What to watch for on offense:The line. While the overall production wasn't bad, when push came to shove, last year's line got shoved. It got ripped apart this spring by the defensive line, but the OSU front four will probably be dominant against everyone. With three good starters returning, led by center Michael Brewster, and with the addition of former Michigan Wolverine, Justin Boren, to bring more of an attitude and a nastiness to the offensive front, the line should be better and should allow all the speedy skill players time and room to work.
What to watch for on defense:The rotation on the end. The pass rush was supposed to be unstoppable, even after losing Vernon Gholston, but it was only above average. This year, there are too many ends to get on the field at the same time. Thaddeus Gibson is a star who could grow into an All-America-caliber pass rusher, while Cameron Heyward is productive inside and out. Nathan Williams and Lawrence Wilson are just a few of the great options who'll be a part of the rotation. With good tackles in Doug Worthington and Dexter Larimore to eat things up on the inside, the ends should be free to blow into the backfield.
The team will be far better if ?the line gives Pryor more time. The Buckeye front five struggled in pass protection giving up 29 sacks on the year. While many came when Todd Boeckman, hardly a mobile option, was under center, it didn't do enough when Pryor took over, either. The coaching staff will play around with the tackles with Mike Adams getting the first look on the left side, while veteran Jim Cordle getting a shot at the right after starting most of last year at guard. Andrew Miller is a promising prospect who'll be a part of the equation. If Pryor gets time, the speedy receivers should be able to work deeper and the offense should be more balanced.
The Schedule: The last thing a team with new starting linebackers needs is to deal with Navy in the opener, and worse yet, everyone will be looking ahead to the showdown against USC. If the Buckeyes can pull off the win that could redefine and turn around the program, it should be smooth sailing until November when the trip to Penn State could turn out to be for the Big Ten title. The other three Big Ten road games are against Indiana, Purdue and Michigan; the three duds of last year. There aren't two road games in a row and playing USC is offset by non-conference dates against Toledo and New Mexico State. While OSU might still be the top dog in the conference, missing Michigan State is a major bonus. Not playing Northwestern isn't a positive.
Best Offensive Player: Sophomore QB Terrelle Pryor. He worked so much on his passing this offseason that he suffered tendonitis in his throwing arm. He's fine, and so are the legs that should make him a threat to 1,000 yards now that he'll be the pillar-to-post full-time starter. For the next three years, Pryor is the face of the franchise and the type of talent who can make a team of ultra-athletic playmakers better. Now the gloves will come off and he'll be able to throw the ball deeper to open things up a bit. If he's on as a passer, the offense will be devastating.
Best Defensive Player: Junior DE Thaddeus Gibson. The defense is full of very good, very sound players who won't come up with too much flash, but will make routine play after routine play. Gibson is the exception as the speed rusher who led the team in sacks last season and should dominate this year with a a good enough rest of the line to take the pressure off. While he's built like an outside linebacker, and will likely play there in the pros, he's tough enough to handle himself well on the end.
Key player to a successful season: Senior CB Andre Amos. Chimdi Chekwa is an all-conference caliber corner on one side, but Amos, Devon Torrence, or Travis Howard must take over on the other in place of Malcolm Jenkins. The safeties, Kurt Coleman and Anderson Russell, are decent veterans, but they're not elite playmakers against the pass, especially Russell. Amos is a 6-1, 183-pound talent who has the skills to be a shut-down corner, especially on a No. 2 receiver, but he has bad knees.
The season will be a success if ... the Buckeyes win a BCS game. They might not be good enough to be a USC team that's reloading, but still tremendous, but they can still be the star of the Big Ten and get to the Rose Bowl for the first time in the Jim Tressel era. Winning the Big Ten with a team that has to patch so many holes would be nice, but getting the bitter BCS taste out of the program's mouth would be truly sweet ... especially if it's against the Trojans.
Key game: Nov. 7 at Penn State. On a national scale, the home date is the most important game of the 2009 season outside of Oklahoma vs. Texas. It's gut-check time for each program with Ohio State needing a big win, especially on its own turf, to reestablish its national street cred and to make a statement in the national title chase. But beating Penn State in Happy Valley is more important for the more realistic goals of winning the Big Ten and getting to the Rose Bowl. Last year's 13-6 Nittany Lion win was a classic, and this year's battle should be for the Big Ten championship.
2008 Fun Stats:
- First quarter scoring: Ohio State 97 - Opponents 24
- Fourth down conversions: Opponents 11-of-18 (61%) - Ohio State 4-of-9 (44%)
- Rushing touchdowns over the last two years: Ohio State 42 - Opponents 10
Classic.
