2006 Pre-Season TOP 10??

[EdDantes22]

I was hard on USC, but I was hard on us for the same reason if you read my earlier post.

Wasn't picking on you specifically, or really even at all. Just using your post as a jumping-off point for my own ideas. I'm very optimistic about the upcoming season, but I also realize that we have a lot of questions to answer on defense, and that, inevitably, there will be a game--particularly early in the year, maybe Texas--where our young defense will show its youth and Troy & Co. will just have to outscore the opposition.

 

[TonyPiech]

Top 10?

Personally I like were they place us at #5. I'd rather not have us ranked #1 at pre-season. It will all change, hopefully for the better after our second game (Texas at Austin). The world will be watching that game. If we win and win impressively we move to #2 (at the lowest) or #1. We should stay there the rest of the season barring injuries to TS, TG, AP or CW.

I really like the fact that we play one top non-conference team early to set the table for the rest of the season. If win, we can run the table. If we lose, we have enough time to claw-back to get to maybe #2 at the end of the season, before the bowl games. :osu:

 

[High Lonesome]

I still have yet to figure out this logic...if your #1 to start and lose you wont drop as far...and in a year like 06 looks to be shapping up, the top ranked 1 loss team could have a shot at the MNC. I understand the underdog thing but in the bcs world we live in rankings matter, why wish them away?

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Personally I like were they place us at #5. I'd rather not have us ranked #1 at pre-season.

...

If we lose, we have enough time to claw-back to get to maybe #2 at the end of the season, before the bowl games. :osu:

Again, I just cannot figure out the mentally-challenged thought processes of those who want to start out the season ranked lower than what we can be.

Hey, Tony, don't you think it would be a lot easier to "claw-back" from #4 or #5 after losing at #1 than it would from #9 or #10 after losing at #5?

 

[EdDantes22]

Again, I just cannot figure out the mentally-challenged thought processes of those who want to start out the season ranked lower than what we can be.

Hey, Tony, don't you think it would be a lot easier to "claw-back" from #4 or #5 after losing at #1 than it would from #9 or #10 after losing at #5?

First of all, there's no way we should be ranked #1 preseason--which isn't to say I don't think we very well could be worthy of that ranking as quickly as 2 games into the year. However well we imagine our young defense is going to perform, we're all avid buckeye fans and our optimism isn't surprising; for the average college football fan, there's no way OSU should be #1 preseason in their minds after losing the top 9 tacklers from last year.

On the question of whether or not you'd WANT to be #1, I can see both arguments. Mili's right--in what promises to be a wide open season, a team with an early loss could rebound if it was ranked high enough at the beginning. It's feasible that we could lose to Texas and still make the NC game. However, being labeled the #1 team in the country may be a tough psychological burden for what will be a very young team. I wouldn't have worried about it with Hawk & Co., but it could go to the heads of our young and untested defense.

In the end, though, you have to welcome the #1 ranking and let Tressel take care of their mind set, as he has done so well and will continue to do.

 

[jwinslow]

Troy Smith is near/at the top of the Heisman list. Ginn will again get hyped as one of the top gamebreakers with Bush/Moss gone. "OSU owns the desert" will be repeated enough to sicken every other fanbase, as the NC is located there this year.

However you slice it, we will have way too much hype going into this season, whether we are 1 or 5. I understand there is a little more with the #1 position, but I see the problem existing either way and our coaches handling it. As a team, we are going to have a lot of chances to get big headed.

I think you make a good point about Hawk & co handling the pressure better, but I have a counterpoint. If Youboty and Whitner returned, our only unknown would have been FS where Mitchell could fill in nicely... and it would be easier to make a case for OSU at #1. With their departure, we have next to nothing left in terms of bragging rights on D. Our coaches will prepare our stellar defensive talent, but with so many unknowns I do not know that they have much to be cocky about on defense. Losing youboty/whitner is hardly a good thing, but I think it may keep us humble early in the season, which could be invaluable for handling a surprise like Texas' new QB performing admirably.

note: I am in the camp of our D performing above expectations next year... however we have nothing to brag about right now.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Nearly every team that is way up there in pre-season rankings have significant losses in personnel coming in...no one is really returning intact. Thus, I think we are just about as deserving as anyone else to be ranked #1 or #2. I'll take being ranked #1 in pre-season every time I can...

 

[OsUPhAn]

We should stay there the rest of the season barring injuries to TS, TG, AP or CW.

Am I reading this correctly that you are saying that an injury to a freshman (Chris Wells)who has never set foot on a college football field could cost us enough to stop being #1? Maybe I just am thinking of the wrong CW! If so, sorry. I love Chris Wells, and I cant wait to see what an impact he can have, but I am worried about this season if it is to hinge on the health of an unproven true frosh.

 

[High Lonesome]

Nearly every team that is way up there in pre-season rankings have significant losses in personnel coming in...no one is really returning intact. Thus, I think we are just about as deserving as anyone else to be ranked #1 or #2. I'll take being ranked #1 in pre-season every time I can...

amen

 

[JXC]

As far as the Texas game is concerned...i'd rather have an inexperienced defense than an inexperienced QB. Plus, most of our defense is going to have experience...just not that much. Patterson, Richardson, Pitcock, Wilson, Laurinaitis, D'Andrea, Mitchell, and Jenkins all have played a lot of MEANINGFUL snaps for the Buckeyes. And you've got guys like Freeman and Jam-o who are still real wet behind the ears, but everything is pointing to them being absolute studs.

If you look at our defense and say we only have 2 returning starters...then you aren't getting the real picture. There is pleanty of proven talent returning on defense. And our defense was really good last year, don't get me wrong. But how many games did we really need our defense? We were 1-2 in close games last year...our defense came through big in holding Michigan at the end last year, but other than that game, what other games would we likely had lost without that amazing defense? The only other game I can think of is maybe the Michigan State game...but I don't think we will see a worse half of football than that first half in a LONG LONG time.

 

[TonyPiech]

Chris Wells ?

Am I reading this correctly that you are saying that an injury to a freshman (Chris Wells)who has never set foot on a college football field could cost us enough to stop being #1? Maybe I just am thinking of the wrong CW! If so, sorry. I love Chris Wells, and I cant wait to see what an impact he can have, but I am worried about this season if it is to hinge on the health of an unproven true frosh.

I donno, I have to admit I didn't know much about Chris Wells until I saw the All Star game in San Antonio. But what I saw in that game; he was just flat-out impressive, reminded me so much of Jim Brown (on the football field). I recall several times this year when we couldn't punch it over for the extra yard or two to sustain a drive, or settle for a field-goal rather than a touchdown. Seeing Wells at that game, he's a man on the field playing with boys,.... I believe we'll see less field goals and more touchdowns, we'll see more sustained drives, etc. Please don't take this wrong, the offense was very good last year, just believe AP coupled with Chris will make our ground game unreal, take a ton of pressure off TS who will be able to do whatever he wants; to air-it-out or run. Just think that Chris will be the missing link to make a very good offense, outstanding.

 

[TonyPiech]

Pre-Season #1 to #5 ... Not much difference.

Again, I just cannot figure out the mentally-challenged thought processes of those who want to start out the season ranked lower than what we can be.

Hey, Tony, don't you think it would be a lot easier to "claw-back" from #4 or #5 after losing at #1 than it would from #9 or #10 after losing at #5?

I think it's somewhat immaterial if we're ranked anywhere in the Top 5 at pre-season; if we lose to Texas and win everthing else we have a good shot to be no lower than #2 at the end of the season.

I don't see any Super-Teams like USC in pre-seasons 2004/2005, this upcoming year; the exception being us. I we beat Texas, it's us. Because of personnel losses, outsiders don't think our defense will be as as good. It may not be, but it may not have to-be, because our offense will be better than last year.

 

[EdDantes22]

As far as the Texas game is concerned...i'd rather have an inexperienced defense than an inexperienced QB. Plus, most of our defense is going to have experience...just not that much. Patterson, Richardson, Pitcock, Wilson, Laurinaitis, D'Andrea, Mitchell, and Jenkins all have played a lot of MEANINGFUL snaps for the Buckeyes. And you've got guys like Freeman and Jam-o who are still real wet behind the ears, but everything is pointing to them being absolute studs.

If you look at our defense and say we only have 2 returning starters...then you aren't getting the real picture. There is pleanty of proven talent returning on defense. And our defense was really good last year, don't get me wrong. But how many games did we really need our defense? We were 1-2 in close games last year...our defense came through big in holding Michigan at the end last year, but other than that game, what other games would we likely had lost without that amazing defense? The only other game I can think of is maybe the Michigan State game...but I don't think we will see a worse half of football than that first half in a LONG LONG time.

I'm 100% positive that our defense will "reload" and be a typical OSU unit towards the end of the year. It will likely happen before that. But we'll all be watching with heightened curiousity at the beginning of the year because, despite what everyone says, we can't be sure what to expect.

As for those guys playing MEANINGFUL snaps... there's a big difference between starting and spelling the starters or filling in as a nickel back. Wilson and Jenkins look ready to start, I agree. But I have never been a big Brandon Mitchell fan; my guess is he continues to play the nickel this year because he's awful in run support. tOSU is consistently one of the best tackling teams in the country, and if you don't tackle, you don't play. Pitcock is a stud and I've said as much. Our D-line should be improved from last year, if anything.

Oh, and there is a team from last year who returns almost everyone. West Virginia. Do I think they're a better team than tOSU? No chance. Do I think they have a better chance of going undefeated than we do, considering the schedules and the general disparity between the Big Ten and the mid-major conference known as the Big East? Definitely.

 

[JXC]

I'm 100% positive that our defense will "reload" and be a typical OSU unit towards the end of the year. It will likely happen before that. But we'll all be watching with heightened curiousity at the beginning of the year because, despite what everyone says, we can't be sure what to expect.

As for those guys playing MEANINGFUL snaps... there's a big difference between starting and spelling the starters or filling in as a nickel back. Wilson and Jenkins look ready to start, I agree. But I have never been a big Brandon Mitchell fan; my guess is he continues to play the nickel this year because he's awful in run support. tOSU is consistently one of the best tackling teams in the country, and if you don't tackle, you don't play. Pitcock is a stud and I've said as much. Our D-line should be improved from last year, if anything.

Oh, and there is a team from last year who returns almost everyone. West Virginia. Do I think they're a better team than tOSU? No chance. Do I think they have a better chance of going undefeated than we do, considering the schedules and the general disparity between the Big Ten and the mid-major conference known as the Big East? Definitely.

Why do people consistantly think that just because you play an easy schedule and return a lot of people that you are going to have a great season??? West Virgina will lose at least 3 games.

It is like Louisville and Purdue this year...everybody was ready to send them to undefeated seasons because of their schedule. Having games at home is a plus...but playing strong opponents I think actually helps, not hurts your chances of getting to the NC.

 

[EdDantes22]

Why do people consistantly think that just because you play an easy schedule and return a lot of people that you are going to have a great season??? West Virgina will lose at least 3 games.

It is like Louisville and Purdue this year...everybody was ready to send them to undefeated seasons because of their schedule. Having games at home is a plus...but playing strong opponents I think actually helps, not hurts your chances of getting to the NC.

It helps when you return almost everyone from a 1-loss team that beat a top-flight SEC opponent in a BCS game the year before.

Purdue may have lucked out a bit with their Big Ten schedule, but they still play in the Big Ten, a consistently tougher conference than the Big East, no matter who you play or don't in any given year.

I'd say who a team returns and their schedule is the best indication we have of how good they're going to be. Preseason speculation is just that--speculation. But how do you think we should go about it? A team with tons of returning starters obviously has an advantage over a team who graduated most of their's; a team with a favorable schedule has a clear advantage over a team with a tougher one. A tough schedule may prepare you better, but that doesn't mean anything if you drop two games, like OSU did last year, and don't get to the NC game in the first place.