Fall Practice 2006

[Taosman]

I remember seeing Kerr at Indiana and he looked plenty quick, then!
He was a tackling machine.
And it doesn't have to be the middle backer making the calls, does it?

 

[Best Buckeye]

Linebackers

Kerr was freshman of the year even. JT is probably searching for the best mix.

Anyone else notice the lack of Mike D's name in there. Thats not good for Mike.

 

[txbuckeye1983]

Kerr was freshman of the year even. JT is probably searching for the best mix.

Anyone else notice the lack of Mike D's name in there. Thats not good for Mike.

If Mike D is playing injury free this year, I'm sure his name will be in the two-deep. sadly, after reading the BN article, he may not be playing at all, which hurts our depth a little, but certainly not the quality of players we have at linebacker.
.

 

[HineyBuck]

Count me among those semi-stunned by this latest announcement. Laurinaitis to the middle is one I did not see coming. As Mili points out, it may not be permanent. But it was significant enough to change the depth chart.

The one that really surprises is Tyler Moeller in the two-deep. He does seem small (and I had the impression, somewhat slow). But he is obviously impressing the coaches. Kid must be a gamer. Makes the future seem even brighter.
:osu:

 

[tedginn05]

And it doesn't have to be the middle backer making the calls, does it?

No

 

[RB07OSU]

Count me among those semi-stunned by this latest announcement. Laurinaitis to the middle is one I did not see coming. As Mili points out, it may not be permanent. But it was significant enough to change the depth chart.

The one that really surprises is Tyler Moeller in the two-deep. He does seem small (and I had the impression, somewhat slow). But he is obviously impressing the coaches. Kid must be a gamer. Makes the future seem even brighter.
:osu:

That is impressive by Moeller but isn't Homan sitting out this week with an injury? Not to take anything away from Moeller but I'm pretty sure I read in one of the threads that Homan is out for about a week.

 

[Buckeye86]

That is impressive by Moeller but isn't Homan sitting out this week with an injury? Not to take anything away from Moeller but I'm pretty sure I read in one of the threads that Homan is out for about a week.

Yeah, he's been out with a bad hamstring.

 

[osugrad21]

OZone

Football Jersey Scrimmage for More Than Bragging Rights By John Porentas ​

The annual fall jersey scrimmage takes place in Ohio Stadium on Saturday, pitting the OSU offense against the OSU defense. A complex scoring system awards the defense points for three-and-outs, turnovers, etc. The offense scores in the regular ways. The winner earns the right to wear the Scarlet jerseys at practice, a privilege the players take seriously. Currently, the defense is wearing the scarlet jerseys, but the offense wants them back.​

"We're wearing the white jerseys right now. I am so sick and tired of those jerseys I want those scarlet jerseys back," said wide receiver Roy Hall.​

<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="50"> <caption align="bottom"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Antonio Pittman [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
Photo by Jim Davidson [/FONT] </caption> <tbody><tr> <td>

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"That's going to be big," said junior tailback Antonio Pittman of the jersey scrimmage.​

"I haven't been in a white jersey since I've gotten here that spring of my freshman year. To get them back is huge," Pittman said.​

Pride will be on the line on Saturday, but there will be a more important item on the line as well...playing time in 2006.​

"The jersey scrimmage is a big part of camp. It's a game situation where players can show what they can do. They make a lot of decisions after that scrimmage," said offensive lineman Tim Schafer.​

OSU offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Jim Bollman indicated this week that the jersey scrimmage will probably determine who wins the starting left guard spot on the offense. Over on the defense, where the Buckeyes must replace nine starters, the OSU coaching staff will also use the jersey scrimmage as kind of a final exam for the various candidates for starting and backup roles over on the defense.​

"We put them out there and try to treat it like its a game," said linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell.​

"We're not going to be out there on the field with them, hollering and coaching between each and every play.​

"It's time to go out there and show that you know what you're doing and see if you perform.​

"That's the way we take it and that's the way we evaluate it."​

The key word is evaluate, because the OSU coaching staff will do just that after the jersey scrimmage, evaluate the performance of each and every player, then start making decisions on who will play in 2006 and who won't.​

"That's our gauge, to get there in the stadium, put them in a pressure situation that there's something on the line, it's not practice, this is a different situation, this is a game, then evaluate them," said Fickell.​

The jersey scrimmage will take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday in Ohio Stadium. The public is not allowed in, but the media has been invited, though no photos will be permitted. The scrimmage will be conducted in regular dress uniforms with a full officiating crew, operating scoreboard, P.A. announcer, etc. It will be just like a game, and though it won't count on any team record, the stakes will be high for a lot of Buckeyes hoping for playing time in 2006.​

 

[osugrad21]

Link

OHIO STATE NOTEBOOK
Open practice moved from Jesse Owens to stadium
Friday, August 18, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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Apparently, you can’t stop Ohio State football fans, you can only hope to contain them.
Based on an overwhelming interest in a night practice on Monday, school officials yesterday announced the session was moving from Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium to Ohio Stadium.
The big concern was the Jesse Owens capacity is about 12,000 and the prospect of turning away thousands of fans was unsavory.
"We made the move because we felt interest was so high and we wanted to accommodate more fans," sports information director Steve Snapp said.
Lights will be brought in, but nothing else about the evening has changed. There is no charge for parking or admission. Gates open at 6 p.m., with an autograph session from 7 to 8.
Players will be located in alphabetical order around the concourse level, except for coach Jim Tressel and highinterest players Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Gonzalez, Antonio Pittman, Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson, who will be in a separate location to accommodate longer lines.
Practice will follow, until about 9:45.
"Any time you get an opportunity to go into the stadium at night, it’s real big, with all the lights and everything flashing," Pittman said.
Then he paused.
"I didn’t know 30,000 people wanted to watch us practice."
Frost resurfaces

For the second time in a month, an Ohio State player has transferred to Jackson State.
Tight end Marcel Frost was on the practice field for the Tigers yesterday, eight days after Tressel announced Frost was suspended for the season for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Frost’s OSU scholarship was not revoked, so he must have been granted a release before transferring.
In July, Buckeyes running back Erik Haw transferred to Jackson State. Because Jackson State is Division I-AA, both players are eligible to play immediately.
D’Andrea doubtful

It’s sounding more and more as if linebacker Mike D’Andrea might not play for Ohio State again. The fifth-year senior has been dealing with soreness and swelling in his surgically repaired knee, and linebackers coach Luke Fickell yesterday was not optimistic.
"He’s had some good days and he’s had some bad days," Fickell said, sighing. "You can’t feel anything but hurt for that guy. He’s trying everything he can."
Fickell also said freshman Tyler Moeller has continued to catch his eye and is the top backup to John Kerr on the weak side. Freshman Ross Homan, who had an impressive spring, has been sitting out because of a hamstring injury.
Click to pick

Ohio State has set up Web sites promoting Smith and Ginn for the Heisman Trophy. They feature photos, video highlights, statistics and biographical information, and can be found at www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ troysmith and www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/tedginn.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

OSU Offense ‘06
Smith leads loaded Bucks into fall camp
[2 Comment(s)]

Why is OSU No. 1? They lost so many guys to the NFL.

Well, we know why they’re No. 1, and it has as much to do with the future Buckeye stars of the NFL than it does the recently departed ones.


After two years of sharing the quarterback spot, Troy Smith is undeniably the man for OSU this year. Photo by jeff mills/UW
With twin Heisman threat Troy Smith and Ted Ginn spearheading the offense, coach Jim Tressel has the most versatile, explosive arsenal at his disposal in his six years at OSU.

For the first time they defended the national title, the Buckeyes have depth returning at nearly every offensive slot. In anticipation of the season, here’s how we see the offense shaking out for 2006:

Quarterbacks
Germaine or Jackson? Herbstreit or Graham? Krenzel/Smith or Zwick? Quarterback questions are always on the lips of Buckeye fans, mainly because recent history tells us that indecision — as a policy — is a bad decision.

The stability of the 2006 offense starts with Smith, a charismatic leader and unique athletic talent, the combination of which gives OSU something they haven’t had in quite some time. I don’t think I need to remind anyone how badly the ‘who’s-the-dude’ feeling of early last season affected the bottom line. (You think Texas or Penn State wanted to play the Bucks and Smith after the Fiesta Bowl?)

Now, there’s just one guy, and with his emergence has also seemingly come the advancement of Tressel’s playbook. As Smith has become more comfortable with the offense, the O has spread its wings with him. Defenses in 2006 should have an equally hard time game planning against him and the system.

We all know Tressel is a QB guy, and his system relies so heavily on the trust he can put in that QB. If Smith’s decision stays as sharp as late last season, he’ll be Krenzel with a cannon and quickness. He claims he’s more mature in every facet since two seasons ago when he first cracked the lineup.

“All the way around, whether on the field or off the field,” he said. “And I haven’t peaked yet. I’m still on the rise and just continuing to hope to mature.”

Former up-and-comer Justin Zwick could possibly be the best backup in the country, and always-mentioned Todd Boeckman has to wait another year to battle for the reins with Rob Schoenhoft.

True freshman Antonio Henton all but has to redshirt, giving him another year to bulk up and bone up on the system. In fact, it’s almost a certainty: he’s wearing No. 7, and we know another guy’s already taken that one on offense.

Wide Receivers
While the quarterback situation seems pretty cut-and-dry, it should prove a little more intriguing to see how the receiver situation plays out. As a sophomore, Santonio picked up where Mike Jenkins left off, but now, the big go-to-guy isn’t there.


Ted Ginn (7) and Tony Gonzalez (11) could be one of the most prolific receiving duos in OSU history. Photo by jeff mills/UW
That’s the bad news. But, the good news is that the top two wideouts coming back have the potential to be the most prolific duo in school history.

First there’s Ginn, who showed against the Irish that his pure speed alone makes him a bone-chilling threat. Now, with the chance to be the man, he said he’s working harder to become a better overall receiver, improving his route-running, “learning the defenses and being comfortable.”

While defenses go crazy over Ginn, Smith could get wide-eyed over the chance to throw to Anthony Gonzalez. Less flashy than Ginn, Gonzo has been making big catches in big games for two years now, and he isn’t done yet. Mix in the physical freakishness of improved split end Roy Hall and two quick learners in sophomore Brian Robiskie and freshman Brian Hartline, and the ranks are solid.

“As a group, our receivers are pretty strong, and we have a lot of depth,” said Gonzalez. “The fact that we may be relied upon a little more this year is a welcome thing. It’s not often that the receivers are the group that gets talked about, and we have this amazing offense. To be a part of that is something special.”

Backfield
While everyone’s always looking for the next power back at Ohio State, ironically, the situation is pretty well settled here. After years of sub-par backs by Buckeye standards (Derek Combs, anyone?), 5-11, 195-pound Antonio Pittman has been the perfect mix of power and speed. And he’s back with the respect of 1,331 yards on his back. While fans and fanatics might push for highly touted freshman Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells to challenge and/or begin his pro resume, it’s Pittman’s spot to lose.

“Just to help the team in any way I can — just to get on the field,” Beanie Wells said of his realistic playing time goals.

“That’s up to the coaches. I’m going to do whatever they tell me to do.”

Not only will Beanie be able to substitute some power in the occasional set, but scatback sophomore Maurice Wells can patch in some speed. Stan White will be the de facto fullback, but as with the tailback rotation, junior Dionte Johnson might jump in for faster formations.

Offensive Line
Here is where OSU’s depth will show more than people think this year. Sure, departed seniors Nick Mangold and Rob Sims took reps, leadership and a few of the last shreds of national title game experience with them, but examine the leftovers:

Lineman have typically been switched from position to position and plugged in wherever they’re needed under coach Jim Bollman, and that should reap its own benefits in 2006.

Doug Datish, who came to college as a center, but was moved to guard, will now slide back over to take over command of the line. T.J. Downing is back as another returning starter at guard, while Tim Shafer is penciled in next to him on the other side. Shafer has been switched defense twice before settling in this year.

“It’s a tribute to what our coaches do for us. Coach Bolls teaches a technique and it’s not really position-specific,” said Datish.

Newly sober and svelte Alex Boone is expected to anchor one side at tackle, while Kirk Barton should grab the other.

“It just makes you more valuable and with us this year, if someone were to go down, we know there’s not going to be a drop-off in talent for Troy and Pitt,” Downing added.

The entire second-string chart features a slew of underclassmen, some with game-time experience such as Jon Skinner and Steve Rehring.

In relation to the way they’re used in the OSU system, you’re got to include the tight ends in with offensive line, rather than the receivers. The recent dismissal of Marcel Frost, probably the best athlete of the group, leaves Rory Nicol as the likely starter with a rotating cast that includes Brandon Smith, Jake Ballard and Andy Miller as the support.

Special Teams
While I’m sure this position is still a wild card, sophomore Ryan Pretorius has the edge over Aaron Pettrey at this point, as far as kickers go. Two good kickers to choose from is great; trying to pick a solid one out of two shaky underclassmen is not. Here’s hoping we can avoid the latter.

A.J. Trapasso is back as the punter, and he should be steady, while we know what Ginn can do on returns. Gonzo and Mo Wells will chip in on punts and kicks, respectively.

Link

OSU Defense ’06
Less-experienced unit can still make name for itself
[9 Comment(s)]

By Kyle Lamb

Last year was the return of the Silver Bullet defense — 11 defensive starters flying around to the football like a pack of hungry wolves.


Lawrence Wilson is just one intriguing piece to OSU’s young defense. Photo by jeff mills/UW
This year, Ohio State must replace nine starters lost to graduation or early entry to the NFL draft despite their lofty No. 1-ranking in the preseason. That’s a lot of stray bullets.

Nine. That’s two less than 11.

But not all is lost on defense this year. OK, maybe most of the starters are lost, but there are plenty of goodies still stocked in the cupboard.

For the first time in the Tressel era, it’s the offense that will be grabbing the headlines and fueling the expectations. But by the time the season is said and done, don’t be surprised if a couple of guys step up as household names and again return that Silver Bullet defense Ohio State fans have been so accustomed to seeing the last several years.

Defensive Line
It’s up to the front four this season. Last year, the Buckeyes were spoiled with the luxury of having A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel cleaning up everyone’s messes. That’s not to say the defensive line made many mistakes, but if they weren’t there to disrupt the quarterback or lay a hit in the backfield on a running back, they could rest assured knowing the linebackers would take care of things.

With returning starters Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson in the middle, the Buckeyes have two guys that should wreak a lot of havoc against opposing front lines.

“Our coach always tells us that it’s up to the front four to get pressure on the quarterback and control the game,” said defensive end Lawrence Wilson, “but I think we’ve got a lot of good guys in our linebackers and defensive backs and I feel if we execute, it will be real hard to beat us.”

Wilson, a sophomore, is expected to team up with senior Jay Richardson to form the rest of the starting defensive line. Wilson has drawn comparisons to former Buckeye Will Smith, while Richardson is a talented rush end that looked great in the spring.

After the starting four, Ohio State, as it customarily has done, will run in a total of 8-10 guys in the regular rotation this season.

In the middle, the Buckeyes may use sophomore Nader Abdallah, redshirt freshman Todd Denlinger, converted end Joel Penton, and a fifth-year senior, while true freshman Dexter Larimore could sneak in the rotation. Larimore was a nationally ranked high school heavyweight wrestler from Merrillville, Ind.

Ohio State is also deep on the outside.

The Buckeyes are expecting big contributions from Alex Barrow, Vernon Gholston and possibly redshirt freshman Doug Worthington or true freshman Robert Rose – the latest of a long pipeline of Cleveland Glenville stars.

When the game is on the line, the Buckeyes may look to Pitcock and Patterson.

“I just want to be a guy that makes plays when my team needs them,” Patterson explained.

Linebackers
With the three departed linebackers gone to the NFL, linebacker figures to be the most competitive jobs this fall before the season begins in September. This spring, the coaching staff was able to look at a lot of players – which is good, considering there will be several players competing for those jobs.

“I don’t know if we were able to get any more plays in for some of the kids,” said Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel at Media Day, “but we were able to try a lot more combinations.”

John Kerr, a fifth-year senior formerly of Cleveland St. Ignatius and a transfer from Indiana, figures to have the inside track (pun intended) on the inside linebacker position.

Sophomore Marcus Freeman, who was redshirted last year because of a knee injury, and sophomore James Laurinaitis – who filled in for Bobby Carpenter after tearing a meniscus — figure to lead the race for the Will and Sam positions respectively.

Kerr’s competition will come from Mike D’Andrea, who has been unable to see the field much in his career due to injury, as well as redshirt freshman Austin Spitler. Meanwhile, the outside is loaded with possibilities in true freshman Ross Homan, who dazzled everyone in the spring with eight tackles and a sack just weeks after enrolling in school, as well as junior Curtis Terry, junior college transfer Larry Grant and any number of true freshmen.

“All our linebackers have been giving a ton of effort and watching a ton, ton of film,” Patterson said of the guys behind him. “They’re doing very well.”

After missing all of last season, Freeman is excited to get back out there and step up as a likely starter.

“We’re just trying to step in there and be a part of what we think will be a great defense,” he said. “We have speed and guys who are willing to learn.”

Defensive Backs
Although he technically wasn’t a starter last season for most of the year, Ohio State can say they more or less have at least one returning starter at corner in Malcolm Jenkins.

The 6-1 New Jersey native did something very rare last year — cracked the rotation at corner as a true freshman.

“When I set my goals to come in as a freshman, I wanted to play right away – I wanted to start,” Jenkins said. “I feel like I accomplished that goal and I set a base for the rest of my career.”

At the other corner, Ohio State will need to find a way to replace their best cornerback, as well as the coolest name. With Ashton Youboty gone to the NFL, the Buckeyes are looking to Antonio Smith, Andre Amos, Donald Washington or true freshman Kurt Coleman to anchor the corner opposite of Jenkins. Smith, a fifth-year senior, figures to have the edge but Amos, a redshirt freshman, and Coleman will both challenge for the job.

The safety spots appear to be held by Jamario O’Neal and Nick Patterson. O’Neal is the adopted brother of Ted Ginn, a speedster and playmaker as well as hard-hitter that should be ready to take the league by storm. Patterson and O’Neal will both give way to Russell and Brandon Mitchell at times.

Link

Buckeyes could run Big 10 table
[6 Comment(s)]

By Josh Ellis

It was last Tuesday, Big Ten Media day, as I went to fetch my trusty voice recorder, pen and notebook on my way out the door to attend the event where all 11 Big Ten football coaches spoke on the state of their team. With one foot out the door I realized I wasn’t in Chicago, where the event was taking place, so instead I just sat on my couch and flipped on ESPNEWS, who were broadcasting the event for the second straight year.

We are just about a month away from the college football season, so using what was said during media day here’s my preview of the Big Ten in the order I predict they will finish.

Illinois
Former Florida Gators coach Ron Zook enters his second year as coach of the Fighting Illini. After a dismal 2-9 season last year, where they failed to win a conference game, Zook was optimistic that his team has hit “rock bottom” and is now ready to rise in the conference. Zook said that “On any given Saturday” his team could pull out a win, which will be tough for the nations worst rushing and second worst passing team in 2005. Returning from last season’s team will be ten players on each side of the ball, most notably running back Pierre Thomas. Thomas averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season and will be used more heavily in a rushing attack that has no where to go but up. On defense, the Illini have a young secondary that need to grow up quickly so they do not continually get exposed. Zook used the term “impact freshman” to describe his incoming class with his hopes that they will trigger his team towards more victories. The season for Illinois will open up on September 2nd against Eastern Illinois.

Prediction: In just his second year, Zook hasn’t had enough time to recruit the kinds of players he needs for his system of football yet. They are returning a lot of players on both sides of the ball which should mean they should be just as bad as they were last year. The Illini will find themselves at the bottom of the Big Ten standings looking up once again.

Northwestern
Still reeling from the un-expected death of Coach Randy Walker in the off season, the Northwestern Wildcats will look to first year coach and youngster Pat Fitzgerald to get them through the season. At just 31 years old, Fitzgerald spent four years as an assistant before this, his first season as a head coach. He inherits a team that went 7-5 last season and 5-3 in the conference but it’s going to be a rough year for the team from Illinois. Northwestern will lose star quarterback Brett Basanez from an offense that was one of the best in the nation in 2005. They retain running back Tyrell Sutton though who had a fantastic rookie campaign. The problem for Northwestern has been their defense. Last season they gave up 32.5 points per game, and without Basanez at quarterback, they won’t be able to surrender that many points this season without losing a lot of games. Fitzgerald said the team will “Rely more on the senior class then anyone in America” because they will be the strength of the team as they try and emerge from tough times. But the loss of some offensive fire-power and the transition to a new coach will eventually doom the Wildcats in 2006. The season opens for Northwestern on August 31st against Miami (OH).

Prediction: Northwestern will be switching to a 3-4 defense to get more linebackers on the field which they hope will utilize a strength that they have. Unfortunately, it will not be enough to slow down their opponents enough and their offense won’t be as powerful with a new quarterback. The Wildcats have a down year even with Tyrell Sutton putting up big numbers.

Indiana
Youth will be served in Bloomington, Indiana this season under second year head coach Terry Hoeppner. In his first season, Hoeppner’s squad went 4-7 overall and 1-7 in the conference. After going 4-1 in their first five games in 2005, the Hoosiers fell apart in the middle and end stages of the season. Indiana will rely heavily on quarterback Blake Powers who is one of the more underrated signal callers in the nation. Powers has a prime top option too in 6-7 James Hardy who had 61 receptions and nearly 900 yards last season. The defense though will again be very shaky but expect a lot of freshman to see the field for Indiana. Hoeppner’s recruiting pitch this past season to prospective athletes was that they will see time on the field immediately so you can expect youth to be served this season for Indiana. They will open the season September 2nd against Western Michigan.

Prediction: Blake Powers and James Hardy prove to be a formidable combo as the second longest bowl drought in the NCAA ends with a 6-6 season. This however doesn’t mean a great conference record.

Minnesota
Glen Mason has a tall order this season with the loss of both of his 1,000 yard rushers in a season that will be more of a struggle than a success for the Golden Gophers. Minnesota will lose star backs Laurence Maroney and Gary Russell from last year’s team and it will really hurt their chances. Mason however is happy with his returning quarterback Bryan Cupito and the targets he has to throw to. He stated that he has “the best core of wide receivers in my tenure” which spans nine previous years. They may go against running the ball as much as they used to, which produced seven straight years with 1,000 yard backs, and start to throw the ball more on offense. Defense though is a problem as they will be young and may struggle with consistency from their players all season. The Golden Gophers will open the season on August 31st at Kent State.

Prediction: Minnesota will take a step back from last season with the loss of their top running backs. They will however, be saved slightly by Cupito and his arm from being a terrible team in the Big Ten. This season will have fans counting down the days until their new stadium opens up on campus in 2009.

Purdue
After falling well short of high expectations in 2005, the Boilermakers will be hoping to rebuild in 2006. After putting together eight straight bowl seasons, Purdue and Coach Joe Tiller took a giant step backwards last season amidst high expectations as they finished just 5-6 last season. Purdue had a favorable schedule last season and many people thought they would contend for the Big Ten title but things went south in West Lafayette in 2005. Returning though for the Boilermakers is a strong offensive line and receiving corps which should help them be decent again on offense. They only have four returning starters on defense and although Tiller thought his linebackers were tremendous, up front they may be thin which should neutralize his linebackers. Purdue will begin 2006 on September 2nd against Indiana State.

Prediction: Purdue really struggled last season at the quarterback position and if they don’t see more production there, they may have another rough season. They should though get better production and thus see more results in 2006.

Wisconsin
Bret Bielema will be ushering in a new era for Wisconsin football. This is the first year as a head coach for the 36-year-old, who is taking over for the legendary Barry Alverez. Alverez may have done more for Wisconsin than any coach has done for a team in recent memory, so Bielema has big shoes to fill. Returning from a 9-3 season, 5-3 conference, are three starters on offense and eight on defense, but most notably quarterback John Stucco is back. Stucco will have to be good too because they lost their top three wide receivers from last year. Bielema mentioned that his defense was a “strong point” especially up front and in his “athletic linebackers.” They will have to be good to make up for the vast losses on offense which also include running back and 1,600 yard rusher Brian Calhoun. Wisconsin will kick things off on September 2nd against Bowling Green.

Prediction: Wisconsin loses a lot especially with coach Barry Alverez leaving, but Stucco will be a good anchor for this team that always pumps out a decent defense as well. They won’t match the 9-3 season they had a year ago but they will be competitive.

Michigan St.
Coach John L. Smith will hope to buck the losing trend in ’06 as his team has had two straight losing seasons going 5-6 overall and 2-6 in the conference in 2005. Quarterback Drew Stanton is back which makes John L. Smith exclaim “I am the most excited I’ve ever been about this team.” They have six players returning on a defense that must “mature in the secondary” but they have potential because they have all three linebackers returning. The offense will be good; it’s a matter of the defense pulling its weight to lead this team to victory. The Spartans will play Idaho on September 2nd.

Prediction: Michigan St. will ride the arm of Drew Stanton all the way back to Bowlville as they improve upon the last two disappointing seasons.

Penn State
After an amazing 11-1 (7-1) season last year and a BCS bowl win, Penn State loses too much talent to equal that mark. Quarterback and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Michael Robinson and All-American Tamba Hali exited for the NFL, leaving Penn State looking for answers. They look as far as the inexperienced quarterback Anthony Morelli. He has big shoes to fill, but will have the targets to get things done in Happy Valley. Freshman sensation and wire receiver Derrick Williams returns from injury and Tony Hunt will be a decent running back for the Nittany Lions. Paul Posluszny returns on a defense that loses a lot up front and in the secondary. He will have to shoulder most of the load for the Penn State defense. They play Akron on September 2nd and follow that up with Notre Dame on the 9th.

Prediction: With the loses on both sides of the ball Penn State will have to rely too heavily on inexperienced players. If Anthony Morelli is bad, they could slide farther than fourth in the Big Ten, but expect PSU to be decent this year and contend in the conference.

Iowa
Iowa and coach Kirk Ferentz have high hopes in 2006. The Hawkeyes went 7-5 (5-3) last season and their favorable schedule will make them title contenders. Drew Tate will lead an offense that scored 30.5 points last season as they hope to improve upon that mark. The defense is where the losses come. Although the defensive line should be solid, Iowa loses their top two linebackers Greenway and Hoge to the NFL, so they will have big shoes to fill in order to rank in the top three in defense in the Big Ten like they were a season ago. The night game against Ohio State, which will be the second night game in Iowa history, will be the game that makes Iowa or breaks them. September 2nd is their first game as they face Montana.

Prediction: Iowa’s favorable schedule that doesn’t feature Michigan or Penn State and that has the Buckeyes at home will make Iowa and instant contender. They just don’t have as much talent as Michigan and Ohio State.

Michigan
Lloyd Carr is on the chopping block this season after going 7-4 (5-3) and losing in their bowl game in 2005. Three big players return on offense for the Wolverines: QB Chad Henne, RB Michael Hart and WR Steve Breaston. Throw Mario Manningham in there and you’ve got a very good offense. On defense, Michigan should have a strong line up front and Lloyd Carr praises Leon Hall as the “Best corner in the country.” They lost five games last season by a total of 21 points, so they need to be much better down the stretch for their championship dreams to come true. Michigan will play Vanderbilt on September 2nd.

Prediction: Michigan has a lot of talent this season, like they do most seasons but there’s one problem standing in the way for Carr and the Wolverines: Tressel and the Buckeyes.

Ohio State
The aforementioned Tressel and the Buckeyes go into 2006 with the highest of expectations as they hold the #1 overall rank in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The offense will be dynamic with quarterback Troy Smith throwing passes to Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez, and Antonio Pittman and Chris Wells running wild with the ball. The questions, though, come on the defensive side of the ball. The Bucks lose players all over, as they will only return two starters. Quinn Pitcock will be a force up front, the new trio of linebackers will be formidable and Malcolm Jenkins will have an impact on a defense that will only be a slight drop off from last season. This defense will focus on forcing more turnovers than last year, which will help them continue to be a strong group. Ohio State’s season starts with Northern Illinois on September 2nd, followed by a showdown with Texas the following week.

Prediction: The Bucks are in the drivers’ seat in the Big Ten. They have three tough conference games, two of them coming at home, and if they take care of business, they could be “The best damn team in the land” again.

 

[osugrad21]

OZone

Football Remedial Defensive Scheme May be Evolving into Honors Program By John Porentas ​

The dumbed-down Ohio State defense that everyone expects this season because of its youth may not be so dumbed-down after all.​

Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock has talked openly about the need to keep the defensive scheme simple this season if for no other reason than he will have nine new starters on the field.​

"Coach Heacock is a guy that feels that if the defense is too difficult for anybody to learn, then throw it out," said OSU junior linebacker Marcus Freeman.​

"Like Coach Fickell told us today, if Coach Heacock had his way we would have one or two defenses, but you can't do that at the college level. Coach Heacock makes sure every person knows what to do," Freeman said.​

While Heacock was not available to talk about it on Thursday, several players who see the OSU defense in practice say that not only is the defense not diluted, it may actually be developing some new wrinkles.​

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"The defense is looking really good right now," said offensive lineman Tim Schafer.​

"They're throwing a lot of blitzes at us that are kind of hard to pick up sometimes. I think the defense is going to be just fine," said Schafer.​

Schafer is in a unique position to assess the defense. Not only does he face it daily, but he spent at least two years of his Buckeye career as a defensive lineman being coached by Heacock, and Schafer says the OSU defense is showing him some things this fall.​

"Not at all," Schafer responded when asked if he thought he was facing a dumbed-down defense this fall in camp.​

"Actually I've seen a lot of different stuff that I've never seen before from them."​

"I think its just as complex, if not more (than last year)," said Freeman.​

The Buckeyes have veterans returning up front this season, which may be a saving grace for what is for now being called a green defense.​

"Defensively our front catches my eye. We've got some veterans up there that I think are going to be good," said OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel.​

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It's the back seven that will be young and as of the moment is still unsettled as far as the depth chart goes. At linebacker, a lot of players are getting looks before the depth chart is determined. To complicate matters some at linebacker, promising freshman Ross Homan, who enrolled in time for spring ball and caught the eye of the coaching staff, has been out for about a week out with a hamstring problem and veteran linebacker Mike D'Andrea is still battling knee problems. That has led to some juggling at the linebacker position.​

"We're moving guys around and trying to find the best fit and the most competitive guys we've got. We're still trying to find out who the best 11 guys are, let alone the best three at linebacker," said linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell.​

Fickell said that James Laurinaitis is now working at middle linebacker after spending last season as an outside linebacker. Laurinaitis is working with the first team, and according to Fickell, his move to the middle was not one that was born of necessity due to injury. The coaching staff simply likes him in that role.​

"Since camp started we've had Laurinaitis in the middle," said Fickell.​

"He's the guy who is out in front of our huddle, he's the guy who's calling things. He's a little bit ahead of his time in the sense that he's just a true sophomore but he played in two really big games last year and got a lot of really good experience.​

"He gives us size and gives us a lot of the things that Schlegel had to set everything for us, to get the adjustments we need to have done and control the huddle. He's got a real presence," Fickell said.​

The games Laurinaitis played in last year were the Michigan game and the bowl game vs. Notre Dame. It was the way he handled the Michigan game that impressed the coaching staff. He was not expected to play a major role in that game, but when starter Bobby Carpenter was injured in the second play of the game, Laurinaitis was called upon despite being a true freshman.​

"There's not a whole lot that phases him," said Fickell.​

"Pressure situations don't bother him. The second play of the Michigan game, there he goes into the game. He didn't bat an eye at it.​

"The coaches are nervous on the sideline and he doesn't feel it. He's a confident kid. He's got a sense of confidence about himself and he's very, very competitive. He's very even-keeled and smart. He's very mature, and that's probably the best thing you could say for him."​

Fickell said that Marcus Freeman and John Kerr are currently manning the outside spots with the first team, with junior college transfer Larry Grant backing up Laurinaitis in the middle, Curtis Terry backing up Freeman, and surprising true freshman Tyler Moeller backing up Kerr. According to Fickell, however, there is a lot of shuffling going on as the coaching staff tries to determine who fits in where in the linebacker jigsaw puzzle.​

"Two days ago if you had asked me Larry Grant would have been on the outside with Marcus Freeman and Curtis Terry would have been on the inside with Laurinaitis. We're still trying to find that mix and that fit," said Fickell.​

Homan's injury opened the door for Moeller who has obviously impressed Fickell.​

"He's someone you notice," said Fickell.​

"He might not know exactly where he's going or what he's doing, but by the time the ball hits the line of scrimmage, he seems to be there wherever it's at. You can't hide those kind of things.​

"He's not that big, probably only 210 or 211 pounds right now, but there's some people that can handle that and there's some people that can't. I don't think its going to matter with him."​

 

[daddyphatsacs]

Homan's injury opened the door for Moeller who has obviously impressed Fickell.​

"He's someone you notice," said Fickell.​

"He might not know exactly where he's going or what he's doing, but by the time the ball hits the line of scrimmage, he seems to be there wherever it's at. You can't hide those kind of things.​

"He's not that big, probably only 210 or 211 pounds right now, but there's some people that can handle that and there's some people that can't. I don't think its going to matter with him."​

That is what I like to hear. Linebacker is an instinctive position, and it sounds like Moeller has these qualities.

As time passes, I'm becoming more and more confident that our defense will be very good this season. I think you'll see a more aggressive defense with blitzes, ect. The D line has the ability to disrupt, and I envision Kerr being blitzed off the weakside quite a bit this season. This unit needs to create more turnovers this season, it seems like the last couple of years we haven't done that as much. There is nothing that kills momentum more than a big turnover.

 

[matcar]

Sadly, it would seem that Mike D is done. Man I wish that wasn't the case for him. Must to so frustrating for him.

It's funny to read these posts about people gaining confidence in the D...I certainly hope that confidence is well placed, but this happens every year in pre-season as we all get pumped for the season to begin. Based upon what we're hearing right now, I'd say there's huge room for improvement in our LBs. Not so much in improving the talent, because it's probably there...but the fact that they are young AND they are being shuffled around makes you wonder. I know I'd rather they get set in their positions and get comfortable in that rather than switch around. Just my opinion...which isn't worth much.

 

[craigblitz]

Far from needing to jump off the bridege for sure, but reading between the lines it does sound like our LB's have a lot to learn. I am not looking too much into the postion switches because I think at LB you need to know what the other 2 are doing and this is giving them that opportunity to get reps to understand that.

Does anyone know when Homan is going to be back in action? Also anyword on Thadeus?

 

[matcar]

Far from needing to jump off the bridege for sure, but reading between the lines it does sound like our LB's have a lot to learn. I am not looking too much into the postion switches because I think at LB you need to know what the other 2 are doing and this is giving them that opportunity to get reps to understand that.

Does anyone know when Homan is going to be back in action? Also anyword on Thadeus?

You're probably right about having the LBs learning multiple positions being helpful...so perhaps my comment is unfounded. Let's just hope they are ready when No Illinios comes calling....and obviously UT the next week.