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Game Thread Game One: #1 Ohio State 35, Northern Illinois 12 (9/2/06)

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I thought it might be worth copying in this JT quote from another thread (bold added) in order to liven up the Wolfe discussion again. :biggrin:

tribunechronicle

YOUNGSTOWN — More than a couple of publications have the Ohio State Buckeyes atop their respective preseason polls.

OSU coach Jim Tressel, who attended the football “Camp of Champions” at Cardinal Mooney High School’s athletic complex, said the early accolades do not translate into victories.

Considering the tenacious Big Ten schedule and rigorous non-conference slate with Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, Cincinnati and defending national champion Texas, Tressel takes no one for granted.

‘‘Our first expectation is our kids realize we have a long way to go before we’re going to be a good team,’’ the sixth-year coach said. ‘‘We understand some people are saying we’re going to be very good.

‘‘We’ll find out if that’s true.’’

The Buckeyes’ first test is Northern Illinois. The Huskies are atop many preseason polls to win the Mid-American Conference and are ranked in the top 30.

Coach Joe Novak, who started his coaching career at Warren Western Reserve in the early 1970s, leads Northern Illinois into Ohio Stadium Sept. 2 — the opener for both teams.

Tressel does not want his players to overlook teams from the MAC, a conference that has been a formidable opponent for most Big Ten teams.

‘‘Our guys are human. They’re peeking at Texas or they’re peeking at Penn State, Iowa or Michigan,’’ Tressel said.

‘‘If you peek at some other team, a team that’s good like the ones we play in the MAC, they can knock you off.’’

Northern Illinois tailback Garrett Wolfe, a 5-foot-7, 177-pound senior, is one of those elite MAC players.

Wolfe ran for 393 yards and four touchdowns against Michigan and Northwestern last season.

‘‘Joe Novak has done a fabulous job,’’ Tressel said. ‘‘He probably has the best back in the midwest.

‘‘He’s not going to be afraid to come into a big stadium. It’s going to be a great test for us to start.’’
 
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t_BuckeyeScott said:
No offense but if tOSU was playing about anyone else he would find something nice to say about their players. Seriously just JT making nice. I don't think JT thinks Wolfe is better than Pittman.
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I honestly don't believe it'll matter though. This game isn't about Wolfe versus Pittman, it's about the NIU O-Line versus the OSU D-Line. Run defense begins with the tackles in the middle, and Ohio State has two of the best in the country.
No disrespect to Doug Free, who is a fine lineman and one of the top NFL prospects in the MAC, but I think he's going to be overmatched, and the rest of the NIU line is very green.

OSU's game plan will be to stop the run. They know Wolfe is coming. 105,000 people in the Horseshoe will know Wolfe is coming. If NIU expects to be competitive, they'll have to pass and "test" the new OSU secondary to do it.
 
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Dryden said:
I honestly don't believe it'll matter though. This game isn't about Wolfe versus Pittman, it's about the NIU O-Line versus the OSU D-Line. Run defense begins with the tackles in the middle, and Ohio State has two of the best in the country.
No disrespect to Doug Free, who is a fine lineman and one of the top NFL prospects in the MAC, but I think he's going to be overmatched, and the rest of the NIU line is very green.

OSU's game plan will be to stop the run. They know Wolfe is coming. 105,000 people in the Horseshoe will know Wolfe is coming. If NIU expects to be competitive, they'll have to pass and "test" the new OSU secondary to do it.
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Clearly I'm not saying the game will come down to Pittman vs Wolfe just that Tressel said Wolfe was the best RB in the Midwest. I don't believe Tressel believes that.
 
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G-FORCE said:
Nope, but he would start on your OL.

That is unless you have 5 1st round picks (which Free will be) on your line.
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Yet another parallel to the Miami discussion last year. Last summer I remember having to put up with Miami fans who claimed that Martin Nance was just as good a WR as Holmes, and we'd all see when the NFL draft came along. Same story for Terna Nande. Looks like they were right, and I'm sure you'll be right too. :roll1:
 
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buckeyeboy said:
Yet another parallel to the Miami discussion last year. Last summer I remember having to put up with Miami fans who claimed that Martin Nance was just as good a WR as Holmes, and we'd all see when the NFL draft came along. Same story for Terna Nande. Looks like they were right, and I'm sure you'll be right too. :roll1:
Click to expand...

Don't forget that Ryne Robinson is better than Teddy Ginn. :slappy:
 
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