What to Expect

The Illinois game has been very competitive recently, with OSU winning 13 of the last 24. This is a long standing rivalry, and an earlier post discussed the Illibuck trophy. This game has never received the attention of the OSU-Michigan game, which makes sense, but both teams will be ready for this game. The 2007 loss is still fresh in the minds of the OSU team, and Illinois is looking for a breakout game against the #2 team in the country. Illinois will run the ball, run the ball again, and run again. An earlier post discussed how effective RB Mikel Leshoure has been this season. QB Scheelhaase will likely scramble when he goes into some of the passing formations. OSU should be able to keep Illinois to under 125 yards rushing, which is 50 yards over the average allowed by OSU. Illinois is touting its defense, especially against the run. However, the Illini struggled against a running QB when they allowed Northern Illinois to get over 100 yards rushing by the QB and 200 yards passing. OSU will get 200 yards rushing and 300 yards passing. OSU has averaged 266 yards passing, but I think OSU will surpass that against the weak Illinois passing defense. OSU will win 38-13.

OSU Last Week

OSU had its most points in 60 years with a 73-20 victory over Eastern Michigan. Pryor was credited with six touchdowns and Sanzenbacher tied a record with 4 reception touchdowns. Pryor was very sharp going 20 of 26 for 224 yards and four touchdown throws. He rushed for 104 yards including a rushing touchdown. He also received a touchdown from a spot on pass by backup RB and former HS teammate Jordan Hall. This is Pryor's fourth straight game with over 200 passing yards and 100 rushing yards. The OSU defense was caught a bit off guard and allowed three touchdowns, which was more touchdowns than it had allowed in the first three games combined. Barclay hit a 42-yard FG and now is 9/10 on FGs.

Things to Watch

Injury Update

Jake Stoneburner is still being looked at after suffering a high ankle sprain in the EMU game. Taking his place will be Reid Fragel at TE and OSU will not do dual TE sets because it appears they don't want to go to the third team TE. CB Travis Howard and LB Dorian Bell will return after missing the EMU game. The other player injured in the OU game, Nate Oliver, is still suffering from a hamstring pull and may not play this week. CB Chimdi Chekwa missed some minutes last week with back spasms, but he is expected to play this week. It was speculated that OL MIke Adams hurt his shoulder in the game last week, but the coaches have said he has been practicing and is fine.

 

Player to Watch

OSU faces its first real test with a true running back in Mikel Leshoure. As stated in an earlier post, he averages 132 yards/game and 6.9 yards/carry. OSU only allows teams to get 71 yards/game on the ground. Will the OSU D-Line continue to dominate opposing O-Lines? For what it is worth, he led the team with 25 yards in 4 carries against OSU last year, which was just under 1/3 of the teams rushing on the rainy day.

 

Pressure on Ron Zook

Zook is on the hotseat at Illinois, reaching a peak in 2007 with a victory in Columbus over #1 OSU and a trip to the Rose Bowl, and falling ever since. Fans were upset on how the offense struggled with a very experienced Juice Williams at QB in the last two seasons. One columnist in the Dispatch said that Juice Williams fermented, but not in a good way. Zook went out and grabbed Vic Koenning from Clemson as a defensive coordinator and Paul Petrino (brother of Bobby) for offense. Will the coaches make enough of a difference? Some have speculated that the university can't afford Zook's buyout and the hiring of a high profile coach, without some major financial assistance from the alumni. Regardless, Zook needs a big win or a good showing against OSU to keep the pressure off for a bit.

Scouting the Illini

This Season

Illinois enters this game 2-1 with a loss in the opener at Missouri, win against Southern Illinois, and win against Northern Illinois. The Illini had a bye last week and that separates the "Illinois School" part of the schedule and now Illinois enters the "State" part of the schedule with games against Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan State. Against Missouri, Illinois had 200 yards rushing, 81 yards passing, and 13 points. Missouri had 23 points, 98 on the ground, and 281 yards in the air. The running game was down at 168 yards against Southern Illinois and jumped up to 319 yards against Northern Illinois. Illinois is averaging 25 points/game and allowing teams to score 16 points/game. Illinois is averaging 229 yards on the ground and allowing teams to only run 102 yards/game. The Illini average 359 yards in the air, but the defense allows 333 yards in the air/game.

 

Offense

At QB is redshirt freshman Nathan Scheelhaase who is 54% for 380 yards with 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Scheelhaase also runs the ball and has 204 yards with a 5.1 yards/rush average and one rushing touchdown. He had 16 carries for 115 yards in the Northern Illinois game. Leading the running game is 6' junior Mikel Leshoure who averaged 67 yards/game last season and is averaging 132 yards/game this season. He is second in the Big Ten and seventh in the nation in rushing. At receiver is Jarred Fayson, AJ Jenkins, and Eddie McGee. Fayson has 46 receiving yards this season. Jenkins averages 62.3 yards/game in receiving. McGee missed the Northern Illinois game with an ankle injury, but he was in the Southern Illinois the week before as a receiver and a little bit as QB (his backup role last season). McGee could return for the OSU game as a receiver.

 

Defense

Leading the defense are a couple linebackers, junior Ian Thomas and junior Martez Wilson. Thomas has 24 tackles this season, including seven in the Northern Illinois game. Wilson has 25 tackles this season including eleven in the Northern Illinois game. The D-Line is young with Whitney Mercilus and Akeem Spence as first year starters. Clay Nurse is the most experienced on the D-Line. In the secondary both CB Justin Green and Safety Tavon Wilson lead the Big Ten and are 20th in the nation in passes defended.

 

Special Teams

Returning kicks are CB Justin Green and WR Jack Ramsey. Returning punts are Ramsey and WR Jerred Fayson. The placekicker is Derek Dimke, who is 4/4 on FG and 8/0 on PAT. He has a long of 52-yarder against Missouri. Punting is being handled by Anthony Santella who is second nationally with an average of 48.9 yards/punt. He has had two punts over 50 yards, with a long of 67 yards.

The Series

OSU leads the series 62-30-4 and is 33-12 in games played at Illinois. There have a been some streaks in the series with OSU on a 15-game streak from 1968-1982 and Illinois on a five game streak from 1988-1992. The series ran uninterrupted from 1914 until 2003, when the teams did not play for two years due to the Big Ten rotating schedule. OSU has won five of the last six games. Illinois last beat OSU 28-21 in 2007.

 

Last Time

OSU shutout Illinois with a score of 30-0 last year in a rain filled but very important day in Columbus. The defense limited Illinois to 170 yards and forced three interceptions. Pryor was limited with only 8 of 13 attempts for 82 yards. The OSU running game had 236 yards, with Saine and Herron combining for 156 yards and Pryor with 59 yards. OSU lead at halftime 13-0 at halftime with two FGs by Pettrey and a TD run by Herron. Illinois missed opportunities including a taking possession across the 50-yard line after OSU muffed a punt. Also Illinois missed an opportunity when OSU fumbled late in the game, and then on the first pass QB McGee was intercepted by OSU.

The Illibuck Trophy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many trophy games in the Big Ten, and OSU has the Illibuck with Illinois. The game against Illinois is the only trophy game for the Buckeyes. The Illibuck is the second oldest trophy in the Big Ten. Starting in 1925 these two schools passed a real turtle to the winner of the game. The live turtle represented the long life expectancy of the rivalry between the two teams. However in 1927 the turtle died and was replaced by a wooden replica. At halftime of the game, members of honorary societies from both schools meet to pass the the trophy to the winner of the game from the previous year. In the past the ceremony included the smoking of a peace pipe. OSU leads the Illibuck series 58-23-2.

The Coaches

 

Jim Tressel
In his 10th season at OSU he is 98-21, with a career record of 233-78-2 in his 25th year of coaching. Tressel is 5-2 against Illinois and 6-3 in Big Ten road openers. Under Tressel OSU is 28-8 in Big Ten road games.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ron Zook
In his sixth season at Illinois, Zook is 23-40. He is 46-54 in his 9th year of his career as a head coach at Illinois and earlier at Florida. Zook was a defensive back assistant coach under Cooper from 1988-1990 at Ohio State. He is from Loudonville, Ohio. Zook was a defensive back at Miami (OH) and the team went 32-1-1 while he was there. He is 1-4 against OSU.

 

 

Guest Panel-Week 5 Games and Standings

Here are the games for the Guest Panel to consider this week. Below are the standings as well. Congrats to Pat Head and Batman for going 6-0 and jumping back into a tie for first with Buckeye Cock. The big jump for the week was Carl who went 6-0 and moved from 8th to 4th.

Standings:
1. Buckeye Cock (19-5) (5-1 last week)
1. Pat Head (19-5) (6-0 last week)
1. Batman (19-5) (6-0 last week)
4. Tressel's Devil (17-7) (4-2 last week)

4. Philly Cheese (17-7) (5-1 last week)
4. Spam Sandwichsan (17-7) (5-1 last week)
4. Dr. Funkenstein (17-7) (5-1 last week)
4. Carl (17-7) (6-0 last week)
9. Old Bag of Man (16-8) (5-1 last week)
9. Mel Kiper's Hair (16-8) (5-1 last week)
11. Hudy Delights (14-10) (4-2 last week)

12. Big Dog (13-11) (5-1 last week)

 
Games for this week:
1. OSU vs. Illinois

2. Florida vs. Alabama
3. Stanford vs. Oregon

4. Texas vs. Oklahoma
5. Wisconsin vs. Michigan State

6. Penn State vs. Iowa

And the oddball game this week is:
7. Buffalo vs. Bowling Green

What to Expect

The losing streak will continue for EMU. The word on the block is that EMU will bring the blitz, so look for OSU to establish the running game early. EMU is very weak against the run, allowing teams to rush a massive 253 yards/game. Look for OSU to get 275 yards on the ground and 225 yards in the air. I am amazed that the spread is over 40 points, because we know Tressel does not run up the score. OSU will win 45-3.

OSU Last Week

OSU beat Ohio 43-7. Ohio turned over the ball three times in the first half, resulting in 17 of OSU's 34 halftime points. Moeller had his first interception, on the second play of the game. Heyward and Williams both had their second interceptions. Pryor had a record 16-consecutive passes in the first half, but the excitement was dampened with an interception late in the half. Overall Pryor was solid with 22 of 29 for 235 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Pryor pulled back on the running a bit and had 35 yards with one rushing touchdown. The defense held Ohio to 158 yards, one touchdown, and seven first downs. Ten receivers caught passes for OSU, including Posey with five for 62 yards and TE Stonebrunner with a career high five for 61 yards. Saine lead in the running game with 48 yards. Torrence recovered a fumble in the second half, putting the total at four Ohio turnovers in the game.

Things to Watch

Injury Update

OSU had a slew of injuries last week. Out on special teams and defense are Donnie Evege, Travis Howard, and Dorian Bell. Evege hurt his elbow and will be out two or three weeks. Howard and Bell had less serious shoulder injuries and will miss one or two weeks. Dominic Clark and Corey "Pittsburgh" Brown will step up to take the open spots. LB Andrew Sweat will play after missing last week.

Player to Watch

Everyone is complaining about Brandon Saine, thinking that the running game has taken a step back from last year. Coming into this season it was clear that it was running by committee, and not because there were no dominant RB's. Many schools do RB by committee when they don't have one good back, and instead OSU has four to five guys that could start at many Division I-A schools. This is a good problem. For what it is worth, OSU still lists "Saine OR Herron" on the depth chart. OSU's offense has changed this season and it is passing much more, but in games like this week you will see some big numbers from the RB's. Don't forget that Pryor is a great runner. That being said, it would be nice to see Saine line-up more at receiver. Do you remember that TD against Miami?

Brutus vs. Swoop the Eagle

Brutus is recovering after last week, and he even made it into Tressel's press conference this week. I placed a link to the YouTube video on the blog. I think Brutus held his own and will be ready for Swoop the Eagle.

Scouting the Eagles

So Far This Season

The team is on a 15-game losing streak that stretches back to last season. The team is second in consecutive losses, with Western Kentucky sitting at 23 games. In fact the team hasn't had a winning season since 1995. The Eagles came close to victory against Army as they lead in the fourth, then allowed a touchdown, and couldn't score on the last possession. In the second game of the season, EMU lost the lead in the fourth and came up short on two drives in the redzone against Miami. The game last week was not close, as EMU lost its second conference game with a score of 52-14 against Central Michigan. 

 

Offense

Starting at QB is Alex Gillett, who is 57% for 350 yards, 3 interceptions, and four touchdowns. He played in 9 games last year, and in his career he is 52% with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Prized recruit Devontae Payne is the backup, and is 51% for 148 yards, one interception and no touchdowns. Payne is from Cleveland and was looked at by OSU, but was not offered a scholarship. He is similar in size to OSU's Pryor, as he is 6-6 and 231 lbs. Leading the team in rushing is Dwayne Priest with 199 yards and three touchdowns. Also running the ball is QB Gillett with 172 yards and one rushing TD. The main receivers are Ben Thayer, Josh Leduc, and Thomas Kinsman.

 

Defense

The lead tacklers for EMU are LB Neal Howey and LB Tim Fort. The other starting LB Colin Weingrad has the team's one interception.

The Coaches

 

Jim Tressel
In his 10th season at OSU he is 97-21, with a career record of 232-78-2 in his 25th year of coaching. Tressel was 1-4 while he was head coach at YSU in games against Eastern Michigan, with losses in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1989. The only victory was in 1990.

 

 

Ron English

In his second year as a head coach and at EMU, English is 0-15. His previous coaching positions were defensive coordinator at Louisville and Michigan. He is a California-Berkeley graduate.

The Series

This is the first game between the two schools. OSU is 55-5 at Ohio Stadium since 2002. Under Tressel OSU is 33-4 in non-conference games. OSU has won 55 straight regular-season non-conference games against teams that are not ranked in the AP Top-25. The last loss to an unranked non-conference team in Columbus was to Florida State in 1982.

Guest Panel-Week 4 Games and Standings

Here are the games for the Guest Panel to consider this week. Below are the standings as well. Congrats to Buckeye Cock for taking back the lead and for Tressel's Devil jumping into third. Spam and Dr. Funkenstein moved up to fifth 4-2 records.

Standings:
1. Buckeye Cock (14-4) (4-2 last week)
2. Pat Head (13-5) (3-3 last week)
2. Batman (13-5) (3-3 last week)
2. Tressel's Devil (13-5) (4-2 last week)

5. Philly Cheese (12-6) (3-3 last week)
5. Spam Sandwichsan (12-6) (4-2 last week)
5. Dr. Funkenstein (12-6) (4-2 last week)
8. Carl (11-7) (3-3 last week)
8. Old Bag of Man (11-7) (3-3 last week)
8. Mel Kiper's Hair (11-7) (3-3 last week)
11. Hudy Delights (10-8) (3-3 last week)

12. Big Dog (8-10) (1-5 last week)

 
Games for this week:
1. Eastern Michigan vs. OSU

2. South Carolina vs. Auburn
3. Oregon St. vs Boise St.

4. West Virginia vs LSU
5. Miami (FL) vs. Pittsburgh (Thursday)

And the oddball game this week is:
6. New Mexico vs. UNLV

Brutus Attacked

Video from Saturday of the Ohio Bobcat Mascot attacking Brutus. Ohio University has issued an apology and has stated that the student in the mascot costume is banned from future Ohio sporting events.

What to Expect

Will OSU be geared up for this game after the emotional Miami game? I think there are enough seniors on this team to get them geared up, and even the juniors were around for the too close for comfort game in 2008. Will the almost 90-year record of OSU beating Ohio school opponents continue? I think so, but there have been some close calls. The spread offense of Ohio may move the ball down the field, but I don't see it resulting in a lot of points this weekend. Look for Saine to have a bigger week and for Pryor to run a bit less. I think we may see more passes go to TE Stonebrunner and FB Boren this week. Don't be surprised if you see the second team O-Line and QB Bauserman come in early in the second half. OSU should get 225 yards on the ground and 200-225 in the air. OSU will win 41-10.

Things to Watch

Injury Update

Defensive lineman Nathan Williams appears to be the starter again this week after missing the Marshall game. Safety CJ Barnett appears to be done for the season with a knee injury. Taking his place is Ohrian Johnson, who at one point during preseason was considered the favorite to start. Linebacker Andrew Sweat is a gametime decision after suffering an injury in the Miami game, and Jon Newsome is available to take the starting spot.

 

Players to Watch

I have to say the Posey vs. Posey matchup will be interesting. Will big bro cornerback Posey keep younger brother receiver Posey in check?

 

Turnovers

OSU is one of only six teams in the NCAA to not have a turnover yet this season. They also lead the country in turnover margin with +3.5, having forced seven turnovers in two games.

 

Scouting the Bobcats

So Far this Season

The Bobcats are 1-1 with a 33-10 victory at home against Wofford and a 20-13 conference loss to Toledo last week. The team was 9-5 last season, including a loss in the Little Caesers Pizza Bowl against Marshall, another OSU opponent this season. The team only averages 23 points/game but the defense does hold teams to 15 points/game. The spread offense is fairly balanced so far this season with 138 yards/game on the ground and 119 yards/game passing. The defense has allowed on average 161 yards on the ground and 55 yards in the air.

 

Offense

At QB is Boo Jackson, a junior college transfer who played in relief of the injured QB in the 2008 game in Columbus. Jackson is 24 of 39 for 235 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions. Three of those interceptions were against Toledo. Also listed at QB is junior Phil Bates. Bates was 1 of 5 for 4 yards and no interceptions in the Wofford game, and did not play in the Toledo game. The star receiver is senior LaVon Brazill. He also returns punts and he returned four punts for TDs last season. The main runningback is senior Vince Davidson who had 70 yards in the Wofford game and 22 against Toledo.

 

Defense

Leading the team in tackles is senior Noah Keller at middle linebacker, and he has 316 career tackles. At cornerback Julian Posey has 15 career pass break-ups and 19 passes defended.

Posey vs. Posey

OU cornerback Julian Posey, a fifth year senior will be in the secondary facing his younger (and bigger) brother at OSU, Devier Posey at receiver. The two had a very competitive childhood and some words have been exchanged this week, including what was reported in the News Herald:

When a reporter told him that his older brother was quoted as saying that DeVier should "bring his 'A' game" and that he "was ugly," Posey — who leads OSU in receiving with eight catches, 146 yards and two touchdowns — shot back.

"Well, one, he knows I'm not ugly," Posey said. "And two, I'll bring my 'A' game. He just needs to be sure he brings his 'A' game. I'm not too worried about (Number) 9 this week, tell him that. He's the one who needs to bring his 'A' game."

Posey backed off a bit and said his brother is his best friend and that it will be exciting to play against him and his friends — players Posey looked up to and grew up watching. He said it is "exciting" to think that those older players are now talking about him when formulating a game plan against Ohio State.

When asked who would be more disappointed if the brothers got in a fight on the field Saturday, DeVier Posey said, "Probably Coach (Jim) Tressel (because) my mom knows how we are. She's broken up a bunch of fights before."

OSU Last Week

#2 OSU beat #12 Miami 36-24 in front of a sold-out record crowd of 105,545.

 

First Quarter

OSU took the early lead 3-0 with a 24-yard FG by Barclay early in the first quarter. OSU had possession as the result of a turnover by Miami, when safety CJ Barnett broke up a pass and lineman Nathan Williams returned it 33 yards. Miami responded immediately with an 88-yard kickoff return TD.

 

Second Quarter

In Miami's next possession they drove it down and hit a 51-yard FG to extend the lead to 10-3. OSU took over and Pryor threw a 62-yard rocket to Posey to get them within 20-yards. On the next play Pryor hit a twisting Brandon Saine in the endzone, to tie it up 10-10. OSU took the lead with a 41-yard FG by Barclay in the next possession. Chekwa collected his first interception of Harris and returned it to the Miami 19 and Boom Herron ran it in to give OSU the lead 20-10. Miami scored on a punt return of 79 yards. Barclay hit two more FGs to end the half, 21 yards and 24 yards.

 

Third Quarter

OSU was up 26-17 to start the second half. On Miami's first possession of the second half, at the OSU 9-yard line lineman Cameron Heyward went back into coverage and intercepted Harris and the big guy took it 80 yards. Pryor ran it in by himself in the drive that followed the interception. Miami took over and attempted a 39-yard FG, but it was blocked by Torrence. In the next possession Pryor connected with another RB, this time it was Boom Herron for a 47-yard reception. Barclay hit another FG, putting OSU up 36-24, which tied the OSU record with five made FGs in one game.

 

Fourth Quarter

Early in the fourth Miami scored the first and only offensive TD allowed by the OSU defense this season, a 9-yard pass. Overall Pryor had a decent game by passing 12 of 27 for 233 yards, no interceptions, one passing TD, one rushing TD, and running for a team leading 113 yards. The defense stepped up big with four interceptions, two by Chekwa, and OSU now leads the country in turnover margin. Posey had four passes for 105 yards.

The Series

This will be the seventh meeting in this series that dates back to 1899. OSU won the first five meetings in 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, and 1999. In the first four games, OSU kept Ohio off the scoreboard, winning 41-0, 20-0, 17-0, and 17-0. In the 1999 game, OSU came back from a halftime tie of 10-10 to win 40-16 behind the arm of first-time starter Steve Belisari. Ken-Yon Rambo played big role in the second half, finishing with seven catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Last Time

The most recent game was the most competitive in the series. In 2008, OSU was ranked #3 and had to come from behind in the second half to win the game 26-14. OU led 7-6 at halftime and 14-12 at the start of the fourth quarter. OSU scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to win the game. The first TD in the fourth quarter resulted from a recovered punt. Brandon Saine ran in for a TD six plays later. The last TD was Ray Small returning a 69-yard punt for a touchdown. The OSU defense intercepted the ball four times, including two in the fourth quarter.

The Coaches

 

Jim Tressel
In his 10th season at OSU he is 96-21, with a career record of 231-78-2 in his 25th year of coaching. Under Tressel, OSU is 27-2 in home non-conference games and 58-7 at home overall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank Solich
In his sixth season at Ohio, he is 33-32. In his twelfth season as a head coach he is 91-51. Prior to Ohio he was the coach at Nebraska, his alma mater. Solich was born in Pennsylvania, but grew up in Cleveland. He was a very successful player in high school and college. He was an assistant under Tom Osborne for 19 years before taking the head coach position. He was at Nebraska for six seasons and guided the team to two BCS bowl games. Solich's teams started to struggle and he was fired in 2003. He took off a year from coaching and was hired in 2005 by Ohio.

Guest Panel-Week 3 Games and Standings

Here are the games for the Guest Panel to consider this week. Below are the standings as well. Congrats to Pat Head and Batman for moving into a tie for first with Buckeye Cock. Tressel's Devil also jumped a position with a 5-1 record. Mel Kiper's Hair had the biggest move of the week moving from 12th to 6th.

Standings:
1. Buckeye Cock (10-2) (4-2 last week)

1. Pat Head (10-2) (5-1 last week)
1. Batman (10-2) (5-1 last week)
4. Philly Cheese (9-3) (4-2 last week)

4. Tressel's Devil (9-3) (5-1 last week)

6. Carl (8-4) (4-2 last week)
6. Old Bag of Man (8-4) (4-2 last week)
6. Spam Sandwichsan (8-4) (4-2 last week)
6. Dr. Funkenstein (8-4) (4-2 last week)

6. Mel Kiper's Hair (8-4) (5-1 last week)

11. Big Dog (7-5) (3-3 last week)
11. Hudy Delights (7-5) (3-3 last week)
 

Games for this week:
1. Ohio vs. OSU
2. Iowa vs. Arizona
3. California vs. Nevada

4. Nebraska vs. Washington
5. Texas vs. Texas Tech
And the oddball game this week is:
6. Troy vs. UAB

Help Brutus

Text "Brutus" to 69866, help OSU mascot win the 2010 Capital One Challenge.

What to Expect

Miami needs to protect Harris, as he has struggled when under pressure, with 17 interceptions last year. He was sacked 35 times last season. There was only one sack in the first game of the season, but that was against FAMU. Miami plays a more traditional pro-style offense, with Harris taking snaps and directing the offense from the pocket. Harris will not scramble. Look for OSU to adjust the defense this game and play pass rushing DE Nathan Williams as much as possible. Unfortunately OSU will not likely play the nickle as much, so team leading tackler Moeller may not get a lot of minutes. Miami has capable running backs, but none of them are dominant. Miami will instead depend on the passing game with some success. OSU will give up some yards, but I don't expect Miami to get more than two or three touchdowns. Miami has the edge on special teams and has a good placekicker who is capable of hitting a clutch FG. The OSU secondary is still the weakest part of the OSU defense, but it is tough to outshine the D-line. OSU will not have as much luck this week passing, but I think the running game will be solid and Pryor will run more. I was a bit off last week in my predictions, as I thought the Marshall D-line would be a little better. Look for OSU to get 200 yards in the air and 200-225 yards on the ground. The final score will be OSU winning 31-17.

Things to Watch

Miami Against #2 and Big Crowds

Can Miami beat a #2 team with a big crowd? Miami last beat a #2 in 2000, Virginia Tech. The last victory against a #1 team was against Florida State in 2000. Miami has not played in front of a 100k crowd since the 2002 game at Tennessee. Members of the team have been quoted as saying they are not concerned about the crowd size, because in Miami they are always around crowds and celebrities.

 

Player to Watch (In the coming years)

A player to watch in the future is freshman Seantrel Henderson, the 6-8 355 lb. offensive tackle, who was the prized recruit OSU didn't get this season. Instead Henderson went to USC and was released after the sanctions were imposed. OSU didn't pursue Henderson after he left USC, possibly because of self-reported recruitment violations by OSU in its original pursuit of Henderson. Henderson chose to go to Miami and has already seen action as a true-freshman. If he plays on Saturday, it will be late since he is listed third on the depth chart.

 

Champs Bowl

It is important to look at the loss to Wisconsin earlier this year. Miami came in with a potent passing game and Wisconsin bullied them at the line and kept pressure on QB Harris. Wisconsin racked up five sacks against Miami. A strong D-line can control Harris.

 

2003 BCS Championship Game

Will there be any revenge factor? Head coach Randy Shannon was a defensive coordinator in that game, but the current players were middle school age. Some players have been quoted as saying they watched the game live, while others have said they watched the game after enrolling into OSU or Miami.

Scouting the Hurricanes

Season So Far

Miami beat Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as I-AA) Florida A&M with a score of 45-0, the first shut-out win since 2006 for Miami.

 

QB

Harris finished the game last week 12 of 15 for 210 yards and three touchdowns. Last season he completed 59% for 3352 yards for 24 TD's and 17 INT's. In 2008 he completed 60% for 1195 yards for 2 TD's and 7 INT's. He is not a rusher and had -219 yards in lost yards in 2009.

 

RB

Lamar Miller led the team last week with 11 carries for 66 yards, and Damien Berry had 45 yards rushing and 32 yards receiving. Miller, Berry, and Mike James each had one touchdown. Graig Cooper and Eduardo Clements had some carries late in the game. Cooper returned to the team only eight months after tearing his ACL in the Champs Bowl against Wisconsin in January. Cooper also lines up on special teams for punts.

 

Receivers

Leonard Hankerson caught two touchdowns and 115 yards on six catches. Last season he had 45 receptions for 801 yards and six touchdowns. He led the team in receptions last season.

 

Defense

Defensive end Olivier Vernon lead the team last week with 7 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Ray-Ray Armstrong had an interception and returned it 22 yards for touchdown. Ramon Buchanan had six tackles. Adewale Ojomo had two sacks after missing last season.  Lineman Allen Bailey is a preseason All-America and although he only had one tackle last week, he had 34 last season and 7 sacks. Brandon Harris is the top player in the backfield and last season was tied second nationally with 15 pass break-ups and third in the country with 17 passes defended.

 

Kicker

Matt Bosher returns as the placekicker and punter for his fourth season as a starter. He is better at placekicks and was first team All-ACC last year. He has 96 consecutive PAT's which is second best in school history. He was 14 of 16 in FG last season with 12 in a row. He lead the conference with 42.9 yards/punt last season. He had a career long of 52 yards in 2008.

 

OSU Last Week

In only the 10th night game in stadium history, OSU beat Marshall 45-7.

 

Offense

Pryor led with 247 yards passing and three touchdowns. Saine lead the team with 103 yards rushing, with 45-yard and 40-yard runs and two touchdowns. Second in rushing was Jamaal Berry in his first game with 80 yards. Also getting some action in the running game was Dan Herron with 44 yards, Jordan Hall with 32 yards, Pryor with 17, Carlos Hyde with 4, and Kenny Guiton with 4. Receivers Dane Sanzenbacher and DeVier Posey combined had 154 yards and three touchdowns. Tight end Jake Stonebrunner had a career high three catches for 41 yards. Grant Swartz had three catches for 20 yards. The best pass of the game was to Sanzenbacher for 65-yard TD in the first quarter. 

 

Defense

The defense forced three turnovers and limited Marshall to 199 yards of offense. The only score allowed was on special teams, not defense. Brian Rolle returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown and gave OSU a 35-7 lead at halftime. There were four Marshall fumbles and OSU recovered two, including Chekwa forcing a fumble inside the 10-yard line with Ross Homan recovering.

 

Special Teams

The struggles of special teams last year continued into the opener. The one bright spot was in the first play of the game, OSU forced a fumble on the first kickoff. Later in the quarter a 53-yard field goal attempt by OSU was blocked and run back untouched 60 yards for seven points. The struggles continued as a PAT was partially blocked, although it went through the uprights. Also OSU allowed Marshall to return the ball a total of 173 yards in kickoff returns, although the Marshall offense didn't do anything with the good field position. Devin Barclay did make a 34-yard field goal.

Harris vs. Pryor

Both Jacory Harris and Terrelle Pryor were highly touted coming out of high school. as both were in the top-five rankings by most of the national high school rankings. The two are friends off the field, and supposedly send text messages back and fourth. Below are some stats comparing the two junior quarterbacks.

 

1. Hometown: Harris-Miami, FL and Pryor-Jeannette, PA

2. Size: Harris-6-4, 200 lbs. and Pryor-6-6, 233 lbs.

3. Games Played: Harris-26 and Pryor-26

4. Career Passing: Harris-4,757 yards and Pryor-3,652 yards

5. Career Rushing: Harris-negative 121 yards and Pryor-1,427 yards

6. Career Passing TDs: Harris-39 TDs and Pryor-33 TDs

7. Last week: Harris-12/15 for 210 yards and 3 TDs and Pryor-17/25 for 247 yards and 3 TDs

The Coaches

 

Jim Tressel
In his 10th season at OSU he is 95-21, with a career record of 230-78-2 in his 25th year of coaching. Under Tressel, OSU is 26-2 in home non-conference games and 36-13 against top-25 teams.

 

 

 

Randy Shannon

In his fourth season at Miami and as a head coach he is 22-17. He signed a new four-year contract in May. He took over the program in 2007 after the program had fallen into trouble numerous times under Larry Coker in the 2006 season, including the bench clearing brawl against the overmatched FIU team. Shannon was the defensive coordinator at Miami from 2001-2006 under Coker. He was a linebacker on the 1987 Miami National Championship team. He had a short career in the Pros and returned back to Miami as a graduate assistant. He was an assistant coach for Miami 1992-1997. He left the U and went to the NFL Miami Dolphins and was an assistant coach from 1998-2000.

The Series

Ohio State leads the series 2-1, with a victory in 1977, loss in 1999, and a victory in 2003. Both the 1977 and 1999 games were season openers. The 2003 game was a 31-24 double-overtime thrilling victory by OSU in the BCS National Championship Game in Tempe, Arizona. Below is a breakdown of that incredible game.

 

Pregame

OSU went into the game an 11.5 underdog to the defending national champion Miami Hurricanes with a 34 game winning streak.

 

First Quarter

The OSU defense came out strong and sacked Miami QB Dorsey twice in the first series. Later in the quarter Dorsey threw a 25 yd TD to Parrish.

 

Second Quarter

In the second quarter OSU scored twice on two turnovers in a 78-second span. On the first turnover, Mike Doss picked off a pass and ran 35 yards. Seven plays later Krenzel ran it in from the 1-yard line. Dorsey turned over on the next possession when Kenny Peterson brought him down and Darion Scott recovered the loose ball. Clarrett ran it in two plays later to put OSU up 14-7.

 

Third Quarter

OSU kicker Nugent kicked a big 44-yard FG to put OSU up 17-7. Six minutes later McGahee ran it in 9 yards to bring Miami within three points.

 

Fourth Quarter

Miami hit a 40-yard FG in the final play of the fourth quarter to put the game into overtime.

 

First OT

In the first possession Miami receiver Winslow brought in a 7 yard pass for a touchdown. OSU was forced to convert a fourth and 14 with a pass. Later OSU had it with fourth and three from the five yard line and Krenzel threw to the right corner of the end zone to Chris Gamble. Gamble was covered by Glenn Sharpe. Gamble reached for the ball and couldn't bring it in. As Miami players and fans began to celebrate, field judge Terry Porter threw a flag for pass interference.Three plays later Krenzel scored from the first.

 

Second OT

OSU had the ball first and Clarett ran into the endzone after a five play drive. Miami took the ball and moved it to the 1-yard line. On fourth and 1 Cie Grant blitzed and Dorsey threw the ball towards OSU LB Matt Wilhelm who knocked it down. OSU won its first National Championship in 34 years, score 31-24, with a perfect 14-0 record.

Guest Panel-Week 2 Games and Standings

Here are the games for the Guest Panel to consider this week. Below are the standings as well. Congrats to Buckeye Cock for going perfect in the first week! 

Standings:
1. Buckeye Cock (6-0)

2. Pat Head (5-1)
2. Batman (5-1)
4. Philly Cheese (5-1)

5. Carl (4-2)
5. Old Bag of Man (4-2)
5. Big Dog (4-2)
5. Spam Sandwichsan (4-2)
5. Dr. Funkenstein (4-2)
5. Hudy Delights (4-2)
5. Tressel's Devil (4-2)

12. Mel Kiper's Hair (3-3)

 

Games for this week:
1. Miami (FL) vs. OSU
2. Penn State vs.  Alabama
3. Florida State vs. Oklahoma
4. Georgia vs. South Carolina
5. Michigan vs. Notre Dame
And the oddball game this week is:
6. Arkansas St. vs. LA-Lafayette

Wall Street Journal Predicts OSU and Pryor

The Wall Street Journal sports section uses extensive statistics to predict the outcome of games. This article predicts OSU and Oklahoma will be in the championship game and Pryor will be competing with Wisconsin RB Clay for the Heisman.

Time Warner and Disney/ESPN-Still No Deal

There is still no deal between cable provider Time Warner and the Disney/ESPN/ABC network channels. Most markets will continue to broadcast the channels today as the negotiations continue, despite the missed midnight deadline. I had a previous post on the negotiations earlier this week.

Divisions in Big Ten Football

Last night the divisions were revealed for Big Ten football. It was also announced that the OSU-Michigan game would remain the last game of the season. I still think that the Big Ten may have been distracting us with the idea of changing the OSU-Michigan date. I don't think they ever really intended to move the date. The original opposition from many fans was the idea of splitting OSU and Michigan into separate divisions. The fans were distracted when news came out that the OSU-Michigan date may be changed. There was relief when the date was not moved, but people forgot that they originally didn't want OSU and Michigan in separate divisions.

 

Divisions

1

Illinois

Indiana

Ohio State

Penn State

Purdue

Wisconsin

 

2

Iowa

Michigan

Michigan State

Minnesota

Nebraska

Northwestern

What to Expect

No Letdown

I don't think there is a reason to fear a letdown like the Navy game last year, or the YSU game two years ago. Moving this game to Thursday night not only will allow more time to prepare for Miami, but it also gets the attention of the players. Secondly, this is a team filled with seniors that won't let the team come slowly out of the gates.

 

Tressel Wants Pryor to Pass

Despite what many folks claim, OSU has a large playbook and Tressel would love to have Pryor air it out if Pryor is ready for that. Tressel has shown in the past at YSU and OSU that he is willing to let his QB pass the ball when the interceptions are kept to a minimal. It also helps that OSU is loaded in the running game, and an effective running game will open up the passing game.

 

Predictions

The running game may have a slow start if Marshall's D-Line is as good as promised. I still think OSU should get 175-200 yards on the ground. Look for TE Stonebrunner and FB Boren to get some passes thrown their direction. Remember the name "Philly" Brown as he will be a freshman making a big impact this season as a receiver and returner. OSU should be able to pass against Marshall, because Marshall is weak in the secondary. OSU should get 190-210 yards in the air. The final score will be 34-10.

Scouting the Thundering Herd-Special Teams

The special teams are missing some of the starters from last year. Below are some notes.

 

Place Kicker

Junior Tyler Warner is the starter this year and was 3/5 in 2008, but did not kick last year. He replaces Craig Ratanamorn, who was 15/17 last season.

 

Punter

Kase Whitehead returns for his third year as a starter and he averages 39.2 yards/punt.

 

Kickoff Returns, Punt Returns

Sophomore RB Andre Booker will share return duties with junior WR Troy Evans. Gone is the main returner, RB Darius Marshall.

Scouting the Thundering Herd-Defense

The defense was a bit more consistent than the offense last year for Marshall. The unit held teams to under 24 points/game. There were some dismissals for off-the-field incidents. Below are some notes on the defense.

 

D-Line

Junior Delvin Johnson will be the starter at defensive tackle, but Senior Michael Janac will be his backup and he was honorable mention All-Conference USA last season. At Nose Tackle is senior Johnny Jones. At the ends are junior Vinny Curry and true freshman James Rouse. Curry was also honorable mention All-Conference USA last season. The D-Line should be solid for Marshall.

 

Linebackers

The best returning player on defense is senior linebacker Mario Harvey. He was the lead tackler last year with 117 tackles and 7 sacks last year, earning him the nickname "Thumper." Also at linebacker are sophomore Devin Arrington and junior Tyson Gale.

 

Secondary

The safeties are sophomore Donald Brown and junior Omar Brown. Brown is returning as a starter. At corner are junior Ahmed Shakoor and senior DJ Wingate. Shakoor is a returning starter. Wingate is taking the place of dismissed DeQuan Bembry. This unit is very inexperienced and may struggle against the pass. 

Scouting the Thundering Herd-Offense

Marshall finished the regular season with a 6-6 record and beat Ohio in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. The bowl victory and the numerous free $5 "Hot-N-Ready" Pizzas were not enough to prevent pressure on former OSU assistant coach Mark Snyder to resign. Marshall hired John "Doc" Holliday, which I covered in detail in a previous post. It is a little difficult to predict the offense of Marshall due to the complete change in coaching personnel, and because it is Doc Holliday's first head coaching position. The team will likely switch from the more traditional offense to a wide-open offense with the option and spread. Below is a breakdown of the positions.

 

Quarterback

Senior Brian Anderson is returning as the starter. He struggled last year with 14 TDs and 13 INTs. It is not clear how Anderson will adjust to new coaches and a new offense. He claims to have experience with the spread from high school. Backing him up is freshman Eddie Sullivan, who will likely split playing time. Sullivan known for his mobility will likely come in for option plays. Willy Korn, a transfer from Clemson was expected to be a backup, but he transferred to Division II after the coaches moved him to safety.

 

O-Line

Senior Chad Scofield will return as the starter at center. Brandon Campbell is also a senior and will return as the right tackle. Junior Ryan Tillman will be the left tackle. At left guard is senior Landis Provancha. The O-line in general is a concern for Marshall, and it will make it hard for the running game to develop.

 

Receivers

The best receiver is sophomore Antavious Wilson. He had 724 yards last year and was a Freshman All-American. Also at receiver is senior Chuck Walker, junior Troy Evans, and senior Wayne Bonner. Senior TE Lee Smith is being touted as a potential NFL draft pick. Smith can block and catch with his large 6-6 267 lb. frame. Smith is attempting to replace the loss of TE Cody Slate, who had 50 catches last year.

 

Running Backs

Sophomores Andre Booker and Martin Ward will share duties at running back. Ward had 393 yards last season and was MVP in the bowl game. The team is trying to replace Darius Marshall who had 1,131 yards last season and declared for the NFL draft.

Nike Uniform for Michigan Game

 

Nike has unveiled the Nike Pro Combat uniform that will be worn by Ohio State during the Michigan game this season. OSU is one of ten Nike schools with the new one-time uniform. Like last year, this uniform is inspired, not a replica, of a uniform from the past. This uniform was inspired by the 1942 OSU National Championship team uniform. It is a homage to that team and the players that went on to serve in WWII.  The jersey is scarlet, script numbers, and a scarlet helmet. In honor of the armed forces it has a US flag on the sleeve and it has a camouflage base (which is hard to see in the picture). I'll put up more pics as they are released.

Plethora of Weapons on Offense

With nine returning starters, the OSU offense is ready for another successful year. As mentioned in a previous blog post, there are high expectations for Pryor, including a potential run for the Heisman trophy. Assuming injuries stay down, this offense has a plethora of options on offense, yes a plethora.

 

Below are the starters with notes:

1. QB-Terrelle Pryor-#2-Junior-Pryor returns after a very impressive Rose Bowl game. He had some nagging injuries most of last year, so it will be nice to see a healthy Pryor with two years of experience. Pryor may not be completely unleashed, but the coaches have faith in him and will open up the offense as long as the turnovers stay low. Joe Bauserman (#14) is the likely backup, but he was challenged by the younger players in the preseason.

2. FB-Zach Boren-#44-Sophomore-the younger and smaller brother of Justin, he was a great blocker last year and he will likely get some more passes and runs this season. He has good hands.

3. TB-Brandon Saine-#3-Senior-he will be the starter, but Dan "Boom" Herron (#1) will likely split time at running back. The combo had over 1300 rushing yards last season. OSU is stacked at RB with Jordan Hall (#7), Jamaal Berry (#4), and Carlos Hyde (#34) also available. We saw Hall play well last year, and Berry was injured last year but looked promising in preseason. Hyde is a larger RB and will likely be redshirted if everyone stays healthy, but he will be a bruiser in the Beanie Wells mold when he gets to play.

4. TE-Jake Stonebrunner-#11-Sophomore-a very good blocker, but will he finally be a big-play receiver? He is a large target at 6-5 245 lbs, and he is a converted receiver, so he has the hands. We were teased last preseason with his potential and rarely saw him used. He has the potential to be a nice target in the middle of the field, taking pressure off the other receivers.

5. WR-Dane Sanzenbacher-#12-Senior-returns as a slightly undersized receiver known for his good hands and blocking ability. He is backed up by Corey "Philly" Brown (#10), a true freshman that you will know by the end of the season.

6. WR-DeVier Posey-#8-Junior-a solid receiver and favorite target of Pryor. He is backed up by Taurian Washington (#5) who has looked great in the last two years preseasons but he is known for his drops in games. Washington is a good blocker that could come in as a fourth receiver with Stonebrunner getting the ball.

7. LT-Mike Adams-#75-Junior-his huge size 6-8 300 lbs. will be an asset as he comes back after rotating last season. His backup Andrew Miller (#55) will likely be out with an elbow injury. Unfortunately Marcus Hall (#79) will be redshirted because he did not get the grades this past summer.

8. LG-Justin Boren-#65-Senior-the transfer from Michigan had a dominating season last year.

9. C-Mike Brewster-#50-Junior-has been a big time player since his first year as a starter as a true freshman.

10. RG-Bryan Browning-#70-Senior-this fifth year senior is one of the six team captains.

11. RT-JB Shugarts-#76-Junior-has been a big contributor as a starter, despite a shoulder injury and drug charges (which were dropped) Look for true freshman Andrew Norwell (#78) to get some critical minutes.

 

Silver Bullet Defense

The Sillver Bullet defense of Ohio State returns after having a incredible 2009 season. The OSU defense was 5th in the nation in turnover margin (+1.31), 5th in scoring defense (12.54 points/game), 5th in total defense (262.31 yards/game), 5th in pass efficiency defense (95.52), 7th in rushing defense (90.77 yards/game), and 13th in pass defense (171.54 yards/game). The defense had 24 interceptions which was tied for second most in the NCAA, behind Texas with 25. Even in the two losses by OSU (Purdue and USC) it held both teams under 300 yards of total offense. With most of the players returning, this should be another great year for the defense.

 

Below are the starters with some notes:

 

1. DE-Solomon Thomas-#98-Junior-although he was not as sharp as Nathan Williams in the preseason, he will be starting because Nathan Williams (#43) is out with a knee injury. It is not clear yet whether Williams will be available for Miami. This is the spot left by Thaddeus Gibson, who was drafted for the NFL.

2. DT-Dexter Larrimore-#72-Senior-returns after starting three games last year, although backup freshman Johnathan "Big Hank" Hankins (#52) is highly touted as a future NFL draft pick. Hankins has indicated he wants to play like LSU's Glenn Dorsey.

3. DT-John Simon-#54-Sophomore-returns after getting some significant playing time as a freshman. Simon has some incredible strength (can bench press 225 lbs 40 times) and speed (can run a 4.8 sec 40) and will be well known by the end of the season.

4. DE-Cameron Heyward-#97-Senior-skipped a potential 1st round pick in the NFL draft and says he wants to be better than Ndamukong Suh. He missed some of the scrimmage, but is expected to play. He will split time with Adam Bellamy (#93) a redshirt freshman who had three sacks in the scrimmage.

5. WLB-Ross Homan-#51-Senior-has earned his preseason high accolades, as he had five interceptions last season.

6. MLB-Brian Rolle-#36-Senior-although some experts say he is undersized for his position, he is quite capable and he started last season with a bang by intercepting and returning a 2-point conversion in the Navy game and also had three stops behind the line against Michigan.

7. SLB-Andrew Sweat-#42-Junior-he missed last season with knee surgery and has been very impressive in the preseason practices and scrimmage. He beat out Etienne Sabino (#6) for the spot, and Sabino is also capable of playing MLB. Sabino would also come in when the team runs a 3-4 with four linebackers.

8. CB-Chimdi Chekwa-#5-Senior-Returns as a starter although he was not in the preseason scrimmage due to a tender hamstring. He is expected to split time in the Marshall game with Travis Howard (#18).

9. FS-Jermale Hines-#7-Senior-started a lot of games last year in place of Anderson Russel.

10. SS-CJ Barnett-Sophomore-has big shoes to fill for Kurt Coleman. Backup Orhian Johnson (#19) will play as well.

11. Star-LB/Safety-Tyler Moeller-#26-Senior-what a great story, he returns after the head injury before last season. All indications are that he is 100% and will be back to his hard-hitting. He will come in with the nickel package in place of a linebacker, and OSU will play a lot of nickel against spread offense teams like Marshall. Jermale Hines (#7) is ready to jump in as a backup.

12. CB-Devon Torrence-#10-Senior-he was not in the scrimmage due to a hamstring injury, but he is expected to play most of the Marshall game. His backup Corey Brown (#3) is not the WR Corey "Philly" Brown.

 

New Faces on Special Teams

Coach Tressel is known for his focus on special teams, stating that the punt is the most important play of the game. He has also had very good placekickers capable of hitting FGs in the low to mid- 50's. Last year the kick coverage teams were not very good, and return game was not consistently good. Also, OSU had to deal with an injury at K. There are many new faces this year on special teams.

 

Below are the starters and some notes:

1. K-Devin Barclay-#23-Senior-the former MLS player stepped in late last year and hit some big FGs including the one to win the Iowa game. He will kick most FGs and true freshman Drew Basil (#24) will come in for the longer ones in the mid 50's.

2. KO-Drew Basil-#24-Freshman-challenged Devin Barclay in preseason and has claimed the job of doing kickoffs.

3. P-Ben Buchanan-#17-Sophomore-replaces Jon Thoma.

4. KO Returns-Jamaal Berry and Jordan Hall-a bit of a change for Tressel not having the starting RBs return kick-offs. If these guys have drops, look for Saine or Herron to step in.

5. Punt Returns-Jordan Hall and Cory "Philly" Brown-another change for Tressel not having the starting receivers. If these guys have trouble, look for Posey and Sanzenbacher to step in.

6. LS-Jake McQuaide-#96-Senior-will handle the long snaps.

7. H-Joe Bauserman-#14-Junior-will hold for PATs and is available for fake kicks.

Terrelle Pryor-High Expectations

Expectations are high for Terrelle Pryor going into this season. Below are a few reasons the expectations are high.

 

Stats

He is 19-3 as the starting quarterback. He has rushed for 1,410 career yards, and he only needs 657 yards to become the all-time leader for QB rushing at OSU.  He is 10th on the all-time list at OSU for passing with 3,405 yards. He has 58 rushes for first down/touchdowns. In the Rose Bowl he had 338 yards of offense, with 266 yards passign and 72 yards rushing.

 

Rose Bowl MVP

Pryor is coming back this season after leading the Buckeyes to a Rose Bowl victor, and earning the Rose Bowl MVP. He is the first OSU Quarterback to return after earning the Rose Bowl MVP since Joe Germaine returned for OSU in 1997. The last Big Ten player to return after earning a Rose Bowl MVP was Ron Dayne at Wisconsin in 1999. Outside of the Big Ten other quarterbacks have returned after earning the Rose Bowl MVP; Vince Young with Texas, Matt Leinart at USC, and Ken Dorsey at Miami. Those quarterbacks led their teams to the National Championship game in the seasons following their Rose Bowl MVP.

 

Honors and Watch Lists

He has received numerous honors, even before the season has started including:

1. Big Ten Preseason Offensive Player of Year (2nd Year)

2. Blue Ribbon Preseason Big Ten Offensive POY

3. Phil Steele First Team All-American

4. Phil Steele First Team All-Big Ten

He is also on some watch lists:

1. Heisman Trophy

2. Walter Camp

3. Davey O'Brien

4. Manning Award

5. Hornung Award