Can Ohio State contain Tulsa's explosive plays?
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The early advanced stats see Tulsa being able to run on the OSU defense. Will the teams just trade big plays all afternoon?

Ohio State's second warm up opponent for Oklahoma runs an offense in the same ballpark as Baylor, Bowling Green, and Oklahoma, and might be a little better at preparing the Buckeye defense for Oklahoma's strong running game. Tulsa won last week 45-10 over San Jose State.

The advanced stats are still a little funny, both from limited 2016 data, no opponent adjustments factored in yet, and a significant impact from preseason projections (which are based on 2015 data).

When Ohio State has the ball

OSU Tulsa
Overall S&P+ 7 98
Rushing success rate 2 7
Rushing IsoPPP 116 122
Passing success rate 43 30
Passing IsoPPP 13 116
Avg. field position 63 62
Finishing drives 6 19

• Note: The finishing drives row is the average points scored per trip inside the 40.
• IsoPPP measures how explosive successful plays are -- not how many total explosive plays a team generates. So, because Ohio State's run game last week was successful on 84% of its running plays (second-best in the country), only a relatively small percentage of those plays were explosive -- which is one reason why the Buckeyes are ranked just 116th in rushing IsoPPP.
• Second, an offense could be structed where "their big plays were uncommon and very big." Ohio State was the opposite -- big rushing plays were common but very small. The Ohio State offense is tied for fifth in the country of 10+ yard runs, but didn't have a single run over 20 yards. Right now that's mostly because of an unbelievable number of Mike Weber shoestring tackles. Looking at the three running backs' explosiveness numbers, this is even more apparent: Weber had a 52.6% opportunity rate, but just 3.9 highlight yards per opportunity. Samuel had an astounding 76.9% opportunity rate, but 1.8 highlight yards per carry. Opportunity rate is the percentage of carries that total at least five yards -- a prime measure of efficiency (both for the running back and offensive line). Highlight yards per opportunity measures the average additional yards after the first five on only efficient runs. For comparison, Zeke had a 45% opportunity rate and averaged 6 highlight yards per opportunity last season.
• Against Tulsa, even though the rushing numbers look fairly even, it's fair to expect a relatively high rushing success rate and a much higher percentage of truly explosive runs (of the 20+ yard variety). Tulsa was 120th in rushing S&P+ last season, which is likely closer to reality.
• Tulsa rarely made tackles for loss (86th in stuff rate). The Buckeyes have a good chance to continue their streak of not allowing negative rushing plays (the Buckeyes are first in both stuff rate and power success rate right now).
• If you want a total mismatch, look at the comparison between Ohio State's explosive passing offense (13th in IsoPPP) and Tulsa's explosive pass defense (116th). This is another game where Ohio State's receivers should be able to run behind the secondary for long bombs.
• However, their front seven was very effective against SJSU at creating havoc, ranking eighth in overall havoc. This could be more indicative of SJSU's offensive line than anything though, as Tulsa was 115th in adjusted sack rate last season. Ohio State's offensive line didn't allow a sack last week, so watch that matchup.

Overall, the early indications for the numbers are that Ohio State should be able to run and pass efficiently, but its big plays should be very big this time around, especially on the ground compared to last week. Overall, watch for: 1. Whether Ohio State can increase its explosive running plays while maintaining its efficiency from last week. 2. If the passing offensive can generate as many explosive plays as the numbers suggest. 3. If the offensive line can give J.T. all day to throw or if Tulsa's early season havoc rating is accurate.

When Tulsa has the ball

OSU Tulsa
Overall S&P+ 61 55
Rushing success rate 60 17
Rushing IsoPPP 86 25
Passing success rate 38 58
Passing IsoPPP 52 45
Avg. field position 15 123
Finishing drives 36 3

• Going by the overall S&P+ score, you would expect a fairly even matchup between the Ohio State defense (61st) and the Tulsa offense (55th). Tulsa would have the advantage in rushing efficiency and explosiveness and in finishing drives.
• The biggest concern in this game, and potentially all season, will be in defending the run. While I mentioned in the offense section above that it's likely these rankings will change significantly after opponent adjustments are included and preseason projections are phased out, it's fair to be at least a little concerned about the run defense. The second string defensive line, particularly at tackle with Tracy Sprinkle's injury, doesn't have the blue chip depth that literally every other position does. And though the Bowling Green offense managed just 3 points of their own and two runs over ten yards last week, Tulsa's run game looks to be better than Bowling Green's.
• To further that point, Tulsa running back D'Angelo Brewer had 164 rushing yards last week, with a 40.9% opportunity rate and 8.3 highlight yards per carry. That meant a lot of big runs -- eight over ten yards and two over 30 yards. His backup, James Flanders, averaged 5.9 yards per carry (but wasn't nearly as efficient or explosive). Stopping Brewer's explosive runs will be a tall task and maybe the most important potential takeaway from Saturday's game.
• Tulsa was far more effective on the ground than through the air. Senior quarterback Dane Evans completed just 52% of his attempts for 198 yards. His go-to target was Keevan Lucas, who caught nearly 87% of his targets for 112 yards.
• The Ohio State defensive line only had two sacks last week, putting their havoc rate at a disappointing 74th. That could very well change this week, as Tulsa's offensive line allowed four sacks -- which was 60% of passing downs attempts (126th)! You definitely should see more pressure from the defensive line this week.
• Going by the last two stats in the table -- average field position and finishing drives -- you's expect Tulsa to get their yards, but for the defense to potentially play fairly effective bend-don't-break. That's because the defense will likely force Tulsa's offense to drive a long field, and despite Tulsa's effectiveness in scoring opportunities last week, to make touchdowns difficult in the red zone.

Surprisingly with Tulsa's Air Raid offense, the ground game should be much more of a concern this week. I'll be watching for: 1. The defensive line's ability to create havoc. 2. Containing D'Angelo Brewer's explosive runs. 3. Limiting points from Tulsa's scoring opportunities.

The 3 most critical stats

1. Limiting Brewer's explosive plays (and general efficiency, too).
2. Whether the defensive line can generate sacks, particularly on passing downs, and generally play the game in the Tulsa backfield.
3. Whether Weber, Samuel, and McCall will create more explosive runs this week -- of the 20+ yard variety, rather than just 10+ small-explosive carries.

Picks


S&P+ Pick: 46-21, with a 92.5% win probability

F/+ Pick: OSU by 20

My pick: 59-21

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Print your own 2016 Ohio State football graphical schedule
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Better late than never! Get your own downloadable/printable 2016 Ohio State football schedule to make your Michigan fan coworkers despise you even more.

Hey so, football is back. Kind of snuck up on us, huh?

Ohio State hung almost a hundred on Bowling Green. Life’s good.

For the fourth straight year, by vocal demand in our inboxes and DMs alike, we're bringing you a fun, sweet printable Ohio State football schedule. Like two years ago, you won't have to wait two weeks to get a color version; it's available here now.

While you've probably been conned into a fall wedding or three, that doesn’t mean you can’t get ahead of the rest of the calendar and plan some fun weekends around the biggest and best Ohio State games of the fall.

Let's be real: if you aren't printing off a couple dozen of these bad boys and taping them around a Michigan alum/fan coworker's desk, you're not really living, are you?

Click on the names above the color or black and white versions below and then simply hit File->Print to win forever (or, alternatively, File->Save to your desktop and print from the PDF reader of your choosing).

Go Bucks -- Thanks for your continued patronage of Land-Grant Holy Land.

Color


Black and white



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Ohio State football | Q&A with former Buckeye Jim Lachey - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Q&A with former Buckeye Jim Lachey
Columbus Dispatch
Younger fans mostly know Jim Lachey as color analyst on the Ohio State radio network -- he is working his 20th season in the booth; play-by-play voice Paul Keels has been doing it for 19 years -- but the former Buckeyes guard was protecting ...

and more »

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2016 Ohio State Scholarship Grid
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Scholarship Breakdown

23 True Freshman

20 Redshirt Freshman

17 Sophomores

19 Juniors

6 Seniors

85 Total Scholarships

* = Player has used Redshirt

The post 2016 Ohio State Scholarship Grid appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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OSU Non-Rev: Battles of Ranked Teams
Charles via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


While the Ohio State football team’s first game of the season may have gotten the most attention, the biggest Buckeye games of the weekend belonged to the OSU women’s soccer and volleyball teams.

After opening the season with four straight wins, the Ohio State women’s soccer team faced their toughest test yet of the season on Thursday when they traveled to Blacksburg to take on 16th ranked Virginia Tech. The Buckeyes had scored first in their first four games of the season and the streak continued in this one with a goal by Lindsay Agnew in the 33rd minute. After VT nearly tied the game early in the second half, OSU went up 2-0 on a goal by Morgan Wolcott in the 58th minute. A few minutes later the Hokies scored to cut the Buckeye lead in half but neither team would score again as Ohio State held on for the 2-1 upset.

Things got tougher for the team on Sunday as they traveled to Morgantown to take on 4th ranked West Virginia. OSU had been known for getting off to fast starts this season but failed to do so in this game. Instead, the Mountaineers drew first blood, going up 1-0 in the 20th minute, marking the first time OSU has trailed this season. The Buckeyes would finally get on the board when Lindsay Agnew scored in the 70th minute to tie the game; this was Agnew’s fourth goal of the season which currently leads the team and is second in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes couldn’t keep up the momentum though as WVU scored a few minutes later and then would hang on for the 2-1 win, giving OSU their first loss of the season.

This was a very tough weekend for the Buckeyes as they faced two ranked teams on the road and the fact that the team came away with the split is impressive and shows that the Buckeyes are well positioned to make noise in the Big Ten race and then the NCAA tournament. Ohio State was outshot in both games this weekend though in general the Buckeyes tend to be more selective in their shots than a lot of their opponents, tending to put a great percentage of their shots actually on goal. While goalkeeper Jillian McVicker has been excellent in goal this season, it would be nice if the Buckeye defense could ease her workload a bit. Ohio State is now 5-1-0 and off to their best start since 2007. The pollsters rewarded the Buckeyes for the upset of Virginia Tech and their tenacious performance against WVU by moving OSU to 19th in the latest poll. Ohio State will return home this weekend, hosting Texas on Friday night and 7th ranked BYU on Monday.

Women’s Volleyball


Ohio State swept LIU Brooklyn on Friday. (Photo courtesy of OSU Athletics.)


This past weekend the Ohio State women’s volleyball team hosted the 12th Annual Sports Imports D.C. Koehl Classic. While the Buckeyes were the hosts, they were playing in an unusual venue as they traveled down High Street to play in Nationwide Arena. This was the first time volleyball was played at Nationwide and was done as preparation for the arena hosting the NCAA Championships this December.

Ohio State got the tournament off to a strong start on Friday as they swept LIU Brooklyn (25-11, 25-17, 25-19) and Wyoming (25-22, 25-17, 25-16) in straight sets. Despite a couple slow starts against Wyoming, trailing 6-0 in the first set and 4-0 in the second set, the Buckeyes were never seriously threatened all day.

On Saturday the tournament came to an exciting ending in a thrilling match between 11th ranked Ohio State and 10th ranked BYU. Ohio State got off to a strong start, scoring the first three points of the night and never trailing on the way to a 25-19 win in the opening set. After giving up the first point of set two, the Buckeyes scored the next two to take the lead and would never trail again in the set. The Cougars would put together a late run to tie things at 24 but the Buckeyes scored the next point to go up two sets to none.

BYU came out of the gates red hot in set 3, jumping out to a quick 9-0 lead. Even after OSU got on the board, the Cougars didn’t slow down as they extended their lead to 21-2. The Buckeyes would put together a 12 to 3 run to close the set with some dignity but it was too little, too late as the Cougars came away with a 25-14 win. BYU got off to another fast start in the next set, going up 6-1 early. OSU would pull within three, 16-13, midway through the set but they couldn’t keep up the run and BYU won the set 25-20 to force a deciding fifth set. The fifth set was all BYU as they pulled off a 15-9 win to win the match and thus the tournament 3 sets to 2.

The loss was disappointing, mostly due to Ohio State being unable to kill BYU’s momentum once the Cougars got rolling. The Buckeye attack fell apart in the final three sets as they never attacked at better than 0.079 in any of those sets. The match showed that OSU has the potential to beat top ranked opponents but still has some work to do. There was some good news on Saturday for the Buckeyes as sophomore Taylor Hughes and junior Luisa Schirmer were named to the All-Tournament Team. The Buckeyes return to action this weekend with a trip to Missouri were they will take on IUPUI, Missouri State, and Green Bay in the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational.

The post OSU Non-Rev: Battles of Ranked Teams appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Week 2’s college football bets, odds offers up Virginia Tech-Tennessee and Arkansas-TCU
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Even though this week’s schedule leaves a lot to be desired, there are still some strong picks out there.

The first week of the season is always the toughest to pick, so a .500 overall record isn’t all that bad. The Big Ten picks were especially bad last week, as I whiffed completely on the Ohio State, Michigan, and Wisconsin games. At least a strong group of picks in the national games helped to boost the week’s record. Now, we have a weak slate of games that doesn’t offer a whole lot in terms of intrigue.

Last week ATS: 9-9 (6-2 National, 3-7 B1G)

National games (All games Saturday unless otherwise noted):


No. 13 Louisville (-14.5) v. Syracuse - Friday 8:00 PM EST - ESPN2

Louisville and Syracuse both got off to strong starts to the season by feasting on FCS foes last week. The Cardinals had little problem dispatching Charlotte last Thursday behind eight first half touchdowns from quarterback Lamar Jackson, with six of those coming through the air. The blowout allowed Bobby Petrino to empty out his bench, as 16 Louisville players caught a pass during the game.

Dino Babers started off his Syracuse head coaching career with a 33-7 win over Colgate. The Orange were able to get their passing game going behind 355 yards and two touchdowns from Eric Dungey. The main recipient of those passes was Maryland graduate transfer Amba Etta-Tawo, who caught 12 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown. Etta-Tawo is already close to topping his yardage total from last year, when he accumulated 216 yards on 20 catches for the Terrapins.

The Orange still have a long way to go to become a threat in the ACC, but Babers already has them played better football than in recent years. The Cardinals could also be looking ahead to next week’s showdown with Florida State. Louisville will win but Syracuse will at least keep it within two touchdowns at home.

Louisville 38, Syracuse 27

Arkansas v. No. 15 TCU (-7.5) - 7:00 PM EST - ESPN

It wasn’t quite the start of the season TCU was expecting, but a win is a win. The Horned Frogs defense showed some holes as they allowed 461 yards to South Dakota State, but still came away with a 59-41 win on Saturday night. Kenny Hill impressed in his first start for TCU after transferring from Texas A&M, throwing for 439 yards and accounting for five total touchdowns. Head coach Gary Patterson will be looking to best Bret Bielema again after Patterson took home the first meeting between the two in the 2011 Rose Bowl.

Arkansas squeaked by Louisiana Tech to start off the year, using a 77-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to secure a 21-20 win. It wasn’t quite the Razorbacks that we have come to expect over the past few seasons, with Arkansas rushing for just 106 yards in the game.

Years ago these two schools used to be in the Southwest Conference together, but this will mark their first meeting since 1991, which was the final year Arkansas was part of the SWC. Both teams didn’t live up to expectations in their season openers, but I trust TCU to turn things around sooner. I’ll lay the points with the more experienced home team.

TCU 31, Arkansas 20

BYU v. Utah (-3.5) - 7:30 PM EST - Fox

Two editions of the Holy War inside of a year? How did we get so lucky? After having not played each other since 2013, BYU and Utah were paired together in the Las Vegas Bowl in December. The Utes jumped out to a 35-0 before a BYU comeback fell just short. Now the scene shifts to Salt Lake City, but there are plenty of differences between December’s matchup and what lies ahead on Saturday.

Bronco Mendenhall coached his final game for BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl before heading off to Virginia. New BYU head coach Kelani Sitake served as an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for Utah under Kyle Whittingham from 2012-14 before making the move to Provo. Sitake saw some excitement in his first game for BYU, as a game-winning field goal by a true freshman kicker gave the Cougars an 18-16 win over Arizona. Running back Jamaal Williams ran for 162 yards against Arizona, and figures to shoulder a heavy workload against the Utes on Saturday night.

Not only does Utah not have quarterback Travis Wilson from last year’s team, but they are also without running back Devontae Booker. The Utes got their first shutout since 2012 last week when they took down Southern Utah 24-0. It’s likely to be another entertaining contest between the rivals, but I’ll take the points with BYU in what usually is a close affair.

BYU 24, Utah 17

Virginia Tech v. No. 17 Tennessee (-12) - 8:00 PM EST - ABC

The Skoal Bowl takes place at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night, and it is estimated that 150,000 will be in attendance at the short track. Tennessee will be looking for a little cleaner start this week after they fell behind Appalachian State 13-3 before rallying to force overtime. The Volunteers were able to avoid the upset as Josh Dobbs fumbled the ball into the end zone, but running back Jalen Hurd was able to find himself in the right place at the right time to give Tennessee a lead they wouldn’t give up.

Virginia Tech didn’t have the greatest start in head coach Justin Fuente’s debut with the school, but the Hokies eventually pulled away to a 36-13 win over Liberty. Virginia Tech will need to do a better job taking care of the football after losing four fumbles to the Flames. The Hokies defense was able to create some turnovers of their own, intercepting three passes and recovering a fumble.

Maybe Tennessee lives up to their preseason top-10 ranking, but I’m not counting on it, especially when they have to try and crack a Bud Foster defense. With the different venue both teams will be ready to go and I could see this game being close until the end.

Tennessee 28, Virginia Tech 24

Virginia v. No. 24 Oregon (-24.5) - 10:30 PM EST - ESPN

Virginia could be in for a world of hurt when they take on Oregon at Autzen Stadium on Saturday evening. The Cavaliers just lost to Richmond 37-20 at home in Bronco Mendenhall’s first game at the school as head coaching. What led to Virginia’s downfall against the FCS team were the four turnovers they committed in the game.

On the other hand, Oregon had little trouble dealing with UC Davis in their season opener, winning 53-28. Brady Hoke’s Oregon defense is still a work in progress, but they shouldn’t have too much trouble dealing with a Virginia offensive attack that leaves a lot to be desired.

Royce Freeman should be able to fill up the stat sheet against a Virginia rushing defense that just gave up 187 yards on the ground to Richmond. Freeman wasn’t needed too much in the season opener, carrying the football 11 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns. The Ducks score early and often, handing Mendenhall his second loss in as many games with the Cavaliers.

Oregon 55, Virginia 23

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Big Ten Mailbag: A look at this week’s best questions
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

It's time to sift through Tom Dienhart's mailbag as we head toward Week Two.

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Tulsa vs. Ohio State 2016 odds: Buckeyes get home tune-up as big favorite - SB Nation
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Tulsa vs. Ohio State 2016 odds: Buckeyes get home tune-up as big favorite
SB Nation
The Buckeyes didn't have any trouble at all covering the spread as a 27.5-point favorite last Saturday, demolishing the Bowling Green Falcons 77-10 at home. Criticized for calling the game too conservatively on offense in last season's shocking 17-14 ...
Buckeyes, Wolverines send dominating messagesQuad City Times
Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Odds, Football PickBleacher Report
Ohio State football | Jack Looks Back: Before becoming a Buckeye, coach John Cooper was a Golden HurricaneColumbus Dispatch
Today's U (blog) -ABC News
all 265 news articles »

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Tate Martell sets Ohio State official visit for Buckeyes game vs. Nebraska on Nov. 5 - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Tate Martell sets Ohio State official visit for Buckeyes game vs. Nebraska on Nov. 5
cleveland.com
The four-star quarterback and Ohio State commit of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman posted on his Twitter account that he wants to officially visit the Buckeyes for the Michigan game but can't because it coincides with the state semifinals. So Martell ...


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TBBC Fans Interact: Bowling Green; Lindsay, Jane, Diana and Melissa
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


We love some round-tables in these parts and our fans interact is one of the most fun things I have participated in! A big thank you to the four ladies that make-up the all-female Buckeye fearsome foursome! Melissa’s tweet below depicts the four perfectly! Please follow them and congratulate them on an awesome article.


Lindsay, Diana, Jane and Melissa(clockwise beginning in upper left) #BSU
















What are your first impressions of this team, the first thing that comes to mind after what they displayed today.


Lindsay – Youth on FIRE!!!!! This team displayed such explosiveness and enthusiasm, and as a fan it was exciting to watch!!! It was also great seeing the teamwork and togetherness, this is going to be a special season.

Jane – First I have to mention the picture perfect day for the Buckeye season opener. Our God has to love Ohio State football! Blue skies, white puffy clouds, cool breezes and over 100,000 of your best friends dressed in Scarlet and Gray, a gift indeed. This team is young and brimming with undeniable talent in all directions. Five touchdowns in the first half by five different names? Come on now, how can this be? One thing I know for sure, I have a plethora of new names and numbers to learn! This team is not going to be a one hit wonder, the hits are going to keep on coming and could prove to be quite the conundrum for our upcoming opponents.

Diana – They are ready and they are hungry! #HowSheGoneEat

Melissa – They’re special, so much talent and yet so young…I have a feeling just after seeing one game this is going to be my favorite team. The whole they don’t rebuild ,they reload is so true.

Which player impressed you the most in their debut? (One of the 30 that played their first college game)


Lindsay – I am going with two players who impressed me, and for different reasons. Michael Jordan starting on the offensive line had a solid game, there were a few miscues but those can be fixed and he had some big shoes to fill on that OL. Mike Weber Jr. played incredibly well and was running over defenders with the ball and blocking when he didn’t have the ball…both very important aspects to the run game. He is so close to hitting that second level and I would be willing to bet he will break a 30-50 yarder in the next few games!!

Jane – There are a multitude of players that were worthy of lasting impressions and it is difficult to name just one. So, I will have to name all 30. Just kidding. I have to mention two; Mike Weber and Malik Hooker. Weber with over 100 yards rushing, he was able to reach the second level on most carries. If it weren’t for a few desperate around the ankle snags, he would have taken it to the house. He threw a few nice lead blocks and I suspect that there are only more good things to come as the weeks pass by. Hooker is the Reel em’ in Deal! He was like watching a member of the “Flying Wallenda’s” swooping in from across mid-field to where the football was being thrown. Multiple aerial displays of athleticism, that few naturally have, were witnessed by those 100,000 fans as he plucked the football out of the air, not once but twice. I have a feeling with this kid that the best is yet to come! And, for her persistence, THANK YOU Mrs. Hooker!!!

Diana – Mike Weber. I know it was just the first game but this kid plays with a lot of heart. He reminds me so much of Zeke. I love how he ran over the BG defender in the 1st quarter.

Melissa – Mike Weber hands down…he’s a mix of Zeke and Carlos Hyde cannot wait to see him grow this season and the next few years!

Is JT Barrett everything you thought he would be and where can he go after today’s record performance?


Lindsay – Absolutely!!! JT Barrett is a leader and a smooth general behind center. He had a few misreads, but he is human and thank goodness, so he has something to improve on!! He will be breaking records all season and with those offensive weapons, watch out—The Buckeyes are coming for you!!!

Jane – There are only good thoughts when anticipating Barrett at the helm of the Buckeyes. His leadership and calm demeanor are evident to all. After the beginning of last season, with the quarterback controversy, this is JT’s’ time to shine. It is his for the taking. As the season progresses and the opponent strength increases, JT will have to find it in him to have consistent stellar performances comparable to today. Whether it be nailing a long pass over the outside shoulder of a receiver or a waltz into the end zone, Barrett has the talent and flair on the gridiron to get the job done. For this season, the possibilities are endless, the sky’s the limit; he can have it all! JT, JT, JT; you did not disappoint!

Diana – YES. JT had a few mistakes on the first drive but corrected the issue quickly. He tied his own record for touchdowns in one game and he IS going to break it again. If he keeps playing like he did Saturday we will see him in New York on stage winning the Heisman in December 2016.

Melissa – Everything and then some!.. He had an oops at the start of the game but he calmed down and did his thing…I definitely see him being a 2016 Heisman finalist and winner!

Bonus – What was your prediction for this team before today? Combined with what happened to Oklahoma at the hands of the Cougars, what is your prediction now?


Lindsay – I knew the crazy offensive weapons we had so I predicted 45-17 before the game. BGSU has a fast paced, hurry up offense, and with our young defense, I knew it might take a few quarters to gel. Apparently our offense and defense decided differently!!! I feel like this team’s ceiling is very high and as long as they keep building on today’s efforts they can definitely make it to playoffs. Oklahoma was slightly exposed against UH, who has great players, but I feel OSU has more playmakers at more positions. I always believe in my team and I had hopes of the playoffs even before the 77-10 dismantling that occurred on Saturday in The Shoe!!

Jane – I was anticipating a win against BGSU, however not the point spread that occurred. That being said, with a ship full of newbies for the Buckeyes, you never know what you are going to get. I did think, however, with BGSU taking the MAC last season, there would be somewhat of a battle. The Coogs win over Oklahoma was huge. We saw a “mini Urban” in Tom Herman on the sideline, though Tom does bring his own football genius to his players and the game. During the Sooner vs Coogs game, weaknesses with Mayfield were brought to light. With Urban at the helm, all the new talent and JT steering the ship, I feel are chances to take Stoops and his Sooners are mighty strong.

Diana – I predicted the score to be 28-10 Bucks. I was a little nervous with the loss of so many starters. Now I am convinced we can go undefeated. Oklahoma did not know what to expect with Houston and could not handle the fast offense Tom Herman runs. Playing OU in Norman will be a tough road game but I predict the Buckeyes will come out on top 34-28.

Melissa – Well I know we were gonna win but it was gonna be close 28-21…now it’s gonna be tough since it’s a night game on the road. But I see the Buckeyes winning 31-17. And might I add a TTUN fan I talked to also said he sees the Buckeyes winning in Norman

The post TBBC Fans Interact: Bowling Green; Lindsay, Jane, Diana and Melissa appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Tulsa's take on the Baylor offense will test Ohio State
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Philip Montgomery’s Tulsa Golden Hurricane will look to score and score some more on Saturday.

Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery was Art Briles’ main man at Baylor, calling the shots as the offensive coordinator from 2012-2014, after serving time as the co-offensive coordinator for the prior six seasons. As one would assume, the Tulsa offense has Baylor written all over them.

Like the Bears, Montgomery wants to play a chess-match with the defensive coordinator at a blazing tempo. Tulsa is going to run the ball when the defense gives them the look they want, or check to a quick pass — typically a screen — if they have numbers. They’re going to want to put pressure on the defense in a couple of different ways, whether it be by going horizontally or vertically, both in the running and the passing game. If the defense is not properly set after a big play, they’ll catch you napping and strike it deep.

Here’s Philip Montgomery running the Baylor offense vs TCU. The TCU defensive backs are not quite lined up on this play, which then plays right into what Baylor wants: playing with tempo and getting to the line of scrimmage. Baylor is going to run a 4-Vertical Concept out of an empty set, with a shallow crosser.



On the Trips side of the formation, Baylor wants the inside slot receiver to catch the attention of the safety, which will allow the outside slot receiver to run free down the field. Still on the Trips side, they also want the outside receiver to break off his vertical route, taking the outside corner with him. With the safety keeping his attention on the inside slot receiver and the outside cornerback getting fooled by the outside receiver, the outside slot receiver is left uncovered.

As you can see below, it works to perfection:


Flipping to a play from Tulsa’s season opener, here’s an example of running back D’Angelo Brewer breaking a long run, then the offense immediately getting to the line of scrimmage to run their next play.

This shows the tempo that Tulsa wants to play with:


The problem with Tulsa running this scheme is that they do not have the talent — except for WR Keyarris Garrett last season — that Montgomery had in Waco. Montgomery always had the talent on the perimeter at Baylor, he also had backs that fit the scheme, but most importantly, he had excellent quarterbacks.

Luckily this season, Tulsa returns veteran Dane Evans at quarterback, who completed 63-percent of his passes and threw 25 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions. They lost Garrett at receiver, but they return Joshua Atkinson, who caught 76 balls last season and was who Meyer was talking about when he said they have “two NFL prospects at wide receiver.”

One guy who looks to be taking a major, and important step for this offense, is running back D’Angelo Brewer. Brewer finished last season with 60 more yards on 39 less carries than the departed Zack Langer and racked up 164 yards and three touchdowns in their season opener versus San Jose State. As we mentioned, Montgomery’s offense needs a run/pass balance, and it looks like he has it this year.


Luckily for the Buckeyes, they have a surplus of elite athletes on defense and the proper conditioning by the best strength coach in the country, Mickey Marotti, which will counter the tempo of Montgomery’s offense. Although this scheme works in the Big 12 for a team like Baylor, Montgomery — in his second year — has yet to fill his cupboard at Tulsa with “his players” to run this scheme at a level like Baylor. With Ohio State scheduling Bowling Green and then Tulsa, it looks like they wanted to get their conditioning in early in the season, to prepare them for Oklahoma and future high tempo offenses that they’ll play.

Defensively, this game will come down to the secondary and linebackers to stick to their keys and do their job based on their game plan — while not allowing Montgomery to win the chess match.

The Buckeye offense will score at will on Tulsa’s defense, but Tulsa’s offense should give Ohio State a pretty good test — from a conditioning and mental standpoint — on defense.

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What Would Woody Watch: Week 2
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Holy crap! Week one of the college football season was absolutely amazing. From watching our Buckeyes dominate Bowling Green to Texas beating Notre Dame and all the SEC losses in-between, the “greatest opening weekend” definitely lived up to its billing! Unfortunately for us, as great as the first week was…the second week is that bad. It’s really a toss-up what is the most important game this weekend? Let’s take a look:

(13) Louisville at Syracuse, Friday, 6 pm

I’m going to give you a second to let that settle, I am leading things off with two teams who would be a great March match-up. Really, this is only for two reasons. First, it’s a Friday night game and there is nothing else you should be doing than watching college football. Second, take some time and enjoy watching Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson. After struggling at times as a freshman in 2015, Jackson looked the part of elite athlete on Thursday as he combined for 405 yar


LOUISVILLE, KY – SEPTEMBER 01: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Louisville Cardinals signals a first down during the game against the Charlotte 49ers at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium on September 1, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)


ds (286 passing/119 rushing) and eight touchdowns (6 passing/2 rushing). Then again that was against Charlotte. Will he be able to do that against the vaunted 2-3 zone Syracuse runs?

The Orangemen, coached by former Bowling Green coach Dino Babers, comes into this contest after defeating Colgate 33-7 on Friday. Led by their own sophomore quarterback Eric Dungey, who had a surprise guest before his first game, the Syracuse offense looks to be enjoying the new offense brought in by Babers. In his first game at the helm of this offense, Dungey threw for 355 yards and two touchdowns.

I think this game has the possibility of being a shoot-out as both offenses are capable of scoring some points. I think there is just too much unknown with the new Syracuse offense to think an upset is realistic.

Prediction: 38-24, Louisville

Arkansas at (15) Texas Christian, Saturday, 7 pm

Arkansas comes in riding high off of their hard fought 21-20 victory over high school powerhouse Louisiana Tech. It was just another game which shows how far ahead of the rest of college football the SEC is over everyone else. I mean, I laughed when people seriously said the SEC would get two teams in the playoffs this year…without a doubt it will be four! Whooo-Damn-Pig-Sooey! Sophomore running back Rawleigh Williams III, grinded out 96 whole yards on 24 carries against the vaunted front seven of the Bulldogs. Four yards (per carry) and a cloud of dust my friends, I’ll see you in New York Rawleigh!

I was so high on TCU coming into this season because I thought they would have the only real defense in the Big 12. They rewarded me by giving up 41 points to the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State. I’m hoping it was a one-time thing because I want to see Brett Bilema go down in flames at Arkansas. For those that haven’t noticed, TCU is quarterbacked by former Texas A&M star (for like three games) Kenny Hill. At one point in his career, Hill actually had to address the media to let them know which nickname HE preferred. He chose Kenny Trill but shortly after became Kenny Benched. In his first game at the helm for TCU, Hill threw for 439 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Prediction: 43-21, TCU

Iowa State at (16) Iowa, Saturday, 7:30 pm

Now look at what you’ve done week 2, you have forced me to write about Iowa! The Hawkeyes come into this rivalry game with a win under their belts against Miami of Ohio (the good Miami). There is no surprise when Iowa comes into any game on offense, they will hand the ball off to workhorses Akrum Wadley and LeShun Daniels Jr. to wear down the defenses. Then when teams move up into the box, C.J. Beathard will try to hurt them through the air. They worked this to perfection in week one as the Hawkeyes scored 45 points which is more than enough for their defense.


PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 01: Quarterback C.J. Beathard #16 of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks to pass over Kevin Palma #44 of the Stanford Cardinal in the 102nd Rose Bowl Game on January 1, 2016 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)


Iowa State comes into this match-up after losing their first game of the season to Northern Iowa of the FCS variety. On the bright side, the Cyclones only gave up 367 yards of total offense to this FCS team which is pretty spectacular by Big 12 standards.

This is setting up to be a pretty lopsided win despite the rivalry game. ISU struggled to run the ball versus NIU (25 carries for 50 yards) and was forced to throw the ball. Unfortunately for Iowa State, the Hawkeyes have one of the best secondaries around.

Prediction: 63-7, Iowa



Virginia Tech vs. (17) Tennessee, Saturday, 8 pm (Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN)

In another feat of amazing powers, fueled purely on SEC speed (the cocaine of football), the Tennessee Volunteers were able to hold off the Appalachian State Somethings preventing them from becoming the next Michigan. Let’s take a second and remind everyone how great that moment was:


Tennessee really struggled to get the ground game going despite have Jalen Hurd back there. With quarterback Josh Dobbs really struggling, it allowed the Mountaineers to really focus on stopping the run game. Hurd was only able to manage 110 yards on 28 carries.

Virginia Tech comes into his game after winning the first game of the Justin Fuente era 36-13 against Liberty. Sophomore quarterback Jerod Evans received his first start and threw for 221 yards and four touchdowns.

I’m really not convinced this will be a very good game. I do think the Volunteers are a good team and what SEC team is not going to play their best on a race track? Seriously, watch this game to see how this looks playing at Bristol Motor Speedway because it is only going to happen once. I just don’t see them doing it after this year when 150K+ all realize there are no good seats to see a football game at the race track.

Prediction: 42-20, Tennessee

The post What Would Woody Watch: Week 2 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Buckeyes prepare for long road trip - Athens Messenger (registration)
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Buckeyes prepare for long road trip
Athens Messenger (registration)
NELSONVILLE — The Nelsonville-York Buckeyes will play their first road game of the 2016 season on Friday. The Buckeyes won't be going on any ordinary road trip, however. They'll climb onto a bus and travel more than three hours northwest to take on ...

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Ohio State offers 5-star DE commit
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes are trying to flip a Penn State commit.

Bucks after Penn State commit


Outside of sending defensive line coach Larry Johnson to his school back in May, it’s safe to say the Buckeyes pursuit of 2018 defensive end Micah Parsons, who is currently committed to James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, is on. On Wednesday, Ohio State dropped an offer to the five-star prospect in hopes of bringing him to Columbus.

Parsons is a 6-foot-3, 325-pounder from Central Dauphin (PA) who originally chose Penn State over offers from NC State, Rutgers and West Virginia. Since his commitment, the Harrisburg native has picked up offers from the likes of Alabama, Florida State, Nebraska, Tennessee and USC.

Like stated above, Parsons has been on the radar for Ohio State before yesterday, Now, they will have to do some convincing in order to get a visit out of one of the nation’s top prospects in 2018, if they want to have any shot to pull him away from the in-state Nittany Lions.

Parsons is currently graded as the No. 5 overall player for next year’s class. At the strong-side defensive end spot, he stands as the No.1 player in the state of Pennsylvania.

Not to be forgotten, Ohio State also dropped an offer to another Pennsylvanian prospect on Wednesday. A safety out of the 2018 class, Isheem Young from Imhotep Institute (PA) was the other recipient of a Buckeye offer. Young is a four-star prospect who has been feeling the love from Florida State and Penn State. We’ll see if the Buckeyes can make a move in this race.

Brown talks OSU visit


This past weekend, when Ohio State demolished Bowling Green in The ‘Shoe, ‘17 small forward Troy Brown was in attendance and seemed to be very impressed with the visit. In an interview with Cleveland.com’s Bill Landis, the five-star standout from Centennial (NV) described the trip to Columbus as a “great experience.” He also stated that “Ohio State has always been a school that (Brown) has thought highly of.”

Brown raved about basketball Head Coach Thad Matta. The 6-foot-7, 210-pounder told Landis that Matta does a “great job with tall guards” and that seems to perfectly fit the billing of Brown, despite being listed on 247Sports as a Small Forward.

The Las Vegas prospect now has four official visits left with Alabama, Georgetown, Kansas and Oregon; a decision will likely come very soon on where Brown will end up playing college basketball.

“I kinda want to hurry up and get the process over with so I can focus on being the best basketball player I can be at the next level,” Brown told Cleveland.com.

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Buckeyes beat Tornadoes, 3-1 - Athens Messenger (registration)
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Buckeyes beat Tornadoes, 3-1
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NELSONVILLE — The Nelsonville-York Buckeyes won their second match in as many nights, beating Southern 3-1. The Buckeyes topped the Tornadoes 25-18, 19-25, 25-19, 25-17 to improve to 3-5 on the season. N-Y had contributions across the court.


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Buckeyes, Wolverines send dominating messages - Quad City Times
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Buckeyes, Wolverines send dominating messages
Quad City Times
Breaking in eight new starters on each side of the ball, the Buckeyes used J.T. Barrett's seven touchdown passes and piled up 776 yards, the third-biggest game ever for a Big Ten team, to roll Bowling Green 77-10. The Wolverines countered with defense ...
Ohio State football | Jack Looks Back: Before becoming a Buckeye, coach John Cooper was a Golden HurricaneColumbus Dispatch
Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Odds, Football PickBleacher Report
STAT WATCH: Buckeyes' 77 Vs BG Their Most Points Since 1950ABC News
cleveland.com -NBC4i.com
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Ohio State in the NFL: Could you field a decent pro team of only Buckeyes? - cleveland.com
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Ohio State in the NFL: Could you field a decent pro team of only Buckeyes?
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Cameron Johnston, you're on alert. This Ohio State NFL team needs a punter. So the current senior punter for the Buckeyes needs to find his way into the league next season to complete this professional version of Ohio State football.

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Buckeyes offer elite safety
247Sports
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! The 5-foot-11 and 195-pound Young has a list of offers that in addition to Ohio State includes Florida State, Penn State, ...
Penn State target Isheem Young of Imhotep Charter picks up Buckeyes offerPennLive.com

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Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Odds, Football Pick - Bleacher Report
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Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Odds, Football Pick
Bleacher Report
Including an easy season-opening win over Bowling Green, the Ohio State Buckeyes are now 26-1 straight up over their last 27 games. But even with the cover, OSU is only 2-8 against the spread in its last 10 home games, thanks in part to inflated spreads.
Ohio State football | Jack Looks Back: Before becoming a Buckeye, coach John Cooper was a Golden HurricaneColumbus Dispatch
Buckeyes, Wolverines send dominating messagesQuad City Times
STAT WATCH: Buckeyes' 77 Vs BG Their Most Points Since 1950ABC News
cleveland.com -ESPN
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Ohio State offers '17 S Bubba Bolden of Bishop Gorman: What does that mean for Jeffrey Okudah, Shaun Wade? - cleveland.com
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Ohio State offers '17 S Bubba Bolden of Bishop Gorman: What does that mean for Jeffrey Okudah, Shaun Wade?
cleveland.com
Would the Buckeyes accept a verbal commitment from McKinney or Bolden at this point? That remains unclear, but this is for sure: If Ohio State accepts a commitment at this point, it means Meyer and his staff are really, really, really high on the prospect.
Ohio State offers 4-star from recruiting powerhouseLand-Grant Holy Land

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Urban Meyer softens stance on Corey Smith’s Week 1 performance
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The wide receiver was dealing with a hamstring issue during Ohio State’s season opener.

Urban Meyer spoke to the media following Wednesday’s practice, and just a few days before the team faces Tulsa at home. The head coach and players have noted throughout the week that this Week 2 matchup will be a tougher test than Bowling Green.

Never one to be happy with good enough, Meyer is expecting more from his young group of receivers and is looking for someone to step up and into Tracy Sprinkle’s spot following his season-ending injury.

• When asked if it was weird that the offense had so many passing yards, yet none of the receivers were graded a winner, Meyer noted it’s a big deal to be graded a winner and its rare for a player in that position to earn it early in the season.
• Corey Smith wasn’t 100% healthy during Week 1 with a hamstring issue, which Meyer learned of later, which softened his stance on his performance against Bowling Green.
• When asked about the development of true freshman quarterback Dwayne Haskins, Meyer noted that “he’s so talented” and would like for him to compete for the backup role. He admitted the competition was a little overwhelming early on, but the coaching staff sees a great future for the young quarterback.
• While Joe Burrow is still the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart, Meyer admitted he showed that he was tough in his first collegiate game, but wouldn’t go so far as to say he would be comfortable with him as the starter.
• Dante Booker remains questionable for Saturday, with Joe Burger expected to step up and contribute more as needed.

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Video: Ohio State Training Camp Highlight (Pre-Bowling Green)
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State athletics gives us an inside look at training camp before Ohio State’s opening week matchup with Bowling Green and some of the training camp highlightsof the moments that got the Buckeyes prepared to start the season.

The post Video: Ohio State Training Camp Highlight (Pre-Bowling Green) appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Preview: Ohio State vs. Tulsa
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

PREVIEW: TULSA vs. OHIO STATE:​

With week 1 in the books for Ohio State, we can only look ahead to our next opponent. Yes, technically the week isn’t over yet, but it is for Ohio State. So like farmer Fran said, “You live to fight another day.” The Buckeyes not only lived to fight another day, they were afforded and had earned some well deserved experience that will hopefully stick with them throughout the season. Bowling Green was Coach Meyer’s first coaching stop and he surely has not forgotten where it all began. The Buckeyes featured a bunch of young, unproven talent and for what its worth, they look pretty good. Youth in spread throughout the roster on both sides of the ball and during the game they showed their worth to the nation and to the coaches. Understandably, it was against Bowling Green but a win is a win and at least it is a Division 1 team and not a Division 2 team.

The Falcons featured a high-powered offense, slightly similar to what Meyer had built during his time there and with a young defense at hand, Urban and company let the young wolves loose to see what they are capable of. The young Buckeyes defense were up to the task as they annihilated the 4th best team in total offense and 6th best in scoring offense. Tusla will provide another high-powered offense that finished 13th in total offense and 21st in scoring offense in 2015. The Buckeyes and the Golden Hurricanes have never met on the gridiron and this will be another test for the young defense. The Tusla Head Coach, Phillip Montgomery was present as an Offensive Coordinator for Baylor and Houston so I think that it is safe to say that they should expect a lot of hurry-up offense and no-huddle sets.



Senior Quarterback Dane Evans returned for one more year and he looks to cut down on mistakes this season. Evans has the ability and the experience to successfully run the offense this season. He understands the playbook and has been around the system long enough to operate in it. The Golden Hurricanes return a trio of experienced Wide Receiver in Keevan Lucas, Josh Atkinson and Justin Hobbs. Lucas returns from a knee injury that had sidelined him last season, but he looks to have a huge year a year removed from injury.



The biggest elephant in the room is can the new-look Offensive Line gel quickly enough after losing two key players after the 2015 season. They are breaking in a new batch of linemen and we will just have to see if they can survive the season with little to no experience and against the talented Buckeyes, this will be their stiffest test early-on in the season. It will give the Tulsa coaches the opportunity to measure and gage their talent and to see the capabilities of their kids. The front seven will constantly pressure all five members to see if they make any mistakes and I wouldn’t put it past Coach Schiano to send one of his many Defensive Backs on a blitz to also test their mettle and capabilities.

D’Angelo Brewer is a shifty runner who can break it for huge yardage at any given moment during games. He is deceptively fast and is capable of catching passes out of the backfield. He will be going up against a young defensive line that is in sore need of a replacement at DT as Tracy Sprinkle suffered a season ending leg injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season. Ohio State has the talent waiting in the wings and as long as they buy in to what Coach Fickell and Coach Johnson are preaching, I see them playing lights out for each other and for the aforementioned Sprinkle. We will see if he is up to the task and if he can break past the vaunted Ohio State defense.





The Golden Hurricane defense is another story. They are lacking proven playmakers, but they have a lot of boom-or-bust players that take high risk, high reward literally. We will see how the pieces fall next weekend but here is some food for thought. The Tulsa offense has the tools to put up points and put them up quickly, but the defense is their Achilles heel. If the Buckeyes shut down their offense like the Bowling Green game, the sleeping giant will wake once again and crush the team that woke it up. Tusla’s defense is lacking in playmakers and we will have to wait and see if the Buckeyes can put them in horrible situations to exploit the inexperience.

Prediction:

With all things considered and the lack of defense on the other side, I expect J.T. Barrett to move the ball at a frightening pace. J.T. will finish the game with 260+ yards through the air with nearly 100 yards on the ground with 3 passing touchdowns and two rushing. Mike Weber will drive the ball down their defenses throat for a cool 120 yards with a touchdown. The defense will sack Evans at least 5 times with at least one more defensive touchdown and Evans will throw a pick to Hooker. Hooker is special and he looks to become a key cog in the secondary. The Buckeyes will steam roll Tulsa in style and continue their offensive onslaught in preparation for the Oklahoma game:

Buckeyes 56 – 20 Tulsa




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Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: Beyond the Shoe, Around the B1G, Awards, Depth Chart for Tulsa
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to the daily rewind of the previous days or weekends articles here on the Buckeye Battle Cry with some commentary and links to the author’s twitter account!




Brandon Zimmerman takes us to task with the work that is this week in the B1G



Mike Meals gets the laughs going with his latest



@WVa rounds up the gang for the Bowling Green position awards



Brandon hits the a lot less OR two deep this week





The post Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: Beyond the Shoe, Around the B1G, Awards, Depth Chart for Tulsa appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Officially Speaking: Targeting in Week 1
Charles via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Targeting fouls inevitably are some of the most controversial calls made or not made each college football season. The fact that they are one of the few fouls that can lead to a player being ejected makes the stakes very high on them which tends to create very partisan feelings about them depending if your team was the victim or the perpetrator. The season is only a week old and we have already seen controversial targeting calls/non-calls in the Iowa vs Miami (OH), Tennessee vs Appalachian State, and Notre Dame vs Texas games.

Before we take a look at those plays, let’s see what the rules actually say regarding targeting. There are two rules that cover targeting.


Both of these rules at least one indicator of targeting which are defined as:


Many people think that launching is a requirement for targeting to be called but as can be clearly seen, you can still be called for targeting even if both feet are on the ground. While contact with the crown of the helmet can be targeting in all cases, you can also have targeting when the contact is by the shoulder, arm, or hand if it is to the head or neck of a defenseless opponent. By rule, a defenseless player is


Now that we have gone over the rules related to targeting, lets take a look at the plays in question. We’ll start with the Iowa vs Miami (OH) game.


We see Iowa player #43 come in and make contact to the helmet of Miami #22; since the Iowa player made the contact with the top of his helmet, we have a situation where rule 9-1-3 may apply. Now we need to see one of the indicators of targeting is present. While the Iowa player did not launch or thrust upward from a crouch, he does lead with his helmet and makes forcible contact with the head of the opponent. Thus, we have an indicator of targeting and contact made with the crown of the helmet, equaling a targeting foul. The officials got this one right by calling targeting and ejecting the Iowa player.

Up next we go to the Tennessee vs Appalachian State game and a possible targeting on a punt return.


We see Tennessee #21 come in and hit Appalachian State player #16 just as the Appalachian State player had caught the punt. The contact is made by the crown of the Tennessee player’s helmet to the head of the Appalachian State player. Since the Appalachian State player had just completed a catch but had not had time to protect himself or become a runner, note how the receiver hadn’t yet raised his head to look up after the catch, he is considered and defenseless player and rules 9-1-3 and 9-1-4 may possibly apply. We now need an indicator of targeting and that is easy to find as the Tennessee player is clearly leading with his head and shoulders and makes contact to the helmet, he also lowers his head just before attacking. Thus, by both rule 9-1-3 and rule 9-1-4 we have targeting. Once again the officials got this one correct.

Our final play came from the thrilling Texas vs Notre Dame game and has generated lots of talk and controversy.



Notre Dame #16 has just caught the ball and has just returned to the ground but has not had time to protect himself or become a ball carrier, thus he is a defenseless player. Texas #4 comes in and makes contact with the Notre Dame player’s head and neck. Thus, we have a situation where rule 9-1-4 may apply. The Texas player clearly leads with his helmet and shoulders and makes contact to the head and neck area, giving a clear indicator of targeting. In the video it is not clear if the Texas player makes contact with his helmet or shoulder, it seems like it was his shoulder, but since the Notre Dame receiver is classified as a defenseless player, rule 9-1-4 classifies contact to his head and neck area by an opposing player’s helmet, shoulder, or arm as targeting. Thus, this is targeting. As most of you know, the officials on the field did not throw a flag on this play which is understandable due to the quick nature of the play and the possibility that they did not get a good look at it. However, a rules change this year allows the replay official to create a target penalty on egregious plays where the foul was not called on the field. As shown in the above video, there were replay angles that gave a clear look at the play and which clearly showed that it was targeting. Considering the fact that the game was paused for a long time due to an injury to the receiver, the replay official had plenty of time to look at this play and should have ruled it targeting. The officials definitely got this one wrong.

The final thing to note when trying to determine whether a play should be called targeting is the last line in both of the applicable rules “when in question, it is a foul.” This pretty much means that if reasonable, knowledgeable, unbiased people can get into a reasonable discussion/debate about the play, it probably should be ruled as targeting.

As the comments sections on the above videos show, you will never get everyone to agree that a targeting call was correct or not. Part of it of course is due to fans of one team or the other but part of it is also due to many people longing for the days before the rule when violent hits were celebrated. Now that we know about the dangers of concussions and blows to the head, those days are gone and the NCAA is doing what it can to make the game safer for not only the health of the current players but the future of the sport itself.

The post Officially Speaking: Targeting in Week 1 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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