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2008 Buckeye Football Season

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CPD

BCS defeat should offer OSU, Tressel ways to improve in 2008

OSU may ponder schedules, strategies
Wednesday, January 09, 2008Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter
New Orleans- Jim Tressel enjoys teaching moments.
Since he took off for a coaching convention in California, switching to an earlier flight as reporters attempted to track him down at a team breakfast Tuesday morning, we'll do the learning for him.
The five lessons from Ohio State's 38-24 BCS National Championship loss to LSU.




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Team to beat: Ohio State. Yes, we suffered through the last two BCS title games just like you. But we can?t get away from this idea that the third time will be the charm. It just doesn?t seem fair that a team that has gotten this far in the past two seasons returns 19 of 22 starters.If defensive end Vernon Gholston, linebacker James Laurinaitis and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins take LSU?s 38 points in the championship game as a personal slap in the face and forgo the upcoming NFL Draft, the Buckeye defense could actually be good enough next season to stand up to a SEC team.

Offensively, you?d be hard pressed to find a returning group better than quarterback Todd Boeckman, tailback Chris ?Beanie? Wells and wide receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline.

In addition, the Buckeyes have another schedule that?s tailor-made for BCS success. Yes, it?s time to roll your eyes. Although they will participate in a titanic showdown at USC, the rest of the non-conference slate includes Youngstown State, Ohio and Troy. And in league play, Ohio State gets Penn State and Michigan at home.
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Opinion: Third title game will be charm for Buckeyes - College football - MSNBC.com
 
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starBUCKS;1060473; said:
Norm Chowesque Elements. These other teams are not more talented than us. It all comes down to play calling and execution. Of course penalties don't help... but, that's yesterday's news. Some of those unbalnced lines and trickery getting the tight end involved last night were awesome by Crowton. He caught the #1 defense in the country with their pants down on those. Sure we had a few untraditional plays, but not enough in the aresnal IMO. I'm not suggesting switching to the Spread or West Coast Offense... just, 20% more sizzle.
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Bingo !

JT should ball up the ole sweater vest in the corner until fall. Maybe in that time it can develop a few more wrinkles.
 
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Dispatch

Ohio State football
Buckeyes already focused on horizon

Thursday, January 10, 2008 3:24 AM
By Tim May


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
NEW ORLEANS -- Sept. 13 was going to be circled on the calendar for the 2008 Ohio State football team anyway. Now it has a blinking neon sign above it, "Crucial game! Crucial game!" If the Buckeyes are to crawl out of the abyss in which they find themselves after a second straight loss to a Southeastern Conference team in the national championship game,the first step will have to be taken that day in a game against Southern California.
"If we can get a win there, we're going to turn some heads," sophomore safety Kurt Coleman said after a 38-24 loss to LSU on Monday night. "People probably aren't going to give us a shot out there, but we're a great team, and we have a lot of people coming back."
On paper at this moment, at least, Ohio State could return more starters than any other team in the top five of the final Associated Press poll. Only three starters -- right tackle Kirk Barton, fullback Dionte Johnson and linebacker Larry Grant -- were seniors.
But Butkus Award-winning linebacker James Laurinaitis, defensive end Vernon Gholston, cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, left tackle Alex Boone and receiver Brian Robiskie are among several starting juniors considering leaving early for the NFL.

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Link

OSU's prospects bright no matter who stays
By John Spencer



James Laurinaitis slowly peeled off his uniform, maybe to keep the nasty-looking welts on his back from screaming. Or was it because he knew it was his final moment in an Ohio State jersey? When asked after making 18 tackles in Monday night's 38-24 BCS title game loss to LSU if he would become another statistic in the almost annual exodus of OSU juniors to the NFL, Laurinaitis gave a weary sigh

I put all my stress and worry into stopping LSU," he said. "I've got a week to think about it with my family. Right now I'm trying to have some pride in the season we had. We had a good season. We should be proud of being the outright Big Ten champion." With or without Laurinaitis and a handful of other juniors contemplating an early departure, the Buckeyes should be favored to win a fourth straight Big Ten title in 2008. Depending on the outcome of a Sept. 13 showdown at USC, they also could contend for a third straight berth in the national championship game.

Continued......
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With Boone coming back and indications that Laurinaitis might do likewise OSU has to be looking at something unprecedented in terms of returning players.

Granted, we are losing the entire three deep at FB. But this is a position that may be on the field less than 25% of the time.

We lose one OL. A big loss, no doubt. But in formations that do not include the FB he and FWO Dye are the ONLY losses from the entire two deep.

As for the D -

We are losing one of 10 DL. If Laurinaitis stays one of 9 LBs. And incredibly none of our 16 DBs.

We had two senior LBs at the start of the season and even one of those is coming back due to injury.

And there are rumors we may be losing our kicker - in which case we must revert to the starter from two years ago.

Certainly there will be transfers. But none are anticipated from among those who regularly see the field.

In a sport where Senior leadership is valued so highly we NEVER had more than one senior scholarship senior on the field on D at any time this season. On O we NEVER had more than two.

Factor that in to next year's projections.
 
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Oh8ch;1065112; said:
With Boone coming back and indications that Laurinaitis might do likewise OSU has to be looking at something unprecedented in terms of returning players.

Granted, we are losing the entire three deep at FB. But this is a position that may be on the field less than 25% of the time.

We lose one OL. A big loss, no doubt. But in formations that do not include the FB he and FWO Dye are the ONLY losses from the entire two deep.

As for the D -

We are losing one of 10 DL. If Laurinaitis stays one of 9 LBs. And incredibly none of our 16 DBs.

We had two senior LBs at the start of the season and even one of those is coming back due to injury.

And there are rumors we may be losing our kicker - in which case we must revert to the starter from two years ago.

Certainly there will be transfers. But none are anticipated from among those who regularly see the field.

In a sport where Senior leadership is valued so highly we NEVER had more than one senior scholarship senior on the field on D at any time this season. On O we NEVER had more than two.

Factor that in to next year's projections.
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Bingo!

I am starting to get a vibe from this team that something magical is going to happen in 2008. Come on James L. one more year in Columbus will make you a legend, how about it? :wink2:

Senior leadership is the key.
 
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I looked through and didnt see this here yet. If its a repost I apologise

The way too early ESPN look at the 08 season

(#6) The Buckeyes will have all the pieces in place for yet another run at the BCS title game, especially if All-American linebacker James Laurinaitis returns for his senior season. Tailback Beanie Wells is the Buckeyes' next superstar, and receivers Brian Hartline and Brian Robiskie are both coming back. Quarterback Todd Boeckman has to continue to improve throwing the football, and right tackle Kirk Barton will be a big loss. The defense could be even better in 2008, with end Lawrence Wilson coming back from a broken leg and promising rising sophomore Cameron Heyward adding weight and getting stronger. The Buckeyes travel to USC on Sept. 13 and play Big Ten road games at Wisconsin, Michigan State and Illinois.
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ESPN - Georgia takes top spot in early look at 2008's Top 25 - College Football
 
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RhodeIslandBuck;1060283; said:
My true feelings about 08......
- Gholston will be the only player to leave early
- Boeckman will be the starter at QB......ALL YEAR
- We will have the number one ranked defense in the country for a second straight yearand win decisively over the Trojans
- The Michigan game will be closer than most think but the Buckeyes will pull it off and finish undefeated with a third straight outright Big Ten title
- The Buckeyes will meet another SEC team in Georgia in the BCS National Championship Game
- Beanie will take a nice little trip to New York to cap off his final season with Ohio State
- We will go into the coliseum on sep. 13
- Devier Posey, Mike Adams, and Lamaar Thomas will make the most impact out of all the incoming freshmen
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:biggrin:
 
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RhodeIslandBuck;1060283; said:
My true feelings about 08......
- Gholston will be the only player to leave early
- Boeckman will be the starter at QB......ALL YEAR
- We will have the number one ranked defense in the country for a second straight yearand win decisively over the Trojans
- The Michigan game will be closer than most think but the Buckeyes will pull it off and finish undefeated with a third straight outright Big Ten title
- The Buckeyes will meet another SEC team in Georgia in the BCS National Championship Game
- Beanie will take a nice little trip to New York to cap off his final season with Ohio State
- We will go into the coliseum on sep. 13
- Devier Posey, Mike Adams, and Lamaar Thomas will make the most impact out of all the incoming freshmen
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Now you're talkin' crazy. :p
 
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