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CFN preview of tOSU

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BB73

BB73

Loves Buckeye History
Staff member
Bookie
'16 & '17 Upset Contest Winner
Here is the CFN preview.

Unit ratings:
QB - 7
RB - 8
WR - 7.5
OL - 9
DL - 7.5
LB - 9
DB - 7.5
Special teams - 8.5

cfn.ohio.state.preview

Ohio State won't get much national respect after getting blown out in the BCS Championship game and with so many big personnel losses, but Jim Laurinaitis leads a strong defense that could lead the way to another Big Ten title.

After the brutally awful 59 minutes of football that followed Ted Ginn?s kickoff return for a score in the BCS Championship Game, Ohio State has to quickly pick up the pieces of its shattered reputation and get right back in the national title race. Despite massive personnel losses on offense, this team can do thatDon?t believe the myth that the Buckeyes aren?t fast, just because Florida played faster.

Don?t believe the myth that Jim Tressel and his staff now can?t coach in the big game compared to the new breed of stars like Urban Meyer. Don?t believe the myth that OSU can?t play with SEC teams (although the record against the league would suggest otherwise). And don?t believe the myth that OSU is a dead-team-walking after losing Ginn, Antonio Pittman, Anthony Gonzalez, Heisman winner Troy Smith, and six starters on the defense.

This is Ohio State. Like last year on defense, superstars will take over for superstars.

Cont'd ...
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cfn.ohio.state.offense


What you need to know: [SIZE=-1]You don't get better after losing Ted Ginn, Anthony Gonzalez, Antonio Pittman, and, oh yeah, some quarterback who won a Heisman and owned Michigan. While many will predict doom and gloom, the offense might crank out close to as many yards as last year when it was 26th in the nation as long as Chris Wells holds up and becomes the running back everyone's expecting him to be, and new starting quarterback Todd Boeckman is merely above average. The receiving corps is talented, but untested, while there's plenty of reason to be excited about a line that'll field one of the best starting fives in the nation. Tackles Alex Boone and Kirk Barton and guard Steve Rehring will be first day draft picks. Welcome back to Tressel ball with more running and fewer shots taken down the field.[/SIZE]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Returning Leaders[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Passing: Todd Boeckman[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]2-3, 19 yds[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Rushing: Chris Wells[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]104 carries, 576 yds, 7 TD[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Receiving: [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Brian Robiskie[/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Arial, Helvetica]29 catches, 383 yds, 5 TD[/FONT][/SIZE]​

[SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Star of the offense: Junior OT Alex Boone & Senior OT Kirk Barton[/FONT][/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Player that has to step up and become a star: Junior QB Todd Boeckman[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore C Jim Cordle[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Best pro prospect: Boone[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Top three all-star candidates: 1) Boone, 2) Barton, 3) OG Steve Rehring[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Strength of the offense: Tackles, running back[/FONT][/SIZE]​
[SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Weakness of the offense: [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Proven receivers, proven quarterback[/SIZE]

Cont'd ...
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cfn.ohio.state.defense


What you need to know: A question mark last year thanks to a ton of turnover, the defense reloaded and should be fantastic as long as the tackles and safeties shine and a second corner emerges on the other side of Malcolm Jenkins. There are stars to build around, with Jenkins, LB James Laurinaitis and end Vernon Gholston among the best in the country, while there are emerging stars, as always around OSU, in like linebackers Larry Grant and Ross Homan and end Lawrence Wilson. Don't expect too many bells and whistles; this D will beat teams by simply being far more athletic.

Returning Leaders
Tackles: James Laurinaitis, 115
Sacks: Vernon Gholston, 8.5​
Interceptions: James Laurinaitis, 5

[SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Star of the defense: Junior LB James Laurinaitis[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Player that has to step up and become a star: Sophomore DTs Todd Denlinger and Doug Worthington[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]​

[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Unsung star on the rise: Junior DE Lawrence Wilson[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Best pro prospect: Junior CB Malcolm Jenkins[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Top three all-star candidates: 1) Laruinaitis, 2) Jenkins, 3) LB Marcus Freeman[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Strength of the defense: Linebackers, NFL measurables across the board[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]​
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Weakness of the defense: [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE]Sure-thing tackles and safeties​




Cont'd ...​

​
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That is an excellent breakdown!
And it addresses the primary problem this year of perception.
But, this team will use the "no respect card" as motivation to play with a fire in it's belly.
Tressel teams historically play better with the "no respect" angle. :biggrin:
Watch out!
 
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Points allowed vs. Michigan and Florida: 80; Points allowed vs. the other 11 opponents: 86
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This made me cringe. To think... we lost by more points in 2006 than we did in 2005.

2005:
Texas - 3
Penn State - 7
Net: 10

2006:
Florida - 27
Net: 27

Just looking at points only, we were closer to a national title in 2005 than in 2006. Proving the critics wrong after the NC game debacle should be more than enough motivation entering into the 2007 season.

I really liked all the "THE Ohio State University" references in that article though.
 
Upvote 0
Not too bad. One thing I did find puzzling was the lack of any mention of Anderson Russell. They don't even have him in the two deep. I know he was held out of spring ball but you'd think CFN would dig a little deeper for their preview articles. I find this especially unusual considering he was on their Red-shirt freshman all-american team after the 2005 season, so it's not like they've never heard of him.
 
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I didn't realize how well our schedule was set up for this year, Boeckman should be in fine form by the end of October and give us a fine chance of pulling off some "upsets" against psu, whisky, and scum...this just made me even more excited for football season:biggrin:
 
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They totally screw up the safety position. No mention of Russell at all. Patterson starting? Can't believe that. I'd believe Russell and Coleman before O'Neal and Patterson.

They need to remove Underwood from the 2-deep.

Hartline will get the reps in 2-WR sets before Small.
 
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MililaniBuckeye;877145; said:
Road games at Washington, Penn State, and Michigan don't make for an easy schedule...
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He didn't say it was easy, he said that it was set up well. Considering our first road game and only BCS OOC opponent is against a below average Washington team and we don't play PSU, Wiscy or SCUM until 3 of the final four weeks of the season I would agree that the schedule sets up nicely. I could think of a lot worse road openers and not playing the "big 3" until late in the year can only be a good thing for our offense which I think will need some time to gel. Hopefully I'm wrong and they come out of the gate firing...we'll have to wait and see.

t_BuckeyeScott;877215; said:
They must have changed it.. Russell is mentioned when I read it.
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I'm sure they got about 10,000 emails this morning on the subject. It looks like a throw together paragraph to me. If he's likely to be starting if healthy and everything we've heard indicates he is, then why not list him as such?
 
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holybuckeye33;877219; said:
He didn't say it was easy, he said that it was set up well.
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When talking about schedules, I think most folks would agree that "set up well" implies "easy", at least comparatively easy. Playing Washington, Penn State, and Michigan at home, instead of on the road, would be be "set up well"...
 
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