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

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txbuckeye1983 said:
What I was meaning to say is what Ohio State has done over the last four years is FAR MORE impressive than anything the Mid-American Conference has EVER done. The only thing the MAC has done is give Ohio State and Notre Dame and Michigan first-class coaches. That, and give the Big Ten teams a nice scrimmage early in the season. Oh, and occasionally upsetting also-rans of BCS conferences. But that isn't a normal occurance, considering they got SWEPT by the Big Ten last year.
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Actually, this is kind of like saying that the Pittsburgh Steelers are better than Ohio State. It's true, but it almost has to be. OSU's football budget is, I believe, more than 10 times what NIU's budget is. Our facilities would never come close, especially with the MAC only getting a few smaller bowl games (until this coming year only 1 or 2 bowls), so conference revenues are relatively tiny. So even making a game of it is, if not a moral victory, at least a small victory of sorts.

If this sounds like an excuse, it probably is. Facts are facts, and although NIU has improved recently, developed more of a following, and been more successful, we still lose out on budget money to U of I, because they're a Big Ten team. The media in Chicago just likes to talk about Notre Dame. :mad2:
 
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NIU007 said:
Actually, this is kind of like saying that the Pittsburgh Steelers are better than Ohio State. It's true, but it almost has to be. OSU's football budget is, I believe, more than 10 times what NIU's budget is. Our facilities would never come close, especially with the MAC only getting a few smaller bowl games (until this coming year only 1 or 2 bowls), so conference revenues are relatively tiny. So even making a game of it is, if not a moral victory, at least a small victory of sorts.

If this sounds like an excuse, it probably is. Facts are facts, and although NIU has improved recently, developed more of a following, and been more successful, we still lose out on budget money to U of I, because they're a Big Ten team. The media in Chicago just likes to talk about Notre Dame. :mad2:
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And therein lies a great story. NIU can be proud of their accomplishments, pound for pound, and I don't think many people here at BP would dispute that.

It may be true that "it isn't the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog", but when you're a small dog, standing on a corner selling woof tickets isn't a great idea and neither is trying to bark like a Rotweiler. And I'm afraid that is what a couple of NIU supporters have been doing on BP.

NIU has the potential to be a great first game for Ohio State. We want your guys to give us a game. We hope our guys will take you deadly seriously. And you can be sure that they will.

I respect that you guys really support your team. That's what makes American sporting tradition so very rich. But in my heart of hearts, I believe the Buckeyes are going to come out in the best condition they have been in many years. And I think they are going to be very hungry for a national championship. And I think this game has the potential to be 35-0 at the half. I think it is unfortunate for you that you will be catching one of the most dangerous Buckeye teams ever in one of America's most storied college sports traditions.

Maybe I am wrong. But telling me one more tale about Mr Wolfe is not going to change my opinion one iota.

Over the years, we have developed some real friendships on BP with posters from other teams. One of those buggers is even a moderator here :). If you look back you will see that what we respected so much about them is that they put objective facts on the table and let those speak for themselves. They didn't talk smack and they didn't respond to it. They recognized a good ribbing for what it was and didn't take it too personally.

NIU007, this comment is NOT directed to you and I hope you won't be offended, but I guess what this thread is missing for me is that objective conversation. It has been drowned out every time it started by a different kind of conversation that goes nowhere.

Maybe you can start us down that path?
 
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Wolfe hot topic at Big Ten Media Day http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2006/08/03/sports/sports02.txt#comments
By Bobby Narang - Staff Writer
CHICAGO - Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith found out something most Mid-American Conference teams have learned rather painfully - you can't contain Garrett Wolfe.


On Wednesday, Smith, the most popular player at the 2006 Big Ten Media Day, spoke of his desire to hook up with his newfound friend. The two All-American candidates became good friends at the Playboy All-American banquet in Phoenix during early May.

When Smith arrived in Chicago on Tuesday, he quickly dialed up Wolfe's cell phone to see if the two could meet in Chicago.

“I called Garrett as soon as I got here (in Chicago),” Smith said. “He was 40 or 60 miles away. He's taking care of business. He's in school and he wasn't able to come. I wish I could've seen him. I know he's going to develop into one of my good friends.”

Wolfe, a Chicago native, was actually only a few blocks away on Wednesday. The senior tailback was the main attraction at NIU's media day held at Harry Caray's Restaurant. The event was organized to attract a spill-over effect of local and national media following the culmination of the morning Big Ten event.
Wolfe was flattered by Smith's request, but elected to take a break after arriving late Monday night from the Mid-American Conference Football Media Day in Detroit.

“I talked to him (Smith) a couple of times yesterday,” Wolfe said. “I told him where to go and not to go in Chicago. He tried to get me to come home. That's a nice little drive. I told him I was just going to stay here. We clicked as soon as we met. I was surprised how much he knew about me when we met, but we'll see each other again.”

Smith had an army of reporters around his table for the two-hour print session held at the Hyatt Regency. The senior quarterback admitted he became a big Wolfe fan during their weekend retreat in the desert. Smith will get an up close view of Wolfe when the Buckeyes host the Huskies in the season opener for both teams on Sept. 2.

“Garrett's an A-one class guy,” Smith said. “We had a great time at the Playboy thing. The first time I met Garrett, it was more of a brotherly feel in the way he came off. It wasn't a feel we got you in the opener and our rivalry and game starts now. I got to know him as a person.”

Most of the attention at the Big Ten event was geared toward Ohio State's second game of the season. The Buckeyes lost their bid for a national title with a 25-22 loss to Texas in the second week of the season last year, but get a shot at revenge by traveling to Texas following the opener against the Huskies.
Ohio State returns just two defensive starters from last year's 10-2 squad. OSU coach Jim Tressel called Wolfe the ultimate test for his untested defense.

“Garrett's a great player ... welcome to our new defense,” Tressel said, causing a big laugh from the throng of reporters. “No one can tackle him. When he plays, Northern Illinois wins. Our guys will have no problems having their eyes open from day one, which is a good thing. They've seen him on film and television. They've probably seen more of him than guys on other teams.”

Smith, the Preseason Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, wasn't the lone Wolfe fan. Rushing for 1,630 yards and scoring 18 touchdowns last year, Wolfe caught the eye of several of the top backs in the Big Ten.

Illinois tailback E.B. Halsey called Oklahoma tailback Adrian Peterson his favorite runner. Halsey, a senior from New Jersey, rushed for 349 yards last year for the 2-9 Illini. Halsey learned about Wolfe's prowess from a former teammate.

“From what I've seen on film, Garrett's a kid that does a tremendous job in that scheme,” Halsey said. “He's a tough runner with great balance and home-run hitting speed. A lot of times you get those big guys from Northern pulling around and by the time you see Garrett, it's too late and he hits that hole and he's out of there.”

Mike Hart rushed for 117 yards in Michigan's 33-17 triumph over Northern Illinois in last year's opener. Hart entered the game with a lofty reputation, running for 1,455 yards as a freshman. However, Hart watched Wolfe burst free for a 76-yard touchdown en route to 148 yards rushing against the Wolverines.

“Garrett's a great running back,” Hart said. “He works hard and I really respect his game. He's very fast.”

Tailback Pierre Thomas led the Illini with 664 yards rushing and five touchdowns last year. Thomas, a two-time Illini MVP, has yet to watch Wolfe on film, but plans on catching one of NIU's weekday games this fall.

“I've heard a lot of things about Garrett Wolfe,” Thomas said. “I have a lot of friends who talk about him a lot. I'll have to check him out.”

Wolfe admitted the flattering words from his peers are nice, but the self-described video game fan doesn't even play himself on PlayStation 2 NCAA Football. He lists Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson and California's Marshawn Lynch as his two favorite video game backs.
“Adrian is so physical that people fear him,” Wolfe said. “Marshawn can do it all. I love to be Miami (Hurricanes). I love their swagger and attitude that they can beat anybody. I don't play anybody else.”

Even though Smith gushed with praise about Wolfe on and off the field, he darted away from calling him the best back in the country.

“He's the second-best back,” Smith said, breaking out with a big smile. “My tailback is. I think the best back in the nation is Antonio Pittman.”
 
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OSU, Iowa not taking Northern Illinois lightly |
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By Kevin Chlum - Staff Writer
CHICAGO - Northern Illinois, a member of the Big Ten?


Not officially, but as far as Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz is concerned, the Huskies are his squad's ninth Big Ten game this season.

The Hawkeyes, picked third in a preseason Big Ten media poll, are slated to face NIU in Iowa City right in the middle of the Big Ten schedule. It will be the first time the program's have met since 1999 - a 24-0 Iowa win during Ferentz's first season, and NIU's last losing season.

Under coach Joe Novak, Northern Illinois has made program-building strides since that last meeting with the school's first bowl victory in 21 years and first-ever Mid-American Conference title game appearance.

The recent success has vaulted the Huskies into the national college football landscape, and had them popping up in conversations throughout Big Ten Media Day on Wednesday in Chicago.
“The job coach Novak has done is absolutely phenomenal,” Ferentz said. “That's unprecedented success. The teams they've beaten from the Big 12, SEC, ACC - they beat Maryland a couple years ago - those things don't happen by accident. We saw them a couple times on tape last year (through common opponents). They are an excellent football team. From my vantage point, it's just one more Big Ten game on our schedule.”

Iowa players Drew Tate, Mike Elgin and Marcus Paschal admitted they didn't have a vast knowledge of Northern Illinois, but they all were quick to point out the one thing they did know - NIU has an outstanding running back.

What does Tate - one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten - know about the nation's top returning rusher?

“He's really good,” said Tate, who threw for 2,828 yards and 22 touchdowns last season. “Really good. He's like a (former Iowa running back) Freddy Russell kind of guy. He's short, has good mass to his body, is very quick and uses his blocks very well.”

Wolfe and the Huskies also were a hot topic at the Ohio State tables. The Buckeyes, tabbed as the preseason favorites to win the Big Ten title, open with NIU on Sept. 2 in Columbus.
The Buckeyes, who routed Notre Dame 34-20 in the Fiesta Bowl last season, don't plan on overlooking the Huskies after NIU's performance at Michigan in the 2005 season opener. OSU center Doug Datish, one of three returning offensive line starters, witnessed Wolfe run for 148 yards in the 33-17 loss, in which the Huskies turned the ball over an uncharacteristic five times.

“We can't bypass Northern,” Datish said. “We saw what they did to Michigan last year. We certainly don't want something like that to happen to us. They're a great football team. We can't look past anybody. We're definitely not looking past them.”

Wolfe will provide a stiff test for the inexperienced Ohio State defense. The Buckeyes lost nine defensive starters, including three who were selected in the first round of the NFL draft, but haven't lost their swagger.

“We don't expect to take a step back,” Datish said. “If we lose 28 guys, it doesn't matter to us. Fortunately, at Ohio State, we're able to reload. We're not trying to rest on our past laurels. Our offense can be as good as we make it.”

While the Buckeyes face numerous questions on defense, the offensive side of the ball is primed to be among the nation's elite despite the loss of NFL first-rounders Nick Mangold and Santonio Holmes. The OSU offense is led by dual-threat quarterback Troy Smith, a Heisman Trophy candidate supported by explosive wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. and standout running back Antonio Pittman.

Iowa faces a strikingly similar outlook as its Big Ten rivals. The Hawkeyes appear set offensively with Tate and running back Albert Young (1,334 yards, 8 TDs) behind an experienced line (three returning starters, including Elgin), but their hopes of a sixth straight bowl game may rest with a defense that must replace two NFL linebackers and a pair of four-year starters at cornerback.

Paschal, an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick last year, has confidence in the four replacements and a defensive line returning all four starters.

“They are going to be OK,” Paschal said of the four replacements. “They've been working hard and they have been players on special teams so they know about the game atmosphere. I think we'll be very solid on defense. Our defensive line has a lot of experience, which helps a lot.”

If Northern Illinois stays competitive at Ohio State and Iowa this season, it will further cement its place on the national scene, but until then, the Huskies will remain an honorary Big Ten member, at least in the eyes of the Hawkeyes.

“In the past (NIU) has had tremendous offensive lines, just dominating offensive lines,” Elgin said. “They are a tough outfit. They are well coached, well disciplined and they play really hard. It's going to feel almost like another Big Ten team, just a with a name we're not too familiar with.”
 
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http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=213543

Phil Brown out for Season

Need a linebacker: Joe Novak announced that NIU sophomore linebacker Phil Brown will miss the 2006 season after tearing up his right knee during spring drills. Brown, who’ll receive a medical redshirt, started three games at strong-side linebacker as a true freshman. NIU expected him to be an all-Mid-American Conference candidate this fall.
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Brown had 51 tackles as a true freshman last year.

His most likely replacement is David Bryant.


From spring prospectus:
hot Huskie commodity of the spring might be red-shirt frosh LB David Bryant (5'10", 193.) Signed as a TB, moved to CB, and red shirted at FS last fall, Bryant is going to be good, said Novak who does not overevaluate his players. He's athletic, fast, physical and has great instincts".
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Oy seems alittle small for a linebacker.
 
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