Buckeye Defense Looks To Lead The Way

A lot has been said this season about the Buckeye offense, whether it's praise or criticism. One thing almost everyone has agreed upon this year is the Buckeye defense, also known as the "Silver Bullet" defense. However, I think a lot of fans have taken for granted how athletically gifted this defense is, playing in what many consider an athletically inept Big 10. That athleticism will be put to the test by an Oregon offense many experts consider to be among the best and fastest in the country.

How can Ohio State neutralize this potent Oregon offense? There are two perspectives to look at: the gameplan and the execution. Let's look at the gameplanning first. Generally, there are two types of defenses: read and react and aggressive. In Big 10 battles, Ohio State often has an athleticsm edge, and it allows defensive coordinator Jim Heacock to employ a read and react gameplan with a few blitz calls mixed in. However, against Oregon, it's important to not only blitz more often and employ a man-to-man secondary strategy, but to also include different defensive stunts and player movement.

What do I mean? When you watch Ohio State games, generally the defensive line rushes the quarterback or attacks the running back every play. To switch things up, Heacock should call linebacker stunts and have the defensive ends fall back into zone coverage. This is where Ohio State's defensive athleticism would comes into play. Spitler, Rolle, and Homan have all shown the ability this year to get to the quarterback, and Gibson and Heyward have shown the ability to make plays downfield. This would allow Heacock to blitz Rolle, Homan, or Spitler and drop Heyward or Gibson into zone. This would keep Oregon's offensive line scrambling to figure out where to protect and would also confuse Masoli on the option read play.

Execution. Even with the gameplan I outlined above, it wouldn't matter without execution from all 11 Buckeyes. If Gibson or Heyward is late getting back in zone or Spitler can't get to Masoli, then Oregon will be able to execute their gameplan effectively. The play of the secondary is extremely important when blitzing. If Chekwa and Torrence can play good press coverage it gives the linebackers and defensive line more time to attack Oregon. The most importation execution on the field for the Buckeyes Friday of any unit will be the linebackers. To negate the effectiveness of the option read, the linebacking corp will have to make correct reads on who has the football and play attacking football without allowing any broken tackles. In the last 3 Buckeye BCS bowl games, poor tackling has allowed too many big plays. LaMichael James and Jeremiah Masoli are incredibly successful at making tacklers miss, something that Spitler and Rolle both talked about during Ohio State's media day today. Spitler mentioned that the linebacking corp understands that the success of the Buckeye defensive gameplan revolves around the ability of them to make plays.

Oregon has shown all year that they have the ability to put up a lot of points, and if Ohio State wants to come back to Columbus as 2010 Rose Bowl champions, it will be the defense that needs to step up, like they have all year.

BCS vs. Playoff

Let me start out by saying that I have never had a problem with the BCS as it currently stands. Most of the time it ends up getting it right and it is a much better system then we had before when everyone just went to their own bowl games. My fear with a playoff system is that it would dilute college football’s regular season which is the best in any sport. There have always been too many questions with a playoff system in my opinion. How many teams, where do they play, what about the bowl games, when would a playoff take place? I don’t like a four or eight team playoff because I still think you would have teams mad that they were left out. A sixteen game playoff would involve too many teams and dilute the regular season as it is in its current format.

Although I am not activity campaigning to change the BCS, I did come up with one idea for a playoff system that I would not mind seeing implemented. Before I get into what my idea is I should say that this system was designed as something that realistically could get approved, which means that you have to give perks to the power schools. So here’s my idea (and with all that build up I hope that you like it):

A 64 team college football playoff.

You have probably now stopped reading and think that I am crazy, but here me out. The NCAA basketball tournament is arguably the best post-season tournament in sports. Every March millions of people who know nothing about basketball fill out their brackets in office pools all across America. The tournament attracts sports fans like me who may only watch a few basketball games all year, but will make sure that they are on the couch for all the action.

In order to fit in the playoff and to make sure that the regular season does not lose too much meaning, the regular season would be reduced from twelve to nine games. Eight of these games would be conference games with one nonconference game. This would allow the regular season to remain significant because 8 of the 9 games would have a direct impact on the conference race. The regular season would start on Labor Day weekend and end nine weeks later (around the first week of November). There would then be one off week between the regular season and playoff. There would then be five weeks of playoff games played at campus sights, with a national championship game being played on New Year’s Day. The bowl games are completely gone.

The 64 teams would come from all Division 1-A conferences. The ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10, and SEC would each qualify their top six teams. The Big East would qualify 4 teams. The MAC, Conference USA, WAC, Sun Belt, and Mountain West would each qualify 3 teams. That makes for 49 automatic qualifiers. The next group of teams to qualify would be any team left that has 7 wins. Navy, Notre Dame, and Army would need 6 wins to qualify. The previous year’s national champion would also automatically qualify if they had not already qualified. To fill out the remaining spots a BCS style ranking system would be used to rank all the teams and the highest ranked teams that have not already made the tournament would be put in.

The national championship game would rotate where it is held each year, much like the Super Bowl. The rest of the games would be played on campus. Home field advantage would first be given to conference champions. Second it would go to a team if they play in a stadium that can hold 80,000+ people. Then it would be based on who has the better record or who is ranked higher in the poll.

The playoff bracket would be selected by a committee of four members selected by the NCAA. The committee would have two new members every year and no member could serve for more than two years. When placing teams the committee would follow three basic rules; 1. Try to allow road teams to play in their region in the first and second round. 2. Avoid teams from the same conference meeting each other in the first and second round. 3. Avoid conference champions from meeting in the first and second round.

TV rights for the playoff would be decided by the NCAA, which would give payouts to teams based on how long they remain in the playoff, like they do for bowl games now. It would not matter where the game is played. (So a Notre Dame home playoff game would not be on NBC unless NBC bought the rights to the whole playoff.) For the first round games would be played on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with games starting at Noon, 3:30, 7:00, and 10:00 each day.

So there you go. I think that this plan would be great for college football and would have the best chance of getting approved over any other playoff system that I have seen. Like I said to start, I am not out to change the BCS just giving another option that would work.

Academic All-Big Ten

The Big Ten released the 2009-2010 Fall Academic All-Conference Team today and Ohio State leads all Big Ten schools with 95 student-athletes over seven different sports named to the team. The Buckeyes were followed closely by Indiana who had 93 student-athletes chosen. The 95 seems much more impressive when compared to Michigan’s 41 or Purdue’s 39.

The football team also leads all other Big Ten football teams with 31 players named Academic All-Big Ten. (In case you were wondering Michigan finished last with 10, they must have been to busy practicing to study.) To me this speaks volumes about Jim Tressel not only as a coach but also as a teacher, mentor, and a man. Coach Tressel does not focus his life solely on football and he does not think that his players should either. Some people may criticize this but to me this is why Jim Tressel is one of the best coaches in the country.

I have always valued character in sports more than anything else and would rather root for an athlete, team, or coach who has high moral character then root for someone just because they win. This gives us all another reason why we should be proud to be Buckeyes!

#16 Ohio State at #11 Penn State Live Chat

Random Thoughts After New Mexico State

You can't take too much away after a 45-0 win over a bad WAC team, but here are some thoughts that came to my mind:

*First off I know New Mexico State is not a game that a lot of people were really excited about, but the two student sections should have still been full. It took almost tell the end of the first quarter before they each reached their peak at 90%. This is Ohio State every game should be sold out and every student who has a ticket should be in The Shoe. There are people out there who would love to go to just one Buckeye football game, don't get spoiled because you know that you can go to another game in two weeks.

*If you come to Ohio State for the football, you stay for the band! (Just ask Joey D'Amico.) They had one of the best halftime shows that I have seen on Saturday. It had a Halloween theme and took a few shots at that team to the north along the way. Here are some pictures if you could not be there (or are an apathetic student)...

... And that is why they are The Best Damn Band In The Land.

*Finally, it was good to see Jim Tressel come to his senses and put in Joe Bauserman even if it was only for the second half.

I still hope to see you starting in Happy Valley, Joe!

-30-

The Columbus Cavaliers?

If you've heard me on C-Town Throwdown, you know I hail from the great city of Cleveland. The decision to live in Columbus is sometimes bittersweet, as I am equally as loyal to the Buckeyes as I am the Cavs. Today is a moment where my homesickness vanishes and all is right in the world. The Cavs are coming to ME. I really think this is a genius move to have pre-season games in cities with no professional team.

Over the past two years the Cavs have traveled to that city in Pennsylvania that Ben Worthlessburger plays for, and Columbus to give fans in other cities a taste of Cleveland.

So tonight's matchup is against Boston. I pretty much despise all things New England, and the Celtics are no exception. Sure they knocked us out of the playoffs two years ago, and Orlando knocked them out last year... but I'm really feeling it! I have faith in my Cavs that not only will secure a victory tomorrow night against Boston, but they'll take it all this year!

Most people in Columbus that aren't Cavs fans haggle me and tell me that Shaq is gonna get injured and LeBron is headed to New York next season. To them I say - haters to the left! I smell a Cavaliers championship! Who's with me?

Pryor Committed

Let's be honest, not one Ohio State fan is pleased with the way Terrelle Pryor is playing.

It is hard to determine exactly was is going on in the head of a quarterback, especially a 19-year-old college quarterback.  But it is easier to see what the coaching staff is thinking.

Pryor started nine games for the Buckeyes in 2008.  In those games he only threw the ball more than 20 times once.  He was 16 of 25 in a 13-6 home loss to Penn State.

In 2009, through seven games, he has thrown the ball more than 20 times in all but two games.  His latest effort a "17 for 31" in a 26-18 road loss to then hapless (1-5) Purdue Boilermakers.

It is a natural progression for a quarterback to receive more responsibility each year he is on campus.  But Pryor has shown that he is not yet ready to shoulder the load.

His completion percentage is down from 60% in 2008 to 56% in 2009 and his eight interceptions already double his output from last season.

Although his stats are down and he is leading an offense that had has looked inept, zero passing yards in the first half against Illinois and just 184 total offensive yards against a Wisconsin Badger team that gives up an average of 363 yards per game, don't expect #14 Joe Bauserman to be under center this season.

At this point the Buckeyes are pot committed.  Ohio State went all-in blind expecting Pryor to be a full house unfortunately they are looking at a seven-two off-suit.

"Since the beginning of the season we have built our offense around Terrelle being our guy, we have all signed on," Junior wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said.  "As a team you have to all buy into a certain concept, you all have to buy into the program to make it work."

They can't bench him now... So quiet down!

Sorry Buckeye fans but there is no magic remedy to this situation.  No secret weapon on the bench.  This season the offensive success and failures will fall directly on the shoulders of an over confident, under preforming 19-year old kid.

Maybe the coaching staff has asked to much of him.  Maybe the fans were too consumed by his recruiting rank.  Maybe he will never live up to the expectations that we all have for him.

I hope he does because there is still time left in the season for the Buckeyes to buy back in.  They control their own destiny in the Big Ten.

Let's all hope this time Pryor comes up aces.

It's Time For Joe

AP

Well, that was not how I expected last Saturdays game to go, Ohio State losing to Purdue!? Who saw that one coming? I will admit that I thought the game would be closer than some people predicted (for the record I said 23-9 OSU). But Ohio State was ripe for an upset and Purdue was hungry for a win. The Boilermakers had lost five close games in a row and knew that beating the seventh ranked team in the nation could be the high of their season. The Buckeyes defense seemed to be getting tired as they played Wisconsin and you had to wonder how long they could keep excelling at such a high level. And then there is Ohio State’s offence, which seems to be getting worse every week.

It’s time that Jim Tressel and his coaching staff make a change and realize that they may have put all their eggs in the wrong basket. It’s time that Terrelle Pryor lines up anywhere else on the field just not as quarterback. It is time to see what Joe Bauserman can do as quarterback of The Ohio State Buckeyes.

Now, I have no clue if Joe Bauserman can be any improvement at the quarterback position but the only way to truly find out is to give him the ranges and let him try. What I also know as a fact is that Terrelle Pryor has gotten worse in every game this year after the USC game. I first saw things about Pryor that worried me in the Toledo game when he would though into double and triple coverage instead of scanning the field for an open man. Like any young quarterback you would expect these mistakes in the beginning of a season, but instead of getting better Pryor has gotten worse. Against Purdue he was 17-31 passing (not horrible, but not great especially since we had to pass the entire fourth quarter) and ran for only 35 yards. Plus there were is 4 turnovers! (2 int. 2 fumbles) Terrelle may have the athletic abilities to be a top tear BCS quarterback, but he is not mentally prepared for the job. He does not seem like he is able to read the field and know what is going on. Then there is his leadership. The quarterback is the natural leader of the offence (especially when you have no offensive captain) and Pryor has shown that he is not mentally ready and/or capable of doing the job.

Now I am not saying that the loss to Purdue was all Terrelle’s fault. Blame should be spread equally to all members of the team. But, it was Pryor who was making major mistakes and has been making more and more of them as the season has moved on. He should not be benched, but he should not be the starting quarterback. Play him as a receiver or at another position that the coaching staff thinks would work. This team is not going to win a fifth straight Big Ten title with Terrelle Pryor as its quarterback. It’s time for Joe Bauserman to provide a spark and hopefully still deliver a trip to Pasadena.

Why I Love Sports

I know this has nothing to do with Ohio State, but I think any sports fan can relate.

If you are reading this blog then you are probably a sports fan, and most likely a big sports fan. Believe it or not there are people out there who don’t care much about sports and think that they are just a big waste of time and money. And you know what, part of that might be true. The amount of time and money that a lot of fans spend on sports is ridiculous, but there is a reason that we do it.

We were reminded of that reason yesterday as a rainy Tuesday afternoon in Minneapolis, Minnesota turned into a Tuesday night that no one will soon forget. The Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers played an American League Central tiebreaker game for 4 hours and 47 minutes. 12 innings of nothing but baseball. No talk of steroids, labor strikes, or blood alcohol levels, just baseball.

As the game went on you could get the feeling that this was going to be something special, this was a game that you be talking about for years to come. It did not matter if you had work or homework to do, bills to pay or chores to get done. Those things could wait because you were watching baseball and you couldn’t turn away. The game seemed like it hung on every pitch and could end at any moment yet it also seemed like it could go on forever. And you didn’t care if it went on forever because you were happy, just to sit there and watch baseball.
 For those 12 innings none of the problems or stresses of the world seemed to matter. The game may have been played in Minnesota, but for 4 hours and 47 minutes it sure seemed like it was taking you back and making you think that it was being played on a corn field in Iowa. Your problems would still be there in the morning, and sports can’t fix that, but what they can do is turn one ordinary Tuesday evening in October into something that you will remember for the rest of your life.

Ohio State 38 Toledo 0

From the Opening Kickoff
- Ohio State's defense held Toledo's Aaron Opelt, leading the nation in total offense with 437 yards a game, to 181 yards.
- Opelt had to throw the ball away on four of the Rockets' first six plays.

Offense As Usual?
- Ohio State's First Drive: (1st Down) Pryor Incomplete. (2nd Down) Herron three yard rush. (3rd Down) Pryor to Sanzenbacher for a 76 yd. Touchdown. It looked like the normal OSU offense until T.P. actually found a wide open Dane Sanzenbacher. Crazy, I know.

"Air" Pryor
- Pryor threw for a career-high 262 yards
- Pryor set career bests in completions and attempts (17 for 28)

Defense on a Rolle
- Brian Rolle continued his dominant play defensively. He pressured Opelt all day. Showed his skill against the run and in pass coverage. His closing speed is a game changer.
- The Buckeyes held Toledo's high powered offense that entered into Saturday averaging 558 yards to 210 Total yards.
- This D-Line could win the Big Ten for the Buckeyes.

Don't Be Fooled
- Although Pryor accounted for 372 yards including 262 through the air his decision making is still yet to be desired. He forced too many passes into double coverage and was saved only by the simple fact that the Buckeyes were playing Toledo.

Pocket Presence
- This season Pryor has put an emphasis on becoming a better pocket passer. His only problem is that he can't find the pocket. When Pryor is faced with pressure from the edge he has not yet learned to trust his offensive line and step up in the pocket. Then again what Buckeye would...

Final Verdict
The Buckeyes responded well after a heartbreaking loss to USC. But was does a 38 to 0 victory mean for OSU? Nothing. Looking at the positive, at least it did not add them to the list of Big Ten teams that can not beat MAC schools.

The Buckeyes take on the Illinois Fighting Illini this Saturday... Should be fun.

Twelve Hours and Ten Minutes til Kickoff...

That being said- I'd like to give you all a little bit of inspiration to take with you tomorrow as you make your way into the 'Shoe or turn on your televisions to watch Senator Glenn dot the i.

Time for Redemption O-H-I-O style!



*Special Thanks to Joey DiNapoli for linking me to this video

10 Things to Take From Tonight's Football Practice

Just got back from Ohio State's open practice.

Practice Highlights:
1. Ray Small took his first reps all summer with the first team. Posey was the number two and Sanzenbacher was in the slot.

2. Duron Carter looked sharp in the one on one drills. Tressel "Carter has shown he can play"

3. Taurian Washington has developed a special relationship with Pryor. He has been his go to guy all summer.

4. Justin Siems and Ken Guiton were the most accurate quarterbacks.

5. Pryor's deep ball has shown lots of improvement. Tight spiral and thrown on a rope. Still needs to work on his accuracy.

6. Tressel mentioned that he has never had this many healthy RB's to start the season ever. Expect to see Boom Herron Brandon Saine, Marcus Williams and maybe even Jaamal Berry against Navy.

7. Cameron Heyward did not suit up and was on the sideline in a boot. Does not bode well for the D-Line to start the season.

8. O-Line was manhandled last practice by the D-Line but with everyone playing new positions this year, except Brewster at Center, it is no surprise they had a slow start. But don't worry this O-Line looks faster and more athletic than years past.

9. Tressel has been impressed with Jermale Hines. Hines starts in the "Star" position when Ohio State lines up in the Nickel but Hines may pressure Safety Anderson Russell for starting time.

10. Andrew Miller and JB Shugarts have split reps fighting for the starting left tackle position

Next update on Wednesday after practice

Football Practice in the Shoe

7:30 in the shoe. Interview with Tressel before practice.

Expect the interview to be posted to our Youtube page tomorrow morning. As long as I can push my way to the front to get a good shot.

Maybe this practice the first team offense will score a touchdown.

Team update:
1. Defense looks good
2. Offensive line struggled
3. Pryor inaccurate
4. Pryor was wearing the Black Jersey*

*That is the good news. Black Jersey means you can't hit him. So he could not scramble.

You would think not much has changed from last year. But this year should be fun. The new guys on defense look good.

Scarlet and Gray Sports Radio LIVE @ BW3's

Bux on Bux is the longest running original programming series on Scarlet and Gray Sports Radio. It has been the home of Buckeye sports coverage dating back to the origins of Ohio State sports radio. It’s the only place to get weekly breakdowns of all your favorite Ohio State sports from current Buckeyes.

Join Scarlet and Gray Sports Radio every Tuesday for Bux on Bux LIVE from the BW3's on Lane and High or listen online on the student radio home of the Buckeyes.

The first broadcast is Tuesday September 2nd.

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Obermyer Meets his Hero

If any of you are new to the blog Sam Obermyer is a student broadcaster for Scarlet and Gray Sports Radio and a Michigan native.

The boy loves his Michigan sports and today he was lucky enough to talk college football with one of their legends. Matt Millen...

If any of you do not know Matt Millen is the former GM of the Detroit Lions. The Lions had a historic season last season finishing 0-16.

Sam clouded by his pure joy could barely contain his excitement enough to ask any questions but he bravely stepped up there and fulfilled one of his life long dreams.

He even shook his hand.

The life of a student broadcaster is filled with surprises... Don't ever forget that.

Sanctions against Seminoles only harm academic integrity

“NCAA hammers the Seminoles,” “Florida State hit hard,” and “Bowden suffers” are just a sampling of the headlines across the country after the NCAA finally passed down its “punishment” for Florida State’s numerous violations in a widespread academic fraud case dating back to 2006.

The academic fraud case spread throughout the entire Florida State athletic department. It caused two academic assistants, who gave improper assistance to student-athletes, to resign from the athletic department and 61 athletes representing ten different sports were involved. So, how exactly do the Seminoles get a slap on the wrist with only a few scholarships stripped from the 10 sports? What is really the meaning of the four year probation under the gutless watch of the NCAA?

In the not too distant past, the NCAA would impose the “death penalty”, stripping well over the two or three scholarships that Florida State got stripped of per year from multiple sports while simultaneously banning them from post-season play (i.e. the Alabama football squad in 2002). To quote fictional NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby, one of the great intellectuals of our time: “With all due respect, I didn’t realize you’d gotten experimental surgery to have your balls removed.”

Since Florida State cooperated with the NCAA during the investigation and imposed penalties upon themselves (they suspended 23 football players from the Music City Bowl in 2007), the NCAA was a little more lenient during its sentencing process. In the infractions report, the NCAA says, “Academic fraud is considered by the committee to be among the most egregious of NCAA infractions.” So, Florida State commits the equivalent of murder and gets a lesser penalty because they simply cooperated. Should the fact their football team suspended 23 players involved from one, fairly meaningless bowl game be enough to avoid harsher penalties?

It’s not entirely comparable to the violations levied against the Ohio State basketball program earlier in the decade because of the severity and wide range of the Florida State violations, but it’s similar in terms of self-sanctioned penalties. During Jim O’Brien’s reign as head coach, a booster for the Ohio State basketball program gave improper gifts to former player Boban Savovic. The university banned the team from post-season play in 2005 and reduced scholarships. In return for their cooperation, the NCAA gave the Buckeyes a minor penalty of three years probation and, now, essentially all is forgotten. It hardly had an effect on the 2007 Final Four run with über-recruits Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr.

Does integrity exist in college athletics, today? We expect the athletic department and those involved with athletics to uphold the academic integrity of the university. What happens when they don’t? A reasonable person would expect the NCAA to step in and fix this conundrum. Yet when it comes to the biggest money making athletic departments in the country, it seems they don’t.

Buckeye Joel Dalgarno Named a Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Candidate

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Joel Dalgarno, a senior attackman for the Ohio State men’s lacrosse team, has been named one of 30 candidates for the 2009 Lowe’s Senior Class Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: Classroom, Character, Community and Competition.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages those leaders to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact on their circle of influence.

The list of 30 student-athletes will be narrowed down to 10 finalists midway through the regular season and those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot. The ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select the candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the “Four C’s” of Classroom, Character, Community and Competition. The award winner will be announced and presented with his trophy at the 2009 NCAA® Men’s Lacrosse Championship in Foxborough, Mass.

Dalgarno, a native of Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, is a co-captain for the Buckeyes this year. He leads the Buckeyes with seven assists and 17 points and is tied for the team lead with 10 goals this year. He recently took over second place in the Buckeye record books with 183 points, ranking third in goals (tied) and assists all-time. A 2008 honorable mention All-American, Dalgarno is a two-time first-team All-Great Western Lacrosse League selection and was the 2006 league rookie of the year. A family resource management major, Dalgarno is expected to earn his degree this spring. He is a two-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and an Academic All-Big Ten choice. He participates in many of the team’s community service efforts, including working at the Ronald McDonald House and tutoring schoolchildren.

For more information, visit www.seniorclassaward.com.

Courtesy www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com

BASE: Power Surge Leads to 21-14 Win

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Every starter scored a run and nearly every starter hit a home run as Ohio State defeated Connecticut, 21-14, Saturday at Harmon Field to improve to 7-0 on the season. The 7-0 record ties for the third-best start ever for an Ohio State team with only two teams – the 1917 team opened 10-0 and the 1991 won its first eight games – opening the season with a better record.

The Buckeyes pounded 21 hits against five UConn pitchers. Seven of those hits were home runs, including five in the third inning that enable the Buckeyes to come back from a 4-2 deficit and take a 10-4 lead. The seven home runs increased the team’s total to 15 in 2009 after hitting only 19 the entire 2008 season.

In that third inning and with one out, Justin Miller hit a solo shot, Dan Burkhart walked and Cory Rupert homered. Then with two out, Michael Arp singled, Matt Streng homered over the scoreboard in left field, Zach Hurley singled, Cory Kovanda homered and then Michael Stephens homered. Single inning home run records are not tracked in the Ohio State media guide, so it is unsure whether a record was set.

Hurley added a two-run shot in the fourth inning and Streng, a sophomore from Upper Arlington in the starting lineup for only the second time, hit another towering blast in the seventh inning that made the score 21-13. Streng’s home runs were not only the first two of his career, but they came from both sides of the plate. No idea when – if ever – that’s been accomplished by a Buckeye.

Ohio State added five runs in both the fourth and sixth innings to maintain a goal-line-stand advantage over a Huskie team, now 3-3 on the year, that would not quit. Despite trailing by scores of 10-4 and 15-6, the Huskies kept swinging the bats against an array of Ohio State pitchers – freshman Ross Oltorik made his first collegiate start and he was followed by Theron Minium, Jared Strayer and Drew Rucinski – and closed the gap to 15-12 through six innings. The Huskies totaled 18 hits for the game with five players having two or more.

Minium, who entered the game in the bottom of the third with Ohio State trailing 4-2, picked up the win. He and Strayer joined Oltorik in seeing their first action of the 2009 season. Minium was pitching for the first time since the 2007 season as he red-shirted last year.

Jake Hale came in and finished his fifth game of the season by pitching a scoreless ninth inning. UConn starter Greg Nappo gave up eight runs off eight hits in 2.2 innings and dropped to 1-1 with the loss.

Courtesy Jerry Emig Ohio State Athletics

Jantel Lavender Repeats as Big Ten Player of the Year

PARK RIDGE, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference office announced on Monday the 2009 All-Big Ten women’s basketball teams and individual award winners. Highlighting the list, Ohio State sophomore Jantel Lavender was named Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Buckeye head coach Jim Foster was named Coach of the Year, OSU point guard Samantha Prahalis was named Freshman of the Year, Buckeye junior Shavelle Little was named Defensive Player of the Year and Purdue freshman Brittany Rayburn was named Sixth Player of the Year.

Lavender earns Big Ten Player of the Year distinction by the conference coaches and media this year, after earning selection by the coaches last season. She becomes the sixth player in Big Ten women’s basketball history to earn the award in back-to-back seasons, joining former Buckeyes Tracey Hall (1986-87) and Jessica Davenport (2005-06-07). The sophomore became just the second player in conference history to complete the statistical triple crown, leading the conference in points (20.0) and rebounds (9.9) per game, as well as shooting percentage (.549) during Big Ten play. She eclipsed the 1,000-career point milestone this season, needing just 53 games to reach the marker, making her the second-fastest Buckeye in history to reach the plateau. Also this season, Lavender was named Big Ten Player of the Week five times, tying her for the conference’s single-season record. Her nine career selections tie her for third on the conference’s all-time list. Lavender also earned unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten first team by the coaches and media.

Lavender’s mentor, Foster was tabbed as the conference Coach of the Year by his peers and by a 22-member media panel. The selection is his fourth in the last five years. The 31-year coaching veteran led Ohio State to its fifth consecutive Big Ten title, a feat previously accomplished only by the 1983-87 Buckeye squads. Under his guidance, Ohio State finished the regular season with a 24-5 overall mark and ranked as high as 12th nationally. The Buckeyes enter the 2009 Big Ten Tournament as the No. 1 seed for the fifth consecutive year, marking an unparalleled run atop the bracket.

A freshman under Foster’s tutelage, Prahalis was named Freshman of the Year by the coaches and media. She becomes the second consecutive Buckeye (Lavender) to earn the honor and is the eighth player in program history to receive the nod. The Commack, N.Y., native led the Big Ten in assists throughout the season and finished the regular season with a 5.76 assists-per-game average to rank 15th among all NCAA Division I players. Prahalis led all Big Ten freshmen in scoring, averaging 10.0 points per game, and finished sixth among her classmates with 3.0 boards per contest. She was also named to the All-Big Ten second team by the media and earned honorable mention selection by the coaches.

A junior for the Buckeyes, Little is the second player in conference history to be named Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. Her award marks the Buckeyes’ third in the 10-year history of the honor. Little averaged 2.57 steals per game during the 2008-09 campaign and anchored a Buckeye defense that gave up less than 55 points per Big Ten game. On offense, the Ann Arbor, Mich., native contributed 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest.

Another Buckeye recognized was senior Star Allen who was named to the third team by both the coaches and the media. Allen led the Big Ten in field goal percentage at .545 percent, was ninth in rebounding (7.5) and 19th in scoring at 10.9 per game. She scored a career-high 25 points in her final home game Sunday and just missed a double-double with nine rebounds. She also had four assists and three blocks. Allen, who was a second-team selection in 2006-07, went over 800 points for her career Sunday. In her last five games, Allen has scored 91 points (18.2 ppg) and is shooting 37-of-62 (.597 percent) from the field.

Courtesy Adam Widman Ohio State Athletics and The Big 10 Conference

Tressel To Visit Troops

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State’s Jim Tressel is one of six college football coaches who will visit U.S. service personnel in the Middle East as part of an Armed Forces Entertainment tour in May.

The delegation is planning to make stops throughout the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The tour is organized through the Department of Defense. The coaches will meet for orientation in late May and should be overseas eight days.

Others participating this year include Mack Brown (Texas), Houston Nutt (Ole Miss), Rick Neuheisel (UCLA), Troy Calhoun (Air Force) and Tommy Tuberville, who was a part of the inaugural Coaches’ Tour last year.

For more information, go to www.coachestour2009.com.

Courtesy Shelley Poe Ohio State Athletics

2009 Ohio State Football Season Preview: Offensive Line

Left Tackle: Mike Adams (6-8, 322, So) #74
After an injury plagued freshman year at Ohio State Mike Adams comes into this season as the favorite to replace graduating senior Alex Boone.

Adams hoped to win a starting spot on the line last season before suffering a shoulder injury in spring practice. As the season progressed and the line continued you to struggle Adams got a shot to fill in for Boone against Purdue. Adams left the field after the game with his foot in a walking boot.

This season Adams comes into spring practice healthy and a disappointing injury riddled season can not wipe away all the success he had at the prep level. Adams, a U.S. Army All American, ranked nationally in the Top 100 from ESPN, Scout, Rival, Prep Star, and Superprep.

Adams has the NFL size at tackle that Ohio State looks for. At 6-8 he shows surprising athleticism with quick feet and good hands. In the run game he shows the technique and skill to make it to the second level and put a body on defenders. Against the pass his lateral movement and hand gives him the ability to slow down any pass rusher. He is not a dominating tackle but his technique and athleticism will make him a staple at left tackle for the Buckeyes.

Left Guard: Jim Cordle (6-4, 297, Sr.) #64
Jim Cordle returns to the offensive line as the most experienced Buckeye starter and looks to anchor the line in 2009.

In 2007 Cordle entered into the starting lineup at Ohio State as a sophomore. His task was to replace Rimington Award finalist Doug Datish and the change has worked out well for Buckeye Fans. He played most of the season with his right hand in a cast to protect a wrist fracture and snapped the ball with his opposite hand. His impressive play despite the injury earned him a a selection to ESPN’s all-Mayday team for toughness.

Last season, as a junior, Cordle again started at center for the Buckeyes before being moved to guard. Injuries to the line and overall underachievement forced Ohio State to make some changes. Cordle moved to left guard and made way for freshman standout Mike Brewster.

Cordle has exceptional quickness and plays low with power. His versatility and athleticism allows Ohio State to open up the running game, installing pulling plays designed to feature his mobility. His move to guard has worked out well and his success there will continue to make an impression this season.

Center: Michael Brewster (6-5, 296, So.) #50
Michael Brewster heads into his first full season of starting and hopes to build on his early successes.

Brewster came to Ohio State as part of one of the best recruiting classes to ever walk onto campus. The number one offensive linemen from the state of Florida accepted just as many awards as Terrelle Pryor. Brewster like Mike Adams was a U.S Army All-American and ranked in the top 100 from ESPN, Scout, Rivals, PrepStar, and Superprep.

Brewster is a gamer. He is a very physical and intense competitor and plays with a high motor. Ohio States line became instantly manageable with his entrance into the lineup. His athleticism makes him a good fit with Terrelle Pryor getting downfield and making plays when there is a breakdown.

Right Guard: Justin Boren (6-3, 310, Jr.) #56
Justin Boren joined the Buckeyes last season after transferring from Michigan. Boren left the wolverines to return to his home state citing that Michigan’s “Family Values” had eroded.

Boren started every game as a sophomore for Michigan at either center or guard. His experience and skill makes him as much of a lock on the line as Brewster. Having appeared in 18 games at Michigan he will begin his Buckeye career as one of the most experienced players on the line.

Don’t expect any early struggles as he transitions into the system, as Boren arrived in Columbus spring of 2008. Boren has great size and plays very physical he will start fast and finish this season as the best Buckeye linemen. Expect Boren to have just as much success on the line as the Buckeyes have against his former team.

Right Tackle: Bryant Browning (6-4, 312, Jr.) #70
Bryant Browning started all of last season at right tackle for Ohio State replacing All-American Kirk Barton. Browning played very well considering his inexperience and the poor play of the offensive line.

Coming into camp he will be the favorite at right tackle but he will face more competition at his position than any other player on the line. Like any young player, Browning at times struggled with false starts and penalties. But as the season progressed he proved he was the best answer for Ohio State.

Browning, a powerful run blocker, will be challenged from spring ball from J.B. Shugarts and Connor Smith. Browning’s starting experience will give him a good chance to hold onto the job…at least at the start of the season.

Top 5 Questions Facing the Buckeyes

1. David Lighty—missed?

The loss of junior captain David Lighty has proven to be more serious than anyone could have expected. Lighty, a key reserve from the Conley-Oden Buckeyes, has stepped into his new role as the leader of this team among failed expectations.

Fans and media alike agreed that the loss of Lighty would not bring the demise of the Buckeyes. But a closer look at this team reveals that this injury was a serious blow to the Buckeyes.

Since Lighty exited the lineup Dec. 17, the team once with the nation's longest winning streak, including ranked wins over Notre Dame and Miami, is struggling to stay in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten.

Lighty’s stats are meager at best, averaging 9.7 pts, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, but his impact on the Buckeyes is much more than just stats.

“In Lighty, the Buckeyes lost a guard with Final Four experience, someone who understands Thad Matta's system and could be a much-needed mentor to the younger players on the team,” said Andy Katz.

The Buckeyes, now six weeks into Lighty’s 6-12 week injury, are hoping for a miracle because without Lighty, Ohio State lacks the ability to win against top Big Ten foes Michigan St. and Illinois.


2. Can the bench survive with the loss of Crater?

Backup Anthony Crater poured salt on the wound, just 11 days after the loss of Lighty, requesting a release from Coach Thad Matta. Crater had 12 points and 19 assists in the young season. This leaves the much-maligned P.J. Hill to step up and be the guy one year after Buckeye fans found out he could not be the guy.

P.J. Hill quickly won the favor of the Ohio State faithful with his defensive pressure and energy, but his offensive deficiencies are too many to overcome. Averaging 1.4 points and 1.1 assists per game, Hill looks like he is playing a jacked-up version of hot potato with the ball.

William Buford (G) and B.J. Mullens (C) have shown improvement, but Ohio State lacks depth in the backcourt behind Jeremie Simmons. In a tough stretch of the Big Ten season, the Buckeyes are forced to find points off the bench from the likes of Nikola Kecman, Kyle Madsen, and Walter Offutt.


3. The Diebler Debacle?

As a senior at Upper Sandusky High School, Jon Diebler led the nation in scoring at 41.2 points per game, grabbed 12.3 rebounds per game, was named Mr. Basketball in Ohio, and finished his career as Ohio’s all-time leading scorer. All of his success has not been able to translate into consistency at the next level.

As a sophomore Diebler is averaging 10.5 points per game and is still struggling to find a role in Thad Matta’s offense. Offensively he lives and dies with the three, and his lack of strength makes him a liability cutting to the basket.

Diebler has a great work ethic, discipline, and a genuine desire to improve. He may turn out to be Matta’s best recruit simply because he may stick around for four years, if the fans are willing to wait.


4. Can B.J. Mullens give the Buckeyes a post presence?

After the exodus of Kosta Koufos, a big man with a pulse would bring a smile to any Buckeye fan. A year of turnovers and outside jumpshots from the big seven-footer left people in Columbus screaming for a big man that can get his hands dirty in the paint.

Thad Matta attempted to ease the freshman center, B.J. Mullens, into the starting lineup, and it has paid dividends. Mullens has okay hands, quick feet, and the ability to score with many different post moves. He still lacks intensity and can sometimes let his emotions get the best of him. Let’s just hope this seven-footer decides to stick around for a second year.


5. Too Young?

Too bad. In an era of college basketball where the NBA has significantly crippled some NCAA programs, Ohio State has fallen victim to the one and done syndrome plaguing many universities.

Year in and year out players come to campus to scrape by, avoid injuries, and prepare for the NBA Draft. Programs are forced to learn how to recruit on the fly as many of their highly touted freshmen opt out for the draft.

Thad Matta has struggled with his recruiting strategy, and although the Buckeyes have the second-youngest team in the Big Ten, they could be even younger next season with the potential of losing sophomore Evan Turner (the team's leading scorer) and freshman center B.J. Mullens.

After three straight seasons of great recruiting classes, next season Thad Matta could be looking for answers from the student body in the form of some walk-ons.