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Blade
OSU will be facing lots of Buckeyes
Minnesota stocked with Ohio players
By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
COLUMBUS - When Minnesota comes here Saturday to play top-ranked Ohio State, the Golden Gophers won't need passports, a map or even directions.
There are so many native Buckeyes on that team and coaching staff, they know just where they are going. Minnesota has a bunch of players on its active roster from Ohio, significantly more than from any other state outside the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Neighboring Iowa has just one player on the Minnesota team, while nearby Illinois has only three. That recruiting strategy alone gets Ohio State coach Jim Tressel's attention.
"The thing that impresses me about Minnesota is, number one, they've got 17 guys on their team from Ohio and half their coaching staff," Tressel said. "You know they're going to not even need an airplane to come to Columbus." The Gophers will probably still take a plane, but landing rights won't be an issue. Eight of those 17 players come from right here in Columbus. Ohio State cornerback Antonio Smith, another Columbus native, said it will be different seeing those familiar faces on the other side of the field. "Minnesota did a lot of recruiting in this area," the Beechcroft grad said. "It is good to see a lot of city guys getting the opportunity to go up there and play in the Big Ten." Senior quarterback Bryan Cupito is from Cincinnati and is currently fourth in the nation in career total offensive yards per play among all Division I players. Cupito is averaging 7.33 yards per play for his career. He is second among Big Ten players this season, behind only Ohio State's Troy Smith. "They're throwing it a little bit more than they have in the past few years," Tressel said, "and I think that's because they have the outstanding quarterback. He's an Ohio guy that's just very disciplined, just does a great job with the football, knows their offense inside and out, knows what they want to be in, and has been throwing to a great group of receivers." That receiver group includes junior Ernie Wheelright from Walnut Ridge in Columbus. The 6-5, 215 pounder ranks 10th in Minnesota history in receiving yards with 1,397 yards. Safety Dominic Jones from Brookhaven is third in the Big Ten in kickoff returns (25.1 yards per return) and is second in the Big Ten in punt returns at 11.2. Even though Jones is just a sophomore, Tressel sees him as the emotional leader on the Minnesota defense. "Defensively, they fly around, and they're led by a guy in the secondary from right here in Columbus, who's also a great punt returner and kickoff returner," Tressel said about Jones. "He's got a 99-yarder for a touchdown and a couple other ones way out there, and he's just a fiery, physical guy, and he's played both safety and corner, so it will be interesting to see which way they deploy him this week." The Gophers' special teams are specially grown here in Ohio. Outside of Jones doing all the returns, Minnesota uses Canton Glen Oak's Jason Giannini as its placekicker and Canfield product Justin Kucek as its punter. St. John's Jesuit graduate Blake Haudan, a redshirt freshman, is the backup punter. The Gophers also start Justin Valentine, a junior fullback from Columbus Eastmoor, and have several additional Ohio players listed as backups. On the coaching side, Minnesota head man Glen Mason, who has taken the Gophers to six bowls in the last seven seasons, is a former head coach at Kent State. Mason, a New Jersey native, is a 1972 graduate of Ohio State and a former offensive coordinator for the Buckeyes. He also coached linebackers and the offensive line during his time with Ohio State (1978-85) while working under Woody Hayes and Earle Bruce. Minnesota wide receivers coach Luke Tressel is the son of Ohio State running backs coach Dick Tressel and the nephew of the Buckeyes' head coach. Minnesota assistant head coach Mitch Browning went to Ohio's Loudonville High School, graduated from Capital University in Columbus, and coached at Ohio State, Kent State and Miami. Running backs coach Vic Adamle is a native of Kent who played at Eastern Michigan, then coached at Kent State, while linebackers coach Mark Criner coached two seasons at Cincinnati. TRESSEL/BROWNS: Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was asked yesterday to respond to a trial balloon floated in the Cleveland paper speculating that Tressel might be the next coach of the NFL's Browns. "I've not spent one day playing in the NFL or coaching in the NFL, and I've got my hands full doing what I'm doing, so that's my reaction," Tressel said. When told that money and a long-term contract would supposedly be the bait, Tressel said: "I've got money, and I've got a contract."
OSU will be facing lots of Buckeyes
Minnesota stocked with Ohio players
By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
COLUMBUS - When Minnesota comes here Saturday to play top-ranked Ohio State, the Golden Gophers won't need passports, a map or even directions.
There are so many native Buckeyes on that team and coaching staff, they know just where they are going. Minnesota has a bunch of players on its active roster from Ohio, significantly more than from any other state outside the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Neighboring Iowa has just one player on the Minnesota team, while nearby Illinois has only three. That recruiting strategy alone gets Ohio State coach Jim Tressel's attention.
"The thing that impresses me about Minnesota is, number one, they've got 17 guys on their team from Ohio and half their coaching staff," Tressel said. "You know they're going to not even need an airplane to come to Columbus." The Gophers will probably still take a plane, but landing rights won't be an issue. Eight of those 17 players come from right here in Columbus. Ohio State cornerback Antonio Smith, another Columbus native, said it will be different seeing those familiar faces on the other side of the field. "Minnesota did a lot of recruiting in this area," the Beechcroft grad said. "It is good to see a lot of city guys getting the opportunity to go up there and play in the Big Ten." Senior quarterback Bryan Cupito is from Cincinnati and is currently fourth in the nation in career total offensive yards per play among all Division I players. Cupito is averaging 7.33 yards per play for his career. He is second among Big Ten players this season, behind only Ohio State's Troy Smith. "They're throwing it a little bit more than they have in the past few years," Tressel said, "and I think that's because they have the outstanding quarterback. He's an Ohio guy that's just very disciplined, just does a great job with the football, knows their offense inside and out, knows what they want to be in, and has been throwing to a great group of receivers." That receiver group includes junior Ernie Wheelright from Walnut Ridge in Columbus. The 6-5, 215 pounder ranks 10th in Minnesota history in receiving yards with 1,397 yards. Safety Dominic Jones from Brookhaven is third in the Big Ten in kickoff returns (25.1 yards per return) and is second in the Big Ten in punt returns at 11.2. Even though Jones is just a sophomore, Tressel sees him as the emotional leader on the Minnesota defense. "Defensively, they fly around, and they're led by a guy in the secondary from right here in Columbus, who's also a great punt returner and kickoff returner," Tressel said about Jones. "He's got a 99-yarder for a touchdown and a couple other ones way out there, and he's just a fiery, physical guy, and he's played both safety and corner, so it will be interesting to see which way they deploy him this week." The Gophers' special teams are specially grown here in Ohio. Outside of Jones doing all the returns, Minnesota uses Canton Glen Oak's Jason Giannini as its placekicker and Canfield product Justin Kucek as its punter. St. John's Jesuit graduate Blake Haudan, a redshirt freshman, is the backup punter. The Gophers also start Justin Valentine, a junior fullback from Columbus Eastmoor, and have several additional Ohio players listed as backups. On the coaching side, Minnesota head man Glen Mason, who has taken the Gophers to six bowls in the last seven seasons, is a former head coach at Kent State. Mason, a New Jersey native, is a 1972 graduate of Ohio State and a former offensive coordinator for the Buckeyes. He also coached linebackers and the offensive line during his time with Ohio State (1978-85) while working under Woody Hayes and Earle Bruce. Minnesota wide receivers coach Luke Tressel is the son of Ohio State running backs coach Dick Tressel and the nephew of the Buckeyes' head coach. Minnesota assistant head coach Mitch Browning went to Ohio's Loudonville High School, graduated from Capital University in Columbus, and coached at Ohio State, Kent State and Miami. Running backs coach Vic Adamle is a native of Kent who played at Eastern Michigan, then coached at Kent State, while linebackers coach Mark Criner coached two seasons at Cincinnati. TRESSEL/BROWNS: Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was asked yesterday to respond to a trial balloon floated in the Cleveland paper speculating that Tressel might be the next coach of the NFL's Browns. "I've not spent one day playing in the NFL or coaching in the NFL, and I've got my hands full doing what I'm doing, so that's my reaction," Tressel said. When told that money and a long-term contract would supposedly be the bait, Tressel said: "I've got money, and I've got a contract."
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3yardsandacloud
Administrator Emeritus
Game Preview is now posted. Looks like we'll need to make an adjustment for the injured Spaeth.
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OSUBuckeye4Life
"THE" Ohio State Buckeyes
Man, Spaeth is out?
Just keeps getting Bleek for Minnesota.
Just keeps getting Bleek for Minnesota.
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Link
BISON GIVE U HOPE AT OHIO STATE
SHOOTER CHARLEY WALTERS
The Gophers could be 27-point underdogs when they play No. 1-ranked Ohio State on Saturday in Columbus.
"But so was North Dakota State before they played us," Minnesota linebacker Mike Sherels said Tuesday.
The Gophers squeaked past upset-minded Division I-AA North Dakota State 10-9 Saturday in the Metrodome.
In a twist of role reversal, the Gophers suddenly view themselves in the same position as North Dakota State was last week as they prepare for mighty Ohio State.
"Exactly," Sherels said. "What we have to do is what they (Bison) did against us. They came in underdogs and had something to prove with every snap. I respect them for that, and we need to learn from them. They definitely taught us a thing or two we can take to Ohio State. And anything can happen in college football."
BISON GIVE U HOPE AT OHIO STATE
SHOOTER CHARLEY WALTERS
The Gophers could be 27-point underdogs when they play No. 1-ranked Ohio State on Saturday in Columbus.
"But so was North Dakota State before they played us," Minnesota linebacker Mike Sherels said Tuesday.
The Gophers squeaked past upset-minded Division I-AA North Dakota State 10-9 Saturday in the Metrodome.
In a twist of role reversal, the Gophers suddenly view themselves in the same position as North Dakota State was last week as they prepare for mighty Ohio State.
"Exactly," Sherels said. "What we have to do is what they (Bison) did against us. They came in underdogs and had something to prove with every snap. I respect them for that, and we need to learn from them. They definitely taught us a thing or two we can take to Ohio State. And anything can happen in college football."
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NightmaresDad
Woody Rules!
osugrad21;643220; said:
Man, talk about twisted logic!
The only thing wrong with his theory is that the one constant is his team! If they played 26 points below the spread last week, then the expectation would be for them to get beat by 26 points more than the spread against tOSU.
Like the doctor said when I was born, "This one could get ugly"!
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ScarletBlood31
Buckeye in Blacksburg
osugrad21;643220; said:
I find it funny that a guy can talk about how a I-AA team almost beat his team after being huge underdogs, but then goes on to say how they could compete with being the 27 point underdogs to the number 1 team in the country. He really looks like an idiot trying to compare the situations, when his team is the one that almost got embarrassed in the first place.
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Zurp
I have misplaced my pants.
NightmaresDad;643261; said:
That's not necessarily true. You might be right, but whoever-this-guy-is has the right attitude. Minnesota had the mind-set of "This is the least of our games. We're favored by 26 points. Let's sleep-walk through this one and we can get to work on figuring out Ohio State." NDSU had the mind-set of "This is our biggest game. Let's go out and show the world that we can hang with a Big Ten team. Let's go whoop some Gopher ass!"
He's saying that if the roles are reversed this week, Minnesota can surprise everyone on Saturday. If Minnesota plays like they want to be national champions, and if Ohio State plays like they're getting ready for Michigan, the game could be much closer than it should be.
I don't think that Jim Tressel and the coaching staff will let the players into that mind-set. And Troy Smith, I believe, is one who wouldn't let his players into that mind-set, either. They know that one loss and there's no more national championship. The players want to win the national championship. (Duh.) I think that many of them also want Troy Smith to win the Heisman. They know that his chances of winning the Heisman decrease drastically if the Buckeyes lose a game - any game. They ought to go into this game with one goal in mind: beating Minnesota.
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CleveBucks
Serenity now
Might have already been covered, but I missed it...
What the heck happened to Alex Daniels? He started the opener at tailback and ran for around 150. Is he injured, demoted, playing a different position?
What the heck happened to Alex Daniels? He started the opener at tailback and ran for around 150. Is he injured, demoted, playing a different position?
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Yertle
Pounding out aggression, turns into obsession
Okay, first of all, I'm not superstitious, which is why I have no trouble posting this...
I've been in Manhattan two times during my "adult life". One was during week 8 of the 1998 season, and the other was last weekend. Both times, OSU openned the season #1, both times OSU whipped an overmatched opponent each week of the season (including their week 8 opponent), and both times the Bucks entered week 9 at home against a heavy underdog. I think we all know what happened in 1998. What are the odds that the Gophers can pull the same miracle Sparty did 8 years ago? Zero.
Buckeyes 38
Minny 6
I've been in Manhattan two times during my "adult life". One was during week 8 of the 1998 season, and the other was last weekend. Both times, OSU openned the season #1, both times OSU whipped an overmatched opponent each week of the season (including their week 8 opponent), and both times the Bucks entered week 9 at home against a heavy underdog. I think we all know what happened in 1998. What are the odds that the Gophers can pull the same miracle Sparty did 8 years ago? Zero.
Buckeyes 38
Minny 6
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Anyone notice how much less there is to say about each succeeding underdog with each passing game?
tOSU 48 Minn 0
tOSU 48 Minn 0
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The Forecast for this weekend from NOAA
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?CityName=Columbus&state=OH&site=ILN
Thursday: A chance of showers, mainly after 2pm. Partly cloudy, with a high near 50. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Thursday Night: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 42. East wind between 3 and 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday: Occasional rain, mainly after noon. High near 52. East wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday Night: Occasional rain, mainly before 2am. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 42. Northeast wind between 8 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Saturday: A chance of showers, mainly before 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 49. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
I am beginning to think that field conditions will play factor. This may hold the score down a bit.
I'm saying
Ohio State 38
Minny 3
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?CityName=Columbus&state=OH&site=ILN
Thursday: A chance of showers, mainly after 2pm. Partly cloudy, with a high near 50. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Thursday Night: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 42. East wind between 3 and 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday: Occasional rain, mainly after noon. High near 52. East wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday Night: Occasional rain, mainly before 2am. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 42. Northeast wind between 8 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Saturday: A chance of showers, mainly before 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 49. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
I am beginning to think that field conditions will play factor. This may hold the score down a bit.
I'm saying
Ohio State 38
Minny 3
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UpNorthBuckeye
Hall of Fame
I have learned my lesson about the Bucks beating the spread (last week I thought Kellen Lewis & Co would keep it close, like 25points or so).
So, this week I say, tOSU 45, Minnie 6.
Laurinaitis has 12 tackles and another pick!
Go Bucks!
So, this week I say, tOSU 45, Minnie 6.
Laurinaitis has 12 tackles and another pick!
Go Bucks!
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Got my first look at Minnie's depth chart. They have only two seniors in their two deep on Defense and neither starts.
This may be the most pain Glen Mason has suffered since he was passed over for the OSU job.
This may be the most pain Glen Mason has suffered since he was passed over for the OSU job.
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Canton
OSU: Minnesota is tough opponent, OK?
Thursday, October 26, 2006
By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER
Minnesota at Ohio State 3:30 p.m. Saturday
Ohio Stadium
TV ABC (Channel 5)
COLUMBUS That Jim Tressel is a hoot. The Ohio State head coach nearly had them doing belly laughs the other day.
Except he was serious. Straight-faced. No liar's poker with this guy.
Tressel continued his assault on hyperbole in building up Saturday's next opponent, Minnesota, at 3:30 p.m. at Ohio Stadium. There is a reason some teams are scheduled as the homecoming opponent.
Not in Tressel's mind.
The Golden Gophers salvaged what's left of their season last week when they blocked a game-winning field goal attempt by Division I-AA North Dakota State.
North Dakota State?
"North Dakota State is good," Tressel said. "They went down a week ago to Georgia Southern and won like 35-10 at Georgia Southern. .... Like 35 guys or something on their team are natives of the state of Minnesota. Those are kids that couldn't wait to get to the Metrodome, and they played lights out."
Well, all that's something if you're Ashland getting ready to play North Dakota State. Gopher fans weren't impressed by the win. Despite Glen Mason's success at a usually dismal program, fans were chanting for him to be fired last week.
No one inside the Minnesota locker room was exactly thrilled with a 10-9 win in front of the home fans.
"I shoot from the hip," Mason said. "I tell my players exactly what I think. Players become a reflection of the coach. ... What I told them was we got outplayed, we got outcoached, but we won the game. ... Let's not be too ecstatic because we didn't play very well."
Mason is rolling with his criticism. Fans are fickle and have short memories.
"If you're worried about criticism, you probably shouldn't be a major college head football coach," said Mason, a former Kent State coach. "If you don't think you're going to endure tough times, don't take the job at Kent State, don't take the Kansas State job, don't take the Minnesota job.
"When those programs are down, expectations are minimal. Typically, they'll tell you if you can get 11 men on the field and don't get a delay of game penalty, you can stay here forever. Those days have passed. Let's face it. This is my 10th year. Some of those people in the stands were 8 or 9 years old when I came here, and Minnesota wasn't very good against anybody."
At least someone is speaking with honesty.
Mason signed a five-year contract extension in January that will keep him at Minnesota until 2010. He makes about $1.7 million a season. By comparison, Tressel will make about $2.4 million this year, $2.7 in the final year of his contract (2013).
Tressel makes that kind of money because he's expected to win Big Ten titles and an occasional national title. The No. 1-ranked Buckeyes have Minnesota, Illinois and Northwestern before a blockbuster game Nov. 18 against No. 2 Michigan.
The Gophers will be more of a test than Indiana, or the next two opponents, but then comes Michigan.
"They think about that one all year long," Tressel said of players. "Even in spring practice, where you tell them to be focused on today's practice. There's a little part of them, that that's the reason they came to Ohio State or that's the reason they went to Michigan was to play in games like that.
"Things like that flash through your mind, but then quickly you need to say, 'OK, I've got to have proper technique on this set of squats.' "
OSU: Minnesota is tough opponent, OK?
Thursday, October 26, 2006
By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER
Minnesota at Ohio State 3:30 p.m. Saturday
Ohio Stadium
TV ABC (Channel 5)
COLUMBUS That Jim Tressel is a hoot. The Ohio State head coach nearly had them doing belly laughs the other day.
Except he was serious. Straight-faced. No liar's poker with this guy.
Tressel continued his assault on hyperbole in building up Saturday's next opponent, Minnesota, at 3:30 p.m. at Ohio Stadium. There is a reason some teams are scheduled as the homecoming opponent.
Not in Tressel's mind.
The Golden Gophers salvaged what's left of their season last week when they blocked a game-winning field goal attempt by Division I-AA North Dakota State.
North Dakota State?
"North Dakota State is good," Tressel said. "They went down a week ago to Georgia Southern and won like 35-10 at Georgia Southern. .... Like 35 guys or something on their team are natives of the state of Minnesota. Those are kids that couldn't wait to get to the Metrodome, and they played lights out."
Well, all that's something if you're Ashland getting ready to play North Dakota State. Gopher fans weren't impressed by the win. Despite Glen Mason's success at a usually dismal program, fans were chanting for him to be fired last week.
No one inside the Minnesota locker room was exactly thrilled with a 10-9 win in front of the home fans.
"I shoot from the hip," Mason said. "I tell my players exactly what I think. Players become a reflection of the coach. ... What I told them was we got outplayed, we got outcoached, but we won the game. ... Let's not be too ecstatic because we didn't play very well."
Mason is rolling with his criticism. Fans are fickle and have short memories.
"If you're worried about criticism, you probably shouldn't be a major college head football coach," said Mason, a former Kent State coach. "If you don't think you're going to endure tough times, don't take the job at Kent State, don't take the Kansas State job, don't take the Minnesota job.
"When those programs are down, expectations are minimal. Typically, they'll tell you if you can get 11 men on the field and don't get a delay of game penalty, you can stay here forever. Those days have passed. Let's face it. This is my 10th year. Some of those people in the stands were 8 or 9 years old when I came here, and Minnesota wasn't very good against anybody."
At least someone is speaking with honesty.
Mason signed a five-year contract extension in January that will keep him at Minnesota until 2010. He makes about $1.7 million a season. By comparison, Tressel will make about $2.4 million this year, $2.7 in the final year of his contract (2013).
Tressel makes that kind of money because he's expected to win Big Ten titles and an occasional national title. The No. 1-ranked Buckeyes have Minnesota, Illinois and Northwestern before a blockbuster game Nov. 18 against No. 2 Michigan.
The Gophers will be more of a test than Indiana, or the next two opponents, but then comes Michigan.
"They think about that one all year long," Tressel said of players. "Even in spring practice, where you tell them to be focused on today's practice. There's a little part of them, that that's the reason they came to Ohio State or that's the reason they went to Michigan was to play in games like that.
"Things like that flash through your mind, but then quickly you need to say, 'OK, I've got to have proper technique on this set of squats.' "
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