2011 tOSU Football Discussion

[buxfan4life]

I propose we start using the 'inko cinco'.

:p

 

[Buckeye86]

Spring Game: Players to Watch on Defense
TheBuckeyeBattleCry.com

The Buckeyes have to reload on defense more in 2011 than any year since 2006. If you remember back, the 2006 defense had to replace all time great A.J. Hawk amongst many others. The task was daunting, but players like James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins quickly emerged as the next great Buckeye defenders. A defense full of newcomers helped lead the team to a perfect regular season and a trip to the national title game.

Will Etienne Sabino be the next Laurinatis? Will Travis Howard be the next Jenkins? If anything, the players this season have more experience under their collective belts than the 2006 group did, which bodes well for the silver bullets.
...
12. John Simon and Nathan Williams
...
11. Storm Klein and Dorian Bell
...
10. Christian Bryant
...
continued...

 

[Buckskin86]

Battle Royale: Potential replacements must prove they?re the right candidate
By Michael Periatt
[email protected]
Published: Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Saturday's spring scrimmage might mean spring practices are coming to an end, but a number of position battles are just starting to heat up. Because of graduation and suspensions, at least 14 of 22 starters from last season won't be on the field come the opening game of the season against Akron. The spring scrimmage is the players' last chance to make a positive impression on the coaches before summer practice. Here's a look at the top position battles to watch Saturday.

Cont..

http://www.thelantern.com/sports/ba...t-prove-they-re-the-right-candidate-1.2186099

 

[OSUK]

Looks like you deny the reality that Ohio State is still better than 95% of the college football teams out there, even without the Tat5...

I love Ohio State football regardless of whether they lose or win.

Ohio State has been a top 10 program under Tressel, possibly a top 5 program over his tenure.

Reality: none of that has anything to do with how the 2011 team will do with the circumstances they are faced with - which are unique to this team, this year.

And if you believe you can take the #1 QB, LT, RB, and WR off an offense and they will be a top 5 offensive team and then re-integrate them seamlesssly without any problems... I think there's a diagnosis for that.

 

[buckeyboy]

I love Ohio State football regardless of whether they lose or win.

Ohio State has been a top 10 program under Tressel, possibly a top 5 program over his tenure.

Reality: none of that has anything to do with how the 2011 team will do with the circumstances they are faced with - which are unique to this team, this year.

And if you believe you can take the #1 QB, LT, RB, and WR off an offense and they will be a top 5 offensive team and then re-integrate them seamlesssly without any problems... I think there's a diagnosis for that.

I'm not sure many people are saying the offense is going to be a "top five" as you state. There will likely be a drop-off in the first five games but there is enough talent on this team to expect four wins in those five games. That is not being unrealistic in my opinion.

 

[OSUK]

Pessimism /= Reality

Pessimism or optimism can be a legitimate response to a set of circumstances.

Optimism that doesn't account for the difficulties, or persists despite them, isn't realistic.

If they lose one or two of those first 5 games, or lose a game or two due to the transition with the suspended guys coming back, then I will be interested to see who is declaring the sky is falling. Most of them will be those promoting optimism in April.

I'm not that down on them. I just think they are in unchartered territory and no one knows how this is going to play out. As opposed to last year when we knew they had to win vs. Miami, @ Wisconsin, and avoid an upset such as could have happened at Illinois. There are too many variables and unknowns out there to warrant "Yeah, we are going to run the table and play for the NC." That's all I am saying.

 

[OSUK]

I'm not sure many people are saying the offense is going to be a "top five" as you state. There will likely be a drop-off in the first five games but there is enough talent on this team to expect four wins in those five games. That is not being unrealistic in my opinion.

No doubt there's enough talent, and it could happen. I think ESPN has OSU in the bottom half of their top 10, so there are people who think they have the ability to navigate the difficulties that are ahead. I think they can do it too. Just saying that in a "normal" year every team has some degree of trouble replacing players, finding their identity, and developing chemistry. Think about having to do that for 5 games, and then doing it again for games 6-12. OSU hasn't faced anything like that in my memory. There will be problems.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

And if you believe you can take the #1 QB, LT, RB, and WR off an offense and they will be a top 5 offensive team and then re-integrate them seamlesssly without any problems... I think there's a diagnosis for that.

I've got a diagnosis for you: "reading comprehension". Where did I, or anyone else, say anything along the line of what you just said?

 

[BUCKYLE]

I love Ohio State football regardless of whether they lose or win.

Ohio State has been a top 10 program under Tressel, possibly a top 5 program over his tenure.

Reality: none of that has anything to do with how the 2011 team will do with the circumstances they are faced with - which are unique to this team, this year.

And if you believe you can take the #1 QB, LT, RB, and WR off an offense and they will be a top 5 offensive team and then re-integrate them seamlesssly without any problems... I think there's a diagnosis for that.

We haven't had a motherfucking top five offense. That's it. We haven't.

Still say they'll win first six. Wanna lay some vcash on it?

 

[OSUK]

I've got a diagnosis for you: "reading comprehension". Where did I, or anyone else, say anything along the line of what you just said?

To answer your question: There is a ton of optimism in this thread that doesn't seem to account for the situation as it seems to be. A page or so back you will read that OSU is better than 95% of CFB programs, and using my poor reading comprehension skills, the implication was that the difficulties posed by the head coach and 4 offensive starters aren't really any reason for concern, pessimism, etc. I disagree. Hope I'm wrong.

It'll be great if they go 5-0, and those suspendees come back and there isn't the slightest bump in the road.

I guess realism is a lot like beauty.

 

[jwinslow]

A page or so back you will read that OSU is better than 95% of CFB programs

It is.

and using my poor reading comprehension skills, the implication was that the difficulties posed by the head coach and 4 offensive starters aren't really any reason for concern, pessimism, etc. I disagree. Hope I'm wrong.

Holy backpedal batman. That's not even close to the same thing.

Your callout was claiming people said OSU would be a top-5 offensive team without those players. That statement is not even close to the one you're making now.

OSU is better than 95% of programs, and rarely does that hinge on elite offensive performance.

Most people in the page before your post claimed it would light a fire under the team. It will. Whether they will go undefeated is debatable.

 

[jwinslow]

We haven't had a motherfucking top five offense. That's it. We haven't.

Yup.

#20 - 2010
#68 - 2009
#76 - 2008
#62 - 2007
#26 - 2006
#32 - 2005
#98 - 2004
#93 - 2003
#70 - 2002


And the best offense was 2006 (stat-wise 3 are close, eyeball test = 06), and that team would lose in a bowl matchup vs OSU 02, 03, 05, 09, 10.

 

[Buckeneye]

#70 - 2002

Never saw that one coming.

 

[Buckeye86]

Never saw that one coming.

Really? There was a reason a true freshman started immediately at RB and the games were always down to the wire.

Thank god for that defense.

 

[Buckeneye]

Really? There was a reason a true freshman started immediately at RB and the games were always down to the wire.

Thank god for that defense.

Forgot that damn sarcasm font I guess.... ?


But yes, thank god for that defense.