Tressel Pay Increase

Tressel will become the highest-paid coach in Big Ten with increases that will bring him up to $3.5 million next year. Before this increase he made approximately $2.5 million. His current contract runs through 2013.

Anti-OSU fans

Across the nation there are some new anti-OSU fans, as Ohio State has done very well in the last five years, yet they have not won the last two National Championships. Most of those critics are jealous of the success OSU has had, and would love for their team to have similar success. In fact ESPN declared OSU the most hated team in college football. If anyone makes fun of OSU's loses in the last two bowl games, ask them which bowl game his or her team was in. If they don't have a college team, their opinion is not important. Otherwise, unless their team was OSU, their team was not in the Championship game the last two years.

That being said, OSU will need to finish the season undefeated to get into the Championship game, as the pollsters will be very critical of a loss. The highly critical articles will only add fuel to the fire and provide bulletin board material, which will help drive this team to do amazing things.

Big Ten Network Time Warner Update

Earlier this week I had a post announcing that Time Warner agreed to carry the Big Ten Network. Since that posting I have finally found channel numbers, although these channel numbers are likely to change in some markets. At this point, depending on your market, Time Warner may not have the HD feed or on-demand videos available for 2-4 weeks. Some markets also will not have anything on the channel currently or the channel guide until Saturday morning.

Columbus
Standard Definition-24
HD-757

Cleveland and Northeast Ohio (including Mansfield)
Standard Definition-77 or 333
Extra Games-334
HD-not available yet

Cincinnati
Standard Definition-60-most or 70-former Adelphia
HD-not available yet

What to Expect

Although subscribers to Time Warner are excited to have the Big Ten Network in time for the opener, they will likely lose interest in the second half. As mentioned in a previous post, OSU has not lost to an in-state team in over 80 years. There have been some close games with in-state teams, one of the closest being against Cincinnati in the 2002 season, but this one will not be close. Look for OSU to score quick and early, pulling the starters once a decent margin is on the scoreboard. Boeckman will play 1-2 quarters, backup Bauserman should get some quality minutes, and the highly touted Terrelle Pryor will also play. Beanie will get 100-150 yards, but look for him to rest most of the second half with backup by red-shirt freshman Boom Herron, then Saine and Wells. There will be some new wrinkles to the offense, but Tressel will not show all of his cards, saving some plays for USC in two weeks.

Scouting the Penguins

Quarterback
At QB is junior Todd Rowan, who played in one game last year, completing one of two for eight yards. Backup QB junior Brandon Summers will likely see action as well. Summers transferred from Toledo, where he started twice in 2006. The QBs will try to replace Tom Zetts, who set career records in touchdown passes, completions, attempts, percentage, and starts.

Running Back
Junior Jabari Scott starts at tailback for the Penguins. In his career he has 126 carries for 658 yards and eight touchdowns. Last year the Penguins running game was led by Kevin Smith with 618 yards, which was the fewest for a rusher since 1988 at YSU.

Receivers
Catching the ball for YSU are sophomore Dominique Barnes, senior Ferlando Williams, and senior Da'Michael Horne. Williams led the team last year with 11 touchdowns.

Kickers
Brian Palmer was very effective hitting 14 of 15 FGs last year and 34 of 36 PATs. Palmer currently has an 11 consecutive field goal streak.

Defense
Leading the team in career interceptions is Lenny Wicks with two. Leading the team with career tackles is Mychal Savage with 104 tackles.

OSU Key Players

There are high expectations for OSU this season. It all started last year immediately after the championship game when future NFL draft picks Freeman, Boone, Jenkins, and Laurinaitis decided to come back for another year of football and a shot at the National Championship.

Last year was a crazy year, as OSU made it into the championship game after higher ranked teams lost at the end of the season. OSU had a shot at winning the game, but it seemed like the Buckeyes were there a year early. With 20 starters returning, including the four players mentioned above, the pieces are in place for great things to happen.

QB Boeckman had an incredible first year as a stater, winning first team all-Big Ten and leading the conference in passing efficiency with a rating of 148.94. In his career he has thrown for 53.8% for 2465 yards and 26 touchdowns.

RB Beanie Wells had a record sophomore season running for 1609 yards and a record 222 yards against Michigan. Beanie has been listed on many lists as a leading Heisman contender.

WR Brian Robiskie returns for his senior year after leading the team with 55 catches for 935 yards. He was a Bilentikoff semifinalist. Outside of football he also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-American (3.5 GPA) and was a member of the 4x100 meter relay team that qualified for the NCAA.

LB James Laurinaitis returns as a team captain for the second consecutive year, as a two time All-American, 2007 Butkus Award Winner, 2006 Nagurski, and 2007 finalist in various awards including Lomardi. He led the team in tackles last year with 121.

Guest Panel Introduction- Hudy Delights

Hudy Delights grew up on the western side of Cincinnati. Hudy loves his cheap beer, high school football, bengals and almost anything Cincinnati. When not found at the local watering hole discussing his beloved Elder Panthers or West High Mustangs, Hudy makes time to impart his vast college football knowledge to anyone who may be interested. Hudy, being the expert on high school sports in the area qualifies as a college expert because many of his favorite players got their start in high school. Hudy Delights will be back to defend his title

Why Penguins?

The Youngstown State athletic teams are know as the Penguins, and they have a penguin mascot, make that two penguins, named Pete and Penney. The football team plays in "Ice Castle." Before adopting the name the athletic teams were known as the "Locals."



One explanation for the name is that the basketball team was playing a game on January 30, 1933 and due to the cold temperature a spectator said the players looked like penguins as the stomped around and waved their arms.

Unrelated, but on the same night the basketball players agreed after a cold road trip that penguins was a good name. During the trip the players had to help push the team vehicles out of the snow on numerous occasions.

The student body agreed, without a vote, that penguins was the new nickname. The school formally introduced the name for the 1933-1934 basketball season.

YSU can proudly state that it is the only Division I school in the country with a penguin as its mascot.

The Coaches

Jim Tressel
In his eighth season at OSU, he has a record of 73-16. In his 23rd year of his coaching career he is 208-73-2. Prior to OSU he coached and for a period was the athletic director at YSU. Along with his impressive winning record at YSU his teams qualified for the playoffs ten times and had four national championships.











Jon Heacock
In his eighth season at YSU, Heacock is 50-31. He become the head coach after Tressel left for OSU. He has the second best winning percentage with 61.7%, behind Tressel who was 70% at the school. Last year the team was 7-4 and his best season was 2006 when the team went 11-3 with a trip to the national semi-finals. Jon Heacock is a brother of OSU defensive coordinator Jim Heacock.

The Series

This is the second meeting for these two schools. The first and only game so far between the schools was the home opener last year, and the Buckeyes won 38-6. It is hard to believe just a year ago Boeckman had his first college career start, completing 17 of 23 for 225 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. Robiskie was the top receiver with nine catches and 153. Beanie had a disappointing game with 16 carries for 46 yards and one touchdown. YSU did fairly well considering it limited OSU's running game and did not commit a turnover. The biggest dissapointment for the day was that Lawrence Wilson broke his leg and missed the rest of the season. OSU avoided an upset, on a day when Michigan fell to Appalachian State.

The last time YSU won a road opener was in 1993. Overall YSU is 10-18 in openers on the road. OSU is 174-48-15 in games against Ohio opponents. The Buckeyes have not lost to an in-state opponent since 1921. OSU has won 11 of its last 12 openers, with the last loss in 1998 against Miami (FL.) in the Kickoff Classic. The Buckeyes are 102-12-4 in openers, with wins in the last 29 home openers, and only 8 losses in home openers since 1890. YSU is 39-26-2 in home openers. Under Coach Heacock YSU is 6-1 in openers. Under Tressel OSU is 7-0 in openers.

Guest Panel Introduction- Philly Cheese

Philly Cheese hails from the "City of Brotherly Love." He is used to seeing people cry when they cut the onions over at Pat's famous steak joint in Philly , so he will show no mercy for the panelists that cry when they lose each week.

BTN and Time Warner Agreement

The Big Ten Network and Time Warner have reached an agreement for the channel to be carried in the midwest. The exact details are not out, but Time Warner has indicated they will carry the channels including the HD channel and on-demand programming. Time Warner is expected to announce the channel numbers later today. Check back for more details.

Guest Panel-Week 1 Games

Here are the games for the Guest Panel to consider this week.

1. Youngstown State vs. OSU

2. Illinois vs. Missouri

3. Alabama vs. Clemson

4. Appalachian State vs. LSU

5. Tennessee vs. UCLA

And the oddball game this week is:

6. Southern University vs. Houston

Guest Panel Introduction- Batman

Batman is coming off another excellent year of college football picks.

"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb."

Guest Panel Introduction-Buckeye Cock aka Buckock

This is no ordinary cock. He is very scrappy and will not hesitate to bust a cap. This is an Ohio bred cock and just like the Ohio State Buckeyes, will roll over the competition. If you irritate the cock, he will go straight for your eye. Watch out for the Buckeye cock's special technique, the cock drop.

Guest Panel Introduction-Andy Katzenmoyer's Professor

Name: Andy Katzenmoyer's Professor (i.e. Professor Badass)

Profile: The man who almost single handedly brought down Ohio State's hopes for a national championship in the 1998 season (well, that is before Joe Germaine's arm actually did the trick in the 4th quarter of the Michigan State game), he has recently retired from the ivory tower of academia and, in his spare time (between walking his 2 goldendoodles on The Oval, taking his 4 grandchildren to the Columbus Zoo, and writing/contributing to scholarly papers), he contributes to the world-renowed Joey Neff Buckeye Pregame Blog as its newest Guest Panelist.
His thoughts on almost ruining the Buckeyes' 1998 national championship hopes before the season even began? In a recent interview with The Columbus Dispatch, he was quoted with saying, "I remember Mr. Katzenmoyer distinctly. It just seemed like he didn't care about the academics. I mean, for Pete's sake, he tried to cheat off of Reggie Germany [the former Ohio State WR who posted a 0.00 GPA in the fall 1999 quarter]." Katzenmoyer's former professor went on to add, "Coach Cooper and his assistants tried to "persuade" me to take some "academic liberties" with Katzenmoyer's grades. They tried to bribe me with glamour photos of Cooper, Katzenmoyer, and Na'il Diggs, but, I didn't fall into their trap." In closing, he stated, "[l]ook at Katzenmoyer now. He's the owner of some piss poor gym in his hometown of Westerville, sellin' steriods to a bunch of fellow meatheads. That'll show him not to slack on his Music 140 class studying!!!!"

The Professor's picks for the upcoming season:

BCS Championship Game: Texas vs. Florida
National Champion: Texas
Heisman Trophy Winner: Colt McCoy
Ohio State's regular season record: 11-2
Ohio State vs. USC in the Rose Bowl

Guest Panel Introduction- Spam Sandwichsan

Spam sandwichsan (also known as mr. spam sandwich) has no football skills. he doesn't even have eyes or ears to watch or listen to football, let alone a central nervous system to even comprehend simple games such as sheep or video olympics! but there is one trait that allows him to excel in gameday predictions... the theory of ones: 'a one that is not cold is scarcely a one at all.' and since football would not exist without cold beer, and cold beer would not prevail without football, spam sandwichsan has a direct and untainted view of all that is football! his smooth gel-like texture makes him a hit with the ladies, and he is well known around the globe! his major predictions for this year include a reality tv/prison break show featuring our favorite ex-buckeye and that 'team-up-north' getting another 'drug search' upon their arrival at the shoe! be sure to watch his mid-season antics as the theory of ones gets proven on the field and in the frying pan!

Guest Panel Introduction- Old Bag of Man

Old Bag of Man hails from the Wal-mart in Southern Alabama. People thought he was just a wandering man of sorts talking to himself and shaking (thanks to being struck by lightning 46 times). But thanks to the lightning strike he was given the ability to predict football futures (and sh*t himself constantly, that's why he has chosen the bag to wear, its where you put dog sh*t anyways). People learned of this feat and betting circles starting using this "Swami" to make money. Obviously he hasn't received a dime of that money yet. So now he's moved up to the north, to try his luck north of the dixie line.

Guest Panel Introduction-Pat Head

I've been coaching women's basketball for 35 years. I have 8 Division 1 Women's Basketball Championships; 14 SEC championships; 13 SEC tournament championships and I've been voted

SEC coach of the year and NCAA coach of the year 7 times. I'm the Naismith Coach of the 20th Century. I am also the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history, men or women in any division! Yeah, that's right, I'm the shit.

Oh, and did you see me in my cheerleader uniform a couple years ago?

I'm pretty hot for 57!

I'm fixin' to turn my excellent coaching skills to football. Now, I'm biased towards the SEC, but I can hate Michigan along with the rest of 'em. Ya'll better watch out!

Guest Panel Introduction-Dr. Funkenstein

Dr. Funkenstein is fresh out of Chocolate City and ready to Tear the Roof off the Mother Sucker and Stomp the competition in another football season. He has been the Atomic Dog in the past two regular seasons, but turned into Loopzilla once the bowls rolled around. This year he will make the Mothership Connection and rule One Buckeye Nation Under a Groove with complete Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication. Y'all are all gonna be Knee Deep in the Aquaboogie. Dr. Funkenstein says, "If Anybody Gets Funked up, It's Gonna Be You."

Guest Panel Introduction-Big Dog

We are a TEAM! We have a BIG DOG (also and Old Dog too) who has years of picking experience. Mostly for fun, never for money though, not in the game for that purpose. An avid fan of the Buckeyes since he went with his mother as a child and tailgated next door to the varsity club (when parking was available there)! HOT DOG is the pretty one in the group. DOn't let her beauty fool you though, she has football in her blood. She he has followed many teams and the game for decades, since she was a child as well. Proud to call the BUCKEYES, Patriots, and Bills some of her favorites! Finally, BIG DOG JR., he is the mortar that holds this family together. A true fan, without the 'seasoning' to ruin the pure sport of college football. We look forward to a great BUCKEYE year and loads of fun!

Guest Panel Introduction-Yellow #5

Name: Yellow #5

Panelist bio: I’m a girl in the third grade at John Wilkes Booth Elementary School. I like to sing songs in my head because it drowns out the laughter and verbal mockery of the other children in my class. This school picture has forever ruined my elementary school social status. It turns out that school pictures fell on the day BEFORE Halloween costume day. My mom got the days mixed up so I was the only kid in school wearing a costume; a f*@&ing giant yellow crayon costume on f&@#ing picture day! The nicknames and insults were horrible. K-K-Crayola - Yellow Fever – Old Yeller - “Hey Yellow! Where’s Magenta!?” Dustin called out when walking to recess - ”I’m not supposed to eat snow if you’re in it!” Carl said - ”Slut” said Stephanie as I walked out of the bathroom. During art class that day, Billy came up to me with a blank sheet of paper, smashed it down on my crayon-tip-hat, and started rubbing it vigorously. He was yelling, “Crayon noogy! Crayon noogy!” On the way back to his seat he said I should probably find the box I rode in on so I could sharpen my head with the built-in sharpener. I’m pretty sure that by winning Joe’s panel all the kids will look up to me and not pick on me anymore.

Updates Soon

After a summer break, the Buckeye Pregame will return. The Guest Panel will also be returning, look for their pictures and profiles next week.