in freshman scoring with 1.31 points per game.

The Buckeyes will be off this weekend while preparing for finals. Ohio State concludes 2008 with a WCHA series at Minnesota State, Dec. 12-13 in Mankato. While in Minnesota, the Buckeyes also will play the U.S. Women’s Select Team in an exhibition game, Dec. 14 in Blaine.

Courtesy Courtney Walerius
Assistant Director, Ohio State Athletics Communications

The Best Damn Band In the Land Gets Better

On any given Fall Saturday in Columbus 105,000 Buckeye faithful can be heard from miles around; their cheers echoing off the friendly confines of the Horseshoe. Even before the kick off fans are on their feet, filling the stadium with a rousing ovation for one of the greatest Ohio State traditions, The Ohio State Marching Band.

At a university so steeped in tradition and excellence the band has become the “Pride of the Buckeyes”. It has gained national and international acclaim through traditions like the Skull Session, Script Ohio, Dotting the ‘I’ and its continued innovation. These traditions have become synonymous with Ohio State but traditions do not become traditions with out being innovations first. “We walk a very fine line with innovation. We can’t go too far away from our traditional roots.” said Assistant Director Jonathan Waters, who is entering his seventh year with the band.

The band has focused on developing new ideas while not losing so much of what has made it such an important tradition. Can The Best Damn Band in the Land get any better? The Ohio State Marching Band has refocused much of its time and effort into the recruitment of new members, improving the tradition of performances through innovation, and using technology to enhance the quality of its members.

Coach Woody Hayes, who represents the essence of Ohio State Football, once said “you win with people.” This guiding principle has become the central philosophy of the marching band. “We have taken that Woody Hayes strategy and used it to get the best people that we can” said Waters. The band’s main recruiting tool has been the Buckeye Invitational, where 30 High School bands come together in a competition and at the end The Ohio State Marching Band performs for them live. Waters believes that the competition is what has really sparked more interest from prospective students. “Seeing the band in person at the Buckeye Invitational is our best way to bring in new students.” The band has tried a few other strategies as well to raise interest of incoming freshman. They have mailed out pamphlets and called prospective students recruiting them to participate in the band. Over the last 5 years the number of students trying out for the band has increased dramatically. “With the success of the recruitment strategies, (the tryout) is more competitive with better prepared and high quality students coming in,” said Waters.
The rise of the competition level has improved the quality of their performances on and off the field. The recent philosophy with the staff has improved their shows with tradition through innovation. Traditions like Hang on Sloopy and the Ramp Entrance, which has been used for 80 years, have gained the band much commendation. The band has brought back older traditions as well like “floating Ohio” from the 1940’s; A marching formation where “Ohio” seems to float right out of the end zone. Each performance is attended by a diverse audience and the band faces the significant challenge of appealing to a wide demographic. They have emphasized having balance between their compositions and marches, showcasing tradition with a touch of innovation.

Their Hollywood show that debuted at halftime during “The Game”, the 2006 edition of Ohio State vs. Michigan, was a break through performance incorporating special effects. The Hollywood show depicted the Titanic smoking and sinking into the ocean. On October 25th of this year during the Penn State Game they added fireworks to the performance. Mike Vasil, a third year trumpet player, has experienced many of these new techniques and the Penn State performance was an interesting show for him. “With the fireworks it was a surprise for all of us, we had not practice with them and we were not sure how bright or how loud or how many of them there were going to be so we just had to stick to the plan. It shocked us all.” The pyrotechnics, the incorporation of props and the use of new technology have all been major priorities in the bands attempt to improve its quality.

With a substantial donation from Joan Zieg Steinbrenner, wife of the infamous Owner of the Yankees George Steinbrenner, the OSU Marching Band has been able to make some significant improvements in its facilities and operations. They have added high definition cameras for the practice and game fields. As well as flat screen televisions inside the band room to help band members. “There has been a new focus on video recordings and it has given band members the opportunity to watch themselves and be able to make improvements” said Steve Cory, who in past years did Audio and Visual recordings for the band. Waters compares this new audio visual system to a “John Madden X’s and O’s system.” It gives the ability to freeze the shots and draw on the screen allowing the directors to focus in on formation mistakes and missed marching steps. “It helps tremendously when you are on the field you can only see so much from eye level but it gives you a better perspective on the larger scheme of things” said Vasil.

Another way the band has added new technology to improve the quality of the band is giving the members the ability to learn and practice music outside of the band room. “As soon as we get new music we make a recording of it, upload it online as an mp3 file, and band members can log on download it to their iPod” said Corey. Waters has really been impressed with this new technology. “Kids can walk to class and memorize music; it allows them to get more done with out spending late hours in the band room.” This new technology has allowed The Best Damn Band in the Land to get even better. Memorization and exposure to upcoming performances has become more accessible because of these new techniques. The band has been able to use these tools to eliminate inconsistencies, problem areas and put their best band out on the field.

The Best Damn Band in the Land, one of the most prestigious and traditions rich bands in the country has not allowed success to slow down their innovation and improvements. In the marching bands 130 year existence it has established a foothold in the modern marching band arena as the leader in innovation and tradition. Each year the band develops and utilizes new technology to recruit high quality members and improve the excellence of their performances. When asked what has been the most important change in the band, Waters said “It was taking that Woody Hayes motto of you win with people and we have used that keep making improvements in the band.”

Wrestling: No. 3 Buckeyes Compete in Las Vegas Invitational

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 3 Ohio State wrestling team will travel to Las Vegas for the 27th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational Friday and Saturday. The event, featuring participants from 48 teams, will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

BUCKEYE SNAPSHOT
Ohio State is 2-0 during this early part of the 2008-09 season. The Buckeyes hosted the Buckeye Duals Nov. 16 in St. John Arena and defeated Notre Dame College, 34-6, and Cleveland State, 35-13.

The Buckeyes dropped only two matches for seven points the entire afternoon. Ohio State surrendered a total of 19 points on the day, with 12 given up because of OSU forfeits.

PERFECTION
Four Buckeyes in Reece Humphrey (133), Jason Johnstone (157), Colt Sponseller (165) and Cody Gardner (197) remain undefeated on the season. Humphrey, Big Ten Conference Wrestler of the Week Nov. 4, owns an 11-0 record. The junior from Indianapolis won titles at the Buffalo and Wolfpack Opens before going 2-0 at the Buckeye Duals.

Johnstone, a senior from Massillon, Ohio, is 12-0. Like Humphrey, Johnstone collected tournament wins in Buffalo and Raleigh, N.C., in addition to gathering two wins in the Buckeye Duals.

Glenmont, Ohio, native, Sponseller is 11-0 following crowns at the two early-season open tournaments. The sophomore then went 2-0 at the Buckeye Duals.

The freshman Gardner is off to a fast start with an 11-0 mark. He too won titles at the Buffalo and Wolfpack Opens before securing two wins in St. John Arena Nov. 16.
Note – Results from the 43rd Annual NWCA All-Star Classic Nov. 24 do not count toward overall records.

Courtesy Danielle Warner Ohio State Athletics Communications

Ohio State Knocks Off No. 21/22 Miami, 73-68, in Big Ten/ACC Challenge

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -Ohio State erased a 14-point second-half deficit Tuesday night, mounting the comeback after the ejection of Miami scoring leader Jack McClinton to beat the 21st-ranked Hurricanes 73-68.

Jon Diebler scored 20 points and Evan Turner had 19 for the Buckeyes (4-0), who won for only the second time in seven games in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Miami (4-2) fell to 0-3 in the series.

Miami led 36-21 late in the first half and 38-24 early in the second but sorely missed McClinton. The senior guard was ejected for a flagrant foul midway through the first half after he took a swipe with the palm of his hand at Ohio State's Anthony Crater, brushing his face.

The contact came almost immediately after Crater hit McClinton in the face while guarding him.

Crater fell briefly to his knees in pain but remained in the game. The officials consulted a TV replay, then ejected McClinton.

The Hurricanes were already without reserve guard Eddie Rios, suspended indefinitely Tuesday for a violation of team rules. With their backcourt depleted, Ohio State's full-court pressure began to take a toll in the second half.

Miami committed turnovers on five consecutive possessions, allowing the Buckeyes to run off 13 straight points - six by Evan Turner - to cut the deficit to 38-37.

The Hurricanes rebuilt the margin to eight points before Ohio State made another charge. Turner's layup with 7:28 left tied the game at 54, and the Buckeyes took their first lead on their next possession when Jeremie Simmons hit a 3-pointer, his first points of the night.

The Buckeyes stayed ahead the rest of the way. Diebler's sixth and final 3-pointer made it 66-61, and the Hurricanes committed their 18th and final turnover in their backcourt trailing 70-67 with 25 seconds left.

Simmons made both ends of a 1-and-1 with six seconds left to seal the victory.

Lance Hurdle scored 14 points to lead Miami, which shot only 39 percent. McClinton had 12, and Cyrus McGowan added 10 points and 12 rebounds.

McClinton made three early 3-pointers, while the Buckeyes missed seven of their first eight shots and committed five turnovers to fall behind 16-4 after 8 1/2 minutes. Ohio State shot 28 percent in the first half and trailed 36-22 at halftime.

Courtesy www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com

Carlson Nets CCHA Player of the Month Accolades

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Dustin Carlson, a sophomore goalie for the Ohio State men’s hockey team, has been named the RBC Financial CCHA Player of the Month for November, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association announced Tuesday. During November, Carlson, from Forest Lake, Minn., posted a 6-1 record, with a 1.47 goals-against average, .954 save percentage and three shutouts.

In games Carlson started during November, Carlson was 6-1-0 with a 1.29 goals-against average and .961 save percentage. Overall on the month, he had a 1.47 gaa and .954 save percentage. After playing in relief in the team’s first game of the month, he started the remaining seven games. Carlson allowed 11 goals in the month, making 229 saves, with six goals coming on the power play.

Carlson’s three shutouts come over the span of five games. He made 21 saves to blank Michigan State Nov. 7, stopped all 32 shots he faced to top Robert Morris Nov. 14 and made 29 saves in a 2-0 win at Northern Michigan Nov. 22.

Carlson had four games with more than 30 saves, including a career-best 44 saves in a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Nebraska-Omaha Nov. 29, when he stopped the last 34 he faced (20 in the third period). He had 36 at Northern Michigan Nov. 21 in a 3-1 loss and 36 in a 4-3 victory over Nebraska-Omaha Nov. 28.

He was named the league goalie of the week after holding Michigan State to just one goal in a two-game series sweep Nov. 7-8 and he had his first-career assist vs. Michigan State Nov. 8.

Carlson’s goals-against average and save percentage were third in the league in the month although he played nearly twice the number of minutes of the Top 2 goalies. Nationally, his save percentage was third in November (behind the same CCHA goalies) and his goals-against average was seventh. Carlson’s season goals-against average dropped from 3.80 in his first game of the month to 2.23 to end the month. His save percentage improved from .863 to .928.

Courtesy Leann Parker
Associate Director
Ohio State Athletics Communications

Thanks Giving Greetings: President Gordon Gee

Thanksgiving nears, and our thoughts turn to those things for which we are most grateful. As president of this great University, I feel blessed beyond measure for countless reasons. Below, I share the Top 10 things I am grateful for this Thanksgiving:

10. Your 384,000 hours of community service last year
9. Warhol at the Wexner Center
8. Our remarkable faculty, whose research ranks us 9th nationally
7. The Best Damn Band in the Land
6. Ohio State’s most-qualified freshman class ever
5. Senator John Glenn, for his service to the University, the state, and the nation
4. Students’ overwhelming participation in this month’s elections
3. Our first LEED-certified building (Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center)
2. Ohio State’s huge contingent of international students, 14th-largest nationally
1. 42-7 – enough said!

Best wishes for a relaxing and enjoyable holiday.

Gordon Gee

Ohio State-Northwestern Football at Noon

Courtesy of ohiostatebuckeys.com and Shelley Poe

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State-Northwestern football game on Saturday, November 8, 2008, at Evanston will kick off at noon Eastern, the Big Ten Conference announced today.
The contest will be televised by either ESPN or ESPN2.

Men’s Hockey: Buckeye Dalpe Named CCHA Rookie of the Week

Courtesy: OhioStateBuckeyes.com and Leann Parker

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Zac Dalpe, a freshman forward on the Ohio State men’s hockey team from Paris, Ontario, has been named the CCHA Rookie of the Week, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association announced Monday. Dalpe, a second-round draft pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, led the Buckeyes to a series split with Lake Superior State over the weekend, posting a team-best four points in the two games combined.

In the Buckeyes’ come-from-behind win Saturday vs. the Lakers, Dalpe was named the first star of the game after posting a team season-high two goals and three points. He tied the game at 1 in the second period with his first career goal and set up Corey Elkins’ game-tying power-play goal in the third. Dalpe sealed the win with an empty-net goal from center ice with 47 seconds left. Friday against the Lakers, Dalpe had his first career point when he set up Hunter Bishop’s goal 14 seconds into the contest.

Dalpe and the Buckeyes return to action with a two-game non-conference series at No. 4 Denver this weekend. The teams will meet at 9:37 p.m. ET Friday and at 9:07 p.m. ET Saturday at Magness Arena in Denver.

Ohio State Football Award Winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Shelly Poe

Outstanding play against Michigan State recognized

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State football coaching staff has selected its weekly award winners for outstanding play in the 45-7 Big Ten win at Michigan State.

Linebacker James Laurinaitis was the Buckeyes’ defensive player of the week; tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells picked up offensive player of the week honors. Linebacker Austin Spitler was the player of the week on the special units.

Scout team champions were: Offense: Ricky Crawford; Defense: Solomon Thomas; Special Units: Joe Gantz. The “Attack Force” award went to linebacker Ross Homan. The Jim Parker offensive lineman of the week was Alex Boone. The Jack Tatum big hit was not awarded.

No. 10 Ohio State (7-1) hosts No. 3 Penn State (8-0) Saturday in an 8:00 p.m. Eastern Big Ten game that will be televised by ABC.

For updated information on Ohio State football, go to www.OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

Men’s Tennis: Bryan Koniecko Claims Singles Title

Men’s Tennis: Buckeye Bryan Koniecko Claims 2008 Wilson/ITA Midwest Regional Singles Title
For third-consecutive year, a Buckeye takes singles regional championship title
Author: Alex Morando Ohio State Athletic Communications

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 9 Bryan Koniecko, member of the Ohio State men’s tennis team, won the singles title Monday at the 2008 Wilson/ITA Midwest Regional Championships at The Ohio State University Varsity Tennis Center. Koniecko defeated defending singles champion and teammate, No. 8 Justin Kronauge 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 in the final. Koniecko lost to Kronauge 7-6, 6-3 at the 2007 singles regional championship in the semifinal match. The win by Koniecko marks the third-consecutive year a Buckeye has taken the regional singles tournament crown.

Three Buckeyes, 2008 ITA All-Americans Koniecko, Kronauge and Steven Moneke, all won four-consecutive matches in the tournament to advance to the semifinals.

In the semifinals, Koniecko defeated classmate and No. 11 Moneke in three sets 3-6, 7-6, 6-4. After dropping the first set, Koniecko battled back in a second-set tiebreaker 7-6 (12-10) to force a third set. Koniecko, 2008 Big Ten Athlete of the Year, took the third set 6-4, eliminating Moneke, the 2006 ITA Midwest regional singles champion. The two Buckeyes have now faced each other twice in their collegiate careers with Koniecko winning both matches.

In the second semifinals match, Kronauge defeated No. 72 Marek Michalicka of Wisconsin in three sets 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.

With their appearance in the singles final, Kronauge and Koniecko both received automatic selections for the singles tournament at the ITA National Indoors, which take place Nov.6-9 at the Boar's Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Va. The ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Tennis Championships are the second of three national tournaments for singles and doubles during the collegiate tennis season.

Up next for Ohio State is the 2008 Big Ten Singles Tournament, Oct. 31-Nov. 3 at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, Wis.


2008 Wilson/ITA Midwest Regional Championships

Hosted by The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
Oct. 16-20, 2008

Singles Main Draw
Semifinals
No. 2 Bryan Koniecko (Ohio State) def. No. 3 Steven Moneke (Ohio State) – 3-6, 7-6, 6-4
No. 1 Justin Kronauge (Ohio State) def. No. 8 Marek Michalicka (Wisconsin) – 2-6, 6-2, 6-4

Finals
No. 2 Bryan Koniecko (Ohio State) def. No. 1 Justin Kronauge (Ohio State) – 7-6, 2-6, 6-3

Author: Alex Morando Ohio State Athletic Communications

Special Edition of Rich Text

This Is a Special Edition of Rich Text from Rich Hollingsworth
Vice President for Student Life at The Ohio State University. Rich for all intensive purposes likes to smack a little sense into students every once in a while and who can blame him...
- Evan Winkofsky

My wife and I have two cats, Teshia and Sophie, who spend all their time indoors but who nevertheless take an avid interest in what goes on in our yard. They like to lie next to the patio door and keep an eye on things. Birds and squirrels, blowing leaves, me mowing the lawn - everything that moves interests them.

Rarely does another cat enter their turf, but for the past few weeks, we have been visited regularly by a cat who roams the neighborhood, picking up free food like a first-year student at Welcome Week. I’m not sure if the cat has a home or not, but she’s well-groomed, de-clawed and friendly, and she comes right up to the screened patio door. Sophie, frankly, seems to hate and fear her. She arches her back, puffs up her fur, screeches and hisses, and tries to drive her away with what I can pretty confidently say would be profanity if one could translate it into English. The message is clearly, “You are not welcome.”

Teshia, on the other hand, is OK with the visitor. She is slightly wary, but rubs noses with the other cat through the screen and actually seems to enjoy her company. While I wouldn’t go so far as to say they are friends, they seem to have a level of mutual tolerance and civility, and both end up happier than Sophie.

Watching this little drama the other evening, it occurred to me that it’s not unlike the sportsmanship issue here at Ohio State. When a rival comes onto your turf, you can scream and yell obscenities, or you can be a cool cat. Neither changes the outcome of the game, but one disturbs everyone around you and leaves you looking foolish. Next weekend, as the Penn State Nittany Lions (a cat of sorts) enter our turf, I’m hoping you’ll be more like Teshia. No need to rub noses with any Penn State fans, but keep your fur unruffled and resist the urge to caterwaul!

Yes, sometimes Ohio State fans are not treated well at away games, but let’s not stoop to the same level. Instead, welcome visitors to our city and our campus, and save your energy and vocal cords for cheering for the Buckeyes. See the Ohio State Sportsmanship Council site for more information about the Best Fans in the Land initiative, now in its third successful season.

Many of you are planning parties before, during and/or after the game. I hope you have a great time - sincerely. Just remember that you are responsible for keeping your events safe and legal, and the penalties for letting them get out of control are serious. Limit the size of your party (If everyone won’t fit in your house and porch, it’s too big), know your guests, and moderate the (legal-only) use of alcohol. More info here.

I won’t try to strain this cat metaphor any further, but let me just end on this note: I have a good feline about this weekend!

Go Bucks!

Ohio State vs Michigan State: Keys to the Game

At the beginning of the season, not too many people would've thought that this game would have major Big Ten Title implications, but on Saturday, October 18th, two ranked and undefeated conference teams will be squaring off in East Lansing. The winner will likely be neck and neck with the surprisingly dominant Nittany Lions of Penn State in the conference. Here are what I think each team needs to do in order to be victorious in this game.

When Michigan State has the ball:

MSU: There are a couple of words that I think that would define Michigan State's offense, they would include: old school, smashmouth, and Javon Ringer. There is no surprise that MSU will probably be running the football most of the time, and the aforementioned running back is the main man of the offense. Ringer (5'9" 202lb) is a legitimate man of muscle. Benches 420 and squats over 600, he doesn't possess lightning quick speed that most RB's have at his frame, but he is a tough, scrappy runner who will fight for all the yards he can get. MSU has to establish the run early on against a tough Ohio State front seven if they are to have any chance of winning this game. Last year, they had trouble running the ball as Ringer scrapped together 49 yards on 18 carries (2.7 ypc). However, this year the Spartans have a more experienced offensive line and have been able to bowl over opponents and have helped pave the way for Ringer who has averaged 35 carries for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns per game, and has launched him into Heisman discussions throughout the nation. Through the running game, the Spartans have a very effective play action game that QB Brian Hoyer has enjoyed this season. He has talented receivers in B.J. Cunningham, Fred Smith, and Deon Curry to distribute the ball to. Hoyer will need to have good game management and use the play action to his benefit to possibly exploit the Buckeye secondary. But really, it will all be decided in the trenches.

OSU: As I mentioned above, there are no secrets to Michigan State's offense. In a good game, they will run the ball 30-35 times with Ringer, throw a couple play action passes, and call it a day. Well, OSU's defense will have to make sure this doesn't happen. It is very important that the defense prevents Ringer and Hoyer from getting into a rhythm, because if so, it could translate into a long day for Tressel and Co. Instead, they need to stop the run on first and probably second down, and then set up a long 3rd and 8 situation and make Brian Hoyer try to beat you on his own. He is good at best and an average quarterback most of the time. If the defense takes away Ringer, they will most likely win this game. Laurinitus and the linebacking corps will have to make sure they tackle well so they prevent Ringer from having opportunities to make big plays. MSU will also be calling a fair amount of PA passes, so the secondary can't be caught looking in the backfield or else they might give up a good pass completion. Overall, the defense for the Bucks is more athletic and stronger than the teams MSU has faced over the course of this season, and they need to build off of their showing against Purdue. It will be interesting to see if the defense can overwhelm the MSU O-Line.

When Ohio State has the ball:

OSU: If the Ohio State offense cares to find an identity about what works for them, this would be the game to figure it out. Pryor, Beanie, and the rest of the offense cannot afford to start off slow and let Michigan State jump out to an early lead. If this happens, the MSU run happy offense will melt the clock ever so quickly away and the game will be lost before you know it. Instead, the offense needs to come storming out and jump to a quick 7-0 lead that will put MSU on their heels. They really need to set the tone early and have Pryor get into a rhythm in the hostile environment of Spartan Stadium. The Spartans are a blitz happy defense, and will try to make Pryor display some of his bad habits (holding onto the ball for too long) and turn that into positive plays for them. Pryor needs to exploit these blitzes and find Robiskie, Hartline, Posey, and big target Jake Ballard without delay. This will help the Buckeye offense to get settled in and will help to get rid of the run heavy defense that the Pryor & Co has seen recently. If the Buckeyes have their way passing early on, this will open up Beanie Wells all day and will put less pressure on Pryor to perform the rest of the game.

MSU: Contain, contain, contain....that's the word of the week for the MSU defense. That's what they need to do against the running game of the Buckeyes. They need to prevent Pryor and Wells from breaking big runs that will get them going on offense. So far this season, if OSU can't run the ball, you will have an opportunity at beating them. One thing that will help is if MSU disguises their coverages and pressures Pryor into either A) holding onto the ball for too long in the pocket, or B) make an ill-advised pass. Tressel will probably elect to go with his usual style of conservative football early on, so the Spartans could capitalize and force one or two three and outs to set up the offense with good field position and a good opportunity to score. Either way, it will depend on how Pryor performs, and how well Michigan State can contain the run and if they can make Pryor beat them instead of the other weapons the Bucks have on offense.

Outcome: I think this game will be like the Ohio St-Mich St game last year, I think Ringer will have a tough day running the ball falling just short of 100 yards for the game. Ohio State will get just enough big plays so that they can win a close game.

Prediction: Ohio State 23 Michigan State 16

A slightly different trip to East Lansing this time around

The last time Ohio State ventured to East Lansing in 2006, the Buckeyes had tallied at least 30 points in all but two of their contests. The other two? 28 and 24. Ohio State's defense had allowed no more than 17 points to any opponent and had held four of its opponents to single digits.

So what happened in East Lansing on that October 14 day? The Buckeyes tallied 4 sacks, Troy Smith passed for 254 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Antonio Pittman and Chris Wells each reached the end zone, and Anthony Gonzalez had 118 yards to go along with a score. The outcome? 38-7.

Now let's fast forward. Ohio State's offense is good enough for 10th place in the Big Ten. That puts them ahead of a Michigan team who only managed 10 points on Toledo. Chris Wells has blossomed into a dynamic running back who is always one play away from a 50 yarder, but the Ohio State passing attack has been nonexistent for nearly the entire season.

Last week we saw what could happen when Wells is held to a mediocre day. Freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor looked indecisive and sluggish against Purdue's defense, which is the worst in the Big Ten. It is evident how confident Pryor is in his abilities and he should be. It is not unreasonable to say that as more games are under his belt, he will improve the speed of his decision making dramatically. However, the Buckeyes are challenging for another Big Ten title. Can Ohio State afford another performance like that Saturday? Ohio State's first drive will be crucial. There is always the chance that Pryor comes out looking sharp, poised and ready to have his best game yet, and we will know for sure when he first takes the field amid the thousands of Michigan State fans whose expectations are much higher than last year.

The defense marches forward without its veteran defensive end Lawrence Wilson, who tore his ACL and is out for the remainder of the season. The motif this year has been the absence of a formidable pass rush. It shows promise at times, but more often than not the quarterback has an eternity to find the open man and carve up the Ohio State secondary; a unit which has often been left with little chance for success. However, Wilson's injury means an opportunity for another man on the roster to be impactful. Will Rob Rose step up? Will Curtis Terry be rushing off the end? Will we be seeing more of Etienne Sabino? All possibilities.

One thing is for sure. The defense had its best performance of the season last week against a solid Purdue offensive attack. It was a notable bright spot in a game that lacked them. Hopefully the defense will take that into East Lansing this weekend.

This is a gut check game for the Buckeyes. Michigan State is legitimately in the hunt for Big Ten glory this season and would love nothing more than to knock off one of two conference foes who are currently standing in their way. Ohio State has to show up and play a rugged brand of football if they plan on beating a determined team whose standards have risen significantly this season.

The Finger Pointing Continues

This year the Buckeyes seem unable to shake their bad play from last year’s National Championship Game and it does not seem like the end is in sight. With the switch in Quarterback, after the devastating loss to USC, Ohio State faces a whole new set of problems that a team with this many seniors may not be patient enough to deal with. With so many different things that seem to constantly go wrong for the Buckeyes it is hard to figure out who is to blame. After much deliberation and some luck I have formulated some sort of advice, if you want to call it that, for all you finger pointers…more fingers. The fact of the matter is that there is more than enough blame to go around.
Coaching
At times under this current staff it seems that the play calling just makes you shake your head and deservedly so. Jim Tressel is a great man and an outstanding coach but the fact of the matter is that it is too hard for him to handle his responsibilities as head coach and continue the play calling, just ask Charlie Weis. Don’t give me that crap that he is just a 1-AA coach and he can’t handle his current position. The trust between the coordinators and him are gone. The Buckeyes need some young fresh coordinators that can bring in a new philosophy and scheme. Don’t expect Tressel to pull a Tommy Tuberville and make and changes mid season. There are some rumors flying around Columbus that there will be some “retirements” at the conclusion of the season. I can’t wait. Maybe Marvin Lewis will be free at the end of the season.
Offense
Oh, where should I start? Well let’s start with the protection. The line looks un-athletic and slow. Kirk Herbstreit has been challenging Jim Tressel’s philosophy and has analyzed the difference between Ohio State’s offensive line and offensive lines from SEC and Big 12 schools. They recruit faster more athletic tight ends and turn them into offensive linemen. Ohio State recruits the big uglies and pushes them down the salad bar line. Don’t get me wrong Bryant Browning, Mike Brewster and Mike Adams look like the real deal but will they develop into athletes…we will see.
Chris Wells got injured, period. Then the spiral occurred effecting Todd Boeckman and the wide receivers. Todd did not have a consistent running game to lean on and he was given too much responsibility. He could not handle it against USC and Tressel made the switch before he lost the team for the season. On air I may be the most critical person on the play of WR’s Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline but you can not blame them for everything. Robiskie’s friendship with fellow senior Todd Boeckman has affected his play there is no doubt about it. Tressel was asked when they were going to open up the offense and let Terrelle Pryor throw the ball and he responded in saying that they have called lots of passing plays it just comes down to the quarterback actually deciding to throw the ball. The offense will stay shaky and have to ride the back of Wells. There is no magic pill the offense will struggle until Terrelle Pryor is ready to mature as a quarterback because we all know he is quite the athlete.
Defense
I have two problems with the defense. Ohio State has the best athletes in the Big 10 and the most depth no question. So, please, please stop calling these disguised zone blitzes because the risks far out weigh the rewards. I know College Football is developing and the play on the field is getting more complex and similar to the pro-style but that does not mean Michigan State’s athletes are better than ours. I say start coaching with a swagger and the team will start playing with one. There is one fact of Ohio State’s defense that sums up the last three years they do not have a play maker on the line and together they are unable to make any plays. The D-line is not elite and that puts entirely too much pressure on the blitz to succeed and the coverage to hold.

Its week 8 and the Buckeyes are not fooling anyone especially their fans. It is a long road for this team and plenty of blame to go around. Just don’t hold your breath and wait for this team to pull it all together…I would hate for you to pass out. You may run out of fingers when looking to lay blame and I would hate for you to use a certain choice finger when taking your anger out on the Buckeyes…Speaking of the middle finger just be happy your not a Michigan Fan.

Ohio State @ Michigan State Time Announced

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State Michigan State football game on Saturday, October 18, 2008, in East Lansing will kick off at 3:30 p.m. Eastern, the Big Ten Conference announced today.

The contest will be broadcast online at www.ohiostatesports.net

For updated information on Ohio State football, go to www.OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

Ohio State @ Wisconsin - An almost preview

With exception to USC (because who feels like recalling that game anyway?), Ohio State plays what could very well be considered its most meaningful away game of the season just a few hours from now. Even with Wisconsin suffering a heartbreaker to Michigan last weekend, this remains an intriguing contest which has the potential to shed some light on some of the mysteries surrounding the Buckeyes.

One such mystery is the highly-touted true freshman quarterback whose name has been uttered incessantly by analysts around the nation, Terrelle Pryor. We're well aware of his high level of production thus far and how he has completely changed the philosophy of the offense, but starting your first road game within the confines of Camp Randall Stadium could intimidate the most confident of quarterbacks. The praise surrounding Pryor has been immense, and an important notion to keep in mind is that Pryor still has only started a pair of games for the scarlet & gray. Though Troy and Minnesota are respectable opponents, Pryor faces a far different challenge in facing a Wiconsin team that is no doubt looking to avenge its loss last weekend. The windows for throwing will be smaller, the time to make decisions will be shortened, and you can expect some more blitzing from Wisconsin's outside linebackers in an attempt to keep him in check.

Which brings us to our next topic. If Wisconsin plans on making the linebackers a focal point of their defensive approach, it could actually wind up making Chris Wells the key to Ohio State's offense. Pryor poses such a threat that in order to keep him contained, Wisconsin may have to consider linebacker help. This could soften up the middle and make the draw play very effective for Wells. It will be interesting to see how Ohio State attacks Wisconsin's defense and what they attempt to exploit.

But I believe the key to this game as a whole is Ohio State's defense; a unit I am still not sold on. Last week they played considerably better and I attribute that to a dramatic raise in intensity and aggression. Through the first four weeks of the season, the Buckeyes looked flat on defense; a complete reverse in trend when we think of the trademarks of past Ohio State defenses. However, last week we saw something from the defense we had not seen all year; pressure from the front four. Putting Thad Gibson at defensive end helped by default. Whenever Gibson has been out there, he has always found a way to be disruptive. Ohio State missed that disruption through the first four games and as a result, the secondary had little chance to be successful. Last week was a step in the right direction in terms of getting back that urgency and pressure, but Wisconsin's offensive line is a mammoth group of individuals. That matchup may be the key to the game for Ohio State. The Buckeyes will have to find a way to keep PJ Hill in check and make Wisconsin try to win the game with their air attack. Keep in mind, though the Buckeyes won considerably last year, PJ Hill was not in the lineup for Wisconsin. He may be a bigger factor in this game than many may be thinking.

You can mark it down, the tougher team is going to win this game. Ohio State has to take the crowd out of the game early and build upon that intensity that they recaptured against Minnesota last Saturday.

Tuesday's With Tressel: Minnesota

With the Buckeyes just one week removed from another big time blowout, at the hands of USC, they faced a tough group of Trojans once again; the Trojans of Troy University. They brought speed, athleticism and the old Florida State motto of: “Anytime, Anywhere” into the Horseshoe. The Buckeyes countered Troy’s athleticism with an injection of youth. Terrelle Pryor made his first collegiate start at signal caller for Ohio State throwing four touchdown passes. Coach Tressel has been searching for answers from this senior laden group and so far this season there have been many questions left unanswered. These new Buckeyes were a catalyst to a team that again looked Sluggish. Seniors sat out plays, did not start and saw their playing time cut into by these highly motivated youngsters. This could be the energy that the Buckeyes need to help carry them through the Big Ten Schedule.
This week Ohio State opens their Big 10 schedule at home against an up and coming program Minnesota. Tressel is very impressed with their offense and for good reason. Adam Webber the Golden Gophers leader took every snap last year as a freshman, returns this year at Quarterback and has passed for 967 yards, seven touchdowns and just one interception. Weber has developed into a consistent threat and has found his go to guy in Erin Decker. “Decker is a great player and is always open,” said Tressel of the Big Ten leader in receptions. Ohio State’s defense will have to play well against a tough offense that has been clicking on all cylinders. One thing that could help is the status of Beanie Wells, who Tressel listed as probable for the game this Saturday. Boom Herron who has stepped in and done well in Beanie’s absence will remain the number two guys if Wells plays. For you Brandon Saine fans, Tressel said that he just has not seen enough progressing from him and his limited action will most likely continue.
Award Winners for Troy:
Defensive back Kurt Coleman, who recorded a pair of interceptions, was the Buckeyes’ defensive player of the week; quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who threw four touchdowns, was the offensive player of the week. Punter A.J. Trapasso was the player of the week on the special units, putting three punts inside the 10.
Scout team champions were: Offense: Ricky Crawford; Defense: Tom Ingham; Special Units: Ben Kacsandi. The “Attack Force” award went to linebacker James Laurinaitis. The Jim Parker offensive lineman of the week was Jim Cordle. The Jack Tatum big hit went to Etienne Sabino.

Final: #13 OSU 3 vs. #1 USC 35

There are so many thoughts that come to my head just thinking about this loss that it has been hard to put any of them together. We just stunk. The game plan was not good enough, it was not executed well enough, and the players came out flat and got punched in the mouth. USC had two weeks to prepare for this game and it showed. They played sharp, they were fast and they wanted to win more than the Buckeyes. It was just plain embarrassing to loose, in blow out fashion, on the biggest stage…once again. It is plain to see that Ohio State is not an elite program. This weekend has been one that has finally opened my eyes to what we have here at Ohio State. We have a football program with a great leader in Jim Tressel, a University that is raising academic standards and a President (Gordon Gee) that is changing expectations of what this university is all about. To this institution and coaching staff winning is not everything. Ray Small may have been wrong to say it but what he implied about OSU was right. He said at USC it is all about football and at Ohio State it is more of a class thing. Before you get your panties in a bunch Bill Plaschke he may be right in one way. Here at OSU its not just about football but that is not what fans here are looking for. Every beer drinking (implied) Buckeye fan wants a beat down of Michigan and a National Championship at any cost but that’s not what Jim Tressel and this school are about now. He has instilled his Christian morals and genuine love for his players into this program and you can not dispute that he has balanced these principles with a winning team on the field. Each year this team is good enough to loose less than three games but that just is not enough. Ohio State is a Football School; fans bleed Scarlet and Gray, when they close their eyes they see Ken Dorsey staring at three Buckeye defenders on fourth down. We expect Championships and nothing less. Maybe at any other time or on any other team this loss would not be such a big deal. This team carries so much experience and, with those last two trips to the National Championship, lofty expectations. For this team another Big 10 Championship and a win against Michigan is not good enough. Buckeye fans don’t care what the national media thinks of their team but they understand expectations and this year’s mantra of "National Championship or Bust" was fair. It will be a fresh start for Ohio State when these very talented seniors move on to their Pro-careers. When they graduate, if they have instilled their heart, determination and dedication to Ohio State into the remaining players that will one day be leading this team, the program will be better for it. Let’s just hope they take that dear in the headlights look with them. Ohio State still has much to play for and like the 2005 team if they come together all may be forgotten. The season has just begun and by the end of the season this team could once again be looking at a BCS Bowl berth lets just hope they play for the love of the game and not for anyone else’s expectations…but their own.

Tuesday’s with Tressel: USC

Opening Thoughts
Coach Jim Tressel addressed the media today and spoke of what a tremendous opportunity this upcoming game against USC would be for the players. He commented on the added pressure put on the coaches and players when going into a prime time match up against the number one team in college football. “The tension is raised this week; the coaches and I stopped to think about what a tremendous opportunity this would be, that lasted about two seconds and then we got back to work.” He said that he is even excited about the opportunity to have the chance to coach a game inside the Coliseum. USC will be entering into the September 13th showdown on a bye week and have quite the advantage of studying game film on the Buckeyes for the last two weeks. A few bright spots would be that Ohio State did not show much offensively in their win against Ohio and that they did watch a few weeks of game film on the Trojans last year as they were preparing for a meeting in the Rose Bowl. That was before so many teams collapsed in front of them the final few weeks of the season. One of the main differences between this year and last is the mobility and talent that they have at the quarterback position. John David Booty was no slouch but Mark Sanchez looks as though he is a cut above. One of his many outstanding talents is his mobility and his accuracy outside of the pocket. On Sanchez’s recruitment to Ohio State Tressel said, “I tried like hell to get him.” As Jim Tressel always does he spoke very highly of the Buckeyes opponent this week but laid down a thicker than usual layer of praise on the Trojans. He has been impressed with their speed, aggressiveness and ability to always be on the same page during all phases of the game.
Scheduling
Tress even talked about how when they sit down to make the schedules they like to find home and home series that give outstanding opportunities to the players and the fans to experience something very special. “It is something that creates excitement” said Coach Tressel. That is something that the Buckeyes have been consistent about in past years facing big time opponents like USC, Texas and in the next few years Miami (Fl).
Road Games
Coach Tressel did not seem that concerned about this team traveling considering so many returning seniors and the experience gained from the past two National Championships. He did mention that he expects to keep up his rotation to keep players fresh and ready to go. That means some significant playing time out of some of the younger players and Tressel has put emphasis on making sure some of the freshman on the team will be ready. “They have never traveled before and they have to understand that everything has to be perfect.” USC has a big advantage playing at home, said coach Tressel, “Otherwise teams would not have the home records that we
Last Week (Ohio)
When asked about how it is going over the game film from a disappointing game “Every experience you have you can improve and built on, when you have to play your best it is easy to build upon good play.” When I watched the game I would attribute the play level of Ohio State to the buckeyes just simply looking past the Bobcats. Let’s just hope that that extra peeking into next week equals more touchdowns next week.
Outside Opinions
The Buckeyes have faced a lot of adversity over the past two seasons and rightly so. They have not deserved anything less than what they have received especially after their performances in the last two National Championship games. Tressel said, “What people think is not that important to us, what is more important is what the players and coaches think.” He also mentioned that this team is very confident even after last week’s performance. “Confidence becomes collective but it is individual.” “(This Team) is pretty darn good and capable of most anything. I have a lot of confidence in our guys.”
Beanie Being Effective
The effectiveness of Chris Wells is a huge question going into Saturday. When Coach Tressel saw him in the Woody Hayes Wells said, “Hey coach I am ready to carry the ball 45 times.” Tressel said that he likes his enthusiasm but he has to be realistic. He also commented that he will not carry the ball 45 times if he is not effective.
Terrell Pryor
Tressel said that he likes to get Terrell into the game and script him for success but he is a guy that brings a lot to the table and he has proven his knowledge and understanding of their play book.
Big 10 Statement
“Every time you have a chance to make a statement for others but if you don’t do your best you are disappointed” Tressel was trying to say that any time you go out there and line up against a big time opponent it is an opportunity to prove to yourself that you can do it. But you have to play your best no matter what other wise you are going to be disappointed. If the Bucks play their best and still go down at least they will show that they deserve to be on the same field.
The State of the Offense
O-line looked slow and were unable to open any running holes in the first half. The second half they came in and looked great. They were able to open up running lanes and the guy that benefited the most was Dan Herron. “Herron showed electricity, excitement and enthusiasm.” All alliteration aside Boom better be ready to run if Beanie is not 100 percent. Robiskie and Hartline did not look very sharp last week and they struggled finding seems and catching the balls thrown their way. Tressel said, “The offense just was not very patient and a lot of that has to do with the quarterback because the protection was there.” This week Boeckman better find the right combination of patience and quickness because the USC defense does not slow down for anyone.

Pete Carroll Conference Interrupted

Today was not the first day I have ever been let down or shocked by the media and I am sure it will not be the last. Today, my colleague and I, Brian Rosen, thought that calling into the Pete Carroll teleconference would be a exciting opportunity for us to get in some questions to the coach and record some clips for our upcoming broadcast of #5 Ohio State and #1 USC. I was understandably nervous due to the fact that this was my first teleconference and it was going to be with the coach of the number one team in the nation. We both called in, logged on and all was running smoothly and appropriately. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and was excited at the possibility of asking my own question. I typed it out in an effort to sound some what intelligent and to ensure that I would not stumble over my words or loose my train of thought. Unfortunately I did not get to ask my question because of a very peculiar event. A man by the name of Steve Marsh from “College Blog” harassed Coach Carroll with extremely inappropriate questions. It was shocked and disappointing when the Coach was repeatedly interrupted and forced to leave the teleconference due to this person’s immature and inappropriate prank. It would have been an unbelievable chance for me to gain some new insights and perspectives on the game this weekend.

Two things struck me as very serious and disappointing. The Ohio State Athletic Department, who is very friendly and open with the press, sends out emails to alert us to every possibility to interview coaches and players. This “Steve Marsh” used this information passed on to the press to entertain his sick prank. Now I am not sure if he was given this information from the Athletic Department and he used it inappropriately or it was passed on to him negligently. Either way it is an example of a complete lack of professionalism by the responsible parties. Number two. Coach Carroll left in a hurry and, understandably so, left the media with a parting thought. “Dude, I am off this one. Thanks a lot Ohio State that was a great job.” The fact of the matter is that it was a nationally covered teleconference and to attempt to assign blame to a specific group is impossible. I can understand Coach Carroll’s frustrations but his parting comment of automatically blaming Ohio State for this unfortunate event was inappropriate and very disappointing. I do not blame him for his actions but next time he should be very careful of what he implies. Take it how you will but I felt as though this was left as a sarcastic insult directed specifically at Ohio State and it is something that may turn up to be very interesting this week….or maybe not.

Ohio State vs. USC: Chris Wells Update

Barring any serious soreness or re-injuring of the foot Beanie Wells will be ready to play against USC. At this time he has not been specifically cleared by the Ohio State Medical Staff. Key to his continued recovery is his training later today and Wednesday. If he makes it through practice and is officially cleared to play it will be good news for the Buckeyes who struggled against Ohio University. When asked about his progress Tressel said, “He ran really well yesterday…the medical staff has him on the bike tiring him out. He has also been running on the underwater treadmill. They are going to have him doing a lot of football things with no one around him, and then tomorrow put him in the fray." I have my fingers crossed.

End of Line Means Differing Perspective

Kickoff at Youngstown State seemed fairly normal. The game continued with appreciation but nothing added. Sometime after that a realization came to mind: I'm a senior. Last shot (trying to fail a class in the school of communication takes work) before the real world and hopefully a great gig. Or any gig. Will it top this one? Absolutely impossible. No problem though except now it's officially USC week.

Broadcasting three consecutive national championship losses and hearing both chants of Gator/Tiger bait hurt. Naturally my jaw dropped when In and Out Burger coupled with Urban Meyer's defense stymied Heisman Troy. I yearned for the Rose Bowl after another great start faded with three second quarter LSU scores, in effect sinking the Bucks hopes. However…

Let's be real, I went to Arizona (twice including Notre Dame win), New Orleans and Atlanta (for the final four), I had nothing to complain about. The experiences created lasting memories and lessons from some of the countries top reporters. This great game of college was continuing and the losses just didn't burn as badly. Heck a trip to the Big Easy the first week after turning 21? That was the story of some hurricanes. Not a Gustav or a Marve but a drink that's size and strength makes Bourbon Street seem a wee bit hazy.

Now however the past is the past and one last chance to cover a national champion remains. After a lifelong love affair with scarlet Saturday's that rarely turned gray this season signifies my last chance to actually win that big one. I can't help but consider that Saturday night will be different. Victory means a party in the Cali sunshine and a renewed national respect for the Midwest’s top pigskin program. Defeat means reflection. Something I don't want to comprehend. Something we all don't wish to go through again.

Time to listen to LAX, by hip hop extraordinaire, The Game. That's all I want to do, the recently released CD combines outstanding beats, silky smooth lyrics and a constant reminder that I'm headed to LA. Nearly every song focuses on the city of angels (and of course metaphors showing love to NBA stars like Lebron and Dwight Howard). Without an angel (preferably not Christopher Lloyd) my college game may be up like 50 Cent's reign anywhere near the top (50 will prove yet again how pathetic he is by failing to respond to The Game's well timed bashes).

Three title losses and a Trojan triumph means worlds of talent won't yield a national title for the class of 2009. I believe wholeheartedly we can win this football game and we must. I have no interest in finally bearing the true sting I’ve basically avoided with incredible trips the last two falls plus one winter. Even with the win the LA Coliseum may provide a Trojan treat in the form of an SEC team to spoil a third BCS contest. Bring on that damn horse cause this land native's not ready to see the dream die in La La.

Chris Wells out against Ohio

Columbus, Ohio – Coach Tressel spoke to the media this afternoon and announced that Chris Wells, who has not be able to practice this week, will be sitting out against Ohio. This does not come as much of a surprise. There is no reason for Tressel and the Buckeyes to try and rush Wells back into the starting line up. Let us all just hope that this is not all smoke and mirrors directed towards USC. We can only pray that the foot injury is not more serious than they are letting on. When asked if Wells would have to sit out come September 13th Tressel replied, “No, not at all. Not at all. But that's easy to say today." This injury could be a blessing in disguise for the Buckeyes allowing them to give some of the other guys a chance. Maurice Wells, Brandon Saine, and Boom Herron are all formidable replacements. Though they are not Heisman caliber in any way it will give them a tune up in the starting role incase they have to play a significant part against USC. It may even give Tressel some room to get creative with freshman sensation Terrelle Pryor. We will just have to wait and see but keep your fingers crossed Buckeye Fan.

Rosen's Randoms: USC Thoughts

One game down and another on the horizon means one thing for Buckeye fans, (hopefully this one them continues) get hyped for So Cal! Now I'll admit travelling there for the biggest non conference road game of my broadcasting career adds to the excitement but all scarlet and gray fanatics should be ready. What an opportunity for this talented edition of the Jim Tressel show! After two disappointing and telling title game losses this bunch can erase the pain by pulling an upset in a hostile road environment (ahem Texas of 2005). Will we pull the "upset" or suffer yet another heartbreak? My true prediction comes from Cali at the conclusion of our pregame show but here are a few thoughts on this meeting of titans.

1. All Eyes on T: Sorry Pac, dead or alive your adopted hometown will belong to somebody else after this contest. I certainly hope Terrelle Pryor is a serious candidate to make an imprint on this game. We saw against YSU how special a runner he can be in the open field but without Beanie we need the total package. Get this kid under center and allow him to make plays with his arm and feet. Coach Tressel claimed during camp that the freshman is more then a runner but he needs to show it by allowing the O's # 2 to air it out in the sunshine. 10-15 snaps with a minimum of one deep ball and multiple designed runs would be lovely but you never know with the conservatism of Tressel. Regardless I want to believe that he has learned from his mistakes and remembers both the Texas and Florida games. Though Troy bears the brunt of the responsibility for knowingly taking cash from a booster, he should have been given more if not all the snaps on that evening at the shoe. Against Florida the Gators passed with Leak and ran with Tebow, both of which went down our throats. Point being that the All-Everything top recruit of last year must receive ample opportunities to make plays against a vicious defense that may define Boeckman.

2. No T's for 17: Speaking of Todd the second year starter must make smart decisions especially with the deep ball against the Trojans. He proved last year to have the deep ball down very nicely but at times on Saturday and both at Michigan and versus LSU, he was more than willing to just throw it up. Look, I no that you need to make plays to be a factor but tossing one away or even taking a sack won't destroy the Bucks chances in the way turnovers will. I fully believe in the Buckeyes offensive playmakers, depth and defense so the QB should play relaxed and not force balls down the field.

3. PT for Beanie?: Alright this subject will get addressed on every sports talk show both in Columbus and nationally until the game. Will it become annoying? Perhaps a bit to late on the annoyance front but a top Heisman candidate going down will have that effect. My feeling on Wells is that if he does not play then he should not play. Flat out he's too tough and driven to sit this one out unless his foot really will make carrying the ball dreadful. If I had to guess as of now I'd say you'll see him in there but don't quote me on it. Again Pryor really becomes a key here but have faith in these other backs. Saine should get more looks as his ankles much better, Boom Herron showed flashes of brilliance in one game and had a season to learn from Beanie and Mo Wells is a senior. A senior who had a lot of hype. A senior who hasn't and won't accomplish anywhwere near what was expected of him. But he's a senior and never underestimate the power of those getting one last shot. Why am I typing faster then the D's # 2 can run in the early morning on a Wednesday night when I have to get up at 9? Classes may not have started but I'm a senior and I'm fired up! Mo has character, heart and has been a class act in the capital city of the OH-IO state, so let's see if he can earn some Buckeyes in the city of angels.

4. Jay Mariotti is just one guy. Many are like him out there. He thinks were going to get smashed. He hates us. He's sick of us. I love attending Ohio State and being Darth Vader to so many. Apologies to the fictional Luke Skywalker for insinuating that you parallel the unfortunately real Mariotti. That’s all I got, be sure to tune in for the OU game beginning at 10:30. Should be a great final tune-up with more Big Ten and SC talk throughout the broadcast online @ ohiostatesports.net. Enjoy scarlet and gray the student way and until next time, GO BUCKS!

Breaking News: Chris Wells Injury Update

Columbus, OH – Jim Tressel spoke today during his weekly Tuesday Press Conference and the word out of Columbus is that Beanie Wells is listed as “doubtful” for the Ohio game. When asked if Beanie would be back for the Southern California game Tressel assured Ohio State Fans that they can finally relax. Wells has been undergoing treatment and when he spoke to Jim Tressel he said he felt great. Tressel said that Beanie has a great passion for the game and he always wants to get out there and fight through injuries but Tressel said that they are going to be smart about it. As of now the injury remains nameless. Tressel said it is a foot injury and he does not know anything else besides that. He joked that he remembered a time when it was just a shoulder injury and now it is classified as a “Brachio Plexus.” There is no rush to push him back into the lineup against Ohio to get him in a good rhythm in preparation for USC. If he is ready and cleared by the medical staff we may even see him in action this weekend.

Final: #2 OSU 43 YSU 0

Ohio State Dominates YSU; Beanie Wells injures ankle
Columbus, OH – To kick off the 2008 college football season Ohio State’s first half of play could not have gone any better. They came out strong and sharp avoiding missed tackles and stupid penalties, things that characteristically plague teams early in the season. The Terrelle Pryor era even began on a high note when the highly touted freshman came in and even felt comfortable enough to audible on his first play from scrimmage. We saw flashes of the future in Lamaar “Flash” Thomas, DeVier Posey, and Boom Herron all getting playing time. The O-Line looked great opening up holes left and right for Beanie Wells and Boeckman showed he is ready to step in and lead this team to the National Championship game. The Defense looked stout and it was good to see both Thaddeus Gibson and Lawrence Wilson record their first sacks of the season. It seemed as though nothing could go wrong, the Buckeyes had a 26-0 lead, they were inside the 10 yard line and Beanie was in the game for what would most likely be his last carry of the game. Unfortunately for the fans it was, as all 110,000 fans seemed to release a collective sigh, it was the sound of the wind being taken right out of the National Championship sails. Wells fumbled the handoff, collapsed to the field as his legs buckled right underneath him and screamed in pain. It seemed to be happening in slow motion as he immediately waved for the coaches. Could all of the Buckeye’s hopes and dreams of a third straight National Championship be crushed already in week one? Dreams of redemption and proving to the world that we deserve all the hype were rolled right over as Beanie was carted from the field. But some confidence was restored as we saw Pryor score his first touchdown as a Buckeye with an 18 yard run down the sideline where he showed his great athletic ability carrying defenders on his back as he stretched for the goal line. The Ohio State defense continued its dominance shutting out the Penguin offense and forcing them to punt 9 times. Then the student section of the south stands erupted as Beanie limped out of the locker room. Save your Willis Reed comparisons for another day but he did show signs that not all was lost. Initial reports are good as X-rays were negative but for now Buckeye fans hold their breath and pray hoping that come September 13th a familiar number 28 will be crouched in the backfield making his case for the Heisman Trophy.

Tuesdays with Tressel: Youngstown St.

Scheduling
What seems as though it is consistently the discussion with college football the same questions greeted Jim Tressel in his first Tuesday Press Conference: Scheduling. Tressel said that he loves to give in-state schools a chance to play a big time program like Ohio State. For many of these teams it will be the best competition they face all season and it is an opportunity of a lifetime for many of their players to get a chance to play in a legendary stadium like the shoe. Not to mention it is an opportunity for these schools to use this money to make improvements to their campus. Looking ahead Tressel said there are no more Bowl Championship Series (Division 1-AA) for the next four or five years. As far as I am concerned I have no problem with Tressel trying to give his old team a handout.
Doug Worthington: DUI
Worthington (DT) will be ready and is expected to play but he is definitely not supposed to start. Tressel says that the team is moving on and as far as his driving under the influence arrest; it is resolved from an institutional level.
The Backup Quarterback
So far this spring season Joe Bauserman has been able to hold off Terrelle Pryor as the backup. He has taken most of the snaps with the second team offense and Pryor has seen most of his practice snaps with the Third Team. Tressel has said that Pryor has seen some snaps with the second team but he has been really impressed with Bauserman’s throwing ability. He can not hold of Pryor forever and Tressel expects all three quarterbacks to see time in the First Quarter.
Tressel on YSU
He said it is a lot like the Bill Murray's film Groundhog Day when he watches film from the place where he spent 15 years as the head coach. YSU likes to stack up in the box and dare you to run the football. They try and force teams to throw the football to beat them. With a running game and an offensive line like the buckeyes have they should have no problem doing either. Chris “Beanie” Wells struggled last year against YSU and Tressel attributed that to too much anxiety. “He wanted to score on each play, now he is more patient and is visualizing his blocks.” Offensively YSU is unveiling its new spread offense; the only problem is that Ohio State does not know what the spread will be featuring. This has been the major storey line in college football, it seems as though it has spread throughout college football like wild fire. Ohio State is successful against the spread when it can pressure the quarterback. They should have no problem with that this weekend.
Guys Jumping to the NFL
Tressel was asked about how they have many guys on the roster this year that very likely could have left early last season. He responded by saying that the coaching staff is very conscious of this and that it is a reminder to the staff that they (the players) have risked a lot (NFL salary) and they (the coaches) have to do their best.
Special Teams
Last season the Buckeyes struggled on special teams and at times were susceptible to big returns against them. Tressel said that it was a major emphasis during spring practice. Returning punts for the Buckeyes will again be Ray Small, Brian Hartline and Brian Robiskie will get some time back there this year as the 3rd stringer.
Running Backs
Daniel “Boom” Herron has been the #2 running back for most of the spring and is listed that way for the start of the season. Boom Herron has taken advantage of some injuries to Brandon Saine and Mo Williams.
Quarterbacks
Todd Boeckman is entering his second season as the full time starter for the Buckeyes and this off-season Tressel and the coaching staff has stressed consistency. His leadership off the field in the locker room has led to his run away selection as captain.
Final Thoughts
Tressel stressed managing expectations and says that he feels comfortable that this will not be a problem for this team because of its maturity level. “YSU brought it to the guys last year and the Michigan loss last season is in their minds”

Ohio State Football Captains Named

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Todd Boeckman, Malcolm Jenklns, James Laurinaitis and Brian Robiskie were elected as 2008 captains of the Ohio State football team, as announced to the squad today.

“I’m extremely thankful and honored by the confidence shown by my teammates in my leadership,” said Boeckman, a senior quarterback from St. Henry High School in St. Henry, Ohio. “It’s a great feeling to have that type of role in this football program. You’re part of something much bigger than yourself.”

“When you think back on all the past captains at Ohio State, you realize what a great honor and opportunity this is,” said Jenkins, a senior cornerback from Piscataway (N.J.) High School. “This team is a very special collection of remarkable people; that’s why I came back for another year – to be around these guys.”

“It’s unbelievable to have the chance to represent the type of player and people we have on this team as their captain for another year,” said Laurinaitis, a senior linebacker from Wayzata High School in Hamel, Minn., who also served as a team captain in 2007. “With the number of outstanding leaders we have on our team, I will work to lead everyone in every way I can, on and off the field.”

Previous two-year captains: Richard T. Ellis (1891-92), Archie Griffin (1974-75), Glen Cobb (1981-82), Thomas Johnson (1984-85), Joe Cooper (2000-01), Steve Bellisari (2000-01)

“First and foremost, it humbles you. To have the respect of your teammates in such a way is definitely an honor,” said Robiskie, a senior who attended Chagrin Falls High School in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. “The tradition of guys who have led this team in the past shows you what an honor it is.”