Joe Dexter
Guest
Gameday Morning: Northern Illinois @ Ohio State
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Every Saturday before kickoff, tBBC staff corals all the reading material you need to get ready for the game. From our workings throughout the week to the internet and beyond — here are the articles and media you need to get caught up on as you enjoy your week 1 tailgate. Let’s get things started by firing up this week’s Gameday Morning playlist, compiled by tBBC staff.
The Buckeyes have a lot to prove this afternoon when they take on Northern Illinois at 3:30 PM ET. Most teams that are coming off a 38-0 shutout, and one of their most impressive defensive performances to date, wouldn’t feel so much pressure to improve.
That’s what separates the programs like Ohio State from all the others.
Their test this week is a formidable one. The NIU Huskies have won three straight road games against Big Ten opponents. They have only lost six times in the Rod Carey era.
Most importantly, there isn’t a game that NIU plays in where they feel like they are over matched.
Today will prove to be a true test. One that I believe the Buckeyes will pass with flying colors.
Now, Let’s get you all the info you need to prepare you (and help kill time) before kickoff.
The Buckeye Battle Cry Hub
– Ken Previews Northern Illinois in depth
– tBBC Staffers discuss the hot topic of the week — Ohio State’s Offense
– Joe talks with The BSK on In the Zone to preview OSU/NIU
– WvA is Rumblin’ Stumblin’ Bumblin‘
– Charles brings us the latest from The Best Damn Band in the Land
This Week On Script Ohio on VSporto’s Buckeye Sports Radio
Ohio State Two Deep
We are starting to see a pattern at this time of the year that will remain the same unless we see injuries.
The only major change on defense is that Joey Bosa is listed as the straight starter and his backup is Sam Hubbard.
On offense, Corey Smith still remains third on the depth chart at one of the three receiver spots. Smith finds himself behind fellow senior Jeff Greene and junior Michael Thomas.
H-Backs Dontre Wilson and Jalin Marshall are both listed at receiver. Marshall will start alongside Thomas and Parris Campbell.
Cardale Jones will make the start for the Buckeyes, and while he should get every opportunity to prove himself — J.T. Barrett will most likely see time in this game as well.
Ohio State Injury Report
Name
Position
Injury
Status
Notes
Mike WeberRBKnee (Meniscus) ProbableWeber Practiced this week and is probable but will more thank likely sit out Today's Game.
Noah BrownWRBroken LegOut for Season
Ohio State Gameday Links
— Eric Seger at Eleven Warriors talked about how things were supposed to end for Jim Tressel after covering his induction to the Varsity O Hall of Fame on Friday night.
How exactly was Tressel’s tenure supposed to end in Columbus?
“(Smith) would always say, ‘Let’s extend your contract.’ I said, ‘OK, but don’t let me stay a day longer than our program is going like that,'” Tressel said Friday evening, shooting his hand upward to the ceiling of the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel. “It’s too competitive out there. The moment you start slipping, you don’t even know you’re slipping, but you’ve been slipping in inches.”
— Tom Knox at the Columbus Business First has a list of names looking to replace Archie Griffin as president of the OSU Alumni Association.
Ohio State originally set a June 30 deadline for applications to replace Griffin before deciding to extend it one more month. The school released the applicants’ resumes afterColumbus Business First made a public-records request. In total, 36 people applied, although two have since dropped out of consideration.
There’s no word on when Ohio State will choose a replacement. Andy Gurd is interim president, and one of the applicants.
Griffin made $421,095 last year, according to our Ohio State salary database.
— Apparently the Buckeyes fill Taylor Swift’s Blank Space…
— ESPN’s Austin Ward says Braxton Miller might have a pass or two up his sleeves. Clair and I predicted it will happen today on Script Ohio.
“Playing this position, you’ve got to be patient,” Miller said last week. “Half the time, you’re not even touching the ball for the first half or the first quarter or whatever. But coach Meyer is going to get the ball in the playmakers’ hands, so you’ve just got to be patient.
“Yeah, I can [throw]. But it’s up to coach Meyer and the play call.”
— Marla Ridenour at Ohio.com shares the words of Urban Meyer and his continued positive comments about Parris Campbell.
“That’s where it all starts,” Meyer said of Campbell’s contributions on special teams during his weekly radio call-in show on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus Thursday.
“I told Carlos Hyde, all those players, ‘You have to do it,'” Meyer said. “Parris, I love that kid, a good student, raised the right way, represents Akron St. V the right way. Watch out that guy.”
— For all the Positives, Wes Patterson at Men of the Scarlet and Gray questions if there are too many playmakers at wide receiver.
Then came the Hawaii game when the 3 players returned, and the Buckeyes were 41 point favorites. With the depth and speed outside, the fans and the coaches expected a high-scoring, big play game for the Buckeyes. You guys, of course, know what actually happened. The Buckeyes had an extremely sloppy game, with relatively no big plays, and no TD passes for the first time in a couple of years, but winning 38-0. Although that may seem like a dominating win, everybody was upset, including Urban Meyer.
One thing that was very noticeable, was the rotation of the WR, and the lack of touches for all of them. The passing game was extremely inconsistent, so the question arises. Does this team have too many playmakers at WR?
Northern Illinois Two Deep
Just take a look at the size and depth on this roster and you suddenly you’ll find yourself building a new-found respect for the Huskies.
Every single offensive lineman on the two deep is over six feet and above or near 300 pounds.
The only interesting note offensively for the Huskies is listing two starters at tight end, which could mean they are looking to dominate the run game.
On defense, opposite of stud Paris Logan will be a rotation of three defensive backs, which could lead to a huge advantage for the Ohio State passing game.
Northern Illinois Injury Report
Name
Position
Injury
Status
Notes
Keith Harris Jr. RBKneeOut indefinitely for Northern Illinois.
NIU Gameday Links
Hustle Belt’s Nick Burzych believes the Huskies can stay competitive in his game preview.
Yes, run the ball and stop the run is one of the oldest football cliches in the book, but both are especially true in this case. Hawaii was able to hold Elliot to only 3.7 yards per carry last week, which was the main reason the Rainbow Warriors were only down 17-0 after three quarters. Jones is a freak athletically, but he still is not the most polished passer when you force him to stand back in the pocket and go through progressions.
If the Huskies can bottle up Elliot and force Ohio State into third and medium to long, you hope Perez Ford and company on the defensive line can get to Jones and force him into mistakes.
NIU DB Paris Logan is a stud athlete. DeKalb Daily Chronicle’s Jesse Severson shares the story that he wouldn’t be playing football if it weren’t for a substitute teacher.
t was because of the suggestion to play football toward the end of his sophomore season by substitute teacher Michael Lockett that Logan picked up the game – resulting in him becoming a standout cornerback for the Huskies as they play at Ohio State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC.
“I wasn’t used to people outside of my family looking out for me and taking care of me,” said Logan, who attended Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Missouri and hadn’t played football before. “He was always looking out for me. It was like a mentor or a big brother. It was something that I needed at that point in my life.”
— Andy Bitter, who joined Clair and I on Script Ohio this week, wrote about the physicality of this matchup at The Roanoke Times and the role it played on QB Michael Brewer’s season.
Although not technically injured against Ohio State, Brewer wasn’t quite himself the next week, throwing two picks and generating no sustained drives early against East Carolina. He didn’t outright say whether there were residual effects from playing the Buckeyes, but he intimated it.
It’s why protecting Brewer — a combination of physically holding the line and recognizing blitzes — is paramount. Although he was sacked only twice last year by the Buckeyes, he took plenty of hits.
“Honestly you just cringe looking at it,” right tackle Wade Hansen said of watching the film. “Because you can’t let him get hit like that. That’s almost disrespecting our quarterback. … So we’ll do everything we can to not make that happen.”
— Jack McCarthy of the Chicago Tribune says NIU players are unfazed by their trip to Ohio Stadium.
“I’m not going to get scared or shy away from it,” tailback Joel Bouagnon said. “You’ve got 100,000 people in front of you, it’s your time to shine.”
In fact, the Huskies have won all three of their games against Big Ten teams under third-year coach Rod Carey, winning at Northwestern last season and at Iowa and Purdue in 2013.
“It helps us a lot that we’ve been in those kind of situations before, playing in bigger stadiums against bigger schools,” quarterback Drew Hare said. “This week it’s a challenge for us and we know that going into the game, so it should be fun.”
One Final Thought
I’ve been preaching all week that even though NIU is a tough task for the Ohio State defense, I don’t see this ended well for the Huskies.
Their offense is elite, but their spread attack and attempts to get the ball out in two seconds or less just won’t work against the most engaging secondary in the country.
As far as Ohio State’s offense, I think Cardale Jones will silence the critics with a 300 yard passing performance. The Huskies have given up 305 yards per game in the air this season, and have struggled with the spread offenses of UNLV and Murray State.
I feel bad for a defense that has to face this Buckeye offense as it just starts coming into it’s own.
My Final Prediction — 42-10 Buckeyes
The post Gameday Morning: Northern Illinois @ Ohio State appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Every Saturday before kickoff, tBBC staff corals all the reading material you need to get ready for the game. From our workings throughout the week to the internet and beyond — here are the articles and media you need to get caught up on as you enjoy your week 1 tailgate. Let’s get things started by firing up this week’s Gameday Morning playlist, compiled by tBBC staff.
The Buckeyes have a lot to prove this afternoon when they take on Northern Illinois at 3:30 PM ET. Most teams that are coming off a 38-0 shutout, and one of their most impressive defensive performances to date, wouldn’t feel so much pressure to improve.
That’s what separates the programs like Ohio State from all the others.
Their test this week is a formidable one. The NIU Huskies have won three straight road games against Big Ten opponents. They have only lost six times in the Rod Carey era.
Most importantly, there isn’t a game that NIU plays in where they feel like they are over matched.
Today will prove to be a true test. One that I believe the Buckeyes will pass with flying colors.
Now, Let’s get you all the info you need to prepare you (and help kill time) before kickoff.
The Buckeye Battle Cry Hub
– Ken Previews Northern Illinois in depth
– tBBC Staffers discuss the hot topic of the week — Ohio State’s Offense
– Joe talks with The BSK on In the Zone to preview OSU/NIU
– WvA is Rumblin’ Stumblin’ Bumblin‘
– Charles brings us the latest from The Best Damn Band in the Land
This Week On Script Ohio on VSporto’s Buckeye Sports Radio
- Cardale Jones to Start and Improvements to be Made
- The Buckeyes face a true test in Northern Illinois
- There’s a Reason Ohio State’s Offense isn’t as Explosive as Last Year
- 5 Bold Predictions and the Game Show called MACtion or Braxton
- TV: ABC/ESPN 2 — Mike Patrick (Play-by-Play), Ed Cunningham (Analyst), Dr. Jerry Punch (Sideline)
- Watch Online: WatchESPN
- Radio: Ohio State Radio Network (Paul Keels/Jim Lachey/Marty Bannister/Skip Mosic | NIU Radio Network
- Satellite Radio: XM Channel 195 | Sirius 132
- Listen Online: Ohio State Feed| NIU Radio Network
Ohio State Two Deep
We are starting to see a pattern at this time of the year that will remain the same unless we see injuries.
The only major change on defense is that Joey Bosa is listed as the straight starter and his backup is Sam Hubbard.
On offense, Corey Smith still remains third on the depth chart at one of the three receiver spots. Smith finds himself behind fellow senior Jeff Greene and junior Michael Thomas.
H-Backs Dontre Wilson and Jalin Marshall are both listed at receiver. Marshall will start alongside Thomas and Parris Campbell.
Cardale Jones will make the start for the Buckeyes, and while he should get every opportunity to prove himself — J.T. Barrett will most likely see time in this game as well.
Ohio State Injury Report
Name
Position
Injury
Status
Notes
Mike WeberRBKnee (Meniscus) ProbableWeber Practiced this week and is probable but will more thank likely sit out Today's Game.
Noah BrownWRBroken LegOut for Season
Ohio State Gameday Links
— Eric Seger at Eleven Warriors talked about how things were supposed to end for Jim Tressel after covering his induction to the Varsity O Hall of Fame on Friday night.
How exactly was Tressel’s tenure supposed to end in Columbus?
“(Smith) would always say, ‘Let’s extend your contract.’ I said, ‘OK, but don’t let me stay a day longer than our program is going like that,'” Tressel said Friday evening, shooting his hand upward to the ceiling of the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel. “It’s too competitive out there. The moment you start slipping, you don’t even know you’re slipping, but you’ve been slipping in inches.”
— Tom Knox at the Columbus Business First has a list of names looking to replace Archie Griffin as president of the OSU Alumni Association.
Ohio State originally set a June 30 deadline for applications to replace Griffin before deciding to extend it one more month. The school released the applicants’ resumes afterColumbus Business First made a public-records request. In total, 36 people applied, although two have since dropped out of consideration.
There’s no word on when Ohio State will choose a replacement. Andy Gurd is interim president, and one of the applicants.
Griffin made $421,095 last year, according to our Ohio State salary database.
— Apparently the Buckeyes fill Taylor Swift’s Blank Space…
— ESPN’s Austin Ward says Braxton Miller might have a pass or two up his sleeves. Clair and I predicted it will happen today on Script Ohio.
“Playing this position, you’ve got to be patient,” Miller said last week. “Half the time, you’re not even touching the ball for the first half or the first quarter or whatever. But coach Meyer is going to get the ball in the playmakers’ hands, so you’ve just got to be patient.
“Yeah, I can [throw]. But it’s up to coach Meyer and the play call.”
— Marla Ridenour at Ohio.com shares the words of Urban Meyer and his continued positive comments about Parris Campbell.
“That’s where it all starts,” Meyer said of Campbell’s contributions on special teams during his weekly radio call-in show on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus Thursday.
“I told Carlos Hyde, all those players, ‘You have to do it,'” Meyer said. “Parris, I love that kid, a good student, raised the right way, represents Akron St. V the right way. Watch out that guy.”
— For all the Positives, Wes Patterson at Men of the Scarlet and Gray questions if there are too many playmakers at wide receiver.
Then came the Hawaii game when the 3 players returned, and the Buckeyes were 41 point favorites. With the depth and speed outside, the fans and the coaches expected a high-scoring, big play game for the Buckeyes. You guys, of course, know what actually happened. The Buckeyes had an extremely sloppy game, with relatively no big plays, and no TD passes for the first time in a couple of years, but winning 38-0. Although that may seem like a dominating win, everybody was upset, including Urban Meyer.
One thing that was very noticeable, was the rotation of the WR, and the lack of touches for all of them. The passing game was extremely inconsistent, so the question arises. Does this team have too many playmakers at WR?
Just take a look at the size and depth on this roster and you suddenly you’ll find yourself building a new-found respect for the Huskies.
Every single offensive lineman on the two deep is over six feet and above or near 300 pounds.
The only interesting note offensively for the Huskies is listing two starters at tight end, which could mean they are looking to dominate the run game.
On defense, opposite of stud Paris Logan will be a rotation of three defensive backs, which could lead to a huge advantage for the Ohio State passing game.
Northern Illinois Injury Report
Name
Position
Injury
Status
Notes
Keith Harris Jr. RBKneeOut indefinitely for Northern Illinois.
NIU Gameday Links
Hustle Belt’s Nick Burzych believes the Huskies can stay competitive in his game preview.
Yes, run the ball and stop the run is one of the oldest football cliches in the book, but both are especially true in this case. Hawaii was able to hold Elliot to only 3.7 yards per carry last week, which was the main reason the Rainbow Warriors were only down 17-0 after three quarters. Jones is a freak athletically, but he still is not the most polished passer when you force him to stand back in the pocket and go through progressions.
If the Huskies can bottle up Elliot and force Ohio State into third and medium to long, you hope Perez Ford and company on the defensive line can get to Jones and force him into mistakes.
NIU DB Paris Logan is a stud athlete. DeKalb Daily Chronicle’s Jesse Severson shares the story that he wouldn’t be playing football if it weren’t for a substitute teacher.
t was because of the suggestion to play football toward the end of his sophomore season by substitute teacher Michael Lockett that Logan picked up the game – resulting in him becoming a standout cornerback for the Huskies as they play at Ohio State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC.
“I wasn’t used to people outside of my family looking out for me and taking care of me,” said Logan, who attended Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Missouri and hadn’t played football before. “He was always looking out for me. It was like a mentor or a big brother. It was something that I needed at that point in my life.”
— Andy Bitter, who joined Clair and I on Script Ohio this week, wrote about the physicality of this matchup at The Roanoke Times and the role it played on QB Michael Brewer’s season.
Although not technically injured against Ohio State, Brewer wasn’t quite himself the next week, throwing two picks and generating no sustained drives early against East Carolina. He didn’t outright say whether there were residual effects from playing the Buckeyes, but he intimated it.
It’s why protecting Brewer — a combination of physically holding the line and recognizing blitzes — is paramount. Although he was sacked only twice last year by the Buckeyes, he took plenty of hits.
“Honestly you just cringe looking at it,” right tackle Wade Hansen said of watching the film. “Because you can’t let him get hit like that. That’s almost disrespecting our quarterback. … So we’ll do everything we can to not make that happen.”
— Jack McCarthy of the Chicago Tribune says NIU players are unfazed by their trip to Ohio Stadium.
“I’m not going to get scared or shy away from it,” tailback Joel Bouagnon said. “You’ve got 100,000 people in front of you, it’s your time to shine.”
In fact, the Huskies have won all three of their games against Big Ten teams under third-year coach Rod Carey, winning at Northwestern last season and at Iowa and Purdue in 2013.
“It helps us a lot that we’ve been in those kind of situations before, playing in bigger stadiums against bigger schools,” quarterback Drew Hare said. “This week it’s a challenge for us and we know that going into the game, so it should be fun.”
I’ve been preaching all week that even though NIU is a tough task for the Ohio State defense, I don’t see this ended well for the Huskies.
Their offense is elite, but their spread attack and attempts to get the ball out in two seconds or less just won’t work against the most engaging secondary in the country.
As far as Ohio State’s offense, I think Cardale Jones will silence the critics with a 300 yard passing performance. The Huskies have given up 305 yards per game in the air this season, and have struggled with the spread offenses of UNLV and Murray State.
I feel bad for a defense that has to face this Buckeye offense as it just starts coming into it’s own.
My Final Prediction — 42-10 Buckeyes
The post Gameday Morning: Northern Illinois @ Ohio State appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...