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I may be in the minority, but I think he’d fail miserably. And that’s not a knock on him. He’s the classic underdog coach, the scrappy dude who teaches heart and toughness and fundamentals to a willing audience of low to mid prospects who are likely good enough to compete with the big boys but are eager to do anything to prove it. And if he has a 3-9 clunker in there once in a while, well...no biggie.
At a giant super south program, everything is different. He would be expected to recruit higher than he does, and then try and teach those kids who don’t want to listen to him and don’t give a shit about his DPOY Awards before they were born. They want to jump aboard the NFL train at all costs...he can offer a degree from a premier institution right now.
Basically, he’s right where he needs to be, and I think he knows it better than anyone.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Big Ten Championship Game: No. 14 Northwestern vs. No. 4 Ohio State
Kickoff: Saturday, Dec. 19 at 12 p.m. ET
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
TV: FOX
Spread: Ohio State –20.5
When Northwestern Has the Ball
If Northwestern is going to find a way to pull off the monumental upset, it may have to rely on the defense to create some opportunities. Northwestern's offensive numbers won't impress much, as they rank 12th in the Big Ten in total yards per game. But the addition of quarterback Peyton Ramsey from Indiana plugged one of the biggest holes in the team from a year ago. Ramsey has completed just 59 percent of his pass attempts for 1,218 yards and nine touchdowns with six interceptions. Northwestern won't ask Ramsey to do anything out of the ordinary and may rely on him to manage the offense with some solid, time-consuming possessions.
Ramsey should be under a good amount of pressure. Ohio State may have only played five games this season, but that was enough to record more sacks this season than eight other Big Ten programs did in six or seven games. Tommy Togiai leads the Buckeyes with three sacks.
When Ohio State Has the Ball
To say Ohio State is loaded with talent on offense is a bit of an understatement. Quarterback Justin Fields was named the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the year this week, but he also has the luxury of playing behind one of the best lines in the conference. Wyatt Davis was named the Big Ten's offensive lineman of the year, and center Josh Myers and tackle Thayer Munford joined him as first-team All-Big Ten honorees. Tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere landed on the second team.
The Buckeyes also have the Big Ten's best 1-2 combo at wide receiver with Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson each receiving first-team honors from the Big Ten coaches and second-team from the media.
Northwestern will have a solid linebacker unit for the Buckeyes to focus on. Paddy Fisher and Blake Gallagher are among the Big Ten's leaders in tackles this season, each with 65 in seven games. Chris Bergin added another 58 to the pile.
Final Analysis
If there is one thing to expect from Northwestern, it will be a good defensive effort to slow down the Buckeyes. And it may even work for a while. But ultimately, as was the case two years ago, Ohio State's talent will create some big plays at some point. When they do, the floodgates will be open for the Buckeyes, who know they could benefit from style points at the expense of the Wildcats. Ohio State makes their point(s) and leaves the decision up to the College Football Playoff selection committee.
Prediction: Ohio State 40, Northwestern 17
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
After going just 3-9 last season, Northwestern is 6-1 and in the Big Ten Championship Game for the second time in three years. What’s made the biggest difference from last year to this year?
Assimakopoulos: The biggest difference has been the improvement of Northwestern’s offense. While the offense currently just ranks 99th nationwide in SP+, that is a significant improvement from last season in which it finished almost dead last in efficiency in the nation. NU’s quarterback play in 2019 was inconsistent and abysmal with no clear leader under center and six different players taking snaps.
Now, Northwestern has finally found the consistency it longed for last season in Indiana graduate transfer QB Peyton Ramsey. In his first season in Evanston, Ramsey has proven to be a level-headed, game-controlling quarterback. While he’s not known for his flashy play like Justin Fields, he has gotten the job done and helped his team win six of its seven games this season — a major improvement from last year.
Additionally, Northwestern fired last year’s offensive coordinator Mick McCall and brought in Mike Bajakian from Boston College, who has helped revive the offense, particularly the receivers and tight ends, who had an off year last season. While there is certainly a lot of room for improvement for Northwestern, its defense has been strong year after year and the offensive changes have allowed us to see that 2019 was a fluke and that Pat Fitzgerald was right at the end of last season when he predicted his team would be back in Indianapolis one year later.
Northwestern is currently ranked second in the nation with only 14.6 points allowed per game. What have the Wildcats done so well to keep opponents out of the end zone, and how do you think they’ll fare against Justin Fields and Ohio State’s offense?
Assimakopoulos: Northwestern’s defense has been consistent year in and year out and is the lifeblood of the team. The offense has been consistently average this season and in the past, but the defense currently ranks second in the nation in efficiency. As the team has said time and time again, that starts and ends with defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz, who is currently in his 51st season as a coach and set to retire this offseason. He’s one of the best DCs in the game and has transformed a group of three-stars into one of the top defenses in the conference and the nation.
As for the players, the linebackers have consistently been the core of NU’s defense. Paddy Fisher, Blake Gallagher and Chris Bergin are the three senior starters who have played together for years now and been incredibly reliable since they first set foot on campus. The defensive linemen have also showed significant improvement throughout the season, despite losing a few key contributors in the offseason, and have held their own against dynamic quarterbacks. But most importantly, Northwestern’s secondary has been standout this season with Greg Newsome at cornerback and redshirt first year Brandon Joseph at safety, who leads the nation in interceptions. Obviously, they will have a very tall task with Fields and the Buckeye receivers, but this defense is more capable than the 2018 defense and has a shot at giving OSU a run for its money.
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This game is not getting cancelled unless the B1G outright makes them.
Which im guessing would be if Ohio State legit did not have enough players to properly play
Which im guessing would be if Ohio State legit did not have enough players to properly play
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Don Muenz
Kill the blow. Let the devil sort them out.
At this point, I just don't know what to say.
IF we play on Saturday, this could be a whole lot closer than people think.
Aw, hell, who knows when we don't have a clue about who is out.
This is a dead-skunk-in-the-middle-of-the-road season, to be sure.
IF we play on Saturday, this could be a whole lot closer than people think.
Aw, hell, who knows when we don't have a clue about who is out.
This is a dead-skunk-in-the-middle-of-the-road season, to be sure.
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bukIpower
Head Coach
If we play we will win... I'm confident in our depth.At this point, I just don't know what to say.
IF we play on Saturday, this could be a whole lot closer than people think.
Aw, hell, who knows when we don't have a clue about who is out.
This is a dead-skunk-in-the-middle-of-the-road season, to be sure.
Then its just up to our inept league to allow our kids to come back in time for the first round.
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