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2006 Buckeyes Forecast, Recruiting, and The Game (Merged)

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First look at the D-line…we lost Green…but we've still got Pitcock, Penton, and Denlinger at DT. Pitcock is a stud…and I know either Penton or Denlinger will step up and be just as good as Green was for us this year…maybe even better, esp if Denlinger plays up to expectations. And we also lost Kudla…I was worried about the Kudla loss…I think the world of Patterson, but Kudla is just a stud…but after watching Wilson play…we will be better than fine here. Don't forget about Jay Richardson either. I'm really excited about our D-line…I think it's going to be one of the best front 4 we've had in a while.
Okay obviously the Linebacker situation isn't the greatest. But if D'Andrea stays healthy, I think he'll be better than Schlegel. Schlegel didn't impress me this year…missed too many tackles and didn't look as strong as I thought he was. D'Andrea is stronger and faster than Schlegel and has a lot to prove. We already showed that we can win, stop the run, and get pressure on the QB against good O-lines without Carpenter with the ND and Michigan games…I like how Laurinaitis played…definitely went unnoticed…but it's good experience for him, and I really think he could be the real deal. Losing Hawk here hurts bad. I think it will be Freeman who will step up here…I don't expect to see Kerr starting, even though he'd be good enough at most Big 10 schools…I just see Freeman as a guy who was just waiting behind Hawk for his chance to shine. We won't have the same linebackers that we did this year…obviously, but I think the D-line will help them out…and give them time to grow, and I think this group will be fine by the time we get in the thick of things in the Big 10 season. If VY stays at Texas…they might be in over their heads though.
Our defensive back situation is in limbo right now. If Youboty and Whitner stay…then we are going to be stacked! Especially with Brandon Mitchell, Malcom Jenkins and Jam-O. Sirjo Welch is also a really underrated guy. I think the key is Whitner staying…we'll be fine with Whitner and Mitchell. Jenkins has proven himself, and O'Neal should be a stud.

Here's my prediction...

QB: Troy Smith (senior)**
TB: Antonio Pittman (junior)*
FB: Stan White Jr. (senior)*
WR: Roy Hall (senior)
WR: Ted Ginn Jr. (junior)**
LT: Kirk Barton (junior)*
LG: Steve Rehring (sophomore)
C: Doug Datish (senior)*
RG: T.J. Downing (senior)*
RT: Alex Boone (sophomore)*
TE: Marcel Frost (junior)*
WR: Anthony Gonzalez (junior)*

DE: Lawrence Wilson (sophomore)
LT: Joel Penton (senior)
RT: Quinn Pitcock (senior)**
DE: David Patterson (senior)*
LB: Marcus Freeman (junior)
LB: Mike D'Andrea (senior)*
LB: James Laurinaitis (sophomore)
CB: Ashton Youboty (senior)**
CB: Malcolm Jenkins (sophomore)*
FS: Brandon Mitchell (senior)
SS: Donte Whitner (senior)**
Nickel: Jamario O'Neal (sophomore)


God that looks like a national championship team to me!!!

I put one * next to guys I think will have a really good shot at All-Big 10...and ** next to guys that I think could be All-Americans...tough chioces...i'd like to put *s next to everyone.
 
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what about cordle on O-line...i know there was talk about him being the C but do to his inexperience it my hold him back...but i thought he was doing very well for himself...does this mean that its C or wait till next year...also i'd like to see Todd Denlinger at DT...i think he has tremendous potential
 
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Although I have been called a South African homer by no less than LJB :biggrin: , Ryan Pretorius is a wild card.

South Africa's national hero and rugby world legend Naas Botha was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1980s but couldn't adjust to the different ball and eventually came back to South Africa after failing to crack the top two kickers.

It remains to be seen what Ryan Pretorius can do, but if he lives up to his rep here, then its business as usual for the kicking game at Ohio State! (Ryan, as jy hierdie boodskap lees, laat wel, ons steun vir jou, boet!)
 
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korchiki said:
what about cordle on O-line...i know there was talk about him being the C but do to his inexperience it my hold him back...but i thought he was doing very well for himself...does this mean that its C or wait till next year...
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I wouldn't be surprised to see Datish as the starting center and have Cordle as his backup to groom him. Keep in mind that Cordle redshirted this season, so as a reshirt freshman next season he could learn the trade under controlled game-time conditions and then be primed to take over in 2007 for three seasons.
 
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So ok look at the D-Line... We lose Greene/Kudla. However Patterson as a defensive tackle will be huge because of his quickness so losing Greene (very underrated) won't be that much of a hit. Infact I think we'll be stronger in the middle of the defense this year as opposed to last year. As for Mr. Kudla, who can replace him he was huge this year. However like I've said give Wilson/Richardson a off-season to train and get better and I honestly believe there will be some drop off but not a huge drop. Remember even though Richardson hasn't started much this year he's definatly got 3 years of playing time so he's seasoned.

In the Secondary- we lose both saftey's in Whitner/Salley. It would hurt really bad if none of our safties have playing time but thats not the case. Mitchell has started this year so I expect little drop off as far as him against Salley goes. Whitner hurts, and hopefully O'neal who is bigger and maybe a tad faster than Whitner can learn his position and step in. The only thing our safties need to do is just not give up the big plays. Nothing special just nothing dumb. Combine O'neal/Mitchell with Youboty/Jenkins and I believe we'll have a very good secondary. Probably just as good as this years, but if we had Whitner no doubt our back 4 would be the best in the Nation.

As for our linebackers- We lose them all which really sucks. However D'Andrea if he can stay healthy is more talented than Schlegal. I fully expect Freeman, and Laurinitus to round out the group.

So as a whole I honestly believe its going to be very hard to run straight up the middle in 06' but in the beginning we might be alittle suspectable on options and things like that. I think having both our corners coming back, and a starting saftey IMO (mitchell) I think our secondary is STILL probably the best in the big ten and maybe the nation. I can see us still stopping the run, but giving up the big play more than we did this year due to young talented players.
 
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I think we mustn't underestimate the value of our quickness on defense. Kudla run down Maroney was typical. Those very quick linebackers.

How do you guys who have been closer to the youngsters feel about their ability to show that speed?
 
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DId anyone else see Sportscenter this mourning? Both Lee Corso ank Kirk picked Ohio State to be second IF Vince Young comes back. If not.......you know what that means. They are also on the front page of espn.com.:osu:
 
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Ah....an outstanding offensive showing in a nationally televised, high-profile matchup with a mediocre defensive team, and now ESPN loves next year's team.

I appreciate the respect they are giving Smith, Ginn, and Pittman, but I'm going to hold out judgement on the '06 team until I see just how good the defense is at the beginning of the season.
 
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Bucky Katt said:
Ah....an outstanding offensive showing in a nationally televised, high-profile matchup with a mediocre defensive team, and now ESPN loves next year's team.

I appreciate the respect they are giving Smith, Ginn, and Pittman, but I'm going to hold out judgement on the '06 team until I see just how good the defense is at the beginning of the season.
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Couldnt have said it better myself. We have major questions to answer on defense before we cant start talking about a return trip to Tempe.
 
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Here's a hypothetical, let's say the defense does not gel and gives up a lot of points throughout the season, but the offense comes out firing all season and we simply outscore our opponents week after week while continuing to win with a bad defense, ala USC. Will OSU fans (myself included) continue to say defense wins championships, mock ourselves much like we do the Pac 10 for not playing any defense and bitch about the media favoring 41-38 games over 16-13 games or will will we simply change our tune to "it doesn't matter how many we give up, because we'll just outscore you?" Unfortunately I think we'll see the later from the majority of Buckeye fans.
 
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holybuckeye33 said:
Unfortunately I think we'll see the later from the majority of Buckeye fans.
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Unfortunately? I don't know about anyone else, but if this team has to rely more on high-scoring offense than defense to win next year, then I for one will root for them to outscore the opponents no matter how many points we give up. C'mon, are we defense fans or Buckeye fans here?

:osu:
 
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Mili, I think VY would be serious trouble for our D. However they lose a decent amount of their team. TE Thomas, their incredible OT's and DT's, Aaron Harris (their best LB), cedric griffin and michael huff, and Selvin Young (the last one is pretty replaceable IMO... tho he was the only one who knew how to hold onto the ball in oepn space in the RB).
Buckeye513 said:
I'm not very optimistic. Unless the offense opens up like they did in the Fiesta Bowl, which I think they can and will, 06 might just look like 04.
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I realize this is a common thing to think, but what exactly happened for half of 06? Everyone praised Tressel for the Iowa game, but it actually was very similar playcalling to the previous games, they just executed better.

Troy matured a ton and came into his own, Teddy started making plays (lets not talk about fielding kicks) as a WR, and Pittman was dominant. Factor in Mr. Wells if he can be an excellent #2 back, and Texas might have a lot to stop as well.
 
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